Road Trip!

I left Friday afternoon about 1:00pm to begin my trip to Memphis for the weekend.  I went to see a cousin of mine get married and because it was an "adult only" wedding, I traveled alone.  Lucas had his first long weekend all alone with Layla.  Before I left, we were switching the car seat to Lucas's car and Layla was SO excited about being able to ride in "daddy's car".  With Lucas's job he is unable to do a lot of traveling, so I left my family behind and started the 6.5 hour trip to Memphis.

Luckily, on the way there, I was able to break up the trip.  I stopped in Murfreesboro and spent the night with my parents.  This was the first time I was able to see my uncle since his surgery, and he looks great!  We were even able to go OUT to dinner on Friday night.  That was the first time he had been out of the house in 2 weeks.  Saturday morning, I picked up my almost 90 year old granddad and his wife and they rode along with me to Memphis.  We got to spend some quality time together in the car talking about family of the past.  I love spending time with them in conversation, there is always so much history to be shared.  We arrived in Memphis about lunch time and it was non stop after that.  The wedding was beautiful on Sunday and I got to see many people that I haven't seen in over a year.

My cousin (the groom's brother) trying to not get salsa on his tux:)

Reception.  Girl in middle is Talia. She is the fiance of the cousin above.  Other is a long time family friend Kelly.  It was a fun night!

Mimosas and Chocolate covered fruit for breakfast...YUM!

Back home, Layla and daddy stayed busy as well.  They had playground dates, went to church and attended a birthday party.  Natalie took Layla to dance for me today and watched her until Lucas was able to pick her up after work.  THANKS SO MUCH to the two of you for making this trip possible for me.  It blessed me, as well as others.

Layla at the birthday party

Then at Barnes and Nobles.  She really does have the BEST DADDY!

I left Memphis about 7:15am this morning with my grandparents.  I dropped them off in Middle TN where I then picked up one of my other cousins who just got out of the air force and was needing a ride to Atlanta.  He is staying with us for a few days.  I grew up with my cousin Adam, so it has been fun to catch up since he has spent the last 5 years in Germany.  We gained an hour and arrived in Atlanta at about 3:45pm.  Not too bad of timing if you ask me:)

I did learn in on the way home that our childhood pet dog, Maggie, of about 15 or 16 years died on Sunday.  Maggie was a chocolate lab who was one of the most gentle, loyal, dogs... ever.  She arrived on an airplane from out west when I was around the age of 11 or 12.  If I remember right, she was from a show breed but because of a defect on one of her claws she was not able to be used.  Somehow, we got connected with her and she quickly became a part of the family.  Not too long after we had her, she got hit by a car and the vet told us to put her to sleep because she would never walk again.  Well, my uncle is pretty old school when it comes to that, so he just brought her home.  We would go down to the barn everyday and try to beg her to walk by moving her food bowl just out of her reach.  To all of our amazement, within a couple of weeks she began walking.  Until the day she died, she walked flawlessly and you would of never known that she was ever hit by a car.  We knew her time was coming.  She would get up and down slower, and slower, and her body eventually just gave up.  I am thankful that she did not have to face another winter, because it was so tough on her old bones.  Because of my uncle's back surgery, he was not able to dig a grave so the neighbor came over and helped.  Maggie, has a permanent spot of rest behind the barn on the family farm.  RIP Maggie.  You definitely lived up to the reputation of your breed.  To be able to share life with a dog like you was a joy.  Thanks for all the fun memories and companionship.  You will be missed!

These were taken in May.  This about sums up Maggie's personality.  She loved everyone.  As long as someone was touching her, she was so happy:)

I know Layla will miss Maggie.  It will be sad when we got back to Grammy and Granddaddy's house because I know she will call for her.

This is Maggie with our dog that lives at our parents,  Lilly.  

Refreshed!

Lucas and I LOVE living in Atlanta and we see reasons every day why God has moved us to this great city!! We have made some awesome friends through various avenues and we are so thankful for each of them.

One thing was missing.

We have been searching for over a year for a church body. I have mentioned our journey through this process and I am so thankful we have found a church to call home but now we know why it took us so long. God had very strong intentions for us to develop some of the close friendships that we have over the past year. In the past, all our most valued relationships have been with people who shared that same Christian values that we do. To mention the name of Jesus in every day conversation was/is normal. For the first time in my life we have more unchurched or nonchristian friends than we have ever before. I am not just talking about acquaintances but people that we are doing life with. I do believe that if we would have immediately got plugged into a church, we would have gravitated towards that community and easily become immersed in the kind of relationships that we have always been accustomed too. Thank God for his all important timing. He has totally rocked our world since moving us here and without a doubt, He has us exactly where He wants us. I believe that he has given us a great circle of influence and He is going to use of to be a blessing to this city.

In saying of all this....
We have also been CRAVING a Christian community. God created us to be relational and without a doubt I know I am a better person when people of speaking the things of Jesus over me. Now, we finally are coming to that place! We attended our first House Church meeting last night and we left there feeling so refreshed. Throughout the meeting, Lucas and I would just look at each other and smile. My heart was finally at home in this big city. Then, this morning was the first meeting of the mom's group and I had that same sense of refreshment.

I just feel like we are in the best place we have been in our lives. I believe that God's desire for us is to be trained and sharpened but what good is all of that if we are not invested in relationships in which we can be intentional of living out our calling??

So, Jesus we need your help. Help our relationships to be balanced in a way that we have the greatest impact on furthering your kingdom. Hold us accountable in holding on to your Truth without compromise but loving no matter what. Thank you for this diverse city in which you have called us and please continue to challenge us so that we know exactly who we are in You.

Happy Hump Day!

Why exactly is Wednesday called hump day??
Anyway, I want to start by giving a shout out to my inlaws, Ron & Kerri, who are celebrating 21 years of marriage.  Thank you for being an example of an marriage that sticks together no matter what! Love you guys!

Layla and I spent the morning with Aunt Natalie at the mall.  With this cooler weather approaching, I realized that Layla's fall wardrobe was pretty much nonexistent.  I stocked up on some cute things at Baby Gap (my favorite) this morning.  They were having 40% off already reduced prices.  I also ordered her some new shoes earlier in the week and plan on getting her some Tiny Toms tomorrow.  Then, I think she will be set for awhile and once again she will be MUCH more fashionable than me.

In the princess castle at the new disney store.

Selecting a movie to watch on their big screen.  Yes, we had to drag her out of here...

Other bigs things for Layla this past week:

1.  She has her first two year molar.  She amazingly dealt with this one better than any of her other teeth.  I just happen to notice it one night when brushing her teeth.  The bottom left made its appearance first.

2.  We have transitioned her to a real cup when at home.  She always says, "two hands" and "don't spill" when using it.  Obviously, the sippy is still a must in public.

3.  Her high chair might as well be put in the attic.  She is now in a chair a 100% of the time.

4.  Super Why is her new favorite tv show.  We are just thankful to have a break from that dinosaur:)

One more thing...
We are attending our first house church meeting tonight! I am so exited to get to know some other young couples at our church.  Every week they just meet at the same house & eat together.  Looks like on the agenda tonight is breakfast for dinner and the book of Ephesians:)

Week 2

Another Monday means the second week of dance for Layla.  In attempt to squeeze in some exercise at some point throughout today I thought I we (I) would run to dance class.  Well, it was 3 miles and I knew that but I didn't take into consideration how much I would dread the 3 miles home after dance.  All in all it really wasn't that bad.  It was a little colder than I thought and Layla kept telling me she was cold on the way there. After class,  I allowed Layla to walk as much of the way home as she wanted so she was good and ready for a nap this afternoon.:)  

I am making fun of myself for how cheesy this pic is but I wanted to have a way to remember where it was she took dance.

Another good thing about these cooler temps is that is means more porch time!  We spent the later part of the afternoon outside and daddy even played some music for Layla after we ate dinner.

This little girl always has a couple of babies in tow:) 

Here she is posing with them.  It was all her idea:)

Sunday Sit Down

Has it really been Tuesday since we last talked?

Seems like I was just preparing for Septemeber, now we are more than half way through!

We had a relaxing, energizing weekend. Friends. Fellowship. And Football. Doesn't get much better:)

Please pray for us as we a trying to find a sitter for Layla. Only for a couple hours each week while we attend house church. I would like someone that is consistent week to week. Might sound easier than it is, we are in a city where we don't know many "younger" girls:)

Cheers, to a great week!

Last Name

The past two days as we have been riding along in the car, Layla has been coloring in her book (thanks Publix) and reciting the same series of letters over and over.  She knows her alphabet but this phase of letters wasn't that.  I kept rattling my brain to figure out what she was spelling and then realized, she is spelling our last name!  Obvioulsy, our last name is not White or Smith, therefore Lucas and I have to spell it ALL the time.  We had not intentionally tried to teach Layla how to spell anything, much less our last name.  This just goes to show, kids pick up on EVERYTHING!  Her version of our last name is K-I-R-D-O-S.  Which is about as good of an attempt for some adults.  Listen to this video to hear her spell it:)

Today, for the first time, Layla also picked up my phone and said, "I text daddy".  At what age will she be wanting a phone??  Oh wait, she thinks mine is hers already.

I have been sitting with pillow behind my back to help with my posture lately.  Layla has recently started putting every pillow on our couch behind everyone's back.  We just put two and two together....

Another Video:

Our dancing queen.

In other not so cute news.  

I am now teaching 2 spin classes on Tuesday.  I hope I make it through our movie tonight.

And, there was a miss communication on how my uncle's surgery went.  He did have two bone fusions in his vertebrae.  Along with the removal of 6 bone spurs that were on a nerve.  Today, has been a much tougher day, much closer to how they expected his recovery to go.  He will be spending one more night in the hospital and then will be sent home with home health care support.  My aunt most definitely cannot take care of him in the shape he is in.  Please continue to pray for them.  This is the tough part about not being close by.  

Pointed Toes!

Layla finally had her first ballet class today at the Decatur School of Ballet and just as I expected, she LOVED it!  Although it is a mommy and me class, I don't think she could have cared less that I was there! At one point when the whole class (8- two year olds) were tip toeing across the studio, Layla was right behind the teacher following every step! For a moment, I kind of sat back and just observed.  I am so proud of my (almost) independent, beautiful, talented daughter.  Of course, at this point it is too early to tell if ballet will be here thing, but for now she is giving it her best shot while looking mighty cute in her leotard and tights:)

Here are a couple of pics before we left.  Unfortunately, since I am a participant in class it makes it hard for me to take pics.  I will try to do better in the next few weeks.

Of course, Monkey can't miss a dance class.

BTW: Thanks for all of your prayers for my uncle.  His back surgery went well.  They removed 6 bone spurs but none of the vertebras seemed to be compressed which is good news.  He returned to the room with his pain under control.  When he had his first back surgery this time last year, pain control on the first day was a huge issue. Thankfully, this time things seemed to go more smoothly.  If all goes well, he will just stay the night and then go home tomorrow.  He will have a long recovery after that, but at least he can be at home.

Sunday Sit Down

The end of last week was rather routine for the Kairdolf Family. I have been enjoying the cooler weather by trying to get back into running. I had gone to the physical therapist about some ailments I was having and he gave me some exercises and told me to take it slow and easy for awhile. It seems to be working, my runs have been pretty much pain free:) Although my runs are more comfortable, they have changed quite a bit from the spring. Now Layla wants to talk or sing the whole time and if I slow down she says "mom run!". Thanks for the encouragement baby.... Now when we can see the house I let her get out and run along side me. She loves it. Once her legs get just a tad longer, I will have a running partner!!

I did have a celebrity spotting this week. While we were working out at Chstain Park, we saw Andre 3K. He stood out to me because of what he had on, and as he walked by he said a polite "hi" to one of the moms in the group.

I wish I could express how much Layla is talking these days. Her expressions and sayings are hilarious. I think Lucas thinks we are crazy how we laugh at each other but we just have so much fun!

To end the week, (or to begin it) we have had a great Sunday. We are so excited about the church we have been going too. We are attending several groups to get "plugged in" this month. We have been missing this huge part of our life for over a year now and we can't wait to see how God is going to use us to be a blessing to this city that we love.

Please say a prayer for my uncle, who has been like a dad to me most of my life. He is having his 2nd back surgery in the morning. Please pray they get his pain controlled quickly, no extra bleeding, and that after rehab he will have strength back 100% in his legs. Also, pray for my aunt as she will taking care of a man who doesn't like to be still. Layla also starts dance tomorrow and his requests was video and pics so he could see could see her when he wakes up:)

I cannot post today without mentioning the 10th anniversary of September 11. I remember sitting in Ms. Sikes Psychology class my senior year of high school, when we watched the plane fly into the second tower. I knew it was devastating but I really had no grid in my life as to where to place it. It was and still is too much for me to wrap my mind around. My heart still breaks for all the families who are growing up without a mom, dad, brother, or sister. It challenges us as christians to extend grace to those who most definitely, in the world's eyes, don't deserve it. Every year, the huge impact of this tragic event challenges me to examine all the little problems in my life and realize they are by no means tragic. Surrounded by this tragedy are MANY people who need Jesus. They need Him to be the father that they lost. They need his love before a root of hate destroys the rest of their life. They need Him because he is the only Way, the Truth, and the Life. My prayer is that the Lord would lead me so that my life can be a part of showing people in this world the unfailing love of Jesus Christ.

Finally!

Today, I finally ordered Layla's 2-3 year old curriculum for preschool. I meant to have this ordered so that I could start her school this week like everyone else, but our crazy electric bills made me have to hold off. I am excited to for this to become a part of our daily routine as I get to watch Layla learn over the next year! I hoping it is here by Monday so we can start then:)

It's all relative

Let's look at it like this:
The 4 lanes of traffic through downtown Nashville is nothing compared to the 8 lanes through downtown Atlanta. (although, I do appreciate admiring the Atlanta skyline extra long:)

My house seems so much cleaner now without 2 dogs living inside, yet it's still dirty.

My legs are like jello after my 8:30am spin class, but nothing compared to how they are going to feel after I do the whole thing again at 5:30 this evening.

I thought Layla was a great napper when she slept two hours, but now that she consistently sleeps longer than that, I feel cheated with only two hours!

My little girl is not a baby anymore at 2 but compared to my 8 year old niece she is still very much a baby.

And the whole reason for this post:
65 degree weather is by no means cold but compared to the 95 degree weather have been having, it feels like it's freezing!
With this in mind I am choosing to also remember the 30 degree winter and the -30 degrees I experienced last February in Montana... Now that, folks, is COLD.

As somewhere who thrives in 70+ temps, I am not yet ready for the cooler temps.
Everything is only relative when compared to something else, so I am choosing to be an optimist with these cooler temps by enjoying these things:
1. Not fretting about letting my Costco groceries sit in the car while Layla and I grabbed lunch
2. Cooking Baked Potato Soup for dinner
3. Buying some long needed to running shoes so I can start logging the miles that I missed over the "too hot" days.
4. Seeing Layla in her Baby Gap skinny jeans that I have had in the closet. (A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E.)
5. Only HAVING to shower once a day
6. The idea of walking as a means of transportation is once again appealing
7. Drinking red wine instead of a chilled white
8. The idea of revealing a "new" wardrobe that I haven't seen in months is exciting!
9. Open windows means LOWER electric bills
10. Best of all, the forecast for Saturday is once again, 85!!!

Sunday Sit Down!

Okay. Okay. I know it is Monday but I'm calling it Sunday because it was a holiday.

We kicked off the holiday weekend with a night out at the pool with some friends on Friday night.  We ordered pizza, ate and swam until the kiddos were done. By done,  I mean so fussy that it was obviously bed time:)  Layla had so much fun being at the pool with daddy since that is a rare occasion.  We are thankful for our new friends.  It is so fun to hang out with other little girls so close to Layla's age, of course we enjoyed the adult company too!

Saturday, I got up and taught my spin class.  Surprisingly, I had 7 on the holiday weekend.  One of my Stroller Stride moms was able to come, so it was fun having someone I knew in class.  Then, it was time for some FOOTBALL!  Alabama kicked off their season against Kent State and thankfully won by quite a few points.  The most exciting game of the day was definitely Auburn almost losing.  After nap time, we headed to a cabin at the lake with some friends.

We spent the rest of the weekend on the lake.  Water. Friends. Food. Cards. No Make Up. No Hair Dryer.  Doesn't get much better for a holiday than that.  Layla also had some sweet little girls to play with and you can't forget Lucy, the golden retriever puppy.  The rain from the hurricane moved in today so we headed home this morning.  We all took a long nap and then headed out for dinner not realizing that the tornado sirens were going off and we were under a warning.  Anyway, we survived:)

Biggest news of the weekend: I finally took Layla's bumpers out of her crib.  I know there is a lot of controversy of whether you should have bumpers or not....yadayadayada.  Well, we have from day 1.  Friday, I decided when I was washing her sheets, that I had taken them on and off for the last time.  Plus Layla needs the most room in her crib possible.  When we put her to bed Friday night, she immediately noticed something was different and asked what happened.  It was kind of sad:(  This growing up thing is so bittersweet.  I love every new stage, but is sure sad to see the baby become nothing but a distant memory.

The End of Layla's 26th Month

Getting special cuddles from daddy while she was "sick".

Had to throw this in here.  This me at 2:)

Playdate at pool with some Stroller Stride kiddos.  It looks like Layla is holding Santiago's foot.  Or "Ago" as she calls him.

As of yesterday, Layla is now a 27 month old!  I still say she just turned two when people ask, but that is becoming a lie very quickly!!
Here are a couple of things she has been up too:

*Still our dancer and singer.  She loves to make up words to the song when she doesn't know them.

*She can watch the kids on Barney once and then dance along with perfect timing.  Hopefully she will be equally attentive when we start ballet.  

*Speaking of Barney, she is still obsessed.  I'm not sure how much more daddy can take:)

*Her memory and association of things amazes me.  Such as "shoes from grammy", or "shirt from granna", or "Disney World with Sadie".  She also recognizes landmarks very well and can tell me when we pass something she recognizes.

*She can sing her ABC's and count to 20 but the colors are still a work in progress. 

*She would rather stack and organize her toys than actually use them for what they are made for.

*She is still a little momma and my big helper, whether it be groceries or laundry.

*When we talk about church, she mentions her friends which is HUGE progress. The nursery is not really even an issue anymore. 

*She has no fear of the swimming pool.

*Still sleeping in diapers.  Which I know I could probably eliminate but why wake up in the middle of the night when neither of us have too.  Maybe when I have another baby I am getting up with??

*Still in sizes 2 or 3 and size 7 shoes.

*She is becoming a little better with her eating.  I can finally reason with her like "take a bite of this and then you can have more of that".

*She is extremely talkative and sometimes I have to try to give my ears a break but I sure wouldn't have it any other way!

*We are still using timeouts and swats for discipline.  We can sit her in timeout, explain our expectations with the consequence of a swat if she doesn't obey, and USUALLY she will make the right choice.  

Our biggest reason for discipline these days is pouting or saying No when asked to do something rather than "yes mam" or "yes sir".  

*Overall, Layla makes being a parent easy and a ton of fun.  She is definitely a gift from God!