Christmas in Georgia!

Greetings!
Sorry that the Christmas update is so late. Kendall, Lily, and I drove to Atlanta on the 22nd and arrived home on the 27th. We had a wonderful time seeing friends and family in Georgia. Christmas was very fun with Lily, but she was so overwhelmed with all of the action that she did not care about opening her presents. After the initial excitement wore off she was ready to open her stocking! We hope that all of you had a blessed Christmas with friends and family and that you all have a happy and safe New Year!
Blessings,
Kendall, Lily, and Joy

Christmas Pictures

Lily finds what Santa left for her

WAAAR Eagle! Lily and Grandaddy show off their new Auburn hats.

The family Christmas picture

Lily and Grandaddy were pooped after all the excitement of a FUN Christmas!

Lily at our neighbors house playing with her flashlight.

The infamous face

Up close and personal

Tada!!!

Hello again!
Not much is happening here in Fort Worth. School is out so I am enjoying cooking REAL meals as opposed to frozen packaged dinners and Kendall is enjoying the time to run and read. Lily loves messing up the house and seeing Kendall and I clean up behind her! She received all the Baby Einstein videos from Aunt Theresa and Uncle Deron for her birthday and Christmas so she enjoys watching those as she feasts on her bottles each day (and she may actually be learning something!). We are heading out for Atlanta on Friday and we are driving the whole way that day so we hope that Lily really cooperates on the long trek! As for now we are just chillin and enjoying the time off! Hope that everyone is doing well and thanks for visiting the blog! Leave us a note so we know who has visited us! Enjoy the "Nilla" pictures below!
Love,
The Helgrenfam

Lily loves her Nilla Wafers. We fondly refer to them as "Nillas"!

"What are you looking at Mom? I just want a Nilla!"

The Graduate!!!

Greetings!
As I write this blog I can officially say that I am an alumnus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary! On Friday, December 9, I received a Master of Arts in Christian Education and a Master of Arts in Ministry-Based Evangelism. I graduated with 249 other graduates. The Commencement Ceremony was very special and I am glad to have completed my work here at Southwestern. Please keep Kendall and I in your prayers as we really begin to focus in on where God wants us to serve for Kendall's church planting internship in the Fall. Thank you all for your prayers and support through my seminary career! Hope you enjoy the pictures below!
Love,
Joy

Kendall and me after I graduated on Friday, December 9 from Southwestern!!

Dr. John Babler who is the head of the Ministry-Based Evangelism degree program.

Mama, Daddy, and me celebrating the end of my seminary career! Thank you Mama and Daddy for supporting me and praying me through these years of school!

This is me receiving my diplomas from Dr. Paige Patterson

Lily playing with one of her favorite presents, a pink pearl bracelet.

Lily's first birthday cake that was made by her Daddy with love.

LlLily opening her present from her "Nana".

Lily pretending to eat icing off of her finger like Mama and Daddy were doing.

Lily's First Birthday

Hello All...
Well, Lily is officially one year old! This evening we invited a few friends over to celebrate her first birthday. She opened 2 gifts and then enjoyed looking at her cake, but wanted nothing to do with it. It was a chocolate devil's food cake with chocolate icing. As Kendall and I put our fingers in the icing and ate off of our fingers, she imitated us but did not eat any herself. We proceeded to put Nilla wafers on the cake in attempts to trick her to eat the cake and she is smarter than we think, she pretended to grab the cookies but did not want them! Along with her party she went to the doctor for her year check up and had 2 shots on her birthday! Well, I will be adding pictures of the celebrations soon...so make sure to check them out!
Love,
The Helgrenfam

STEPS!!!

Hello everyone!
Just wanted to let you all know that Lily took her first steps by herself today. She is not walking but she took one step from Kendall to me, then a few minutes later she took 3 steps from Kendall to my friend. I actually missed the 3 steps because I was busy cooking dinner! But we are excited...she might just walk before she turns one on Friday! Have a super day!
Love,
The Helgrenfam

Thanksgiving Week

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
We just arrived home from our trip to South Texas (Refugio) where Kendall, Lily and I visited Kendall's parents (Susie and Vernon) for four days. While we were in Refugio we visited the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, Texas which is about one hour from Refugio. We visited the aquarium because Lily has a love for fish and birds and we wanted her to experience animals in their "environment". Before we got to the aquarium we rode the ferry to Port Aransas, then we ate at a yummy seafood restaurant called "Snoopy's Pier", and followed lunch with our visit to see the fish! On Thanksgiving we went to Smithville, Texas (near Austin) to have lunch with Vernon's side of the family. Lily ate the traditional Thanksgiving and slept for about an hour and a half on the way home. Below are just a few of the many pictures from our FUN week away from Fort Worth! Hope you all enjoy them and hope you all had a good Thanksgiving!
Love,
The Helgrenfam

Lily's First Thanksgiving

The Helgren's on Thanksgiving in Smithville, Texas.

Lily is getting her two front teeth so she chewed on fingers all day!

Happy girl after eating turkey, green beans, and rolls!

Texas State Aquarium

Lily LOVES fish and the big ones were neat for her to see!

(A little out of order) Lily eating at Snoopy's Pier Restaurant where she had her first Mahi Mahi on the pier in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Lily admires the sting ray and he shows interest in her too!

Lily could care less about the camera when there is a lady in a funny suit in with the BIG fish!

Here is the family at the Texas State Aquarium where we spent the day with Kendall's parents (a.k.a. Gramsie and Pawpaw)

Pictures with Aunt Lauren

Lily clapping in Aunt Lauren's lap...she was excited to see her again!

Lily laughing with Aunt Lauren.

Daddy reading "Pocket Full of Kisses" to Lily. She loves to talk to the raccoons in the story.

Aunt Lauren visits from North Carolina

Greetings from Texas!

We are preparing to leave for Refugio tomorrow for Thanksgiving week. But before we headed out we had a visit from our precious friend "Aunt" Lauren. She was there the day Lily was born and kept Kendall and I company through the many hours that we waited for her arrival. We were so excited to see her today and she brought Lily her first birthday present and spent time with the Helgren fam. We love you Lauren...thanks for visiting with us today! Enjoy the pictures everyone!

Love, The Helgrenfam

Her last piece of Zwieback Toast before she headed off to bed on Wednesday night.

P.S. She is now cutting her 4th tooth...front top right!

Lily taking an early morning nap after her bottle on Thursday.

Taking a Break

Hi Everyone!
Well, we are preparing for our week off of school and for travel to the Helgren's for Thanksgiving! It has finally gotten chilly here in Texas and last night it was at freezing point. Lily is doing very well, she is drinking real milk and eating finger foods and is over baby food, so we are living the adventures of figuring out what she does and does not prefer. I have included two pictures of her, hope you all enjoy! Have a Happy Thanksgiving if we don't get to talk to you before that time!
Blessings!
Helgrenfam

Pictures

Lily gets into the cabinet and finds some tuna but can't figure out how to open it but that tongue sure gives me the idea that she wants a bite...WAR EAGLE!!

Eating her favorite snack, wagon wheels or as Kendall calls them fire wheels and watching some college football with Daddy.

Lily loves to read the Lifeway magazines because of Hermie and Veggie Tales, our neighbor Apryle reads to Lily, they are SUPER buddies!! (Apryle loves to spoil Lily!!!)

Lazy Saturday

Greetings friends and family!
We have had a good week, Lily is now drinking real milk in her bottles and we are adjusting to that. We are getting ready for birthday, holidays, and my graduation so things are about to get crazy here in Fort Worth for the Helgren family. Today, Lily has been quite sleepy and restless so she is hanging out with Daddy watching football and anticipating the Auburn vs. Georgia game tonight, so of COURSE she is dressed appropriately! The pictures that are attached are from today and last week! Hope everyone is doing well and leave us a comment!
Love,
Joy, Kendall and Lily

New Adventures...

Aloha!
Well, last night Lily discovered the wonderful world of cups and the kinds of sounds that you can make while putting your mouth up to the cup! So that is the picture enclosed. Hope it brightens your day!
The Helgren's

11 Months old TODAY!!!

Hello!
We hope that you all have enjoyed the first post on our blogspot! Well, today Lily is officially 11 months old and the first birthday party plans are in full swing (I think!) So here is the stinker herself on her 11 month birthday. She has found the bucket of candy and loves pullling them out of the can to find the perfect one. Kendall is trying to pretend like it is cold here in Texas by growing a beard and Lily and I are getting used to the idea of a scruffy daddy. Well, enjoy these pics and have a blessed day!
Love,
The Helgren's

Kendall's winter beard

This was taken while I was writing this! She is standing on a pot getting her treats off the shelf! She is always into something I tell ya!

She got caught with her hand in Daddy's candy and Mama caught her...still searching for the perfect piece of candy!

Our first post...

Hey everyone! We are not really sure what we are doing yet so bear with us as we get this thing running! We will post pics of Lily and the fam frequently so you all can see her more often than what you do! Have a great day! Enjoy these pictures...hope they bring a smile to your faces!!

She is a little stinker and LOVES her band-aids and AUBURN...WAARRR EAGLE!

Lily and Kendall smiling big for the camera!

This is Lily at the Texas State Fair in late October! She was quite chilly that day!