Papa, pets and puzzles

Warning: Random Post Ahead!

In the last couple of days, Lincoln has been repeating actual phrases instead of just words. He is still picky about what he repeats but his favorites are "I did it", "bye bye da da" and "hello, papa." we caught this on video Saturday morning.

After this video we headed put to the local drive-through safari! It is 4 miles long and took us an hour to drive through it. We took Lincoln out of his car seat so he could get a better view. He loved it for about 30 minutes then got bored and started turning every knob on the radio and pushing the hazard lights on as well as the windshield wipers. It was hot out so some of the animals were hiding put in the shade. However, it was still lots of fun! It was mine and Cory's first time to go. My camera battery died as soon as we started so here are some pics from my phone.


















After we got done driving through we went to the petting zoo part but Lincoln just kept chasing the animals so we didn't stay there long!

This morning we went to Petsmart to walk around and look at all the animals. It was cheap, free and air-conditioned! I recommend it!



And lastly, I bought Lincoln his first puzzles this morning at Target. He was not near as impressed as I would have hoped but hopefully soon he will come around!





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Summer Days

Lincoln and I have been busy during these summer days!  We have been going to the park, the bounce place (once b/c it was pure craziness), the local aquatic center, the mall, and playing outside in the yard.  I have failed to take any pictures of those events because chasing a toddler keeps me 100% busy and I have no time to be taking pictures.  I did shoot these pictures the other day while lounging around our house in our PJ's.



By far his favorite book right now...From Head to Toe by Eric Carle



I think he is trying to do the itsy-bitsy spider or call the hogs...it all looks the same!

He loves for me to put a cape on him so he can run around like a super-hero

Self-Portrait

Sweetest.face.ever.

Papa and Gigi's

Last week we spent a few days at my parent's house.  My SIL and nieces were staying there while my brother and nephew were in Wyoming on a mission trip.  Also, a bonus is that my cousin Jordan flew into town to visit as well.  I loved seeing so many fun girls at one time!  For the most part we lounged around Papa and Gigi's house.  One day, we (Heather, my two oldest nieces, Jordan and myself) went to Wild River Country for a few hours!  It was overcast so we were actually able to stay about 4 hours. We rode some rides with the girls and really had a lot of fun.  The babies (Story and Lincoln) stayed at home with Gigi. 

Summer and Tilly had fun putting barrettes and rollers in Jordan's hair!

 And Tilly dressed up in her new chef outfit from Cory, Juie and Lincoln.

And Jordan also managed to sqeeze in some time with Lincoln too.  He really liked Jordan although the pictures might lead you to believe otherwise!

And we were also able to celebrate Gigi's big news on her new job!  She has been without a job for three months and accepted a position at a new company on Wednesday.  Congrats mom!!

taken with my iphone

We had a great visit and always look forward to seeing these faces again! 

And just for a side note, this was the first time I took Lincoln by myself  on a road trip!  The trip there was slightly rough but on the way home he slept about 2 of the 3 hours! 

There's an APP for that!

My friend Leslie recently blogged HERE about iPhone troubles/questions as well as apps she likes.  Also, a blog that I read (Living the High Life) talked about a new app that looks pretty cool HERE.  Both of these blogs inspired me.  I am the farthest thing from tech-savvy or know-it-all on mac's.  I am sure you MAC gurus will laugh at me and this post!  Ha.  Here are my random tips that I have learned from others over the past year since owning my iPhone. For those of you who are iPhone gurus then please teach me more new things for my iPhone!

1. Moving APPS.  If you hold your finger on any app for about 3-5 seconds then all the apps will start to jiggle.  This allows you to move the apps where you want them.  I have "foldered" all my apps by dragging one on top of the other and grouping the like ones together.  I love me some organization so this helps me to find things quickly and efficiently.  In order to make them stop jiggling, you just hit the home button (the actual button at the bottom of the phone).

2. Lock Screen during Phone Calls.  If you want to lock the phone while you are on it so you do not mistakenly hang up then hit the off button at the top once and it locks the screen while talking.

3. iPod Access.  While the phone is locked, doubled click the home button and it will bring up the iPod without having to open the phone, click on iPod, etc. 

4. Saving Blogs or other websites -- While you are in Safari, on a certain webpage (i.e. Your blog address), tap the + button at the bottom of the screen, then click add to home screen, title it and then click ADD.  This will put a picture link on your home page so you can go to that link by tapping on the icon. 

5. .Apps -- Here is a list of some of my favorite apps:

Pictures/Videos

• Instagram -- edit photos and share with friends (like a picture only facebook) (COST)
• Video Edit -- allows you to crop videos as well as put several videos together into one (COST)

Social/Life

• Pluggedin -- an app by Focus on the Family that reviews Movies, Videos, Music, TV and Games from a Christian standpoint (FREE)
• IMDb -- similar to Pluggedin app but gears their reviews more to mothers (FREE)
• Oh, Ranger -- helps locate state parks and outdoor things to do in your area (FREE)
• Pandora -- music (FREE)
• Google App -- my favorite feature on this is that you can speak to the app on what you are searching (FREE)
• Gas Buddy -- gives a list of local gas prices that are updated every several hours.  This is great for when you are traveling and looking for cheap gas prices (FREE)
• RedLaser -- scan barcode of products and it compares prices for the same product online and at local stores.  This is by far my FAVORITE app!  Walmart is great to price match off the app if you find it for cheaper on this app at a local store or if the app says Walmart has it cheaper than the store lists. (FREE)
• Blog Press -- this is also one of my favorite apps!  It allows you to blog from your phone.  It is worth the cost. (COST)

Weight Loss

• Lose It -- Weight loss app that allows you to log your food, log exercise and even add friends for a weight loss competition.  I used this app along with three other girls at work for our weight loss competition.  Under the food log you can also look up restaurant calories as well. (FREE)
• Dotti -- Have you ever been to Dotti's Weight Loss Zone the website?  This is her app and its great.  It cost but I got it on sale several months ago and have definitely gotten my money's worth. (COST)

Games

• Words with Friends -- great scrabble like game against either people you know or you can pick to play people you do not know (COST)
• Fruit Ninja -- fun game! (COST)

Baby/Kids

• Baby Piano -- I use the free version and Lincoln loves to play the piano on there (FREE)
• Baby Flash Cards -- cards with a picture and the word on them that allow you to flip through them (FREE)
• Talking Tom -- a cat that you talk to and it repeats you -- Lincoln gets a great laugh out of this (FREE)

 What are you iPhone tips?  Favorite Apps?

Lincoln Lately {17 months}

Lincoln is quickly going from baby to toddler.  He still only has one speed - FULL SPEED!  He is always on the move and rarely slows down except to eat and sleep.  He still loves to be right in the middle of the action and usually that means right next me since I am the only one at home with him most days.  Ha! He is becoming more talkative and trying to repeat more of the words and phrases we say everyday.  

Here are some pictures I took of him this morning:

Here is what he is up to these days:

• He weighs about 26.75 lbs. and I would guess about 32.5 inches tall.
• He wears mainly 18-24 month clothing and size 4 diapers
• He sleeps about 12 hours at night and one afternoon nap for about 2-3 hours
• He has been sleeping in till about 8:00 a.m. this summer. Wahoo!
• He still loves all food.  He is starting to get a little pickier but nothing major. His favorite foods are chicken, grapes, and cheese
• He is learning to eat with a utensil; it's a slow process but he loves to try
• He does not know how to sit down.  His longest time to sit to date is about 30 seconds.
• He still loves balls, yo-yos and anything on a string
• He also enjoys having books read to him.  When I sit down Indian style to read to him he walks over to me and backs himself into my lap to sit down while I read the book.  Love it.
• He loves to go outside and will go to the door, point to it and say "bye, bye?"
• He has about 20 pretty consistent words including some of these: mama, dada, hi, bye, uh-oh, no, hot, balloon, bubble, ball, bowl, elbow, Burney (Barney), more, baby (which I think he means his lovie) and ba (drink). Do you see a theme with the "B" words?  They must be his favorite!
• This past week he said his first phrase, "Bye, bye, daddy" It also sounds like he has said "Bye, bye, ya'll" on other occasions. 
• He has shown more interest in watching TV but will mainly only watch Barney for about 2 minutes and then run off to play
• He loves to tell inanimate objects "bye, bye" when he leaves any room
• He still calls me dada if you ask him who I am.  He can say mama and knows that is my name but he only calls me that on his terms and its usually when he is upset.
• His sign language has dropped off except for please, all-done and drink.
• He LOVES music.  It soothes him like nothing else can.  He likes for me to play music on my iPhone and he will hold the phone up to his ear and listen to the music for several minutes at a time. 

• He also loves to dance to all music. This week when we picked him up in the church nursery the worker said "This one here is a dancer!"
• His ideal situation would be Cory and I both sitting on the floor in his room with him while he plays
• He has an issue with biting others and hitting (lots of teachable moments are upon us)
• He knows several body parts: nose, ears, eyes, mouth, hands, feet and recently learned elbow
• He loves the book "From Head to Toe" by Eric Carl.  He can do almost all the movements in the book.
• He is not a climber and we are grateful.  I think he is too thick to be able to climb well plus he just prefers to run everywhere. 
• He loves to look at pictures of family members.
• He loves to randomly give hugs and kisses (or sugars as we call them)

This one here is a keeper!

Lake Fun on the Fourth

For the Fourth of July we spent the weekend at the lake with Cory's family.  It was Lincoln's first boat trip experience and he definitely LOVED it.  We had to watch him extra close because if we didn't he would have just jumped in the water without any fear.  It was lots of time in the car and lots of new fun people to play with which meant he his little schedule was thrown out the window. 

On a side note and something I want to remember...Lincoln also decided to continue his little habit of biting those who do not follow his way.  He is so sweet and a pleasure most of the time but I have discovered that when he is tired then the biting occurs.  It has helped that we have learned this and hopefully we can avoid anymore biting situations in the future.  Whew, it has stressed me out but it is such a small part of his behavior that hopefully soon we can move past this phase. 

Anyways, on to pictures.  I actually only took a couple of pictures but my SIL's sister is a photographer and took over a hundred pictures of the weekend.  So, I am stealing her pictures.  (Her name is Amanda Allen and if you live it the Dallas, TX area then you should call her to take your family pictures.  She does an amazing job.  Here is her facebook page.)

Ok, now that I have plugged her here are her pictures I stole of the weekend....
 

 Me, Mady and Lincoln on the boat

 Lincoln enjoying the boat ride

  

 Lincoln and Mady

 Cory and Lincoln enjoying the water

 

Lincoln after being dunked under the water

Mady and me hanging out in the water

 The babies playing the piano at Mimi's house

On Sunday, we went to Hot Springs to walk around. 

 

 Sweet sisters.

 Mady with her new shades and Lincoln with his wild and crazy hair.

 Uncle Cory holding Mady while pushing the stroller.  She really wanted to ride on the stroller like the babies.

We enjoyed a very Happy 4th and we hope you did too!

Beach Vaca: The End (finally)

Well our laptop has bit the dust but they were able to save all our data.  A flash drive with 16,000 pictures was given to me to sort through!  Fun times.  So I am finishing up this vacation post so I can get it off my to-do list.  If my pics were more orgnaized I would add more photos but this will have to do for now.

On Thursday, we enjoyed more pool and beach time.  My mom must have taken these pics of the kids before heading to the water. 

Friday was our last day :(  We went to the Splash Pad at the mall area.  We got there right at 10:00 when it opened which was before it got too busy.  To say that Lincoln loved it would be an understatement.  He had a ball.  I will let the pictures tell the story...

Telling all the passerbys "Hi"

Took a break to tell me he needed a cookie.

Made a friend

And then Carter shared his ICEE with Lincoln

Friday afternoon Heather and I again enjoyed some beach time.  While we were there a man caught this turtle.  All I had was my phone so here is a picture.  I sent it to my mom back at the house and she told me that this raccoon showed up on our porch!  Gross.  I would post a picture but I cannot find it amist the 6000 on my flash drive.  Just imagine it.  It was big.


Friday evening we took one last walk on the beach and I snapped these pics with my other lens. 

Thanks Mom and Dad for an AWESOME time!  We loved our time at the beach and cannot wait to return!!  We love you!