The Whitworth Family

1 year old comparison

2012-02-16T12:46:00.001-08:00

Eli & Nate

Windy Gap

2012-02-16T12:27:00.001-08:00

This past weekend we headed to Windy Gap. Jeff (Bear Claw Grizlap) was the "bad guy" in program. I didnt take many pictures but these are a few cute ones that I did have. The first morning there Eli says "I love Windy Gap." He distinctly remembers the last time we were there for family camp when he got to ride on the horses. This weekend was EXTREMELY cold that we did not even make it down to the barn to look at the horses. We found our fun at the indoor playground and the club room running on the steps.

Fun on the steps

Cute kiddos

Hi

2012-02-16T12:26:00.001-08:00

Nate's first word: "Hi"

Swimming

2012-02-16T12:25:00.001-08:00

Eli started swim lessons a couple months ago. He has really enjoyed them and has progressed tremendously from last summer. It will be fun this year at the pool with the hope that he can safe his safe if he goes under. :)

1 years old

2012-02-16T12:18:00.001-08:00

Nate (yes i have started calling him that ) turned one at the beginning of Februrary and I can not believe it. This year has flown by. We celebrated on his actually birthday with our family with pizza and cupcakes. He LOVED the cupcake. He immediately put his hands in it and then brought them to his mouth. At one point the whole thing seemed like it was going in. So it was a messy success.

Family picture do not happen often for us unfortunately but they did this night thankfully!! That is a goal of mine this year...more family pics.

Mild winter

2012-02-16T12:06:00.000-08:00

This year we have enjoyed many mornings and late afternoons outside. Some days with a coat and others without. Eli LOVES to ride his bike and Nate has found joy in the car and mower. The stinker still hasn't walked yet. We thought it was coming a few months ago. It would be nice especially outside so that his knees are not scraping the concrete. We hope that this awesome weather continues so that we can keep spending time outside. Honestly, I am the chicken that doesn't want to be out in the cold, the kids could care less. :)

Xmas with grandparents

2012-02-16T11:58:00.001-08:00

I have always loved when Christmas goes on for a while. Grandma Becky and Grandaddy headed to Greensboro in January to celebrate Christmas with us. We had a nice time being together and watching the kids excitement with their presents and wrapping paper.

11 Month old comparison

2012-01-10T12:26:00.000-08:00

On the move

2011-12-27T13:00:00.000-08:00

These kids are always on the move, especially Nathan. He is into everything!!! A very fast crawler and becoming a good climber as we found him the other day in the bathroom on top of the sink stool. :) Their super cute smiles and love for life bring us lots of excitement and joy!
Some stats on Nate from his 9 month appointment even though he is almost 11 months old: 17lbs 6 oz, 28inches long

Christmas Fun!

2011-12-27T12:52:00.000-08:00

We had a joyful Christmas. Nate found his excitement in wrapping paper, trash, and boxes. It was a site to see as he crawled over the trash filled bags and rolled off of them onto the floor.

Eli has loved the Christmas tree this year, looking and arranging the ornaments. He enjoyed some new trains,a play kitchen, and art supplies.

We hope that you all had a joyful christmas time celebrating the birth of our Savior!

Tis the Season

2011-12-01T11:09:00.000-08:00

I am super excited about starting our Jesse tree tonight! This year I decided to wrap each ornament and then Eli will open one each night. Last year was great watching Eli begin to take in the coming of Jesus and all the preparation before it. I know that this year he will grasp even more which excites me. Doing this Jesse tree also allows Jeff and I to wrap our hearts around the prepartion of Christ during the hustle and bustle of all the worldly around us. Such a great reminder!!

The boys at 9 months old

2011-11-16T07:44:00.000-08:00

Rejoice

2011-08-26T11:57:00.000-07:00

We have had a fun filled summer with adventures to the pool, beach, parks, playing with trains, lazy afternoons in the hammock, feeding the ducks, naps (very important :)) playing with more trains, riding bikes, visits with family and friends, and even more trains. Summers always go by so fast but as I look back I can't help but REJOICE in the Lord for all the blessings he has given us. Jeff and I are so blessed to have two sweet healthy boys whom we love so much!

Jeff and I were able to get away for 4 days and head to Charleston. One of our adventures was to find letters out of the architecture downtown. It was a fun challenge and where the Rejoice above came from.

Nathan just turned 6 months... wow, time flies! 14lbs 14oz, 26.5 inchs long. A lot of his dark black hair continues to fall out and new lighter brown/blonde hair is coming in. Eli's hair did the same thing. He has 3 teeth and 2-3 more coming in. He is the best baby, always content unless he is tired or hungry. Speaking of hungry, the kid can eat. He is loving oatmeal, peas, pears, peaches, and carrots so far. Not a huge fan of green beans or prunes (i dont blame him) We think he will be crawling soon because he gets up on all fours and rocks...love this! Nathan loves to follow the dog and is intrigued by his big brother.

Eli also amazes us everyday with the amount of information he retains and the conversations that he loves to have. He loves his daddy! And loves to "help" his daddy whether it is working on the car, using tools, building train tracks, etc. He has also becoming quite the helper in the kitchen. As I get dinner ready he is always willing to help cut something up so we usually try to find some fruit or vegetable that he can cut into small pieces. The hope is that it will mostly end up in a bowl but a lot of times it ends up in his belly. :)
We are looking forward to the summer ending (but also sad) as new adventures begin this fall.

Morning Fun

2011-07-17T17:35:00.000-07:00

The mornings are such a good time for us. Everyone is usually rested and happy to start the day. The boys wake up smiling and Eli has his most thought provoking conversations. Many times I wonder how or where he heard some of the things he says. Often times he will tell me about what we did the day before. His memory is incredible. We always have to be on our toes with what we do and say. :)

Nathan has become one of Eli's great friends. It brings me so much joy to watch these two interact. Every night Eli wants to give Nathan a hug and a kiss. Nathan has started grasping everything in his reach, including Eli's hair. Eli doesn't seem to mind because he always laughs and goes back for more.

My 3 guys!

Baptism

2011-07-17T17:33:00.000-07:00

Today, Nathan and our dear friend, Honey, were baptized at our church. It was such a joyous time. We were so thankful to be able to share this special occasion with the Hills and our family and friends.

Pool

2011-06-21T13:00:00.000-07:00

The pool has been one of our main activities since it has opened. Either spending the morning there through lunchtime or going after Jeff gets home from work until bedtime. Eli has become quite the little fish. Jumping off the edge, pushing off the side, reaching for the side, going under water without swallowing a mouth full. We look forward to many more fun times at the pool.

4 months old

2011-06-21T12:55:00.000-07:00

This little guy is weighing in at 13.6 lbs (25%) and 25 inches long (50th%). Nathan continues to be our laid back child, always happy unless he's hungry or tired. He has rolled over a few times then gets frustrated cause he doesnt like to be on his belly. :) He has really discovered his voice which sounds like a high pitch squeal.

Best Weekend!

2011-05-31T11:07:00.000-07:00

My 3 college roomates, their husbands, and kids got together over the weekend. We had a blast going to the beach and pool every day. It is amazing how are lives have changed so much...espcially all the addition of kids. We are so thankful to have such great friends to do these fun adventures together. Looking forward to many more!!

Sweet brothers!

2011-05-25T12:53:00.001-07:00

Sunday afternoons...

2011-05-25T12:39:00.000-07:00

The weather has been so amazing lately (almost getting too hot) that we have enjoyed many hours outside. This past Sunday we pulled out the hammock and enjoyed the afternoon in the backyard. These two boys continue to bring so much joy into our lives. We look forward to many more peaceful afternoons like this...and photo shoots. :)

Scuba Eli

2011-05-11T11:13:00.000-07:00

football

2011-05-11T11:08:00.000-07:00

Eli has had some fun times playing football. He has learned to kick it, hike it, throw it, and catch it. His favorite is getting to tackle. We remind him often that we only tackle daddy. ;)

Just Because

2011-05-11T11:06:00.000-07:00

3 months old

2011-05-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

eli & nathan

Bathroom!!

2011-04-18T13:17:00.000-07:00

We (well mainly Jeff) has been working hard at finishing up this bathroom that has been in progress for a while :) It has been so great to have 2 bathrooms to use. The other one has officially become the kids bathroom. All we have left to do is make a floor to ceiling cabinet to cover the air return that was put in this room and the ceiling trim. So exciting!!

Happpy Birthday to Nana!!

2011-03-30T06:32:00.000-07:00

Hope you have a special day!!

Big Brother

2011-03-23T12:39:00.000-07:00

It is amazing how fast your first born grows up once you have another baby. Eli has been a great big brother. Most mornings he ask where "nate nate" is. He is quick to offer a paci when Nathan is fussy, helps mommy get things, and just today helped give a bottle. He is so talkative these days impressing us with new sentences/words. Going outside is a favorite thing to do where he plays with tools.

Loving his baby brother!!

Climbing on the couch!!

Great smile with Uncle Jon!!

Precious Boy!!

2011-03-23T12:32:00.000-07:00

5 weeks old!!

2011-03-13T18:08:00.000-07:00

Eli Nathan

We can not believe it has been 5 weeks since this little guy was born. I went back to compare our two boys at this age and in the same outfits. Similar but so different. Look at those cheeks. :) Nathan is already a solid 9.5lbs. I cant remember when Eli hit that mark but it was a lot later than 1 month old.

Family Photo...take 10!!

2011-02-20T12:08:00.000-08:00

More Big Brother

2011-02-20T12:03:00.000-08:00

Big Brother

2011-02-20T12:01:00.000-08:00

Brothers!

2011-02-20T11:57:00.000-08:00

Eli's first time meeting his baby brother was at home. It was a sweet moment. At first he was very not sure where this baby came from but then started talking up a storm about "baby brother came out of mommy's belly." After some calm moments together the true Eli came out and was showing off running around the room and showing baby brother lots of toys.

First Bath

2011-02-20T11:53:00.000-08:00

Nathan's first bath in the hospital was very special because it was given by his Nana. There is so much you miss after having a baby because you are still in the delivery room but thankful for lots of pictures that Jeff took. Nathan came back to the room all clean and smelling like a newborn (I love that smell).

Nathan Davis

2011-02-20T11:50:00.000-08:00

February 7, 2011 at 2:30 am
8lbs 2oz

It has been a busy two weeks in the Whitworth household. Eli was sick the first week Nathan was born so he didnt get to meet his baby brother( this is what he still calls him) until that Friday. So thankful for family taking care of him. Jeff has been able to take a good amount of time off so we have had some lazy days around the house, enjoying the warm weather, and some excursions out.
Overall, Nathan is a great baby. Sleeps and eats well. He did have jaundice but fortunately those levels are coming down. We are enjoying our family of four and I am enjoying the household of boys!!

Baby room

2011-01-12T13:03:00.000-08:00

We are only 5 weeks out(hopefully earlier :) ) until the arrival of baby boy #2. The room is complete and we are ready for him. There are a couple of options for a name which is great progress. It has been so fun to see Eli more and more interested in what is going on. He will talk to my belly and give it kisses. I can not wait until these two can meet and play together.

Christmas Vacation

2011-01-04T14:14:00.001-08:00

We have enjoyed having Jeff home for a long period of time during Christmas. Tomorrow he has to go back to work but we enjoyed our last day with him. Check out www.whitwo.com for more details. :)

Day 25: The birth of Jesus

2011-01-01T13:30:00.000-08:00

" For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16

Better late than never but Merry Christmas. We had a great morning celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus. Eli was super excited about opening some presents that morning. The first gift that he opened was of baby Jesus, our greatest gift of all. It was great to start the day off remember the reason we celebrate Christmas. It is so easy to get distracted during the day as we spend time with family and open presents.

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Might God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

Day 24: Angels Proclaiming the Coming of Christ

2011-01-01T13:21:00.000-08:00

"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." Luke 2:14

God's angels are sent by the Lord to bring messages to people. The angels brought the greatest message to the shephards that Jesus had been born.

Day 23: Light of the World

2011-01-01T13:16:00.000-08:00

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of the life" John 8:12

Jesus is the light of the world. He wants us to be a light to others so that they may know Him.

Day 22: The star

2010-12-23T11:39:00.000-08:00

" Then they saw the star they were overjoyed." Matthey 2:10

In a christmas book that we read almost every night one of the pages has a picture of the three wise men on their camels walking across the desert. I ask Eli what they are going to see and what they are following to get there. In his sweet voice he replies "Jeegi" (Jesus) and "tar" (star).

Day 21: The return of the land

2010-12-23T11:35:00.000-08:00

" Yes, I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."
Revelation 22:20

"The Wall of Jerusalem circled the whole city of Jerusalem. God allowed the wall to be torn down by armies when the people of Israel disobeyed. Years later the Wall was rebuilt and the people waited for Jesus to return.

Day 20: The exile

2010-12-23T11:29:00.000-08:00

"Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord. " Jeremich 1:8

The fiery furnace is a reminder that we should stand strong in our beliefs and say "no" when you know something is not right in the sight of the Lord.
Daniel 3:19-23

Day 19: Bethlehem

2010-12-23T11:25:00.000-08:00

" I can do all things through Chirst who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

God chose this small town to be the birth place of Jesus. God can do great things in small places and people.

Day 18: The new Covenant

2010-12-23T11:16:00.000-08:00

" I will put my law on their minds and write it on their hearts." Jeremiah 31:33

God gave the children of Israel the Ten Commandments to follow but because of our sinful nature we can not always keep these. God still loved them and gave them a New Covenant. Jesus Christ would save us from our sins.

Day 17: The suffering Servant

2010-12-23T11:11:00.000-08:00

" I lay down my life for the sheep." John 10:15

Although Jesus was pure and holy and was not part of sin, he took all of our sins on Himself and died on the cross so that we could be forgiven.

Day 16: Gentle Shepherd

2010-12-23T11:09:00.000-08:00

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me." John 10:27

Just like Kind David use to be a shepherd watching over his sheep protecting them from lions and bears, the Lord was a good shepherd to David. He watched over him and protected him. "If you love and trust Him, you are His sheep. When you hear His voice, you will follow Him in every way. "

Day 15: Prince of Peace

2010-12-23T11:05:00.000-08:00

" Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be trouble and do not be afraid." John 14:27

Jesus has many names, one being Prince of Peace. The dove represents Peace and the crown represents a king or prince.
Jesus came to teach us to love one another and give his peace.

Day 14: The Lion and the lamb resting together

2010-12-23T11:01:00.000-08:00

" His rest shall be glorious." Isaiah 11:10

One day, when Jesus comes again, our world will be like this again just like it was in the beginning before sin. Lions able to lie with lambs, no hurt, pain, sickness, death, etc.

Day 13: Stump of Jesse

2010-12-23T10:57:00.000-08:00

" The Word became flesh and made His dwelling amoung us. We have seen his glory.." John 1:14

Jesse was the father of David, the king who established the royal family, which is where the name Jesse Tree comes from. The stump represents Jesse and the green leaf represents jesus.

Day 12: Josiah Finds the Law

2010-12-13T12:50:00.000-08:00

"Your word is a lamp for my feet, and a light on my path." Psalm 119:105

Josiah became king and wanted to clean up the church that his father had allowed to become a mess since he wanted nothing to do with God. While cleaning the church they found a scroll that was the Bible. The people were sorry for their sins (that they had stopped loving God and worshipped idols) God was pleased because they told God that they would serve Him and follow His Laws found in the Bible.

Day 11: King David

2010-12-13T12:38:00.000-08:00

"The Lord is my Shephard; I lack nothing." Psalm 23:1

"The giant came to fight God's people, and everyone was afraid of Him except David. David knew that God's spirit was with him and would take care of him. He didnt take a gun but a small slingshot, and with one stone Goliath was hit and fell over dead. Later David became a mighty king because he obeyed God and did the things that pleased him, and through David, Jesus was in the family line to be our King." (Advent Jesse tree book)(1 Samula 17:1-0, 40, 45-50)

Day 10: Canaan, the Promised Land of blessings

2010-12-13T12:31:00.000-08:00

"Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits." Psalm 103:2

Moses told twelve spies to go into the Promised Land where they found some grapes and brought them to their families. God told all the people to also go but they disobeyed. Finally after 40 years they obeyed and God led them to the land of blessings.
The awesome thing about this story is that God wants to give us lots of good things but we just have to let Him do it.

Day 8: Ten Commandments

2010-12-09T10:44:00.000-08:00

"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11

The Bible is a great guide for how to live our lives. Long ago God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses. "Jesus is like Moses-freeing us from our sins if we are willing to follow Him." (Advent Jesse Tree Book)

Day 7: Coat of many Colors

2010-12-08T10:18:00.000-08:00

"Or that all things work together for good to those that love God." Romans 8:28

Something hard to grasp sometimes is why troubles happen in our lives when we love the Lord. But God promises that he will use everything, even our troubles, for our good if we love Him. In this story Joseph is given a coat of many colors from his father, Jacob. Josephs brothers became very jealous and sold him. God allowed all this horrible stuff to happen but God had a greater plan for him. Joesph became a great ruler in Egypt and was able to help his brothers when they needed help (Joseph forgave them).

Painting

2010-12-07T11:07:00.000-08:00

Check out all the paint on his hand. In the past, this is a child that has never wanted a speck of paint on his hand. He always wanted it washed off immediately. But this morning we were able to make some hand prints

Day 6: Jacobs ladder

2010-12-07T11:04:00.000-08:00

"I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go." Genesis 28: 15

It is great to know that the Lord is always with you, even when you do feel alone at time, just like He told Jacob in a dream.

Day 5: Isaac and the Lamb

2010-12-07T10:43:00.000-08:00

"Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world." John 1:29

This has actually been the hardest one to talk about with a 2 year old. A lot of modifying had to be done with this one because how do you explain that God told Abraham to kill his own son. With the advice of some friends we were able to change it up and talk to Eli about how God wanted Abraham to give Him a gift. And at the very last minute God gave Abraham the gift of the sheep instead because of his obedience. This is a constant lesson for Eli these days as we encourage Eli to listen and obey, which is exactly what Abraham did.

Day 4: The call to Abram

2010-12-07T10:42:00.000-08:00

"And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." Genesis 12:3

God told Abraham to leave all the things that he was comfortable with behind and go to another country. And he was fully trusting and obedient in this calling. Because of this his family was forever blessed. This is a constant prayer for us as we want to strive to be obedient in the Lord's calling in our lives. In the moment it is so much easier to remain in the areas of our life that we are comfortable with but to listen to His call THEN we will be truly blessed.

Day 3: The Ark

2010-12-07T10:31:00.000-08:00

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23
We are so thankful for the Life that we have forever in Jesus because of His promises to Noah when he sent the rainbow after the flood.

This is actually Eli's favorite story in the Bible so far. Everytime we sit down to read he asks for Noah. This ornament was fun to do because everytime we asked Eli how many of a certain animal went on the boat he quickly responded, "TWO." He has learned this number well since we basically drilled him when he turned two years old. :)

Merry Christmas

2010-12-06T13:02:00.001-08:00

With Love Chartreuse Christmas Card

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Jesse Tree

2010-12-03T10:44:00.000-08:00

This Christmas season our family is spending some time doing a Jesse tree. It is a 25 day devotional that prepares us for the coming of Christ. Each day we place an ornament on the tree that goes along with some scripture and questions. There is more involved but we are keeping it simple with Eli this year since he is only 2. Some friends got together to split up making the ornaments and they all turned out so great!!

So far Eli has really enjoyed this time we have as a family. The next day, after we have put another symbol on the tree, he wants to look at it which allows us to continue to ask questions and see what he remembers.

The first night we talked about The Light in Creation and the symbol was the Earth.
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1

I was totally amazed after this night when we asked Eli who made the Earth and he replied, "Jesus."

The Second night was The first Sin and the symbol is an apple and a snake around it.
"We all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turn to our own way." Isaiah 53:6

Just Because

2010-11-16T10:08:00.000-08:00

Halloween

2010-11-10T12:55:00.000-08:00

I spent some time searching for a costume for halloween but never found one worth spending the money on. So the day of Halloween we wrestled with what we were going to do and what Eli was going to dress up as. After we decided that it would be fun to try trick or treating we came up with the construction worker. He loved it!! We had all the tools, hat, belt, etc. from his birthday and we knew that he would love to hold on to them since he plays when them constantly at home. I think we went to about 6 houses and by the end he kept saying "more houses." He loved that his pumkin bucket was getting full of "something." (not knowing that it was full of delicious chocolate that mom and dad have enjoyed :) ) He did enjoy some smarties and dum dums.

Pictures from Eli's Birthday

2010-11-10T12:47:00.000-08:00

We had a great time celebrating Eli's 2nd Birthday. We are so thankful to have such great family and friends bless Eli with their time with us.

Happy Birthday Eli!

2010-10-24T05:20:00.000-07:00

Finally!!

2010-10-20T10:13:00.000-07:00

These are the first belly pictures that we have taken...yes, I know, its kind of sad but here I am at 23 weeks. This pregnancy has definitley been more challenging than with Eli but things are going well. He is constantly on the move! I guess we will see what that means when he gets here.

Growing too fast...

2010-10-20T10:09:00.000-07:00

This little guy is turning two this weekend. We can not believe it!! Time has flown by and we have been so blessed with him in our lives.

Southport

2010-10-20T10:06:00.000-07:00

We spent this past weekend down in Southport with Jeff's family. We had a great time and enjoyed the awesome weather. Eli had a great time running around on the beach! We look forward to many more trips down there. :)

Baby boy #2

2010-09-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

I can not believe that I have not blogged about this sooner but, like they say, you definitely do not do as much as you did for baby #1. Yes, we are having another baby and we found out last week that it is a boy!! We are so excited and can not wait to meet this little guy sometime in February. We are not sure if Eli realizes what is happening yet. We ask him, "What is inside mommies belly?" and he replies "baby." But then Eli and Daddy have a baby in their bellies. :) It is really cute to hear him say "Big Brother." We know that he is going love it for the most part. He LOVES being around other babies but we do anticipate some jealousy just coming from being a single child.
Sorry, no belly pictures! We have not taken a single one... :( Need to get on that one.

Someone looks a lot different!

2010-09-10T13:11:00.001-07:00

We finally thought it was time that Eli get his head shaved. I know, end of summer, but the poor guy always had hair in his eyes. This way we don't have to mess with it for a while.

Uncle Jon distracting him and making him laugh when it got harder to sit still.

The end result:

A brand new child. We are still getting use to it. He looks so grown up and different.

Beach Fun

2010-09-10T13:06:00.001-07:00

While Jeff was away we ventured to the beach with my parents for about 4 days. It was so much fun. At the beginning of the summer Eli didnt know what to think of the big ocean. He ran away from the waves and was content sitting in a hole with some sand toys. But this trip he ventured back and forth to the water, got on the boogie board, and chased many seagulls.

A few of Eli’s favorite things

2010-09-10T12:53:00.001-07:00

Fire trucks

Drums

Check out the concentration with the tongue! He is his daddy’s son. :)

Sunglasses

Milk and Balloons

Eli would drink milk all day if we let him. When he asks for it he still does the sign and then says some word that sounds nothing like milk. I can’t even try to type it out for you to understand or pronounce what I type.

Almost every time we go to the grocery store we get a balloon. Fortunately only one has popped on us.

Daddy’s Shoes

It is amazing how fast this little man has grown up. We can not believe that he is going to be 2 in little over a month. He is such a joy and blessing in our lives!

Mountain Fun

2010-09-10T12:39:00.001-07:00

We LOVE to go to the mountains. It is such a relaxing time for all of us and the weather is so much cooler. We have taken several trips to visit Nana and Papa this summer and can’t wait for many more visit. Here are some pics of some favorite things that Eli likes to do while we are up there.

Golf Cart rides with Papa.

Nana got him this mower one time we were up there and he has loved it ever since. We brought it back to Greensboro and he wants to mow everyday.

Working hard. :)

Putting tape all over his body…I know, Uncle Keith started this one. :) And yes, that is a yummy spaghetti face.

Watering the beautiful flowers.

Summer is here!

2010-06-30T11:54:00.001-07:00

I am so behind on posts these days but wanted to recap some of the fun that we have already had this summer. In May we had our first trip to the beach with Jeff’s parents. Eli loved running/playing in the sand but was a little unsure of the huge ocean. He was content sitting in a hole filled with water.

Here comes the water…runaway!!!

Memorial weekend my bestest friend Lauren got married and I was so thankful to be a part of it. Unfortunately, this is really the only picture I got from the whole weekend. Growing up we would take a picture at the kitchen counter every year. So we continued the tradition with this special occasion. Congrats friend!!

We have had many trips to the pool, park, Natural Science Center, and even the mountains.

This past weekend we headed to Virginia Beach to visit some friends. If we were not napping or eating we were at the beach or the pool. We had the best time and Eli LOVED it. He got to go kayaking for the first time!

GRRRR!!!

2010-05-13T12:34:00.001-07:00

Eli loves the tigers. We probably venture over to see them every week. Can you believe he is nose to nose with this tiger?

Great Adventures!

2010-05-04T12:18:00.001-07:00

This morning we ventured out to the strawberry farm but before we left we made a yummy breakfast of French Toast. Eli was a great helper!

After a great breakfast we headed to the farm. This was Eli’s first time picking strawberries. We went last year but he hung out in the sling while I picked them. This go round was nice because I had some help.

As you can tell he enjoyed eating the strawberries instead putting them in the basket…

And running down the rows with his buddy Ollie.

Fun times at the strawberry farm!!

Blue Eyes!!!

2010-04-20T12:13:00.001-07:00

Last week we were at the bog and a photographer was there taking pictures of the ducks. He took this shot of Eli, gave me his card and told me that if I wanted the picture just to send him my email. Sure enough he sent it too me.

Easter

2010-04-09T11:05:00.001-07:00

We had a beautiful Easter. The weather was awesome and we got to spend a lot of time with family. Lunch with Jeff’s side and dinner with mine.

Eli caught on really fast to the idea of finding eggs and putting them in his basket.

Water Play!!

2010-03-27T11:31:00.001-07:00

Fun with the car!

2010-03-06T11:35:00.001-08:00

Shoe Hands!

2010-03-06T11:33:00.001-08:00

Bedtime!

2010-03-01T11:25:00.001-08:00

Every night before bed we get Eli’s pj’s on, give him a cup of milk and read some stories. On this night he decided he wanted the milk cup, blankie, the balloon, and a car in his mouth!

Where’s Oakley?

2010-02-06T13:05:00.001-08:00

During naptime today I found Oakley in Eli’s tent sleeping. At least it wasn't on the sofas.

Snowy Day Fun!!

2010-01-31T18:48:00.001-08:00

We have enjoyed the snow days. The first day it was a little too cold/windy that we didn't spend much time outside. So we put all the tents in the den and played!!

Tonight we headed to my aunt and uncles house and had some fun on the luge that they made off their front porch. Isn't my face awesome!! We kind of went off path…

Jeff’s turn!

Busted!!

Cathy’s turn!!

Thanks for making the luge Allie!!

Enjoying the wagon ride!

So this picture is hilarious because Jeff decided to put the water in his mouth and spray the water out onto the luge to evenly distribute the water. We were trying to make it icier. The hose wasn't working which is what we would normally have used.

January 2010

2010-01-28T11:15:00.001-08:00

So this little guy has been up to so much lately. He turned 15 months old and weighs in at a whopping 25lbs. He is definitely getting harder to carry. He has recently gained an interested in climbing in and out of things like this suitcase and baskets.

The other day I found him in the hallway with the toilet paper down the hallway. He had unrolled the entire roll! Fortunately it wasn't very much. So I decided to wrap him up. He though it was the coolest thing.

Early January we headed to the mountains for a relaxing weekend. There was still a ton of snow leftover from the week before. So we took advantage of it and did some sledding. Eli still doesn't crack a smile but he wants to keep doing it. It is so funny. Jeff had to use his feet to steer but when he did the snow flew up into their faces.

Eli not sure of all that cold stuff on him!

Oakley loved the snow!

Christmas Morning

2010-01-06T11:20:00.001-08:00

Christmas morning we rolled out of bed around 8:15am (Thank you Eli for being an awesome sleeper). Enjoyed some milk and then headed to the den to open some presents. We thought Eli would be interested in ripping open some paper but nope, he wanted to walk around with the drum stick and play with the toys he already had. We were truly blessed with some great gifts but the greatest gift of all was the birth of Jesus.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

Fun in the snow!!

2009-12-23T18:39:00.001-08:00

Words can’t describe how much fun we had. At first, Eli was unsure about what this white stuff was that he could not walk in very well but the next day he had a blast sledding. Enjoy!!

Mr. Independent

2009-12-11T11:56:00.001-08:00

I love this kid. He can entertain himself over the smallest things for the longest time. The other day I found him in the kitchen reading some books, which he absolutely LOVES these days. This must have lasted a good 15-20 minutes. When he is playing by himself you can usually find him chasing Oakley (dog), playing with puzzles, reading books, hiding in his tent, or pushing the walker around the house (and fast). :)

Walking on Thanksgiving

2009-11-30T11:43:00.001-08:00

We spent Thanksgiving up in the mountains this year and had a great time. We ate great food and had a lot of chill time. On Thanksgiving day Eli decided it was time to start walking. He has been able to take a few steps here and there but he preferred crawling. But on this particular day he gave up crawling.

I just love this picture.

Saturday we went to pick out our Christmas tree. Eli enjoyed doing some more walking.

And some riding…

The last 30 minutes of our trip back home Eli spent putting his blankie on top of his head. He thought it was hilarious, and we did to, since he entertained himself so long. He has such a funny personality.

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving with friends and family. We are so blessed and have so much to be thankful for.

Monkey see, Monkey do!

2009-11-20T09:00:00.001-08:00

For Halloween, Eli was a monkey. He wasn’t too sure about it but we did get some cute pictures. :)

Hmmm… not sure what was going on here. Guess he was done!

1 year old!!

2009-10-29T09:07:00.001-07:00

October 24, 2008

October 24, 2009

A lot has changed in the past year. Eli has gone from 7lbs 8oz to 21lbs 14oz. We celebrated his first birthday at the park with friends and family. And of course, he LOVED his first cupcake.

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Fall

2009-10-26T08:37:00.001-07:00

11 Months old!

2009-09-24T08:35:00.001-07:00

Swinging, crawling, climbing up, and into everything. We love it!!

Busy Boy!

2009-09-18T07:24:00.001-07:00

A lot has changed in the past month with Mr. Eli. He is such a sweet, happy, curious little man. We love all the new things that he is doing and learning. Every morning we usually go on a walk after breakfast and then spend some time in his room reading books and playing with some toys before naptime.

Another daily occurrence is climbing up to stand at the back door looking at Oakley and leaving tiny fingerprints on the window. :)

Recently we have started waiting by the back window for Jeff to come home. Eli thinks it is so exciting to see the Jeep pull up the driveway. And yes, he is obsessed with the Jeep. He can pick it out in the parking lot and loves to sit in the passenger seat.

He has also discovered the magnets on our magnet/chalkboard in the kitchen. He loves to take them off and crawl around with them.

This little guy has started crawling so fast that I can barely get a picture of him going down the hall.

And finally, Eli enjoys walking with the push toy. He gets so excited sometimes that he is an out of control driver.

Boys at the bog

2009-09-04T11:49:00.001-07:00

Eli had his buddy Ollie come over and play today. We headed over to the bog garden to see the ducks and, of course, play in the water. :)

They had a blast.

10 Months Old

2009-08-25T07:42:00.001-07:00

Another month down before the big 1. This little guy is such a joy. He is all over the place crawling and climbing to stand up onto things. He still has 6 teeth and continues to sleep great.

And we’re back!!

2009-08-11T07:41:00.001-07:00

This past month or so has been packed full of vacations and activities that I just have not gotten around to posting new stuff. Some of the things that have been missed are Eli turning 9 months old!! He now weighs 17 lbs 10.5oz and is 27 inches long. He is eating all table food now which he LOVES! It has been so great to be able to put the food on his table and let him go to town. No more having to feed him!!

He has 6 teeth.

He is doing a good amount of crawling and standing up holding on to stuff. He still loves to just sit and play with a toy.

Jeff took a week off from work and we had all intentions of having a staycation and going to the pool all week but instead Jeff and I went to the beach for a few days all alone. It was much needed and we had a great time. Plus it was free thanks to Hilton Honor points!

After we came back from the beach we headed up to the mountains and enjoyed some great time with family. Eli LOVES all the attention.

Hiking with Daddy!

Hanging out in the hammock with Aunt Cathy

Hanging out with Matt and Whitney

Eli loves to take a bath in the sink. We have started to do this more and more since it is so much easier to clean.

How many people does it take to watch Eli get a back?!? He is definitely loved!

Even though we did not end up having a staycation at home we did have a great week having Jeff home and spending time together.

Eli, Where are you?

2009-07-23T12:24:00.001-07:00

Crawling and Standing

2009-07-15T08:33:00.003-07:00

Eli has recently started to get on his hands and knees and slowing scoot towards something of interest. It has been so fun to watch him learn new things. He has also started standing on his own as he holds on to something.

We got him a leap frog music table which he absolutely loves to play with and practices holding on to that. The other day I actually saw him walk from the book shelf to the music table. It was a couple of steps while holding on.

This is what you get when you combine being frustrated on his stomach and being tired! Fortunately it doesn’t happen often.

But a few minutes later and he is happy as can be.