The Jones Family ~

Summer SS Party ~

2011-06-08T11:43:00.002-05:00

We had our SS class, and 4 other "Young Adult" classes from our church, over Sunday afternoon for a "Welcome Summer" party. We rented a huge water slide (for the kids AND adults), set up a "kiddie pool" area for the younger kids, and made our own (enormous) slip n slide! We used a
20' x 100' heavy duty painters tarp, 15 bottles of baby oil, 25 bottles of baby shampoo and 300 feet of water hose....and VIOLA! It was so much fun, even Jeb couldn't resist! We grilled hotdogs for dinner, along with chips, cookies, and brownies that everyone brought, then topped it off with snow cones! Needless to say, everyone had a blast! I love having the space to do stuff like this! Although we were exhausted by the end of the day (the party was from 3:30 til dark), I can't wait to do it again!

Daddy's Helper ~

2011-06-08T11:25:00.002-05:00

"Helping" Daddy cut grass is hard work. So, after a long ride on the mower, she needed to cool off a little by playing in the sprinkler. What a hard life!

Good Bye Elementary School....Hello 5th grade!

2011-06-08T00:10:00.005-05:00

It didn't really hit me until we were sitting in the auditorium at Julian Newman Elementary school, at Em's 4th grade awards ceremony, that this was it.....she's officially out of Elementary school and on to 5th grade at the Intermediate school! She's so excited.....lockers, changing classes, being at a school that doesn't have kindergartners down the hall....you know, Big School! It does hurt my heart a little to see how grown up she's become but, at the same time, I'm so excited for her as she moves in to this next chapter of life! Congratulations Emma! 5th grade, here you come!

Chef Emma ~

2011-06-07T23:43:00.003-05:00

One of Emma's favorite things to do is cook! For Christmas, she received a gift certificate from Mimi and Pop for a private cooking lesson....so we finally decided to cash it in! Emma chose the menu and Chef Margaret came over to give her a lesson. Emma's menu consisted of cheese fondue with assorted dippers (as an appetizer), Chicken Cordon Bleu, fried green beans with homemade ranch dipping sauce, twice baked potatoes, and homemade white chocolate bread pudding for dessert. I was thinking it'd be something along the lines of homemade pizza or chicken fingers.....I was way off! As soon as Chef Margaret arrived, they got straight to work. I offered to help but she wanted to do it on her own (apparently I'm "a little too controlling in the kitchen")....hmm. Mimi and Pop were able to join us for dinner and it was awesome! She did a great job on everything! She always talks about opening her own restaurant one day....I think it just might happen!

6 Months Already!?

2011-06-07T23:13:00.003-05:00

Actually...she'll turn 7 months old in 8 days! Time really does FLY by! This is one happy baby (for the most part). She goes to bed at 9 and sleeps until 10am....she'll "bounce"herself to sleep in her bouncer....for the most part, she just sits back and "watches". Her little personality is starting to show.....she talks and babbles all of the time! She LOVES bath time and splashing in the water and has 2 brand new teeth! She's so soft and cuddly, you can't help but to kiss her chubby cheeks! As chaotic as it can be around here sometimes, I'm going to miss these baby days! Happy 6 (almost 7) months Edee!

Happy Easter ~

2011-04-24T14:01:00.002-05:00

2nd Annual SS Easter Egg Hunt ~

2011-04-23T17:33:00.002-05:00

Because of Soccer and Ball games, we didn't have quite as many this year as we did last year....but we still had just as much fun! After finding 730 Easter eggs (which happened in a matter of minutes), the kids got to fish, race and run wild. I had been praying that God give us good weather for today, and HE gave us great weather! We couldn't have had a more perfect day to celebrate Easter with friends!

Ella's Easter Party at MMO ~

2011-04-23T17:20:00.002-05:00

She bounced herself to sleep....

2011-04-23T17:09:00.002-05:00

February & March ~

2011-04-04T13:13:00.014-05:00

Here I go again, trying to play "catch-up" on the blog! I keep telling myself I need to update it but unfortunatley the blog falls to the end of the list behind soccer practice, gymnastics, Dr. appointments, a husband and 3 kids! Hopefully I'll get better at balancing everything, including the blog, so I no longer have to cram two months worth of stuff into one post....we'll see! There have been a few significant things happen lately. The first being Jeb's 30th birthday on February 7th! If you know Jeb at all then you know that he wanted NOTHING special on his birthday.....not because he didn't want to recognize that he was actually turning 30, (like I'm going to be) but because that's just Jeb. His idea of "celebrating" is having dinner (at home) with me and the girls and maybe a cake....maybe. But 30's a big deal and I couldn't just let this milestone birthday go by without doing something. So.......I hired a Marilyn Monroe impersonator (who happened to be about 60) to surprise him at the pharmacy and sing "Happy Birthday"! Everyone that he worked with knew about it but he had absolutely no clue. The pictures are priceless! It was definitely the best money I've ever spent...ever! Happy 30th Birthday, Jeb

Not too long after Jeb's birthday, came our anniversary. On March 17th we celebrated our 10 year anniversary! It's so hard to believe that it's been that long since we were married....it doesn't feel like a decade has passed (which is a good thing)! Thinking back to that first year of marriage I would have never guessed that we would be where we are today. Looking back, there were so many things that happened (or didn't happen) that we just couldn't understand.....things we prayed for and just knew were what we needed, that didn't happen. Now, it's so obvious that GOD had us on a very specific path.....why some prayers were answered and some were not (or so we thought). I guess when you're talking about spending the rest of your life with someone, 10 years is really not that long. However, when you start off like we did.....with every odd stacked against us and every statistic saying we wouldn't make it.....to be here, 10 years, 3 kids and 1 doctorate degree later, is a huge success! I couldn't imagine spending the past 10 years....or the next 100....with anyone else!

Edee has also hit a couple of big "milestones" lately. It's so hard to believe she is already 5 months old! She's growing so fast and, being the last child, we're trying to soak up every smile and cry! She starting eating solid foods and LOVES it...just like the rest of us! She's become a lot more playful and interactive, especially with Emma and Ella. Emma is a huge help, as always, and Ella loves to play with her. She thinks Edee is "soooo funny"....unless she's crying....then Ella will yell from the playroom "EDEE...BE QUIET! I trying to watch Dora!" Both girls have adjusted so well to having Edee here and we're finally getting into a fairly smooth routine. Maybe now I'll find a little more time to update this blog.

Ella ~

2011-01-14T18:43:00.001-06:00

American Girl Edee ~

2011-01-14T18:17:00.004-06:00

Emma volunteered to watch Edee for me while I cooked dinner! When I went to check on them they had disappeared from the living room......

.....and I found them here, in Emma's room, where she had laid out both of her American Girl beds for Edee to lay on.

Edee seemed to be enjoying it so I left her with Emma so I could finish dinner. The next thing I know......

....Emma brings her into the kitchen so I could see how Edee looked in the AG hat Em put on her! Then they go back to Emma's room......

.......where she proceeds to dress Edee in another AG hat and outfit!

All of her hard work babysitting made Emma thirsty so she pulled Edee from her room into the kitchen to get a drink......and then back to her room!

All of this occurred over about an hours time (which was an hour of free babysitting) and Edee never cried! She actually ended up falling asleep in Emma's room! I see a lot of babysitting in Emma's future.....but I'm sure the "free" part won't last long!

Sleddin' ~

2011-01-10T16:18:00.001-06:00

Snow Day ~

2011-01-10T12:12:00.002-06:00

We woke up to about 8 inches of snow this morning! The girls and I went out after breakfast and played until we were about frozen! Jeb (for once) was behind the camera......he got some great shots of me!

Christmas 2010 ~

2011-01-10T11:08:00.002-06:00

This Christmas season was a little more hectic than others with Edee coming in November.....but we still managed to make time for some fun! The girls (all) had so much fun and were so excited about what Santa left for them! The go kart has been the biggest hit! They are on it everyday! Christmas lasted an entire week for us! Loni, Justin and Hudson came to spend the night after Christmas, along with Brannon, Lori, Ava and Cakes! We loved having them all here! Then it was off to Eufaula on New Years Eve to have Christmas with the Jones! Christmas 2010 was great (Ella cried when we finally took our tree down!) and we're looking forward to a fabulous 2011!!!

Edee Elizabeth ~

2011-01-10T10:42:00.004-06:00

A lot has happened since my last post in October! Edee was born on November 15th weighing 9lbs 3oz and 19 1/2 inches long! She is such a good baby.....already sleeping 9 to 10 hours a night! The girls absolutely LOVE her! Emma (as always) is such a huge help and Ella just loves to "pet" her! We are so lucky to have 3 beautiful, healthy girls!!

Look Who's 3 ~

2010-10-28T17:38:00.004-05:00

Ella turned 3 last Friday! We celebrated by taking her to see Yo Gabba Gabba Live on Wednesday, having her big birthday bash on Saturday, and finishing it off with birthday cookies and juice at school on Monday! She had so much fun playing, eating and celebrating with all of her friends and family! Thanks to everyone who made the trip for making it such a special day for her!

Creative Excercise ~

2010-10-28T17:32:00.003-05:00

Poor El...

2010-10-28T17:25:00.003-05:00

....She seems to become the guinea pig when Em gets bored! She doesn't seem to mind, though...at least not right now!

Em's 9th Birthday ~

2010-09-05T15:33:00.002-05:00

I can't believe Emma just turned 9! It's her last year in the single digits! She loves to "cook" so this year she wanted to have cooking party. Luckily I was able to find a great cooking school/restaurant in Madison that does parties. The girls LOVED it. Emma picked a "pizza party" theme so they made pizza and cheese sticks from scratch. They also made the biggest ice cream sundaes I've ever seen! They all had a blast....not sure how we'll top it next year!

Back to School ~

2010-08-31T20:38:00.004-05:00

I can't believe we've already started ANOTHER year of school! The summer gets shorter every year! Emma started the 4th grade this year and Ella is in the 3 year old class at MMO. I can't believe we have a 4th grader! They were both super excited about starting back to school and seem to really like their classes! Let's hope it stays that way!

Our Summer in a Nutshell ~

2010-08-31T18:20:00.002-05:00

It's time to play catch up, yet again! I've been a slacker over the summer and haven't posted anything....I really didn't take that many pictures either. Our summer was rather uneventful. It was mostly spent swimming, playing with friends, and getting ready for baby girl #3, due in November! The one thing I didn't get ANY pictures of was Emma playing softball this summer. She joined a summer league team and played 2 games a week for most of the summer. She did really well and seemed to enjoy playing. She plans to sign up for regular season softball this year so I'll be sure to get a few pictures then. Other than that, the slideshow pretty much sums up our summer. Now that I'm getting caught up I'm going to try to keep it up like I used to! Hope you enjoy the slideshow!

American Girl Weekend ~

2010-06-14T08:47:00.002-05:00

Emma and I, along with our friends, Hope and Katelyn, kicked off our summer by heading to Atlanta for an American Girl weekend! This had been the only thing the girls talked about for the last several months and the only thing they've been saving their money for! It was obvious that both had been hard at work since they each had over $200 to spend at the American Girl Boutique! Not only did we shop at the boutique and eat at the AG Bistro, but we spent the night at the AG Hotel (The Marriott), where our room was decorated with pink comforters, trash cans, towels, notepads and pencils, and pink bows on the lamps! It was fun getting away and spending some quality time with Emma. It was definitely an experience to remember!

School's Out Party ~

2010-06-14T08:31:00.002-05:00

We celebrated the end of the school year by having a party with our Sunday School class! What better way to celebrate the start of summer than with hotdogs, slip n' slides, and chasing ducks! We all had a great time.

Joy Ride

2010-06-14T08:14:00.003-05:00

Ella loves riding on her scooter and jeep (though she hasn't really mastered the steering thing just yet). Luckily she has a great big sister to help her out when she gets stuck (and to take some great "action shots" of her riding!)

Happy Easter ~

2010-04-04T16:35:00.002-05:00

Huntin' Eggs with Friends ~

2010-04-04T16:11:00.005-05:00

Friday, Ella's preschool class had their Easter party followed by an egg hunt with some other classes! When Emma and I got there, she was dipping her rice krispy treat into the icing on her cupcake, which gave her the perfect sugar rush to hunt Easter eggs with! When it came time to look for eggs, Ella had a slight advantage over the other kids! With her big sis leading the way, El ended up with a basket full of candy filled eggs in no time!!

Easter Egg Hunt 2010 ~

2010-04-04T14:36:00.003-05:00

Last weekend, we hosted an Easter Egg hunt at our house for our SS class and their families! We had 50 + people come and hid 44 dozen Easter eggs from one end of the yard to the other! When they weren't hunting for eggs, they were busy doing sack races, jumping on the trampoline, fishing and just having fun! Each family brought their own picnic lunch and we served ice cream sundaes before everyone left! It turned out to be such a fun and relaxing day (believe it or not!) Hopefully this is only the first of many gatherings we'll have here over the years to come!

Like Father, Like Daughter ~

2010-02-23T17:44:00.002-06:00

After weeks of squinting, complaining of headaches, and asking "What does that say?"......Emma finally got glasses! While her eyesight isn't nearly as bad as Jeb's, he also had to get glasses in the 3rd grade! She wasn't too happy about the idea at first, but seems to love them now! We happen to think they fit her personality perfectly! And, YES.....those are HOT PINK frames!

Bad Blogger!

2010-02-04T17:45:00.013-06:00

It's time to play "catch up" again! I'll admit that I don't really think about the blog as much as I used to.....it's usually not until I start getting emails from my mother that I remember to do it! So here are a few updates I forgot about.....better late than never! (Keep scrolling down...this is by far my longest post yet!)

JOLLY'S GRAND FINALE ~

The week leading up to Christmas, Jolly, our ELF, went out with a bang! Good thing He only comes around for a few weeks before Christmas.....I don't think I could handle any more than that! Here are two of His more ambitious pranks ~

Fun with Hair bows!
Anyone who knows Emma, knows that she has way too many hair bows! I've never actually counted them (why would I) but just to put it into perspective, there are 5 "hair bow holders" on the back of her door and they are all full......not to mention 2 whole bathroom drawers designated for hair bows that are full as well! Jolly found them all.....and clipped all He could onto the girls Christmas tree in the playroom!

Then....the night before He left on Christmas Eve, He did this.....

......that's right! He "wrapped" the doorway leading into the playroom (their bedrooms are off of the playroom) with my Christmas paper which read "Merry Christmas Emma and Ella! Love Jolly". When they woke up the next morning, they had to bust through the paper to get to the living room! However, I have to say that Jolly can't take full credit for this one....a friend gave him the idea! Yep.....sure am glad He's not here all year 'round!!

LOOK WHAT I FOUND!!!

Another significant thing I have yet to post is our new puppy...Timber! No, Jeb did not give in and say we could get one.....She found us! I pulled in the driveway one afternoon and she was sitting in our yard, close to the hwy! Since we live off of a 4 lane hwy and have no close neighbors, we knew that she didn't run away from someone! However, Jeb insisted on driving to ALL of the houses within 5 miles just to make sure! They all said the same thing, that someone probably put her out on the hwy in front of our house (apparently it's happened before). She was only 6 weeks old and even Jeb didn't have it in him to take her to the pound! The girls LOVE her and she seems to feel right at home!!

ICE SKATING ANYONE? ~

OK....so chances are it's not thick enough for skating, but it still looks pretty! This is the pond behind our house!

EL'S NEW DO ~

I finally took Ella for a haircut.....just couldn't take the mullet any longer! This was actually her first "real" haircut....other than having the ends trimmed twice. Of course, she screamed through the entire process but the end result was great! Her new "do" fits her perfectly!

STAR STUDENT ~

Em was chosen as "Star Student" of her class last week! She had to make an "All About Me" poster to hang on their classroom door! She did a great job on it! We are so proud of her!

LAST BUT NOT LEAST....

A few more noteworthy pics I thought you might enjoy!

Family Christmas ~ Part 2

2010-01-08T10:29:00.002-06:00

On New Years Day, we packed up and headed to Eufaula to have Christmas with the Jones! It was our first trip to Eufaula since we moved in May! We spent Friday night with Jeb's family, opening tons of presents and eating dinner! We all had a great time and got so many nice things (thanks Nana and Poppy)!

Because this was also Jebs first chance to hunt this season, we spent the rest of the weekend at the cabin. Saturday night (despite the cold) he built a camp fire for the girls to roast hotdogs and marshmallows and make s'mores! They loved it! Monday morning, before we left, Jeb and Emma were able to get in a little target practice with Jeb's new gun.......she's a natural!

Family Christmas ~

2010-01-07T18:11:00.002-06:00

This was a Christmas full of "firsts"! It was our first Christmas spent in our new house, the first time Lori, Brannon and the girls have been with us on Christmas Day, the first time we've lived in a house big enough to even consider accommodating the whole fam for Christmas.....

Lori, Brannon, Ava, Cakes, Loni and Justin ALL spent the night at our house Christmas Eve.....and Christmas morning Santa delivered Toys x 4 (We were up until 3am)! Not long after Loni set off the alarm and woke the kids up, Mimi, Pop and Nanny arrived! Yes, it was a little chaotic at times, but that's what made it special! It's not often that we get the chance to ALL sit and talk, but when we do it's unforgettable! Thanks (family) for a great Christmas!

Emma's Christmas Party/Sleepover ~

2010-01-07T17:22:00.003-06:00

School let out on December 17th (for Christmas break) so we decided to celebrate by having a few of Emma's friends over to play dirty santa, decorate Christmas cookies, and spend the night! Other than the noise level, things went very well for having 6 girls in the house (lucky for Ella, she got to spend the night with Mimi and Pop). After all of the "planned" activities were done, they spent the rest of the night playing Twister (very interesting), Wii Mario Kart, and watching Home Alone!

December 16th ~ Emma's Christmas Play

2010-01-07T09:47:00.004-06:00

The day before school let out for Christmas, Emma's class (along with the rest of the third grade) put on their Christmas play........"Twas the Night Before Christmas"! Emma was "Ma" (which couldn't have been more fitting) and she took her part very seriously! Apparently her "husband" (Pa) did as well! She said he kept calling her "Dear" and "Honey" even when they weren't rehearsing! All of their practice paid off........the play was great!

A Country Christmas ~

2009-12-14T21:12:00.003-06:00

We made it home safely from Nashville this afternoon! Despite a few setbacks in the beginning, we had a great trip! We stayed at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and saw the Rockettes on Sunday! It was amazing......especially the live nativity at the end! Somehow we ended up with front row seats and though the show lasted almost 2 hrs, Ella didn't move! She sat and watched the entire time! Last night we went to Charlie Brown ICE! Once you get past the fact that it's 9 degrees in there it's great! It's hard to believe all that was actually made out of ICE.....like the slide! The Hotel itself had enough to spend several days exploring! You would have to stay for a week to do all they had to offer! I dropped that hint to Jeb but I don't think he caught it!

A Girl's night at the Wynfrey ~

2009-12-14T20:36:00.002-06:00

I met my sweet Auburn friend, Katie, at the Wynfrey Tuesday night for a getaway/shopping trip! I haven't seen her since we moved so it was great getting to spend time with her and catch up on things! While I was in Birmingham, Jeb was holding down the fort at home with BOTH girls! Not only did he do homework, bath, and bedtime Tuesday night, but also got them both up and ready for school Wednesday morning......including fixing their hair! I'm lucky to have him! Per Emma's request, he did have a little help! He said her bedtime prayer went something like this.....

"Dear GOD, thank you for letting us have such a fun night and please keep my mom safe on her trip and as she comes home tomorrow....and please, GOD, let my daddy make it through til tomorrow when she gets home! AMEN"

Oh Jolly!

2009-12-14T20:05:00.003-06:00

Jolly (our Elf) has certainly been busy......and with more than just watching out for the girls! Every morning He's the first thing on their minds.....they have to find him! Sometimes He's found sitting quietly on a shelf or in the Christmas tree.....and sometimes He's found doing things like.....................

Eating candy out of the dish......

Making a mess with the cereal......

Swinging from the Christmas socks that Nana sent the girls........

What WILL He do Next!!??

A little SNOW.....

2009-12-05T09:59:00.003-06:00

We didn't have a ton of snow but it was just enough to make it look pretty this morning! Emma wasted no time getting out in it! She was a little disappointed that she couldn't make a snowman but "hey.....at least we got to see some!"

Athens Christmas Parade ~

2009-12-05T09:50:00.002-06:00

This was like no other Christmas parade we've ever been to! It's one of the only night parades in the state.....and it's a HUGE deal in Athens! We had to arrive 2 hours ahead of time to find a place to park and watch from! But it was worth it! The parade lasted for an hour so by the time it was over we were almost frozen! Emma (or Ella for that matter) had never seen anything like it......they had a blast!

Meet Jolly....

2009-12-05T09:39:00.002-06:00

....Our Elf! The girls have been EXTRA good since He arrived (since He reports back to Santa)! However, Jolly seems to get into a little mischief himself! They couldn't believe it when they saw him wrapped in toilet paper this morning!! With 20 more days until Christmas, there's no telling what we will find him doing each morning!

Weee.....

2009-11-16T10:05:00.003-06:00

Who needs a wagon when you've got a........suitcase? These two NEVER cease to surprise me!

Short and Sweet ~

2009-11-16T09:53:00.002-06:00

Well....I finally talked Em into getting her hair cut! A little over a year ago, she decided she wanted to let it grow and eventually donate it to locks of love! However, because her hair is so unbelievably thick, the longer it got, the more difficult it was to manage! As much as it had grown, she still needed almost 4 more inches to be able to donate it......there's no telling how much longer that would have taken! So.....after 45 minutes of cutting this was the end result.....

......I love it! But more important......She does too!

Pebbles and the Pirate ~

2009-11-03T21:33:00.005-06:00

The girls had a great time trick or treating this year! This was Ella's first time to go and Em's first time going "door to door" (she's always been to a trunk or treat or the Downtown festivities in Auburn)! It was like it used to be when I used to trick or treat.....where you couldn't even drive a car down the street for all of the people! El had a hard time grasping the concept that she couldn't eat every single piece that was dropped in her bag...other than that it was a great night!

Happy Birthday Ella ~

2009-11-03T21:20:00.002-06:00

2 Already! Although she's been acting like it for quite some time now, I still can't believe she's already 2 years old! She had such a good time at her party! It wasn't until everyone started singing Happy Birthday to her that she realized the party was for her! As long as there's cake, Ella doesn't' care what's being celebrated! As much of a "handful" as she can be, I wouldn't want her any different! I love her to death! I wrote this for her invitation but ended up not using it! So just so it doesn't go to waste, I thought I'd add it to her Birthday "post"....Enjoy!

Ella Reid is turning Two!
These are some things she likes to do:
~
Read books about animals, letters, and shapes;
Eat bananas by bunches and fists full of grapes;
Hop in her car for an afternoon cruise;
Sneak into mommy’s closet to try on her shoes;
When “Gabba” comes on she’s ready to dance
And “break it down” with the gang and DJ Lance;
She’s rough and tumble and loving and sweet
From the tip of her ponytail to the toes on her feet!

2nd Annual Spooktacular Scavenger Hunt ~

2009-11-03T21:08:00.004-06:00

We had so much fun last Halloween doing the scavenger hunt that we decided to do it again this year! Except, this year, we had a little more "yard" to work with! Being new to the area, I was a little worried about the turnout we might (not) have. But the turnout was great! The kids (and parents) seemed to have a great time! However, Em and her friends informed me that next year I need to make it a little more difficult (apparently 3rd graders are a lot smarter than I thought!) On a side note, Emma's costume was ALL her idea! I'm still not totally sure what she was.....she just said she wanted to be something dead!

Even Ella......

2009-10-10T21:02:00.002-05:00

.....................is sick of hearing about Tim Tebow!

Chili A La Emma ~

2009-10-10T20:50:00.003-05:00

Golf isn't the only thing Em's taken an interest in lately.......she also wants to learn how to cook! She had her first lesson today....Chili! Jeb and I both agreed, it was the best we've ever had!!

Practice Makes Perfect ~

2009-10-10T20:36:00.003-05:00

Em started taking golf lessons a few weeks ago and has really gotten into it! She calls Pop after each practice to tell him what she learned (and ask for things like "ball markers")! A couple of weeks ago she was so excited because she learned how to "chip"! Right now, her clubs are a little long; so she's been practicing on the Wii until we get them cut down!

The Next Best Thing ~

2009-10-07T17:49:00.005-05:00

Now that football has started, it makes us miss Auburn a little more! Being 4 hours away, it isn't as easy to tailgate as it used to be! But you do the best with what you've got! So we rented a projector, set up our tent, invited our friends and had our own tailgate "Athens style"! It turned out great! I don't know how many times I heard "we need to do this for every night game"! You can't really tell from the pictures, but the projection on the screen (a king size sheet) was crystal clear! And to top it all off......Auburn WON!

Since we had the projector for the weekend, Jeb set it up in the playroom and hooked the Wii up to it! He and Emma played Mario Kart, tennis, and Em even got in a little golf practice!

Sweet Cousins ~

2009-10-07T17:24:00.003-05:00

Lori, Ava, and Anna Kate (better known as Lolo, Aya, and Cakes) drove from Texas to come stay with us for the weekend! It was their first time visiting our new home! Since it was a special occasion we decided to do some special things! We rented a moonwalk for the weekend and the girls had a blast! It also wore them out by the end of each day! With an 8 yr old, a 4 yr old, and two 2 yr olds, you can imagine the chaos! However, for every cry, scream, whine, and yell, there were hugs, laughs, kisses, and smiles! I'd do it all again tomorrow! Plus...Lori did all of my laundry before she left! Thanks Lo!

This is what I get......

2009-10-07T17:02:00.003-05:00

......for not putting the shredder away after I finished using it! She just couldn't help herself!

Quality time with Dad ~

2009-10-07T16:42:00.002-05:00

Both girls LOVE riding on the mower....yes, the mower, which couldn't make Jeb happier! As soon as they hear him crank it up, they're out the door waiting for a ride! The other day, while Jeb was at work, Emma asked if she could ride Ella around on it.....she was certain she could drive it! Of course, she got a big NO.....and now he takes the key out when he's not there....just in case!

Dress Up ~

2009-10-07T16:21:00.003-05:00

Emma pulled out all of her old dress up clothes for Ella to play with (since she's too old for dressing up now)! Emma seemed to have just as much fun dressing El up as Ella did putting everything on! Ella's favorite was the coon skin cap that Poppy gave Emma a few years ago! She seemed to be a little confused at first! I think she thought it was a long lost family pet by the way she was petting and hugging it and saying "Awwwwww"! Eventually, with Em's help, she figured out that it was a hat! She wore it for the rest of the evening!!

Visitors ~

2009-09-12T10:03:00.002-05:00

We see deer in our yard a regular basis, eating the fruit and nuts that have fallen from the trees! A few days ago there were 6 of them playing in the yard! Although they're out there at least twice a week, the girls and I still get really excited when we see them! What can I say, we're not used to seeing that many deer up close......that are still alive, at least!

Note to self.....

2009-09-12T09:44:00.003-05:00

.....Ella + marshmallow cream = HUGE MESS! It wasn't that bad until she started using it as GLUE to stick her feet to the counter!

The New Guy ~

2009-09-12T09:27:00.002-05:00

They've had this sign up since Jeb started working......which probably explains how everyone here seems to know us already! I finally remembered to throw my camera in the car the other day when I was headed to the store! I'm glad I did.......I think he's ready for them to take it down!

Baby Steps ~

2009-09-12T08:49:00.003-05:00

A couple of weekends ago, Loni and her friend Abby hosted the first annual Baby Steps 5k marathon benefiting the Amelia Center! With a total of almost 400 runners, it exceeded all our expectations! I have never been as proud of or for Loni as I was on that day! I can't imagine the courage, strength, and determination it must take to turn ones own personal tragedy into something so positive! We all know that God has a magnificent plan for Loni, Justin and Maddox! And while this is certainly not the only great thing they'll accomplish.......MAN, it was a great start!!!!

Home Grown ~

2009-09-04T17:52:00.003-05:00

Along with house came a small orchard! We have:

red/green apples

figs

grapes

pears

muscadines

blackberries

blueberries

pecans
and Walnuts!

We've picked more fruit in the last 2 months than any of us have ever picked in our whole lives.....ever! Especially blueberries, blackberries, and grapes! I made a ton of cobblers and blueberry pancakes (see picture below) but that wasn't good enough....Jeb wanted jelly! I have no clue how to make jelly! Surprised? Lucky for me, my Mamaw and Papa can! The last time they visited they took home a bag full of grapes and made 8 jars of jelly! Then they called to tell me how good it was and give me detailed instructions on how to make it.....apparently I was going to make it! So, with a little help from papa, I made 4 jars of grape jelly.....really good grape jelly! It taste nothing like the stuff I buy from the store! Now I can add "jelly making" to my list of things I've learned from Mamaw and Papa!

This is just what I had picked that day! Jeb, Emma, and El also had bags full!

mmmm....Blueberry Pancakes!

Grape Jelly!

2 Significant Events ~

2009-09-02T10:32:00.011-05:00

As usual these days, I'm a little behind in posting. Better late than never, I guess!

8 Already?

Once again, August has come and gone; which means yet another birthday for Emma! I can't believe she's 8! Yes, 8! She no longer likes Hannah Montana......it's everything Taylor Swift! She also tends to roll her eyes at me a little more than she used too! Very few things aside, I couldn't have asked for a more loving, caring, beautiful child!

One downside to moving during summer, she hadn't really had time to meet any new friends to invite to a party! So, we had a "family" party for her a couple of weeks ago and decided to have another party (with her new friends) toward the end of September! We had a lot of family make the trip to Athens and Emma had a great time! We're now in the "planning process" of her "friend" party. Yesterday, she sat at one end of the dining room table and made me sit at the other end so we could have a "conference" about the party! That's SO Emma!

We decided to break out the slip-n-slide for the kids that were there! It's safe to say that El had more fun on it than anyone else! She couldn't quite get the hang of it on her own so she would just sit at the top of it and we'd push her down to the bottom!

Emma (and Jeb, for that matter) spent the rest of the day on her new scooter! She rides it every morning before she leaves for school and every afternoon when homework is done! However, I don't think she expected to have to share it with Jeb and Ella!

10 Years Already??

Not only did Emma turn 8, but 2 days later Jeb and I attended my 10 year class reunion! Personally, I loved high school! Most of my close friends now are friends from hs! But as much as we all still talk and keep up thru blogs, etc., it's a very rare occasion that we're all in the same town, not to mention the same place! True to form, they did not dissappoint! It was definitley the most fun we've had in a long time (and the latest we've stayed up!) Just 10 more years and we get to do it all again!

1 Day of School Down.......

2009-08-11T21:26:00.002-05:00

We were so excited for Em to make it home from school yesterday to see how it went! Ella and I waited patiently at the end of the driveway for the bus to pull up (the bus was a little loud for El)! We were happy to see a huge smile on Em's face as she got off the bus and ran up the drive! She had a great day and met a few new friends! She seems to really like it....hopefully it will stay that way!

The New Kid ~

2009-08-10T12:50:00.002-05:00

Unlike every other child in Limestone County, Emma has been looking forward to today ALL summer......the first day of school! She is in the 3rd grade at Julian Newman Elementary! You would think that she would have been a little (or a lot) nervous about being the new kid at a new school, but not Emma! She walked straight in, introduced herself to the teacher (Mrs. Carter), put her things away, and took her seat.......smiling the whole time! Her motto is "new girl makes friends"! With that attitude, I have no doubt that she will make lots of friends!

Summer Summary ~

2009-08-07T11:05:00.006-05:00

Since I'm obviously so far behind on updating, I figured I'd try my best to sum up our summer and then move on with all that's happening now! We are finally getting settled here in Athens! Our "minor renovations" on the house turned into months of chaos, so it took us a little longer to settle in than usual! Jeb is officially a licensed practicing pharmacists! He loves his job at Westside Pharmacy and seems to be fitting in great! The girls are loving the house and the yard! Emma takes El outside every afternoon to play, which is a nice break for me! Ella will stand at the blueberry bush for hours, picking and eating blueberries! I posted a slide show of the progress on the house. We have enough to keep us busy for a few years but it already looks tons better than it did when we started! There are lots of pictures so sit back and enjoy!

Well Worth the Wait ~

2009-05-07T20:54:00.009-05:00

After 10 years of college, 8 years of marriage, and 4 years of Pharmacy school, we finally made it to the big day......GRADUATION! I've waited a very long time for this "blog post" and thought a lot about what I would say. However, when I went to post it Tuesday night (Graduation was Tuesday morning) I couldn't bring myself to do it! How do I sum up the past 8 years in one blog post? So, after taking a couple of days to gather my thoughts, I am finally able to put into words what I've had in my head for 8 years!

There have been very few days go by that the thought hasn't entered my mind of how drastically different my (our) life could have been. At 19, our only priority was having as much fun as possible. So when I became pregnant at 19, well.........it wasn't good! As disappointed as our parents had to have been, they did what they had promised us they would do our whole lives....they continued to love and support us through it all! Without God's guidance and their love and support we WOULD NOT have made it!

From the beginning, Jeb's only goal was to provide for me and Emma to the best of his ability. In the beginning, he worked 2 jobs and went to school. There were many days that he did not see Emma at all. He would have to leave before she woke up and wouldn't get home until after she went to bed. When he started pharmacy school he continued to work for the first 2 years. He would come home from school/work, eat dinner and go back to the Pharmacy school to study for hours! When he said he would do whatever he could to make a good life for us, he meant it. God has blessed me, Emma, and Ella Reid with a husband and father who loves us so much that he has and will continue to give all he has to provide for us! For 8 years I've watched him work harder and stress out more than anyone I've ever seen. On Tuesday, May 5th, Jeb received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree. But most importantly, that very heavy weight that he's been carrying for so long was finally lifted. I, not to mention Emma (and El, if she'd known what was happening) could not be more proud of him!

Graduation in itself is a huge accomplishment for anyone! But for us, personally and spiritually, it was so much more. 8 years ago we had one HUGE decision to make; we could continue to trust in ourselves OR we could start trusting GOD, each leading down 2 very different paths! Since it was obvious that relying on ourselves wasn't working for us, we decided to give GOD a shot! I would love to say it's been easy but it surely has not! For every "high", there were ten "lows". But God never promised it would be easy, HE promised it would be worth the wait!

DMB at Vandy Stadium ~

2009-04-27T22:10:00.002-05:00

We traveled to Nashville Saturday with some friends, to see Dave and Jason Mraz at Vanderbilt Stadium! Our tickets were on the field....no seats, standing room only! That was the first time I'd ever been that close to the stage.....it was awesome! I've only been to a handful of shows (Jeb's in the teens somewhere) but we both agreed that this was the best either of us had seen! However, we leave Sept 2nd for George, Washington to see DMB at the Gorge! It's a 3 day show they play every year, and the only thing Jeb wanted to do after graduation! We can't wait!

Before the show...

Dave introducing Robert Earl King ~

Jason Mraz ~ He was Great!

Having Fun ~

How Big Girls Do It ~

2009-04-22T21:14:00.004-05:00

El has decided that she doesn't need help from anyone when it comes to taking her breathing treatments! I honestly didn't think she would sit there and hold the mask to her face until she was finished, but she proved me wrong! I guess we've been doing them for so long now, that she knew exactly what to do! What a big girl!!

V. I. P. ~

2009-04-19T20:51:00.002-05:00

A local radio station, in Auburn, held a private screening of the new Hannah Montana movie the Friday before it opened. Now, I've never been one to "call in" and try to win things because most of the people who do end up sounding ridiculous! However, I could imagine how excited she would be (and how much cooler it would make me) if I ended up winning them. After 3 days of getting a busy signal, I finally got thru......and sounded totally ridiculous on the radio......and WON! So the Friday before Easter, Em and I had a girls night out at the VIP screening of Hannah Montana! She was so excited......and for one night, I was cooler than Jeb! It was great!

Mimi's Shoes ~

2009-04-17T22:03:00.003-05:00

I think I've mentioned before that El has a thing for shoes! I must say, she has very good taste for such a young age! As soon as Mimi took her pretty, red shoes off, El went for them!

The amazing thing was that she actually walked a couple of steps in them on her own......without breaking her neck! She was not happy when she had to take them off!

Dancing with Mimi ~

2009-04-17T21:44:00.003-05:00

Ella LOVES to sing and dance! She can do "the spider", "wheels on the bus", "gray squirrel", and many more! While in Birmingham, Mimi taught her "here comes Peter Cotton Tail". After church, she and Mimi showed us all of the songs and dances they'd been working on! They both did great!

In our Easter Best ~

2009-04-17T21:32:00.002-05:00

I tried to get a few quick pictures of the girls (and all of us together) before they insisted on changing clothes! Luckily, everyone cooperated and we got some pretty good pictures! They both looked so pretty in their Easter Dresses!

The Easter Bunny Visits.....

2009-04-17T21:21:00.005-05:00

.....in Birmingham! We spent Easter at Mimi and Pop's house this year. Emma was a little worried that Easter Bunny wouldn't be able to locate her to leave all of her Easter goodies.....but he found them! They each had a basket (or two in Emma's case) full of surprises when they woke up Sunday morning!

Easter Goodies ~

2009-04-08T22:53:00.004-05:00

The girls had an Easter surprise waiting for them when they got home today! They each had a basket from the Popcorn Factory filled with chocolate eggs and bunnies and, of course, popcorn! Thanks Mimi and Pop, for the sweet surprise!

El's first haircut ~ sort of

2009-04-08T22:32:00.002-05:00

Actually, it was more like a hair "snip"! Once across the front and once across the side, just to get those extra long pieces that were obviously the first ones to start growing! She's FINALLY got enough in the back to have a cute little curl, so we certainly didn't want to cut that! To be honest, I'm probably the only one who can even tell it's been cut! Either way, she did a lot better than I thought she would! El tends to be somewhat of a "touch-me-not" sometimes, so I wasn't sure how well she would handle someone messing with her hair! Luckily, the entire process only took about 2 minutes.....then she got a cookie!

Watching for Daddy ~

2009-04-08T22:22:00.003-05:00

......A favorite past time of Ella's!

Matt and Elizabeth's Shower ~

2009-04-01T22:31:00.003-05:00

Jeremy & Alisha, Matt & Elizabeth, Chad & Stacey, Jeb & Me

Alisha, Me, & Matt

We, along with the Deems (Jeremy and Alisha) and Matt's Sister, Stacey, hosted a Couples Shower last Saturday for our sweet friends, Matt and Elizabeth! Matt, Alisha, and I have been best friends since high school! I'm so happy for Matt and Elizabeth and we wish them nothing but the very best as they start their new life! We love them both!!

Ella Re and Francie P ~

2009-04-01T22:29:00.001-05:00

Sweet Friends Forever!

Friends and Popsicles....

2009-04-01T21:53:00.003-05:00

......make the park lots more fun! Actually, these pictures are from a few weeks ago! I didn't realize I had been neglecting the blog for so long! Anyway, we had a great time playing at the park with Ms. Ashley, Francie, Ms. Katie and Margie Grace! Emma probably would have had more fun if there could have been someone closer to her age to play with.....but she does great with the little ones and they love following her lead! I'm sure we'll have more play dates to follow!

A Pretty Day to Play ~

2009-03-08T14:31:00.002-05:00

After tornados, snowstorms, and the FLU.......it was nice to get out and play in the sun! We took the girls to the playground at CWES (Emma's school) yesterday and they wore themselves (and us) out! Ella was having so much fun that she kicked and screamed (literally) the whole way home.....and then took a very long nap!

Sweet ~

2009-03-07T21:49:00.000-06:00

Snow....

2009-03-07T10:20:00.002-06:00

..in March? Only in Alabama! We had so much fun playing in the snow, especially Emma! The last time we had snow she barely had enough to make half of a snowman...this time she had plenty! El didn't seem to be too impressed. She was too busy chasing the cat to worry about anything else!

A Seussical Musical ~

2009-03-01T11:41:00.003-06:00

"Music Class" just isn't the same as it was when I was in 2nd grade! Thursday, Emma's class performed their "Seussical Musical" (a tribute to Dr. Seuss) for the parents! After they finished singing, they showed us what they've been learning in music class! This included having the parents (ME) playing the bongo drums to a beat......which Emma found to be hysterical (me...not so much)!

Before we left, she showed me all of the instruments she's been learning to play as well!

My Sisters ~

2009-02-23T22:24:00.002-06:00

For the last 27 years I have taken for granted how truly blessed I am to have two sisters. I've realized over the past several days that I'm not as "strong" as I thought I was. There were several times when LONI was telling ME "it's OK!"....rather than the other way around! We all have very different personalities (which can sometimes lead to conflict). However, I now know that God has been preparing us for this situation our whole lives. I was there with Loni, in her hospital room, making jokes and getting an attitude with the staff (very typical), and Lori flew in from Texas and cleaned their house, bought groceries, etc. before they arrived home (also very typical). Each job being of equal importance, God knew who would be best at doing what, to comfort Loni and Justin! And Loni.....SHE was the strong one! Her faith (along with Justin's) was inspiring. So to my sisters, I'm sorry for not saying it more throughout the years, but I love you both with all of my heart and it's because of you that I am who I am.

Having said that......this is to my sweet niece, Maddox, who will always hold a very special place in my heart ~

Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord your soul He’ll keep.
I praise Him for His grace and Peace. I thank Him for my precious niece.
My tears of grief and sorrow slowly fade with each new day.
I now shed tears of joy for the lives you’ll touch along the way.
I will not continue to ask “Why”; it is not for me to understand.
Yet I can still find rest and peace, for I know you’re in His hands.
I will not mourn our time together because I know that one day soon
We’ll be holding hands and dancing while angels sing a joyous tune!
Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord your soul He’ll keep.

He promises we’ll meet again; My precious Maddox, until then....

Daddy/Daughter Dance '09 ~

2009-02-15T21:19:00.004-06:00

Emma's favorite day of the year, by far, is the day of the Daddy/Daughter dance! She's starts planning months in advance! This year it just happen to be on Valentines Day! As always, we had a busy afternoon of getting ready. She and I did some last minute shopping before her hair appt. She always has great ideas of how her hair should be fixed. Last year she wanted corn rows (no, I'm not joking!), and this year she was thinking of crimping it and putting it in a bun! So when we got to the salon I immediately found the "hair book" to see if we could come up with something a little more.......Emma! Luckily, she found an "up-do" that was "just perfect". And just like the past 2 years, she looked beautiful! This was Jeb and Emma's third year going to the dance! But this one was extra special since it was also their last! Since we won't be here for Ella to go, this is something that will always be Jeb and Emma's! Emma loves her daddy more than anything and I know the Daddy/Daughter dance will always have it's special place in her heart (and in Jeb's too)!

Sweet Valentines ~

2009-02-15T20:28:00.002-06:00

The girls got lots of Valentines this year! They got a package from Mimi and Pop on Thursday that had a stuffed lion for El, named "Purcey", and diamond earrings for Em! They also received a bucket full of pink cookies shaped like pigs from Mimi and Pop! Of course it doesn't stop there! Nana and Poppy gave El a new Elmo dvd (Elmo Loves You!) and sent Emma some money in a card (which happens to be one her most favorite things to get in the mail!). From me and Jeb they each got a big stuffed dog and Emma got another pair of earrings....Pearls! Since the Daddy/Daughter dance was on Valentines Day this year, Jeb and I didn't get to go out. Instead, he kept the girls Friday night and I spent the night at the lake with some sweet friends! That was the best gift he could've given me......I'm lucky to have him!!!

The Big 2-8!

2009-02-09T21:16:00.002-06:00

Jeb turned 28 on Saturday! He's never one for "celebrating" anything! He never wants a gift and thinks cards are the most ridiculous thing a person can buy (because they just get thrown in the trash after you read them)! So....Friday, we took the girls to Mikata for dinner (the entire time he was praying that Emma wouldn't tell them it was his birthday)! Saturday, we went to dinner and then bowling with some friends! He beat all of us at bowling, hints the smile in the picture! I think he had pretty good birthday weekend! Happy Birthday, Jeb!!

Scrap ~

2009-02-05T20:43:00.002-06:00

I was tagged by Julie to "honestly scrap" about myself.

Who knew there were rules for "scrapping"? They are:
A. First list 10 honest things about yourself - and make it interesting, even if you have to dig deep!
B. Pass the award on to 7 bloggers that you feel embody the spirit of the Honest Scrap.

My Scrap ~

1. I have a hard time saying "no" to people. Because of this, I'm always having a party, cooking/baking for someone or something, being a room mom, etc.

2. I've never been a very emotional person (regardless of what Jeb would say). However, that doesn't mean I don't care!

3. I hate that I'm terrible at Math. When I was in 3rd grade I learned my multiplication tables by singing just the answers (ie...3,6,9,12,15,18,...) instead of "3x3=9". I haven't been right since!

4. I find myself saying, thinking, doing the same things my mother used to say, think, or do more than I EVER thought I would. For instance, tonight Emma couldn't go to skate night because she didn't do too hot on her math test and I actually said (in a nutshell) "this hurts me more than it hurts you"! I felt like rolling my eyes at myself! GROSS!

5. I'm a writer. People are usually surprised by that. I write a lot poetry, and it's actually pretty good. (Just being honest)

6. I miss seeing my family more than I let on.

7. I do not feel like I've been married to Jeb for 8 years. Our relationship is a lot like it was when we were dating (minus the keg parties)

8. I get embarrassed when I notice people looking at my fingernails! My dad always told me to stop biting them......i should've listened.

9. I'm scared of the payback I'm going to get when El is a teenager.

10. I am hurting for my sister and Justin and Maddox more than I've ever hurt for anyone, but this situation has brought us closer than we've ever been...ever...and I'm thankful for that.

Let's see......how about:
stephanie p
loni
lori
maggie
ashleigh thompson
katie w
katie m

Sick Day ~

2009-01-28T23:49:00.002-06:00

This week hasn't been the best. Emma was home Monday and Tuesday with a virus (Emma is NEVER sick by the way). And not wanting to be outdone by her big sis, El woke up this morning with a 103.3 temp! Emma seems to be feeling a lot better.....El, not so much. This is what I found when I got home from church this evening. Doesn't it break your heart!? Hopefully tomorrow will be a lot better!!

Emma ~

2009-01-27T22:01:00.004-06:00

I have moments, every now and then, when I see her standing a certain way or doing something and it hits me, just how fast she's growing up! I had one of these moments Sunday morning before we left for church so I decided to take a picture......it last longer! Isn't she pretty!?

Another Fun Sleepover ~

2009-01-27T21:33:00.003-06:00

Emma invited her friend Abby to sleep over Friday night! We always have fun when Abby comes over! They spent most of the night eating pizza and playing Wii Mario kart and then stayed up until 2am giggling and watching movies (typical sleepover stuff)! When they finally woke up Saturday morning, they had a gourmet breakfast (frosted cheerios and cinnamon rolls) and then Jeb took them to the movies to see "Hotel For Dogs"! You'd think, after all of that, they'd be worn out........think again! Emma was bouncing from one end of the house to the other after Abby left! I, however......took a long nap!!

More bath time fun ~

2009-01-26T22:21:00.002-06:00

El LOVES bath time.......
......for the first 15 minutes!

"Uh....is that SOAP in my hair?!"

The Fun's over at that point......

......and then it's "get me out or you'll be sorry!"

And THAT is how our bath time goes.....EVERY NIGHT!

If Jumping Rope was an Olympic Sport....

2009-01-26T22:14:00.002-06:00

.........Em would take home the GOLD!

Life's better......

2009-01-26T21:58:00.003-06:00

........with powdered doughnuts!

Locks of Love ~

2009-01-21T22:18:00.003-06:00

Emma has decided that since she has been blessed with such a fabulous head of pretty blonde hair, that she is going to let it grow out and give it to Locks of Love! Like most of Emma's ideas, I'm not sure where this one came from. However, it is a very generous and selfless idea for a 7 year old! Until now, she's ALWAYS had short hair (and got tons of compliments on it)! While I am so proud of her for making this commitment, I must say that maintaining this long, very THICK hair is a chore! It's been growing for almost 2 months now. We only have about 8 more months to go to get enough length for Locks of Love! I'll post more pictures as it gets longer!

PGHS Class of '99....

2009-01-12T21:26:00.002-06:00

.....It's time for our 10 year CLASS REUNION!! I can't believe it's already been 10 years......we're old!! We're in the process of trying to contact everyone, which is proving harder than we thought! So......if you're reading this, and you or someone you know graduated in our class, please send us your contact info (ie..email, phone #)!! Spread the word.....it's going to be a great night!

You can email:

me @ lacyjonesau@yahoo.com
Lauren (Moore) Armstrong - larmstrong910@yahoo.com
Matt Williams - mattwilliams17@gmail.com
Kim Hydrick - knh423@aol.com

We're looking forward to hearing from everyone!!

Emma's New Bling ~

2009-01-03T22:40:00.003-06:00

I finally gave in and took Em to get her ears pierced today! She's been asking for a while now, but the closer we got to having it done I could tell she was starting to think twice! But she didn't back out.....she actually did great! I was so proud of her! Although I hate to see her growing up so fast, she sure does make a beautiful young lady!!!

"Like this, Sister??"

2009-01-03T22:13:00.003-06:00

She's learning! At this point, I think she likes to eat the toothpaste more than actually brushing her teeth......but at least it's a start!!

Story Time ~

2009-01-03T08:10:00.002-06:00

One of the few things that Emma and Ella have in common (other than looking identical) is that they both LOVE books! Lucky for El, she has a sister that actually knows how to read them (and is willing to do so).

Christmas at the Lamons ~

2009-01-02T10:17:00.002-06:00

Rounding out our Christmas festivities for 2008 was Christmas with my family in Birmingham! It's one of the few times that we're able to be there together! It gets a little crazy, but I don't think any of us would have it any other way! This year's highlight was when Ella was introduced to Molly, my Mamaw and Papa's shih tzu! That child isn't scared of anything! She kept leaning over so Molly could lick her head (gross, I know..but hilarious!) Her hair was standing straight up (think "Something About Mary").

I love spending time with my sisters (contrary to what they might think). I love sitting around with them talking about stupid things we used to do and laughing so hard that we're all crying! This year is probably going to be our toughest yet, as a family. With the devastating news that Loni and Justin received, it definitely made Christmas bittersweet. Fortunately, we all know what the true meaning of CHRISTmas is, and it's because Christ was born that we have somewhere to turn when times get hard! We are, and always will be, a strong family and with the guidance of Christ and the comfort and support of wonderful friends and family, we WILL get thru this together!

Happy New Year to everyone!

Christmas 2008 ~

2009-01-02T09:44:00.002-06:00

Well....Santa has yet to disappoint! Emma and Ella had a great Christmas, as I'm sure you can see! I'm also sure that most are wondering why in world Santa left Emma those 2 old paintings! Emma learned about them a few months ago in art class at school. She read a book that told all about "Blue Boy" and "Pinkie" and, in true Emma fashion, she had to have them! She thought they were so "cool"! (If you haven't noticed yet, she doesn't think like your typical 7 year old.) So I went to the only place I could think of where I might be able to buy these 2.....EBAY! She was so excited and a little shocked when she saw them! Things are never dull when Emma's around!!

Christmas Eve ~

2009-01-02T00:10:00.003-06:00

Since moving to Auburn meant no more Christmas Eve nights at my Mamaw and Papa's, we had to start our own tradition. So, after we get home from the candlelight service at church (my favorite part of Christmas) we begin constructing the annual gingerbread house! Emma's become a pro at putting together the "gingerbread house in a box". Next year she said we need to do the "real thing"! I'll let you know how that one turns out! Of course, Ella had to get in on the action.......until she started taking off the gumballs that Emma had strategically placed.....she couldn't be trusted after that!

Christmas with the Jones ~

2009-01-01T23:27:00.003-06:00

Our Christmas actually began the weekend before, in Eufaula. We had a great time spending time with family, exchanging gifts, and of course, eating! As always, the girls got lots of great gifts (Jeb and I didn't do too bad, either). It was a great start to our Christmas Week!