the stivender family

instagram

2012-03-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

this pic is from late this past summer.
but i don't think i've shared it here.
august put on these old aviators,
and said, "i'm papa g with these sunglasses!"

my sweet babies snuggling in the morning.

one of the many beautiful sunsets we have here in the country.

impatient way to let paint dry.

only one glass of milk poured and then it sat out all night.
mama brain got the best of me.

busted making bubbles in the sink.

showing his big cousins his new dinosaur book.

she stuck her thumb in the pacifier hole!
talented little one.

happy mail!

afternoon light

2012-03-04T06:00:00.014-05:00

i love the way the afternoon light shines in our bedroom.
so often this what you can find going on in here.

some slow going hand stitching,
perfect for a lazy afternoon.

and stretching and well rested baby.

warm laundry being folded.

i always knew my grandmama had an industrial dryer because she had 8 kids.
now i KNOW why.

the fair

2012-03-03T06:00:00.004-05:00

a few weeks ago we took the kids to the county fair.
this is the most excited tatum got.
very soon after, she feel asleep and stayed asleep despite all the noise.

august's first ride of the evening just happened to be fast freddy's.

then we moved on to a little fishing.

he rode the carousel all by himself.

and was so proud.

so were mama and daddy.

our boy has a fear of heights,
and he conquered those fears by riding lots of rides that go up high.

he's still not quite ready for the ferris wheel.

it sure was a gorgeous evening for some fair fun.

and i'd be lying if i said i didn't enjoy my corn dog and fried snickers.
thank the lord the fair only comes once a year!

sip and see

2012-03-02T06:00:00.004-05:00

some very dear friends threw a sip and see shower for little miss tatum.
it was absolutely perfect.
they didn't miss a detail,
and we are so very thankful for their generosity.

the cake was tall and yummy.
as were all of the goodies.

tatum, myself, and hostesses

four generations

tatum and myself with all of her grandmamas and great-grandmamas.
we missed baboo, but i know her spirit was with us.

somehow i missed getting a picture of tatum's banner,
when i give a tour of her nursery,
i'll be sure to include it.

thank you everyone for showering us with beautiful gifts.
and a special thank you to bonny, kari, mandy, and kelly for hosting such a wonderful party.
i have been so very blessed with your friendship.

tatum: 3 months old

2012-02-29T17:38:00.001-05:00

can't believe i just typed that.
where has the time gone?

our girl is growing healthy and strong.
still looks so much like big brother.
loves sucking on her hands.
has the old man long hair in the back think going.
was honored and showered by sweet friends and family.
went to her first ever fair...and slept the time away.
is the smiliest little thing.
and is perfect addition to our family.
love you ever so much baby girl!

brother wanted in on the photo shoot.

starting in on the i'm done and hungry cry!

tatum is wearing her mama's old dress,

and laying on gran's old blanket.

instagram

2012-02-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

i've been really bad lately about remembering my camera.
it may be the many other bags i'm already lugging around!
but i almost always have my phone,
though i have been know to leave it too!

here are some of our recent snapshots of life via instagram:

waiting in the parking lot while mama feeds a hungry baby.
he's getting pretty good at this!

the packing said 4+, but i beg to differ.
those fossil bones were tough to dig out and required lots a mama help
and a patience 4 year old.

my handymen minus papa g.
lots of hanging been going on around here lately.

my ironing lady hard at work.

a nursery project.
just a few final touches left.

salsa....just like chili's.
and i've found the perfect chip to go with it.
hello running shoes.
i'm gonna really need you now.

tatum's first (of many i'm sure) antiquing trip.
came home empty handed,
except for a pretty little lady of course.

"rennah" came to hunt and august was so happy to see his beach friend.
thanks renner for entertaining the little guy.

the last two saturday nights a raccoon has come to visit.
so in our infinite wisdom, we placed the food buckets in blaze's pen.
this time he brought a friend and it proved tough, but they were persistent creatures.
but here's your warning coons.....you've messed with a tired mama's sleep.
next time i'll be packing heat!

dog boy and goose girl are ready to save the day.
loving a 4 year old's imagination.

catching some zzz's after her first photo shoot with the extremely talented caroline maxcy prietz.

tatum: two months old

2012-02-01T10:54:00.000-05:00

it's so hard to believe that it has already been another month.(plus a few days)

our girl is growing up.
weighing in at 10 lbs 5 oz.
she has the best smile.
is finding her voice more and more everyday.
loves swinging and watching the fans.
has been camping and antiquing.
continues to make lots of bodily noises that amaze us all.
we couldn't ask for a happier baby.
or a prouder big brother.
whom she still looks so much like.
we love you to pieces tatum ray.

our weekend....

2012-01-17T07:44:00.001-05:00

in a nutshell:
a first meeting.
lots of snuggles.
checking out tiny little body parts.

becoming smitten.
having lots of questions.

time with cousins who are also friends.

strawberry picking.
chicken's jumping in cars.
projectile spit ups.

building workbenches.
fleas.

reading the "map."
and thanking the lord that stickers weren't removed from parts!

jeep rides.
camp fires.
good food.

staying warm.

not wanting to say goodbye.

let's do it again, real soon.

it happens so fast

2012-01-14T06:00:00.001-05:00

i remember snuggling on mary kate when she was tatum's size.
and just look at how she has grown.

already smiling at each other.
i think these two will become fast friends!

yum

2012-01-13T09:29:00.000-05:00

not exactly what i needed,
but exactly what i had been craving.

thanks for the family date night, babe!

iphone dump

2012-01-12T06:00:00.002-05:00

dumping pics from my iphone.

august with his buddies at the children's museum.
they enjoyed the face paint!

preparing the recycling at hunting camp.

chomping teeth = $.075 well spent

snuggled up in the moby.

a daily walk for the mail.
and my favorite mail carrier.

deep blue eyes.

tailgating at camp.

heading out for a hunt.

fireside celebrating samantha's birthday.
and tatum first girl's night!

per superman's request.

hunting camp

2012-01-11T06:00:00.001-05:00

the past few weekends we have spent time down at the hunting camp.
it has some a long way from the beginning.
the guys have really worked hard to make it nice.
and us women especially appreciate it.

when i say we camp, i use the term loosely....
we have campers,
but also power, running water,
and direct tv for football games.

august has taken to quail hunting.
he gets quite upset in the mornings when he finds out he as been left.
but enjoys it so much when they take him out later.

the cook shed needs just a few finishing touches,
but is looking pretty good.

some serious good food has already been cooked here.
(erica, my football is safely at home.
august felt the need to take it to camp to decorate!)

one of the guy's many philosophies i'm sure.

antler chandler.

our big screen tv.
that caught fire a few hours later.
guess we'll be on the hunt for a new one.
'cause you know we can't miss any college football!

hanging rack.

with some clever concrete art.

more concrete art over by the grill.

and finally the bathroom concrete art.

any guesses on what sss stands for?

great outdoors

2012-01-10T21:41:00.001-05:00

we are enjoying the outdoors here at the new house.
travis and august were able to see a large covey of quail the other day.
and get a picture of a male and female together.

august enjoys fishing in the pond.

and the sun setting through the pines is just awesome.

country living at it's finest!

christmas

2011-12-31T19:50:00.122-05:00

our christmas celebrations began on christmas eve, eve.
we went to mom and dad's for christmas with the smith family.
these two cousins enjoyed their time together!

we munched on yummy treats and opened presents.

tatum enjoyed everyone, though she slept or ate most of the time!

and superman was more than pleased with his new pajamas.

christmas eve we went to a beautiful candle light service.
then visited with the cruise family.
the kids opened their christmas pj's and jumped into bed for blue popcorn and a movie.

next year tatum will be in the thick of it with them.

on christmas morning, we were very pleased that santa came to visit.
he brought all the things august wanted: a bat cave and a bat man fishing pole.
much to august's surprise, santa even brought some things he wanted, but didn't ask for.
gotta love how much the big guy knows!

santa thought tatum was a pretty good girl too.
so did mama, she gave me 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep!

later in the morning the stivender's came over for breakfast and gift giving.

august was so excited when he found out that the big present was for him.

sweet, sweet girl!

out to the front porch for family pictures.
another sweet little person.

a couple dogs came over to say merry christmas.

later that afternoon we went to visit at the farr's.
zack and hannah are so good with the kids.
i'll have to go back to find pictures of them with august when he was just a wee one.
my how they all have grown.

cruising on up the road to grandmama jahna's.
tatum and avery get their first pictures together.

the flashes are bothering tatum's sleep!

and these two supervised the entire process.

i wanted at least one picture of the four of us on christmas day.

we had a performing monkey on our hands.

finally some cooperation, and everyone is looking with their eyes open!

our holiday season was wonderful.
we have been so very blessed!

tatum: one month old

2011-12-30T16:36:00.000-05:00

yesterday tatum turned one month old.

hard to believe that it has been a month already.
she is a wonderful baby.
sleeps long stretches through the nights.
only cries when she is hungry.
has beautiful lips and long fingers and toes.
is starting to grow long eyelashes like her brother's.
her mama could just eat her up,
and can't stop kissing her sweet little head.
makes her brother laugh with her bodily noises.
has completely stolen our hearts.
is her big brother's "girlfriend."
daddy's sweet girl.
and is truly a blessing to our family.

and just because i don't want to forget:

naked pics didn't happen because somebody was over it.

and peed all over her mama and clean cloths hanging in the closet.

oh, the ways they can create a load of laundry!

lately

2011-12-21T17:19:00.000-05:00

august has been trying and liking some new foods.
among them: olive garden bread sticks, noodles, mac and cheese, and homemade potato chips.
not exactly healthy foods, but we'll take anything he's trying!

tatum's view of our christmas tree.
imperfect, perfectly decorated and redecorated daily.

my addiction, my weakness,
my "morning coffee",
at christmastime my "elf juice,"
and to the rest of the world it's simply known as coke.
i need to quit.....but it will have to wait until another day.

jack the elf made a late appearance this year.
the jury's still out on its effectiveness.
maybe next year he'll be more mischievous like so many others.
some fun elves out there on facebook and in blogland.

my sleeping beauties:
august at the dr.'s office.
he's not sick either.
got a clean bill of health and clear lungs!

tatum in big brother's passed down pj's.
mama may or may not have joined in her snoozing a few moments after snapping this photo.

out before christmas.
'tis the season of miracles!

i am loving instgram on my iphone....so easy, so fun!

tatum's first bath

2011-12-16T06:00:00.022-05:00

tatum finally lost her ambilical cord.
or "nasty thing" as august called it.
so a real bath was in order.

her ever watchful brother overseeing the process.

unlike august she didn't cry one bit.
i think she's gonna be a bath girl like her mama.

august preceded to run around like a wild man.

she felt so tiny tonight sitting in my sink.
i know these days will pass quickly.
and i intend on soaking them up.

holiday happenings

2011-12-15T22:02:00.000-05:00

we've been soaking in the holidays around here.
first up the christmas parade.

these two were quite the pair.
laughing, waving, yelling merry christmas.

tatum slept the entire time.

and heagan soaked it all in:
dancing, catching "snow," and saying merry christmas.

and there was no shortage of candy.

next up was august's christmas program.
my handsome shepard.

following mrs. alison's every hand move.
he takes this stuff serious!

so proud of him.
his face was priceless when he saw his cheering section.

and grandmama jo came to meet tatum.
our baby girl has no shortage of granmotherly love!

thanksgiving weekend

2011-12-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

the weekend before tatum arrived was thanksgiving.
we spent thursday with family eating turkey and all the fixings.

i have only 2 picture to show for the day,
but we loved gathering with the family that we are so thankful for.

friday we took the kids to the woods for some jeep riding and fireside fun.

the men and kortney worked on getting the bathroom and shower up and running.
they all decided that the pregnant lady should be the first to try it out.
(just a little preggo humor!)

i never did get to have belly shots......
this one's for you, mandy!

saturday we prepared for family to join us in watching the big game.

it wasn't pretty, but our beloved noles pulled out a victory.

state champs once again!

another great thanksgiving weekend for the record books.

getting crafty

2011-12-11T06:00:00.001-05:00

gran and august got into the holiday spirit by making pine cone christmas trees.

one for august and one for tatum.

the artist takes his work seriously.

hope to get pictures of the final products once they are finished.

(our initial attachment didn't work and the craft closed on us!)

he adores her

2011-12-10T06:00:00.002-05:00

10 days ago...

2011-12-09T19:01:00.000-05:00

tatum officially joined our family.
she is fitting in quite nicely.

here are some pictures when she was just 5 days old.

love you baby girl!

tatum ray

2011-12-06T23:10:00.001-05:00

a week ago today, our family of three became a family of four.
we welcomed tatum ray into the world.

those first precious moments with my sweet baby girl.

before she came, august nicknamed her big foot.....

august seeing "sis" for the first time.

he is so proud of her.
and a few nights ago said this, "i thought about it.
and i liketed the name tatum."

loves of my life all together.

coming home from the hospital,
she stared out the window taking in the world.

tatum, you are such a precious baby.
stealing our hearts more and more each day.

visiting santa

2011-11-23T09:36:00.000-05:00

we took the kids to visit santa yesterday at bass pro.
they were so excited to see him,
and were eagerly awaiting to tell him about their lists!

first up e.n.

then august

and the oldest kinliegh waiting so patiently for her turn.
(not one single hesitation from her this year!)

all three kids with santa.

the kids played with all the remote control toys and displays

(there was some adult play too!),

and then had so much fun in the camping section.

complete with "boat rides" and "bat man caves."

and full on tears when it was time to part ways for the evening!

(iphone pics are looking kinda weird with extra stuff at the tops?!?)

my little indian

2011-11-22T06:00:00.014-05:00

performed so well at his thanksgiving program.

he looked pretty darn handsome too.
but don't tell him that....
he's supposed to look cool.

counting all his indians.

love this face!

shooting his arrow.

such a wonderful program and celebration.
the teachers and school do such a great job.
just one of the many things i am thankful for.

kortney and lee

2011-11-21T06:00:00.004-05:00

got hitched last weekend.
practicing for the big day.

the bride and her bridesmaids.
these two were quite the pair all weekend.

these two took their jobs seriously.

and did such a good job at the wedding.

all the details worked out beautifully.

and made for a perfect fall wedding.

i had to bribe e.n. in order to take this one,

but i just couldn't pass up that light!

i can't wait to see the wedding pictures.

the setting was perfect

and kortney made a gorgeous bride.

welcome to the family lee and lily.

we're so very happy to have you!

they both turned one

2011-11-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

mary kate and marlee celebrated their first birthday together earlier this month.

and their mama's didn't miss a detail.
hair bow party favors for the girls.

cake by mandy.

getting ready for cake time!

trying to keep those candles lit.

first tastes

family shots

getting into that cake.

"its my party and i'll cry if i want too!"

just about the whole kiddy crew!

a wonderful first birthday party for two special little girls.
happy birthday!
your buddy august loves you.

nesting

2011-11-19T16:56:00.000-05:00

since april i have felt like batman....hanging upside down in his bat cave.
waiting and waiting for the nesting to start.
with august i nested the entire pregnancy.
only one cabinet went uncleaned and unorganized (because i couldn't reach it!)

this time around has been much different.
maybe because i have another little body to take care of and clean up after,
or because we have moved,
or my iron levels are low,
but for some reason the nesting hasn't kicked in....
until about 1:30 thursday night.

so, i made a list and have been working on it.
marking things off it and adding to it over the last two days.
yep, the nesting has begun.
slowly but surely i am getting there.

keep coming back,
since updating the blog is among things deemed "to do before baby arrives."

(batman hanging upsided down with his superhero friend...compliments of august. love that boy's imagination!)

trick-or-treating

2011-11-07T06:00:00.002-05:00

we joined friends at the revell's for pizza, hayride, and trick-or-treating.
all the kiddos dressed up and ready to go get some candy!

waiting ever so patiently.

august called this the spooky house last year and wouldn't even get near it.
instead he hung back and flirted with aunt jamie.
this year though, not one single fear!

love mary kate's face...
she looks like she's telling one of her girlfriends all about some new gossip!

me and my boy snuggling on the hayride.

thanks revell family for hosting such a fun, family evening.

school party

2011-11-06T06:00:00.001-05:00

august at school, dressed at buzz, and ready to go trick-or-treating to all the classrooms.
(not really sure what that face is all about?)

heading downstairs to fill his bag full of loot.

all the kiddos checking out their bags and itching to eat candy.

august had a great time at school celebrating,
and wanted to try as much candy as possible on the way home.

blast from the past

2011-11-05T06:00:00.001-04:00

for years as a little girl,
i remember the highlight of fall being the parade and carnival downtown.
they have brought it back,
and i think i can speak for many when i say that we are so very thankful.
our children are getting to make memories similar to ones we made as children.

august wanted to be buzz lightyear for halloween this year.
mama-made pants and shirt paired with a real working jet pack made the perfect costume.

buzz with his superhero friends, spiderman and batman.

starting of the same parade kari and i walked so many times as children.

posing for pictures

thanks kari for getting one of me with the boys.
the belly has grown since the last picture where you could actually see it.

such a fun day making memories with kari again.
this time our boys got to join in on the fun!

naked artist & some sewing

2011-11-04T06:00:00.001-04:00

august had a pumpkin art project to complete at home.
he choose his own attire.

the masterpiece of a naked artist:

lauren is an edge cheerleader, so i made a cheer bag for her birthday.

so much fun hand stitching the name.

my grandmother needed a baby gift and loved heagan's remake.
this is what we came up with,
and i have just enough fabric left to make our little girl one of her own.

sewing that linen was heavenly....i have a new fabric obsession.

another custom order baby gift,
and trying out a new ruffle. (i think i like it alot!)

and my second faux chenille baby blanket for a very special little lady.
(we are still awaiting her arrival as i type this.)
so much fun seeing them come out of the dryer all "chenilled-up."

and by the way, a chenille cutter is the way to go if you ever try your hand at one of these babies.

lauren turns six

2011-11-03T06:00:00.001-04:00

and her mama does a party up right!
the little guys stuck to the small pool.

but towards the end they got braver and braver,
crawling closer and closer to the top of this big slide!

somebody said pizza,
and i couldn't get cline to move from this spot until he had his tummy full of some!

lauren's diva cake....her mama is an amazing cake diva herself!

another cake she had ready to go for someone else celebrating a special day.

the cake diva herself and her trusty sidekick making snow cones for all the kiddos!

mandy, i still owe you for your electrical shock tease.
you know what they say about paybacks!

the birthday diva with her snow cones.

cake time

birthday kisses

brooker admiring his birthday bling favors.

one fun party, lauren.
can't believe you're six already.

school party

2011-11-02T06:00:00.001-04:00

we took cupcakes to celebrate august's birthday at school.
i just love his face above.
he was so excited and proud to have all of his school friends signing happy birthday to him!

thanks, mrs. alison, for making this day special for august.
he's loves school and thinks you are the best!

august's birthday

2011-11-01T17:43:00.003-04:00

it's been over a month since i've blogged,
and i've yet to get my computer fixed as well.
to say we've been busy around here would be putting it mildly.
i'm sitting at the dining room table in our NEW HOUSE
(yes, new house....more on this coming soon!!!),
updating the blog on trav's computer.
i hope to have all of october events and excitement posted over the next week.
being computer illiterate, i was unable to edit any pictures in windows, so my shots are straight out of the camera.

so without further ado......here's our little man's FOURTH birthday celebration!

a pool party with a pool appropriate cake.
and cupcakes, since i wasn't sure how well the pool would eat!

simple decor and food were in order.
some simple beach balls hanging to from rafters to spruce up the pavilion.
i tried to get shots of all the kids there, but i noticed that there are some missing.

and a few of the big kids too!

family of three, soon to be four.
traditional kiss the cheeks pic.
spiderman candle that he's being eyeing for months was the only candle this boy would have!

chowing down.
love this cake face!

august loved all his presents.

we still can't believe our little man is four years old.
there is so much to love about him, and love him we do!

august, you're the best boy we could ask for!
love you! mama & daddy

::right now::

2011-09-29T09:53:00.005-04:00

right now, i am

:: needing to take my computer into the shop to be fixed, hence a no photo post.

:: hoping that posting from my phone is successful!

:: finishing up plans for a very special birthday and party this weekend.

:: watching as my needs to be sewn pile becomes smaller, and the completed pile grows.

:: preparing mentally to pack up this house.

:: wishing i could share some photos from a weekend full of celebrating and a naked artist we have around here!

:: seeing my belly grow bigger and bigger each week.

:: enjoying feeling all the moving, kicking, and hiccuping going on in there.

:: thankful an overnight fever left a little body and seems to be staying away.

:: planning to be back soon with lots to share.

a is for august

2011-09-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

shhhh...don't tell

2011-09-13T09:46:00.002-04:00

but mama threw in some spinach for my non veggie eating boy.
he loves him a smoothie, and i love sneaking in what's good for him!

time = money

2011-09-12T06:00:00.001-04:00

i've never believed it more.
this little gem is making "chenille-ing" so much easier.

grandparents' day program

2011-09-09T16:53:00.003-04:00

today august had his first official school program.
singing and cookie decorating for grandparent's day.our little cutie!
sprinkling cookies with gran.
posing for mrs. alison.

happy grandparent's day gran, pa, nonae, and papa g.
we missed you nonae and papa g, but no worries its all on video!
amazing footage i tell ya!

vero weekend

2011-09-09T07:20:00.004-04:00

we spent labor weekend doing just about everything except laboring!
we jumped waves, built sandcastles,

had lots of pool time,
got buried,
and soaked up time with wonderful cousins.

however, august did decide that a little labor was needed.....
with his breathing.
all is well now, but there were a couple of worrisome days.

crashed out on the ottoman when we gathered at the cousins beach house.
but in true jahna fashion, he awoke a joined the party.

group picture...1 minute to take it, lots to get us organized!

we had a great time!
thanks jimbo and susan for inviting such a huge crowd into such a beautiful beach home.
i though about stowing away, but those comfy beds in the hotel were calling my name!! (HA!)

"a" pillow

2011-08-26T07:18:00.003-04:00

when august saw this on his bed,
he said, "mama, that is AWESOME!"
all the response i will ever need!

all the decorative stitching and quilting was hand stitched.
something i find myself loving more and more.
especially seeing the final product...perfectly imperfect.

little kase man

2011-08-25T11:24:00.005-04:00

this little guy and his family needs our prayers.
you can go here (http://www.littlekaseman.net/) to read his story and get updates.
kase is a fighter with many battles left to go, but he is staying strong and giving it his all.
we love you kase. keep fighting!

siesta key...corona day corn hole tournament & more

2011-08-24T16:55:00.008-04:00

these are my last pictures from the beach.
it seems like so long ago that we were there,
and it some ways it was.
i kept coming back to these pictures thinking, i need to edit them.
but by putting it off, i got to keep going back to the beach.
with august in school 3 mornings a week, there is no longer any excuse.
so from here on out keeping up with the blog is a priority...until i get lazy again!

august giving his best, "arrrr matey."

the now annual corona day corn hole tournament.
someone was kind enough to put the year in the sand for me.

these two spent hours racing.
and we loved the energy it used up!

yum....especially when you can't have one and it felt like a sauna out there.

kara with her boyfriends.
these two were smitten.
tournament break...and let the kids have there turn at it.

another crush developed this year.
to say that shelby has a thing for renner would be an understatement.
one day renner will look back on this and wish he could still get her attention!

tournament winners

the last night we hit up phillippi creek,
yummy as ever and storming all around us.
just enough break in the weather for some family photos.
(with some silly faces in there for good measure!)

wonder if they will cut out another hole for us next year?

oh, how we enjoy the beach and love making memories there each year!

first day of school

2011-08-22T21:13:00.004-04:00

today was august's very first day of pre-school.
he has been so excited since open house last week.
so excited, that he joined mama this morning by waking up at 6:00.
also, like mama he had a wardrobe change.
(i am so being paid back for my morning behavior as a child!
dear aunt candis and uncle keith, can you come and spend the night?!?!?!)

my very handsome boys
he insisted on being silly with his mama.
then he had to have his turn at the camera.
not too bad of a job!

showing off his balancing skills to daddy.

arriving at the top of the stairs and looking like such a big boy.
at this point i am working at keeping my emotions in check.
chatting it up with mrs. allison.

i am happy to report a wonderful first day.
and august saw no tears from mama,
but of course there were a few shed.

when i asked if mrs. allison was cool,
he replied, "no, mama. she's a girl and pretty!"

new baby goodies

2011-08-03T06:00:00.001-04:00

custom onesie order for sweet triplets backside of the onesies
burp clothes to match
another order for a baby coming just in time for football season
ironed on and completed hand stitched
burp clothes - raw edges on fabric and another hand stitched football.

i must admit that sewing footballs had me itching for the upcoming season!

vbs program

2011-08-02T18:21:00.003-04:00

august went to vbs at first baptist last week and had a BLAST!
he looked forward to going each day.
and shared all his favorite moments on the way home.

at the program he clapped, sang, and did all the right hand motions.
he was so proud when he realized papa g, nonae, gran, and pa were there to see him.
and i think they were equally proud of him.

pastor richardson got pied in the face by a boy and a girl.
august was called to pie him, but declined the offer.
aunt erica said she would let him pie her.....and i think he might just take her up on that!
(check out the revell family blog for more pics from the week)

thank you first baptist for showing our boy a fun, loving jesus.

siesta key...ymca and our anniversary

2011-07-22T13:37:00.005-04:00

we once again hit up the ymca splash park.
the kids (and adults) had a great time as usual.
the faces say it all!

splash park from 2010 and 2009.
my how the kids have grown and changed over the years.

travis and i get to celebrate our anniversary while on vacation.
we had a great dinner at ruth chris with linda, shawn, erica, and eddie.
thanks nonae, papa g, and jacklyn for keeping the little ones.

i could go back just for the appetizers and sides....YUM!

siesta key...beach time

2011-07-20T17:23:00.004-04:00

we spent the better part of the last two weeks soaking in
sand, sun, family, and friends on beloved siesta key.

i must admit that i didn't haul my camera around that much this year,
and there were times i missed it.
this pregnancy has zapped some of my picture taking desire.
and just when its starts coming back,
i realize that my camera was left behind.

but i certainly did catch some special moments,
some on camera and some etched in my brain.
(hopefully those cells won't be lost in pregnancy!)

they boys found that the kiddie pool is a great place to try all sorts of trick moves.

being reminded to go one at a time,
for no one wanted to spend precious beach time in the e.r.

love the excitement on august's face while e.n. slides on in.

more from the beach in the days to come.

4 pictures from the 4th

2011-07-05T11:31:00.003-04:00

august, " i hear thunder!"

"we better hurry!!"

beer ritas from the famous meg.

i hear they were good!
our fourth was filled with flags, family, friends, food, fun times, and fireworks!

new room

2011-06-23T16:25:00.002-04:00

success the first night.
although he did fall asleep in daddy's lap.
so we've yet to see if he can do it on his own.

yogurt stash

2011-06-20T18:06:00.003-04:00

::this week::

2011-06-17T17:42:00.005-04:00

this week, we have been,

::putting up black-eyed peas, a family favorite (or at least a mama favorite!).

::loving vbs and shaking it up with the lord.

::growing leaps and bounds at swim lessons and watching our boy get more courageous each and every time.

::celebrating a very special some one's birthday.

::watching as mama's belly starts to grow with new life!

taking a break

2011-06-07T14:23:00.003-04:00

from the not so fun on my to do list.
to work on the fun stuff for a few moments. cutting up travis' old dress shirts to make a quilt for my boy.
the first steps in my first real quilt.

before this weekend starts,

2011-06-02T16:01:00.007-04:00

i'll share pictures from last weekend.
we stayed busy with birthday parties,
lake time, woods time,
pool time, and visiting family.

we started out with shelby's birthday party.

there were girls everywhere.

in fact, august was the only boy.
he wasn't too sure about that.

happy birthday shelby!

erica and the kids came to town.
august was so happy to see his cousins.

on sunday everyone gathered at mom and dad's for some time on the lake.

all the little ones (except august) went for a ride on the airhead.
e.n. is thinking real hard about what he is getting into.

hannah graciously volunteered to ride with them.

all set and ready to go.

enjoying the ride.

august hung back with nonae and was "manually' pulled in the tube.

all the grandparents were having a blast with the kids.

dad was pumping up the max liquidator.
very talented that man!

travis took a ride on the airhead,
and we fully enjoyed watching him ride.

the boys enjoying some tube time by the shore.

and bailee wiped out!

the high school girls enjoyed their time riding wild.
(love kelsie's face!)

dad fixed up the s.s. minnow.
the boys enjoyed taking it for a spin.

i believe it's taking in less water than it did when we were in college going down the river.

a wonderful long weekend spent soaking up the beginning of summer,
and all the good stuff that goes with it!

lazy day

2011-05-27T18:39:00.004-04:00

it started out with homemade blueberry muffins.
you must try them.
i promise you won't buy another box.
august did some painting, while i blog surfed.

later in the afternoon, hand stitching while watching the walton's.
call me old fashioned, but i love the slow pace of hand stitching.
it doesn't hurt that i can go back in time with the walton's and little house on the prairie.

sneaking in a little chocolate break.

finishing touches on a birthday gift.

now i may go accomplish a few things on my to do list.
or not.

molly jane's splash party

2011-05-23T06:00:00.000-04:00

i can't believe that molly jane is already two!!
her mama and daddy invited everyone over to celebrate splash party style.
and did these kids ever have a great time.

such a laid back and perfect party for a sunday afternoon.

he would say

2011-05-22T19:18:00.003-04:00

"i've had a long, hard day."
but don't be fooled...
it was full of long, hard play.

almost 100% (again)

2011-05-17T17:18:00.005-04:00

our scene changed from the previous post, and just in time for a great weekend.
it was filled with a photography class (for mama),
a birthday dinner,
some pool time,
a splash birthday party,
and a much better boy.

then mama and daddy took a business trip to vegas with a few extra days of pleasure thrown in for good measure.
but, then last week we had the crud again.
i guess my body felt left out and decided a good ole head cold was in order.
so we spend lots of time resting, cuddling, painting, and playing inside.
but i am happy to report that the doc says august is much, much better!
(and i feel better too.)

so i'll be doing some catch up on our fun over the next few days.
better late that never, right?

there is one thing that i just couldn't wait to share:
an outfit makeover.
a classic ecru linen with ruffles and trim.
my most favorite little girl outfits EVER!
except the initials didn't exactly match the beautiful little lady all set to wear it.

so in come doilies from amy's dear grandmother.

with some snipping and hand sewing,
we have a perfect little dedication outfit.

it's almost as if it was meant to be.

yesterday's scene

2011-04-28T16:49:00.002-04:00

which is pretty much the same scene now.
though our need for the pot seems to be over.
but the need for mama isn't,
and that i'm not too sad about.

bubbles

2011-04-27T07:56:00.001-04:00

we took turns blowing and chasing.
it was the happiest his was all evening.

calling all superheros

2011-04-26T06:00:00.003-04:00

brooker turned 4, and superheros was the theme.
awesome cake made by mandy.supermom revell didn't miss any details.

the joker even made an appearance.
batman used his superpowers to protect the party.
then decided to win him over with a hug instead!

"hey, mom. don't let the joker get near me, o.k.?"
cake time
all superheros (and some princess superheros)
supermoms
present time"can i have your attention?"
"thank you for coming to my party and for all my cool presents."

cutest super girl ever!
and darn happy about it.
supermoms with wonder woman thrown in the mix.
a wonderful party and beautiful afternoon.
happy birthday,brooker.

easter day

2011-04-25T11:45:00.005-04:00

the easter bunny stopped by in the wee hours of the morning.

he came via havana,
stopping a great little children's boutique.
(like them on facebook--you won't be sorry!)

august loves is new, bigger flip flops.
(thanks, aunt erica!)

hungry, hungry hippos has been on the wish list for some time now.
i am so glad that the easter bunny was on top of his game.

we joined my parents for church.
and then stopped by to see more easter bunny treats left at gran and pa's.

and hunted easter eggs.

not digging the dye on his hands.

but loving finding all those eggs.

then my camera battery died.

later we traveled to travis' parents to eat and visit.
a wonderful and relaxing day celebrating easter.

it's hard to believe

2011-04-25T06:00:00.001-04:00

but kinleigh turned 5!!
we were lucky to get to celebrate with her.

before all the guests arrived,
the kids made sure the bounce houses were in full working order.
and needed a juice break to get ready for the guests.

survivor camp theme done up right.
these were filled with all the goodies needed to make s'mores. yummy!

the kids bounced, slid,threw water balloons,
potato sack raced,
hay rided, swung,
played in the sand,
and had the most wonderful time.

one of my favorites of the birthday diva.

"can i sit in your lap?" asked this little boy.
he knew papa g had one of the best seats around.

e.n. broke his arm about a week before the party.
he was a trooper though and didn't let it slow him down one bit.
(he now has no pins and no cast---a healed arm, praise the lord!)
mr. bass gave august his tiger bag.
he filled it with superheros,
birthday horns, and such.
it never left his side for long.

she's checking to see if he's thinking what she's thinking.
they both did it, and i was half a second late catching them in the act!

kinleigh,
i remember holding you in the hospital,
that first birthday, and now you're five.
love you girl!

egg dyeing

2011-04-23T11:42:00.006-04:00

all set and ready to go. picking the perfect color for each egg.

telling me which color belongs to which friend.

physics lesson:
small bouncy balls do have the power to knock an egg off the counter top when thrown from across the room.
and it will crack upon hitting the tile.

rainbow happiness!

some eggs got names,
others the rubber band treatment,
and others made their own designs.

resting

2011-04-20T12:55:00.001-04:00

after a very full and very well spent day yesterday.

i've been slacking here on the blog.
and in my picture taking too.
somewhere my mind and my heart got caught up in taking "perfect" pictures.
who know the kind that you blow up, hang on the wall, and cherish for years.
but really, aren't the perfect pictures the ones that capture those special and not so special moments?
the moments we want to saviour and the things we want to remember always?
no matter how important or insignificant?

but yesterday, i realized how much i missed my camera.
(it didn't help that i forgot it once again.)
there were so many moments that i could have captured that would have told a story of our day,
no matter how small or insignificant it may seem.
that's why i started this blog after all:
to document our days.

so my goal is to get better about capturing those moments and sharing them here.
because lets face it, i am no professional.
my pictures will not always be perfect, if ever.
(see the above for a sample.)
yeah, from time to time a picture may be blurry,
but rest assured it will be telling a story.
after all they are MY pictures, MY moments, and MY memories.
the things I want to remember forever.

sure there will be times when i am "resting" from the blog.
but right now, i seem to have found some inspiration from the ordinary, day-to-day stuff.
plus, we have been partying it up around here, birthday style.
and i wouldn't dream of missing those milestones either!

august and the iphone

2011-04-06T15:57:00.003-04:00

my boy loves taking pictures with my phone.
it's fun to see things from his view.
relaxing in the hammock on a beautiful spring day.tons of these while mama pumped gas. and last night lots of blurry blaze pictures.
i think he missed her after our weekend away.
we celebrated a special little girl's 5th birthday,
and i can't wait to go through all of my pictures from her survivor party.

running and fame

2011-04-05T18:44:00.003-04:00

friday night 5k in ap.
let me just say that spring was not in the air.
hot was in the air.
before the race.

at the finish line.
thanks to the paper we have a photo finish.
too bad it wasn't for 1st place, but we still did a great job!
hopefully this great shot won't be my only claim to local newspaper fame!!
(can't get the pics to my normal size...probably a good thing!)

cracker trail hoedown

2011-03-26T06:00:00.002-04:00

there were slides, cute babies,

train rides,

roping calves,

or yourself,

putt-putt,

bowling,

a cake walk,

sand art,

snow cones, bounce houses,

new kinds of clogging music,

and a good time for all!

84

2011-03-25T10:55:00.004-04:00

my granddaddy turned 84 this week.
we celebrated with a family dinner, cake, and ice cream. somebody put gin's ball in there,
and she was bound and determined to get it out.

a very convincing king of the table with his hands on his hips.

the boys chowing down.

granddaddy got an important birthday phone call from mr. davis.
who then told mom a supermodel joke.

i know where my uncle keith gets it from!

candle time.

the boys let granddaddy blow out the candles first.

then they had their turn.

august saying, "please, can we help open?"

digging into all the presents.

august saw the bell on the bealls box,

and starting shouting, "taco bell! taco bell!"

funny guy.

happy birthday granddaddy!

love you!

races 2011

2011-03-25T10:16:00.003-04:00

another year of the races and another year of fun!
not one, but two "little" miss 12 hours were on hand! hot and tired boys taking a break.

then back at it for some trailer jumping.

cheetos time!!

watching the band.

and brooker joined the band with his own performances.

i see a singing career in his future!

us girls.

love the nole hanging over bonny's head.

it's trying to tell you something, bonny!

kinleigh and her "cousin" brooker.

you see, kinleigh seems to think that brooker is a cousin.

most times when they come down to visit,

brooker and family join us for our adventures.

and we are so thankful to have them as extended family!

on saturday, we all headed out for more fun, sun,

and dirt.

some very tired, hard core race fans!

photo credits to bonny.

see years past here, here, here, and here.

golf cart riding

2011-03-23T06:00:00.000-04:00

bonny and jared swung by the other day,
and invited auggie for a golf card ride.
we were trying to get some real smiles.but they were intent on being silly.

the boys adoring miss mary kate.

and mary kate making quite the face herself!

turning 80

2011-03-22T06:45:00.000-04:00

my grandmother jahna turned 80 just over a week ago.
just as beautiful in her younger years as she is now.
a photo collage throughout the years.

almost the whole crew was able to gather and celebrate with dinner and dancing.

the birthday girl with the oldest half of 8.

and with the youngest half.

trying to get all 8 children with their spouses.

tough group to tame.

august got flipped and turned throughout the night and loved it!

backup singers showing off some moves.

paiger looking sweet as always.

getting on video some funny moments i'm sure.

granddaddy would be proud of him for having out the video camera!

more flipping and tickling.

the backup singers gained another,

and did a good job with margaritaville.

(note: salt shaker!)

ray charles impersonations

jules and her love.

1/2 the twins

grandchildren and great-grandchildren

almost the whole gang

love this family so much.
thank you grandmother and granddaddy for such a beautiful family.
happy birthday grandmother!!

southern tea

2011-03-14T06:00:00.001-04:00

purple was our color.
just out of curiosity i looked up its meaning.
and this is what i found:

how the color purple affects us mentally and physically:
uplifting
calming to the mind and nerves
offers a sense of spirituality
encourages creativity

i could say the very same thing about these wonderful friends.

pulling into the driveway after the tea,
i noticed this purple beauty sprouting up under the hedges.
somehow i don't think it was a coincidence.
thank you bonny and martie for having us join you.
my cup certainly runneth over.

race track run

2011-03-13T17:30:00.004-04:00

it was in the 30's saturday morning.

august is bundled up and ready to go!! we started off in the back of the group with the kids running.

august is dead last and says to me, "mommy, i'm the fastest!"

something about that moment and it's sweet innocence melted my heart.

after some running, the boys did some riding.

and then some more running.

aunt jamie pushed the stroller through the finish line for me,
so i could be ready for a photo finish of the boys.
one day her stroller might look a little like this:

running hard toward the finish line.

finally crossing the line!

best racing buddies.

snoozing after all that hard work!

a great morning run, with great friends!

new kicks

2011-03-12T12:16:00.002-05:00

someone asked him if they made him faster.
while i can't vouch for faster,
more active for sure.

a mama's sneak peek

2011-03-10T20:28:00.004-05:00

i sent these to his mama tonight.
another baby that i could just eat up.

thing 1 & thing 2

2011-03-04T06:00:00.001-05:00

and all things dr. suess was the theme for kase and knox's birthday.
they had an amazing cake and no detail was left undone. the cat in the hat even came for some entertainment.
he read stories.

balloons were made into all sorts of interesting things.

including hats, swords, and dogs.

kase was taking it all in.

so was his "big" brother, knox.

what a hat!

the blue-haired thing three looks awfully familiar.

the cat in the hat could sing.

and had kase's full attention.

until this sweet thing stole a birthday kiss!

limbo time.

and walking the tight rope.

this cat in the hat even had a few magic tricks to share.
(not to be a spoiler, but i think that red handkerchief is popping out from the thumb.)

big cousin e.n.

a pinata for the bigger guests to take whack at.

knox was mesmerized by the guitar,
and just couldn't get close enough.

others found it quite fun as well.

hokey-pokey, and you turn yourself around.

and no party would be complete without some cake time.

knox wasn't so sure.

but, kase jumped right in.

this shows it all.

knox is after the balloon,

and kase is all about the cake.

great party amy and ken.

thanks for letting us be a part of it.

mary kate

2011-03-03T06:00:00.001-05:00

she was 3 months old two days ago.
and here she was just weeks old.

i could still just gobble her up.

her big brother is pretty darn cute too.

especially with his risky business moves.

price family

2011-03-02T15:21:00.006-05:00

they were so much fun.
and we had the most beautiful weather in the most beautiful place.
just some of my favorites.

notice heagan's face (love it!).

not too long ago i saw mrs. price,
she is so sweet and absolutely loved her christmas gift.
samantha and kim, you have a big job ahead of you next year!

clicking away

2011-02-26T16:54:00.006-05:00

before christmas, my camera was busy clicking away.
helping to the get those perfect pictures for christmas cards.
most of these will look familiar, but i couldn't dare post them before cards were sent out.

the revell's

mom & dad

grandmama

i also ran out to my grandparent's pasture to snap some early morning pictures.

popped these babies into a frame.

a quick gift for those that already have it all!

to keep myself accountable here's what is still to come:

price family

mary kate

kase and knox's birthday

and mr. jackson.

maybe, just, maybe i'll get my blogging groove back once all caught up!

chores

2011-02-19T06:00:00.001-05:00

august has himself a new chore.
and he is very proud of the good job he does!

fishing

2011-02-18T06:00:00.001-05:00

back when the computer screen was still dead,
we went fishing at this beautiful pond. they sure were ready to catch some fish.

daddy gives a lesson in baiting the hook.
it didn't take long after no fish biting,

that these three wondered off in search of the cows.

but linda wouldn't be skunked.
she caught the only fish of the day.

and if this doesn't scream boy,
i'm not sure what will.

special blanket

2011-02-17T06:00:00.002-05:00

you have seen this blanket on my machine before.
it took some time, but i think it was well worth it.a faux chenille.
while working on the "quilting" (sewing all those lines) and hand stitching the binding,
i though to myself a few times: mary kate i love you and never again.
but the more i worked the more i fell in love with it.
and when this beauty came out of the dryer i knew it wouldn't be the last.
some small personalization to finish it.

just perfect for snuggling that precious baby in.

tutorial can be found here and here.
(i varied by squaring up my corners.)

good listener

2011-02-16T06:00:00.001-05:00

during the children's sermon on christmas eve,
reverend cameron spoke of how jesus is the christmas season,
and how even our manager scenes should reflect this.
mary, joseph, the wise men, and all the animals should be focused
on that precious miracle in the manger, as should we.after returning from our trip,
(and well over a week later)
i found august's manger scene in his room just like this.
he was making certain that all eyes were on jesus, as should we.

north carolina - horseback riding

2011-02-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

e.n. was up first. kinleigh was waiting ever so patiently in the wings.

amazing view.

when it was august's turn:

and i quote, "mama, cowboys don't wear bicycle helmets."

his perfectly good excuse for not riding.

he didn't mind watching though.

and petting this pretty thing.

on the other side of the barn,

there were all kinds of farm animals.

and he didn't mind one bit when they wanted to eat out of his hands.

the kids didn't want to miss sitting on the sleigh.

and i really wish i knew how to photoshop out the tips appreciated sign!

north carolina - snow tubing

2011-02-14T06:00:00.001-05:00

august's first time snow tubing was at the very same place i first learned to ski:
the hills of ski scaly.
oh, the memories that came flooding back!

we had a great time and i'll just let the pictures do the talking.

north carolina - park time

2011-02-13T06:00:00.002-05:00

we suited the kids up in their ski gear and hit the park.
(e.n. napped in the car and papa g stayed warm with him.)

the amount of snow on the ground still amazed us.

making snow angels.

posing with the snowman and others so graciously built!

us mamas getting some camera time.

and having some fun!

up next: snow tubing at my old stomping grounds!

north carolina - snow everywhere

2011-02-12T06:00:00.001-05:00

after two days of travel we arrived to this: snow everywhere!
and these kids loved it.

though walking on that icy road was somewhat tricky.

(even getting out of the car proved tricky for some!)

we went back for the car,

nixed plans for the park (way to cold for our florida bones),

and hit the community aracade instead!

where it was nice and cozy.

but no fear we did take in all the snow we could handle over the next few days.

christmas

2011-02-11T16:12:00.008-05:00

this picture really has nothing to do with christmas,
but was taken just before.
what do you think santa would think of this face? after church christmas eve, we headed over to the cruise house.
the girls and august exchanged gifts and played dress up.
silver shoes and butterfly wings on top it off.
(i see a future yearbook picture here!)
then they opened up christams jammies.

apparently santa must have forgiven that face of guilt,

because he enjoyed his cookies and milk.

and dropped off some pretty cool stuff!

taking his first ride.

and a super hero cape to ride with.

later in the day we made good use of those golf clubs.

enjoyed some family time with cousins.

that made sure we were protected from any danger.

lindsay showing grandmama the digital frame filled with family pictures.

opening up some pretty cool stuff.

mom, erica, and toni all got handmade scarves.

and for those really tough to open packages,

just pull out the chain saw,

but remember: safety first and wear those goggles.

and one last surprise:

see the excitement!

a golf cart!

we traveled to the farr's late in the afternoon for some more family fun,

and august enjoyed every last minute.

yesterday

2011-02-10T17:36:00.004-05:00

piles of clean camp laundry covered the table.a "robber" ram sacked the house looking for that perfect toy.

he did find the perfect mardi gras beads for the dog.

in all honesty, if someone had broken in yesterday at around noon,

they would have turned back at the door thinking that they had been beat to the punch on this one.

some productivity did happen around here.
cute ruffle butt onesies with appliques were mailed off.

a new project started.

and some football time with papa g and daddy.

and if it takes all night,
the next week will be filled with the rest of our christmas,
our north carolina trip,
some photo sessions,
and just regular ole life that has been happening around here.

early christmas

2011-02-01T16:53:00.007-05:00

we celebrated christmas a week early with these guys.
and all 3 were itching to start unwrapping. as a matter of fact, e.n. liked the unwrapping so much that it took a few presents before he bothered to actually open a box.

i made the kids super hero capes.

august needed to try on e.n.'s for size.
engineer and possibly a future engineer at work.

after opening presents, we partied down celebrating kortney and lee's engagement.

but first we made a stop to check out christmas lights.

dancing to the music.

not sure why, but swim goggles were in order.

maybe the lights were bright?

on sunday, we scooted over to the davis house to celebrate with the entire jahna clan.

see caroline in the cute hat and boots, she is an actress.
check her out here. you may just have seen her before!

the davis family made gingerbread houses the night before,

and i though i would name them for you.

the frat house:

(i think an couch and some empty beer cans would finish off that front yard just perfect!)

the old red barn:

the fishing shack:

and finally, the southern colonial:

so many details on each of these.

a string of lights:

a snowman:

and a christmas tree:

some of the family:

august on the attack.

coming home it was rainy and cold.

just perfect for sitting by the tree and taking in the season.

she's back

2011-01-27T16:25:00.003-05:00

to say i have missed this girl would be an understatement. i have so much to blog about,
and can't wait to get started again!!

dead computer screen

2011-01-06T19:48:00.003-05:00

which probably means you'll see my christmas posts in february!
so i'll leave you with this for now:

we had many wonderful family gatherings over the holidays
and followed our busy weeks with a trip to the mountains
which were full of snow.

can't wait to get back and share all our fun with you!

projects

2010-12-15T20:54:00.006-05:00

first one: done

second one: 3 steps closer to done

third one: somewhere in the middle

many more to go,

and i am enjoying each and every moment of it!

lights, lights, lights

2010-12-09T06:00:00.002-05:00

we took the kids to see the lights at dorothy b. owen park while in tally.
i must warn you.....the kids were silly!
and totally hamming it up for me.

the kids were pretending to be in joville.

(joville is a family secret place....kinleigh, i am working on some more joville stories for you!)

the wise men and woman?!?!

we were beginning to get worried,
but the frog was just around the last corner.
click here for pictures of our trip last year to see the lights.