Good Things for You and I

I've got so much good news to share today! First, John graduated on Saturday! I was so proud to watch him walk across the stage after all the work and time he has put into his degree at U of I. This is the second time I've been able to see him in a cap and gown at U of I and while I love the sight, he is sure glad to be done! His Mom and Dad, brothers Doug and Andrew and Andrew's wife Lindseigh, and Tyler and Kolton all came to celebrate with us. 

Al the graduates coming in

John is next up

Blurry, but getting his "diploma"!

Shaking hands

His advisor gave him a hug

Walking away with his head held high!

I celebrated my second Mother's Day today, and while I love my life every day, its just a reminder of how all of my dreams are coming true. I am thrilled to be a Mother, and to a very special little man! We had a fun day out at Allerton and then relaxing outside at home the rest of the day. 

Gavyn at the gardens in Allerton

Rocks!

Mr. Adventurer

Mom and Dad checking out the peonie garden

Gavyn smelling a peonie

Brigid, Theresa, and Cassie met us for Mother's Day :)

Kolton and Dad helping Gavyn down the steps

Hello fish

I love dogs

Mowing with Dad!

Feeling safe in Dad's arms

Singing by the rocks

Gavyn and Belle exploring

Mowing again

Off for a walk

They play so well together

Getting a Mother's Day kiss

My baby and me!

Gavyn feeding Belle pretzels

Nice Belle

John got the EXCELLENT news that we WILL be able to live at the Allerton house!! I am so relieved! He said it just might take a little more time than we were expecting. That doesn't bother me at all, as long as its going to happen! We extended our lease in Urbana an extra month to give us more time to move after everything gets signed. I've already made so many memories there and put in so much work, I just couldn't bare not living there! I am very excited! Here are some shots of the floor John put in the kitchen and at the front of the house. It isn't quite finished, but it just transformed the kitchen. It looks so much cleaner, brighter, and even bigger! Now all we need are some appliances!

So clean!

View from living room

Front hallway

Here are some more fun pictures from fun times outside, a party at some friend's house (a delicious crawfish boil), and Gavyn's Nana visiting!

Drawing with chalk

Playing with friends at the Ahler's Crawfish boil

Helping out!

Playing with Evan in the rice

Gavyn with Madison

Me and Evan!

Giving Nana a hug

Nana with Evan

Big smiles about his new little piano

Lots of living going on

I haven't had any good ideas for a theme for a post, so this is just going to be a hodge-podge of different things we have been up to lately. Plus lots of pictures, which is the important part anyway. 


Progress with the house continues. We had a little scare the other day that we might not be able to live there, but we are hoping things are getting worked out. We would be absolutely devastated to not be able to move there, after all the hard work we put into it. So we aren't doing any moving right now just in case, but we pretty much finished the house before we knew this. John put in the floor in the kitchen this past weekend, and I don't have any pictures of it yet, but hopefully I'll get some soon!

Nana is always put on Gavyn duty when they come to help work on the house!  Clearly, she doesn't mind. 

Gavyn's new toy from Nana

The tree decal Mama put up in Gavyn's room

My big boy wanting to help

Always climbing

The furniture is still covered

Living room looking into the kitchen

Living room looking into the family room

Family room looking into Gavyn's room

Kitchen, looking into living room, looking into family room, looking into our bedroom !

Kolton's YELLOW room!

Checking out the bathroom

We took out the sliding shower doors to put up a curtain...much easier for bath time!

Climbing, as usual. 

While I don't have any pictures to accompany this news, it is probably the biggest thing that has happened this past week. John is COMPLETELY DONE with his master's degree! His thesis was submitted, approved, and he didn't need to make any changes. We all knew he would graduate this year, but sometimes graduate students have to keep making corrections to their thesis's and defenses. Well John has had a huge weight lifted off his shoulders, and can relax (at least about that) now!


Gavyn has just been up to being a little boy. He is discovering, playing, experimenting, starting to talk, and playing some more. He has also been testing how much he can get away with lately, which he is discovering isn't a while lot! He really really loves birds, and really all animals. He won't crawl anymore unless he is pushing around one of his or Kolton's old cars or trucks. He has a favorite book, called "I am a Dump Truck" that we have to read at least 20 times a day. 

Gavyn loves reading books

Look Mama, this one has sharp teeth!

Playing with Evan

Lets play catch!

Diaper Boy

He goes pantless a lot

Running

Need to hydrate

Visit to Nana and Papas

Taking a rest with Mama

Playing with Nana

Puddle fun!

This is why he is in a diaper a lot...is there any point to putting on new clothes?

Let them get dirty :)

Reading his favorite book in the car

Gavyn's new sweet backpack carrier!

At the Children's museum in Naperville. Kind of blurry. 

Gears!

Apparently I can't turn it after its on here...turn your heads please  :)

Playing with the balloon he got from Zack's b-day party

Thank you, Amazon, for your unnecessary packaging materials. 

Told you there would be a lot of pictures!!