Recap and Resolutions....

I just saw a friends blog and she did a recap of her favorite memories from 2009 so I thought I would do the same!! It is rather cold up here and Jake's parents are in town for a visit! We are sitting around the Christmas tree watching NpT, talking and waiting for the ball/guitar to drop! 2009 was a good year for us....

JANUARY: We made an unexpected but productive trip to LA....our niece's 1st birthday, my grandfather's funeral and a trip to the ER for me! Not to mention a few snow showers here in TN!!

FEBRUARY: Gusley turned 1!! He had 3 birthday parties, 2 in LA and 1 in TN! All the parties were a success and lots of fun! I managed to make his #1 cake and I must say it was not too bad! Gusley also experienced his 1st Mardi Gras...throw me something mister!!

MARCH: Other than the dread stomach bug that stayed with Gus for over 7 days and made its round through the house (sorry Mom and Dad, ya'll were a great help through that episode!) We did manage to get outside a few days and enjoy some of the nice cool weather!

APRIL: WE MOVED INTO OUR OWN HOUSE!!! That was the highlight of our month! Gi-Gi, Aunt Sarah and the kiddos plus Evan came for a visit and we had our first Easter in our house!! Egg hunt too Oh yeah, no more pacifier!

MAY: I celebrated my 2nd Mother's Day and Jake took us to Chattanooga and we went to the Aquarium and had a Dinner Cruise, it was lovely! I do remember that we went to Outback for Dad's birthday and Gus was such a big boy and sat in the booth for the entire meal. That was a great meal, thanks Gus! Jake and his buddy went to Chicago for a weekend.

JUNE: Jake celebrated his 2nd Father's Day, we went to the Moonpie Festival in Bell Buckle, TN and I think we all had a touch of heat exhaustion....IT WAS HOT AS HADI!! Outdoor concerts and lots of swimming! Jake and I celebrated our 10th year together!

JULY: Happy Birthday Jake! Our fence went up! Lots of outside play and more swimming! Michael Jackson passed away. Sad, sad day...RIP MJ. Gus got 4 new teeth and Gi-Gi and Paw came for a visit!!! We had lots of fun while they were in town and ate lots of yummy food!!

AUGUST: hahaha...swimming lessons and Jake and I went on our first canoe trip....let's just say we had lots of water activity this month!!

SEPTEMBER: THE BEACH!! We went to the beach and LA for a week. We had a great trip and Gus really enjoyed the beach as did Jake and I!

OCTOBER: Paw was inducted into the South Terrebonne Hall of Fame for football records that he set back in the day!! Go PAW!! Gus went trick or treating and had a great time. I did not post pictures of this, but I will do a back blog soon and put them up! I promise! I turned 27, WOW, 30 is around the corner!

NOVEMBER: DIAPER RASH, well technically it was yeast infection from the antibiotics Gus was on.....that is all I can say. Two weeks of it. Gus mastered the stairs and we went pick out our Christmas tree!

DECEMBER: Christmas and lots of it!! We had an amazing Christmas and Gusley really enjoyed himself!! Gi-Gi and Paw came up for a visit and we have been anticipating our first snow for this winter, but I think we will have to wait till next year...a matter of minutes!! Again, pictures are coming soon!

2009 was a good year for us and we are thankful for our families and all that we have and are looking forward to a wonderful 2010! A new decade and lots of memories to be made!

Happy New Year, readers!! Now for the resolutions.....

1. I would like to blog at least one entry a day....this helps me to keep up with all of Gus' milestones and what is going on day to day!

2. I would like to begin training so that I can run my first marathon by the time am 30!

3. Save, save, save! And reward ourselves with a nice vacation!!

IF........

We were to win the lottery, maybe, just maybe we would consider buying Alan Jackson's compound for a mere $33 million...............again, IF!!

There really is a Santa Claus!!!

Christmas morning was adorable. We all got up around 9am (I know for the next 10 or so years he will be waking us up at the crack of dawn) and Jake headed downstairs first to get the video camera ready to get Gus' reaction to everything. He called up to us when he was ready and down we came (while Jake got every step Gus took!!). Gus was a little curious as to why the camera was in his face, but he soon realized when he rounded the corner!!! He was a little shy at first but quickly went to every single item and checked it out. Then he made a second round. I think it is safe to say that he was a little overwhelmed!!! The rollercoaster was his big gift and he is really into music, hence the drum set and he loves to draw and color and doodle so he got an easel, colors, markers, chalk and a few coloring books and he got his very own kitchen with pots and pans and food to go with it! Here are a few of my favorites from Christmas morning.......

Christmas Eve!

Usually on Christmas Eve we go to my grandmother's house to exchange gifts and enjoy yummy food and a homemade red velvet cake!! This year we decided to stay put and start our own tradition. Aunt Beth and DJ came in and Nanny came over and we exchanged presents and enjoyed each others company. This year was really fun with Gus as he was really into giving out the gifts and opening his and everyone else's!!

Though we started a new tradition some things remained the same like the homemade red velvet cake and Aunt Beth's famous homemade cheese cake...holy moly that was some good stuff!! After a fun night we had to head home to get ready for Santa Claus. We exchanged a few presents as a little family. I made Jake a desk calendar with pictures of he and Gus and things they did/shared together throughout 2009 and they gave me a fabulous new robe!!!! We were both surprised with our gifts and it was so cute to watch Gus give us each our present!! So after more presents, Gus had his bath and wore his snuggley Christmas jammies that Pinki made for him and off to bed he went as visions of M&M's danced in his head!!

I have waited my whole life to take on this special role of Mr. & Mrs. Claus and our time has come and it was delightful!! I loved every minute of it. Getting the presents out of hiding, setting everything up, doing a test run on a few things and stuffing the stockings!

Here are a few pictures from Christmas Eve at mom and dad's. Gus apparently wanted to take a look and see if Santa and the reindeer were flying over because he insisted on going outside to check things out. With his hat of course!! His faces throughout the night were priceless. Each gift he opened it was like his little face beamed with joy and he was thinking "for me?"!! He would tear the paper into small pieces and peak through then he would tear it in bigger sections....keeping the element of surprise a little longer? In most of the pictures you will notice him holding a little tin can. This is a can of cocoa that Aunt Beth brought with her and he became attached to it the minute he laid his eyes on it and he held it tight through the holiday!! Could it have been the size of it or the fact that Santa Claus was on the front of it? I think a combination of both!! Enjoy the pictures and I hope your Christmas holiday was as joyous as ours!

Christmas ROCKS!!!

Nanny Helen gave Gusley a rocking horse for Christmas and he LOVES it!! Here are the initial pictures......

Thank you, Nanny Helen for the awesome horse!! Gus is going to rock the night away!!!!

Tis the Season!!

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!!!!

This Christmas will be Jake and I's 10th Christmas together!! I remember our first one like it was yesterday...we were in Kentucky and it snowed, a lot!! It was just beautiful! In ten years we have added one child and one dog, can't wait to see what the next 10 will bring!! Merry Christmas, Santa!!! Love you!

Movie Night

After talking about it for over a year we finally had movie night. Well sort of. We put on Follow that Bird for Gusley and Endi and they were totally into, but were getting antsy and ready for bed. We decided we would watch an adult movie after they went to sleep......both Mommy's fell fast asleep with the babies for a little while. We decided it was too late to start a movie so we stayed up talking and laughing about who knows what as we were all delirious and exhausted from the work week! Even though we did not get to watch our movie just to see the kids reaction to the big screen was great! Thanks, Jake for bringing it home and setting it all up for us!! Can't wait to do it again!!

Gusley and Endi getting ready for the show!

I just love this picture....Tyler and Amanda leaning into each other like love birds and Gusley and Endi totally captivated by the movie!!

The set up....and Gusley on the arm of the sofa...I guess he wanted a better view?!

Sweet CeCe's = Yummy in our tummy!!!

We finally tried out the new yogurt joint in Franklin, Sweet CeCe's. It is awesome! You serve yourself and choose any topping your heart desires. You pay by the ounce so your total all depends on how bad you want to break your diet!! We had a great time and for all you Paramore and Twilight fans out there, we were in the company of Hayley, the singer for Paramore! I tried to get a picture of Gus and I with her, but she was trying to get out the door and had already been bombarded by all the teenie boppers in there!

Weeeeee......

This provides for hours of entertainment!!! Probably one of our favorite things to do during the winter when we can't play outside!!

Santa + Baby does not equal Santa Baby.....read on...

After we wrote Gusley's letter to Santa Claus we thought it would be appropriate to go see Santa Claus! Hahaha....a 2 year old and Santa just don't jive. The pictures do the talking......from a distance Santa was a very cool guy, but up close and personal, well you will see!!

After the traumatic Santa experience (for both Mother and child) we headed over to this really awesome Toy Store in Nashville. In the store there is a huge model train set up where the kids can press buttons and the bridges come down or the train switches tracks, etc.....very, very cool. There is also an 'observation deck' where the kids can look down on the entire setting. Gus climbed his way up there and had the best time watching the train go round and round and round. Looks like a train set may be on next years list!!

In the tower, a little apprehensive about coming close to me (he knew that meant it was time to get down)!

This was his expression up in the deck as he watched the train go round and round!

You can just see the excitement on his face!!

As visions of sugar plums danced through his head.............

Hat Head??!!

I have been trying for the past year to get Gus to wear this hat because it is so stinking cute!! The other day he comes to me with it trying to get it on his head. I was thrilled, but did not let him know until the hat was on his head! As you can see in the pictures he thinks he is so cute, as he should because Jake and I made over him so much!! He has been wearing it several times a day......some days longer than others! He did wear it during our entire shopping trip and everyone that would say how cute he would smile and look at Jake and I so proud!!! What a big boy, I just wish he would not out grow this hat.

Oh yeah, this striped sweater is the only pullover that he will wear at this moment!! I think he really likes the bright colors, and the zipper!