The Coffer Family

Food for thought...

2012-01-27T17:21:00.000-06:00

These two phrases are definitely applying to my life right now and just needed to share. So blessed to have amazing friends and an amazing God that love me more than I deserve.

Where did our little girl go?

2012-01-21T21:07:00.002-06:00

She turned into a big FOUR year old who is the most independent girl we have ever known.

And also one of the silliest girls we have ever known. You never know what she is going to say or do.

And is the best big sister to this little man.

Happy 4th Birthday, Makenna!

2012-01-10T16:01:00.001-06:00

Four years ago today you changed our lives forever and we are blessed to be your parents. Thanks for the millions of laughs, hugs, kisses, and memories you have given us since the day you were born. We love you to pieces, Doodlebug!

Pics from the Holidays

2012-01-05T21:26:00.001-06:00

Justin and Beckham on Christmas Eve

The traditional photo Mom makes us take in front of the tree.

The kids with Lindsey on Christmas Eve--love this girl so much (and her sister Leah, too, whom I don't have a picture of from the evening)

Beckham and Andrea--love her to pieces as well

Makenna eating with her cousins Luke and Finn at Murray Christmas

Beckham chowing down

Cousin Luke--one of the funniest boys I know

Beckham opening a present on Christmas Eve

Justin with his coffee sign that he is only allowed to hang in the bar area of the basement of our next house--it was a compromise

My two boys on Christmas morning

Makenna testing out her new bean bag from Santa with her new puppy

She loved her nail polish

Playing with her new LeapPad while sitting in her new bean bag--Santa was very good to her :)

Loving his new ride

Holiday Whirlwind

2011-12-30T16:07:00.001-06:00

Whew...this past week has been packed with craziness, but overall, we had a nice Christmas. We headed to Sikeston/Kennett for a few days at the end of last week to spend time with Justin's family and then spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Bolivar with my family and family friends. The kids got so much stuff that this week has been spent organizing and putting away toys they no longer play with. It is still a work in progress. :) I haven't had time to edit any pictures yet and to be honest I wasn't very good at taking a lot of them, but I will post them when I get the done. I almost have all the Christmas decorations put away and plan to finish that up this weekend.

Videos for School

2011-12-20T17:52:00.000-06:00

Season's Greetings

2011-12-17T21:57:00.000-06:00

A Few Pictures

2011-12-16T21:41:00.002-06:00

These are a few pictures from our church Christmas party this past Sunday. Both of the kids did great with Santa and it appears they might get one more chance to sit on his lap this holiday season on Sunday.

A Busy, but Wonderful Weekend

2011-12-12T21:25:00.000-06:00

Whew! That's all I can say after our weekend. We had a lot to do, but in the end it is all worth the memories we are making as a family. Friday night, Makenna and I had a girls night. We first headed to McAlister's for dinner, or as Makenna likes to call it the sweet tea place. We then headed to my school to see the annual December production put on by the talented WMS drama club. This year the show was Charlotte's Web and all I can say is WOW! It was incredible and Makenna thoroughly enjoyed it. To wrap up the evening we headed back home, got in our jammies, snuggled in bed, and watched the Christmas episode of Punky Brewster. I absolutely loved that show when it aired when I was young and I randomly found the dvds of season 1 and 2 at TJMaxx for $3 each. Justin made a lot of fun of me, but Makenna and I love to watch these shows. For me, it brings back memories of how I wanted to be like Punky and have her colorful coat and shoes, and for Makenna, it is just a show she enjoys. I think part of the reason she likes it is because she knows it was one of my favorite shows, but I really don't care--I have a Punky watching partner and that is all that matters.

Saturday morning we did some chores around the house and then we headed to Silver Dollar City mid-afternoon. We met Nana, Shelby, and Shelby's mom, Lori, there and we all had a great time. The City is so pretty all light up for the holidays. I did take a few pictures that I will post once they are edited.

Yesterday was church in the morning and then last night we had our annual church Christmas party. Each year we "adopt" a foster kid, or two, or three, to buy a $20-$25 gift for. This year our family purchased a gift for 3 children and it is so cool to go shopping as a family for these gifts. Of course, Beckham is too young to understand, but Makenna is now to the age that we can explain what it means to be a foster child and why we are buying toys, etc. for someone other than her or Beckham. Our church provided a gift for aroudn 130 kids and groups, etc. donated an additional 100 toys to be given to foster families. Santa and Mrs. Claus also made an appearance and we just had a great time hanging out with our church family. Once again, I will post pictures when they are edited.

Tonight, Makenna had her first ever Christmas program. She has been super excited for this and she has even practiced the songs several times at home to help her prepare.

The rest of the week is pretty laid back for us, but I do have a goal to be done with my Christmas shopping by Saturday. I just have a few more things to mark off my list.

Establishing a Family Tradition

2011-12-02T22:30:00.001-06:00

Since we had Makenna Justin and I have often discussed traditions we want to have for our family. I am very much about family traditions, so this is something that we have both decided is going to be an important aspect for our family. Sure we definitely have our traditions during holidays, but possibly my favorite tradition we have established so far for our young family is movie night. At least once a month we try to have an evening we let Makenna--and someday it will have to involve both children--pick at a movie. Sometimes we all gather in our bed and watch the movie and other times Justin grabs a pizza on his way home from work for dinner and then we immediately follow it with a movie, popcorn, and soda. Tonight was our pizza, popcorn, and movie night and we have all been excited for it all week. Unfortunately, Beckham hit the sack before the movie began because he didn't have an afternoon nap, but we are definitely looking forward to him being old enough to join in on the fun. Tonight's movie of choice was actually on TV...

Image courtesy of http://modoration.com

We absolutely love Good Luck Charlie and the Christmas movie was definitely worth watching. It is one show that we can watch with Makenna that is a good family show so when we learned that tonight the Christmas movie was going to air we mark the date on the calendar as a family movie night. If you haven't checked out the show I would highly recommend it. The actress that plays the mom is honestly one of the funniest I have seen.

Just wanted to share...

2011-11-30T21:45:00.001-06:00

Six Years

2011-11-19T21:09:00.001-06:00

Today Justin and I are celebrating six wonderful years of marriage. And while our day didn't go exactly as planned, all in all it has been a decent day. We had planned on getting up and heading to my school where they were having a craft fair and breakfast with Santa where you could get pictures taken the Jolly St. Nick himself. Well, those plans changed about 1:30 this morning when Makenna woke up sick. :( We had planned on taking the kids to see Santa, dropping them off in Bolivar to spend the day and night, and then heading to Branson to shop and have a nice dinner. When we all woke up this morning Makenna felt better and since she hadn't have a fever we decided to not go see Santa (which she was very upset about), but to still head to Branson after dropping off the kids. Well we had just got to Branson when my mom called to say Makenna had started running a fever. We decided to just "play everything by ear", but by 5 o'clock her temp reached 102.8 so we decided to finish our dinner (we had just ordered our food when we got the call) and head to Bolivar to pick the kids up. We just got home a while ago and Justin has taken her to the walk-in clinic to get checked out. And of course, just before they left we took her temperature and it was normal.

But the day was not a total loss. I did manage to get a few new pairs of shoes that I was needing and we also found a very unexpected gift. I am now to proud owner of...

Image courtesy of www.kitchenaid.com

A Silver KitchenAid Pro 500 Series Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer

I have been WANTING a KitchenAid stand mixer for several years, but it wasn't anything I NEEDED so I hadn't really looked at them. Justin and I had talked about it maybe being a gift at some point, but it really wasn't anything I had pursued because like I said it wasn't a need, just a want. Well, today we ran across an amazing deal on them and I couldn't pass it up. It was such an amazing deal that we also bought my Mom one and have already given it to her as an early gift so that she can use it for all of her holiday baking. I am so excited to start making bread, cookies, and other yummy food with it.

Also, another major event occurred today--Beckham took his first steps. He has been taking tiny half steps or walking while holding on to something or someone for a while now, but today he took 2 steps unassisted. We knew it was only a matter of time. So, watch out world, because it he is as fast of a walker as he is a crawler we have some major trouble on our hands.

Beckham's 1st Birthday Party

2011-11-13T20:05:00.001-06:00

Well I guess two weeks later is better than never, but here are some pictures from Beckham's birthday party. I am trying out some new photo editing software so it has taken me a while to get familiar with it and get the pictures edited. Now, I just have to decide if I want to "bite the bullet" and purchase the full version of the software. :) Anyways, enjoy the pictures.

The cake

He cried when everyone sang to him

He then cheered up when he tasted the icing

Yummy

The birthday boy with cake all over his face

Opening his first gift

Of course he had unsolicited help from his sister

Opening more gifts

Getting tired of opening presents

Playing with his new toys with his cousin, Cooper

Halloween 2011

2011-11-06T20:04:00.000-06:00

Here are some pictures of Clifford and Emily Elizabeth on Halloween. Both kids had fun trick or treating in Bolivar, going to Tailgate and Treat at the church I grew up in, and doing our church's Trunk or Treat on Halloween. They also got way too much candy.

A Festive Weekend

2011-10-31T08:52:00.001-05:00

Wow! What a busy, but wonderful weekend we had. Friday, I was out of school so I spent the day getting ready for Beckham's 1st birthday party, which was on Saturday. Between cleaning and baking I had a lot to do, but I figured my little boy only turns 1 once so I better do it right.

Saturday morning we all got up early to finish cleaning and I began baking all the appetizers and snacks for the party. I got a lot of new recipies off Pinterest and I am so glad they were a big hit. I will share the recipes in another post. Guests started arriving in the early afternoon and the party officially began at 2. We were blessed to have family and friends come to help us celebrate and Beckham got his first taste of cake. I will definitely post some pictures after I get them edited, but we did eventually have to his smash cake away from him so he wouldn't get sick. We then opened his presents and he got some new toys that he loves to play with--a riding firetruck, stacking blocks, LeapFrog Transportation Frig Set, PJs, Mizzou bear and blanket, books, etc., etc., etc. He had a wonderful party and it is still hard to believe our little guy is 1. Like I said I will definitely post pictures when they are edited--we have just been too busy to have time to do that.

Sunday, we planned on going to church, however, we were almost there and realized we didn't get a pacifier for Beckham so we turned around and went home. We could have gone to second service, but we needed to be in Bolivar to do our annual Halloween activites there before heading back to Springfield for our small group. So, Makenna was upset about not getting to go to church, but she soon was happy when she got an abundance of candy. Makenna (aka Emily Elizabeth) and Beckham (aka Clifford the Big Red Dog) got more than enough candy and we still have to go to our church's trunk or treat festivities tonight. :)

Happy 1st Birthday, Beckham Glen

2011-10-25T03:30:00.000-05:00

Beckham,

One year ago you came into the world and completed our family. We didn't know then how much more lively you would make our lives, but we definitely wouldn't have it any other way. You were first called "Bubs" by Sissy, then "Buddy" and now you are affectionately called "Bubby" by us all. You are full of spunk and often put Makenna in her place when you don't like what she is doing. However, it is very apparent at just 1 year of age that you love you sister very much and she loves you so much, too. You really enjoy playing with her, especially with her kitchen, and watching her favorite TV shows with her. You can say Daddy, Mama, Nana, Sissy, hi, bye, what, uh-oh, huh, no, yes, and more and you also imitate many sounds. You LOVE to eat just about anything, so it is a good thing you have 6 teeth. You are almost ready to walk, but we think the fact that you are the fastest crawler many have ever seen is holding you back just a bit. We don't go for your 1 year check-up until Friday, but you weigh somewhere around 22 pounds and you are wearing 12 months clothes.

Beckham, you are the light of our lives and we can't wait to see how God gifts you and blesses you throughout your life. Thanks for making this past year so special for us and we thank God that he chose us to be your Mommy and Daddy. Happy Birthday! We love you!

Love,
Mommy and Daddy (and Makenna)

Pictures

2011-10-19T20:11:00.001-05:00

Here are some pictures we had taken in August for Beckham's nine month milestone.

All images courtesy of Heather Hoadley Photography

Beautiful Weekend Packed Full of Activities

2011-10-09T15:33:00.001-05:00

Whoa! What a great weekend we have had. Friday evening Justin and the kiddos spend the night at home while I chaperoned a school dance--that was the least exciting part of our weekend. Saturday morning Makenna had a 8:30 soccer game and then we headed off the Branson for a night away. We shopped, swam at the hotel, and shopped some more. Today we headed to Silver Dollar City and just pulled in the driveway about an hour ago. I will be sure to post pictures when I have them edited, but now we must get ready for small group.

May I...

2011-09-20T21:23:00.002-05:00

The circumstances Justin and I have faced or people close to us have faced over the past week have really made me reflect on how much I worry about the small things in life and get a "woe is me" attitude. So, if nothing else but to remind us to be grateful for what we have I want to get the following list down in writing.

1. Instead of feeling like a failure as a parent because Makenna got a naughty note sent home for pinching a friend in the face at preschool, may I instead learn to appreciate and acknowledge the developmental, intellectual and spiritual progress and growth I see daily in both of my children. May I also remember to thank God daily that he chose me to be Makenna and Beckham's mom--what an incredible gift!

2. Instead of constantly worrying about the balance of our bank accounts, may I instead be thankful that God meets each and every one of our needs.

3. Instead of complaining about the tons of tasks, etc. that are involved in my job, may I instead be thankful just to have a job that also comes with a high degree of job security. May I also remind myself that I have a wonderful group of co-workers, several of whom are my closest friends.

4. Instead of getting annoyed when Justin forgets to do something the is on his "honey-do" list, etc., may I instead be thankful that I have a husband that loves me and our children unconditionally and that we have a stong family that is centered around our Heavenly Father.

5. Instead of getting annoyed by the seasonal allergies I suffer from, may I instead be reminded that I don't have a life-threatening illness or disability, nor does anyone in my family. They to shall pass.

6. Instead of trying to control every single aspect of my life, may I instead surrender everything to Him who deserves my complete devotion, admiration, love, etc.

7. Instead of worrying about turning the big 3-0 next week, may I instead use this milestone to reflect on the past three decades of my life, learn from the mistakes I have made, and look forward and make goals for the remaining ones I have left here on this earth.

1st Soccer Game

2011-09-10T21:11:00.001-05:00

Here are some pictures from Makenna's first soccer game. Overall, she did pretty good--there were just a few times she was in la-la land and not paying attention.

Presents a month early...

2011-08-31T19:17:00.000-05:00

I have told Justin that we will not be celebrating my birthday this year due to the fact that it is the first anniversary of my 29th birthday and I am not doing so well with that. He told me a while back about the possibility of going on a mini-vacation to celebrate, but then we decided it would be foolish to spend so much money to go to our destination for just a few days because I can't take off any longer than that. So, yesterday he allowed me to order a few things I had been wanting and then we are going to take a longer vacation this summer when we can be gone for about a week--and we will be taking the kids. We are almost certain of our destination which I am incredibly excited about and I will be sure to share the details once they are finalized. And of course one of my gifts will certainly come in handy to capture the memories of our first family of four vacation...

Courtesy of http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/E60D/E60DA4.HTM

Yep, I am finally getting my camera upgrade. I have loved my entry level DSLR camera, but I think I am going to LOVE my new Canon 60d. It should be here on Friday. And yes, I did sell my old camera on Ebay and it is currently in transit to Russia as we speak.

And my other awesome birthday present...

Courtesy of www.toms.com

Toms shoes are so comfortable and these will definitely be worn a lot. So, yes, I know I am spoiled so I guess the 1st anniversary of my 29th birthday won't be too bad. :)

Beginning of School Craziness...

2011-08-24T18:48:00.000-05:00

Whew...that's about all I can say. For the seven years I have been teaching, the first two weeks of school have always been the busiest/craziest, but this year it seems to have intensified. Between writing lessons plans, doing my responsibilities as a team leader, writing tests for our curriculum, learning how to incorporate new technology into my classroom, and so on and so on, I feel like I haven't had time to breathe for the past week and a half. Well, I literally haven't been able to breathe some days due to my allergies, so that has just added to the stress and chaos. Most days, I am counting it a success if I have time to get dinner on the table and tuck the kids into bed. I am hoping to have about 1 more week of the craziness and then having things settle down a bit, but it appears my schedule is pretty packed all fall. I simply have to remind myself that this too shall pass--I just can't wait to be on the other side.

Preschool

2011-08-16T21:55:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Makenna's first day of preschool. Well, technically the preschool doesn't start until Thursday, but it was her first day of going to the daycare part so we just counted it as her first day. Thankfully, she has LOVED the first two days and she didn't want to leave when I picked her up today because she was playing with her friends in the "clubhouse" (aka: a Little Tykes house on the playground). It is very reassuring that she tells us about her day with great excitement and that she has made some new friends. She already knew 2 of the boys in her class so that has helped, but she has already met some other kids that she plays with as well. Hopefully we will continue to have good days, but it still hard for me to believe she is already in preschool. I really don't know what I will do in two years when she starts kindergarten.

The End of Summer

2011-08-12T08:29:00.000-05:00

Today is the last day of summer vacation. On Monday, I go back to work, Makenna starts preschool, and Beckham goes back to daycare. Where has to summer gone? Last night was "Meet the Teacher Night" at Makenna's preschool and she seemed very comfortable there. She loved the playground and thought her teacher was very nice. It will be so different taking her there every morning instead of dropping her off with Beckham, but I know she will enjoy school.

Now for some pictures I haven't posted yet--some of Makenna at her last night of soccer camp (it was crazy hair night) and some of our recent trip to the zoo. We only visited a few animals at the zoo because it was SO hot, but Makenna got to do what she wanted--feed the giraffes and see the new baby giraffe.

9 month check-up

2011-08-04T12:55:00.000-05:00

This morning we went for Beckham's 9 month check-up and got a good report. He weighs 19 lbs. 14 oz. and is 28 inches long. Everyone says he looks so big, but he is in the 25th-50th percentile in both categories. He is right on track (or above) on everything developmentally and I was also told that the bump I have been worrying about on his head is only an lymph node and nothing to be concerned about. We are so blessed to have healthy children. I thank God for that everytime I read about a sick child with cancer, heart defects, etc. because I know that it could easily be Justin and me in their parents' shoes.

This morning we also got some much needed rain and a break from the HOT, HOT, HOT temperatures. My car only registered 74 degrees on my way to the gym this morning and 76 on our way to the doctor. Currently it is only 82, which sad to say, feels very nice.

Soccer

2011-07-26T20:39:00.002-05:00

This week Makenna is attending soccer camp. We decided to have her do a week long camp to see if she liked it before we registered for fall soccer and I am happy to report that she is loving it. She was a little timid last night, but got warmed up and tonight she came home with a huge smile on her face excited to tell me what she learned. Here are a few pictures I took at camp last night.

After Makenna's camp, Justin had a soccer game so I snapped a few pictures of him as well.

We Are Now THAT Family!

2011-07-25T13:56:00.001-05:00

I avoided it as long as I could and now that I am on the other side of biting the bullet I don't know why I waited. We are now the proud owners of...

The Joovy Ultralight Caboose Double Stroller

This will make our lives so much easier when taking the kids to places such as the zoo, Silver Dollar City, the local farmer's market (which has become a favorite family activity), and many other places. Makenna can either sit or stand in the back and it will be nice to have both children contained. Before this purchase Makenna would want to step on the back of our travel system stroller because she got tired of walking so this is the perfect solution. And the best thing is that I found this one (which is brand new) cheaper than many used ones sell for on ebay. I love getting good bargains!

Also, as of this evening, we are also a soccer family. Makenna is attending a British soccer camp this week at Lake Country and she will begin playing on Saturdays this fall. I can't believe we are ready to begin this season of sports with our children, but I know she will have a blast. Her father already has plans for the club team she and Beckham will join, but I have told him not to get too excited yet. Don't worry, though, there are no plans on purchasing a mini-van anytime soon. I am okay being a soccer mom, but I don't want to be THAT soccer mom, if you know what I mean. :)

The Smurfs

2011-07-23T20:01:00.001-05:00

Yes, I am a tad excited that the new Smurfs movie is coming out this week. Makenna and I already have plans to go see it sometime. We did this just for fun.

EZ Meals Here We Come

2011-07-20T15:14:00.000-05:00

I have been in a rut lately with what to fix for dinner, plus we are trying to eat healthier. I heard about EZ Meals a while back, so today I decided to check it out. I am going to test it out and see if I like it. If nothing else it will give us some new recipes to try and hopefully help our grocery budget. A huge selling point to me was that it is endorsed by Dave Ramsey, who I highly respect. Click the link below to check it out for yourself. (Plus if you decided to sign up, enter the code Dave and you will get $2.50 off your first subscription.)

Family Photobook

2011-07-18T17:07:00.003-05:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

I completed this photobook today and ordered 3 of them for a grand total of $10.80 shipped. My total savings was $96.30! I have decided to start making photobooks instead of printing individual pictures because in the long run it is cheaper, especially when you untilize codes and online deals like I did today. I bought one for the family and one for each of the kids to put in their memory boxes.

They Say It's Your Birthday

2011-07-11T09:20:00.000-05:00

Happy 28th Birthday, Justin! You are the best.

4th of July Fun

2011-07-05T15:24:00.000-05:00

This year we continued our 4th of July tradition by spending the day in Bolivar. We headed down mid-morning, had a delicious lunch prepared by my mom, and then headed to my cousin's house late in the afternoon for dinner, fireworks, and fun. Here are some pictures from our Independence Day.

Beckham's first 4th of July

All smiles

Makenna didn't want any part of the picture taking

Don't know what is going on in the picture

Luke, Makenna, and Cooper playing in the water

Luke acting silly

Makenna and Cooper taking a drink

A very tired Beckham waiting for the fireworks

The annual basketball game

Beginning the fireworks--pretty sure Luke needed to have shoes on

Makenna doing a sparkler

Beckham didn't mind the fireworks. Makenna thought they were too loud.

Tori and Beckham

My attempt of trying to get a picture of the fireworks. Wasn't too successful.

Resemblances

2011-07-05T14:31:00.001-05:00

Besides their eye shape and the fact Makenna's tongue is sticking out, I think our kiddos look a lot alike.

More Pictures

2011-07-02T21:50:00.001-05:00

Beck watching his sister play in the yard.

I think he is getting tired of my picture taking.

Love this one.

Finally, I got her to look at the camera.

She is practicing for her senior pictures in 14 years. HA!

It's Here...

2011-07-01T21:38:00.000-05:00

...and I love it!

A Sweet Mess

2011-06-30T21:47:00.002-05:00

Last night Makenna asked if she could feed Beckham dinner. We have let her give her give him a bite here or there, but she had never feed him a full meal. I had some things to do so I thought to myself, "Why not?" It was priceless to hear Makenna interact with Beckham as she was feeding him--it was a great moment of sibling bonding. What wasn't as priceless was the mess I had to clean up as a result of letting my 3-year old feed my 8-month old. But hey, the bonding time they got was totally worth it.

And here is a picture of Beckham after the meal. The first one is the edited one in my new version of Photoshop. The second one is the same picture, but shows a new technique I have learned with Photoshop using gradiant mapping. I love the subtle coloring of it. What do you think?

2/3 of a Year

2011-06-25T22:15:00.000-05:00

Today Beckham is 8 months old--it simply doesn't seem possible. Here are some 8 month stats:
-crawls all over the place
-loves to eat, especially fruits
-has two bottom teeth and two top teeth (that have just appeared this past week)
-loves to play with Makenna
-wears 9 and 12 month clothes
-sleeps through the night and takes 2-3 naps during the day
-has begun to wave bye-bye
-says dada and has said mama a few times
-loves to play peek-a-boo and patty cake

Like I mentioned above, Beckham loves to play with Makenna. Sometimes, he also likes to annoy her and the following pictures confirm this. Last night Makenna decided to get her blanket and pillow and watch a movie on her portable DVD player in the floor. She knew full well the her brother would want to watch the movie, too, but she decided to do this anyway. Well, she hadn't been there but a few seconds when Beckham was on the move towards her and her is the result. It was quite comical to watch. I is so neat to see these two interact.

Can't wait...

2011-06-24T12:59:00.002-05:00

...to get this...

Image courtesy of http://www.jototes.com/

It may appear that this is a purse, which I am going to use it as one, but it is something more--something I have really been wanting. It is a stylist camera bag/purse! I ordered it online yesterday so I should have it in my hands by mid-late next week. I will post pictures of the actual product when I have it.I can't count the amount of times I didn't have my camera with me to capture a special moment, so now my camera will be with me everywhere (or most everywhere I go.) I am also in the process of beginning some letter art projects so with my new bag I will be able to carry my camera is snap the needed pictures for the letters. For those of you who don't know what name art is here is an example.

Image courtesy of http://www.kansascitymamas.com/

I hope to complete our "COFFER" name art project this summer and then do some as gifts and then if I get good, possibly get into selling them for a fraction of what you can buy them for online. We shall see.

A Great Father's Day Weekend

2011-06-19T20:34:00.001-05:00

This weekend has been a blast. This past week we had sports camp at church so we have all been worn out, but we did get to have fun celebrating Father's Day. Yesterday morning we began our day by going downtown for breakfast at a restaurant called Gailey's. We had been wanting to try it for quite a while and I believe it will become a place we frequent. Their sweet browns (aka sweet potato hash browns) are delicious and Justin fell in love with their scrambled eggs with cilantro and asiago cheese.

Coutesy of http://www.ozarks.metromix.com/

After breakfast we headed for a day at Silver Dollar City. We have seasons passes and sadly this was only our 2nd trip this year. We are planning on going several more times this summer alone. Makenna LOVES going and enjoys the rides that she can ride. For the first time we also took her bathing suit and let her play in the water area. She had so much fun and I think she would have played there for hours if we had let her.

We were all so tired when we got home that we ordered pizza for dinner and the kids went to bed early. Justin and I watched a movie while I edited the pictures I took and then we called it a night, too, only to be woken up a while later by tornado sirens. Luckily we didn't have anything bad.

This morning we headed to church and then had a relaxing afternoon at home before taking Justin out to dinner. Justin has the entire week off so he gets to stay home with the kids while I go teach summer school. Only 9 more days of that and then it will be time for my vacation.

Here are some pictures of Beckham that crack me up. His personality is really beginning to show and I snapped these photos using the continuous shot mode on my camera just after he had eaten dinner the other night. I LOVE that feature of my camera because I get multiple photos back to back that are so funny.

A Wonderful Dad

2011-06-18T22:37:00.000-05:00

Dad

He never looks for praises

He's never one to boast

He just goes on quietly working

For those he loves the most

His dreams are seldom spoken

His wants are very few

And most of the time his worries

Will go unspoken too

He's there.... A firm foundation

Through all our storms of life

A sturdy hand to hold to

In times of stress and strife

A true friend we can turn to

When times are good or bad

One of our greatest blessings,

The man that we call Dad.

Source: Silent Strong Dad, Dad Poems and Stories

I came across the above poem on the Internet and thought it describe the special man my kiddos call Daddy very well. Justin, thank you for being our rock, our support, our cheerleader, and our comedian. Thanks for all the diapers you have changed, all the baths you have given, all the books you have read, all the hours you have spent playing in the yard, all the miles you have driven to make family memories, and all the other "daddy duties" you have done to make our family great. You are the greatest and we love you so much.

The first time holding Makenna--I love this picture

January 10, 2008 (the day Justin became a daddy)

The first time holding Beckham--Love this one, too because it looks like Becks is smiling at his Daddy. Also, I love to compare these two pictures to see how much more comfortable Justin is holding a baby.

October 25, 2010

This year for part of Justin's Father's Day gift I decided to do an interview with Makenna about her daddy. I love her responses and this is something I have a feeling will become a tradition, maybe with just different questions. I love her answers!

MY DADDY

According to Makenna Coffer, Age 3

Father’s Day 2011

1. What is Daddy’s favorite food?
Chicken

2. What is Daddy’s favorite drink?

Coffee

3. What is Daddy good at?

Making his coffee

4. What is Daddy not so good at?

Paying attention

5. What makes Daddy smile?

When I used to say “Nannena”

6. What do you and Daddy like to do together?

Play soccer

7. What do you like to call your Daddy?

Justin Beaver (for Justin Bieber)

8. What does your Daddy like to call you?

Makenna Beaver

9. What makes Daddy happy?

When I do puzzles

10. What makes Daddy upset?

When I hit him

11. Where is Daddy’s favorite place to go?

To the Mexican restaurant

12. How do you know your Daddy loves you?

He tells me “I love you”

Pictures...Finally

2011-06-12T21:17:00.000-05:00

I have finally had a bit of time to edit some pictures I have taken recently. I have started using some different settings on my camera and now I only shot RAW pictures the majority of the time. For those of you not familiar with photography I know that sounds like Greek to you, but it is something I have been wanting to do for a while now to give me more processing/editing liberties with my pictures. My next big step is to buy an external flash and who knows where I will go from there. Anyways, here are some pictures taken of the past month or so.

Beckham's Baby Dedication at church

Beautiful Baby Blues

Don't know what Makenna is doing in the picture.

Makenna showing Bechkam some sisterly love.

Our cute kiddos.

Playing with Play Foam I ordered from my favorite online store, Zulily. It is so cool and so much better than Play-doh.

This weekend we went to Kansas City. My mom had a conference there so she invited us up to the hotel so that Makenna could swim so we took advantage of the offer. One of my favorite things about parenthood is watching my kids grow and develop and Makenna definitely did that this weekend. She has been afraid of the water when we go swimming and would hold on to one of us with a death grip. On our way up to KC we bought he a swim vest and she amazingly gained so much confidence with it that she swam clear across the pool by herself. It was so neat to see a child who was once so afraid of the water have the time of her life this weekend while swimming and she keeps asking us when we can go back. I am so happy she is finally comfortable in the water, which will make swimming lesssons here is a few weeks much more enjoyable. Here are a few pictures of our trip.

4 days down and 15 more to go

2011-06-09T20:48:00.000-05:00

I have almost wrapped up the first week of teaching summer school. At times I wonder why I even teach it, but then I am reminded of how nice the extra $$$ is for things like vacations, putting into savings, etc. I only have 4 kids for the first two weeks and the second two weeks I will only have 3 so I guess it could be a lot worse.

Speaking of vacation, we have decided not to take a big vacation this year since Beckham is so small. However, we are planning on doing a few weekend trips, one of which is this weekend. We are just going up to Kansas City for a few days just to hang out. Makenna is so excited to go swimming at the hotel, which is free for us since my mom has a conference there and we are staying in her room. Can't beat that. We have also talked about going to St. Louis one weekend, but we don't know if we will be able to work that in. And of course, we will be taking our trips to Silver Dollar City to make good use of our season passes. However, being the planner that I am we are already beginning to plan our vacation for next summer. We plan on doing something fairly big probably on the beach. Justin was going to take me on a mini-vacation my birthday (the big 3-0) this fall, but now I have decided I would rather wait until next summer when we can go for a longer period of time and I also want to take the kids and make it our first vacation with all of us. A co-worker had mentioned Dauphin Island, AL to me, so that is what we are looking into. Or if you have any other suggestions please let me know.

It's Official...

2011-05-31T20:37:00.000-05:00

Our little girl is headed to preschool. Last week we got the definite word that Makenna got accepted into Tiger Cubs preschool for next year. It is the preschool for my school district so teachers' kids do get first dibs at the spots. However, I was still nervous about there not being a spot for Makenna in her age group until we got the official word last week. I am already preparing myself for the first day of dropping her off--I know it will be difficult. Heaven help me when she goes to kindergarten in a few years. Makenna, on the other hand, if very excited about shopping for her backpack and is excited that a few of her friends from church will also be there.

Pray for Joplin

2011-05-23T10:04:00.001-05:00

The massive destruction left behind from yesterday's tornado is simply devastating. Please pray for the town of Joplin as they deal with this horrible disaster.

Thankfully all those I know in the Joplin area are okay, but there are so many who have lost everything. I have students in Willard who have lost family members or have family members missing and it is so sad to see them go through this.This is just a little too close to home.

A Nice Weekend

2011-05-22T18:48:00.000-05:00

This weekend wasn't too busy, but we got a lot accomplished. Friday night we dropped the kids off at their babysitter's church because they were hosting a parents night out and Justin and I had a night out without the kids. We headed to a local Japanese place downtown and had some sushi and then went to a frozen yogurt place for dessert. It was a nice evening and the kids also enjoyed themselves. Makenna keeps asking when she can go back.

Saturday was spent working on cleaning out the kids closets, other housework, and yardwork. It was a nice, laid back day, but we did get a lot accomplished. We topped the evening off with grilled pizza and a movie.

Today was a special day for us at church. We dedicated Beckham and pledged to raise him in a Christian home. This is something Justin and I have always done, but doing it publicly just reminds us of this important task we have a parents. After church we grabbed a quick bite to eat and headed home for another relaxing afternoon. While everyone else napped, I signed Makenna up for summer soccer camp and I ordered Justin's Father's Day/Birthday gift.

Currently we are glued to the TV as severe storms are moving through the area. The week ahead will be busy, but it is the last week of my regular school year. Unfortunately, I don't get done with work until the end of June, but it is nice to know that come Friday I will have another year of teaching under my belt.

Hope everyone has a great week!

Mother's Day Weekend Recap

2011-05-14T11:22:00.002-05:00

Since it has been a week since Mother's Day I guess it is time that I post about my wonderful weekend. Friday evening Justin and the kids took me out to dinner at Houlihan's and then we braved the crowd downtown to indulge in these:

The cupcakes from the Cup are delicious. We were originally going to try the newer cupcake place in town (owned by a friend of my brother's), but they were closed so we opted for the Cup instead. It sure didn't disappoint, but we will be trying the other place soon.

Saturday was a pretty low key day. Justin had to ref two soccer games at Lake Country so before his games we all headed out there to watch my cousin, Luke, play in his game. Makenna is all excited now for soccer and she will be attending a soccer camp this summer to make sure she likes to the sport before we enroll her to play this fall. That afternoon we just relaxed, I went to the gym for a quick workout, and we grilled out for dinner. I was a great day.

Sunday, we got up early and went to breakfast at Craker Barrel before church. It was delicious. After church, we headed to Bolivar to take my mom out to lunch and spend time with her. We also visited with my aunt who was here from Deleware and we (my brother, sister, and I) were asked to go through some of my grandma's things and split them between us. It made me kind of sad to be doing this on the first Mother's Day without her, but I am just glad to have some of her things. And here is just a funny story. When my grandma served as a Foster Grandparent they were given things from Hallmark that were discountinued, overstocked, etc. Well, over the years she had gained quite the supply of wrapping paper, gift bags, etc. She did use them and she also gave them to us when she received some "loot" as we called it. Well, apparently she didn't use enough because I am now the proud owner of approximately 20 rolls of wrapping paper, 100 gift bags, and tons of packages of napkins and plates. I know I will use them at some point, but I just can't believe how much she had. And keep in mind that my sister and I split this stuff between us so my part is only half of what she had!

Also, I promised to post about my Mother's Day gifts. I would have been perfectly satisfied with just spending time with my family, but I admit that I was spoiled with gifts. Here is what I got:

A beautiful bracelet similar to this one. I tried to take a picture of mine, but you just couldn't see the detail of it from my picture. Of course mine has two strands (one for each child). I absolutely LOVE it and have received many compliments on it.

My first pair of Toms, but definitely not my last. These shoes are so comfy!

I also received a gift certificate to the Mudlounge to use sometime when we go out without the kids and also a gift certificate for a manicure, pedicure, and facial at my favorite salon here is town.

So, needless to say it was a great weekend all because of these great people. I love them so much.

A Tribute to All Moms

2011-05-07T12:48:00.000-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to all moms out there. I am celebrating my 4th Mother's Day, but my first as a mom of two, and as cliche as it sounds, it truly is the most rewarding job there is. I have definitely already been spoiled this weekend by my husband and children, but I will save that for another post. For now, I just want to show this hilarious video with you about motherhood.

Link for Zulily

2011-05-05T20:22:00.000-05:00

In my previous post about ebates.com I mentioned my favorite online store for baby and kids stuff, http://www.zulily.com/. I have to admit that I am addicted to this site and I check it everyday for the new items posted. Plus by shopping through ebates I get 3.5% cashback. I have already purchased some great items for the kids for Christmas. And if you wondering, the bike Makenna received for Easter came from zulily. Even the Easter Bunny uses this wonderful site. If your are interested just click the link below and sign up to start saving on some great baby and kid items. I love helping people save money.

http://www.zulily.com/invite/jenncoffer

I Love Ebates

2011-05-05T14:15:00.000-05:00

I signed up for Ebates on Sunday and have already made money for my online purchases. Can't beat free money. Anyways, when you shop through the ebates website (which literally has links to hundreds of stores)you earn cashback for your purchases. Every three months you can either receive a check in the mail or they will apply your cashback to your Paypal account. And, right now they will give you $5 free just for signing up. Plus, for all you moms out there, my favorite site (http://www.zulily.com/) is on there and I get 3% cashback when I buy already discounted baby and kids items. Simply click on the link below to sign up and start earning money by shopping online. HAPPY SHOPPING!

http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=Yv83cjjnLsehyXyowXnrBQ%3D%3D

Easter Photos

2011-04-27T21:14:00.000-05:00

I haven't had time to edit photos, but wanted to share some pictures of our weekend. We had a nice Easter weekend, but could have done without all the rain. We are definitely ready for some nice weather so we can play outside, go to the zoo, go to Silver Dollar City, etc.

Makenna with one of her decorated eggs

Makenna hugging a bear at James River's Easter bash.

Makenna participating in the egg hunt.

She got her face painted.

Makenna with her friends Joey and Brie.

Feeding a baby chick.

Justin and Makenna.

She loved getting to explore the school bus.

And the fire truck.

Makenna and Beckham in front of the gifts the Easter bunny left.

Who knew that she would be so excited about Disney princess band-aids.

She loves her balance bike. No training wheels for Makenna. Please excuse the hair in her face.

Nana made them wear bunny ears for a picture. They both look thrilled.

Glorious Day

2011-04-20T20:31:00.000-05:00

I am loving this song by Casting Crowns.

The Annual Bunny Pictures

2011-04-17T20:46:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a big picture day for us. We had Beckham's 6 month pictures taken yesterday morning with the professional photographer and then we headed to Bolivar to have the kids pictures taken with the bunnies of some 4-H kids my mom knows. Makenna has done so well with them in the past, but yesterday she was so scared of them. Beckham on the other hand really seemed to like them and even had one pinned down by its ears at one point. Anyways, here are some that we captured.

Makenna Reading

2011-04-09T11:47:00.000-05:00

The other night in between giving the kids a bath Makenna decided she wanted to "read" a book to Beckham. She chose the only book she can "read" right now, Brown Bear, Brown Bear. Now I know my daughter is smart, but I also know that she knows how to get through the book because of the repetition and the colors she recognizes. But hey, it's a good start to her becoming a little reader. Speaking of reading, I enrolled Makenna in Tiger Cubs Preschool yesterday, which my school district's preschool. We won't know for sure if she gets in until May, but the chances are pretty high. I am excited for this, yet a bit sad at the same time.

My heart melts when I watch this video and see how sweet Makenna is to Beckham. She really is a good big sister and Beckham seemed to enjoy being read to as well.

In other news, we still aren't 100% healthy in the Coffer house. This week, I have experienced the nasty virus everyone else has had and still am not feeling the greatest. This has gone on for three plus weeks. Hopefully all will be well within the next week and that we stay that way for a good, long while.

Another Sick Child and a Video

2011-04-02T17:25:00.000-05:00

We just want everyone to be healthy around here. Just as Makenna got over her pneumonia this week and we finished her round of antibiotic we noticed Beckham getting stopped up and coughing a little. He started this on Wednesday, but never ran a fever, so there was no point of taking him to the doctor. Well, yesterday afternoon when I picked him up from the babysitter's I could tell he didn't feel good at all and Ashley told me he had just begun to get hot. I knew with it being Friday afternoon we needed to take him somewhere, but unfortunately I wasn't feeling well either due to an extreme earache. Justin left work and finished up working from home and then headed to urgent care with Beckham. They didn't have a xray machine there so they sent them to ER. They tested him for a bunch of things and he was diagnosed with RSV and pneumonia. Luckily, it is in the early stages, so they just prescribed a bunch of medicine and sent them home--only 5 and half hours after it all began. We are now the proud owners of a nebulizer machine (don't know how much that's going to cost us) and a bunch of medicine. However, we would pay any amount necessary to get him better. I am just thankful the little guy didn't have to be hospitalized. He seems to feel better today so hopefully he is on the road to recovery. I can't believe we have had both kids in the ER/doctor's office in less than two week. I am glad we have good insurance.

So, needless to say, we have had a stressful past 24 hours. Thankfully, I am feeling better and my ear has stopped hurting. I think I got fluid in it from doing a nasal rinse yesterday morning and it finally escape after a period of time.

To end on a positive note, here is a video I shot of the kids earlier in the week. It is Makenna playing peek-a-boo with Beckham trying to get him to laugh. Of course, she missed the part about hiding her eyes, but I guess her extreme looking up replaces that in her version of the game. :) I just think it is too cute not to share.

Our Mini-Vacation

2011-03-26T16:34:00.000-05:00

Our small trip to Branson was very relaxing. It was nice to get away and our condo was the perfect accommadations for our family. We enjoyed dining out as a family, going to Silver Dollar City for the first time of many this year, shopping, swimming, and just spending time as a family. If you ask Makenna about her favorite thing she will say watching TV while eating popcorn. Thursday night we rented Ramona and Beezus from the Redbox, popped popcorn, and we all sat on the couch and enjoyed some family time. That just goes to show you you don't have to spend much money to make a kid happy. It was a great first family mini-vacation and we are looking forward to many, many more. Sadly, spring break is now coming to an end, but we are already making plans for next year. Who knows where we will go.

What a Day

2011-03-21T21:14:00.000-05:00

This is the fourth spring break that we have experienced with Makenna and let's just say we don't have a good track record. I don't remember anything happening in 2008. In 2009, this happened. Last year, we had a great trip to Colorado, but caught caught in a snowstorm on our way out there. And, we are only a few days into break this year and we have already had our share of frustrations and scares. I will start at the beginning.

Makenna has been running fever off and on for ten days. Justin stayed home with her on Monday of last week because she still had a fever, but then she got better. She was fine Tuesday through Friday morning, when she once again woke up with a fever of 102. We decided it was time to take her to the doctor so Just took her in that morning during the early morning hours where they have a walk-in clinic and you see the on-call doctor. Just our luck, the doctor on call was the once doctor at our ped's office that I don't care for at all and we didn't find anything out. They tried to see if Makenna would give them a urine sample, which of course she wouldn't, so we pretty much wasted a co-pay and a lot of time to find out absolutely nothing. She then got better and was fine until yesterday afternoon when she woke up with another high fever. Being Sunday, we gave her Tylenol and she returned to her normal self. This morning she woke up saying she didn't feel well, but she didn't have a fever--until about 11:30. She fell asleep in the recliner watching Dora and when I felt her she was burning hot. I took her temp and it was 104.2. I called the doctor and they told us to come in at 1:15. In the meantime, I gave her more Tylenol and tried to get her to drink as much water as possible. We got to the doctor's office, and they once again checked her for all the typical things--strep, ear infection, etc. and still nothing. They told me they really needed a urine sample and we tried for two whole hours to no avail. At that point, the bad turned to worse very quickly. Since she wouldn't go pee by herself they had to use a catheter and that was terrible--I think it was worse on me than it was her. While waiting for the results, she once again started burning up and began to break out into a sweat while shaking. It was terrible. Of course, everything in her urine was fine, so we went to the next step--going to the hospital for xrays and bloodwork. We had to do a bunch of paperwork in the outpatient department and then we played the waiting game to get the xrays and bloodwork done. Makenna, however, did very good during it all and by the time it was over, she was back to her normal self. The doctor called with the test results before we even got home and she has walking pneumonia. We started her on medicine tonight and hopefully she will be better by tomorrow. But needless to say, it was a long day, but we are thankful to have answers to why she has had a fever for 10 days.

We are still planning on taking our little trip to Branson at the end of the week. Makenna is so excited about it and we are hoping the medicine will kick in.

Another first this week...

2011-03-17T20:29:00.000-05:00

Beckham ate his first baby food tonight--carrots. He gobbled up a bowl of cereal, so I decided to give him some baby food. He ate half the jar and seemed to really enjoy it. I guess I better get busy making the homemade baby food like I plan on doing. Our boy is growing too fast.
**Note: he looks a lot like Makenna at this age in this picture.

Our boy and our girl...

2011-03-15T21:46:00.000-05:00

Our boy: Got his first tooth a few days ago and we think he is working on some more due to the amount of slobbering he is doing. He also has learned to roll from his back to his belly and the other night he rolled 3/4 of the way across the living room. We have this on video, but for some reason it won't upload. :( He is growing and changing so much and we can't believe he will be 5 months old at the end of next week.

Our girl: Had a blast at the circus Sunday night. She sat there the entire 3 hours and didn't complain once. It was so neat the see her excitement and she says her favorite part was the elephants or the dogs that did tricks. We are glad we took her, but honestly, we probably won't go again until Beckham is old enough to go because the place is so hectic with so many people, the place is stinky, and the floors are so sticky everywhere you walk. Unfortunately, Makenna woke up Monday morning with a 102 degree fever so she and Justin stayed home and played. Today she is doing much better and is back to her normal self.

Makenna and Beckham's Easter outfits also came in the mail today and I am so excited to see them wear them. We will definitely post pictures. Speaking of Easter, we are once again having pictures taken with live bunnies. I am anxious to see how Beckham reacts to them, but I love getting these taken. They have honestly been some of my favorite pictures of Makenna and I can't wait to see how they turn out this year with two children.

Beckham's Book

2011-03-15T21:35:00.002-05:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

Just have to brag for a minute...

2011-03-04T17:29:00.000-06:00

I am one proud mommy right now. About a month ago we purchased the Pre-School Prep Sight Words 3-pack DVD set for Makenna. We bought the colors, numbers, and letters DVDs for her when she was about 1 because I just wasn't fond of the Baby Einstein videos and being and educator I wanted my child to watch something educational if she was going to watch videos. Anyways, Makenna has been watching them off and one for the past month, but it is supposed to take a few months for the child to learn the sight words. Tonight Makenna kept telling me she wanted to watch her "wiff" DVD (or so I thought that was what she was saying). I had no clue what she was talking about so she told me to get her words DVDs so I handed her the box with the three DVDs in them. She took out one and said, "This one, this is my "wiff" DVD." I look at the back of the case and written in big red letters was WITH. She then pointed to the word and I couldn't help but tell her how proud of her I was. I then pointed to some other words on the cases and she got 3/5 of them, including be, play, and my. She told me she didn't know the word of and she said her for she. All I can say is that I am amazed that my 3 year old is learning her sight words. Many kids go to kindergarten not knowing how to read the sight words.

So, needless to say, I HIGHLY recommend these DVDs to all parents with infants and toddlers. Here is a link to the company website and yes, I plan on buying Makenna the books her very soon.

Family Photo Session

2011-02-27T21:01:00.001-06:00

Click here to view these pictures larger

Hello...Again

2011-02-20T15:05:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since our last post due to several things like hectic schedules, lack of internet at home, etc. But we are still alive and well at the Coffer household so have no fear. Here are some pictures of what we have been up to and hopefully we will be back into posting this week.

Hanging out on one of our snow days.

Beckham and Makenna with their cousins Luke and Cooper.

Makenna sledding.

Hanging out on Saturday morning.

New decoration in our bedroom. It is a nice thing to wake up and read every morning to start our day.

Photo Session Preview

2011-02-08T19:59:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago we had Beckham's three month pictures taken. Heather, the photographer, also took pictures of Makenna. Click here to check out a preview of the session on her blog.

Blizzard 2011

2011-02-02T19:43:00.001-06:00

The first picture was taken at about 8 am yesterday morning, about an hour after the snow began. The second picture was taken at about 11 am, 4 hours after the "blizzard" began. It was crazy how much snow fell and how quickly it came. We finally ventured outside today and played for a bit and we had a lot of fun. Beckham was napping, but hopefully we can get a picture of him in the massive amounts of snow in the next few days because it will definitely be around for a while. The pictures are a bit out of order and I can't seem to get them moved, but enjoy!

Makenna and Justin playing in the snow

Snow angel made by Justin

Makenna again

View of our street

Makenna and Beckham Monday night getting excited about the storm. Don't you like their coodinating pjs?

Beckham sacked out in the recliner Tuesday. Makenna said that he must wear his snowmen sleeper because it was snowing.

View of the backyard

Our driveway before Justin shoveled it yesterday. The speck to the left of the shovel is the ruler he stuck in the snow to see how deep it was.

Makenna bundled up ready to go out

Finally outside--she had to put on her sunglasses because it was so bright

Makenna loved spraying the snow with colored water. I highly suggest this to all moms with small children.

Snow drift in my parents backyard in Bolivar. Crazy!

My brother standing in a major snow drift. Bolivar got hit pretty hard and they called in the National Guard.

Tomorrow is another snow day for me and I am guessing that Friday will be as well. Justin is planning on going back to work and I have big plans of cleaning the house. However, that is nearly impossible with two children so I am hoping they both nap at the same time so I can get something accomplished. :)

A First for Everything

2011-01-31T16:34:00.001-06:00

Well, we are officially under a BLIZZARD WARNING! Yikes! This is the first time that I recall ever experiencing this. Let's just say we are prepared, but hoping it doesn't get too bad. We'll keep everyone posted.

Pictures...Finally

2011-01-23T19:48:00.000-06:00

I finally had some time today to edit photos from the past few weeks. We have had a fairly relaxed weekend with not a lot of plans. The only thing we had on our agenda besides church today was family pictures yesterday. We went mainly to have Beckham's three month pictures taken, but we had a few family pictures taken and Makenna had a few taken by herself. I say a few because Makenna was less than cooperative during the session, but hopefully there will be at least 1 good one of her by herself. This week we don't have much planned other than our normally weekly activities and then, unfortunately, Justin has pager all next weekend so that means there will be no plans for the Coffer family. Bummer. :(

The kids posing for a picture

Makenna with her small cake we got her for her actual birthday

The best picture I could get of Mak on her birthday

One silly face

Beckham

Makenna's Dora cake--not my best work, but she still liked it and that's all that mattered (and the edges are rough because a little girl couldn't keep her fingers out of it)

Makenna posing with her cake--once again we can't get a normal face

This is what she did while everyone sang to her at her party

Opening her presents

Opening more presents

Diving into the gift bag that was almost as big as she was

Makenna and Beckham playing on our snow day on Thursday

My two greatest blessings

Recap of the Past Week

2011-01-18T19:38:00.000-06:00

Busy, busy, busy. That pretty much sums up our past week. We had something every evening last week except Friday and that night was spent cleaning and preparing for Makenna's birthday party on Saturday. The party was great, but it honestly wore us all out. This week is once again pretty busy and I really just want a day with absolutely nothing to do or nowhere to go. That doesn't look to be happening in the near future.

I will post pictures of Makenna's birthday as soon as I find time to edit them. Hope everyone has a good remainder of the week. Try to stay warm.

Makenna is 3!

2011-01-10T08:11:00.000-06:00

Dearest Makenna,

Three years ago today our lives changed forever when you made us parents. We will never forget the moment we first saw you and how completely in love we were with you. You have blessed and enriched our lives over the past three years and we can't wait to see you grow more into the wonderful girl God created you to be. Happy Birthday! We love you.

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Current Things about Makenna
-Weight: 28 1/2 pounds
-Favorite food: Mac and Cheese, Pizza
-Favorite drink: Strawberry milk
-Can sing ABCs without any difficulty (have been able to do that for 8 months) and can recognize all letters
-Can count to ten with no mistakes and to 20 occassionally (you like to skip 11-14)
-Favorite things to watch: Dora, Strawberry Shortcake and VeggieTales
-Favorite book: Loves all books, but particularly enjoys the story Bible and Dora books
-Is a great big sister to Beckham
-Has a very extensive vocabulary
-Has nicknamed Daddy "Dodaub"

Back to Work I Go

2011-01-02T22:54:00.000-06:00

As a kid, I always dreaded going back to school after Christmas break. In college, I always hated returning to campus after winter break. As a teacher, I hate going back to school after Christmas break. I guess some things never change. I just enjoy having some time off to relax and I honestly hate to give that up. I know many of you reading this are thinking, "Well, it must be nice to have all the days off that teachers get" and I would admit that it is. But I also like to point out that we don't get paid overtime for SEVERAL extra hours outside of contract time put in during the year so I guess it balances out. This year is especially hard because going back to school also means Beckham going to daycare. I know that he will be in wonderful care while I am at work, but it will still difficult to leave him for the first few days. Wish us luck.

I also forgot to post about Beckham's two month check-up this past week. He weighed 11 lbs. 2 oz. (25th to 50th percentile) and was 23 1/2 inches long (50th to 75th percentile). This is right where Makenna was at two months based on their individual birth rates, so it appears that we might have another long, skinny child on our hands. Dr. Hampton said everything else was great so we were very pleased.

Hope everyone has a good first week of 2011. The Coffers will be spending it trying to get into a routine again and planning Makenna's 3rd birthday party, which is on January 15th.

Holiday Pictures

2011-01-01T15:01:00.000-06:00

This Christmas we learned that it is difficult to take all the pictures you would like with two kids (especially when one decides to eat in the middle of opening presents and also when you forget to bring your camera to a Christmas gathering), but here are some of what I have. Don't get me wrong, I still have enough to capture the memories, I just wish I had more.

Makenna with her gingerbread house she made with the help of Mommy and Nana

Close-up of the house. She did a very good job. These are great to get at the Christmas clearance sales and save for the next year since you don't eat them. I have one stored in the pantry ready for next year.

Makenna posing with her Happy Birthday, Jesus cupcakes or "pupcakes" as she would say

Makenna and Beckham with the cupcakes--Making a birthday cake for Jesus is a holiday family tradition and we leave a piece for Santa instead of cookies.

Our little cutie who turned two months old on Christmas Day

Beck with his stocking. Yes, it was bigger than him!

Watching Makenna open presents

Makenna holding up her new Dora necklace

Opening gifts from Santa

She loved her Barbies from Santa so much that she hugged them

She also got a Wonder Pets flyboat from Santa

Makenna still opening presents. Both kids got so much including a soccer goal set, books, stuffed animals tons of toys, dollhouse furniture, savings bonds, money, Barbie doll case, a portable DVD player for the car, games, and so much more.

Calmy sitting in Daddy's lap--I am sure he won't be this calm next Christmas

Makenna sporting her new shades from her Aunt Sue

Hello 2010-Part 2

2010-12-30T23:17:00.000-06:00

Yes, you read the title correctly. I have told Justin and I want to be open and honest about the fact that I refuse to believe that 2011 is upon us and I will just pretend like it is still 2010. Why you might ask? Well mainly because yours truly will be turning the be 3-0 (it pains me to even type that), but also because at the end of the said year that doesn't exist in my mind I will have an almost 4 year old and a 1 year old. YIKES!!! I simply can't believe that because before we know it we will be welcoming 2012.

In all seriousness, while I am not looking forward turning 30, I am excited to see what the new year will bring. Hopefully I will achieve some of my goals, including running my first organized 5k, reading the entire Bible, learning how to be a better wife and mom, beginning our "dream vacations" fund, etc. We will celebrate our little girl's 3rd birthday and our little man's first, I will complete my 6th year of teaching, we will celebrate our 6th anniversary, Justin will continue his hobby of referring soccer, Makenna will begin preschool (if she gets a spot), and so much more. It will be a busy, but rewarding year I am sure, but I will still view it as 2010 Part 2.

Here is a recap of 2010 that we sent out in our Christmas cards. I will get holiday pictures posted as soon as I get them edited. Happy New Years!

It’s hard to believe it’s the time of year

To send out our annual holiday greetings and cheer
The Coffer Family has had a very eventful 2010

Without any further adieu our year in review we shall begin

The new year began with temperatures quite blustery and chilly

But cancelling Makenna’s 2nd birthday party to us would be silly

Family and friends gathered at our house for presents and cake

More room for her new toys we did have to make

In February we found out we were expecting another bundle of joy

And in June we found out our second child would be a boy

Makenna cried when she learned she wasn’t getting a sister

But she soon became excited about our new little mister

Most of the year was spent preparing for the baby’s arrival

We knew with 2 kids our new motto would simply be “survival”

Makenna got a big girl room and she loved that it was new

We painted her old room brown, green, and blue

This summer we took a vacation to Chicago by train

Some rest and relaxation before the baby we were hoping to gain

We visited many sites and good food we did eat

The pizza at Lou Malnati’s just couldn’t be beat

This year we truly learned the Lord gives and takes away

For my grandmother passed away one October day

We said good-bye just a few weeks before the baby’s due date

Explaining death to Makenna was as task we certainly did hate

Makenna became a big sister on October 25, 2010

We decided to name her baby brother Beckham Glen

Our lives have greatly changed since that great day

However, we definitely wouldn’t want it any other way

Makenna has become a spunky little two year old

And sometimes directions repeatedly she must be told

She is definitely excited about the holiday season

And we think getting presents just might be the reason

Beckham is a very charming little fellow

He takes after his father and is quite mellow

We enjoy seeing him continuously develop and grow

Sweet little faces he is now beginning to show

We celebrated our fifth anniversary in November

Our wedding day is one we will always remember

During our marriage we’ve grown to love each other more

And we’ve learned our dependency on each other we just can’t ignore

I am still teaching 7th grade math—I’ve completed five years

And unfortunately this year has brought me some stress and some tears

Writing assessments and redoing curriculum became one of my tasks

For standardized test scores are very important to some if you ask

Justin still works at Jack Henry and loves working with banks

He helps them fix financial issues and gets many thanks

His company moved into a bigger building in mid-summer

He was one vacation during the big move; to him it was no bummer

We hope your holidays are merry and bright

And that all your festivities turn our just right

While we celebrate may we remember the real Christmas story

About Jesus, our Savior, and all of His glory

We wish you many blessings as we begin a new year

Please cherish all the memories with those you hold dear

We are next year’s greetings we will have stories galore

As we review our first full year as a family of four

Beckham's Newborn Pictures

2010-12-22T17:03:00.002-06:00

Click here to view these pictures larger

A Few Videos

2010-12-22T10:13:00.000-06:00

Here are a few videos from yesterday. The first one is of Beckham smiling and laughing. We were a bit late to get out the camera, but we still captured him in a happy mood. He is really beginning to develop a personality and has some very animated facial expressions at times. Makenna loves it when he laughs and smiles and she always says, "Hey, he's happy!"

This video is of Makenna singing part of I Want a Hippopotomus for Christmas. She usually does a better job, but she still did good for not having any music and for only being 2-years old. Please ignore the runny nose, but we wanted to video her while she was willing to sing for the camera.

Holiday Preparations

2010-12-20T13:35:00.001-06:00

Wow! It has been a crazy, busy past week. I returned to work last Monday to tie up loose ends at the end of the semester and to do grades, so I haven't had time during the day to post, etc. We also had something every night last week so it really seemed like we didn't have time to do much. Thankfully, my school dismissed for Christmas break on Friday, so I have two full weeks off until I go back on January 3rd. Yesterday, we had our first Christmas celebration with my mom's side of the family. Makenna always enjoys playing with all her cousins. Because the family is so large due to many of us being married with kids we don't do gifts, so I was very curious when I saw my mom carrying in gift boxes. After we ate she passed them out and in the boxes were these:

Aprons--but not just any apron. They had a recipe of my Grandma's on it written in her handwriting. It was a special gift.

After our family Christmas, Santa made a special visit to Makenna and Beckham at Nana and Papa's house. Makenna was so surprised.

This week we are finishing up all the last minute shopping and getting ready for all the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day festivities. Here are a few pictures we have taken over the past week or so.

Another Song

2010-12-08T15:33:00.000-06:00

While it's not a traditional Christmas song, this has become one of our favorite holiday songs--it truly tells the true meaning of Christmas.

How Many Kings

2010-12-07T11:22:00.005-06:00

I heard this song yesterday on the radio and all I can say is that I LOVE it. The lyrics really made me take note of the true meaning of this holiday season and the sacrifice that was made for us.

Makenna's 2nd and Beckham's First Meeting with Santa

2010-12-07T10:43:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to share...

Makenna's Message from Santa

2010-12-04T16:04:00.000-06:00

Oh my goodness! I just made this for Makenna and it is too cute not to share--plus it was free, which if you know me is one of my favorite words. This is so much better than her receiving a letter from St. Nick in the mail. I highly recommend this to anyone with small children, nieces, nephews, etc. Click the link to watch her video.

http://magicsanta.ca/player.html?code=P0WJ9Q

She is napping right now, but we plan to show it to her when she gets up. She is going to go CRAZY! We will definitely post the video.

A Post with Tons of Pictures

2010-12-03T10:09:00.000-06:00

Makenna and Justin hanging out

Our little turkey on Thanksgiving

Look at those bright eyes

Makenna and Beckham louging watching Charlie Brown at Nana and Papa's--Makenna have recently found a love of Charlie Brown

Another cute picture

Beckham with his great-granddad whom he is named after

Both kids with great-granddad

Makenna and Uncle Trent in the tractor bringing a load of soybeans

She is having so much fun

The ride is over--I am so glad Makenna got to do this and now asks when she can ride the tractor again

Week Review and Giving Thanks

2010-11-24T15:46:00.001-06:00

We have had a busy, but fantastic past few days and of course, are gearing up for the Thanksgiving holiday. We will be heading to Bolivar tomorrow to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family and will then be traveling to Kennett, MO on Saturday to celebrate the holiday with some of Justin's family. Beckham will also be meeting several family members for the first time, including his great-granddad, Glen, whom he is named after.

Friday was our anniversary and Justin and I, thanks to my wonderful mom, were able to go out to a dinner alone. We had a tough time deciding where to go, but ended up at Doe's Eat Place. We shared the biggest steak I have ever ordered and definitely enjoyed our meal. We did a bit a shopping at the mall and ended the evening at the Cup, the cupcake place downtown. Justin enjoyed a pumpkin harvest cupcake and I had a red velvet one. They were delicious.

Still happily married after 5 years

Saturday, my mom and I, along with 10 million other people, decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and head down to the outlet mall in Branson. We did manage to find a few good deals, but due to the huge crowd we didn't spend a lot of time there. While we were shopping, Justin and Makenna had a daddy/daughter day. Makenna absolutley loved it and I think there will be several more of these days in the future. They went to one of the local bounce houses and then went to lunch. It wore them both out.

Sunday, we headed to church. We are currently doing a study on "The Hole in the Gospel." It is about how we as Christians often forget about the "least of these" and what we can do to reach out to them. As part of this, we are once again as a church adopting foster kids for this holiday season. We are to pick children to purchase a $20 gift for. The neat thing about this is that the gifts go directly to the foster parents to give to the kids just like they had purchased it themselves--our names are in no way attached to the gift. We have a 1 year old little boy and a 3 year old little girl to purchase a gift for and we look forward to shopping for them as a family.

After church, Justin, Makenna, and I headed to Silver Dollar City. Makenna was so excited about this and she told us that she wanted to see Santa. We weren't so sure about this because she tends to be scared of people and the past two Christmases she had screamed when we took her to see him. However, I thought that this year might be different since she is almost three and thankfully I was correct. She went up and sat on his lap without any hesitation and told him exactly what she wanted. She has asked if she can go see him again with Beckham and we told her we would go sometime.

Makenna discussing her wish list with Santa

Makenna and Santa--The first picture of Makenna and Santa

that she isn't crying. I love it!

After visiting Santa we walked around and looked at the lights and then waited for the parade to start. We got a bit bored waiting so we decided to take some fun pictures.

We hope everyone has a great holiday. In addition to celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow, Beckham will be 1 month old. Where has the time gone?

5 Years

2010-11-19T04:56:00.001-06:00

Today, Justin and I are celebrating our 5 year anniversary. Wow! It is so hard to believe that in that time our family has gone from this...

To this...

Justin,

Thank you for loving me unconditionally although I have failed you as a wife numerous times, believing in me when I don't believe in myself, giving me encouragement when I don't think I have the strength to go on-- the list could go on and on. Our marriage has definitely had its ups and downs, but it is the good times that make the not so good ones easier to handle. I am so lucky to have someone by my side on a daily basis to go through life with, whether it be playing with the kids, laughing so hard we cry, or sharing our hopes, dreams, and even our struggles and weaknesses. I couldn't imagine my life with anyone else and I thank God that you chose me as your wife. I love you!

Jennifer

Here is a little memories video I put together. Enjoy!

Resemblances?

2010-11-15T20:09:00.001-06:00

Some people think Makenna and Beckham look alike and some people do not. Justin and I definitely see some resemblance. What do you think? Both kids are 18 days old in the pictures.

Makenna

Beckham

Review of the Week

2010-11-13T16:10:00.000-06:00

Things at the Coffer household have been going pretty well this week with the exception of the need for a little more sleep. We now realized how blessed we were to have Makenna who slept very well from night 1, but now we are definitely experiencing what it is like to have a normal newborn. I know many who have had it much worse, but let's just say Beckham tends to get pretty fussy between the hours of 11 pm and 5 am. Last night he did much better, though, so hopefully this will continue.

This week we finally got out of the house and did some things. Last weekend Justin traveled to Memphis to be in a wedding, while the kids and I stayed behind. I was a bit bummed that I couldn't go with him, but the time I got to spend at home with my two children was nice.

Mid-week, Makenna went to her babysitters and got to play with her friends. She had really missed them and she had a great time. While she was playing, Beckham and I went to his 2-week check-up. He got a good report and weighed in at 8 lbs 4 oz. The nurse and doctor both commented how long and lean he is, which isn't surprising because Makenna always has been. Unfortunately, they didn't get that from their mother. After we left the doctor, we went to Justin's office so the proud daddy could show off his son.

Thursday night we experienced our first dinner at a restaurant with two kids. We went out to eat for my brother's birthday and once again, Beckham decided to be a bit fussy. Justin ended up going to the car with him, which is something we never had to do with Makenna.

Yesterday, the kids and I went to Bolivar and shopped at some of the open houses at some local businesses. We didn't buy much, but it was once again nice to get out of the house.

Today, Justin has his final soccer games of the season to ref until spring. He has really enjoyed this experience and I have enjoyed the extra money he has made. :) Tomorrow we plan to go to church and spend the rest of the day relaxing as a family.

We are also looking forward to celebrating this coming week. Friday is our 5 year anniversary (where has the time gone?) and Justin and I are excited to go out without the kids. Speaking of our anniversary, Justin knew what his gift was going to be because I needed help and info picking it out. However, I didn't expect him to be the one to get the mail yesterday when it arrived and I definitely didn't expect him to open the package. UGG! Oh well. He just got his gift a bit early. I will share more about it in a later post. Until then, I will leave you with some pictures.

Makenna and Beckham on the couch. Makenna said, "Look, Mommy, we're sharing!"

He loves his pacifier. Another way he is so different from his sister.

Makenna and her doll, Molly.

Chillin'

Our two little blessings. We are so lucky. And yes, Makenna was talking up a storm to Beckham.

Still chillin'

Makenna loves to lay next to Beckham

More on Shutterfly--Christmas Cards

2010-11-08T13:59:00.000-06:00

In my previous post, I showed Beckham's birth announcement I did on Shutterfly. I am getting ready to create our annual Christmas card here and wanted to share what all they have available. Like I mentioned, I only use this site for printing my photos and this year I have decided to order our Christmas cards here this year. I really am not a fan of the designs other stores and sites have to offer, but that is definitely not the case with Shutterfly. I haven't decided yet which design I am going to use, but I know I will be satisfied with the end product no matter what I pick. I love how Shutterfly's offers a wide variety of cards, as well as their design selection, including religious designs. I also love to make photo books on Shutterfly. I like have all my pictures in one book instead of having to print each picture individually and then by a photo album to put them in. You might think the photo books are expensive, but in the long-run they are more cost effective than the above mentioned method of storing your memories. I might do some calendars for the upcoming year as well to give as gifts. Can you tell I am a HUGE fan of Shutterfly?

Another great thing about Shutterfly is that they offer amazing discounts via their site or via email, so I don't think I have ever placed an order without getting at least one discount and often times I get multiple ones for the same order. They are currently offering an incredible deal on photo cards for bloggers, so just click here to take advantage of the offer. Did I mention that you get free holiday cards? Yes, I said free.

Beckham's Birth Announcement

2010-11-08T10:39:00.000-06:00

I just completed Beckham's birth announcement and I couldn't wait to share. I did it on Shutterfly and it is adorable. Shutterfly is the only place I will get pictures from and you can make awesome photo books and gifts on there as well. I highly recommend this site. Check it out here: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=2AYsWrly1bsWIN

Baby Chic Blue Birth Announcement

Make a statement with Shutterfly birth announcement cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Update and More Pictures

2010-11-03T22:21:00.001-05:00

It has been a week since we brought Beckham home and what a week it has been. We are still getting adjusted to life with a newborn again, but Justin and I wouldn't trade it for the world. We have truly been blessed with two amazing, beautiful children. This past week we have been to the doctor for Beckham's two day check-up, celebrated Halloween (and yes, Makenna did get way too much candy), and had Beckham's newborn and family pictures taken. We can't wait to see how the pictures turn out. Here are a few pictures from this past week.

Ready to come home from the hospital

Makenna was so glad for her bubby to be home

Precious

Makenna wanted to take a picture with Beckham and her decorated pumpkins

Ming-Ming the Duck ready for trick-or-treating

Our little Tuck the Turtle

The Wonder Pets

Family Photo

Swinging away

Sleeping with Makenna's stuffed Wocket

Look at that adorable face

Another cute face

More Pictures

2010-10-26T19:07:00.000-05:00

Makenna giving Beckham the monkey toy that she picked out for him.

One of our favorite pics of Beckham so far; so peaceful in his knit hat.

Mommy with her little man.

Soccer ball Lolli-Cakes that Daddy got for Mommy and everyone else.

Beckham with the soccer ball Lolli-Cakes. We are starting him early with soccer, Daddy knows he will love soccer.

Big sister Makenna hanging out with little brother Beckham.

Daddy enjoying some time with new son.

One big happy family!

Mommy trying out two kids at one time.

Makenna is obviously happy to be sitting on Daddy's lap with Beckham.

Hello, My Name Is...

2010-10-25T20:49:00.000-05:00

Beckham Glen Coffer

I weighed 8 lbs. 6 oz. and was 21 1/2 inches long. I have a little bruising on my face due to a fast delivery, but other than that I am doing great. I enjoyed meeting family and friends today and look forward to meeting more tomorrow. I especially enjoyed meeting my big sister, Makenna and I can't wait to play with her. Mommy says she will post more pictures tomorrow. Good night.

Love,

Beckham

Update

2010-10-25T10:41:00.002-05:00

It is 10:40 and I have been in my room for about 5 hours. They have broken my water, my epidural is working wonderfully and my excellent nurse predicts that Mr. Beckham should be here sometime in the early afternoon.

A Day of Lasts

2010-10-24T12:48:00.000-05:00

--Today is the last day we are a family of three.

--Today is the last day before we meet our precious son.

--Today is the last day I am a mother of one, Justin is a father of one and Makenna is an only child. She understands that tomorrow she will become a big sister and it is so neat to see the excitement in her face.

--Today is the last day of not having to change diapers, get up for late night feedings, etc. Not so much looking forward to all that, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Are we nervous? Yes. Are we excited? Of, course. Are we blessed? Definitely, beyond measure.

We will try to keep everyone posted tomorrow via this blog, texting, Facebook, etc. We will post pictures on here so make sure to check the blog often. Also, please pray everything goes smoothly for both Beckham and myself. Hopefully at this time tomorrow I will be holding my son.

Still Waiting...

2010-10-23T10:53:00.000-05:00

This child is stubborn like his sister and just doesn't seem to want to be born. I think even Makenna is getting tired of waiting because yesterday morning she asked, "Mommy, when are you going to go to the hospital so Beckham can be borned." I have a feeling I will go into labor tomorrow night (the night before I am supposed to be induced) just like I did with Makenna. Regardless of what happens, we do know that we will have a son in approximately 48 hours, if not before. We can't wait to meet him!

Happy Due Date, Beckham

2010-10-20T07:21:00.002-05:00

Today is Beckham's official due date, but the way things appear right now he will be late just like his sister. But as we all know anything can happen. I have my last doctor's appointment this afternoon and there is something inside of me hoping he tells me just to go check in at the hospital. :) I know that is wishful thinking on my part, but I just want to have Beckham here. We will keep you posted!

Our New Toy

2010-10-16T10:04:00.001-05:00

Justin and I decided to invest in something that would make it easier for us to take videos of the kids. We have a video camera, but it is a pain to transfer the tapes to DVD, etc. so honestly we don't enjoy using it. So, meet our new friend...

I have used the Flip camera at school so I had mentioned to Justin a while back that it would be something we might think about getting. I finally broke down last week and ordered it using my Cashback Bonus Rewards from my Discover card. I am so thankful it arrived before Beckham.

Here is the first video we recorded after we got the Flip in the mail. Enjoy!

The Beginning of Another Week

2010-10-10T17:51:00.000-05:00

I will be glad to begin this week and put last week behind me. It was a very stressful week, but I do have to say that Grandma's visitation and service were both very nice although I know the whole time she was just shaking her head up in heaven that people took time to come celebrate her life.

Yesterday morning Justin and I took a tour of St. John's Hospital where Beckham will be born. Makenna was born at Cox South, so this will be an entirely different experience for us all. It is amazing the differences between the two hospitals! We learned a lot about policies and procedures, took a tour, etc. and we both got excited for the little guy's arrival. Speaking of which, Beckham will be born on Monday, October 25th at the latest, which is two weeks from tomorrow. YIKES!

You Will Be Missed, Grandma

2010-10-05T20:11:00.001-05:00

My last remaining grandparent, Grandma Drake, went to her new home with the Lord early yesterday morning. While our hearts are very sad, we are also rejoicing knowing that Grandma's body is now healed and she is able to walk and talk again without pain. I am thankful for all the memories I have of her, including all the weekend fishing trips we took together over to the pond on the farm, the yummy homemade meals she spent hours in the kitchen preparing, especially her noodles and pies, the stories she told about the days she and Grandpa ran the dairy and she drove the milk truck around town delivering milk, and many, many more. She will be remembered by all for her spunky personality and wit and I am thankful she was able to keep her fun-loving spirit up until her final days.

I am glad that she didn't have to suffer too long after her two strokes because I know that is not the way she wanted to live. I will never forget the last two times I visited her because while she couldn't speak to me, I know she knew who I was and I was able to share a few last laughs and smiles with her.

I am also thankful that Makenna was able to meet her because I never knew any of my great-grandparents and Makenna will carry a few memories of her as well, especially the rides Grandma took her on in her Jazzy chair.

We love you, Grandma and look forward to seeing you again someday. Until then please watch over us and keep us in line just like you did down here!

Grandma and me

The entire family except Aunt Sue

A picture I will always cherish--it was the first time Grandma met Makenna

We Made It

2010-10-01T20:26:00.000-05:00

I know if you are reading this you are wondering what the title of this post means. Well, it means we made it to October, so our little man will definitely be born sometime this month. This has been a bit of a joke between Justin and I because of my Mother's Day gift from him this year. A month AFTER Makenna was born he bought me a beautiful garnet ring, which is her birthstone. He had plans of doing this for each of our children, but not until after each child was born. Being the jewelry fanatic I am, I began casually looking for a ring of Baby #2's birthstone. Naturally since Baby #2 (at the time we didn't even know the gender) was due in mid to late October I looked at October birthstones. Which, as a side note, did you know there are 4 different birthstones for this month? Crazy, huh? Anyways, I found a few opal rings I liked and Justin knew which ones they were. He thought it would be a nice Mother's Day gift for me so he purchased my favorite ring in May (and I might add he got an AMAZING deal on it) and it never occurred to him that there was a possibility that the baby wouldn't be born in October. So, since then I have teased him that if the baby came early he would just have to get me a sapphire ring. But I guess that won't be the case, which is fine with me.

Another funny thing about the above story is that Justin didn't even know of the great deal he got on the ring. After he gave me the gift, he gave me the receipt in case we ever needed it. He always does this because I am better at putting things in places where they can be easily found if needed. He gave me the receipt and my jaw immediately dropped. He asked if something was wrong and I asked him if he realized what he paid for the ring. He said no, I just handed them my card--typical man. At this point, I would have given him my lecture about always looking at your receipt and knowing what you have paid before leaving the store, etc., but I was too amazed at the price he paid for the ring. I guess the ring was on sale plus Justin had received a coupon in the mail for his next purchase at this particular jewelers that they let him us. Needless to say, that with additional amount for the protection plan on the ring, Justin paid 1/3 of the original price of the ring. I still laugh about this story to his day because Justin had no clue the deal he got on the ring. But I am very grateful that I now have two rings, each one that represents my two children. Makenna likes looking at the rings. She knows that one is "hers", one is "Beckham's", and she tells me my wedding rings and bands are "Daddy's." I guess she is right and I wear all three proudly to remember the wonderful family God has blessed me with.

Week 37

2010-09-29T17:19:00.000-05:00

Today I am officially full term, which means Mr. Beckham can come at any time. YIKES! It seems like we have so much more to do and so little time to do it. I have gotten some things accomplished this week, but it just seems like I add two more things to the "to-do" list when I mark one off.

At my doctor's appointment today I found out that I tested negative for the Group B Strep, which I tested postitive for with Makenna. That means I won't have to have antibiotics give through an IV this time which I am pretty excited about. Beckham is also head down which we are also very happy about--that greatly lessens the chance of having a C-section.

Also, Makenna is now calling her brother Beck. It is difficult for her to say Beckham correctly (instead she says Peckham) so Justin and I have told her she can call him Beck and that will be her special name for him. She really seemed to like that idea.

Finally...

2010-09-20T20:48:00.000-05:00

I finally found Beckham a take-home outfit so that is one thing I can mark off our list. I think it is super cute and I can't wait to post pictures of our little one in it. I know it will look cuter on our little baby then it does on the hanger. :) It is sad when I have his Halloween costume before I have his take-home outfit.

Justin also began painting the nursery yesterday and just has one more coat to do and them we can get everything put in order. We are officially only 1 month away from my due date so we are coming down to the wire. Hopefully I will have pictures of the nursery to post very soon.

The End is Near

2010-09-16T20:55:00.000-05:00

That's correct. The end is near. The end of my pregnancy that is. But that just means the beginning of all sorts of things. It is hard to believe that Beckham will be here in about a month and we have so much more to do. The nursery needs to be painted and decorated, but my darling, wonderful husband has promised he is going to get going on that this weekend. We also need to purchase Beckham's take home outfit, but I just haven't found anything I am too crazy about. Things are so much different with your second child because at this point with Makenna we had everything ready to go. Hopefully I will have some nursery pictures to post soon and maybe a link to a take home outfit.

Yesterday, I had another doctor's appointment and everything still looks great. Dr. Williams said that I am carrying Beckham really high--duh, that would be the reason it has been difficult for me to breath--and he also said that if he drops it will be very obvious. We shall see.

We have a lot to do this weekend, but hopefully we can find a little time to relax. In between baby preparations, my school's annual fall festival is Saturday afternoon and evening and unfortunately there is another event many of my co-workers and I will also be attending. One of our school secretaries, Tammy, passed away of cancer on Sunday night. She battled the disease on and off for around 10 years and we are rejoicing now that she is pain free spending time with her Lord in heaven. She was an inspiration to us all and she will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

Hopefully I will have some pictures to share in my next post. Have a great weekend! :)

A Day of Celebrations

2010-09-12T17:36:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to wish all grandparents out there a very happy grandparents's day. Our family has been truly blessed with wonderful grandmas, grandpas, nanas, papas, etc. You all are very special and we love you.

Today, our church also celebrated our 5-year anniversary. Although Justin and I weren't going to that church from the very beginning we are considered "founding members" because we joined within the first year and we have been very blessed by this body of believers. We can't wait to see what God has in store for our church in the years to come.