The new "member" of our family!

Two years ago when Preston was born, Pete traded in his dream truck for our awesome family SUV. He took my smaller SUV and gave me the nice, leather dream car. He's been driving around in my old car for the past two years and has taken a lot of ridicule from the guys-especially over the past year in flight school! Apparently it is just not cool to drive around in a mommy SUV!!!! I share all of this so that you understand his excitement over his beautiful brand new Mustang or as Pres calls it: "Daddy's new race car"!!!!!

Introducing the car that will make the other men green with jealousy instead of burst into laughter when he pulls up for PT in the morning! (Pete told me I had to post pictures of the front, back, side, and inside.)

The snow fun on Griffith Lane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We woke up to real live snow! Not just the little flurries but crunchy, snowball making SNOW!!!!!

Preston enjoying the snowflakes...he couldn't believe them at first!


Ashlyn hanging out in the back of the car! We would take her out for a little bit at a time so she didn't get too cold, but she could still see Pres running around having fun.

Pres and I having fun making snowballs in the driveway!

Daddy taking Ashlyn out in the snow!

Playing in the backyard to make a little snowman before nap time.

Coming in for lunch and nap and eating some snow!


Our big snowman in the front! We were waiting for Pres to wake up to put the carrot nose in.

Our next door neighbor, Stacy's snowman. His son Corey and he made it and were out having fun! They are our neighbors that REALLY keep to themselves...a little strange...but always fun when they do decide to play!


The Fox family's snowman (our neighbors on the fun side...well until a certain Mr. Fox nailed me with a snowball)!!!!

The Gonzalez family's snowman (across the street and over one...Amy is becoming my super fun play date friend)! Crazy Gary made one for each person in the family! He did an awesome job!


It has been a really good day. I love being able to run around the neighborhood with all of the wonderful people and their awesome kiddos!!!!!!

Cookie Decorating Party (better late than never!)

This year we had our second annual cookie decorating party! Last year it was just me, Pres, Meggo, and Layla! This year it grew by about 20 more people...that's a LOT of cookies!!!!!! It was tons of fun and something we will continue to do each year. Let's start off with the prep pictures!

First we made all of the cookies! Pete and I were ready bake until we never wanted to see another cookie again and we let Pres stay up late to help us. We gave him is own batch of dough to do whatever he wanted with and he had a great time!








Next the wonderful party itself! As usual my girlie's Meggo and Melissa were there to help get everything set out and make sure all was ready! Then everyone began to arrive! We had so many kids that my house felt like a zoo for a bit! I loved every minute of it and can't believe how well all of the little ones play together! The kids did really well with the cookies and all of them ate enough icing to be on a sugar high until next Christmas!

Here are some pictures of the Santa Chef hats (all of the adults were awesome to wear them) and the festivities!

Ashlyn: Months 5 &6

Okay...so after my sister in law emailed me looking for an update I realized it was time because she was the 13th or 14th person to ask me! Life has been very full and there have always been a hundred other things to do rather than blog. I will catch up and try to stay with the blogging!

Ashlyn is so big! She's just become this really entertaining and energetic little one! She and Preston play and have tons of fun together! The favorite activity of both is when Ashlyn wakes up from a nap. Presotn will come running to tell me that he hears her through the monitor and will jump up and down in front of her door until I open it. Ashlyn (who usually is crying when she first wakes up) will immediately start to coo upon hearing her brother bust through the door and scramble to climb in her crib. The smile on her face at seeing him plop in her bed is so sweet that it never fails to make me teary eyed! The two of them will play in her bed for as long as I will let them. Preston turns on her mobile and they just have fun! I love seeing their little relationship grow and flourish!

She started to crawl in her 6th month and hasn't slowed down a bit since!!!!! We had been waiting and waiting for her to do it and then one evening Preston was playing on my laptop and up she goes and chases after it. Pres caught on to this quickly and we had a good hour of moving the computer from one side of the room to the other. She started off on her knees but doing a low crawl with her arms! It was too cute!

She is also eating food. The girl has a BIG appetite and I have yet to find a food she won't eat! Now she just needs to hurry up and get some teeth!!!!

Words
ma ma
da da
bubba

Favorite Food
Strawberry yogurt

Favorite Toy
Preston's blanket!!!!!

Here are some pictures to update you on the kiddos!

New Babies!

I am in Florida visitng and had the wonderful opportunity to meet up with a high school friend Tammy. She had her beautiful baby girl yesterday and I had a blast going to visit and being able to hold this little blessing! She was so tiny in my arms. It's amazing how fast babies grow! I also was able to meet her husband and my heart was so glad to see that he is just as sweet as Tammy is! I would like to say a BIG congratulations to the Reedy family for their beautiful new addition!!!!!! Make sure and stop by her blog in a couple of days to see the pictures of the new addition!

P.S. We are having a wonderful time in Florida and I will post some pictures from my phone soon. (Can you believe I forgot the camera?!)

Life as we now know it!

Our little family of four has finally found the groove. The first few months were a bit tough, but we have found our way and now each day brings us all great joy!

Ashlyn has to be the best baby in the whole world! I know most parents probably think that, but my experience with Pres at this stage was not fun at all. My baby girl is just this peaceful breath of fresh air! She will play while I work out in the morning, happily watch her brother in the afternoons outside, and easily bounces in the Baby Bjorn in the evenings as we take our nightly walks! I can lay her down in her crib for her three times a day nap and Pres and I both have a great time doing tummy time with her!

Preston is this big bundle of energy and never, ever pauses to rest! He is a great big brother and gives his little sister endless hugs and kisses. He is such a boy and his favorite new activity is to ride his scooter up and down the driveway! I can't believe how grown up he seems and the time is passing so quickly.

Pete is doing really well in flight school and I am so proud of him. It is and will continue to take a big toll on us as a family and him individually. Despite the long hours, missing out on almost all family activities, and having his nose in his study material all the time, he has finally found a nice balance to make us all feel important! Hubbsies...I can't put into words how proud of you I am and I love you for making sure that you will always be able to take care of us!

As for myself, I am truly enjoying this time with my babies! Most days Preston has me laughing to the point of tears with the crazy things he does and says and Ashlyn has stolen my heart with her sweet smiles! I have thrown myself into our life here in backwoods Alabama head first and am making sure to take advantage of the few good aspects to living in a small town. Preston and Ashlyn have been dragged to farms, plantations, and as many museums as I can find in the paper! I have found a few wonderful people here (thank you Megan and Jodi) that make the days go faster! They both are willing to go with me to these silly small town things! Check out Megan's pictures from the New Brockton Homecoming parade here.

Today we started off our rare family time with a trip to Pioneer Days at the Pioneer Museum in Troy, Alabama. I would highly recommend it to anyone in the area because it was awesome!

That's about all for now, but I have more pictures to show everyone that I will post this weekend since I have Pete here!

P.S. My life is defined by my love for the Lord, my family, and my friends who are family to me. The rest is not important to me and for those that might think it is, there is a reason that I do not choose to spend my time with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pres and Mommy date!

I was able to take Preston and have a day with just him. We went to Alpin Farm in Dothan and it was a blast. We took a hay ride, picked a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch, cut down our own sunflower from the field, went through the corn maize, and played with all of the animals! It was a great day! I was so glad to have the time with him! Thank you to my special peanut for spending the time with me!

Here we are on our way to the farm!