Trash Picker

Urban dictionary defines trash picker as: Someone who picks through your trash and sells it on ebay, at the flea market, or at the scrap metal yard. Well I am not selling this find of mine!!  I didn't exactly get it out of someone’s garbage can...this fisher price push buggy has been sitting at our neighborhood playground for 2 weeks and I have been eyeing it.  One morning it showed up in front of a stop sign at the entrance to our neighborhood so I asked the lady who lived closest to it.  She said she didn't know who it belonged to and was about to toss it in with her trash, so I scooped it up! It needed a good scrubbing but Aubs LOVES driving around the neighborhood in it! So I am officially a trash picker, more like playground picker I guess. ha ha!!

New Camera

I finally decided to use my Christmas money to buy a new camera, a Canon Rebel XSI to be exact! I got it in the mail last week but we have been so busy with the master remodel that I haven't had time to play with it. During nap time today I read some of my "Rebel for Dummies" book and when Aubrey woke up I snapped some pictures.  There is tons to learn and I'm excited to experiment with all the cool things the camera can do.  I haven't tried using the photo editor program that came with it...that's for another naptime, another day (when I should be doing housework!)  Thanks Mindy, Jenni, and Steph for the Rebel recommendation, and thanks to the moms for the gift cards!
Here are a few I took.

I need to change my blog format, the only pics you can see full size are the horizontal ones.

After looking thru all the pictures I took, I realized Aubrey is looking more and more like a toddler. I swear she woke up this morning looking more mature than she did when I put her to bed!

10 months

Aubrey turned 10 months on Sunday! I totally forgot because we are busy at work on our remodel and she has been busy playing with her Grandma. Aubs is really growing up fast, her Grandparents are amazed how much she has changed just since Christmas.  My favorite thing she is doing lately is her incessant laughing.  She will let out a little giggle and then wait for you to laugh back, then she'll copy you.  She is just a happy little giggle baby who thinks everything is so funny!

Grandma brought several outfits for Aubs so we did a mini fashion show to make sure they fit. I snapped this pic before the tag was off!! ha ha.

Playing in the backyard on a beautiful day....can't wait for Spring to stay around!

Master Bedroom

Nate's parents just arrived to help us with our latest remodel project, the master bed/bath.  As you look at the before pictures, you probably won't understand how we just "knew" this house was meant for us. I don't think the previous owners changed one thing in the house since 1984. They had the whole "country cottage" theme going on with maroon carpet and thanksgiving harvest wallpaper, ahhhhh!! To say it was hideous would be an understatement.  We have basically redone every inch of the house except the master, so this is our final big project.  On closing day the homeowners prayed for Nate and I and asked the Lord to allow this home to bless us as it did them.  God is good and we will always remember this home as our first and where we started our family.

Master Bedroom - Before (Taken on inspection day before we moved in.)

Just a taste of the uglyness!!

Master Bedroom/Closet/Bathroom - Demo time!!

We haven't been sleeping in our room for 3 months, hopefully this will change soon!!

Stroller Walking

On Sunday, Nate and I were having our morning coffee and Aubrey was playing with her toys in the family room. Out of nowhere we saw a baby walking across the room and we both had to do a double take! Aubrey figured out how to push her pink stroller!  We had the video camera handy so we starting filming her in action.  She uses it like a walker and now she is strolling all around the house. I feel like these last 2 months she has really started progressing. Each day something new is going on with this busy baby.
Her other new thing that kinda scares me is climbing stairs. We have three separate sets, and she loves to go up but hasn't figured out how to go down yet, yikes!

Aubrey walking with her stroller! from jennifer michael on Vimeo.

Hop on Pop

One of Aub's favorite time of the day is when Daddy comes home from work! Lately she has figured out when the garage door goes up and Reba starts barking that means Daddy is home! Aubrey then starts yelling and mumbling dadadada while she crawls to the door. It totally melts my heart how Nate and Aubrey interact with each other. Nate's work ups (preparing for deployment) start soon so he will be gone a lot this summer. So I am thankful every time he walks thru the door and Aubrey gets to get excited that Daddy is home!!

Aubrey loves going for rides!

Aubrey likes pulling the patches off Daddy's flight suit. The velcro sound is very interesting!

Nose bite love from Aubs (it hurts now with her two snaggle teeth!)