It's actually an update....FINALLY!

Well, I guess I don't have to tell you [AGAIN] that I really am not good at blogging. I have good intentions, I'd like to post often to share little tidbits of our lives, especially to show you how Joshua is growing. It's just so hard to find the time!

Well, 10 months have now flown by since Joshua was born. What a JOY...and a handful :)...he is! He's still such a good baby, but a lot more vocal than a lot of people anticipated (I think he gets the latter from his mommy). He's still on the small size, weighing in at 16 lb. 8 oz. at his 8-month appointment, but very healthy. Clapping, shaking his head no (in fun!), and waving have all been added to his list of accomplishments in the past month or so. Oh, and he finally has his first tooth! Even bigger than that, at 9 months Joshua finally graduated from roller to army crawler! Eventually we may get to crawling, but he loves to pull himself up onto things and he is so cute walking around the room (while holding onto fingers, of course!). His vocab includes dadada(still his fave), mamama, bababa,nenene, and gigigi. He can be quite the noisy chatterbox, or quite serene, just depending on his mood! Other babies are (of course) quite interesting to him, too, though cats and dogs definitely take the cake!

As always, we've been quite busy around here. Matt just finished up his first semester taking fire classes. He had a lot on his plate and was in Bakersfield two nights a week, but it's over...for now. He'll be taking on at least one class over the summer and hopes to have them all done by the end of the year. He's looking to get some experience now as either a reserve firefighter or possibly working as an EMT (he takes the national registry test in a week or so, so please pray!). The schoolyear at the junior high is also nearly over and the plan so far is for Matt to work summer school.

I thought that my busy-ness would subside a bit when my semester ended a couple of weeks ago, but I was wrong. I chose to not take a summer class but to attend a Bible study instead. It's been difficult to be involved when Westbrook Chapel is 40 minutes away, so this will be a great way to get to know other women at the church. More importantly, I'm really looking forward to this study on prayer!

As if having an active and fairly demanding baby boy and joining a Bible study weren't enough, my busy-ness is almost busier because I'm starting my very own BUSINESS! That's right, I've really gone crazy this time. For awhile I've been trying to think of a way I could possibly bring in a little income while caring for Joshua at home. Several ideas came and went, but I finally got excited when I made a couple of baby blankets for my preggo friends from high school, Emily (Rosander) Sardo and Shannon () Ross. I've been sewing for several years and have made quilts, simple blankets, and (LOTS of) burpcloths. I became inspired at the outcome of these two little blankies and thought, why not? Melissa (my sis) came across a website called Etsy; you should definitely check this place out. It's filled with "shops" of people from all over selling their handmade arts and crafts. There are some very beautiful items from some extremely talented people. I set up my shop (with incredible graphic designs by my incredible bro-in-law, Daniel) and opened for business last week. No sales yet, but there's been a lot of traffic to my shop. Please check it out and spread the word if you like it, at least about etsy.com, if nothing else! http://mjandco.etsy.com

Again, I promise to TRY to write more often, especially so you don't have to read a novel every time you check us out. I hope you enjoy the pictures of Joshua. The one at the top was taken a few days ago at my mom's, when Joshua swam in the pool for the first time. He LOVES his baths, so kicking and splashing in a GIGANTIC bath where Daddy, Grandma, and Mommy also fit was a blast. You should have seen him giggle watching Daddy jump in! The photo below was taken a month ago, but you can see him standing at the coffee table. I hope you are doing wonderfully- God bless!!!