Getting Ready For Halloween!

We're getting ready for Halloween around here!  It's Mady's first Halloween!  Honestly, Jeremy and I don't make a big deal out of this holiday.  In fact, last year was the first year we actually had candy to pass out to kids who come by.  We are usually busy with Judgement House at our church.  

We're excited to celebrate Halloween with Miss Mady though.  She'll be wearing her pumpkin costume.  

She also will be wearing her "I love my Mummy" onesie which, as you will see, is adorable!

 Daddy's shoes may be a little big for our costume though...

I'll be posting sometime next week about my "lil punkin"!

Purses and Ponies

So far Miss Mady seems to be all girl.  She loves purses and anything sparkly.  She does however like to watch sports and play with her soccer ball.  So maybe she'll be an athlete after all.  Who knows!
At my parent's home, they have a rocking horse that Mady just loved!

Concentrating on rocking!

Aunt Tracy was helping us not fall off!

We also LOVE playing with Mama's purse.  I have to make sure it's closed or little miss likes to take everything out of it!

Ready to Go!

 

Pumpkin Patch In Sapulpa

When Mady and I visited Sapulpa a couple of weeks ago, we went to the pumpkin patch in town with cousins Rielly and Titus.  We tried to get pictures but Mady wasn't cooperating very well.  This is what we ended up with:

   In less than 2 weeks, we'll be trying for some Christmas pictures in our Christmas dresses and suit.  Pray for us...it could be a long morning!

10 Months ( a lot late)

I wasn't kidding when I said Fall is really busy for us.  
Mady turned 10 months on October 2.  
That's 17 days ago.
Way to go Mom for keeping up.

Ok so here's what Miss Mady has been up to this month.  

We love the word "dada" and also the person it represents.  I think she may be a daddy's girl!  Every time I try to get her to say "mama" she says "dada" instead. 
She LOVES to wave bye bye and has just figured out how to actually wave, instead of waving to herself.

She claps for herself when she does something she's proud of like turning the pages in a book, or playing music on her xylophone.  
She knows how to sign "more" (it looks like she's clapping.) but she only does it for her puffs.  She probably would rather that I feed her those all day long instead of something nutritious.  

We are starting to introduce cow's milk.  I'm glad because I'm so over trying to feed her formula in her bottle.  
Sippy cup and/or drinking out of a straw=no success yet.  Please tell me she'll get it one day!

We're wearing 9 month clothes but since it's getting cold, our pants are too short.  I think this may be a problem the rest of her life.  If we move up to 12 months, she can't keep them on.  Hmmm...solutions?

Stats:

Height: Really Tall

Weight: Really Skinny

Money, Money, Money!

Even though Jeremy and I weren't BAD with money, we still decided we needed to have a budget.  I know that may seem strange to some of you that we've been married for 4 years and never had one.  But, like I said before, we weren't bad with money so we didn't see the need for one.  HOwever, after talking to some wise friends, we decided to try a budget for this month.  It's based off of Dave Ramsey.
IT HAS BEEN AMAZING!

First, we only use cash (unless paying bills).  I didn't know if I would love this, but I do!  I like knowing what I can and cannot spend.  

Second, we write down all our expenses BEFORE the month begins.  Before when Jeremy and I tried a budget, we just kept track of what we spent which was a big pain in the butt.  This is much more simple and easier.


Third, it has really opened our eyes to what we spend, how much things cost, and how much we relied on ourselves before rather than God to provide.  Here's a few stories:

1. I wanted to buy Mady's halloween costume but didn't want to spend much money.  We only had a certain amount in our "clothing budget" and I knew Jeremy and I and Mady may need a few extra clothes with the weather changing and all. SO, I went to the Etc. Shop in town like I do every week.  And what did I find?  Only the most amazing, cutest Halloween pumpkin costume ever!  And it was only 2 dollars!

2.  Jeremy and I budgeted for a car seat and baby gate for Mady this month.  I knew the 175 dollar limit for both of those was kind of crazy because they're both fairly expensive (especially the car seat).  I was about to give up on buying the carseat this month and just add more money to the carseat fund next month when...drum roll...Target has the same exact car seat that Jeremy's parent's have (which we have been using lately) for $100!!!  It's in this week's ad and I was just so excited when I saw it!  So not only will we be able to buy both things, but we will come UNDER our 175 dollar limit!!!


As I was thinking of God's provision for us since we've been using our budget, I was reminded of Matthew 6:25-26
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?"

Our New Favorite Thing

Mady's new favorite thing to do is stand and look out the window.  She loves it especially when her best buddy Lexi joins her occasionally.  

 

September

Where did September go?  Seriously.  
Fall is such a busy time for us.  The busyness starts in September and doesn't end until...well...January.  
September was crazy busy.  From Jeremy traveling every week (yep, fun.) and Mady and I being busy with bible studies, PT, PAT, subbing, fun stuff on the weekends, Colorado trip, etc. we didn't have much spare time.  
October will be just as busy.  
November will be just as busy.
And December is always busy.  
So it's no wonder the blog has definitely been neglected this month.  Here's a little of what we've been up to.
A cute little photo shoot.(I wish I was an amazing photographer but I'm just not.)

Overalls! I love it when she wears these!