Miles Family Moments

Caraline Turns Three

2009-02-12T05:56:00.001-08:00

I can't believe that Caraline is already three. She has brought such joy to our lives and I am thankful that God has blessed us with her and Jackson. We had decided that since Caraline was turning 3 that we would have a "kid" party. The past two parties had been held at our house celebrating with family and friends. She has so many friends now, I just knew that she would want to share that special day with them! I looked around at different options and finally decided on having her party at the Painted Clay Pottery Studio. I thought it would be fun for the kids to paint pottery and have a memento to take home with them. It did make me nervous to think of 10 little ones running around a pottery studio with all those breakables. It turned out better than I had imagined! Fun times were had by all, and Caraline seemed to be having the best day. We had Aunt Katy come take pictures and I think they say it all!

Our big gift to Caraline was enrolling her into gymnastics. We had been wanting to do that for some time but we had to wait until she turned three. We are thankful to all of our family and friends who pitched in on her tuition for the gymnastics! Look for pictures of her doing her gymnastics coming soon!

Okay below are the pictures from the party...I had over 300 pictures thanks to our awesome photographer Aunt Katy! So I have created 3 different slide shows.....

Caraline Enjoying her Day

Family Photos

Caraline's Birthday Guests

Christmas Party Fun

2008-12-21T16:57:00.000-08:00

Jason's work had a nice Christmas party this year! I always look forward to the Lose Christmas party because it is the one day out of the year that I get to get all dressed up and see Jason in a suit and tie! This year they had an "in office" party that families were invited to attend. It was nice that we were able to bring the children and not have to worry with getting a sitter! It was a very nice party with a Risotto bar and even a Brass Band playing Christmas Tunes. Everyone seemed to enjoy seeing our little ones and Caraline was pleased that there were other little girls there to play with. We had someone snap our photo in front of the Lose Christmas tree and it turned out to be an excellent picture (the one above) that we used for our Christmas cards.

I also attended the kids Christmas party at their school last week. They had a nice little party and gift exchange. Santa even showed up to pass out presents and take photos. I was pleasantly surprised when Caraline gave Santa a hug and told him she wanted "make-up" for Christmas. I snapped a photo but she looks scared to death! Jackson seemed to like Santa and also had a great time opening his first gift.

The Tot's Christmas Program

2008-12-20T18:48:00.000-08:00

Yes, that's right! The kid's school put on a Christmas program and each classroom was involved....(even Jackson's!) I was nervous about Caraline actually going on "stage" and doing what she was supposed to but she actually did a great job. Jackson's class went out and sat, smiled, and clapped when it was their turn and it was hilarious! I didn't invite anyone down to see it because it was in the middle of the week and I knew that it just wouldn't be feasible for anyone to make it. Never fear!! I was able to take pictures and a couple short videos!

Here is Jackson's Video.....

Caraline cracked us up because her hair was in her face the whole time. She wouldn't wear her Reindeer antlers! You can see she is having a blast!

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing
Here are all the cute pictures..

Yay For a Snow Day!!

2008-12-20T10:45:00.000-08:00

Most of you know how us teachers feel about snow days.....we wait all year for them!!! Here in Rutherford County we go to school 30 minutes early every day just to have 12 snow days built into our calendar. 12 seems like an insane number to me since the most we have used in the four years I have taught here is 3!! We DO NOT get those back at the end of the year and we DO NOT get paid for them. Therefore, we pray for as many as possible.
So last Thursday night we got about 2-3 inches of snow and it is our first official snow day of the year!! The kids and I stayed in all day and had a blast! Caraline refused to go outside into the snow, she absolutely hates to be cold and wanted no part of that frozen water! I took Jackson out and got some adorable shots of him in the snow, he didn't seem to mind at all. The kids enjoyed spending the day home with mom and mom got caught up on the laundry!

So one down.....11 more to go!.....yeah righ!

Birthday Bowling

2008-12-14T12:13:00.000-08:00

This weekend we took Caraline and Jackson to Mason's 3rd birthday party. Mason is a friend from school. It was a cosmic bowling birthday party and Caraline was super excited the minute we walked in the door! She has never been bowling before so this was a first for her. She picked up on it really quick and wanted no one to help her! I was amazed at how much she loved it! Watching her with the boys (she was the only girl from her class there) was hilarious. She loves Mason which scares us that she is already boy crazy....amazing how that happens isn't it? Fun times were had by all, and Jackson seemed to really enjoy the glowing lights.

Jackson's First Basketall Game

2008-12-06T05:43:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we took Jackson to the WKU /vs/ U of L basketball game that was held here in Nashville. Jason's Parents, Brother, and friends also came down and joined us. Since we are a fan of both teams it was very hard to pick who to cheer for. Jackson and Mommy sported their WKU attire, but Daddy and Caraline decided to cheer on U of L with the rest of the family. I guess you can say we were a house divided.

U of L went into the game ranked 3rd and Western not ranked at all, so needles to say U of L was expected to have a HUGE win. Well it turned out that Western came out on "top" and beat Louisville 68 to 54. I say Jackson brought the Toppers luck by wearing his WKU sleeper.

Final Score:

Caraline went dressed as a U of L cheerleader and we had promised her we would take her down to photograph with the Cheerleaders if possible. Thankfully we got to the game early and was able to take her down to the floor to take a picture. She wasn't so excited when she actually got with the cheerleaders so she looks a little sad in her picture. It still turned out really cute!

The kids were worn out from all the excitement and didn't make it through the end of the game.

Everyone had such a great time and we all were sad for Louisville's loss. I am hoping that this game isn't a foreshadowing of how the season is going go.

Caraline's Thanksgiving Dinner

2008-11-26T18:53:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Jason and I both took an hour off of work to go to Caraline's Thanksgiving luncheon. Her school had a very nice Thanksgiving lunch prepared and the kids had made little Indian hats, paper bag vests, and "hand" made turkey place mats. It was very nice and we enjoyed getting to see Caraline interact with her friends at school. Caraline loved us being there and also enjoyed Jackson being in her classroom as well.

4 Months Old!!!

2008-11-25T18:09:00.000-08:00

Okay, I am in total disbelief that Jackson is 4 months old. Where is all the time going and how do I make it slow down? He is now officially eating cereal. He is also rolling over, sitting up for a few seconds, grabbing & holding objects, and my favorite.....laughing out loud. It make me so happy to have such a healthy, happy, beautiful baby boy, but it makes me sad at how quickly he is growing. Since I know that he will be my last baby, I guess I secretly want him to stay tiny for-ever!

We took Jackson in today for his 4-month check up with Dr. Henschel and he weighed in at a whopping 18 pounds which put him in the 90th percentile for weight. He was 29 inches long, 75th percentile for height. He got two shots that he didn't really seem to mind. I think he little legs are so fat that he didn't even realize he got poked...hehe! The doctor said he looked great, was perfectly healthy, and that we wouldn't have to go back until he is 6-months.

Here is a slide of some pictures taken this month

Caraline and Mommy get a haircut!

2008-11-23T15:17:00.000-08:00

This weekend Caraline and I made a trip to see Tina (my hair stylist) and got our haircut. Caraline did a great job sitting still and was very proud of her first major haircut. No worries, we left it long and her curls are all still in tact. It has made it so much easier to brush and fix. I have been gradually getting my hair cut shorter each time I go so Jason hasn't gone into shock yet.

Before & After Pictures...

Such a Pretty Girl! No matter what the hair style!!

Santa Claus Is Coming.....

2008-11-16T07:24:00.000-08:00

and Caraline has totally prepared a list for him that is growing by the day! She was even so thoughtful to make a list for Jackson too! This year she has definitely grasped the concept of Santa bringing toys. It's funny how this happened without me even telling her. I am now working on her understanding the "real" meaning behind Christmas and why we celebrate. Sadly, I know she won't be learning that in school! I snapped a really funny photo of her looking through a Christmas toy catalog. She is her father's daughter!!! Here is a SUPER cute video of her telling what Santa is bringing.....

Happy Birthday Dad

2008-11-12T19:18:00.000-08:00

One of the world's most amazing men turned 50 today, my dad! Happy Birthday Dad!I am so sad that I couldn't be there for your 50th surprise birthday party. We all miss you, love you, and hope to see you soon.

School Pictures and Updates

2008-11-09T18:04:00.000-08:00

Here are the latest school pictures that were taken last week. I think they turned out great!

Have I mentioned on here that I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE Jackson and Caraline's new school that they have been going to this year. Okay, so I know it is "technically" a daycare but it is so much more! Caraline is learning so much each day and has matured so much in the short time she has been there. She is now potty trained and has been since the first week in September. She knows and can read/recognize her numbers 1-10, can recite her ABC's, sing over 10 songs, play matching games, and so much more. I had a confernce with Caraline's teacher last week and was very pleased with the outcome. She has mastery in all but a few areas on the 2 year old evaluation. Mrs. Johnson (her teacher) tells me she is one of the most advanced in the class and has excellent behavior. Of course I always knew she was advanced but it was comforting to hear it from her teacher as well. I have posted her evaluation below for those of you who are interested in what a 2 year evaluation looks like and how she scored.

I love Jackson's teachers just as much! He is developing and growing quickly too! He is sitting up in the bumbo seat, standing up in the car bouncy seat, and getting plenty of tummy time. He gets books read to him daily and lots of interaction with other babies. He and Owen (the Director's son) are fast friends.

Here are the class pictures that were taken a couple of weeks ago.

Jackson's Class

Caraline's Class

Caraline's 2 Year Evaluation

To view them just click on the page you want to view and it will become larger.

Family Visit

2008-11-09T17:01:00.000-08:00

After the WKU game we headed back to my parents house to stay the night. We hadn't gotten to spend much time with them in a while so they were excited we were coming in. We got up Sunday morning and headed to church, ate lunch and headed back home. Even though the visit was short we enjoyed getting to spend time with Gram and Gramps. Caraline had a blast with Luke and Logan and even got to ride a 4-wheeler for the very first time!!

WKU Homecoming

2008-11-09T11:26:00.000-08:00

The day after Halloween was Western Kentucky University's homecoming game. Each year we try to go back for homecoming so that we can catch up with old friends and visit some of our favorite places. I was especially excited this year because the new stadium is open as well as the Farm House and Phi Mu mansions are complete. I am sad to say that with two kids in tow we weren't able to get to the game as early as we had anticipated, not to mention that the game had been moved back an hour from its orginal starting time. We met up with my parents and headed to the game. We did get to see a couple of old friends which made the trip all worth it! The game was a huge disappointment, but it was a great feeling to be back at the college/town where Jason and I met and married. Campus was even more beautiful than I had remembered and had changed so much. In a strange way made me feel so old, but made me realize how much I missed Bowling Green.

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T22:38:00.000-07:00

For Halloween this year Carlaline told us that she wanted to be a cheerleader. It was hard to believe that she is big enough to actually tell us what she wanted to be. That was just another reminder of much she is growing up. She wore her Cardinal Cheerleader outfit and carried a black and red pom-pom. We had a pumpkin onesie for Jackson and decided to just let him wear that since we knew with his schedule that he would be asleep in the stroller the entire time. We had such a good time trick-or-treating in our neighborhood. Caraline got to see all of her friends and got tons of candy. The weather was warm which made trick-or-treating much more enjoyable this year! I took tons of pictures, most of which are of Caraline since Jackson slept through the night.

Here is a video of Caraline practicing her Cheer...it's a must see!!!

My Favorite Time of the Year

2008-10-29T17:58:00.001-07:00

Awwww, I love the smell of Fall! I am loving wearing my warm clothes, putting the jackets on the kids and watching the leaves change to such beautiful colors. I can honestly say that this is my favorite time of year. I can also most certainly say that this is the craziest time of year for me as well. It seems as though school is in full swing and my students are getting restless and ready for Christmas Break. Jason and I have a million things to get done and a million more we would like to do. Despite things being so busy I am really enjoying fall here in Tennessee.

Every year since Jason and I have been together (even before kids) we have gone to a pumpkin patch in the fall. It is so much more fun now that we have kids!! We have found a pumpkin patch here that we like so we visited it once again this year. You may remember last year when I blogged about it as well. Walden Farms I a farm with lots of fun activities for the kids and tons of pumpkins! We took the kids last weekend and I was so excited that it would be Jackson's first trip on this 7 year tradition. The weather was absolutely beautiful (70 degrees and sunny) and the kids were in such good moods. We got some great photos which always makes me happy!!! I just can't believe how much the kids are growing and changing....they look so big in the pictures.
We look forward to seeing everyone at Thanksgiving!!!! And as always enjoy the adorable pictures!!

I also had to upload this video of Carline dancing at my school's fall festival. I have been posting dancing videos of her since she was able to walk. I'm telling you the girl LOVES to dance!! This is super cute of her and her friend Josie doing the Cha-Cha slide :)

Visiting Family In Lebanon

2008-10-27T18:54:00.000-07:00

The last time we went to visit Meemaw and Granpa Miles (9-21-08) we headed out to Lebanon (KY) to visit Great Mawmaw Miles and Nanny. This was the first time Nanny Osborne had gotten to see Jackson. It was nice to get to see everyone and the kids enjoyed getting all that attention!!

Football Party

2008-10-26T07:22:00.000-07:00

One Of Caraline's really good friends (and neighbor) Dawson, celebrated his 4th birthday by having a "football" party. The boys wore team jerseys or sports attire and the girls wore cheerleading outfits. I must say that this was one of the cutest birthday parties I have ever been to and Caraline had an absolute blast!

So Much To Blog So little time....

2008-10-26T07:21:00.001-07:00

Yay!!! I am working on getting our blog updated! Sorry I haven't posted much lately....my life has just been crazy. This time of year gets insane for us but I promise to have some new stuff up very soon.

School Project

2008-09-12T18:40:00.000-07:00

Caraline had her first school project due today. Yep, you heard me right.....she had a project due at school. This week in her class the theme was "family" and she had an assignment to bring in a poster of her immediate family to share with her classmates. Of course she is only 2 so mommy was really the one with the homework.....and you know me and scrapbooking! It was all I could do to not go "over the top" with the poster. I think it turned out super cute and Caraline absolutely loved seeing her finished poster. When I had finished with it I gave it to her to see if she could recall who everyone was. I got out the camera to video tape what she said. To my surprise she knew everyone by name on the poster even Uncle Brian and Aunt Jennifer who she has only seen a couple of times. She was so excited about this poster that she carried it around the house and even wanted to sleep with it when she went to bed. It really amazes me how sentimental she is.....she gets it honestly!!

Here is the video of her naming everyone without any help!!

Do We Have Another Thumbsucker??

2008-09-11T18:40:00.000-07:00

Today Jackson was on the couch beside me when I started to hear an all to familiar "slurping" sound.....he was sucking his thumb! Or should I say he was attempting to suck his thumb. It was honestly one of the funniest things I have seen him do! I quickly ran to get my camera to capture this moment on video! I'm curious if he will turn into an avid thumb sucker like his sister??

I have the cutest kids!!

2008-09-06T11:57:00.001-07:00

I know I have been behind in blogging....but I knew that would happen when I went back to work. I got all caught up today and I hope to stay that way!

My first week back to work was a crazy one. We have had to figure out a plan of how to tackle getting both kids ready, ourselves ready, and everyone to their destination on time in the mornings. We seem to have all the kinks worked out and I hope next week goes a little smoother! Going from one child to two has been quite an adventure for us.

I really like the kids new daycare which we call "school". Jackson did great and Caraline enjoys going to school with her little brother. Caraline started a computer class which is called "Gigglebytes" and she is enjoying learning how to use the computer. I am so excited that she has that opportunity at this new school. We are also looking into putting her into gymnastics classes. We are hoping that will help initiate her into being a "big girl" and also help with potty training (which isn't going so well!)

I have a ton of cute pictures that haven't been blogged yet-so I am pasting them below. You will see why I say "I have the cutest kids!"

We were having fun in the floor!

Look at those baby blues!

Family Visit

2008-09-06T11:57:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday we were visited by my Aunt Debbie, Nanny, and cousins Emily and Austin. They drove down to see us from Glasgow, Kentucky. This was the first time that they got to see Jackson. We enjoyed visiting with them and hope to see them again soon.

Baby Dedication

2008-09-06T08:08:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, August 24th we dedicated both Jackson and Caraline at our church, New Vision Baptist. We were blessed to have both sets of Grandparents there to celebrate this special day with us. After the ceremony we had a joint party with our neighbor, the Bates family because they also dedicated their baby girl, Holland. Holland and Jackson are just a few months apart. The kids were so cute! Thank you to those of you who came to celebrate this special day with us and for all the cute gifts that you gave to the kids. God has truly blessed us with two beautiful children, loving family, and supportive friends and we are so thankful for all the he has done for us!

The Backyardigan's Concert

2008-08-24T17:03:00.001-07:00

Tonight we took Caraline and Abby (our neighbor) to the Backyardigan's Live concert/play. It was so much fun and the girls absolutely had a blast! I am so glad that we live in a city where we are able to take our children to do so many fun and adventurous things. After the concert we took the girls to McDonald's and let him eat happy meals and play-play-play! They were both so well behaved and they loved every minute of it.

One Month and Growing Strong!

2008-08-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

Well today Jackson is one month old! We are amazed at how fast he is growing and how strong he is! He is still a very good baby, however, he is such a momma's boy! He is now awake a lot more during the day and sleeping a little better during the night! He is also now able to control his head and raise it up on his own. I tried to get a video of him holding up his head but he wasn't feeling like showing off.

I put him in his bumbo seat today to see how well he could sit in it and I was shocked at how strong he is and how well he sat in the seat. I swear that seat is an amazing invention! The seat is designed so that as soon as your baby is able to hold up their head they can sit upright in the seat! Here he is sitting up like a big boy in his seat :)

Of course I got a video of this as well! I just can't help myself....he is just too cute!

I hate to blog without mentioning Caraline! She has done so well with the new addition to our family. She is such a big, independent little girl. She is so eager to help us with Jackson and that has really helped us out! She is very sweet to her brother and is always kissing and loving on him!

Here is Caraline brushing her teeth

Time is going by so fast!

2008-08-12T14:53:00.000-07:00

Three Weeks Already!

Where does the time go? I can't believe our little man is already three weeks old today. He has grown so much and is changing daily. He is awake a little more during the day and still isn't sleeping that much at night. He loves to eat-eat-eat! He is a great baby and only cries when he is hungry or needs a diaper change. He enjoys swinging in the baby swing and loves to be talked to. He is already fitting into his 3 month clothes at 3 weeks old-WOW! He is a big boy! Here is another little video of him today- he has the hiccups :)

Caraline is also growing up so fast! She started her new school on Monday. I snapped this cute photo of her before I took her to her first day. She was so happy to go back to school! She had a great first day and her teachers said that she was a very polite and well mannered little girl :) Boy are they in for a treat....

Two Weeks Already!!

2008-08-05T21:10:00.000-07:00

Two Weeks Old

Today Jackson is two weeks old! I can't believe how time is flying by. It has been so nice being out of the hospital and being home with him this week. Not much has changed with him since last week except for the fact that he lost his little belly button piece and is now able to take a bath in a full tub of water. He doesn't like that to much though!

We took him to the doctor today and he weighed 9 pounds and 8 ounces. Which put him in the 60th percentile. This is good considering he had lost a little and got down to 8 pounds. He was 21 and 5/8 inches long (75% percentile). Doctor Henschel said that he was perfect and that we wouldn't have to come back until he is 2 months old. The only thing that was suggested was that we change his formula because he has been fussy since we switched from breast milk to formula. A move I really didn't want to make this soon, but the medicines I am taking from being in the hospital prevents me from breastfeeding.

Mommy has has also improved! My blood pressure has been down the last couple of days and my neck pain is completely gone. I have enjoyed both my mother and mother-in-law staying with me helping me as I have been on bed rest for the past week. I am hoping to be back to my normal self by next week.

Here is a video...he's not doing much, but I know a lot of family hasn't met him yet so here he is in action. This was taken before we headed to the doctor today.

My Hospital Adventures....

2008-08-02T21:14:00.000-07:00

I am happy to announce that I am finally home from my 2nd trip to the hospital. Thank you so much to those of you who were praying for me, thinking of me, or sending well wishes. It feels great to finally be home with my babies, I must say being away from my newborn was THE hardest thing I have ever had to do.

Sorry for the length of this post, but so many people have asked me what happened, I thought this would be the easiest way to tell a lot of people of once...For those of you who didn't know.....I have been in and out of the hospital since Jackson's birth. About 4 days after his birth I started to experience severe neck pain that turned into a headache that wouldn't go away. That eventually caused my vision to blur. I also had a fever of 101.5.

On Tuesday I wasn't able to hold or nurse Jackson because the pain was so intense. It was at that point that Jason took me to E.R. and I was admitted to stay for testing and observation. The first thing the tested me for was Viral Meningitis. That test required a spinal tap OUCH!!!! Thankfully that came back negative. Then they tested my liver function and other random tests which all came back fine. My blood pressure was at a very dangerous level so I had to stay the night and be treated for high blood pressure and for the neck pain.

I was released the next day because I felt much better and BEGGED the doctors to let me go home. BIG MISTAKE!! The very night I got home from the hospital all the symptoms were back in full force and none of my medicines (they were good ones too) were even touching the pain. I had a neighbor come over with a blood pressure machine and take my blood pressure. At that point my pressure was 145 over 117, which is a very dangerous level of someone my age. I was immediately rushed back to the hospital and admitted back into the hospital. Since my levels were so high when I arrived I had to be placed in a dark room, with no tv, or stimulation because I was at risk for seizure or stroke. Very Scary!! I was placed on a Magnesium drip and diagnosed with Post Pardum Preeclampsia. I was also placed on a blood pressure regulating medicine, Clonidine.The next morning I was taken down for CT Scan and that came back great, so we were able to rule out any brain hemorrhaging, or injuries.

I stayed another night and was given consistent blood pressure medication and muscle relaxers for the spasms in my neck.Thankfully Jason was able to bring the kids to visit me for a couple of hours! That really helped bring up my spirits!Since my blood pressure cooperated and stayed at a healthy level through the night I was able to be released this morning. I am on bed rest for the next week to ensure that my blood pressure stays down. I have a doctors appointment on Monday to check up on my levels. Hopefully all will stay normal and I can stay home with my babies. Lord knows, I do not want to go back to the hospital for the 4th time!

Here is a cute pic of the kiddos visiting me in the hospital.

One Week Already

2008-07-29T20:17:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that our little man is already a week old!! He is such a good baby and he has perfectly completed our family. He still sleeps most of the time, but I have noticed him staying away a little more often then when we first brought him home.

Here are a couple more pictures of his one week birthday...

A Day Of Firsts....

2008-07-26T20:17:00.001-07:00

Today we put Jackson in the stroller and took a short walk around the neighborhood. I wish I could say he loved it, but honestly he was knocked out asleep and had no idea we were even outside. I however, enjoyed the fresh air and being out of the house.

Here is a picture of the sign in the yard showing off our new arrival...

After our walk we decided it was time to give Jackson his first bath. Since my mom was here she assisted in giving the first bath. I expected Jackson to cry and not like his first bath, but I was pleasantly surprised that he only fussed for a second and seemed to enjoy bathtime. Of course I filmed and took photos for all to enjoy!

Here is his video of the bath of course it's the fussy part...

Jackson's First Few Days

2008-07-25T14:13:00.000-07:00

I have finally found a few minutes to blog. It is harder to blog than I thought it would be. So bare with me as I am trying to keep everyone caught up.

As many of you know Jackson was born on July 22nd and we had a pretty normal delivery. The only complication we had was that he kept flipping face up instead of face down. Dr. Dunn had to end up using suction to get him out. Once he was born we know why....he was so big! He was the biggest baby in the nursery while we were there!

While in the hospital we had several visitors. We enjoyed seeing everyone and it made the time pass by quickly. Jackson did great while we were in the hospital. He seemed to be feeding great and only lost a couple of ounces. When we left he weighed 8 pounds 8 ounces (Caraline's exact weight when she was born). It wasn't until we got home that we started having trouble feeding. The first day home I couldn't get Jackson to latch on. He cried all night long and refused to nurse. It was very hard for Jason and I because we didn't know what was wrong. As I watched him cry I noticed that his tongue was completely attached to the bottom of his mouth. He was "tongue tied" and unable to suck. The next morning we took him to the doctor and they preformed a minor surgery on him and clipped his tongue. While we were there he weighed 8 pounds, so he had lost over a pound since he was born. His doctor referred us to a lactation specialist to look at his tongue and decide what we should do about feeding. To make a long story short he has healed up and is now breast feeding just fine. He is gaining weight and eating like a champ! Other than his tongue, he was perfect. He was in the 50th percentile for weight and 75th percentile for height. We hope that he is back up to his birth weight when we go back for his 2 week checkup.

He is such a good baby so far (knock on wood!). He only cries when his is wet or hungry. He does have his day and nights confused and we are hoping to correct that as soon as possible. Below I am posting a slide show of the cute pictures I have taken so far.

Jackson Garrett

2008-07-22T21:45:00.000-07:00

We would like to announce the birth of our son Jackson Garrett Miles. He was born Tuesday, July 22nd at 3:42 in the afternoon. He weighed 9 pounds and 2 ounces. He was 20 1/2 inches in length. He is perfectly healthy and both he and mom are doing great. Check back in for tons more pictures and information coming soon!

Tuesday is Baby Day

2008-07-17T15:11:00.001-07:00

Here is a picture taken todayof Jackson's little face.

We went to the doctor today for an ultrasound to make sure the baby was big enough and developed enough to induce labor. He was around 8 pounds and everything was developed and healthy! We weren't able to get in to be induced until Tuesday which was kind of a disappointment because we thought it would be this weekend. Apparently July is baby season here in Nashville and the delivery rooms are booked until then. So it looks like Jackson's birthday will be July 22nd, 2008. At least that gives us a couple of more days to spend with Caraline and to prepare for our new addition.

Please pray for us next week as our family grows from 3 to 4! I am hoping for a quick delivery and a healthy baby boy! Keep checking in on our blog as we promise to update it with pictures of new little man as soon as we get home!

4th of July 2008

2008-07-05T08:19:00.000-07:00

We were planning on heading to Kentucky for Jason's family reunion but those plans were squashed when I went to the doctor on Thursday. I have started to dilate and no longer allowed to travel. I wish that meant that Jackson was coming soon, but I think he is in for the long haul!

Since we weren't able to go home, we went to our neighborhood gathering at the Perkin's home. There were several kids there for Caraline to play with and tons of yummy food. They also had a phenominal fireworks display! I was worried it was going to be to hot for me to be outside but we were so lucky to have an overcast this year and a wonderful breeze!

Caraline up until this point has always been okay with fireworks but not this year! She had a complete meltdown when they started and we had to take her inside. She and a few other children played inside and watched Alvin and Chipmunks.

I was able to take a few pictures so we hope you enjoy them!

We had to do our family picture in two parts. They turned out great!

Isn't she such a patriotic cutie!............Belly at 37 weeks

Baby Shower Fun

2008-07-02T07:25:00.000-07:00

My neighbors Julie, Lorna, and Jennifer threw me a baby shower tonight. We had a great time, enjoyed great food, and fellowship. Baby Jackson received lots of adorable clothes and accessories. He will definitely be a stylish little man! It was great to get to see everyone one last time before I have the baby. I can't wait to wash and put all the new little treasures away, that's my favorite part! Thanks again girls...you really made my day and it helped out a ton!

Here are pictures of my friends that came-

Christy and Julie H. .............................................Julie P. and Lorna

Lisa and Jessica.................................................... Stephanie and Lindsay

Here is the Roy Waldron Teacher Crew

Lindsay, Me, Stephanie, and Jennifer

Happy Dad's Day

2008-06-15T20:29:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Father's Day by heading to my home town and helping my parents move into their new house. For Father's Day we went to lunch with my dad, Memaw and Papaw Gardner, and the rest of the Gardner family. Caraline enjoyed seeing everyone and playing with her cousins!

When we arrived back in Murfreesboro we went to Jason's favorite place for dinner- Camino Real (a Mexican Resteraunt). For Father's Day Caraline got her daddy two new outfits and 4 purple leaf sand cherry bushes. You know we are all about getting plants as gifts for each other:)

Jason opening his gifts

Here is a quick video of Caraline wishing Jason and "Happy Father's Day" and giving kisses!

Wedding Weekend

2008-06-09T13:00:00.001-07:00

This past weekend Jason, Caraline, and I traveled to Bowling Green to attend a wedding. One of Jason's friends from high school/college/fraternity brother got married on Saturday. We drove up that morning and spent the night at a hotel. It was a quick trip, but we got to see many friends that we hadn't seen in years. We also got to see the Miles' and Caraline enjoyed playing and being spoiled by Grandma and Grandpa Miles!!

Caraline was a hoot at the wedding! She danced the night away which was no surprise. We got some super cute videos of her dancing but they are a little dark since there wasn't much light at the reception. Notice that everyone is standing around cheering her on! She is such a ham!!

Here is a pic of the lovely Bride and Groom-Ed and Harmony Hendrick

33 Weeks Down....7 more to go!

2008-06-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

I just love this picture Jason took of me while we were fishing!

So I look and feel like I am about to pop but I have 7 more weeks to go. I went to the doctor today and once again I was complimented on my weight gain by Dr. Dunn! That just makes my day! I have only gained 18 pounds to date which is half the amount I had gained with Caraline at this point! I can say that I know how hard all that weight is to lose and I will continue to work on keeping the weight gain down.

All was well with Jackson! He was head down, feet up, and in position to be born. Now we play the waiting game! I hadn't dilated any which is good since I have 7 more weeks to go. I still think he will come early.....but only time will tell! We will keep you posted!

Sweet Summer Time

2008-06-01T18:49:00.000-07:00

Well summer break is offically here for Caraline and me! As a teacher this is most definetly the best time of the year! I enjoy being home with Caraline and all that comes with not working for 2 months. Fortunately for me I will not be returniing to school until after Labor Day (due to Maternity leave). This will make it even harder to go back!!

I know Jason is bummed that he has to go to work everyday while Caraline and I stay home and enjoy summer but we do make the most of the weekends! This weekend was so wonderful with the weather that we were able to do a ton of things! On Friday night Jason played in a softball torunament in Brentwood. A guy at his work asked him to sub for a teammate that couldn't attend. I was nervous about this since Jason hasn't played baseball/softball since college, however, he shocked me with his homeroom that he hit over the fence! He is so proud of that!! He couldn't get out of bed the next morning but who cares about that! :)

Saturday was pool day. Our pool is finally open and I am sooooo excited! It was still a little cold but Caraline and Jason didn't seem to mind. Caraline is still like a fish in the water and has absolutely NO FEAR of the deep water. She was jumping in, going under, and splashing around just like last year. Of course I was there with my camera to catch all of the action!

Sunday we went to church, out to lunch, and then fishing down at dam by our house. Caraline had her very own Dora fishing pole and had ton of fun using it! She stayed busy for 2 hours with that pole and never once whinned or complained about being there! She also enjoyed playing around in the shallow river water. The waterfall from the dam was very relaxing and gave a background for my pictures!

Here is a video of Caraline fishing...

Slip and Slide

2008-05-25T19:32:00.000-07:00

For Memorial Day weekend our neighbors the Campbell's held their annual "Wing Fest". We had yummy food and enjoyed catching up with all of our friends and neighbors. Their were several kids there and Caraline had the time of her life! She used the slip and slide for the very first time and loved it! As most of you know she isn't afraid of anything! The picture above is an action shot of her coasting down the slip and slide (with a little help from Daddy).

The kids also got to watch a movie on a huge movie screen that one of the parents brought. They hooked up the projector and sound system right in the back yard and had a kiddo drive in movie. Caraline loved watching the huge movie screen and we think she may be old enough to actually go to the movies to see the next kiddie movie that comes out.

A Cure for the Cough...finally!

2008-05-23T06:29:00.000-07:00

Those of you who have been around Caraline a lot in her little life know that she has ALWAYS had a cough that never seems to go away no matter what we try. Well the cough got much worse once the weather got hot here! I took her in to a new doctor and got some much dreaded but needed news. Caraline has asthma and probably has had it since she was 9 months old. We now have our very own breathing machine (Nebulizer) and are using that for treatment. We are so proud of how great she does with her treatments! She does it all by herself now She seems to be responding VERY WELL and her cough has gotten so much better in just the one week that we have been taking the treatments. We are hoping that she will grow out of this like her daddy did and that this will not be life long asthma. Here are a couple of pictures of Caraline and her new best friend, the "better bear"! The panda bear in the background is the actual nebulizer machine. Pretty cool what they can do for kids these days!

Here she is holding the mask all by herself!

Happy Anniversary!

2008-05-16T20:24:00.000-07:00

Today Jason and I celebrated another wedding anniversary. We were married on May 15th of 2004. All together (dating included) we have been together for seven years now. They have gone by so fast! The past few years have been great ones and I am looking forward to all of the many more wonderful memories still to come for us. To celebrate we went to dinner at Olive Garden and took Caraline shopping at the mall for new shoes. We didn't exchange gifts because we are saving up for a big vacation in December!!

Mother's Day Weekend

2008-05-11T20:24:00.000-07:00

For Mother's Day weekend we headed back home to Elizabethtown. On Saturday was Uncle Dan's graduation from the Engineering Speed School at the University of Louisville. He graduated with his Master's Degree in Civil Engineering and has a job as an Engineer with UPS. We are so proud of him!

On Sunday for Mother's Day we headed to Glasgow to meet up with my family to celebrate Mother's Day. We went to Tumbleweed for lunch. There was 15 of us all together. I was blessed to have both my dad's and my mom's family there together. It was so nice to get to visit with everyone! I really had a great Mother's Day!

Here we all are....except for me taking the picture!

Caraline with Grams...

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-10T05:17:00.000-07:00

I received my Mother's Day gift a little early since we were going to be out of town on the actual day. I have been wanting to landscape the bed around our mailbox so that is what I got for Mother's Day. I picked out my flowers and these are what we decided to work with

I wasn't much help with the planting except directing Jason where I wanted them to be placed. Caraline grabbed her garden tools and decided to help daddy plant my Mother's Day flower bed. She loves to play in the dirt with her shovels and rake. I think she gets that from her daddy or her Gramps....definitely not from me!

Here is the picture of the beautiful finished flower bed. I was pleased with how it turned out. I love the combination of the light and dark purple.

Here is a picture of the knock out rose bush that I got last year for Mother's Day, it has gotten huge since last year and is so beautiful! I would much rather have live flowers than those in a vase that die in a week!

Caraline's discovers chalk

2008-05-04T19:42:00.000-07:00

In a world where most toys take batteries, have computer chips, talk, and babysit I am amazed that chalk is still on the market! I remember playing with chalk when I was child and can still draw a perfect hop-scotch board if needed. I found myself reminiscing today when I ran across a box of sidewalk chalk. I decided to pick one up for Caraline and see if she would enjoy playing with it. She loved the new toy! She and a neighbor played with the chalk for almost 2 hours. Of course I was there taking pictures and helping draw butterflies, balloons, and any other pictures they asked for. For a minute I felt like a kid again.....that feeling quickly faded when I needed help getting up from the sidewalk! :)

What A Great Birthday!

2008-05-01T18:30:00.001-07:00

As many of you know I had a birthday this week and turned 27. I wasn't really looking forward to my birthday but it ended up being such a wonderful day (or week I should say!)

We started the festivities last Saturday when we had a birthday dinner at Maggiano's with Stephanie and Corey. Dinner was phenomenal and we had a great time being out on a date with friends. (Caraline was with her Memaw and Granpa.)

Jason took me shopping on Sunday and got me some really nice birthday presents. Here they are all wrapped up!

Bet you couldn't guess it was a new purse and wallet :) This will be my "summer time" purse :)

Caraline got me some Bass flip flops and some goodies from Bath and Body works that I wanted.

For my actual birthday we went as a family to dinner at Pei Wei and had ice cream at Marble Slab (yum yum!!). I got several calls from friends and family and gifts at school that I didn't expect! One of my students brought me a bouquet of flowers and another brought me a Star Bucks gift card. A group of my really close teacher friends put together a basket of goodies from the World Market which was so cool and delicious too!

Overall the day I was dreading turned out to be one the best days I have had in a long time. It had nothing to do with the gifts but everything to do with feeling loved! I appreciate it all and want to thank those of you who made my day so special!! I still can't believe I am soon going to be 30!!!!

Time for Caraline Updates

2008-05-01T18:30:00.000-07:00

School Pictures are in......... This is Caraline's spring school picture. I am not overly excited about them since she isn't smiling but they do show how cute she is and how mature she has gotten. I thought it was time for news about her since I have been mostly blogging about the new baby coming. Here is the other pose:She looks like she is about to cry in this picture. I wish she would have smiled but we can't fix that now.

Transitioning into the "big girl" bed

When we finished Jackson's nursery we also changed Caraline's crib into a "big girl" bed. Technically we changed it into a toddler bed but we call it her big girl bed as we are transitioning her into being a big girl for potty training purposes. We were very nervous about moving her into the toddler bed because of the freedom she would have to get in and out of bed when she wants. However, it has been no problem at all! She hasn't once gotten out of her bed in the middle of the night or in the mornings. Shockingly she asks me every morning if she can get down. I don't think she has realized yet that she doesn't have to ask. I know it won't always be this easy but for now the big girl bed is going great! Potty training on the other hand.....not so much!

This was her last day in her baby crib!

Such a big girl now! Picture of bed converted.

Nursery Complete

2008-04-21T19:28:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to say that we are completely done with Jackson's nursery! My parents came down this weekend and in less than 24 hours we went from this:

Room Before

to this

Nursery Complete

We designed, drew, taped off, and painted squares, assmebled and arranged furniture, hung curtains, and added the final decorative touches. I think it turned out great! It was exactly as I had envisioned and I am so proud that we pulled it off without the help of professionals! Check out the slide show and tell us what you think!

Spring Break Trip To Texas

2008-04-06T15:54:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to get our vacation pictures up on the blog for a week now and have had no luck. Things around here are crazy busy since we have been back! My best friend has had a baby, at school we are trying to get ready for state testing, and here at home my list of things to get done never seems to get smaller...well I guess that is life!

On spring break we headed out to Fort Hood, Texas to visit with Brian and Jennifer (Jason's oldest brother and his wife).We drove the 13 hour drive and Jason's mom, dad, and youngest brother flew and met up with us there. We were able to see Brian and Jennifer's beautiful home and spend some quality time with them before they deploy to Iraq.

We spent Friday and Saturday night at Horse Show Bay Resort in Marble Falls Texas. It was a beautiful resort but the weather was not as beautiful! In fact it was rainy and cool the entire time we were there. We must have brought the yucky Tennessee weather with us! We made the best of it but we were definitely looking forward to some fun in the sun. We did spent some time in the hot tub and heated pool. We also played a round of putt-putt on their beautiful 18 hole par 72 course and most importantly...ate at some fabulous restaurants!

We have ordered the furniture!

2008-03-31T19:22:00.000-07:00

While surfing the web this weekend while on vacation I found that the furniture we wanted for Jackson's room was on sale!!! We were also able to use a coupon code for free shipping which saved us tons. It is on back order right now which works out great for us since we haven't even started on the nursery yet. It should be arriving around the end of April. I am pasting below the pictures of the crib and dresser. Keep in mind that it will have the blue and chocolate bedding on it. Also keep in mind that the crib and dresser were ordered in the espresso finish, not cherry.

Here is the color of the wood-Espresso

So do you like it? I can't wait to see it in person! Like I said before, we will post pictures as we complete the nursery!

She did it AGAIN!!!

2008-03-25T21:17:00.001-07:00

Another great preformance from Brooke tonight on Idol!!! I loved her version of Every Breath you take. I tried voting for her tonight and was not able to get through even once which is a good sign that she will be around a little longer......let's hope to the very end :) In case you missed it or are not an idol watcher.....I have pasted it below.

The bedding has arrived

2008-03-24T16:21:00.001-07:00

The bedding I have ordered for our new little one has arrived. I ordered it online and I was nervous about liking it once it came in. I was very pleased when I opened the box and saw it in person. I love it! Check it out and tell me what you think. I ordered everything in the picture except the mobile, which is not avaible. In a couple of weeks my mom and I will be painting the room and putting everything together. I will post more pictures when the nursery is complete!

Easter Morning

2008-03-23T18:37:00.000-07:00

Caraline woke up this morning to find an Easter basket that was left from the Easter Bunny. She was so excited to see all of her goodies. The Easter Bunny made sure to fill her basket full of things she needed....hair bows, socks, tights, dress shoes, kid plates and silverware, and a book.
There were also a couple of things for her to take on our upcoming vacation.... froggy beach towel and monkey harness backpack.I took a cute video of her going through her basket! It is funny to watch her take everything out and name what it is, then throw it on the floor :)

We had a great Easter Sunday here at home. This was the first time in 7 years that Jason and I did not travel to Lebanon (Kentucky) for Easter. We missed everyone, however, we had a great time spending it together as a family. We went to church and then to eat at Cracker Barrel. After that we came home and watched basketball games. Go Cards and Toppers!!
Caraline made it impossible to get a picture of her in her Easter dress. The one below it the best one that I could get. She is so stubborn when it comes to getting her picture made. I think that is because since she was born I have had the camera out taking pictures.

Here is a picture of me at 22 weeks pregnant in my Easter dress

Easter Festivities Continue

2008-03-22T12:51:00.001-07:00

Today Caraline had her school Easter Egg hunt. I was off work so I was able to come and help out. The Easter Bunny was there to hide eggs and to take pictures with the kiddos. Most of them were terrified of the Easter Bunny, however, Caraline did warm up to him and have her picture made. Caraline has definitely mastered the skill of hunting eggs. She goes as fast as she can putting every egg in her path into her basket. As soon as the egg hunt ended she wanted to get the candy out of her eggs. She enjoyed eating her Easter candy with the exception of the jelly beans. She wasn't a fan of those at all. We had such a fun time today! It was nice to get to spend time at her school and watch her playing with all of her friends.

Here is a picture of Caraline and her class at the egg hunt

Here is a cute video of Caraline dancing and jumping with her friends.

Some more of the cute pics I took today!

Idol Obsession

2008-03-19T16:16:00.000-07:00

Yes, I admit that we have quite an Idol obsession here in our house. I am particularly partial to one contestant, (Brooke White) and have voted for her faithfully each week. I am hoping that she wins or at least becomes famous so that I can see her live and buy her CD's. I have pasted below her performance from last week that was the most amazing thing I have heard so far this season.

Neighborhood Egg Hunt

2008-03-16T13:39:00.001-07:00

Today was our neighborhood egg hunt and boy did Caraline "bring in the gold!" She found the golden egg first thing. Her daddy was helping her with the egg hunt while I took photos and the very first egg they found was the golden prize egg! Her prize was a super cute easter basket full of tons of toys and candy. The chocolate bunny had melted but she never knew the difference!

Overall she found about 20 eggs. Two of them were "playdough" eggs which contained a little package of colored playdough. She really enjoyed those. She also found one "Cars" egg which contained a Mater toy. This took her attention away from all the candy! She did eat some M&M's but didn't care about anything else but her "Mater Truck" as she called it :)

It was really a fun time and I of course took plenty of pictures and some videos for you to enjoy. She has her school egg hunt on Friday, which I will be able to attend since I will be off work for Good Friday. Stay tuned for more cute Easter pictures!

Here is a video of Caraline hunting for eggs:

Project Complete

2008-02-20T18:12:00.000-08:00

We have completed our Valentine's backsplash project! It took all weekend and we finished it up on Sunday afternoon. Jason did an amazing job and I am so very proud of him. The only problem that we had was that the grout dried way lighter than it was supposed to. I love it non-the-less! Here are some before and after pictures. Tell us what you think!

Before:

After:

Caraline's 2 Year Check-up

2008-02-16T08:51:00.000-08:00

I took Caraline in today for her 2 year check-up. I was nervous about this visit because I knew she would be getting shots. She weighed in at 27 pounds which put her in the 50th percentile (the highest she has ever been). She was almost 35 inches tall which put her in the 73rd percentile! WOW! We still think she is going to be a tall young lady which keeps Jason's hopes up that she will be a volley ball player :) Dr. Rosser said that everything looked great and that Caraline was above average on language/intelligence which we already knew. He told me not to worry so much about her sucking her thumb at this point. Overall she was perfect! Not only did she get a shot but also a finger prick! She was such a big girl that she didn't even cry!! She made a mad face that quickly changed into a sad one but never cried like I expected. I was so proud of her, she really is tough. We don't go back until she is 3.

Happy Valentines Day

2008-02-14T14:27:00.000-08:00

I hope that everyone enjoyed their Valentine's Day! I know it is a "Hallmark" holiday, but it is one that I enjoy. I think any day that inspires us to share love with others is a wonderful idea!

I was surprised this morning when I woke up and found a boquet of pink caranations (my favorite flower) in the bathroom waiting for me!

Once we both got home from work we went to Sakura as a family for Japanese cusine and sushi. We enjoyed a yummy dinner and then headed to Lowes for our Valentines gift to each other.This was what we decided we would get each other for Valentines day! I know it looks boring, but soon it will be a new backspash in my kitchen. Jason and I have been wanting to do this for a while and are excited to get it done. Jason has been researching how to do this and feels confident that he can take this on himself. I have no doubts! He is amazing at stuff like this. I will post before/after pictures once the project is complete-which should be this coming weekend.

Snow Day! YAY!

2008-02-13T08:48:00.000-08:00

I must say that I am very lucky to be in a profession in which there are random days during the year that you don't have to work due to snow. This is one of the great perks to teaching. Today we are out due to a "snow day". As of right now their isn't much snow on the ground, but who's counting snow flakes? I am looking forward to a day of rest and hanging out with just Caraline instead of my other 18 kiddos :) As of right now Caraline and I are both still in our p.j.'s and are watching the movie Cars for the 1000th time :) I hope the snow keeps coming down so that we can eventually get out and play in it....oh yeah, and so that I can miss work tomorrow too!

Here is the view from our back porch. There is much more snow back there!

Jazzy is enjoying playing in the snow! I drew a heart so that you can see just how much snow we have gotten so far.

We also want to wish Gram a very happy birthday! I think she is 30 again today...hehe

I love Saturdays!

2008-02-09T18:46:00.000-08:00

I am sure you most of you agree with me! Jason and I are so blessed that we have jobs where we have the weekends off (for the most part). I work all week looking forward to Saturday. We have quite the routine around here! We sleep in....well if you call 7:am sleeping in. For me who usually wakes up at 4:50ish sleeping until 7:00 feels like sleeping until noon :) We cook breakfast and then begin to clean. Okay, so the cleaning part is my least favorite but it has to be done! After we clean and get ready we go out for lunch, shopping, and try to do something fun with Caraline.

I thought this picture was so cute! Caraline really thinks she is vacuuming and really tries to be a big help! She also helps me load the washer (very easy for her since it is a front loader) and she also takes a rag and "dusts" off the tables. I hope she always wants to help, but I have a feeling that when she gets older it won't be as fun for her!

So today was no exception! After cleaning we picked up lunch and headed to one of Caraline's favorite places, Kids Castle. The weather was absolutely beautiful at 57 degrees! We ate a "picnic" lunch and then let Caraline lose in the Castle. Caraline seemed to be able to get around better than the last time we visited back in the summer. She loves playing with other kids which makes us happy that we will soon be bringing a new playmate for her! The only bad part of taking her out to play is getting her to leave. That turns into quite the battle as you can imagine!
Caraline enjoying her favorite meal, Chicken nuggets and french fries.

I got to take a break from the camera and take a picture with my girl. We are sporting the "windblown" look! Caraline and Daddy take a break from playing to pose for a pictures :)

Training the next American Gladiator

2008-02-09T18:10:00.000-08:00

Jason and I joked today that we were starting out early training Caraline to be the next American Gladiator. It seemed like everything Caraline wanted to do at the playground had some resemblance to the show. We have been so excited since they brought the show back, despite the fact that it is more fake than wrestling! If you don't watch the show you should...its good times!

Check out Caraline's training pictures :)

14 week Checkup

2008-02-03T17:54:00.000-08:00

This picture has nothing to do with this blog.....it was one taken at Jason's work Christmas party and I had never posted it. Just wanted everyone to get to see us all dressed up with somewhere to go!

Jason and I went in for my 14 week check up on Thursday. We were able to hear the heartbeat for the first time which is always a very emotional moment for me. It was at a strong 179, which still indicates a girl if you believe in that myth....I am trying hard not to. 179 was also Caraline's heartbeat at 14 weeks, so who knows. Everything went well and I go back at the end of February. I won't be far enough along at that point to find out the sex of the baby, so they scheduled me an ultrasound the following week! I can hardly wait!! I feel like it's waiting for Christmas all over again! Caraline went with us but wasn't at all interested in listening to the heartbeat....she was more interested in what was inside all of the cabinets in Dr. Dunn's office. Jason had fun holding her down while I was on the table :)

I finally broke the news to my students on Friday since all went well at my appointment on Thursday. I was actually nervous about telling them because I wasn't sure how they would react. I began by reading them the book , My Teacher's having a baby, written by Eve Bunting. After I finished reading the book I asked them why they thought I chose that book to read to them. I got some funny responses. One student said, "Because Mrs. Bates is having a baby." I said well, yes, she is but that isn't why I read you this book. Then another student says, "Because we are going to study babies next in Science!" I normally would have been proud of that response, however, that wasn't what I was looking for. After a few minutes of no one getting it right....I finally had one girl say, "Are you having a baby Mrs. Miles?" I smiled really big and said YES! I looked at all my students in front of me on the reading carpet and their faces were expressionless.....nothing! They could have cared less. I gave them a minute and let the news soak in and then I bravely asked, "Does anyone have any questions?" Two hands popped up. One wanted to know if I would be missing any school. I assured them the baby was coming in the summer and that I would not be missing any school. The other student asked, "How do you know for sure you are having a baby?" I wasn't sure how to answer that so I told her that I took a test and I found out for sure. That only led to more confusion.....TEST? They couldn't believe that me, their teacher had to take a test. I quickly stated that it was one that I bought at the store and with that I ended the question/answer session. Before I could say anything else, one student blurts out, "Can we get back to studying presidents now?" I laughed in my head and thought how funny kids can be! These are the reasons why I teach everyday! Kids are so unpredictable and random at times!

That didn't quite go how I had imagined but with 3rd graders you never know what you're gonna get! I hope as I start showing and the time gets closer they will get a little more excited. I am sure they went home and questioned their parents over the "test" you take to have a baby. I will probably be getting some emails over that one....oh-well!

The Festivities Continue

2008-01-27T18:39:00.000-08:00

Today we kept up tradition and took Caraline to the Barnum and Bailey Circus. I must say that we all enjoyed it better than last year. We went an hour early in order to get the all access pass down on the floor where we could see the animals close up and take pictures with the clowns! Caraline never took her eyes of the circus...well except to eat cotton candy and drink lemonade!

She loved the horses and elephants. While we were watching the elephant paint she said "elephants color!" I think it blew her mind to see an animal doing what she loves best! She was totally amazed by all that was going on.

She still did not like the clowns but she did wear her clown nose and hat through most of the circus, which we couldn't get her to do at all last year.

Here is a video of the coolest part of the circus! I love when they do human cannon ball!

We had a blast and look forward to going next year when they come to town! It will be different with a 6 month old and a three year old.....YIKES!

Birthday Bliss

2008-01-26T19:07:00.000-08:00

Today was Caraline's 2nd birthday! I am still in disbelief that my little girl is turning two. I just can't get over how fast time really flies by. She has been such a blessing to Jason and I, and we thank God for the miracle he has placed in our lives.

Her festivities began on Friday, when her school celebrated her birthday. I baked cupcakes and sent them in for her class. Her teacher informed me that she was quite the birthday "diva" and soaked up all the attention. They also said that she preferred goldfish crackers over her cupcake, that really made me feel good! Caraline got a super cute outfit from her teacher, Mrs. Pam.
Today we had a "family" party to celebrate her birthday. We were so blessed that so many family members could make it! From my family we had my mom and dad (Gram and Gramp), Nanny, Aunt Debbie, Uncle Larry, and cousin Emily. From Jason's family we had Jason's parents (Memaw and Pepaw), Uncle Dan, and Great Mawmaw Miles. Since Caraline's favorite food is Pizza (at the moment) we ordered Papa Murphy's Pizza and I made a huge salad for dinner. Caraline got a ton of toys and outfits and is set for spring and summer! Fun was had by all and we were sad to see everyone go. The day couldn't have been more perfect for Caraline! I still don't think she even knew what was going on, but she was LOVING it!Thanks to everyone who called, sent cards/gifts, emailed, texted, or visited! It really made her 2nd birthday one that was very special for all of us!

13 Weeks in... 27 to go...

2008-01-20T12:46:00.000-08:00

Fingerprints have formed on the baby's tiny fingertips, his/her veins and organs are clearly visible through its still-thin skin, and its body is starting to catch up with its head — which makes up just a third of his body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.

Guess what we got for Christmas??

2008-01-02T10:51:00.001-08:00

Surprise! We are finally ready to share our big news that we are having another little Miles baby! What a great gift God has given us! I have been so sick that I haven't felt like blogging much at all, so I thought this was the perfect time to make a come back.

I just went to see Dr. Dunn today and I am about 10 and a half weeks along (further than we thought!) The little one is due on July 28th. Ohh what a fun summer I am going to have :) Everything was perfectly fine on the ultrasound and the heartbeat was a strong 164. We couldn't believe our eyes when we saw that it was ALREADY sucking its thumb. (see picture above)Jason has already decided that we are now going to have two thumb sucking little girls. I on the other hand am determined that it will be a boy! I will be calling it a "he" from now on until I find out any differently! When we were showing Caraline the baby on the screen she said "Caraline baby" (translation: Caraline is the baby) and I had to tell her no....this is a new baby not Caraline. So at this point she has no clue what is about to take place in her little world. When we ask her if she wants it to be a boy or a girl she quickly responds "BOY". I think it is the cutest thing!

My New Years resolution was going to be losing weight, so since that is out of the question I will change it to being a better blogger. I will try my best in 2008 to at least blog twice a month....okay only until July then I can't make any promises! I just am going to have to make Jason take over for a while :)

Happy Holidays Everyone!
The Miles'

Pumpkin Patch

2007-10-20T16:11:00.000-07:00

Today we took Caraline to Walden Farms, a local pumpkin patch. We usually go to Jackson's Orchard in Bowling Green but we decided to stick close to home this year. We were not disappointed. I was pleasantly surprised at all the activities available for Caraline. She was so excited that she ran from one thing to another. She showed off her big girl abilities by going through the haystack maze all by herself! I must say she is a pretty smart girl because she knew exactly how to go through the maze to find the exit. I would say that her favorite part were the animals in the petting zoo. We had a great time and despite the fact that my camera died, I still got some pretty good pics.

Kid's Castle

2007-09-23T16:48:00.000-07:00

Today Jason and I took Caraline to Kid's Castle to play. Kid's Castle is a public park that has a wooden playground built like a castle. It has every type of play equipment you can imagine. This was our first trip here because we weren't sure if Caraline was actually big enough to play and enjoy it.

We quickly got our answer! Caraline ran in and never slowed down. She was able to get on and off of most everything there. Just like most new things we try with her, she wasn't afraid of any of it! We were most shocked that she went down the large, green, tube slide all by herself.

Caraline had a blast! Jason and I also enjoyed watching her play. I couldn't help to feel a bit sad to know that Caraline is growing up so fast!

Super Saturday of Service

2007-09-22T11:04:00.000-07:00

Today was our church wide "Super Saturday of Service". We divided into teams and went out into the community to do service to show God's love. There were many different teams to choose from, and I chose to sign up for Family fun day for the low income housing area.

We provided a couple of inflatables for the kids and gave out free food. We grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and offered chips, cookies, and drinks as well. The turn out was amazing! We served over 100 people from that area. The smiles on the kid's faces were priceless. They couldn't believe that they didn't have to pay to play or eat!

My neighbor Julie and I noticed that there were several elderly people sitting out on their porches so we started walking down the streets seeing if we could bring the food to them. I must say that through doing this we meet some very "fragile" people.

The picture above is of an elderly couple that we delivered food to. This is mother and son that live together. The son is deaf and has terminal cancer. He was given 36 months to live and has made it 12 months in. The mother tells us she prays daily for her son and she knows that God will take care of them.

This is another lady we took food to. She is 90 years old and is a cancer survivor. She hasn't left her home in 8 years. She doesn't know any of her neighbors but she told us that she did know and love the lord, despite the fact that she isn't able to get to church. She asked us to keep her in our prayers.

I can say that I left there feeling so fulfilled. I also took time to thank God for all that I have in life. I know that I am very blessed, and serving the people today reminded me that things could always be worse. It is now one of my personal goals to be more positive and thankful for all that I have.

Heritage Festival

2007-09-15T19:49:00.000-07:00

Today while Jason was working, Caraline and I headed to Kentucky to go to the Heritage Festival in Horse Cave. There is nothing really special about this festival other than the fact that in one day I get to see all of my family, friends, and former students from back home. I may also want to mention the food! I look forward every year to getting a rib eye steak sandwich and potato wedges from the Cattleman's Association. I am sure it is by no means healthy, however, I only eat this once a year so it basically doesn't count.

There is also a competition for the booths that set up at the festival. The point is to go all out decorating your booth to win the first place trophy. Of course my dad and his booth for his landscaping company take this competition very seriously!!! When I say "go all out" that doesn't even begin to describe how much he does. Of course he usually wins so every year gets better than the last! This year was no let down and he took home the trophy once again. I had to take pictures because I was so proud of much effort he put forth to promote his business. Take a look for your self!!

Dad talking business as usual

WOW!

Yes, this is an actual water garden set up in the street!

The best part of the trip for me is that everyone is able to see Caraline and how she has grown since most of them haven't seen her since the festival last year! Caraline didn't seem to mind that 100's of people were ooohing and aaahing over her. Caraline was so tired from all the visiting that she slept the entire way home! We both had a great time and look forward to next year!

Caraline back to the doctor...again

2007-09-11T12:57:00.000-07:00

Yep you read the headline correctly.....we had to go back to the doctor today. Caraline woke up this morning with a high fever so I booked a sub for my class and stayed home with her. I took advantage of my pediatricians "walk in hour" from 7:00 to 8:00 (by the way I love having that option so I don't have to fight for an appointment) and explained to them that I didn't feel she had gotten any better since our last visit 4 days ago. They checked her ears and the doctor said that her ears looked worse than they did on Saturday's visit. They explained that she has more than likely built up a resistance to Omnicef and will need a different prescription from now on. That is pretty scary to me that a 19 month old has already built up a resistance to an antibiotic. They also mentioned that if these ear infections continue that we would have to look into having tubes placed in her ears.

The sad part is that Caraline had to get a shot of Rocephin (strong antibiotic) which is a pretty painful shot. We were also given another prescription for Ogmitten. I am hoping that the shot and new prescription will help Caraline get better quickly.

Fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity

2007-09-09T15:17:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I had signed Caraline up to participate in a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity. I was worried we weren't going to be able to make it since she had gotten sick with an ear infection, but she seemed to be feeling much better so we went.

We made a donation to Habitat for Humanity in return for Caraline to decorate a tile that will be used in building the walkway to the newly remodeled Stones River Mall. She was given a 6x6 ceramic tile to decorate with pottery paint. The tile will be taken to a local pottery shop where it will be fired and sealed. It will then be used in the walkway of the mall.

Caraline had a blast playing in the paints. She wasn't really interested in making a picture so mommy did most of the work. I did use her fingers to create the butterfly so that it was some what authentic. I can't wait to see the walkway once it is complete. We will take a picture of the finished product for everyone to see. For now I have pictures of us in the "creative" process.

Back to the doctor

2007-09-08T15:01:00.000-07:00

Caraline and I made another trip to Dr. Rosser's office today. Last night she wouldn't go to sleep and she screamed to the top of her lungs if you tried to get her to lay down. I noticed her poking her finger in her ears which told me that our frequent visitor, the ear infection was back.

We got up early this morning and headed to the doctor in order to catch the "walk-in" hour from 7:00 to 8:00. Despite the huge line of people we did not have to wait very long to see the doctor. Sure enough I was right.....inner ear infection in both ears. We got a prescription for Omnicef and were on our way back home to take a nap.

Hopefully the antibiotics will kick in and Caraline will start to feel better and be able to sleep.

A visit with Grams and Gramps

2007-09-02T13:31:00.000-07:00

This weekend we were visited by my parents, Grams and Gramps. They usually come down on Labor Day weekend because this is the final weekend of the Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration. My dad used to be a TN Walking Horse trainer and own several horses so he never misses going to the Celebration. It worked out well that we moved to Murfreesboro and live so close to Shelbyville.

On Saturday we all went to eat at Carabas for dinner and then Jason and my dad headed off to the horse show. Since the girls weren't interested in going to the horse show, we headed off for a night of shopping. We decided to head out to the outlet mall in Lebanon. This has become one of my favorite places to shop! Caraline racked up on clothes for fall and winter. I can't wait until it cools off so I can put her in all of her new clothes. She also got a cute pair of brown mary jane shoes to go with all of her new clothes. She is going to be the best dressed kid in daycare :)

My parents headed home on Sunday to get back to work. We really enjoyed their visit and hope to see them again soon.

First Ponytail

2007-09-01T21:36:00.000-07:00

Caraline wore her first ponytail this weekend. I know some of you may be thinking that isn't to big of a deal, however, for us it is HUGE! I have been dying for her hair to get long enough for me to fix. As a mother to a beautiful little girl that is one of the things I have been waiting for. Her hair is in a very awkward stage right now and she won't let me put bow or clips in to make it look better.
Today she sat still and let Grams and me put her hair into a tiny ponytail and then clip in a bow. It was just so cute that I had to take pictures and blog about it. It stayed in for most of the day without her messing with it. This is just more thing that reminds me of how much she is growing up :)
Here are some pictures of her ponytail that she wore to church.

This toy is here to stay!!!

2007-08-31T20:42:00.000-07:00

I know most of you have seen our previous blog of Caraline coloring. (If not, it is a must see!) I must say she has mastered the art of coloring. Her teacher at school tells me that she is the only one in her class that can really color :) Apparently, all the rave over her coloring has gotten to her head and she has taken her artistic abilities to a whole new level. She is now preferring to color on furniture, walls, herself,....basically anything that she can reach when our heads are turned. After purchasing a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and scrubbing down all of the surfaces that she has colored on, I had decided to take all of her coloring utensils away. That was until I discovered what could possibly be the most ingenious invention to ever hit Wal-Mart.

Crayola scientists have created a line of products called Color Wonder . Color Wonder is a mess- free creative system of inks and paints. Color Wonder inks and paints are clear, and colors appear only on the special Color Wonder paper. The inks and paints do not appear on skin, walls or carpet....and yes I tried them out myself :)
I am telling you that this is one of the coolest things I have ever seen and I highly recommend them to parents. They are going to spare me hours of scrubbing and Caraline several spankings. The shocking part is that Caraline actually likes them. She sits at her little desk and colors like there is no tomorrow. She seems so puzzled when she leans over to scribble on her closet door and nothing happens. I smile and for the first time feel no stress or anxiety as I walk out of her room and leave her to color and create for as long as she likes.

An artist in deep thought...

Jessica's Wedding

2007-08-26T17:41:00.000-07:00

Today we headed up to Kentucky for a wedding. My closest cousin and childhood best friend got married. It was a beautiful outdoor ceremony at my Aunt Vanessa's house in Sheperdsville, Kentucky. They were married by our Grandpa, J.L. I don't get to see Jessica very much or any other family members on my mother's side of the family. It was so nice to get to see everyone and catch up on how everyone was doing. This was only the second time that they had seen Caraline. The last time they saw her she was so tiny.
Even though Caraline had never met most of the people at the wedding, she acted as though she knew them all her life. She even hopped into a stroller that belonged to a total stranger. I can't believe how outgoing she is. She never meets a stranger!

I am so happy for Jessica! I haven't seen her this happy in years. I am hoping that her and Shaun take me up on my offer to have them down for a visit.

18 Month Checkup

2007-08-24T12:09:00.000-07:00

Caraline went to vist Dr. Rosser today for her 18 month checkup. We were just at the doctor's office yesterday for pink eye and had to come back today for shots and a check up. Of course Caraline is doing well. She is 32 inches tall which put her in the 75th percentile. They are still saying that she is going to be a tall lady! She weighed 25 pounds which put her in the 45th percentile. So basically she is going to be tall and skinny :)

As far as development she is right on track! She is starting to put words together and make simple sentences which is a little ahead of her age group. The only area of concern was her her legs which I expected. They are still a little "bowed" but she is walking just fine. Dr. Rosser said he would take a look at them at her 2 year visit and decide then if she will need to see a specialist.

So overall we have a healthy, happy, little girl who is starting to enter the terrible two stage.

Visit to Lebanon

2007-08-11T22:00:00.000-07:00

We headed to Elizabethtown today to pick up Jazzy who has been staying with Granma and Granpa Miles while we were on vacation. Since we were in town we headed out to Lebanon to visit the great grandparents.

Our first stop was at Great Mawmaw Miles' house. We haven't seen her since Caraline's birthday in January. Of course she couldn't believe how Caraline had grown. Caraline enjoyed visiting with her and seemed as though no time had passed since the last visit.

Next, we headed to Aunt Libby's. There we got to see Libby, Dustin, and Jessica. Libby had a ton of baby kittens that Caraline chased around. She acted like she wanted to pick one up, but when Libby handed her one she threw it. The kitten didn't seem to mind but I couldn't believe she threw it.

Our last visit was with Nanny Osborne who we hadn't seen since Thanksgiving last year. She was doing great and was so happy we stopped in for a visit. It was so great to get to see her too!

It was so good to get to visit with all the family in Lebanon. I know Caraline really enjoyed all the attention. We look forward to seeing everyone again at Thanksgiving.

Our First Day at the Beach

2007-07-25T23:00:00.000-07:00

The drive from Atlanta to Florida went by quickly....well it did for Caraline and Me because we slept most of the time. Jason watched movies on the dvd player to keep himself awake (yes he did this while driving). We arrived around lunch time and went to the condo to meet up with Kat (our friend whose condo we stayed in)to get the keys. We unpacked the car and then went to lunch because we were all starving since we didn't make any stops on the way down. We went to the first place we found which was the Peking (Chinese) Buffet. We then went to the grocery to get the necessary food items for the week. After grocery shopping we headed back and changed into our swimsuits and headed down to the beach. We were so curious as to how Caraline would react since this was her first time in the ocean. Of course I had my camera to take picture and video. When we sat her down she seemed excited and ran straight towards the water. Once she got there her excitement quickly turned to fear when she lost her balance and fell into the water. I could tell the water moving was making her dizzy and she wanted no more to do with the ocean. Since Caraline was not enjoying the beach we decided to take her to the pool. She soon got over her uneasiness and began playing and have a grand time. We let her play for a long time before we decided to have family nap time. Once we caught up on some much needed rest we headed out in search for dinner. We didn't realize that New Smyrna was a sleepy little town where everything closed at 7:00 so we had a hard time finding a place for dinner. We ended up at Subway (yes we drove all the way to FL to eat subway :) We brought our dinner back to the condo and enjoyed it while sitting on our balcany watching the crashing waves. We decided to call it a night early since we were so exhausted from all the traveling and unpacking.

Monday in Atlanta

2007-07-24T21:10:00.000-07:00

Today Jason and Rick went to play golf. That left the women to do what ever they wanted! I will give you one guess as to what we did........Shopping! We went to the Cumberland Mall in Atlanta for lunch and shopping. Cecilia, Emily, Christi, Becky, Caraline, and myself all ate lunch at Jason's Deli. It was such fun to have all the girls together. Caraline loved pigging out on ice cream. We are so proud that she is using her spoon now instead of her hands.

Even though Jason wasn't with me I didn't go crazy shopping. I know that shocks you but the only thing I purchased was a beach bag. I was excited because I found the Lands End tote that Oprah gave out on her show.

Emily and Becky help Caraline accessorize! I thought these boots were just to cute!

After shopping we headed back to the Nally headquarters to cook dinner and get ready to watch Cecilia's tennis match. Caraline got to watch her first ever tennis match and practice playing. She was only interested in banging the racket on the ground so we took her to the playground for a little entertainment.

After playing tennis we headed back to get some rest before our 7 hour drive to New Smyrna Beach in the morning. We are so excited to take our first family trip to the beach!

Sunday in Atlanta

2007-07-23T20:23:00.000-07:00

Today we had lunch at Ratuzzis and visited the Georgia Aquarium. This is known as one of the largest aquariums in the United States. After buying tickets at $24.00 a person we were expecting it to be the best! We were NOT disappointed! This place was amazing! It contains 8 million gallons of aquatic life. If you are ever in Atlanta I highly reccomend this as a place you must visit, especially if you have kids. There were several different areas to the aquarium with all different types of fish, sharks, and 1000's of other sea/water creatures. They even let you touch many of the animals there. Caraline seemed to really like the fish and was in "awe" at many of things she saw. Once again she was such a good girl! She didn't want to be in her stroller though because grown ups stood in front of her and blocked her view, so we had to take turns carrying her around to all the exhibits. I think her favorite was the gianormous play area for kids equipped with a whale slide. My favorite was the sea otter Gracie who swam around sucking her thumb like just like our Caraline. Jason's favorite were the Beluga Whales. On the way out we stopped in the gift shop and purchased a shirt for Caraline that says "Cute enough to be Crabby". I thought that was appropritate for her since she is starting to hit the terrible two stage and is known for having her "crabby" days.

Here is a video of when we first entered the aquarium! Just click on the green play button.

After the aquarium Rick and Cecilia took us to dinner at Papasitos Cantina . We met up with Becky and Christi there and had a fabulous dinner. Jason and I split nachos and I had a delicious desert "tres leches". I just love vacation! Caraline with a dinner napkin on her head at Papasitos

Our Vacation Begins

2007-07-22T23:00:00.000-07:00

Today we headed off to Atlanta to begin our long overdue vacation! We are staying with Uncle Rick and Aunt Cecilia for a couple of days before we head down to New Smyrna Beach, Florida. When we arrived we quickly unloaded our bags and met up with cousins Becky, Emily, and Christi for dinner at Fud Ruckers. After dinner we went to the Braves game. I was so excited because this was my first pro-baseball game as well as Caraline's. The Braves played the St. Louis Cardinals and it was an awesome game. Our seats were also amazing! We sat right behind the Braves dugout and first base. I was even able to snap a pic of the players sitting in the dugout! Caraline was on her best behavior and was amused at all that was going on around her. She ate cotton candy, Dippin Dots, and even got her very own sponge spirit hand. It was a late game but she never seemed tired. We were all glad that the Braves won 14 to 6! It was a great night for all of us and we want to thank the Nally's again for taking us to the game. The pictures turned out great so enjoy looking at them....sorry I had so many I couldn't resist!

A Visit Back Home

2007-07-20T22:06:00.000-07:00

While Jason was in Georgia on a business trip, Caraline and I decided to head back to Munfordville to visit friends and family for a couple of days. Just like usual we cram as much as we can into the little time we have. I didn't get many pictures of Caraline with other people, however, I did get some cute ones of her at my dad's garden center. It truly is a beautiful place and these pictures only capture a tiny portion of it. While we were home I met up with one of my former students and had lunch with her. I can't believe I had her in 4th grade and she now is going into 7th grade...YIKES! It made me realize how much I miss my first group of students! It also made me realize how old I am getting to be :)

A visit with Granma & Granpa Miles

2007-07-15T09:58:00.000-07:00

Granma and Granpa Miles came to visit us this weekend. They brought Uncle Dan along too! We went to the pool and then to Opryland Hotel/Grand Ole Opry. We thought we were going to see the Summerfest show, however, it was not on that night. Instead we ventured over to the Grand Ole Opry where there was a free concert. Caraline had a blast dancing and we all had fun watching her. Even though their visit was short, we enjoyed getting to visit with them. We were also glad to be with Granma Miles on her b-day.

Caraline's Newest Obsession

2007-07-13T16:32:00.000-07:00

We have hit a milestone...Caraline has finally learned to color without eating the crayons! We are pretty sure that she has been working on this skill in Sunday School but she is officially a "colorer" now. I just went and bought her a brand new coloring book and crayons so she is set and ready to go for hours of entertainment. Of course she doesn't color in the lines but she does know to ONLY color in the book. She usually colors with both hands so we still aren't able to tell if she will be a "lefty" like her daddy. She is so funny when she colors because she sings and dances.She can even say the word "color" and I captured that in the video below....it is a must see!!

Take me out to the ballgame....

2007-07-13T05:35:00.000-07:00

Jason and I had a "date" night last night. We went to a Nashville Sounds baseball game. Jason's work had an office "outing" and the wives were allowed to tag along :) Caraline stayed with the Campbells that live right behind us. They have a little girl and Caraline had a great time playing with her while we were gone.

We had great seats right behind 3rd plate. I was so worried that I would get hit by a fly ball. Jason was ready to catch one if it came our way. We left a few minutes early, but I think the Sounds beat Memphis. It was so great to have a little time to ourselves!

Happy Birthday America!

2007-07-04T06:37:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July to everyone! I hope everyone had a safe and exciting 4th of July this year. We missed everyone at the Osborne family reunion and we're sorry that we couldn't make it in. We celebrated the 4th by going to the same place as last year, I guess this will become our family tradition since we LOVE it so much. We went to Brentwood, Crockett Park and had a picnic dinner with Katy and J.J. There was also a live family band (The Cadillacs) and a fireworks display too! It really is a good time in a safe, family-oriented environment. Caraline had a blast this year since she was big enough to move around and dance....and let me tell you she DANCED. I took a video of it for all to see just how funny she is. She also made friends with the family next to us and wanted to be with them the whole time. They let her color with their crayons and it was all over with. I swear she would have gone home with them if we would have let her.

She did great with the fireworks! I am always worried that she will freak out and we will have to leave because of how loud they are, but once again she was fine with them. She never took her eyes off of them and then she clapped when they ended! I would have to say her favorite part of the night was dancing down at the stage where the band was playing.

She looks so bored here....but I thought it was a cute picture!

J.J. & Katy our newlywed friends

Okay now her are the SUPER cute videos of her dancing. You may want to turn you speakers down a little bit because the music is a little loud! I love the one of her dancing to God Bless the USA. I swear she is SO patriotic!
This is another one that shows off her dance floor moves!

Flugtag Competition

2007-06-23T14:37:00.000-07:00

Today we headed to downtown to watch the 2007 Nashville Flugtag competition. I am sure many of you have seen this on T.V. It is a "flying" competition sponsored by Redbull. You know the saying.....Redbull gives you wings! The point of the competition is to build a flying contraption that the contestants run off the end of a ramp in hopes that it will fly. This is done over the water on a ramp 30 feet in the air. We had such a good time! It was scorching hot but we made sure to wear sunscreen and drink plenty of water. It really was interesting to watch!Despite the heat, Caraline did great! She hung out in her stroller most of the time and clapped for all the competitors. Teams come from all over the United States to compete, the ironic part is that a team from Western Kentucky University (Go Hilltoppers!) actually won the whole thing. We even bumped into a couple that we were friends with from WKU! I have a video of their flight! Check it out it is really cool!

First Hair Cut

2007-06-20T14:50:00.000-07:00

On Monday on our way back home to Tennessee we stopped in at Grams and Gramps' Garden Center and let Grams cut Caraline's hair. Caraline did a lot better than we had expected. She did NOT want to wear the plastic cape. Once we took that off she was fine. She did SO GOOD that Grams gave her a sucker when she was done. Her hair definitely looks a lot better. It is a lot easier to fix in the mornings too.

Happy Father's Day

2007-06-17T14:57:00.001-07:00

We had a very busy Father's Day weekend. My parents came to visit for a couple of days and then we headed to Elizabethtown to visit with Jason's parents. We manged to do a ton of things in just a few short days!

While my parents were visiting we took Caraline to the pool. They couldn't believe her love for the water and how fearless she is. She sure put on a show for them! We also went driving around Brentwood as I showed them where some of the "stars" live and stopped in at the Cool Springs Mall. On Sunday we went to church and then headed to Elizabethtown. Here are a few pictures of my parents visit..

Here is a cute video of her showing off her new ability to jump in and go under.

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In Elizabethtown Jason, his brother, and his dad played golf for Father's Day. If you ask Jason who won he will say he "let" his dad win for Father's Day, but we all know that isn't the case :) Caraline had a blast riding in the golf cart. She seems to enjoy playing golf too. The pictures of her playing are just to precious. Granma had gotten her some bubbles so she was good to go the whole time! She spent Monday hanging out with Granma and Granpa while Mommy and Daddy went to see a movie. She ended up getting sick and crying most of the night. We think it might be an ear infection! We had a great time visiting everyone. We are looking forward to our vacation in July.

Potty Time

2007-06-15T15:04:00.001-07:00

Well...It's official! Our little baby is becoming a big girl. Caraline has officially gone pee-pee in the potty. We bought her a potty last weekend because she has been taking off her diaper all on her own. I know she is a little young but we at least want her to know that "big girls" go in the potty. After a few days of setting her on her little potty SHE WENT! We made a huge deal out of it and I hope she will start to realize that it is a huge deal to use her potty.

I took some more cute photos of her today. She got into her closet, got out her hat box, and put on her hat that her Aunt Lou made her. It is very rare that she wear a hat so I snapped some photos of her. She is just too cute! You can tell she enjoys being in front of the camera!

Hello Everyone

2007-06-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone! I have decided to create this blog to keep you updated since my website isn't quite working out with our new computer. I am NOT giving up on it, I just wanted everyone to be able to keep up with what is going on with us down here in TN! Caraline is growing like crazy! If you haven't seen her in a while you won't believe how much she has grown and changed. She has a mouth full of teeth (18 to be exact) and a head full of hair. Her new words are "night night" and "bubbles". She LOVES bubbles! She is also putting two words together such as "my shoes" and my favorite "Momma NO!". She is such a smart girl with a very outgoing personality. We are worried because she shows NO fear at all. She isn't afraid of anything so far!

Caraline is enjoying being home with Mom this summer. We are enjoying our pool every chance we get. Caraline loves the water this year and isn't afraid to just jump right in.

As for me, I have started a strict routine at the gym and I am hoping to see results by the end of the summer! I am still have a scrapbooking class at my home each month and still enjoying working for Stampin Up!

Jason is still enjoying his job! He doesn't enjoy the drive downtown everyday since gas is now $3.00 a galloon here. He has 2 and a half more years until he can take his PE exam to be a Professional Engineer. He is also working out at the gym so overall we hope to be a healthier family!