I LOVE THIS KID!!!!

We try every now and again to wear "big boy undies"
here are pictures from one of our attempts. He is wearing little boy boxers.
O' so cute...I just love his little bum...
DISCLAIMER: HE HAS NO INTEREST IN POTTY TRAINING AND I HAVE NO INTEREST IN CASING HIM TO GET IT DONE, JUST SAYIN! ALTHOUGH HE DOES POO IN THE POTTY MOST OF THE TIME...I'LL TAKE WHAT I CAN GET!!!!

HAPPY DAY!!!!!

A great surprise

A big boy bed, visit from my mom and Nic, a new hair cut and lots and lots of painting. That's what we have been doing. I wasn't expecting my mom. On the Sunday before Thanksgiving she was waiting in our driveway for us to wake up. That was a really GREAT surprise!!!!Reading books with gaga

Playing with Playdo

Eli's first night in his new bed

It's time for a big boy bed. The first few nights where a little tricky but in no time he stayed in his bed and hasn't fallen out once. It does sit low to the ground just in case he did it wouldn't be far!!

We took Eli for a trim/haircut and Justin wanted a full hair cut. So that's what he got.

I like the shaggy look. But he sure is cute like this too. Really he's always cute. The short cut makes his cheeks more lovable then they all ready are!!!

And if you look in the background of the picture above this one and the pic with my mom reading to Eli, the mantle is black....it started like this and we painted it black. We also painted all of the trim in the house white....and I love it. I was really nervous painting it for many reasons but it's done and I LOVE it!!!

That's us in a nut shell......I hope you find joy this week in the things you do.

Grace and Peace from the Metiva's!!!!!!!

reminiscing

A day at the children's museum. Josiah and Lynsey went with us and we had a blast. We painted, made bubbles, played in the kitchen and farmed the day, well 2 hours, away!!!

And this pic (below) is their attempt at mean faces/muscle flex......too funny how natural these things are for little boy's. He knew just what Justin was doing. Well, Eli's face isn't so mean, he's too cute to have a mean face!!!!

SOOO hard to believe that 3 years ago Eli was born.

2nd birthday

3rd birthday

What a difference. This year he used a fork to eat his cake rather then his fingers!!!
He has grown into a fine young boy. Not a baby anymore and really not a toddler.

Parker, one of the boys in the youth group, gets made when people call him a baby. It's really cute.

One last thing, FINALLY we have another appointment at Bethany next week to get the ball rolling again. Excited to see what God is going to do with this. Boy or Girl?????? Really ready for this next chapter.

Grace and Peace to you all!!!

The first day of school

Getting ready for the big day started with a bath and a lot of anticipation, from me not Eli. We had eggs for breakfast, then made our way to the classroom. Eli jumped right in and in true Eli fashion went straight for the kitchen set. Past the slide and the horse, past the blocks and tools and right to the stove.
Look out Emeril there is a new chef in town!!!! One could only dream, right!!!


Sharing hugs before we go





























Exploring the classroom (after the kitchen)

















Getting to play for a little while

Taking a trip around the block on the bus to see what it is like before the big trip tomorrow

A lunch date to Panera Bread after our visit. A glimpse into the future, this is the way he looks when he gets off of the bus each day.











1 week and 1 day we are still trying to build a new routine. Day by day it gets better.

Grace and peace

cOlOrAdO

Road trip

We made it, 22 and 1/2 hours later, we have arrived in Colorado. My mom had a fabulous dinner waiting for us when we pulled in. We relaxed for a bit, catching up, before we heading to bed. Everyone slept really well the first night here to make-up for the lack of sleep while traveling.

The next morning my brother told me that our cousins from
Austin were in Vail for a wedding. So they drove to Gypsum for a little visit. We hung out at the park for a bit to let the kids run around and play for a bit. Then it was time for them to head back to feed the kiddo's and get a nap in.

Next it was time for some ice cream.
We went to Eagle to an ice cream social. Then a little stroll through town and that's when the call came in, the the horse was ready for us. A friend of Marks has a few horses and offered to let us come ride a bit.

Eli had fun, he really loves the horses. The girls all took a turn and I was able to lead the horse around while Anna road. As she was getting off the horse my foot got in the way and the horse stepped on my toe. It kind of REALLY hurt. But thankfully my toe came out with just a scratch.

Well, it's a new day and it's raining. So we are going to head south to find the sun and maybe hike a volcano on the way back to Gypsum.

Grace and peace to you. talk soon!!!!

Summer is almost here

I am so excited....boy time sure goes go fast. We have been pretty busy around here. Yet I have nothing accomplished. No garden planted and no yoga in weeks.
I did turn 35.....my O my, and my dad would have been 60 this past Monday. That was a hard day. I sure do miss him. I didn't expect to feel the emotion that I did that day. But all is well now.



Last weekend the Metiva clan went to Middleberry, IN to the Essen Haus. The Midwest. What a great place. I would love that life for a summer. To retreat from the chaos of our day to day life we live here in this Midwest. Don't get me wrong I LOVE my life, it couldn't be better. Well a girl can dream and visit that Midwest as much as possible.

This pic just melts my heart. Eli boy LOVE, LOVES animals!!!!!!!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy your weekend. Make new memories and treasure the memories of those that are no longer here. This week we are praising the Lord for a life spared yesterday. Praying a speedy and smooth recovery Paula.........we love you and your fam tons!!!!!

what's new

My mom made it home safe to CO with just a tiny glitch. She wasn't confident that her brakes would make it through the mountian's. So she stopped in NE to stay over night and get them fixed in the morning.....finally she made in home late Monday afternoon. I loved having her home, and she loved the 3 trips we took to Joann's that week. She missed being able to touch the fabric. You can only look online so much before you need to touch.

I, am more then ready for spring. I'm ready to start my garden and see beautiful flowers growing. Hopefully this weekend I will get a start on that.

Adoption, still nothing much there. I guess the next time you see Justin get on his case about that.

Eli is growing by leaps and bounds. Each day he repeats all kinds of new words. And it's great to here him try to tell stories in his jibber-jabber fashion. He loves to play outside and I am sure this summer there will be epic fights to get him inside at night for bed. Maybe I will just set up a tent in the yard and let him sleep out there......

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” - Philippians 2:5-8

Grace and Peace today

Baking fun

Our attempt at Beignets.

No Cafe Du Monde that's for sure.

They of course didn't taste the same but it was fun to try. We sure did make a mess. Thanks Tasha and Anna for cleaning up.

On Friday Justin decided we needed to bake cookies,
AS A FAMILY. So I let him and Eli mix while I took pictures. Eli loves to help. I truly think we have a chef in our future.

.

And as all bakers do, you MUST taste test. Especially when the baker is 2 1/2. The ccokies taste good. And it was fun to watch them bake together. It may be a long time before
Justin decides he wants a family baking night, just a guess.

Have a good Sonday.
Romans 13:8
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.

Peace and grace

Yoga

Lynsey watched Eli a few weeks ago while I scrap booked with the girls. She and Eli made some cookies. Lynsey said Eli ate more chocolate in that day then he's ever had in his whoppin two years of life. He really loves to help in the kitchen.

I love this smile!!!!!!

The finished product!!!! Time it dig in....O' wait they have been eating for the last hour!!!!

Adoption
Please continue to pray for us. We still need to do all of the paperwork. Pray for us to make that time.

And finally, I made it to a yoga class this morning......and I'm hooked!!!!!!