Look Who's Talking!

I thought I should document the words Kinsey is saying lately because I think it will be cute to look back on one day and remember.

Full words she can say and knows the meaning:

Dada
Mama/Mommy
Puppy
Up
Abby (from Sesame Street)
Uh oh
Yeah
Apple

Partial words she can say and knows the meaning:

Ffff-giraffe
Ffff-phone
Ffff-fan

Buh-bird
Buh-blanket
Buh-book
Buh-bear

Ahh-hot (I think)

Sss-glasses
Sss-Aunt Chris

(Slurpy noise)--kitty

She can also bark and make a monkey sound.

Signs she can do:

Please
Thank you (although she only does this on command and I don't expect her to know what it means yet)
All done
More

The list of things she can't say but can identify when I ask too many to count.  But one of my favorites right now is when you ask, "Where's Kinsey?" she will point to herself.  The other thing I think is adorable is when I ask her questions she will very often reply "yeah" and it's so cute because it's as if she knows what I'm talking about and is answering me.  Which I'm sure sometimes she does know and is in fact answering me, but I can ask her a totally off the wall question and she will still answer "yeah".

That's all that comes to mind right now...I could be missing some.

Is It Really Summer?

Except for the 100+ degree weather and the Arizona fires, I wouldn't guess it to be summer.  First of all, I've only been swimming a couple times because I'm having a hard time getting the pool chemicals under control.  Looks like I'm actually going to have to drain the pool and start fresh because of too much calcium.  Bummer.

Secondly, I seem to have caught a cold.  I thought I had enough sickness this winter to last me all year.  Apparently not.  Already had to call in sick twice this week and went home early one day.  Kinsey has a runny nose, but she is also cutting a tooth.  I'm really hoping that's all she'll get but chances are she'll probably get sick too.

I am soooo looking forward to monsoon season.  It's my absolute favorite time of year here.  I'm looking forward to taking Kinsey out in the rain to splash in the puddles!

Zucchini Coming Out of My Ears!

Note to self...you do not need to plant 3 zucchini plants next year!

Over the last 3 days I have picked 5 zucchini.  Yesterday I tried to make a pizza/quiche type recipe that had zucchini in the crust.  It was kind of gross.  Today I made a zucchini chowder so we will see how this turns out.  I could actually be a good cook if I wanted to because I know how to.  It just is a lot of effort for a couple of people who aren't into eating big or extravagant meals.  We're pretty content with Hamburger Helper.  BUT I planted my vegetables this year to try to get into cooking a little bit more with fresh ingredients, so I am trying.  If nothing else at least I feel like I am putting a little more effort into the health of my family, even if sometimes it turns out to be a flop.

Cucumbers are getting close to being harvested too...now what to do with those besides put them in salad (which I don't care much for)????

Can I Get a Mulligan?

Today was one of those days I just wanted to redo.  Specifically, Kinsey's dedication at church.  There were quite a few people that came and when I first let people know, I didn't expect very many people to come, so I didn't even tell too many people other than family and our life group.  We actually filled two full rows up.  Kinsey was a peach all day, and I expected her just to hang out in my arms on stage till the dedication was over.  She had other plans.  She wanted to grab the baby (2 months old) next to her's flower in her hair, then when I let her down she wanted to go go go.  Well that would have been fine except for the two foot drop off the stage, which wouldn't have been a pretty sight.  So David and I tried to keep her contained and there was a LOT of protesting.  I have no idea what the pastor was saying really so it's a good thing they give us a list of what we committed to doing as parents afterwards!  Really, it was fine.  It's not like the actual event of the dedication is what makes us commit to raising Kinsey in a Godly manner, it's more just a public proclamation of what we have already decided to do. 

Then, what probably is bothering me more has to do with the fact the service went about 20 minutes over what it normally runs because the sermon was extra long, and some of our guests had a party to go to afterward.  So I feel bad about that.  I've told everyone how much I love this church and of course tonight was not a night I loved, so naturally I'm feeling like a big fat liar.  I really expected and hoped people would be as blown away as I have been since I have been going.  I KNOW that God means for things to happen in ways that bring Him glory (even things that are evil! Genesis 50:20, but sometimes it hard to TRUST, because I don't always UNDERSTAND.  I should be saying that even though I may not have been impacted nor even my friends, certainly God had people who needed to hear what was being said and probably even needed the sermon to be long so they would get what God wanted to say to them.  Or not!  He could have plans totally not even in my realm of thinking!

I like the song "My Own Little World" by Matthew West, here are some of the parts of the song I really like and that I need to let sink in right now:

In my own little world it hardly ever rains

I've never gone hungry, always felt safe
I got some money in my pocket, shoes on my feet
In my own little world, population: me


I try to stay awake during Sunday morning church
I throw a twenty in the plate but I never give 'til it hurts
And I turn off the news when I don't like what I see
Yeah, it's easy to do when it's population: me


What if there's a bigger picture?
What if I'm missing out?
What if there's a greater purpose?
I could be living right now
Outside my own little world

And this especially:

Father, break my heart for what breaks Yours

Give me open hands and open doors
Put Your light in my eyes and let me see
That my own little world is not about me

So I really don't need a mulligan.  Kinsey's behavior didn't bother me at all.  It actually makes me laugh (and finally show people that she's not always an angel!).  As for the service, I need to let it go and realize it's not about population me-and-my-friends or me-and-my-pride.  I think I'm getting some therapy from writing this blog too. 

I will post some pictures of a not-so-happy Kinsey on this "special" day soon :)