The Circus!

Erin was treated to a day with Her Baba and Papa Joe last Sunday and they took her to the circus for the first time. She seems to have quite enjoyed herself and has a new pet monkey she's named Sparkly! I actually haven't gotten that many details from her, which is odd, except that she liked it! These are a few pics of her special day!

My Longest Post Ever!!!!

Ever feel the need just to post because you want to, not because something outrageous has happened? I guess I'm just in a posting/writing mood. I haven't had much time to blog lately, and I've missed it. I really enjoy being able to sit and write about what's been going on and catch up on all of your outings too.

A couple of weeks ago I kicked my Mary Kay business back into gear, full gear! And though it's been a lot of work getting going and getting organized, I've really enjoyed the challenge. I started crying the other day for no reason, ever done that, and Joe was like what's wrong, I said, I'm just happy. I think I didn't realize a little part of me was missing, and now that it has been awakened, I'm very happy. I think as a stay at home mom, I've missed the feeling of accomplishment that comes along with a job and having tasks to complete. I knew that would be an issue with me when I decided to stay home and I know I accomplish quite a bit everyday - just look at all the diapers I've changed and noses I've wiped. But, it is a different sense of accomplishment, and I enjoy feeling it again. The Lord is blessing my efforts and I know I am in His will. I'm thankful Joe encouraged me to do this again and take a step of faith. I won a necklace for this month and the charm on it for February is Faith - I think that's a pretty good sign.

Okay - for those of you I haven't lost yet in this long blog, here's the good part for you. I just finished my Beth Moore study "Stepping Up" which was encouraging me to take my walk with the Lord to the next step. I learned quite a bit through the study, and couldn't begin to go into it all on here. However, our last assignment was to write a blessing to others in our small group. I did that, but I want to impart the same blessing to my blogging friends.

Friends, may the Lord grant you the opportunity to experience His peace that passes all understanding so that you may know that this kind of peace truly does exist and that you may never forget the time in your life when He granted it. May He bless you with the peace to face any hardship and to come out on the other side praising Him for it!

I've learned that even though we're Christians, things are going to happen, sometimes bad things. The way we prepare ourselves for those events will help us endure them and enable us to see God in them, and praise Him through them. You all know our story with Anna and this study gave me several opportunities to relive those days, and I praise God for what He taught me so that if I help one person go through a similar situation, I know it has served a purpose. God is good and He desires to bless us over and abundantly - you know what - He already has! And every time we Praise Him - He blesses us in return, He just can't help Himself. So take a little time to stop and Praise the Lord today!

A future in TV?

Erin got her 30 seconds of fame yesterday and it might have shown a glimpse into her future with a career in TV. The camera loves her! Not to mention that it would be fulfilling one of my dreams, to be a TV anchor woman! Anyways, WAVY TV was at church yesterday and Erin happened to attend Baba's Sunday School Class and that's the class they chose to interview. So here is a snipit from the news piece showing our little Erin.

Getting There

Well, Anna is getting there. She's been working really hard on sitting up independently. She kinda has a lean going on most of the time. She also has very strong ab muscles that she uses to propel herself back. It won't be long though before she can face the world from this new perspective.

Let me help you wash that hair sissy! Loving the new bath time in the big tub.
Here Fishy, Fishy - Don't move that fishbowl or down she goes.
Anna's future BFF Cassia came over to play while her mommy and daddy went to the circus with her sister.

Oh Erin

Okay - Couldn't let these 2 get by without a post. One of my big sayings with Erin is, "Do you understand?" I ask her that a lot, especially after correcting her behavior. Well, this morning she came downstairs and before we said anything to each other, she said, "I understand mommy, but can I have that purple lollipop?" I think she knew the answer before she asked, but wanted me to know how much she really wanted it.

Then, just now I went into the other room and she hopped up and handed me the brownie pictured below. Joe had brought it home from lunch and she has been eyeing it and apparently mouthing it too. She said, "Here mommy, I started it for you." Oh the temptations that lurk in the Maggiore household. Can't blame her with the brownie though - they are too good to resist.

Don't know where the missing saran wrap is - maybe in the tummy too!

The Great Wolf Lodge

Well, we did it! We took our family vacation from 2007 - only a few months into 2008. Our little family is big on vacations - we love them and look for every opportunity to steal a little time away from reality. Unfortunately 2007 had a few things going on and we weren't able to take a family vacation except to the Hospital, and we got a pretty cool souvineer. So, when Joe heard about a conference at the Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, we knew it was our chance! We left Tues. about 3:00 and returned Wed. at 3:00. How's that for a 24 hour road trip. I woke up Tues. to a stomach bug, but was able to mentally ward it off since I wasn't going to miss this trip. For those of you that don't know about this place, it's a hotel(resort) with an indoor waterpark, wave pool included. Check out all the stuff it has in the background of our pictures. Erin had a blast, Anna loved the water and slept like there was noone else in the room, Mommy made it without "losing" it, and Daddy was very relaxed.

Daddy and His Favorite Girls!

Look at the massive treehouse and waterslides in the back.

Daddy and his beautiful daughters! (Don't you love the matching swimsuits!)

Erin got to go to storytime at night in her jammies!

Erin is always a sucker for oversized, dressed up characters. This is Wiley Wolf. Erin and I went on the Wolf Walk to learn about wolves while Daddy was at his conference.

Just one last picture to show the cool entrance. A couple times a day, this "comes alive" and the animals and trees start talking.

We are very thankful the Lord allowed us to take a mini-vacation and spend some quality time as a family - just the four of us. But, next time, we want all of you to join us. Can you say Marriage Conference '08! (the kiddies have to come too though - it's so cool!)

And in this corner....

We have Anna Maggiore weighing in at a whopping 13 lbs 8 oz!

Anna went to the Dr. today for her 6 month checkup and all is well. She is holding steady in the 10th percentile for weight and 25th for height. Petite but Powerful!!! We had a great visit with our regular Dr. who feels Anna is doing very well! Her calcium levels also came back perfect so we are clear for no more meds. Hallelujah - Let's eat prunes, drink milk and be happy!