The Zelmer Family

Easter 2011

2011-05-07T12:51:00.000-07:00

The REAL reason for the season!

2010-12-11T11:10:00.000-08:00

There's no doubt about it, this is the BEST time of the year! However, it can also be the busiest. This year I have vowed no to get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season that I forget the real reason for the season, Jesus!

I found this online one year and loved it:

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling
lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another
decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies,
preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at
mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that
I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend
a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata, but do not
focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and
table linens.
Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they
are there to be in the way.
Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices
in giving to those who can't.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all
things.
Love never fails.
Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust.
But giving the gift of love will endure.

"Go tell it on the mountain! Jesus Christ is born!!!"

Merry Christmas!

I am thankful for...

2010-11-24T22:45:00.000-08:00

These two turkeys! Without them my life would be meaningless! I am beyond blessed!!!

p.s. Congratulations, my husband is an official member of the No Shave November Club. He actually started at the end of October!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T22:23:00.000-08:00

My oh my how my little turkey has changed over the past year!

Happy Thanksgiving from our little turkey!

Oh Christmas Card! Oh Christmas Card!

2010-11-21T15:06:00.000-08:00

I must admit, I have a little obsession with designing the perfect Christmas Card! I'll spend hours designing every.little.detail of our Christmas card with the perfect digital papers, capturing and editing the perfect picture. That all changed when I had a baby.

I was so excited to see Shutterfly's 2010 Holiday Card Collection. I love sending photo cards and personalizing them with a Bible Verse. With Shutterfly I can do just that, after all their site says "Easy to personalize & Fun to Create". I can add one of my favorite photos and my own message in less than half the time I spend creating a card on my own.

Now for the hard part, choosing a card. Oh the decisions that come with choosing the PERFECT Christmas Card.

There's folded greeting cards, flat stationary cards, or flat photo cards. OH MY!

Then, comes the choice of which design.

There's the traditional red & green! And who doesn't love a monogram?!?

Then there's this whimsical & fun one!

Or what about this more elegant one?

Or this stylish & modern card?

And for those of you who don't want to fight the crowds this holiday season, Shutterfly is the place for you! From photobooks to calendars to canvas wall art, Shutterfly has a little something for everyone on your Christmas list this season.

Annnnnnnnnnd... just one more reason to ♥ Shutterfly! To all my fellow bloggers out there, Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly… sign up: http://bit.ly/sfly2010

Halloween 2010

2010-10-31T16:49:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time trick or treating with friends for Halloween! Here are some pictures from our night:

A special thank you to our official photographer, Christy!

Family Pictures

2010-10-09T21:58:00.000-07:00

About a month ago we had some family pictures made by this amazing friend! Seriously, y'all, she.is.AMAZING! She's an incredible party planner, DIYer, decorator, cook, thrifter, and photographer! I could go on and on. Basically, when I grow up I want to be her! Here are just a few of the incredible pics she took of our family! Thank you so much Lindsay for helping capture such precious moments of our family!

13 Months

2010-10-05T15:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Parker,
You are 13 months. You weighed 20 pounds at your 12 month checkup and were 31 inches tall. The doctor said you were tall and skinny, just like Daddy! You are right on track for your weight and you are way above on your height. You still wear size 4 diapers and are wearing 12 months clothes.
At 13 months, you are so much fun. You absolutely LOVE outside ("dout-dide"). When we ask you if you want to go outside, you say, "doutdide" and head to the nearest door and look up at the doorknob. Once outside your favorite thing to do is walk around the yard and pick up leaves, sticks, acorns, berries, and anything else you can hold in those tiny little hands of yours. It's amazing how much stuff you can hold on to. You enjoy taking nightly strolls in your wagon with Papa. Papa is still your favorite person. When you see anyone, and I do mean ANYONE (a picture of a farmer in a book, an African American man in the grocery store, your Fisher Price farmer figurine, your daddy, etc.) wearing a hat you call them Papa. Today you found your hat in the living room and put it on your head and said, "Papa!". Papa recently took you to the golf course and showed you how to hit balls. When we ask you if you want to play golf, you clap your hands together and lean against our legs. You also love to run and kick your ball across the yard.
You have just recently started really playing with your truck. It is the cutest thing!!! You push it around on the floor and make truck noises. You also like to watch it roll down the slide. You think that is the funniest thing!
You've also recently become obsessed with Elmo. Whenever you see him on something, you say, "melmo" and start singing, "La~La~La~La". You also love Bob the Tomato from Veggie Tales. Your favorite Veggie Tales video is Rack, Shack, and Benny.
You also started some new foods this month! Chicken nuggets, chicken pot pies, and grilled cheese sandwiches are all of your new favorite foods. You are still a champ at eating and you LOVE milk.

Happy Birthday, Parker Allen!

2010-09-05T13:32:00.000-07:00

Dear Parker,

Today you are O~N~E year old!!! I can't believe I just typed that sentence! This past year has flown by! It seems like just yesterday that you made your entrance into this great big world. Your cry was like music to my ears and when the nurse placed all 7 pounds 15 ounces of you in my arms for the first time, my heart melted. At that moment I marveled at your ten tiny fingers and toes, your cute little nose, and all of your reddish colored hair! I was simply amazed at how perfect you were. Your first year has been full of so much fun. It's been so much fun to watch you grow and learn everyday. I've loved watching all of your "firsts".

You took your first steps at around 10 1/2 months and haven't stopped. Now, you run everywhere you go. You are definitely ALL boy. You LOVE playing outside and even cry when it's time to come in.You like to play with your ball. You have learned to kick it and throw it.

We are so proud of your kind and obedient spirit. You walk around the house and say, "No, no, no! " and point to all of the things we tell you not to touch.

You can say LOTS of words: kitty, doggie, MaMa, DaDa, PaPa, Ju-ten (Justin), peas (please), and many, many more. You talk non-stop and I absolutely adore your laughs and giggles. You know all of your signs (all done, please, more) and now even say them while you are signing them.

You love to sing and dance.

When we ask you where your hair is you point to your hair. You can show us where your eyes, ears, teeth, nose, and belly button are too! You can also tell us what the cow says (booooo), the bees say (buzz), the kitty says (dickle, dickle).

You are eating all kinds of things. Eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, turkey, chicken, and many, many fruits and veggies. I think your favorite food is a tie between waffles and cheese.

You love your family. When the door opens, you go running to see who it is and start saying DaDa or PaPa. You love your PaPa. He is definitely your favorite person, after Mommy of course. You love to play rough with your Uncle Justin. Uncle Phillip and Aunt Jody give you endless tickles and you squeal everytime. You like to play silly games with Daddy. You could sit in Gram's lap all day and read books if she'd let you.

You are very loving and caring. You give the best hugs and kisses.

September 5, 2009 was a day that I will never forget! I earned a new title that day. A title that I had no prior training for. A title that I wasn't completely prepared for. A title that I had always dreamed of having. I'm so honored to have the title of mother, and it's all because of you, son. I am blessed beyond words to be your mommy.

God knew exactly what He was doing when he gave us you. You have been an amazing addition to our family and I CANNOT imagine our lives without you. Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you, little man. Happy Birthday, Parker Allen!!!

11 Month Picture

2010-09-04T20:03:00.000-07:00

Georgia Aquarium

2010-09-04T19:59:00.000-07:00

A couple of weekends ago, we headed to the Georgia Aquarium for the day. Fortunately, we ordered our tickets ahead of time which I HIGHLY recommend. It was very crowded but we enjoyed our day despite the masses of people. Parker loved looking at all the beautiful fish and sea creatures. Here are some pictures of our day:

Fun with Cousins!

2010-09-03T13:53:00.000-07:00

In July Mom and I made a trip to Charlotte to visit my Aunt, Uncle, and Cousins. We had fun swimming, shopping, and seeing all of their cool animals. We were able to get pictures with Megan and Matt, but Alex is in that teenage mode and doesn't stay home long enough to get a pic and if he did he was sleeping. Oh to live the life of a teenager again! While we were there we were able to meet Miss Juliana Moon. Her Daddy and Daron were roomates at Clemson. She is absolutely beautiful!!!

Ten Months Old

2010-07-25T21:59:00.000-07:00

Dear Parker,
You are TEN months old. DOUBLE DIGITS, watch out!!! Once again Mommy is a little behind on posting your monthly pictures and updating your new accomplishments. Your ninth month was full of many accomplishments. It is so much fun to watch you learn and grow each month. You are so SMART, a baby genius, at least we think! Here are some things you are up to lately:
* You have mastered crawling.
* You can pull up on things like chairs, the sofa, basically anything within reach.
* You can stand unassisted for a few seconds.
* You can walk while holding on to the side of the pack-n-play or sofa.
* You are eating more things like yogurt, cheese, meats, and veggies.
* You drink from your sippy cup like a pro.
* Your favorite snacks are bananas. You can eat a whole banana.You like to feed them to your self and make quite a mess in your high chair.
* You went to the beach and LOVED it. (more on that in a seperate post)
* You enjoy the swimming and splashing in the pool.
* You can wave bye-bye.
* You can pick things up using your thumb and finger. I have to keep the floors really clean otherwise you go around picking up tiny pieces of grass or leaves.
* You say na-na (no-no) when we tell you no. You understand what it means, but don't always obey.
* You recognize your name.
* You can say PaPa, MaMa, DaDa, & baby.
* You can do your sign language for please and all done. We are working on more and thank you.

We ♥ you little man! You are one amazing little dude! Never forget that Mommy loves you, Daddy loves you, and Jesus love you, too!

Celebrating the Red, White, and Blue

2010-07-20T10:38:00.000-07:00

Each 4th of July we have friends and family over for food, games, and FiReWoRkS!!! Our city puts on an amazing fireworks display in the field just below our house. Our front yard is the perfect place to watch the fireworks show. We are so incredibly blessed with awesome family and friends. I couldn't think of a better way to spend the 4th, celebrating the red, white, and blue!! Here are some pictures of our celebration:

Parker & Papa

Ashlee & Parker

Ms. Goss & Austin

Mommy & Parker

The Stegall Family

Rebekkah & Michelle

Sweet Zuri

Gavin

Lawton

Parker & Nolan

Austin and Parker

The Ball Pit was a HUGE hit!

The Wagon Rides were also a big hit!

Aunt Trudy & Parker

Noah

The Odom Boys

Happy 4th of July! (10 months old!)

The Homemade Ice Cream Makers! Dave & Daron (Double D)

Waiting on the the fireworks to begin...

Will he LOVE 'em or HATE 'em?

I told you it was amazing!!!

They were REALLY loud because they are so close, but....

Parker LOVED the fireworks! He sat in PaPa's lap, laid back, and watched the BIG kabooms!

Hope everyone had a great 4th! We are so blessed to live in such a great Nation! ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY & JUSTICE FOR ALL! PRAISE GOD!

So Much to Blog About! So Little Time!!!

2010-07-18T18:34:00.000-07:00

There's so much to blog about and so little time lately!!! We've had a busy, busy summer that it's so hard to blog and document everything we've done. And because as much as I'd like to I just don't scrapbook, I like to keep this blog as a way to document Parker's "firsts" and memories that we make as a family. But I must confess I have a slight obsession. I often find myself thinking, "I could BLOG about this" or "I must take a picture of this so I can document it on our blog". But the problem is there is SO much to blog about that I get behind and then how could I possibly blog things out of order. For instance, I couldn't post about a recent trip before I blog about our 4th of July fun or Father's day. Am I crazy or does everyone do this? And then there is the issue of wanting to edit my pictures before posting them. So I go to my favorite, FREE photo editing site and get lost for hours editing pics. Obsessed much??!? I think so!! It's the perfectionist in me. But I am learning to let go and let my imperfections shine! So... I am going to TRY ("try" being the key word) to do better about NOT obsessing over making each post perfect. I am going to start from the present and try to go backwards until I'm all caught up. And here's the real reason everyone else reads our blog... Parker Pictures!!!! (unedited of course!)

p.s. I could NOT get these pictures to line up. But I'm not obsessing!!! I am posting them anyway! :)

Summer Recipe Favorites

2010-07-10T13:01:00.000-07:00

Here are some of our family's summer favorite recipes. All of which are SUPER DUPER easy and can be made quickly.
Disclaimer: All recipes are from memory and are made by adding a little of this and a little of that. So EXACT measurements may be off. Just taste it while your making it. If it tastes good, then you've probably got it right! I'm NO Rachel Ray!

Here's a SUPER, EASY recipe for Semi-Homemade Salsa......We like call it Redneck Salsa!

Redneck Salsa

1 large can of petite diced tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes)
1 can of mild Rotel
1 small purple onion, finely chopped
2 cans of black eyed peas (or black beans)
juice of half a lime
few sprigs of cilantro, chopped
salt/pepper

Directions:
Open cans and pour them into bowl!! (Don't ya love that!) Mix with onion and cilantro. Squeeze the juice of lime and add salt and pepper. Enjoy!

I like to add a little of this salsa to an omelet for breakfast.

And while I'm at it here's another summer favorite of ours that's SUPER EASY!

Homemade Pimento Cheese

1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
1 cup grated Monterrey Jack
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 to 3 tablespoons pimentos, smashed
1 teaspoon grated onion
Salt/black pepper

Directions:
Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add all of the remaining ingredients and beat until well blended. It can be used as a dip for crackers or as a sandwich filling.

This is a Paula Deen recipe. It's probably NOT good for you, but it's super YUMMY!!!

We also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this...

Homemade Guacamole

2 or 3 ripe avacados
1/2 purple onion, finely chopped
1/2 lime juice (or to taste)
salt/pepper

Directions:
Mash avacados in bowl. Mix with onion. Squeeze in the juice of lime, using more or less depending on how strong the onion is. Salt and pepper to taste.

Yummmmmmmmm! I could just eat this stuff with a spoon!!! Daron has PERECTED the guac.

And the EVER-SO-FAMOUS.....Pasta Salad

Pasta Salad
1 box of whole wheat spiral pasta (or whatever pasta you have on hand)
1 bottle of Wishbone's Romano Basil Vinaigrette Dressing

Here's where you add whatever veggies, etc. that you like:
Yellow/Orange Bell pepper
Cherry tomatoes
Black olives
Turkey Pepperoni
Parmesan cheese or Feta Cheese

Directions:
Really there's no explanation. Just boil the pasta, drain it and mix it with the dressing and veggies!

There are so many different ways to make this, but it mainly depends on what you like. I love it because it's so colorful!

and NO blog post is complete without a picture of this little man!

Oh how I love him so! I am enjoying being home with him this summer. We are enjoying our time together!!!

p.s. How many times did I use the word SUPER in this post?
may

Nine Months Old

2010-07-03T09:25:00.000-07:00

Dear Parker,
Your Nine Month birthday was June 5th, while we were on vacation at the beach. You absolutely LOVED the beach. When we put you down in the sand you crawled all around and patted it. You grabbed handfuls of sand and just held it. You only tried to eat it if your paci wasn't in your mouth. You even helped Mommy and Daddy build your very first sand castle. You also loved the water. You liked jumping the waves with Mommy. You would kick your feet so we would put you down in the water. We took your own little pool down to the beach and you loved splashing around in it and playing with your water toys. You had a HUGE smile on your face the entire time we were on the beach. You enjoyed swimming in the pool at the condo too! Gram, Papa, Uncle Justin, Uncle Phillip, Aunt Jody, Uncle Eric, Aunt Trudy, Ashlee, Uncle Tony, & Aunt Cathee were all with us at the beach. You had lots of people to pass you around and play with you. I don't think you got put down that whole week.
Each morning you and Papa would eat breakfast together, then go out on the porch and watch the golfers tee off. You also watched and listened for birds with Papa out on the porch. You went shopping with Mommy, Gram, and Aunt Jody while the boys played golf. I know you would have rather been out on that golf course with the boys playing golf than shopping. One day soon you'll be out there chipping and putting with the big guys on the golf course.
Your first beach trip was a HUGE success. I am looking forward to many more beach trips in the future.
Parker, you are the LIGHT of our lives. You are simply AMAZING! We love you so much little man!!

8 Month Picture

2010-07-03T09:20:00.001-07:00

Parker's 8 month picture is missing! I took them and downloaded them, but can't find them. So I am writing this blog so that when I do find it his monthly pictures won't be out of order. Yes, I know it's a little late. And yes, I know I'm anal! LOL!

A Day at the Zoo

2010-06-30T14:54:00.000-07:00

A Day at the Zoo & no not the Zelmer Zoo, the REAL Zoo. Parker and I went to the Greenville Zoo today with some friends of ours from church, Rebekkah and Owen. Rebekkah had FREE tickets that expired today so we packed a picnic lunch and headed to Greenville with our little monkeys. It was a PERFECT day. We've had such hot weather here lately that it's almost been unbearable outside. Today was kind of overcast and it was much cooler outside with a light breeze. PERFECT! We enjoyed a nice picnic lunch at the Zoo. They have a nice park and playground there that the boys will love when they are a little older. Parker enjoyed looking at all of the animals, although I know he will enjoy it even more when he's older. We had a great day with Rebekkah and Owen!

Mother's Day & Parker's Baby Dedication

2010-06-21T08:07:00.000-07:00

My very first Mother's Day was extra special because it was also Parker's baby dedication at our AWESOME church. Daron and I made a promise to God to raise Parker in a Godly way, prayerfully until he can make his own decision to follow Jesus. We vowed to teach and train Parker in God's word, demonstrate an example of Godliness, discipline him according to God's word and pray earnestly for Parker. My biggest prayer for him is that one day he would call on the name of Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior.

Too often I am reminded that Parker is not my own. He belongs first and foremost to God. What a BIG responsibility it is that God has entrusted Parker into Daron and I's care.

I am so blessed! Daron and Parker gave me a bracelet with a beautiful "Mom" charm that I can add to. I had a great first Mother's Day spent with the people I love the most!

"Hear O Israel: The Lord our God is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on their children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deuteronomy 6:4-7

Father's Day

2010-06-20T18:59:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Father's Day a bit different this year. Instead of our normal lunch or dinner, we decided to do breakfast at Jody and Phillip's house. My parents gave Jody a nice waffle iron for Christmas, so we had waffles with real maple syrup, bacon (the "real" kind, not the microwave fake bacon), and coffee and orange juice. It was a great way to spend Father's Day!

We're Back!

2010-06-19T09:18:00.000-07:00

I know, I know! I am wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy behind on our blog. Honestly, I didn't think anyone read our blog except for me and a few family members. I could come up with a million excuses as to why I haven't updated the blog lately, but I'll just blame it on this sweet face!

I've had people stop me in town and say, "You know I'm waiting on Parker's 8 month picture on the blog." LOL! I am home for the summer so I will TRY to update more often.

Blogs to come...

Mother's Day
Parker's Baby Dedication
8 month picture
9 month picture
Beach trip

Seven Months Old

2010-04-07T13:23:00.000-07:00

Dear Parker,

You are SEVEN months old and more fun than ever!!!! You are one big ball of energy these days. Mommy has to be sure she takes her vitamins to be able to keep up with you. You are very sociable and laugh and smile at everyone you meet. You are now rolling and "scooting" all over the place. You haven't mastered crawling yet, but you are on the verge. You get up on all fours and rock back and forth, but haven't figured out how to put one hand in front of the other yet and just take off. It won't be long though and you'll be ALL over the place. Today your first tooth has just barely popped through. It seems like you've been working on it forever. You are now a PRO at eating. You love sweet potatoes, pears, carrots, apples, bananas, peaches, prunes, green beans, and squash. You are not crazy about peas or cereal and make funny faces, gag, and sputter when we try to feed them to you. You can drink out of a sippy cup. You absolutely love to play in your high chair and jump in your bouncy frog. You can sit up unassisted and play with your toys. You talk up a storm and can say these sounds, buh-bye, da-da, eeeeee, and an occasional mmmmm. You make "truck" noises that Uncle Justin taught you. You LOVE, LOVE, LOVE outside. Mommy can't wait until summer when we can spend more time outdoors. You enjoy watching things and trying to figure out how they work. Mommy is on spring break this week and one of my most favorite things is our early morning chats while laying in bed. You are now sleeping in your own crib and we are working on elimnating those night feedings. Surely ONE day you WILL sleep through the night.

I absolutely LOVE being your mama, Parker. With each day that passes, I think I couldn't love you anymore, but somehow my love for you grows bigger and bigger each day. There are NO words really to say HOW much I REALLY love you. We have so much fun together and I can't imagine my world without you, because you my son ARE MY WORLD! I love you very much!!!

Love, MaMa

Six Months Old

2010-04-07T13:20:00.000-07:00

Happy 1/2 Birthday!!!!

Five Months Old

2010-04-07T13:17:00.000-07:00

Take me Out to the Ballgame

2010-02-28T12:38:00.000-08:00

One of Daron's clients gave him tickets to the Clemson baseball game yesterday. It was a beautiful day for a baseball game. We were able to take Parker to his very 1st Clemson event and he loved it. He watched the game for a little while and then we took a walk around the newly renovated Doug Kingsmore Stadium. He tuckered out towards the end of the game. The Tigers were even able to pull out a win. Maybe one day Parker will be out there playing!

Is it too early for Spring Fever?

2010-02-21T14:10:00.001-08:00

Is it too early for Spring Fever?? This weekend we enjoyed some beautiful weather. We spent the entire weekend outside! Parker LOVES being outside. We went to South Cove for a walk and walked around our neighborhood. We were even able to wash our cars!! I can't wait for Spring when we can take walks and spend even more time outside.

Happy ♥ Day!

2010-02-14T11:46:00.000-08:00

snow much fun

2010-02-13T19:20:00.000-08:00

Well, the weatherman FINALLY got it right! It *s*N*o*W*e*D*! Gram, Pops, Ashlee, Aunt Cathee, Uncle Tony, and Nanny all came over to join in the fun! Here are some pictures from our SNOW DAY!

FREE Breakfast Week at Chick-fil-A of Seneca!

2010-01-30T08:49:00.000-08:00

Chic-fil-a of Seneca ROCKS!!!! After leaving the lunchroom this week at school, I rounded the corner to see a table full of these:

The new and YUMMY Yogurt Parfaits topped with either Harvest Nut granola or cookie crumbs. Just when I thought my day could not get any better, my friend and collague, Roz, came into my room announcing that next week is FREE Breakfast week at Chic-fil-a! I ♥ you Chic-fil-a!!!!

I seriously think I have an addiction. I could eat there EVERY meal. I knew it was bad when my husband told me we were going to have to cut back on our Chic-fil-a spending budget! LOL! I, however, like to look at it like my wise friend, Roz. I choose to believe that eating at Chic-fil-a is a way to HONOR GOD! I mean Chic-fil-a is after all, a Christian organization. And why spend money at other, "secular", fast food restaurants, when you can honor God with your finances at Chic-fil-a! HA! So, thank you to my great friend, Roz for this insight (she IS a Pastor's wife) and to Chic-fil-a of Seneca for being so awesome!

So here's what's for breakfast this week at Chic-fil-a! Did I mention it's FREE?:

Monday, February 1st- Saturday, February 6th, Chick-fil-A of Seneca will be serving the following items for FREE! (6:00am-9:30am. One per customer)

Monday, February 1st: FREE Chick-fil-A Chicken Biscuit

Tuesday, February 2nd: FREE Sausage Biscuit

Wednesday, February 3rd: FREE 3-count Chick-n-Mini

Thursday, February 4th: FREE Yogurt Parfait

Friday, February 5th: FREE Cinnamon Cluster

Saturday, February 6th: Pajamas and Biscuits

(On Saturday, the Chick-fil-A Cow will be sporting his favorite pajamas! Wear your pajamas with him and get a FREE Chick-fil-A Biscuit!)

The offer is ONLY offered at Chick-fil-A of SENECA.

Parker's First Christmas

2010-01-18T17:47:00.000-08:00

Christmas was so much fun this year. I can only imagine how much more fun it will get over the years as Parker gets older. Parker enjoyed all the different festivities throughout the season. We had a wonderful, relaxing Christmas.

On Christmas Eve our church had an AWESOME Christmas Eve service. After the service, we had dinner at Mom and Dad's with family. Christmas morning was spent at our house.

Every Christmas Eve, our neighbors, The Harris' give us country ham, peppered bacon, & stone-ground grits. It has become our tradition to make Christmas Morning breakfast with the yummy goodies they give us. Daron fixed an amazing breakfast for us. After breakfast, we opened our gifts. It was so much fun to watch Parker "open" his gifts. Of course he didn't really understand the present opening, but he did like it and he seemed geniunely interested in each gift that I helped him open. Daron had gone the day after Thanksgiving and bought a flat screen TV for our family gift. Daron got a GPS system and I got a Shark Steam Mop and a remote control for our new TV. Parker got a sea horse that glows, a talking book, and some stocking stuffers. Mom, Dad, and Justin came over and we grilled steaks for lunch.

Christmas Night, we went over to Mom and Dad's house to open our gifts. Parker loaded up with gifts from Aunt Jody, Uncle Phillip, Uncle Justin, and Gram and Pops. He got a wagon complete with John Deere decals from Uncle Phillip and Aunt Jody. A Smart-E bear, a Little Tikes Nativity set, a Bible, and much, much more from Gram and Pops. He got a cool bumble ball that lights up and talks from Uncle Justin. Mom and Dad got me a sewing machine! I was sooo excited. I've been wanting to take up sewing for a while now. Hopefully, I can find the time to start a new hobby soon.

We had a wonderful Christmas Season. Because there were so many pictures, I decided to put them into a slideshow. Enjoy!

Ringin' in Twenty-ten!

2010-01-18T13:15:00.000-08:00

I must say I was a little sad to see 2009 go. God was so good to our family in 2009. He blessed us with the most awesome, precious baby boy!

We spent New Years Eve with some friends from church. We had a fun night of playing games and eating delicious appetizers.

The kiddos had fun playing. When it came time for bedtime kids slept wherever we could find a place, even in the closet. HA!

Parker fell asleep for a little while but woke up around 11:30, just in time to see the ball drop.

Thank you Odoms for hosting. I can't think of a better way to ring in the new year than with incredible friends. We are looking forward to seeing what God does for our family in 2010.

* Special thanks to Christy who took all the pictures! My camera died after just one picture :(

Four Months Old

2010-01-18T10:11:00.000-08:00

Dear Parker,
On January 5th, you turned FOUR months old. You are soooooo much fun these days. Your personality is really developing. You love life and being surround by familiar faces. You bring a HUGE smile to my face. This past month included alot of "firsts". Here are some:

1st Christmas

1st time eating rice cereal

1st time rolling over (from belly to back)

1st time sleeping all night in your crib

Here are some other things you've been up to lately:

You've discovered "screaming". You make your voice squeal like a scream.
You've discovered how to grab your feet with your hands.
You can pull your socks off.
You enjoy sitting up (assisted) to play.
You can hold your head up while laying on your belly.
You can push up with your hands on your belly.
You can bear weight on both of your legs.
You make a new "razzing" sound.
You recognize your name.
You make BIG splashes during bath time now, getting Mommy and Daddy soaked.

You continue to:

Laugh
Coo
Smile
Grasp toys
Turn your head to familiar voices
LOVE bath time

You have been working hard on teething. No teeth have popped through yet, but I'm sure it won't be long now. You were "sleeping through the night" from 10pm to 7pm. You must have hit a growth spurt because around the 4 month mark you started waking up to eat again, which is fine with Mommy because one day I know that I'm gonna miss that. The past 4 months have been the most challenging yet rewarding time of my life. I treasure each day that we have together and thank God that he picked me to be your Mommy. We love you Parker Allen. May the Lord continue to bless you and keep. May He make His face to shine upon you and give you peace.

Love,
Mommy

That's How I Roll

2010-01-10T19:30:00.000-08:00

Today I cleaned out Parker's closet and packed up the clothes he has outgrown. I must admit I got a little teary eyed packing up his 0-3 month clothes. As I was busy working, Parker was laying on a quilt in his room playing with his toys. I stopped and looked over to watch him play and he rolled over from his belly to his back. He had a complete look of shock on his face like how'd I do that. I then cheered for him and he busted out a HUGE smile.

Parker also had his first taste of rice cereal today. He loved it! He got a little upset because I wasn't feeding it to him fast enough.

My little man is growing up sooooooo fast. I am loving EVERY minute of it, but I wish it would slow down just a little!

I know I'm a little behind on the blog, but I promise to post pictures of Parker's first Christmas and his 4 month picture soon!

Merry Christmas from Our Family to Yours

2009-12-23T16:47:00.000-08:00

To: Parker From: Santa

2009-12-19T18:49:00.000-08:00

Look who sent Parker a video:

SANTA

Three Months Old

2009-12-05T16:36:00.000-08:00

Dear Parker,
Today you are 3 months old!!!! It seems like only yesterday that mommy and daddy were headed to the hospital to have you! We are continually amazed at how alert you are. Of course we think you are "gifted" already! ;) This month when I put you in your chair to take your picture, your were squirmy. I'm sure that it will only get harder to get you to stay in your chair for a picture. Here are some things you are up to lately:

You weighed 12 lbs. 12 oz. about two weeks ago. I'm sure you weigh more than that now.
You are wearing size 3-6 month clothes.
You LOVE to sing.
You carry on conversations with people.
You can really hold your head up now and look around at everything.
You especially like starring at lights.
You grab toys and put them in your mouth.
You definitely recognize faces and LOVE your family!

We can't wait to celebrate your first Christmas. We love you Parker Allen. May God Bless you and Keep You!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2009-11-26T11:41:00.000-08:00

I ♥ CLEMSON!!!

2009-11-13T07:11:00.000-08:00

Saturday was the first game that I've been to this season! The first home game I was in labor having sweet, baby Parker. The rest of the games it has rained and call me a fair-weather fan, but I just couldn't bring myself to stand in the rain. So I've cheered on the Tigers from my warm, DRY living room this season. (Crazy how things change when you have kids!)

We spent the day tailgating here:

With these FUN people & more:

We had LOTS of LAUGHS with this girl:

We went to the game with these GREAT friends:

I had a date with this guy:

We cheered for the guys in orange:

We cheered for this Heisman Trophy Candidate:

We missed ALOT of these:

But in the end we got one of these:

There's nothing like cheering on your favorite team with 85,000 of your closest friends!

I ♥ CLEMSON!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-12T20:07:00.000-08:00

So, I am a little behind on my blog posts. Here are the details of Parker's 1st Halloween:

The Thursday before Halloween, we went over to Aunt Jody and Uncle Phillip's house to carve pumpkins.

Parker watched intently as

Aunt Jody scooped out the pumpkin guts,

Daron dug out the pumpkin seeds for roasting {{YUM!}},

and Uncle Phillip drew the design.

Next Halloween, I'm sure he'll be "helping"!

Here is the final product! GO TIGERS!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Saturday (Halloween), we celebrated with our friends by passing out candy for our church's Trunk~or~Treat!

Parker and Nolan were both Tigers! And Zuri was Pebbles!

Daron was a ref and I was a Clemson Football Player!

The Daddies and their Little Tigers!

The Garrett Family!

Pebbles, complete with a bone hairbow!

Mommy and her Mascot, the Clemson Tiger!

Family Pic!

Mom and Dad came and picked Parker up and took him to Aunt Jody and Uncle Phillip's to trick or treat!

They gave him some cute socks! Next year it'll be allll about the CaNdY!!!!

Our Little Tiger!!!

Hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween!

Two Months Old

2009-11-05T19:52:00.000-08:00

Dear Parker,
Today you are TWO months old. Mommy cannot believe it. You are growing and changing so much everyday. Daddy and I are loving every second we have with you. We are so blessed to have such an awesome little guy in our lives. You bring us so much joy. What did we ever do before you? We thank God everyday for blessing us with such a healthy, happy baby. Here are some things you've accomplished this month:

You pay more attention to the world around you. Noticing EVERYTHING!
You are now holding your head up more steadily and for longer periods of time.
You can follow objects or people with real concentration.
You recognize certain people's voices and will turn your head to see them.
You squeal when you get really excited.
Your smile brightens up the whole room.
During your "playtime", you like to talk and coo. You are getting out some really good coos lately.
You try to mimic certain sounds that we make.
When we sing to you, you coo back.
You are discovering your hands and have great control of them. You will suck your fingers and rub your nose or eyes.
You are learning to control your arms and legs by kicking and grabbing at toys or people.
You straighten your legs and try to stand up when we hold you on our laps. (Mommy doesn't want you to grow up so fast!)

Here are some things you enjoy doing lately:

Taking walks. The ride in your stroller usually puts you right to sleep.
Getting out of the house to see things. You are definitely a people person.
Swinging in your baby swing.
EATING! You are a growing boy. Still every 3 hours.
SLEEPING! You sleep from 9pm until 3am at night. And from 3am until 6am.
Hanging out with Daddy! You are an early bird like your Daddy. When you wake up after your last feeding, Daddy gets up and plays with you so Mommy can get some extra sleep. We ♥ you Daddy!

WE LOVE YOU LITTLE MAN! May you continue to grow happily and healthily!

Oktoberfest = Mudfest

2009-10-20T19:03:00.000-07:00

This past weekend my friend Ashlee came up to stay with us. Friday night we enjoyed a nice Mexican dinner with our old friend Jose! Man, I've missed him!!

Saturday night we met The Garrett's and The Swain's for a night of fun at Oktoberfest. Daron and Ashlee had never been to Oktoberfest and I told them they were in for a treat. Each year the festival is held at Sertoma Field in Walhalla. This is the same field that just weeks earlier flooded with water from all the rain we've had recently.

Rain + Field = MUD and lots of it!

(These pictures were ~~stolen~~ borrowed from two of my friends Facebook pages. shhhhh...)

When we first arrived at Oktoberfest, we all just stood around and took it all in. I have never seen so much mud in my entire life. AND people were tromping through it, pushing strollers like it was no big deal.(and to think I asked Daron as we were leaving the house why he was wearing his old boots. HA!) We then made our way to the huge tent in the middle of the field where we listened to The Little German Band play and watched the German dancers and "others" twirl around and ~~make fools of themselves~~ do dances like The Chicken Dance. This was highly entertaining. The men enjoyed some authentic German food and us girls stuck to Chic-fil-a and funnel cakes. What's a festival without a funnel cake? Right Daron??? We ended the night back at Tyler's parent's house. The fireworks for Oktoberfest were shot right in the Garrett's backyard so needless to say we had great seats. We had a great weekend and can't wait to do it again next year. Minus the mud of course.

If you've never experienced the Oktoberfest, you should check it out next year.

Happy Fall Ya'll

2009-10-18T18:45:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago my Aunt Lisa came for a visit. While she was here, she and my mom planted fall flowers in all of my planters on my front porch. Here is our front porch decorated for fall. Thanks Ladies!!! It looks beeee-U-ti-ful!

Last weekend we set out to the little Pumpkin Patch that is down from our house with friends. Parker picked out a lil' pumpkin with his friend Nolan. He also enjoyed posing for pictures with all of the pumpkins.

Here are Parker's five and six week pictures. It is getting harder and harder to find time to blog with a newborn. He doesn't sleep as long as he did those first few weeks!

Two Years Ago...

2009-10-13T05:34:00.000-07:00

I walked down the aisle to marry my best friend! Happy Anniversary, Daron! You are such a wonderful husband and father!!! I love you!

We're off to celebrate here!

One Month Old

2009-10-05T17:21:00.000-07:00

Dear Parker,
Today you are ONE MONTH OLD! Before you were born, I never knew I could love something so much. People tried to tell me that having a child was a love like no other. It wasn't that I didn't believe them, it was just that I had never experienced a love like this before. From the moment your lungs filled with air to take your first breath and you let out a wail that rang through the hospital halls,
I was in love. This past month it has been so much fun watching you experience things for the first time: cool air, a warm blanket, the soft touch of those who love you, loud noises, pain, and hunger. We are getting so much joy out of holding you tight, loving you like crazy, and watching you grow. May you always know how much we love you and how happy we are that God gave us you.
Here are some things you have accomplished your first month:
Mommy can't believe how much you are growing and changing everyday. You are such a happy and content baby. You only cry when you are hungry or need your diaper changed. When you smile your whole face lights up, and my heart just melts. You are such a smart cookie. You listen so intently when we read to you and talk to you. You are starting to like laying on your tummy. Tummy time is one of your favorite times of the day. You are lifting your head up and will turn your head to follow things. You also enjoy listening to your Baby Einstein Classical music. You are definitely a people person. The more people around the better. When people talk to you, you look directly into their eyes and smile. You try your best to talk back by moving your mouth and tongue. You love to ride in the car. A bumpy ride puts you right to sleep. You also like to take walks in your stroller.
Parker Allen, you are such a blessing to Daddy and me. We can't imagine what life would be like without you. We love you so much!!!

Three Weeks Old

2009-09-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

Parker is 3 weeks old!!! We were just talking at lunch today how the day of Parker's birth seems so long ago. Although his "birth" day seems so long ago, it seems like he is growing way too fast!

Here are some highlights from his 3rd week:

Playing with his toys.

Nanny (Great-Grandmother)feeding Parker.

Meeting Lucy! She tried to steal his little socks right off his feet!

Hanging out at Gram and Papa's!

Playing with Uncle Justin!

Snuggling with Daddy!

Taking lots of naps! Must be growing!

Meeting his Future girlfriend, Zuri!

Two Weeks Old

2009-09-19T13:45:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Parker is 2 weeks old today. He has grown and changed so much since the day he was born. We are starting to settle into a routine and are getting more accustomed to having a newborn in the house.

Here are a few highlights of Parker's 2nd week:

This week Parker's cord fell off so he had his first "real" bath. He LOVES taking a bath. His favorite part is having his hair washed. He looks up and waits for you to pour the warm water over his head.

He enjoys storytime each day. He looks at the pictures and listens so intently.

He is starting to smile alot more and he LOVES for people to talk to him. He tries his best to talk back.

He is starting to notice the toys in his cradle. He reaches for them and "talks" to them.

He also laid in his crib this week while Mommy folded clothes. He loved looking at his mobile and the animals on the side of his bumper.

This week he also tried a Paci for the first time. He likes to have it when he's trying to fall asleep.

This weekend my cousin Megan came to meet Parker. We had fun hanging out and watching the Tigers play.

Auntie Ashlee also came to visit us this weekend. This is the outfit that she gave Parker.

One Week Old

2009-09-12T17:19:00.000-07:00

Parker is ONE week old today! I can't believe it! His first week has been incredible. He is doing a great job eating and is already on a great schedule. He wakes up every 4 hours to eat at night, so Mommy and Daddy are getting some sleep.

We have enjoyed our first week together with our little man. He already loves reading books and bouncing in his bouncy seat.

He is working on mastering thumb sucking. Once he gets it in his mouth he goes to town.

Parker loves to cuddle up with Mommy and Daddy!

Parker's first outing was to Uncle Phillip and Aunt Jody's house. We ventured out to eat supper with them and watch the Clemson/GA Tech game. Parker was dressed in his orange and cheered on the Tigers!

Parker also had his first playdate this week. His friend Nolan who is 6 weeks old came over to play. Nolan slept in the bouncy seat and Parker screamed! Every time Nolan was asleep Parker was awake. When Parker was awake Nolan would sleep. Before long these two will be playing and having loads of fun together.

Parker also had his first bath at home this week. He loves to take a bath!

Dr. Ryan came over to give Parker his first adjustment. Parker laid on Daddy's chest while Dr. Ryan adjusted him. He thought he was just beautiful and said he was a very healthy baby boy.

We are so fortunate to have such an awesome family who has taken such good care of us this week! Thank you to everyone who has come to clean, bring us a meal, or just sit with Parker so Mommy and Daddy can nap!

ONE WEEK OLD!
God has blessed us with such a calm and loving baby boy. We consider ourselves so blessed!!

Parker Allen

2009-09-09T18:05:00.000-07:00

Parker Allen
Born September 5, 2009
at 1:32 pm
7lbs 15oz
21 inches

Absolutely perfect!
We are BLESSED and doing better than we deserve!

Letter to a New Momma

2009-08-30T18:59:00.001-07:00

As I was reading through my list of favorite blogs tonight, I stumbled upon this post from a fellow blogger. It felt as if her words were written especially for me!!! Read her letter to a new momma here. Check out her fabulous blog where she shares simple, inexpensive ways to decorate your home:

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Baby Parker! Hopefully he will make his appearance this week! Stay tuned...

Baby Shower hosted by Family!

2009-08-24T16:21:00.000-07:00

Next up, a baby shower hosted by my Aunt Lisa, Cousin Megan, and Mom. The shower was absolutely PERFECT! These ladies worked so hard to make sure no detail was left out! The theme of this shower was lime green, turquoise blue, and orange polka dots.

The invitation!

The table decorations.

The AMAZING cake that my aunt made! That's right, she made it!!

How cute is this baby buggy made from a watermelon?!?

The favors...bath salts!

The diaper game that Megan and I made!

The amazing ladies who made it all happen! My mom and Aunt Lisa!

My incredible cousin Megan who helped with the shower!

Just a few of the wonderful ladies whom I am blessed to call family!

Thank you ladies for making this day so meaningful for me. I can't wait for Parker to meet all of you. He is going to be spoiled for sure!!

Baby Shower hosted by Friends!

2009-08-23T05:53:00.000-07:00

This post is a little late, but I wanted to share some of the awesome baby showers that were given to us!

First up, my friends Alicia and Christy hosted a beautiful baby shower with a zebra striped and polka dot theme. Even though it was in July, it was a gorgeous day. It almost felt like fall outside. We enjoyed our yummy "shower" food out on the deck overlooking a picture perfect view. Thank you ladies for such a wonderful shower!! Daron and I are so blessed to have such great friends!

The adorable invitations that Christy designed! So cute and creative!!!

Cute Cake! Don't you just love the cake display! I love the little poem too!

Candle favors!

The delicious food!

The wonderful hostesses, Christy and Alicia!

My awesome mommy!!!

"Auntie" Ashlee made it up for the shower!

Thank you ladies for a great shower!

Fun with Family!

2009-07-22T08:54:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, Daron's older brother and his family came by for a visit on their way back home to Michigan. It was so great to see them and get to spend some time with them. We enjoyed lunch together, LadderBall in the backyard, and chatting on the screened in porch! We love you guys!

Morgan, Uncle Daron, David, Amy, Kyle, and Levi

Playing LadderBall in the backyard.

Morgan and her Dad, David!

Daron and his big brother!

4th of July Celebration

2009-07-22T08:03:00.001-07:00

This year Daron and I hosted once again our annual 4th of July Celebration. We had so much fun with friends and family (over 50 people showed up). The fireworks were amazing and we had GREAT seats (our front yard)! Here are some pics from the night:

Don't we look festive in our Red, White, and Blue!?!

Alicia and Christy with Baby Zuri!

Playing Cornhole!

Waiting on the Fireworks!

Crafts with the Kiddos!

Mom and Avyn!

Hanging out on the Patio!

Watching the fireworks with Baby Zuri!

Presents for Parker

2009-06-19T10:40:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the cute gifts that we have received for Baby Parker lately!!!

Aunt Ashlee sent Parker this adorable "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" onesie and matching burp cloth. She always finds the cutest things!!! It had a tag attached from Queen B Boutique. Check it out here: http://queenbboutique.blogspot.com She has lots of cute things that can be made to order. Thank you Aunt Ashlee!!!

Our friend Christy got Parker these ca-ute plaid pants. Baby Nolan has a pair to match. Can't wait to see the boys in them.

Aunt Angie, Uncle Cory, and Cousin Jena gave Parker these cute Clemson things. A wipe caddy monogrammed with a "P". A burp cloth with his name on it and a Clemson bib. They also gave him this little Columbia jacket!!! How cute is that? Daron has a Columbia jacket that matches, so I can't wait to take their picture together!

These are only a few of the awesome gifts we have received lately! Thank you everyone for helping spoil our little Parker!!

Our Last Baby-Free Vacation

2009-06-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

Daron and I enjoyed 10 days at the beautiful Hilton Head Island for our last baby-free vacation. Our vacation started with a stop in Walterboro to visit Daron's family. His dad and Brenda had a nice lunch for us when we arrived. It was nice to see his sister, niece, brother, Jennifer, and little Bryce. We also got to see Daron's mom and his grandparents. After our visit, we hit the road to the beach. I love crossing the bridge onto the island. I always say when we cross the bridge to leave all of our worries behind. We spent the first week with my family and then a few days with our friends, Tyler and Christy. I must say I enjoyed it soooo very much. The weather was HOT, but gorgeous! We spent most everyday on the beach, reading, splashing in the waves, playing Bocce ball, and soaking in the sun. Off course the girls shopped til we dropped and the boys played many rounds of golf. At night, we had fun watching movies, playing the Wii, and we even got the "band" back together for Rockband. Daron and I also enjoyed the fireworks show at Shelter Cove. After my family left on Saturday, Daron and I enjoyed spending some time at South Beach. We got our annual T-shirts from the Salty Dog Cafe and enjoyed lunch at the Marina. While in Sea Pines we headed out to Harbour Town. We shopped some more, looked around at the incredible yachts there, rocked in the rocking chairs, and walked out on the pier. We went back that night with Tyler and Christy for a seafood dinner at The Crazy Crab. We got there just in time for one of the most beautiful sunsets. There were even dolphins playing just as the sun was setting. It was absolutely perfect. We enjoyed playing putt-putt on a really neat course that had a water hazard on every hole. The next few days we lounged by the pool and at the beach soaking in all the sun we could get before heading home. Praise God for a wonderful vacation this year! We can't wait to go back next year. Let's just hope lil' Parker loves the beach as much as his mommy and daddy! As we pulled out of the driveway, I looked at Daron and said, "Where will we put Parker next year?"

Baby Shower

2009-06-19T07:53:00.001-07:00

This week is my 28th week (7th month) of pregnancy, meaning, only 12 weeks more to go! This time has really flown by. Everything is going great with my pregnancy. I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and Dr. Hood said everything looks perfect. He is very pleased with how everything is progressing.

Daron and I have settled on a name for our little guy. His name will be Parker Allen Zelmer. Here is the story behind his name. We went to Clemson's Spring Game with friends and one of the quarterbacks name was Kyle Parker. I asked Daron if he liked the name Parker and he said he did. So, Parker it was. Allen is my grandmother on my dad's side maiden name. I have always loved the name Allen and we planned to use it whether it was a boy or a girl. Allen is also Daron's Dad's middle name. It's so neat to already have a name picked out for our little guy.

Not much else has changed as far as my pregnancy goes. My baby bump is growing more and more everyday. Parker is moving more during the day. Before I could only feel him at night. Like clockwork, at 11 pm Parker would have a little dance party. Now he is more active throughout the day. Daron loves to lay with his hand on my belly and feel him move. I must admit that feeling is one of the most awesome things I've ever experienced.

The ladies at school threw me an awesome baby shower before school was out. We got lots of good stuff that will definitely be put to good use. Above are some pictures from the day.

IT'S A BOY!

2009-04-14T13:34:00.000-07:00

Well, today was the BIG day!!! Mom, Daron, and I headed down to Clemson early this morning to go to the doctor. As soon as we entered the ultrasound room, the ultrasound tech said, "Do you want to find out what you are having?" I replied,"Yes definitely. I am too much of a planner!!" She looked around at everything from heart to kidneys, head to toes, fingers, etc. When she got around the area she said alright let's see. I was looking at the screen and said, "I can already see. IT'S A BOY!" Let's just say, he is not shy. There is no doubt about it we are having a boy. The technician said, "You're right!!! It is indeed a boy!!" I was truly shocked! I was convinced I was having a girl! I am extremely excited about having a boy. I have been surrounded by boys my entire life, so why change now? LOL! The doctor said everything looks perfect. He said we had a very healthy, PERFECT baby boy. He said that everything looks completely normal and is extremely pleased with my pregnancy. After the doctors appointment, we met my dad and brother for lunch. We wrapped them each a surprise and told them that when they opened it, then they would know what we were having. Dad called Mom several times on the way there to try to pry it out of her. He told her he had a pink, green, and blue John Deere shirt. He called to ask what color to bring. She held her ground and said,"I guess you'll have to bring all 3!" They opened their gifts at the same time and Justin smiled big time. He was secretly wishing for a little hunting buddy! We have had an amazing day! It has been fun "surprising" everyone with our news! Thanks to everyone who called or texted or facebooked us today! It has been an extremely exciting day and we have been excited to share it with each of you!

Happy Easter!!!

2009-04-12T18:37:00.001-07:00

Today was an incredible day! It started with a wonderful Easter service at Foothills. We started a new series today called "When Love Came to Town". Our pastor spoke on the love of God! His incredible message was followed by one of my new favorite worship songs, How He Loves Us. We ate a yummy Easter dinner and then the annual Easter Games began. As always we had a blast, dying, hunting, and hiding eggs. This year the Bunny Fairy made a special appearance! Check out our pictures from today! What a blessing to be surrounded by family! To end the day, Mom, Dad, Justin, Daron, and I were sitting around watching the Masters and I felt the baby move for the first time. It literally brought tears to my eyes.

I am starting a new devotional this week called "Expecting". It is a prayer book that guides you through praying for your child's physical growth as well as his or her spiritual growth. Each week, I plan to post specific prayers for you all to join me in praying for the baby's development, both body and soul. This week my prayer has been that just as the heart of the baby continues to beat and his or her little ears take shape, that the baby would also develop a heart that beats for God and ears that will listen to His leading.

Tuesday is the BIG day!!! We get to find out what little Baby Z is! Any guesses!?!? Leave a comment with your prediction! Check back on Tuesday to see!

Update

2009-03-20T09:40:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't blogged in a while. Our original doctor's appointment was March 2, however, Old Man Winter decided to make one last appearance in the Upstate. We had our first snow of 2009 in March. We had about 2 inches at our house, but closer to Greenville they received from 4 to 6 inches. The snow was mostly melted the day of our doctor's appointment, so Daron and I headed out only to find them closed. We were a little disappointed because we were looking forward to hearing the baby's heartbeat again. They rescheduled my appointment for March 19th. Yesterday, we finally made it to the doctor. We saw Dr. Lantz, who said everything looked great! He said I seemed very healthy. The nurse took my blood pressure and said it was EXTREMELY good. After telling her I was a teacher, she said, "Your blood pressure is really good to have worked today!" We got to hear the baby's heartbeat again. It was 157 this time. We will be able to find out the gender of the baby at our next appointment. Our next appointment is April 14th, my birthday!!! What a great birthday present! Our school is on Spring Break that week so I asked for the earliest appointment time, 9am! I will try to post that day so everyone will know! Continue to pray for the health of our baby!

Welcome to our New Blog!

2009-03-01T14:47:00.000-08:00

I decided to start a blog for our family after finding out that we are expecting a little one! We have so many friends and family who live out of town, I thought this would be a good way for us to keep everyone up to date on my pregnancy and our family!

If you didn't already know, Daron and I are expecting our first child in September. We are EXTREMELY excited and can't wait to be parents. We had our first ultrasound at 9 weeks to confirm my pregnancy. We were able to see the little "peanut" and see and hear it's heart beat. The babies heartbeat was very strong. Daron leaned over me to take a closer look at the ultrasound monitor and said, "WHOA! Look at it!" We could see it's little arm and leg buds and could see the baby dancin' around. The gift of life is truly amazing!

As I write this, I am starting my 13th week of pregnancy. I have been extremely tired this first trimester, but everyone says that will get better. I have felt sick mainly at night, which I am thankful for because I don't know if I could handle being sick during the day while at school. I have a tiny little baby bump, but am still wearing my normal clothes, although some things are starting to get a little tight. I will try to post pictures of my baby belly later, as I start to show more!

We go back to the doctor tomorrow, so I will update everyone on the latest news with Baby Z!
Please pray for my pregnancy and for a happy, healthy baby!!