Life After Baby

Well, we are back from camping and we had a wonderful time! 

Camping was something that Lane and I loved pre-Max.  It is cheap, which is always a big plus, the campsite we go to is beautiful, and we love being outdoors all weekend!  We were so scared to try it with the baby and there were good reasons to be scared.  We camp right on the water, there is fire, and poisonous plants/animals close by.  All scary things to parents of an 18 month old.  However, it turned out to not be as scary as we thought and Max seemed to really enjoy himself.  He loves being outside and he did a really good job listening to our directions.

It was a little exhausting and Monday came a little too quickly after such a busy weekend but I see us doing it again soon!  

Here are some pictures of the little man enjoying the great outdoors!

Max is ready to Rock!

In a few hours we will head out to camp!  Max has his new haircut and is ready to go!  Pray that we all make it back safely and still sane!

On Safari Again

We went to the zoo for the third time in 2 weeks on Sunday.  I have to give a major thank you to Laresa and family for the zoo pass, it is great to have a "free if you don't count gas" place to visit and Max LOVES it!

This time we visited the Lions in Africa and Max correctly identified them as "kitty" and he did some very realistic growling!

If you have never been to the Kansas City Zoo you should definitely make the trip!

Here is Max on his zoo safari!

Photo Shoot

The last time I got professional pictures of Maddox was back in November.  Yes, that's right, November.  He was only 9 months old, adorable, and we got lots of great pictures!

Yesterday, I decided that I was bound by the rules of motherhood to take him to get a professional picture.  Let's just say that there is a huge difference in taking a 9 month old's picture and an almost 17 month old's picture.  He is still adorable but I have no plans to do this for at least another 9 months!

Click here to see Max's Photos!

An Artist Gives

Catie Knight (found here) is a fellow Oklahoma girl who we didn't have the fortune of knowing until we moved to Kansas City.  Her husband Robbie and her are an important part of our Kansas Family and we have relied on their friendship and support many times.  

When Catie came to visit on the 4th of July she surprised us with a beautiful painting.  It has Lane and I holding hands that are bound by a piece of string.  At the end of the string is a heart which is inscribed with Max's name.  Behind us on a wall are words that were spoken on the day of Max's baptism.  It is a beautiful and meaningful piece of art and it makes my heart smile every time I look at it hanging on the wall.  

The talent and artistry that Catie possesses allowed her to create for us a precious gift.   She is a true artist and like a true artist she embodies this quote I found: 

An artist gives. Gives visually, gives through courses, or with free advice, through generosity of spirit and through a need to share.

Thank you Catie for being generous with the gifts God has blessed you with.  We LOVE the painting!  Here is a photograph of her beautiful work (the photograph doesn't do it justice, but I thought it would be rude to talk about it and not show it).

Fourth Of July

We had a great 4th, thanks to good friends, great food, and little boys playing with fireworks. It seems that all the men I know turn into giddy little boys when given the chance to play with fireworks. Max is definitely his father's son and seemed to really enjoy the fireworks. He sat very happily on a variety of adults laps watching fireworks and saying "pop, pop, pop". Here are some pictures!



The loot!








The Boys!














Dad and Son (Notice that their expressions are exactly the same)












Mom and Max