Happy Trails

So it looks like I've been on top of this blogging thing lately (six posts in the last month! I'm on a roll, folks). Impressed? I bet you are. Or maybe not, considering that all my entries fall firmly into the "mommy-blog" category (aka "incredibly-boring-to-everyone-but-family-and-maybe-a-few-friends" category).

And this one is no exception. Here are some pics from last weekend. We went hiking at Tannehill on our trail, and I used it as an opportunity to play with my new camera. Enjoy. (or move along to a much more intellectually stimulating or funny blog. Whichever you prefer.)

Wordless Wednesday

Testing out the new camera

Maybe I need to adjust the settings a bit...

That's better :)

Christmas 2009

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! We sure did. And, unlike last year, I remembered to take plenty of pictures. (Thanks for the neato new camera, Dad!). Here are a few of the scenes from our day.

Eli opening his first present on Christmas morning.

Books from Gram! Penguin books, of course.

(For those of you who don't know my mom, she's a wee bit obsessed with penguins. When I was growing up, our car had a penguin license plate, a stuffed penguin suction cupped to the back window, and "I heart Penguins" and "I break for Penguins" bumper stickers on the back bumper. Just to give you an idea...)

Tessa and Layla watching Eli unwrap his loot.

Sorry Tessa - You were slightly jipped by Santa this year. If it makes you feel any better, he did the same thing to Eli last year. He promises to make up for it next year once you have a better idea of what's going on.

But, Layla felt sorry for Tessa and thought some kisses might help.

Look at this precious backpack from Gram! My aunt also got Tessa the matching girly one with ladybugs on it. So cute!

Examining and arranging some of his new treasures.

Random pics

Look at the cool racetrack that Pop made!

Eli got so caught up in unwrapping presents that he thought they were all for him - even cousin Ali's. He was not a happy camper when he realized this wasn't the case.

And neither was Tessa when she took a ride in the back of Eli's new dump truck.

But Eli was happy to give it a try.

And then decided that it was more fun to stand on it.

Santa may have neglected Tessa this year, but the rest of the family didn't!

But who needs presents when you've got such a wonderful daddy!

Even though this Christmas was full of presents, food, and family, we are so very thankful for the reason we celebrate Christmas. Thank you, Jesus, for coming into this world and providing hope for us all! Merry Christmas everyone! Have a wonderful New Year!

Merry Christmas!

He's all boy. Hairdo and all.

Anyone who knows Eli can attest to the fact that he's all boy - wide open all the time, fearless, and into all things related to cars, trucks, trains and puppy dogs. But, after about a half dozen times of random people telling me what a beautiful girl he is (while oftentimes also telling me what a cute boy Tessa is....), and after countless tears and battles while I tried to comb out his tangly little fro, we decided that it was finally time for Eli's first big boy hair cut.

Oh, this wasn't an easy decision for this here mama to come to. I love his little corkscrew curls and was terrified that they would all be cut off and not come back. Plus, there's just something about that first haircut. I guess it's a rite of passage from babyhood to boyhood. Next he'll be shaving, driving and, well, growing up and leaving us (sniff sniff). Okay, maybe I'm jumping ahead of myself a bit. We'll just focus on the haircut for today.

Here are some before shots:

Look at that precious curly Q! What am I thinking for cutting it off?!?!

In the barber shop.

Then we got to the fun part.

Suited up and sucker in hand. He's not so sure about this...

Now he's sure that he does not like this. We basically had to hold him down while he screamed his head off.

But, even though the barber took a tad bit more off than I requested, it turned out pretty cute and he still has his curls.

Now I just hope everyone else in the barber shop still has their hearing....

Wordless Wednesday

Picture compliments of Gramamma

I'm sure this makes Daddy so proud...

It's very possible that most people will think these are nothing-special video clips, but I could watch them for hours....

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my life? I really don't deserve these awesome people...

And here are the whole two pictures I took on Thanksgiving. I guess that's better than last Christmas when I took none. Yeah... Eli's first Christmas and I forgot to take pictures. Oh well. At this rate maybe I'll remember to take at least four this Christmas. (fingers crossed....)

Tessa with Grandaddy and Aunt Cathy.

Tessa with Paw Paw (and no - my grandfather doesn't have a fro, although that plant behind his head would make an awesome hairpiece for him, don't ya think? :))

10 years...

Ten years ago yesterday, these two young people started their journey together.

J.C. and me - January 2000 (17 and 20 years old!)

What an amazing journey it's been! During that time we have finished college, gotten married, moved away, traveled to some amazing places, gained a few pounds eaten some great food, gotten our first dog, moved back home, bought our first house, and been blessed with these two wonderful children.

Eli - 18 months old

Tessa - 4 months old

It's been a wonderful decade, hon! You're the best husband I could ever hope for and I can't wait to see what adventures we have in the next ten years!