Growing up Gaithers

About a Boy!

2012-01-24T11:52:00.000-08:00

The second Chris and I found out we were pregnant there was really no doubt in my mind it was going to be anouther boy. For real. I am not just saying that...every bone in my body thought it was going to be a boy. And last week; the doctor confirmed it...Gaither boy #3 is on his way! Chris wasn't so sure it was going to be a boy (and if we are being totally honest was hoping for a girl) his exact response was "I am happy it is a boy but sad it is not a girl." Fair enough. All I know is that we are counting our blessings. My heart breaks over and over again for our friends that struggle with infertility. When I found out we were pregnant "again" I almost felt bad telling people for the simple fact that is has been a HUGE blessing we have not experienced problems conceiving or throughout my pregnancies. So am I a little freaked out about having THREE kids? yep. Am I wondering how I will thrive (or just survive) having 3 that are 3 and under? No doubt! But I trust that God has some crazy awesome plans for all these boys in this family. Don't you think he will fit right in with "the boys?!"

Sometimes faith doesn't make sense...but Jesus does.

2012-01-16T12:56:00.001-08:00

I haven't blogged in for.ev.er. I thought I was just going to quit all together since it's been so long; and I am so busy living life...I figured if something super "blog worthy" happens then I can pick back up again. And although there have been many incredible things happening since the last time I blogged (Christmas, Caden turned 3, we are pregnant with baby BOY #3, Chris is almost halfway through his first season as Collins head basketball coach, and seriously so much more) BUT nothing has even come close to what I am about to share (well maybe the BOY #3:) My hands are shaking even as I type because I cannot believe what I am about to share. (please refer to this post before continuing on). The last post is about praying for my dad. And you have been. We have been. constantly. for 7 years. Through everything my parents faith has been unwavering and no matter their circumstances they have chosen to say, through joy and anger and tears, "Blessed be Your name." I heard a message last week about James 1 and there is a quote from the pastor that really stuck with me "Faith does not always make sense, But Jesus does." That might make no sense to you and I am not totally sure about it either but that is what the Lord has chosen to stick with me for the past few weeks.

On Sunday I get a phone call from my dad. I didn't answer and immediately get a text from him that says "Call me ASAP." If you know my dad, you know that doesn't mean anything. It usually means he just wants to check on me and see how we are doing. Not this time. This time he answered with a different tone. The kind of tone that I have not heard in 7 years. "Katie, you are not going to believe what we are getting ready to go do....we are getting ready to go bowling!" Bowling?! The thought of my dad even being able to pick up and hold a bowling ball blew my mind, much less actually do the motions that are required. "Dad, how are you going to bowl?" and then he said it...."My back does not hurt at all." I cannot even believe that I wrote those words. But at the same time it just makes sense to believe. I, along with countless other people, have been praying and fasting and begging and believing for physical healing for my dad. So why would I be surprised that the Lord chose to bring that belief to reality on an ordinary Saturday. So, as of Saturday my dad has been pain free. Did you hear me...PAIN FREE!!!! I will not allow Satan to have a foothold and plant doubt in my mind. I will not share that I feel the need to text someone in my family every 5 minutes to see "if dad's still okay." or I am afraid that as soon as this blog "goes live" he will start hurting again. No, I will not. I will shout it from the rooftops and I will give Jesus, who is the ultimate Healer the praise he deserve. I believe. And I will continue to believe. and I will continue to say Blessed be your Name!

Sometimes faith doesn't make sense...but Jesus does.

Pray for my Dad.

2011-09-30T17:46:00.000-07:00

My family has a lot going on. My family as in my parents and 3 younger siblings. To sum up what my dad has gone through health wise (and every other way) since 2004 is impossible so I am not going to try BUT I am going to ask you to pray for my dad. One thing you know if you have ever met my parents for more than 2 minutes is that they are warriors. They are solid, strong believers in the Lord in every way. I think one of the main weapons Satan can use against people like my parents is apathy, or passiveness. Do you ever get so tired and worn down from fighting a battle that you just give up. It probably happens so slowly that you don't even realize it. And then, the next thing you know; you are so tired and you realize that you just kinda stopped fighting. My parents have not stopped fighting (the spiritual fight) or given up once. Not once. But...they. are. tired. I believe that when you are tired though that is when God is most used and most glorified. It says in his word that "when we are weak, we are strong" and to "bear one anothers burdens" and to "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened" so my family and I are believing what we know to be true. Please believe with us. And pray for my dad....I will leave you with this from my mom

"Friends, after an unexpected meeting with a sweet friend this evening, I am reminded of the awesome power of our God. Suffice to say, that I have never stopped believing, even after 7 failed back surgeries and now an internal pain pump that God could heal Frank. Would you please join me, in praying specifically for Frank (I know so many of you have prayed with us for so long) tomorrow at 4pm for healing, for acceptance, for whatever God has for us, but I know that He has promised his plans for us, for all of us, are good. I realize this may be his plan and we will continue to walk faithfully...we are tired. God is good."

Bieber Fever

2011-09-20T04:11:00.001-07:00

We. have. Bieber. Fever.

How did it start? Caden LOVES music. Anything musical; everything can be turned into a drum or microphone. I mean I know all kids love music but Caden is somewhat obsessed. I digress. A couple months ago, Mollie (my 17-year old sister) came over and we rented "Never Say Never" (Basically, a documentary about J. Biebs). Caden LOVED it....he wanted to watch the music over and over again. So then I got to thinking...if this movie will keep him entertained what if I pull up the music video on youtube? And that is how it started. I needed to start cooking dinner one night so I showed him this video...and well, the rest is history:)

SO here is out own version (I put the lyrics below in case you dont already know them:)
disclaimor: I did not teach him any of the words; he picked it up on his own

I know you love me

I know you care

Just shout whenever

And I'll be there

You are my love

You are my heart

And we will never, ever, ever be apart

Are we an item?

Girl quit playin

Are we just friends?

What are you sayin?

Say there's another and look right in my eyes

My first love broke my heart for the first time and I was like

Baby, baby, baby OH

Upcoming Posts...Coming REALLY Soon

2011-09-19T11:50:00.000-07:00

There is only one (main) reason that I have not blogged in 2.7865464 million years. I. am. not. sleeping. (BUT we will save that for another post). To keep myself accountable here are some things I will write about in the next month...that's right; you heard me so keep me on top of it:)

-Baby Dedications

-Basketball Diaries

-Bieber Fever (this is one you do not want to miss)

-Boys Starting School (AH!)

-Charlie's 15 month check up (this one is just funny)

-Running (away)

-Switching Kids (Everyone should do it!)

....and morel but we will start back sloooowww:)

In the meantime here is a picture of all of my boys doing what you should do on a Sunday...watching some football!

14 Months Old...

2011-07-28T08:28:00.000-07:00

These are my babies at the same age. Until I put these pics side by side I thought they looked somewhat alike....not so much anymore:) What do you think?

Charlie is Walking!

2011-07-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

Charlie started walking a few weeks ago (at 12 and a half months) when we were at the beach! Here is the proof:

Where we have been...

2011-07-19T10:04:00.000-07:00

I have not blogged in over a month! Yikes! But now we are back:) We have been too busy doing this:

and this:

And there is a LOT to catch up on! SO...coming up:

Chris's NEW JOB!
Charlie is walking and "talking"
Caden
The best new spot to take kiddos
and WAY MORE:)

Char's Birthday Party

2011-06-08T11:10:00.000-07:00

For the boys 1st birthday we like to keep things pretty small and low-key. This past Saturday we had a cookout with family and a few close friends. It was a great day! Good weather; Char got such great gifts and it was just a great celebration of his first year of life! Here he is enjoying:

June 7, 2010 (chars bday part 1)

2011-06-06T11:08:00.000-07:00

My baby is one year old today. 12 whole months. I really cannot believe it has been a year! I have fallen more and more in love with my baby Charlie everyday; and (for the most part) have truly just enjoyed his first year of life. 12 special things about you:

1. Nicknames: Char; Char-Char; Char bear (from Tiff:); baby Charlie; sugar booger:)

2. You are happy all the time. Except in Sunday School.

3. Still taking 2 naps a day; but you are super laid back so if we miss the am nap its all good.

4. You love to eat!

5. You can totally walk; but you have not chosen to do so yet:)

6. You are so done with bottles; but you do not seem to crazy about milk yet.

7. You love Caden so much.

8. You Love, love, love bath time!

9. Have been super healthy (up to this week;)

10. 110% mommas boy (WOOHOO- although this is probably because you have not realized how much cooler daddy is)

11. One of your favorite activites is pushing the chairs around the kitchen

12. You are the most loved, cutest one year olds on the planet

and you have the best chubby legs in the world!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-01T09:53:00.000-07:00

Brothers...

2011-05-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

...make the best of friends.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-11T09:19:00.001-07:00

the Oaks!

2011-05-07T17:56:00.000-07:00

Chris and I went to the KY Oaks this past Friday. this is so.not.us. This is SO not our kinda thing that we almost didn't go. (the whole get dressed up- wear a fancy hat- hobnob with the hobnobbers thing always sounds like so much fun but at the end of the day we usually chicken out and just resort to the good ole dinner and a movie). But I am SO glad we did. To make a really really long story short we had tickets given to us...good tickets...owners box undertheroof kinda tickets. We get to Churchill Downs and we cannot find our seats anywhere. It is like they do not exist. Fast forward an hour and a half and we find about a dozen people that are supposed to be seated in our section and they are all fired up because apparently all the tickets in section ___ are invalid. Not in the system; as in we are sorry but you are just going to have to go home. what?! fast forward another 30 minutes; the man who had given us our tickets came and found us; and then tells us that he is so sorry about the problem and here are 2 new tickets...to the Jockey Suites. Which involves; free food, free drinks, real bathrooms, views from the balcony. wow. Not bad for our first time at the Oaks! and it was such a great date! Sometimes it is good to get out of your "usual" and step out in your best dress and fancy hat:)

Rain, Rain GO AWAY!

2011-04-26T10:28:00.000-07:00

We have had rain for 14.54152g54584 million days:) at least that is what is feels like! We always welcome a little change of pace and today my dad (pop-pop) came over. He was going to come over and work in our messofa yard (I know, he is awesome) and as soon as he pulled in the driveway; it started raining--again. After about an hour it slowed down and then stopped for just a little bit. So we pulled on Caden's boots and sent the boys outside to help:)

Deuteronomy 6:5

2011-04-19T17:13:00.000-07:00

Sometimes in the midst of laundry and cleaning and disciplining and playing and working and cooking and _____________; I forget what I am supposed to be doing. I am so guilty of just wanting to "get stuff done" I lose sight of where my time and energy should be going...and that is to "train my boys up in the way they should go." Now; I am not trying to be legalistic or stiff or whatever you want to call it; but more than anything I want my little boys to grow up to be men of God. One thing we are going to try and start doing is memorizing a scripture once a week. There is this great website that has some easy versus to start out with and hey, I figure it is never to early to learn a little scripture:) (and once we do it; Caden and I go over it all day during the mundane day-to-day!)

10 months!

2011-04-13T10:44:00.000-07:00

1. The picture pretty much sums you up!

2. You are slowly (but surely!) starting to eat "real" food

3. You are pulling up on things and crawling everywhere

4. Despite that, you have no interest in standing up on your own

5. You have really caught on to using a sippy cup

6. You adore Cade

7. Teething has been hard on you

8. You rarely cry and if you do something is probably wrong

9. You have red in your hair. No clue where that came from!

10. You are cuddly!

Vacation.

2011-04-05T04:25:00.000-07:00

yes, my son is sleeping with a frisbee;)

Baby (food) Makin'

2011-03-23T18:47:00.000-07:00

The following is my experience with making baby food. DISCLAIMOR: I am a total novice in this department; and do it as simple and easy as possible! This is just me sharing what has worked for us.

How I started: I never thought of making baby food for Caden. If I am being totally honest I only thought that was the kinda thing that hippies did. (right up there with using cloth diapers!....although that is SO not a jab to those who do that; I applaud you--and I am sure you save tons of money:) Anyways; with Charlie being the second child, I went to get him some food out of the pantry and "oops" no food. at.all. awesome. I got a banana and smashed it up and BAM it was easy and he loved it. Then, I called one of my girlfriends who makes her baby food and asked her about; she lent me this book. and that is how I started. (i skipped everything in the book and went straight to the "recipes" in the back.)

Why I kept doing it: It saves a LOT of money. simple as that. When your baby starts eating 2 containers/jars of food 3x a day it doesnt seem like much (it is about $1 for 2 things of baby food) BUT add it up and that is $21.00 a week. I spend $20.00 on fresh produce and it is enough food for over 2 month.

Here is my super-easy-cheapest-quickest way to food:

Step 1: Peel it

Step 2: Cut it

Step 3 & 4: Water it (2 tblspns. of water). Cover it (w/plastic wrap)

Step 5: Cook it. (depending on the food microwave anywhere from 8-12 minutes)

Step 6: Puree it. (I just use my blender)

Step 7: Pour it.

Step 8: Freeze it.

Step 9: Bag it.

There are a TON of variations of adding spices, etc. but we just keep it simple!

My "new" Chairs!

2011-03-17T10:31:00.000-07:00

I am not crafty. or handy. but my friends are crafty and my dad is handy; which means I now have "new" kitchen chairs! Woohoo! My super crafty friend, Melissa, gave me a fabric scrap that I LOVED and it matched the colors of our house perfectly; so I went and purchased more of it. Then my dad came over and recovered my kitchen chairs for me. We have talked about getting a new kitchen table; but there is just something I love about ours and I have not been able to part with it. With new chairs covered (and cleaned!) its ridiculous how much better I think my kitchen looks. We are thinking about doing the same fabric/cornice bored above the window/curtains...what do you think?

old chair

new chair

the window we are thinking about doing the cornice board/fabric on...what do you think?

Only Me:)

2011-03-11T10:13:00.000-08:00

I will admit; I am not the best driver in the world. I have wrecked a car, totaled another car and banged up a third car....see this post. So earlier this week I was just having one of those days. You know, the kind where I should have expected something to happen;) Well, I was on my way to Bible study (mind you, the one thing I do for myself each week) and I was feeling pretty good since I had just unloaded on my friend, Rachel. (quick note: we recently traded in my car for a truck and an SUV). I was driving the truck and am definately still getting used to it. So I made sure I found a parking spot that had two cars on either side (not SUVs). I pull in and there is really no other way to say what happened other than I got stuck. Seriously?! I somehow managed to perfectly maneuver the truck so that if I reversed/went forward I would definately do damage to the car next to me. oh.my.word. I call Chris (in a panic who just got to Community Group with the boys) and tell him he has to hurry up and get up to church. He gets there; starts laughing at me;) and tells me how impressed he is that I could do something like this. It is pouring down rain. I climb to the back seat, get out of the truck and then proceed to interrupt every Wednesday night Bible study taking place at FBC. We found the owner; somehow he managed to move his car; resulting in NO damage. miraculous. I don't know if the pic captures it but here it is:

GMS- What is it?

2011-03-10T09:52:00.000-08:00

No; the title of this post is not a typo. What is GMS? I will give you 3 guesses. (1.....2.....3.......) okay it is Guilty Mom Syndrome.

definition: the name created for the irrational guilt moms (at least this mom!) feel all to frequently! ( I googled "guilty mom syndrome" and got 75,000 hits!)

Every day I wake up with the best intentions. Today, I will play with my kids; they will each get an equal amount of my undivided attention. I will teach them, laugh with them, be patient with them and love them like crazy. Then my kids wake up. We go through the grind of what is known as every day life. and dont get me wrong, we enjoy eachother and make memories and laugh and love and play; but somedays we do good just to survive:) Then as my babies are fast asleep the guilt/doubt/second guessing comes quietly creeping in. No; it hits me like a ton of bricks.

"You didnt spend enough quality time with Charlie"
"Caden didnt learn anything at all"
"You were way too impatient, checked your email too much, didn't make the right choice when it came to disciplining, __________________ , and on and on and on and on....

It has gotten much worse with 2 kids. the guilt. the "how can you say you want more kids when you cannot even handle the 2 you have?" Where does this guilt come from? I honestly believe that it is nothing more than Satan coming and attacking me where I am weak. where it will hurt the most. So how do I combat it? I pray. hard and often. I constantly remind myself of biblical "truths," I call my (best) friends and cry to them and unload on them. thank.God.for.friends. I call my mom.

If you are suffering from GMS; there is just one thing you can do. Keep loving your babies. Love them hard. And on days when it is really bad; pick them up snuggle them, hug them, kiss them, pray for them and just be with them. because at the end of the day; all that matters is that our children know they are loved.

My Favorite Muffin

2011-03-05T06:13:00.000-08:00

In honor of Charlie being (almost) 9 months old; he had some muffin this morning--I will let you decide what he thought of it...

I may be bias but he is so cute! Don't you just want to take a little bite of those yummy cheeks?!

Positive Reinforcement

2011-03-04T10:36:00.000-08:00

Okay y'all-- I am looking for some advice and creative ideas. We are big believers in positive reinforcement (if you read this blog or know us you also know we are big believers in discipline); I feel like reinforcing positive habits or behavior really help build up a child's self-esteem and also encourage them to continue making good choices. I believe things like going on the potty; saying yes m'am without being prompted, sharing, obeying the first time, etc. sometimes deserve something that says "that is awesome" or "I am SO proud of you!" I know words make a huge impact so if Caden makes a good choice I do use phrases and excitement to let him know that that is great and I am proud. But, sometimes I want to do a little more; or offer a little extra. However; I do not want to offer food as a reward (you will get a _____ if you do _____) because I do not want our focus to be on sweets; and I also (very rarely) want to offer a new toy. Here is an example of something that is kinda crazy but worked.

We are potty trained(ing) and I told Caden when you poop on the potty you may have a cupcake (what a hypocrite! I know I just said no food:)

Well, he went and when I went to make good on my promise he asked if I would put a candle on it....lightbulb--what if he was just excited to get to blow out the birthday candle and he actually forgets about that cupcake?! Well, go figure it worked! So blowing out the candle was something he thought was cool and motivated him a little more to go on the potty!

Other ideas: stickers; one mom told me she used a dry erase more and when she wanted to do something the kids thought it was cool to write on the board....I really want to hear some of you ideas!

What do you offer your kiddos to make them feel a little extra special?

Look Like Denim. Feel Like Pajamas.

2011-03-03T10:41:00.000-08:00

I am a sweatpants kinda girl. Seriously. I can usually be found in sweatpants and t-shirts. When I saw an infomercial for pajama jeans I really started to laugh out loud. Maybe it is because I am tired; but have y'all seen this commercial? Maybe it is the serious "look like denim; but feel like sweatpants" vibe; but I mean really? I am not the kinda girl that can even pull off the "strechy" jeans. Nope. I need the real-life; stiff out of the dryer walk around and do lunges, 100% cotton-made to fit your figure kinda jeans.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-02T11:39:00.000-08:00

One day....

2011-03-01T06:49:00.001-08:00

he will kill me for this....

Whose hands are you holding up?

2011-02-24T02:40:00.000-08:00

"As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword."

exodus 17:11-13 (for entire passage go here)

As moms, dads, husbands, wives, employees, etc. We get tired. Tired of doing this or talking about that. Worn out from the day to day grind of life. I don't know where you find your rest and peace but I find it in my time with the Lord; and in spending time with my sisters in Christ. Last night, I attended a weekly bible study and we read the versus above. The study is about spiritual warfare and praying God's word in your life day-to-day. It's about putting on the full armor of God so that we can stand firm. I cannot stop thinking about the passage from Exodus (see above). The night before this battle began Moses told Joshua that he was going to go up to the mountain and hold his hands up to the Lord. As long as he held his hands up high the Israelites would win. Now; I don't even like holding things up high for more than 10 minutes. You get sore and your arms get tired; they eventually start shaking until you can't hold whatever you are holding anymore and just have to take a break. Look what happened when Moses' hands grew tired. His friends let him sit down and held his hands up for him so that they remained steady. Wow. Are your hands tired? Then I encourage you to share with someone what is going on; let them stand in the gap for you; let them carry your burden and hold your hands up for you. We cannot do "life" alone! On the same note; whose hands are you helping to hold up right now? We are so busy tha sometimes I think we forget to just sit an listen. Listen to the joy that someone is experiencing; or maybe the painful situation a person is going through right now. This week; as you are putting on your "armor" think about who you can maybe send a note to; pray for or just encourage. And if your arms are tired; I would love to help hold them up for you.

if you ever have a prayer need you can leave a comment; or send me and email at katie.gaither@live.com I would love to pray for you!

Golf?!

2011-02-13T17:21:00.000-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-02-09T10:24:00.001-08:00

Lessoned Learned

2011-02-07T12:48:00.000-08:00

i am such a mom-in-training. i am constantly calling friends/reading blogs/asking my mom for advice/help...I think having GREAT friends and an awesome family of support is crucial; and, at some times; may be the only thing keeping me sane:)

Here are a few lessons I have learned with having two kids:

1. What works/worked for #1 may or may not work for #2.

2. Ask lots of people for lots of advice.

3. Take the advice to heart but figure out what is the best for you and yours.

4. Unless it is a matter or life/death (or you are out of diapers) avoid taking more than one baby shopping.

5. When you have to; park RIGHT by a cart holder (even if it is far away from the actual store.)

6. Don't let/make baby #1 grow up too fast just because baby #2 came along.

7. It is okay to cry/laugh/vent when you are just simply overwhelmed

8. You are tired.

9. One of my favorite things about having baby #1 was watching my husband become a dad; one of my favorite things about having baby #2 is watching baby #1 become a big brother.

10. Being laid back and easy-going goes a looooooonnnnngggg way.

having my boys has brought an unspeakable/unimaginable amount of joy to my life. My kids have made me a better person; and I just want them to have a mommy they are proud of!

*share some lessons you have learned/are learning!

Never Grow Up

2011-01-28T17:53:00.000-08:00

Oh darlin', don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up; stay this little.

Oh darlin', don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up; it can stay this simple.

Caden Playing Basketball

2011-01-26T09:14:00.000-08:00

Big Boy Bed

2011-01-25T12:23:00.000-08:00

I have to say, with the exception of the first 48 hours, our transition from the crib to the "big boy bed" has gone about as smooth as it could go (although I am not gonna lie; the first 48 hours were tough:) Every once in a while there will be a random day like today; Caden will just not want to nap. He will play and sing and talk but will not nap. This is what I saw when all of the sudden it became quiet in his room:

27 years ago today...

2011-01-12T11:16:00.000-08:00

my best friend was born:) In honor of his birthday here are ten things you may not know about Chris:

1. He is the youngest of four children (3boys and a girl...the complete opposite of my family:)

2. His perfect day would involve: sleeping in, playing golf, basketball and being with his family.

3. He is the best dad. ever.

4. He was the first person in his hometown to get an athletic scholarship to a D1 school.

5. He was only the second person his family to get a college degree and the first to get his masters!

6. He likes Eminem and also likes to make up his own raps (we even have our own rap names;)

7. He is a really good painter.

8. He likes to watch Criminal Minds.

9. He makes friends everywhere he goes.

10. He is quick to share the Gospel to people he meets

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! WE LOVE YOU:

...and then they do something like that.

2011-01-09T09:26:00.000-08:00

I am way behind on blogging (just one of the many things that "go" when you have another baby;) To say this week has been a week of transitions for Caden woul dbe an understatement. Monday, he threw his paci's away. I knew it was coming. He just turned 2 so I figured we would get rid of them soon. He woke up from his nap one day and I said, "Caden, do you want to throw your paci away?" and he said "uh-huh." And really, that was the end of that. Easy enough. Thursday he decided to he was completely done sleeping in his crib (this is for another post). I wish I could say that transition has been as easy as the paci's. i. am. tired.

Still, after a somewhat sleepless night we packed up and headed to church this morning. Caden went to his class and Charlie to the nursery. Their rooms are next door to eachother. and when we picked Caden up they had a sweet story to tell.

Charlie was hungry and got pretty upset (keep in mind Char rarely cries.) Apparently Caden could hear him crying for mhis classroom. So; he went to the door and started saying "Charlie! Charlie! Charlie!" until his teachers took him next door so that he could check on him and tell him that "its okay char." melt. my. heart.

They make me tired. Sometimes frustrated. and then they do something like that. and you forget about everything else.

Esther Letters

2011-01-02T17:43:00.000-08:00

My mom is a saint. and those of you who know her I am sure you agree:) When she started a Women's Sunday School class many years ago she wanted to think of a way to encourage the ladies in her class in a way other then just on a Sunday morning...so she began writing letters to them. Real letters. With stamps. That she sent in the mail. These started going out to just the women in her class; probably about 20 people...then 40...then 50--and then once she started emailing them these letters really caught on; and I think more than 200 people get to read these "letters" every week. I don't know why I have never posted them before; but I am going to start; and what better week to start then a week that she is writing about Charlie:)

"Dear friends,

Let me tell you about my grandson…. Don’t worry I don’t have the accordion style picture file to unfold for your review. What I would like to tell you about is how very much our 6-month-old, Charlie enjoys his meals! As his mom pulls out the baby food jar or those little chunks of orange or green “slime” that she has so painstakingly created with fresh fruits and vegetables with the help of a blender, Charlie begins to react. His reaction…. is over the top. He begins to kick both legs, swing both arms, and wail with enthusiasm. We’ve giggled at him a bit noting that he just must not remember from the last meal a few hours ago that, yes, indeed, he would be enjoying that coming meal. It is almost as if he could see it and was so very desperate for it, but just could not believe he was really going to get it. After enjoying the yummy green and/or orange delicacy, he is treated to dessert – a yummy bottle of formula. Reread the above account of the coming food and understand the same reaction accompanies the coming bottle. INTENSE… Clay was shocked this Christmas with an unexpected game system. A week later he has emerged from the basement “game zone”. He has been about as intense about his game as Charlie is about his food.

What I also noticed about Charlie is the relaxation of his body, mind and soul when the bottle reaches his sweet little mouth. It is that “Nestea commercial moment – falling back right into the sparkling pool of water.” Some of you young friends will not remember that commercial – ugh, I am showing my age again. The moment cannot be described with words, suffice to say, it is an “all is right with the world” moment.

So what does this has to do with the New Year and its goals and celebration? We studied this morning, from 2 Timothy chapter 3, Paul’s “passing of the ministry torch” words to his mentee, Timothy. His words included sound advice to Timothy, advice that we can peek right into and grab hold of… “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Paul used these same words in Ephesians 2:10. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Do you hear that, we are created to do good works, prepared for us by God, but the only way we will be equipped to do them is to immerse ourselves in His word… the Bible! I sure want to be available and prepared for anything that God has planned for me, don’t you? Our pastor challenged us back in the in fall to commit 2% of our day in quiet time with God. That equals about 30 minutes. Are you up for it?

I thank my God every time I think of each of you, and my prayer for you for 2011:

May God’s clear guidance lead you into the decisions, joys and challenges that will accompany 2011!

Let’s get prepared!

Susan"

Crazy Weekend: Sunday

2010-12-22T20:32:00.000-08:00

Caden is turning 2 on Saturday and to celebrate we had his birthday party this past Sunday. It was great! We had so many friends and family come over and celebrate with us. Eric even brought his guitar and sang "Happy Birthday" to Caden. This was the perfect way to end a great weekend. I will let the pictures do most of the talking:)

Crazy Weekend: Saturday

2010-12-22T20:25:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning we went to have breakfast with Santa at the Community Theatre:) The food was great; and the boys likes seeing Santa (well, from far away--Caden did not want his picture taken with him;)

Crazy Weekend: Friday

2010-12-22T20:14:00.000-08:00

Last Friday some of my girlfriends and their kids had a "birthday party" for Jesus--complete with making birthday cards, dancing, singing happy birthday, and eating cupcakes:) We LOVE celebrating the season this way and hope it becomes an annual tradition!

Crazy Weekend: Thursday

2010-12-22T20:04:00.000-08:00

"mom, why am I dressed like this? I look ridiculous, I can't move, and all my friends are totally gonna make fun of me;)

To say this past weekend was crazy would be an understatement...which is why I am WAY behind on blogging (and somewhat behind on life:) We started it off with a little "country" sledding. Our good friends the Ballards are what we consider "real life" cowboys (and girl;) Sledding with the horses was super fun; we cannot wait to go again!

Top Ten Reasons I haven't Blogged in almost 3 Weeks...

2010-12-07T10:04:00.000-08:00

1. It is freezing. I hate cold weather...I know this reason may not make sense to some of you; but being cold makes me not want to do anything.

2. I have two boys.

3. Under the age of 2 (yesterday I changed 5 dirty diapers before noon;)

4. We just bought a house!! So I have been cleaning, unpacking, painting, hanging things, cleaning, etc

5. I seriously doubt people are constantly checking/refreshing my blog page to see what I write about next:)

6. This is a busy season for work (great busy, just busy!)

7. My camera has been dead since Thanksgiving and what is a blog post without pictures?!

8. We have been doing fun things like going to play dates

9. laundry.

10. I am tired;) (see reasons 1-9)

So I will leave you with pics of my two favorite reasons I have not blogged lately...

Family Pictures

2010-11-26T20:08:00.000-08:00

Chris and I had not had any "formal" family pictures taken since our wedding...and with two new babies we thought it was time. We picked the coldest Saturday of the year so far to get some outside pics made...here is a preview;) (if you look at these ignore the fact that Charlie's lips are starting to turn purple in the last few:)

you can look at the rest here and if you do- feel free to tell me your favs! Also, the photographer is AWESOME so make sure you browse her website!

FREE Christmas Cards;)

2010-11-23T19:17:00.000-08:00

Shutterfly.com has an awesome promotion going on right now for all bloggers...50 FREE Holiday Cards! I use shutterfly all the time and everytime I order they do a great job. (and they have super cute designs; so all you have to do is pick out the pictures;)

I love all the Holiday cards: http://www.shutterfy.com/cards-stationery/holidy-cards
and photo gifts are always great (especially for family!) http://www.shutterfly.com/photo-gifts/photo-mugs

Check out!

5 Things I LOVE...

2010-11-09T08:56:00.000-08:00

about my (gulp) five month old baby Charlie...

1. you are an angel; seriously, there are good babies; and then there is you;)

2. you smile...a lot--just about every time someone looks at you!

3. the way you watch your brother

4. how you LOVE bath time

5. The way that you are so snuggly;)

(and the way you suck your thumb!)

Missional Mothering

2010-10-27T10:16:00.000-07:00

Young mother, it seems like everyone wants something from you. And you’re probably already giving way more than you ever thought you could give. But even with all your giving, you might struggle with guilt—lingering, joy-drenching, energy-sapping guilt—that you should be doing more, giving more, accomplishing more.

Don’t waste that guilt. Pay attention to it. Use it. Take it out of the shadows and examine it in light of Scripture. Is this a godly grief that leads to repentance or a worldly grief that produces death (2 Cor. 7:10)? Is it life-giving or life-depleting? Ask yourself, does this bring fresh joy and peace to those nearest me, or does it add unnecessary stress and strain to my home?

Mother: You have a mission field

Our first and primary mission field is our children. God values our children. Jesus became indignant when the disciples didn’t embrace the worth of children in God’s expanding kingdom (Mark 10:13-16). God tells us that children are his blessing to us (Ps. 127:3). And he places great importance on our teaching our children to love and serve him (Deut. 6:7-9).

Don’t feel guilty over making your children your primary ministry investment in their early years. Your availability, sensitivity, affection, and unhurried attention are irreplaceable.

There are no neutral moments in a young child’s life. Someone is going to be influencing your children, inculcating values and imprinting standards on their impressionable young minds. Let it be you!

Accept your calling from God to serve your family. As a mother, you are helping to shape the souls of your children for Christ and ultimately influence the world. Your children are your gift to the future.

Stay on mission

Does this mean you will never invest in others outside your family? Goodness, no. But if you are a young mother, stay on mission. Use your primary ministry of mothering to serve Christ now. Don’t let anything diminish your unique role as a wife and mother. It is not godly guilt that would call you away from a wholehearted investment in your little ones for his sake.

“
Don’t feel guilty over making your children your primary ministry investment in their early years.
”

This season in your life is just that—a season. And each season is a divine calling from our creator and king. Organizing a new event at church is important. Teaching your little boy to be kind to his sister is also important. But which one can best be done by you during this season? Serve God well by ministering to your children first. Very soon they will be grown and gone, and you will be unable to recapture the teachable moments you have now.

Mothers, listen to Psalm 78:4-7: “We will . . . tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders he has done . . . that the next generation might know . . . so that they should set their hope in God.”

www.theresurgence.com

Mimi & Pop-Pop

2010-10-25T12:44:00.000-07:00

"Mimi & Pop-Pop always make you feel like they have been waiting all day to see just you; and now that they have the day is complete."

My Boys

2010-10-25T12:35:00.000-07:00

This may be the only family picture we have right now:)

There are no words.....

2010-10-22T15:14:00.000-07:00

for this much cuteness!

We have been too busy......

2010-10-01T16:50:00.001-07:00

cheesing...

and sucking our thumb...

and smiling...

and hangin out with the boys...

and going to football games...

and soaking up every last minute of summer:)

You know youre 20 month old doesn't feel well when....

2010-09-13T07:15:00.000-07:00

he asks for his paci, both puppies, his drink then climbs up on the couch asks me to cover him up in a blanket and wants to watch Toy Story instead of play basketball....

Love Shelbyville!

2010-09-13T03:52:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know me may be a little surprised by the title of this post...me loving small town shelbyville?! I know but it is true. It has taken me over two years but I have fallen in love with this small town. So in love, in fact that I want to get involved and help people here in a way that I never have before. Shelbyville (like all places) has such a need...people need help, people need somewhere to go, people just need people to love them--which has led me to somewhere else you may be surprised about--a job:) I know, I know it is all just too much to take isn't it?! I recently began "working" for a new church plant here called Christ Community. I use the term working loosely, because although it is a job and it is a lot of work, I could not ask for a better set up. I am able to use my gifts, my talents (even my college degree:) for a job that I absolutely LOVE. Not only that, I am doing pretty much everything from home:) Not only is it a huge answer to prayer for us, but doing something I love makes me a better mom, friend and wife:) There is a reason I have been a little vague about Christ Community and my role there...I want you to check it out for yourselves...we are on

facebook

twitter

and my personal favorite, our website

go. check. it. out.

and if you have any questions or comments or want to get involved email me at katie@loveshelbyville.com

What's your favorite color Baby?

2010-09-01T12:04:00.001-07:00

BLUE AND WHITE! I know as some of you read the title you couldnt help but finish the cheer.

In honor of the UK UofL football game this weekend my boys were representin earlier in the week...

maybe if I keep staring at mommy like this it will freak her out and she will stop taking my picture

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?! Apparently my boys are:)

mooommmm, are you done yet?!

Ky State Fair

2010-08-30T04:10:00.000-07:00

There is just something about the fair. I have been going since I can remember. The food, the animals, the live music, the rednecks:)...it is just a good time. Here are some of our pictures from our recent trip to the fair with the Webbs:

A little Perspective

2010-08-30T03:54:00.001-07:00

Recently the Lord has been teaching me a lessoned that I learned a long time ago but most definately need to re-learn. I love being a mom and I have been blessed (knock on wood) with two incredibly healthy boys, that are full of life, good sleepers and all around just very joyful. Most day are awesome. I have wanted to be a mommy my whole life and most days Caden is so much fun...we have dance parties, we play drums, go on walks, play in the pool, play basketball, read books, I try to teach him a thing or two every once in a while...most of the time we genuinely enjoy eachother. Then there are the other times that are not so nastalgic...when he gets so frustrated that he hits, or kicks, or throws himself on the floor. The times where he tells mommy "NO" or screams until my insides cringe, the fact that he hates riding is his carseat...the times when he doesn't want to go to sleep or share with his friends or sit still when I really need him to. I know how this may sound to some of you; but the joy of a blog is that once in a while I can share "real life," honest moments with other mommies without the fear of being judged.

A couple days ago we were having one of our not so pleasant mornings. Caden was frustrated with me because I couldn't understand what he wanted (and I am not even sure he knew) and I was frustrated with him because we had been having a pretty tough morning. So, I started doing the only thing I know to do when it comes to parenting guidance...pray. And within seconds, the Lord brought the story of this little girl who passed away of cancer and would be Caden's age; and the story of this little boy who passed away at just 12 days old. I can think of story after story I have heard of parents losing children and it is just devestating. Those parents would give their right arm to have a "bad" day with their baby, or to have a child screaming in the carseat, or one who doesn't sleep.

I know it is SO normal to get frustrated as a parent so this post is not meant to say that I am putting all this pressure on myself (or you other mommies). It is just that I am learning that even in the tough days and the hard moments I need to be grateful that I have been blessed with babies to have tough moments with. Sometimes, I just need to take a step back and get a little perspective.

Girls Night Out

2010-08-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

I think we planned our girls night out a month in advance...and man it was worth the wait! 14 mommas/ladies loaded up and caravanned down US 60 to this great restaurant. I don't think any of us realized how much we all needed a night out until we got there...and stayed for 3 hours:) It was so refreshing to just hang out with women, eat some good food and relax...I most definitely see another one in the near future! Here is a pic of the whole group:

we would LOVE for you to join us next time...email me @ katie.gaither@live.com so we can include you in!

Friday Night Lights

2010-08-22T10:22:00.000-07:00

it was packed!

Picture this: Friday Night Lights, Varsity Blues, Remember the Titans...last night I felt like I was a part of a movie scene. Our little family went to support the Collins Titans in their first EVER football game; and it was exactly what you think of when you hear the words "small town high school football game." I am pretty sure 90% of Shelbyville was there, there were people everywhere, and the weather was awesome. There is nothing like a football game to bring out your small town pride and the feeling that fall is almost here.

football may be Charlie's sport of choice...he seemed to REALLY like it:)

My Little Man

2010-08-18T15:00:00.000-07:00

this is what Caden looked like this morning....

and this is what he looks like now....

**notice who is the one smiling:)

Elijah Clay's Birthday!

2010-08-16T11:17:00.000-07:00

Eli is one of Caden's very best friends (which is nice because is mama is one of mine:) Other than having a super crafty mom...check her blog out here) Eli is one of the cutest kids ever; with his dark hair and light eyes he is definately hard to resist:) Caden and Eli have taught eachother a lot...how to jump from coffee table to couches, how to play basketball, how to make animal sounds, how to terrorize, i mean love on, baby Charlie. They have taught eachother that it is only appropriate to have a dance party if you remove all of the toys off of the top of the toy box and stand up on it, that sharing is not super fun yet and that maybe watching TV together is not the best idea because Caden is terrified of Eli's favorite show (Yo Gabba Gabba!) Here are a few pics yesterday from Eli's (2 year old) Elmo birthday party! We love you Ballard family:)

Happy Graduation Day

2010-08-16T11:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Chris graduated from Georgetown College with his Masters Degree! I cannot express in words how proud I am of him. He realized that God was calling him into teaching/coaching during the first year of our marriage and has been pursuing that calling ever since. Not only did he receive his diploma yesterday; he graduated with a 4.0! Chris has overcome so much diversity in his life and I am SO SO SO proud of him!!!! (so proud in fact that I made him take a picture holding his diploma...)

My (little) Giant

2010-08-16T10:57:00.000-07:00

Weighing in at a whopping 14.4 pounds and standing (well laying:) at a staggering 24 inches long at only 2 months old...Chaarrrllliiiieee Gaaaiithhherrrr:)

Our pediatricians reaction when she saw him at his 2 month check up pretty much sums its up..."So I guess breastfeeding is going well for ya!?"

Charlie is in the 95% in weight and the 90% in height! Thank God for a healthy baby:)

8.11.2007

2010-08-10T18:50:00.001-07:00

Three years.

I love you, Chris!

Oh, Boy!

2010-08-10T06:17:00.000-07:00

I kid you not...this is what my oldest son looked like when I went to check on him last night...I am still not sure if this is appropriate to put on the blog but I cannot resist....

When Mommies are away....

2010-08-09T12:39:00.000-07:00

(or just not paying very much attention:)

This is what happens when two mommies are hanging out and let their two toddlers (and Charlie;) have pretty much (supervised) free reign.....

which then leads to this...

Happy Monday!

Uncle Buddy

2010-08-08T17:31:00.000-07:00

If you ask Caden who his favorite person is (other than daddy, of course) he will no doubt say "CAY, CAY!" Who he means is my brother, Clay. I am the oldest of four and buddy (his actual real name, we have called him buddy since my mom found out he was a boy--sometimes I forget he is actually named Clay:) is the youngest--there are 11 years between us. You would think that with that much time in between us we would not be very close; but somehow we manage to have an awesome relationship. Caden LOOOOVEEES Clay...as soon as we turn down my parents street he starts screaming and from the time we get out of the car until the time we wrestle him back in his carseat Caden is Clay's shadow. Buddy just turned (gulp) thirteen this week (although me and my sisters still see him as 5;) and I am so glad that Caden has someone like him to look up to.

Rub a dub-dub CUTE boys in the tub:)

2010-07-26T17:54:00.000-07:00

6 weeks!

2010-07-22T17:08:00.000-07:00

I had my post-partum check up today--everything was great! Sitting in the waiting room at the doctors office I couldnt help but think about how different I feel with Charlie at 6 weeks than I did with Caden. As I have posted about previously I had a HUGE battle with post-partum depression with Caden and honestly do not really remember the first 8 weeks of his life. With Charlie it has been SO different...with a lot of help, a lot of prayer (and a little "just in case" medication) I have not had the same struggles this time:0 (of course there have been some "bad days" but nothing to the extent of last time). Enough about me, let me tell you about my sweet little Charlie.

People say that each kid is so different and even at such a young age my boys are proving te validity to that statement. Here are some things that make Charlie completely unique:

-he loves to be swaddled up nice and tight (caden hated to be swaddled from day 1)

-Charlie does not like is paci...yet

-he hardly ever cries. seriously.

-Charlie is nursing like a champ (caden was on formula only from the time he was 2 weeks old)

-he is sleeping great (about 4-41/2 hours at night...woohoo!)

it still amazes me how fast they grow! here is a sweet picture I snapped of my baby Charlie tonight...

YoBaby!

2010-07-22T17:06:00.000-07:00

almost 19 months and we are still working on the art of feeding ourselves:)

Busy, Busy!

2010-07-21T14:06:00.000-07:00

Caden and his cousin Brady, (they are about 6 months apart) wearing their matching shirts from nanny and papaw

Robert and Susan's wedding:)

Charlie trying to get some rest

Caden getting all sugared up:)

Showing Emily the ropes

ready to roll

This past weekend was SO busy that it has taken me until today to recover from it:) We were going nonstop from Thursday morning until Sunday night! We had a great time but I think we were all pretty worn out by bedtime on Sunday. Above are some pictures from the weekend!

Where's Charlie?

2010-07-14T12:24:00.001-07:00

Happy 4th!

2010-07-05T11:05:00.000-07:00

brotherly love

We were on the go all weekend, but had SO much fun:) We had dinner with the Stovers Friday night and the rest of the weekend included being outside all the time, swimming, golfing, church and a wedding reception! Here are a few of my fav pictures from the weekend...

Me and my Babies

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

Old Dog, New Dog

2010-07-05T10:57:00.000-07:00

Caden's lovey is a sweet little puppy that he got when he was born. I have posted on here before about the agony of trying to find the exact same puppy for him and no luck...until this weekend:) My girlfriend Sherri was going through some of her boys' old baby stuff and lo and behold a PUPPY!!!! Exactly like Caden's--with the tags still on it! I could not believe it...so now we have two puppies. I took a picture of the two side by side...it may be hard to tell from pictures how different they look (or how really gross, well "well-loved") the original is!

Hometown Visit

2010-06-30T10:16:00.000-07:00

Peace out! wiped out after a looong day!

Yesterday Chris, Caden, Charlie and I went to Grayson County, Chris's hometown, to visit with friends and family. We had such a great time! We left Louisville around 9am and did not get home until midnight...we took the boys five different places yesterday (no nap for Caden included) and they were perfect angels:) Of course, I left my camera at the second stop we made so dont have pictures of our visit with Chris's mom, stepdad, sister-in-law and our nieces and nephew or pictures of our visit with Poppy (Rick) and Memaw (Jill) and Jakob. It was an awesome day and SO good to see everyone...here are a few pics:

Chris, papaw (Chris's dad) and the boys

Winston Henry Sebastian Reed Cotton Basham:)

Sweetness...

2010-06-24T16:13:00.000-07:00

Does it get any more precious than this...

Things we have done...

2010-06-19T17:34:00.000-07:00

Here are some things we have done since daddy has been gone...

hi daddy! We REALLY miss you:)

played in the pool

took walks in the stroller:)

fed the ducks

Baller!

2010-06-18T06:32:00.000-07:00

chris emailed this to me this morning:) he designed it on his flight to canada...i am still smiling!

Man of the House

2010-06-17T10:52:00.000-07:00

Chris left this morning to go to Canada until Sunday night for one of his best friends wedding. YIKES! Four days without daddy and without my best friend...this is actually the longest we have been apart since we have been married and it just happens to be that we have a one week old=) Thankfully I have an AMAZING family and will be staying with them this weekend. I am; however, happy to report that Caden has really stepped it up as "man of the house." He is loving on his baby bro, picking up his messes and throwing away Charlie's dirty diapers...yep, I am in good hands:)

Kellie

2010-06-14T11:51:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons I was so excited that Caden was having a little brother is because of the relationships I have with my younger sisters (and brother). No, we havent always been close and yes, we all still have our "moments" but I dont know what I would do without them. It is SO good to live so close to family. They were a HUGE help when Caden was born but have been an even bigger help since Charlie came. One of my biggest worries about Charlie being born was how it would affect Caden. I was worried about him staying on some type of schedule, being around familiar people and just being loved on a little extra. I have to say that having my sister, Kellie home has completely eased my fears. Caden LOVES her and she is, well, she is obsessed with him:) The past week she has taken him to the pool, taken him to feed the ducks, given him icees, been patient with him, and just loooveeed on him. She has also, helped with Charlie, cleaned my house and been constant company.

This post and the next few will be about each member of my family because I am SO SO grateful for each one of them

Pics!

2010-06-09T19:42:00.000-07:00

These pictures are absolutely amazing (of course, I am not biased or anything;) but if you want to see some great shots of the newest addition to our family check it out!

www.bellababyphotography.com
click on view photos and the password is 0607charlie

June 7, 2010

2010-06-09T05:45:00.001-07:00

Charlie Vincent Gaither

June 7, 2010 9:58pm

8 pounds 7.8 ounces 20 1/4 inches long

TGIF

2010-06-04T09:56:00.001-07:00

making a call before we go hang out with our friends at the pool:)

The Perfect Day

2010-05-30T17:18:00.000-07:00

I was filling out an application the other day and one of the questions on it was "describe your perfect day"...well this past Saturday was pretty close. When some of my friends found out I was pregnant with baby #2 they wanted to do a "sprinkle" for me (which is just a smaller version of a shower.) I was really hesistant because it the past 2 and a half years I have gotten married, then pretty much got pregnant right away...and the right away again so I was beginning to feel like people were "gifted out" for me:) you know what I mean?! Anyway, no was not an option for this group of girls (and thank goodness for that!) so we agreed to keep it very small and intimate and do a brunch. The only other people that were there other than the beautiful ladies that hosted it were my mom, sister, Liz and Amanda Cotton. We (well I cant speak for them) but I had the best time. It was a beautiful setup, the food was AMAZING (and so was the punch:) and the girl talk was even better. And even though it was called a sprinkle, I most definately felt showered with love, encouragement and baby "stuff." BUT that's not all I was also given a VERY generous gift card to Allure (a spa in Shelbyville) that is for me! Woohoo! Rachel, Sherri and Melissa you have no idea how much Saturday meant to me...thank you does not do it justice!

I know you are probably thinking that the day couldn't get any better but when I came home Chris, Caden and I took a trip to Target, grabbed dinner and went to see my family. It was the continuation and end to what, in my eyes, was a perfect day!

No Words

2010-05-28T10:38:00.001-07:00

Two weeks (from yesterday, actually) we will be welcoming baby #2=) It is so hard to put into words all the thoughts and emotions that have been flooding in for the past 9 months, but particularly the past few weeks. The first thing that comes to mind is gratitude. I have so many friends and have heard so many stories of couples who have trouble getting pregnant, or people who have lost babies to miscarriages and every story I hear breaks my heart. I am SO grateful that Chris and I have not had any trouble getting/staying pregnant and that, overall, my pregnancies have been fairly easy. It is hard to imagine that Caden will be my one and only for less than 2 more weeks. Everyday I find myself wanting to spend even more intentional time with him and just love love love on him as much as possible. That has been a big part of my anxiety is how Caden's world is about to be rocked. but then again, he will never know life without a brother, a best friend and a constant playmate:) Even in writing this post there are so many thoughts bombarding me that if I tried to put it on "paper" it would probably come out as one really long, disconnected post and I will not put you in that type of agony:) I will just leave you with a sweet baby picture of my first baby boy!

Code Brown

2010-05-27T10:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Chris took a day off work so that we could have some intentional family time before baby number 2 comes (2 weeks from today:). We had a great morning, had lunch at panera and after Caden's nap we went to the zoo. It has been so hot lately that we weren't even sure we wanted to go but I am SO grateful we did. Chris and I decided we would just take Caden to the waterpark (which is great!). We got Caden's swimmy diaper, sunscreen and trunks on and the ventured out to explore the Splash Park. No kidding, 25 minutes after we got there the lifeguards blew their whistles and made everyone get out of the water...yep, "code brown." They shut the park down to disinfect but no before we could get some really cute pictures:)

Cookout!

2010-05-27T10:51:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we had a cookout with some of our friends from Sunday School. We are the only people that have any kids (not for long though:) and Caden just made himself right at home with the men...they were so great! He "played" cornhole, looked at the ducks and horses and hung out with everyone. I absolutely LOVE our class!!

disclaimor: there were women there...I guess since I havent wanted my picture taken the past 9 months I just forget to take pictures of other women:) next time....

All About Kids!

2010-05-21T11:21:00.000-07:00

precious!

of course they went straight to the ball pit:)

This Friday our play group took a field trip to All About Kids. We had never been and we will definately be returning! It was so much fun:) Here are a few pics of Caden and some of his bff's, Walker and Elijah:)

feelin the brotherly love!

"Do you want to go to the zoo?"

2010-05-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

At least once a week I ask Chris if he wants to take the day off. seriously, i do. I love having him home all the time (cheesy I know, but it is true). So this is how our conversation usually goes:

me: do you want to take the day off tomorrow? we can just have a family day and hang out and stuff

Chris: I want to take the day off and do that everyday

me: so are you going to take off?

Chris: no

me: okay

Well, this morning Chris called and said "do you and Caden want to go to the zoo?" Well....yeah! A teacher that was supposed to go on a field trip to the zoo couldn't go so she asked Chris to go and take her place! yay...what a fun suprise:)

Visitors:)

2010-05-19T10:49:00.000-07:00

Monday night Aunt Liz and Uncle Josh came to stay with us. The cool thing (well there is more than one ) about them is that Liz was my best friend growing up and Josh was Chris's best friend growing up and yep, they got married two summers after us! (Chris and I are very proud to take credit for that!) Caden loves them...and for good reason- they completely spoil him! When they left on Tuesday he did not understand why I wasn't clapping for everything he did because of course Josh and Liz did:) We love yall and miss you!!!!

Mama Bird!

2010-05-13T17:13:00.000-07:00

Okay ladies I know everyone is always looking for great gifts for new mommas and my friend Melissa has got them. All her stuff is not only original and absolutely adorable, but it is practical and really affordable...check out her blog and you'll see what I am talking about....

www.mamabirddesigns.blogspot.com

the Zoo!

2010-05-09T17:50:00.000-07:00

I love being a mom and today Caden, Chris and I (along w/my brother and most of Chris's family) went to the zoo:) It was such a perfect day...we had so much fun we didn't even take very many pictures but here are a few cute ones!

My Momma

2010-05-09T17:14:00.001-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to the best mom in the world (and if you know her, you know that is a true statement.) I think my mom is a saint, a pillar of strength, courage and commitment. She has shown me what it means to be a Godly wife and mom. Her faith is not just one of words but of actions. She is my best friend and the person I most want to be like when I grow up. My mom is the reason that I grew up wanting to be a mom. Now that I am a mom I cannot describe to you the joy I have watching her be a "gammy." I would give anything for Caden to feel about me the way I feel about my mom. I always say if I am half the mom to my children that she is to me I will have done an incredible job! I hope yall are as blessed as I am to have a mom as great as mine.

Worn Out

2010-05-07T09:34:00.000-07:00

It has been a "trying" 24 hours not only at the Gaither house but also in my immediate families house...I know, when it rains, it pours. (and really nothing is that bad I just tend to be a little dramatic sometimes:) Well because of a long night last night Chris (seriously, thank God for an amazing husband!) took the morning off. While mommy was in bed Caden had daddy ALL to himself aka. Cadens version of Heaven. They played and played and played and about an hour after Chris went to work my sweet baby looked like this: (and no it was not staged in any way, I promise!)

Asphalt Anyone?

2010-05-07T09:28:00.000-07:00

Those were Caden's thoughts last night as he face planted on the asphalt:( The skinned knees and scraped legs are all part of being a boy at summer time, I get that, but to see your babies mouth all puffed up and bleeding just makes you want to cry with him (which I did). And I also took some pics (it had to be documented!)

Out!

2010-05-03T10:21:00.000-07:00

From the moment my baby boys sweet chubby feet hit the floor in the morning he stands at the door and screams "ooowwwtttt." We spend the majority of our time outside and here are just a couple of reasons why:

these pictures are a result of Cadens "exploring" and yes, that is him running away in the top picture:)

Girlfriends

2010-04-26T17:03:00.000-07:00

There is nothing as sweet as having a solid group of girlfriends. I feel like I am finally forming a strong group of girlfriends in Shelbyville after being here for a year and a half and just feel so blessed to have other mommies/wives/women that I can pretty much share anything with! About 4 years ago I met some of the greatest women on the planet. Since we met, we have all married and three of us have kiddos. Through growing up and doing life we have all managed to not only stay in touch, but get together and everytime we do its as if we havent missed a beat. All of us live all over...Murray, KY; St. Louis, MO; Nashville, TN; and Shelbyville, KY. Even more awesome then having a great friendship with these girls is that our husbands not only get along with eachother, they actually like hanging out together and when we all get together we pretty much do the middle school thing and split up girls/guys;) We all went to STL this weekend and had an AWESOME times here are a few pics...and yes they are all skinny and gorgeous so taking our traditional "group pic" and 8 months pregnant was not making me feel so hot:)

I also MUST give a shout out to Amanda in Memphis...fellow girlfriend and new mommy:) who happens to have a great blog that you need to check out http://www.unnerstall.blogspot.com/

I'm a Winner:)

2010-04-23T11:17:00.001-07:00

I hope I have not been boring everyone with all my talk of rewards codes and websites and consignment stores BUT this is exciting. One way you can "spend your Huggies points is by playing instant win games. Now, you have no control in the game and it is pure chance but apprently every once in a while is worth it. I was thinking how great it would be to have a "non-fat, no whip, caramel macchiatto or white chocolate mocha" today so I though oh why not "spend" 1 Huggies point and see if I can win. I have tried a few times before but I don't do it a lot because I am saving up for the good stuff (like gap gift card, gas card, etc.) but I did it and I won! So in the next 8-10 weeks I will be getting a $10 starbucks giftcard in the mail...just in time for baby number two:) Happy Friday!

Louisville's Best Kept Secret

2010-04-21T10:12:00.000-07:00

... for anyone who has kids or knows someone that has kids (okay that's everyone!) then you MUST hear about this place...

babyGAP, Janie & Jack, LILLY, Kelly's Kids, Ralph Lauren, Stride Rite, Pottery Barn Kids--are you drooling yet?! Whether you live in a mansion or a shoe box or make 6 figures or none at all SLUGGER KIDS is the place to shop for your kiddos. All the brands I mentioned above are lining racks and racks (and may I say organized racks because Lord knows you don't have time to search and search if you have your little ones with you) of the east end consignment store known as Slugger Kids. I was fortunate enough to work there and am really good friends with the owner and let me tell you she knows her stuff. This is not the kind of consignment store where you will pick up an item and notice a huge stain or a rip. She only sells the best and only accepts the best. If you have girls/ have girls to shop for you must go check it out. Also, if you are a fan of smocked outfits (girls and boys) there is an abundance! Just to give you a taste check out my amazing finds from today:

(left) Children's Place- still with tags on it retails for $14.50 I paid $6.99
(right) Life is good romper retails for $25.00 I paid $6.99

baby gap one piece retails for $25.00 I paid $7.00

babygap hat retails for $15.00 I paid $5.00

stride rite shoes retail for $39.90 I paid $10.00

nike long sleeve shirt retails for $25.00 I paid $5.00

ralph lauren long sleeve shirt retails for $18.00 I paid $4.00

FREE stuff

2010-04-21T06:40:00.000-07:00

We all love free stuff, and these days at our house "couponing" is starting to become a Sunday staple. I just started cutting coupons and last time I went to the grocery I saved $50 woohoo, and a few days ago saved $8 on Huggies diapers (if you buy diapers you know what an accomplishment that is:) Which brings me to this...which brand of diapers do you use? I can only speak for Huggies (but I know Pampers has a rewards program too) but if you are not participating in the rewards program...YOU NEED TO! We switched from Huggies to store brand diapers/wipes for a while to save money, but between coupons and rewards we have found that it is worth it to stay loyal to the name brand (in this case anyway). I have only been collecting rewards codes for about a month but already have enough to get some free things from Huggies (ex. an entire bag of swimmie diapers!). The codes are found in wipes/diapers. Also, I recently found this awesome website that has free deals everyday and she has a TON of Huggies/Pampers codes that you can use to help you add to your total points.

www.freebies4mom.com

www.enjoytheriderewards.com

What are some things yall are finding to help save a buck or two?!

The House that Built Me

2010-04-18T18:43:00.001-07:00

"It's just a house." I agree with that statement for the most part, but it is the people that live in that house that make it a home. Recently, Chris and I have been talking about what we want our first house to be like...you know...at least 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a basement (finished or not) a fenced in yard--and the wish list goes on. Buying a house is not in the near future for us (which we are totally content with) but it is oh so fun to daydream about. Talking about what we want our house to be like has brought up many memories and conversations about the house I grew up in. Throughout my highschool years the door to our house was like a swinging door...people in and out ALL the time. That house served as a hangout place, movie theatre, restaurant, crash pad for our friends, a safe place...my parents did an incredible job of always having the door open for my friends and I. I cannot count how many times I called them and the conversation usually started out like this "umm mom, is dad there?" (haha just kidding) I would say "my friends have nothing to do and were wondering if they could come over." there response "sure." never "how many people...what are yall going to do, etc" just a yeah, sure. And 9 out of 10 times by the time everyone got to my house there had been pizza ordered and snacks/drinks on the counter. This had such a huge influence on me, that I am determined no matter where we live I want our kids to want to bring their friends over. I want our kids to want to be home and I want our home to be a safe place. It must be the end of pregnancy hormones taking over again but I heard this song last week and then saw the video and I couldn't help but cry. I hope the house that built you was as great as mine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQYNM6SjD_o