THE HINTON HOUSE

Cousin Love

2010-09-01T17:21:00.000-04:00

J's and Aunt C's First 5K

2010-08-28T17:44:00.002-04:00

Allergies... What Allergies?

2010-08-17T17:52:00.000-04:00

First Day of 3K

2010-08-10T17:03:00.000-04:00

Open House

2010-08-05T17:13:00.000-04:00

A Day at Disney

2010-07-23T16:59:00.000-04:00

Kate at the Aquarium

2010-07-04T21:59:00.000-04:00

All she kept saying was that she wanted to see the "big fish". Good for her they had a few!

Gone Fishing

2010-07-03T08:00:00.008-04:00

Daddy loves fishing. Papa loves fishing. Grandpa loves fishing. And guess what?

Kate LOVES fishing too!

Move Over Tiger

2010-07-01T14:49:00.002-04:00

Kate has a mean swing!

Happy Birthday Uncle Kye!

2010-06-25T22:53:00.002-04:00

VBS

2010-06-25T22:46:00.003-04:00

Cuteness in a Towel

2010-05-13T18:20:00.002-04:00

Kate the Cookie Monster and Elmo Cole

This just makes me want to eat them up!

Pure Silliness

2010-05-13T18:10:00.003-04:00

Pretend sleeping on the bookshelves in their classroom?!?!

Only 2 year olds could think up a game like that!

An Egg-celent Easter

2010-04-06T15:39:00.006-04:00

We kicked off our Easter celebrations with an egg hunt at Kate's preschool. All the kids were sooo cute! And as a special treat, Daddy came and joined in on the fun.

Then on Saturday, Krystal and Drew were kind enough to invite us over for some delicious food and more fun with family and friends. I think there were over 400 eggs and around 10 kids to find them all. Needless to say, they had a blast!

And finally, Easter came! The Easter bunny left Kate a basket full of goodies. We went to church to celebrate the real reason for the season. And stopped by a couple more places to grab a few hugs and fill up our bellies.

We had a great time and missed those of you who we couldn't see!

The Cutest Cousins on Earth

2010-03-09T16:10:00.001-05:00

Well, at least in my opinion they are!

Things That Make You Say..."What???"

2010-02-25T08:00:00.003-05:00

WHAT?... A stroller on your back?

WHAT??... A toothbrush in the dirty clothes basket?

WHAT???... A hair bow in the office supply drawer?

WHAT????... A bag of dog food in the dryer?... REALLY????

I'll give you 3 guesses and the first 2 don't count on how all these things happened.

Never a dull moment at the Hinton House :)

A Shorter Point of View

2010-02-22T22:23:00.004-05:00

A.K.A. "Photography By Kate"

Little Miss Curly Cue

2010-02-18T08:00:00.001-05:00

Well, as you can see, Kate wasn't all to happy about me hot rolling her hair for the first time. Her hair is as straight as an arrow and we had a couple of extra minutes this particular Sunday morning so I though I would give it a try.

But as soon as Daddy told her how cute she was she turned that frown upside down.

And even struck a pose for us.

I must say, I never really like the feeling of all that pulling and clips and heat on my head either.

But don't you think it was worth it?

Well, at least for the 15 minutes it stayed this way. I promise it was almost completely straight again by the time we got in the truck and drove to church. At least I got a picture :)

Sweet Valentines

2010-02-14T08:00:00.002-05:00

Made from the heart.

For special friends.

The Shirt Says It all

2010-02-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

For Valentine's Day Erica and I found these shirts for Kate and Ella. They were just too cute to pass up.

And for all you smarty pants out there, no, Erica and I didn't get these same shirts for ourselves. It might have only been because they didn't make them in our sizes, but still, we didn't :)

Winter Wonderland

2010-02-13T18:20:00.010-05:00

It's been many years since the south side of Atlanta has seen snow like this. J and I think it's the most snow we've seen since the blizzard of 1993. Whatever the case, it most definitely is the most snow Kate has ever seen and she absolutely L.O.V.E.D. it! We made her wait until it had been snowing a couple of hours before taking her out and we were all amazed at how fast it covered everything and how thick and fluffy it was.

Kate immediately wanted to make a snowman. Her class at school has been discussing snowmen for quite some time now and she couldn't wait to put her knowledge to the test. She told Daddy exactly how she wanted everything.

And pitched in when she could.

And if I do say so myself, I think it turned out quite cute. Kate-size and everything.

So after a hour and a half of playing hard out in the snow which included a few snowball fights and a couple of games of you-can't-catch-me after building the snowman we all headed inside to peel off the layers of snow covered clothes.

And warm ourselves by eating some grilled cheese sandwiches and hot soup.

Of course the fun doesn't stop there. The snow lasted through the night and gave us a second day to enjoy.

So, I taught Kate how to make snow angels.

And what a perfect angel she is :)

And she discovered that snow is a lot like the really good ice that you get at Zaxby's. (Eating ice is one of the only things that Kate takes after me, and of course it has to be something that could ruin your teeth and drives her Daddy crazy!)

It has been a wonderful couple of days, days that I will cherish forever!

Now that all of that is said, and we finally got a good snow, could Spring hurry up and come? I'm ready for flip flops :)

Bathing Beauty

2010-02-13T16:23:00.006-05:00

A bath is just more fun with bubbles!

And you know you're nice and clean when this happens:

I wish I had this much fun taking a bath :)

Snow Day

2010-01-08T21:21:00.013-05:00

Hangin' With the Hawks

2010-01-01T19:50:00.005-05:00

A few weeks ago J bought court side tickets for the Dec 29th Hawks game so we could see Atlanta play the Cleveland Cavs. More so to see the Cavs than the Hawks but really just for the overall experience. It started out as a date night but at the last minute we decided to take Kate with us and boy are we glad we did. She LOVED it and hasn't stopped telling everyone she sees that "I go ballgame with daddy." I promise I was there even if she doesn't acknowledge it :)

Atlanta traffic was crazy so we didn't get to the game as early as we would've liked but we made it in plenty of time to see warm ups and take in the whole scene. Our seats were AMAZING!

Harry Hawk started things out with a bang. And by the way, Harry has learned some new dance moves since the last time I was at a Hawks game. He's pretty impressive these days.

I told you our seats were amazing...and yes we really were that close. Poor J's knees were in this assistant coach's back, I don't think he really minded though.

Here's the tip off... Let the game begin.

Kate spotted a few famous faces on the court. Well, ok, maybe all the faces were somewhat famous but some were superstars.

Shaq is even bigger than he looks on TV. And J swears that he stopped, looked, and then smiled at Kate when she called out his name while waiting on an inbound pass.

These guys were taking a break during a timeout. And once again, no zoom, we really were that close!

But this guy is the real reason we got these super cool seats. Now we can all say we have seen Lebron James, one of the most amazing basketball players of our time up close and personal.

And the icing on the cake? Seeing Usher (black toboggan in right center of picture), Chris Brown (to the left of Usher behind the photographer in the Atlanta Braves hat), and Akon (in white shirt to the left of Braves hat).

But the thing that J and I will never forget...

getting Kate's picture with "The Human Highlight Film" Dominique Wilkins.

Thanks J for a night full of wonderful memories!

We Had a Very Merry Christmas

2009-12-31T19:30:00.010-05:00

to say the least. Here is a run through of all our celebrating:

Christmas Eve at GiGi and Papaw's

Christmas Morning

The Best Christmas Present Ever...Going to see "The Chips!"

Christmas Day with MiMi and Grandpa, Uncle Kye, Aunt LeLe and Cole

Practicing playing her new guitar before bed

The Day After Christmas with Mawmaw and Pawpaw Sammy

The Night After Christmas with Nana and Papa, Aunt Holly, Uncle Jordan, and Aunt Haley

The Day After the Day After Christmas with Mawmaw and Pawpaw Princess

One Spoiled Rotten and Happy Little Girl

Trimming the Tree

2009-12-02T17:07:00.003-05:00

Hope you get a giggle out of this! I know I did :)

November in a Nutshell

2009-11-30T16:54:00.000-05:00

First Day of Preschool

2009-08-06T10:12:00.002-04:00

And there she goes...

Opening New Doors

2009-08-05T09:38:00.001-04:00

Ok, maybe not literally since these are the same doors we use to go to Sunday School each week, but for Kate they now represent a new part of her life; K2 preschool.

Kate starts a Tuesday/Thursday (9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.) preschool program this week and this Tuesday she was very excited to go and meet her new friends and teachers at open house.

She got her very own Salem Weekday Preschool "backpack".

And a name tag on her cubby.

And some quality meet and greet time with some of her classmates, Ms. Kristi, her teacher, and playdough!

Of course Ella is in her class and here they are posing as the big girls they are...

I can't believe that on Thursday I will be leaving this little cutie at school for the first time!

Wishing Every Day Was Like a Day At The Beach

2009-06-29T16:37:00.005-04:00

2 Months, 12 Days, 22 hours, and 30 Minutes

2009-06-03T14:08:00.002-04:00

Is exactly how long it has been since my last post. Let's just say this past week things have been settling down around the Hinton House and hopefully we will be back on track with the blog!

Well, I've been trying/planning on getting family pictures made since last fall and it hadn't worked out (haircuts, seasons, weather, etc.) until this past weekend. I'm very excited to share these pictures with you but unfortunately they will only be available for viewing for 4 more days. After that they will be taken off the site and unavailable for viewing or purchase.

Here are the details on how to check out the pics:

Go to www.jennmcpherson.com
Click on proofing
Enter your e-mail address
Enter hinton as your password

I think Jenn did a wonderful job capturing our family! Hope you enjoy!

Way, Way Overdue

2009-03-21T16:46:00.006-04:00

Well, a lot has been going on the last couple of weeks to say the least. Sorry it's been so long since I posted last. When Kate doesn't nap well, I don't get computer time! Thanks to my blackberry I can at least get e-mails :) I hope to get everyone up to date very soon.

For now I just want to share these cute pictures and story.

Kate and I had to go by Sears the other day to pick up some vacuum cleaner bags and while we were at Southlake Mall I had to show Kate the carousel. First, we just stood and watched as the other children took turns riding. Then Kate started dancing to the sweet little music and I had to let her ride. Anyone who knows Kate, knows that she usually has no fear but today was a little different. Once we got on and strapped her in I took three steps back to take this picture and she became petrified. I don't know if she was afraid of falling or being "alone" on the ride but she was not having it. As the ride started she wanted to stay on the horse but also wanted to cling (ok, it was more like a death grip) to my neck as I stood by her. Needless to say we were some sort of scene. Kate's body going up with the horse, her arm and head staying stationary with me, me trying to move with the ride that was already at my shoulder level so she wouldn't strangle me, me trying to convince Kate to hold onto the pole, all while the other moms watch and wave to their smiling, laughing children.

These are the pictures I took right before she "realized" she didn't like carousels:

I'll just leave it at that. No need to elaborate on the next, not so pretty, 5 minutes. :)

SnOw Much Fun

2009-03-04T16:34:00.005-05:00

That's exactly what the snow was...SO much fun. Kate loved the snow. She wanted to throw (well it was more like drop) snowballs for hours. She didn't care that it was 30 degrees outside and that her little fingers were about to get frostbite. All she wanted to do was play, play, play.

Of course she had to bring her juice with her, just in case she got thirsty.

This is our miniature snowman. Because our yard was saturated from the 2 previous days of rain, the snow on the ground turned into slush rather than staying true snow, so we had to use the snow on the truck to play with. After all the snowballs Kate threw there wasn't much left to make a snowman with. He's cute anyways!

Whether rain or snow, Kate is going to ride her tricycle, literally!

While the rest of us were out in the snow having fun, this is where Trip stayed. He might have been the smartest one in the family :)

The perfect way to end the perfect day!

The Snow Dance

2009-03-04T16:16:00.005-05:00

Spaghetti Face Kate

2009-02-23T21:58:00.002-05:00

The Greatest Show on Earth

2009-02-23T17:38:00.018-05:00

On Sunday we got up at our regular time, ate our regular breakfast, got dressed in our regular fashion, packed the regular stuff in our bag, and loaded up the car like regular...sounds kinda like a boring day doesn't it... but this day was anything but "regular". Instead of turning into the church parking lot like we usually do we zoomed on by and headed a little further south to Aunt Erica and Uncle Earl's house. From there we headed to the big top in the city for some fun and entertainment at...

Ella and Kate headed straight for the arena floor for the pre-show action. Here they are stopping for a photo opt.

This is Kate trying on her clown nose! That look looks good on you girl :)

Ella, Aidan, and Kate enjoyed watching some sort of jump rope-gymnastics thing.

Kate was definitely getting into it. Here she is saying "Hey, I can do that too!"

The jugglers were impressive!

When we headed back to our seats look what we found...

A clown! Oh, what's that you say? That's not a clown? It's Uncle Earl? You coulda fooled me :)

And the show begins!

She's mesmerized!

Yes, those are goats standing on the backs of miniature horses. I must say I was impressed too!

I think the 7 motorcycles in the the steel ball was Aunt Erica's favorite.

During intermission Erica and I were the girls entertainment. As a side note, Erica and I probably have 100, ok maybe not 100, but a lot of pictures in this exact pose. Earl even commented on how it looked exactly like the one he took right before this with a different camera. What can I say? We've perfected the BFF closeup shot.

Kate found Cooper's popcorn while he was gone and decided to help herself.

A cute picture of Ella.

And the show continues...

I couldn't tell if Cooper's look of concentration was focused on the tigers or the cotton candy but it's cute either way!

A little coke makes everything more interesting.

The rest of the crew.
"Wow, look at that!"

Aren't the elephants cute? I think they were my favorite part.

The final celebration with confetti and all!

We said goodbye to the elephants once again as we left. How did they get outside so fast?

Everyone had a total blast! Thanks Uncle Earl for the tickets. We will never forget all the fun we had.

A Special Present for a Special Person

2009-02-18T15:20:00.005-05:00

Can you guess what it is?

It's a cake, of course! With Mom's homemade icing recipe on hand, Kate and I set out to make that Special Someone the best birthday cake she has ever had.

Here is Kate adding her "sweet" touch.

While the cake was baking Kate took a little break from the kitchen.

A little wrestling with Dad.

A little leaf picking.

Some tricycling.

And some Papa time.

Then it was time to get back to work and check on the cake. Looks like it's finished!

We didn't get any pictures of the icing stage because it was way too messy for expensive electronics like cameras to be around :)

Can you guess who the cake was for? Who is worth all this effort...None other than our Mawmaw!

We think she liked the final product. Or at least everyone else did because it was more than half way gone by the end of the night.

Mawmaw also got some non-perishable gifts to commemorate this milestone celebration.

We hope you had a great birthday Mawmaw! We love you and wish you many, many, many more!

Wink-a-rific

2009-02-18T15:14:00.002-05:00

A Picture Can Say a 1,000 Words

2009-02-09T16:05:00.003-05:00

"I love you"

"A rock!"

"Hey, Aunt Kora"

"I can do what you do"
(see the little girl behind Ella, too cute)

"Hey Mom, could you please put the camera away since I gave you a smile, thanks!"

P.S. The cute outfit is one of many for Valentine's Day. I hope to get in a few more post this week so you can see some of the others.

A Not-So-Good First

2009-02-09T15:59:00.002-05:00

The first boo-boo! Kate was chasing me down the driveway the other day and got tripped up. She fell and scraped her nose, upper lip, and knuckles. She was really tough and only cried for 5 seconds. I felt so bad for her though! Everything is scabbing over now and is healing well. Guess I better get used to things like this, I hear it only gets worse with time!

We're Movin' On Up

2009-01-27T20:53:00.003-05:00

Not to the East side but into a toddler bed! In recent days Kate has been trying to climb over the rails of her crib and when she's not trying to escape she's trying to gnaw it away, literally! So I decided to go ahead and convert her crib into a toddler bed. I know it will bring a whole new set of challenges to deal with but at least she will be safer and I won't have to worry about her getting splinters in her intestines :)

P.S. I just laid Kate down and so far, so good. Either she went to sleep like normal or she is playing with her toys REAL quietly, I think I'll go check ;) The morning will be the real test! We'll see! Wish me luck tonight, I hope she doesn't fall out of the bed (that would be sooo sad).

Another First

2009-01-26T16:17:00.011-05:00

The first haircut! I've been bugging J for about 2 months now to let me get Kate's hair cut. He put up a little fight a first because he wanted her to look like a baby for as long as she could and knew that a haircut would definitely take that away. Over the past couple of weeks he softened his stance and said I could do it. So, I jumped all over that and called Aunt LeLe and made an appointment for Monday (which is extra special because she is on maternity leave AND the salon is usually closed on Mondays, but not for our Kate!). Aunt Erica, Ella, Heather, Steven, and Cole all came for support and to take pictures. Once we were all there and settled the process began...

Big girl Kate sitting in the salon chair.

We definitely need a cape for this job!

Checking ourselves out in the mirror. Look at those locks...it's the last time you are going to see them!

Discussing the length and style.

The first cut!

Look at how good I am being!

We used candy (see the little green treat in her hand?) as needed.

She absolutely hated looking down, hence my "assistance".

Then we used books for distractions.

And we are finished! Now, we are proud to present ... Kate's new hairdo!

Isn't it cute? By the way, J was right, it makes her look soooo much older. She is definitely an official toddler now, no mistaking her for a baby anymore!

I'll post some more pictures tomorrow after a bath and some styling. We've had enough adventure for one day today!

The Baby-Sitters Club

2009-01-21T12:25:00.004-05:00

Well, I loved reading about babysitting when I was in elementary school. I loved actually babysitting when I was a young teenager. I decided to be a glorified babysitter (teacher and mom) by profession. And now I have the priviledge of teaching Kate the trade.

Our first lesson took place this Monday. Aunt LeLe had some errands to run and asked if we would like to keep Cole. Of course we jumped all over that!

Lesson #1- Babies like to sleep.

Kate watched Cole as he slept. She gave him a couple of "love taps" to make sure that he knew she was still there and played quietly until he was ready to get up.

Lesson #2- Babies like to eat.

Kate LOVED feeding Cole his bottle (hence the huge smile). She didn't quite understand why she had to stop feeding him for me to burp him but was alright with the idea once she realized that she would get to feed him again.

Lesson #3- Even the babysitter needs attention too sometimes!

Kate loved playing with Cole but was sure to let Mom and Dad know that SHE was the baby of this house! Here she is being rocked just like baby Cole. Awe...what a sweet (not-so-little) baby girl!

Next time we will work on Lesson #4- Dirty diapers!

A Birthday Bash at the Beach

2009-01-20T16:36:00.006-05:00

This weekend Kate and I headed for North Myrtle Beach to celebrate Aunt Haley's 11th birthday. Haley only had 3 small request for the event...

Request 1: That Kate be there.

Who could refuse that? So, we packed up and drove 5 1/2 hours to get there. The first two hours were peaceful and quiet (Thanks Grandma J for the travel pillow! We used it in a couple of different positions but this was Kate's favorite:)

The last 3 1/2 hours were filled with cheerios, juice, and plenty of toys and books. Overall, not too bad.

Request 2: We eat at Cracker Barrel

This is Kate and the Birthday Girl waiting on their food.

It wouldn't be a birthday without presents!

Request 3: Go swimming.

The resort we stayed in had 2 indoor pools and a lazy river so we had plenty to keep us busy! Surprisingly, Kate was scared to death of the pool at first. She held on for dear life and teared up if anyone looked or talked to her. Thank goodness that only lasted for the first 20 minutes or so, after that, smooth sailing! We laughed and played and splashed the rest of the day away.

While Kate took a nap Haley, Emma, and I went out on the town. We had a blast being silly and just spending time together.

Not by request but because of tradition we sang "Happy Birthday" and ate cupcakes and ice cream. Needless to say we all enjoyed that but I think it is safe to say that I think Kate enjoyed it the most!

Then it was time to head back home. Only 1 hour of sleep on the way back.

But don't worry, we found the trick to staying happy; a Steak and Shake chocolate milkshake :)

Have You Ever Seen "Singing In The Rain"

2009-01-12T15:45:00.004-05:00

Well, if not, now at least you can say you've seen "Grilling In The Rain" :)

Big Shoes to Fill

2009-01-12T15:42:00.003-05:00

Women's 8 1/2 size slippers and a future Havard freshman shirt...what else is there to say?

Nothing Much

2009-01-07T10:40:00.002-05:00

Well, we haven't been up to much around the Hinton House lately. Kate's trying to get back on schedule and I am trying to get the house back to normal. All the Christmas decorations are down and now we are just waiting for our regularly scheduled activities to start back (bible study, outings with Ella and Aunt Erica, core groups, etc.). Hopefully when things get going again we'll have more to blog about!

A Picture Tour of Christmas at The Hinton House

2008-12-30T11:28:00.009-05:00

Mawmaw and Pawpaw Sammy's

Christmas with Nana, Papa, Aunt Holly, Uncle Jordan, and Aunt Haley

Mawmaw and Pawpaw Princess'

Christmas with Ella

Christmas with Mimi, Grandpa, Uncle Kye, Aunt LeLe, and Cole

GiGi Hazel and Papaw's

Christmas Morning

Grandma J and Pop's

A Lot to Blog About

2008-12-18T15:49:00.008-05:00

Ok, so a lot has happened in the last 12 days. Here is a short recap...

Kate got her picture made with Santa. She was scared to death (who could blame her with a Santa looking like that, he looked half dead!)

Erica and I went for a short trip to New York. We ice skated, saw the Rockettes, went shopping, and toured the city. Click here to catch all the details.

Oh, by the way, did you know that NYC cabs now have TVs in them? You can watch the news, weather, sports updates, and a bunch more. Check it out if you are in town anytime soon!

When we got back we went to Stone Mountain Park for some Christmas fun. Here is Kate watching the Christmas laser show. She danced and clapped along to all of the songs!

Kate wasn't too interested in riding the train around the mountain, but we did get a smile out of her for the picture! No smile for Dad though, guess he wasn't feeling it either!

Wednesday, December 17th was the big day....inducement day that is! We all went to the hospital to wait on Cole's arrival. Mimi and Grandpa walked the halls with Kate.

A little after lunch Kate met her little cousin Cole for the first time as he was being wheeled down to the nursery. I think I heard her say "I love you Cole and can't wait to teach you all kinds of really cool things like how to ride in a wagon and say the word No" in the midst of her gibber- gabber :)

I got to hold him a little while later. Doesn't he look just like me? Well, maybe not, but I love him any ways!

Happy Birthday Cole! We are so excited that you are here and can't wait to start spoiling you rotten! You have a lot of catching up to do to get even with Kate!

The stats: Arrived on 12/17/08 at 11:52 am, 7lbs 11oz, 21 in long. What a beautiful baby boy!

Cole Is On The Move!

2008-12-05T16:37:00.002-05:00

Kye and LeAnne went to the doctor today for their weekly checkup and the doc said she is already dilated to a 4! Can you believe it? 3 weeks until the due date and already a 4! They said Cole is approxamitely 7 pounds and whenever he decides to come they will let him. Can I just say...I AM SO EXCITED! Hopefully it won't be long. As soon as her contractions become consistant and about 10 minutes apart they will admit her to the hospital. To be continued...

An Apology

2008-12-04T12:26:00.002-05:00

I just wanted to say that I am very sorry for not posting in quite some time. I broke my camera in recent days and now have to hold it just the right way for it to work. Hopefully I'll have it fixed soon and will be up and running again in no time! Between now and then I'm going to do my best to keep everybody updated pictures or no pictures! Hope everyone has a great day! Lots of love!

Kate's Christmas List

2008-12-04T12:15:00.004-05:00

Kate thinking about what she would like for Christmas.

Jotting down the first few ideas.

Making sure to include everything.

The final product.

Hope everyone can read toddlernese!

Mom's Little Helper

2008-12-04T12:02:00.005-05:00

Well, like with everything else, Kate wanted to help me decorate the house for Christmas. Now that she has learned how to climb the ladder of her slide a step-stool was no problem for her.

She worried me to death insisting that I not come near her and especially touch her while she was getting to the top!

But in the end, she had a great time being my helper and stayed in one piece. Got to love that independent spirit! Thanks Kate for helping make the house look so festive!

Very Thankful

2008-12-04T11:50:00.004-05:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Here is our little Turkey posing for a picture.

We had great food!

Great company!

And we missed dearly those that we couldn't get around to see this year! We count each and every one of you a blessings each day and never take for granted the love and care you share with us. Thanks!

Baby It's Cold Outside

2008-11-19T10:20:00.003-05:00

Ok, it's ridiculously cold outside for it to be only the middle of November in the South! It was only the year before last that I have pictures of me in short sleeves at Christmas! You never can tell what mother nature will bring us but I'm pretty sure it usually doesn't get like this until February. Well anyways, at least it provides us with a photo opportunity! Here is Kate all bundled up.

Pray 7x7

2008-11-13T16:15:00.002-05:00

For all you parents out there, that love and cherish your children as I know you do, I challenge you to click on the new button I have added to my blog (right underneath the pictures on the right) and join me in praying intentionally and specifically for and over our most precious gifts-our children. It's 7 prayers a day for 7 days. Let me know how it goes!

It's a Short Trip for Some of Us

2008-11-12T15:30:00.013-05:00

**Make sure to read the sign**

Ok, maybe it wasn't that kind of nut house, but I just couldn't resist :)

On a serious note, we had a ton of fun visiting the Stone Mountain Pecan Company with Mawmaw and Pawpaw Princess yesterday. They had every type of nut and fruit you could possibly think of covered in everything from milk chocolate to sugar and spices. I think Mawmaw bought a little of everything, who could blame her, everything looked delicious! We got some sugar and cinnamon covered pecans for J to make homemade John Coles (our favorite dessert from Carrabba's) and some old fashioned peppermint sticks-the kind that melt in your mouth-my favorite!

Thanks Mawmaw and Pawpaw for inviting us to go to the "nut house" with you!

Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place

2008-11-07T10:47:00.003-05:00

Or.... Between the foot board and mattress! She must have been stuck there for 5 to 10 minutes before we stopped laughing and Dad helped her out. I must say, it was kinda nice knowing exactly where she was and what she was doing without having to run all over the house for a few minutes :)

Trick or Treat

2008-10-31T21:58:00.004-04:00

First things first, we had to carve our pumpkin. Thanks Aunt Haley for getting all the "guts" out for us!

Here is the final product. Kate was a little weary of the bats but I think it turned out pretty cool!

Then we got dressed up. This year was the perfect year to be angel. She loved to tutu and kept the halo and wings on all night. It really did fit her to a T (is that how the saying really goes or is it suppose to be "tea"instead?)

Kate asked Aunt Haley to dress like an angel too, so she did! Here they are together.

The night wouldn't be complete without sharing it with friends. Here is Kate, Aidan, Ella, and Cooper getting ready to go trick-or-treat. Aren't they cute?

Once we got outside Kate wouldn't leave the wagon. Who could blame her? She was being pulled around in a warm wagon(her favorite toy) outside (her favorite place), getting candy and lots of attention (her favorite things).

We did manage to get her out a few times. Here she is saying "Thanks Aunt Erica for the treat!"

Pretty Payton

2008-10-23T16:33:00.007-04:00

My cousin Drew and his wife Krystal welcomed their sweet little girl into the world at 5:25 this morning. She made mom and dad wait a week longer than originally planned to see her precious face but she came in perfect time and in perfect form. She weighed in at 8 lbs 15 oz and is 18 inches long. She has a head full of black hair and has the cutest little round face.

I snuck in a couple of cuddles and kisses while we were visiting and told her they were from all of the fam' that couldn't get there yet.

Well, Kate LOVES Payton. She laughed and giggled and told her all about something that none of us could decipher but I'm sure Payton understood every word! If you look real close you can see the huge smile on her face.

While we were there I got to change Payton out of her hospital clothes into a cute little girly outfit and change her first poopy diaper :) Dad was right there taking notes. Good luck next time Drewby, I'm sure you will do great! (Krystal is recuperating from a c-section and won't be allowed to even sit up completely until later tonight. I know she can't wait to be able to move around and do everything herself!)

Check out the hair and her sweet little naked body!

She got a little chilly while I was changing her so daddy swaddled her up tight and calmed her right down.

Congratulations Krystal and Drew!

and

Happy Birthday Payton!

We love you!

Go Dawgs!

2008-10-22T14:03:00.004-04:00

This weekend J and I went to Athens to watch the Dawgs play Vanderbilt. We had a great time along with the other 90,000 fans in Sanford Stadium. There really is nothing else quite like that experience! Although neither of us graduated from UGA we are the truest of fans and loved every moment of the game.

It was homecoming weekend so they had a couple of neat things going on. For one thing, they had alumni cheerleaders. These little old men and ladies were such good sports! They cheered their hearts out and you could really tell how much fun they were having.

Uga was as handsome as always. He put on a little show for the crowd and then retired to his dawghouse for some AC and ice.

Kate stayed at home while we were out gallivanting. Mimi and Grandpa came down for the day and kept her entertained. I think Kate gave them a run for their money. Mimi said she must have walked 15 miles chasing after her, pulling the wagon, etc. When we got home Kate was pooped.
Dad brought Kate back a Knowshon jersey. Doesn't she look cute in it?! The only thing I have left to say is......GO DAWGS!!!

What'll Ya Have? What'll Ya Have?

2008-10-17T09:56:00.003-04:00

1 chili cheese dog
1 chili cheese burger
1 order of fries
1 coke
1 FO
1 fried apple pie

AND

1 really cute picture with Grandpa!

Kate Goes to the Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-08T15:31:00.004-04:00

This past Saturday our family spent a fun filled afternoon at Southern Belle Farms.

We started out by checking out all the farm animals. Kate led the way!

She loved looking at the donkeys, cows, pigs, and goats. Kate made sure Daddy stayed right by her side, she wasn't so sure about all those loud snorts and sighs they all made.

Then she tried her hand at driving a John Deere tricycle.

She slid down a huge tube slide all by herself and landed in a huge pile of hay! That was tons of fun!

Next, she rode on a tire swing that was the shape of a horse.

She learned how to pump a well.

Of course you knew Aunt Erica and Ella weren't going to miss out on this big adventure! They rode on the hay ride with us.

It was getting late but we couldn't leave the farm before riding the cow tractor pull.

And last but not least Kate picked out a pumpkin! A great time was had by all!

Happy October!

2008-10-03T13:53:00.003-04:00

Thanks Aunt LeLe for my "Ghouls just want to have fun" shirt!

Fetch

2008-10-03T13:22:00.005-04:00

I was never successful at teaching Trip how to fetch. I'm bound and determined to teach Kate! She loves to walk anywhere and everywhere so getting her down the driveway is no problem. It's the everywhere part of the statement that is! We started out in the right direction...

But then spotted a leaf and had to go check it out.

Once we got over there we HAD to keep on going, Mr. & Mrs. Lewis' yard looks so much more interesting than ours!

After all that territory had been explored we went to the other side of the driveway. We definitely wouldn't want to leave anything out.

Don't worry, she still has hold of the newspaper!

She finally makes it to the garage.

And then she finds something much more interesting than the newspaper!

Well, that's a lot farther than Trip ever took it!

The Triple Dip

2008-09-23T17:42:00.003-04:00

Just see for yourself what the title means...

Kate has discovered a love for ketchup needless to say! So much so that she rather just lick the ketchup off her fries and dip them back in than actually eat the frenchfry itself! I know, it's gross, but it is so funny to watch. If you look closely you can see that she is actually dipping her whole hand in ketchup. I guess she wants to make sure that every inch is covered!

I guess we know what her next lesson in table manners will be on! In the meantime make sure to get your own condiments, cheese dip, salsa, etc. when you eat with Kate!

Look At What I Can Do

2008-09-18T16:19:00.004-04:00

Nana and Papa bought Kate a playhouse and slide for her birthday. She immediately loved the playhouse (especially the doorbell and telephone). But, she was a little hesitant about the slide. After a couple of weeks of practicing how to scoot to the edge, lift her feet, and catch herself at the bottom of the slide she is becoming a little daredevil. Check out her skills...

Sorry about the narrating job. I guess I am just a little bit like my mom :) Ok maybe a lot. You should hear the videos from when I was a kid! This sounds exactly like them. Country accent, silly saying and all! I LOVE YOU MOM!

A Fun Filled Day

2008-09-16T21:29:00.003-04:00

This past Saturday Erica, Ella, Kate and I made the trip out to Madison, Ga to celebrate our friend Makinley's 1st birthday. Makinley's mom, better known as Stacey, taught with me at Ola. The year we taught together Stacey was pregnant with Tripp (the adorable big brother keeping a close eye on everything in the picture below). Each morning that school year Erica, Jana, Stacey, and I would have a hallway discussion as our students came in. At the beginning of the year they were on how it was to be pregnant and then later on it was on how it was to give birth and finally on how it was to be a parent. Jana, the experienced mom and super-teacher of the group, always smiled and listened. Little did we all know that the next school year we would be going through the same experience again, but this time Erica, Stacey AND I would be sharing the stories. We e-mailed updates and ultrasounds back and forth, compared aches and pains, and prayed for each other on a regular basis through out our pregnancies. All together, our girls ended up only being 7 weeks apart in age.

So, now we have the joy of watching and experiencing each other's children grow up. One major milestone: the 1st birthday! Here Makinley test out her cake.

Kate tested out some too! Too bad she wasn't this interested in her own birthday cake the week before!

Then, Makinley and Mom opened her gifts. Kate and Ella gave Mak a wagon with her name on it. All the kids at the party loved the wagon. I think each one crawled in and out of it a couple of times each!

The party was so much fun and we had a great time visiting and catching up with the Lancaster's. As soon as we hit the road on the way back home both Ella and Kate were down for the count. They slept pretty much from driveway to driveway!

When we got home Kate was recharged and rearing to go. J was down stairs watching the UGA game so Kate stayed up stairs and helped me cook dinner. We made spaghetti but when I say Kate wanted to put a few extra things in the sauce I mean just about everything in the pantry! See for yourself...

I think it will be a little while before she helps me cook again! It was fun anyways! Happy Birthday Mak Mak!

It's My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To

2008-09-10T22:04:00.002-04:00

Lollipops were the official theme of Kate's first birthday party but this song could have come in a close second. Kate started feeling bad last Tuesday and by Party day was lacking nutrition, sleep, and patience. Excluding all that (ha, ha), I think she had a really great time playing and celebrating her first birthday with all her friends and family, and I mean virtually ALL. About 50 people came in total. We had Great Great Grandmas, Great Great Aunts, Great Grandparents, Great Aunts and Uncles, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and tons of friends in attendance. Thanks to everyone who came and made this day so special for Kate. Here are a few pics of the day's events, I tried to pick ones where Kate was smiling! :)

Thanks Ms. Elaine for making such a beautiful cake!

Kate's smash cake.

Kate opening her presents.

Ella helping Kate open her presents. What are friends for?

Kate really didn't smash her smash cake but she did manage to spit what little she ate all over the place!

Happy Birthday Kate!

This Time Last Year...

2008-09-09T22:48:00.002-04:00

Ok, maybe not this exact time last year (I'm a little behind in my postings) but close enough, I was at the hospital anticipating the arrival of our precious little girl.

The being sent home twice, having crazy contractions for three days, J telling every janitor and stranger he saw in the hospital hallway that "I" wanted an epidural, and Dr. Nader laughing at J as he dropped my very numb leg after every push was all well worth the wonderful and amazing gift we received in Kate that day.

I remember looking at her in total amazement. Who in their right mind could go through this experience and not believe there is a God? One moment it's J, Dr. Nader, the nurse and I and in the next moment it's J, Dr. Nader, the nurse, myself and this new, perfect, living, breathing, awesome being. I remember thinking that she looked just like J and not believing how heavy she felt the first time I held her!

8 lbs 6 oz, ten fingers, ten toes, and a head full of black curly hair! She had a timid little cry, a fierce appetite, and a whole waiting room (literally) full of friends and family that couldn't wait to take pictures, hold, and love on her.

24 hours and 30 minutes later we were on our way home to begin the journey of parenthood.

Man, where did the year go? Time flies when you're having fun!

Who Taught Her THAT?

2008-08-30T10:53:00.003-04:00

Ok, so J and I were riding down the road the other day and I did one of my quick, out of the corner of my eye checks on why Kate was being so quiet and this is what I caught her doing...

Kids say and do some of the darnedest things! Now, all I want to know is WHO taught her THAT? Any takers? I'm sure no one will be taking credit any time soon :)

Kate's 1st Birthday Present

2008-08-23T11:30:00.005-04:00

Over the past few weeks I have really put a lot of thought into what J and I would like to give Kate for her very first birthday. I thought about getting her a big girl car seat (she already has one but needs another for Dad's vehicle), but that's too boring. I thought about a wagon, blocks, balls, or bath tub toys but then decided those were better ideas for other family members to get her. So, after a little discussing, J conceded to my idea of getting her ears pierced! What else could a girl want?

I called around to different shops all morning long and couldn't find anyone who had two qualified people working so that they could pierce both ears at the same time. Finally, one shop offered to call the owner in to assist one of the ladies that was already there and do it for me. So, off we went (Aunt Erica and Ella came along too so that they could take pictures for us)! When we got there Kate was taking it all in.

She didn't like it so much when the ladies marked her ears. I'm sure it feels a little funny letting someone write on your earlobe with a marker!

But, they got them marked. We checked and rechecked that they were even and then 1, 2......3!

Her ears were pierced!

She cried for half a minute, literally.

I gave her a few puffs.

And everything was better! What a pretty little girl! Oh, the things we do for beauty.

Hide and Seek

2008-08-20T16:06:00.012-04:00

This morning Kate woke up happy and ready to play. It was all I could do to get her to drink her bottle and eat a cereal bar before she was crawling under the sheets on my bed, chasing Trip from one corner to the next, and giving him "kisses" that look much more like a bite than a sweet little peck. Next, I was her entertainment. We spent 5 to 10 minutes pulling the covers over our heads and laughing when she pulled them off. Although I love playing with Kate and could have kept playing that silly game for an hour the fun had to be put on pause so that I could get ready for the day. I put Kate down on the floor so she could do her regular exploring around the bathroom and bedroom (you know, pulling all the toilet paper rolls out of the drawer, finding Daddy's Scope and carrying it around, standing on the scale so she can try to climb into the tub, etc.) while I showered and dried my hair. After a few moments of unusual quietness I noticed Kate wasn't in my immediate view so I started to look for her. Little did I know that she was still playing... I checked the closet, no Kate, I walked back through the bathroom, no Kate, glanced around the bedroom on both mine and J's side, no Kate, quickly checked under the high chair (she loves sitting under there for some reason), no Kate, by the dog bowl, no Kate, in the laundry room, no Kate...ok, you get the picture, I'm getting a little freaked out by now. I hear a little squeal from my bedroom and then a thump. I turn the corner and here is what I saw...

A foot and a hand sticking out from UNDER the middle of my bed! When I bent down to let her know that she had been found I realized that she had found something of her own while she was under there.

Chapstick! There is no telling how long it has been there (Trip probably stashed it away after going through my purse one day!). How gross! And of course it's in her mouth! After I quickly confiscated the "treasure" she had found Kate decided the game was over and unveiled how she got into her little hiding spot.

Laying flat on her belly, head turned sideways (bobbing up and down a little, hence the "thump" I heard earlier) she wormed her way under the foot railing back out into the open.

She ended the game with a smile. Almost as if to say..."Hey mom! What took you so long? I thought you were never going to find me." And that was our first official game of hide-and-seek!

Our Little China Doll

2008-08-16T12:26:00.008-04:00

In honor of the Olympics (and because she finally grew into it) Kate wore her silk outfit from China this week. J bought her the outfit when he went on a business trip to Shanghai in early April.

The outfit was so soft and comfy that she thought she was in her pajamas all day! All she wanted to do was pull books off the shelves, curl up in my lap, and listen to stories. I love these kind of days!

Are We Having Fun Yet?

2008-08-12T18:39:00.010-04:00

Today Kate, Ella, Erica (Aunt Erica to Kate), and I drove all the way up to Toco Hills to play at Gymboree. The girls had so much fun climbing, singing, dancing, and soooo much more! Here are the pictures to prove it, hope you enjoy!

If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em

2008-08-07T15:55:00.002-04:00

I can't believe that I am going to do this but like the title says... if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!