Trip Down Memory Lane

I was recently looking at some baby pictures of Jake and thought how much he has changed from that chubby baby to my big boy! Thought we should see a Christmas picture from each year.

Aquarium Trip

I know its awful I have never taken my kids to this amazing Aquarium we have in Atlanta. I believe its the biggest in the country. Well Brian took the week off for the most part and we thought the Aquarium would be a great way to spend the day.


I must say the fascination kids have with fish and water is fun to watch. Julianna just stared at the exhibits and Jake ran from window to window always saying "what's next?" They were so good and enjoyed looking at all the different colored fish. They touched anything the caretakers would allow...lots of things I might not touch myself. But they loved it!


We finished the outing off with the new dolphin exhibit. Now, never in a million years did I think our "spirited" Julianna would sit through this show. I was hesitant to buy the tickets but Brian insisted. I constantly underestimate my kids. Once the show star neither child moved, I am pretty sure they were breathing but they were completely captivated. I was amazed and thrilled that I could actually enjoy the show too!


I can't wait to go back! I really want to take Julianna by herself. She was so content to just look at the fish. Needless to say on the way out we upgraded our tickets to passes!

Christmas 2011

Christmas was amazing this year! It is so much fun now that Jake "gets it." A couple weeks ago our Elf on the Shelf joined us. I told Jake we needed to name our elf and he looked at Julianna's hair bow and said "how about Bow?" Brian was thrilled thinking it was for Bo Jackson...not so much. So, Bow it was and every morning the first thing out of their mouths was "where's Bow?" Bow has gone back to the North Pole and they still ask about him. I for one am glad, it was tough to remind Bow to find a new perch every evening.

I did my annual cookie bake again this year. I made 7 different kinds of cookies and passed them out to friend and teachers. Jake helped quite a bit and was very proud to decorate the sugar cookies...yes LOTS of colored sugar on top (and all over the floor) but who cares? It's Christmas!


Finally Christmas Eve rolled around (Jake asked every day if it was Christmas morning). We had a quiet day and then went to church. We go to the kids service so we aren't a disturbance. They enjoyed the music and standing up to sing songs. I tried to get a cute picture of the two of them when we got home. I try to do that alot...works about 10% of the time.


I was expecting a 5am wake up call but our kids (unfortunately thanks to some very runny noses) slept until after 7:00! I actually had to wake Julianna up because there was no stopping Jake. Santa came and brought Jake new drums (yes Brian and I are crazy for allowing Santa to do this) and Julianna a kitchen.




We spent the morning opening the mountain of presents under our tree (I tend to go overboard and this year was no exception!). Jake and Julianna LOVE to Skype so both sets of grandparents got to see them open their gifts. Such fun to watch the kids show off their presents. My mom likes to send some funny gifts so she bought some Christmas marshmallows. Wouldn't you know Julianna's favorite things that morning were her very own Cinderella Tervis tumbler and the bag of marshmallows.


Over the years we have started new traditions. Brian started cooking this unbelieveable breakfast...Captain Crunch French Toast (courtesy of his favorite show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives). And this year we decided to go out for Christmas dinner. Yes, I thought it was a little sinful but secretly was thrilled! No dishes to clean or pots to put away. There was already plenty of mess in the house! We went to this fabulous little Italian place and let me tell you were not the only ones to buck tradition!

What a wonderful Christmas we had this year! We are truly blessed to have Jake and Julianna (not to mention our newest addition coming in March). They give us so much joy and happiness! I hope that all of you had a very Merry Christmas and have a safe and Happy New Year!

Christmas Fun

It has definitely been an eventful week for us. We stayed home this year for Thanksgiving and Brian cooked a delicious Thanksgiving feast...I just had to bake the pies! On Friday my brother flew in to see the kids and go to the Auburn game. Jake and Julianna showed him our new house and their new swing set. They loved playing with Uncle Johnny.


Tuesday Jake finally talked me into getting the Christmas stuff out and decorate the house. Brian got a Santa snuggie last year as a gag gift and Jake and Julianna tried it on. Jake thought it was hilarious. He was very excited to get out house ready for Santa. When we were finished he proclaimed our house to be "beautiful." We just needed to get a tree.


So off to Home Depot we went. I know we should get an artificial tree (more economical) but I just love the smell of a fresh Christmas tree. It just fills up the house. Of course its hard for a 3 year old to wait a whole day before getting to put ornaments on the tree. So Wednesday we spent the evening trimming the tree. The kids loved to grab ornaments and take them to the tree for Daddy to hang. They had a great time.


Today was a big day! We got to see Santa at the mall. Yes I am one of those crazy moms who makes an appointment (in October!) to see Santa. But it is very organized and the wait is maybe 5-10 minutes. Just seems the way to go. Jake is finally old enough to "get it." He tells me all about Santa and his reindeer. Multiple times he has told me that I need to clean the chimney so Santa doesn't get dirty.


When we arrived at the mall Jake made his Christmas list to show Santa and patiently waited to sit on Santa's knee. He hopped right up there. Julianna was not as thrilled to be there but at least there were no tears this year. On the way out they were each given a candy cane. Julianna gobbled hers down of course.


It has been a great start to our holiday season. I can't wait for Christmas morning this year!

Auburn Homecoming

Saturday we took our annual trip to Auburn for the Homecoming game. After a little shopping at the bookstore we went downtown and grabbed some lunch. We stopped in front of Samford Hall for our Christmas picture and Jake and Julianna ran around for a while.


We made the long trek up to our seats (yes they are in the upper deck). Jake loved the band and telling me how to spell Auburn. Once the game started Julianna perked up and clapped right on cue. Everytime Auburn did something good she clapped, it was very cute. They made it through the whole game with the help of a big box of M&M's, a bag of popcorn and a 3rd quarter nap by Julianna.


Brendan showed up at halftime with his Daddy. He definitely entertained Jake for the rest of the game. They had a great time watching the game and playing in the stands.


On our way out we walked through Toomer's Corner and found a roll of toilet paper. Jake needed to learn that tradition this year. Hopefully our trees will still be there when Jake is there!

Swing Set

Christmas came a little early for Jake and Julianna this year. We got a swing set in our backyard. Jake was VERY excited about being able to play outside. The swing set was delivered on Tuesday and of course took forever to assemble! The man, as Jake called him, was out there all day. Jake pulled a chair up to the window and watched him work. About every 30 minutes or so he would tell me "I think the man is finished."


At about 4:30 he was indeed finished. Kids were playing by 4:35 about 4:50 it started raining and rained for the 24 hours! Figures right? But they both love the swing set. Jake says his favorite part is the slide and the telescope. Julianna likes the swings I think.


So we look forward to many years of playing outside and enjoying the swing set!

Halloween

Well we have had a very eventful couple of weeks. I have volunteered a couple times at Jake's preschool and took some pictures. The school provided a petting zoo for the children and it was a HUGE success! Some kids were a little scared at first (yes, that would be Jake) but then they started chasing chickens and holding bunnies. It was so much fun to watch. I also helped with the Halloween party for Jake's class. He was Spiderman just like Mason and he was so excited Mommy was there. He kept waving at me. So much fun to visit his class and see all they do.


Two weekends ago Brian took the kids to his sisters house for their annual trip to the pumpkin patch. So nice for me to have a relaxing weekend off. Jake loves John Payne and was so excited to spend the weekend with him.


Next Jake had his final soccer practice. I was allowed to attend and take a few pictures. Jake and Matty were very excited and proud when they were given a medal. They learned a bunch of drills including red light/green light...which Jake definitely has down! I think he is ready for next fall and some actual games.


On to Halloween...sorry there is a lot but its been a while since I posted. We took the kids to Trunk or Treat at our church. We ate dinner and Jake did the cake walk (and won his first try!). So he and his friends enjoyed his cupcake winnings. Then we were off to "trunk" or treat. It took Julianna a few trunks but then she got a sucker and it clicked. She would just stand there and hold out her little bag. After she got a piece she would keep standing there and give them a smile. Of course she is too cute to resist so they would give her another piece!


Brian and the kids carved pumpkins on Sunday. He is actually very good at it...which is great because its not my favorite thing. I like to take the pictures. All Jake wanted was a smiling face. And Brian gave him just that! He was thrilled.


The next night we were off to trick or treat. I figured we would do 4 or 5 houses and go hand out candy. NO WAY! I made the mistake of telling Jake we had to go to houses with lights on...which meant EVERY house that had a light on. Julianna hung in there and they made quite a haul. One house gave out juice boxes...which I thought was the BEST idea!


All in all we have had a great past two weeks. I hope you all had a wonderful Halloween!

New Video

Jake and Julianna love to sing songs so I thought I would upload a few. They LOVED singing for the camera so we recorded more than I intended. But they are so cute I can't resist sharing them all. Click over on the You Tube videos to watch more.

Popcorn, Pigtails & Pumpkins

I haven't posted in a while but things have been pretty boring around here. Two weeks ago we cheered on the Tigers against South Carolina. Brian made the kids popcorn (yes it was totally a distraction so we could watch the game). They loved it! When that ran out we opened the doors and windows and the kids played on the deck. It was so nice enjoying the fall weather.


It has finally happened! After more than 19 months of waiting I finally can get those crazy curls on Julianna's head up in a pigtail. Just one on the side of her head. It's so cute! She doesn't like when I am putting it up but the hair stay out of her face so she's okay with it.


Sunday we went to pick out pumpkins. Julianna was all over the place trying to pick up pumpkins bigger than she is. She tries to say pumpkin but it doesn't work out for her so she just points and smiles. I can't wait for Halloween to carve the pumpkins. Looks like after much thought and careful consideration (between Spiderman and Woody) Jake decided he will be Woody and Julianna will be Jessie. So tune in later for those pictures! Should be interesting.

Soccer Practice

Jake started soccer this fall. He and his friend Matty are playing in an instructional league. They are just learning the basics...no games yet. Last Sunday we all went off to the soccer fields for our very first athletic event. Jake waited patiently in line for his official jersey. Then they all ran for soccer balls. That was funny!


The boys learned to dribble across the field and I have to say Jake was much better than I thought. He did kind of criss-crossed the field but he kept the ball in front of him and kept going. I guess he knew what he was doing.


We will see how next week goes.

Kimsey Grace Turns 1

Two weekends ago we went to Hartwell for Kimsey Grace's first birthday party. Jake and Julianna had so much fun! There was a waterslide and snacks and of course cake. Lots of other kids came to play too. Jake ran around and got in and out of the pool.


Kimsey Grace cried when Anna brought the cake out but after tasting a little icing she calmed down and realized what she was getting. She was too cute!


We had a great time! Can't wait to go back again soon!

Jake's 1st Day of School

Today Jake went to his first day of school. He is in his second year at Smyrna 1st UMC preschool and is a Chimp this year. We have been talking all summer about his teachers Ms. Susan and Ms. Debbie. All week he has been so excited to go to school. Then this morning Brian said its a school day and he said "I'm not going!"


So I prepared myself for tears and screams when he got out. But he hopped out of the car and said "Bye Mommy." When I picked him up he was all smiles and said he had such a great day in chimp class. He said he made new friends and sat by Alaina but Jack wasn't there...which is odd since I saw his mom in the carpool line. Jake might need a refresher on names.

Aunt Carla's Wedding

This weekend we drove to Sandersville for Aunt Carla's wedding. What an event for my crew. Brian had duties in the wedding. So I was in charge of my two kids...which on a normal day is fine.



Well Jake wasn't feeling well and got sick. After washing his clothes and getting dressed for the second time, we went outside for the ceremony. They were pretty good until Brian started walking his grandmother in and they started getting antsy. Then he started walking his mom followed by Chuck down the aisle and Julianna screamed "HEY PAPA!!!" It was cute but Jake followed it up with "this party is OVER!" And so I hightailed it inside and watched the ceremony from the porch. But such is life with two kids. What I saw of the wedding was beautiful and I got a few pictures before the ceremony.

Summer Fun

Summer is winding down and I haven't posted in a while. Julianna started her PMO program at our church last week. Jake has a couple weeks before he starts so we have been doing fun stuff. Today we went to the zoo, just the two of us. We rode the train and carousel and saw lots of animals. I told him on the way out "Jake, I had so much fun with you today." He replied "Sure you did Mommy." It was too cute!


We have had lots of visitors the past month. Nana and Papa came to see us. Brian hooked up the sprinkler and the kids had a ball. Julianna had her first BIG donut too. I guess I usually just give her munchkins. Needless to say she loved it. I took video of her eating it. She was so funny licking her fingers but of course wouldn't do it for the camera. I put two new videos up on the You Tube site so check that out.


My mom came to visit last weekend. We had a big weekend of fun. We went to Brendan's birthday party and Jake and Julianna had the best time! They had a scavenger hunt and an obstacle course. They even went with the Spy theme and had the kids fingerprinted. It was great.


So the busy summer is coming to a close and I am sure an even busier fall will be starting. Hope you all had a great summer and check back for more updates!

A Visit from the Sewell Family

John Payne came to see us! He brought along Kimsey Grace and his parents too. All day Friday it was John Payne this and John Payne that. Jake was so excited to see his cousin! When I went to get him after his nap he said "Mommy I didn't take a nap I watched out the window for John Payne's car." Now I don't think that was really true but it was sweet.


The weekend did not disappoint. There was lots of running, playing, eating, swimming and even a little tree climbing. Julianna tried to keep up with the big boys but Jake and John Payne ran circle around the girls. They did occasionally stop for hugs, they are very sweet to their sisters. Jake was so sad to see his cousins go home on Sunday morning.


Come back soon!

Beach Trip

Last week was our annual beach vacation. We went to Amelia Island with the Brownings. Two 3 year olds and a 16 month old doesn't really make for a relaxing vacation. But we had tons of fun watching our little ones run on the beach and jump the waves.


We did all kinds of fun things. We took a ferry boat to a seafood restaurant. The boys loved the big boat. Leslie and I took the kids to play Putt Putt. I thought they would just hit the ball around but Jake kept asking me if his hands were right. Geez. We had to go back the next day with the Daddies for a little more instruction.


Leslie was creative and made a fun sand pail dessert. It was sooo good and the boys loved "helping" make it. Julianna just loved eating it.

Most days we just played on the beach. Julianna didn't really like it at first but the water warmed up and by the end of the week she was fearless. She and Jake would just run for the water.


The last night each family had a photo shoot. I took the Browning's pictures and they were great! I was so excited to take our family shot. Wow, two kids is WAY more difficult to photograph! Oh well who cares about a perfect picture...it was a great vacation!