March In...March Out

March was fun. We went to Fort Toulouse with good friends, Justin & Hilary Gresham, and was able to spend a little time with their precious daughter, Juliet. It was a beautiful day and we had a lot of fun grilling out and letting the dogs run and walking trails. Such a nice place out there to go and spend a Saturday afternoon!

I was also able to surprise my parents one Sunday morning when Nathan and I decided to go to 10th Street church of Christ and worship with them. Mom said she recognized Nathan immediately after we walked in (I was carrying him) but she had to ask herself if that was me with Nathan. I didn't know if I should have taken that as a compliment or an insult. :) Here are a few pics of our afternoon with them. We weren't able to stay very long but I promised Nathan we would soon go back to visit since it no longer takes us 3 hours to get there!

He loves his tractor!






Helping Pawpaw play in the dirt!




Nathan found my camera one night and wanted to take pictures. He has never used a "real" camera before but he did pretty good. I didn't think by the way he was holding the camera that anything would be on the picture! Here are a few of his first shots!

And one I took of us. He's such a gem!

Nathan constantly keeps me laughing. I'm not sure if it's because I'm easily amused or if it's just his personality. He's at the age where just about everything that he does or says is HILARIOUS! Of course, we have those moments where he isn't so cute but the good outweighs the bad, right?? He has this new face and every time he makes it I ROLL!! I'll post a picture of it soon. Last night he would not quit doing it and he would tickle me every time he would make the face. He raises both eyebrows and his eyes are so big and he puckers his lips so both his dimples show and he has the most serious look on his face. Ty was getting annoyed because I would laugh every time but I can't help it. Well, last night Nathan was saying his prayers and for some reason I "peeked" a look at him and SURE ENOUGH he was making the face at me.. i tried really hard (I promise) to maintain composure until after the prayer but I lost it. Needless to say, we both got in trouble.. :( I'm no longer allowed to look at Nathan while he's praying! LOL

He will forever be my baby!

How Can You Say NO??!

Last night Ty and I went to dinner with Matt & Katie. We decided to go to Cracker Barrel and those of you who know me know I can't just go in and not look at the "Country Store" part. Well, Nathan has inherited that from me. Ty knows that and told Nathan upon entering that he will NOT be getting a toy tonight. Nathan agreed and we went in and headed straight to the table to eat. After dinner I asked Nathan if he wanted to go look around the store, he agreed so we went. Nathan had found one of those toys that you grip the handle and the clamps at the end of it close and you release the handle and it opens again. He WOULD NOT put it down. He asked Ty if he would hold it and as soon as Ty got a hold of it Nathan turned to him and said, "don't put it down daddy, don't put it right there (and pointed to the box that it came out of)... EVER!" Ty asked him why not (as he was trying to not bust out laughing) and Nathan said, "because it's going home with me!"
I proceeded to get $6 out of my purse and buy the toy for him.. oops! :) I couldn't resist!

Calling All Coupon Clippers!

My friend Amanda @ More Than Words is currently having a drawing to giveaway over $200 worth of coupons and a coupon organizer! Anyone interested in a chance to win this awesome prize go to her blog and enter for the drawing! In this economy every penny counts and a penny saved is a penny earned!!
here's a link to her blog:
http://everythingelsewastakensoichosethis.blogspot.com/

1 toddler + 2 beds = sleep depravation

I thought it was a mini stage that would quickly pass but it seems that it is a bigger problem than I anticipated.
The problem has been going on for several months now and instead of improving it's getting worse.
Here is the problem:
NATHAN IS NOT WANTING TO GO TO SLEEP!!!

OK, now here's the details...
Bedtime is 8:30. We begin the process around 8:30 and after prayers and hugs and kisses lights are out. Nathan wants to try everything to make this part of the process go for as long as he can. Lately he's been begging me to sleep with him. I have NEVER slept with him (other than when Ty's out of town I'll occasionally let him sleep with me, but that's not often). I truly believe that in his mind he sees that I have someone that I sleep with and right now he sees that Tina and Allen sleep together and he wants someone to sleep with him. When I think about it from his perspective I have to say that I don't blame him. I just don't know how to make him understand that isn't how it works. He'll lay in bed and cry for me. Last night Ty put him in bed around 8:30, it was 10:30 and he was STILL crying. Just about every morning I wake up and he's in the bed with me anyway. He'll come in there some time during the night and I guess in his eyes he's won. The thing is I don't care if he sleeps with me but I can't start that because I know it won't solve anything. I'm at the end of my rope and Nathan is exhausted! We've bought a dimmer switch to put in his room because at first his excuse was "I'm afraid of the dark." We then bought him some spiderman sheets so he would have a "cool" place to sleep. Obviously, none of these are working.

I know I'm not the only parent who has this problem so all of you out there that has dealt or is dealing with this any advice or opinions are welcome!!

snOw DaY

So as many of you know we woke up on Sunday morning with arctic weather. Alabama hardly ever gets snow and when it does it's not usually enough to really cover the ground. We were all suprised at how much was coming down and how much had already stuck. Nathan wanted to go out immediately and play but we had to get ready for church. We had hoped it would stick around until church was over. It did! Ty and Nathan had a blast playing in it while I got lunch ready. Here are a few pics of Nathan and his first snowball fight.

Our much needed time away...

was spent in Nashville TN. Both Ty and I agree that Tennessee is a beautiful state and if we ever move again we would love to live there. I absolutely love the mountains. We decided to save for another trip back to Tennessee but this next time to go to our MOST favorite place.. Pigeon Forge! Talk about somewhere I could live forever! To be able to look out your window and see God's beautiful creation and the breath taking view of the mountains! Anyway, I'm daydreaming and drooling :)

This trip took us to the Opryland Hotel. Those of you who know us well know that is where it all started for me and Ty. Each year we would go to the hotel for Lads to Leaders/Leaderettes convention. It was so nice to see the place where so many memories were made so many years ago. It was great walking around recognizing the smells and sounds and scenery. Not much has changed but some of the things we had looked forward to most were not there anymore (like Rachel's kitchen and that ice cream place). We had a great time together in such a beautiful hotel. Here are some pictures, of course the pictures do not do this hotel justice! Enjoy~

I love this man so much!

And he loves me too!!

WOO-HOO!!!

I usually wait until I have pictures before I post but I COULD NOT wait to get this post out. I am so super excited about this weekend. Several weeks ago my mom mentioned getting Nathan for the weekend. Well, I couldn't pass up the opportunity of mentioning to Ty about us going away for the weekend. *Side note* Ty and I have NOT be away (just the 2 of us) since before Nathan was born so this trip is much needed! Anyway, I kept running into barriers with everything I tried to work out. Either things were booked or too far away or cost too much or one of us didn't want to go to that particular place. Well, long story short, we both decided on a weekend in Nashville, TN! YEAH!! I would LOVE to stay at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel (that's where it all started for me and him 10 years ago this April) but it just isn't cost efficient so we are going to stay across the street from the hotel and spend all our time in the hotel other than the time we are sleeping. (I'm the brilliant one who thought of this!) :) HA! I can't wait! Our plan is to try and get off early Friday and head up and come back Sunday afternoon. You guys just don't know how much I'm anticipating this wonderful weekend with my fabulous husband! Thanks babe!! I love you!!