First Meal

While I was at band practice trying to be a rock star, John had his first food! PLAY DOUGH!!
Travis and Ava were playing and he was holding John, when he looked down there was a huge chunk of wet, blue, play dough in his hand. We're not sure if it was just sucked on or actually eaten. I guess we'll see in a couple of days! Check out the Smurf tongue!

2 2 2 Day!

Well, I'm a bit behind (as usual) but Tuesday was a cool day for Ava. It was 2 2 2 day! Ava loves the number 2, always wanting 2 of everything and saying that everyone is 2 years old. So on Tuesday, she was 2 years, 2 months, and 2 days! Yea, I know... kinda cheesy... but we had fun with it all day!

Happy Day Pat-Pat!!

Today is my step mom's birthday. Dad wanted to do something special for her and she had been watching makeover shows on tv and said how she would like to look different. Well, he asked me for some help and I called my favorite salon.. Hair Classics and we planned a day for her. Well, those of you that know her know that she has cut and colored her own hair for 20 years, so a trip to the salon is a big deal. We tried to keep it a surprise, but on tuesday morning she said she was going to cut and color her hair! Everyone was in on the surprise and tried to tell her how good her hair looked and that it didn't need anything done to it... well that didn't work. So, I hid her color just for insurance so she couldn't do it. Dad finally had to tell her not to do it... he didn't say why just that she couldn't do it.

So on Friday morning Ava & John & I went and picked her up for breakfast. Ava had said a couple of days before that she wanted to take "Pat-Pat" for her "Happy Day" to get a "poomie" (smoothie) at Cones and Coffee. So after our nice breakfast I said.. "Let's walk up to Hair Classics so I can get an appointment for Ava." When we walked in, everyone started singing "Happy Birthday" and Pat was floored!! We told her what was going on and she was so excited... especially that it was Daddy's idea. I did some before pics and listened to Donna say... "let's go red" and Pat saying "NO, NO NO... I want my hair to be it's natural color!" I told her they were going to do her make up and she said.. "No, I want to look the way I always have". What's the point in a makeover Pat Pat?? Well, she had the works!! Cut, color, massage, manicure, and make up. And she did let them make lots of changes. She was at the salon from 11:30-6:30! I think she had a day to remember and she looks awesome. She says she'll be going back. Sorry Dad... I think the days of cheap home hair color are over!!

The BUG!

Okay, enough already!!! Make it go away!!! Well, as the kids were getting over their colds, I was getting some sort of weird stomach bug. I was only sick in the early morning. If I wasn't extremely nauseous I was throwing up. But during the day I felt great. Yes, I know... nausea in the wee hours of the morning?!?!? No, Baby Haynes # 3 is not on the way. I think God was helping me, He knew I couldn't deal with it during the day with the kids by myself. Travis was so good... holding my hair, bringing the trash can, such an awesome man! Saturday it hit really hard and Grandma Haynes was here and took the kids. I thank God for her! The stuff would not stop coming out... nice huh!! Well, it's over now and I'm praying that the kids or Travis don't get it. It's NO FUN!

My Mom kept the kids on Valentine's Day and Travis and I got to go on a date!! (Thanks Mom!) It was wonderful! We went to Cissy's Food and Friends which just reopened on the 13th. It was where we had our first Valentine's day 6 years ago and our rehearsal dinner before our wedding. It was so nice just to sit and talk and enjoy each other's company in the candlelight. The food was great.. especially my favorite, Cissy's peanut putter pie! I told Travis that the night made me feel like a wife again. With the kids being sick, I've spent most of my time lately in Mama mode. I sure do love being Mrs. Travis Haynes!

Well, I missed church again on Sunday (last week because of the kids colds) and I really needed to hear something good. I looked around online and listened to a couple of podcasts from some churches and from some different people (Beth Moore, Kay Arthur) and nothing really hit me... SO, I clicked on the Cornerstone page and listened to Mike's message that I missed last week and it was exactly what I needed to hear. Way to go Mike! Well, really, way to go God and good job to Mike for listening! Check out his podcasts either on the church website or in itunes. (look for Cornerstone- Galax)

Happy Valentine's Day

We love because He first loved us.

New Fiddle

I DID IT! I bought a new electric violin! I'm so excited! This is a cheapy, but it seems like it will be a good one for me to get back into the game with. All the others are in the $600 and up price range, which we can't do right now. I'm really looking forward to playing again... hope my fingers can remember what to do!

The kids are slowly getting better. Ava and John both slept last night, but were coughing and restless. I think we're on the tail end of this! YEAH!! Now, if Mama and Daddy can keep from getting it!

Colds!

The past few days have been no fun. Ava got a cold and then passed it on the John. Ava is still able to sleep at night, but not John. Poor guy is so stopped up, he can hardly nurse and is very restless if he does sleep. I'll be so glad when this runs it's course and goes away!!


Grandma Haynes is here and was able to keep the kids yesterday while I went to band practice. We are starting a couple of new bands at our church and I am so excited about them. The teenagers are in one of the bands. They have played before and I'm really looking forward to seeing what God has in store for them. And then a few of us "Geezers" that try to act young are going to be in the other one. They've convinced me to pull out my violin. I played for years, but it's been SO long since I really have played... it is molded...literally!!! I'm thinking about getting an electric one, but know nothing about them.

Better go wipe another nose!!!

Thought for the day

When the world pushes you to your knees,
you're in the perfect position to pray.

One of those days...

Ever had one? Here's a recap of yesterday...

• John woke up early, screamed in the bathroom with me while I took my shower (which was cold)
• With John upset, wasn't able to dry or flat iron my hair, which left me with the post pregnancy, half curly, half straight, sheep dog doo
• Went to get Ava out of her crib... Poopfest of America, she had taken off her diaper...nice
• Thought we'd all take a bath (because it's easier)... they were both screaming by the end
• John was so tired but did not want to go back to sleep... finally got him down about 20 minutes before we had to leave to have lunch with the Cox women
• Got to lunch at Macados... nice to see everyone, pretty uneventful except Ava didn't want to eat... can't really blame her though. I ordered her a cheese pizza and asked the waiter to put some veggies on it... I was thinking broccoli, green peppers, etc.... comes back with tomatoes and lettuce...Who puts lettuce on pizza?
• On the way home John seemed tired... took the long way so he would fall asleep so that getting Ava down for nap would be a bit easier (met my friend Nicole on the road doing the same thing!!) Opened the door to get him out... and there were two sweet little blue eyes looking at me!
• Spent the next two hours trying to get them both to sleep.... one would be almost out, the other would wake up and scream, waking the other (house has no doors!) and round and round we went
• At one point after I'd left Ava in her bed and gone up to get John back to sleep, she started screaming as if something was attacking her. Came down (with John screaming) and she had taken off her diaper and peed in the bed and had tried to take her shirt off, but she had gotten her head out of the hole and behind her but had gotten her arms stuck behind her head and was trapped
• Cleaned the bed AGAIN and got her situated and ENCOURAGED her to go to sleep
  
• Reading this now makes me want to laugh, but at this point I left them both upset and retreated to the bathroom (the only room with a door) and cried. I called Travis and told him we could not have any more kids and that I could not even handle the ones we had and begin to list all the reasons why I was a terrible mother
• My sweet Travis asked me why I hadn't prayed... I had, but it was one of those desperate pleas for help... not a sincere prayer. I prayed (on the toilet) went back to the kids...told them both how much I loved them and they drifted off to sleep
• I was still shaking in the aftermath of all of this. Travis had called our friend Tanya to come check on me... she came and knocked on the door ( a little loud!) and when I opened the door I almost punched her! But I did not attack my friend and she let me cry and made me laugh and I felt much better (Thanks Tanya!)
• Travis brought home supper which was wonderful (but made me then feel like a bad wife because I didn't get something made) and the evening calmed down a bit... well not really, but it was much more bearable because he was here

Today will be better... I've started with prayer, shower and coffee. Still have sheep dog hair, but it doesn't look so bad with a smile on my face.

Cozi

Thought I'd share with you a neat tool that I've been using almost a year now... the Cozi Calender. I love it! You all know that I need all the help I can getting organized, and this really helps.
With it you can...

Coordinate everyone’s busy schedules
Sync home and work calendars
Keep all your lists in one place & access them from wherever you are
Get rid of sticky notes and scraps of paper
Effortlessly enjoy your digital family photos

One of my favorite things is the lists. Okay, I write my grocery list.... get kids in car..... get to store.... try to find cart that's not covered in grossness... get inside and take off coats... wonder where the groceries are going to fit in the cart.... then reach for the list.... WHERE IS IT??? I know I put it in here somewhere!?!? Oh no! I'll never remember it all.... I always forget something important like toilet paper! But... with Cozi....never fear! I just reach for the cell phone (which is always there... without it I feel naked!) and call the handy dandy Cozi 800 number... and it will either read me my list or text it to my phone!!! It's the best and it's FREE! Check it out!

Ava & John

5 months

I've finally done my monthly picture collage of John. I love doing these and looking back at Ava's first year and seeing the similarities and differences between the two. It's amazing how 2 such different little people can come from the same place! I've always loved these verses, but hadn't seen The Message version until recently...

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb. I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day. Psalm 139 13-16

Here are pictures of Ava at 5 months (seems SO long ago!) and John now...

Chase the lion

We started a new study at small group tonight... Chase the Lion
It's going to be really good. I think a lot of us are afraid to do something because it's not the norm or because we might be "weird" or because we're just plain SCARED! I think my problem is that I do what I want to do but I don't take the time to listen to what God wants from me. Here is the "Lion chaser manifesto" and it really spoke to me... I need to read this everyday!

My first post!!!

Well, after using my friend Jenni's blog as a tool to keep up with her life.... I decided that this would be a good way to let folks know whats' going on in our lives. Since I am the worlds worst pen pal... maybe this will help.

Well our lives?...... crazy right now! The loft downtown is in full swing and they are moving fast! For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about... we've bought a building in little downtown Galax and are remodeling the 3200 sq ft upstairs... sort of a faux loft I suppose. Ava is so excited about the "new house." Even though she says it's a "messss" and we need to "keen up". We are deciding on cabinets now.... MONEY, MONEY, MONEY, my goodness.. I can't believe what things cost! Unfortunately I was born with my mothers taste... good, just expensive. SO, I'm trying to be as economical as possible... while having a few "discussions" about "wants" with Travis!

The kids are amazing. Ava's really talking up a storm now. She seemed to be a bit slow on putting words together... but she's got it now! I love the way she annunciates things. Travis brought her a Subway kidspack toy... she loves the "pinK boXX". My favorite words are little and turtle. They both have 3 syllables. At library every week when Ms. Carlene does "Ol' McDonald" Ava always raises her hand and says "TURDEEDUL"! One of the Moms said that they talk about it at home just so her and her husband can get a laugh. John has gotten so big... 5 months already?! Time really flies with two. He's rolling all over the place. I'll put him down and come back and can't find him. He also is a big "talker"... even in the middle of the night. I suppose he's teething, because for the past 2 weeks or so he wakes up every hour or so and just wants to nurse and talk and sing.

I've been rather grumpy... I guess the lack of sleep has caught up with me. I've had quite a lack of patience and I have had to stop and pray many times a day. I'm not sure how Travis and the kids have put up with me. Some nights, when he gets home... I just have to get out and drive around and breath. Jenni had this on her blog the other day and I really needed to read it.

Here's a couple of my favorite pics of the kids...