We wish you a Merry Christmas...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

This has been the fastest holiday season ever for me.  I think it has something to do with being involved from a retail perspective.  Jake is really excited about Christmas this year.  He loves all the decorations and lights.  He's starting to understand the idea of Santa and he's singing all kinds of Christmas carols.  You won't be shocked to hear that he is really loving the whole idea of presents too.  I can not wait to see his little face on Christmas morning this year. 

Getting the Christmas tree up this year was quite the adventure.  When we moved into this rental house I didn't think that we would be here at Christmas.  I guess I was overly optimistic about how quickly we would get our house on the market in Asheville and how quickly it would sell.  That being the case... I didn't stage the Christmas decorations in our storage room so I had to turn it upside down and stand on my head trying to find them after Thanksgiving.  Jake "helped" me dig everything out and then he "helped" me put the ornaments on the tree.  He has redecorated the bottom half of the tree several times too.  Luckily only two ornaments have been causalities of his redecorating. 

Jake is quite the little helper and he has even been shoveling snow with his Daddy.  I have to get some pictures to share at some point or maybe a video would be even better because it is adorable.  We've already had almost two feet of snow this year and it isn't even officially winter yet so there has been plenty of snow to shovel and when Jake comes back inside from helping his Daddy shovel he'll say ... "Mama... we did some real hard work out there!". 

We've enjoyed a few holiday activities already including Jake's daycare party.  It was fun to get to know the other families better and to watch the kids give a little Christmas program.  Jake had so much fun that he keeps asking if we can go to another party.  Last night we did some Christmas shopping and drove Jake through a really pretty Christmas light display at on of the nice resorts up here and he loved it.  This morning we went to the Christmas parade downtown before doing some more Christmas shopping and tomorrow we're finishing up our shopping then going to see Santa.  I'm hoping that we'll be able to get a good Santa photo but we'll have to wait and see.  He's very excited but he's a little leery of new people right now so it could go either way.  I have to add that I'm blessed to have Trip as a husband because he's been a trooper tagging along for the shopping and wrangling Jake to keep him out of trouble while I checked things off our list.  I sometimes see Mom's out trying to shop with their kids in tow and I have no idea how they do it which is just another reason that I'm thankful for my husband.

Jake's Grandma is coming later this week along with his Uncle Paul and his family and we're all looking forward to seeing them but Jake is especially excited that his Grandma is coming.  In fact... we have a countdown going as you'll see in one of the videos below.

I have to share one more thing and then I'll be back sometime following Christmas for my next update.  Today I said ... "I love you Jake" and he said... "I love you Mama... I love you always and always".  He is truly a gift and having my own child has made me even further understand the sacrifice that our Lord made for us.  On Christmas and every day I'll be thinking about how he gave his only son for us and I'll be thanking him for that amazing gift as well as the one he gave Trip and I almost 3 years ago.

I hope you and your families have a very Merry Christmas!

This Christmas parade is really cool Daddy!

Grandma is coming...

Happy 34-Month B-Day to Me!

These are my buddies and my teacher from school...

Mama... I think this one will look good right here...

Here's a preview of part of our Christmas card...

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas....

I'm painting Mama!

Message from Santa

Jake received a very special message from Santa tonight and I thought it would be fun to share it so follow the link below to see what Santa had to say...

http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/guest/IS4aiPIA58-7v7mE5CPFWQ

Happy Thanksgiving!

We have so many blessings to be grateful for and Jake is at the very top of the list.  We've had a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by family and entirely too much food.  Unfortunately, we didn't get to see all of our loved ones today so Jake made a little something special for those that couldn't be with us...

Lions, footballs and "punkins" oh my!

Our little boy is growing up and it's difficult to imagine how we managed to live without him.  I absolutely love my job and I'm so grateful to have found it but I literally cannot wait to get home at the end of the day to see Jake's smiling face.  I wasn't feeling well a couple of weeks ago and Jake knew it so first thing one morning he asked if I was still sick.  I told him that I was and he gave me a big hug and a kiss and said... "Bless your heart Mama".  I couldn't help but smile.

Jake is still enjoying the ASU football games.  In fact... we can't tell him that we're going to a game until we're in the parking lot ready to walk in because if we do he gets so excited he can't take a nap. Some friends came up for a game a couple of weeks ago and Jake showed us that he would have made a great "big brother".  Kruz is only 1 1/2 and he has just started walking so he's still wobbly.  He was wobbling over into traffic and Jake saw it before anyone else did so he ran over and got in between Kruz and the crowd walking straight toward him and held out his arms to protect him.  It was just so precious.  Trip and I wish that we hadn't waited so late in life to have a child because we would love to give Jake a baby brother or sister but at our age the risks are too great so we'll count our incredible blessings and be the best parents we can be to our little man.  If we were going to only have one child... God gave us the perfect one.  He's all we ever hoped for and so much more.



We got to take Jake to his very first Circus last month.  That's the great thing about living so close to a university.... there's always something going on and we're always on the look out for things that Jake might enjoy.  It was a really good circus and we really enjoyed seeing it through Jake's eyes.  Children have a way of making you appreciate things in a whole new way.  They had lions, tigers and elephants plus great clowns and amazing acrobats and Jake had a blast!  On the way home he asked when we could go again.

We really had some good old-fashioned fun at the Punkin Festival this year.  We carved a pumpkin and played games like pumpkin bowling, ring toss and fishing just to name a few.  Jake really wanted to try the sack race but we convinced him to wait until next year so that we can practice a little bit.

We're looking forward to Thanksgiving next week.  Jake is old enough to enjoy the parades now so I'm really looking forward to watching those with him this year.  I thank God every day for my precious child and my amazing husband.... for a wonderful family and great friends... for a fantastic job and a beautiful place to live.  I could go on and on and I'm forever grateful.  I was just thinking about Thanksgiving just a few short years ago when Trip and I were trying to get pregnant and we got the wish bone from the turkey.  We were both wishing for the same thing and just praying that God would bless us by giving us a child.  The next Thanksgiving I was very pregnant and got choked up during our prayer when it was mentioned that we were grateful that there would be a high chair at our table the next year.  The blessing of Jake is a never ending gift and I'll be thinking of that again this Thanksgiving and every one thereafter.

Happy 33 Month Birthday to Me!

I can do it Daddy... watch me...

Our first snowfall this winter.... yippppeee!

This snow is crunchy...

Trick or Treat Papaw...

Go Appalachian!!!!

I hear the bell Daddy and that means 3rd down....

Hanging out with my little buddy Kruz at the big game...

Look Daddy... I found my favorite letter.... Y!

Waiting on the circus to start with my Mama....

Do you want to share my popcorn Pooh?

Look Mama .... it's my favorite number.... 10!

I got a Harley Davidson motorcycle just like my Daddy...

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.............

(if you've seen the GEICO commercial you'll understand)

Can you show me how to play that game Daddy?

I'm pretty good at this pumpkin bowling...

I'm having lots of fun at the Punkin Festival Mama!

Mama says that I'm her little punkin....

I see you Daddy....

Hold it still Daddy and I'll finish carving our spider...

I think you need to do a little more work right here...

Another beautiful fall day and I'm ready for fun with my Daddy...

This new reciprocating saw is awesome!

Fall is in the air...

I really enjoy all four seasons and I'm thankful to live in place where I get to experience all of them in their full glory but fall is my favorite time of year.  I love the gorgeous colors that God paints through the trees each year.  I love that there is just enough nip in the air at night to justify a fire in the fireplace.  I love sweaters and boots, fall festivals and Appalachian football games.

Jake is such a precious little old soul.  Sometimes he really amazes us with the things he says at the most unexpected moments.  We were leaving our house last night and as we started driving down the mountain there was the most beautiful sunset.  Jake asked his Daddy what those beautiful colors were in the sky and Trip told him that it was a sunset and that God made it.  Jake said... "Daddy, did God make it for me?" and Trip told him that yes God made it for him.  Jake smiled the biggest smile and said ... "Thank you God".  I looked at Trip with tears in my eyes and quietly whispered... "yes.... thank you God... for Jake".

I never fall asleep before Jake but I was really tired last night and was out as soon as we finished prayers.  I hadn't been asleep long when I heard a sweet little voice whispering... "wake up Mama... I need to snuggle".  Trip and I are so blessed by this child and we are eternally grateful to God for giving him to us.   I was reminded this weekend of just how precious life is and that we can't take a single moment for granted.  A high school friend lost her only son and my heart is broken for her.  I held Jake a little tighter after hearing the news and prayed for God to help her and her family get through this unfathomable tragedy.  Thanks be to God for every moment with our loved one's and let us never forget to hold on tight and take advantage of every opportunity to be together.

We are really enjoying our first fall back in the High Country.  The past few weeks have been filled with family, friends, festivals and football.  Jake is really loving football right now so Appalachian games are a big hit.  He cheers and listens to what we're saying so he can yell out just the right thing.  All the people who have been seated near us at each game have been very entertained and impressed with our little football fan.  He is all about his cousin Gage right now and absolutely loves going to watch him play quarterback for his high school football team.  Gage is number 10 so that has become Jake's favorite number.  He wants to play football all the time at home and he's always #10 and sometimes he pretends to be Gage too.  He'll say ... "I'm Gage... so call me Gage".  He's learned to punt the ball (Gage taught him) and he loves to pretend to put on his football pads before we play each night.  The ASU game was a night game this past weekend and we hung around after the game so Jake could hear the band and then we went down on the field and let him run around while they were cleaning up.  He had a blast!  His little face was actually beaming as he ran all over that field pretending to run touchdowns and make passes.  He noticed that there were two little boys that had brought a football with them to play with on the field so we had to promise to bring his little football to the next game.

We went to a real old-fashioned harvest festival here last Saturday.  It was really great and just reinforced for me that this is "the" place to raise a child.  We followed the recommendation of my co-workers and got there early... much to Jake's shagrin (see picture below).  We ran into many of our new friends and neighbors and enjoyed a homemade fried apple pie to kick-off the morning.  We watched as members of the community made fresh apple butter and cider.  We perused art & craft tents filled with beautiful handmade treasures, listened to bluegrass, watched cloggers (Jake's favorite thing) and enjoyed a nice hot bowl of Brunswick stew.  The weather was perfect!  The sky could not have been any bluer and the leaves were beautiful!  We were even lucky enough to get a family picture.  I was taking pictures of Jake and Trip and a nice gentleman asked if I would like for him to take one of all us.  I just love it when that happens!  Jake had his eyes closed but at least were all three in a picture together.

Our realtor is hosting an open house at our old place this weekend so fingers crossed because we're  really anxious to find our next house and get permanently settled high on this mountain.

Mama said to wave but is that a cheerleader I see over there?

I'm #10 and I'm going for a touchdown!

I could watch these girls dance all day long...

Fall Family Fun!

Mama got a great shot of them making apple butter.

You can even see the steam rising from the copper pot.

My mama loves me so much!

Daddy is my very best friend!

Seriously... you got me up at 7:30am on a Saturday for this?

Happy 32-Month B-Day to Me!

(Grandma made this beautiful sweater for me....

Thanks Grandma!)

Mama loves this tree in the valley...

Mama and I stopped and snapped this shot on the way to school one morning...

Do you like my new shades?

I love to wear Daddy's stuff!

This fire is so warm but Daddy says I can't touch it.

This was a field trip to the apple orchard.  We went to the pumpkin patch too.

I love to draw and I'm learning to write some of my letters.

 Tigger is tired...

I bet you can't guess what I'm going to be for Halloween...

Mama said... "everyone say touchdown"....

This was a little family celebration in honor of my Daddy's birthday and my Aunt Kristi's birthday.

See Daddy... I told you I could wear your golf shoes...

That says Appalachian State...

Go Appalachian!

Daddy ... where did Yosef go?

My very first ASU game and I'm not convinced that it's a good idea yet...

More swimming lessons and I'm getting better and better.

I can do it all by myself!

I'm really getting big!

Happy 31-Month B-Day to Me!

Getting a few swing tips from Daddy...

I like wearing Daddy's golf glove but it's a little too big for me...

Look out ball!  I'm going to hit you out to the numbers.

Fore!

This game is pretty fun!

Grandma got this magna doodle for me to play with in the car...

Yhew!  Aunt Lynne & Uncle Sherrill have a lot of grass to mow...

Uncle Paul, Grandma & Daddy

I'm glad it stopped raining so I can get some yard work done...

Grandma knitted this sweater for me and she put FOOTBALL buttons on it!!

Yummy... cupcakes!

I'm so sleepy....

Hanging out with my cousins...

Bryce... Tyler ... Me and Natalie.

Aunt Lynne & Grandma

I can get undressed all by myself now.

I like to make Mamaw laugh...

Watch me Papaw!

Okay... take the picture Mama...

Here's your change Mamaw.

I love spending time with my Papaw!

This is my friend Kruz...

Saturday morning cartoons...

You're how old?

Happy Birthday Daddy!

I don't know why Daddy wears these glasses.  I can't see a thing!