Christmas!

Christmas was great. The baby held on, cozy and comfortable in the womb so we were able to celebrate and focus on Will. He was a champ on Christmas Eve, staying up at Mita's house until nearly MIDNIGHT! He loved his presents, especially his Elmo garage and FSU ball and bat. On Christmas Day, we went to Bebe's and Big Daddy's for another round of gifts (can you say "spoiled"?) where he is now the proud owner of a black pick-up truck with neon airbrush on the side. He loved riding with the tailgate down, transporting his cousin Jack. Only in north Florida... He also got more tools than Bob Villa and constantly wants a "project". He is following more in Big Daddy's footsteps than his father's! Then we had another round of gifts at Tica and Tati's and last but not least, Santa had him a Thomas ball pit and a new trike with a big red bow under our tree. Lots of excitement! Next year, we'll be able to focus more on the reason for the season (it's Michael by the way for those of you that went to Access Church on Christmas Eve) but this year it was a little nuts. Merry Christmas everyone!

The ZOO!

Will's first trip to the zoo was great. While the animals provided some interest, the playground and train were the biggest hit. While petting the goats, he kept trying to open the gates in classic "houdini" fashion. Big Daddy came with us and hopefully wasn't stressed out too badly. He did make a comment, "I don't remember you and Leyden being this active."

Thanksgiving dinner

Thanksgiving was very low-key and relaxing. Michael cooked the turkey on the "egg" and it was excellent. Basting it every 20 minutes kept us close to home. Will was such a big boy at Thanksgiving dinner. His girlfriend Mary Chapel even joined our family celebration. We are very thankful and blessed!

Thanksgiving Cooking

Will "helped" his mom with some pumpkin bread. Lots of potential in the kitchen... (The bib is serving a huge purpose, don't you think?!)

Thanksgiving School Lunch

We got the chance to go to Will's school today to witness the boy in action! We never know what goes on in school-- it's this big mystery but we do know he loves it. Today was the Lakewood Thanksgiving Lunch and it was precious. When Michael and I arrived, the teacher was just beginning storytime and to our utter amazement, Will sat on the carpet and listened intently. He didn't know we were there until about 10 minutes into it and when he saw us, he just smiled and kept right on tracking with the story. No greeting for his dorky parents.... Meanwhile, all the other parents have their kids in their laps. We watch Will eat his Thanksgiving lunch with his buds and show mom and dad his favorite toys. It was a fun day! The last picture above just captures our son's obsession with glasses...

Happy Halloween!

Halloween was great! We went over to our neighbors' house for great food and company and lots of boys dressed in Star Wars which Will was mesmerized with... We dressed Will up as a monkey, which surprisingly he didn't mind. I had talked up monkeys all week and how neat they were, which probably helped. The costume was sort of cruel though since it was made for people who live anywhere other than Florida. But my little trooper indulged me for pictures and trick-or-treating. Speaking of, trick-or-treating was a hit. Will caught on to the concept pretty quickly. Walk up to someone's door, they open it and put candy in your bag... He has been walking around with his pumpkin bag ever since, saying "can-dee", yet doesn't seem to understand why the treats have abruptly stopped flowing. Good times!

Fall is Here!

Here are some recent pictures from fall festivals and such... We just need a chill in the air and we'd be all set! Halloween pictures coming soon!

End of Summer

Hey guys (I don't know who actually checks this thing!). Just had some pictures to share from our recent months. Will is talking like crazy. Granted, you sort of have to speak his language to "get" what he's saying. School has started and he is loving it, or so his teachers tell me. He has gotten a "Happy" on his daily report card since he started so that's a good sign. (Can you tell I'm a proud mom?) His favorite word is "outside" which explains where we spend most of our time...mowing the lawn, playing with golf clubs, riding in a wagon, blowing bubbles, going to the park. Take care!

Summer pics

Here are some recent pictures from this month... We have had a big time. Will is starting to say words and can finally communicate what he wants by pointing. He wrapped up his Totster class, learned to blow bubbles in the pool, and mastered mowing the lawn. Enjoy!

ST. LUCIA!

St. Lucia was incredible! The villa where we stayed had the most breath-taking views. Pictures don't do them justice! Highlights included hiking the Piton, doing lots of Caribbean cooking, playing tennis, exploring a sulphur volcano (whew!), sunsets, and a fabulous goodbye dinner. It was an incredible anniversary present. We missed Will a ton but it was nice to have some time away, get refreshed, renew our wedding vows (just kidding!), and realize Michael and I have a good thing working after 5 whole years. Enjoy the pictures!

Back Home!

Camp was wonderful! We had a great time and loved being in the Greystone bubble for a few short weeks, free from tv, internet, work, cooking...I could go on and on!

Will especially loved it. Highlights for the little guy included swimming in the pool, watching the puppies at dog camp, eating apples, playing on the tennis courts, petting horses, sleeping with mom and dad, and eating (only) fresh-baked bread for every meal. The only lowlight was Will getting bit by a horse but he has gotten over it and his finger has since regenerated. Michael got to play tennis most of the day which he loved. And I got to read and nap and keep our son alive, who would head straight into the lake if we turned our backs.

Camp is such a special place for us and we are truly thankful that it was a part of our summer!