Perfect Fall Weekend...

Oh my what a weekend we had-Shopping, Goldrush, Burt's Pumpkin Patch, and most of all quality time with family...

Kensleigh, my mom, and myself drove up to Dahlonega on Saturday for Goldrush, where thousands come out to celebrate Dahlonega's 1828 discovery of  gold.  There are around 300 craft vendors and plenty of delicious food!  I went to college in Dahlonega and Goldrush was always one of the highlights of the year.  So if I am able, I enjoy getting to go.  This year we meet a really good friend of mine, her family, and her little munchkin!  Kensleigh and him had a blast watching the parade together!

Then, on Sunday we decided it was time to drive up to Burts!  Jong and I have been going there to get our pumpkins for several years now.  We started the tradition a few years back and now with Kensleigh its a must!  She really enjoyed it.  Last year, she was only four weeks old when we went, so this year it was really fun to see her watch all the people and excitement and get excited herself.  I think I may have to get the girl a wheelbarrow, because that by far was her favorite thing.  She kept going up to peoples and tried to hijack them!  She especially like pushing trying to push the wheelbarrow.  Needless to say after much effort it was just too heavy for her.  So also like all the wood chips on the ground-just fascinated.  I think she could have stayed there all day playing with them.

Dee Dee-where are my sunglasses? 

Loves riding on Daddy's back!

Fascinated by the wood chips

and all the pumpkins.

What about this one?

 Oh my, our cute pumpkin on a pumpkin!

 Hey there!

Sweet girl.

No more pictures please-I just want to play!

Our little pumpkin.

Can I have this one, please?

 Swing me, swing me!

Standing in line for BBQ!

Silly girl!

Love the Wheelbarrow.

 Thats a mighty big pumpkin you've got there.

Making Friends (while trying to take their wheelbarrow)

Laughing at Daddy!

So we picked our pumpkins, had some lunch, and drove back home to take a big nap! Well, daddy did at least; Kensleigh decided it was play time, so we had fun playing and grocery shopping while we let daddy sleep.  Overall, it was a very eventful weekend with lots of family fun!  In my opinion it was just about as perfect as it gets and just what I needed too.

Kensleigh's 1st Birthday Party

Oh my goodness where to start.... Kensleigh's turned ONE last month and we partied all weekend long (of her birthday that is)... With family and friends and then with more family and friends the very next day.

Let me just say that I'm pretty sure Kensleigh's party wore me out more than her.  I luckily had the help of my mom and without her help there would have probably been no food!  It was my idea to have a brunch because I love brunch food and thought it easy to prepare, but I didn't think about how long it would take me to get everything prepared, cleaning, decorating, and  food.  So I cleaned while mom slaved away in the kitchen. Thank you mom for your help, I couldn't have done it without you!!!

I have been thinking about Kenseigh's party for a while now and I was so excited that it came together so well.  I LOVE color-so while there was no true "theme" for the party, it was just colorful! I was able to find some great decorations on Etsy, oh how I love Etsy.  I mean I wish I had the time to make banners and flower pom poms, but I don't.  I will say that the little banner on her high chair I did manage to "help" put together, but the majority of the work was done by my sweet friend April. 

My friend Danielle who blogs here took pictures for me during the party.  They turned out great and I am so thankful to have such great friends who are willing to help me out.  My dad also walked around with his camera during the party so we've got plenty of pictures to share.

The  birthday girl throughly enjoyed her party, her cake , and her friends.  Thanks to all who came out to help us celebrate!

Now, being a Big One Year Old, Kensleigh's favorites things include:

-Dancing! This girl loves to dance-She will beak it down for you even if its just your phone ringing. Currently, I think she is learning to do the "twist and shout!"  She's really fun to watch.  She also likes it if you dance and spin around with her.
-Reading Brown Bear Brown Bear (By far her favorite book) She smiles just at you handing her the book.
-Walking Everywhere.  She is now trying to run walk super fast these days.
-Saying "Mama, Dada, Dog, and Ball" and then talking and saying sentences that I have no idea what the child is saying, but I'm pretty sure she knows exactly what she is talking about.
-While she has been able to crawl up the stairs for a few good months, she can't go down.  She realizes this and will just stand there looking at you like "Well mom, aren't you going to help me down?"
-She absolutely loves to play in my closet and with my makeup.  She opens my makeup bag, proceeds to pull it all out and then put in all back in the bag.  Yesterday I was on my hands and knees looking for my mascara; thought I was going to have to go to work with out it- scary!  
-She loves shoes!  She will go in her closet (maybe she has a fascination with closets?) and proceeds to pull all of them out.  Last Sunday I let her take a nap with her church shoes because she didn't want to take them off, silly girl!
-A few of her new favorite foods include: grilled cheese, bananas, peanut butter, and tortellini!  For the most part she eats whatever we are eating.  Let me tell you, this girl loves some food.
-She loves being outside and riding her tricycle she got for her birthday.  She definitely thinks she is "hot stuff"  when you put her in it.  
-She still takes 2 naps a day and sleeps 12-13 hours at night!

I still can't believe that she is a year, and that we are parents of a one year old.  Time does fly and it still feels like yesterday that we were driving to the hospital just to have her. Man, I love that baby girl! xoxo

There are so many pictures, so I am going to put together a slide show and post.  I'll try to do it soon, but you know life gets in the way and I'm not always able to post as timely as I want.

Happy 1st Birthday Kensleigh!!!!!

Happy Birthday to my sweet baby girl who turned ONE today!!  I sure am one lucky Momma!!!! I love you sweet girl!

More to come about her birthday bash of a weekend! I had to take Monday to recoup it was so much fun, busy!

Just a Few Bullets...

-  8.26.12 Kensleigh got kicked out of Wamba Land for not crying too much! What?  Baby girl was having her first little melt down in the quad stroller with 3 other sweet little ones having  melt downs as well, needless to  say every baby in that stroller got kicked out.  I just like to think Kensleigh joined in on the crying so she wouldn't feel left out :). 

-8.27.12 I made a big decision that i'm working on-prayers are welcome

-8.31.12 Kensleigh's first friend turned ONE!  My dear friend April (who I wouldn't have made it through this past year without) had a birthday bash that i'm sure was out of this world, I unfortunately wasn't able to attend :(

-9.1.12 Kensleigh truly started walking!  She saved it for her Daddy's birthday.  What an awesome present for him?!

-9.7.12 I got to meet sweet baby Vance.  He's a little cutie!  I almost forgot what it was like to hold an eight  week old!

-9.8.12 I decide 9:30pm is my new bedtime, and i'm five minutes past, so goodnight world!

I love My Morning Coffee....

I love my morning coffee, don't you?  In the morning, when all is quiet and still (& the baby sleeps) is the time when I get to relish that warm cup and talk with my Savior.  I come to Him, not always happy and sometimes with a heavy heart.  I tell Him my thoughts and my feelings and know that He is listening.

The thing is, that this past year has been the hardest year I have experienced, we experienced.  Jong and I have had so much going on and so much changing it has been difficult to swallow.  I mean, change is hard, you know? And change is good too(?).... And while I say its been the hardest year, it has also been the best year because God blessed us with our sweet baby girl, who I couldn't imagine life with out.  She brings us so much joy and happiness; It's crazy that one tiny person can do that.

I say all of this because I couldn't get through these times by myself.  I sometimes thought I could and I sometimes even thought that "if I could just have my coffee first"....then I could tackle the day, but I can't.  None of us can really.  We may think we can, but the fact is that we need Him, bottom line.

I am very stubborn girl (just ask my husband) and I really don't like it when I don't get my way (another part of why these past few months have been hard for me) But I am surrendering, raising my white flag, and letting Him take over.  I need Him.  I need His peace and I need His grace.  Don't get me wrong,  I still really need my morning coffee too. Without the coffee I'm a grump, but  without Him I'm a total mess.

This verse has helped me a lot the past couple of weeks.  I know that with Him I can make it, that I will have peace and the strength to make it through my day.

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint."  Isaiah 40:31

His promise is that by hoping in Him we will have the strength to rise above life's distractions and difficulties.

My prayer is that if you are struggling with something, go to Him, tell Him, surrender.  Share your thoughts and your feelings.  He is there to listen. He is there for you, for me, for everyone.

And don't forget that coffee, it's important too!

Hilton Head and 9 months old

Better a little late than never... 


Oh, it has been crazy busy for us lately. If it wasn't for my mom I might have lost my mind! So, thank you mother for helping out the past few weeks.  Kensleigh and I, along with my family headed to our beach cabin in Hilton Head mid June.  Kensleigh absolutely loved the beach. She looked like a little bug crawling around all over the sand; a pink bug that is.  She had a big pink polka dot hat on to protect her from the rays.  She would crawl right up into the water and when it would splash in her face she would just laugh the biggest laugh.  She also liked to eat the sand.  She'd put a big handful in her mouth, then make a silly face and go for more. I guess she liked the "salty taste", You know sand mixed with salt water, mixed with snot, doesn't that sound yummy, gross?!  (I did try my hardest to keep the sand out of  her mouth though!)

Kensleigh also turned 9 months on the 18th!  Along with 9 months came...


-Walking around the coffee table and along the sofa
- Standing by herself for a second or two
-Clucking her tongue
-Doing the "indian call" with her little fist
-Blowing spit bubbles
- Climbing in and out of her little pool
-She climbed up one stair
-She's becoming much more vocal
-She sleeps from 8pm-7:30am
-She eats 3 times a day now and takes 4 bottles
- She absolutely loves bath time, loves being read to, and loves being sung to  


We moved her into her "big girl" carseat at the beginning of the month. She loves it and I find it easier to get her in and out of.  We started a little table food this month with the doctors okay, and so far she likes cheese, blueberries, squash and zucchini.  She is getting to where she would rather feed herself than have one of us feed her, so we thought we would give it a go!  She has become a little wiggle worm when it comes to changing her diaper; sometimes it even takes both of us to do it. We are still doing sign language in hopes that she picks it up and I am still pumping.  She became too distracted when I would try and nurse her so I decided to become an exclusive pumper, which has worked out well.

 9 month stats:

17.11 lbs (28%)

29 3/4" (93%)

The doctors day she is going to be long and lean!

8 Months Old!

On May 18th my sweet baby girl turned 8 months old.  I can hardly believe she is just 4 months away from being one year! I don't even want to think about that right now. 


This month definitely brought attitude and one whole tooth.  She is full of personality and will let you know when she doesn't like something (or someone).  She's learned to pull herself up and is always trying to stand. She a fast little crawler who's all over the house,  ALWAYS! She's chasing the dogs around these days, luckily they have learned to jump up on the sofa where she can't reach (yet!) She's a picky little eater, but will eat most anything as long as apples or pears are mixed with it.  She loves to feed herself puffs and use chew on her sippy cup. She keeps me and her daddy on our toes and brings more joy to our life than she knows. Kensleigh Parker Kim, I love you! (and I'm guessing she weighs about 18lbs now!)