13 months

Griffin is 13 months old today and is def acting like it too. I'm not sure when I will stop counting his months, it's just every 2nd of the month I think about how he is a month older. He will prob be 40 and I will still think about that on the 2nd of every month. Maybe not, but mostly likely.

-He walks all day long. He seriously cannot get enough of walking.
-He can run somewhat now, like a little trott.
-He has 5 teeth. 2 on bottom and 3 up top with a fourth about to push on through.
-He can say Mama, Dada, night night, sometimes "light" if he wants to.
-He can sing. Yes, sing. He enjoys singing especially in the car as we are driving along. When he hears a song on the radio, he joins in. It's the sweetest sound you'll ever hear. (maybe we'll catch on video soon)
-He likes to give shurburts (when you put your mouth on something and blow) on our legs and arms and cheeks.
-He LOVES playing with his dad.
-He loves other kids and babies. He will walk right up to a kid wherever we are and grab them and hug them. We are learning to say hello. :)

He is just so much fun and entertaining! We love to just watch him and play with him and hold him and kiss him. We are so thankful we get to be his parents!

Family and tasting new treats...

Eating Blue Bell with my MeeMaw... This stuff is gooooood....
Hanging out with my dad and Uncle Mitch...
I love my Great Granpa Tobe.
I love my MeeMaw!!

So happy when I'm with my family....
My PawPaw lets me hold the remote....
Eating my first banana fudgesickle...
This tastes like a banana, but for some reason it's colder than a banana...
Hmmm I think I like this...
My new carseat.

Here are some pics of our weekend. We also went to Lubbock today and did some much needed shopping.Griffin enjoyed riding in his new carseat. He liked being able to look out the window and watch his baby Einstein and Praise Baby dvd's while we drove. (Thanks Brooke and Blake for giving us Hudson and Haddon's old dvd player! We finally got to use it!) Griffin did really well shopping all day with us. He loved walking all over the new Barnes N Noble Lubbock has and pulling books off the shelves. He also liked riding the escaltor in Barnes N Noble and looking down at all the people.
We decided it was time to try McDonald's new Frappe. We loved them. Tyler even said they may be better than Starbuck's frappachino. They were pretty delicious. So we had a fun Memorial Day spending it together in Lubbock.
Thank you to our troops and all military for all that you do. Thank you to all the families of soldiers that have been taken from them, and for your sacrifice. We are deeply grateful. We love our country and are so thankful, as BJ Brookes (our associate pastor) prayed on Sunday morning, that we live somewhere where we do not have to live in fear when we worship Jesus.
Thank You, Lord, for the United States of America. May it always remain a place of freedom and opportunity.

Grandparents & banana fudge pops

We went to Denver City, TX this past weekend to visit Tyler's mom and dad, grandpa, and brother & his gf. We had a great time as always visiting everyone out in the country. Griffin ate his first fudge pop-banana kind and his first (well second since my dad gave him some when he was 3 months old) Blue Bell ice cream. Pictures to come...

Travel

So I am about to be traveling A LOT. Not just any kind of traveling though. It will be traveling with a 1 yr old traveling. And not just any traveling with a 1 yr old traveling, it will be traveling with a 1 yr old by myself traveling. So, I could use any advice, help, tips, etc on this kind of traveling by anyone who has experienced it. I am a little nervous. I haven't traveled with Griffin on an airplane since he was 8 months old in the pre-crawling & pre-walking stage.
Please share any wisdom on this, I beg of you......

Glee pt. 2

I received a voice mail from sweet friend yesterday that I haven't talked to in a good while. She expressed to me gratitude for blogging about the tv show Glee and confronting it's agenda and ideas it celebrates. I was so taken aback by her words that I quietly cried to myself on the way home from Walmart as I listened. I couldn't believe that someone was actually encouraged and convicted by the post. AND THEY WERE GRATEFUL for it! She said she had read the Glee post and it started causing her to think about the show and whether or not it was really a show she and her friends should spend their time watching. Should they be putting those things into their minds and promoting a show that like that? She also said she had met with some of her friends and they discussed Glee and it's shortcomings.
All this to say, I give praise to the Lord for using my blog to bring glory to Him. I thank Him for giving me that Glee post to share and for using it in someones life for their good and His great glory. For that is truly what I want.
Honestly, I was seriously a little nervous about posting that post on Glee, because I knew the things I said in it were very counter-cultural, not politically correct, and would step on toes, especially to any unbelieving people who may read it. Then I felt guilty for worrying about what others would think and for being afraid.
I should point out, as a worshiper of Christ, the things that do not glorify him. I should be courageous enough to post something online that will challenge people to live holy lives. I should love God so much that I cannot help but take a stand for Him and the purity He calls us to. For real pleasure does not come from others opinions or a tv show. Everlasting joy and pleasure come from delighting in God and making much of Christ. HE is all satisfying and can and will fill your heart with unimaginable joy, peace, and love.
Thank you, Megan, for sharing with me how God is working in the tv watching area of your life. You have encouraged me to live up to my own convictions and to not be afraid to take a stand for Christ and holiness on the internet and always.
I miss you!

Jumping

We got to go to a "Meet the baby" party today out at our friends, Lonnie and Cindy's. The baby was their sweet grandbaby boy, Everett, who is 3 months old. We also got to visit with his parents, Matt & Lauren and just have a great time catching up with them and getting to know Everett. Griffin LOVED Everett!!! I think he was trying to give me a hint that he wants a baby brother or sister. :) He hugged him, played with his feet, and gave him a sweet pat on his tummy.
Cindy took Griffin out to their trampoline and so I got on the trampoline with him and we had so much fun jumping. I think Griffin will def want a trampoline.

Cheesy BBQ Sloppy Joes

Ok so I do not like Sloppy Joes. Never have. I think it's because it's a cafeteria food that we had at school growing up and well they just seem too sloppy and mushy to me. Anyways, I ran across this recipe in my latest Southern Living magazine and of course I love when they have a picture of it beside the recipe showing how tasty looking it is. The pictures always catch my eye. So I read the recipe and it seemed easy enough and it wasn't just ordinary sloppy joes. Recipes that call for things I already have in my house and always do have in my house always catch my eye as well. So I made them tonight. I was super excited to try them out and they were delicious! I made steamed fresh broccoli to go with it, but you can make whatever side you'd like of course.
So here is the recipes my friends. I hope you feel motivated to make them. I think you'll find them quite tasty too. Happy cooking!

Cheesy BBQ Sloppy Joes

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes (I LEFT THIS OUT, I DON'T LIKE CANNED TOMATOES)
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup bottled barbecue sauce
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. chopped pickled jalapeno peppers (optional) (I made it with these, I was glad I did)
1 Tbsp. liquid from pickled jalapeno peppers (optional) (made it will this this too ;)
1 package frozen garlic Texas toast
1/2 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1. Brown beef in large skillet-drain. Return to skillet. Stir in tomatoes, next 3 ingredients, and if desired, jalapeno peppers and liquid. Cover and cook 10 mins.
2. Meanwhile, prepare toast according to package directions. Serve beef mixture over Texas toast; sprinkle with cheese.

ps. This isn't the most healthy meal, but since I served it with fresh steamed broccoli I figured it was half healthy :) Let me know how you and your family liked it if you make it!