Things I dont want to forget...

We got our blog printed out...its amazing. We went to www.blog2print.com and ordered it and it came in a great hard back version. Matthew loves it, and always asks to see our "special book". So, being that this is officially our family/baby book, I need to keep track of all the little things I always say I dont want to forget!

MATTHEW - 2 years and 8 months:

You LOVE to sing and play guitar! I have to get good video of it because you look up, close your eyes and totally jam out!

You love to play "super guy" with your Daddy! You use this big guy voice and scrunch up your face like you are so serious and say, "Momma, I save you, I super guy. I have a stone like David"

If you are in a "mood" and know you are about to be disciplined, you will say, "I not obey Momma, you no put me in time out" pointing your little finger at me! Can you say strong-willed?!?!

EVERYTHING is a gun...a straw, a pencil, a crayon, a hammer, your hand - everything. Your favorite thing to play is "fire gun" with sound effects and all!

Yesterday, you woke up and the first thing you said when you saw your Dad was, "come on Dad, lets go shoot the dear!" So funny...I mean, Brian hunts, but not that much! How does he come up with those things.

You LOVE to pretend now. Its so cute. You make us lunch and check our temp and put us to bed and pretend like you are our "Daddy" so sweet

Last week, you said, "I want a baby brother and another baby sister and we will name the boy Samuel". Okay then!

You run and fall and jump and wrestle and dance and hop and move ALL THE TIME!

You love to sing Jesus loves Me, Away in A Manger, ABC's, Veggie Tales songs, etc...

When we get in the car, you find something that will reach the seat in front of you and say, "come on Momma, lets drum"

You love to make lists and run through what we are going to de step by step...at night, you will say, "Okay Mom, FIRST, we are gonna take a bath, THEN we will brush a teeth, then we will put on 'Poojays', then read a book, then Night Night....oh wait wait, I forgot to pray"...and the list starts all over!

You call your Pajamas 'Poojays"

You LOVE your cowboy boots! You want to wear them with everything! Even your poojays!

You love to wear hats...helmets, hardhats, whatever - all the time!

You are so funny and you LOVE to make us laugh! Especially when you know you are headed to time out!

Every morning, the first thing you say is, "is Anna awake?" You love her SO much!

The other day, one of my friends asked Matthew if he knew what his name meant and the conversation went like this,

Amanda - "Matty, do you know what your name means?"

Matthew - "Yes, My name means Matthew Josiah Garrison"

Amanda - "Thats great Matthew! That is your name. Do you know what it means?"

Matthew - "Yes, it means, I'm gonna shoot a dear!"

Amanda - (laughing hysterically) "Oh gosh Matthew. Thats not what your name means, your name means 'Gift from God'"

Every night before you go to bed, we pray and you say the same prayer with us every night, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your might! And love your neighbor as yourself"

I love you my sweet passionate, smart, handsome boy!

ANNA FAITH - 8 months

You weigh about 17 pounds

You have 5 teeth. 2 of which are the top ones which totally change the way you look...makes you look like such a big baby girl!

You smile with your whole body still...and always the biggest at your brother who you adore.

You are still VERY laid back and gentle, but are getting more of an opinion all the time!

You threw your very first fit a few days ago...I laid you down to change your diaper and off you went, arching your back, screaming, kicking! It made me laugh so hard because I have never seen you do that!

You are a major paci girl...love your paci when its bed time...it serves like a switch to get you to sleep!

You seem so little to us because your brother was so solid and chunky and big at your age. In reality though, you are just about the 50th percentile in everything.

You are crawling...full on! My how life changes when babies become mobile! You are busy busy exploring your world and of course, everything goes in your mouth.

You have your Daddy's disposition for sure! So peaceful, gentle and calm and yet a little spice and strength when you least expect it!

You are not a fan of all the cute bows I bought you. You wrestle and grunt at me when I try to fix your bow...I did not think it would start this soon!

We love you sweet tender baby girl!

It snowed in Boerne!

Well, the photos were so disappointing because you couldnt see any of the snow. It was REAL and big and fluffy and Matthew loved it. He kept running around looking up saying, "Mommy, when are the snowmans gonna fall down?" So funny! You can tell he is a Texas kid when he thinks that snowmen fall out of the sky already assembled! :-) ha ha!

Even though the photos are not great, I wanted to blog it to remember when it snowed!

You can see the snow in his hair so we have proof it really happened...

October 2009!

WE went to visit Brians sister in College Station over halloween weekend!

Just could not resist taking this photo. This is how my little girl looks all swaddled up at 7 months - thanks for letting me steal your crib for the weekend Ella!



Brians sister Ginny, me, and all the kids in College Station...



Anna meets her new cousin Eleanor for the very first time - SO exciting to say the least!






We love Lolly at our house - Anna and Lolly just hanging out after Mommy and Lolly bought TONS of cute bows and flowers!


Anna hung out in her car seat. Matthew at the pumpkin patch! He loved running and playing and lining up all the pumpkins in a row. He had a blast!

More from Trail West in Colorado

Here are more photos I wanted to post from this summer.

We are SO grateful to get to spend time at Young Life properties...this summer, we got to serve at Young Life's Family Camp called Trail West! It was AWESOME!

Matthew enthralled with the Tractor in the field and the awesome mountains!



The Fam!



Beautiful views EVERYWHERE!



Love the Conant kids! They took GREAT care of Matthew and Anna!



Jason and Matt were the program guys for the month!



This is usually how you could find Matthew - hand in hand with some of The Conants!



This is how Anna spent her first visit to Colorado! ALL THE TIME! Mommy had to work, so Anna got strapped in and off we went! ;-)



Fell in love with these people who were on assignment with us! Part of our Trail West Family
!

July 4, 2009 at the Minahans Ranch

Matthew (2), Anna (2 1/2 mos) and Molly playdate!

June 2009!

Matthew, some summer fun and Anna's first swim!



Cute baby girl in her very first polka dot suit!



Getting all sunblocked up for her first swim.



Sweet baby face at 2 months.



I LOVE these photos of Matthew on the slide. It so captures who he is! Fun, fast and has no fear!





Hanging out with Uncle Scott while the Australian fam was here!



Brother loves his "sissy bear" (and that is what he calls her!)