What's In Your Spiritual Beach Bag?

I enjoyed this devotional today. Especially with the Beach/summer season upon us. Just a great reminder to take Jesus along with you.

What's In Your Spiritual Beach Bag?

Gardening

I know, you're asking yourself why is she showing me these seatless chairs? Well, the answer is because I happened to watch an episode of DIY gardening and saw that they went to an old flea market to make a planter out of old chairs. So I wrote all the directions down and hid the paper in my filing drawer. Well, one day last summer fall, the house on the corner finally sold and out in the front yard next to the mailbox were these two old rusty chairs. I can't tell you how excited I was. I went home and sent Dean down to ask if they were tossing them. She said "yeah, they were in their pool when they bought the house." So Dean brought them home and they've been sitting on the patio ever since. They were really rusty and in need of some help. So we sanded off the rust and then Dean painted them black with some rustolium.

Next, we got some chicken wire and made a basket and tied it down with some zip ties.

Then we got some tin snips and cut the chicken wire.

We then put in the coco liner.

Added some potting soil.

Put in some plants

And stuck them out in the flower garden for now. I'll keep you posted as to how they're doing. But for now they look pretty darn good. You could use some old wooden chairs too. I just thought it was a cool idea.

Happy 2nd Birthday Covie!!

Ashley has a friend from work that makes cakes as a side business. Every birthday I can't wait to see what she's done. Not only do they look good, but they taste amazing!!

Covie blowing out his #2 candle. He actually didn't blow it out because he was so gentle with his blows, but Ashley helped after the 4th time. LOL Such a big boy! He said "Yay Covie!!" after they went out.

Cheese Gram!!! Our big 2 year old. Such a sweet, kind, loving little boy.

Cousin Riley made an appearance at the party. This is what he thought of the ordeal. LOL He was only a week old, so we'll give him a break for sleeping.

Aunt Sammi and Eden Rae. Eden loves her Sammi. This is one of Ashley's best friends and Eden can't get enough Sammi time.

Travis and Uncle Klint were there too. They were watching the birthday boy open presents.

Cousin Evan, Grandpa and Uncle Aaron were there too. Evan had a lot of fun with the bubble machine. He liked trying to pop the bubbles. He had another party to attend after Covie's. What a busy boy.

Crazy Aunt Kelly out and about after having her C-section was there. She was in a lot of pain the next day. So she got to spend Mother's Day in bed. LOL Maybe that was the plan? hmmmmmm....

Ashley and her baby boy.

Covie wanted to swing lots and lots after opening the presents. He loves to swing with his Papa.

Mother's Day pic of Covie playing with all of his presents in his room. What a lucky little boy to have such good friends and family. We are blessed to have another year with this beautiful little man. So sweet is he. We thank God everyday for you Covie!!

One Week Old, Riley's doing GREAT!!

Mr. Riley Matthew LaFollette, 1 week old. I finally got a great picture with his eyes open. What a cutie pie. Were all the other kids really that small? And I know he's not that small, but for us he's tiny. LOL

The proud Grannie and Papa with the newest LaFollette. I just have to say it doesn't get any better than this.

Truly a gift from God. We're excited to say that Riley will be dedicated to the Lord on Mother's Day. I can't wait.

Aaron, Oma, and her new Great Grandson. She was excited to get to see and hold him. We were all celebrating her 69th birthday since she was in the hospital on her special day. So I told her this is a pretty great birthday gift.

Riley Matthew getting ready to go to his very first doctors appointment. Such a sweet boy.

Cousin Eden was so excited to get to meet Riley. She's been waiting for him.

BIG Brother Evan loves his little brother Riley. He's very gentle with him.

Aaron, Evan and Riley together. Kelly's 3 boys.

Here's the family. Kelly, Riley, Evan and Aaron. What a beautiful family.

Uncle Travis and Eden meeting Riley.

Uncle Adam getting to hold Riley in the NICU once he finally got off all the tubes. That's one proud uncle. He didn't get to do this with the rest of the kids because he was always away at college.

Papa holding Evan Joseph. He even changed a diaper and he's proud of it. I think I'll mark this day down in a book. : )

Auntie Ashley holding her new nephew. She bought him the monkey outfit. How sweet.

Kelly finally getting to hold Riley. He was 2 days old before she could hold him. Praising God for taking such good care of our little man. He took the fluid out of his lungs and helped him to be able to breath on his own. Our God is an AWESOME GOD!! We praise you because Riley is fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, we know that full well. All the days ordained for him were written in your book before any of them came to be. How precious are Your thoughts O' God.

Aaron and his baby boy. He's not proud. And he looks just like his Grannie, daddy and brother Evan. : ) Sorry Kel, the LaFollette's have STRONG Genes.

Mr. Riley Matthew LaFollette. Precious little boy. Long fingers, long skinny feet.

Introducing Riley Matthew LaFollette

Well, Riley Matthew LaFollette was born on April 27, 2011. He weighed in at 8 lbs. 7 oz, and s 20 1/2 " long. Mother and Father are doing well. Little Riley came 3 weeks early and is having a little trouble breathing on his own. He has some fluid on his lungs, so he's in the NICU for a couple of days. But he is a healthy baby boy. I can't even imagine poor Kelly going another 3 weeks when he was so big. Poor girl.

I had to wash up, and robe up to be able to go in and see Riley. They had him on 100% oxygen when he first went in, but when Dean went in he was on 55% and when I went in around 9:30 pm he was at 38% oxygen. So he is improving. They hope to have him out of th tent by today 4/28 and hopefully will start him on breast milk soon. They said once they get him out of the tent he'll be able to have his first bath.

What a sweet little man. I have to say he's pretty perfect.

Poor Riley in his little incubator/oxygen tent. Father God, watch over this sweet little man child. Lord, help him to breath on his own and not to have any difficulties growing up with his lungs. Father we thank you for this wonderful blessing.

His little feet on his live birth certificate.

So cute!!! I counted 10 total!

He grabbed Aaron's finger with such a strong grip. What a sweet baby boy. Thank you God!!!

Evan's last day as an Only Child

Evan's been hanging out with Papa and Grannie while his mommy is in the hospital. This is his last picture taken before he was officially a BIG BROTHER. The cousins are showing their love. Eden, Jullian, Evan and Covie.

Breakfast time with Grandma. All our beautiful blessings in one spot, at one table. Cove was too busy eating to look at the camera.

Evan loves to go driving around the backyard with Eden. She's a good cousin. So loving and patient.

This would be an official car hi-jacking. Cove got in the car, put his foot on the gas and took off. The only problem, he doesn't steer. LOL Poor Dean was chasing him all around the yard.

That's our precious Evan waiting for the news that he has a baby brother.

We tuckered the poor little guy out. Sleeping on Grams floor after a hard day of play with the cousins.

WE'RE ON RILEY WATCH!!

Last Wednesday, April 20th, Kelly went to her pre-natal check up and they sent her to the hospital immediately because her blood pressure was way too high and she was too swollen. Well, they said she had to do the 24 hr. urine/protein test to check for pre-eclampsia. Well, at 2:00 on Thursday, Kelly was preparing her bag to go home when the nurse came in and told her she would be spending the week with them because her protein levels were out the roof and she definitely had preeclampsia. She is currently 36 weeks, so they will be waiting until Wednesday, April 27th to do a c-section and bring Riley Matthew into the world at 1:00 pm. So please pray for Kelly and Riley and the doctors as they continue to monitor both of them.
We can't wait to be the grandparents to our 5th Grandchild!!!