Happy Birthday, Aunt Haley...

Video presents for YOU!

I have a collection of videos I have been meaning to share, but every time I go to upload them from our camera I forget how..and it takes me days to figure it out! I got one uploaded, by clicking a million different buttons, went to bed, woke up and started the confusion all over again! ha! So, here is one..stay tuned for more!

This video of Jackson "eating" Cheerios  was taken right after Thanksgiving..mind you, he has improved tremendously and now tries to stick 3 or 4 Cheerios in at once. My Dad had given him some Cheerios over Thanksgiving, and fed them to Jack, so whenever I would get the Cheerios out he would just open his mouth like a little birdie (thinking..."throw one in there, Momma"). Here we are working on HIM putting the Cheerios in, since Gramps can't be here every day to feed him them.

(Warning: It is long..and my "Mom voice" is out of control)

Here comes Santa Clause comin' down Jonathan Lane..

We are officially ready for Christmas! Our halls our decked, indoor and out, christmas cards are ordered, and most importantly...Jackson had his first meeting with Sannnttaa..and what a meeting it was! You'll fall over when you see how cute his picture with Santa is..he just hammed it up the entire time. Of course, he didn't see who was holding him until the end, and then he looked at Santa crooked and I know he was thinking "who the heck are you, and my mom KNOWS that I don't like beards" -ie goats, and Papa's beard. No tears like we had guessed, just lots of laughs for Mommy and Daddy. Of course we had to buy the $25.00 picture. You can view it online, so I "stole" it, but it is small and blurry- but gives you an idea :)

we were first in line waiting for Santa to come back from "feeding his reindeer"- aka..his break ;)

"stop it mom, I am saving my smiles for the big guy!"

...drum roll....

SO cute! 

stay tuned for our Christmas card picture..oh, lord!

This year I think I got a little bit closer to my goal of having my Christmas tree look like it popped out of Macy's. I love an overstuffed, overdecorated Christmas tree. One day, we will have multiple Christmas trees in our house, all with different themes. I would have done a second this year (there is still time), but I have yet to decide if I want to invest a trillion dollars in more bulbs and trinkets...we'll see! Now, please don't judge the top of our tree b/c I LOVE it..Luke thinks it looks like a peacock and has yet to say anything nice about the top :) However, I am in love with it! Someday..I will most likely look back on it and feel bad that the top of Jackson's first Christmas tree looked like this...

A 10.00 purchase from TJmaxx and a trip to the embroiders...looks like it popped out of PotteryBarn, right?

 I also upgraded the mantle this year...I'll have you know that this mantle, total, probably cost 10.00. It is SO easy, and SO cheap to do. You just buy little bulbs, sparkly pine cones..well, basically anything that is sparkly..and shove it on top of fake garland and lights. There is no pattern, or idea at the beginning of the decorating..you just shove..and TA-DA! The wreath on the mirror was ONE dollar at a consignment shop down the street, and I spray painted it.. what a steal! I also bought wooden snowflakes at Michael's for 40cents a piece, and spray painted them... this is def. an economical mantle, but you would never know! I just loved hanging THREE stockings this year! Having Jackson is already making the holidays just that much more fun. I couldn't leave the kitties out, either...so, they got mini stockings this year, too! :)

my other 1.00 pine cone wreath spray painted...

Happy decorating to YOU...you really can decorate on a dime..just look at a Pottery Barn magazine and keep your eyes opened for things that have the potential to END UP looking high quality. A little spray paint and a LOT of glitter can go a long way! :)

Here are a few randoms of little pookie, too...

In the laundry basket at Grams and Gramps..

having so much fun!

Jackers in his snowsuit..ready for a brisk walk!

"I can't put my arms down"...help!

We started our Thanksgiving day off with our third annual turkey trot 5K (Jack's second..he "ran" in utero last year). It was a chilly, chilly morning, but SO refreshing!  We were two couples down this year, as our usual turkey trotters are 7 and 8 months pregnant! Hopefully all three couples will be back at it next year..all with jogging strollers :) 

So, good news...we took first place in the stroller division (we made that division up)--but, we  really were the first stroller to cross the finish line at 27:06. The first year we ra in 33minutes, and last year in 30 minutes..so, each year getting 3 minutes quicker! Pretty good considering running w/ a jogger is 50 times harder. 

 People even have large ornaments for Thanksgiving in Sayre! :)

 Here we come!

 the fog looks so neat with the trees

all finished...bring on the turkey!

We had a great day, spending time with both families, and of course stuffing our faces twice. It's great to eat at two places..we always pick our favorites at each house, and eat accordingly ;) Jack enjoyed a little taste of this..and a little taste of that. He loves his Mema's applesauce, and I am sure he would have loved his Grammy's squash, except I accidentally fed him canned pumpkin..thinking it was squash! haha. My mom had made him special squash and apples, and I went in the fridge and apparently warmed up the left over pumpkin. We couldn't figure out why he was making such god awful faces, as he lovesssss food. We joked that he didn't like my mom's cooking (which is unheard of, and I am SURE she took it personally)..hehe. The next day we were going to try the "squash" again, until Grammy let me know that what I had in my hand was not the tupperware container filled with squash! whoops!

Doesn't he look ready for Yale?? oh. my. lord.

 Thanksgiving at the Wheeler's...

yummo, Deb

 

Thanksgiving at the Guinane's

always room for Patty's delicious cooking

I also channeled my inner Martha-ness and crafted up these place setting tags by taking tags (cut out on the Cricut), adding a little button and tying to a small gourd with twine. How cute would this be for a fall wedding? So easy, and so fun....It really makes me want to make time to craft more often...oh, how I miss little projects!

Happy 1/2 Birthday, Jackson!

Today marks Jack's 6 month, or as we use to celebrate in Kindergarten, "1/2 Birthday". I seriously cannot believe that we have enjoyed this little pumpkin for six whole months. We began celebrating yesterday with a trip to the Doctors for his 6 month well check..........and the icing on the cake (nice play on words, huh?)............ Jack's 6 month shots...BOO!  Good news is he only cried for like a minute, def. more tears than last time, but he did give the nurse a huge smile before she left....and then he went back to crying ..it was hysterical. Here are the "stats" on this little, or shall I say big, dude.....

Weight: 18.7 pounds...he DROPPED percentiles..he is now down to the 59th for weight. I can't believe there are 41% of babies in America LARGER than he is..he is a tank.

Height:...are you ready for THIS? I swear..the doctor said, "Wow...he's a tall one"... I shook my head like..did I just really hear that?...she said.."No, really..he is tall..he's in the 85th percentile for height"... LAUGH OUT LOUD. Luke couldn't make it to this appointment (he always gets out of shots), and I of course had to call him right away to tell him the news. He said, " I think they mixed up his height and weight percentiles"...haha! No, they surely did not. We MIGHT have a tall son - who would have thunk it!? He has been told that he looks like a linebacker more than once..sooooo..maybe, just maybe our little guy is going to have 3 of his Grandpa's heights on his side.

OH, and he treated US with a 1/2 birthday present...he slept through the entire night last night! Yeehaw...momma feels like a new woman!

one week

six months

"you and I...we go waaaayyyy back"

I'd say that he caught up to that BIG bear, wouldn't you?

It is too easy for me to write a blog about Jackson turning six months old the same week as Thanksgiving. This year, I am more thankful than EVER.

I am thankful for this turkey, and being able to wake up to his cheesy smile every morning...

I am thankful for THESE cheeks, which are just too easy to kiss over and over and over again...

I am thankful to have Luke home for yet another Thanksgiving feast..being able to see him safe and sound across the dinner table means more than anyone (except his own mother) could ever understand..

I am thankful for a husband who truly loves me unconditionally. Becoming a new mom has surely had its ups and downs, and Luke has been there with/for me every step of the way. Anyone who knows me, knows that I can be a basket case at times...add in sleep deprivation and postpartum hormones...and you know that I HAVE a saint of a husband.

I am thankful for our families, and the short distance between State College and Sayre. We will FOREVER cherish the past two years... being so close to home, especially these past six months. It has been so fun, and rewarding for Luke and I to see Jack with all four of his grandparents. It makes my heart melt to see my own parents love my child so very much, and I know Luke feels the same.

I am thankful for the Army and all of the opportunities it has given our family. We have made so many memories up and down the east coast. I am most thankful for the friendships the Army has "assisted" me in making. It's weird because growing up in a small town you really don't have many choices of who your friends are...when you graduate with a class of 73 people, you know everyone, and seem to have relationships with everyone in your class/high school... Moving around has opened the door to creating relationships with people that I most likely would have never met if it wasn't for the Army. By meeting new people and "choosing" new friends I learned a lot about myself, my values and the type of person I want to be/become, and also the types of people I want to surround myself with. Understanding what it is like to be an Army wife, and all of the goodness that comes along with that title, is one that can only be understood by a fellow Army wife. So, thank you Uncle Sam....

I am thankful for my little nephew Dominick, and my TWO soon to be nephews (1 might be a possible niece, but my radar is saying BOY) due in January. We might have a basketball team on our hands, with a possible cheerleader on the sidelines! It will be SO fun to see all these little rascals grow up together.

I am thankful for the experience of motherhood because it has made be appreciate my own mom that much more. The selflessness it requires to be a good mom is one that can only be understood once you become a mom. I mean, hello, I haven't had a manicure or pedicure in months, my hair is in a wet pony tail every day, my skin is practically see through and sweatpants are on this body almost every day. BUT, I wouldn't trade ANY of that, because spending time with my little guy is what truly makes me happy (although, a tan would be nice) ;) Having Jack also makes me appreciate the relationship between a mother and her son..I think there is something so special about that...

I am also thankful for (I have to throw this one in there before I stuff my face for the next 3 days) the hills in Bellefonte. I was NOT so thankful six months ago, because climbing those hills with 30 extra pounds of cargo was not fun. However, they have been fantastic for my post baby body. I am five pounds BELOW my pre-pregnancy weight...and I am really proud of myself! I think it is OK to be proud of that, because it was a lot of work. Jack and I have been running a 3.5 mile loop 4 times a week. When you add the hills in there...PHHHEW. Some days it took everything in me to get out the door, but there is something about a great run and fresh air that does the body/heart/mind good.

AMEN.

:) Happy Thanksgiving to YOU! XOXO

P.S- my grammar is horrendous in this post, I know...but, I am trying to pack this entire house into 3 bags to go home for Thanksgiving...b-u-s-y. :)

I guess it had been so long since I last updated, that even my blogspot signed me out (it usually automatically logs me in)...I guess it is trying to tell me something!

We have been busy, busy, busy...and..tired, tired, tired! :) Jack hasn't been feeling the best this past week, so it has been a L-O-N-G week. Not quite sure what is going on with him - initially we thought it was teething, but he had a low grade fever for days..was waking EVERY hour crying, refusing to eat, and pulling at his ears...I took him to the doctors, and Dr. Jarvie said that it was a virus that has been going around, and it's a virus that just makes babies feel "all around icky"...well, I'm not sure I am convinced...as we are over a week into it..but, who am I? (I mean, Luke does call me Mrs.WebMD.com)..hehe. Last night he FINALLY slept a little better, so fingers crossed we are on the mend.

Minus the illness- we (I) have been busy thinking about decorating for Christmas- I CAN'T WAIT!  We are going to put our tree up this weekend! A little premature? I think not...last year we put it up before Thanksgiving, and it was super nice to come back from Thanksgiving break and have our decorated. We told Jackson that Santa only comes if little boys sleep! Think it will work? (probably not). 

Both of our families have been into town to visit us - which has been SUPER nice! Grammy Guinane came in the middle of the week to have a visit...2 weeks away from Jack was too much for her. We had a nice day together! Mema and Papa Wheeler came this past weekend..and watched Jack while we went to the Penn State- Nebraska game. It surely has been crazy here in Penn State. Lots of disappointment and loots of news cameras. Believe it or not, State College, for as big as it is, has a small town feel to it. So, when  something of this magnitude happens..there is chitter chatter every where. I went to Wegmans last Friday morning (alonneeee-- Luke stayed home with J - it was amazing)...every aisle people were stopped (and blocking the groceries I needed) talking about "the scandal". Anywho, it was a memorable game, and we surely enjoyed our time out! :)

Luke's Recruiting Center moved from downtown State College..to the mall this past week! Oh, yes...you can hop from his office ..to Macy's.. i did it- Luke's office..Macy's..Luke's office..Macy's.. ;) I am expecting good Christmas presents this year! Jack and I love it, because we wander around the mall almost every week, just for something to do in the afternoon (especially when it is rainy and cold)...and we can pop in and say "Hi" to Daddy!  Not to mention, the mall is only 6 minutes from our house! 

The new office is HUGE, and very nice!

Look...they even allow skunks in the mall..
(this was taken on Halloween- we don't just dress him up in that costume just because)

a beautiful sight! :)

Grammy wanted to see if he could feed himself..

..of course he can find his mouth with a spoonful of food...

Bailee wanted to join in on story time...

I don't know who loves Dr. Seuss more..Mommy or Jack?

Sitting up like a big boy..

whoops...he missed the point of shape toy...chewing on the container is a great game, though! 

handome boy...

check out my first pair of shoes! They are no good for jumping, though...too slippery!

the ladies my mom works with got Jack this adorable Irish outfit! The little booties even have shamrocks on them..
...of course we had to do a photoshoot to send them a few snapshots of this "lil (1/2) Irish hooligan!

his bib says "the leprechauns made me do it"..
I'm wondering if "they" are in his bedroom ..making him wake up 30 times a night!?

love to jump, jump, jump!