Holding Hands and Honoring Great-Grandaddy

I think that this is my favorite picture from our recent trip to Kentucky. We went to celebrate the life of Austin's great grandfather, James William Quesenberry.



After the graveside service, we were walking back up to the precious country church for lunch in the fellowship hall. (We are Baptist afterall!) As we walked, one of Austin's cousins grabbed his hand. What a precious moment.

Austin loved spending time on great-grandaddy's farm, watching animals, riding tractors, and listening to "Mr. Mike" talk about tobacco farming. Mr. Mike was a dear friend of great-grandaddy's and still works the farm. A few days ago, we were singing "Old MacDonald had a Farm" in the car on the way to school. Austin said, "Mom, you know what?" "Old MacDonald doesn't really have a farm, but Mr. Mike does!" Great memory, Austin, and Mr. Mike would be pleased to know what an impression farming made on your life at three.

But even more than Mr. Mike, your great-grandaddy would be so proud of you, Austin. He was a man after God's own heart, and I am so proud of the legacy he left you!

Practicing



Photography



with my



Precocious Prince

"The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever." Isaiah 40:8

Happy Birthday, James!

For James' birthday, Austin and I surprised him with a trip to the Gaylord Texan - a quick twenty minute drive from our house - but a world away in terms of vacation.


Austin, James, and the ever present Starbucks coffee



Austin and I out in the vineyard at the Gaylord Texan.



James showing Austin the indoor train display at the hotel.

Out of Town and Sleeping In...

I whisked James away for a birthday surprise...

Pictures to come soon. We are having so much fun!

Don't Worry, he tells me...

Pink Eye! My little one has pink eye (in both eyes)! Don't let me worry you, however, he is feeling just fine. This morning shortly after waking up at 7:00 am, Austin looked at me and said,

"Mom, this is a great book. Can you read me this great book?"

Austin, Mommy is still a little tired, let me read it to you in just a little bit, okay?

"Don't worry, mom, I'll just ask Dad to read it. Dad is a really good reader. Did you know that he knows how to read?"

-----

A few hours later, I was working on end of the year scrapbooks for the children in my class. Austin grabbed my box of glue sticks.

"Mom, he said, I just need to play with these for just a little while."

Austin, I need for you to wait just a minute so I can get you paper and something to glue.

"Don't worry, mom, I am going to be real gentle."
"
Trust me, Austin, it is not the gentle that I worry about. It is wondering how many spider man fruit snacks are going to be glued to my coffee table.

-----

And just a few minutes ago, I was trying to clean my shower. Austin bounded in and cheerily asked,

Mom, can I help you?

Sure, buddy, but let me... and as I turned around I saw it. Austin was is covered in black sharpie marker. I mean covered. Even the bottom of his feet are colored a dark black.

My voice was loud! Austin, what did you do?

Oh, mom, Don't Worry!

Cooking and Cars

It has been a busy week. In the midst of the regular (teaching, cleaning, cooking dinner, etc.) I have also been trying to work on end of the year scrapbooks for the children in my class, prepare for a prayer conference, and we just got back from Kentucky!

So here are just some recent snapshots of our life right now:

Austin helping me make dinner!



Making new window treatments for our kitchen



(fabric and a staple gun!)

and now... getting our car repaired



How in the world does this happen to a car?

We are so thankful that we are all safe:)

In Honor and Memory...

This morning, my husband's grandfather, James Quesenberry, passed away at the age of 92. He has left behind a legacy of Godliness for all of his children and grandchildren.


Four Generations of Quesenberry Men: James Quesenberry, Kenneth Hayes Quesenberry, James Kenneth Quesenberry, and Austin James Quesenberry


I will never forget the first time I met "Pop." James and I were newlyweds when we made our first trip to Kentucky to visit the Quesenberry Farm. Pop welcomed me into his home immediately like his own granddaughter. With his endless charm and quiet spirit, he proudly showed me his home and farmland.



For lunch, we gathered in the family kitchen for good 'ole Kentucky barbeque. Pop bowed his head to pray, and I was overwhelmed with the way he came before God in thankfulness and need. During the meal, I was mesmerized by stories of life as he knew it as a young boy and man. I was especially drawn to his wit and easy laugh.

I walked through the 100 year old farm house and was drawn to family photos mixed throughout the antiques of his home. A quick tour of his home left little doubt that he was extremely proud of his son, Ken, and his two grandchildren, James and Kendra.

Before long, the phone started ringing and porch door started swinging as family and friends dropped by to say hello. Truly, Pop was a man of great kindness to all he met. I had only been in his home for a few hours, and I already loved him.

I have only been in the Quesenberry clan for five years, but I am honored by the time that I got to spend with my new grandfather. Truly Austin has a rich heritage in both name and legacy!

Pop, you will be greatly missed.

Tuesday.

Why the party hats?



Why not?



It is a Tuesday, after all...

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day! I am so thankful for such a wonderful legacy of mothers and grandmothers in my life. I am so grateful for each of you!

Those Precious Feet

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119



Today, I pray that Austin would fall in love with your Word. I ask that the Bible would truly be the guide by which Austin will live his life. May we follow you more closely each and every day, Lord.

Living... the room.

This week, I decided to join Kelly's Party:



I have to give you the before and afters to truly make this story complete.

This is a picture of our living room before:

It is the only picture that I have pre-ownership. Sorry for the bad lighting.



The living room was nice, but it just wasn't my style... so...



I pulled up all the carpet and started to paint the walls a new shade of yellow!



Here is my living room now. Ignore the pinkish pillows, my mom and I were experimenting. To fully understand my mom's influence on my home, please read this post about my kitchen and my $9 curtains! I love my living room, and it is definitely where we spend the majority of our time.



However, I think that the favorite part of my living room is the view...



We live in Texas, folks. You need a view of the cows!

As pretty as...

Lately, Austin and I have been working lots of puzzles!



I love to watch him as he works. He takes his puzzles very seriously. He reminds me a lot of myself - diligent but easily frustrated when he can't get the pieces together just right. Sometimes you just have to ask for help, I tell him.

That is how I have felt about my blog lately. I have been playing with html and just couldn't get it right. Sometimes you just have to ask for help! I am so glad that I did. Thank you so much to Kelly for creating a beautiful blog background for me.

As Austin finished this puzzle yesterday, he looked at me and said, "I love this puzzle. Do you know why?

Why Austin?

Look how happy my trains are?



That's how I feel about my new blog - so happy!

------

Side note: Today at school, Austin filled out a questionnaire about his mommy. He had to answer the following question. Your mom is as pretty as _______________

Do you want to know his answer?

An Elephant. He said, My mom is as pretty as an elephant!

Considering that elephants are currently his favorite animal, I am going to take it as a compliment and then go work out later today.

By the way, Kelly, I think that my blog is as pretty as... an elephant, too! At my house that is a high compliment!

Song and Dance Required

Potty training is in full swing at my house and it is going really well. Austin is really doing a good job letting us know when he needs to go. We are still wearing diapers to run errands, to bed, and to preschool... but potty training has been a lot less complicated than I dreamed it would be. I think that the key is... waiting until your child is ready!

When Austin went on the potty for the first time, I stood up and did a little song and dance for him. Insert music and imagine me dancing around the bathroom...

"Austin went pee-pee on the potty!
Austin went pee-pee on the potty!"

It goes something like that.

It has become something of a routine. He goes, I sing... etc.

Yesterday was day three of consistent potty trips. By the sixth round and nearing nap time, I was starting to lose my swagger.

Great job, Austin, I said as he stood up.

He just stared at me.

Excuse me mom, shouldn't you be singing?

He actually said that to me! When you talk like a thirty year old shouldn't you be potty trained?

Oh, I'm sorry my peeing prince. "Austin went pee-pee on the potty."





Dear future daughter-in-law,

I apologize in advance. He is currently my only child and I am a preschool teacher. What did you expect?

Sincerely,

Your future mother-in-law.

Comfort

During Austin's first few days of life, he didn't want anything to do with a pacifier. Instead, I think he wanted his first-time parents to truly understand how real the screams of a newborn can be! That boy could scream! Eventually, he began taking a pacifier, and I never looked back!



I love pacifiers, can I just tell you that? Whether it was just to soothe him before bed time or to keep him quiet on a flight to see the grandparents, the pacifier has been such a blessing to our lives.

When Austin turned 2 years old, we made a family decision. the paci would ONLY be allowed in the crib at bedtime. Most books and pediatricians recommend taking away the paci at 2 years old. However, I am a pretty laid back mom, and see no need to fix what isn't broken. My son sleeps for 10-12 hours a night, and if the paci helps him do that, then I will fill his crib! For the last year, he has known, as soon as he hits that pillow, he is allowed to have his pacifier.

With his three-year-old birthday approaching, however, I had to ask myself some difficult questions. Did he really need his paci or was mommy having a hard time letting go of the baby stage? I started preparing him.

Austin, three-year-olds don't use paci's.

Oh, they don't?

No, they don't. So on your three year old birthday, you won't use a paci anymore.

Okay, mom.

The first night without his beloved possession, Austin cried for a total of 3 minutes and then fell asleep. I think my questions were answered. Mom needed it more than he did.

However, yesterady Austin and I were sitting on the couch together when he asked.

Mom, am I two years old or three years old?

Austin, you are three now.

Oh, do three year olds use paci's?

No, sweetheart, three year olds don't use pacis.

Oh... long pause.... Mom?

Yes, sweetheart.

I think that I'm just feeling like a two year old right now.

My sweet boy, there are so many days when your mommy just feels like a two-year-old as well. I want to find comfort in so many things... many things that really only provide temporary comfort.

Tonight we prayed over you before we went to bed, just like we do every night. Tonight, however, we prayed that God would be your comfort. That you would fall asleep quickly without your paci and that you would know how much you are loved.

I think that I will pray the same prayer over myself, sweet boy. I will pray that your mommy would find comfort in Christ alone and that I would get new glimpses into how much I am loved!

I heart Faces

This week's theme is "Hats" over at I heart faces. If you haven't been there before, you must check out the wonderful photography and the beautiful faces entered every week.

As soon as I saw the theme for this week, I wanted to share one of my favorite pictures of Austin. Last February, I came down with the flu. While I was laying on the couch, I heard Austin rummaging through his daddy's closet and then the kitchen pantry. A few minutes later I had to take this picture. He had found his daddy's hat and plenty of chocolate!

This is my entry for the kids category:



Now, head on over to I heart faces and check out all the amazing pictures!

Ready for Orientation

Oh my goodness, is he not the cutest little thing that you ever did see?



Thank you so much to Aunt Kendra and Uncle Dave for sending this cute little sweater vest for Austin's birthday. He looks like he is ready to go off to college.

Although everyone keeps telling me not to worry, he won't go to college in diapers...

A Derby Kind of Day

Happy Derby Day! My husband and his family are all from Kentucky, so it is only fitting that I have the Derby on my mind today. Not so much for the horses, but definitely for the fashion. If I were at the derby today, I think that I would wear this little black dress from Banana Republic, and I think that I could definitely get away with this hat! What do you think?



However, since we are not going to the Derby today, I think that I will stay in my sweat pants.

Here are some sweet recent pictures of my precious three year old!!!

Smoke and Sprinkles

Almost two weeks!!! Again? I have probably lost all of my blogging friends due to my lack of posting. Well then... mom, I guess that this post is for you!

Things have been busy - deadlines, teaching, a trip to Florida, 3 year old birthday parties, potty training, and much more.

Here are some of my favorite moments from the past two weeks:

- yesterday Austin called his dad at work for the first time. When the secretary answered, I heard him say, "Can I please talk to my da-da?" What a precious moment!

- on Thursday, I asked Austin what he wanted for breakfast. A poptart, mum! was his reply. A poptart? I asked just to make sure that my ever constant indecisive three-year-old had not changed his mind. I need it, mom. They are just so sprinkly!

- for Austin's birthday last weekend, my mom and I took the boys (Austin and his cousin Andrew) to the Florida aquarium. We spent the entire morning looking at sharks, stingrays, alligators, and eerily green eels! At the entrance of one of the exhibits, the aquarium sends smoke coming down from the ceiling to make a grand entrance. This week at school, one of the teachers asked Austin what he did for his birthday. I got to see SMOKE! was his very excited reply.

Sorry, mom, after $60 of admission fees and battling Tampa traffic, my son only remembers that we took him to see smoke for his birthday. Next year, lets buy some dry ice and hang out in your backyard.

I have lots of pictures (on my mom's camera in Florida) and many more stories to tell. In the meantime, I hope that your day is filled with poptarts. After all, we all need a little more sprinkly in our lives, don't we?