Thanksgiving in Tennessee

This year in Tennessee, we only ate a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with my mom, dad, sister, and her husband. I think this is the first year that we haven't eaten with my Granny and Pop, but my Pop is literally fighting to live each day, and my sweet Granny is exhausted from loving, supporting, and caring for him. So this year we just visited with them, played with Cooper, and enjoyed time that we have together right now. Cooper taught Granny how to "jump high" from the porch, we played the drums A LOT, smashed towers that PawPaw built with the blocks, and played with Sissy's puppies Ruby and Aubie (although Ruby is too old to do much playing). It was so nice just to take a few days and enjoy talking to and seeing the family that I love so dearly and miss so terribly.

Thanksgiving with the Burks

This year, EVERYONE from Jared's dad's side of the family made it to celebrate Thanksgiving. This had never happened before, so there were people there that I had never even met. We had Thanksgiving at the church where Jared and I were married in the fellowship hall. The boys had a great time playing basketball...we had a great time trying to keep Cooper out of the middle of the 3 games that were going on at all times! It was really a blessing to be with all of Jared's family...it really gave perspective to what Thanksgiving is all about. Cooper also had a great time playing with little Denver who is only 4 months older than him. Glad they like each other since they're supposed to walk the aisle together at Aunt M's wedding...we'll see about that!

Disney on Ice

The first weekend in November was Jared's birthday so he went to the hunting club with his dad. I knew that Disney on Ice was in town...but I was not so sure I was brave enough to take a 2 year old by myself! I could not stand the thoughts of not taking him...so we went, AND I"M SO GLAD WE DID!! We had the BEST time on our little date! Cooper's favorite was the sharks from Nemo, my favorite was the It's a Small World presentation, just because it was incredible and sooo pretty! I, as an adult, sat there amazed! Cooper was not impressed with the Princesses AT ALL...but he watched them skate and did like it when they "turned a flip"! We ate popcorn, drank Sprite, and even had our picture taken together at one of those outrageously expensive photo opportunities! I didn't care~Cooper was smiling so big, and it's one of the best pictures I have of the 2 of us(maybe if I'm ever blogging when he's awake I;ll scan it so you all can see it, but for now...never wake a sleeping baby!)

ALL BOY!!

The other night as I was putting away clothes, I came back into the living room to this scene!! Cooper was so proud...he said, "Watch me, Mommy!" Once I started breathing again...and realized that he was having sooo much fun...I grabbed the camera so I could capture this! What fun and STRESS it is to be the Mommy of a little boy!

Better Late than Never!

I can't believe I'm sitting by my Christmas tree blogging about Halloween...oh well, sometimes blogging is LOW on the priority list! This year, Mammy and PawPaw came to trick or treat with us. We all went to a little Halloween party at Patrick and Lyndsay's house, and went trick or treating with Tripp and John Patrick! Those boys had a BLAST! They would have been content to stay at the house and eat candy from the bowl there! We went around the neighborhood~isn't Cooper's Thomas flashlight the cutest thing? Mammy found it at a yard sale and Cooper was SO PROUD to carry it! (And yes, I tried to rotate that picture)!! After trick or treating, we came back and ate candy, did a little Halloween sticker project that Lyndsay's mom bought for the boys, and danced to Thriller!!! It was the best night just watching those little kiddos play and enjoy one another! Can't wait to do it again~this time they can destroy OUR house!

Boo at the Zoo

Boo at the Zoo!

A couple of weekends ago, we went to Boo at the Zoo with the Congletons and the Andersons! They were all SO CUTE in their little costumes, although John Patrick HATED his and didn't wear it long! Cooper loved playing with Christian and John Patrick, and he was really sweet to baby Emory. Last year, he really didn't understand the whole trick-or-treating thing, so we mostly just walked around and played games. This year~it didn't take him long at all to figure it out! AND he wanted to play and do everything! The little ones had so much fun! Can't wait to do it all again next year!

This year we headed back to The Great Pumpkin Patch in Clanton!! We love that place! Cooper had SO much fun this year! He wanted to run all over the place and do everything he saw! So...we spent tons of money and let him enjoy himself! He rode the tractor train with Mommy, pony ride with Daddy, petting zoo, inflatable park, hayride, picked a pumpkin (which was a VERY tough decision for him), found a new favorite thing to play in ~ HAY, and tasted cotton candy (which he still doesn't like). We were very busy at the pumpkin patch...but we had a blast! We can't wait to go back year after year!

Toes in the Water

On the morning we were supposed to leave(of course) it was sunny and warm outside, so we did walk on the beach and play in the sand a little before heading home. This summer Cooper wanted NOTHING to do with the sand...his comment was "guck". He loved it this time. He had lots of fun digging in the sand and putting it in his bucket. He also loved throwing seashells in the ocean with Daddy. I can't wait to take him back this summer...I only hate that we have to wait 7 more months to go!

Looking for Crabs

A Great Get-Away

A couple of weeks ago Jared was working in Gulf Shores, so Cooper and I went down to stay with him for a few days. We left on Saturday morning and came home on Tuesday morning. It was COLD at the beach...didn't matter! We had a GREAT time just being together. We rode on the BIG ferris wheel at The Wharf, watched our first movie together in the theater, went shopping, spent time with family we don't get to see often enough, ate LOTS, played in the indoor pool, looked for crabs (even though we saw nothing but the holes they dug), and on the last day...we finally got to play on the beach before heading home! Cooper had a BLAST!! He's still talking about finding crabs, riding the big wheel, and playing in the sand! I love watching him grow and learn new things, and now that he is talking SO much~it's so much FUN to be new places with him and get a glimpse into that little mind! Even though it was cold and we were bundled up at the beach~it was so wonderful just to get away from the norm, enjoy time together, and just focus on our little family! We are so blessed!