New Adventures & Advent

Well, it has been way too long since I have updated my blog. To make a long story short - I went to try to update it and couldn't! I wasn't able to sign in and no longer have my email address that I used with that blog. So frustrating! So, in the meantime, I thought I would start a new blog with my new email. This blog is mostly for myself to update on Ethan and our family.

Now that we are in Florida we have had a lot of new adventures. Being a stay at home Mom has been an adventure in itself as I try to find ways to keep us busy! We are really missing family and friends (I am especially having a hard time being away from Grandma and Papa) but we are trying to make the best of it. We are happy to be back together as a family and Ethan is loving having his Dada back. We are also looking forward to our time with family at Christmas! Can't WAIT!

We have already had fun going to the Children's Museum, St. Petersburg beaches, Treasure Island, hockey games, Sesame Street Live, and lots of parks. I have met some Mom's through MOPS and a bible study I have been doing. They have been a God-send! I have been trying to keep busy everyday.

 This was our Thanksgiving - it was my first Thanksgiving without extended family. Kind of sad - but still enjoyed making dinner for the three of us.

We have been on the search for a church that will meet our families needs and also a preschool. I am happy to say that we have found a preschool that seems great - Ethan is starting next week! The preschool is in a community called Fishhawk Ranch. Now that we are here and getting settled I am realizing that I wish we were living in that community! It is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. All within the community they have everything you could imagine - parks, parks, parks, hiking/biking trails, stores, fitness center, sprinker park, 2 preschools, 2 elementary schools, and tons more. It seems like it would be a fun place to live. As for now, we will drive 20 minutes to take Ethan to school there. It is worth the drive, though.

Now that I am a stay at home Mom I am enjoying doing some different things with Ethan. Since we are in the month of December we have been doing advent activities each day. I ordered a e-book called Truth in Tinsel and it has provided all the amazing ideas. Every morning Ethan looks forward to pulling out the clue card from his advent calendar. (Thanks Grandma Royer)

We then read a bible story that goes with the card. So, we have been taking about baby Jesus, Mary, Elizabeth, the angel, etc.

After the story Ethan has some sort of paper ornament to make that goes with the story. Ethan loves this part! He was lucky to have a special friend here the first two days to do his art project with!

Here they are working on their candle ornaments. "Jesus is the Light of the World!"

 On day 2 we talked about Jesus being a King. So, they made crowns!

I thought I would treat this two like KINGS on this day...so we went to Burger King. :)

Day 3 we talked about how an angel came and told Zachariah his wife Elizabeth was going to have a baby. He didn't believe the angel so God made it so he couldn't talk! The button on his mouth shows us that his lips were buttoned! ;o)

Day 4 we made the angel - Gabriel

On this day we were making paper dolls of Mary and Elizabeth

I also took all of Ethan's Christmas books and wrapped them. Every morning we have been opening a book. So much fun! Ethan loves it and gets excited every morning!

Ethan sure has been spoiled by all of this fun! 

I love spending my days with this sweet boy. He is so fun and full of joy! He makes us laugh all of the time. He wakes up happy and is always saying the funniest things. He also has his moments of total whining. Those times drive me crazy! 

The other day James asked Ethan where milk came from and Ethan said Cows. Then James asked where Chocolate Milk comes from and he thought for a minute and said....McDonalds!? We thought that was pretty cute. 

When Ethan talks his facial expressions and gestures are hilarious. He gets the funniest looks on his face while he is talking. 

He has turned into a little artist. He loves to draw and color. He also surprised me one day and made a ETH all by himself! We bought him an easel at IKEA and he uses it every day. 

He has finally mastered peeing standing up and is quite proud of himself. Sometimes this can get messy and a few times we had pee on all four walls of our bathroom! ha ha 

He is also getting more coordinated. He is becoming good at his balance bike and can go pretty fast now. We have to speed walk to keep up with him. He has also been enjoying some more athletic things like kicking the ball and shooting his basketball. 

That's it for now - I need to put the boy to bed! More updates to come!