For old times sake...

This past weekend, Jen and I dropped the kids off at my parents and headed to Athens, GA for a couple days. We both graduated from UGA in 1998, and we hadn't been back there in about 8 years. The weather was great, and we got to visit all our favorite restaurants and local bars... and spend a few hours walking around campus reminiscing about our days as young, carefree kids... kids who were in much better shape then, neither one of us remembered the campus being that hilly! After cheese dip at the Taco Stand, feta cheese fries at The Grill, and a few brewskies at some of our favorite watering holes... we were ready to get back to "adult" life...

Saving the world is a tough job

Sometimes, even superheroes have to take a break...and in this case, watch "Toy Story" to get some tips from the real Buzz Lightyear. :)

I'm a karate man...

Mimi got Zach a cool karate outfit at a garage sale this past weekend. With all his jumping and gyrating and chopping... he has actually been a karate man for a while... but now he has the outfit to prove it. He was a very proud little boy when he donned his new duds, as you can see from these pictures.

* Bonus points to the first person who can identify the movie that the text in the title of this post came from.

Monday Memories

June 2003- This is me and my best friend Jen almost 5 years ago (we were still in our 20s)! We met each other in the 8th grade and have been friends ever since. We have lots in common, including the same first and middle name, Jennifer Leigh, but we also have lots of differences too...but that makes us very good buds. It is so hard to believe but we first met almost 20 years ago!!!


At the time this picture was taken, I was anxiously wanting to be pregnant and she was anxiously wanting a boyfriend...fast forward to the present and I have 3 precious babies and she has been married almost 3 years and has a cute little 4 month old boy named Jack. God has been good to us!

Looking for a Dave Ramsey special...

I sold our gas guzzling expedition this weekend... so now I'm in the market to buy a cheap, reliable, fuel efficient car... think 1994 honda civic in the $2000 - $3000 range...

If you know anyone looking to unload such a car... let me know.

Sisters

I am having so much fun matching the girls outfits...I already have some dresses for them to wear this summer! Here they are in their striped pants! We were heading to church in these cute outfits but apparently, Renee wanted a last minute wardrobe change because she decided to tinkle while in the midst of me changing her diaper. So, we (she) never made it out the door in these pants...but at least we got a few pictures beforehand!

Book of the Week

One of our favorite books is Skippyjon Jones, which Grandma gave the kids for Easter. This book is entertaining for adults as well as kids. It's about a Siamese cat who has quite an imagination as he takes on his chihuahua superhero persona, El Skippito. This book really has to be read aloud with a Spanish accent to get the full humor and Jeff does a great job...I think I giggle more than the kids do! I just recently bought Skippyjon Jones in the Doghouse which is just as mucho fantastico as the first one! Check them out!

Flashback Flick

June 2006 - Ava goes all "motorboat" on her dinner bowl. She could(can) be a cantankerous little child when she didn't(doesn't) get her way...

Zachy's pre-tonsillectomy voice is so cute...

Our dancing queen!

We just got the notice in the mail that Ava is officially signed up for dance class starting in August at First Baptist Church in Woodstock. She missed the cutoff for the 3 yr old class by 27 days so she will be in the 2 1/2 yr old class. Her class will be once a week from August to May and she will get a costume and have a recital. Can you picture anything cuter?? I can't wait to see her in her leotard and tights with her big ol belly poking out. :)

We are even more excited because her cousin Ana will be in the same class as well as her friend Addie from church. I know there will be tons of cute pictures to post to the blog so stay tuned.

Monday Memories

This is Ava from April 2006, on her way to church in her cute little hat.

And here is Renee, in the same dress and hat, on her way to church yesterday. When you compare these pictures, you really can see the similarities and differences in their faces. Ava was about 7 months old and Renee is 5 1/2 months old. My sweet girls!

I love jelly toast!

One of Ava's favorite treats!

Chippy the chipmunk

Over the past couple weeks, our backyard has been terrorized by a furry little chipmunk. Tearing up grass, digging holes, all manner of shenanigans. I had tried chasing him around like Rocky chasing the chicken... Shooting at it with my paintball gun (hitting something the size of an apple moving at 20 miles per hour with a paintball gun is much harder then it sounds). I finally broke down and spent $20 on a small cage/trap. The instructions recommended peanut butter and raisins to lure the little bugger (sounds good right, while I was setting it up, Zach said "that sounds yummy, can I be a chipmunk for dinner?").

We found a cage full of chipmunk this morning after breakfast, and I proceeded to drive him a mile down the road and release him into the wild. Our backyard is now peaceful again... assuming there was only one of them living under that bush.

Funny things heard from the kids during the capture and release:
- After Zach came bounding down the stairs after Mommy yelled out that we caught the chipmunk, he looked at the furry little guy and said, "That little stinker, I almost fell down the stairs".
- "I think he got separated from his friends"
- "Good bye chipmunk, enjoy your new home... have a good breakfast"

Monday Memories

May 2005- St George Island

Zach was 10 months old and his cousin Jackson was 11 months old when we took them on their first trip to the beach! I was 5 months pregnant with Ava and Stephanie and Jason found out they were pregnant when we were there...little did they know it would be twins! We stayed in a nice house and enjoyed the private pool....although it was kind of a boring place...we prefer Destin much better!

Our growing family!

My brother Jason, his wife Stephanie and Jackson...a growing family too!

Mimi and her grandsons

Watch out all you bad guys!

The superheroes are coming for you!

Look how I've grown!!

I am 5 months old now! I enjoy playing in my crib, my mobile spins around and around and it never gets old! I love to look at myself in the mirrors hanging on the side and I have a new toy Mommy just hung up that has lights and plays music...my crib is so much fun!

I have also been eating baby food now and I love it! I eat rice cereal for breakfast and sweet potatoes for dinner, I had no idea things could taste so good! I think Mommy said that carrots are next...those sound yummy!

I love to screech and squeal and laugh...Mommy tries to put me down for naps and I love to roll over and scream out...Mommy hears me on the monitor and has to come flip me back over (it's really a fun game...at least for me)! Did I tell you about my thumb??? Now that tastes good! It's like a little slice of heaven and it helps soothe me and helps me sleep...Mommy still wishes I would take the pacifier but she said at least I have something...and I can keep it in all by myself!

Zach and Ava are really my favorite toys, they make me smile and laugh....and I am definitely Daddy's girl...he makes me smile super big!

I also like playing in my bouncy seat, exersaucer, johnny jumper and jumparoo! I can roll from my belly to my back and I can almost roll from my back to my belly...I just have to figure out how to tuck my arm and swing my leg over all the way, it's really hard work. Mommy also lays a big blanket out on the floor and I play with my toys...sometimes I spit up all over the blanket...and my clothes...and my crib...and Mommy. She said it's a good thing she enjoys doing laundry (I know! I said the same thing! Who enjoys doing laundry??)

I am happy as can be and can't wait for summer, I am ready to hit the beach!

Here I am at one month and at five months...aren't I a big girl now??