Week in Review

Last weekend the OC VL's were in town for a music weekend, so on Saturday the Pella VL's and Grandma Great came to Ankeny. It was such a nice day that we spent some of it outside! Trigg and Toby loved chillin in the grass while the bigger kids had an early Easter egg hunt!
We also made bunny bait...this stuff is awesome! Heather found the recipe via pinterest from this blog, it is really easy to make and really good.

With all the nice weather, we have been going for lots of walks! Trigg seems to enjoy being outside, so everyone wins

Tummy time with Dad!

Heather hosted a bridal shower Monday night, so we took a shot at making tissue paper poms. I think they turned out pretty good (thanks Martha Stewart)!

During the bridal shower, I took Riley and Trigg and we headed outside for a long walk...Trigg was sound asleep by the time we made it back home!

This warm weather is making everything bloom! Our hostas are out...

...and so are the squirrels. We have an on going war with the squirrels and I have had enough, so I put out this warning to the squirrels...stop eating my gutter toppers and nesting in my gutter!

Our lilac bush is blooming too!

...and our neighbors red bud tree looks awesome right now!

I don't think there is much better than a happy baby in jammies!

...and we ended the week on a high note, Trigg sitting up on his own!

We got more rain last night and with temperatures in the 80's this weekend I am sure more plants will be in bloom. I need to get the lawn mower out and cut the grass already!

Gungor

Friday evening, Heather and I went to Gungor at Hoyt Sherman Auditorium...and it was Awesome! Rob and Erin came down from Orange City to go to the Need to Breathe concert in Ames Saturday night, so we got them tickets for Rob's birthday and they joined us!
The Brilliance opened for Gungor and they were in fact brilliant! I will be adding them to my collection of favorite artists.

Then Gungor performed...mainly songs from their new cd, Ghost Upon the Earth with a few favorites from Beautiful Things.

The range of instruments played was incredible...just to name a few, there were 2 cellos, violin, piano, bass guitar, full drum kit, electric guitar (several), acoustic guitar (several), classical guitar (several), banjo, mandolin, flute, glockenspiel, a piano accordion thing, a turntable, several computers and a big bass drum with a pirate ship on it! All the musicians played multiple instruments and it was fun to watch musicians play with as such passion and joy!

I found this post on their website, Michael Gungor talks about the new album...it's a pretty good read and insight into Ghost Upon the Earth.
All in all, it was a great show. Super fun to watch and be a part of! Be sure to check out Gungor and The Brilliance, you won't be disappointed!

Here is a video of Gungor performing at the Relevant Studios...just a small sample of the awesomeness!

Week in Review

With temperatures still unseasonably high, we kept rockin out the shorts and short sleeves! Trigg was pretty jazzed about his sweet outfit and wearing his shoes without socks!
With these warm temps we have gotten several pop up thunderstorms...this one brought down a dead branch from one of our big oak trees and gouged it into the yard...yikes!

Riley took full advantage of the sun!

Trigg got a new hat to help with the sun...ready to roll!

Long walks on warm days make for a sleepy boy!

Riley's friend Coco is hanging out with us for part of the week and the weekend.

We also played with our barn yard friends this week: piggy, cow, chicken and duck!

Trigg still loves his bumbo seat, he can see what's going on!

Playing outside and chasing after two dogs makes for a tired boy at the end of the day! He fell asleep on mom's shoulder!

That pretty much sums up our week. Tonight is the Gungor concert at Hoyt Sherman (so excited!)

Book Review: Sacred Acre

We both just finished reading Sacred Acre: The Ed Thomas Story by Mark Tabb with The Ed Thomas Family, what a great book!
This is a book about a man's faith in God and how he passed those values to his family, to his friends, to the players he coached and to the community that he lived in.
The book goes through the tragedy of the F-5 tornado that ripped through Parkersburg and how the town rallied behind their beloved football coach Ed Thomas and rebuilt the town and football field. There were lots of obstacles and plenty of hurdles to overcome but with the help of neighbors, friends and even strangers, the town was able to rebuild and the football field was ready for the teams first home game that fall!
From one tragedy to another, the book talks about how the family processed and was able to forgive after Ed Thomas was killed by a former player. What could have been devastating tragedy, God used to bring a community together. The family shares their thoughts and prayers as they processed what had happened and how they were going to move forward.
This book was very well written and once I started reading, it was hard to put it down! I would highly recommend this book.

Week in Review

Here is a recap of our week (hopefully a weekly update...but time will tell)
Last weekend, we headed down to Indianola for my dads birthday. My Grandpa Lew and Aunt Susan came over from Omaha. Here is Grandma Keri, Great-Grandpa Lew, Morgan, Piper and Trigg!

Trigg and the birthday boy!With the weather being in the upper 70's and low 80's...it was time to grill! Using the Tupperware burger plunger, I can make the perfect patties!

...and they grill up nicely!

Dinner on the deck!

Something crazy is going on with gravity right now...I heard this on the Relevant Podcast and had to try...sure enough, I was able to balance an egg on end!

With the nice weather, we have gone on a lot of walks! Trigg is able to sit in his stroller without using the car seat! What a dude!

More dinners on the deck!

Trigg loves being outside.

Trigg rockin out his shorts and guitar shirt!

Trigg and I decked out in green for St. Patrick's Day!

...that sum's up our week. With the great weather we have been outside a lot, enjoying the weather, getting the yard ready for spring!

5 Months!

Trigg hit 5 months old! He is sitting up with the help of the Boppy pillow!

He's pretty mellow most of the time, taking it all in...

He likes to try and stand on his own!...and he has his first tooth coming in!

What a dude!

It seems like he is changing everyday! He is full of laughs and smiles and he makes us laugh everyday too! We sure love this little guy!

Trigg's Latest

Here are a few pics of the little man and all the fun we have been up to!
Rockin out the jean jumper!
...grab a hold!

And there is a little tooth starting to work its way through...Trigg pulls his lower lip in, I think to feel his new tooth.

...he even smiles with that lower lip tucked in!

Trigg has started to notice Riley more and more...they got into a staring competition the other day...Trigg won!

What a dude!

Valentines Fun

This year for Valentines day, Trigg helped out with some projects. Heather and Trigg made some goodie bags to deliver to our friends. We found out with some Christmas projects we tried to make that using hand paint doesn't work great with a 3 month old. So we used toe-prints to make these little "love bugs"!
Then Trigg asked for my help to make a valentine card for mom! Again, we used foot prints instead of hand prints...easier with a squirmy 4 month old.

...then I got a surprise from Trigg and Mom. Trigg, what are you looking at on the ceiling?...

Balloons! And each balloon had a tag from Trigg or Heather about what they love about me!

Trigg really liked pulling on the strings of the balloons...we had lots of fun!

Thanks to pinterest.com for these valentines ideas! Thanks to Heather and Trigg for making this a fun valentines day!