Fun Friday: Riverbank Zoo is Amazing!

My kids really like the new "Jake and the Never Land Pirates" show on the Disney Channel. One day I called the kids in to come inside from playing outside, and I said, "You can watch Jake!" Abigail got so excited and said "my cousin Jake is here." She was all confused and heart broken that her cousin Jake was not here for a visit. So, we quickly planned a day trip to Columbia. It was good because we got some free Dream Dinners, and our lawnmower from the house. It was so great to see them and to get to go to the zoo!

Second Family Birthday Party fo Jackson

This party we had on his actual birthday last Sunday. It was so great that Charlie's family and grandmother were able to come up and hear Charlie preach and celebrate Jackson's birthday!

Keep praying for Jackson tonight will be night three without sleeping with his pacifier, and they say in that if you can do something for three nights in a row it creates a pattern. He really has not even asked for it that much, which is a miracle! He was not able to go to sleep till close to 1 am last night though, because he had a nap since it was Wednesday and we had church late (I let him nap on Wednesdays and Sundays because of church...I try to limit it to just a 2 hour nap). He was just not tired at all last night.

Fall Festival / Halloween 2009

Towards the end of the Fall Festival.

Cow riding a horse. Ha!

We are so proud of Jackson. He was very brave to ride the pony (last year not so brave).

Cow milking a cow.

My baby girl's first Halloween. This is the same costume that cousin Jake had for his first Halloween costume and it was also Jackson's costume one year. We have gotten good use out of it...it is such a cute costume.

Charlie and his sister Lauren. It is so wonderful that are babies are so close it age. We all have a great time when we get together.

Jackson was so excited to trick or treat this year. We watched Little Einsteins "Happy Halloween" all week, and every day he would ask if we were going trick or tricking today with cousin Jake.

This is her normal position in the stroller. Laid back...especially during soccer games.

Jackson and cousin Jake. Jackson copied whatever Jake did that night. He had so much fun!

Halloween Day: We had a great time trick or treating with Charlie's sister and her babies. Jackson was so excited. My thought is that trick or treating can be a great way to get out into the community, meet people, and reach people. Next year, we are going to tape a card on the candy inviting kids to First Baptist. We just had trick or treaters at our door from 7-8 pm.

Fall Festival: The Fall Festival was yesterday and it was incredible! This year they had a Fall Festival Committee and they worked so hard. They had a talent show (which was one of my favorites), a tumble bus, rides, pictures, entrainment, food, prizes, cake walk, etc. They also had a schedule posted which was very helpful. It was perfectly planned, and Charlie counted last night when he got home that over 700 people registered (many visitors). It was a wonderful outreach event.

My Best Mother's Day So Far!

Today was definitely my best mother's day I have had in the few short years I have been a mother. My beautiful baby girl was dedicated today at church and all my immediate family was there. Even Aunt Sandra!

Jackson makes me thankful for every little thing that we take for granted.

Abigail makes me enjoy being a mother. I love having a baby and some days I just never want her to grow up!

Abigail looked so beautiful in the dress I wore when I was dedicated and the necklace I wore. She also had the ring on that Charlie's sister had when she was a baby. She did great and even smiled up there! Dr. Estep preached a wonderful sermon. Probably one of the best mother's day sermons I have heard.

Charlie wrote the most beautiful mother's day poem to me I could ever imagine. I am almost too embarrassed to link it because I wish I could be half the women the Proverbs 31 women is. Words really mean more to me than any gift could. Charlie is such a great writer all I really ever want for him for gifts is homemade cards that he writes.

I am so blessed. I have always wanted to be a mother. I think I was ready at 20 years old. I have always dreamed of having babies and being able to stay at home to raise them. I know this sounds crazy but for me there is not a day I wake up staying at home that I dread. There were many days going to school that I just dreaded the entire day and wanted the week to be over. Every since I married Charlie and had our babies I have felt complete. Motherhood is such a high calling, and a life that is lived for eternity.

Easter Pictures 2009

Abigail's first Easter

This is the best picture we were going to get after church. Babies were tired and squirmy.

All the girls!

All the boys! We celebrated Easter and "Pop Pop's" birthday Saturday afternoon.

Zach and Abigail hanging out. Zach and Abigail are only 2 months apart in age. Zach is Charlie's sister's baby boy.

I have decided that on Mondays I will upload pictures or video. So if you regularly read my blog expect pictures or videos on Mondays! This Monday is of course pictures of Easter. We are so blessed!

Tomorrow, I will have some professional pictures posted that we got taken on Friday.

Christmas Pictures 2008

Every year we take turns with Thanksgiving and Christmas at each others parent's house. We think it is important to be surrounded by family on the holidays. This year was my family's Thanksgiving and Charlie's parents Christmas which worked out well for us since Charlie's family is in Columbia and Abigail was just born like two weeks prior to Christmas. On Christmas Eve we went to Rock Hill to see all of Charlie's extended family and Abigail got to meet her great grandmother! Yay! It was so special. Kelly joined us Christmas Eve since she basically has to work all of Christmas. Christmas day we went over to Charlie's parents house for brunch and got to spend time with Charlie's family. It was such a special Christmas being able to share it with this precious miracle (Abigail) that God so gracious gave us. It just makes me even more thankful this year for the birth of our Savior. Praise the Lord our Savior was born!

Here is Charlie holding Abigail on Christmas day. She has thrush and we have had to put medicine on her mouth 4 times a day which has been hard. She is such a trooper!

She already seems like she is smiling to me. I think girls mature faster than boys!

Great family photo
Pray for Jackson. His tantrums have been frequent recently since his schedule has been messed up among many other factors. Papa is being very patient with him here

Mimi and Papa with their grandchildren. There will be one more grandchild next Christmas since Charlie's sister is having a little boy at the end of February.

I am so glad KK was with us on Christmas! It made it so special.

Praise the Lord Jackson loves to love on Abigail. He is so gentle with her!

Grandkids

Here is Charlie's mom's brother, Uncle Norman, holding Abigail in Rock Hill on Christmas Eve. Doesn't Charlie like similar to him?

Geemaw getting to meet Abigail. She is so blessed to have two living great grandmothers. I was so glad we were able to come!