Rain Man

Tuesday afternoon after Aaron got home from work, we were spending some family time outside playing and just hanging out. We had plans to cook out for dinner so we were talking about getting things together and such. Levi was playing in the yard with his ball and chasing Dodger. It had been a little overcast all day, so I was expecting it to rain at any moment. The dark clouds rolled in, it started sprinkling, and we headed inside. As soon as we got in, Levi was asking to go back out. He's only one, so what little reasoning I can do with him didn't make much of a difference. Usually we can distract him and get his interest in other things, but not then. I first thought he just wanted to go ride in his wagon on the porch, so I figured no harm and we headed out for a little ride while we waited for the storm to pass over. He rode for a little while, but then wanted to investigate the rain. He was so in awe by it. He went to the edge of the porch and put his hands in the water running off the roof. Aaron was holding him, and next thing we know Levi sticks his head in the water running off the roof. He LOVED it. He kept doing it again and again. He then walked to the stairs like he wanted to go in the yard, and sure enough he did. Aaron put him in the yard and he just played around for a little bit. He absolutely loved playing in the rain. What did I do during all this? Enjoyed it. So many times we sit on the sidelines watching life pass us by. How many times have I wanted to "play in the rain" but was too afraid to just do it? Too afraid to get my hair wet or look silly? I love Levi's innocence. He loves life. He engages in it, and because of him I'm learning to do the same. I see so many things through his eyes that I never saw before. Everyday his fearlessness and desire to have fun inspire me. So next time don't be surprised it I join him right there in the middle of a down pour!

We LOVE Big Idea

Our family is in LOVE with Veggie Tales, especially Levi. All you have to do is mention watching it, and he gets all excited and starts looking at the TV. We love Veggie Tales and the rest of the products and shows presented by Big Idea. Their shows tell Bible stories in a fun and fresh way for kids to understand. They also share stories of moral values like forgiveness, kindness, sharing, obedience, etc. It is no secret that little on TV these days is appropriate or wholesome for little kids which is why we love this series so much. Levi is able to watch it and we know he isn't being taught things we don't agree with. I decided to check out their website to see what all they have to offer. The website was great. They have a parent section that offers lots of ideas of activities parents can do with their kids for family nights. They also have a whole section of games, cards, and coloring pages for the kids. If you want to check it out their website is https://bigidea.com/. I'm sure you'll find lots of stuff to use. In all the Veggie Tale shows they have an 'intermission' where they sing a "silly song." We always love the silly songs because that is just what they are - silly songs about silly things. I've shared with you my favorite in the clip above. Hope you enjoy!

An Ironpig Victory

Last night we went with our friends Todd and Missy to the Gwinnett Braves game in Buford. The Braves played the Lehigh Valley Ironpigs. It was a close game, but unfortunately it was an Ironpig victory. We were tied 5 to 5 going into the 10th inning, and the Ironpigs scored 3 runs in the top of the inning. The Braves were unable to score and so the Ironpigs won. We had a great time at the game, especially since it was 80s night! We had a great time and can't wait to go to our next game! Go Braves!!

Our Weekend

We had a great weekend. We have been in desperate need of a highchair for a while now, so we decided that we'd get up early Saturday morning and hit a few yard sales to see if we could find a deal. No luck at finding a highchair this week, but we did score this bookshelf for Levi's room, this kid's chair, and 3 board games for $20! I absolutely love the chair - it was my favorite find!

Levi was so great while we dragged him around to all the yard sales, so we thought he needed a little fun. Before we headed home we stopped by the playground so he could play. He LOVED swinging with Aaron. I don't think his grin could have gotten any bigger.

I know it's blurry, but it shows how much he enjoyed swinging. Saturday night we went to the hospital to visit our friends Kevin and Gincy Moon who welcomed their 2nd child, Carter Howell, that afternoon. We want to say congratulations to them and let them know how happy we are for them. If you want to see a picture of their beautiful family you can visit their blog. Also...on Sunday my car hit 130,000 miles! Sunday afternoon we got Levi his 2nd hair cut. The sucker worked wonders at keeping him calm and cooperative. I'm so happy with how it turned out.

On Sunday afternoon we also attended Jasper's 1st birthday party. Happy Birthday Jasper! This didn't happen this weekend, but today Levi started climbing in the windows. He hasn't quite mastered it yet though.

Needing A Levi Fix

I know all of you out there are needing a Levi fix, so here is more Levi than you may be able to handle. Proceed with caution. :) Levi is a complete joy, and now that he is mobile - I mean walking, and walking everywhere - he is even more fun to play with and chase around the house. Levi's new best friend is Dodger. All he ever wants to do is play with Dodger, throw his ball, and climb all over him. I'm sure Dodger's favorite time of day is Levi's nap time, but it won't be long when Dodger loves Levi as much as Levi loves him.

Other than Dodger Levi has a few other loves. They include...

Football...

Reading (all the time)...

Riding in his wagon... Playing in the kitchen (the dishwasher is his absolute favorite item)...

And being a dare devil. Levi has gotten really brave lately, and I sense that he is going to be fearless. Hope that satisfied your Levi cravings for now.

Family Afternoon

We decided to put off all our chores and to-do lists for today until this evening and have a family day. We went to Chick-fil-A (one of our favorite places to eat) for lunch. Levi got to meet the Chick-fil-A cow, but was too interested in his chicken nuggets to get a picture. He was happy with his nuggets and balloon, so maybe next time we'll get a picture. After lunch we went to the park. Levi LOVED swinging and going down the big slide with his Papa. We went for a walk around the pond and just enjoyed a relaxing few hours together. The video is of Aaron & Levi sliding down the "big slide" together. Don't let him fool you. I think Aaron enjoyed it just as much as Levi did if not more.

Let Freedom Ring

We had a great time celebrating the 4th this weekend. Since everyone was off work on Friday we had a pool party. Pizza, music, sunshine, and friends. It doesn't get much better than that. On Saturday Daniel & Jeanie were kind enough to host us all at their home for the 4th and celebrate on the lake with the boat parade and fireworks. We had such a great time hanging out with everyone, cooking out, celebrating Jeanie's birthday, and eating homemade ice cream. It was a 4th to remember!