Welcome to Coving-Town

IT'S A PLANE

2012-02-03T14:22:00.000-08:00

We bought Baxter a couple build-it-yourself toys from Melissa & Doug for Christmas and he built a train, a race car, and lastly this plane. It made for some great one-on-one quality time for Daddy and I to spend with Baxter, plus it bought out his creativity.

He's got the moves!

2012-02-03T14:15:00.000-08:00

Baxter is a funny, silly boy with loads of personality. He loves to dance and keeps his Daddy and I in stitches with the moves he can manage. We're not sure where he has learned half of them but we love them nonetheless!

Quinn's 15 Month Well Baby

2012-02-03T14:06:00.000-08:00

Quinn had her 15 month well baby visit at Palouse Pediatrics new Moscow office (so so nice) and she is healthy and right on track! She is much more talkative than her brother was at that age, and it's easy to teach her words, but I think that's a girlish trait. She was 32" long (90 percentile) and weighed 24 lbs and 1 oz (75 percentile) - Doctor Mike said she's tall and lean.

Love you baby girl!!

So fun!

2012-02-03T13:55:00.000-08:00

Baxter got a surprise gift from Great Grandma Jo later in the day on Christmas. Baxter and Uncle Nathan had a LOT of fun playing with it together.

Christmas 2011

2012-02-03T13:16:00.000-08:00

We opened presents Christmas morning as soon as the kids woke up in case Brad were to get called into work. It was a blast! Our first Christmas not spent at the Fire Station since we got married. It was such a blessing to have the whole family around.

Peanut butter chocolates in their stockings - their favorite.

I think Baxter's facial expression says everything. He loved the fire trucks we bought him for his train track that were in his stocking.

Quinn thought the animal crackers in her stocking were the best!

One of Baxter's favorite gifts from Grandmom and Granddad Covington. He asks to build it every morning and has learned how to build it by himself now. I highly recommend this gift!

Baxter's second favorite Christmas gift (from Nana and Papa) - a remote helicopter! Daddy and Bax wouldn't put it down until the battery died and they had to wait for his to recharge. So fun!!

He loved his wooden trucks from the Crawfords. Thanks Uncle Taylor, Aunt Beth, Cousins Miles, Jasper and Silas!

A very fun cookie set from Grandmom and Granddad Covington. Gotta love those Melissa & Doug wooden toys.

Quinn also got some wonderful books from the Crawfords and the Goodnight Owl is her favorite.

We had a very merry and blessed Christmas and hope you all did too!

Brotherly Love

2012-02-03T13:13:00.000-08:00

Daddy's Vibrams

2012-02-03T13:09:00.000-08:00

Quinn's not to sure what to think of Daddy's finger shoes...

PB&J

2012-02-03T13:00:00.000-08:00

Nothing better than some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with milk for lunchtime!

Hello hello!

2012-01-21T16:44:00.000-08:00

I love coming home from work...

2012-01-21T15:47:00.000-08:00

and hearing my kids playing in their room's together. I throw on some comfy clothes and we all join in on the family fun!

Our Christmas Tree

2012-01-21T15:21:00.000-08:00

We got a beautiful noble fur for our Christmas tree and decorated it as a family.

I added a few more ornaments later including some glass tear drop ornaments that added a nice finishing touch but never got another picture unfortunately. It was a beautiful tree that lit up our house all December long!

TOO CUTE

2012-01-21T14:33:00.000-08:00

Can you tell they are related?

Thoughtful Quinn

2012-01-14T10:28:00.003-08:00

Thanksgiving 2011

2012-01-14T09:53:00.001-08:00

We spent another Thanksgiving at the Fire Station this year and had a really nice dinner made by the firefighters. Quinn and Bax tried to help cooking but mostly they tried spending as much time with Daddy as they could before he had to leave on lots of calls.

We had our own Thanksgiving meal at home a couple days later because it's one of my favorite holiday meals to make!

Where are all your toys Baxter?

2012-01-14T09:50:00.001-08:00

Quinn's 1st Birthday

2012-01-14T07:59:00.000-08:00

Obviously I am playing some catch up since we celebrated Quinn's Birthday a while ago. Brad and I have both been working a lot and so I'm just getting around to loading all our photos. So here goes!

For Quinn's 1st Birthday we had all our family that lives close over and had cupcakes, ice cream and opened presents with our sweet baby girl!

Birthday girl!

Birthday girl's big brother.

She adored her purse from Nana and Papa, and the pink boots she is wearing from Daddy and Mommy. Such a girl!

First baby doll! She cuddles it, rocks it to sleep, feeds it and takes her for walks in her stroller. She'll be a big help when her little sister arrives!

Quinn with her funfetti cupcake!

Happy 1st Birthday to sweet Quinn Elise! We love you darling girl!!!

Fall Carnival

2011-12-03T15:38:00.000-08:00

Our cute little trick-or-treaters went to the Fall Carnival to play games for candy and eat some food.

Our beautiful cupcake!

Our clever monkey!

I love Brad's expression in this picture. Bax was getting in some really good hits!

Our tired cupcake all tuckered out from some great fun. It was a blast and we can't wait to go again next year!

Playtime and Present

2011-12-03T15:14:00.000-08:00

Here are the kids enjoying some playtime with Daddy after church.

And then we let Quinn open one present from Aunt Chelle, Uncle Blaine and the cousins since it was her Birthday and here party wasn't until next weekend.

She loves it!!

Fall Leaves

2011-12-03T07:55:00.000-08:00

The kids had a blast playing in leaves at our friends the Lowe's house. Baxter is an expert leaf raker now!

Hats hats and more hats

2011-12-03T07:31:00.000-08:00

They love to wear hats

Quinn Loves Shoes!

2011-12-03T07:10:00.001-08:00

I often finding Quinn in my closet trying on my shoes.

And she likes to wear her boots most of the time.

We're back!

2011-12-03T06:29:00.000-08:00

Catching up on lots of photos! I got a new camera for my birthday and we've had so much fun taking pictures that I have completely forgotten to post anything. So today is my day to get caught up just in time before we go and get our tree tomorrow!

Quinn is 11 months!

2011-10-06T08:13:00.000-07:00

Our sweet girl turned 11 months about a week ago and we can hardly believe it's already time to start planning her 1st Birthday.

Quinn is walking and talking like crazy! She loves reading books, cuddling, playing outside, and playing with other kids her size. She is learning new words every day like Bax, ba-ba for bottle, and doggy. I think she will be a talker like her Mama!

We love you and your sweet and loving little spirit Quinn! Happy 11 months!!

And I wanted to include a few pictures of Quinn's favorite person, her brother Baxter! Here he is riding the tractor at the fair. We had so much fun taking him this year since he was tall enough for all the little kid rides and had a blast! He's a fearless carnival rider like his Daddy!!

Our handsome little man!

And lastly a picture without Baxter in a Fire Truck just wouldn't be complete. He was very excited that they were giving Fire Truck rides and went a couple times. Thank you Troy Fire Department!

Quinn - 10 months!

2011-09-02T07:37:00.000-07:00

Our darling girl turned 10 months a few days ago!

Quinn is now crawling up and down the stairs, stands for longer periods of time and has even taken two steps towards me. She is trying different foods and prefers to feed herself. She claps, loves reading books, and blabbers in sentences that I can't yet discern.

I love her in red!

Here she is working out with Daddy at Station 1.

Her favorite toy from Aunt Chelle.

Sporting her bathing suit at the pool.

She loves dogs, especially Roxy.

Sitting pretty on our deck. She loves playing with my flowers - like daughter like mother!

Building puzzles with Brother.

I love this headband and she actually leaves it on!

This is after I caught her standing up :-)

And last but not least chilling in her walker.

Happy 10 months, beautiful Quinn! We love you so much!!!

Big boy bike!

2011-09-02T07:18:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate enough to find two bikes for Baxter at yard sales this summer. They grow out of them so quickly so I didn't want to buy new. This is his first bicycle that is actually a tricycle and he is very good at riding it!

Our happy 2.5 year old!

He's pretty proud of his skills and likes to show off to me on our deck.

Quinn comes out to watch him ride and tries on his helmet too.

As soon as he gets a little taller we'll transition him over to his other bike which just has training wheels. I can't believe how quickly Baxter is growing up. We love you little man!

Quinn E. at 9 months

2011-08-03T14:20:00.000-07:00

Quinn turned 9 months last Saturday! I can't believe it's already time for me to start planning for her 1st Birthday!!

She had her well baby visit today and is 19.5 pounds, and 28 and a 1/4 inches long. We're pretty sure she's going to have her Daddy's height.

Baxter and Quinn play really well together, and take turns playing with each other's toys. They love playing on this jungle mat!

Quinn is trying new foods every day, and has four teeth now, with a couple more on their way. She holds her bottle like a pro, and we're working on holding the sippy cup now. She also talks a lot (typical girl!), and is showing signs of walking very soon.

Happy 9 months to our darling girl!

Quinn - 8 months

2011-07-02T13:31:00.000-07:00

Our darling girl turned 8 months a couple days ago! She started crawling a few weeks ago and is getting better at keeping up with her big brother. Today we caught her trying to climb the stairs! Yikes - not ready for that yet!

She is eating solids and loves Sprout baby food, and I’m a huge fan of it myself since my sister introduced it to me. It is all natural and tastes delicious!

She has four teeth now, is a pro at grabbing objects, and loves to give kisses. Not sure what her height and weight are at but we’ll get those stats next month.

Crazy face!

Big brother love! Baxter (28 months) and Quinn (8 months)

Bax loves to give Quinn kisses….

and hugs.
Happy 8 months, Quinn Elise!!

Best Buds!

2011-06-26T15:19:00.000-07:00

Baxter and Quinn having a grand time together!

Can you tell they love each other?

The best morning wake up

2011-06-25T14:06:00.001-07:00

These two cuties are what wakes us up every day. It is better than coffee by far!

Header

2011-06-10T13:42:00.000-07:00

I just updated my header with a somewhat recent picture of our house. Brad and I hope to finish the front porch design this summer and are landscaping as able. It's a lot of work but lots of fun!

Quinn Elise is 7 months

2011-06-06T16:40:00.000-07:00

Quinn is 7 months and extremely easygoing, for which we are very grateful. Her two front teeth have almost popped through and she’s been a teething trooper. We’re almost there though and then I’m sure it’ll be on to the next one since that’s how it goes!

She is a very chatty little girl and recently started saying Dada and occasionally Mama. And sometimes she’ll even wave goodbye to you if you have her attention.

She and her brother grow closer everyday and one of the favorite parts of my day is when he goes with me to wake her up. He greets her with a “Good morning Quinn” and then gives her a big hug that melts my heart. And they also have growling competitions which is hilarious to say the least! We always look forward to watching what they'll do next.

Happy 7 months, baby girl. We love you!

6 month well-baby visit

2011-05-02T20:36:00.000-07:00

Well our Quinn Elise is a healthy, happy girl. She weighs 16 pounds and 13 ounces and is 26.75 inches long! That puts her in the 90% for height, and 70% for weight.

She took her shots like a champ considering her nurse gave all four to her slower than I would have liked, but at least that's another round of shots behind us.

Keep on growing, sweet girl!!

Quinn turns 6 months old!

2011-04-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

Can't believe our baby girl is now halfway to 1! The time has gone by very fast!

Quinn is now sitting up on her own and loves to sit on the living room carpet and play with her toys or with her brothers toys.

She has become more and more fun and we love watching her grow! She's starting solids now, and has her two bottom teeth as well. She was a trooper while they were coming in!

She is very determined and will do whatever she can to reach for stuff she wants, and then she throws whatever she has grabbed across the room and giggles. So cute!

Last but not least she growls just like Bax used to but definitely chats more like her Mama :-)

Happy 6 months, Quinn! Oh how we do love you!!!

What's new?

2011-04-16T14:50:00.000-07:00

Here are few things we've been up to:

building awesome train tracks

very first cereal for Quinn –and she is not too fond of it

lots of playing in activity bouncer

and last but not least a video of Baxter making his sister laugh by jumping off the couch. oh the simple things!

Quinn is 5 months old!

2011-04-01T15:57:00.000-07:00

It’s hard to believe this sweet little girl is now 5 months old! She wants to go places and wiggles all day long, and has almost mastered sitting up on her own. Brother makes her laugh lots! She also loves being tickled, and talks up a storm. We tried cereal with her the other night and she wasn’t quite sure what to think of it but I am sure she’ll get used to it after a few more tries.

We love our sweet girl!!

Gnosh: Steaks, Sips & Small Plates

2011-03-27T14:27:00.000-07:00

Brad and I are so excited to try this new restaurant coming to Moscow and it opens April 1st!

What is Gnosh: "Our focus is on great small places, exceptional cocktails, and the best steak in town." Sounds like my kind of restaurant!!

Check out their facebook page here.

Appliance Tips

2011-03-12T11:05:00.000-08:00

I got these tips from a Wells Fargo flyer, most of which my Mom taught me, but still good tips to keep in mind and it helps make your appliances last longer.

- If your dishwasher has a strainer or scrap bin in the bottom, clear it before running each load. Periodically, pour vinegar and detergent into the machine and sent it through a cleaning cycle.

- Pull off your refrigerator vent plate, and use a vacuum hose to clean the condenser coils regularly. While you’re at it, check the door gasket for damage, and use an all-purpose cleaner to keep it residue-free.

- Always run your garbage disposal using cold water. Grind an ice cube through the unit once a week to help clean and sharpen the blades, and run orange or lemon peels through the system every month to keep it smelling fresh.

- Wipe the outer and inner surfaces of your washing machine with a damp cloth to remove detergent build-up. Use a paper towel or brush regularly to clean the lint trap screen and rinse it in hot water before replacing. Leave the door of the front-loading machine open in between cycles.

- Clean your clothes dryer lint trap before each load. Vacuum around and in back of the appliance periodically. And clean the outside vent once a year, making sure it opens when the dryer is on and closes properly when the dryer is off.

AUSTIN (round 2)

2011-03-04T13:39:00.000-08:00

On Monday we went to Zilker Park and the boys had a blast chasing each other around the park and playing with the toys. But the best part of all was the Zilker Zephyr! Baxter just had to touch this cool train and couldn’t wait to go for a ride!!

All aboard!

And here is Quinn resting after a day at the park before we get ready to head to a big Dougal gathering at the Haisler’s and to celebrate their daughter Eden’s 1^st Birthday.

Brad sitting in his old high chair ha-ha! I love his sense of humor but especially love the look on Miles face. I’m pretty sure he’s thinking he has a silly Uncle. J

On Tuesday we took off to the mall for a bit. We shopped a lot and I kept wishing I had more room in my suitcase to take stuff back with me. However, I did find a couple Janie and Jack shoes on clearance for Quinn. It amazes me what people will pay for name brand shoes! And while we were there we had to stop at the LEGO store!!

Toy Story 3 Lego demonstration that Baxter enjoyed but kept asking where Buzz was.

Quinn in her Great Aunt Gayle’s arms at Grammy’s 80 Birthday party!

Happy Birthday, Grammy! We love you lots!!

And lastly our cutie-pie waiting patiently as we got ready to go home. We had a wonderful time in Texas and hope we can visit again in the near future, rather than wait another 5 years, and send our love to all.

Baxter and Quinn's well-child visit

2011-03-04T11:15:00.001-08:00

Both Baxter and Quinn saw their pediatrician Dr. Mike yesterday. Baxter had his 2 year well-child visit and excelled in blood pressure, shot taking, finger prick, and weigh in. He is 31 pounds and 35 inches tall! Dr. Mike said he is growing excellently!!

Baxter’s been busy sledding with Dad, shoveling my walkway, playing with his tractors, watching Toy Story 2 and 3, and practicing “burpees” (if you don’t know what a burpee is you can google it). J

Quinn was all smiles for Dr. Mike during her well-child visit, and was easily consoled after her shots. I was pretty proud of her being that girls are usually more dramatic. J She weighs 15 pounds (77th percentile), and is 25 ¾ inches tall (97th percentile)!

Quinn's been busy smiling, eating, chatting with Mom and Dad, belly laughing with Baxter, playing in her swing and with her toy Mr. Bug. She’s rolled over a few times, and loves tummy time with Mom. Dr. Mike suggested trying out rice cereal next month which I’m sure she’ll love since she’s always trying to eat my food anyways!

We love these kids!!

AUSTIN

2011-03-02T09:56:00.000-08:00

We went to Austin a couple weeks ago to visit family and we stayed there for 6 days! We were greeted by Brad’s parents and Grandpa and Grandmom Dougal upon arrival, and soon after were joined by Taylor, Beth, and the cousins Miles and Jasper.

The next day we cooked Mom and Dad a dinner in celebration of their 35^th Anniversary! Congratulations you two!!

Little miss Quinn all dressed up for Church.

Four generations of Covingtons!

Playtime with Grammy Covington (one of the coolest Grandma’s ever!)

Granddad Covington spending some time with his first Great Granddaughter.

Baxter Turns Two!

2011-02-28T16:34:00.001-08:00

We celebrated Baxter's birthday earlier than we planned and just with family. We had family that was going out of town and Brad couldn't wait for Baxter to open his presents!

The cake (got as close to a tractor cake as I could!)

Here Baxter is showing his age (2!) and one of the many John Deere tractors he received. This one is from Grandmom and Granddad Covington . He takes this tractor to bed with him along with the one Nana and Papa bought - super cute!

The train set from Mommy and Daddy. Brad loved putting this together with him J

"The Little Fireman" and "The Little Train" books from Aunt Beth, Uncle Taylor and cousins Miles and Jasper. Aunt Beth has already given him "Policeman Small" from the series and he loves that one too.

Happy Birthday, Baxter!

We love you!!

To My Son

2011-02-27T06:59:00.001-08:00

Dear Baxter,

It’s been 2 years since your entrance into this world and my life has never been the same. You are by far my biggest source of joy (next to your sister) and my biggest energy drain. You keep me going, you keep me laughing, and you keep me thankful.

I remember those first newborn days with you like it was yesterday. I also remember being scared when I realized that I was now responsible for such a tiny, fragile little bundle that seemed so helpless at the time. I enjoyed each new phase with you, and remember how thrilled I was when you first rolled over, sat up on your own, and took your first step.

I remember the intimacy and sweetness of those first few weeks with you. I miss the nights where I could hear you breathing through the monitor, and remember checking on you many times through the night when we first took it away. And I miss that wonderful new baby smell you used to have, which has now been replaced by a sticky, and sometimes stinky toddler (but I’m learning to love that too).

You are a crazy little boy! You run in circles around the living room, giggling to yourself and falling over as soon as you make yourself dizzy. I know that it may be difficult for your 2 year old mind to fathom, but I do not enjoy finding you naked in part of the house and having to hunt for your removed diaper, and praying that you went on the potty, and not on the carpet. And I know coffee is a wonderful drink, full of flavor, warmth and most importantly caffeine. It isn’t however, a good floor wax, nor is it a drink for rambunctious 2 year olds! Also, potty water does not make a good facial or body wash, okay?

Another thing I love about you is what a wonderful big brother you are! You are very patient with your sister, and love to hold and kiss her. You are gentle with her by nature. It is obvious that you adore her, and she adores you, and I hope you take care of her always.

Your welcoming into the world may not have been the easiest, but it was the most amazing time for your Daddy and I, and I still remember how blessed we felt at how healthy and perfect you were, even after all that you went through. I have watched in wonderment as you have grown, waiting for you to take on a personality of your own, and hoping you would take on your Dad’s easy-going nature, and love for adventure. You definitely have my strong will, but I know you will grow to handle it far better than I handle my own.

I love your willingness to explore and be adventurous. You got that from your Dad. I used to wish you would be more fearful of certain things like heights, sledding down a big hill, jumping into a pool, etc. but that is not so, and I have grown to admire that about you. You pay close attention to detail and learn how things work very quickly, another wonderful quality that you got from your Dad. You do not have the best appetite, but we are working on that. You are turning into your Daddy more and more each day – the same walk, same mannerisms, and the same emotional make-up and it is a joy to see!

You are an amazing child. I love your curly hair, and hazel eyes. I know that I can’t stop time, but I can savor every minute and not rush these precious moments. These days are just a blip in your long life which you won’t remember very well, but they are the days that I will remember them always.

Baxter, know that you are loved. I have loved you from the day I learned that I was pregnant with you, and I will continue loving you long after my soul has left this body. You are my little man.

Happy Birthday, my son!

Love, Mommy

2-24-11

So true

2011-02-23T15:48:00.001-08:00

I love this quote: "Parenting: Long hours.

No pay, but a whole lot of benefits!" Amen to that!

And I think I would add a pinch of discipline, a dash of patience

and a whole lot of faithfulness!!

Cousin Madness!

2011-02-23T08:49:00.001-08:00

My sister Rachelle and her family came for a visit in January. It was a blast and here are some pictures from the visit! I’m late in posting but better late than never!!

All the little cousins together ~ Baxter (23 months), Bode (20 months), Eden (3 yrs) and Gracie Jo (4.5 yrs)

Bode and Mama

Books!

2011-02-23T08:35:00.001-08:00

Baxter loves to read!

Almost 2 & 3 months

2011-02-01T08:51:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that we are quickly approaching Baxter's 2nd Birthday! I seems just like yesterday that we were bringing him home from the hospital, not fully realizing the ride we were in for as brand new parents, and all we knew was that we loved that little bundle and would do anything for him. Not much has changed.

He loves to hop, skip and jump everywhere. His favorite place is still the outdoors, and loves to learn to do stuff for himself, which is quite helpful to me as well! We're currently deciding on a birthday "theme", and we're pretty sure it's gonna have something to do with Tractors since it was Bax's first real word, and he loves them! So stay tune for pics of that.

Quinn sits around most of the day watching me and looking cute, which she does really well! The older she gets the more we start to see her personality shine through, and it's proving to be very sweet and lovable.

Oh and those smiles! She smiles when she's being fed (which makes it rather difficult!), while Daddy's giving her a bottle, when we get her out of her crib in the morning, when she goes down for naps, and pretty much anytime one of us gives her attention. So we very affectionately call her "smiley" and love and play with her as much as we can.

Happy 3 months, baby girl!

Quinn's Baby Mobile

2011-01-18T06:45:00.001-08:00

I finally got around to taking a couple pictures of Quinn's baby mobile that I made. It turned out great, and she loves to look at it! Super easy and lots of fun!!

And here are some close-up's...

You can make one for yourself following this pattern.

Baxter 22 Months & Quinn 2 Months

2010-12-30T16:59:00.000-08:00

Baxter turned 22 months on Christmas Eve! He loves the snow, and since the arrival of his snow pants and snow boots he asks to go outside every day. Besides moving into his big boy bed, his vocabulary is growing in leaps and bounds. He knows a lot of words, but doesn't always use them since he's gotten use to doing things himself, and so we have started making him ask for things aloud, or point to things and say what they are. His favorite word is Tractor, and he says it with a growl that's awfully cute! We love you little man!

And little miss Quinn turned 2 months today! She had her check up this morning and they couldn't believe how long she was - 23 inches - a whole inch and a half longer since birth! She weighed in at 12 pounds and 12 oz, a bit bigger than her brother was at that age but she is also longer than him as well.

She smiles and coo's, and has us all wrapped around her little finger!

Happy 2 months, Quinn!!

Christmas 2010

2010-12-28T07:04:00.000-08:00

Christmas was pretty quiet for us this year - we celebrated it a few days early in the evening and I cooked a turkey dinner. We spent Christmas Eve with the Grandparents and had Lobster Ravioli (yum!) and the kids and myself spent Christmas day at the Fire Station with Daddy.

Baxter LOVED opening presents! Some of his favorites were the Thomas the Train wooden tracks and trains like Thomas, Percy and Jack, his John Deere Tractor, wooden emergency vehicles by Melissa and Doug, and his slide which amuses him to no end!!

I've tried to pick through the better pictures because (as you'll be able to tell) I still haven't read through my manual yet! Guess it's because I keep hoping to get my Nikon someday ;-)

Brad had lots of fun putting this together as you can see below

We had a very Merry Christmas and hope you all did too!

LaMoreaux Photo Shoot

2010-12-26T15:10:00.001-08:00

We had a photo shoot with Mark LaMoreaux before Quinn turned a month old - a gift from Brads parents! Mr. L did a wonderful job at trying to capture Baxter smiling and I am sure it'll get easier as he gets older.

Two of the pictures were on our Christmas card but here are all of them -

All Grown Up!

2010-12-22T12:11:00.000-08:00

Besides reading Daddy's "Company Officer" book, Baxter is now sleeping in his big boy bed! Our little man is all grown up!!

He fell asleep on his bed two nights ago, and that went well but I thought I'd still put him down for a nap in his crib until we got him more adjusted, but that's not what Baxter had in mind. I put him down for his nap and 2 minutes later I heard his door crack open, but no one came out. So I walked up and peaked inside only to find Baxter playing on the floor with his cars! I asked him how he got out of his bed, and he then showed me how he can crawl in and out of his crib. Gotta love little boys and their adventurous spirits!! So bye bye crib and hello big boy bed!!!

Next task: Potty Training :-)

Our Christmas Card!

2010-12-20T06:53:00.000-08:00

The front:

The back:

Quinn's Birth Announcement

2010-12-18T07:24:00.000-08:00

The front:

The back:

Quinn - 1 Month

2010-11-30T11:53:00.000-08:00

Quinn is 1 month old today! I can't believe how quickly the time has gone by, or how much she has been changing. I have forgotten what it was like to have one this little, even though it wasn't that long ago! The best part is when they reach milestones like first smile, first coo, or the first time they make noises to get your attention. But my favorite thing of all would have to be how well she knows my voice. There's nothing that makes me feel more loved or special than when she smiles or stops crying because she hears my voice - it's the best feeling ever!

As cute as a cupcake!

Bathing Beauty!

2010-11-30T11:14:00.000-08:00

Beautiful Quinn after a bath! Her very first bath she wasn't sure what she thought but loves bath time now, especially having her hair washed which I thought was funny. She practically falls asleep on me while I'm washing her hair, and I have to wash it often with all that hair she has!

Quinn's Baptism

2010-11-29T15:58:00.000-08:00

Quinn was baptized on Sunday, November 28th. She never cried once and even smiled at her Daddy afterwards which made him very happy!

We grabbed a couple family pictures beforehand but Bax was pretty tired from not sleeping well and finally gave a little smile in the last picture. Quinn's "White Christmas" style outfit was bought for her by her Great Nana or Grana as Bax likes to call her, and her cute headpiece was given by our friends the Lowe's - thanks guys!!

Welcome to the covenant baby girl!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-27T12:53:00.001-08:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at the Fire Station with Daddy. It was a huge feast and Baxter ate so much that he went to bed early that night! While packing up two kids on my own for the drive down I forgot the camera and thus have no pics :-( Regardless we had a blast, and a big thanks to Laura for preparing it and letting me do nothing! Such a treat!!

21 Months

2010-11-24T10:35:00.000-08:00

Baxter turned 21 months today!

He has started to show much more interest in potty training, so I am sure we'll be starting that here very soon. And we've moved his toddler bed into his room and are trying to get him familiarized with that as much as possible before switching him over.

I read a couple things in "On Becoming Toddler Wise" and immediately thought of our boy Bax:

"If your toddler happens to be a boy, add fifty percent more energy. Never so beautiful does this child look to his weary mom as he does when he closes his eyes in sleep."
AND

"If left to himself, unhindered by moral and safety concerns, this little person can empty a bookshelf in minutes, connect with Hong Kong on Dad's cell phone, drink from the bird-bath, splash little hands in the toilet, drain the last sips of leftover beverages, flee the kitchen with a table knife, or take a nap in the dog house - which, after all else, would be a positive thing."

Those two quotes summarize my little man. All I can say is thank you Bax for always keeping us on our toes! Keep on exploring, my little adventurer!!

Bax the DRAGON!

2010-11-23T13:14:00.001-08:00

Baxter loves to dress up in his Dragon costume which he wore to the Fall Carnival this year. He runs around with his arms high in the air and makes a roaring noise which is probably more fitting for a lion, but still awfully cute!

Here's a video of him roaring - he gets frustrated at the end because he was done being the entertainment for the night :-) Sorry it's a little dark!

Thumb-sucker (occasionally)

2010-11-23T13:05:00.000-08:00

Quinn - 3 Weeks

2010-11-20T07:18:00.001-08:00

Quinn is 3 weeks old today! She's outgrown her newborn clothing and switched to 0-3 months. She eats, sleeps, makes numerous dirty diapers, and stays awake for slightly longer periods of time now. And she is a champ when it comes to holding her head up!

These are my beautiful flowers from Christ Church - love the gerberas!

Baxter's new favorite thing to do with his baby sister is to kneel down right in front of her face and say "hi" to her over and over again, or he tries to have a conversation with her like Mommy. He is a wonderful big brother!

Thanks for an enjoyable 3 weeks, my little Ellie!

Quinn 2 Weeks & Bax 20 Months

2010-11-14T07:46:00.001-08:00

Baxter turned 20 months a couple weeks ago but I didn't have a chance to post anything so now I will. It feels like he's at that age where he learns something new every single day, and it's hard to remember it all! But I do know that he loves the outdoors, and has figured out how to pull the chair over to the front door and tries to unlock it to get out. So we're keeping a close eye on the doors now! And he's figuring out how to use silverware "properly" (notice the two forks in the picture above haha). I'm not sure what's going through his mind in that picture.....

Bax has also become a little copycat and mimics talking on his toy phone while I'm talking on mine, and he imitates how we drive, cook, clean, and even puts things back where I like them to go!

But what he loves most of all is to help me change Quinns diaper, kiss her when she cries, and hold her as much as he can.We're very grateful with how well he has transitioned to sharing the attention in the house but wont' be leaving him alone with her anytime soon :-)

Quinn turned 2 weeks on Saturday. She spends most her time sleeping, eating, and being awake for a short amount of time in which she stares at me with her beautiful blue eyes before falling back to sleep again. Already she has many names....Bax calls her Sissy and sometimes Quinn, Daddy calls her Quinn and his little sweetheart, and I call her Ellie or little one.

Quinn means Wise and Elise means God's Promise, but the neat thing about her middle name Elise is that it is derived from Elizabeth which is special because she was born on her Aunt Elizabeth's birthday! It wasn't planned on our part but that's how it ended up being which is pretty neat!!

More pictures to come later. For now we're just enjoying having one of each, boy and girl, and watching the difference between them both, and enjoying the joy they bring to our lives.

Diapers

2010-11-14T07:28:00.001-08:00

If you wanna save 20% off diapers click on this link and enter the savings code!

use code NSAVE20

Well-Baby Visit

2010-11-11T16:21:00.000-08:00

Quinn had her 10 day well-baby visit yesterday and is now 20.75" and 8# 7o oz. She's a healthy, growing little girl!

She's arrived!

2010-11-08T07:45:00.001-08:00

Quinn Elise Covington

10:26am on October 30th, 2010

8 pounds, 20.5 inches

New Fall Favorite!

2010-10-29T12:21:00.000-07:00

I made this for dinner last night and it was a favorite of both my boys. It would be yummy paired with a glass of chilled white wine, or beer which was of course Brad's preference, and a some green beans. Enjoy!

Cheesy Chicken and Mushroom Lasagna

Ingredients

12 Lasagna Noodles

1 pound mushrooms, sliced

6 T. butter

1 T. olive oil

2 med. cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

6 T. flour

2 cups milk

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. white pepper

1/4 cup half and half

3 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped

1/3 pound Prosciutto

1 15-oz container ricotta cheese

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water. Lay noodles flat on paper towels. In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, saute mushrooms in 2 T. butter and 1 T. olive oil until golden, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; add garlic and parsley, saute 2 minutes more. Be careful not to brown garlic.
For sauce: in medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt remaining 4 T. butter. Add flour and cook without browning for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Add milk and chicken stock, a little at a time. Cook until smooth and thickened, about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. To avoid scorching, remove sauce from heat as soon as it starts to boil. Sauce will not thicken further once it has boiled. Season with salt and pepper.
To assemble: set aside 2 T. Parmesan. Pour half and half in the bottom of a 10x12 inch (I used a 9x13 inch) baking pan. Lay 4 noodles in a single layer in pan. Place 1/3 each of the mushroom mixture, chicken and Prosciutto over the noodle layer. Dot with 1/3 ricotta. Sprinkle with 1/3 each of the mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover with 1/3 of the sauce.
Repeat this process 2 more times, beginning with noodles and ending with white sauce. Sprinkle with reserved Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until heated through, about 45-55 minutes.

Palouse Harvest Festival

2010-10-16T09:40:00.000-07:00

Papa, Nana and I took Bax to the Palouse Harvest Festival for some very inexpensive (under $3) fun! Here we are going through the hay bale maze:

Here's Bax on the jumpy castle. Took him a second to get his footing but once he did he had lots of fun, but then it started collapsing in! Since I couldn't see the staff trying to fix the problem I tried to haul myself in there to get him out when a sweet girl (standing behind Bax in the picture) picked him up and delivered him to me safely. Thankfully he wasn't so frightened that it ruined his jumpy castle fun ;-)

Waiting on Papa's shoulders for the hay ride. We waited a long time but it was worth it!

Bax was more fascinated with the tractor then he was with the pumpkin patch.

The driver was thrilled with Bax's fascination, and laughed hard when Bax closed the door on him and pretended to drive it all by himself. Such a funny boy!

We finally managed to pull Baxter away from the tractor and pick these two cute little pumpkins.

It was a wonderful day!

John and Jenn's Wedding

2010-10-12T13:54:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of pictures of the flowers my sister, Rachelle, and I did for a September Wedding in Wenatchee. We were up to our knee's in Dahlia's - one of my favorite flowers! Rachelle is taking Mimosa to Wenatchee for event planning and floral design, and is doing a wonderful job! I work with her as often as I can simply because I LOVE flowers but especially love working with her. Unfortunately my camera wasn't fixed yet, but I got these from the photographers blog and can visit here to see more.

Congrats to my sister for a wonderful beginning!

Honey Mustard Pork and Nectarine Kabobs

2010-08-31T08:12:00.000-07:00

We found this recipe at Safeway in the meat department. They have little recipe books at the meat counter that I never knew about and they're free! We tried this recipe and just love it!! We doubled the ingredients to feed 7-8 and because we bought the pork tenderloins from Costco that come in two packages, and there are about two tenderloins per package. We like the tenderloins the best because they're not as fatty.

Ingredients (already doubled):

6 tbsp. honey mustard

6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 tsp. minced garlic
5 tsp. kosher salt

2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

cup mild-flavored honey

2 packages of pork tenderloins (cut into 1½ cubes)
6-8 large semi ripe nectarines, pitted, cut into 6 wedges

Extra honey
About 10 wooden skewers

Directions:

If using wooden skewers, soak in cold water for at least 30 minutes.

Mix next 6 ingredients in a large glass bowl or pan. Add pork and mix to coat. Cover and chill in the fridge for up to 5 hours prior to cooking.

Thread cubes of pork and nectarines on skewers. Cook on BBQ over medium high heat. With 1 minute until cooking is completed, brush generously with honey.

Enjoy!!

Air Show

2010-08-04T07:05:00.001-07:00

We took Bax to the Air Show in Spokane at the Fairchild Air Force Base on Daddy's day off. It was very hot, but between lots of water, sunscreen and a slight breeze we managed. What mattered most was that Daddy and Bax had a blast and got to spend the whole day together!

Baxter loved this!

Bax was able to touch everything he went in except this and he didn't understand as you can see in the picture below :)

This thing was awesome and SUPER FAST!

And lastly little man dancing to the music and a day of fun!

Been a while...

2010-07-13T20:42:00.001-07:00

It's been quite a while since I posted and a lot has happened in the last 4 weeks. We're moved into our house, are settling nicely and working on the "to do" list.

Ive got only 14 weeks left till I meet my sweet baby girl and cannot believe how fast this pregnancy has gone by.

Brad is very busy working lots in Lewiston and will be testing for a position in Spokane County in a couple weeks.

And Baxter is the same happy and curious little boy as before. We're constantly amazed that he is our son, and love watching him learn. It feels like he's hit that age where he learns something new everyday!

We are very grateful for the many blessings we have been given and cannot wait to start entertaining here at the house. Stay tune for progress pictures!

Pregnancy Cartoons

2010-06-09T18:19:00.001-07:00

I found some great pregnancy cartoons and had to share!

Bounce, bounce, bounce!

2010-06-08T08:24:00.000-07:00

Cool Shades, Dude!

2010-06-03T19:58:00.000-07:00

DIY 4th of July!

2010-06-02T06:07:00.003-07:00

I love this idea for 4th of July, especially the sparklers. So fun and easy!

Visit Twig & Thistle to make them yourself.

Halfway there!

2010-06-02T06:07:00.001-07:00

The picture's a bit blurry, but at least I'm halfway there to meeting my baby girl.

Long time...

2010-05-31T19:45:00.000-07:00

I have been horrible about posting anything at all lately. Life's been pretty crazy for us, plus our internet wasn't working for a couple days, and ever since that I have fallen more and more behind. We visited the cousins almost a month ago, and now I'm finally getting around to posting pictures from that. The boys have already changed a lot since that visit but here they are just the same! They had a wonderful time playing in the yard and taking a bath together.

And last but not least my adorable nieces Eden and Gracie Jo.

15 Months and Stats

2010-05-25T11:32:00.000-07:00

Baxter celebrated 15 months yesterday! We also visited his Doctor today for his check-up where he toughed his way through 4 shots, and remains above the 90th percentile in weight (27 pounds) and height (32.5", a whole inch more from last visit).

He loves to brush his teeth, is a messy eater, chases Nana's dog everywhere, gives the biggest hugs and asks me to read him "Goodnight Moon" every night before bed. We love this kid!

It's a GIRL!!

2010-05-14T11:55:00.000-07:00

Here is our beautiful baby girl, Quinn Elise, due October 21!

We are all thrilled (of course) and cannot wait to meet her!!

14 months

2010-04-30T07:04:00.001-07:00

Baxter turned 14 months almost a week ago but we were out of town. Lately Bax has been fascinated with putting the lid on his sippy cup or my water bottle, or even simple things like turning on and off the faucets or lights. He also loves to imitate, and will do anything to go outside and play. He has even started taking trash to the garbage and will dance whenever music is on. We're loving our little adventurer and the joy he brings to our lives!

Brad's Badge Pinning

2010-04-23T09:42:00.000-07:00

Baxter - all smiles and getting ready for the Badge Pinning.

Daddy and Bax!

They were escorted in by the Lewiston Pipes and Drums. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a good picture.

I was honored by being the one to pin on Brad's badge!

And lastly taking their oaths.

TP Fun

2010-04-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago I walked to my bedroom to find this.

Easter Fun: Egg on a Plate Cookies

2010-03-31T07:17:00.000-07:00

This fun 'egg on a plate' cookie idea is from the Farm Chicks. You can get the directions from her blog: http://thefarmchicks.typepad.com/farmchicks/2010/03/eggs-on-a-plate-cookies.html. Such a fun idea for the kids! I'm definitely going to have to try this next year!!

Photos Copyright Farm Chicks

The buzz cut

2010-03-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

New look courtesy of Daddy.

The pros are that it is easy to take care of and that this is the only time in his life that I'll let him have a haircut that looks this close to a Mohawk.

The cons are that he looks older now and that he'll probably look back at this picture someday and ask if he can cut it like this again.

But all in all Daddy did a pretty good job if you ask me!

13 Months

2010-03-25T08:50:00.000-07:00

Baxter turned 13 months yesterday! It's a strange feeling to start referring to him as my 1 year old. He is a curious little man and with great delight explores every place imaginable, while I follow him around picking up the abandoned objects. He keeps me busy and I love it!

2nd Anniversary!

2010-03-15T11:51:00.001-07:00

Two years ago on this day I married Brad who is not only my strength, but my leader, best friend and lover. While looking through our wedding photos I found our exhortation and thought I would share.

Brad and Nicole's Wedding Exhortation

As Administered By Douglas Wilson

Brad, the worst thing that an explorer can do, once he has found a delightful country, is to settle there in a way that causes him to lose his sense of wonder. Far too many husbands have done this, taking their wives for granted, assuming that everything is exactly the way it appears to their superficial eyes. But I am charging you to nurture your wife by nurturing your sense of constant wonder. As your years unfold together, never forget that she intersects with you easily but is still totally unlike you. As God gives you children, marvel at the fact that women are the kind of people that people come out of. If more husbands actually reflected on that, their doctors would have to put them on bed rest. On your fifth anniversary, when you are leaving work early for your dinner out with your wife, I want you to say something like this to all your co-workers. "There is a person at home waiting for me, so I need to go. This person isn’t like me at all, for which I am grateful, and yet she harmonizes with everything I do. God calls this kind a person a woman, and I can’t really explain it much further than that. I can’t believe my good fortune, and I have to tell all of you frankly that science has no explanation." And then leave, with a sober and grateful expression on your face.

Nicole, my charge to you is to be a blessing to your husband, thirty, sixty and hundred-fold. The Scriptures teach us that the man who loves his wife loves himself. God has created the world in such a way that when a man sacrifices himself for his wife and family, he is blessed beyond all reckoning in the return. You are the central focal point of that return. He gives and you respond. He initiates and you reciprocate. He sacrifices and you adorn. When he does this kind of thing self-consciously, in faith, you have the opportunity to make the multiplied fruitfulness of his faith apparent to the world. I have charged Brad to never lose his sense of wonder. I am charging you with the responsibility to be a wonder. This is not beyond your reach—this is what God created women for, and when you step into that role by faith you are working at the center of God’s creation design. The Bible says plainly that women are the crown and glory of their husbands. Accept that honor gladly.

Brad and Nicole, together today you are assuming the roles assigned to you by God—for His glory and our good. Do what He says to do, and do it the way He says to do it. As you do so, in faith, His blessing will rest upon the house that is being established here today, and He will do so for a thousand generations.

In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, amen and amen.

Here's to two wonderful years and many more to come!!

12 Months Stats

2010-03-02T18:46:00.001-08:00

Baxter is now 26 pounds and 31.5 inches long! He continue's to be staying in the 90-95 percentile!! He had to have two shots at his 12 month check-up and cried for about 10 seconds and then started smiling again.

. He walks everywhere, has learned a few new words besides Mama and Dada, loves to flip the pages of books, and giggles when I point out his body parts. He is a good little eater (pizza is his favorite - go figure!) and we hope to have a birthday party for him after we settle into our house!

Baxter Turns One!

2010-03-02T07:51:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Baxter's 1st Birthday with family last week. We had lots of fun and got some great pictures taken by our friends the Lowe's.

TIGGER!

2010-02-18T21:16:00.000-08:00

Bax's favorite stuffed toy! Used to be Brad's when he was little.

Baxter + His Blue Car

2010-02-17T14:10:00.001-08:00

Here is Baxters crazy face!

Baxter T

2010-02-12T13:54:00.000-08:00

We never have a dull moment with this little fella. He makes life just that much more enjoyable!

So Hip

2010-02-08T14:35:00.000-08:00

Baxter is turning into his Mommy with drink in one hand, and a phone in the other. Such a hip little boy!

Stryder

2010-02-06T07:15:00.000-08:00

This is my Mom's beautiful buckskin horse named Stryder. I cannot wait to ride him this Summer, and Baxter is going to have his first horse ride on him in a couple weeks as well. He is a sweet and gentle giant!

My nieces sayings...

2010-02-03T20:08:00.000-08:00

Gracie Jo

While landing on her bottom says: "Oh my Gracie junk!" (This is her father's fault)

Sees the sun shining outside and says, "It's going to be a beautiful Gracie day!"

She hears Bodie crying and yells, "You're ruining my world!"

Eden

She calls the garbage "Puke in a bucket."

Yep, I adore my little nieces.

Sunday Snowfall

2010-02-01T06:35:00.001-08:00

Coffee Bean

2010-01-27T07:30:00.001-08:00

Bax discovered a coffee bean on the floor a couple nights ago that must have fallen when I made my morning coffee. I heard him chewing away on something and went to see what it was and that's when I discovered the coffee bean. The funny part is that I believe he would have happily eaten it had I not taken it away from him. I guess he takes after his Mommy's love for coffee!!

Almost there!

2010-01-26T18:25:00.001-08:00

Baxter has started taking his first steps!! He has taken four steps at a time and then gets nervous and plops back down to a crawling position. It is very exciting and we're sure he'll be a pro at walking by his 1st Birthday.

11 Months

2010-01-24T06:07:00.000-08:00

Baxter turned 11 months today - hooray! He is becoming more and more chatty like his Mom, and tries very hard to carry on "conversations".

Besides being a little chatterbox, Baxter is getting more comfortable holding a spoon, but still prefers feeding himself with his fingers. He has also tried to take some steps and I'm sure we'll be celebrating him walking before we know it!

We are really looking forward to his first birthday and cannot wait to witness the new joys a 1+ year old can bring.

Fun with Natalie

2010-01-19T16:02:00.000-08:00

I watched Natalie Lowe for a couple hours this morning and she and Bax had a lot of fun together. Natalie fondly pats Bax on the head and gives him sweet kisses, while I in turn have to teach Baxter to be gentle with her and remind him that she is a lady. They're pretty adorable to watch together :)

Baxter's "Cheese" face.

Baxter (10 & 10.5 months)

2010-01-16T07:43:00.001-08:00