Merry Christmas!!

We've been so busy, I haven't posted anything in a long time!  I will have to catch up while I'm off for a little while.  I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!  This year is so much fun already because Tucker is so excited about everything, I can't wait to see his face on Christmas morning.  Even though, he'll probably be so overwhelmed he won't give me the reaction I want, but either way it will be wonderful!  I'm so thankful for the birth of Jesus Christ!

Halloween Fun

It has been so long since I posted anything.  We just got the internet at home, so maybe I can keep up better.  

This was by far our most fun Halloween yet!  Tucker dressed as a cowboy- again!  He insisted on being a cowboy, even when I gave him a million different other choices!  We went trick or treating with all of his cousins.  Tucker had so much fun, he loves his cousins.  They were so cute to watch, it's just sad how fast they are all growing up.  I don't want these fun years to be over! After trick-or-treating we went to see Addy and Cooper.  We took lots of pictures, but none with my camera!  So hopefully I will get some and post later.

We carved this big-smile pumpkin...Tucker wouldn't help clean it out because it was yuck. :)

The cowboy before his school party...with his signature cheese smile.

All the cousins at the first trick-or-treat stop...

So much fun, can't wait until next year...hopefully we can talk Tucker in to being something other than a cowboy!!

School Boy

Oh my gosh!  I am so behind!  It has been a busy summer!  Tucker started his new class last week.   His new teachers name is Holly.  She is super sweet, I really like her and the plan for the school year.  It has been a week now since he started his new class and he is still crying every day.  And not just crying, clinging to my leg for dear life...and then I can still hear him screaming for me as I walk down the stairs and out the door.  Talk about a bad way to start the day!  I have tried bribing him with Happy Meals and new toys, new movies...nothing has worked yet!  This is such a fun age, though, he talks ALL THE TIME and amazes me with some of the things he picks up on.  He is in love with the Backyardigans right now and we watch at least 5 episodes a day...I know, you should not let your child watch that much TV, but whoever made that rule needs to tell him that- because I'm not fighting that battle!  He is very strong-willed and wants to make all of his own decisions- I don't know where he gets that?!?

Vacation

Is there anything in this world more wonderful than going on vacation with your family??  Especially when your child (and husband) is having a great time and being sweet (most of the time!)  Our week started out in Jacksonville (I had meetings the whole time we were there).  And then we met Mom and Dane in St. Augustine.  We went to the Alligator Farm, downtown St. Augustine, and the beach of course!  We had a great relaxing time and so did not want to leave!  I am so thankful for times like these!

Riding this safari jeep was his favorite part of the Alligator Farm...which at a quarter a ride would have been MUCH cheaper than going through the whole park!!

He did love the beach, he still asks to go to "the ocean."

Long trip...but worth it!

We are in Jacksonville, FL...finally!  We left at about 3:00 yesterday afternoon and arrived at our hotel at 1:00 a.m.  Of course we had to stop quite a few times.  And honestly, it wasn't as bad and long of a trip as I feared it would be.  Tucker did pretty good.  He had a breakdown at about 11:00, he woke up out of a deep sleep screaming and crying to get out of that seat, but I finally got him back to sleep.  When we got here he was SO excited!  Especially because we are staying right on the river- the picture above was taken when we arrived this morning (can you tell how happy he was to get out of that car?!!?).  He told Cameron last night, "Daddy, I like our room."  So sweet and makes it all worth it!  I have meetings for work all afternoon, so Cameron and Tucker are out exploring the town!  I'm interested to see how that turns out!

Just Another Day at the Beach...

It is another beautiful day in Orange Beach!  I'm here with my Patton Realty friends and we are having a blast!  I miss my guys...but you always need a little girl time!  We are getting ready to go down to the beach and then do a little outlet shopping this afternoon.  And then of course eat more seafood.  :)  This is the life!

Pappaw and the River

I cannot tell you how much Tucker loves going to the river.  If you so much as mention the river, he starts talking about Pappaw and the "pore wheeler, trak-or, ribbers, fwimming....etc" and that is all you will hear about until you pull in the driveway!  He loves it and he loves his Pappaw...as do I.  It makes me cry to think about how wonderful my dad is to me and my child.  I am so thankful for him and I am so thankful that my children will have the opportunity to know him and learn from him.  We had SUCH a fun day last Saturday.  I am looking forward to lots more this summer!

I bought a sprinkler last year...it's one of those cute ones that looks like a caterpillar and the water comes out of all his long legs...so cute!  Tucker hates it.  And every time I get so excited thinking he's just going to love it and we'll have so much fun playing in the sprinkler...but every time he HATES it...and every time I'm devastated.  Anyway, Dad drove him through it on the four-wheeler (while wearing his life jacket which he wouldn't take off), and then we thought he'd drive his tractor right through it as well...didn't happen.  After playing in the sun we cooked some crawfish...what a great day!

My favorite holiday...

Tucker showing off his eggs...with that cheese smile. It was so funny, the first time we put an egg in the dye and he saw it changing colors he freaked out...he loved it!

So, I totally love Easter. It is like a mini-Christmas: still a celebration of Jesus Christ, still presents, still good food, still family time...only less STRESS! Not to mention all of my favorite colors, blooming flowers, and beautiful weather! Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas, but there is just so much going on and we have Thanksgiving and then Tucker's birthday and other birthdays and it just stresses me out!! SO- I love Easter! 

And I love getting together Tucker's Easter basket stuff...here's a picture of what he got.

...Lot's of candy, big-boy underwear (Cars of course), Cars sippy cups, big boy pillow, baseball bat and ball, coloring book, etc...etc. 

It was a fun day and we actually took the time to take a family picture...which we never do!

And then I tried to take a few of Tucker, which by the way is pretty much impossible...he'd rather play in the dirt in white pants!  But he is such a pretty little boy...if I do say so myself!

All the joy of Easter made me sit back and remind myself that Christmas doesn't have to be so stressful and I should really try to think ahead this year and not let myself get so stressed out. I want to take the time to enjoy these Christmases while Tucker is little and not look back one day an remember how chaotic it was. I'll try harder this year...

Tucker's "Tent"

This is Tucker's first "tent." After being in the house all day a couple Sundays ago, Cameron built this tent for Tucker. (He gets really restless when Cameron and I try to have a lazy Sunday). He absolutely LOVED it!




He took Elmo in with him. Of course, in normal Tucker fashion, he couldn't stay under there by himself, but it definitely captivated him for a little while! It was really cute. Cameron is such a sweet daddy. :)

Happy Birthday to Me!

This might have been one of the best birthdays- EVER! FIrst of all, my sister came home for the weekend, which was wonderful. We shopped and ate and were lazy. Second of all, I got the fabulous news that Lauren is having a baby, I'm so excited about that! Third of all, my mom, sister and I went to Atlanta and shopped and had such a great time. Of course telling Alye good-bye was terrible. I don't know why it was harder than usual, but it was. We all miss her like crazy. I don't think life will be "complete" as long as she doesn't live close enough for us to spend more time together. Anyway, I love my birthday, it's always a great day, but this year was especially wonderful!

my little man...

He's growing up so fast. It seems like in the last week he just started talking so much clearer and putting more words together. This is such a fun age! In this picture he is "smiling" (which involves closing one eye).