Paul

There are some things in life, once discovered, that prompt me to not only jump on their bandwagon but also to share them with everyone I know.

Paul Newman. Not only is he an American movie icon, but this man is responsible for some delicious food products! It doesn't hurt that the company also donates all proceeds to charity. We have yet to try a Newman's Own product that we haven't fully enjoyed, from cheese pizza to chocolate chip cookies. But our latest finding that I'm going to rave about... is salad dressing.

I'll admit, salad dressing isn't traditionally something I get excited about, but this isn't just salad dressing. It's deliciousness! It has even won a fan in Gib, who typically refuses salad dressing in general.

So, without further ado, I present Newman's Own Parmesan & Roasted Garlic Dressing:

Try it!

One Month

Happy One Month Birthday, Levi! Time has truly flown by, but it has been fun to look back and see how our son has changed in just four weeks. We never imagined that diaper changes could be so hilarious, that the sounds he makes when falling asleep could be so precious or that such a little guy could already have us so completely wrapped around his tiny finger.

Thank you, God, for this bundle of joy!

Spring in February

This week, the weather has been glorious! Each day has gifted us with 70-degree temperatures, so we took full advantage of the sunshine to break in our new stroller with some of our favorite people.

The sunshine also inspired us to bring out the Ergo carrier for a trial run (do you appreciate the color coordination?!):

Levi had several fun visitors this week, and one of the highlights was our friend Katy, who road-tripped from Tulsa to meet our little guy:

I realize it's only February, but this week has definitely given us spring fever. Bring on that sunshine!

Love

Yes, yes she does:

SO THANKFUL for my Valentines - my main man and my little man. Love you both!

Happy Valentine's Day, all!

Levi Blaze

Considering that all we can think about, talk about and dream about is the fact that we have a darling baby boy on our hands, I suppose it's natural that it's all I can blog about right now!

Naming this child was no easy task. Those who saw us frequently during the pregnancy are probably laughing reading that statement because they know how true it is. I think some people (hi mom! hi dad!) may have been slightly concerned that the nickname "Deuteronomy" might actually become the baby's real name.

We did our due diligence on this decision, though. Gib made a spreadsheet (don't laugh, it was AWESOME and so helpful), and we prayed for God to give this baby a name that would be a prayer and an identity for his/her life.

When Baby Boy Park was born, Gib and I both thought that Levi was fitting, but we waited several hours before officially deciding and announcing it to the world. Once we had a peace that this was "the name," Baby Boy Park became Levi Blaze Park.

Significance of the name:

LEVI: "Attached, joined" in Hebrew. The Levites were the tribe of Israel chosen by God to be the priesthood. They were set apart in service to God and were in charge of the most sacred parts of the Tabernacle.

BLAZE: We chose this middle name for several reasons. It represents the fire of God, the Holy Spirit and two Old Testament stories that are particularly striking for us.

-The burning bush (Exodus 3, specifically verse 14): God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM;" and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you."

-Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego (Daniel 3, specifically verses 17-18): "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."

What faith these men had! They believed that God would save them - but if He didn't, they would accept the consequences. Many of you may be familiar with the lyrics of Shane and Shane's song, "Burn Us Up," and we think the song sums up this story's sentiment so well.

Separately, we feel that each name represents an identity that we pray over our son. Together, they represent Spirit and Truth. A good friend of ours said it well - our prayer is that he marks the beginning of a new type of ministry (Levi) marked with the fire of the Holy Spirit (Blaze).

We can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for this little guy!

Three weeks

We can hardly believe that three weeks ago tonight, Levi Blaze came into the world. How time flies! Here's what we've been up to in this third week of his life:

Naptime with daddy (note the "like father, like son" sleeping positions!)

Discovering the "activity gym" and the pack n' play separately and then, thanks to Grammy, both at the same time!

Visiting the pediatrician, first trip to Target, and finally, Friday Night Family Night:

Happy weekend!

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Well, folks, it's snowing again! I actually don't mind this winter wonderland because it's so fun to sit inside and drink hot chocolate while watching the snowflakes fall and also because it means Gib doesn't have to go to work today.

This recipe is perfect for a day like today - so perfect that we are about to make it. Again. It's from a Southern Living cookbook, and it's chicken noodle soup with some flair. My mother made this for us, and although I've eaten it for three meals, I'm already craving another bowl. Make this! You won't regret it.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1 large onion, chopped

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

3 14-oz. cans chicken broth

1 10 3/4-oz. can cream of mushroom soup

1 10 3/4-oz. can cream of chicken soup

1 8-oz. package spaghetti, broken into two-inch pieces

7 celery ribs, finely chopped*

6 carrots, finely chopped

1 tsp. poultry seasoning

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. grated lemon rind*

2 c. milk

2 c. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

*We omitted the celery and lemon rind and it was still delicious!

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat; add onion and saute until tender. Stir in chicken and next 9 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in milk and return to a simmer. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle each serving with cheese (optional). Yield: 12 cups.