Merry Christmas from our family to yours!
Joel, Jacqueline & Whitaker Samples
12.25.2009
12.24.2009
Merry Christmas Eve
This was our Christmas Eve. I had to work the majority of the day but my sister and family came in for the day to celebrate Christmas. Food, Fun and Presents made the evening!
Can't wait for tomorrow when we actually get to see Whitaker play with his new toys. AND I would like to attempt a Christmas 2009 family photo. We'll see...
12.21.2009
so this is snow...
after church yesterday we formally introduced snow to whitaker. whitaker didn't want anything to do with getting his shoes wet. ah. he takes after his father. a particular one he is.
12.15.2009
we better have all boys...
...or i'm going to be in big trouble with joel because once again i just couldn't pass up another great buy, aka: winter vest. but, we're vest people now thanks to the sub degree weather. we wear them inside and out. we haven't converted joel yet, but i have a feeling that by the time christmas rolls around he will be. *wink*
12.13.2009
a baby changes everything
Dear (Insert Friends & Family),
To be honest I've been dreading thinking of writing our Christmas Letter. What to write? What to leave out? Of course so much good has come out of this year, but there has been heart ache, change, and hardship too. As always the latter seems to out shadows the good.
Joel just finished up his third semester at Kent State. Being a student, husband, and dad has taken it's toll most days manifesting in very little sleep, but he remains Whitaker and I's hero. He hasn't ceased to amaze us. He is soaring academically and I couldn't be more proud! Just this next week he has an interview for an internship for a company that has both offices here in Akron and Atlanta. What are the chances? Please pray all goes well! So far he is planned to graduate May 2011, but he may try for next December.
I am currently working at Starbucks sporting the green apron and enjoying the medical benefits that come from only having to work part-time. I baby-sit for several families as well. Exciting news. I am back on track to finishing up my prerequisites to enter into an accelerate RN program sometime next year. Pray I survive organic chemistry and the drive 45 mins to the local community college where I will be taking classes. When I'm not working or thinking about school, Whitaker and I have been scouting the local libraries planning our survival guide for this cold snowy winter. We have been blessed to be apart of one awesome playgroup with eight other munchkins. Every other Tuesday afternoon we get together and as the babies play, the moms do what moms do best, talk!
Whitaker is fabulous. Folks come into work and ask me how my little man is doing and I can't help but start to glow. He's growing up so fast and giving Joel and I a run for our money. Running and slowly learning to talk but babbling up a storm, there is never a dull moment with this little guy. He is Joel's shadow. So far there have been no sick visits to the dr or emergency runs and I will be shocked if we can keep this up till his 2nd birthday. There are more bumps on his forehead than I care to count and of course his nose is all banged up from doing face plants into the carpet. My mom watches Whitaker when Joel and I are either at school or work and has been such a blessing allowing us to keep Whitaker out of daycare. Thanks mom!
This Christmas season has been a bright reminder of the precious approachable gift sent to earth to save us. Emmanuel's arrival came with heartache, change and hardship for a very young couple, not so different from ourselves. Just has Joel and I bow at the awesome responsibility that we have has parents to raise Whitaker as a God fearing man, Mary and Joseph were raising the Christ Child. I can't help as a mother but to shutter. To of grown up hearing of prophesies of the Christ's coming and the ultimate sacrifice He would make, and to know you are holding Him in your arms. wow.
Just as this baby has changed our life, Joel and I pray that this Christmas you and your family will be able to stop and celebrate the coming of Christ here to earth to seek and save the lost.
Merry Christmas!
The Samples
p.s. i'm waiting for whitaker nose to heal before i attempt to take a family picture.
To be honest I've been dreading thinking of writing our Christmas Letter. What to write? What to leave out? Of course so much good has come out of this year, but there has been heart ache, change, and hardship too. As always the latter seems to out shadows the good.
Joel just finished up his third semester at Kent State. Being a student, husband, and dad has taken it's toll most days manifesting in very little sleep, but he remains Whitaker and I's hero. He hasn't ceased to amaze us. He is soaring academically and I couldn't be more proud! Just this next week he has an interview for an internship for a company that has both offices here in Akron and Atlanta. What are the chances? Please pray all goes well! So far he is planned to graduate May 2011, but he may try for next December.
I am currently working at Starbucks sporting the green apron and enjoying the medical benefits that come from only having to work part-time. I baby-sit for several families as well. Exciting news. I am back on track to finishing up my prerequisites to enter into an accelerate RN program sometime next year. Pray I survive organic chemistry and the drive 45 mins to the local community college where I will be taking classes. When I'm not working or thinking about school, Whitaker and I have been scouting the local libraries planning our survival guide for this cold snowy winter. We have been blessed to be apart of one awesome playgroup with eight other munchkins. Every other Tuesday afternoon we get together and as the babies play, the moms do what moms do best, talk!
Whitaker is fabulous. Folks come into work and ask me how my little man is doing and I can't help but start to glow. He's growing up so fast and giving Joel and I a run for our money. Running and slowly learning to talk but babbling up a storm, there is never a dull moment with this little guy. He is Joel's shadow. So far there have been no sick visits to the dr or emergency runs and I will be shocked if we can keep this up till his 2nd birthday. There are more bumps on his forehead than I care to count and of course his nose is all banged up from doing face plants into the carpet. My mom watches Whitaker when Joel and I are either at school or work and has been such a blessing allowing us to keep Whitaker out of daycare. Thanks mom!
This Christmas season has been a bright reminder of the precious approachable gift sent to earth to save us. Emmanuel's arrival came with heartache, change and hardship for a very young couple, not so different from ourselves. Just has Joel and I bow at the awesome responsibility that we have has parents to raise Whitaker as a God fearing man, Mary and Joseph were raising the Christ Child. I can't help as a mother but to shutter. To of grown up hearing of prophesies of the Christ's coming and the ultimate sacrifice He would make, and to know you are holding Him in your arms. wow.
Just as this baby has changed our life, Joel and I pray that this Christmas you and your family will be able to stop and celebrate the coming of Christ here to earth to seek and save the lost.
Merry Christmas!
The Samples
p.s. i'm waiting for whitaker nose to heal before i attempt to take a family picture.
12.09.2009
toddler-ized nursery
So maybe I made a mistake with having baby blue everywhere in Whitaker's nursery. Now that he's entering toddlerhood I'm desperately trying to keep up and update his room. I also got inspiration from the book 'Raising your child the Montessori way'. They strongly encourage each child having their own individual space. A safe place. haven. quiet zone. play area. And let's be honest- I'm more than willing to haul all the toys scattered about every where and put them in Whitaker's room. The updating has been slow...but I've made some progress.
11.18.2009
fab find : we've grown...
...our cloth diaper stash, that is!
10 brand spankin' new Sposoeasy diaper's arrived today. Whitaker is ever so slowly growing out of his current cloth diaper stash, one by one, so for Christmas, Gama got him the next size up in cloth diapers. (i know, he'll be thrilled).
Actually I've been building up a gift(toy) stash combined of great deals and garage sale bargains that I'm gonna have my mom claim as her own. She would NEVER but a cloth diaper underneath a Christmas tree. EVER. (i on the other hand- see no shame.) So we're secretly swapping out gifts.
Anywho back to my Sposoeasy diapers. (ahem, Whitaker's diapers) I had one for the longest time and it was my favorite. It held up better than the BumGenius 3.0, dried the fastest, and has the best aplix system.
I also bit the bullet and bought a wetbag/diaper pail bag that hangs on a door knob. It's by Planet Wise and so far i'm loving the size and awesome print it came in. Plus, it zippers closed so I'm hoping that will put an end to the nasty waft that was from Whit's diaper pail.
**disclaimer: this post was specifically written for a few individuals that i am attempting to convert to cloth diapering. If you were utterly bored to tears reading about diapers and nasty smells, so sorry. Next post will include a cute kid WEARING a diaper and well, looking cute :)
10 brand spankin' new Sposoeasy diaper's arrived today. Whitaker is ever so slowly growing out of his current cloth diaper stash, one by one, so for Christmas, Gama got him the next size up in cloth diapers. (i know, he'll be thrilled).
Actually I've been building up a gift(toy) stash combined of great deals and garage sale bargains that I'm gonna have my mom claim as her own. She would NEVER but a cloth diaper underneath a Christmas tree. EVER. (i on the other hand- see no shame.) So we're secretly swapping out gifts.
Anywho back to my Sposoeasy diapers. (ahem, Whitaker's diapers) I had one for the longest time and it was my favorite. It held up better than the BumGenius 3.0, dried the fastest, and has the best aplix system.
**disclaimer: this post was specifically written for a few individuals that i am attempting to convert to cloth diapering. If you were utterly bored to tears reading about diapers and nasty smells, so sorry. Next post will include a cute kid WEARING a diaper and well, looking cute :)
11.11.2009
Hi Dada.
"Hi, Dada."
(note: said completely unprompted while havng his diaper changed by Joel)
That's a full sentence, right!?! So there you have it, Whitaker speaks! And why shouldn't the first real sentence Whitaker says contain the most important person in his life, Dada. Truly, Joel astounds that despite a full school load, job, and general stress, he always has more than enough time to hang out with Whitaker. I can't wait to give Joel 12 more babies who he will fall in love with and in turn they will be completely and utterly enamored with all things 'Dada.'
I know I'm the most blessed mom out there, because the one I share parental duties with, more often than not, carries the majority of the weight. He bathes, He changes, He clothes, He wipes, He plays, He teaches, He roughhouses, He feeds, He protects, He hugs, He kisses. He does it all.
(note: said completely unprompted while havng his diaper changed by Joel)
That's a full sentence, right!?! So there you have it, Whitaker speaks! And why shouldn't the first real sentence Whitaker says contain the most important person in his life, Dada. Truly, Joel astounds that despite a full school load, job, and general stress, he always has more than enough time to hang out with Whitaker. I can't wait to give Joel 12 more babies who he will fall in love with and in turn they will be completely and utterly enamored with all things 'Dada.'
I know I'm the most blessed mom out there, because the one I share parental duties with, more often than not, carries the majority of the weight. He bathes, He changes, He clothes, He wipes, He plays, He teaches, He roughhouses, He feeds, He protects, He hugs, He kisses. He does it all.
We love you Daddy-o. You're one an a million.
11.08.2009
he's so...
kissable...
huggable...
unbelievable...
everything he does make my heart shine!
(i think that's how that country song goes)
11.07.2009
halloween at playgroup
at least his shirt was smiling.
My favorite costume of the night.
A baby Monkey, Superman, Angel, Bug, Pumpkin, Skunk, Ballerina, Elephant and Lamb all in one picture. Phew! We did it!
11.01.2009
10.31.2009
one year ago...
can you believe it! this picture is from a visit we made to my parents a year ago, exactly.man o' man is Whitaker growing up way to fast!
10.18.2009
MY *fab find*
$4.24 Gillian & O'Malley nightgown plus
$2.00 remnant from JoAnn's
equals love.
*hope Joel likes it*
10.17.2009
10.14.2009
Wedensday
This is Whitaker ACTUALLY sitting and watching the T.V. I had to catch it on camera as it dosen't happen often, or not at all...really. This kid is a go go go go go monster who only sleeps an hour and 30 mins in a 13 hour day.
So when he DOES go to sleep I have a mere 2 hours to fit in my 'me' time, AFTER I've cleared the hallway of the hazardous toy obstacle course (dishes, laundry...you know, the usual). I managed set up shop with my sewing machine in the back storage area. It's amazing what a folding table, electric socket and a heap of fabric can do to help unravel some stress of the day. Here's tonight mini project... to embellish a old ratty shirt. (to practice on. i'm trial n' error queen). Didn't turn out to bad... to bad the other 80 % of the shirt is old, tired and stained. Tomorrow it'll be the real thing.
10.10.2009
October Home Movies
Who didn't at one point in their childhood turn an old box into a castle, fort or cabin. Mom recently bought a freezer for the basement and Whitaker hasn't stopped playing with the box it came in since. After cutting out a door, windows and peep holes..Wah-La! Whitaker's first fort!
So one of the perks of living in a basement, excuse me "terrace level", is that it will always feel like well, a basement. And in a basement you keep all the really cool big toys. Mom got this little tykes roller coaster for my niece, and Whitaker's finally old enough to enjoy it! Poor kid is going to go in toy shock when we actually move back to reality (aka 2 bedroom shoebox apartment and toys like roller coasters and forts don't fit). Until then, my kid has a roller coaster in my family room and that's OK. :)
One of the things that I neglected to do on Whitaker's 1 yr post is list his stats... so here it is!
Size:
32 inches
28 lbs.
6-7 shoe
5 diaper
18-24m Shirts & Pants
Gross Motor Skills:
Walking
Turning in circles
Getting off the couch/bed on his own
Playground: Slides! He goes down head first.
(this kid is fearless)
Fine Motor Skills:
Turning Pages on Board Books
Learned sign language for 'No More or All Done'
Bring a spoon to his mouth
Doodling with a pen
I'm sure I'm leaving things out- but those are the highlights. It's amazing how each week it's something new! :)
Size:
32 inches
28 lbs.
6-7 shoe
5 diaper
18-24m Shirts & Pants
Gross Motor Skills:
Walking
Turning in circles
Getting off the couch/bed on his own
Playground: Slides! He goes down head first.
(this kid is fearless)
Fine Motor Skills:
Turning Pages on Board Books
Learned sign language for 'No More or All Done'
Bring a spoon to his mouth
Doodling with a pen
I'm sure I'm leaving things out- but those are the highlights. It's amazing how each week it's something new! :)
10.06.2009
fab find :: lisa leonard designs
Over at one of my favorite mommy blogs (MckMama) the author is giving away one of Lisa Leonard's necklaces on the day her new niece arrives (in the next 5 days). Well, I couldn't wait that long and had to check Lisa's stuff out myself. WOW. I'm loving it. I recently got my mother-in-law a necklace with nickel size pendants that had the grand kids names on the front and their DOB on the back. I picked mine up from a local artist, but I have to say- I'm thinking I might have to give a MAJOR hint to Joel as to what's on my Christmas wish list!
*photo courtsey of www.lisaleonardonline.com
9.21.2009
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