THE BASTINGS BUZZ: January 2009

4 Months Old

Mikayla is now 4 months old and getting cuter everyday. She loves to smile. She isn't much for the typical "coo coo" but loves to use her voice to squeal and scream---wants to be

sure she is

heard I guess.

She is getting into a more predictable daytime schedule and at the beginning of the night usually sleeps 6 hours straight. Since this last week she hasn't slept quite as good and there has been an increase in her drooling I figure that she must be teething.

We have tried the rice cereal a couple times now and I don't think she quite knows what to think about it. She loves to move her arms and legs and is getting close to rolling over. We have been a little slow in this because for the first couple months I didn't dare put her on the ground when Austin was around for her own safety. She loves to look at people and smiles lots while she watching Austin run around the house playing with his toys.

She is a sweet blessing to our family. We love you Mikayla!!!

There must of been something in the water....

New babies from our play group mommies--born about 1 month apart

Mikayla arrived on September 24th
Talmage arrived on October 26th
Joshua arrived on November 24th
Eliza arrived on January 5th

Cute Cool Cousins!!!

Can't wait to come and visit you in Colorado!!

A Good Samaritan

So today I ran across a good samaritan in wal-mart of all places. I was there picking up a few items and had both Austin and Mikayla with me. The trip was a success---aka---no crying from either of the kids. We proceeded to the checkout and after using my coupons and giftcard my balance came to $2.86 so I pulled out my debit card but for some odd reason their register wouldn't take it. No problem I'll just use my credit card---then I remembered that Craig still had it in his wallet. Now I knew this wasn't good. Maybe I have enough change--I pulled out the few quarters I had and knew that I wouldn't have enough. I started to feel my face turning red as I felt the "millions" of eyes staring at me all thinking "she must not of had enough money in her checking account". But quick to my rescue was a young lady behind me in line who said "I'll take care of the rest and slid her own debit card." I quickly went from being embarrased to being thankful that a stranger was so willing and so quick to come to my rescue.

Just writing down this experience made me reflect on the Savior. One day we will all stand before God to pay our debts and then we will realize that we will not have enough--that we will fall short of what is expected. But our Savior will be so quick and so willing to make up the difference because He loves us!! What a beautiful and precious blessing His atoning sacrifice is to all of us.

I am grateful that I was reminded of that today!

January 23, 2009

A Few Cute Pics and Videos---Thanks Jackie!!

My sisters Jackie and Kristina

Austin making a mess and having fun doing it

My sisters Jessica and Kristina on their way to the BYU game

Austin and a bug

Learning to do a summersault

Happy 27th Birthday Craig!!

So Jan 2nd was Craig's birthday and since he took the day off work I thought it would be fun to plan a special day for him with 3 suprises: the activity, the lunch, and the gift. So we got up, took the kids to Grandma's House and headed down to T-town. First suprise would be ice-skating. Craig has wanted to go ice-skating for a while (even last year for his birthday he mentioned wanting to do it)....so I knew I couldn't loose with this one. But as we were driving in Tulsa Craig asked "are we going ice-skating?".....so it didn't end up being much of a suprise. We got there, put on our skates, and with one quick spin on the ice Craig had to quit. Somehow he had bruised the side of his foot really bad and never knew it until the pressure from the ice-skates caused him pain. So no ice-skating (good thing we hadn't paid yet) but I still had a couple of fun suprises left. I had planned on going to Red Lobster for lunch--somewhere Craig has never been and we haven't gone to because I am not a fan of seafood. But as we were driving there he said "are you taking me to Red Lobster to eat?" (Okay now Craig---you are kind of ruining my fun suprises). So lunch was good, we went to the mall where Craig didn't find anything but I found some pajamas then it was back home. I was thinking at least he will never guess the best suprise of all---basketball tickets to the OSU-Baylor game at Gallager Iba. I even had it wrapped up fun--clues for him to guess his present. Inside the first box was a gold/green striped paper with another wrapped box. Inside that one was a orange/black striped paper and another wrapped box. And inside that was a basketball key ring. Well he has been trying to guess his birthday present the whole day long and I was feeling pretty confident about this one. But one block away from the house he said "I know...you got me basketball tickets to a Big 12 game at Gallager Iba." Ahhh---I tried to play if off nicely with a "yeah right". So he opened his gift--I think he was a little suprised that I actually had gotten him basketball tickets. So my day full of suprises didn't quite turn out as I had planned but it was still fun....guess I will just need to be trickier next year. But here is one suprise for you Craig that I know you won't guess....this posting:

27 Things I Love About You

1. Your endless amount of energy

2. That you go to work everyday without complaining

3. The way you can talk to anyone

4. Your willingness to help out with the housework

5. That you agree with living on less so I can stay home with our kids

6. Your desire to do what is right

7. That you can eat anything you want and still not gain a pound (actually I'm just jealous)

8. The love and concern you have for family members

9. That you always say "I love you" to me and our kids

10. Your childlike obsession with superman, superheros, marvel cards, and comic books

11. That you are happy and fun to be around

12. The amazing father you are to Austin and Mikayla

13. Your bulging biceps and your rock hard abs!! (again just jealous of your "never a sit-up" flat stomach)

14. Your sense of humor

15. That you let me handle the money and let me dictate what we can and can't afford

16. That you love to watch General Hospital as much as I do

17. Your "do the usual" cuddle phrase at the end of a long day

18. That you think of corn as a healthy vegatable

19. That you like to mow the grass and keep our yard looking nice (glad I don't have to do it)

20. How you run the dry clothes in the dryer through another cycle and then do the same thing the next day

21. That you call Austin your buddy and let him chum around with you

22. Your eagerness to help out someone in need

23. That you like to have fun and enjoy life

24. That you always try to talk me into things...like getting a new car :)

25. Your desire to have a gospel centered home and life

26. That you make me feel beautiful even though my hair is in a ponytail and I have spit up on my shirt

and finally but the most important...

27. That you are married to me for eternity

Happy New Year!!!

Unfortunately I had to work on New Years Eve so it wasn't much of a celebration for me but looking back at this last year I am amazed how quickly time goes. It has been a great year and me and Craig have been really blessed. We love our home and the memories that we are making with our kids. We feel very lucky to live in Bartlesville with good jobs and near our family who are such a great help to us. Austin loves spending time with his grandparents and cousins. We were especially blessed to add Mikayla to our family this year and what a sweet baby she is. I am just feeling so happy that everything in my life seems perfect. I have nothing to complain about because I have been so richly blessed: with the gospel, a wonderful husband, two sweet kids, and a great extended family. Looking on to 2009 there are many exciting things I am already looking forward to. There are also many things that I want to accomplish and goals I have set for myself. But mostly to sum it all up, I want to follow President Hinckley's prophetic counsel to "stand a little taller, be a little kinder, be a little better, each of us, than we have been." Thank you everyone for the blessing you are to my life and I hope that 2009 is a great year for you!!!

BYU Cougars vs. Tulsa Hurricanes--Dec 30th

No better way to end the year 2008 then with a BYU basketball game!! The score stayed pretty close for most of the game until the last 5 minutes when BYU pulled ahead and won the game with a score of 74-68.

GO COUGARS!!