Tuesday, December 18, 2007

I know I know….. NO EXCUSES!!!

Ok maybe just a few…. I know I have been a bad blogger but not having internet for 3 whole months really can get you off a blogging routine. I’ll call it a sabbatical and I shall be a better blogger from hence forth. ( or something like that?)

Well to say a lot has happened since July 27th would be an understatement. I will try and recap the last 4.5 months in as little time as possible but try and hit all the key things.

We moved away from our life in DC and moved back home to Arkansas. The adjustment was harder on me than I thought it would be. I knew this is where we needed to be and had wanted to be closer to family for a while but so much changed so quickly. Richards job in which he travels some was a big change, we had really grown to love the area we were in up there and we loved our friends up there like family, and Finley was changing so much. We also moved into a rent house that was a little depressing with no internet (could not get it in the area at all!!!) and not in the best neighborhood at first so that didn’t help either. So I spent a lot of time in Searcy with my parents while Richard was on the road which was another excuse for not blogging.

Things started to change though when we found our house…. or should I say home. We were planning on building and had even met with a builder a couple of times when a great house came open in a great neighborhood in our price range. We thought it was too good to be true and when we went to look at it the owners were actually a couple we knew from college. I knew it was our “home” when I first walked through the front doors. So we made an offer and they accepted later that week. Richard’s job started to settle to where he worked from home most of the time. And we began to meet new friends and found a church that we felt like we could plant our lives.

Finley changes more and more everyday. She is so much fun and is really starting to show personality. She is now almost 9 months and is crawling at lightning speed and pulling up on everything that will stay still. She has even began standing up and balancing on her own. She is talking all the time and I think she will not have a problem giving her opinion to anyone.

Her new favorite things to do are:
  • Ride her car while her daddy pushes her,
  • Ride in a shopping cart like a big girl and see how many people she can get to look and smile at her
  • Put anything and everything in her mouth
  • Stand at the window and look outside
  • Dance, dance, dance,
  • Take long baths and splash a lot
  • Look at the Christmas tree and wave at it
  • Have her daddy mock what she is doing
  • Play peek a boo
  • Have you chase after her
Some of her not so favorite things:
  • Being told no
  • Taking medicine
  • Getting into her carseat
  • Not getting your full attention
  • Getting her nose wiped

God is good and we see that his timing is perfect. We love being back near family and getting to have “date nights” again. We love that when people say bad traffic down here we know we can handle it. We love the slower pace and the friendliness of the south once again. I can honestly say that enjoy going to Wal-mart supercenters as well… most of the time. It’s good to be home!!

Here are a few photos from the last 4 months.




Friday, July 27, 2007

PACKING UP

The end is quickly approaching and we decided to get Finley in on the fun! She makes everything more fun... even packing!!!




"HEY....Are ya'll planning on packing me too?"


Some of Daddy's friends from work gave me this t-shirt. Mom and I don't really understand it but daddy sure thinks it's funny. Must be geek humor!!

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Not only is it Finley's 4-month Birthday but......
1 month

2 month

3 month

4 month

She can sit up... but staying up is the problem

Exactly one year ago today Richard and I found out that we were going to have Miss Finley Grace. Oh yes, a day that will live in infamy..... July 19th 2006.

For those who don't know the story, Richard and I were not trying to get pregnant, so needless to say we were in complete shock! I bought a pregnancy test at the drug store when I was there picking up a prescription and came home and took it for peace of mind- (this was not an unusual thing at our house because I am a worrier ;-)) So when the double line showed up I rubbed my eyes immediately and looked again.... still same result. So I called for Richard to come upstairs for a sec- "I'll be up in a few minutes... I'm in the middle of something" I thought to myself... "oh, you have no idea!!!"

So with tears in my eyes I came down the stairs, stopped halfway, sat down, and buried my head in my hands. Somehow I managed to get out.... "We're Pregnant??!?!?!" and I don't even know if Richard knew I was there as he was so buried in his work. I think it took a good 10 seconds for him to put it in the buffer and then a very delayed "say what???" came out and I don't think that deer in the headlights left his face for most of the next 9 months.

But oh what a blessing these last 4 months have been. I fall more and more in love with Finley and Richard every day. There is just something about seeing the man you love get on the floor and blow spit bubbles with your child! She is such a good girl and we feel like we are the luckiest!!!

Sunday, July 15, 2007

My 2 NERDS





This weekend
by: Finley Grace Vanhook


I had so much fun hanging out with my mommy and daddy this weekend. Friday night we went and walked around and ate downtown. The weather was so nice and cool. On Saturday mommy and I got up real early... well actually I got up real early and made mom get up too, and we went downstairs and ate breakfast and played. Then we took daddy his coffee in bed and made him get up too. Later that day mommy and daddy kept putting all our stuff in these big boxes??? I don't know why they are doing that cause I really liked where everything was. Oh well, then Sunday we got up and went and ate brunch with Uncle MJ and Aunt Kelly. It was so much fun watching everyone else eat while I only get a stinkin bottle... NOT!!!! Now mommy and daddy are upstairs taking naps before we go to church so I thought I would sneak downstairs to jot down my thoughts ..... I think daddy might get mad if he knew i was munching on this bottle over his new IBOOK. I know my secret is safe with ya'll- shhhhhh! I hope everyone else had a great weekend too.

Sunday, July 08, 2007

Moving Home

ARKANSAS OR BUST

Hey Ya'll!

GO HOGS GO!!!
(yes she has very good balance...unlike her mother!)


Well, the time has come for us to leave our metro DC life and move to a slower pace!

About 2 1/2 years ago Richard and I, on a whem, just decided we wanted to move away for a bit while we still didn't have kids. He found a job in DC so here we came, us 2, our dog Oliver, and a giant U-haul filled to the max ready to quickly fill up our tiny apartment. It has been a great adventure and we will never regret the time we have spent up here.

We will be leaving much different people than when we came... we are now a mommy and daddy and we have a much greater responsibility than our wants and needs.So many wonderful memories have been made in just the short time we have spent here.This place will always be special... afterall it is the birthplace of our baby girl and the first place we were a complete family!

Although we are excited to move back home and we know it's time, it will be hard to leave the great friends and relationships we have made up here. The Lord placed these people in our lives for a reason and we are so grateful.
Now for a kinda new adventure..... back to the land of sweet tea, southern accents, SONIC, and 10:00 news!!!

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Take me out to the ballgame.....

Thursday night we went to see the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. We went with 2 of our good couple friends who just happen to be from New York and huge Yankee fans. We had so much fun and Finley Grace was such a good girl. She loves being outside and was really into the TV screen we had above our seats. Here are a few pics from the evening.....

I'm ready to go!!


Derek Jeter


Brandy, me and a sleepy girl


Leaving the park


Doesn't dad look cute with the pink diaper bag??


Veiw from the seats

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Our little girl is growing....

3 Months
2 Months
1 Month



Sunday, June 10, 2007

Happy Weekend!

We hope that all of you had as good of a weekend as we did. We laid low and went to eat at our favorite restaurant in downtown. Finley was a doll!! We had a little photo shoot before we went and here are some of the pics. She was trying to show you her gummy grin!!




Recent Videos

Yes we know to the naked eye these videos are extremely boring and uninteresting; however to grandparents, aunts, uncles, and anyone else who cares this is entertainment!!
(Oh and please excuse the highly obnoxious baby voice I am using in these videos..... one day everyone with children will understand!)



The one-sided conversation:


Finley in her BUMBO:


Happy Girl: