Lately...in pictures!

 He really enjoys his food!  It's even in his ear!!!  YUCK!

Chloe was excited to finally receive her trophy from her dance recital.  It sits proudly on her nightstand!

Blake worked with Chloe on her swing.  She was pretty good.  She told me that she wants to play t-ball so maybe we will try it out in the Spring.

Today is my 28th birthday...getting on up there in years (YIKES).  Blake took me on a hot date to Hananoki for lunch!  Can you say YUM!  He pretty much had to roll my out of there...I ate entirely too much, but it was delicious!

One of my dear friends, Shelby, dropped by work today to wish me a Happy Birthday.  On top of being an amazing lawyer here in town, she is extremely crafty!  She made me these adorable button earrings!  I think they are 'as cute as a button.'  Thanks Shelby!

Finally, my Mom sent me the most amazing bouquet today at work!  The whole showroom smells delicious!  Thanks Mom! :) 

This past weekend, my Uncle Dave and Aunt Monica visited from New Mexico.  It was such a treat spending some time with them.  I haven't seen them since Blake and I got married in July 2005.  It's been WAY too long.  We had some good family time on Sunday...grilled out and hung out outside!  

Bye Bye!

Chattanooga: Part II

Last weekend, we up and decided to head to Chattanooga.  We went earlier in the summer, but we weren't able to do some of the things that Chloe really wanted to do!  So, Friday night, we packed the car and hit the road.  Saturday morning, we started at the Discovery Museum.  It was great for kids of ALL ages...even Carter was interested! 

 Afterwards, we ate lunch at a burger place called Cheeburger Cheeburger.  YUM!  Chloe's kids meal came out in a car...turns out it was an old school Ford!  Pretty funny!

 The saddest part of our last trip was that we weren't able to ride the Chattanooga Choo-Choo. Well, we took care of that regret this trip!  We took a 6 mile round trip on a real steam engine train!  It was really neat! The kids really enjoyed it too!  

Blake bought Chloe "The Little Engine that Could" & a Thomas the Train coloring book!  She was excited!

We ended the afternoon eating Ben & Jerry's ice cream!  It was a great weekend...I look forward to many more last minute trips like this! 

Counting down to 1...

Lots of happenings around here.  Carter is now 10 months old!  I can't believe that in less than 2 months, he will be 1.

*Finally, teeth  have arrived.  He has 2!
*No more baby food...Carter eats only table food.  He is also getting 1 cup of 2% milk a day..in his sippy cup, of course.
*He is pulling up on everything & crawling so fast I can't keep up.
*He still has a passion for the dog food bowl.  We have to constantly move it to higher ground.
*The new thing he constantly dashes for is the stairs...especially when Chloe is upstairs.  I can't turn around for more than 2 seconds before he is headed straight from them!  Gates here we come!
*Beyond the babble, Carter says:
Mama
Dada
I think he is trying to say dog & quack quack...but, it's kind of hard to tell.
Also, his sitter, Cindy, says Carter says HI, but I have yet to be able to get him to do it (Ugggghhhh).
*He is now drinking 18-20 oz of formula a day.
*Wearing size 5 diapers.
*Thankfully, sleeping from 715ish - 630ish (YAY)

 The time is flying around here and days are turning into weeks...before we know it, this chubby baby boy will officially be 1!  We love you Carter Blake!

One for the books

 

Last week Chloe started her journey through Kindergarten.  Thursday was a 1/2 day.  We got up bright and early, ate a good breakfast, took a picture (or 20), and headed to drop her off for the first time!  I did good.  No tears.  She did good. No tears.  When we walked into Mrs. King's class for the first time, she got a bit timid...but, I think she got over it pretty quick!  I headed for parent pick up around 10:15 that morning.  She was so excited to see me....and so excited to tell me about her day!  I'm pretty sure Chloe was instantly in love with Kindergarten.  She told me about her new friends and her teacher!  

Since I had the day off I decided we would spend it together...just her & I.  I let Chloe pick out where we would eat lunch--Olive Garden was her choice!  

YUM!

We then headed to see The Smurfs at The Great Escape!  Afterwards, we ate a big scoop of ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery!

The potted flower below is from Chloe's sweet Daddy :)  He left this 'surprise' at the house for us to find when we got home.  The note said that we could plant this and always remember that we planted it on Chloe's 1st day of Kindergarten!  It is now proudly displayed in our backyard!

It was THE BEST DAY she and I have had in a long time!  Friday was her first full day!  I was lucky enough to be able to pick her up after school Friday as well!  

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One thing that is in Chloe's Kindergarten folder is a monthly calendar.  There is an activity for us to do every night.  It is not required, but I think it is a good way to keep the learning going at night as well.  Plus, I think this is a good way for Chloe to get use to real homework!  On Monday night, we did the first activity.  It was to make a list of things that are Orange.  Her list is as follows:

1. Orange

2. Crayon

3. Ball

4. Stamp

5. Pencil

She did a great job!

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Can't forget the boy.  I don't think I have posted a picture of him standing on his own yet!  He has mastered it!  He pulls up on almost anything!  Yesterday, he was very interested in trying to get into the tub with Chloe! He kept reaching down and touching the water!  Don't fret...he got his opportunity to take a swim in the pool too!

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At our Bunco Sunday Funday...Chloe was enjoying the pool all to herself before the whole crew arrived!

Family Funday Sunday~Bunco Style

WOW!  What a fun afternoon!  Sunday, my Bunco Group had  "Family Funday Sunday!"  Our original group started back in 2005 (many of the members are still in the group that met that first time in September '05)!!  We have never gotten together with all of our families before!  I didn't realize how much we have grown until we all were together like this!  I think we are up to 17 girls!  Let me preface this by saying we don't actually play.  We get together month after month just to hang out and socialize!  It's something I look forward to each and every month!  Fun times by all.  The kids had an amazing time splashing around together and eating hot dogs!  I look forward to this being a yearly tradition!

Me & My Favorite Kindergartner 

Austin, Brittnye, Me, Margaret 

Me, Lauren (my Twin), Haven (and Baby Robert...due in October)

A chapter is closing....

On the Eve of my oldest heading to Kindergarten, I've really been thinking about time.  How fast it goes by.  How I just blinked and my baby girl went from this~

to this~

I surprised her with a super sparkly lunch box today with Hello Kitty charms!  She was excited!

Really, I'm just sitting her dumbfounded at how fast the last 4 1/2 years have gone.  I feel as though I have just brought her home from the hospital, and I was in the trenches with a newborn baby.  Just like we got through that chapter, we will get through this one.  Except this one is different...she is excited to move on to this phase of her life.  I could tell when she so eagerly tried on her back pack and proudly zipped her own rain coat tonight...I wanted to ensure she could do it on her own.  I knew she could...but, again, there is a part of me that wants to keep her small forever.  Keep her small so she will need me for those things.  But, I'm quickly realizing...she doesn't need my help as much as she use to.  Now, instead of zipping up her coat, she is going to ask me to help with homework.  I feel like I was just in school.  The common theme here...where has the time gone?  

She tested out zipping up her rain coat & wearing her backpack!

On the night before Chloe heads to school...I'm gathering her things and wondering how it will all go.  All I can do is pray that we have taught her well up until this point.  I know she is going to flourish.  She is a superstar and has such a little sassy personality!  She is going to be just fine (I am going to keep repeating this until I convince myself that it is true).  Wish her luck!  Tomorrow is the first day of the next 19 years of school for our sweet baby girl!

Walking up to bed & getting sprinkled with her "Gitter Glitter" (Thanks Mrs. King!!)

We love you Chloe & are so VERY PROUD OF YOU!

What a fun & memorable weekend...

This past weekend was so FUN!  We started Friday night out with our buddies, Amanda and Brandon!  We ate at Buffalo Wild Wings.  The verdict is out.  Not sure if I completely loved it...and sadly, I'm a wing LOVER.  It just wasn't my favorite.  I'm sure we will give it another try!  

Saturday started out really early.  Chloe and I headed to Nashville to school shop with Brittnye!  Now, Chloe and I have shopped together many, many times before, but this was our first 'real' shopping extravaganza.  She helped me pick out many of the clothes.  This was the first time we took time to go to the dressing room and try everything on.  Let me tell you, she loved it.  She strutted her stuff in front of the mirror in every outfit.  Might be why we left with so many things..she made them all look so cute!  

This is Chloe rocking her new pair of jeans!  So cute!

She shopped 'till she dropped!

After our shopping extravaganza, we ran to Target for a few quick things and then on to a Balloon & Magic inspired birthday!  Our little friend, Kathryn, was turning 3!  Her Momma, Mary, did a fabulous job with the birthday decor!  They had a magician that the kids just loved...he also was a balloon animal specialist :)  He made Chloe a bumble bee corsage...it was adorable!  After the party, we headed home for a long rainy day nap!  We all needed it!

Enjoying her 2 party hats!!

The Birthday girl blowing out her candles!

Sunday was spent at Church and then catching up on life.  It never seems like I can get caught up...I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels that way!  On a side note, yesterday was Chloe's first day moving up to Cross Street.  This part of Church is designed for K-5th graders.  Let me just say, this did not go over too well with Miss Chloe.  She wanted nothing to do with it--which saddens me because she loves Church SO MUCH.  So, after a 15 minute 'trial' we headed to BIG church.  She sat with me so quietly...I appreciated that a bunch!  This morning, when Blake dropped Chloe off at daycare, we found out that she has been moved to the school age building.  We had NO warning.  Poor Blake had to calm Chloe down...as you can tell...she does not do too well with change.  She finally calmed down enough that Blake could get on to work (he was only a few minutes late!).  This is just a sign that Thursday (her first day of Kindergarten) is going to be tough.  I don't know if this Momma is mentally prepared for what is about to happen.  Say a little prayer for us!

Looking Back

I'm in love with having my children photographed.  I admit it, I have loads of pictures on my walls...too many really.  But, I love looking around my house and seeing the different stages.  Chloe has been photographed so many times I can't really count.  

While I was looking at Carter's pictures today, I remembered having Chloe's pictures done around the same age...and I had a similar photo from both shoots.  I thought it would be fun to put them side by side to compare their 'look.'  I get lots of differing opinions on who Chloe looks like and who Carter looks like.  I think he favors Chloe (when she was a baby)...but if you really put their pictures side by side you see that they look pretty different.  Carter looks more like my side and Chloe looks more like Blake's side!  

What do you think? 

Carter*9 Months*July 2011

Chloe*9 Months*June 2007

It's hard for me to believe that the sweet baby girl in the picture above is now almost 5 and heading to Kindergarten next week!

She climbed into the car this morning to tell Carter "Bye!"