I'm learning the features on my camera and on this page...please excuse my stupidity (you'll see) I'm not sure what I was thinking!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Trying new things...

They put me in here...what am I suposed to do now?

Hey, these things move!

Mommy, I'm not too sure about this new seat...

Hey, I like it!

Trying to recreate Easter photos

Easter is not our holiday with Joel (we get him for Thanksgiving) so we tried to recreate Easter photos this week with Joel...they didn't turn out so great, but here are a few. We may try again later this week.

Mommy and Aliya

This photo was from last week when Aliya attended her first Graceworks meeting. We were getting our photo's taken for publications for work and Aliya just had to get in front of the camera too!!

Meeting the Uncles

There were two very important people Aliya had yet to meet as of last week, Uncle Dan and Uncle Greg. (Dan is my older brother, Greg my younger) She took to both of them like she's known them forever! Dan made a "drive by" visit late one night last week on his way home and Greg came by Saturday evening! I'm so glad they finally got to meet her!!


Snuggles with Uncle Dan


Uncle Greg FINALLY

First Easter

Slam Dunk

Here is Joel's basketball picture. It is a picture of a picture (our scanner is down right now)!

A few cute ones

This is Aliya's first time in a dress...a pink on top of that! This is a hand-me-down from her cousin Allison. She got so many compliments on it at church on Sunday. She is now playing with her hair when she's tired...I think we have a twirler on our hands!

Our Bug

Several people have asked how Joel is doing lately...He's great! He'll be 10 in October, can you believe it!?!?! He is getting so big (he's pretty normal size wise compared to other kids his age) but he seems huge to me! In fact last night we came across some pictures back from when Jon and I first met. There was little Joel, thumb in mouth...he has changed so much in the past 6 year. His basketball season is now over, 4-4, not a bad season considering it was his first year playing. The coach was beyond impressed with his skills! Next up is baseball. This will be his first year in kid's pitch league. Jon has been asked to be the asst. coach for his team! (I wonder if that means I'll have to take all the pictures now??) I think we have a pitcher in the family, Joel's always been a great hitter, but here lately his arm has improved too and I think he wants to try to pitch! Pretty cool!!! Oh he's also signing up for football for next year. We are about to become extremely busy(ier) parents!!! 3rd grade is treating Joel well. He loves school and excels in spelling (he defiantly didn't get that from me)! He has a kind spirit and loving heart for someone so young! He told me I'm now two mommy's. When I asked him what he meant he said, "You're my step mom and Aliya's mommy...pretty cool huh?". I asked him if that meant I now get double mother's day gifts, he just laughed and rolled his eyes at me! (yes, that too has started!)

Good Morning World

Every morning while getting dressed Aliya and I say "Good morning world" and she smiles. Daddy got her up and ready this morning so it gave me a chance to sleep just a bit longer, but also snag a cute picture of her saying good morning!

"Big Girl Bed"

This past Friday night was Aliya's first night in her "big girl bed" in her own room. We are having some work done on our house and they needed to be doing some work in our room over the weekend so we decided this was the best time to try Aliya out in her crib. She is doing great! She is sleeping better, and honestly, so are we! In her bassinet in our room she couldn't stretch out but now she sleeps with both arms straight out to her sides!

Her nightly routine starts around 8:15p with PJ's and cuddle time on mommy or daddy's chest. Then we wake her up right before we go to be to feed her as much as she'll take. She's up sometime between 3a-4a for a quick 2oz snack then she's back to bed till at least 7:30a. She had a stretch for sleeping until 4:45a for about 4 days, but that didn't last. Oh well! I'll take what I can get!

My Bithday today...

Today has been one of the greatest birthday's ever! We were a little rushed this morning before church with the time change, but we managed! Jon, Joel, and Aliya had a beautiful card and gift waiting for me when I came down this morning. A new watch! My watched stopped working a few weeks ago and it's been driving me crazy not to know what time it is every second of the day. (I'm a bit OCD in that way) We headed to church and came home after to get ready for our social worker visit. It was visit 3!! We are half way there!!! Just three more to go! Then we went to lunch at Brio (we'd never been, plus we had a gift card!!). Lunch was great! They did screw my order up though so the took my meal off of our bill, nice but not necessary! We ended the meal sharing birthday ice cream! Then it was off to Meijer, there's one here in town going under so sales where through the roof! We spent way too much for only three bags...but we had fun and got some really good deals! Oh, I almost forgot, one of the best parts of today is that Joel was with us. It was actually his mom's weekend, but due to the weather yesterday and them working today we got to keep him all day (until 7pm) it was the best, having BOTH my kids with me on my special day. Anyway, where was I? Oh, then we came home and after almost 30 minutes of trying, we got our webcam on line and up and running! We chatted with my brother and his family out in AZ. They have a 9 month old daughter we haven't met yet, and they haven't met Aliya yet, so it was really nice! Fun too! Then we ate dinner (steak, yummy...yep, just steak, no veggies or potato's...just meat!) while we watched a movie. Then right around 11:15p while my little brother was singing happy birthday to me Jon rushes in the garage...I hung up with Greg, called Martha back and within minutes found Jon emerging from the garage, birthday cake with candles in hand, singing!!! Oh the caked looked so good and I said, "It reminds me of a Bill Knaps cake, do you remember those?"....guess what? IT WAS A BILL KNAPS CAKE!! Childhood memories came rushing back to me as I cut into the double layer chocolate cake! I got to talk to almost everyone today, lots of calls singing happy birthday! I can't remember a year that has been better! Thank you everyone (esp Jon) for making this one of my best birthdays ever!

Grandma & Grandpa B.

A few more...

More Pictures

Unoffical stats and Meeing Grandma & Grandpa B.

Aliya is growing like a weed! Over the weekend I boxed up her newborn clothes and several of her 0-3 sleepers with the feet in them. I have to stop and remember we got her when she was 5 weeks old, so her outgrowing her newborn stuff "already" should not be a mystery to me! Over the weekend I also did some "unofficial measuring" of Aliya. According to my tape measure she is 23 1/2" long and 12.5#. She doesn't go back to the doctor for another month, so we will see if I am even close.

Tonight Aliya got to meet her great grandma and grandpa B. They have been snowbirds in FL since before we got Aliya and made stop in Dayton on their way back up to NW Ohio tonight! Aliya took to then almost as fast as they took to her! It was an amazing visit!! We met up with them at their hotel room and visited and took a TON of pictures before we headed to Bob Evan's for dinner. While at dinner grandma fed her, and told everyone that walked by that this was her Beautiful great grand daughter! She was so proud! They are staying the night just down the road from our house, so in the morning Aliya and I will head over for a last minute good bye kiss before they hit the road and I head to work! I'm so glad they finally got to meet her!!! Grandma said her herself, "pictures don't do that girl justice, she's so much more beautiful in person" (I agree!)*pictures of our evening coming soon*

Grandma Sylvia's visit

Jon's mom, Sylvia, came up from FL this past week to meet her first (and only) grand daughter. Here are a few pictures from her visit.