Strickland Stories

Preschool and Bowling

2010-03-15T18:28:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it? Benjamin will be attending preschool in the fall! I know, I can hardly believe it either. Benjamin is ready for preschool (minus the potty training issue, but we still have about 6 months to change that!) and we attended an open house event last week. We took a tour of the preschool, met the teachers, and checked out (I mean played) in the preschool rooms. While we were there, I managed to take a few pictures to share with you. Not pictured are the sanctuary (where the preschoolers have chapel), gym, and playground.

In celebration of National Lutheran Schools Week (NLSW) last week, I took the boys bowling with the students at our K-6 school. We had a ball and Benjamin was such a big helper. I was so proud of him. He picked out his bowling ball, carried it whenever needed, helped me count to 3 when it was his turn to bowl, and just had an all around good time. The hardest thing for him to grasp was that we had to take turns bowling. Obviously, it was so much fun that he didn't want to stop. The first thing he told Daddy when we got home is that he wants to go bowling again...this time with Daddy. I agree. I think Daddy should come bowling with us next time too! We bowled one game and Benjamin scored a 77. Not bad for his first game of bowling!

He Did It!

2010-03-05T08:36:00.000-08:00

Our almost 3 year old (end of March) used his potty chair for the first time last night. Needless to say, he was very excited and proud of himself - and we were excited and proud of him too! He celebrated by having a chocolate Oreo cookie. Yum!!! Looking forward to more celebrations with you soon Benjamin!

Way to go Benjamin!

Slideshow of Pics

2010-03-03T18:31:00.000-08:00

The slideshow of pictures are in the following order: Micah playing with the bathroom toilet paper, boys' photo shoot, and boys' playroom pics. Enjoy!

New Adventures!

2010-02-15T08:44:00.000-08:00

Thought you might enjoy a couple of new videos of the boys. The first is of Micah pushing and walking with his cart. He actually turns the cart all by himself to switch directions. I think we have another smart little boy on our hands. The second video is of Benjamin cutting a piece of paper with scissors. Don't worry, he was supervised. I think he thinks that it's like magic when scissors cuts paper. It's pretty neat. Keep your ears open for Benjamin's words. He keeps expanding his vocabulary. Both boys are getting so big and keep growing up before our eyes. Watch out when you come for Easter Grandma and Grandpa King! (hee hee!)

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Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

Pictures

2010-02-07T18:31:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time (an understatement), so I thought a slideshow of pictures would be a fun way to get everyone caught up.

In early December, we discovered that Micah has multiple food allergies (peanuts, milk, eggs, and chocolate - Ugh!). Needless to say, preparing food in our house is a totally different and new experience. I have been working hard, but here we are, two months later, and I am now just beginning to feel like I have a slight grasp on cooking. Sheesh! If anyone has any advice, please leave a comment. I am always searching for ways to make this transition a little easier.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-30T18:30:00.000-08:00

Well, another Christmas has come and gone...and what a Christmas it was! Not exactly what I had envisioned in my head, but a blessed day nonetheless. Here are some pictures from the day!

I also have a few videos for you to enjoy. The first is a video of Benjamin opening one of his presents. The second is a video of Micah opening one of his presents. And the third is a video of Benjamin uncovering the boys' new art easel (Thanks Grandma and Grandpa King!).

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Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

Now That It's Almost Thanksgiving...

2009-11-02T13:56:00.000-08:00

I managed to find a bit of time to post our pictures from Halloween. Maybe I will post more timely next year. Enjoy!

A Couple of Videos

2009-10-28T12:05:00.000-07:00

The first video is Benjamin jumping on the mattress in Daddy's German hat. Notice the Ghostbusters t-shirt that Daddy just couldn't resist buying. Benjamin loves to jump on the mattress and often jumps to music. The second video is of Micah sitting up by himself.

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Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

Introducing Benjamin as....

2009-10-28T11:29:00.000-07:00

Letterboy! Here is Benjamin in his Halloween costume. Since Benjamin is very interested and knows all of his letters/letter sounds, we decided that he would be Letterboy for Halloween. We had an ECFE class today, so he had the opportunity to wear his costume a couple of days early. We have a school party to attend on Friday and then on Saturday we will go trick-or-treating. Micah will be Superman (we'll take his picture on Saturday), the same costume that Benjamin wore on his first Halloween. Enjoy the pictures and God bless!

Front of costume

Costume cape

Benjamin as Letterboy (front view)

Letterboy off to the rescue!

Random Photos

2009-10-28T11:08:00.000-07:00

These photos are from late September to the present. I finally found a few moments to share them with you. Enjoy!

Sitting Pretty

2009-09-24T11:04:00.000-07:00

Micah is doing well with sitting up by himself, but still having trouble balancing himself (we blame it on the fact that he has a flat bottom). So, we decided it was again time to take out the Bumbo seat. We don't know Micah's exact weight, but I am guessing it's somewhere around 20 to 22 pounds. Even though he's right behind what Benjamin weighed at his age, he does not have the huge monster thighs as Benjamin did. Therefore, it's easier to get Micah in and out of the Bumbo seat (aka Micah doesn't get stuck).

Cleaning and Baking

2009-09-19T17:53:00.000-07:00

Benjamin has been a big help to me this last week. He helped me Swiffer the house one afternoon. I took a short video of him helping me clean.

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Then the next morning, he helped me make pancakes. I love how happy and proud he looks in this picture! While making pancakes, he helped me count to four (which is as many pancakes as I can fit on my griddle pan at one time). He skips over numbers one and two and participates in saying numbers three and four. They don't always come out perfect, but at least he's trying. What a big helper! Mommy is proud of you Benjamin!

New Wagon!

2009-09-17T17:57:00.000-07:00

A congregation member donated this wagon to us. Benjamin promptly went outside and began pulling the wagon around. Interestingly enough, we couldn't convince him to take a ride the first day...he just wanted to pull the wagon. However, when he took it out yesterday, he pulled the wagon and took a wagon ride too. A couple of the pictures are blurry, but it gives you a good idea of the fun he's having.

It's Cereal Time!

2009-09-17T17:40:00.000-07:00

At 5 1/2 months, we discovered that it's time for Micah to start eating some cereal. He did quite well for his first sitting. It always takes a little bit of time to get used to changes. He's only been eating cereal for 3 days now, but he's already starting to open his mouth for the spoon and demanding that Mommy feed him faster. He's quite the eater.

Before

This seems okay.

I'm not sure about this anymore.

No more! I'm done.

Tuckered Out

2009-09-17T17:32:00.000-07:00

Have I told you that Micah LOVES to jump in his jumper? One evening, we had him in the jumper while I was busy in the kitchen making dinner. He was jumping, jumping, jumping, and more jumping. I briefly stepped into the living room to sit and when I returned, this is what I found:

I guess he had so much fun jumping that he wore himself out. What a cutie!

The MegaSaucer is a Hit!

2009-09-15T19:23:00.000-07:00

Check out this wonderful smile Micah gave me. He LOVES to jump and this MegaSaucer lets him jump around as much or as little as he wishes.

I also took a video of Micah in action. Benjamin is also in the background and makes a brief appearance at the end of the video. He is very busy doing his letters and their sounds. More on that in a minute.

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This next video features Benjamin. As always, he's doing his letters. He goes through letters A, K, A, M (which he says is an "E"), F (with "uh-oh" inserted before the letter sound), J, C, Y, and P. Micah is continuing to busily enjoy his MegaSaucer. Happy viewing!

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Micah Can Roll Over!

2009-09-09T08:04:00.000-07:00

Last Monday, Micah rolled over for the first time. In the morning, he rolled over from his tummy to his back. I thought his new challenge had been met and he was done for the day. But little did I know there was more to accomplish before the day was out. Micah proved me wrong that afternoon when he rolled over from his back to his tummy. What an active little boy! I fear the easy days with Micah are now over. Oh well. Onward and upward we go!

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Letter Sounds

2009-09-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

Benjamin is VERY interested in his letters. He knows all but 5 letter sounds and/or names and is working on the last few. Here is a small taste of what Benjamin has been up to the past few weeks. Notice that when he gets shy in front of the camera, he quietly says "Dee-cah" (his brother Micah's name). Although he knows more than this short video shows, it gives you the general idea. The video is a couple of weeks old and he has improved and expanded his knowledge of letters tremendously in the last few weeks.

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Last Minute Summer Fun

2009-09-07T09:10:00.000-07:00

Christian's family came over on Saturday for one last hurrah before we all get full swing into the school year. It was fun to watch the kids interact and just spend some time together. We couldn't go outside until the late afternoon because the new playground equipment was being installed at the school, but we had plenty to keep us busy inside. We managed to take a few sporadic pictures throughout the day.

Then, after everyone had left, a couple of our parishoners came to the church on their motorcycle. Stan was gracious enough to give Christian his first motorcycle ride and Benjamin was able to sit on his first Harley-Davidson. It was all quite exciting. Benjamin did not go for a ride because he was too young and he refused to wear the helmet. Oh well. Maybe next time. Barb was more than willing to hold Micah so that I could run into the house to grab the camera to take a few shots. Enjoy!

Brothers

2009-09-07T08:36:00.000-07:00

The boys were spending some time together on the floor, so I thought it might be a good chance to get a few pictures of them together. Unfortunately, once I brought the camera out, Benjamin was less than cooperative. But, we went with it and still got a couple of decent pictures. Enjoy!

I Know My Brother's Name!

2009-09-07T07:44:00.000-07:00

Benjamin adores his brother. In fact, there's hardly a time these days when we don't hear him say his brother's name constantly. Most times, when Benjamin says Micah it sounds like "Dee-cah", but that's okay. We're learning and it's quite obvious that he continues to love his little brother Micah.

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Annual Church Picnic

2009-09-07T07:27:00.001-07:00

Towards the beginning of each Sunday school year, our church has an annual church picnic. It's a day for good food, fellowship, and fun! This was the first year that Benjamin was old enough to stay up for all of the festivities and boy did he have some fun! After enjoying some good food via church potluck, games for the kids are set up outside and the competition begins. It's always a race (mostly by the older kids) to see who can play the most games and earn the most tickets first. The more tickets you earn, the more stuff you can "buy" with your tickets. Last year, Benjamin earned a total of one ticket. This year, he did slightly better by earning 29 tickets. He turned those tickets in for a new foam football and a new toy truck. It was so much fun watching him get into participating and interacting with the kids! He had a blast! After the kids are done with the ticket earning, attention usually turns to a friendly game of kickball (Adults vs. kids). Benjamin got to kick a couple of times and his friend Lucas helped him run the bases. He did a great job! I tried to get a couple of pictures of him kicking, but they all ended up blurry. Maybe next year.

The day was jam packed full of fun. But eventually all the fun took its toll. Here's where we found Benjamin a little while after we got home. Everyone has their limits.

My Boys

2009-09-07T06:44:00.000-07:00

The boys were hanging out one day and I thought it was a decent photo opportunity. Here are my boys from oldest to youngest.

A Couple Videos and More Pictures

2009-08-15T18:11:00.000-07:00

You're might be getting tired of seeing pictures of our kids, but I am not. So, here are a couple of videos and some more pictures.

The first video is Benjamin imitating a cat's meow. Warning: The meow is high pitched.

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The second video is of Benjamin saying his very first full word, besides "mama" and "dada", "ball". We think he enjoys being able to say a word that we recognize so easily because he says it all the time. Enjoy!

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It's Johnny Jumper Time!

2009-08-12T18:08:00.000-07:00

Micah tried out the johnny jumper for the first time today. He only stayed in it for about 5 minutes at a time, but we think he liked it!

By the way, we took this picture right before he wanted out; he was done.

A Great Day for a Bonfire!

2009-08-12T17:55:00.000-07:00

Hmmm. What do I think about this?

Look Mommy. Fire!

Micah's 4 Months!

2009-08-12T17:37:00.000-07:00

Okay, so Micah's officially been 4 months since August 4th, but he had his 4 month well-baby check-up yesterday.

Here are his stats:
Weight: 18 lbs 15 oz (90th percentile)
Height: 26.5 in (90th percentile)
Head Circumference: 44 cm (90th percentile)

He is right on developmentally and a great joy to watch grow!

Later that day, Micah and Benjamin were both slap happy. Here's what we experienced. Enjoy!

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Weekend Getaway to...

2009-08-12T16:49:00.000-07:00

Fulda. A few weekends ago, we packed up the car and headed to Fulda. Christian was honored to help officiate a wedding for a prior school teacher. We left early afternoon on Friday and arrived in Worthington by late afternoon. We had just enough time to check in to the hotel, unload our belongings from the car, put the kids back into their car seats, and drive to the church for the rehearsal. Considering the amount of time we spent in the car, Benjamin and Micah did very well. It was a delightful weekend. The wedding was beautiful and we enjoyed having some family time out of town.

There was a pool at the hotel. Yay!! We thought Benjamin would love the pool, since he loves taking a bath. Well, normally, he would. He was in the pool for all of about 10 seconds. After those 10 seconds, since the temperature of the pool was around 75 degrees, he opted for the whirlpool (with Daddy's constant supervision, of course).

Quick "dip" in the pool

It's whirlpool time!

On the way back home, we stopped at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Walnut Grove. Although our visit was short, it was enough to snap a few pictures and make a couple of purchases in the gift shop.

Too Many Pictures, Too Little Time

2009-08-12T11:33:00.000-07:00

As you probably already know, we've been a little busy. Sorry for the lack of posting, but Benjamin and Micah are keeping us hopping these days. It's been great fun watching the boys grow in their love for each other. Benjamin is an excellent big brother and is very caring towards Micah. Micah just adores Benjamin and is extremely interested in anything and everything he does. (I'm sure Micah wishes that he could join in on the fun, but Mommy's not at all ready for that yet.) Now to the pictures.

We took a week long vacation down to visit my family. All of us kids and our families invaded Mom and Dad's house for an entire week. It was great! We had a blast and I have a ton of pictures to prove it! We also hired a professional photographer to come to Mom and Dad's house and take some family pictures. Christian is not in the professional family pictures because his grandmother was called to glory just before we left for vacation. However, he was able to take a day to fly down to Houston to say goodbye and support his family. We missed him, but plenty of fun was waiting for him when he returned.

We mostly hung out at Mom and Dad's house, but we did take a trip to the zoo on Independence Day (Yep, we were at the zoo in the pouring down rain. Some would call us crazy, but I thought it was fun and a bit ingenius. When else can you enjoy the zoo practically all to yourself?).

Except for our final day, we did everything as a big group (8 adults and 8 children). On our last day, our little family went to the zoo again for some final fun.

I know, enough already. These are just some of the pictures from the trip. Enjoy!

12 weeks and 27 months

2009-06-26T17:28:00.000-07:00

Our big boy Micah is 12 weeks old today. How quickly the last 12 weeks has gone. I was just talking to Christian yesterday about how during the first few days at home I thought that we'd never get to 12 weeks (because my milk hadn't come in and constantly hungry Micah only slept a total of 3 hours each night). But now, I can't figure out where all the time has gone. Micah will officially be 3 months old next Friday, but here are a few pictures from today.

Micah "sitting up" by himself on the couch

Our big boy Benjamin will be 27 months old tomorrow. I won't even get started on how all that time has quickly passed. Benjamin continues to be a great big brother and seems to be saying more and more each day.

Micah finding his fist and Benjamin's wonderful smile

Both boys are actually looking at the camera!

We are truly blessed and praise God for our two boys! Benjamin and Micah, we love you and can't imagine our lives without you. We're so proud of both of you! We are loving every minute of watching you grow up.

Guest Pastor

2009-06-21T18:33:00.000-07:00

We were blessed to have a guest pastor at church today. Pastor Lo and his family, doing God's mission work in Indonesia, came to equip us for another week out in the mission field. Thank you Lo family for sharing God's word and how He is using you for His purpose. Please pray for your church's missionaries (and all God's missionaries) and consider the ways you can support God's work through them.

Pastor Lo sharing with us at bible study

The Lo family

The Lo and Strickland families

Festival Fun!

2009-06-21T13:35:00.001-07:00

This last week was full of fun! Amidst Benjamin getting sick, our family managed to participate in a number of festival activities. We played bingo and supported the local fire department, saw the town kids march down the street in the kiddie parade (Benjamin didn't participate this year), attended the annual turtle race, and saw the grand parade. Enjoy the festival through our pictures!

Weekend Away

2009-06-21T12:45:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Christian had to attend a Pastor's Convention in the Cities. Instead of just hanging around at home, I packed up the kids (and all the necessities) and headed to Christian's parents house. We had a wonderful time and it was great to get out of town. Thanks Granny and Papa for letting us come to visit for the weekend! Enjoy the pictures.

Family Pictures

2009-06-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a good day. It was sunny and warm outside, the boys were both well, they both took a 3 hour nap (and at the same time too!), and we had a lot of family fun! Today...not so great. It's overcast and looks chilly, Benjamin is sick (he's been vomiting on and off since 2:15 a.m., and although we are having more family time, it's not any fun. Anyway, while I have a moment I thought I would share some family photos we took yesterday.

Since Benjamin was more interested in being the photographer instead of being in the photos, he's only in one picture. Who knows? Maybe we have a budding photographer on our hands?

Overdue Photos

2009-06-17T10:06:00.000-07:00

Micah turned 2 months old on June 3rd. Here are a few pictures I managed to take a few weeks ago. Enjoy!

First Confirmand

2009-06-02T12:41:00.001-07:00

Christian confirmed his first confirmation student this past Sunday. Congratulations Erin! Two years of hard work has paid off! This next year, he will have at least three confirmation students (and all are boys!). We'll have to wait and see what challenges lie ahead. As always, we'll keep you posted.

I Love Corn!

2009-06-02T12:22:00.000-07:00

Benjamin has loved corn since his first bite. Now he has a new reason to add towards his love of corn. Last night he ate corn like Mommy and Daddy; right off the cob. Way to go Benjamin! We love you and are proud of you big boy!

Are You Ready for This!?!

2009-06-02T12:15:00.000-07:00

Micah had his 2 month well-baby checkup today. He is doing very well and is developmentally right on target. He coos, smiles, reacts to noises, can hold his head up at least 45 degrees, pushes up with his legs, etc.

Here are his stats:
Height: 23 3/4 inches (75th percentile)
Weight: 15 pounds 3 ounces (97th+ percentile)
Head Circumference: 41.9 centimeters (90th percentile)

Well within what Mommy expected! Micah will officially be 2 months old tomorrow. Look for a new picture soon!

Big Boy Micah

2009-05-30T12:14:00.000-07:00

Micah turned 8 weeks old yesterday. He will be 2 months old on Wednesday. He has his next well-baby checkup on Tuesday. We'll keep you posted on his stats. Needless to say, I don't need his official stats to see that he's a big boy. You may not be able to tell, but the outfit he's wearing in this video is a 6 month sleeper and he'll only be 2 months on Wednesday. Obviously, Micah eats well.

Anyway, on to the video. Yes, I did it again. I didn't pay attention to how I was holding the camera, so you'll have to hold your head to the side. However, I think this video is still worth sharing. Watch the video to see Micah look around, wiggle, and talk to me. Enjoy and we'll be sharing his stats soon!

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A Few Pictures

2009-05-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of pictures we took of Benjamin in the last week or so. The first one is of Benjamin checking out our new clock. If you didn't know already, Benjamin LOVES clocks. He is always the first to spot a clock anywhere and everywhere we go. Along with Jesus crosses, it'clocks are one of his favorite things to point out to us at church. Thanks to Alan and Tami M. for gifting us this beautiful clock. We love it!

The second picture is of Benjamin in his new shades. Cool dude!

Noah's Got Nothing on Me!

2009-05-30T11:49:00.000-07:00

Just kidding Noah! We'll have to all get together again soon so you and Benjamin can do more playing!

Now to the video. About three weeks ago Benjamin wanted to help vacuum the living room. So, we let him help! Check out what a great job he did. Let's hope he keeps wanting to help out (at least until he moves out for college...hee! hee!).

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New Pictures

2009-05-11T18:30:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share a couple of pictures we took of Micah this weekend. As you can tell, he eats well and is healthy. Enjoy!

We don't know how much Micah weighs, but he's definitely gaining. His legs are starting to fill out and catch up with his upper body. Micah has his 2 month well-baby checkup coming next month. We'll keep you posted on his stats. God bless.

Happy Birthday Noah!

2009-05-11T18:03:00.000-07:00

This weekend we traveled to celebrate Cousin Noah's second birthday. It was a chilly day, but we made the best of it and had a great time! The boys were even able to go outside to play on Noah's new playset in the backyard (pictures to follow). This was the first car trip we've taken with both our boys. They did well overall. Both slept (either all or some of the time) on the way to the party. However, on the way home Micah slept while Benjamin stayed awake. Needless to say, we are working on getting back on his normal daily schedule. Fun. Fun. Thanks for inviting us to Noah's party. We had a blast! Can't wait until we can all get together again! Enjoy the slideshow.

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-11T09:01:00.001-07:00

A big HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all Mothers. Hope your day was fun, relaxing, enjoyable,....all that you hoped it to be. My Mother's Day began with Benjamin coming down the stairs and bringing me the beautiful drawing Daddy helped him make for the occassion.

Here's the drawing:

Christian only helped Benjamin write "Happy Mother's Day". Otherwise, big boy Benjamin did the rest of the work himself.

Thanks for the Horse!!!

2009-05-11T08:45:00.001-07:00

For his second birthday, Benjamin received a horse from Grandma and Grandpa King. Benjamin LOVES it! We still have to help him get up onto the horse but once he's on, he's good to go. Have fun watching!

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See Any Resemblance?

2009-05-01T05:40:00.000-07:00

Benjamin

Micah

We think it's obvious that our boys are brothers. What do you think?

Micah's Baptism

2009-04-23T08:49:00.000-07:00

We were blessed to have both sets of grandparents visiting for Easter. Although Micah was only 1 week old, we decided to celebrate his baptism and welcome him into God's family. Grandma and Grandpa King, Gramma and Papa Strickland, and Andrew, Amanda, and Noah Strickland were all able to attend. Christian was honored to baptize Micah, who didn't cry at all during the baptism (although, we did have a pacifier in his mouth). Benjamin did a great job standing up front with Mommy and witnessing Daddy baptize his baby brother. We are so blessed and proud of our two boys!

I was a little preoccupied on Easter and neglected to take any family pictures. However, I will be receiving copies of pictures from family members and plan to share some of those photos via the blog. So, stay posted.

I did manage, however, to take a picture or two of Micah in his baptismal outfit before church started.

The Boys' Stats

2009-04-23T08:23:00.000-07:00

Recently, the boys had their doctor's appointments and I thought I would share their stats. Both boys are doing well and are currently healthy!

Benjamin had his 2 year-old well-baby checkup on April 7th.
Height: 36.5 inches (90th percentile)
Weight: 31 lbs. 1 oz. (90th percentile)
Head: 49.4

Micah had his 2 week well-baby checkup on April 16th.
Height: 22 inches (90th percentile)
Weight: 10 lbs. 0.6 oz. (90th percentile)
Head: 38.4 (75th percentile)

Benjamin LOVES to hold Micah and even gets upset when he is not able to hold him (i.e. Micah's nursing, he's sleeping, or he's fussy). We're enjoying watching Benjamin love and help care for his baby brother. We'll see how long this lasts before sibling rivalry kicks in. Anyway, here are a couple more pictures of our boys. Enjoy!

Guess Who Likes Stickers?

2009-04-08T18:57:00.001-07:00

Announcing....

2009-04-08T18:37:00.000-07:00

Micah Luke
April 3, 2009 2:38 p.m.
9 lbs. 12 oz.
22 inches long

That's right a whopping 9 lbs. 12 oz. (I couldn't believe it either!) and Mommy did it without any medications! Woohoo! Everyone is doing well. Benjamin is a great big brother and we are all looking forward to having Micah baptized Easter Sunday!

Here are a few more family photos. God's blessings!

Still Waiting

2009-04-02T08:15:00.000-07:00

In case you're wondering, we are still waiting for baby #2. I am having a lot of Braxton-Hicks contractions (practice contractions), but am still waiting for the labor process to begin. No idea when that will be, but we'll keep you posted. At least we know baby #2 will have an April birthday! God bless!

Snow Anyone?

2009-04-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

Well, we didn't get anywhere near the 6 to 12 inches that was forecasted, but I think getting any amount of snow on March 31st is a little depressing. At least the snow melts quickly. Believe it or not, spring will come; just not when we want.

2nd Birthday Party Celebration

2009-03-28T18:11:00.000-07:00

What a great day! Christian's family arrived mid-morning and we took some time to play and let the cousins warm up to each other again. After about 45 minutes, we decorated cupcakes (okay, we only decorated two and then it was time for each of the boys to eat a cupcake). Afterwards, we played for a while and then ate some lunch. Both of the boys ate well and then went down for their afternoon nap. After they both woke up, our big boy opened his cards and presents, we played inside with the new gifts and then continued outside to play until dinner. The weather outside was a little bit chilly, but there wasn't any wind. Thankfully, we were able to venture outside for about 1/2 hour to play. It was pretty muddy, but we had still had great fun! Everyone came inside to eat some dinner and then it was time for Christian's family to leave. We all enjoyed our time together and are looking forward to seeing each other again in a couple of weeks for Easter (Grandma and Grandpa King will also be in town to join in on the fun!). A big thank you to everyone for all of our big boy's cards and presents. Thanks for coming to visit and help us celebrate the big 02!

Train themed birthday party

More Birthday Pictures

2009-03-27T16:57:00.000-07:00

I also took a couple of videos. In the first video, our big 2-year old is checking out his light-up birthday card from Mommy and Daddy. As you can see and hear, he loves the flashing lights. Our big boy explores his cupcake in the second video. Wow, what a difference a year makes! (He wouldn't even touch his cupcake last year.)

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We have another celebration tomorrow! More pictures and videos to come.

Happy Birthday!

2009-03-27T08:23:00.000-07:00

Cheese!

In this second photo, I asked him how old he is and he showed me with his thumb and pointer finger that he is two! Great job!

Just a couple of pictures of our birthday boy...the big 02! Of course, our little family is celebrating his birthday today with some family time, cupcakes, and cards/presents (we'll see if the weather permits us to play outside). Mommy still has to finish preparations for tomorrow's extended family birthday celebration and decorate the cake. However, Daddy worked hard all week to finish Sunday's sermon so that he could take today off. Thanks Daddy!

Christian's family will be coming over tomorrow to help us celebrate, so I will have more pictures (maybe even a video or two) to add after tomorrow. Tomorrow's plans include letting the cousins decorate cupcakes, eating cake, opening cards/presents, and lots and lots and lots of playing. (Again, hopefully we'll be able to get outside.) We're looking forward to spending some time with Christian's family again.

To our 2 year old: We are so thankful God blessed our lives with you. Each day brings new joys and new adventures. You are helping teach us A LOT about parenting (and we still have much, much, much, much more to learn). We know you'll be a great big brother (as soon as your little brother decides to join us) and you are such a great helper to Mommy and Daddy! We love you and are so proud of you! Thanks for being our son and we pray you have a wonderfully blessed 2nd birthday! Love, Mommy and Daddy

Well, I need to get to tomorrow's food and cake preparations. Have a great day in the Lord!

Yesterday's Doctor Appointment...

2009-03-26T08:46:00.001-07:00

...was much like last week's and the week before that one, and even the week before that. As far as the baby's concerned, he's perfectly happy to stay in the womb. (Not that I blame him, since it's the end of March and we are getting a light dusting of snow for the second day in a row.) I'm not complaining, though. Look at what people in North Dakota and upper Minnesota are dealing with right now. Yikes! We continue to lift those people up in our prayers. As far as the pregnancy, we're just taking it one day at a time and praying for God to grant us patience and contentment.

Tomorrow is our big boy's 2nd birthday (I know, I can't believe it either!) so look for a new post soon! God's Blessings on your day!

Nothing Exciting to Report Around Here

2009-03-19T17:30:00.000-07:00

We have not made any further progress towards labor and delivery. It seems that our little boy is very comfortable in the womb and is in no rush to make his entrance into the world. Basically, Mommy's ready baby's not. Oh well. There's still 1.5 weeks until the estimated due date. I am not a very patient person and the Lord knows this fact. Guess I need another lesson (or a few more lesssons - which is much more likely) to learn patience. Watch for more updates.

Impatiently Waiting

2009-03-17T18:15:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are wondering if Strickland baby #2 has made his entrance, we are impatiently waiting for his arrival. Although his estimated due date is not until March 27th, I am finding myself more and more ready for the labor and delivery process to begin with each passing day. He dropped a week from yesterday so I thought maybe we weren't too far from the big day. Then I did some housework last Thursday, had some practice contractions, and got more excited. I figured even practice contractions could be considered progress, right? However, not much more to speak of since then (other than being uncomfortable; especially in the evening hours). My next appointment is tomorrow morning. We'll see what my doctor has to say. Hopefully it won't be too long, but I am still willing to wait until 42 weeks so he can come on his own. We'll keep everyone updated. God bless.

What is he holding?

2009-02-27T08:36:00.000-08:00

Our big boy is becoming more and more independent. This independence is a good thing (especially with baby brother due in 4.5 weeks), but can also be frustrating at times. Our big boy really loves to be independent, but especially at meal times. Last week we had cheeseburgers for dinner. This is not a new food for us, we eat cheeseburgers every once in a while. However, the way our big boy decided to eat his cheeseburger was VERY new.

What a monster bite!

Way to go big boy! Can't believe you're 23 months old today! Keep up the great work! Remember, Mommy and Daddy love you and are so proud of you!

Woohoo!!!!

2009-01-31T17:49:00.000-08:00

Today the temperature finally rose above freezing so we decided to capitalize on the weather and venture outside. We all had a great time and spent about 1.5 hours outside! It definitely wore our big boy out and it felt so nice to get outside and enjoy the fresh air. Hope you all got a chance to enjoy some great weather too! Enjoy the pictures.

Soccer Anyone?

2008-12-31T17:57:00.000-08:00

Our big boy received his very first soccer ball and net set from Aunt Cheryl, Uncle Jamie, and Cousin Callie. Thanks for the Christmas present! It'll give him something else to do during our long, cold winter. However, he has quite a bit to learn about soccer and right now is mainly interested in carrying the net and soccer ball around. Good times. Check it out!

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We're Making Progress!

2008-12-31T17:42:00.000-08:00

Just a few months ago when Mommy gave me crayons, it took me days to create this.
Just a lot of dots and random lines.

A couple of days ago, when Mommy gave me crayons, I created this piece of artwork.
A rainbow (A couple of the marks are Mommy and Daddy's work)

Mommy and Daddy say that it's so wonderful to watch me grow and learn!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T18:17:00.000-08:00

Below are a few pictures from our present opening this morning. Enjoy!

FYI - The picture of our big boy playing with the box was right before he fell into the box. I turned around for one second and he fell right in! We all had a good laugh about it. Later, he decided it would be just as much fun to fall out of the box. What a character!

Our big boy wanted to "help" Mommy unpack a present. What fun it was! Watch both videos and you'll see.

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Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

As you can see, we had a wonderful Christmas celebrating as a family and opening gifts. But the greatest Christmas present we received did not come in a box wrapped with paper and a bow. The greatest present we receive is the Christ child. Jesus, our Savior, was born a baby in a stable among the lowliest of God's creations. He was born to live, to teach, to love unconditionally, and to eventually die on the cross at Calvary to pay the price for the lowliest...for us. And now we wait for His return, that we might live with Him forever. May you continue to celebrate our Savior, this Precious Gift, our Lord has given us throughout the year, not just at Christmas.

A Blessed Christmas Eve to you!!

2008-12-24T17:31:00.000-08:00

Since we are blessed to attend the Sunday School Christmas Program tonight and Christmas morning service tomorrow, we decided to split up the presents this year. Our big boy certainly made the day interesting by not taking a nap (okay, maybe a 10 minute nap at the most...it's almost as if he knew something exciting was about to happen!)...but we made it work! Our big boy never ceases to surprise us. He was not at all interested in opening presents. I don't remember him having trouble with this last year, so I will write it off as an effect of sleep deprivation. The true test will come tomorrow when we open gifts from Grandma & Grandpa King and Santa. Although he was not in the mood to cooperate, I did take a couple of videos recording his reaction to his new tent (Thanks again Tammy M. for all of your help!).

Note: You might want to turn your head to the side for the first video. I held the camera the wrong way. Sorry!

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Second video is of our big boy using his new tent. Of course, it's a great spot to read books. And as you know, we LOVE books! Check out that smile!

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

Thanks for the beautiful glass ornament Grandma and Grandpa King! It already has a spot of honor on our Christmas tree.

We pray that your Christmas celebration will be filled with the hope and joy that only the Christ child can bring! "Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn King!"

Dress Up

2008-12-17T12:22:00.000-08:00

Not really, but I wanted to try on Daddy's pull-over sweater. How do you think it looks?

Mommy, I don't want to smile.

Okay, since you said please.

O Christmas Tree....

2008-12-17T11:50:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of our Christmas tree! We went to the local nursery and picked one out (we like to support our local businesses - whenever possible)! We think it looks great! I took pictures of a couple different sides so you could see the ornaments, lights, etc.

Needless to say, our big boy was a bit excited when he saw the tree all lit up and decorated. The video is a bit darker than I wanted, but you can still hear his excitement.

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Of course, we had to explore all of the ornaments on the tree! Here are a few shots of our big boy exploring the Christmas tree ornaments (that is, until the very first [and last] ornament hit the floor and Mommy got the pleasure of picking up broken pieces of glass). Oh well. We are keeping a very close eye on him when he's around the tree and teaching him what he can and cannot touch.

Such excitement and so much fun for Mommy and Daddy to see our big boy get excited about the Christmas tree! Imagine the excitement he gets on his face when we do our Advent calendars and Advent wreath!

Guess It Doesn't Matter What We Read...

2008-12-08T19:33:00.000-08:00

We LOVE books at the Strickland house!

All Bundled Up!

2008-12-06T11:32:00.000-08:00

This morning we braved the cold and the winds to go play outside in the snow. With today's high of 14 degrees and strong winds, we lasted only 5 minutes outside, but it was great fun to see our big boy's reaction to walking in the snow! He needs more practice in his snow boots, but the practice will have to wait for another day. Usually, our big boy fusses when we take him inside, but not today. He was almost eager to go inside and enjoy the warmth. I think the cold wind blowing in his face was a bit much. Besides, we didn't want to push it since he just got over having croup and a sore throat. Just wanted to share. Have a great day and stay warm!

My New Favorite!!

2008-11-30T18:37:00.000-08:00

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Wiped Out!

2008-11-30T18:22:00.000-08:00

Christian and our big boy were relaxing on the couch together. Next thing I knew, I saw...

Christian's sleeping, but what happened to our big boy?

He's sleeping too! How adorable! Have a great nap :-)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-30T18:14:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful time with Christian's family at Granny and Papa's house. It was great to get together and watch the two cousins play. Unfortunately, we were so busy chasing the boys and generally having a good time that I forgot to take pictures. However, Granny was kind enough to take a family picture for us before we left. Our big boy has a great smile!

It's a Boy!!!

2008-11-11T18:46:00.000-08:00

We had our 20 week ultrasound appointment yesterday and found out that Strickland baby #2 is a boy! Yay!! The best news is that the baby is healthy and growing well. As of yesterday, he weighed about 12 ounces and his heart rate is in the 140s. He's a kicker (he's been kicking me A LOT today). Interestingly, I think he kicked the fetal monitor about 4-5 times while we were listening to his heartbeat yesterday. He's very active and is having great fun. His kicks aren't super hard yet, but there's lots of time for him to grow and get stronger. Enjoy the ultrasound pictures we received yesterday. God bless!

Thanks to ACORN....

2008-11-04T11:21:00.001-08:00

Just kidding! Mommy and Daddy voted today! They just gave me their stickers...Woohoo!!! FYI - Our big boy decided to put this sticker on his head during lunch. How do you think it looks?

Don't forget...go VOTE!!!!

Our Very Own Larry the Cucumber

2008-10-31T19:03:00.000-07:00

Our big boy dressed up as VeggieTale's Larry the Cucumber. We had a great time trick-or-treating and made it to about 5 houses in 1.5 hours! (Not bad since we had to drive to each house with a 19-month old!) Thanks to everyone whose homes we visited tonight. Enjoy the pictures!

Pumpkin Carving

2008-10-27T17:56:00.000-07:00

Since our big boy is now 19 months old, we thought we would give pumpkin carving a try. We tried to get our big boy involved by pulling out the pumpkin's insides, but he was reluctant. Actually, he had a disgusted look on his face during the whole experience and refused to touch anything.

Oh well. We weren't really surprised. He's never been one to feel wet, smooshy foods. Anyway, Mommy and Daddy talked to our big boy while we cleaned out and carved the pumpkin.

Here's the finished jack-o-lantern. We hope it keeps until Friday!

New Record!!!

2008-10-26T17:59:00.000-07:00

Every night our big boy does laps around the house to burn off excess energy (his idea, but Mommy and Daddy couldn't be happier with his decision). Usually, I count the number of consecutive laps he completes and tonight was no exception. To our amazement, our big boy did 46 consecutive laps around the house before he moved on to a new activity! We were impressed and, even though he took an almost three hour nap today, it helped him get to bed on time. Way to go big boy!!!

Amaze'n Farmyard

2008-10-24T17:43:00.000-07:00

Today we went with the school children to a local farm to see animals, ride the train, find our way through a maze, slide down the giant slide, play on the playground, and pick our own family pumpkin. Since Christian finished his sermon yesterday, he was able to spend some quality time with everyone at the farm. We all had a wonderful visit and it was great to be out in the cool, fresh air! We introduced our big boy to some new animals (i.e. chickens, goats, pot-bellied pig, llamas, donkeys, and a camel - to name a few), he rode on the train, and he enjoyed "helping" us pick our own pumpkin. We'll let the slideshow of pictures speak for itself.

My Big Boy Bed

2008-10-19T18:17:00.000-07:00

Mommy and Daddy have been talking with me about how I am going to be a big brother. I don't know what that means yet, except that there will be lots of exciting changes coming and that Mommy needs lots of help! One of these exciting changes has already taken place. Mommy, Daddy, and I went to a furniture store and purchased my very own twin "big boy" bed. I am sooo excited! Daddy picked it up last Thursday and I took my very first nap in it today. It looks great in my room and I love to climb up on it and back down from it all by myself! Mommy and Daddy were thrilled that I managed to stay on the mattress during my nap and I loved that I could easily climb down on my own when I woke up. It was so much fun that Daddy found me pulling a book off of my bookshelf when he came to get me from my nap this afternoon. Mommy and Daddy think that it will be a battle to get me to stay in bed, but I just smile at them whenever the topic comes up. Here are some pictures of how my room looks with my very own big boy bed. FYI - Since taking these pictures, we have purchased and attached a bedrail to the side of our big boy's bed (in hopes that it will help minimize his chances of falling off).

A Visit With My Sister...

2008-10-13T18:09:00.000-07:00

We flew down to Missouri to spend a week with my sister and her family. It was a blast! We hope to continue being able to visit each other at least once a year. We'll just have to wait and see if our visits continue to be in October or if they change from year to year. During our visit, we were blessed to be able to spend time with lots of family and friends. Cousin Callie celebrated her 1st birthday, so we were even able to see Grandma and Grandpa King over the weekend. Thanks to Cheryl, Jamie, Callie, and Remi, who so graciously let us visit and stay with them for a week. Thanks to my Mom and Dad for playing with our big boy so that I could get some much needed "Mommy time". And thanks to my husband for working hard everyday so that we could continue our annual trip down south. Enjoy the slideshow!

My Due Date is What!?!

2008-09-15T19:34:00.000-07:00

That's right, our big boy is going to be a big brother. To top it all off, the estimated due date of Strickland baby #2 is (drum roll please!) March 27th! I know what you're thinking right now. Isn't their son's birthday on March 27th? Yep. Oh well...only time will tell when the baby comes.

We had an ultrasound today. I am 12 weeks and 3 days along. Baby's heart rate is 164 and he/she seems to be quite stubborn and very active (we'll see if the baby continues to be this active as he/she grows). Below are scans of the ultrasound pictures we received today. Enjoy!

Side profile of the baby.

Baby's leg and foot

Baby's shoulder, arm, and hand

P.S. Please keep comments about baby's EDD to yourself! (Ha!Ha!Ha!)

Check out this view!

2008-07-22T19:29:00.000-07:00

This morning we looked out one of our western windows and here's what we saw:

No, they are not lawn ornaments. How awesome is God's creation! Praise the Lord for this awesome moment of this wonderful day!

Another Wonderful Visit!

2008-07-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

It was our turn to pack up the car and head out to visit family. We had a big, jam-packed 1.5 days planned. Last Sunday after church (and a slight detour so Christian could make a hospital visit), we started the drive to visit family. A BIG THANK YOU to Amanda, Andrew, and Noah for graciously inviting us and letting us stay with them during our short, but totally worth it visit.

Shortly after arriving at the house, we got back into the car and drove no more than 15 minutes to the Minnesota Zoo for Thrivent Family Night. We had a blast and I think the boys enjoyed seeing an animal or two. Our big boy absolutely loved walking along the zoo paths. He, of course, did not want to hold hands with Mommy or Daddy, so when he'd had enough walking, he got to ride on Daddy's shoulders or in his stroller. Needless to say, the majority of the time, he preferred sitting on Daddy's shoulders instead of riding in the stroller. We stayed at the zoo just long enough to wear the kids out, but not too long so the boys could go to bed as close as possible to their normal bedtimes. As the kids slept, Andrew and Christian went to the movie theater to see the new Batman movie, "The Dark Knight". They LOVED it! Actually, that's about all they talked about yesterday morning. Well, that and their plans to visit a special exhibit at the Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM).

Yesterday, Daddy and Andrew left in the morning and drove to see the new Star Wars special exhibit at the SMM. While the Daddys enjoyed Star Wars, the Mommys and the two boys played all day long. First, we went to the park and played on the playground equipment, then we returned home for some lunch and a nap, and, finally, we played the rest of the evening at the house (playing both inside and outside). What a perfect end to the day!!!

Of course, the boys had trouble sharing, but as their visit together went on, they got better at sharing and playing next to each other. We had a great time and are looking forward to another visit real soon!!

All in all it was a great trip! Unfortunately, we weren't able to get together with Christian's parents while we were in town, but maybe next time. Enjoy some pictures from our visit. God bless!!

NOTE: The Star Wars pictures from the Science Museum of Minnesota are pictures of actual costumes/props from the movies.

THANKS!!!!

2008-07-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

A big thank you to my friend Tammy, who helped make this awesome window covering for our big boy's room! We absolutely love it! Our big boy is taking his first nap with the window covering down as I am typing this blog entry. I think it really helps finish the look of his room! Tammy, thanks again for all of your expertise and help. I couldn't have done this without you.

I LOVE Basketball!!!

2008-07-16T12:40:00.000-07:00

Watch me shoot some hoops with my new basketball set! I'm not quite tall enough to shoot baskets on my own, but that's okay because Mommy and Daddy are helping me.

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Lillies

2008-07-16T12:20:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pictures of the lillies currently blooming in the gardens.

Thanks!!!

2008-07-16T12:07:00.001-07:00

A BIG THANK YOU to my Mom!!!! If it weren't for you, my vegetable garden would still be full of weeds. Thanks for getting me out there again! I love you and can't wait to see you in October!

Family Visit

2008-07-16T11:35:00.000-07:00

It was wonderful to see Grandma and Grandpa King, Aunt Cheryl, and Cousin Callie for a few days this last weekend! We spent lots and lots of time together at home, at the lake, and everywhere else in between. It was soooo much fun!!! I showed Cousin Callie a few things and we played well "together" (meaning: in the same room). Cousin Callie is a cutie and she has a lot of spunk...I can't wait to see her again in October! Thanks for all of the time and memories! Enjoy some pictures Mommy and Daddy took during the visit.

Enjoying the Weather!

2008-06-30T17:57:00.000-07:00

This last weekend was gorgeous! The highs were only in the upper 70s, so we spent quite a lot of time outside. Of course, our big boy LOVES to be outside!!! Mommy is planning on implementing outside play into every day (as long as the weather cooperates) because it helps wear him out...big time. Today he took a 3 hour nap! Yay!! We were blessed to get some really great pictures of our big boy playing this last week/weekend. Enjoy!

Strickland Look-alike Meter

2008-06-27T11:38:00.001-07:00

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

This post is for my sister Cheryl! Just so everyone knows, I did this a second time using different pictures and it said our big boy looked 4% like his Daddy. It just means that the Lord created him from both of us! Have fun!

Haircut!!!

2008-06-23T18:21:00.000-07:00

Today I had my very first haircut. Mommy and Daddy took me to a Barber Shop/Salon in a neighboring town where a nice lady cut my hair. I got to sit in a big chair all by myself and was able to watch everything she did by looking into the mirror! It was lots of fun! Mommy and Daddy said they were very proud of me because I sat all by myself and was able to watch everything she did by looking into the mirror! It was lots of fun! Mommy and Daddy said they were very proud of me because I sat all by myself and behaved while she cut my hair. Mommy only had to read me one book during the whole haircut. Otherwise, I entertained myself and watched the progress the stylist was making. It was hard to sit for the whole haircut, but I did it! When the hair cut was all done, I was happy to have shorter hair and to walk around again. It was so much fun that I just might have to get another haircut sometime soon!

P.S. Mommy wanted to me share with you that she kept a few of my curls! Yay Mommy!

Today's Activities

2008-06-21T17:39:00.000-07:00

We had another big, exciting day of festivities! One of the festival's activities is that there was a city wide garage sale all day yesterday and part of today. While we went to garage sales for about 1.5 to 2 hours yesterday, there was only 1 garage sale on today's list. So, we were all out the door before 10:00 a.m. It proved to be worthwhile because I found more canning jars for when I can vegetables from our garden this fall. I love canning and the best part is that I bought over 25canning jars for only $4.00. What a bargain!! Afterwards we headed downtown for the annual turtle race. It was sooo much fun watching all of the childrens' faces as they cheered for their favorite turtle. Unbelievably there were 70 turtles entered into the race, so it took a good 45 minutes to complete the event. Our big boy fell asleep in his stroller (he hasn't done that for a while) and took about a 1 hour nap. While he was napping, we went to a local church's ice cream social and enjoyed some good dessert! Following the ice cream social we hung out with some friends until it was time for the "Grand Parade". We had great seats along the parade path and the parade was about 45 minutes long! So much candy was thrown to us that we had an ice cream pale filled to the brim with different kinds of candy. It was absolutely crazy! Once again, we are proud of our big boy!! He did an excellent job the entire day and we enjoyed some much needed family time. Please enjoy today's pictures. All pictures were taken at the parade.

Little Preacher

2008-06-20T18:20:00.000-07:00

Every year, our city has about a week of festival days. Different activities and events are scheduled throughout the week and one of tonight's big events was the "Kiddie Parade". Basically, the children are invited to walk down 1 block on the main street of town. The children have the option of throwing candy or gum and an announcer shares the child's name and the parents' names. This year's "Kiddie Parade" had a theme entitled, "Real Life Hero", so the child's real life hero was also announced. Each participant was encouraged to dress up as their real life hero and a prize would be awarded to the child in the best outfit.

Our big boy dressed up as his real life hero....his Daddy! He was given the title of "Little Preacher" and I think it fits! Check out this picture we took before we headed downtown for the big event...

What a look on that face!

Our big boy did a SUPER job and we are soooo proud of him! He walked down the entire block all by himself. Even though Mommy walked beside or behind him, he walked that 1 block without holding Mommy's hand and didn't even stumble once!! He is getting to be such a great walker! Sometimes it's hard to believe that he's only been walking for a little over a month. He's made such progress in a short period of time! At the end of the block the children were asked to stand on a big "X" so a picture could be taken of each child in his/her outfit. We can go by the post office to pick up our picture on Tuesday. A friend of mine took the pictures and she said ours is a good one! It was so much fun to see our big boy walk down one whole block by himself and we all had a wonderful time! Can't wait to see what's in store next year!

Oh, by the way, our big boy did not win first prize! But that's okay, we all had a blast and he was so proud of himself!!

The Stairs

2008-06-18T10:03:00.000-07:00

I know, I have previously posted that our big boy can climb up the stairs on his own. But, did you know that he can now safely go down the stairs on his own too? Yep. Just this morning he went down the stairs (feet first, of course) on his tummy. He went down all 14 steps by himself!!! He is getting soooo BIG and he reminds me of that daily!

Just so you know, our big boy helped me unload the dishwasher, water the vegetable garden again and walked with me to get the mail. He walked for a longer time than yesterday (got closer towards Daddy's office with the church's mail), but didn't quite make it to the door. That's okay...it's good to have something to work towards, right? Watering the vegetable garden and walking to and from the mailbox took a whopping 45 to 50 minutes with our big boy's help! Whew! The up side is that he was so tired when we got home that he took a couple drinks of water and then went down for a nap. Yay!! Let's hear it for nap time! Who knows how long (or short) of a nap he'll take :-) since he was up for 6 hours this morning.

Have a great day in the Lord!

Such a Helper!

2008-06-17T18:16:00.000-07:00

Our big boy is such a great helper! He frequently loves to help Mommy unload the dishwasher...and today was no exception. After we had emptied the dishwasher, we both put on our tennis shoes and walked outside to water the plants in the vegetable garden. Our big boy helped his Mommy by walking with me to and from the vegetable garden and then watching me pour water onto the plants. I showed him all of the plants and told him the names of each vegetable as we walked along. As if that wasn't enough walking, we quickly continued and took on the challenge of going to get the mail. Our driveway is quite long and our big boy walked with me all the way to the mailbox and halfway back to the house. Then we dropped the church's mail off and played in Daddy's office for a short while and then returned home for some water and snacks followed by a two hour nap. Whew! What a morning! We are planning to take our big boy to the barber shop for his first haircut next week. Hopefully, we shouldn't have anymore questions about whether he's a girl or boy after he gets his hair cut. Don't worry, I will take some before, during, and after pictures. Have a great day in the Lord!

Surprise Visitors!!!

2008-06-16T18:50:00.001-07:00

We were all just about ready to walk out to the car when Christian and I noticed a couple walking up to the front door. Christian got a better look at our surprise visitors than I did, and to our pleasant surprise it was Pastor and Mrs. Ahlschwede from Michigan! We met them during Christian's vicarage year and learned sooo much from them (along with all of the church's brothers and sisters we were fortunate to work with during that year)! They could only stay for a short while, as they were visiting us on their way to a relative's house, but it was WONDERFUL to see them! During the visit, they met our big boy for the first time, saw the parsonage, church and school, and my vegetable garden. We managed to take the above photo before they had to leave. Thank you Pastor and Mrs. Ahlschwede for the visit and we hope to hear from you (or maybe even see you) soon! God's Blessings on your travels!

Notice Something Different?

2008-06-16T18:31:00.001-07:00

That's right!!! Mommy and Daddy finally bought me shoes! I've been walking for a little over a month now and I am VERY proud of my new shoes. Mommy and I went shopping for them together. We had to go back to the shoe store twice because Mommy didn't realize how big my feet are. We ended up buying shoes from the Boy's Shoe Section (size 7), not the Infant's Shoe Section. Boy was Mommy shocked! It's hard to tell in the pictures, but I have Thomas the Tank Engine velcro shoes that light up when I walk. Mommy looked hard to find regular shoes (you know, ones without the lights) but they didn't have any that were velcro and in my size. Oh well. Now I have super cool shoes and I LOVE them! I walk everywhere! Even outside (which is new since we bought the shoes)!! Watch out world, here I come!

Bummed Out

2008-06-02T18:11:00.000-07:00

Twice a week, I drive 20 minutes to a nearby town to participate in water aerobics. Tonight, I drove all the way there just to find out that there is no water aerobics this week due to pool maintenance. I was a bit frustrated because I always look forward to water aerobics (I absolutely LOVE it!!!) and because I wasted all that gas driving 20 minutes to and from home. Oh well. There's always next week. May the Lord bless your week!

More Garden Pictures

2008-05-25T04:58:00.000-07:00

Here are some closer pictures of the front garden. Remember, it's still a work in progress.

Garden Progress

2008-05-24T18:23:00.000-07:00

I spent about 7 hours in a couple of gardens this weekend. I will let these pictures speak for themselves. Enjoy!

Front garden before

Front garden after

Side garden before

Side garden after

Strickland Stories

Preschool and Bowling

He Did It!

Slideshow of Pics

New Adventures!

Pictures

Merry Christmas!

Now That It's Almost Thanksgiving...

A Couple of Videos

Introducing Benjamin as....

Random Photos

Sitting Pretty

Cleaning and Baking

New Wagon!

It's Cereal Time!

Tuckered Out

The MegaSaucer is a Hit!

Micah Can Roll Over!

Letter Sounds

Last Minute Summer Fun

Brothers

I Know My Brother's Name!

Annual Church Picnic

My Boys

A Couple Videos and More Pictures

It's Johnny Jumper Time!

A Great Day for a Bonfire!

Micah's 4 Months!

Weekend Getaway to...

Too Many Pictures, Too Little Time

12 weeks and 27 months

Guest Pastor

Festival Fun!

Weekend Away

Family Pictures

Overdue Photos

First Confirmand

I Love Corn!

Are You Ready for This!?!

Big Boy Micah

A Few Pictures

Noah's Got Nothing on Me!

New Pictures

Happy Birthday Noah!

Happy Mother's Day!

Thanks for the Horse!!!

See Any Resemblance?

Micah's Baptism

The Boys' Stats

Guess Who Likes Stickers?

Announcing....

Still Waiting

Snow Anyone?

More Pictures and a Video

2nd Birthday Party Celebration

More Birthday Pictures

Happy Birthday!

Yesterday's Doctor Appointment...

Nothing Exciting to Report Around Here

Impatiently Waiting

What is he holding?

Woohoo!!!!

Soccer Anyone?

We're Making Progress!

Merry Christmas!

A Blessed Christmas Eve to you!!

Dress Up

O Christmas Tree....

Guess It Doesn't Matter What We Read...

All Bundled Up!

My New Favorite!!

Wiped Out!

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's a Boy!!!

Thanks to ACORN....

Our Very Own Larry the Cucumber

Pumpkin Carving

New Record!!!

Amaze'n Farmyard

My Big Boy Bed