The Thompson Family

Connor's first T-Ball practice

2011-03-14T12:50:00.007-05:00

We finally got Connor signed up to play t-ball this year. He is playing in a league with 3-4 year olds. Connor is ready for coach pitch but we weren't sure about him being in a league with 5-6 year olds, since he just turned 4. We have been working with him and he does pretty well at hitting, but needs a little work catching. He can throw pretty well too. We also had a hard time deciding what kind of glove to buy since we still aren't sure if he is going to be a lefty or not. He uses both hands to do just about everything but does hit right handed.

Connor did so well at the practice and really impressed us all. Just look at the pictures. I know I am a little biased but he really does look like he knows what he is doing. Ha! He went after every ball that was hit and dove in the dirt for most of them. Lol! Pop's told him that he definitely looked like he played the hardest out there because he was the dirtiest. Ha! I got there like 5 minutes late because of Braden but I was told that he hit really good too. This is why there are no pics of him hitting. He almost filled the stands with spectators...Grandy, Grandma, Grannie, Pops, Mommy, and Braden were all there to watch. Daddy is helping the coach so he was out on the field. I tried to talk him into to coaching but he told me he really didn't have the patience for this age group. Ha! It is going to be a fun summer!

He looks very determined here.

Dusting the dirt off of his pants from his dirt slides.

Braden was really impressed with their grass. ha!

Grandy and Braden

Doesn't he look like a pro?

Grannie and Pops had a great time watching their oldest grandson play ball. They will have lots of ballgames to attend in their future with 3 grandboys!

Grannie and Braden

Braden's 6 month pictures

2011-03-08T22:51:00.006-06:00

Keep in mind when you look at these pictures that this was the first day that Braden started feeling bad. I didn't know it at the time but he had RSV. He was not his normal happy self and I was so worried that they wouldn't get any good pics of him. I was so wrong and was pleasantly pleased with the shots they got!

This next one is my absolute favorite.

Look at all of that drool...can you believe he still doesn't have any teeth?!

Look at those rolls...

This next picture is out of order but it was the last one she took. He had had enough...poor guy.

February

2011-03-08T22:16:00.004-06:00

February has come and gone. Our family was blessed by the birth of Justin Patrick...our first nephew! I am beyond excited for my two boys, that they will now have a cousin (and another boy) to play with and grow up with! We were so glad to be able to be there for the birth and hate that we live so far away that we can't see him more.

Braden turned 6 months at the very end of the month. I can't believe that in another 6 short months we will be celebrating his first birthday. My how time flies with the second child.

Brotherly love!

Braden is learning how to use the sippy. Maybe I will have some luck with him drinking out of this since he won't take a bottle.

Connor is signed up for T ball and beyond excited for it to start! His first practice is this Saturday.

Celebrating Grandma's birthday!

We were blessed with a few warm days and were able to play at the playground.

Braden loved watching brother swing!

Taking a walk...

Introducing Justin Patrick Reckard... We are all so in love!

Braden's first swim in the pool at the Rec.

Watching cartoons and loving his exersaucer!

I love this morning shot!

January

2011-03-08T21:38:00.007-06:00

I am so mad at myself for getting this behind on blogging that I have to title this...January. Here is most of what we did this month...sit inside and watch the snow fall. We got so much snow this month, and had a couple of snows in December too. Connor of course was in heaven. Braden starting having some issues with reflux this month. I am so happy to say that we now have it under control with medication. When I look back, he has had symptoms since he was a newborn but apparently it peaks around 4- 6 months which would make sense why we were having so many issues around this time. He is on Zantac now and there are days when he hardly spits up at all, which is a far cry from going through 4 changes of clothes, 10 burp cloths, and 15 bibs a day.

I can't believe how fast the boys are growing. Connor will be going to preschool next year, kindergarten the next and Braden is already half way to being a year old. They are so cute together and I just know they are going to be the best of friends!

I love this picture...you can get the full effect of how big Braden is. (He is 5 months in this picture)

Always so happy for his morning breakfast!

At a roller skating party for Lily (our neighbor).

It surprised me but Connor loved skating!

Our first big snow...not really a good snow for a snowman. It took us forever to make this one.

My little snow angel!

Connor is all about the Yankees these days! Grandy is so proud!

Braden's first Christmas and the rest of December...

2011-03-08T17:28:00.009-06:00

We had a fabulous Christmas holiday and it was so much fun this year with our family of 4! I loved having 4 stockings hung on the mantle, it looked so complete. We have been so blessed this year and it was great to reflect on everything that we have gained. Santa was so good to both of the boys and Piper kept busy all season getting into mischief as usual. Piper is our (elf on the shelf) and was caught swinging on the chandelier, eating out of a bag of marshmallows in the kitchen, playing with Braden's baby toys, and snacking on popcorn and watching movies just to name a few. Connor must have been a very good boy this year for Piper to have given Santa such a good report...he got lots of great things!

We did something new this year with the Thompson's and went to a cabin in Sevierville (just outside of Dollywood) and had a great time with the entire Thompson clan. Every family had a bedroom and went to Dollywood one night, had our traditional "breakfast" for Christmas dinner, and much more. It was a great time!

Connor and Braden made Nonna and Grannie stepping stones with their footprints and names for Christmas. They are so special and I know they will treasure them. We had them made at Precious Prints here in Franklin and I totally recommend it to anyone with little ones. They also make ceramics and customize it to your child.

This was Braden's first Christmas and I think he managed to sleep through every major event. Lol! Every time we opened presents...Braden...asleep. I think he did enjoy the excitement though. Santa brought him lots of clothes (most of which were too small, so he left receipts so Mama could exchange them for a size 12 months). Yes, you heard me correctly. My then 4 month old was moving into 12 month clothes. Santa brought him 9 month...who knew. He also got a ball pit, which Connor really liked. I just hope that Connor doesn't pop it before Braden can actually play in it. Ha!

The entire month of December is usually a blur for me. I am sorry to say that this year was no exception and seemed to go by even faster with two kids, rather than one. I love that time of year so much and I hate that it has to pass me by so quickly. I am usually so tired from all of the birthdays and Christmas festivities that I don't even get to enjoy the time I am in. I hope for things to be different next year, but who am I kidding. It is only going to get busier. Can't wait to see what next year brings...to think that Braden will be walking and talking is just crazy! It is going to be so much fun!

Connor helping Mommy with Christmas cookies. We do this every year and I love the time we spend together!

Connor's note from Santa. I think he really liked the cookies!

My little elf.

Notice Piper sitting on the chalk board.

Connor was so out of character on Christmas Eve. Come to find out...he was worried that Santa was going to pass by our house if we didn't get home. Poor little guy!

I loved their matching PJ's.

This is my cousin's little girl Lucy. They were so sweet together. I can't wait to see them next year.

My favorite things under the tree!

Our family Christmas with the Thompson's in Pigeon Forge

Connor, Paisley and Braden (love this picture!)

The ice skating fiasco...lets just say Connor never stepped foot on the ice. LOL

Braden and I were the spectators...

He looks like he is up to something...naughty Santa.

Our visit with Santa...both boys did great! No tears or frowns :))

Breakfast with Santa

Connor's birthday...we went to Peekaboo Playtown. His favorite!

Braden and Daddy at Peekaboo Playtown.

I am now the proud owner of a MacBook!

2011-03-08T17:24:00.002-06:00

I say this because it should help me to be able to post on here more often now. Yes, it will still be a struggle to keep up with everything and blog too, but with this new computer it should help things a lot. Our old Toshiba PC finally bit the dust. Brad was able to remove the hard drive and put all of our old pictures on here, which was a relief. I had them all backed up except for the ones from this past Christmas. I am loving the Mac so far. It is amazing how much you can get done on a computer that isn't crashing all the time! Stay tuned for more posts...

It's been a while!

2011-02-07T10:27:00.004-06:00

I know it has been a LONGGGGG time since my last post as my husband reminds me all the time. Again, with Facebook being so easily accessible on my phone and it being much quicker for me to make short posts, I easily forget about my blog. I plan to get caught up on the blog this week!

First I want to ask everyone to please read a new blog created by our friends, Jessie and BJ. Their son, Thatcher was born about a month before Braden. Jessie and I being coworkers at the time, went through our pregnancies together. We talked every day about our pregnancy symptoms, the joys of motherhood (she has another daughter Amelia), and the hardships of being a working Mom. She works just under Brad and we have been on work trips together, etc. Lots of good times. Her son Thatcher was diagnosed with a rare liver disease at 2 months old. It is called biliary atresia and while I don't know as much about it as obviously she can explain on her blog...in a nutshell...he was born with a "dud liver" (Jessie's words from her blog). He is in need of a liver transplant and will most likely be getting one in a matter of weeks from his Mama and our friend Jessie being the living donor. Because Vanderbilt no longer does liver transplants, they will have to travel to Pittsburgh for the surgery. Please take a little time to read their precious story and pray for them! They have faith that He is in total control of the situation and will carry them through. They know your prayers are what gets them through these difficult times. Thank you blogger friends!

Here is the link to Thatcher's story... and I have also added it to the top of my blog so that you can check back often for updates. Thanks!

Happy 4th Birthday to Connor!!!

2010-12-19T14:15:00.002-06:00

I can't believe that my baby boy is 4! My how big he has gotten! We had a blast celebrating him yesterday. We asked him what he wanted to do and his choice was to go to Peekaboo Playtown. We usually always go to Chuck E's but not this year. He loved the new things they have added since we were there last. I know we will be going back very soon. We went to lunch afterwards and he got a big bowl of ice cream for his birthday dessert. They couldn't have brought him anything better...he loves ice cream!

Happy Birthday to my sweet son! I have loved every minute of these last four years and can't wait to share each and every moment of the years to come.

I love you,

Mommy

Mommy and Daddy gave him a Bible with pictures in it. He has a Bible but wanted one that was more like a storybook. We got The Beginner's Bible and he loves it!

A visit to see Santa...

2010-12-19T13:50:00.003-06:00

This year we went to a local church and had breakfast with Santa! This is the first year that Connor has actually been excited to see him...really understanding what it means to see him and tell him his Christmas list! It sure is going to be a fun Christmas morning this year! I wasn't sure what Braden would do, but he didn't seem to mind sitting on his lap one bit. I expect that we will probably have the crying baby pic next year. LOL! We were very impressed by this Santa. They even announced his departure so that the kids could watch him drive away in his red Mercedes convertible complete with a "S Clause" license plate. Connor said he was driving to a remote location to get his sleigh. Well, not exactly in his own words but you get the idea. Ha!

This was the picture of Connor telling him what he wanted. (A remote control monster truck)

Sweet Braden waiting in line to see Santa...

...and pretty excited about it, I might add!

...and Connor is SUPER excited to finally get to see him. We waited a little late this year.

Eating pancakes and sausage. Mmmm..

...and we even got to see a friend or two! (Connor and his friend Micheal who went to Ms. Betty's together)

Have a Holly JOLLY Christmas!

December Snow!

2010-12-19T13:36:00.002-06:00

Just like everyone else in TN, we got our first snow two weeks before Christmas! Connor had a ball playing in it, even though it wasn't very good snow for snowballs or a snowman. We still had fun!

Connor and Braden at 3 months

2010-12-16T15:57:00.002-06:00

Here are the comparisons between Connor and Braden. I think that if Braden was a little slimmer or Connor had been a little plumper they would have been more similar! LOL!

Connor at 3 months

Braden at 3 months

Connor

Braden

Connor

Braden

Braden- 3 month pics

2010-12-16T15:40:00.006-06:00

On Monday Braden will be 4 months old...but I am just now getting around to posting these pics from his 3 month photo shoot. I have included my favorites! As you can see Braden is a little round in the middle and barely fit into the outfit that Connor wore at 3 months. We did the same poses as Connor did at this age. I think I will compare them both in another post. Enjoy!

I love the pout in this one!

Definitely my little happy boy!

He looks like an old man in a recliner in this one! LOL!

The next two are not my favorite pictures but they show his round belly the best!

Love the hair style!

These are my absolute favorite! Braden was becoming uncooperative so we couldn't get any smiles out of him. Still love 'em!

Thompson Family Christmas

2010-12-14T16:54:00.002-06:00

This past weekend we had the Thompson family Christmas at a cabin in the Smokies. We went to Dollywood on Friday night, then came home and celebrated Connor's birthday with a cake and presents. On Saturday we all split up and did our own thing. Our family went to Ober Gatlinburg because Connor wanted to ice skate. Needless to say it ended pretty much as we thought it would. Connor got his skates on and decided he just wanted to watch... Braden had a blast though watching Daddy try to skate around the rink once. Ha! He did pretty good! We got to see some snow and watch the skiers and people tubing. Connor loved that! We then went to Gatlinburg for some lunch and to walk around the shops. We decided that this wasn't as much fun as we had anticipated with two kids. LOL! We went back to the cabin and had our traditional Christmas breakfast and then exchanged gifts. Later that night we played trivial pursuit (guys against girls) and I am happy to say that the girls won!!! I got to play a little but had to take a few breaks in between bedtime and feedings for Braden. We laughed until we cried and made some great memories! We got up early on Sunday and packed up as we were expecting some snow at home. We got home and it snowed! It was so pretty and a beautiful end to our weekend!

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Connor's 4th Birthday

2010-12-14T16:30:00.003-06:00

On December 4th we celebrated Connor's 4th birthday at the Jump Zone. This was his choice of where to have his birthday party this year and it made it so much easier for me too! His birthday isn't actually until December 18th (this Saturday) but we usually try and celebrate early because of it being a week before Christmas on his real birthday. Most of Connor's friends were able to come, even his "girlfriend" Braylynn! He was so excited that she got to come. I made a slide show of the pictures, but included a few if you don't have time to watch it.

I can't believe that my first born is turning 4! He will be in kindergarten in 2 years! Sniff...sniff...

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November Happenings

2010-11-29T22:32:00.003-06:00

My boys are getting so big! Connor is turning four in a few weeks and Braden is now 3 months! I am amazed at how much they have bonded, especially since Braden is so young. It is so obvious how much they love each other. Braden just watches and follows Connor across the room. I cant help but wonder what he must be thinking. Connor will lay beside Braden and just talk and talk to him. They laugh and talk to each other about every day. Every day I think about how I am one day closer to having my babies be grown up and having families of their own. It makes me sad because I love these days with the two of them being so young and innocent.

Here are some pictures of the two of them from November!

This picture describes Braden the best way I know how...always happy as can be!

This picture shows how content he is all the time. He will just sit in his swing and bouncy seat for hours just looking at his toys.

Brotherly love!

Connor is getting so big and loves being at the farm!

Connor and Braden watching Baby Einstein. I think Connor likes it about as much as Braden does! Ha!

Already rolling over on his side.

My little monkey!

Thompson Thanksgiving

2010-11-28T21:28:00.004-06:00

Last Sunday we traveled to Rockwood to have Thanksgiving with the Thompson's. We had a great time visiting with the family...it had been too long. Grannie got Connor his very own Christmas tree to decorate and he had a blast! He got extra spoiled by everyone and got gifts for no reason all, even though his birthday is just a few weeks away. What a lucky little boy! Pops and Grannie couldn't believe how much Braden had grown. The weather was great once again and Connor really enjoyed getting to play by the lake, especially with his cousin Paisley! Of course we ate...again. Everything was so yummy! We are excited to see everyone in a few weeks for the Thompson family Christmas in Sevierville!

Placing the star...

Looks like a good conversation between Pops and Braden.

We always have to make time for some fishin'!

Connor painting his John Deere truck that An Am and Uncle Pete gave him. He loves crafts just like his Mommy!

Checking his mailbox...

The look on Braden's face and his bib says it all...Ha!

Miss Paisley playing with her new tea set!

Playing in Grannie's fountain.

Neal Thanksgiving

2010-11-28T20:40:00.002-06:00

Last Saturday we had Thanksgiving at Brett's house since him and Hillary were going to be gone on Thanksgiving day to visit her family in Memphis. We had Thanksgiving with the extended Neal family this Thursday but I forgot to take any pictures. :((( As you can see we had lots of yummy food and enjoyed the beautiful weather outside. It was a perfect day!

Family Photo before sitting down to our Thanksgiving feast! Braden is missing because he had just fallen asleep :(

Braden and Uncle Brett

Look at that wild hair!

Grandy and Connor playing football in the front yard.

Brett and Connor sword fighting with sticks.

Grandy and Braden watching all of the action

Have a rockin' Christmas!

2010-11-28T12:14:00.002-06:00

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

VOTE!!!

2010-11-02T08:34:00.002-05:00

‎"The People of the United States are the rightful masters of both Congress and the Courts, not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution." ABRAHAM LINCOLN. The "overthrow"begins TODAY. - posted by a friend....: D

Everyone should go out and VOTE today! If you don't VOTE then don't complain. It is your right and privilege...use it.

Braden at 7 months...I mean 7 weeks!

2010-11-01T23:45:00.006-05:00

Amanda texted me this morning and reminded me that Braden wasn't 7 months yet...I really need some sleep! LOL!

Here are some pictures that I took a few weeks back of Braden at 7 weeks. I cant believe that he is 9 weeks today and we are going for his 2 month appointment tomorrow. Time is going by so fast! Braden is growing, growing, growing. He is already too big for this outfit that he has on in the picture. It seems like he only wears things once and then when I put them back on they are too small. He is such a precious child. Never makes a peep unless he is really hungry. As you can see though, he never goes without a meal. Ha!

Out of order...Dollywood with the family!

2010-11-01T18:13:00.003-05:00

This post is very out of order but I realized just today that I hadn't included our Dollywood trip in with all of our other fall activities. Whew...we have been busy! We went to Dollywood at the beginning of the month with Grannie, Pops, and Uncle Pete. An Am was giving a housewarming party for a friend and was unable to join us. We missed her! The weather was perfect. I especially enjoyed it since the last time I was pretty pregnant and not able to do anything. Connor told me that I was allowed to ride the Veggie Tales roller coaster since Braden was out of my belly now. So sweet! Braden pretty much slept the entire time we were there. I had a great time when I wasn't in the nursing station...which was such a blessing by the way. We are so excited to be going back in December to see all of the Christmas lights and have some more fun with the fam!

The family pic

Connor with his Uncle Pete...did I mention he lost a tooth? That is a whole other story!

Connor's favorite ride!

Enjoying his nap!

Pops taking Connor on the teacups

I think Pops really enjoyed himself!

Halloween 2010

2010-11-01T15:48:00.004-05:00

We had a great Halloween this year! Connor wanted to be a superhero but didn't want to wear a mask of any kind so that left us with...Superman! It was actually perfect for him. I think he really fit the part. Little brother wants to be just like big brother so he was my miniature version. They looked so cute together! This was also the first year that we didn't pull Connor in the wagon to trick or treat. He did great but it was a challenge to keep up with him especially since we went with a large group. Thank goodness for his flickering light up shoes or I would have never been able to spot him. Ha! He had a great time trick or treating with his friends and new exactly what to do this year. Braden slept for the first part and I carried him for the last part. He loved looking around at all of the costumes! Every Halloween is better than the last. Cant wait for next year!

Braden was so excited for Halloween!

Flexing his muscles!

My supermen to the rescue!

We couldnt believe that we had this many superheroes! So funny!

Not sure what Connor was thinking in this picture. I think he was thinking about his next mission as Superman!

Carving our pumpkin. Daddy has to wear gloves because he hates touching the goo. I think I should do the same next year. Pretty sure I am allergic to touching pumpkin. My hand turned red!

The finished product.

This was Connor on Saturday at Frankin's Pumpkinfest. He was in the worst mood that day and we left early to put him to bed!

Dont you just love my Mom's glasses! Connor was pouting.

...another Fall Festival!

2010-11-01T15:30:00.007-05:00

Last weekend we went to the fall festival at Riverbend nursery, which is right down the road from us. We love it here and have bought all of our trees and most of our plantings from here. They have great prices and are very knowledgeable. We weren't sure exactly what to expect but were blown away by all of the activities they had...and the best part was that it was totally FREE! We didn't pay a dime and they had just as many if not more stuff to do than the other places around that charge admission. I hope they decide to do it next year because we will definitely be there. We didn't get to go on the hayride because Connor had a coughing attack just before we got on and he was ready to go home ;(( We had a great time though and Connor loved it! He wanted to go back the next day but unfortunately it was a one day thing.

Painting his pumpkin

I painted one for Braden who was in the background taking another snooze :)

The hay maze

I couldn't believe that Connor wanted to ride the ponies! He usually stands in line and bails at the last minute. He followed through this time and loved it!

Love this picture!

Henry Horton State Park

2010-11-01T15:13:00.003-05:00

Last weekend we decided to have a family picnic at Henry Horton. The picnic didn't happen exactly as planned because everyone was ready to eat before we got there, but we had a great time just letting Connor play at the playground and enjoying the beautiful fall day! We even found a place where you could walk down to the Duck river. Connor and Daddy ventured down there and I decided to stay up top by the car because it was too dangerous to try to carry Braden down there. I am so glad because I was able to get some great shots of my those two! We will definitely be going back...Connor loved it!

Braden always finds a place to nap wherever we go :)

6 weeks already?!

2010-10-13T15:35:00.002-05:00

I cant believe it has already been 6 whole weeks that Braden has been with us! Boy is he growing, growing, GROWING! I am thinking he is about 13-14 pounds. I looked at Connor's baby book and he wasnt that big until at least 3 months. Braden is already in 3 month clothes and about to grow out of all of his size 1 diapers. I had to go and return them today because he just isnt going to be able to squeeze in them for much longer. What can I say...he does like to eat! Which means that Mommy stays pretty busy feeding every 2-3 hours. I have to plan my trips wisely because by the time I get out the door and to the store it is time for him to eat again! He is about to start sleeping in his crib and I am hoping that this might help stretch out his feedings since he wont be beside me. They say they can smell their Mommy and therefore want to nurse. We will see if it works... Connor and Braden are so cute together these days. Braden just looks and smiles at his big brother and Connor gives him lots of hugs and kisses! We are doing well and enjoying all of the beautiful Fall festivities and staying very busy!

Braden's Halloween costume that probably won't fit for Halloween...I had to take some pictures! ROAR!!

Braden is smiling now and LOVES his big brother!

Having FUN this FALL!

2010-10-10T15:17:00.009-05:00

We have been enjoying lots of fall festivities the past few weeks. Last weekend we went to the Annual Country Ham Festival here in Spring Hill. Connor and I have been every year since he was a baby. It was so sweet to him holding his little brother in the picture this year! We watched the pig races, went to the petting zoo, rode the choo choo train, had a picnic, colored a pumpkin, played a "farmer for the day", and much more. Connor had a great time and the weather was perfect for a fall festival.

Petting Zoo

Farmer for the Day

Mommy and Connor taking a ride in the train.

Enjoying our picnic under a shade tree.

Connor enjoyed running and listening to the music.

Later that night we went to the Ring Farm for a birthday party. It was the perfect fall evening, but a little windy. The kids enjoyed the corn maze, and climbing on the tires. We went on a hayride through the "scary woods" as Connor calls it. The girls screamed the entire time, driving the parents and the boys crazy! Connor made sure he told me that he didn't think the monsters were very scary and I had to explain that sometimes that's just what little girls do. They took us to a little area with a fire pit. We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows (well I guess I should say "they"). I was stuck in our friends car feeding Braden. And what do you think happens when you are stuck in the woods with no way out with a 4 week old? I was feeding him and noticed something wet on my leg and something had leaked all over my leg and I will give you a little hint. It wasn't pee. Of course I had clothes for Braden, but I was stuck with the substance all over my leg for the rest of the night. Finally the tractor came back and picked us up. We had a great time but the kids and parents were definitely ready to go. Ha!

Going on the hayride

Huddled around the fire.

This weekend we went to Gentry's farm. This is an annual trip for us as well, but Daddy didn't get to go this year because he was out of town on a golf trip. I decided to drag Nonna, Grandy and Great Grandma with us, so I didn't have to do it alone with 2 this year. It was definitely a hot one, but Connor still had a blast. He enjoyed all of the play areas, hay maze in the barn, grain troughs, animals, hayride and the corn maze. We decided to pay the extra money for a pumpkin at their stand this year, instead of picking our own. It was just too hot and way too dusty! It is so dry here in Middle TN that the dust is unreal. We were covered and I made the mistake of wearing flip flops. Uugghh. We were pooped by the end of the day but I enjoyed spending the day with my parents and Grandma had a great time too.

Connor loved this new tractor playground!

We had to drag him away from the grain trough.Fascinated by the chickens.

Nonna and Connor ran through the "dusty" hay maze.

Braden is my little "smiley boy". He is always smiling at someone!

He likes to laugh too! Connor really enjoyed working at the "Country Store".

Going on the hayride.

Playing checkers with Mommy.Great Grandma was in heaven!

Braden is a month old!

2010-09-30T20:35:00.003-05:00

This past Monday Braden celebrated his 1 month old birthday! Time is going by so fast it seems. He is still a great baby and has had a steady routine since he came home from the hospital. He still sleeps a lot but is definitely becoming more alert. He is still a great eater (every 2-3 hours...whew!) and I think it shows. He looks like he is storing nuts for the winter! LOL! He sleeps after all of his feedings at night which has been a lifesaver. He is sleeping in the bouncy seat on our bed and that has seemed to work very well so far. The Mama in me hasn't wanted to put him in his bed just yet. I think the time is coming though because Brad is tired of sleeping on the couch. Ha! He just cant sleep through all of his grunts and noises. Sometimes he literally wakes him up from all the way upstairs. If you think I am kidding you should hear him. He is so loud. I just don't remember Connor making all of these noises. Everything is going good, but I am still trying to get the hang of having two to take care of. It is so hard to get things done and most days it is like 2 pm before I am out of my pj's. Ha!

Rocky Top you'll always be HOME SWEET HOME to me!

2010-09-30T15:39:00.008-05:00

Last weekend we decided to be brave and take Connor and Braden (who was 3 weeks) to the UT game. It was an early morning...I got up to feed Braden at 3:30, went back to bed for 30 minutes and had to get up at 4:45 to get my shower and we were leaving around 5:30 our time. To think that we had to leave this early and we barely made it for the game festivities! Braden was a trooper and slept almost the entire time in his carrier, but boy was it hot. The weather was actually very pleasant but when you have a little furnace strapped to your chest it can get pretty steamy! We got lots of crazy looks and several oohs and aahs :) Connor was great too and got compliments on how well behaved he was at the game. We had a plan to stay until around half time and we laughed when Connor looked at us with 1:41 to go until half time and said, "I think I am ready to go now." LOL! He did great though and LOVED it! He asked us if we could get him a helmet so he could play football for "Tenn-see". We are working on ordering a full uniform for our little Vol. Let me tell ya how weird it was walking around campus with a three year old and one strapped to my chest. Ha! I really feel old. Connor and Daddy got to watch the Vol Walk while I fed Braden in the car and we all got to see the band walk down (my fav!). I did walk through the Architecture building (where I pretty much lived while I was in school) since we were parked in their parking lot and it looked and even smelled the same. Ha! Brought back many memories, some good some bad. We had a great time and cant wait to visit Rocky Top again very soon!

Waiting to see the band!
We got to see Pete's garbage truck while we were there too! Unfortunately Uncle Pete was not there :(

Look at him just a snoozing!

Trying to pass the time...

It was getting a little hot so I let him air out a bit.

Braden did manage to do a little cheer! Go Vols!

...but mostly this is what he did the entire time.

Connor had been waiting the entire time for...drumroll please...Tennessee popcorn!

Fun at Nonna's!

2010-09-30T15:08:00.008-05:00

Last week Brad had to leave town for three days...SO we packed up the car and headed to Nonna's. I also got a lesson on how hard and time consuming it is to pack for two kids, one of them being a newborn. I felt like we were moving there by the time I was done :) We had a great time while we were there. Mom and Dad had just decided to sell the house, so we looked through some of my old things and found my HS softball uniforms, a cheerleading skirt, Senior scrapbook, cap and gown, diploma, and several of my old hats. Connor took a liking to one of them and insists on wearing it around. Ha! Needless to say I went home with my wedding dress and several other things. We hope they are able to sell their house soon since they will be moving just 15 minutes down the road! Yippee! For those of you who dont know, they are going to build on my grandparents farm. I just know the boys are going to have a blast there someday very soon!

While we were there, we went shopping, I was able to have my first car ride by myself to the post office and enjoy the peace and quiet! The things we take for granted... We also had a little photo shoot one day and I love the pics that I got. Connor is rarely in the mood for pictures but when I mention him taking them with his little brother, he jumps at it! We stayed until Saturday morning so that we would be an hour closer to Knoxville since we were taking the boys to their first UT football game. We fully intended on getting our stuff on our way back into town and going home but we were so pooped we decided to stay another night. I am sure that when we pulled out on Sunday, they were happy to get some peace and quiet themselves! Ha!

Love this one of my Dad and Braden!

Life with two boys!

2010-09-21T13:59:00.007-05:00

I am slowly but surely getting used to the fact that I have "2" boys to take care of now. It hasn't been as bad as I thought, but that is mostly due to the fact that Braden is a great baby and Connor is such a helpful big brother! Connor is doing great with the changes going on in our house but mostly just wants his brother to grow up fast so that he can play with him. He said to me the other day that he wanted a brother. I was like, "Connor, you have a brother remember?" and he says, "Oh well, I meant a BIG brother." I had to explain to him that HE is the big brother and that he was very special because he was chosen to be the big brother to Braden.
I am doing well and feel fully recovered from the surgery, although I won't go to the doctor until 8 weeks post op. I have already taken both kids out by myself a few times and have managed to be on time which was a major victory! Braden went back to the doctor and he was up to 10 lbs and 1 oz last Monday. Such a big boy! I feel like I completely bypassed the whole newborn stage. LOL!
Here are some pics from the last few weeks.

All the boys in my house...minus our dog Cooper.

Helping give brother a bath.

Braden LOVES bathtime!

and actually likes tummy time!

So strong already!

It was a challenge to get both boys to cooperate for a picture...the best we could do!

Pictures, pictures, and more pictures!

2010-09-21T13:43:00.006-05:00

We have had so many pictures made lately...first we had Braden's newborn pictures in the hospital, then a few days after being home we decided to try out Portrait Innovations since they had sent us a coupon and it was a good way to get some cheap pics of the boys. Then we went to our photographer who did all of Connor's pics and had family pics made and more pics of Braden. They all turned out great now I have to figure out where I am going to put all of them, not to mention what I am going to do with all of Connor's pics. Have to make room for Braden now...:) I will probably have to do a couple of posts to get all of these in. I will try to post my favorites, well actually I will probably just post them all since they are all my favorites! :)

This is Braden's hospital pic. 3 days old in this picture.

These were taken at Portrait Innovations...Braden is 1 week and Connor is 3 1/2.

...and more pictures!

2010-09-20T16:40:00.009-05:00

This next one is actually Connor, but I wanted to show this because we got some shots of Braden like this too hoping that we could hang it beside Connor facing the opposite direction.

Too bad, he wouldnt open his eyes :( This one hasnt been changed to sepia tone yet but you get the idea.

I think this one was taken while he was soiling the pillow...did I mention how many time he peed and pooped on the props?!

Our new family of four...this will be changed to black and white but again you get the idea.

Best buddies forever!

He's Here! Welcome to the world baby Braden!

2010-09-10T12:22:00.005-05:00

As most of you all know by now...Braden is here! His birthday was no secret as we knew we would be having a scheduled c-section on 8/30. I am so sorry it has taken this long to do a blog post but as some of you know the challenge of two children, plus the recovery from the c-section has delayed me a bit. Lol! So far I have had lots of help from my great husband and Mom!

We started the day by leaving the house at 4:30 am to get to the hospital by 6:00 am to do paperwork, and they took me back to the OR a little after 8 am. This time was so much different than Connor's birth since I knew what to expect. The surgery went well and Braden was born at 8:37 am with a head full of hair and crying as soon as they got his head out. The first thing I heard from Dr. Kyzer was "look at all of that hair", "he is heavy", and "he is a feisty little guy"! He weighed 9 lbs 1 1/2 oz and was 20 1/2 inches long. I wasn't surprised as I knew early on he was going to be big baby. I was dragging that last month carrying him. He is very healthy and passed all of his tests with flying colors. He was a little jaundiced in the hospital but not bad enough that they had to keep him and he had to go under the lights. He could almost pass as an identical twin of Connor when he was born! So much that I have been calling him Connor very regularly. I feel so bad but it so weird looking down and feeling like you are reliving your life 3 1/2 years ago. I cant wait to see if he continues to look like him as he grows. He is the sweetest baby and hardly ever cries. He is definitely a grunter and we have been trying to decide if it is too early to put him in his crib because he keeps us awake with all of his grunts and squirmy noises. Just like most newborns he pretty much just sleeps most of the time and eats like a champ. We are going through the diapers...that's for sure. Connor is a great big brother and is such a good helper. I am so glad that we waited for him to be a little older to have another because he can pretty much do everything on his own now which makes it so much easier! He loves to hold him all the time and brings him all kinds of big boy toys. He keeps asking us when he will be big enough to ride in his John Deere Tractor power wheel wagon. Lol!

Braden Taylor Thompson

Born: 8:37 am

9 lbs 1 1/2 oz

20 1/2 inches

Opening his "big brother" present

A new Leapster Explorer and Toy Story 3 game!

Getting his first bath in our room.

All clean...look at that slick hairdo!

Me and Braden (I am still a little swollen...ha!)

Such a proud big brother!

This was Connor's hat that he wore in the hospital. Didnt fit very well. LOL!

All ready to go home!

Braden's "sprinkle"

2010-08-19T15:06:00.007-05:00

This past weekend my friends Beth and Rell were so sweet to host a "sprinkle" for Braden. It was a circus theme and I just loved the idea of using that for a shower. It was so fun! Brad was playing in a golf tournament so I had to take Connor and I'm so glad that I did. He had such a great time there! He actually got two gifts from his Grannie and An Am and he played with those the whole time. We got so many great things for Braden and I am very thankful for the family and friends who came to celebrate with us!

Homestead Manor Plantation

2010-08-19T14:18:00.005-05:00

I have been telling Mom about this historical house just down the road from my house that has opened up a tea room/gift shop/restaurant. They serve high tea (like my Mom's tea room that she had), serve lunch and dinner and have a gift shop. The house is pretty large so they have lots of dining rooms, but you have to make reservations because they fill up fast. It is such a pretty place and has a lot of history as well. The house was built in the early 1800's and was involved in the Battle of Thompson's Station in the Civil War. The confederate flag bearer was shot down and the lady that owned the house was watching from the cellar and ran out to carry the flag. The house also served as a hospital for all of the wounded soldiers. The grounds are being preserved as a battlefield and the house is on the historical registry. I love history and reading about all of the civil war homes nearby. The food was great and Connor was such a good boy! We had a great time and I cant wait to go back and try dinner!

Summer sleepovers!

2010-08-19T14:05:00.004-05:00

Connor has had a couple of sleepovers this summer with his friend Nico and one with his neighbor Will. The first one was quite an experience for me...LOL! I have always said that my son could go and go and go like the Energizer bunny without ever running down. Now I know it is true. Will came to me ready for bed at 9, got in bed and was wanting to go to sleep and Connor was still going strong. I was shocked! I didnt know there were actually children out there who asked to go to bed!!!!! So, when Nico came over to spend the night, I decided to blow up the air mattress across the house in the bonus room, leave the TV on and let them have at it. At 11:30 they were still going strong! When I got up at 2 am they were passed out on the air mattress but Im not sure when they actually went to bed. The next day they played hard and I could tell Nico was so exhausted. But not my son. Nico went home and Ms. Betty sent me pics of his conked out on the floor...LOL! Connor played strong until 9:00, when I made him go to bed. He completely amazes me! Here are a couple of pictures of Connor and his best buddy Nico. Sweet boys!

Cooper wanted in on some of the action too!

Peekaboo Playtown

2010-07-28T21:26:00.005-05:00

After being at home all day for two days in a row, I thought it was about time that I took Connor somewhere to exercise all of that bottled up energy. A new place opened this month called Peek-a-boo Playtown, so we decided to check it out. It was by far the best $7 spent in a while. They had soft couches for me and everything that Connor could dream of to play with! He really enjoyed it and I was able to just sit and watch, which was my goal. Ha! We will definitely be going back.

Looking at all of the produce at the grocery store.

Time to ring it up...

He LOVED the Firehouse!

Playing some b-ball Time to fix up his garage.

...and we met some friends while we were there!

Playing with his new friend. It looks like he is about to bash something with this carrot. LOL!

Ready for a fire!

It's finally finished!

2010-07-27T16:22:00.006-05:00

We finally wrapped up Braden's room. Between me organizing things, Brad painting the room, and hanging things back up again it took a little while. Here are some pictures of everything complete! Now we are just waiting...

Who needs to buy artwork when you can make your own?

I didnt want to use the same wooden letters that Connor had so I decided to go out on a limb and try and paint my own. I had such a good time doing them...maybe a new hobby?

Check out that silly boy in the picture! Hard to believe that I used to rock him in that chair. Oh, how fast they grow!

5 more weeks as a family of three...

2010-07-27T15:35:00.004-05:00

It's so hard to believe that Braden will be here at the end of next month (unless he wants to join us sooner I guess)! We are all getting very excited, Connor especially! He talks about Braden every day and about how he is going to play with him and teach him everything. I think he is going to be a great big brother! He is helping me so much around the house these days. For example...if my phone rings and its out of reach, he gets it for me. Sometimes I feel guilty asking, but right now it is such a big help and I am so thankful.

We haven't done much this past month. It is just too hot and hard for me to travel. Connor doesn't even ask to go outside until the evenings. LOL! We do go to the pool on occasion too, but sometimes it even feels to hot to be there. I think we have been to more movies this summer than we have our three years since Connor was born. Connor has really taken a liking to Buzz Lightyear since we saw Toy Story 3! We were only allowed to call him Buzz for at least two weeks. We are having a really good time together and I am so glad to have had this time off of work to spend with just him!

Everything is going well with the pregnancy. I will be 35 weeks on Monday. I am feeling ok I guess, just very uncomfortable. I don't remember feeling this bad with Connor. When I sit I get out of breath, when I walk I lose my breath. I dont have a lap anymore and that makes it hard for Connor to cuddle in my lap like he used to or even type this post! Ha! I have also had pretty bad sciatic nerve pain this time. Some days it is so bad I can hardly walk and other days it doesn't bother me at all. I am so ready to hold Braden, feel normal and not have to rely on anyone to do anything for me.

Here are some pictures of Connor from the last month.

Still loving Grannie and Pops tompoon boat!To Infiniti and BEYOND!

Washing his car, while Daddy washed my van! Best friends forever!

Where a kid can be a kid!

2010-07-23T15:19:00.004-05:00

We took Connor to Chuck E Cheese last Saturday and even though it was a tad bit crowded, we had a great time. We didnt eat there (thank goodness!), just got some coins so Connor could play some games and he was very happy! Here are a few pictures of our time there.

This is the game that Connor has been talking about for weeks...riding the motorcycle. Actually it was a jet ski.

Love that determined face...

He loved riding this horse and was so excited that he got it to jump...missed his silly face in the pictures though.

Will you let me out Mommy? Lol!

Shame on me!

2010-06-14T17:47:00.007-05:00

I have been such a bad blogger lately... I will admit that I have thought about totally abandoning the blog all together but then I think about when I started it (right before Connor was born). I did it to keep everyone informed about our new life and addition, and then it kind of became a journal for me to look back on. The thought of not having that for the new baby makes me a little sad, so I am going to try and stick with this. Facebook is just so much faster and easier to keep up with everyone so I spend most of my time on there.

The past two months have been such a change to what we have been accustomed to at my house. I am thoroughly enjoying my time with Connor before #2 arrives. We are having so much fun and are staying pretty busy. We have been spending a lot of time at the pool and will probably continue with it getting hotter each day :) The most frustrating thing is that Connor will no longer take naps for me. At a time when I am trying to take in all the rest that I can to prepare myself for the sleepless nights, he just won't do it. I have been going into work occasionally to train my replacement, and keep up with a few things. I will probably be finished for good sometime in July. It is still nice to have a little bit of extra money coming in and it is working out quite well.

We have decided on a name for Connor's baby brother..."Braden Taylor". Taylor is a family name (my Pawpaw's and brothers middle name) that I always knew I wanted to use it and we thought about using it for a first name and then came across Braden in one of the baby names books. We really liked it and then realized that it had (Brad) in it which is even better! I cant believe that I only have 10 weeks left until I meet him, and then I step outside and think 10 weeks is going to be an eternity. Ha! I have been feeling pretty good until this week. It seems I get tired easier and faster and my body just wont let me do all of the things I would like to do. It started much earlier with this pregnancy, which could be because I am definitely growing faster this time. I went to the doctor last week and everything is looking good. I passed my diabetes test...Yippee! My iron is low so this may be the reason for my tiredness. We have also set a date for the c-section (we will be repeating this since I had to have one with C)...August 30th! That is only 10 weeks away, unless he decides to make his entrance early.

Since my last post, we have made lots of trips to Rockwood to finish Brad's Aunt Susie's house. Brad's parents are selling it and they have been fixing it up. The inside has been completely redone, new carpet, hardwood refinished, new counter tops and appliances, all new doors and light fixtures, and new bathroom vanity with accessories. We have landscaped, repainted shutters, built a railing on the porch, etc. It looks fantastic!! I will be posting pictures as soon as it is all completed. If you know anyone who needs a house in Rockwood, let us know! It will be going on the market in a few weeks. We have also been to Dollywood, Norris Lake to stay in a cabin, the neighborhood pool, and of course Watts Bar Lake since Grannie and Pops bought a "tompoon" boat. Connor has been asking for a "tompoon" boat for a while and I guess they finally caved. It is amazing the influence a 3 year old can have on his grandparents! LOL.

Connor and Brad are doing well. Connor is so excited about his new baby brother and has been helping me go through all of the baby stuff that he used. His favorite thing is to turn on the swing and the music. The other day we had 3 lullabies playing, things vibrating, swinging, etc. I think he is going to be my little helper for sure! However, he makes it very clear that some of the things such as his power wheel riding toys are HIS! Lol. Brad has been working on the house, and improving his golf game. The chores are piling up at home and the honey do list is getting longer. Lol. Lots of things to do before Braden arrives!

Here are a few pictures of the last two months...

May 28th- Dollywood

Riding the elephants with Daddy

It was a hot one!Mommy and Connor riding the elephants again!
We were a ltttle bored...the rides were closed because of storms so we played in this stationary car. Brad looks thrilled!

Connor's first roller coaster! He loved it!

Fishing with Daddy on Norris Lake

Eating dinner at Norris

His new toy! A 4 wheeler that his neighbor gave him. Connor loves it!

27 weeks pregnant

28 weeks pregnant

We are Nashville

2010-05-05T09:16:00.001-05:00

As most of you know, Nashville and surrounding areas were hit by a 500 year flood this past weekend. The waters still haven't subsided downtown and in some areas. The pictures and coverage are devastating. Homes destroyed, lives lost (we really don't know how many people have been lost until the water is gone), pets lost, and our economic livelihood is still under feet of water. The president has declared it a disaster area and help will be on its way, but with all of the other things going on in the news I don't think it is getting enough attention on the national news and people who aren't Tennesseans just don't know how bad it really is. I read this article on a Predators fan site and thought it was incredible! I have posted the link below and it is a short article so please don't let that deter you from reading it. It is very well written!

We Are Nashville Section 303: "

I also want to let everyone know that we are Ok and our house wasn't damaged by the flood. We were actually in E TN all weekend with family but were staying informed through family and neighbors about what was going on. I was so glad to be away but also it was a little scary thinking about what was happening at home and what we would be coming home to. We drove through the last few storms that came through on Sunday and it was amazing to see dry land in Cookeville and then by the time we got to Carthage the flood gates opened! We saw some rapids going under a bridge on the interstate that reminded me of rafting down the Ocoee. It was just incredible. We got off the exit and there were several roads closed that were covered in water. Water was up to the edge of the road we were traveling and you could see where it had been covering it the day before. We drove over branches and debris. When we got to our subdivision it was clear that we were OK. Our church was flooded and they are still trying to clean up and access the damage. I am so happy to say that all of our friends and family had no damage, but I am hearing story after story of people that know someone who has either lost everything or are still under water. My boss had flooding in his basement, his pool is ruined, and it swept away landscaping at his house. There is a family at church whose neighbor lost their 21 year old son who was swept away in the water trying to get to his wife and children. Heartbreaking! My prayers go out to everyone who is being directly affected by this tragedy.

Connor's first official round of golf!

2010-04-26T19:54:00.005-05:00

Brad has been wanting to take Connor to play golf for a while, and Friday we finally got the chance! Connor was so excited! He even wanted to wear his golf visor, which he never wants to wear just so he could be like a real golfer. Connor thinks that it is his Daddy's course, and even though Brad did join in December Connor thinks it is really HIS course. It is so cute! He had a blast and I think he liked riding in the golf cart about as much as he liked playing. He did so good and even let Brad show him a few things, which he never does. We hope to be able to take him out again soon! All three of us had a great time.

What a putt!

So proud of himself.

Doesn't he just look like a pro!

He loved taking the flags out for Daddy!

He really liked hitting out of the sand bunker!

While we were waiting for Daddy to finish his putt, we played by the creek.

Love this one!!

Hilton Head

2010-04-26T12:24:00.003-05:00

The week before last Brad and I went to Hilton Head for 4 days. Brad went for work and I was drug along with him...I tell ya it was a hard decision to make :) Connor stayed with Nonna and Grandy and was so excited about his vacation as well!

My mornings were spent at the beach and by the pool, and then when Brad got back in the afternoon we would go to the Verizon Heritage PGA golf tournament. This area is so beautiful! It was the first time for both of us at Hilton Head. We hope to go back soon with two kids in tow!

My morning walks on the beach...

My view from the pool. Usually I would rent a umbrella and chair at the beach but since we left everyday at noon there was really no point. I don't think that this view was that bad! I loved the hammocks that they had at the resort. The best was watching people flip out of them multiple times. Pretty sure that if I flipped out even once, I wouldn't try to do it again. LOL :)
One of my favorite things about the low country...the moss covered oaks.

Jim Furyk in the lead...

Brad and I on the 18th hole. It was so pretty because it followed the edge of the water and the lighthouse in the background.

I really wanted to go in the lighthouse but you couldn't get near it because there were a lot of people hanging out in the area and I am pretty sure they knew nothing about the golf tournament they were supposed to be there for.

Boo in his camo...I wasn't very impressed by his attire but I guess you could say its different!

Sitting at the #2 tee. As you can see we had great seats!

Jim Furyk on Sunday...we didn't stay long enough to see the play off :(

For those of you who have been asking for belly pics...here you go. Pretty sure I am as big now as I was at 6 or 7 months preggo with Connor!

Working at Aunt Susie's

2010-04-26T12:07:00.002-05:00

A couple of weekends ago Connor and I were finally able to go to Susie's house to help out with the work that is being done. Because of Connor being sick so much, it had been quite a while since I had seen it. I was amazed with the progress! It is going to look great when it is finished!

Since the weather was so nice we decided to take on the landscaping project for the front yard. We dug up the trunks of some very large bushes and planted some flowers and new bushes in its place. We created another bed on the other side of the sidewalk and mimicked the other one. I didn't get any final pictures after we put the mulch down :( I was pooped from all of that planting. It looks so great! Its amazing what a little landscaping will do for curb appeal.

Connor of course did most of the work! He had to put on his gloves and help Daddy dig out all of the grass. Poor guy was sick and we didn't even know it. That night he came down with a high fever and little did we know that his strep had not went away. He was such a trooper and I never would have known he was sick at all!

Doing a little advertising for ADT...

Easter at Nonna and Grandy's

2010-04-26T11:04:00.005-05:00

On the Saturday before Easter we spent the day at Nonna and Grandy's house for a great Easter lunch and a family get together with the Lux family and Uncle Brett and Aunt Hillary. Since we didn't get to see them on Christmas because my Aunt was going through cancer treatments it was great to see them! My Aunt Linda looks great and since has had her scans and there is no trace of cancer anywhere! Praise the Lord! We also got to celebrate my cousin Ronnie's engagement! Congrats to Ronnie and Jen! Sorry no pictures of them :(

Connor got to have an Easter egg hunt and really got the hang of it this year! Our family likes to hide them in the trees so Connor now knows to look high and low for the eggs. Even if he could reach the egg, he would shake the tree to get it out. So funny!

I tried desperately to get Connor to take some pictures under the blooming trees, but he would not stay still as usual. Had to snap this one with him on the run!

Everywhere Grandy goes...Connor follows.

Very determined!

On Easter morning...Connor had a big surprise from the Easter Bunny! Lots of goodies and the dump truck that Connor has been wanting for his sandbox. It wouldn't fit in the basket of course... The Easter bunny also left behind a few little morsels of carrot that he didn't finish. Cooper took care of it pretty quickly and we learned that he loves carrots!

Egg hunt at Great Grandmas!

2010-04-26T10:28:00.003-05:00

On Easter afternoon we went to Grandma's house to have lunch and Connor got to have another Easter egg hunt. I have so many memories of hunting Easter eggs in her yard as a child. It was special watching Connor hunt eggs in some of the same places. We had a great time and the weather was just perfect!

Handy Helper!

2010-04-25T19:42:00.003-05:00

Connor loves to help in the yard on just about any project we have going on. Since his tractor has a wagon, he has really been able to help us haul things around in the yard which is nice because it is getting harder for me to do these days.

We made a raised garden this year and Connor was able to watch his seeds grow into plants. We were going to build it ourselves, but then we found a kit at Sams that is made of synthetic wood which wont rot so we decided to go that route. It actually ended up being cheaper than buying the lumber to build it ourselves. We planted his seedlings and now are watching his garden grow and hope to have some homegrown vegetables this year. Connor loves going to the garden with his Grandy to help pick the veggies, now if I could get him to eat some! Here are some pictures of our little handy helper!

Helping mulch the front yard.

Driving the dirt to his raised garden.

Raking it out...

So proud of all of his work!

Watering his plants...

It's a....

2010-04-08T17:31:00.005-05:00

BOY!!!!!

If you havent already heard, we found out Connor will be getting a baby brother on Monday. We are so excited about having another little boy around the house! Connor was in denial at first, still insisting that he has a sister but he is slowly getting used to the idea. We are now thinking about names...oh and it will not be Roger! Although we still refer to him as Roger, I am determined to pick a name so that we can use that instead! Everything looked great and he looks very healthy. So thankful!!!

March

2010-03-27T19:16:00.005-05:00

These pictures are out of order, but these are the things that we did in March...

Getting ready to plant our crops...Connor is planting his cherry tomato seeds, and flower seeds that Nonna and Grannie gave him. He had so much fun working on this and looks at them every day to see how much they have grown.

Pushing the seeds down in the soil

SEC Tournament in Nashville

On Thursday, Daddy, Connor, An Am and Uncle Pete went to the tournament. Mommy had to work since she had missed several days due to her and Connor's sickness. From what I hear, Connor really enjoyed the tournament and Fan Fare. He was really disappointed with Smokey though. Brad took him down to the lower level, and an usher tried to yell at Smokey to get his attention but he wouldn't look. Connor came home to tell me that, "Smokey, didn't pay attention to us. He doesn't like us very much." :( I think that Smokey must have been having a bad day. I went to the tourney the next day, while Connor got a day at Nonna and Grandy's. Smokey was much better than the day before according to Brad. We all had a great time! Thanks to Pop's for gettng the tickets. He was unable to come down since he had just been released from the hospital. He is feeling much better now!

Amanda wasn't wearing blue because she is a Wildcat fan...she didn't think she would be going to the game that day.

Connor, Uncle Pete, and Daddy hoopin' in up at Fan Fare!

Uncle Pete bought some popcorn for Connor and apparently he hammered it!

Later that weekend we went to Grannie and Pops house to help put up their dog fence. That night, Connor helped Grannie and An Am put Grannie's quilt together.

Nashville Zoo

We went to the zoo last Friday with Nonna. It was great to be outdoors in short sleeves and not need a jacket! We had a great time, even though some of the animals were too busy snoozing to pay attention to us.

Bouncing in the Jungle Gym

We also got a bad boo-boo in February. Mommy was cleaning out her car and Connor decided it was good idea to try to climb in the back hatch while Mommy was in the garage. He fell out head first onto the aggregate driveway. Luckily he didn't need stitches, but it was a pretty impressive battle wound.

Nothing runs like a Deere!

2010-03-21T14:36:00.006-05:00

I swear that my son needs to be on a John Deere commercial. Yesterday we went to the farm and Connor made note that Pawpaw's tractor was not a John Deere. Connor has a John Deere tractor powerwheel that he got for his birthday. He said that his was faster because it was a John Deere! He also had to have his hat and matching John Deere working gloves to work on the farm. He loved driving on the bumpy farm and driving through the "slush" as he called it. The weather was so nice this weekend and I had to drag him inside on Saturday night kicking and screaming. It is raining now and he keeps telling me that it stopped and we can go outside now, even though it IS still raining. They are calling for snow flurries in the morning...ugghh. Let's just hope that SPRING is here to stay after that!

February and into March...

2010-03-20T09:18:00.003-05:00

I am not sure where to start since so much has happened in just a month...I haven't been very good about updating the blog. Facebook seems to be taking up my computer time lately :)

Since I posted last time, I have been back to the doctor for a quick checkup. You know the kind where you wait in the doctors office waiting room for about 45 minutes and actually spend about 10 minutes with the doctor once you are called back. Everything looked good. Heartbeat was 159! I cant believe that in just a little over two weeks, we will know if Connor will have a brother or sister! Oh and we have a name for the baby...either way Connor has named "it" Roger. Yes, that's right...Roger. I said "Connor what if its a girl?' and he said simply, "Roger". LOL Actually to be exact it is "Roger Pony". I have no idea where he comes up with these things. He is so excited about the baby and asks me everyday if he can feel it yet. I told him that we have to wait until it gets bigger because actually I can't even feel it yet. There have been a few times when I thought that I felt something, but nothing consistent or very strong. I have felt so different this time around and am carrying higher than with Connor so I hope that means something...like maybe that it is a girl! I will be perfectly happy with another boy as well, but if I could make a wish that would be it. :) I have been so cold the entire time, so therefore this winter has been miserable for me. There have been times when I would have on a t-shirt, long sleeve shirt over that, a sweatshirt or fleece over that, a blanket, AND a portable heater pointed straight at me. Weird hugh? I have another friend who is pregnant as well and she has been the same way. I guess I am pretty special because the doctor just looks at me like I am nuts.

We have also been dealing with all kinds of sickness in our family. So much that I am so thankful to actually be feeling good for a change. The night sickness and nausea has finally started to go away in the past two weeks and I am finally feeling somewhat back to normal. Also, sometime in late February I got the FLU. It was probably the most miserable 5 days that I can remember in a long time. Connor came down with it a week later. Kids just amaze me...he was down for about 2 days and done with it. It took me about 2 weeks to fully recover from it and get my energy back. This was the second time that Connor tested positive for Influenza A and needless to say I told my doctor my feelings toward the flu shot! Not sure if we had H1N1, but my thoughts are that we probably did because I think it has flared back up in our area. Connor and I have also been dealing with sinus issues. I have been on two different antibiotics trying to get rid of a sinus infection and Connor has had one as well. Tennessee in the early spring is not fun for either of us. Brad has been totally fine and managed not to get sick at all! Thank goodness because he has been taking care of us! We have been spending lots of money on copay's, antibiotics, and Tamiflu at our house lately :(

Pops has also been hit really hard. He went into the hospital a few weeks ago with a bad infection in his foot. They discovered that the infection was in the bone and put him on strong antibiotics for six weeks. He was home for about 5 days and is now back in the hospital with pneumonia. They have put him on another different antibiotic to fight that. He is not feeling well and could really use your prayers!

I have several posts to do, once I get pictures from a few people. I haven't been very good about taking them lately and have been known to forget the battery charging at home...I blame it on the "pregnancy brain".

What we have done in the past month:

-Had a birthday party for my Grandma!

-Brad has been busy working on the house in Rockwood. From what I hear it is looking really good! I hope to be more help now that I am feeling better.
We also built a fence for Grannie and Pop's dogs last weekend with a doggy door.

-Went to the SEC basketball tourney in Nashville to watch TN! We had tickets for the entire weekend but sold them so we could go to Rockwood to build the fence. We were paid well for them :) Crazy Kentucky fans!!!

-Yesterday we went to the zoo and Nonna went with us. The weather was perfect and I even got hot at times! We had a great time enjoying the sunshine!

Baby T #2 on the way!

2010-02-21T20:27:00.002-06:00

We are making it official...WE ARE PREGNANT! I am currently 12 weeks along and the due date is September 5th. Since we know we will be repeating a c/s this time, it might be more like the end of August (depending on how miserable I am at the end of the summer...LOL). We are very excited, as is Connor who talks about his "baby sister" all the time. I truly hope he gets his wish, but we have been trying to prepare him that he might get a brother instead. This pregnancy has been completely different so far. Instead of morning sickness...it was night sickness. Good that I felt fine in the mornings and at work, but not good because as soon as I got home I would crash on the couch and am not such a fun Mommy! All foods are off limits at night, which has made cooking near impossible. Ask my husband how many times I have prepared a meal in the last 3 months. I have also had migraines, which has given me much sympathy to the people who deal with these often. The first time I had one, it was the worst pain I have ever had. The first trimester nausea is wearing off now...thank you Lord! However, this weekend my allergies have starting acting up so I am not looking forward to the long spring ahead. I am prone to at least 5 sinus infections a year and I hear that it is worse when you are pregnant so I am trying to prepare myself for that. I am calling the doc tomorrow to try and find some safe medications to take. The netti pot is just not going to cut it. It has helped somewhat though.

I am sure most of you know, but we had a miscarriage last year and that made this pregnancy much more stressful for me. I am so glad to be moving into my second trimester this week, however I am sure I will still worry. If you know me very well, you know I am not a worrier. This has been all new to me, but I know God is in control and as of right now everything is going great! We have already had two ultrasounds and my doctor is letting me come in every 3 weeks so that I feel better about it. I just love my doctor!

Last but not least...the other news is that I am leaving work in April to be a stay at home Mommy! I am so excited, but I know this is going to be an adjustment. I don't think Connor really understands it yet. I am so thankful and blessed to have the opportunity to do this. We will definitely have to make some changes in our lifestyle, but I know it will be worth it and I really want to spend as much time as I can with them while they are little. Connor only has two more years until he goes to school! I know Connor will miss all of his friends and Mrs. Betty, but we will just have to go and visit often! The reason I am leaving in April is because Betty is due with baby #4 on April 16th, so that just means that I get a little time with Connor before the baby comes which will be perfect! Congrats Mrs. Betty!!! We have been so blessed to have you these last three years and I definitely couldn't have gone back to work without you...we love you!

I will keep you updated now that the news is out...AND try to post more often. Now you know how I have been spending all of my time!

Superman-mechanic-farmer!

2010-02-07T18:42:00.003-06:00

I never know what Connor might want to wear these days...on this night it was a Superman cape, his goggles, farming gloves and boots. He started by building a fire (this is the pile of toys that you see behind him in the first picture) and then we had to pick up the cow poop in the living room. He wanted me to help but I explained that he was the only one with the gloves and I don't pick up cow poop with out gloves! :) It is so funny to see what he comes up with next. The other day he got my stretchy headbands and he was "roping" all of his farm animals. We have chickens, pigs, and cows. He also tried to "rope" Cooper which didn't work so well.

Making Cookies with Nonna

2010-02-07T18:32:00.002-06:00

Nonna came up to spend the day with us on Friday. Connor and Nonna had fun making Valentine cookies and decorating them for everyone to enjoy!

Connor's new hiding place

2010-02-07T18:28:00.003-06:00

Our "snowed in" mini vacation

2010-02-01T19:03:00.007-06:00

How funny that my last post was written after the last snow that we had. However, this time we actually did get a really pretty snowfall. It started snowing on Friday mid morning and started accumulating pretty fast. We went out to play and this is when all of these pictures were taken. It was still snowing pretty hard and blowing sideways, so when you were facing a certain direction you got blasted by snowflakes right in the eye. Connor did NOT like this at all. I had to shield him by walking in front of him when we went a certain direction. The snow was too powdery to make a good snowman, so we did the best we could by making some snowballs and had a few snowball fights with each other and the neighbors. Connor also rode his truck down the road to see how well it would go in the snow, however when he had to turn around to come home the snow was blowing in his face of course. Brad had to carry him and his truck all the way home. We played for about an hour, but since Connor didn't have good gloves suitable for the snow his little hands were so red so we came in. Connor went down for a nap and didn't wake up until after dark. We knew that we were supposed to get some ice that night, but we didn't know just how much! When we woke up you couldn't even break through the ice and snow. It was like a solid inch of ice on top of everything. Needless to say our plans for playing in it and building a snowman were dashed. We don't have a sled, which is a shame because it was perfect weather for sledding. We decided (well Brad decided) that we needed to venture out on the icy roads and go the grocery store. We hadn't planned on being iced in and were running low on milk. The school beside the store has a huge hill and we saw lots of people sledding so we decided to go and watch. Connor loved watching, but watching was all he was interested in doing. Some of our neighbors were there and offered to let him use their sled but he was not interested! After that we thought that since we had come that far we would venture over to a friends house and see what they were up to. We ended up staying for dinner and needless to say it was dark when we thought about leaving. They tried to talk us into to spending the night but we weren't prepared at all. So we headed home...against my better judgement. We made it just fine, but I was on pins and needles the whole time. Brad is a really good driver in the ice but it still scares me to death. On Sunday we did absolutely NOTHING. It was a wonderful weekend of being snowed in, but I would be lying if I said that I am sick of it now. I am so ready for spring/summer!!! Brad says that I am a party pooper... What can I say, I am a sundress and flip flop kind of girl!

Connor is the only car on the road...

Snowball fight!

Uh Oh..I knew this wasn't going to be good...

Just as I suspected.

Connor was very angry at his Daddy!

I talked Connor into throwing some snow in Daddy's face for payback.

Poor guy.

Cooper absolutely loves the snow. He has since he was a puppy. When we let him out the door he dives into the snow. Here is a series of pictures of him trying to eat a snowball.

Yum, yum!

The next morning.

Poor Cooper was slipping and sliding everywhere. It was like a skating rink.

Our "little" January snowfall

2010-01-08T21:45:00.006-06:00

I am so disappointed in myself for actually believing the weather man this time...usually I am a skeptic. However, I don't know why but I truly thought that we would get a good snow this time. With the temps being so low, I just knew it was going to happen. When I woke up on Thursday morning prepared to have to call in to work or go in late...I was shocked to see nothing, not even a snowflake falling from the sky! We had a few showers that came through that gave us a half of an inch and it makes me so sad because we have had more snow in past years but Connor wasn't excited about being in it. This year, Connor was really excited about the thought of playing in the snow and we haven't been as lucky. Of course when I got home on Thursday afternoon, Connor was very eager to make a snowman and throw some snowballs...SO we got out there and did the best we could with what we had. I will have to say that I am so over this cold weather and don't much care for the white stuff, but I was a good Mommy and took Connor not once but twice to play in it! :)

Connor thought that the driveway needed to be cleared for Daddy before he got home!

...and of course we had to mow!

We were standing around talking and Connor literally plopped down like a sack of potatoes to make a snow angel. It was so funny!

Secretly making snowballs to pelt Mommy with!

Watch out Mommy!!!

Connor insisted that he ride his tractor in second gear on the slick driveway. He didn't get very far...Daddy tackling Connor

Connor did better than I expected riding his bike in the snow. Poor guy...he has a new bike and tractor and it is too cold to play with both.

Benny's passing

2010-01-05T19:40:00.002-06:00

Brad's Uncle Benny passed away the day after Christmas, which made our holiday more tear filled than joyous it seemed. We are so happy that he is no longer in pain and is with Our Father but so sad for the family that he left behind. He had a wife, four children, and three grandchildren that he adored. He has been sick for a while, so it is somewhat of a comfort to know he is free from his ailments now. We will truly miss him!

It is so hard to believe that my father in law has lost both parents, and now both siblings. I found the pictures below of Brad playing cards with them one Christmas. This pretty much sums up what they did when they were together. They always had a card game, or ping pong tournament going on Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Please pray for his wife and children. I cannot imagine what they are going through. He was such a good husband, father and grandfather.

This is a picture of Benny holding Connor in the hospital right after birth.

Brad, Ronnie, Susie, and Benny

Santa's visit

2010-01-05T19:29:00.003-06:00

Connor wasnt too sure what to think about Spiderman...
Checking everything out.

I finally convinced Connor to challenge Spidey to a sword fight.

Something was stuck in the bottom of his stocking.

This year was even more fun than I thought it would be. Connor really understood what Christmas is all about and I know that next year will be even better! Christmas really is better with kids!

Christmas with Grannie and Pops

2010-01-04T20:29:00.002-06:00

On Christmas Eve, Grannie, Pops, An Am, and Uncle Pete came to spend the night with us so that they could see Connor with his Santa gifts the next morning. We had a great night eating our non traditional chili, watching a movie, and watching Connor enjoy the festivities. He loved handing out all of the presents to everyone. Everyone was so good to us this year and as always we got too much! It was another great Christmas!

Connor handing out the presents.

Opening his Lincoln Logs or "his house" as he calls it.
Opening his Superman mask, cape, belt and kryptonite from Mommy and Daddy.

The mask was a little scary for him, so I decided to put it on. I think it is a little scary too!

Uncle Pete and An Am

Uncle Pete helping Connor with his house.

Christmas with the Neal Family

2010-01-04T20:05:00.005-06:00

Christmas with the Neal family was at Nonna and Grandy's this year. It was great to see everyone and even Gigi got to be there since she is still here from NY. I feel so blessed that Connor has two great grandmothers that are still healthy enough to run around and play with him. Literally my Grandma Neal chased him around the house (they were saving the day and running from the bad guys) for at least 10 minutes! We had a great meal and really enjoyed getting to see everyone! We really missed not being able to see the Lux family. Please pray for my Aunt Linda. She is still undergoing her chemo and radiation and it is starting to take its effects on her. I know that next year she will be strong and healthy and be able to join us.

Uncle Carson reading Connor one of his books from Santa.

Gigi, Monroe, and Aunt Janice

Connor and Grandma (his great Grandma)

Connor and Gigi (his other great Grandma)

LOVE this picture!

Flexing those big Batman muscles!

Grandma showing us her tools that Dad got her for Christmas. She thinks he is going to put him to work on the farm! LOL

Connor is eating his present that he got for Grandma. He told her what it was before she opened it and then proceeded to eat it! :( She didnt seem to mind.

Tired from all of that running from the bad guys!Sweet face.

Reading his tractor book with cousin Mahlory. Mahlory is getting practice in as she will have her own little one due in May!

Christmas at Nonna and Grandy's

2010-01-04T19:36:00.003-06:00

We had our Christmas with Nonna, Grandy, Uncle Brett and Aunt Hillary at the end of the day. As you can tell from our family picture, I didn't last much longer after this was taken. We all went to bed...we were so pooped from the busy day! Luckily we had planned to spend the night so we didn't have to go too far. Connor hit his second wind at about 7:00 that night after being up since 6:30 that morning. He was absolutely hilarious to watch and hear all of the things he was saying. Oh and yes, he had to wear his Batman pajama shirt over his cute red polo sweater that I had planned for him to wear on Christmas. ...sigh...

This moment will forever be etched in my memory. We were all watching Connor open his gift from Nonna and Grandy and prepared for him to throw it over his shoulder and move on since it was some sort of clothes. Much to our surprise he said, "Oh Mommy, I LOVE this!" Just like I would say if I was opening clothes that I really liked. I think he had heard me a time or two! Hilarious! I even got the picture as he was saying it.

Brett posing for a cheesy picture as I teased him for being overly excited about a new saucepan.

Mom holding up her 5 sweaters that she got for Christmas...ALL of them the SAME color! Evidently we think she looks good in pink!

Connor LOVES his new CAR that you shake up!

I didnt get any overly excited pictures of Grandy, but as usual he seemed pretty satisfied with his Yankee's gear!

Cookies for Santa

2010-01-04T19:14:00.005-06:00

This year I decided to start the same tradition that I had growing up...making cookies for Santa like my Mom did with us every year. When we got older it became more of a cookie making tradition to take to family and friends. This year was so much fun, since Connor really "got" the concept of Santa and his reindeer. We left him cookies (a few pieces of fudge because I know that this Santa particularly likes that), milk, and water for the reindeer. Of course we also made angel cookies in celebration of Jesus's birthday too! He really understands this too now, however now that we have talked about baby Jesus so much he thinks that he is only and always a baby. I will have to work on that one.

By the way, I made the cookies and icing from scratch like my Mom always did and I have a really great recipe if anyone wants it. They taste really good and the icing holds the coloring really well. I will say it cost me my $20 hand mixer. It blew up on me literally as I was at the end of mixing it. However, now I have a much nicer Cuisinart hand/stand mixer that my hubby bought for me :) Connor had so much fun helping, but probably not as much fun as it was for me to watch him. The cookies that he made had so much extra icing...I think it took twice as long to dry as the ones that I made :)

Connor is 3!!!

2009-12-20T12:32:00.008-06:00

I can't believe it...Connor is 3!!! How did he get this big, this fast? In only 2 1/2 years, he will be going to kindergarten and pre-K in 1 1/2! This year we had a party at home, like we have done every other year and I think that next year we will have to do it at a larger facility. With all of his friends and family, it makes for a pretty large crowd. And to think that there were so many people that couldn't come this year (which made us so sad)! This year most of the kids went upstairs to the bonus room to play so that helped a little, but cake and present time are always interesting! LOL

Connor had a great time and got so many nice things! As you will see in the pictures it was a John Deere tractor theme. I made the cake again this year. Thanks to my friend Kristy for letting me borrow her cake pan!! It was a real John Deere pan and is very hard to find, so I really appreciate her letting me use hers. Since we moved Connor's party date up to the beginning of the month, it actually fell on Daddy's birthday so we had a cake for him too. Of course it was a golf ball cake! I made the cakes the night before and had two pairs of eyes watching me the entire time. LOL

The other exciting thing was that Connor had a celebrity at his party! I know I have posted about it before but our friend Marabeth is the sister of Julianne Hough. If you don't listen to country music, (which I don't...I know its a crying shame when you live in Music City and don't even listen to the stuff) she sings "My Hallelujah Song" and "That Song In My Head". Of course she is also most well known for her two wins on Dancing with the Stars. We get to see her on occasion when she is in town visiting Marabeth, but boy were we surprised when she showed up at our doorstep for Connor's party! She is so sweet and laid back. I told her that I was so jealous that she got to attend the LA premier of New Moon (being the Twilight addict that I am) and found out that she is just as starstruck and in awe of Rob Pattison as I am! LOL We didnt want to go around snapping pictures like the paparazzi, but she made it in a few candid shots. Brian...I included them for you so you would have proof that she was here! Ha! To think that she went from attending Connor's party on Saturday, to appearing on Regis and Kelly on Monday!

Happy Birthday to my sweet baby boy!!! I wish I could stay in these moments forever but unfortunately they go by way to fast. I am loving this age, but it does has it's challenges. We have now started asking about bad words (ex- stupid, dad gummit - Tow Mater says this on Cars, etc.) It is actually quite comical. I have caught myself saying stupid in a conversation with Brad and have actually received a small lecture from my 3 year old about how its not nice to say that and I need a spanking :) What do you say to that one? Today he got Piper (our elf on the shelf) and said he was putting him in the fire. I told him that he had better not do that unless he wanted coal under the tree for Christmas. He was actually quite interested by this and said "Yes, I would like coal for Christmas." What do you say to that? The other night he said, "werrey idulous". He had heard me say something was "really ridiculous". LOL Lets just say we never stop laughing around here!

Here are some pictures from the day. There were so many, but I tried to limit myself...Ha!

Here is a picture of Julianne (left) and Marabeth (right) at a premier in LA in October...I wanted to include a good pic of her since you cant really see much from my pictures.

Connor watching me finish the cake decorating the night before the party.

Connor loved his cake!
Being silly as usual!

And Daddy's simple chocolate cake with a golf ball on top.

Connor was NOT in the mood for pictures before the party. I will have to remember to get these when he is in a better mood next time!

Brad snapping pictures of our guests...he was really just trying to get one of Julianne to frame. LOL (far left corner)

All of Connor's friends playing in our bonus room.

LOL! Connor is demonstrating how Mommy and Daddy exercise with P90! Guess someones been paying attention.

Cutting the cake...look at all of those hungry faces just waiting!

Brian, here is another picture of Julianne for you! Ha! (Marabeth on left, Julianne on right)

Aunt Hillary trying to help Connor with his cake. He got the bench he is sitting on from the Baker's and the Farris's! You cant see from the picture, but it has a John Deere tractor on it and his name. It is made from the same metal and paint as the outdoor AC units which means we can put it outside and it wont rust!

He was so excited when he realized that he got a CARS bike with training wheels! It is still in the house (down side to having a Dec. b-day) but he is riding it all by himself now. Although we still struggle with stopping and turning around.

Mommy was so happy that it came with knee/elbow pads and a helmet! :)Pinata time!

CANDY!

Connor's Chuck E Cheese Party

2009-12-20T10:16:00.005-06:00

On Friday (Connor's actual birthday) we went to Chuck E Cheese in Knoxville to have a party for Connor, since they weren't able to come to his party at our house earlier in the month. We had a great time playing and spending time with family! Connor's favorite thing about CEC is the coins. He always looks forward to getting the coins and usually we have so many leftover that we take some home. Well, not this year...Everyone played something and needless to say we had lots of tickets at the end. Everyone gave theirs to Connor and he got a BIG bouncy ball. When we got in the car, he wanted to know where the coins were. Oops! He had a great time and felt very special! Thanks for everyone who came out to meet us and sorry we were late! (We got caught in a bad traffic jam and of course the weather was not good. No snow, but messy rain.) It was a long trip from Nashville... Maybe that is why I look so tired in this next picture. Ha!

Such a fake smile!

I love this sweet picture...talking to Chuck E! I was about to have a heart attack though with his face on this phone. Can we say germs! LOL

He blew out the candles before I could even get the picture!

Open his presents..

MONEY...MONEY...MONEY...MOOONEEEY..........MOOOONEEEEYY!

Nathan wearing one of Connor's party hats!

Mmmm...good cake!