Party at the "go gators house"

2009 Tailgate!

Megan was so excited to go to the "GO GATORS house!"
(that's what she calls the swamp)
She was all over the place.

Jake slept through the whole thing...
not quite sure he knew he even came.

Cousin Ron came up from Miami with Kelly and the family (Ramona and Sam)

Miss Olivia

Sometimes Megan doesn't give Evan enough space... and he retaliates!
Hey Evan... here's a tip:
when a cute girl wants to play catch with you... don't hit her with a stick!

Hey Kevin... are you shocked?... or are you just yawning while your daughter gets hit in the head?

... another take down!
Don't be mistaken... this isn't your happy kind of hug!
Down deep... they really do have fun with each other!

"Go Gators"
Megan really gets excited... runs in her blood I guess. She ran over to the fence to watch the gator walk with Livy. She was yelling for the players... but especially for Albert and Alberta! She kept yelling...
"ALLLLBEEERT"
"ALLLLBEEERT"

Samuel was alllll over the place! Poor Michelle was whooped! He kept running off through the cars... he did have a blast though!

... he is the smiliest kid!
Can't wait for he and Jake to play!!!!

Jen and Joel came up to the tailgate for the afternoon... and Joel ended up staying for the game! (It was an adventure getting back to the cars with all the kids)

Dad's best friend Larry and his wife Jane never miss a game! Glad to see then stop in at the tailgate!

The kids loved Gator corn hole! Aunt Steph gets all the fun games!

Night night... all the mommy's were headed home with the kids... while the boys got to stay for the game. Gotta admit... I was excited to go to bed... REAL PARTY ANIMAL.

Where's Waldo?
I was trying to hide lil' Jake... he ends up in all my pics these days...
the K'tan is always strapped on!

Go Gators!!!!
Steph put on a great tailgate... as always. Kevin and Gregg were a huge help setting it all up! Gregg is a fan of the SNACKS!

(B-pa and Daddy getting one last hug night night)

"Super - Aunt"

Florida / Georgia camping trip 2009

Du...Na...Nu...Na...Nu...Na...Na... Nu...Batman!

For the past 5 years we've made a tradition of going camping on Fl/Ga football weekend.
We started off at Oleno... with Alumium foil and rabbit ear antenna to get reception for the game... we've gradually worked our way into a more elaborate redneck event. Now we're at Manatee Springs... with even more family and friends... and the tradition continues!

Mommy's lil' batman!

Oh no... he's revealed... his bat footie came off!

It's Jakie Jake!

I made him his own custom fit black leather suit- Fun Fun Fun
(even though I broke my sewing machine on it!)

We dressed all the kids up like super heroes this year.

Kev and Chris...

"nice look guys"
The mom's and dad's all wore wigs and t-shirts to match!

We took a walk to the playground in our costumes...
I think the dad's were embarrassed.
(Not sure what on earth for)
"Nice mullet Joel"

Megan was part of the "super" family for the day... so her and Evan could match characters.
Super-Boy + Super-Girl

They've grown a lot since Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm.

Meet the smallest Super hero...
Lil' Eric was Spiddy!
(I made his little spiderman costume too)

... My kiddos are pretty super!

Megan loves her little brother!
(I love his little bat ears!)

Silly mommies!

Megan cracked me up when I came out of the camper wearing this wig.
She kept saying...
"what is that? what is that?"
I think she meant... who the heck are you?

Nae Nae was sportin' the blondy look!

Jen was stuck in the 70's!

My Super-Girl!

Daddy is all wrapped up!
Kev's wig had us laughin'

This is Megan trying to fly... she was making the swooshing sound!
(sorry... I can't do the sound effects)

"hmm... I think maybe I could fly up there"

Camp Life

... Jake and Kev snuggling in the camper.

"Hey dad... it's time to get up"

Megan like helping daddy with his morning coffee.
(I think she looks just like Olivia in this picture)

Boy bonding time!

Taking a dip in the springs!

(The moms went in later... for a girly dip... but decided no photos were needed!!!!)

The water felt AWESOME... very refreshing!

Nice catch Evan!

... about 1 second before the Megan's ball hit Evan in the face!

Bull's eye!

Go Gators!

... Nana... gettin' Jacob's toes!

Grandpa Joel was trying to make Eric smile too!

Nice one!
Camping brings out the CRAZY in everyone!
... Is there extra HAPPY in the air?

Morning coffee and breakfast!

... another new camper this year!
I'm sure Chris has a lot more camping trips ahead with his son!

...fresh out of bed look--- yikes!

... taking a walk by the river.
"I love you Kev!"

We took one last walk before packing up to go home...
looking forward to camping again next year!


Now to back it up a few days...
(The night we arrived!)
We're bringin' back the TIE-DIE!

Earlier in the week... Jen and I attempted tie dying with the kids. It really turned into us tie dying... and telling the kids to watch...
"stop"- "don't touch"- "stay out of the die"- "go play over there" etc.
They were supposed to be orange and black for halloween...
but the orange came out yellow... and it looked dirty.
Bummer!
so the next day we tried again and re-dipped the same shirts in blue... and were happy with the improvement!

Got my boy in a "love lock"

Oops... I can't believe we forgot to make lil' Jakes shirt!
It was a crazy afternoon... and in the midst of tie dying... we forgot to make the baby-T.
I don't think he minds!

... Jen had to catch Evan for a picture.
... he was having too much fun digging in the dirt!

Notice: Dark outside!
We set out for the camp ground just after nap time.
(Plenty of time to get there and set up before sunset)

What we didn't plan for is 2 flat tires!
"What a freakin' mess!"
6 miles down the road a lady wasn't paying attention and ran us off the road... 65 miles an hour with a huge camper pulling behind.
Nice!

Me Screaming:
"the camper!"
Kevin:
"Do you think I don't know that?!"

... we kept going... and then noticed smoke from the flat tire burning.
... oops... got a flat!

... oops again... no spare tire!
... we waited
... and waited
and then finally the guy came out to the 4 lane highway and put a new one on.
(after taking an axe to the frame to remove the twisted existing tire)
Kev and I were looking at each other like... is this a customary technique?
... he did mention it was his 2nd day of work! (nice again)

3 kids strapped in the back seat... and 1 hour later... headed on to the camp ground.
... oops again!
10 miles down the road... the newly replaced tire got another flat!

Kevin:
"Are you freakin' kidding me?"

... so on and so on...
we stopped traffic to back down a side road in Cheifland...
and the man proceeded to tell us...
he didn't have anymore tires...

"It's friday after 5:00 you're gonna have to wait till morning and see if my boss might give you a credit for that one..."

Kevin:
"for 10 miles?"
"Oh I'm gettin' a credit!"

Meanwhile...
Jen was taking the kids for their second pee break!
Megan went on the side of the highway earlier...
and Evan was currently watering a tree on a dirt road in town.
(We were marking our trail all the way to camp!)

Sounds like a redneck camping trip to me!

Weekend in the Smokey Mountains!

A week and a half ago we headed up to the mountains to see the leaves. We try to go up every October to catch the color change. We hit it just right this year! Nana, B-pas, Megan, Jake and I, went up on Thursday morning... Kevin and Gammie came late that night.

Megan loved her new princess bed! Lucky girl... I'd love it if somebody tucked me into a princess bed. 8:00 bedtime sounds like a fairy tale dream of mine.

Friday morning Megan, Jake and I hopped in the golf cart and headed down to Gammie's place to see her and Daddy. They slept down there since they got in so late.
Megan found her very own seat... the basket in the back! Goof ball... she did fit perfectly though.

... Jake taking a rest on Pop's bear rug.

...Gammie snuggled him while she checked out the view of the golf course.

... time with Gammie on the back porch!

... reading books.

... swinging on the porch with Jakie Jake.
(obsessed with his paci... I must tell her "don't touch it" 100 times a day)

... Daddy is so much fun!

I just about lost it when I first saw her in the basket.
She climbed in there all by herself and found her own seat.
She loves the golf cart!


Searching for fall leaves

We went searching for leaves and this was what Megan found...

It was huge!!!!!
She dropped it in the creek... and it floated on down
... she was so mad!
She kept saying... "my leaf... my leaf..."

... the creek that took her leaf.
(Pop named it Emma Brooke... after his first grand-baby Emma... Megan's cousin)

... the drive to Gammie's place.

... the drive to Nana and B-pas place.

We took Megan to look for more leaves...
It started to rain... so we headed back inside!

... almost there.

Megan could wear anyone out... but Nana!
... she could play all day
... and does!



"Our scenic drive through the mountains"

I've seen this waterfall tons of times since I was a little girl.
... fun to bring Megan here to enjoy it too.
It was gorgeous!

She wanted to get closer.
... thank heavens for guard rails!

... the water was rushing faster than I've ever seen it!

... beautiful!

...Daddy and Megan on the hike at Dry falls!

... its pretty cool underneath there.

... back here with our own kids!
Kinda neat!

Megan said...
"careful... you'll get wet"

Grandparents... enjoying their grandbabies!

Jake was sleeping soundly... as always!

... breathtaking!

... Nana lovin' on Jake on the back porch.

"I'm a happy boy!"

"Check out my dimples"

"I've got it pretty easy... eat-poop-play-sleep-laugh-repeat"


Fall Festival downtown

Corn maze

... talking a hayride out to the corn maze with Gammie and Nana.

It was so nice getting out in the cold air.

"Are we there yet?"

The corn field got flooded... so the crop was a mess... pretty short corn too.
We didn't mind... it was fun just running around outside.
(Megan guided our way through the maze)

"that way"

... another fun trip almost over.
It was a fast one.
2 days just isn't enough.
I guess some is better than nothing.
...we made the most of it!

Pumkin Patch 2009

Lil' Jake's first pumpkin patch!!

Megan tried to pick a few up!

5 min... and the boy already lost a sock somewhere in the pumpkins. I swear those things never stay on. I just love being with my little man. (so sweet to his mommy)

... his buddy Eric came too!

(Jake)
"Why do our mom's have to put us on these HARD pumpkins anyway?"

(Eric)
"Mine wants a picture"

(Jake)
"Maybe if we cry they will stop?"

(Eric)
"Na... yours will take them anyway!"

(Jake)
"Let's just try"

(Eric)
"I told you so... just close your eyes and pretend you're sleeping"


Picking out pumpkins

"A tiny one!"... "I want this one... and this one... and this one..."
etc... which ended with yelling
... because as she was picking them out
... she was also throwing them over to the bigger pumpkin piles.
What a goof!

My baby girl is getting so big! It was tough getting a picture with her.
... her mind was set on the bounce house!!!!!
All she wanted to do was jump!

2 years 6 months!

... checking them all out!
They must all be inspected!

... a crazy but fun afternoon at the patch!
I got a really cool white one with orange lacy lines on it!

Gator Homecoming / Around the house at 3 months

It's been a busy month! The kids have been SOOOOO much fun! Megan is at a great stage... loving her baby brother, getting so verbal, and discovering so many new things.
We've really been packing in all the excitement we can before I head back to work in a week and a half.
Megan's most recent interests and sayings:
Choo Choo Trains
"I do it, Megan do it, I-a do it myself"
"A match!" (matching colors or objects)
Her most recent match last night caught me off gaurd... when we were looking at her new air mattress sleeping bag bed... it has princesses on it... and she pointed down at her "girl parts" and said "A match"... I was thrown off for a while until I cracked up laughing because I realized that under her footy pj's she was wearing a pink princess pull up! Hehe... the girl doesn't miss a thing!
Trying to load and unload the DVD player
Going in to use the big potty all by herself... #1 and #2
"no I-a pick"
"Megan have the whole box"
Playing at the park ("I share with the kids")
Playing dress up... putting on Mommy's clothes, shoes, and even baby Jacob's too... which don't fit.
"Oh... that's cute"
"that's silly"
"Megan make a trade"
and... unfortunately... trying to feed her baby doll... (like Mommy feeds Jacob)
and... my least favorite... OBSESSIVE hand washing!!!! (all about soap and lotion)

Emberessing:
Wednesday night when we were out to dinner... she was going into the bathroom... and as a lady came out of the stall next to her... she pointed and said very loudly... HER POOPED!

Megan loves it when Jacob is alert and plays with her. She likes to show him new things... and thinks its hysterical when he watches tv and smiles!
She was showing him all the toys on the activity mat... Pig, Dog, Cat...
tough to believe how big she is getting!


Jacob is 3 Months old!!!!!
(Megan says he's praying when he crosses his hands like this)
Blue eyed... Bright eyed... Boy!

We couldn't ask for a sweeter baby! Holy smokes he is such a good boy. He is such a go with the flow kid. Eats good, plays good, snuggles good, and SLEEPS good!!! These 3 months have gone by so fast... but I really feel like we've had so much quality time together.
Jake's latest:
smiling a lot
longer awake time
eats every 2.5-3 hours during daytime
sleeps 7-9 hours straight at night (generally 9pm-6:30 am)
Loves his baby K'tan Mommy carries him in.

"Hmmm... what should I do new today?"


2009 Gator Homecoming Parade
(a last minute decision turned out to be a great afternoon)
Sunny day, happy kids, and lots of big trucks!

(Mommy, Jacob, Megan, Evan, and Jen)

Megan kept saying...
"Megan go to Go Gators house"
(which she thinks the swamp is Albert the Alligator's house)

"A- Match"

... Evan loved the big trucks!

... Megan cheering on the band!

Check out little Jake chillin' out in the chair back there!
We had a perfect spot to watch the parade!

Jake loved being outside!
He just hung out behind us in the chair... under the umbrella)

... Jen lovin' on Evan!

"That's silly!"

... dancin' to the music!

Later that night... Kevin and I took Jake to Gator Growl... while B-Pa stayed home to play with Megan. She got to go last year... and B-Pa was nice enough to babysit so Kevin and I could enjoy the homecoming weekend together with our BOY!

Jake's first tailgate!
(He got to go to his first football game on his 12 week birthday!)

It was chilly!

... smiling at Daddy!

Baby Gator Chomp... taking our boy into the stadium for his first football game!

... aunt Stephie!

He did awesome at the game... slept some, ate some, smiled some, and watched some too!

... too busy watching the game to look at the camera son?
(already taking after your Daddy on that one)

GREAT WEEKEND!
Mommy is tired now!!!!!!

Breakfast with my baby girl... highlights of the week!

"Yummy in my silly Tummy"

This morning... I asked Megan what she wanted for breakfast... eggs or eggos? She said... "no this waffle" pointing to the eggos... "udder waffle" "no crunchy waffle"! ... so we decided to make homemade Belgian waffles. Yummy!

... after pouring in all the ingredients... and stirring it all up... the waffles were cooked and ready for LOTs of butter! "more butter"

She pretty much wants to do everything herself. "Ia-do-it"... so I figure... we might as well have fun with it. It was a nice morning with my baby girl... (while Jacob was still sleeping).
... next was Megan's favorite part!

SYRUP! "I-a get plenty"!


2 Month Dr's check up!
Monday ws Jake's 2 month check up! He did pretty good. Poor little guy ended up with a lot. He got 8 different immunizations. He didn't have any reactions to them... except the OUCH when they poked him!

Everything sounds good... and looks good! Little guy is growing up.
23 inches
11 lbs 9 oz

Saturday morning... Uncle Doug and Aunt Kristin met Jacob for the first time. They came down for the football game... and we went over for a quick breakfast spread before they headed off to the tailgate!

2 Months!

Jake is getting to be a BIG BOY!
8 weeks old!

He has been such a sweet baby! I'm having so much fun with him. He is generally really happy... and "go with the flow" for the most part. It's hard to believe he is growing so fast! It didn't feel this fast with Megan... although... I guess that's life with 2 kids.

"Could I be any cuter?"
I look a bit like my Pop (My Mommy's Daddy) in this picture!
I got his dimples!

"This bath time stuff is cozy!"