R & R

The day after Christmas we packed up the car and headed down south.  We spent a few days with Acey, Cat, Aunt LyLy and Uncle C at the beach.  It was not "beachy" weather but we had a blast (someone insisted on wearing her bathing suit anyway).  We celebrated Uncle C's 28th birthday and all got some much needed rest and relaxation!

 

Someone had too much fun!  Ha, this is the only family picture we had from the trip.  AC was up way past her bedtime and she danced with everyone there!  (Don't worry, that isn't wine on her dress :) 

 

Christmas as Seen by the Camera

  We had a very very merry Christmas!

The Reason for the Season

Twas the Week Before Christmas...

Playing with my Nativity Scene

School Play

Friend Gift Exchange

Homra Family Christmas....Fun with Aunt LyLy 

All Dressed up for Dinner with JuJu, Granddaddy and Bibby

Cookie Decorating Playdate-Fun and Yummy!

PJ Storytime at Church

Park with Friends (is it really 70 degrees on December 21?)

Whew...we have been busy.  I guess that is why we are wearing the paint off of this...

You better watch out...

You better not cry....

You better not pout...

I'm trying and trying to tell her why!

The North Pole Body Shop

Unfortunately, Trey was in a wreck yesterday on his way home from work. THANKFULLY everyone was okay!    When they were towing Trey's car Ann Charlotte and I had arrived on the scene.   She asked where they were taking Daddy's car.  I said that it was broken and that it needed to be fixed.  She said, hmm, okay Daddy's car is going to the North Pole?   I guess Santa can make anything-right?

Ho Ho Ho...No No No

Ann Charlotte loves talking about Santa Claus (although not as much as baby Jesus), and she is so excited that Santa is bringing her a kitchen (we hope), but  she was not thrilled about meeting him!  This was our third visit with the man in the big red suit and it took all seven (including Santa himself-eight if you count the photographer) of us to convince her to sit in my lap to get a picture :)


(Luckily she did whisper from a far what she wanted.  I relayed the message to him just in case he didn't hear her clearly.)

Two Wise Guys

Ann Charlotte is obsessed with the Nativity.  I am thrilled that she is so interested in it and can't wait until our Little People Nativity arrives any day.  

Right after Thanksgiving we had a live Nativity at church.  We were standing outside in the freezing cold and everyone was quiet.  Ann Charlotte shouts out "two white guys, two white guys."  At the time we had no idea what she was talking about and were a little embarrassed about it (okay, maybe a lot).  

Now, we know exactly what she was talking about.  For some reason it is the "Two Wise Guys" instead of the "Three Wise Men."   We talk about it everyday and everyday it is: "Baby Jesus in a Manger, Mary, Joseph, Angels and the Two Wise Guys."

You Better Watch Out...

Ann Charlotte named our Elf Rosie.  First it was Barbie, then Abby and we all finally agreed on Rosie!   Each night Rosie goes to the North Pole to tell Santa how Ann Charlotte has behaved that day.  Each morning Ann Charlotte searches the house for Rosie.  Here is the night we met Rosie.

We also received a message from Santa this week reminding us to be on our best behavior!  Ann Charlotte is mesmerized every time we watch it! Check it out...

A Message from Santa to Ann Charlotte

Oh how I love the Christmas season!   Merry Christmas to all!

I am Thankful for...

My wonderful family...

• I am thankful for my husband who loves me unconditionally. 
• I am thankful for our healthy, happy daughter.
• I am thankful for such loving parents who taught/teach me so much.
• I am thankful for my brother and my bro-in-law and sis-in-laws who are so much fun.
• I am thankful for in-laws who treat me like I am their own.
• I am thankful for my grandparents and the time that I spent with the ones who are not with us.

My extraordinary friends...

• I am thankful for the friends that I share my life with day-in and day-out.
• I am thankful for the friends who are "teaching" me how to be a good mom by watching their actions.
• I am thankful for the friends I call when I have a bad day or have news to share.
• I am thankful for the friends who text to check-in even though we not have seen each other in months.
• I am thankful for the friends who I am with only with 3 or 4 times a year but it is like we never left each other.

My amazing life...

• I am thankful that I am able to stay home with Ann Charlotte everyday to teach her about life.
• I am thankful that God has blessed me with a house, neighborhood and church that I adore.
• I am thankful that I have a healthy body and a healthy family.
• I am thankful that we live so close to our families and get to visit them often.
• I am thankful that we will have a Thanksgiving weekend with family that we love.

I am truly blessed.
I am truly thankful.


"Oh give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!" Psalm 118:1

"I Love You Mommy"

Yes, Ann Charlotte said "I love you mommy" as I was putting her to bed last night.  I melted.   She is talking so much more every day!   It is so much fun to see what comes out of her mouth.

Today was a failed attempt to get a Christmas card photo.  This is what she does when I say "say cheese".  Hmmm, who knows, I may just have to use it!  It is pretty funny.

Organized Chaos

Saturday was the biggest game of the year...

UT vs. Ole Miss

...in the Jones household anyway.  We had friends over to watch the big game and the playroom was full of kids and toys all day!  It is funny how our Saturday football has changed.  I wouldn't have it any other way...  Organized Chaos!

Go VOLS!

Enjoying One Moment at a Time

This is a wonderful reminder....

Enjoy one moment at a time...

 

Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will.

To the Moon and Back

Tonight as we were reading Ann Charlotte her bedtime stories I realized how much I love children's books.

Big Nutbrown Hare had it right when he said...

"I love you to the moon and back".

Which one is the REAL Abby Cadabby?

Fun Facts About Abby Cadabby

Description: Fairy-in-training

Likes: Practicing her magic,  learning to count, drawing letters with a crayon

Dislikes: She accidentally turns things into pumpkins with her wand

Favorite Phrase: "That's so magic!"

Her Best Friend: Elmo

Fun Facts About Ann Charlotte

Description:  Toddler-in-training (although she thinks she is a fairy)

Likes: Playing outside,  learning to count, drawing footballs with a crayon

Dislikes:  She “accidently” gets in trouble when she doesn’t mind her parents

Favorite Phrase: “I think so?”

Her Best Friend: Elmo

What a fun night!

The Count

Of course she is brilliant!  

Just kidding but she is really cute!

The Ferber Method

So, you may or may not be familiar with ferberizing. The Ferber Method is when you let babies (or toddlers in our case) cry it out. Ann Charlotte has been a good sleeper since she was 8 weeks old. Always going down on her own and soothing herself to sleep. Until...

In her defense her parents have been out of town a lot over the past month. It just so happened that volunteer travel, work travel, fun football travel and vacation travel all landed in the same 4 weeks.

About a month ago (yes, that long) she started crying at bedtime and wanting to read one more book, rock a little longer and sing one more song. During our travel I saw this as an opportunity to spend a little more time with her because our days together were numbered. BIG MISTAKE-HUGE. When she was at her grandparents house she slept like an angel (or so they have told me).

So, fast forward to our return about a week and a half ago. The whimpering and begging turned in to a child screaming so loud and for so long that she made herself choke and it sounded like she was in severe pain. So after trials, parental arguments on what to do, tears from everyone (almost) I took her to the doctor yesterday because, of course, SOMETHING. MUST. BE. REALLY. WRONG!

Earache? No! Sore throat? No! Fluid in lungs? No! Just a smart 2 year-old!

NEWSFLASH MOM AND DAD-she is playing us like a deck of cards!

So, baby monitor went up again last night (just to see the action) and our precious angel cried, climbed, screamed, kicked and screamed some more for over an hour (maybe closer to two). Today at naptime it only lasted about 4-5 minutes. So, I am guessing this will take about four/five nights! I will keep you updated.

We need wine, the back porch and prayers (and maybe more wine)!

I See The Moon

Every night Ann Charlotte looks for the moon-actually I should say every night and day. She can spot the moon out at noon, at 2pm and any given night. She loves looking at the moon and stars. Maybe we have an Astronomer among us! (Maybe that is why she is refusing to sleep at night-she is being called to look at the stars :)

I see the moon, the moon sees me-God bless the moon and God bless me! Okay, so this picture has nothing to do with the moon but it is so cute! My two girls!

Flower Girl Mad Dash

Ann Charlotte was the flower girl last weekend for our good friends Amanda and Nick.

We practiced, practiced and practiced some more for the big day! At the rehearsal-Ann Charlotte was a pro. However, I failed to mention that there would be around 300 people watching her and I don't think she was expecting that!

She took her first two steps and threw some petals. Then she froze and started taking steps backwards (it was breaking my heart because I knew she was terrified). So, I walked up behind her and...

Mommy: Do you see daddy up there? (he was on the second row)

AC: Yes

Mommy: Walk toward Daddy and throw your flowers

AC: No words but a mad dash to the second row-literally a toddler sprint (actually maybe an 18 year-old pro baseball player sprint.)

The saving grace was that Daddy picked her up and gave her a big kiss which melted hearts in the audience.

We are so happy for Amanda and Nick! It was a BEAUTIFUL night (regardless of the flower girl forgetting her petals)! Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Getschman!

Ann Charlotte having fun at the rehearsal dinner

Mad Dasher

P-u-m-p-k-i-n, Pumpkin Time is Here Again

Today we were on a quest to find "the great pumpkin(s)"! Ann Charlotte picked out the daddy pumpkin, the mommy pumpkin and the baby pumpkin. The best part is that the pumpkin patch is right next to our favorite playground!