GustafsonGab

Well, things haven't slowed down much around our house the last few weeks. Last week was Vacation Bible School at church all week. I was the teacher for the pre-primaries, which ended up being kids anywhere from 2 years old to 7 years old. It was a lot of fun... a little crazy at times, but fun. Sophie spent the week in the nursery with her big cousin Jadyn (1 1/2 years old). Dave works so late that it was hard for him to get up to church each night-- so he spent the evenings doing yard work and working on the pool.

Dave and I help out in the youth group at church each week; we've been doing this for a couple of years now. We're doing a bunch of new things in the next couple of months to kick of the school year. Wednesday night we had a costume party. Dave and I dressed up like "Jack and Jill" after they fell down the hill. We were all bandaged up and grass stained, etc. It was lots of fun. Next week should be interesting too; we're doing "Mud Mania"! They built a huge mud pit and slide behind the church so we will do all sorts of games in the mud. I think it sounds like a blast!!

Last Thursday Sophie and I went to the opening day of the Iowa State Fair with my brother James, Heather, and their kids, and my sister-in-law Amy and her kids. We tried to get in the fair on time to join in on the "Corn Dog Chomp" (they were trying to set a Guinness Book of World Records record for the most people eating a corn dog at a time). We got in the fair free- about 7:30am, but by the time we got to the Grandstand for the corn dog thing- they had run out of numbers to give people (they had 10,000) and you couldn't get a corn dog without a number. It was fun anyways... and we got in free!! :) So, we spent most of the day there, eating all the good food on a stick (pork chop on a stick, kabobs, etc), and wandering around people watching. This year they even have salad on a stick... I love the fair! A bunch of friends from church are getting together tonight at the fair to do a photo scavenger hunt. We'll be competing for the best pictures of, for example: best mullet, most tattoos, longest beard, etc. It should be a kick!

We have a pretty busy weekend planned so far. Tomorrow we're headed to Norwalk to spend time with Chris and Denae and the family for Chris's birthday. Sunday is church and then my friend Sara Murphy, who was my very best friend from kindergarten through 12th grade is coming to Iowa for a visit! I haven't seen her in about 3 years, so I'm really excited to catch up with her!!

Dave's been doing great at work. His boss has put him in charge of designing the next paint line for the company. (He must have done a good job on the last one) :) It's a lot of work and takes a very long time to plan and design- but it's a great opportunity for him!
Sophie's doing awesome! She just keeps growing and growing-- little chunky monkey. :) She's learning how to sit up with help and has just this past week been wanting to stand... ALL THE TIME! :) So, most of the day is spent going up and down until she wears out and needs a nap. I love it!! She is smiling all of the time now, and is really starting to develop her own little personality! She's been spending a lot of time in her "Johny Jump-up" (I'm not sure if that's what it's really called, or if that's just what I call it?!)- but it hangs in the doorway and she bounces around... well, she mostly just sits and chews on the front of it, but she likes it anyways.

Heather and Amy (my sister-in-laws), Grandma Myrna and I all got together last week to sort through their kids clothes and see what we could find for Sophie. We made out like bandits for sure!! :) We came home with a tub and a garbage bag FULL of clothes, shoes, and all sorts of things!! I love hand-me-downs! Nothin' better than free clothes and shoes! So, I've been sorting through all of her clothes and putting them away. I had to pack away some of her newborn clothes that she is now too big for... so sad. She is growing so fast!! I'm getting a little jealous of her shoe collection. My goodness, the girl now has 22 pairs of shoes!!! 22!!! I guess that's what happens when she has a mama who loves shoes; that's what people get her! It's so much fun--- just about one for every outfit!

So... I may have gone a little crazy taking pictures of her the past few weeks, but what can I say.... she's irresistible, right?

Daddy and Sophie standing together. She always curls her little toes right up. :)

Getting tired of pictures and tired of standing

Sitting up like a big girl, she discovered that the crib is much easier to chew on than the toys she can't seem to figure out how to keep in her mouth. :)

We're SO excited that she has really started to LOVE bath time. It used to be such a chore--- lots and lots of screaming. Ho Hum... glad that's over!!