Happy Birthday To Justin!

Happy Birthday oh husband of mine!
I just wanted to take a minute to post about the things I love about you. One, you LOVE THE LORD and if that was all that you did excellently then that would be enough! Two, you LOVE Katie and I like crazy and I am SO thankful for that everyday, in all expressions, in all ways. Three, you are such a servant at heart. I enjoy so much serving our friends, family, work etc with you. Four, your desire to learn each and everyday. -To pursue new things with a passion. To understand what your new job is asking of you and to even more importantly you are learning everyday how to be a better daddy and husband. And fifth, I love to live life with you...there isn't another person that I would want by my side laughing, talking, cuddling, playing etc. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I Love you to the moon and back and like crazy.
Love, your Gi

Merry Christmas!

So for all those people who check our blog.....SORRY for not keeping up! I think that the Christmas holidays have taken over my lists/thoughts and time as well as Katie and I being a bit sick. But now that we are in KS to be with our families and having a few minutes to relax I wanted to post...but realized that as of this moment I can't get the internet connection to connect...what a BUMMER! But I will post soon and can't wait to update our blog.
So in the mean time.........MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS to all!
Love, Justin-Gi-Katie Grace

Kids Say The Darndest Things

SO CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!

Katie Grace

Katie Grace

Katie

Happy 6 month Birthday Katie Grace!

We Love You Like Crazy!!!!!
Love, Mommy and Daddy

ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK...GO KU!

Let's Go Jayhawks......Beat MU!!
We had to post our little one in some KU stuff...thanks Grandpa Hime and Aunt Brandi for getting this little bib for Katie, KSU couldn't have her full affection. We can't believe that KU is rating number 2 in the nation in Football!! Who would have thought it??!!

Even though we are KSU grads, Justin still has an affection to KU because that is where he grew up in Lawrence KS. Everybody on his side of the family roots for KU. So in Justin's heart a little a red and blue jayhawk still lives.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk...Go KU!
You want me to what??
Oh...Tackle the football!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Emergency bath time...

Katie's diaper was full last night and it ended up leaking, everywhere! So when Justin came down with her it was determined that she needed a bath right away. And the sink was the closest thing! She love it! She is almost to big to sit in the small side, but managed to fit and splash water everywhere. :) Good thing I had just cleaned the sink!

What are you doing dad?

Katie is loving learning new things around her. She is not crawling yet, (though her motor is going...no transmission-according to Justin) she has taken to leaning to see what she wants to see or get to. As you can tell she leaned around the coffee table to see the fire that Justin was building in the fireplace.

Happy BEAUTIFUL Thanksgiving!

I don't know about you all, but this year in NC the leaves have be more beauitful then I have ever seen them! I am amazed everytime that I look out the windows, or take a walk or drive somewhere at the billiant colors of the leaves. They are truely breathtaking. I have told Justin about every day that I LOVE THE COLORS! And I don't think my pictures do it justice, but I had to try!

If things like this do not cause people to think someone/something had to be the creator (of this world), because I don't know an accident could cause these colors, I don't know what else could/would point you to our God. The leaves are magnificant this year and it has caused me to sing the praises of our God and Savior.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We LOVE YOU! Love, Justin, Gi and Katie

Hi Graham!!

We were blessed to meet a handsome little boy this past weekend, Graham Rosolowski! Graham's mommy Jackie was a teacher with me at Franklin Academy and we were pregnant at the same time last year. She also taught 5th grade. It was SUCH a blessing to have Jackie with me to go through the ups and downs as teachers as we battled our growing bellies and 75 kids a day!

Now Jackie, Anthony and Graham live in TN and he is the music pastor of a church out there. They were in WF for the past few years as Anthony finished up his degree from Southeastern Seminary. :)

Graham is 3 months old, but doesn't Katie look like she is going to take over? She really was interested in feeling Grahams head either with her fingers or by giving kisses!

Graham also had a very cute outfit- jean overalls- on when he came to see us, but as soon as he stepped in the doorway he had a stinky accident. :( So much for dressing our kids up...something always happens! Way to go Jackie to have this other cute comfy outfit for him to wear! What a good mom! :)

We are SO glad that you stopped by to see us! We will make it to TN next time to see you all!

KSU...KSU...KSU...

Justin and I graduated from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas and wanted to bring a bit of that to Katie! The school colors are purple and gray, can't you tell? I put all of the few things I had left from those years in this picture...isn't sad that all I have left are two bears and one Willie the Wildcat?! (Well we do have a bunch of pictures too!) We both loved school and wanted to say...........GO CATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The football team this year has had a few good games, like beating TX (sorry Hunter), and they were in the top 25 for a while, but now Kansas University's record is beating the snot out of them.

Justin grew up in Lawrence, Kansas where KU is, we are now saying GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are still unbeaten, wow! That the football team is any good is a miracle... But when Darren (Justin's stepdad) was playing for KU football they were good!....that was a few decades ago, sorry Darren for calling you sorta old! :) They must have been good because HE played! :)

Normally it is the KU basketball team that gets the town up and rejoycing, but not this time.

So really it is Go KSU and KU this year! :)

Proud to be a Kansan.

Baby Taco

This is Katie as a Taco....Justin was moving her and the blanket to another place to play a few days ago and looked pretty cute in there! :)

Fields of Promise

This is a fantastic website devoted to adoptions. It was started by a family that we know of in Kansas back at our old church, Grace EPC. It is a fantastic church body and one we still love to go back and visit!

A friend of ours is adopting a little boy from Ethopia very soon. What a testimony to give a child a family!! We can't wait to meet your little boy, Avila family. :)

Check it out!
http://www.fieldsofpromise.org/index.html

Can you believe that the holidays are upon us!

Hey all....I love the love of the holidays....so in light of that I decided to change our blog to holiday colors. I tried a true red, but not for me! So instead it is green and pink. Play around with your blog to make it festive!
Love to everybody!

A book blog update!

Hey all!
There are 8 women reading the book, Heaven at Home!! Yeah! The women are located from Egypt, to Kansas, to Missouri, to NC and finally Louisana (did I miss anyone?)~!
I am so excited to hear their thoughts on the book. Keep those thoughts coming girlfriends!

I know that we have heard from Krista about a few things that she liked and that challenged her...here are a few things I underlined in my copy of the book. These are Ginger Plowman's words, not mine. :)

Delighting in who you are
The woman sets the ambiance of the home.
The fregrance of her joyful presence is a tantalizing aroma that scents the home more sweetly than a fresh-cut bouquet of magnolias.
She depends on Christ to enable her.
She is nothing without the atoning grace of God.
True beauty radiates from a woman who gracefully walks the path designed uniquely for her.

Being a beautiful Bride of Christ
It's not about us; it's about God.
(when busy...have Bibles placed throughout your home/car/purse so as you go about your day...) A little snacking can prevent starvation as you wait for an opportunities to feast (on God's word).

Being a great wife
Disorder and chaos wears a man down.
It does take a willing women to keep her priorities in order.
Prepare for your husbands arrival!
Allow him time to rest his mind and body before you approach him with heavy topics.
Little things mean a lot...a little effort can go a long way. (favorite food, lighted candle, note in lunch)
Study your husband, what does he notice and make positive comments about...what does he complain about...ask him what would make his home life more fulfilling.
As loving wives, by God's grace, we can prepare a "refuge" at home.

Being a great mom

It is my calling, my priority, my struggle, and my goal. I will rise to the occasion and accept the task at hand. I will love, nurture and train my children in the way that God has called me to do.

It's molding character, building confidence, nuturing, training, guiding. There is no calling as consuming, challenging, and rewarding. And there is no calling as worthy of our efforts as the high calling of motherhood.
Talking about Jesus should be a natural part of everyday conversation with your children.
Let them witness how the hope of the gospel motivates you to cling to Christ.
...point them to the giver of joy.
...point them to the redemption and hope of Jesus.
Find out what warms the heart of your child and makes home special for him. Then offer those as a gesture of love.
Listen intently to their hopes, fears, dreams, and concerns.

Cultivating Unity in Marriage
As we strive to be unified through an unselfish effort to meet the needs and desires of one another, we are transformed into His likeness.
Unity is acquired through viewing ourselves and others through the lens of the gospel.
Christ has called wives to serve their husbands no matter how unworthy they may be.
Date your mate! Don't let the sizzle fizzle...don't let money keep you from dating-(even walking hand in hand can sizzle...)

In conclusion...I have copied a lot from the book. Anything in ( ) is added by me, or at least reworded by me. This book really is a great challenge to love being a woman, wife and mommy. Hope you enjoyed, I have!

It's a beautiful fall day here in NC...don't you just love the anticipation of the holidays!
Love to all!

A day on the wood cabin farm...

Welcome to the wood cabin farm...home of the Mckenzies! Who happen to be some of our favorite people. These friends have been around our lives for the last 10 years! That is amazing to me! Justin first meet Tracy at KSU when we were freshmen. And the first time I meet Beth she was pregnant with their first boy, Micah! Wow, time flies! :0)
Yesterday, Justin, Katie and I helped to start the process of adding stone to the base of their home and porch. The stone was so heavy (at least to my wimpy arms!). We had a blast trying to fit each piece like a puzzle. In the first picture you can see the stucco that we started on, the second picture there is some finished in the corner, the third picture-a picture of the Mckenzie boys in the farm dump truck, and the last picture is the little boys in the truck while it was unloading the stone. All the little boys were a great help and we (the Himes) were so glad to help work! Check back next week to see a picture of some of the finished product. The entire plan of stone work will take a few months!

And the photos below...well they speak for themselves...Tracy and Justin, Beth and I, Crocket the dog, and oh the sweet potato grilled fries!!! These were introduced to me by Beth. They are DELICIOUS! They are sliced uncooked sweet potatoes, brushed with maple syrup and then grilled until soft. Oh my, they are worth all the time! If you do try to make some...pick out short fat potatoes- since they are the easier to cut into slices, slice them pretty thin or they will be to chewy, and then grill until soft. To decide if they are soft...eat one! I hope you enjoy this healthy addition to my ever changing menu! :)


And last Katie did a great job...she slept most of the time, since it was her longest nap time, but when she was up she was entertained by all the hammering and boys antics!


McKenzies, We love you guys! Love, the Himes