Scripture
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6
Ah, things have been crazy since school started back up. We are still alive. ;) There has been a lot going on the past couple months. We have our triplet niece and nephews we have been praying for and who had been putting on a huge fight to grow and get stronger. Justin and McKenna are now home with their parents and growing like weeds! They are the cutest! Bryson had a lot of struggles and left this earth to be with our Lord and Savior on October 23rd. It is a very sad and hard loss, but we know he has no more struggles and no more pain. And the added bonus of being with his grandpa Holder which puts a smile on my face and of course tears down my cheeks. We will always love Bryson and we will never forget his time here with us.
Tyler is still trying to get adjusted to preschool. He is still crying when I drop him off. They literally have to peel him off of me. But they say once I leave and he settles down he does good. He is the sweetest little boy....full of so much love. We are just trying to keep him well. He battles croup and has had it 3 times since school has started. It's very frustrating, but thankfully it usually isn't really serious, just a barking seal cough. We just got back from the doctor a little while ago because he has had it and I wanted to do a follow up. He started running a fever last night. The doctor decided to test him for the flu and thankfully it was negative. Hopefully we make it through this flu season.
Jalyn is loving school and is a little Miss Diva! She definitely gives her daddy and myself a daily challenge with her strong willed personality. I pray that we can turn that into some great leadership roles. ;) She has started dance class and is enjoying that so much. It is so hard to believe that she will be in Kindergarten next year. And she is SO ready.
Travis is doing great, but working himself to death. I'm so proud of how hard he works and the wonderful father that he is. I'm so blessed to have him.
I'm doing well too, just very pregnant at 37 weeks. So my body is feeling that and some things are a challenge for me, like bending over or doing a lot of house work. ;) But, it will be over soon. I can't believe that our new baby boy will be here so soon. I'm excited and nervous all at the same time. Of course with it being flu season I'm a little more concerned about having a newborn and keeping him healthy.
I have lots of pictures to share, including Halloween. Jalyn and Tyler had a Noah's Ark Party at school. Jalyn was Clifford, The Big Red Dog, and Tyler was a monkey. Then for Halloween Jalyn was Hannah Montana and Tyler was Diego. They had so much fun at our church party and trick-or-treating. And of course they are LOVING all the candy.
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It's hard to believe that summer is nearly over and the kids are back to school. Where has the time gone?! Jalyn started back to SHCA on Tuesday in the 4 year old class. I can't believe my baby is off to kindergarten next year. She had a great day, was a little timid about going in the class room, but she did that last year for a few days and then it didn't take her long to go in without saying goodbye. Today she went back for her second day and I was very excited to see that her friend, Parker, was in her class. That will make this year all the better.
Tyler started Tuesday and this was his first year. He will go 3 mornings per week. He cried when I left him, but so did all the other children in his class. ;) He was adorable when I picked him up. He gave me the biggest hug, and said "phish" so I knew he had gold fish for snack. I asked him what he did and he said, "circles". As we pulled away he said, "Bye fwiends". He seems eager to go back, but we will see how Wednesday goes. Hopefully no tears....
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Hi everyone! Sorry I have been MIA. Things have been really hectic. But I'm proud to announce that my new niece and two nephews have arrived. :) Welcome to McKenna, Justin and Bryson. They were born August 23rd. They are oh so tiny! Bryson weighs just over 2 pounds. McKenna was 3 pounds and Justing 4.6. We were very blessed by getting to visit Arizona this past weekend to see all of them. Please keep them all in your prayers. They have a lot of growing to do. And please pray for Bryson as they await chromosomal testing.
Jennifer has created a website to keep everyone updated, and it's http://tripleplay.shutterfly.com/
Love to all,
Mandy
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I'm praising God right now that my sister-in-law has made it to 30 weeks carrying her triplets, AND got great news yesterday that the littlest one, Bryson gained one whole pound! He is now 2 pounds, McKenna is 3 pounds and Justin is over 3 pounds. Things are looking good, and she will have two ultrasounds per week to check on them. So now we are focusing on letting them grow a little more and just going day by day. Thank you for the prayers, and please keep them going up to our heavenly father. He has been hearing each and every one!
Love,
http://www.theholderfamilyblog.blogspot.com/
After a random drawing of all the entrants, the winner of Kristen Self's custom wipes case cover giveaway is BLUEVIOLET! Congrats!
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It's here! You can now shop online for Initials, Inc. products through my website. Just click the Initials, Inc. link on the top right of my blog. Click "Shop" and you are on your way to building your personalized item. Happy Shopping!
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You will feel SASSY using this beautiful wipes case by Kristen Self when you are changing those diapers. This giveaway is for a custom made case of your choice. They are absolutely beautiful and fun!
Thank you Kristen for offering this fabulous giveaway!
Rules:
1.) Must be a follower of my blog.
2.) Must be a follower of The Self Family/Kristen Self blog
3.) Leave me a comment letting me know you would like to enter and what colors you like.
4.) Leave Kristen a comment on her blog letting her know what you think of her custom wipes cases and which colors you would like.
Contest ends July 30th.Good Luck! :)
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After a drawing of the Mary Kay giveaway entries, the winner is......KRISTI!
You will recieve your cheek and eye color in a few days. :) Enjoy!
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Initials, Inc. is a great company with many wonderful products that you can personalize. There are products for every age, and they are all so fun! You pick out your product, the color, the ribbon, what you want monogrammed on it, the font and color! Who doesn't love that!?! The great thing about Initials, Inc. is that you can also have a career by becoming a Creative Partner. How great would it be to be involved in something fun, AND set your own hours?! I know it's perfect for me as I'm a stay-at-home mom, and I need to be with my family and work around them. There is no inventory to stock either! The products are shipped directly to the customer. For a limited time this summer it's only $100 to get started! Watch this video and contact me if you would like to start your career with Initials, Inc.
http://www.cbsatlanta.com/video/19656747/index.html?taf=lnta
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I'm super excited to announce that I am a Creative Partner for Initials-Inc. This is a fabulous company with so many cute things! Get something for yourself, for your child or find a gift for someone else.
Check out my site at http://www.myinitials-inc.com/mandyh/
Browse through the online catalog and let me know if there is something you would like to purchase. Happy shopping!
http://theholderfamilyblog.blogspot.com
910-619-6138
mandyholder@yahoo.com
Yesterday my sister-in-law was admitted to the hospital at 27 weeks for more steriods, monitoring and tests. She will be in the hospital for 72 hours and will remain in Phoenix until the babies are born. They were blessed to have someone offer their condo for them to stay in. Their home is 3 hours away so this is a huge blessing for them. The smallest baby, Bryson, is measuring 3 weeks behind. Please keep Bryson, McKenna, Jusin and mommy in your prayers. I know God is holding them all in His care, and can work miracles beyond what we can even imagine. Pray Bryson catches up and gets stronger. All of this is a stressful time for Jennifer and her husband, Brian so please lift them up in prayer. Thanks to all the prayer warriors! Love ya!
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Today's GIG (Girlfriends in God) devotion is the perfect setup for the giveaway I'm planning. My favorite statement from the devotion, "God has placed in our hearts a love for beauty and a desire to be beautiful – as He defines it." As a young girl we dream of being beautiful, and as a mother we dream of being beautiful. Of course, beauty within is the most important, but there is nothing wrong with desiring an outward beauty. Praise God for his workmanship in us - He makes no mistakes!
For you created my inmost being;
You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
When I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
Your eyes saw my unformed body. (Psalm 139:13-16)
Check out the Girlfriends in God devotions. You will find a link under my favorite sites. And stay tuned for my first giveaway!
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WOW this pregnancy is flying by! With each pregnancy it seems to go faster and faster. When you are busy chasing after two kiddies there is no time to think or day dream. ;) Our baby boy is becoming more active in his snug home, and I love every minute of feeling him jump and kick. Maybe he is kicking his brother and sister back because they sure are rough with me and the belly. Tyler is hysterical when you talk about there being a baby in mommy's belly. He goes to slapping my tummy...OUCH! I asked him the other day a series of questions, "Do you want a baby brother?" T says, "Yes", and then I ask, "Will you play with him?" T says "Yes", then "Will you share your room?" T replys "Yes". Then I ask, "Will you share your toys?" Again he says "Yes". I really wonder if he knows what he is agreeing to.:) Jalyn definitely gets it, but there are still cute things that come out of her mouth. She saw a picture of the baby in an ultrasound pic and pointed to a spot and said, "Is that his diaper?" Too cute! Yes, he has diapers, bottles and a paci all in his little home. I love to hear those cute comments! Aw, the innocence of a child. Last week we were at my inlaws when Jalyn and her MiMi went for a ride on the golf cart to find a wedding outside of the clubhouse. Jalyn watched them say their "vowels" and then when they kissed she asked if the bride had a baby in her belly. Ya know, because that's what comes next! ;)
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I think online shopping is going to break our bank! I just couldn't resist these precious booties for our new little guy on the way. And I have my eye on more! This really makes me want to learn to crochet, but I just don't know if I can find the time or the patience. Check out these cute shoes I found on Etsy from The Blushing Magpie...
Check out her site: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5632756
-Mandy
As you know, my sister-in-law (Travis' sister, Jennifer), is pregnant with triplets. She is at home on bedrest. This week she had to go to the hospital because she was having contractions. They gave her a shot and a pill to take every 6 hours. Please keep her, Brian and their three babies in your prayers. Pray that they hold on for several more weeks at least. They need to get bigger and stronger before they try to enter the world.
Love and blessings,
Mandy
We are so excited to announce that our third child due in November is a precious boy. We couldn't be happier. It works out great because he and Tyler will share a room. Can't wait to get those cool bunk beds one day. :) I measured over a week ahead. He is a big boy, measuring in the 96 percentile. Don't expect any names until he arrives in November. We are doing things differently this time and it's fun! Love you all!
Mandy and family
I have been in project mode lately. There is so much we need to do around the house. Saturday Travis and two of his employees installed a patio out back. A few weeks before that I spray painted a patio set that we got for FREE from some neighbors. And today I started painting our porch furniture. I have the table completed, but still have to paint the sofa and chairs. I chose Avacodo as the color . I think it turned out nice.
I can't believe that I will be 17 weeks on Saturday. This pregnancy is flying! I go for my big ultrasound on June 22nd to find out the sex. It just doesn't seem possible to be at that point yet. I'm excited to find out. I am due a belly pic, the last one I took was 14 weeks and it was this one of me sitting in the car. I thought I looked really big that day.
I'm so behind in blogging. I'm trying to figure out how people have time to do it. Since I last posted Jennifer and Brian came down from Arizona for a visit. We had her baby shower at the River Lodge in River Landing. It was a great turn out and she received so many gift cards and cash. It was such a blessing to them I'm sure! She goes for her big ultrasound tomorrow where they would like to get measurements of the babies, especially the smallest. I hope she is able to go through the whole thing so they can take a look at all of them. She passed out last week when they tried to do it so this is "Take 2". Please keep her and the babies in your prayers.
Love,
Mandy
OK, so I'm a horrible blogger. I just can't seem to find the time. I wish I could! But a lot has happened.....I'm pregnant with our thrid child! I'm 11 weeks, excited and WORN out. But it doesn't help I'm suffering from a head cold too.;) I'm anxious to see if this little one will be a boy or girl. Either one will be a huge blessing!
Some more exciting news....Travis and I will have 3 nephews come September! We are so excited!! God is so good!
Love you all,
Mandy and family
This weekend we took the kids to the circus. We all had fun and the kids LOVED it! Jalyn didn't want to leave when it was over so we asked her if she wanted to join the circus. ;) Tyler's favorite part was the dogs that did tricks. Jalyn liked that too and the butterfly girls that hung from this fabric doing pretty movements in the air. It was a fun family night!
