Life With the Vaughn Family

Sugar Mountain

2012-01-27T12:50:00.001-08:00

We went to Sugar Mountain over MLK weekend to go skiing with my mom's ENTIRE side of the family. 21 of us in one house for 3 days. It was crazy, but we had a FABULOUS time. Beware....there are a lot of pics in this post.

our family of 3

The first day we took Jacob and Graham (my cousin's little boy) sledding. These two had a blast.

about to go down for the first time

ahhh....he just melts my heart

at the rental place getting our skis

We got a lot of snow while we were there and couldn't resist a little snowball fight on the back porch.

Graham got him good in this one

making a snowball

sweet sweet Caroline

having a blast

right before going skiing
for the first time

all ready to go

So.....Jacob had been talking about going skiing for weeks before we actually got there. He. was. pumped. He was excited when we got to the cabin. He was excited when we went and got our ski rentals. He was excited walking to the first slope. He was excited getting his skis on. He was excited about going down with his Daddy. Then....he turned and SAW the slope. We are talking about the melt-down of all melt downs people. This kid SCREAMED the whole way down. "I don't like to ski." "I don't want to ski." "I want to go back to the cabin." "I don't want to ski." Then, while we waited to go back up on the magic carpet he just kept repeating over and over again, "I'm just so scared Mommy. I'm just so scared." Jared and I talked to him and tried to get him watching everyone else do it and about how fun it was. He was not having it I tell ya! Anway, we got back up to the top and he is still in major freak-out mode. He asked us if we could leave. Jared and I both told him that there was nothing to be afraid of, we are right there with you, we know you will love if you just give a try, etc....We managed to get him to go down one more time and that was it. He fell in love. Halfway down the slope he starts screaming, "whahoo. we are going fast. we are skiing" He laughed hysterically. As soon as we got to the bottom he looked at me and said, "let's do it again." By the time we got back to the top a 2nd time he was ready to just hold a hand (before Jared had skied down with Jacob in between his legs). And, since we were just holding one little hand our sweet and fearless boy pretty much skied down that big mountain all by himself. We couldn't have been more proud. WAY TO GO LITTLE BUDDY FOR OVERCOMING YOUR FEARS. And see....you realized you LOVE to ski.

this was still in freak out mode

look at him go

going down the mountain with his dad

braving it by himself
by the way....I just love him all bundled up like this

Jacob and Amelia

he had so much fun!!!
last picture after turned in our skis

When we got back in the car the last night I asked Jacob, "Buddy. What was your favorite part about skiing?" He told me that he liked going fast. He then asked me what my favorite part was. I looked at him and said, "My favorite part was watching you overcome your fear." He got THE biggest smile on his face and in the sweetest voice he said "Me too mom. At first I was so scared, but then I tried it. Now I love it!!! (and he placed his sweet little hand over his chest)."

I love him. And, we can't wait to go back next year!!!!!

Christmas Day with the Vaughn's

2012-01-11T12:26:00.001-08:00

We spent Christmas Day with Jared's family. We ate a lot. Laughed a lot. Opened presents. It was a good ole time.

Jacob helping Pappy open his dirty Santa gift

This picture is VERY special. Just 3 days after this picture was taken sweet Pappy went to the hospital with pneumonia. On the 31st Pappy went home to be with Jesus. We miss him so much.

playing with his awesome new remote control McQeen

Chase was super excited about Criminal Minds
b/c of his excitement we are now hooked on a new show

GUILTY
He had disappeared for awhile
When we went to find him he was into the gumdrop tree

what a cutie!!!!

Christmas Morning at Our House

2012-01-11T12:10:00.000-08:00

opening the one present he asked Santa for
he was SO excited!!!

helping Samson with his stocking

taking a spin on his new scooter
more pics to come on this

Some of Our Holiday Fun

2012-01-11T11:42:00.000-08:00

We had a lot of fun over the Christmas season. I need to backtrack just a bit to fill you in on some of the fun!!

First up, we had a little Christmas party with some of our friends from church. It was such a fun time!!! I did a snowman theme with snowflakes hanging from the ceiling, fake snow on the counters, and snowmen everywhere. After the kids played and we ate some yummy snacks we did a story and craft time.

listening to "Snowmen at Night"

then we made snowmen with cottonballs

trying to get a semi-group pic
several of the tikes are missing

One night we went with Jared's parent's to the live nativity in Murfreesboro. It was so neat. I really felt like I was experiencing what it was like back when Jesus walked the earth. The church puts the whole thing on. We walked into the "fields" and the shepherds were there with the sheep. Then we entered the city, but first had to be counted for by signing a scroll. Next, we just walked around the village watching the Roman guards put prisoners in jail, people selling their homemade items such as wine, bread, and ink. Finally we saw baby Jesus. It was a very neat experience and I'm sure we'll go back again.

we made a gingerbread house

we had a little breakfast party at Jacob's school

One night the three of us went to Opryland hotel to walk around and look at the lights. I have been doing this for years, and it doesn't really feel like Christmas to me until I have been to Opryland. Jacob really liked looking at all the lights and decorations this year. It was a fun time to be together as our little family.

Another fun tradition we have in the Vaughn household is the campout under the Christmas tree. We do this the night before Christmas eve. We got takeout from a local restaurant. We ate while we watched Christmas movies. Then, we slept under the tree. I simply heart this tradition and look forward to it every year.

blowing up the air mattress

Norty brought a movie for us to watch

it was a Veggie Tales and Jacob was excited

settling in for the night

Hoping each of you have some fun traditions that you do with your family this time of year.

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

2012-01-11T11:35:00.000-08:00

cookies and hot chocolate for Santa

even Samson was excited :)

Santa came
Jacob was such a good boy this year
(if you look closely you can see our good friend Norty in the tree)

Merry Christmas to all!!!!

Merry Christmas Eve

2012-01-11T11:16:00.000-08:00

our family of three

We went to church and then spent Christmas Eve with my family. It was a relaxing evening opening presents and just being together.

Jacob REALLY got into the Christmas spirit this year. He was so excited about everything.....the decorations, our tree, wrapping presents, reading our Christmas books, talking about Jesus and the nativity, Santa, and our elf friend Norty. He also LOVED opening his gift. It was so cute to see the pure joy on his face as he found out what was in each package. That was all the present I needed.

handing out all the presents

two peas in a pod these two

loving his new fishing pole

my family

sweet sisterly love

24 Day Countdown

2011-12-01T10:26:00.000-08:00

WITH......BOOKS!!!!!

I love Christmas. I love traditions. I love books. I started this tradition last year and it is one of my faves. I wrapped 24 Christmas books and put them under our tree. Jacob gets to open one every night leading up until Christmas Eve. Last year he so enjoyed opening his books and reading the stories. This kid LOVES to read so I have high hopes that this year will be wonderful.

We open our first one tonight. Can't wait to see which one he picks!!!

Christmas time is Here

2011-12-01T10:15:00.000-08:00

Two nights ago we put our Christmas tree up. I just LOVE a decorated house at Christmas. Jacob really got into it this year. He had such a good time putting ornaments on the tree and looking at the lights. We had some yummy finger foods and listened to Christmas music while we decorated. Then, we watched a Christmas movie and ate popcorn and peppermint brownies. YUMM!!

my two sweet boys

putting his ornaments on

so excited about his big bird ornament that he picked out

a final pic cause I just adore these two

Our Tiniest Friend

2011-11-29T19:33:00.001-08:00

We had a visitor arrive last night.

Jacob was getting ready for bed when the doorbell rang.

We ran to see who it was.

Someone had left a package on our doorstep.
Jacob was SUPER excited!!!.......
and, Samson was too. :)

special delivery....all the way from the North Pole

What is it mommy?

Say hello to our littlest friend........Nordy.

Last night when Jacob went to bed we read the book that Nordy brought with him. It explained how he comes to stay with a family until Christmas and every night he flies back to the North Pole to make a report to Santa. Then, he will be back at our house by the time Jacob wakes up.

This morning Jacob rushed to see where Nordy was hiding. :) This is going to be such a fun few weeks. I have a feeling Nordy is a pretty mischievous little dude. :)

Here Comes Good Old Santa

2011-11-28T08:27:00.001-08:00

Jacob saw Santa over Thanksgiving break. He wasn't scared at all. Ya'll he just hopped up next to ole Santa like they were best buds and told him what he wanted for Christmas. In case you are wondering, he wants a "money thing" (cash register), some sunglasses, and "taco cat" (Richard Scary Busytown stuff). Seems pretty easy to please....hopefully Santa can deliver!! Jacob has been very curious where Santa keeps all the toys so he asked him. Santa told him they are in the toy shop at the North Pole. We've been talking about the North Pole a lot the past few days. :)

I just LOVE Christmas and am thrilled that the season is upon us. I also LOVE traditions. We started some fun ones last year and I have a few new ones to add this year. I hope to share some of them with you. First up.....we have a new little friend that will be coming to stay with us until Christmas Day. He arrives tomorrow. Ah. I. Can't. Wait.

Hope you all take time to really enjoy this season, be present with family/friends, and most importantly remember the reason why we celebrate Christmas in the first place.

Super Sweet 3

2011-11-11T12:38:00.000-08:00

My Sweet Jacob,

I have thought much about what I wanted to write to you on this, your 3rd birthday. Three years ago today, your daddy and I rushed to the hospital - you were on your way. We had no idea what you would look like or be like. All we knew was that we couldn't wait to meet you. The moment they placed your tiny little body (all wrapped up in a blanket) in my arms, I knew it was over. How could I love someone so much? And, I have not stopped loving you. Three years later I still love you more than life itself.

There are days when I feel like life is moving too fast. You are growing up too quickly. Sometimes I wish I could reverse time and go back to when you would just lay in my arms all day. But I can't. And you wouldn't want to. I know I must embrace the present and all the ways that you are growing and learning. We talk all the time about how you are becoming such a big boy. And you are. But know this - you are not just any old big boy. You are nothing but regular. You are special. You are one-of-a-kind. There has never been and there never will be another Jacob Thomas Vaughn.

You are becoming such a wonderful young man. You are learning to use good manners, you are learning what it means to be a good friend, you are caring and gentle, you are thoughtful and oh so smart, you are learning to make good choices, you are a great sharer, you are loving and kind towards others. These things and so much more make me so proud.

You are also full of life, exuberant, joyful, playful, easy-going, mischievous, strong-willed, wild at heart, full -out/head on ALL BOY!!!! And, I love every bit of you.

One of my favorite things about this stage of your life is watching you grow to love God's Word. Your Bible (front cover missing and all) is your favorite book. We read a story in it every night before bed. You get so excited to see what story will be next. I love seeing your excitement and wonder over stories such as Noah's Ark, Jonah and the Whale, Adam and Eve, and feeding the 5,000. May you always be amazed by a boat that held every type of animal, a man that got swallowed by a whale, a snake that can talk, and how 2 fish and some bread could feed so many people. It is my prayer that you will grow to delight in God's Word more and more and that you will continue to discover the wealth of riches among it's pages.

As a mom, it is so hard for me to not want to control every part of your life. Up until now I feel like I've been able to do a pretty good job of knowing what was going on. I have taken care of you, provided for you, clothed you, fed you, rocked you to sleep, been with you every second of every day. As you are getting bigger I realize that this is going to be harder. You are beginning to have experiences and relationships outside of me. I know that I must trust God to take care of you and to be there when I can't. I know this is something I will have to pray for continually.

I wanted to write down a few of my favorite things you are doing/saying at 3:
-you are now in your big boy room. every morning you run into our room saying, "i looked out my window. it's light out. i can get up now.
-you love to read books
-"i don't need you anymore. i can do it myself. (this one kinda makes me sad, but you say it so cutely).
-noodle (needle), bleed (blood), shadow (the hangy thing in the back of your throat)
-the way you say the street to get to our house - Pennywinwin
-you are learning to play board games
-you are learning a lot more Spanish
-letter sound/recognition (A,B,C,G,H,M,O,W). you can also spell your name.
-get so excited about going to sporting events. we just went to your first hockey game and you loved it.
-you love to go to church
-you love your friends
-you love to spend quality time with your daddy
-you give me great big hugs and say "i love you" - melts my heart every time.
-when your daddy or I have been gone and we come back you wrap your arms around our neck and say, "I sure did miss you".
-you love to have your back scratched
-your FAVORITE thing to do right now is watch the garbage truck. we sit outside or sometimes ride your trike down the sidewalk and watch it pick up all the trash. you love to shout, "it's garbage day!!"
-going to the library
-you have so many facial expressions and voices. i really think you might be the "class clown"

I still can't believe you are another year older. I am so thankful everyday that you are healthy and growing strong. I am so thankful God gave you a mind that can think, a heart that can beat, eyes that can see, ears that can hear, and legs that can move. I am thankful you are active and love to be with other people. I am thankful you are not chronically sick. I am thankful you are mine. Out of all the children in the world, I only want you. And out of all the mommies and daddies in the world, I am thankful God chose us to be yours. May we strive to be the example of a Christ-centered life for you. May everything we do point you to Him and remind you of your need for a Savior. We are not going to be perfect. We are going to make mistakes (as you already know). But know this, no two people will love you more. No matter who you are or what you become. No matter the choices you make - good or bad. NOTHING. NOTHING will make us stop loving you.

You fill each day with so much joy and laughter. I am so proud of you my sweet blessing. I love you more than words.

Mommy

It's a Goldfish Party

2011-11-07T10:48:00.001-08:00

We had a few friends over on Saturday to celebrate Jacob's 3rd birthday....goldfish style. It was the cutest theme and I'm so glad we decided to go with it. We have such sweet friends and it was a beautiful day for a party!!

Above is the cupcake area. I found a fish net and cut some goldfish out of construction paper for decor. Jacob and I also went to the pet store and got some goldfish. They are in the bowl on the left. It was a cheap and fun addition.

the present area
you can see the streamers in the mirror
they went across the whole ceiling to create
an underwater feel

cupcakes with chocolate goldfish

sweet little Walter

Andrew went straight for the tball
that boy can hit!!

getting ready to eat some snacks

blowing some bubbles

not sure about this pic, but his hair cracks me up

we pulled out the parachute
so fun

jacob loved it!!

taking out the candle

mmmmm...this icing sure is good

Favorite part of the party was the Go Fish game. I found some fabric that looked like water and made a fishing pole out of a dowel rod and some string. Each child got to go fishing for a prize (thank you Dollar Tree!!)....it was a huge hit!!!

who's first?

little miss meg

abraham checking out his cars sticker/stamp book

jacob got a car puzzle

princess necklaces for miss addy

and finally, we opened some presents
thank you to our sweet friends for being so thoughtful

the youngest guest....precious Milly

Jacob and Addy sat on the front porch to eat their gummy fish suckers
what silly friends these two are!!

What a great day for a celebration!!! Happy Birthday to you our sweet boy. Every day with you is such a blessing.

Halloween and Some Birthday Fun

2011-11-03T17:15:00.000-07:00

waiting for the family to arrive
he was so excited to show Gran his trike

we had a CARS birthday
seemed only fitting for our 3 year old

opening presents

Jacob was not having it with blowing out the candles
this is the only pic I have of evidence that we tried

reading the instructions to one of his toys

playing with his new car launcher

The big surprise of the day was.....the BIG BOY ROOM!!!!!!!

checking it out for the first time

his new toy box

yep. everything's there

I have been working on this room for quite a bit now. I decided to go with an antique car theme. There are still a few little things that need to be done, but overall I am quite happy with how it turned out. Here's a little tour.....

shelf by the door
this shelf is extra special b/c it was my grandparent's
love the things we have that belonged to them

nightstand
that lamp is actually made from an old parking meter
on the wall - road maps of TN

reading bench

close up of the fabric
we picked it out
Renna did all the sewing
I LOVE how it came out

the car plaques on the wall were found at Goodwill
I made the J above the bed
it has cars glued onto it

view from the door

Sunday night after the party we went to Harpeth Hills Church of Christ with our dear friends Jenny and Addy for some trunk or treat fun. We had such a good time. Those people really know how to do it right!!!

our very hungry caterpillar ready for some candy

super cool cardboard maze
J thought it was awesome getting to go in all by himself

sweet sweet friends

ummm...hello....a real racecar

our big - almost - 3 year old before bed

Monday we had planned to have a family day. We were going to get up and fix our traditional birthday pancake breakfast and then go to the park. However, little man was super excited about the big boy room and didn't fall asleep until almost 1am. So....we all slept in a little.

That night we went over to our friend's house for dinner and some trick or treating. We are SO thankful for these sweet friends and for a wonderful church family.

best picture we could get of the gang
and a few of the kids are missing

We looked like a huge mob walking around the neighborhood. It was great though because the kids had fun and the parent's enjoyed getting the chance to talk.

J really got into trick or treating this year

one family shot before going home with full hearts and tummys

oh - and we celebrated on Tuesday morning instead
pumpkin pancakes - YUMMO!!!
my 3 year old - CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!!

We are having Jacob's friend party on Saturday so more pictures to come. Also, I have my note that I wrote Jacob for his 3rd birthday that I will be posting soon too.

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-30T06:36:00.001-07:00

We went to Honeysuckle Hill Farm last Sunday afternoon. It was a perfect day for some fall fun. My sweet little pumpkin is getting SO big.

checking out some straw

he called these the "go carts"

playing on the bouncy trampoline thingy

oink. oink. baby

we sifted through the water for minerals

we swang

we see-sawed

we went on the slide....a lot

he and leelee rode the cow train

but, his favorite thing was the corn pit

picking out our pumpkin

oh, and here's a sneak peek for Halloween

Meet Me in St Louis

2011-10-30T06:06:00.001-07:00

Jared and I went to St. Louis a couple of weekends ago. We had such a lovely time. It was perfect weather and there were lots of fun things to do.

Up in the arch
(I had forgotten how scary it is going up in those little capsules)

our hotel and super comfy bed

we got it for $60
thank you priceline

lovely tree lined walkway

we toured this beautiful cathedral
the ceilings were made of gold people

me and the hubs

walking around forest park

seriously - some of the BEST barbque we have ever eaten
jared was a happy man

the evidence

ok, so this was the whole reason for going
So You Think You Can Dance....LIVE
ya'll. words cannot express

we couldn't take our camera inside so this was the best picture I could get. The show was amazing. i have the best husband for going with me. our seats were incredible. we were only about 6 rows up. we could see everything perfectly. such an awesome time!!!

breakfast in bed

i like this picture of us
at the zoo

we also made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies with little man

he loves to help in the kitchen

we've also been to centennial park to play and feed the ducks
with our good friends Jenny and Addy

and, we have been making fun traffic jams
with all of our cars

family wedding
silly pic of our sweet little family

i can't believe everyone is smiling in this picture
good job Vaughn's

Pumpkin Patch pictures to come.....

A Little Catch Up

2011-10-10T12:43:00.001-07:00

My parent's recently went on a trip with Belmont University to Italy. They were gone for 2 weeks and we sure did miss them. Jacob couldn't wait to pick them up at the airport.

waiting for them to come through the gate

happy reunion

Jacob didn't have anything to do with mom and dad the rest of the night

waiting for the luggage
J thought it was so fun to watch all the bags come around

We have been hard at work on J's big boy room. I am trying to have everything done for his birthday. A few weeks ago Renna came over and we painted. I'll have lots more finished product pics soon, but for now here is a little preview:

wall color before

in progress

after
I can't wait to see what it's all going to look like when it comes together

George came to Pottery Barn kids for story time.

a little trip to the Farmer's Market
J kept asking, "where are the farmers?"

A few weeks ago one of my cousin's on my dad's side of the family got married. We headed to Atlanta for the weekend. We stayed at the Westin.....ummmmm tallest hotel I have ever been in. Our room was on the 48th floor, but there was a glass elevator that went 70-something stories high. Of course, we had to go to the top and take in the view!!!

our little daredevil waiting on the elevator
he.was.pumped.

only group shot we managed to get

little revolving restaurant where we stopped for a bit of refreshment

j got to sleep in a huge, comfy hotel bed

lovely view from our room

a trip to ATL wouldn't be complete without a visit to the aquarium
if you have never been it is definitely worth a trip

fascinated watching the Mr. Scuba Man clean the tank

the dolphins were of course my fave!!

Our sweet friends the McCullough's came for dinner one night
Walter is just the cutest and these two played so well together!!!

Jared's sister Emily got married two weekends ago in Chattanooga. We had a wonderful time visiting with family and friends. And, Jacob was the cutest little ringboy you ever did see!!!

playing on the steps at rehearsal
couldn't you just eat him up in that tie!?!

sweet, sweet, sweet Gran and Pappy
I just love these two

practicing walking with his sign.
we were a little worried he wouldn't do it, but he pulled through.

J and sweet cousin Bella (the flowergirl)

these two really hit it off

the fam

get us to the church on time

but of course we have a few minutes to play in the leaves

ok - I know you are thinking to yourselves how cute he is

oh - he is so scrumptous

watching a movie

he really liked aunt emily's pretty dress

but he loves her more

they had a great band at the reception and j boogied all night

my parent's grooved to the music too

i just love these shoes - and i love the feet that go in them

back at the hotel after a long day

J was done. He stripped his pants off right there in the hall
He kept running back and forth
My dad kept calling him Tom Cruise from that scene in Risky Business
It was hilarious

This past week was my mom's birthday.
We threw her a little party.

helping her open her presents

yummm....cupcakes

but we had to blow out the candles first

and finally.....
it's fall around here so we did our first fall craft
sponge painting pumpkins

The Beach

2011-08-23T10:58:00.001-07:00

Jacob is ready to GO!!
He was a great helper with the packing

These pictures have been a long time coming. We have been traveling a ton lately and had a lot going on so I'm just now getting around to it. Back in June we went to the beach with Jared's family. We had such a wonderful time. Our child is definitely a beach bum!

getting in the waves for the first time

and he loved every minute of it

so excited!!!

we played in the sand a lot too

One of the days there we went to the water park. It was a blast!

this pic is a little out of order, but I love it!!

trying to surf

this was where J wanted to spend most of his time

the pool was AWESOME

headed to dinner

J rode in his boat on the waves....huge hit

the waves were some of the highest we have ever seen in Destin
I thought J might be a little scared....we were wrong
that's him....in the boat....covered in water
smiling and laughing the WHOLE time!!
he kept saying, "I in a boat".

J with his Renna and PaDoc

group shot

I was so upset about these pictures b/c I didn't realize my lens was fogged until we were done.
I still thought they turned out cute though.

On our last night we went to the track
J rode the go carts for the first time
"we going fast"

my little man is growing up so fast

Ahhhh...I just love the beach. We had such a wonderful time of fun, sun, good food, great company, lots of relaxation, and lots of laughs. Can't wait for next summer!!!

Hello Blog World...

2011-05-20T18:39:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile....and, I have this weird underlining thing happening but can't figure out how to stop it. Sorry!!! Anyway, we've been busy the past few weeks. Here are some pics.

First, the Music City Marathon was a few weeks ago. Jared trained SO hard for it. Then, the week of he came down with strep throat and his asthma started acting up. He rested a lot, but unfortunately he was not able to run in it. We were quite bummed. My cousin's husband was going to run in with Jared though so they still came and we had a great time.

on our way to the race

I just love these two girls so much

All kids love Coach - he's a magnet

After going home for a quick shower, we met my parents for some yummy Mexican food and then headed over to Main Street Festival in Franklin.

they rode this about 4 times

J was in Heaven

We also walked around and looked at all the fun crafty things. Meredith (the older one of the two girls) thought it was just the coolest thing. She told my mom, "Do they do this the same time every year? We don't have anything like this at my home. Maybe we can come back next year." So sweet.

Jacob had the best of time with his cousins too. They all piled on the air mattress at night and had a slumber party. Also, the girls are OBSESSED with Justin Beiber. They got Jacob singing, "Baby, Baby, Baby Ohhhh. Baby Baby Baby Nooo." Every time he did it, they would laugh and this would make him laugh even harder. It was hysterical.

Jacob has had ear infection after ear infection lately too. Good thing his daddy has his own practice so we can go get them looked at whenever we want. J is becoming quite the good little patient.

Mrs. Lee looking in his ears

Mater is always in one and Lightening McQueen in the other

And we keep getting taller and taller

Last week we went to Centennial Park again with our dear friends Jenny and Addy. Jenny is 35 weeks pregnant. We can't wait to meet the newest Shoe in a few weeks. Anyway, we went to feed the ducks....and, boy did we feed the ducks. As soon as we pulled the bread out they started coming from all directions. Jenny and I were laughing and screaming at the same time. If someone had a video camera they would have definitely caught some momma craziness. We were so worried our little ducks were going to get bit by THE ducks. Oh goodness gracious the predicaments we two girls always seem to find ourselves in. Despite our initial freak-out, the ducks were in a gentle mood. J and Addy were able to get very close.

we even got to feed the family of baby ducks

how cute are they!?!

And, my little man just keeps getting bigger and bigger. He is making me more proud everyday of the kind, sweet, loving, gentle, sharing, considerate, hilarious, easy going young man he is becoming. He's like a welcome virus that has infected every part of my being..

Last week we went to Gran and Pappy's for lunch and to hang out. I just love them so. We had a wonderful time talking and playing outside. Gran also let us pick a few trees to bring home and plant in our backyard. We got a Maple, Dogwood, and Red Bud. I'm hoping they will survive cause we could use some shade.

J and Pops planting the Maple

And, last of all it is warming up here in Nashville. We've had to pull out the water table a few times already...

A great day to you all!!

Glorious Easter Week

2011-05-02T12:47:00.001-07:00

We had such a WONDERFUL Easter week filled with lots of fun activities and of course, celebrating Jesus. I just love this time of year!!

Our week started off with Jacob's Easter egg hunt and picnic at school. He really got into hunting for eggs this year.

checking out his loot

of course, we had to have one bite of chocolate before lunch

I have such wonderful memories of dying Easter eggs with my mom and I was so excited to start this tradition with Jacob. He had a blast watching the eggs change colors.

they turned out so good

long day

On Saturday we went to the park for Nathan's birthday. The day was perfect and the kids were cute as could be.

doesn't he just look so grown up!?!

he really liked the merry go round

there was an Easter egg hunt for the kids

jellybean cupcakes

some of the kiddos

best of friends

the Easter Bunny made a little stop at our house

headed to church

Oh - he looked so cute I wanted to eat him up

hunting eggs at Renna and Pa Doc's house

the men in my life

eating a chocolate/marshmellow bunny

my mom made Jacob his first bunny cake

SO cute!!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!!

Park Perfect Day

2011-03-27T12:44:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week Jacob and I went to Centennial Park with our dear friends Jenny and Addy. The day was perfect....overcast and warm enough for sandals. We had such a lovely time and the kiddos were too cute. Of course, Jen and I couldn't resist taking lots of pictures. Upon arrival we went to the flower garden. The tulips were in full bloom and BEAUTIFUL. The pic above shows Jacob and Addy sniffing the flowers.

Mmmm...they smell so pretty J really getting his nose down in there

playing under the bridge

aren't these flowers just stunning!?!

miss priss

these two were so cute walking next to each other and

carrying on little conversations

cutie-pa-tooties

oh boy, we had a blast feeding the ducks

checking out the Parthenon

he was having so much fun

i love that they both have their sippy cups in hand

J is talking to Sid about something

you can't go to the park and not have a picnic

i tried to get them to look, but they were too into the food

Centennial Park also has a great playground. After lunch we went and let the kids slide and swing. On the way to our cars we had to stop and take a look at the giant choo-choo trains.

J kept saying, "it so big"

who doesn't love throwing rocks?

I can't wait for more Spring days!!!

Sun, Desert, and A Little Basketball

2011-03-22T18:53:00.000-07:00

We had such a wonderful time on our trip to Tucson...even though the Bruins didn't win :(. Here's some pics:

getting off the plane in AZ

charter flights are TOTALLY the way to travel
outside our hotel and ready for a day of sightseeing

A group of us went to Sobano Canyon

We took an open air tram to the valley and it was really neat

Mom and BDub

I was just hoping I didn't see any rattlesnakes, scorpions, or tarantulas

one of the stops on the tour

this was the highlight of our trip

we ate there 3 times :)

Wednesday afternoon we went to the arena to watch the shoot around.

the campus was very pretty

I wasn't expecting the catci to be so HUGE

warming up

sisters

they were pumped up

We had Thursday morning to hang out so we went to the Desert Museum. It was their version of a zoo I guess....trails mapped out in the middle of the desert. I was even more nervous about seeing certain critters out here for sure. Luckily, the only ones we saw were in cages.

fab four

this is my sister's boyfriend Michael, but we call him Bean

we were really excited to get to spend some time with him. he's great!!

it was so pretty out there

they had this cool little cave that we walked around

nice little break from the sun

sweet little mountain lion

he looked just like Samson, except with bigger paws

cute little wolf

view from the front of the park

Thursday afternoon = gametime

We had a big pep rally/send off for the team in the courtyard of the hotel. The band and cheerleaders performed. All our fans were there and it was a great way to get ready for the game.

us with Bruiser

mom and Mrs. Margaret

these two are something else together

Let's Go Belmont

waiting to go into the arena

minutes before tip-off

our guys played so hard

i couldn't be more proud

we'll get 'em next year boys

boarding our plane at 12:45 am

i haven't pulled an all-nighter in a looooong time :)

So long Arizona. I had a blast, but the view I have from home is way better.......

oh, i missed these two so very much

We're Going Dancin'....to Tucson

2011-03-13T19:23:00.000-07:00

We are going with the Belmont Bruins to the 1st round of the NCAA tournament. We'll be playing #4 seeded Wisconsin. It's going to be a tough game, but our guys are ready and we are so excited!!

Belmont hosted a pairings party today to find out where we were going....

Cheerleaders and the band getting the crowd pumped up

introducing the team

Mr. Cutie-pa-tootie waiting for the results

cheering

CBS was there so we were on national tv

We're going to Tucson, AZ

B-E-L-M-O-N-T. Belmont. Belmont. GOOOOOOOO Belmont.

Finally!!!!

2011-03-13T19:12:00.001-07:00

Well folks....after 7 years and 3 months of being married loners in the family we FINALLY have a sibling about to join our stage of life. I.AM.PUMPED!!!!

A week ago today the handsome Chase Gamble asked my beautiful, sweet, wonderful sister-in-law to marry him. And she said YES!!!

We got to be there for the big event. It was such a special time. Yay for engagements!!!

the happy couple
our family - minus Jayme
the bride-to-be is really excited

and here is the rock

didn't he do a great job!?!

Congrats Emily and Chase!! We love you guys and are so excited to celebrate this time in your life. Chase - welcome to the family.

What a Vocabulary

2011-02-28T11:44:00.001-08:00

The sweetest 2 year old I know
Momma's big boy

enjoying a Valentine sucker

Jacob's vocabulary has really exploded. He is saying so many cute, smart, and hilarious things. I have been trying to preserve them on pen and paper for fear that 30 years from now I might not remember something. Be still my heart. Here are some of my faves:

-I comin. (he yells this when he comes in a room or down the hallway)

-Hey mommy. Whatcha doin mommy?

-crackwas (crackers)

-I need some.

-Mmmm...that tasty.

-oh my goodness. (I absolutely LOVE it when he says this)

-I help.

-sure (this is his response anytime you ask him to do something)

-I wuv you

-Look. I a monkey. Oooh-ahhh

-I watch daddy shave.

-That Jacob's? (when he wants to know if something is his)

-Help me!

-Mommy. Get me up. (who needs an alarm clock when your two year old screams this)

-We go downtown Franklin.

-soap hands sink (when he wants to wash his hands in the sink)

-I need my Zyrtec.

-Oooh. What's that?

-Jonah. Him swallowed up. Gulp.

-Goliafin (David and Goliath)

-I read mommy's favorite book.

-I read my Bible.

-Mommy, rub my back.

-blue nuffins (blueberry muffins)

-chocowat chip cookie

-cds truck (ups truck)

-backseat driving with grandma

-I get in mommy's bed

-Go Bruins

-defense. defense

-Japanamese claw

-I sit sanna cwausses lap. I cried.

-Sanna Cwause bring me my race track

-Cwean up. cwean up.

-Old Donald had farm. eoooo. On that farm had a farm. eoooooo.

-I wear my hat.

-I write my name.

-It towin (it's snowing)

-I want my eat - eat. (when he wants food)

-You do?/ We are?

-We are going dat way? (when we ride in the car he likes to guess which way we are going)

-Adam and Eve eat the apple.

-Baby Moses crying in the river.

-I wave Coach at the ballgame

-That your's (fill in the blank)?

-This is mines.

-I wike it. (I like it.)

-I play in my room.

-Mot Mot fell on the icing (after telling him the story of my mom slipping on the ice one time)

-I be ok again (after he falls down)

-De rain not going get us?

-I need my cut (kiddie knife)

-You want one of mines?

-Where you's going? That she's car?

-cheerihos (cheerios)

-Ooooh...I want to go there (when he watches the tv)

-you supise me (you surprise me...what he says when I ask him what he wants for breakfast)

-Hee-Haw. P.U. (We are. B.U. - this is the chant from the basketball games)

Oh my goodness. I will stop here for now.

Snow Days

2011-02-28T11:21:00.000-08:00

We have had more snow here this year than I can remember. We have had a blast playing in it. Here are a few pictures we took during our last big snow...

I can't tell who is more excited to get outside in these next two pictures.

patiently waiting for us to get bundled up

this dog goes CRAZY when it snows. he would stay out there all day long.
ready to go play

Jacob's puppy "Tooking" had to come along

(we have NO idea where this name came from, but it cracks us up)

Whee!!

we have the perfect hill in our backyard for sledding

Jacob kept saying, "we goin shleddin in de orange one"

oh and "it towin" (it's snowing)

Samson actually pulled the sled up the hill

we got a video of this but it wouldn't upload for some reason...i will try again

working so hard

such fun

We can't wait for it to snow again next year!

Christmas Catch Up

2011-02-23T14:23:00.000-08:00

I have been such a slacker on here lately. With that being said, I'll keep it short and sweet. Here are some pics from Christmas...FINALLY!!!!!

with Coach and Mot Mot before Christmas Eve service
checking out his stocking

He got REALLY into opening presents this year.

It was so fun!

taking a break from presents for a quick pic
(we have such a hard time getting him to look at the camera these days)

I got some Rachel Ray cookware.

Mom got a new scarf

some of the loot

Coach got a Kindle

Jacob giving Coach his new mug

Leanna opening up her spa day gift card from yours truly.

I think we'll have to do this every year.

My little family

Santa stopped by our house later that night

checking out some of his presents

Buzz Lightyear

he's gonna be a doctor just like his daddy

this has by far been his FAVE gift.

we play with this racetrack ALL day long.

he also got a ton of cars to go with it.

I love that the past couple of years, both of our families have come over late Christmas morning to see Jacob's toys and to eat breakfast. It's such a fun time to be together.

J got a tent

Here he is showing it to Papa Doc

and Mot Mot had to check it out too

making coffee in his new kitchen

what's in the stocking?

yep! still playing with the racetrack

I'm not sure what this is, but both of their facial expressions cracked me up.

Samson had a good Christmas too. He loves his new rabbit.

Christmas Day dinner at Papa Doc and Renna's

getting ready for Dirty Santa

after about 12 shots - this was the best one I got

we were not having a good night

Sweet Gran and myself

checking out his new trains

the kids

is this picture not the sweetest!?!

i just love it

Gran wrote her memoirs. She typed it all up herself and had it bound. We each got a copy. How special it is. She is quite funny and we are so enjoying reading about her childhood and her life with Pappy. Thanks Gran! Best Christmas present we got.

I just adore these two.

If I got to pick two other people to be my grandparents I think I would choose them.

Paps opening his present

The day after Christmas we went to South Carolina to visit my family. We had such a good visit. My grandmother was actually able to sit up and communicate a little bit. I had some very sweet moments with her (I have some other pics of her that I will post separately).

Some highlights from our trip:

Graham and J playing cars

We got to meet our newest cousin.

Jacob calls her "baby Caroline"

My Mama looked so good. She always looks so pretty in pink.

Two of our sweet family/friends got to spend time with us. What a treat. Margaret and Julia - we love you so!!

spending good time with some of my cousins

Fran and John - we missed ya'll

Oh - I almost forgot!

I have a new pupniece - Bella. She's a cuite pa-tootie.

These are Jacob's dinosaurs. I love to watch him play.

Ridiculously Awesome Christmas Card Deal!!!!

2010-11-29T17:47:00.000-08:00

Free Christmas Cards!!!!!....WHAT!?! That's right folks. Shutterfly is offering 50 free Christmas cards to anyone willing to write a blog telling family and friends about their amazing products and to encourage people to go to their website and check it out!!

I have used Shutterfly in the past for pictures and have never been disappointed. However, this will be my first year to get my Christmas cards from them. I have been looking at different websites the past couple of weeks trying to find the perfect card to send to our family and friends this holiday season. I had decided on Shutterfly even BEFORE finding out about this GREAT deal. I just love me some good deals, so the free cards just made my decision that much easier. :)

Shutterfly has Christmas cards, holiday cards, and greeting cards. There are TONS of options to choose from. As for me, I like the classic looking ones. But, there is something for everyone.

Go to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards for all their Christmas card options. Here are just a few of my faves:

Go to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards for more options. Here are a few that I like

Check out http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards for even more options.

They also have all kinds of invitations for parties. Who doesn't like to go to a good Christmas party?...Better yet, throw one and send out one of THESE super duper cute invites to all your friends.

Go to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-invitations to view their entire selection.

Shutterfly also has great gifts to choose from as well. Give a special loved one a calendar with all your favorite photos in it. Or how about a photo mug for that caffeine lover in your life. Shutterfly also has photo books, mouse pads, and so much more to choose from.

Go to http://www.shutterfly.com/photo-gifts to see for yourself.

If I were you I would head on over to http://www.shutterfly.com/ RIGHT NOW and check out all the many wonderful things they have to offer.

Birthday Festivities/Halloween Fun

2010-11-04T16:59:00.001-07:00

We have had quite the busy schedule around here recently. Here's what happened for Jacob's 2 year birthday fun. Oh, and I went and threw Halloween in too!!

We made cupcakes for Jared's office.

We also took cupcakes to Jacob's class at school.

Aren't these little cookie monster's so cute!?! 1st Happy Birthday

Last week, we had a parade/family picnic for families at Jacob's school. Jared and my parents were all able to come. The kids all looked absolutely adorable in their costumes. To start off, the kids walked down the hall while the parents took lots of pictures. Jacob got a little upset when he saw us, so I didn't get very many.

after the parade

Wednesday night we went to Fall Fest out our church with our neighbors. It.was.crowded. There were tons of games, food, fun, silly costumes, and of course....candy.

going down the big blowup slide

picking out some candy

playing some games

We had a lot of getting ready to do on Friday night for Jacob's party.

putting the trike together

lookin' good

Saturday morning, we had a few of Jacob's friends over to celebrate. It was SO much fun. And, the weather could not have been more perfect. We were able to play outside all day.

present central

our little lion waiting for his friends to arrive

Addy the bee

our neighbors with Chase the pumpkin

outdoor fun

our dear, sweet friends Jenny and Addy

Wyatt the dragon

taking a snack break

Elias with the toys.

He had already taken off his cowboy outfit.

Elias's pretty mommy Leah

opening presents

Taylor and Emma were good helpers

checking out the train tracks

Percy

J's new trike

blowing out the candles

coloring a pumpkin riding his trike down the hill

We decorated J's room Saturday night. We had fun doing it and he enjoyed it.

making birthday breakfast

yummo!!!

pumpkin pancakes, scrambled eggs, and sausage

Sunday (Jacob's actual b-day), we had family over to celebrate.

one of our favorite presents

Gran and Pappy got us goldfish

we named them Sid and Mater

J's new Thomas power wheel

trying out his new soccer goal that my sister's boyfriend (bean) got him

bean showing him how to use his new t-ball set our adorable Gran and Pappy

enjoying his chili and cornbread

blow out your candles little buddy

good job

he ended up needing a bit of help

not eating it though

nope. he had this part down.

bean, leanna, and jake

We ended the weekend with a bit of trick or treating.

getting ready to go

J really got into getting candy this year

He also would say "Happy Hallonoween"

i was sooooo cute!!!!!

best family picture we managed to get

ready for bed

Renna and J making silly faces

saying goodnight to Sid and Mater

taking a minute to play in the streamers

after telling J is birth story

about to read a bible story and then off to bed

Happy 2nd Birthday Sweet Boy!!! We love you.

Happy Birthday Jacob!!!

2010-10-31T20:19:00.000-07:00

Dear Jacob,

Today is your 2nd birthday. I can't believe you have been a part of our lives for 24 whole wonderful months. You truly are one of the best things that has ever happened to me. I remember the first time I held you in my arms. It was love at first sight. Everyday I fall in love with you all over again.
When you were born, you were so tiny. Now you look like such a big boy. I am amazed by how much you are learning and growing. There's so much I want to share with you about your life right now, but there's no way I can tell you everything. Here are some of my favorite Jacob traits:

-You are affectionate. You love to give hugs, kisses, eskimo kisses, tackle us on the floor, and pat our backs.
-You show compassion to others in small ways like saying "bless you" when someone sneezes or sharing toys with your friends.
-You are joyful. Always happy, a smile on your face, laughing all the time. I am so thankful for this.
-You are energetic. There is never a dull moment with you. From the time you get up to the time you go to bed it is nonstop action.
-You are strong-willed. Your daddy and I are both praying that this will be used for good as you get older.
-You are creative/artistic. Right now nothing pleases you more than to sit and color or paint or play with play-do. You are getting so good at using both hands to color at the same time. I think you would sit and color all day long if we let you.
-You are smart. You already know your colors. You can say your ABC's up to P ...... "abcdefghijkELMOp". You can count to 10. You can spell the last 3 letters of your name. You are learning your shapes. You also have a really good memory.
-You are observant. I love that you can identify cars by their make, not model. You notice things that your daddy and I don't even notice.
-You are a story-teller. Even now you love to recount your days to us. You always tell us who was there, what you did, where you were. I hope you will always have a love for stories.
-You love your family.
-You are outdoorsy. You got this from your dad. You LOVE to go outside and play, throw rocks in the creek, go to the playground, ride in your wagon, look for bugs, go for family hikes, dig in the dirt or sand, play in water. Your daddy really, really can't wait for you to get big enough to go camping and fishing with him.
-You love animals. Samson is one of your best friends. You love to go to the zoo. You also like identifying animals and making noises. You can make over 20 animal sounds. Your favorites are monkey, dog, elephant, and alligator.
-You are a creature of habit. Everything, and I mean everything has to be the same way every time. For example, right now you will only go to sleep with a certain pillow, you have to have music playing for night-night time, you do not like wearing socks to bed, you always want your milk FIRST things when you wake up, and you always have to read a Bible story at night (this one we don't mind).
-You are a good friend. You have some wonderful little friends right now... Emma, Taylor, Chase, Addy, Elias, Wyatt, Emily, Chad, Ava, Luke, and Logan. You are learning how to play with them, share your toys, and treat them nicely.
-You are a southern gentleman in the making. Just last Sunday your teacher told me you were one of the most well-mannered children she has ever worked with. That made me so proud. You are getting SO good at saying "please", "thank you", "yes mam", and "no sir". It is so cute to hear you talk like this.

-You are all boy. You love to run, jump, climb, play, get dirty, get into things, laugh at bodily noises, and still make a mess with your food. Oh, how I love being the mommy of a boy :).
-You are tender-hearted. I love to listen to you pray for family and friends with your daddy at night before you go to sleep.
-You are outgoing. You have such a fun, crazy, silly, feisty, sociable, attracting personality. I know I'm your mom, but I think people really enjoy being around you. Your daddy has a way of making anyone feel comfortable around him whether he's known them 10 minutes or 10 years. I hope this is one of the traits you got from him.
-You are wise. You still have a looonnnggg way to go. I pray God would make you wise everyday. I feel like I see glimpses of this at times even now. You are learning to make good choices in how you act or how you treat someone. This makes me so proud.
-You are learning to choose to have a happy heart.
-You are inspiring. Everyday I look at you, I am inspired to be better. A better mom for you. A better wife for you (so you can see what a good marriage looks like). A better daughter for you (so you see good relationships between a parent and child). A better sister for you (I want you to have good relationships with your siblings). A better friend for you (so you can learn how to be a good friend to others). A better servant for you (so you can learn to serve others). A better Christian for you (so you can see first hand what a relationship with Jesus Christ looks like). Thanks for inspiring me. I hope I can inspire you too.
-You are brave. Not a lot scares you. And, if something does you conquer your fear quickly. You always like to try new things. I pray God will always give you a spirit of hope and not fear.
-You are laid-back. Most of the time you go with the flow and do whatever we ask of you. You hardly ever complain about anything. Thank you!
-You are our treasure. Renna taught you to say this and it's so sweet coming from your mouth. We hope you will always remember just how special you are to this family.
-You love to read your Bible. I love to hear you talk about Noah's Ark or baby Jesus. I pray God will continue to give you a desire for His Word. I pray you will find great delight in knowing His Word to the very depths of your sweet little soul.
-You love food. Just like your mommy. You are willing to try new foods, and there is not much you do not like. You often choose the healthier option when given a choice. I hope you will continue to be a good eater.
-You are fearfully and wonderfully made. I pray often that you will not struggle with poor self-image. I pray that the sin I struggle with will stop and not be passed on to you. I pray you will always be confident in who you are. I pray you will always love yourself. I pray you will always see yourself through God's eyes, and not the world's. I pray you will realize just how amazing and wonderful, and unique, and perfect you are JUST as you are. I pray you will always know that being Jacob Thomas Vaughn is a great thing. (just know that I am working really hard to beat this in my own life because I want to be a better example for you).
-You are loved. Beyond words. Beyond understanding. You are loved by your mommy and daddy. You are loved by your grandparents. You are loved by your great-grandparents. You are loved by your aunts. You are loved by your friends. You are loved by your teachers. And, if you put all of our love together it couldn't ever compare to how much God loves you.

I pray with all my heart that you will grow in wisdom and stature to become the man God wants you to be. I pray in expectation for your salvation. I pray you will always choose Jesus over everything else. He is life!!

Jacob, I am so proud of the choices you are making and the young man you are becoming. I knew being your mommy was going to be a huge responsibility, but I had no idea how much joy and meaning it would bring to my life. You mean the world to me. I should stop writing before I fall onto the floor in a weeping mess....
God is so good. God is so faithful. God is so wise. God is so giving. God chose ME out of all the women in the world to be your mommy. I am thankful every single day for you. You fill my life with more joy, more laughter, more sillyness, more love than I could have ever imagined. These past two years have been awesome and I look forward to watching you continue to grow.

All my love,
Mommy

We just wanted to say.....

2010-10-30T19:14:00.001-07:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!

We hope you have a "ROARING" good time.

Our Pumpkin

2010-10-18T19:12:00.000-07:00

In the last post I told ya'll what a great time we had at the pumpkin patch. Jacob picked out a GREAT pumpkin for us to take home and carve. Saturday afternoon Jacob helped carve his first ever Halloween pumpkin. He loved it!!

our pumpkin (we hadn't washed the dirt off yet)
J inspecting the pumpkin

watching Pops cut the top off

removing the top

taking a look inside

ooooh....it's squishy

J scooping the seeds out

stirring it (we made pumpkin soup)

Look - I got a couple of seeds

Mmmm this soup is "licious"

trying to pick the pumpkin up

finished product

I decided to go with a monogram. I figured from here on out Jacob will want some kind of face or Halloweenish object. I wanted one last year of classy and simple. I love it!!!

of course we had to light it up

I just adore fall

Jacob had a blast. He talks about his pumpkin all the time. He also loves to watch it light up at night and blow the candle out before we go to bed. I just love getting to relive all this fun childhood stuff through him.

It's a Great Day for Pumpkin Pickin'

2010-10-17T20:21:00.001-07:00

Halloween is only two weeks away ya'll, and we had yet to get our pumpkin. So -yesterday we headed out to Honeysuckle Farm. It. was. a blast. There was sooooo much to do. My family and our good friends (and neighbors came too).

Here's our little pumpkin at the entrance to the farm
singing "Itsy Bitsy Spider"

and pattycake

oh, I could just eat him up!!!

there's a little bit of glare on this one, but I liked all the pumpkins in it

just some of the stuff to do (we didn't get to it all)

quick family shot

There was a gigantic playground with a slide like a spider, tire swings, see saws, sand pit, and more. Jacob liked the swings best of all.

Next, we took a tour of the petting zoo. J had a blast looking at/petting all the animals.

baby cow

donkey

feeding the goats

milking, yes milking the cow - hilar!!!

best pic I could get of J and his Coach

this is the Corn Popper

it's like a giant pillow-like trampoline

J had a hard time understanding taking turns with the other kids

our neighbors

we had a hard time telling who liked it more

taking a ride on the pedal car

After all that playing we were all getting hungry. We had a picnic. The farm had tons of picnic tables and a little cafe with burgers, hot dogs, and homemade butters and jams.

And what's a pumpkin patch without the pumpkin?.

so many to choose from

I just can't decide

hmmmm...what happens if I throw it?

what does it taste like?

just observing....like his perfectionist momma gotta get the perfect one!

I found it!!

Good job buddy. That's a great one!!

What a great way to spend a lovely fall day!! Little man was sooooo tired we didn't even make it out of the parking lot before he was asleep. Sweet thang!!

Last night we carved our big pumpkin that Jacob helped picked out. Boy, was that fun. Pics to come.....

Is it just me....

2010-10-15T18:15:00.001-07:00

or does he look bigger today?

I can't believe my sweet boy will be 2 in just a couple of weeks!!

Happy Fall Y'all

2010-10-06T19:41:00.001-07:00

We're so glad it's finally turned cool around here. We just had to get out and take some pictures this afternoon.

Also, at the end of this month our sweet Jacob turns 2. I can't believe it. He continues to bring us much joy and laughter each and every day. Here's just a few things about him at 23 months:

-watching Sid the Science Kid and Cars

-coloring, painting, gluing....any kind of craft activity

-reading

-sliding at the playground

-singing. some of his faves are Jesus Loves Me, The Wheels on the Bus, Twinkle Twinkle, the

Mighty song, Patty Cake, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Here is the Church, ABC's, and This Little Light

-can identify ALL of his colors (we are quite impressed)

-he is learning to spell his name and can say "c -o-b"

-can identify cars by model ya'll...not color - MODEL

-throwing rocks in the creek

-some new fave foods: raw broccoli, cucumbers, pork chops, and peanut butter

-going to Mother's Day Out. he loves his teachers and is making friends with his classmates.

his fave thing to do there is "make toffee".

-playing with the neighborhood kids in the afternoons

-he still loves to rock at night and I do too

-he will NOT wear socks to bed

-snuggling with mommy and daddy on Sat. mornings

-he is learning to make choices such as he gets two options for lunch

-exploring, exploring, exploring

-making us laugh

You make me so proud Bubba. I love you!!!!

Happenings

2010-09-21T17:07:00.000-07:00

What's been happening with us?...

playing
outside

Last Saturday we cleaned the front of our house

Jacob was a great helper

He loved playing with the soap

We went to a 1st b-day party for our friend Morris

This is Morris's mommy - we have been friends since kindergarten

J decided this was the best way to eat his cupcake

This kid hearts cupcakes!!

puzzle time

watching Pops mow the lawn

one of our fave activities

reading a book

having a popcorn snack before bed

playing at the park

Wheeeeee!!!

that was fun

I want to do it again

my guys coloring together

What's been happening with you?

First Day of School

2010-09-07T20:43:00.001-07:00

Jacob started Mother's Day Out today. I was sad, he was excited. I'm so thankful he had a great first day. This picture was taken on our way out the door. To me, he looks like such a big boy.

Little Cabin in the Woods

2010-09-07T19:50:00.000-07:00

We went to Blue Ridge, GA for Labor Day Weekend. It was a wonderful 4 days of fun, family, rest, and relaxation.

view from our cabin

We took a hike to a really pretty waterfall one day...

I know he looks uncomfortable, but he loves this thing
looking at the leaves

my boys

the waterfall

Samson wanted to cool off

Jacob thought the water was cold

best pic we got

Jared and I went horseback riding. We had a blast!!

I know. I know, but safety first.

J and Gypsy

T Spoon was such a sweetie pie

playing in the backyard

isn't it awesome we had this?

this kid had a blast throwing rocks

taking a water break

we spent a lot of time out on the backporch

me and my daddy

my favorite little man

tickle time

"hi rye rye"

saying hello to Mr. Bear

Leanna and Jake

playing with the water table

my bestest buddy

family shot

such a little helper

my sissy

ummm...not sure

Hope everyone else had a great weekend!!!

Randomness

2010-09-07T19:02:00.000-07:00

Our little guy turned 22 months last months. I can't believe less than 2 months to go until we have a 2 year old! Oh my my my!!!

-Jacob is getting SO good with his colors. He identifies them correctly 9 times out of 10.
-Jacob loves to sing. Some of our favorite songs are "The Wheels on the Bus", "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", "Jesus Loves Me", "Jesus Loves the Little Children", "Bunny Foo Foo", and "ABC's".
-We have been working on our ABC's and are up to "D".
-I love it when he says, "hold you momma" or "hey ____" and he will fill in all of our names.
-He has started referring to himself as Jake-Jake.
-He LOVES aunt Jayme's boyfriend Austin, or "Aweson"
-Jacob is learning to dress himself.
-We are beginning to work harder on potty training. We have had several successes lately and Jacob will point to his diaper when he needs to go. Hopefully this will be a quick process.
-J loves to feed the fish on his daddy's iphone and feed the real goldfish at Gran and Pappy's.
-We have a hugger on our hands. And, since I am a hugger this works out well. He also likes to pat us on the back and get in our face with a BIG goofy grin and say hey momma/hey dadda".
-He likes pretending to play his guitar.
-J is learning to request people to pray for at bedtime - so sweet!!!
-We have definitely entered the terrible twos. Time out or "time" has become a regular part of our day. Even though he doesn't understand everything we say we try to explain to him why he had to go. Hopefully the more he begins to understand, the less likely we will have to use time.
-He likes riding on our backs and pretending he is riding a horse.
-He likes making "toffee"(coffee) for Coach.
-He is getting much better at throwing a ball.

Here's some random pics of what we've been up to the past couple of weeks...

eating some chocolate pie at Coach and Mot Mot's

riding a "horse" at Addy's pool
just chillin in the water

sweet little friends playing ball together

cool kid

painting a masterpiece

having a lazy Saturday morning in our little pool I got for the backyard

Samson likes the water too

oh, I could just eat him up

playing Jake-Jake's guitar

having a picnic at the park

helping feed Gran's fish

he thinks it's SOOOO fun

Summer is almost over, but we're going to enjoy every last minute of it!!

Living Proof Weekend

2010-08-21T19:11:00.001-07:00

Last weekend I had the privilege of going to a Living Proof Live event to hear Beth Moore speak with three of my beloved friends.

Becki, Leeanna, Leah, and myself

For those of you that have never heard Beth speak before you are really missing out. She is so energetic, passionate, wise, inspiring...I could go on. Every time I get to hear her I get SO excited. I know three things are for certain: 1) I am going to have a blast, 2) I am going to be extremely challenged and encouraged, and 3) I know I am going to have an intimate encounter with God Himself.

God always uses Beth to speak such truth to my soul. This weekend was no different. Our topic was "Eat, Pray, Love" (although it had nothing to do with the movie that just came out). We talked about how we don't just need to read God's Word - we need to EAT His words and allow them to penetrate our hearts and minds. We talked about how we can PRAY to God and expect Him to hear us. We also spent time grappling with God's unconditional love for us. I was reminded again that there is NOTHING I can do to make God love me any less. God is incapable of loving me less because God is love. For God to love me less He would have to lessen Himself which He will not do. Oh, my heart is thankful. What a wonderful God I serve.

Beth bringing a word from Jeremiah

Before leaving town we went to get ice cream at this local place called "Graeters". The name suits it well because it was great.

The best part of our ice cream experience was who we got to eat it with....

That's right - sweet Beth herself

oh, and Travis the worship leader

Can't wait for LPL in September!!