Catch Me If You Can!

I know!
Two posts in 24hrs! Guess we're making up for lost time. ;)

Unfortunately, Heath has been battling a bug this week and we're home for the morning. Little Miss Muffet is sleeping and Daddy is resting. Mommy...RELAXING! Lol.
Below is Heath and Gracelynn enjoying her new finger puppet books. I believe that one is Daniel.

Oddest thing -
Gracelynn loves being held upside down in the air. Loves it.
I am happy to oblige!

We delight in making her smile. :)

And now, for the grand finale:
Another video! Haha.
This is how I spend my days now...chasing after Gracelynn.
She tries walking (jogging) so fast behind her walker now that every once in a while, she slams into something or slams onto the floor (ouch). A taste of her driving skills in 14 years? I certainly hope not!




Have a restful Sunday. :)
the kelleys

Month at a Glance

Yes, we DID find a camera cord - NO it wasn't actually the one we were looking for, but it worked! LOL

Guess I'll start at the beginning of the month...
(Okay, this is actually the 24th of Aug.)

Hurray for family pictures!
However far and few inbetween...

Mommy-Daughter photo (can you tell whose smile she has?)

Bedhead Alert!

Whose HAIR do you suppose she has?
A: Daddy

B: Daddy
or

C: Daddy?

Yum, yum?
(Playing with the cords is done under supervision...believe it or not, she is helping me close them for the night!)

Share that cookie Daddy!
(no food is safe from G - anywhere!)

I have to say - these are two of my favorite pictures from this past month!
P.S. These are the raciest bottoms Daddy will ever let her wear!

Last week "helping" Mommy sand down some trim for the house.
(Don't worry - she was downwind and on the other end of the yard with Daddy)

What do you think?

We bought these from a couple selling all of the original trimwork from a house a few years older than ours! They're quite a bit of work to sand down, strip, stain, and varnish...but we think it'll be worth it when they're done!

And a few videos for you're viewing pleasure. :)

Gracelynn is a regular in my kitchen now. She loves getting into the cupboards and pulling out my pots and pans.

Here is our TOP pick for videos of this month:

I'd already tickled her and she was close to naptime (okay - overdue!)...but it was so hilarious I couldn't resist getting some of it on video.

So. We hope you've enjoyed your brief update on the Kelley homesteaders.
We're tired parents most of the time, gluttons for punishment aka our renovation saga, but at the end of the day...we're thankful for a healthy daughter (yikes for almost 9mo old), a roof over our heads (no matter the condition underneath!), and finger puppet books about Bible characters! :)

blessings,
the kelleys

Garbage Detail

I know I know!
It's been way too long since I've posted and still haven't managed to find the camera cord. So - I'll post an old picture for the sake of those of us who are visually inclined. :)

Last year at this time...

It's been a crazy house here lately which means I'll just give you the barest of essentials while I'm still sane enough this morning to write them:

1. Gracelynn is now tall enough to reach from the front to the back of our couch - which means absolutely nothing is safe
2. She rocks the glider until it slams against the wall
3. I stepped on a (sharp) cookie cutter last night because Gracelynn had pushed underneath my stove
4. She stood up in her high chair and proceeded to lean over the back in an attempt to touch the wall (she has been belted securely ever since!)
5. Gracelynn is tall enough to look out the windows - dirty hands + new shades = unhappy mommy
6. Sam is her new best friend
7. The first place to look for her pacifier is underneath the couch
8. She's now walking behind her push-toys (whatever they're called...)
9. Garbage detail is her new favorite: she stands up, reaches into the kitchen basket, and pulls out anything and everything that intrigues her. She then proceeds to drag it into whatever room she gets to first while Mommy chases the trail...

TEN
Gracelynn is standing up all by herself.

She's turning into a toddler right in front of us and it's sad and scary at the same time. Not sure I'm ready for that as her Mommy.

Well, that's all I have time for - Gracelynn is ready for lunch.
Love to all!
the kelleys

Looking Back...

So I can't find the cord to download pictures from my camera! (Go figure)
But it sent me on a quest to see what photos I had from last year at this time - almost to the day!

A couple weeks from my third trimester with Gracelynn

If I remember right, Heath and I are heading to a Saber's football game. :)

If I thought the pregnancy picture brought back memories...

I certainly cringed with this one!
Now I realize why it feels as though our family has done a lot of transitioning in the past year - we have! From using the table saw as a drying rack and wearing shirts that balloon in the middle, God must have surely sat on His throne and chuckled - they have no idea what they're doing.

Ah well. I guess in that reverse oxymoron type of way, I'm becoming secure enough to say "I have nothing figured out and the older I get, the more I discover I have yet to learn". Although, may I also add...don't confront me with this concept, I'm still "young" enough to deny it outloud! Haha.

This morning was my second day swimming - at 5:50am, believe it or not, the pool has already seen its "max" capacity swimmers for the morning. I get to share the water with some wonderful older ladies who nod and smile as I, in my somewhat odd looking getup of blue swim cap, pink goggles, and purple swimsuit, get into the pool.

Poor Heath. He was left at home to "sleep" until I got back. Apparently, Gracelynn woke up almost as soon as I left. When I got back around 6:45, I found Daddy bent over the bathtub with Gracelynn splashing water all over the place. His tired look said, Honey...I tried, please take her.

I'm not sure how long Gracelynn made Daddy play with her (aka...bathtime), but her little feet were all wrinkley and she smelled oh so sweet by the time I fed her. :)

Blessings,
the kelleys

P.S.
Gracelynn cannot STAND me feeding her with a spoon anymore. She refuses to eat with help...so I've decided, through the inspiration of some friends to let her do it herself! Take a quick peek at their blog - thehappyhollemans - it is simply hilarious!