Days with the Dooners

Gingerbread House Fun

2012-01-29T06:45:00.000-06:00

Jax had so much fun making his gingerbread house this year! John helped him assemble it and I helped with the icing but he did most of the decorating himself. He did a great job!

Preschool Christmas Party

2012-01-29T06:24:00.000-06:00

Jax had a fun time at this Christmas party. Jones went along for the fun. Jax was excited to show off his little brother. The class made a cute snowman sock and played a fun reindeer game before enjoying yummy treats. It's so wonderful to be able to share these special times with my sweet boy.

A Letter to Santa

2012-01-29T06:20:00.000-06:00

Jax wrote his first letter to Santa this year. I helped a little but he finished it with a long list of all the things he wanted. Star Wars characters were most important. Funny since he hasn't even seen any of the Star Wars movies. He sealed and stamped the envelope and out to the mailbox we went.

To our surprise.......

...Santa wrote back!

Christmas Card Picture Day

2012-01-29T06:12:00.000-06:00

I love this day! John not so much! It's the day we try for the "perfect" family picture for our Christmas card. Getting two boys and a dog to look at the camera at the same time - not so easy but lots of laughs.

Breakfast with Santa

2012-01-29T06:04:00.000-06:00

What a wonderful morning with St. Nick! We enjoyed breakfast with jolly ole' Santa at our annual neighborhood Breakfast with Santa. This was our first year to attend and it was fantastic. No long lines to visit with the famous man himself. Yummy doughnuts and fruit and fun things for Jax to do. Great family time!

My boys with Santa!

And this is what happens when I let hubby dress baby without giving specfic directions....

Family Tradition

2012-01-29T05:52:00.000-06:00

Jax loves putting the star on our tree. Not sure what we will do next year with two boys wanting to put the star on the tree - two trees? I love watching this moment each year.

Bath Time

2012-01-05T04:47:00.001-06:00

Jones enjoyed his first bath at home with the help of his big brother. Jax is such a great helper. He loves giving his baby brother a bath. Jones enjoys baths most of the time as long as the water is just right.

A Very Thankful Thanksgiving

2012-01-05T04:43:00.000-06:00

What a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving this year! We are so thankful that Jones arrived healthy and happy! We enjoyed a delicious meal with family. John's mom and uncle joined us for lunch. It was their first time to meet baby Jones. My parents and brother Jay celebrated with us, too. It was a relaxing time to spend with family and enjoy the many blessings in our lives. Jax and I made a special treat for everyone. I found this adorable project and Jax had fun making them.

Big Brother's Hockey Game

2012-01-02T05:32:00.000-06:00

Silly boy!

Jax loves watching the Zamboni!

Jones was introduced to hockey at just 10 days old. Never to early to start :-) Jax loved having his little brother come to his game on Saturday morning. Of course, Jones slept most of the time but it thrilled Jax for mommy to be there. I love watching my little man play hockey. He has improved so much during the season and always has fun. He also loved watching the Zamboni after the game. Brrrr... I wish the Z was a little faster. The rink is always so cold and I'm ready to get warm after the game but Jax just loves watching it so much.

Preschool Thanksgiving Feast

2011-12-12T13:02:00.003-06:00

John and I had a wonderful day with Jax at his first preschool Thanksgiving feast. His class sang a song in the program and they were all adorable little turkeys. After the program we enjoyed a traditional Thanksgiving feast that the children prepared for us. Jax loved telling us about all the things he made. The food was very good and it was all set up so nicely. I was so glad that I got to go. The feast was just a few days after Jones was born but I didn't want to miss it. Jones slept most of the time until he was ready for a feast of his own. I'm thankful that my little guy is at such a wonderful preschool.

The Perfect Pose

2011-12-12T06:46:00.000-06:00

I love my digital camera. In an effort to get a birth announcement photo I took about 20 different shots of little guy. As you can tell he finally got a little tired during his photo session!

Hanging at Home

2011-12-12T06:39:00.000-06:00

Here are a few pictures just a few days after Jones came home. We are so happy that he is here. We are all having fun just getting to know him.

Big Brother Announcement

2011-12-12T06:31:00.000-06:00

Jax and I made cookies for his teachers and friends at preschool to announce the arrival of his little brother. The sugar cookies were bear-shaped with yummy icing and blue sprinkles. Jax was excited to announce that he was a big brother.

Bringing Baby Home

2011-12-12T06:20:00.000-06:00

John, Jax and I brought out new baby boy home on Saturday morning. Our stay was extended because of a little jaundice so we were very excited to come home. Jax helped John with dressing baby Jones and putting him in the seat for the short ride home. Jones went right to sleep in his crib when we arrived. We were all so happy to be home together as a family. It was a long week.

Jones Banning Dooner

2011-12-11T06:50:00.000-06:00

He's here!

A proud daddy and...

a happy mommy!

Finally a little peace!

Mema and Granddaddy getting to know Jones Banning!

A visit with Aunt Julie and Uncle John!

A family of four!

Jax giving Jones the zebra he bought for him.

A gift for me? Jones gave Jax a book about digging!

Two brothers!

Mommy's boy - missed him so much while in the hospital!

A perfect angel!

Jones Banning Dooner arrived three days early on November 9. He weighed 9lbs 13 oz (yes - I know... a big baby) and 21 1/2 inches. God blessed us with a beautiful and healthy baby boy. We are so grateful that he is part of our family.

Soloman's Visit

2011-12-11T06:01:00.000-06:00

Soloman helping Jax with his calender.

Having lunch at Las Palmas.

Visiting Daddy at work.

A visit to Mema and Granddaddy's house.

Collecting leaves before leaving Mema and Granddaddy's house.

Early morning hockey game.

Going for a ride on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

Helping Daddy.

Soloman - the class bear from Jax's preschool - came for a visit the first weekend in November. Jax and Soloman had a fun weekend together. Soloman went most everywhere with us. We wrote a story about Soloman's adventures for Jax to share with his class. We hope Soloman visits again sometime.

Time to Trick or Treat

2011-12-10T07:57:00.001-06:00

Our first stop on Halloween was at Uncle Jay's house. Uncle Jay accepts trick or treaters by appointment only :-) so we went by in the afternoon for a visit. Jax got lots of goodies and had fun playing with Tyler and Scruffy. Thanks, Uncle Jay!

John took Jax through our neighborhood while I stayed home to greet all of the spooks that stopped by for treats. Jax had fun seeing everyone as he went from house to house. John took him to our old street to visit a few friends, too. I had a huge bowl of candy but we didn't have as many little ones I as anticipated so our spooks got lots of candy. Jax came by to trick or treat me as his last stop of the night.

Carving the Pumpkin

2011-12-10T07:18:00.000-06:00

John and Jax did the annual carving of the pumpkin thing together. Jax helped clean out the seeds although he thought it was very ooey-gooey. I had to get him a spoon to finish the job. John did a great job turning our pumpkin into the perfect jack-o-lantern in anticipation of all of the spooks that were expected later that evening.

Halloween Fun

2011-12-10T06:56:00.000-06:00

Jax had a fun day at school on the Thursday before Halloween. The day began with a costume parade. He chose to be Anakin Skywalker this year (he hasn't even seen any of the Star Wars movies but he's obsessed with SW - go figure). He had a great time showing off his costume at the parade - waving and laughing as he went around the "big room". His class party was later in the day. There were fun crafts including making a ghost pop and games as well. The class enjoyed yummy treats and juice to end the day. I'm so glad I am able to attend these special times with my little "Anakin".

2011-12-09T06:14:00.000-06:00

John, Jax and I enjoyed a wonderful Disney on Ice show at Bridgestone Arena on a Sunday afternoon in October. This was our third year to attend the annual show and it once again did not disappoint. We surprised Jax after church with the news that we were going for a quick lunch and then to the show. He was so excited to go again this year.

Mommy Celebrates

2011-12-09T06:07:00.000-06:00

My mom brought my favorite cake for my birthday in October. We usually have a big celebration but I wasn't feeling my best so we opted to stay in and enjoy dinner at home. John picked up one of my favorites - Carrabba's and we enjoyed birthday cake after dinner. It was nice to spend a quiet evening at home with my boys.

A Morning at the Pumpkin Farm

2011-12-09T05:59:00.000-06:00

John and I took Jax to Gentry's Farm this year to pick the perfect pumpkin. Jax had fun going through the corn maze and playing on the slide. Lucky for me we skipped the hayride this year. I really didn't want Baby Dooner arriving early in the middle of a cow field :-) Jax got to pick two pumpkins from the vine to bring home. He had so much fun choosing just the right ones. It was a beautiful October day. We are looking forward to taking our new baby boy next year.

More Hockey Pics

2011-12-07T07:07:00.000-06:00

Getting Ready for Baby

2011-12-07T05:59:00.000-06:00

The sweet ladies from my Sunday School class gave me a baby shower to celebrate the upcoming arrival of our new baby boy. We had a delicious dinner at Chili's and then continued the celebration with a yummy cookie cake. The cookie was so good - thank goodness I had an excuse for eating so much of it. I feel truly blessed to know this group of ladies. I had a wonderful evening celebrating Baby Dooner!

Let's Play Hockey

2011-12-02T06:45:00.000-06:00

It's hockey time! Jax is officially playing hockey now! After many months of skating lessons our little man put his skating skills to work in the Termite league at A-Game. He is skating a lot faster now that he has a little motivation! He loves dribbling and scoring. His coach gave him the puck from his first goal. He is having lots of fun learning new hockey skills each week.

First Day of Preschool

2011-11-22T06:23:00.000-06:00

Jax is officially in preschool this year. He goes three days a week and has the most wonderful teachers. He loves going to "school". I look forward to seeing all that he will learn throughout the year.

Let's Celebrate Granddaddy!

2011-11-22T06:18:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful birthday celebration for Granddaddy on August 26. The family met at O'Charley's for a delicious dinner and yummy cake. Jax picked the theme - Mickey Mouse! We all love to go to Disney so I think Granddaddy was happy with the choice Jax made. Of course, Jax loves parties and being the center of attention. He loves being with all of his family and entertaining everyone. Dad was very surprised when he arrived at the restaurant. Mom did a great job keeping the surprise under wraps. It was a fun evening as we showed Dad how much he means to all of us.

Big Brother Class

2011-11-22T06:06:00.000-06:00

John and I took Jax to a Sibling Class at Williamson Medical in August. He is so excited about becoming a big brother. The instructor read a great book about bringing baby home and then Jax got to learn all about taking care of baby. He did a great job "bathing" the baby. After a few yummy refreshments, we were led on a tour of the maternity floor. Jax got to see a room like mommy will be in and he got to see the nursery. He received a certificate of completion at the end of the class.

End of Season Celebration

2011-11-08T06:45:00.000-06:00

Jax had a great season playing t-ball and the team celebrated with a pool and pizza party. The party was actually at the McKay's Mill clubhouse since another teammate lives in McKay's Mill also. The kids enjoyed playing in the pool and then had yummy pizza and cupcakes. Each player received a trophy for a well-played season. John and I are very proud of our little slugger.

Celebrating 4

2011-11-08T06:22:00.000-06:00

My baby boy turned 4 on August 4. Wow - time flies! We had a wonderful family celebration that was Toy Story themed. Buzz and Woody were everywhere. We had a delicious meal followed by yummy cake. Jax loved opening all of his presents and breaking open the pinata. It's always fun for everyone to be together to celebrate such happy occasions. Jax loves being the center of attention and had a fantastic birthday.

Let's Bounce Birthday Boy

2011-11-06T17:11:00.001-06:00

Jax celebrated his 4th birthday a few days early with friends at the popular bounce place -Pump It Up. A few friends from preschool and church joined the fun that included lots of bounce time and yummy cupcakes and ice cream. Jax loved sitting in the "birthday" chair while opening all of his fun gifts. Everyone enjoyed the day and Jax loved having his friends celebrate with him.

Hatcher Dairy Farm

2011-11-06T16:43:00.000-06:00

Julia, Joshua, Abbie, Sophie, Carley and Jax

Jax "milking" a cow!

Abbie and Jax making a new friend.

One hot July day Jax and I ventured out to Hatcher Dairy Farm with friends from church. We saw lots of cows and learned about how milk is processed. After the tour we had a picnic lunch and then went shopping for some yummy chocolate milk.

Neighborhood Celebration

2011-11-06T16:28:00.000-06:00

Jax joined the neighborhood kids in celebrating the Fourth of July with an exciting bike parade. The Franklin Fire Dept. led the kids with the red fire engine a short distance around the clubhouse. Jax loved decorating his bike and riding behind the firetruck.

Firecracker 5k

2011-11-06T16:12:00.000-06:00

John and my brother Jay ran the Cadillac Firecracker 5k in Brentwood. I walked with Jax in the stroller. Jax loved running the last 50 yards across the finish line. People were cheering him on as he crossed and his little face just lit up. It was a fun morning with a little exercise to go along with it.

Swim Lessons

2011-11-06T16:08:00.001-06:00

Jax took swim lessons at the Y this summer. He loved going under water and splashing around. It was a fun week.

Father's Day

2011-11-01T06:57:00.000-05:00

Celebrating Mema's Birthday

2011-10-27T06:47:00.000-05:00

Celebrating birthdays are always so much fun for our family. We enjoyed a yummy cake for Mema's birthday. Jax loved helping her open her presents. It's always great to get together.

Let's Play Ball

2011-10-27T06:42:00.001-05:00

Jax played T-ball this summer with the Franklin YMCA. He played for the Colorado Rockies. He has a great swing and enjoyed playing on a team. Practice was once a week and his games were on Saturday. Needless to say we enjoyed the early morning games more than the mid-day games. We had some very hot Saturdays in June and July. It was a fun time for Jax to learn a new sport.

For Daddy

2011-10-24T07:14:00.000-05:00

Jax and I gave John a very special Father's Day present. Daddy was very happy with his gift of his sweet boy with mommy.

Beach Fun

2011-10-24T06:26:00.002-05:00

Another Year

2011-08-05T06:47:00.000-05:00

Carnival Days

2011-07-26T08:15:00.001-05:00

Celebrating Daddy

2011-07-26T07:50:00.002-05:00

Life's A Circus

2011-07-12T06:18:00.000-05:00

Easter Party Fun

2011-07-11T08:24:00.002-05:00

Easter Lunch and Egg Hunt Fun

2011-07-10T12:22:00.002-05:00

Did that Furry Bunny Hop our Way?

2011-07-10T08:54:00.001-05:00

Dying Eggs and Making Treats

2011-07-10T08:18:00.002-05:00

Celebrating Aunt Julie

2011-07-10T07:39:00.003-05:00

Ice Time

2011-07-10T07:30:00.000-05:00

A Visit to the Library

2011-07-10T06:11:00.000-05:00

Celebrating Dr. Seuss

2011-07-10T06:03:00.000-05:00

Uncle Jay's Birthday

2011-03-13T15:08:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day Party

2011-03-13T13:53:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day Fun

2011-02-21T08:52:00.002-06:00

Slush and Sledding

2011-02-21T08:35:00.000-06:00

Super Bowl Sunday

2011-02-21T08:12:00.000-06:00

Disney World 2011

2011-02-21T07:54:00.000-06:00

Bird Treats

2011-02-14T06:36:00.000-06:00

Jax and I love making treats for the birds. This particular day we made Mickey Mouse shaped treats. Jax does a great job putting lots of seeds on each treat. After they dry, we put a string on them and hang them outside for the birds to enjoy. They don't last long!

A Little Boy and His Snowman

2011-02-14T06:29:00.000-06:00

Jax and I had a great time building a snowman. It was a very cold day but we gathered snow, packed it in a bucket and made this adorable little man with a carrot nose. Jax was ready to go in by the time we made the picture. We were both ready to warm up by the fire! BRRRRR......

Snow and Sledding

2011-02-14T06:25:00.000-06:00

More snow - yes! We can't get enough! John took Jax out on one of our many snow days for a little fun. Jax loved sledding but I was sad that I missed it. Luckily, John took a few pics of the "big event". My little guy got all wet because I didn't have the proper snow attire. I immediately ordered him a snow suit so we are prepared for our next snowy day.

Celebrating with Uncle John

2011-02-14T06:10:00.000-06:00

We celebrated my brother John's birthday at Bar-B-Cutie a few weeks ago. It's a new favorite place for all of us. Jax got Uncle John a cupcake for the celebration. He loved "sharing" it with Uncle John. It was a fun time for everyone.

My Silly Boy

2011-01-21T08:35:00.000-06:00

Happy 2011

2011-01-08T09:05:00.000-06:00

A Snowy Christmas Night

2011-01-07T12:12:00.000-06:00

Jax modeling his new gloves.

Enjoying the beautiful snow!

And to all a good night!

After all of the festivities of the day we took a few minutes to enjoy the beautiful snow that fell on Christmas day. It was a gorgeous night with the light reflecting off of the snow. What a truly wonderful end to a perfect day!

Christmas Day

2011-01-02T16:23:00.000-06:00

A truly blessed family!

My honey and me!

Mema, Jax and Granddaddy enjoying lunch.

Uncle Jay - ready to eat!

Mema sneaking a little party mix and sharing it with....

Jax!

YUMMY!

Jax's beautifully decorated cookies!

So cute!

My little man!

My boys and me! I love them so much!

Jax loves opening presents!

My dad and me!

My mom and me!

What a wonderful day we enjoyed on Christmas! After a fun morning we welcomed my Mom, Dad and brother Jay as the celebration continued. We enjoyed a delicious lunch of poppyseed chicken, HoneyBaked ham, rice, corn casserole, frozen fruit salad, honey-glazed carrots, olive-cheese bread and warm yeast rolls. We were all stuffed and ready for a nap after lunch but we opted to open presents instead. Jax loved opening his gifts as well as helping everyone else open theirs. We kept the gift exchange simple this year but always fun to surprise one another. After all of the gifts were opened we enjoyed yummy desserts that included a delightful Santa shaped cake, sugar cookies and Santa party mix. Leftovers were packaged up and sent home with everyone. As always we enjoyed being together as a family and feel blessed every year that we are able to have this special time together.

Christmas Morning

2011-01-01T06:47:00.000-06:00

Looks like Santa was hungry. Just a few crumbs were left. He also took the time to write Jax a note. Santa rocks!

After everyone was tucked snug in their beds, Santa arrived with lots of presents for all.

The fun begins.....

Santa knows I love cozy socks!

A snowy Christmas - perfect!

A new lunchbag for my honey - he's so excited!

Boots for my honey that he ordered himself! Easy shopping for me!

CoCo - always content with whatever she gets.

What an exciting morning we had this Christmas! The excitement in Jax's eyes was priceless as he discovered all of the toys and goodies that Santa left for him. He loved looking through his stocking and finding all of his favorite things like Cheetos, stickers, "Elmo" juice and Skittles. Santa left lots of fun toys including the race car that Jax requested along with a big fire truck, wooden blocks, Legos, coloring books and other great stuff to keep him busy. CoCo's stocking was filled with yummy treats, too! Santa was so good this year - my stocking was filled with lotions, bath gels, cozy stocks and a Starbucks gift card. John's stocking including his favorite mulling spices, a Santa Pez dispenser, Skittles, and a few more goodies. After seeing what Ole St. Nick left for all of us, we enjoyed a breakfast of pancakes, warm syrup, eggs and bacon. A delicious breakfast behind us we were ready for the task of opening lots of presents. We enjoyed a relaxing morning by the fire watching each other delight of seeing what was under the tree. A few surprises was had by all. It was so nice to sit by a cozy fire watching the snow as we enjoyed a quiet (well..as quiet as Christmas can be with a three year old) morning as a family. After the presents were unwrapped it was time to get ready for our Christmas lunch.

Yummy Treats for Santa and his Reindeer

2010-12-31T09:27:00.000-06:00

Jax and I had fun on Christmas Eve making treats for Santa and his reindeer. We made our traditional sugar cookies with delicious royal icing. Jax had fun decorating his cookies with icing and sprinkles. After we made cookies it was time to mix up a special treat for the reindeer. Jax did great measuring and stirring. He sprinkled the food so fast that John didn't get but a couple of pictures. We put Santa's cookies on a special plate and poured a cold class of milk. Then it was off to watch Charlie Brown's Christmas and then to bed.

This is where you go....

2010-12-31T08:37:00.000-06:00

Three days before Christmas and Jax gets a new dog at Build-A-Bear. Doesn't make a lot of sense, right? Well...let me tell you.... this is where you go when you walk up to Santa's house two seconds too late and it's your second attempt to visit with jolly ole St. Nick. It broke my heart to see Jax's little face when I told him that Santa was going to feed the reindeer and we would have to see him later. Jax had tears streaming down his little face and the "elf" looked at us and said, "Santa will be back at 2:00". Thanks but I don't think my little guy really understood that so off we went to find something fun to do. Jax loved choosing his new dog which he named "Rudolph". Of course, we had another meltdown when leaving because he decided he actually wanted Rudolph the reindeer instead of Rudolph the dog but that's another story. I definitely learned my lesson about waiting until the week before Christmas to visit with Santa. John and I met at the mall that same night and waited for about an hour and forty minutes for Jax to have his 30 seconds with Santa. Oh...what you will do for your kids. But after all that we went though it was worth it all to watch Jax give Santa a 100 calorie pack of cookies and to hear him tell Santa he wanted a race car. Precious!

Time to Build a House

2010-12-31T08:09:00.000-06:00

John, Jax and I had fun building and decorating an adorable gingerbread house. Jax did a great job helping Daddy put it together. He loved eating the candies, too. I think more candies went in him tummy than on the house. It's always a fun Christmas project for the three of us.

Mother's Day Out Christmas Party Fun

2010-12-26T12:49:00.000-06:00

Miss Amy and Miss Tam

Not sure what my little guy is thinking here but....

I know what he's thinking here, "Let's open this, mom!"

Telling Miss Tam something very important!

What a fun day at Jax's "school"! The party began with fun craft and then it was time for games. Jax loved the snowball toss but wasn't too excited about "pinning the carrot" on the snowman. Treat time was yummy with sugar cookies, Santa party mix and juice. The little kiddos gave their teachers gift baskets filled with lots of goodies and gift cards. Jax has the most wonderful, caring and loving teachers. It was a fun day for everyone.

It's Not As Easy As It Looks

2010-12-26T08:34:00.000-06:00

Oh.....it's that wonderful time of the year.....the annual Dooner family Christmas card photo session! Enjoy the outtakes!

Merry Christmas from the Dooners!

An Early Snow

2010-12-13T06:45:00.000-06:00

What a snowy surprise! Sunday morning greeted us with a beautiful snow fall that lasted all day. I think we have about 2 inches of the white stuff and more snow is predicted for Wednesday. This is the earliest snow that I can ever remember. Of course, I've seen flurries this early in the season but never accumulation. Jax wanted to make a snow angel but when he felt how cold the snow was he changed his mind. It is bitterly cold for us in Franklin. Time for some hot chocolate and snuggle time with my boys!

Breakfast with Santa

2010-12-13T06:34:00.000-06:00

John, Jax and I went to Brentwood Hill's annual Breakfast with Santa on Saturday morning. We enjoyed yummy donut holes, fruit, pigs in a blanket along with chocolate milk and orange juice. A friend gave Jax a balloon and he got a sweet little elf hat. He enjoyed the crafts making a stocking, a paper chain and a snowy train scene. We didn't stay for a picture with Santa (the line was too long) but we got a glimpse of jolly St. Nick and the Mrs. It was a fun morning for Daddy, Mommy and Jax.

A House Made of....

2010-12-12T07:39:00.000-06:00

Jax made an adorable gingerbread house in his Mother's Day Out class. He did a great job with the icing and decorations. Before I could snap a picture he had eaten a candy cane and a few gumdrops. I'm not sure it's going to be around very long.

Holiday Fun Day

2010-12-12T07:26:00.001-06:00

Jax and his friends enjoyed a fun day with cookie decorating, crafts and a yummy lunch. They had fun playing with all of Jax's toys, too. All the moms enjoying chatting and helping their little ones decorate cookies.

First Predators Game

2010-12-04T08:19:00.000-06:00

Jax and Daddy

Not really sure about this!

Taking it all in!

Popcorn makes everything more fun!

A tired little boy!

John and I took Jax to his first Nashville Predators' game on Tuesday. It took a little while for him to warm up (no pun intended) to the whole idea but he seemed to enjoy it. He has been to a few of his Daddy's hockey games but this was just a little different. Lots of noise and lots of people. John and I were a little concerned about the noise but he did great. Amazing how much louder it seemed when you have a 3 year old. Since Jax is usually in bed between 8:00 and 8:30 it was a late night for him. I think we finally got him in the bed around 9:45. I'm so glad that we had a chance to share something with Jax that John and I enjoyed so much before he came along. Happy times!

It's Christmas Time

2010-12-04T08:02:00.000-06:00

Let's get this party started!

Perfect!

Jax and his tree!

After a delightful Thanksgiving, we set our sights on the season of giving. The decorations came out and the tree went up. Jax loved helping this year. We usually put the star on the tree after it is decorated but he could not wait. He helped me decorate our tree and then we decorated one for his room. He had so much fun and is very proud of his own Christmas tree complete with a star on top! John put lots of lights outside this year. Now we just need a few presents under the tree. We are looking forward to a wonderful Christmas season with family and friends.

Our Thanksgiving

2010-12-04T07:23:00.000-06:00

My beautiful family - how blessed I am!

My brother Jay and me.

Thanksgiving cards for Daddy, Mema, Granddaddy and Uncle Jay from sweet Jax!

Jax with Mema and Granddaddy.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my parents and brother. Jax is always so excited when we have something special at our home. He greeted Mema and Granddaddy with great enthusiasm and was equally delighted when Uncle Jay arrived. We enjoyed a delicious meal featuring HoneyBaked Ham and Turkey, sweet potato casserole, cornbread dressing, sweet peas, celery sticks with pimento cheese (a family tradition) , cranberry salad, broccoli rice casserole, steamed rice and warm yeast rolls. What a feast! Afterwards, we enjoyed a not so traditional Thanksgiving dessert - banana pudding - yum! It is such a blessing to be able to spend time with family. John, Jax and I are truly blessed to have a family that loves us so much. Thanks Mema, Granddaddy and Uncle Jay for spending your Thanksgiving in our home. We love you!

An Indian Feast and a Little Turkey

2010-11-26T08:07:00.000-06:00

One Little Indian Boy

Gobble! Gobble!

Gobble! Gobble! Gobble! Thanks, Mom!

Jax had an Indian Feast at MDO last week. I made these adorable Oreo turkey pops for his class. Of course, Jax had to "test" them out before he took them to school the next day so I made an extra one. Luckily they passed the taste test and were a hit with his friends.

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T05:36:00.001-06:00

I am so thankful for this little guy! What joy he has brought into our lives! Wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving filled with love, laughs and yummy turkey!

Family Game Night

2010-11-21T21:42:00.002-06:00

Halloween

2010-11-21T21:33:00.001-06:00

Let's Make a Jack-o-Lantern

2010-11-11T06:47:00.000-06:00

Jax and John carved an adorable Jack-o-Lantern for us. Jax didn't like cleaning out the seeds but he liked helping Daddy carve the pumpkin. We actually forgot to carve it until Sunday afternoon but it was fun. We lit it for about 5 seconds before Jax blew out the candle. Oh well.... gotta do the tradition thing anyway! Next up... trick or treating! YAY!

Parades and Parties

2010-11-07T06:23:00.000-06:00

What a fun day at Mother's Day Out! The day began with a Halloween costume parade and ended with a party filled with games, crafts and yummy treats. Jax loved walking around the "big room" dressed as a fireman. All of his little friends were adorable and had lots of fun showing off their costumes. His party was later in the day. They played musical pumpkins, colored a Frankenstein mask, made a gummy worm pudding treat and enjoyed snacks and juice. Of course, there was lots of candy, too. I'm glad I got to go to his party this year. It was fun to see him interact with his classmates.

Let's Go 'Bama!

2010-10-27T08:35:00.002-05:00

John, Jax and I enjoyed watching the Alabama - Tennessee game on Saturday. Jax makes his daddy proud when he says "Roll Tide Roll"! We were very happy with the outcome! Go 'Bama!

Pumpkin Farm Fun

2010-10-27T06:36:00.000-05:00

John and I took Jax took to Gentry's Farm last Saturday for a morning of pumpkins, chickens, games and more. The weather was perfect - a beautiful blue sky and warm sunshine. Jax checked played a few games, went through the barn maze, checked out the chickens and petted the goats. Then it was off to see the cows and farm. The hayride was fun and we saw a few newborn calves. After the hayride it was time to pick a pumpkin. Jax found the perfect pumpkin for carving a Jack-o-lantern and he found a "baby" pumpkin to go with it. I love family days like this. We all had a great morning and look forward to going again next year.

PJ Day

2010-10-16T08:52:00.001-05:00

Last week Jax had Pajama Day in his Mother's Day Out class. It was very odd to say to him "let's get your pjs on" as I was getting him dressed for school. When I picked him up I forgot to take a change of clothes. Not a big deal except I had promised him that we could go shopping for a Halloween costume that afternoon. I offered to take him home for a quick change but he was totally content to go shopping in his pjs so off to Target we went. He decided to be a fireman this year and we found the cutest jacket and hat. He couldn't wait to get home to try it on. He is an adorable little fireman. I hope he actually wears his costume this year since last year he refused. I think he's really excited so we will see.

My Birthday Weekend Continues

2010-10-10T17:04:00.000-05:00

My birthday celebration continued on Saturday. John and Jax took me to Merridee's for a tasty breakfast of french toast, eggs, bacon and potato casserole. And yes.. I brought home some of those yummy fat-free cinnamon rolls. I keep a stash in the freezer.

Our usual family pic!

Yummy!

So excited! Who knew knives, forks and spoons could get such a reaction!

Getting organized! Makes Mommy so proud!

I love my hubby...

and my hubby loves me!

The best time of the evening - everyone was so quiet even Jax!

On Saturday night my parents and brother came over for another birthday celebration. We enjoyed BBQ, slaw, baked beans, pasta salad and fruit. My mom brought my favorite cake from the Flour Shop in Brentwood. White cake with white frosting - so yummy! It was such a fun night. I am so blessed to have a family that loves me so much.

My Birthday Weekend Begins

2010-10-10T15:47:00.000-05:00

What can we eat next, Granddad?

Mom and me

Dad and me

Jax having fun with Mema!

My birthday began with yummy lunch with Jax and my parents at Merridee's in Franklin. Merridee's is one of my favorite places. I stop in at least once a week to pick up a few fat free (yes- it's true) cinnamon rolls but I haven't enjoyed lunch there in a while so it was a nice treat. They had a delicious wild rice soup on Friday. I may have to stop in at lunch time more often. My fun day continued when my mom stopped by my house later with a birthday balloon bouquet. What a delightful surprise! Of course, my little guy had fun playing with them. He loves balloons.

My little guy with Mommy!

Helping Mommy blow out her candle.

This is gooooooood!

My boys treated me to a special birthday dinner at Outback Steakhouse. We go every year now on my birthday since that's where John and I went the night we got engaged. He didn't propose there but I remember having a really fun birthday dinner so it's just a happy place for me. Time goes by so quickly. That was five years ago - October 8, 2005! Anyway, back to this year. We had a delicious dinner. Both of my boys love steak so they were happy. I enjoyed my usual - Chicken on the Barbie. We continued the celebration at home with a yummy cupcake from Merridee's. Jax helped me blow out the candle and open my presents. My boys are very good to me. They made my day special and I love them very much.

Lunch with Savannah

2010-10-09T08:10:00.000-05:00

Savannah and Jax

I think she likes it!

Jax and I took Savannah (my niece) to lunch on Wednesday. She is a college freshman and loving every minute of it. I had asked her to go to lunch a few weeks ago but life got busy and so Wednesday was the first day that we could go. It turned out to be a couple of days before her birthday so we were able to celebrate her special day. She chose Panera Bread in Green Hills so off we went. We had a fun lunch with lots of laughs and good food. She was excited to open her gift and I think she really liked it. We hope to enjoy another lunch sometime soon!

Toy Story - Disney on Ice

2010-10-03T17:11:00.000-05:00

What a fun Sunday! We began our day at church. Jax had a great class talking about forgiveness and making an adorable happy face. I am so proud of the way he just marches into class these days. John and I are helping with Children's Worship for the month of October so we enjoyed being with the little ones during worship. Jax did great singing and listening today. He hasn't taken to CW as easily as he has Bible class so I'm glad he had a good day. After church we went to Pizza Perfect for a quick bite before going to the Bridgestone Arena to enjoy Toy Story on Ice. It was a delightful and colorful show with all of Jax's favorite characters. We did not tell Jax that we were taking him so he was very surprised. He did great through the entire show but got a little tired toward the end. It was a fun family outing.

Our Days at the Beach

2010-10-03T08:12:00.000-05:00

YAY! We're finally (almost) to the beach!

Tasty orange juice from the Orange State!

A first night visit to the beach!

My little sand baby!

Ready to ride the waves!

Don't worry - John was close by!

Getting a little tired.

A perfect pose!

Greeted by a beautiful rainbow on Sunday morning!

My boys!

A little unsure and.....

a little cold.

My little green frog!

A pillow fight with daddy!

Lunch at Pier Park followed by....

yummy ice cream!

Our last night at the beach.

John, Jax and I took a fun family vacation to Panama City Beach last week. Our journey began with an overnight visit with Grandma in Huntsville then we headed South. Yes - we heard many times during the trip "Are we at the beach?" All in all Jax did great on the way down. He just got restless a few times but we took a few breaks and he was fine. We promised him that he could go to the beach as soon as we got there so even though it was already dark we gathered a bucket and shovel and went to the beach. He was so happy to touch the sand and play for a few minutes. Needless to say he had to have a bath when we went back to the condo. He was covered from head to toe.

The next day we were at the beach bright and early for a fun day of sand and sun. Jax loved playing in the water. I got a little nervous a few times because he was so brave and was not afraid to swim around on his own but John stayed close to him and he did great. We enjoyed walks on the beach. Jax found lots of seashells to bring home. The pool was a little cool so John and Jax spent more time swimming than I did but I enjoyed sitting poolside watching the fun. We went shopping one morning for a while but Jax was anxious to get back to the beach.

It was a fun time for our family. We left CoCo with my brother Jay so she had fun playing with Tyler and Scruffy. I missed her a lot. She may have to join us next time.

An Apple a Day

2010-10-02T14:58:00.000-05:00

Almost too cute to eat - I said almost! These yummy treats were so fun and easy to make. I found the idea for these adorable cupcakes and decided to make them for Jax's MDO teachers. Jax loved taking them to his teachers. A great way to say "Happy Fall".

Scruffy and Tyler - Another Visit

2010-10-02T14:41:00.001-05:00

My little buddy - Tyler loved hanging out with me.

Tyler and Scruffy came for another visit while my brother enjoyed a fun week at sea. He took another cruise so his doggies stayed with us. CoCo loves playing with them and the weather was nice so they stayed outside a lot. Jax had a great week chasing them around. I'm not sure how much they enjoyed it but Jax had a blast. He loves for them to visit and can't wait for them to come back. Tyler hung out with me a lot - I think he was trying to escape from Jax. He was often under my feet while I was making dinner. Jay took a longer cruise this time so they stayed with us for an entire week. Jax never got tired but I think they finally did. Come back soon Tyler and Scruffy - we miss you!

First Movie

2010-10-02T10:28:00.003-05:00

John and I took Jax to his first movie in July. We went to see Toy Story 3 in 3D. We were not planning to see it in 3D but the other showing was sold out and the next showing was not for a couple of hours. Jax did great with the glasses. We all loved the movie and look forward to going back soon.

Candy Apple Fun

2010-09-15T11:42:00.000-05:00

There is a book that Jax and I read often entitled Where Is Baby's Pumpkin? It's a Halloween book but we read it throughout the year. On one page it talks about candy apples so Jax has wanted to make candy apples for a while now. I found this adorable idea here so I decided this was the perfect opportunity to make candy apples. The recipe was so easy although it made both John and I a little nervous to have Jax around the hot candy mixture. He did great and followed directions so all went well. Jax took a basket to each of his Mother's Day Out teachers and they were thrilled. A very sweet and simple idea that was easy and fun!

Labor Day

2010-09-15T11:22:00.000-05:00

My brother Jay and I participated in the Franklin Classic 5k on Labor Day. This was my third year and Jay's second. We had a lot of fun. Jay ran a fantastic time and I came across the finish line a few minutes later. It's an easy and fun course to run (and walk). Ready for next year, Jay?

John, Jax and I enjoyed a relaxing day after the race. We went to visit Mema and Granddaddy for a while and then had a delicious lunch at Corky's in Brentwood. The remainder of the day was spent at home just enjoying the day. Jax loved having Daddy home for an extra day over the weekend.

First Day of School 2010

2010-09-15T10:55:00.001-05:00

The first day of school went great except that I could not get my little guy to pose for a picture. This is the best I got. Jax had a half-day his first day back which was different than last year. He went a full day on his first day last year. I think it would have been better for mommy to have had a half-day last year on his first day! This year brought no tears from either of us (yay! mommy). Jax walked into school like a big boy, gave his teacher his folder and marched into his classroom. I was very proud of him.

Snoopy Day

2010-09-15T10:21:00.000-05:00

It's time for school again! Jax and I went to Snoopy Day a couple of weeks ago so that he could "snoop" around his room. He has two wonderful teachers. One of his teachers is a friend from our church so that certainly helped with the transition this year. He also knows several boys and girls from his class last year and from church. We had a fun day exploring his classroom and getting to know his teachers. This year I made him a cover for his rest mat (my first sewing project). I found him a super soft cuddly blanket for nap time, too. I embroidered his name on both and I think they look fantastic. I'm excited about this year. I know he is going to have lots of fun and learn a lot of new things.