It's been a while, so I thought I'd update on the little quirks of the kiddos...

Hannahisms:

• "pink is my favorite color in the whole wide weird".  She insists that she needs at least one pink thing on everyday.
• Bottom = "bob-bum"
• Dora the explorer = "Dora the a stroller"
• excessive use (mostly incorrectly) of the word "actually".  Picked this up from Jackson.
• Pretends to go to her "little school" everyday just like Jackson.  At little school she "eats lunch, shares toys, and has a good day".
• Obsessed with talking about poop.  Ugh.  We are working on that one...ignoring it did NOT make it go away!
• She will hug, kiss, and tell you that you are beautiful and her best friend....and then turn and willfully disobey with a impish grin.  Such a stinker!
• She's utterly fascinated with the tooth fairy that comes to Jackson's room and talks about her all the time.
• I am so excited = I so cited. (squealing)
• She says the sweetest little prayers.  I love hearing her pray for her family, friends and church.

Latest and greatest with our J-man:

• Really thriving in school this year.  We are so blessed with a wonderful teacher!
• Favorite past times:  LEGOs legos legos, climbing trees, bike and scooter riding, joke/riddle telling.
• He is writing a Star Wars book with illustrations and everything.
• Jackson has just matured so much in the last several months.  I am really enjoying the more mature conversations (you know, things other than legos and Star Wars).  He's been given more responsibilities - and risen to the challenge in great ways.
• Still does NOT like the "fake Santa" at the mall.  He won't go near him.  :)

Y Guides

Shepherd Fox and Fire Fox @ the Camp Kanata closing ceremony

Mike and Jackson are doing Y Guides together this year (formerly "Indian Guides").  It is a wonderful program through the YMCA... kind of like boy scouts, but made for dads and sons.  Mike and his dad did it (many moons ago) and so did my dad and brother, Tyson.  

Mike chose his name to be "Shepherd Fox" and Jackson has chosen to be "Fire Fox".  So far, they are really enjoying their tribe, the Peak City Warriors, made of 8 other dads and sons.  Jackson's buddy Cole is also in the tribe.  They have already been on a campout, done some projects to earn badges and gone to a big tribal outing to Camp Kanata with all the other tribes.  Mike and Jackson assembled their vests all by themselves, too!  We will be hosting the December meeting in a few weeks.

How How!

My favorite Jack (o-lantern)

Love that snaggled-toothed smile! For the past week we have been teasing Jackson that we were going to put a flashlight in his mouth, set him on the porch, and let him be our jack-o-lantern this Halloween!  :)  He has two more loose right now.

Raising our little 'Heels!

Last Saturday, we took the whole family to the Carolina v. Wake Forest game at Chapel Hill. We are blessed to have a man in our church that offers us tickets to games. What great seats! It was both Jackson and Hannah's first game... and it was frigid. I was a bit reluctant to take them. But, they really LOVED it! Jackson said it was the "best day ever!". I wish I had video of Jackson's dance moves as he tried hard to get on the big jumbo tron. Oh my - SO very funny. The Tarheels pulled out a big victory, so Hannah had plenty of opportunity to yell "Go Heels" and shake her pom poms.

The Fair!

Needless to say, we love the State Fair!  Mike and I both have fond memories from our childhood of the rides, animals, and fun.  Even better is sharing it with our kiddos!  Jackson especially loves the rides - the faster and scarier the better.  (Takes after his mom)

fist pumping... must have been fun!

Add caption

Jack rode this dropping ride all by himself.  And loved it.

He couldn't wait to ride this ride so that he could fly like a super hero!

Fall Festival

We look forward to this get-together at the Joyner farm with friends every year.  Mike was bummed to miss!  There was a hayride, pumpkin painting, face painting, a leaf craft, tons of running around in wide open spaces, and yummy BBQ and other foods.  It was warm and gorgeous day!

Dads and kids on the hayride.  Mr. Jason was great to help with Hannah.

Hannah really surprised me with the sack races.  She had a ball!

A great time with good friends.  Only wish we could see each other more often!

Fall Foliage + Cade's Cove + Time with Family = One Great Week

With Daddy gone on a 10 day mission trip to Amsterdam with a team from church, I decided it was time to pull in some reinforcements.  Jackson was tracked out, so we headed Tennessee to spend time with family there.  

Hannah's favorite thing to do is to "play makeup" with Mimi.  She carried around a makeup brush for days  In fact, she wanted to be beside Mimi the whole time.  I think she is drawn to Mimi's girly-ness!

On Tuesday we had a fun mini-reunion with a bunch of my relatives on my dad's side.  So fun to see everyone!  Hannah melted everyone by hugging and kissing every single person.

On Wednesday we decided to take the kids up to the Smokies for a picnic and drive around Cade's Cove - one of my favorite places in the world.  We were just short of seeing a couple of bears, according the the rangers.  We did see several deer (one with the largest rack of antlers I have seen!), tons of wild turkeys, and beautiful fall colors everywhere.  Jackson was able to really take in so much of the history this time.

At the Grist Mill in Cade's Cove.  The kids loved it - although their faces don't show it here!

At The Sinks waterfall

King of the Mountain

This picture just makes me laugh - Dad and I had just finished eating a cookie and Mom took this of us.  Same expression!

 We decided to hike up to Laurel Falls.  It was not easy...although it's a paved and "stroller accessible" trail - it was very slick, steep, and rugged for pushing Hannah.  All worth it due to the gorgeous overlooks and falls, though.  Jackson REALLY got into the hiking... makes me one happy mom!  I hope to take him hiking again really soon.

top half of Laurel Falls

The time flew by fast.  Thanks for hosting us (and spoiling us) Mimi and Granddaddy!  We love you!!

At the Pumpkin Patch

The fall decor is out. Chocolate chip pumpkin bread has been made. Pumpkin Spice Latte has been drunk (thanks, mom!). But, it's officially fall around in our house once a trip to the Pumpkin Patch has been made. Today was the perfect cool, sunny (and windy!!) day to pick our pumpkin.

holding the mini white pumpkins - my favorite!

Teeter-Totter fun

Brad Paisley concert

We were invited to attend the Brad Paisley/Blake Shelton/Jerrod Niemann concert with our friend, Beth and Stephen, last weekend.  They are actually related to Brad's wife, actress Kimberly Williams Paisley, and asked Brad to donate concert tickets, a signed album, and signed photo for our church to auction off for our church's upcoming mission trips.  How cool is that?!  Other friends of ours won the auction and we all sat together at the concert.

It was my first country music concert (I don't count sitting outside the Dean Dome and listening in what must have been a good concert for Garth Brooks back in 1992).  We parked our car and started the hike through tailgate city when I realized that I did not get the memo to wear cowgirl boots and a dress and/or jean mini skirt.  An outsider for sure!  :)

Our seats were great and we had such a fun time.  So glad Blake Shelton played song, "God Gave Me You", which was originally written and done by the talented Dave Barnes (who my brother knows).  When Brad Paisley hit the stage and the crowd went wild.  He is an incredibly talented guitarist and singer and was truly amazing to watch.  He played song after song after song - I lost count. 

Blake Shelton

Brad Paisley and his mascot

Brad at a mini stand in the middle of the crowd

He ended with "Old Alabama", which is my favorite.  Oh, it brings me back to the days of singing "Mountain Man" with my brother in our little homemade band!  Ty, wish you could have been there with me!

Jackson's Baptism

On the weekend of Jackson's baptism, the weather turned suddenly cold.  Seriously one day it was 93 degrees, and the next was a high of 66.  So... Lake Day/Baptism was a chilly one! 

Daddy and Jackson with Nate, Kate, and Jack - who all got baptized that day.

It was truly a special day!  I struggled to keep myself together.  Baptisms always bring me to happy tears, but seeing my husband baptize our son prompted such immense joy.  Jackson has wanted this day for a long time. 

We are so grateful for the family and incredible Bridge friends that came out and braved the cold to celebrate with us.  Thank you!  You each made that day even more special.

Our friend, Stephen, made a great video that I hope to add to this blog soon.