. My Girl .

REMEMBER: Our Steelers Party

This sweet boy (my nephew), Jacob- has never forgotten the last memory he had of our family being together at his house before moving to South Asia.

We had a "Steelers Party" and watched the game together.

So we decided that while we were home in December, it would be a blast to re-live that time and have ANOTHER Steelers party @ his house.

And that we did!

Everyone dressed in their black & yellow and had a blast hanging out together, once again!!!!

Looks like we need to get this girl some Steelers gear, eh?

Where do the adults hang out during the game?

Near the food :)

Nothing like candid shots that truly capture a person's personality ;)

(This cracks me up every.time!)

And the kids just gather near the toys :)

But this guy here, he is a faithful fan, and stayed right there on the couch and didn't miss a single play

Way to Go, Jacob!

So grateful for this man!

By far, one of my favorite moments:

The brother duo decided to get comfy :)

All of Levi's cousins are quite fond of him (which I LOVE!) and they are the BEST little helpers, too!

 

Until Next Season....

Here we go STEELERS, Here we GO!!!!!

* Papa's Little Girl *

REMEMBERING: Having a Blast with Aunt Bridget & Uncle Dave

One of our main reasons for heading back to America in December was because my sister, Bridget, was marrying her best friend, Dave.

So we dedicated a day to just hanging out with them before the big day arrived.

Aaaand here is the result:

Play time:

Cute time:

Eating time:

Wrestle Time:

Tag Team Time:

Bonding Time:

These two were cracking up at minion noises on her phone together:

(This was one of my favorite moments)

Adorable!

Still cracking up at the minions on her phone:

And just plain ol' quality time and good conversation Time:

(Riley became quick buddies with Uncle Dave)

So grateful for these two and the way the Lord is working in their lives. 
Grateful for time with them.
Grateful for such a beautiful wedding.
Grateful for the amazing things the Lord will continue to do through their marriage!

....:::* Riley Joanna : 11 MONTHS OLD *:::...

. January 27, 2014 .

There's no denying it- our little girl is growing up.

11 months have proven to be full of lots of accomplishments, growing, sweet smiles, and fun!

So much personality squeezed into a tiny body:

Sneaky

Not so thrilled

Sweet

Smiley

Precious

On the go, and into trouble :)

Putting her spell on all of us ;)

(Girl loves this wand- haha. Thanks Aunt Leah!)

Together with her buddy:

One has cute hair, one has C.R.A.Z.Y. hair!

He was so proud of this hair after he woke up from his nap.

Cracks me up :)

Memories & Milestones:

MONTH 11:  (Dec 27- Jan 27)
- rough adjustment back to India sleep wise but you finally did it
- eating more solid foods so well- bananas, crackers, puffs, rice- so ready to self feed. Big girl!
- still play with mama's lips or hand while you nurse
- drink so well from a straw
- really play great with your brother
- standing on your own for brief moments
- won't leave a ribbon in your hair for anything. Haha
- hair is still growing. Kind of curly/ crazy.
- sweetest wave good bye with your hand flipping up and down ever so gently. Melts everyone's heart
- super fun to laugh with
- doing more repeat actions. Levi eats this up!
- still exploring everything by putting it in your mouth. Quite stressful when you get around Levi's tiny toys.
- find EVERY little thing and pick it up and put it straight in your mouth. Serious fine motor skills though!
- little chatter box. Not much makes sense but it's cute.
- favorite toy- your purple wand from aunt Leah :)
- figuring out how to play games/ entertain yourself: we caught you standing by the coffee table then fallin into the bean bag on purpose.
- mommy was dancing with you in the kitchen and when I stopped you started dancing yourself. So much fun!
- you have the best "squeal and flip out" reaction when you think someone is chasing you :)
- stood up for 8 seconds hands free but no steps
- 1.22 took your first steps at aunt Beth's :) then you kept on trying. So proud of you sweet girl!
- self feeding machine :)
- totally amused by your tongue and you have the best giggle when someone responds by sticking their tongue out too

Riley Jo, Our Precious Daughter~

This month has had lots of surprises and treasures in it.  You continue to excel in so many ways and work hard at all you do.
We are SO SO SO proud of you.
We are praying for the Lord to cultivate a heart of mercy within you.
Your brother is quite merciful at times when you grab his hair, and you are quite forgiving when he "crashes" into you while playing...
So we are praying that this will naturally spill over into other areas of your life as you grow.
And that ultimately, you would be overwhelmed with the Father's mercy in our lives, that you can't help but pour it out to others.

We love you more than we can say.

~All Our Love~
Mama & Papa