Where's the Love? Wednesday {9.28.2011}

What I'm loving this week...

Max's spoon-holding form.

Max carrying his golf club everywhere he goes.

Max's new "smile" for the camera.

Little feet dangling from a too-high-for-him stool.

Max's love for my bear, Sandy, {who is a boy} that I have had since I was 4 1/2.  There is a strong possibility that I may have slept with Sandy up until I got married...I'm OK if you know that.  

Busted

Max busted his lip the other day.  Apparantly, he hasn't learned how to catch his fall with his hands... Poor little guy.  But don't let him fool you...

I think he liked the extra lovin' he got from his mama.  

Forgetful Encore

We Are Grafted In is featuring my Forgetful post today.  Feel free to check it out.  While you're there, browse through some other posts from other families who have adopted.  I know you'll be blessed, encouraged and enlightened

Welcome to everyone stopping by from We Are Grafted In!  Take a look around and be sure to check back in October for my 31 Days of Adoption!

Friday's Few Things

A few things...

31 Days of Adoption
During the month of October, I will be joining some other lovely bloggers in a challenge/adventure of writing every day about something that I am passionate about.  I'm sure it's no surprise to my regular readers that I am passionate about adoption.  So 31 Days of Adoption it will be!

I haven't thought out all 31 days.  It's actually bringing me back to my college days of waiting until the night before to write a paper...

I made a button for this series that I think is pretty cute. {I'm realizing right now that it's a tad-bit large} See it over there on the sidebar?  Feel free to post it on your blog too.  Maybe if I see my button on someone elses blog, it will motivate me to get moving on my posts.

I do have some ideas...

During my adoption series, I will spotlight :
* interviews with families that have adopted
* interviews with adults that were adopted
* relationships with birth family/open adoption
* resources for adoption
* my thoughts and feelings about our adoption journey

My hope is that you become better informed and begin considering how you can play a part in adoption.

If you have any ideas, topics or questions you have about adoption, feel free to let me know!

For Goodness Cakes!
My mom is now working full time at our cakery, which mean we will have shop hours, which means cupcakes are coming soon!  Starting October 4, you will be able to walk right in and buy some yummy cupcakes...6 flavors each day.  Stay tuned to our blog (you can also like us on facebook) to see what flavors will be offered each day.

Class Clown Sidekick
Max  is on the fast-track to be the kid in class that encourages the class clown.  As a former teacher, I will do my best to make sure this doesn't happen...


When our small group did a vacation bible school this summer, our little Max spotted the kid (out of 50 kids) shaking his head uncontrollably.  Max couldn't stop laughing which encouraged the kid to do it even more.  And yesterday, we were at a store and a kid was playing with a toy.  Apparently, playing with a toy is hilarious.  Max was giggling so loud that heads were starting to turn.  This kid was loving his easy-to-please audience.


See Wes Run
Saturday's the day.  Wes has been training hard for the mini.  I'm so proud of him already.  Click the button below to see why he's running.

Where's the Love? Wednesday {9.21.2011}

What I'm loving this week...


Somehow I left out this picture of Max and his sucker in my last Where's the Love? post.

My new header, blog button and signature that I won through the Scottyboy and Katygirl giveaway.  {Are you tired of hearing about my giveaway prizes yet?  I'm coming to the end of my prizes, so you will only have to endure it for a little while longer.}  If your looking for a design update on your blog, head on over to Life Made Lovely Designs.

Max's first fire.  He wasn't very happy that he wasn't allowed to touch it.  Here is Wes saying, "The fire is hot.  It will hurt you."

However...he loved his first smore.

I gave Max a much-needed bath and put him to bed and then headed back out {with monitor in hand} and enjoyed some time with my favorite man.

Made with Love {Fireplace Mantel}

Two more projects completed and checked off my list.

  

No tutorials on this blog...but it's not rocket science.  

For the ginormous sign.  My husband assembled it {probably a good two years ago} using leftover wood.  The slats of wood are attached using 2 strips of wood going up and down in the back {This description right here is exactly why tutorials will never happen on my blog.}

I painted it with some leftover paint from our guest bedroom.

I stenciled the letters in a lovely mud brown and there you have it.  Just don't look too close...it's not perfect.

Project number 2.  It's kind of stretch to call it a project...

The frame is from Ikea.  The glass in the frame broke - not cool, so I taped the print to the backing of the frame and it's done!  

The home sweet home print is from the amazing giveaway I won from Scottyboy and Katygirl.  Check out Sparkle Power's shop to see all of the prints available.

Where's the Love? Wednesday {9.14.2011}

What I'm loving this week...

I'm usually not a fan of parades.  You've seen one, you've seen them all.  I can only handle so many sirens and floats before I start losing my mind.  

However, I've never been to a parade with my boy.  That's a whole different story.  

We had so much fun!  We had a ton of candy thrown at us {which was a big score for Wes and I}.  Max did enjoy his first sucker which resulted in bees trying to get a taste of his sticky face, fingers, legs, neck, etc.  

Max patting me on the back.  I think he's done it everyday this week.  This is my glimmer of hope that he will love rubbing my back and playing with my hair someday.  I can only dream...

And The Winner Is...

This is pretty anticlimactic, but I don't think it will be for Bridgette from Chicago.  Remember how I offered jewelry to five people that donated to The Adventure Project?  Well... Bridgette was the Lone Ranger in the drawing.

So, I guess that means that you, Bridgette, get to choose 5 different pieces of jewelry!  Keep them for yourself or buy gifts for some lovely ladies in your life!  The shop also has some adorable stuffed animals that you are more than welcome to choose from.  Happy shopping!

Shoot me an e-mail (located below the verse on the sidebar) in the next couple of days and I will fill you in on how we can make this happen!

Where's the Love? Wednesday {9.7.2011}

What I'm loving this week...

Max and corn-on-the-cob.

Seriously.  I wish we would have discovered his love for "the cob" before now.  It keeps him happy and occupied while we are finishing up our meal.  

If only I could have a never-rotting corn cob with me at all times for situations like melt-downs in the grocery store, fussy moments in the car and moments when I want to have a quiet conversation with another human being...

Hail, Hail! The Gang's All Here!

Well...almost everyone.  We missed my brother-in-law and niece, but the Fab Five {Dad, Mom, brother, sister and myself} were together.  

We made messes.

We played with and loved on some sweet, little boys.

Ummm...Kobe, you have a little something on your chin...

This might possibly be one of my all-time faves of Keeton.

We had a little photo shoot.

Uncle Matt and Andrea with the boys

After my family parted ways, we headed out of town to visit Wes' parents.  I managed to get zero pictures of Max with his Grandma and Grandpa Akers.  I'm blaming it on spending most of our time trying to keep Max from breaking/grabbing/throwing something he shouldn't be touching.  Despite the lack of pictures, you can trust that we had a good time.  

Hope you enjoyed your holiday weekend!

Friday's Few Things

A few things...

Projects

I thought about doing a tutorial for some jars I wanted to cover to store some of my grains and rice.

I took these pictures and then I realized...

...that it takes too much effort and time to take pictures during the project.

So all you get is the finished product.

Sidenote: It was difficult to get the pickle smell out of the jar.  I washed it several times and the smell still lingered.  I put some baking soda in the jar {my idea} and a piece of bread {Wes' idea} and closed the lid.  It worked!  I'm sure it was the baking soda...

Here's another project.  I love the colors.



Reminders


* Five more days to donate to The Adventure Project.  Five of you will win some jewelry.  I know that I totally gave you the ok to pass on donating if you didn't feel led to.

However...if everybody that has read my Cheaper Than Coffee post donated $5, my goal of $500 would be met...just sayin'.

* Wes is working hard training for his mini-marathon for Team World Vision.  Would you like to sponsor a child?  Click the button to find out how.

 

Smiles

Max isn't a huge smiler.  He's an observer and a thinker.

We visited my grandparents last night.  Max's first smile came about an hour after we arrived.  My grandma was thrilled.  You would have thought he had said "Gramma" for the first time.  His smiles are treasures.

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!

Big Boy

When Max started walking, I felt like his personality changed. 

He made different facial expressions.

He made different sounds.

It must have been his new perspective of the world.

Apparently, a haircut has the same effect because now he reaches for my hand to go down stairs like a big boy.  None of this crawling-down-backwards-on-your-knees-stuff.  

Must have been the clippers.

I love our boy.