Summer fun with Jake....

There is nothing like having a toddler around to make you remember how much fun summer can be if you just take the time to enjoy it. We're having a blast with our little man and enjoying every precious moment.

He's recently become enamored with hugging which for his Daddy and I is like having lots of little unexpected gifts throughout our day. Several times a day he'll stop whatever he's doing and come running up to one of us and say "hug" and then give us the sweetest little hug. He'll also bring us one of his stuffed animals to hug and then he'll hug it too.

No really Mama... I don't need a nap... I'm wide awake...


We had a fun afternoon with family yesterday. Our washing machine is on its last legs so my Daddy and Mama came down so Daddy could work on it for us. He drove his van so he would have all of his parts and tools accessible and Jake loved "driving" the "truck" with Papaw... especially when Daddy made "truck" sounds. My brother and sister-in-law and their three kids were also down doing a little shopping and they stopped by too which was a very nice surprise. We got takeout from a famous BBQ restaurant... blueberry chipolte ribs which were amazing and the most delicious corn pudding you can imagine. The restaurant has been featured in Southern Living and on Good Morning America and also enjoyed a visit from President Obama when he was in town during his campaign. They are only open for lunch and there is always a line out the door but it is totally worth the wait.

I love driving Papaw's "truck"!


Jake is really enjoying his ride-on toys now. We've pushed him around on them for months but he finally decided to take off on his own. He has a Clifford the Big Red Dog (a hand-me-down gift that he absolutely loves) to ride on upstairs and his big Tonka truck to ride on downstairs and outside. Every night after his bath but before he gets his diaper and pajamas on he has to take Clifford for a spin and it's just so adorable that I've had to snap a few pictures. The one below is one of my favorites because it's a tiny mirror image of how his Daddy looks from behind sitting on his Harley (but of course his Daddy has on clothes... LOL).

How do you like my new ride?


We're trying to incorporate some arts and crafts into our routine. Jake has enjoyed crayons and pens for a few months and we've now added paint to the mix. We've finger painted a few times and this past Friday we did rock painting which was fun.

This is my first rock painting...

Look out Mama...

We're starting to enjoy our homegrown tomatoes and boy are they yummy! Jake has picked one cherry tomato which he ate and two nice big tomatoes which he allowed his Daddy and I to share. There is nothing like the first homegrown tomato sandwich of the year!

Check out the tomato that I helped grow.

I can pick this one since its red.

Soon to be displayed at a fingerpaint gallery near you...

Happy 17 Month Birthday to Me!!!

Getting ready to create another masterpiece...

When I need to relax I just do a little yoga. Here I'm doing my favorite position... "Downward Facing Dog".

I think I'll give this to Mama.

Daddy... check out this great rock!

Ta da!

Running is so much fun!

For the 4th of July we enjoyed a cookout at Mamaw and Papaw's house with Uncle Russell, Aunt Kristi, Gage, Katie and Abbie. It was a great day! It's really important to me that Jake have the same kind of wonderful childhood memories that I have so we're trying to start traditions that we'll carry on throughout his life. You may remember that I made him an Easter Bunny cake for Easter this year (just like the one's that my Mama used to make for my brother Russell and I when we were little). Well ... I decided to take a stab at a flag cake for the 4th of July and I have to say it turned out great. It was really pretty and tasted fantastic (if I do say so myself). It was an endeavor since it was made completely from scratch but thanks to Barefoot Contessa's great recipe I was able to pull it off. It was a huge hit and will definitely be one of our family traditions.

We also picked up a fantastic hand-me-down kitchen that was Abbie's when she was little. I think you all know that Trip is the cook in our house (yep... I'm a very lucky woman) and now Jake "cooks" while Daddy cooks and its so cute!

Papaw this tractor is awesome!

My very first watermelon and it is yummy!

Katie ... can I have some of your watermelon now?

Gage ... do you want to play in my new kitchen?

Uncle Russell and Abbie took me for a ride on the "cycle".

Check out Mama's pretty flag cake...

On the really hot days we've let Jake enjoy a little pool time. He has two pool options and he loves them both. One option (shown below) is just a basic pool but the other has water spouts that shoot up all over the place (thank you Grandma). Jake loves both and I need to get some snapshots of the water spout pool or maybe even video because he just giggles when he plays in it.

Splash!

Splashing is so much fun!!!!

Do you want to come play in my hippo pool?

Trip taught Jake how to eat an apple recently and Jake was just fascinated with the whole process.

Wow... did I do that?

Okay... I think this is what Daddy did...

Grandma & Grandpa Came for a Visit...

We had such a great weekend! Grandma and Grandpa came for a visit and we attended a family wedding on the Cherokee Indian Reservation. We also got in a lot of relaxing porch time and a couple of nice hikes. Lots of fun pictures to share so enjoy.

What do you mean Grandma & Grandpa are leaving?

That's a good one Grandpa!

This is my Daddy and his Mama... my Grandma!

You did it Grandma... 3.2 miles and two waterfalls!

Watch this splash Grandma!

Daddy can we go all the way to the top?

What a beautiful day for a hike!

Wow this water is cold!

Come on Grandma & Grandpa... we're almost there!

I took my family on a great hike!

I love this book you got for me Grandpa!

Whew... what a day! I'm tired!

Play it again Grandpa!

Grandma and I love to dance together!

We can't pick them until they turn red Grandma.

I'm so happy that you came to my house Grandma!

Grandma... this is my sand & water table that you've

heard so much about on my blog.

I love my Mama and she loves me!

Really Grandma... I saw that duck go right over this bank into the water.

Hey... where did that duck go?

Come on Daddy... I think we can catch them!

Grandma's brother and his new wife...

This is my Grandma & Grandpa...

My very first time wading in the river...

What a sweet wedding...

This new Aquadoodle is awesome Mama!

Happy Father's Day!

We enjoyed a very nice Father's Day with Jake. Trip is a wonderful father and Jake is lucky to have him. I fall in love with Trip all over again every day watching him with our son. I love to listen to him give Jake his bath at night because the giggles coming from the bathroom always make me smile and remind me how grateful I am to be married to such a kind man. I wouldn't want to raise this amazing little boy with anyone else. It's really an incredible blessing to share this beautiful child with Trip.

We had a Father's Day brunch at Mamaw & Papaw's house (and I must say that I have a really wonderful Daddy too) and then we went for a nice hike in the afternoon after a little relaxing in front of the TV (watching the US Open coverage).

Happy Father's Day Daddy!

It was a really good day Daddy!

Three Daddy's and their babies. I'm the short one.

Jake spent Saturday at Mamaw & Papaw's house too. Trip and I needed a day to do some work around the house and Mamaw & Papaw were very happy to babysit. On the way back to pick him up we saw a turtle in the middle of the road and stopped to save it. Trip decided we should take it with us and show it to Jake because it's one of the words he can say and read. Well... Trip was right... it was a great idea because Jake LOVED that turtle! He cried and cried when we set it free.

What do you mean I can't keep it!?!?


Jake is continuing to enjoy his sand & water table and has even had some of the neighborhood kids playing in it with him. He also decided last night that it was officially time to taste the sand so he got himself a big ol' shovel full and then made the funniest face. He also loves Trip's ipod and he'll ask for it then carry it around saying "music, music". Occasionally, he will lift one of the ear buds up to his ear and listen for a little while.

Yuck... sand does not taste like chicken!

Getting ready to listen to some tunes before I

take the car for a spin...

I like playing with my new friends.

Our cat, Circles, is 17 years old and we were concerned about how he would adjust to having Jake in the house but he has been wonderful and Jake adores him. You may remember the video we shared where Jake was chasing Circles around the house... well he does that pretty much every day and Circles just hangs right in there and never gets upset. We've been teaching Jake that he needs to leave Circles alone when he's eating and he is really doing better about just standing beside him while he eats instead of trying to pet him.

Mama... I'm not touching him but I'm ready as soon

as he gets finished eating okay?

In my last post, I mentioned that Jake had a few kitchen cabinets that he can explore... well... let's just say that we're thinking about adding a lock to one of the cabinets now.

This is so fun! Why didn't I do this sooner?

Was I not supposed to do that Mama?

Jake and I were watching Trip wash his state car last night and Jake started "jumping" which was so adorable we had to get a short video to share... enjoy...

Jump... jump... jump...

More to come next week. Grandma and Grandpa are coming for a visit and we're also attending a wedding so I'm hoping to get some good pictures to share.