THE HARALSONS

2011-11-04T13:11:00.001-05:00

{OCTOBER}

We are loving fall and soaking up all the beautiful days we can before cold weather hits. Halloween was crazy but fun. Parker is a marathon trick-or-treater but always slowed down enough to make sure little Lilly wasn't passed by as treats were handed out. What a sweet big sister.

Lilly is in full throws of the terrible two's... or maybe just feeling like a middle child. My sweet, easy-going child has been much more difficult of late. This is my favorite quote from the past month (maybe even year).... Parker and Lilly are sitting on the patio steps coloring with sidewalk chalk. I have the screen door open so I can hear them. Lilly is in one of her grumpy moods and wants nothing to do with Parker. This is what I hear Parker saying. "Dear God, I bless that Lilly will stop being grumpy and be happier." Lilly quickly interrupts by screaming, "No say that Parker!" But Parker calmly replies," Lilly, do NOT interrupt me when I am talking to God." I chuckled to myself and know this is just the beginning of the love/hate relationship of growing up with a sister. Oh boy!!

Savannah, Lilly, Caroline and Parker

Visit to Mimi's house with cousins Grace and Connor

Parker on the new swing set

Lilly loves to swing "high as the sky"

Typical: Lilly pouting, Parker being silly & Scarlett along for the ride

Big 6 month old!

All the kids ready for trick-or-treating

Our little pumpkin

The fairy princesses and pumpkin

2011-09-11T15:27:00.001-05:00

{WHO'S WHO?}

Scarlett still looks so much like Parker. In person, it's even more true because they have similar expressions. What do you think!?

2011-09-09T12:43:00.000-05:00

{FAMILY REUNION & FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL}

Labor Day weekend we packed up the girls and headed to Soddy Daisy, TN for the Stophel (my mom's side) family reunion. It's always good to visit with relatives that we don't see very often. There are many scattered about since my mom is one of eight kids!! My mom's younger sister, Aunt Judy, and her husband, Uncle Woods were kind enough to host the gathering at their beautiful place on the Tennessee River. They even let us stay there too! We decided to take the girls to the Chattanooga aquarium on our way back home(along with a million of our closest friends). It was crowded but really cool. The weekend was a great getaway and wonderful way to end our summer.

Four of the siblings: Glenn, Charlotte, Betty & Larry (front to back)

Uncle Woods & Aunt Judy

John Sapp & Cleve leading worship

Aunt Betty with her granddaughter, Holly

Some of the group singing by the water

Cousins: Elizabeth, Lilly & Parker

Holly holding Lilly

Cleve, Kevin, Uncle Larry, Chris & John

Mikayla with Scarlett

Beautiful Girl (4 months)

I think these two were "reunioned out"!!

Lilly loving the butterflies at the Aquarium

What a beautiful creation!!

Parker, Vasher and Lilly found a butterfly

Vasher and Parker (with a penguin swimming between them)

Kendra, Parker, Chris, Annie, Lilly & Cleve at the Aquarium

my Lilly girl

Uncle Chris & Lily on the lake

Parker and Lilly in the boat with Cate

Scarlett enjoying Aunt Jackie...

and loving Uncle Chris

This week started a new school year in the Haralson household. Parker is in her last year of Preschool. (and I'm trying not to think about Kindergarten next year). Lilly misses Parker when she's not around but I can also tell she likes being the big sister and mommy's helper too. It's really hard for me to believe that Lilly will be in preschool next year. Time flies and babies grow up too fast!!

Ready for the first day of school

Singing in "El Pueblo" with her class

2011-09-02T09:23:00.002-05:00

{FUN ON 30A}

A couple of weeks ago we took a family vacation to Seacrest Beach, Florida. This area happens to be one of my favorite places in the world. The beautiful beaches along Gulf Coast Highway 30A have numerous communities dotted along between Greyton Beach and Rosemary Beach, each beautiful and unique. Great shopping and delicious food are easy to find and the area is close to our hearts since Cleve got to live in Seagrove Beach the summer we got engaged. We spent almost every weekend bumming around 30A, enjoying the beach, eating great food and having no responsibility (my how things have changed). It brings back great memories even though the landscape has changed quite a bit in those 10 years. It was fun bringing the girls along to experience our love for 30A and all the great attractions. But most of all just being together as a family and making great memories made for a fabulous week!!

The whole family (minus my brother, Chris)

Lilly Belle

Parker in her favorite outfit

Scarlett is 3months!!

Sisters and best friends

By the end of the week Cleve taught Parker to swim without floaties

Hanging out by the pool

Always a fun time with Noni

Kiki and Lilly relaxing on the beach

Building a castle just to tear it down

Kendra and her cute baby belly (Deklan will make his debut in late Nov)

My love

and my other loves

2011-06-11T16:15:00.001-05:00

{RENOVATION PROGRESS}

Well, the long awaited before/after pictures of our (almost completed) kitchen. I'd say it's 95% finished and totally functional. We have some aesthetic things to complete in the next month or so. Cleve has gotten really busy at work so it's slowing down the completion of the kitchen. I can't complain because overall it looks beautiful, definitely my dream kitchen!! Here are a few things we'll be doing to wrap it up: painting trim and touching up walls, adding white marble subway tile back splash, finishing hardware installation, fixing the floor transition between living room and kitchen, hanging pretty mercury glass pendant lights over the island, and putting stone on the exterior addition. Hopefully I'll remember to post fully completed kitchen pics, but for now these should give you a good idea of how far we've come.

INSIDE KITCHEN:

We knocked out the outside wall and extended the kitchen about 5 ft. Also, we put in smaller windows so we could move the sink from the interior wall to this exterior wall (that way I can watch the kids playing in the backyard while at the sink). We no longer have an eating nook, but added an island with stools. We can either eat there or at our large farm table in the dining room.

This is what it looked like when we moved in 5 years ago

This is the very beginning of the renovation (3 months ago)

Almost done. I LOVE my cabinets and my big farm sink... really everything is amazing!

VIEW FROM LIVING ROOM:

Old Kitchen: Avocado Stove, gold fleck Formica counters, stained laminate floor... and Indian head hardware (that's right!)

Old wall (now gone) separating living room and kitchen

Wall is down!!

Drywall up and floors being installed

AHHHH! Beautiful new kitchen

New view from living room

THE OUTSIDE

Before renovation

Outside ready for stone... there are windows (I guess I took this picture before they were in)

2011-06-09T20:51:00.001-05:00

{LILLY BELLE TURNS TWO}

Our sweet Lilly turned two exactly a week after Scarlett was born. Poor girl didn't get much of a celebration but we always say she IS the party so it never phased her. Here's Lilly in a nutshell...

Lilly, you have added so much to our family the past two years. I think life would be much, much duller without you around. Although you seem to break everything and make messes constantly, your happiness and love for life makes your personality shine. It's been so fun to see you grow this past year, learning to walk and talk and becoming Parker's best buddy. You NEVER meet a stranger, you love to eat, to walk around barefoot (and preferably naked) and you still love to cuddle up like a baby. You're always making us laugh and you get away with way too much because you are so easy to love!

{SISTERS}

2011-05-09T20:54:00.002-05:00

{SCARLETT ANN}

We're home and adjusting to having a newborn in the house. Scarlett is a sweet baby, just a little confused on nights and days. We are trying to remember these days will pass quickly... someone just needs to remind me of that at 3 in the morning!!

First bath at home...

With lots of help from sisters

Parker loves Scarlett

See a slight resemblence?... Parker & Scarlett could be twins!!

PARKER LILLY SCARLETT

2011-05-06T14:57:00.004-05:00

{THE HARALSON HAT TRICK}

hat tricknoun

1. Three successes of the same kind, esp. consecutive ones within a limited period.

2. (chiefly in ice hockey or soccer) The scoring of three goals in a game by one player.

We've been blessed with another little princess. Scarlett Ann arrived this week. She was 8 pounds, 21 inches - absolutely perfect!! Her big sisters adore her and are so excited to finally have her home. Lilly thinks she is so fun, we just have to make sure she doesn't smother her in the process of loving her. More pictures to come... I'm off to nap :-)

Hard to believe we are a family of FIVE!

2011-05-06T13:56:00.000-05:00

{EASTER}

We had a wonderful Easter celebrating the Resurrection. It was especially neat celebrating the holiday with Parker, who loved reading the Bible story over and over and asking questions about sin and death and Jesus. It always amazes me how much a 4 year old can grasp about something so profound. Of course we celebrated with eggs and candy too. It's been a fun spring, waiting everyday for the arrival of our new little one.

Sadie, Lilly & Parker at Easter Lunch

Sisters in their pretty Easter dresses

2011-03-18T09:52:00.000-05:00

{KITCHEN RENOVATION}

We've been planning this renovation since we moved into our outdated rancher 4 1/2 years ago. As you know, kitchens are HUGE financial commitments and we wanted to be able and do it exactly how we envisioned. We are hoping/planning to live here a REALLY long time so the wait will be worth it. My sweet husband is taking on most of the work himself. I've been really impressed at his skill and hard work. We are now cooking out of a toaster overn and microwave and doing dishes in the bathroom sink and tub. We're making do for now... Let's just hope this baby doesn't show up too early. We'll be cutting it very close!! Stay tuned for lots more pictures.

2011-02-14T17:20:00.011-06:00

{FOUR YEARS OLD}

It's hard to believe our little Parker turned four last week. We celebrated all week, kicking it off with a princess tea party for eight of her girlfriends. It was adorable having all the little princesses in our home to celebrate and Parker was in heaven. For anyone who doesn't know, Parker is in full-on Princess mode 90% of the time. She calls me "Queen" and she calls Cleve "Prince" as well as talking to her imaginary fairy friends frequently. She is dressed in a Sleeping Beauty dress, "glass slippers" and a crown as much as possible too. Lilly wants to be just like sister and also asks to wear her tutu, crown and glass slippers. Much frustration follows because her little feet just don't work well in the high heels. It's so fun having little princesses with great imaginations. I can't imagine throwing a boy in the mix, but if God blesses us with one I'm sure he'll get very sick of princesses & pink!!

2011-01-07T14:01:00.000-06:00

{CHRISTMAS AT HOME}

We try to stay home around Christmas so we can enjoy our little family and the celebration of Jesus' birth. The girls were at fun ages this year to anticipate presents and the fun of Santa too. We try to focus on the true meaning of the holiday even though Parker says "but I just love presents so much".... oh the honesty of a three year old! Hope your Christmas was as fun as ours. Sadly, all our decorations are now put away and we are moving on. Parker tells me (with tears in her eyes) almost daily that she is so sad when people say that Christmas is over. I feel the same way once January arrives and now it's just plain cold for the next 2 months. Luckily, Cleve and Parker celebrate birthdays in my least favorite months so it makes it much better! Happy 2011!!

Our growing family... baby #3 due in early May

Parker with her pillow pet from Mimi

Lilly LOVES Dora and walks around the house

with a backpack on as much as possible

Lilly loves to take care of her new baby

Mimi and her girls

Lilly's sweet new ride from Aunt Judy & Uncle Woods...

yes. my child has gotten a BMW before me

The bride in her beautiful new gown from Aunt Judy and Uncle Woods

The little princess in her new castle

celebrating with my family

Lilly and Kiki

Another beautiful princess ballerina dress from Noni

Getting ready for ICE @ Opryland

Trying to stay warm....BRRR!

Lilly looked hilarous in her "small" jacket

Inside the Opryland Hotel was amazing...

especially since it was under 10 feet of water in May

Uncle Chris and Lilly enjoy the lights

2010-12-21T09:32:00.000-06:00

{NOT SO SILENT NIGHT}

We had some friends over the other night for our annual tour of lights. I've mentioned it before, but our across-the-street neighbor puts up 30,000 lights in addition to numerous other Christmas decorations. The kids go crazy for it so hence it has become a tradition to let them run through the lights squealing with delight. Here's all the kids invading a peaceful Nativity scene.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!!!

2010-12-16T15:36:00.002-06:00

{CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE}

The freezing temperatures and big snow that hit here last weekend officially made it feel like Christmas time. The past week we've been warming ourselves by the fire, roasting marshmallows, watching every classic Christmas cartoon on TV, listening to Christmas music and wrapping gifts... and trying to frolic in the snow. However, the zero degree wind chill didn't make the experience turn out to be quite as much fun as we'd imagined (think frozen fingers, wind burned cheeks and lots of tears). Parker is experiencing her first Christmas season at school and had her first singing program with all the children at her preschool. It was adorable watching all the 3,4 & 5 year old dressed as angels and singing sweetly... or yawning constantly in Parker's case:) Here is the latest in pictures...

Merry Christmas from the Haralsons!!

Sledding (and freezing!)

Downtown Franklin in the snow storm

BRRRR!!

Watching Parker's Christmas Program

Parker & her friend Jude

Parker & Caroline... best friends!!

2010-11-02T22:09:00.001-05:00

{FABULOUSLY FALL!}

We've been having a great fall. Parker is now loving school and looks forward to her time there. Lilly is getting so big and she's enjoying some alone time with Mommy too. She can now climb on things really well and has mastered the swing set. She's a chatterbox and we're finally picking up on more words. Really, she's just a funny kid who makes silly faces all the time to try and get a laugh. She loves giving hugs and kisses to everyone and gets sad when anyone is upset. Simply, she's a joy and lights up any room.

October has been busy and we try to spend as much time outside as we can. I know the bitter cold is just around the corner so it's my motivation to get out of the house (neglecting my chores) and play with the girls. Parker has been talking about Halloween for months. Until recently I didn't realize she has very vivid memories of last year (seemed like a blur to me). Dressing up as her favorite princess (Sleeping Beauty) and getting a huge bucket of candy has been the highlight of the month for sure. I have terrible trick-or-treating pictures because I couldn't get the child to stand still for one moment. She was the first one out of our large group to get up to a doorstep, say trick or treat, politely say "Happy Halloween"and then get the heck out so she could make sure she'd be the first at the next house. I'm pretty sure she scored the most candy because of her crazed enthusiasm. Go get 'em Sleeping Beauty!!

Here are some of our fall pictures. Hopefully more will follow soon as we gear up for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Happy November!!

2010-09-09T11:59:00.001-05:00

{FIRST DAY OF PRESCHOOL}

Parker had her first day of school on Tuesday. She has been very apprehensive about this new experience and tried to convince me the whole way to school that you have to be four to start school. Then she told me that grown up Princesses (like herself) are not suppose to go to school. Then she resorted to tears and pleading not to go to school. It was a little rough but once she got to her class she did fine. It's a wonderful program and a good way to introduce her to structured learning. We're just praying she settles in quickly. These are the best pictures I could get... since she was definitely not smiling before school!

2010-08-17T09:45:00.006-05:00

{VACATION @ ST. SIMONS ISLAND}

We spent last week in St. Simons, GA with my mom, brother & sister-in-law. It was an amazing vacation (thanks to my mom's babysitting) spent playing on the beach & being with family. We had planned a trip to the Gulf since it's the closest and most familiar, but the oil spill messed up our plans & changed our destination to the Atlantic coast. It's a different beauty than the white sand & crystal water of the Gulf but I think equally as wonderful. It seems more laid back and quaint than the high-rise littered beaches of Gulf Shores. We made lots of fun memories with the girls and can't wait to take them back!

Here are some of my favorite memories:

~ We saw a rainbow almost every day. The first time we saw one I pointed it out to Parker. She looked up and shouted, "Thanks God!"

~ Lilly almost perfected her walking. She did throw a few little tantrums in the process but at least it's cute for now.

~ Parker got to ride the elevator down by herself one day. Cleve waited at the bottom and asked how the ride was. Parker said, " I really love 'elabators' because they give me time to relax."

~Watching Parker fearlessly pick up little Mullets (fish) that a nice man caught for her to throw back. She thought it was the coolest thing!

~ Riding on a catamaran with Cleve (as captain), Chris, Kiki & Parker. Parker loved it!

"I LOVE riding on airplanes!!"

Lilly enjoyed socializing on the plane... which means NOT sitting still.

We finally made it to St. Simons!
It's the first beach trip for Parker (that she remembers)

Noni & Parker getting their feet wet

Me & my girls

Soggy bottom Lilly loving the beach

But she loved her daily baths in the kitchen sink the most

Blowing out all the candles (the big 3-0)

Lilly loves cake almost as much as her sister

Me & my handsome date for my birthday dinner

"This is way better than the sandbox"

Parker loved everything about it, especially playing in the waves with Daddy

Uncle Chris & Kiki joined us for part of the week

Our night out on the town

With a beautiful sunset to enjoy

The old historic lighthouse on the island (still in use)

Lilly wanting to walk but getting VERY frustrated.
I now know my laid back child has quite a little temper.

2010-08-05T20:30:00.007-05:00

{COUSIN FUN & FIRST CLASS BBQ}

Two weeks ago we had a fun weekend with Cleve's mom and our sweet nephew Connor in town from Birmingham. Parker is always playing princess so she convinced Connor ("her true love") that he would be prince and even help her with her baby dolls. He was a good sport and put up with it for most of the weekend. Another highlight was Connor playing chauffeur and driving Parker around in her new Power Wheel.

Last weekend was highlighted with Cleve's first time to cook BBQ for the general public. He's been testing out methods and concocting his own special sauce and dry rub. Now that it's perfected he volunteered to grill 40 slabs of ribs for Henpeck Market (just down the road) to sell on Bluegrass Night. The night was a success and he now has many fans. Hopefully it will become a regular thing. I'll let you know so you can come try out the deliciousness!!!

2010-07-10T07:19:00.005-05:00

{SUMMER DAYS}

I know, I know.... I just fell of the face of the blogging world. I feel like nothing super exciting has happened lately. We've just been enjoying the long summer days. Honestly, I've been terrible at taking pictures too. Here's some I do have from May/June. Hope you are loving summer as much as we are!!

Think we need a bigger sandbox? I do!
Especially when they start stabbing each other with the sand tools

I love dressing the girls alike b/c I know it won't be long before they refuse.
I made these super cute outfits. Very easy and quick for any sewers out there.

Our weekend in Memphis. We went to the zoo with my wonderful college roomie,
Molly Flynn & her little girl, Ann Dawson.

Lilly & A.D. (future Auburn roommates)
They are just a few weeks apart but A.D. runs circles around Lilly.

We helped my brother, Jimmy, celebrate the big 5-0 Nascar style!!

All my girls (sister, nieces & kiddos)
Caitlin, Joanie, Me, Parker, Connor
Lilly & Sarah

Our sweet neighbor invited 15 little girls for a tea party at her house. Brave woman!!

Parker at the tea party (however she wears this outfit EVERYDAY)

Swinging with Daddy

2010-05-15T08:29:00.005-05:00

{LILLIAN HATLEY TURNS ONE!!}

I simply can't believe my baby is one. Her birthday was actually on Tuesday but we are celebrating her baptism & birthday with family and friends tomorrow. The past year has flown by. It's possible time accelerates with each child you have. Lilly, you have added such a sweet dynamic to our family. Loving you is SO easy. You are always a joy to be around and bring a smile to every one's face. Your spunky, yet laid back personality is contagious. Parker ("Pah-Pah) loves having you as her baby sister and I think you two balance each other perfectly. She can't wait for you to run around and keep up with her. You LOVE to eat and we've only found a couple of foods you could do without. Mealtime is a breeze with you (and mommy really appreciates it). You can crawl quickly wherever you want but you are always open to being carried around. You love to snuggle while holding "lovie" and sucking your thumb, but once you're ready to sleep you'd rather have your space in your own bed. However, if you think you are missing out on something fun you will fight going to sleep as hard as you can (you ARE the life of the party). I pray your headstrong, adventuresome personality will make you a strong independent woman who loves the Lord more than anything. I know God can use you in awesome ways to further his kingdom. Daddy and I are so proud to be your parents and look forward to watching you grow up... but please slow down!!

Can't believe she's gone from this...

to this in one year!

{BAPTISM & BIRTHDAY PARTY}

Lilly in her beautiful Baptism gown (made by Mimi)

"Do I see cake?!"

Lilly with Aunt Judy & Uncle Woods

The Cousins: Cooper, Hope, Connor, Parker & Lilly

2010-05-06T13:47:00.004-05:00

{THIS IS WHY...}

I am busier that usual and not the best blogger in the world. I am pursuing my art more seriously now. I've always been a little self conscious about my paintings since I've only really done it for family and a couple of friends. After encouragement from Cleve and others I'm now selling my art in a great store in downtown Franklin. It's exciting to see other people fall in love with my paintings and want to hang them in their homes. If you want to check any of paintings out in person you can find them at Shop Around the Corner, a neat historic home turned awesome store on Third avenue (off the circle downtown).

2010-05-03T10:29:00.006-05:00

{THE FLOOD}

I'm pretty sure it's National News, but Nashville and the surrounding areas are in the highest flood stages they have seen in recorded history. Neighbors, just a few miles from us, have homes completely underwater. It's unlike anything I've seen in person. Crazy how a tiny little river can devastate towns when it rains for two days straight. We feel so blessed that we had no damage (other than our poor little garden and my new landscaping around our driveway). We are thankful that God steered us away from buying a home in the 50 year Harpeth River flood plain that we almost bought three years ago. We NEVER thought it would actually happen. Here are some pictures of our house and downtown Franklin (only a five minute drive from us). Please keep middle Tennessee in your prayers as many people face such huge loss!

Lewisburg Pike (the road we use to get downtown)

Pinkerton Park (where we spend many sunny days)

The Pinkerton Park foot bridge

Downtown @ Margin St.

Our Garden

Our backyard (up to Parker's knees)

2010-04-04T17:18:00.006-05:00

{CHRIST IS RISEN... HE HAS RISEN INDEED!}

HAPPY EASTER! I've meant to post all week. We've been enjoying Holy Week complete with sunny, glorious Spring days. As Parker says," I see pretty plowers... Spring is HERE!!" Last weekend Parker had her first official Easter egg hunt. She quickly got the hang of it and now she's always asking for an egg treat ("because I'm such a sweet girl"). It's tough to say no to that!

Lilly, unfortunately, hasn't had an easy week. She started it off with Croup, followed by a big fall out of the stroller (yes, it's my fault for those of you wondering). I was preoccupied by the two dogs and Parker and forgot to buckle Lilly. She proceeded to hurl herself out of the stroller head first, hit the curb and rolled down an embankment. Let's just say I felt pretty guilty! You would think she'd start to figure out gravity but I think it's gotten worse. Since the big fall she seems more fearless than ever. Every day she's climbing on something and hurling herself out. It seriously looks like she's being beaten. I'll have to say she's one tough cookie!! It is funny how sisters can be so different. Parker is my little conservative rule follower. Lilly is going to be the adventuresome life of the party. She doesn't meet a stranger and she has no fear. I can tell I'm going to have my hands full, especially when she gets the hang of walking.

We finished off the week with the Resurrection Trail at church. It was a neat way to spend Good Friday, really focusing on the meaning of Easter. It lasted almost two hours and held Parker's attention most of the time. They had a donkey to touch, nails to hammer and characters dressed up. She was slightly confused but just wanted to see Jesus!

This Easter Sunday has been another beautiful day. We had a great service at church and then a delicious lunch at my mom's house with friends. I'll post those pictures soon. Hope you all have a blessed Easter!

Enjoying the Spring daffodils

Making beautiful Easter eggs

Parker's Easter Eggs

"Look at all my eggs... there's something in them!!"

"Forget eggs, I love to slide!"

Parker and Sadie after a successful hunt

Daddy and his girls

My head hurts!

Parker & Perry at the Resurrection Trail

Petting the donkey

Hosanna!

Listening about the cross & feeling the nails

2010-03-13T16:06:00.003-06:00

{DADDY & HIS GIRLS}

Here are a few pictures I thought were cute from the past couple of weeks. Cleve LOVES having girls and says he'd be happy with even more... as long as he has an escape shed/garage when the hormones are going crazy!

I hope Parker will do this even when she's 16

Happiest girl!

Tea Party with Daddy

Lilly loves to swing

Lilly wants tea too!

2010-02-20T09:33:00.015-06:00

{CATCHING UP}

Blogging has fallen to the bottom of my to-do list lately. Actually, there has been much to blog about in the past month because of the crazy winter weather and Cleve & Parker both celebrated birthdays. However, our family has caught every sickness going around the past few weeks. First, we all got the stomach bug and now Parker has a double ear infection and a bacterial infection that settled in her eyes and nose. I have pneumonia and Cleve's hip has been bothering him so much he can barely walk some days. We are all pretty pathetic and it's making me long for warm Spring days with cold/flu season ending.

Since I'm home bound for a while I figured I'd try to catch everyone up a little. I haven't taken great pictures lately because I'm not too fond of my little camera and also Parker is in a phase where she almost always refuses to look at the camera, much less smile. But here's the best I've gotten from the past month...

CLEVE'S BIRTHDAY & BONFIRE

I decided to surprise Cleve for his 31st birthday since I was a bad wife last year and pretty much let the big 3-0 pass without much thought. The plan was to have a big bonfire party at my Aunt & Uncle's place. They live on 10 acres in Franklin and their place is absolutely beautiful. However, it decided to pour rain the night of the party so we were confined to the porch and inside. Thanks to my sweet Aunt, the party was still a success and we had a great night with friends.

Since we didn't have a bonfire that weekend we did have the third annual Christmas tree burning in our backyard the next weekend. It was a great time (as usual) and all the kids LOVE seeing the trees burn up and then roast marshmallows afterward. We managed to successfully burn three trees without catching anything else on fire or having the fire department called. It's now officially a tradition to have a Christmas tree burning every January at our house.

SURPRISE!!

Our sweet friends, The MacDiarmids, came from Knoxville

The guys setting up the bonfire

Our flaming Christmas tree

The spectators (a.k.a. Friends & Neighbors)

ICE STORM

We had a huge snowstorm hit the first week of February. It was beautiful snow that quickly turned to ice that coated the city of Franklin for several days. It wasn't great for snowball fights, snowman building or making snow angels, however it was PERFECT for sledding. Luckily we have a wonderful long hill on our street that we enjoyed sledding on. Even Parker had a blast zooming down the hill. It was a fun weekend where we stayed at home and enjoyed the beauty that God gave us in the form of snow.... however, the next week was the horrible week of the stomach bug. I'm so glad that is behind us and I pray we never all have it at the same time again!!

Our winter wonderland. The yard is a solid sheet of ice

Sledding down the driveway with the girls

Parker sledding her baby doll

PARKER TURNS THREE

Every year is the same. I look at my baby girl and can't believe we're celebrating another wonderful year in her life. She is precious and every day I am amazed at her brilliance and tenderheartedness. She is truly a compassionate soul and we know God will use her in great ways. We had a wonderful time last weekend celebrating her third birthday. It's hard to think of inexpensive winter birthday party ideas that will be fun for a herd of 2 - 4 year olds. We decided to fill up a baby pool with 500 balls and it was by far the best idea we've had in a while. The kids had a blast, no one got hurt and my house was not destroyed. The party was a success and Parker really appreciated all the attention. We had a Pink Poodle theme (partly because she wanted a pink doggie theme and also because we call her "Parker Poodle Pants"... not sure how that started). She told me about twenty times, "Mommy, thank you so much for my birthday decorations and my party." However, she loved celebrating so much that she still says it's her birthday. She's so cute I just go along with it... birthdays are special and life is nothing to take for granted. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU our precious "Parker Poodle Pants". We love you more than you'll ever know!!

Princess Parker

Parker got stage fright so Cousin Connor blew out the candles instead

Enjoying her cake and ice cream

Lilly loved the pool filled with balls... once the big kids left!

The chef in her new apron

2010-01-11T18:21:00.004-06:00

{SNOW DAYS}

It snowed steadily here for three days. We didn't get any real accumulation but it did make for a lovely winter weekend. Cleve and I get almost more excited than Parker when it snows. We turn on the Christmas music (yes, we know it's January), build a fire and hunker down. Of course we love playing in the white stuff too! We assisted Parker in building her first snowman. "Snowball" the snowman was a miniature version. It was SOOO cold and dry that we had to get a bucket of water to make the snow stick together. I loved playing outside with Parker. It brings back fond memories of playing in the snow as a child (at 489 Berkley Square) with our dear friends, the Joneses, and riding on dad's back as we sledded over and over down our hill. HAPPY WINTER EVERYONE!!

Our wonderful neighbor, Jared Griswold (or "Gris" as we like to call him) takes some pretty awesome pictures. He agreed to brave the cold for a quick family photo shoot in the snow. Thanks Gris!! They turned out great... here are my faves.

2010-01-07T22:47:00.007-06:00

{CHRISTMAS 2009}

Here is our Christmas in pictures...

Parker loved making cookies for Santa with Uncle Chris and Kiki
(not sure why she's not in the picture too... sorry Kiki)

"Mommy, why didn't Santa eat ALL the cookies?"

Parker and her new baby and baby carriage

Noni with Lilly (and her favorite new toy)

Cleve and me (modeling my new pearls from he and the girls)

Uncle Chris and Lilly

Daddy & Parker feeding baby

"I'm ready for presents!"

The Birmingham cousins
(Cooper, Parker, Hope, Lilly, McKenna & Connor)

Micki, Danny (Cleve's dad... slight resemblance)
& Cleve with his awesome new ride

Parker & G Daddy

2009-12-22T08:09:00.004-06:00

{LOVING THE BIRDS}

This post is primarily about our sweet Parker. She has a VERY tender heart. It's one of my favorite things about her, but also one of the most difficult things too. She can cry at the drop of a hat (or a harsh word from her mommy) but she also loves people well and will cry with a friend who has hurt herself or an animal in trouble.

Anyway, Parker gets a neat magazine in the mail called Your Big Backyard (thanks Aunt Judy) that I'd recommend to any parent with little ones who love animals or reading... or both. So we read the latest issue that features birds that we commonly see in our backyard and that led to our conversation about birds having to look hard for food during the winter months. Instead of simply filling up our bird feeder outside I decided it would be fun to make pine cone and cheerio feeders for the hungry birds. Parker had the most fun eating the peanut butter and cheerios. She didn't, however, enjoy getting her hands messy. So I guess I technically made the feeders while she watched. But it did occupy about an hour of a slow winter day. Parker is now obsessed with having Chickadees ("my pavorites") come eat from the feeders. We have two Cardinal families and an aggressive Blue Jay family that frequent them. Occasionally a Chickadee will attempt to grab a bite before the other birds scare them away. It's been fun watching the beautiful birds flock to our patio... and Parker can pick out quite a few varieties too!

2009-12-21T09:48:00.003-06:00

{FUNNY FACE}

Lilly has learned when the camera is about to flash and makes a silly face every time. When I look at these pictures I always laugh... hard. Maybe her silliness will make you smile today. I love this chubby little face!!

2009-11-08T15:38:00.007-06:00

{GOOD EATS & TRICK-OR-TREATS}

I've meant to post about Halloween but there have been some technical difficulties with our internet. We had a wonderful Halloween with our great friends here in Franklin. All three families have 2 1/2 year olds so it was very entertaining to watch them get excited about trick-or-treating this year. I was so proud of Parker for being brave even though we ran into a few scary creatures (kids) I thought might terrify her. She also got the hang of saying "trick-or treat" and "thank you" very quickly. Won't be long before Lilly is chasing her sister around (and stealing her treats too). This year Lilly mostly snoozed the whole outing. Nothing keeps the kid from a good nap!

Also, to brag on Lilly, I'll mention that she is now a champion cereal eater. I was slightly skeptical since Parker NEVER ate cereal. She hated every bite I tried to force upon her. Lilly is her usual chill self and never seemed phased by the new taste. Yay!!

Parker, Lilly, Sadie & Smith

Minnie Mouse and a pink panther

Smith, Sadie & Caitland

"TRICK OR TREAT!!"

Snacking on some candy after a hard night of trick-0r-treating

YUMMY!!

This is a picture I found of Parker at 6 months... told you she hated cereal!!

2009-10-25T21:07:00.005-05:00

{FALL FUN}

2009-10-16T09:31:00.010-05:00

{GREAT REMINDER}

I'm doing a fabulous bible study (Gospel Transformation) and came across this paragraph I love. It's a great reminder that I'm always putting things before God and yet He patiently loves me. We are constantly bombarded with the craziness of life... maybe this will remind you to rest in Christ alone today.

Saint Augustine summarized one of the great themes of Scripture, and thus all of life when he said, "You have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until we find our rest in you." God made us to be dependent on him for all we need. As creatures, God made us for relationships and worship. If we are not turning to God in worship, we are turning to something else. If we do not bond with God through the gospel, then we will bond to something else- something that promises to do for us what only the gospel can do. We hold to idols so tightly, and return to them so readily, because they appear to do the same thing for us that the gospel does. They become part of us in the same way that our heavenly Father should be part of us. Thus, when called to give up an idol, it feels as if we must amputate a limb.

2009-10-14T21:23:00.006-05:00

{OUR SWEET GIRLS}

This post is mostly just cute pictures of the girls that I've taken (and not posted) over the past few weeks. Not much to say, but I've had some people asking for the latest on the girls...

Lilly falls asleep on daddy's lap every night he's home

She never does this to me... she just squirms until I put her in bed

The sassy big sister with her baby, "Guscos" (don't have a clue where that came from)

When we read she likes to have sunglasses on ("so I can read the words")

Lilly loves bathtime...

especially with Parker

I hope they always love each other this much

Cutie-booties

Game day at our house

Waaaar Eagle, Hey!!

2009-09-26T09:02:00.005-05:00

{BEAUTIFUL COUSINS}

We went to Birmingham three weeks ago to visit family and Cleve's mom had pictures of all the cousins made. The photographer, Jennifer Hagler, did a fabulous job, especially considering there were 5 kids running around under the age of six. Here is the slideshow of the shoot. Now I just have to decide what to order (without spending too much)!

2009-08-31T15:50:00.006-05:00

{POTTY TRAINING}

We began the potty training process with Parker the first week of August. We weren't in a huge hurry because Parker had not shown any interest in going in the potty. She got a little potty for Christmas and was interested for maybe a day. (Then it turned into her stool that she drug around the house to reach things.) I had decided for both of our sakes that I'd wait until the baby was born and the big sister transition had been made. Parker has been amazing. The first day was terrible and I had my doubts, but after that she has only had a handful of accidents. I love seeing her running around in her big girl panties. Another milestone down... can't believe how big my baby girl is!! Way to go Parker!!

This is the potty training set Parker's grandma got her. Parker has watched the DVD dozens of times and loves to play with her (anatomically correct) Prudence doll. It's hilarious but it seems to make the process a little more fun. You can buy the set (either boy or girl) here.

2009-08-17T08:08:00.009-05:00

{BIRTHDAY, BEANS, BABIES & MORE}

I have so many things I want to blog about right now that I'm combining several different (unrelated) things. First, I want to brag on my birthday present from Cleve. Let me start by saying I love antiques (more farmhouse than fine European) and I love sewing. However, my poor sewing box broke and is barely held together by some extra elastic I had. So Cleve saw a need and decided he wouldn't just go to the craft store and buy me a new sewing box. This is what he got me...

And I LOVE it!! I think it has much more personality than any other ones I've seen. Thanks, babe!

Last weekend we also went to our friends' house to visit and pick beans from their impressive garden (about five times bigger than ours). The men picked while the women watched from the shade. It was fun for everyone and we got about 12 quarts of green beans in the process.

Cleve and Brent pickin' beans

We snapped and canned beans all day Sunday.
It's so rewarding and now we'll have beans all winter long.

Cleve's mom came up for my birthday and to see the girls.
It was a short but fun visit! We love Mimi!!

I LOVE this picture.
Can you tell Cleve is already wrapped around Lilly's little finger?

Parker looks forward to seeing Teddy every time we visit.
This time she was very brave and actually pet him all by herself.

This is Cleve in his cycling get-up.
He's trying it out since it's one of the few sports he can do without hurting his hip.
Back up ladies, he's mine :)

2009-08-12T08:32:00.004-05:00

{HOW DOES OUR GARDEN GROW?}

Well, our garden (thanks to my husband) is growing very rapidly. It's producing some good lookin' fruit and veggies that are almost ripe for harvest. So far we've only been able to sample the cherry tomatoes and lettuce, but it won't be long until we're up to our eyeballs in corn and pumpkin. I guess I should be looking up some creative ways to fix them because I'm not quite sure we can eat all that we have... we'll be sharing with friends and neighbors too, so if you're a fan of these veggies we'd be glad to give some away.

I have to brag on Cleve and his green thumb I never knew he had. So he comes home about 2 months ago and told me it would be fun to start a garden (because he'd seen some neat seed packets at Tractor Supply). Having a newborn to take care of, I told him it seemed a little overwhelming and that I wouldn't be helping in the garden process. Well, that didn't slow him down one bit. He borrowed the neighbor's tiller and proceeded plant dozens of seeds which are now full fledged corn stalks, pumpkin and canteloupe vines, lettuce and tomatoes (the peppers are a little fineky). Every day Cleve comes home from work, changes clothes and takes Parker out to look at the garden. It's been their fun little project that now I've gotten excited about too. This was our trial run so next year we're planning to do even more. It's been a great experience and it encourages me to cook healthier for my family. If you have room in your yard I'd highly recommend gardening.

2009-07-22T20:44:00.004-05:00

{ALL SMILES}

It's hard to believe little Lilly is 10 weeks old already. Time seems to go twice as fast with the second child. Lilly is a dream baby... hardly cries, already sleeps 8 to 10 hours a night, great eater, loves to hang in the bouncy seat all day and gives us lots of coos and smiles. I've told many people I'd have tons of kids if I could guarantee they'd all be as sweet as her. I caught some great smiles on camera so I thought I'd share how big Lilly is getting. Enjoy!!

OUR 7TH ANNIVERSARY

2009-07-20T09:23:00.005-05:00

Cleve,
Thank you for the past 7 years... I can't believe it's been that long. We've had happy times and sad times, but it's been great having you by my side. You are my best friend and I can honestly say I love you more today than on our wedding day. You are the love of my life and I'm so thankful for you. Thanks for a great weekend together in San Antonio. It was the perfect way to celebrate how far we've come. Happy Anniversary, babe!
I love you,
Annie

PS- Did we just eat all weekend? Here are our pictures and they do all revolve around eating. I guess San Antonio does have DELICIOUS food:)

Eating a delicious anniversary dinner at Paesano's on The Riverwalk

Trying some delicious Texas BBQ (Annie's fave)

Then on to Smitty's for more BBQ (same lunch)

And eating a San Antonio staple... Taco Cabana!

RIVER WEEKEND

2009-06-24T07:55:00.005-05:00

We joined friends at the river for some fellowship, relaxation and fun on the water. Here's our weekend in pictures.

DADDY TIME

2009-06-13T07:15:00.003-05:00

Last weekend we got some much needed play time with daddy. Between work and the long list of to-do's around the house it seems like Cleve doesn't get to unwind and just have a fun weekend playing with us. We told Parker on Saturday that we were all going to the zoo as a family (a first for Cleve and Lillian). She proceeded to run around the house squealing and announcing, "I'm SO excited!" We had a great time at the zoo and even let Parker skip her afternoon nap (almost never happens). On Sunday afternoon we decided to fill up Parker's new baby pool so we could cool off on a very hot and sunny day. We've filled it several times but Parker always decides she doesn't want to swim after all. Well, we've learned she just wants a friend to play with... and her new favorite swim buddy is her daddy. Cleve got a cool beverage and lounged in the baby pool with Parker (while Mommy laid in the sun watching). It was a great weekend for daddy and his girls... Parker never wanted it to end. I overheard her Monday "talking to daddy" on the phone and saying," Come home daddy. I want to play with you." What sweet words!!

SISTERS

2009-05-15T15:42:00.008-05:00

This is about all the togetherness there has been between Parker and "Baby Lilly". Parker still isn't sure about this new person in her house but today she actually talked to her, rubbed her tummy & sat next to her. I guess she's come a long way in 4 days. (In the hospital she pretty much ignored her). But every day I think Lillian looks more like Parker. Here are pictures of the girls to see if you agree.

PARKER

LILLIAN

LILLIAN IS HERE!!

2009-05-12T17:48:00.005-05:00

Lillian Hatley Haralson was born at 5:31 p.m. on Monday, May 11th. She weighed in at 8 pounds, 4.8 ounces and measured 20 1/2 inches long (almost the exact size of Parker when she was born). Mommy had an easy delivery and everyone is happy and healthy. Parker isn't so sure about this new person she has to share attention with but we're sure she'll quickly adore her new sister. We feel so blessed by our sweet little Lillian and wanted to share some quick pics of her first day. Thanks for all the prayers and well wishes!

SWEET PARKER

2009-05-11T04:16:00.003-05:00

Here are a few photos of what our big two year old is up to. Thought these were pretty cute...

Enjoying the baby swing... let's hope she wants to share with the baby!

Rainy day fun

Parker in her "princess skirt"

by the way, I'm posting in the middle of the night because I'm having contractions and can't sleep. They seem like the real thing so we'll keep everyone updated if we head to the hospital. I'm trying to let everyone else sleep while I pack my bag (yes, I wait til the last minute), shower, check email & get everything in order. Did I mention the contractions are 4 - 5 minutes apart? Not to worry... this went on for 17 hours with Parker before they'd even give me an epidural... then like 13 more hours before she ever made her appearance. So no, I don't panic. I'm just excited to meet this kid and see if Parker will have a little brother or sister! Keep us in your prayers...

GREAT FRIENDS & A RELAXING EASTER

2009-04-17T13:45:00.003-05:00

Since I haven't been up for blogging much lately I'm actually combining a few things we've done in the past few weeks. First, Cleve flew my sweet friend Mary Alice up from San Antonio with her precious 5 month old little boy (whom I'd never met) so they could hang out with me and Parker all week (Cleve was out of town for 6 days). It was such a fun and relaxing visit where we just got to hang out, talk & enjoy each other. Baby Jackson is such a sweet, laid back, beautiful kid and Parker loved having a baby around. There were a few moments of jealousy, but overall Parker did pretty well. It definitely gave me a small glimpse of what the next few months will be like.

We had a nice relaxing Easter. It mostly involved church, eating and laying on the couch. It was some much needed down time after a busy holy week. We got a few decent pictures of Parker in the beautiful dress her Mimi made her (but as usual she runs from me every time I get the camera out).

Jackson and Parker

Parker on the baby mat

Jackson enjoying the mat

Parker in her beautiful Easter dress

Our family Easter picture

BIG GIRL ROOM

2009-03-25T19:27:00.004-05:00

We've officially switched Parker to her big girl room. Cleve and I were very nervous about the transition because the crib is so easy and Parker has never tried to climb out. But with baby #2 on the way we figured it would be better to bite the bullet and switch to her big girl room while it could still seem like a fun, exciting thing (not a, "you're getting booted for the baby" thing). We've been talking about it very frequently for the past few weeks and every day Parker would say, "Mommy painting Parker's big girl room" today. Once we put up the bed she was practically begging to sleep in there. So we finally put our fears aside and let her enjoy her first night in her big girl bed. To our amazement, she did just as well (if not better) and felt so proud of her new room. It's hard to believe we've reached this milestone because she still seems so small. But I know in less than two months she will seem so big. Just thought I'd brag on Parker's latest accomplishment.

OH BABY BABY!

2009-03-24T08:28:00.005-05:00

I went to Memphis over the weekend to help host a baby shower for my sweet friend (and college roomie) Molly Flynn. She's expecting a baby girl the week before me, so we're excited our babies will grow up together. It was a fun weekend visiting with friends I don't see often enough and having a little break from my mommy duties. It was a huge treat to see my other college roomie, Emily Grimm, who I haven't seen since her wedding over a year ago (because she moved to Dubai). So here are a few pics of me and the girls at the shower.

Emily, Annie, Molly, Laurin, Kristen

Molly, Emily, Annie

The baby bumps

GOOD TIMES AT THE ZOO

2009-03-20T10:05:00.005-05:00

Parker and I made a trip to Birmingham last weekend to visit Cleve's family (while he was camping with friends). It was a fun time with grandparents and cousins, the zoo being one of Parker's favorite things. Unfortunately, cousin Cooper was sick. But we had a fun time with Mimi, Grandaddy, Connor & Hope. Here are some pictures from our day at the Birmingham zoo.

CELEBRITY SIGHTING

2009-03-05T22:26:00.005-06:00

I'm always complaining to Cleve that everyone I know sees celebrities out and about here in Franklin and I'm always just missing them. For instance, I take Parker to the library for story time almost every Monday morning and the one time I decided to skip, the Paisleys were there... I was bummed! Honestly, I may see some celebrities and I'm just in la-la land (or just not recognize them) I don't read tons of gossip magazines so I don't always know who's who. I've told Cleve I really only care to see the Paisleys (as in Brad & Kimberly) and the Urbans (Keith & Nicole Kidman) because I think both couples are so cute. I'd never approach them and say anything. I'd just like to see them in person.

Soooo..... I saw Sheryl Crowe (big fan of her music, not her politics) & Kimberly Williams Paisley eating lunch at Bricks in Brentwood with their kiddos yesterday. YAY!!! I totally stalked them to make sure I wasn't seeing things. I went in Bricks (after I'd already eaten lunch somewhere else) and proceeded to use their restroom. I got within 5 feet of them and just stared as I walked nonchalantly past. Then I hurried to the car to phone my friends and Cleve to tell them the fun news. I guess it doesn't take much to make my day!

FUN TIMES

2009-02-25T20:22:00.005-06:00

Here are just some funny pictures I've shot the past few weeks of Parker doing her thing...

Cleve's suitcase...I think Parker wants to go too

Parker is torn between being a big girl and baby.

She found the exersaucer & it's now her favorite toy again. And the paci is a newly acquired habit...

found it in a drawer 2 months ago and now we can't leave home without it. Can't figure it out!

Madison is such a sweet dog! Smith & Parker thought they could take a ride.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO PARKER!!

2009-02-10T14:49:00.005-06:00

It's hard to believe our baby is two years old... it really doesn't seem possible! I always get nostalgic on Parker's birthday thinking back on all we've been through to get to this point. For us, we think every day gets more fun. New babies are neat, but we really enjoy Parker's age right now. She is talking in complete sentences, eating more (and more diversely), dancing, singing, modeling (mommy's shoes) and playing make-believe with her babies. We love to see her personality develop and look forward to the next year of changes too.

We (I) debated long and hard whether we should even do a birthday party for Parker this year since she probably won't remember it... and because I got too carried away with her first birthday party. We decided to keep it small but I am so happy we decided to celebrate with family and friends. The whole week Parker has been singing "happy birthday to Parker" and yelling "2!" whenever we talk about how big she is. Mostly she couldn't stop talking about the cake with sprinkles, ice cream & balloons that would be at her birthday. Everyday was a count down to her big day... "two mo day", "one mo day", etc. Surprisingly, she even got really excited about opening presents. She really loves all of her new toys and books and gives them equal play time. I think I've been just as excited as her since I'm pretty sure I have all 20+ of her books memorized because it's her favorite thing to do. The weekend celebration was made even more perfect because God gave us beautiful spring weather to enjoy. We were thrilled we didn't have to push her around on her new tricycle in the freezing cold! So here are some pictures of our celebration... We love you Parker, our big 2 year old!!

CLEVE'S BIG 3-0!!

2009-02-03T15:26:00.008-06:00

I am very delinquent in writing this. I meant to do a big post for Cleve's birthday (which was January 15th) however the blog has taken a back seat to all of my other to-do's lately. That being said, I'm hoping to start the new year (one month late) being better about posting on a regular basis.

I didn't plan anything elaborate for Cleve's big day but we did have a really fun bowling party with all his friends from work (and spouses). Cleve's only request was that everyone must wear a wig to join in. It seemed like an odd request at first, but let me tell you, if you want to make bowling twice as fun you have to try it! Everyone is funnier, crazier and less inhibited.... plus you get lots of funny comments and stares. Hope the pictures do the night justice because they sure made me laugh!

The lovely couple... "Willie Kravitz" and "Jolene"

Parker was not feelin' the love of the wig...

probably because she was left at home

Chris & Kendra

Josh (the monk) and Whitney (the mullet man)

Andrea & Annie

Eat your heart out!

"What?! Why is everyone staring at us?"

The whole gang

CHRISTMAS AT THE HARALSON'S

2008-12-30T19:22:00.004-06:00

Hope everyone had a merry Christmas. Ours was really laid back since Parker doesn't really anticipate Christmas yet. She did get excited opening presents once she realized fun things were inside. These are some pictures of her on Christmas eve and Christmas morning with her favorite presents. I'm a slacker and took no pictures of her with Cleve's family in Birmingham, but hopefully Aunt Bibby took some cute ones for me (and will send them to me, hint hint)!

Oh yeah, and for those of you who tried to guess what Cleve was giving me for Christmas.... an ice maker to install in our freezer. Yes, after 6 1/2 years of marriage we have tossed the ice trays and now have a surplus of ice. May not seem fun for anyone else but it was the perfect present (especially since we said we weren't doing gifts this year)!

LET IT SNOW!

2008-12-14T15:11:00.003-06:00

We had a short unexpected snow that actually dumped about 3 inches on Franklin last Thursday evening. Parker was very fascinated and wanted to go outside and play, but once outside she only wanted to be carried around. Since we don't get a whole lot of snow here I bundled us up and decided it would be sad to miss out on the fun. Unfortunately, Cleve had a business meeting/dinner and didn't get to join us. I'm just hoping we'll get at least one more good snow before winter ends. Next time maybe Cleve will get a snow day!!

WINTERY DAYS

2008-12-04T20:34:00.004-06:00

Even though the days are actually shorter now, they seem to go by much more slowly. I try to make playdates with friends and think of creative ideas to occupy our time indoors, but some days it just comes down to several episodes of My Friends Tigger and Pooh (the only show Parker will watch).

Here are some pictures of things that make our days go by. Reading is Parker's favorite thing to do so I seem to have a lot of pictures of her with her books.

We made a house out of the box our toilet came in!

Then we decided to decorate it.

Caitland reading to Parker and Sadie

Reading on the floor...

and reading to her monkey in the rocking chair.

Sliding at the park with daddy

Up high on the big kids playground

FALL FESTIVITIES

2008-11-04T20:31:00.008-06:00

Well, despite my slacking on the blog (which I'll blame on being tired from the pregnancy) we have been pretty busy the past few weeks. I LOVE fall because it seems like the fun activities are more abundant and the weather is glorious... not to mention the beautiful trees, football, bonfires, delicious food, etc!

We discovered recently that our neighbor has a very fruitful apple tree with delicious apples (seriously the best apples I've ever had). They are red but seem tart like a granny smith (green) apple. Anyway, we picked about 40 apples and brought them home to enjoy. I made a yummy cobbler but I think I still enjoy just eating the apples best.

Now on to Halloween... Franklin has a wonderful Pumpkinfest every year down on main street. It's a great time for the whole family because they have little tents with various homemade goodies for sale, a chili cookoff, petting zoo, inflatable toy area for the kids and the best part is watching all the kids show up in their costumes. It's adorable! Parker was a bumble bee this year (see pic below) and enjoyed dressing up for the most part. We did discover that removable wings would have been ideal since putting her in a stroller or car seat was pretty much impossible with her costume on. We didn't end up trick-or-treating on Halloween because Parker was fussy and mommy was tired and daddy wasn't in the mood, so we helped Noni (my mom) hand out candy to the kids. However, we soon learned this too was a mistake because the first batch of trick-or-treaters had an 8 year old Darth Vader (and I've never seen Parker so terrified in my life). She stood in pure terror screaming at the top of her lungs. I quickly asked the little boy to remove his mask and show Parker that he's just a kid under there. Not sure it worked because every time the doorbell rang after that Parker would come crying and attach herself to my leg. So I guess Halloween is not Parker's favorite holiday. Maybe next year she'll understand it's all pretend. I didn't get any pictures of terrified Parker but there are a few of her at Pumpkinfest.

Those are the highlights from the past couple of weeks. Below I'm also posting a delicious pumpkin coffee cake recipe I've been promising I'd put on here. Sorry it took so long!

PUMPKIN COFFEE CAKE

1 Box of Yellow Cake Mix

1 15 0z. can pumpkin

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. oil

3 eggs

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Topping:

1/2 c. sugar

1.2 c. flour

1/4 c. butter

1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix all the cake ingredients and pour into a greased 13 x 9 pan. Mix topping to a fine crumble and sprinkle over batter. bake at 350º for 40 - 45 minutes.

*You can bake the night before and reheat in the over the next morning for 20 minutes.

LITTLE BLESSING

2008-11-04T20:16:00.005-06:00

We went for our 12 week ultrasound yesterday and baby looks completely healthy and on schedule for a May 20th delivery (or thereabout). Cleve and I are so thankful and know we were covered in prayer. Having friends and acquaintances who have gone through infertility, miscarriage and other pregnancy complications, we are that much more aware of the blessing of a healthy child. We know that there's still a long way to go before we hold this child in our arms, so we continue to ask for your prayers. Just wanted to give you a quick update since I'm sure I've forgotten to call someone (I told I would call). Here's a little picture of our little cutie... Funny how a mom can already think that her baby is so cute!

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T SEEN...

2008-10-29T19:52:00.005-05:00

Check this out

PARKER & SMITH

2008-10-14T20:00:00.002-05:00

One of Parker's best friends is Smith... which works well because his parents are some of Cleve and my best friends too... so here are a couple of outings with Smith from the past few weeks. It's hard to get pictures of them together because they both seem very busy and never want to stand still for pictures (imagine that!?) The first few pictures are playing at the mall. It took almost 2 years for me to work up the nerve to take Parker here to play. For some reason it just seems so "germy" and gross. But it actually isn't that bad as long as you take plenty of hand sanitizer.

The last couple of pictures are from the zoo. Parker is still loving the zoo and is always sad to leave. Now that I think about it, I don't know why the petting zoo doesn't particularly gross me out when the mall playground does. Who knows? I'm kind of a freak about hand sanitizer anyway so I guess as long as I'm prepared we're good to go. Roshare (Smith's mommy) and I wish we had video to show people the funny petting zoo incident. Basically, a pregnant goat head-butted both of our children and they flew through the air and landed on the ground crying (I can tell you the details later if you want). Let's just say that we were trying to stop laughing long enough to help our children up. Fun times!!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2008-10-01T19:25:00.003-05:00

FUN WITH MOMMY & DADDY

2008-09-26T19:38:00.003-05:00

Here are a few pictures I've taken the past couple of weeks. Parker is very busy and likes to "help" whenever she can. She LOVES cookies so I made her some Snickerdoodles. She really wanted to help, which mostly meant licking the batter out of the bowl (girl after my own heart).

Parker is also really into her building blocks right now. With help from daddy, she can stack all of them into a tower taller than her... then knock it down... then build it again... then knock it down again....

I'm going to put the recipe for snickerdoodles on here because they are easy when you need to make cookies and haven't planned on it because the ingredients are things pretty much everyone has on hand all the time. They're easy and very yummy!!

Girlfriends

2008-09-24T20:27:00.002-05:00

One of my dearest friends in San Antonio sent me this in an email. I have also done a Bible Study on the idea of "mothering". It's neat to think that God specifically designed us women to be in fellowship and community with other women. Every time we have moved I've worried about finding new girlfriends. But God is always faithful and each move has given me new wonderful friends. It's neat that I have friends here that I get to see all the time and that I have friends hundreds of miles away that I don't get to see much but who mean the world to me (and I know they're just a phone call away). I hope that all of you have at least one great friend you can share your life with because it's awesome!! Thanks to all my sweet friends who are always there for me and who love me despite my many faults.

To Mother

As large as the role our mothers have played, the word “mother” is more powerful when used as a verb than as a noun. All women are not mothers but all women are called to mother. To mother is to nurture, to train, to educate, to rear. As daughters of Eve, all women are uniquely gifted to help others in their lives become more of who they truly are - to encourage, nurture and mother them towards their true selves. In doing this, women partner with Christ in the vital mission of bringing forth life.The nurturing of life is a high and holy calling. And as a woman, it is yours. Yes, it takes many shapes and has a myriad of faces. Yes, men are called to this as well. But uniquely and deeply, this calling makes up part of the very fiber of a woman’s soul – the calling to mother.All women are called to mother. And all women are called to give birth. Women give birth to all kinds of things – to a book (it’s nearly as hard as a child, believe me), to a church or to a movement. Women give birth to ideas, to creative expressions, to ministries. We birth life in others by inviting them into deeper realms of healing, to deeper walks with God, to deeper intimacy with Jesus. A woman is not less of a woman because she is not a wife or has not physically born a child. The heart and life of a woman is much vaster than that. All women are made in the image of God in that we bring forth life. When we enter into our world and into the lives of those we love and offer our tender and strong feminine hearts, we cannot help but mother them.The capacity of a woman’s heart for meaningful relationships is vast. There is no way your husband or your children can ever provide the intimacy and relational satisfaction you need. A woman must have women friends.It is here, in the realm of relationship that women receive the most joy and the profoundest sorrows. The friendships of women inhabit a terrain of great mystery. There is a fierce jealousy, a fiery devotion and a great loyalty between women friends. Our friendships flow in the deep waters of the heart where God dwells and transformation takes place. It is here, in this holy place that a woman can partner with God in impacting another and be impacted by another for lasting good. It is here that she can mother, nurture, encourage and call forth Life.To have a woman friend is to relax into another soul and be welcomed in all that you are and all that you are not. To know that, as a woman, you are not alone. Friendships between women provide a safe place to share in the experiences of life as a woman. (Captivating, 176-180)

WAR EAGLE!

2008-09-15T15:31:00.002-05:00

Here's Parker in her orange and blue game day dress. She loves her stuffed "Abby" and will put her arms in the air when we yell, "Touchdown Auburn!" We're just hoping she'll love Auburn as much over the years b/c I know daddy would love to send his money there. But for now we're just hoping Auburn looks better than they did Saturday. What a terrible game! Ah well, at least it's a win for the books, right?

OUTRUNNING GUSTAV

2008-09-02T21:51:00.008-05:00

We had been planning a trip to Fairhope, AL to visit our friends, The Nebrigs, over Labor Day weekend. Cleve and I were really looking forward to the trip to get out of Franklin for a few days, take Parker to the beach and to see Michael, Krista & Finn. It was touch and go for a few days as we diligently watched the weather channel to see Gustav's journey across the Gulf. So we finally decided we could go and still get the heck out of dodge before the hurricane made landfall. Of course our parents were nervous wrecks (taking their beloved granddaughter into the path of Gustav), but we are so glad we decided to go.

Parker had a little trouble adjusting to long car rides and new places, but overall it was a wonderful, relaxing time with friends we don't see enough. We learned that Parker does not enjoy the beach at all (which I kinda expected since she won't lay a finger on sand and must wear shoes at all times). However, we quickly found a pool we could use and she had a great time swimming. We also got to take a fun boat ride on the bay where we pretty much had the water to ourselves. We got to eat delicious fried shrimp sandwiches at "Sea & Suds", the weather was perfect the whole time and we even got to take a Sunday afternoon nap!! I'd say our trip was a success and we hope to go back soon... we're very glad Gustav turned west and stayed out of Fairhope too!

"Get me out of here!"

"Swimming pools are great!"

Exhausted from a day in the sun

Krista & Finn and Annie & Parker on the boat

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY ~ the infamous scowl

2008-08-13T12:53:00.003-05:00

FUN AROUND THE YARD

2008-08-10T13:50:00.003-05:00

I've probably said it many times, but Parker is an outdoor girl all the way. She rarely tires of being outside (even when it's 100 degrees and I think I'm going to pass out). So here are a few pictures of her enjoying our outside time. The little red car was a $2 garage sale purchase that we have definitely gotten our money's worth. The swing was her first birthday present and she loves to swing as high as possible (while saying, "WHEEE"!)

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2008-08-05T22:17:00.002-05:00

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2008-07-30T18:31:00.003-05:00

OUR LITTLE FISHY

2008-07-26T14:06:00.002-05:00

Parker's favorite thing this summer has been swimming. She's already a pool snob and will not play in backyard baby pools (unless empty) or large pools that have no shallow area. She prefers pools that she can splash and run in by herself, preferably with fountains spraying up. Some days she'll stand by the back door saying, "Bye bye, wah wah" (translation: "let's go to the pool now!") It's been hard to take many pictures of her enjoying herself because once we arrive it is nonstop. She has no fear of or respect for the water (I'm thinking a little fear may be nice). She runs in without thinking and just assumes someone (mommy) will be there to catch her. Gone are the days of lazily lounging by the pool. Oh well... at least Parker has fun, right?!

THE PAST SIX YEARS

2008-07-20T19:48:00.004-05:00

Today, Cleve and I are celebrating six years of marriage. It's really hard to believe that it's been that long already. The years are flying by and now that we have Parker they go even faster. We've lived in four cities in six years and we are really happy that we've settled down here in Franklin. Our house is wonderful and we love to dream of all the great things we can do here... master suite addition, kitchen renovation, pool, etc. (Really the possibilities are endless since we live on an acre.) It's exciting to think we could raise all of our children here. We just hope the rest of our life together is as amazing as it's been so far. We have lots to be thankful for!!

AROUND ALABAMA & BACK AGAIN

2008-07-08T20:52:00.015-05:00

The blog has suffered lately because we've been busy visiting family and friends. Parker and I left two Fridays ago for Birmingham. We don't see our family there often enough (especially since it's a straight shot and less than three hours). But Parker is not a good traveler. She does not enjoy being in the car for more than 30 minutes at a time. Unless we can time it perfectly and get her to nap, she usually has a meltdown. Believe me, we've tried books, snacks, games, riding in the back with her, but she would just rather have her feet on solid ground. (And for those of you who recommend a TV, unfortunately Parker has no interest whatsoever in TV... a little weird considering her parents).

We spent four days in Birmingham really just spending quality time with cousins & grandparents. Parker can now say all her grandparents names: "Mimi", "Dada" (what she is calling her grandfather right now- slightly confusing, I know) "Mick-Mick" & "G" (and Noni who's here in Franklin). She can also say her cousin's names: Cooper ("Kuka"), Connor ("KaKa") & Hope ("Hop"). Parker also refers to herself as "KaKa"... again confusing!

Mick Mick

G-Daddy

Mimi

Three Little Monkeys (Parker, Cooper & Hope)

Playing with Connor

Sorry I digress... back to traveling. Cleve met us in Birmingham and Tuesday morning we headed to Lake Harding. It's a beautiful lake between Opelika, AL and Columbus, GA and we spent the week mostly being lazy and enjoying friends. We stopped in Auburn on the way there to eat at Byron's Smokehouse (Cleve's fave). Unfortunately we didn't get to stop at my favorite spot, Niffer's (mmm... I can almost taste the corn nuggets), because we planned it for the ride home. But we forgot that everything in Auburn closes on July 4th so we missed the delicious goodness that is Niffer's. Let's just say I've mentioned it once or twice (or a dozen times) so that Cleve promises to take me back soon.

War Eagle, Parker!

Parker's First Taste of Byron's BBQ

Okay, back to the lake... So one of my favorite things about being at the lake with our friends The Normans & The Sharps, was taking a sunset pontoon boat ride every evening. It was even better because Parker loved running around the boat with Smith & Sadie and watching the water around her. I really don't think I've seen her enjoy anything much more than the boat. However, she wasn't a huge fan of swimming in the lake (probably due to the cumbersome life jacket) so we mostly played on the dock and in the yard. One day all of us moms were discussing traveling with kids. We decided vacationing is often not worth the hassle with kids because you still have to do most of the things you normally do plus the kids are just out of their element and off of their schedules. But now that I'm home I realize that the lake trip really was relaxing. This week it seems I have a million and one things on my to do list and sometimes I'm wishing we were back sitting on the dock at Lake Harding. Anyway, we ended up back in Birmingham with Cleve's brother & his family for the 4th of July before returning home. It was a fun trip but it is good to be home! Parker sure is sleeping well in her own bed.... ahhh! That's all for now. I guess this is officially my longest blog ever. Hope I haven't bored you all.

Parker NOT loving the lake!

What a crew!

Nice move, babe!

Our sunset cruise

The Sharp Family

The Norman Family

Parker's Bestest Friends!

DAY AT THE ZOO

2008-06-19T22:28:00.005-05:00

The weather here this week has been glorious! It's just warm enough to swim but not so hot you break a sweat if you open the back door. With a break from the heat, Parker and I joined our friends, the Morrisons, for a trip to the zoo. Honestly, I've never been enthralled with zoos. I enjoy them but don't really ever think, "Wow, the zoo sounds like fun!" Little did I know that my feelings about the zoo would change dramatically now that I get to take Parker. Something about watching her fascination and wondering all the crazy thoughts going through her head as she smells, watches, hears (and even touches) the animals. It's just so fun experiencing something so exciting and interesting for her. So here are some pictures from our fun day. I wish I could have captured more, but this is the best I could do...

A ROUGH START

2008-06-10T10:34:00.006-05:00

I actually made it to Spin Class this morning at the Y. I love the days that I can go (since they switched all my classes around it's been more difficult). So I'm cycling my hardest, drenched in sweat and really getting into it when I get a tap on the shoulder. It was one of the nursery workers there to tell me Parker had a little accident and I need to come get her and fill out an incident report. I honestly didn't panic (surprising) but it sounded worse than it was. I later found out that any blood requires an incident report... all I know is we'd have daily incident reports at our house because her poor little knees stay scabby from all her falls. They weren't quite sure what happened. It seemed like she was just walking and fell. But evidently she didn't catch herself because she has a rug burn on her nose, a busted lip and a bloody nose. She was very sad and very snuggly! Now that we're home she's perfectly happy. But I thought I'd show you her poor little face. Hopefully the rest of her day is better!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY ~ BBQ NITE

2008-06-04T12:31:00.003-05:00

I'M A BIG GIRL!

2008-06-02T20:34:00.002-05:00

Naturally, Parker is always wanting to do, eat, say, or try on anything like mommy. So I've taken a couple of funny pictures of these little instances to show you how I'll look over and just crack up at what she has on. I'll have to say I was pretty impressed that she made it all the way out of the bedroom and down the hall with my slippers on without falling once. Let the dress up fun begin!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2008-05-28T23:18:00.002-05:00

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY

2008-05-27T16:00:00.004-05:00

What a fun weekend we had! For Parker and me, it was just a treat to have Cleve home for an extra day. He's working so hard these days that sometimes we don't get to see him enough. We spent half of the weekend with Cleve's parents and the other half mostly just the three of us. On Sunday, we did go to a huge Memorial Day party on our friends' street. It was a great time just relaxing, eating, listening to bands & people watching. Here are some pictures of the festivities.

I'VE BEEN TAGGED...

2008-05-22T21:20:00.003-05:00

by my sweet friend Ginny Morrison. Sorry it's taken a while!

what was i doing 10 years ago?
Graduating from high school... so I guess that would make my high school reunion this year (kinda scary, kinda fun).

5 things on my to-do list:
1. Vacuum, mop, clean the bathroom before Cleve's parents get here at 4 pm tomorrow
2. Iron (my least favorite chore)
3. Organize pictures from our cruise and from Parker's first year (and attempt to put them in some sort of scrapbook)
4. Paint (a painting for over our fireplace)
5. Plant some flowers

5 snacks i enjoy:
1. Chips & salsa
2. Chai latte from Starbucks
3. TCBY (my favorite is a chocolate shiver with Reese's cups)
4. smoothies
5. Tortilla with melted cheese

5 things i would do if i were a billionaire:
1. Give to church, Young Life & Compassion International
2. Travel (for enjoyment and for missions)
3. Pay off our house and car and finish updating our house (especially the bathrooms and kitchen).
4. Pay off all our family's debt and make college funds for our kids and our nieces and nephews
5. Buy a bunch of land in Franklin (or close by)

5 bad habits
1. Picking (I know it's terrible for your skin but I've always done it)
2. Leaving doors and drawers open (even the fridge)
3. Snacking all day. It's hard to find time to eat a whole meal so I just graze.
4. Procrastinating.... like cleaning the hour before company comes.
5. Watching too much TV

5 places i have lived:
1. Memphis, TN
2. Auburn, AL
3. San Antonio, Texas
4. Franklin, TN
(I've lived in lots of houses but not lots of cities)

5 jobs i've had or have:
1. Waitress at McAllister's Deli (my first job...lasted 3 weeks:)
2. Salesperson at Limited
3. After-school assistant director
4. Graphic Designer for a sporting goods company
5. Graphic Designer for a stationery & gift store

i want to know more about [a nice way of saying "you're tagged"]:
1. Kari Russell
2. Sylvia Player
3. Krista Nebrig

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2008-05-21T11:06:00.003-05:00

I guess today isn't actually wordless, but I'm copying a friend's blog idea. Each Wednesday (hopefully) I'm going to just post some cute pics of Parker. Sometimes there's not really anything to say so it will be a quick and easy way to show what our little monkey is up to. Enjoy the pictures!

CRUISIN' RIGHT ALONG

2008-05-17T21:38:00.004-05:00

Cleve's parents took all the kids (and no grandkids) on a 4 day cruise to the Turks & Caicos Islands in the Caribbean this past week. We had such a great time and it was a much needed break from parenthood. The weather was perfect and I think it was the most crystal blue water I've ever seen! So thank you to Carol & Bill. We loved every minute of our vacation and made some great memories with ya'll (can we laugh about the quarantine yet?!) I'm hoping to add a few more family pics once I get them from Libby. I just realized I depended on her expertise to take all the really good group shots. So, not everyone is pictured yet...

CRAWFISH BOIL

2008-05-06T10:51:00.003-05:00

Last weekend we went to my cousin's Crawfish Boil. We got to see some family in town from Memphis and eat some delicious food. Parker didn't try in crawfish but she was definitely entertaining. She now realizes when everyone is watching and loves to put on a show. It was a fun Saturday!

RUNNING THE RACE

2008-04-27T11:18:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, my neighbor Garlan and I ran the Country Music 1/2 Marathon. After a rainy & cold start, the morning turned out to be lots of fun with 30,000 of our closest friends. Although (my personal) race was slow going, I just love the atmosphere of running marathons... the encouraging crowds screaming your name, the people you watch running with fierce determination, and even the silly ones dressed up and making people laugh. I really encourage you to find the closest marathon to you, get up early, and go watch the people of all shapes, sizes and colors running the race set before them. I can pretty much guarantee you'll enjoy yourself and also bring a smile to a weary runner's face by yelling their name and telling them they can do it!

So after little training (big mistake) and issues with my Iliotibial Band (IT Band) I did cross the finish line in over 2 1/2 hours. I think God was working on my pride as I watched heavier and older people passing me by every mile. Although my finish time was almost an hour longer than my last 1/2 marathon, I found myself giving thanks for health and the ability to run. The verses below also immediately came to mind. I love the visual example I saw yesterday of my struggle to make it to the finish line. In the same way I struggle every day to stay on course and set my eyes on the prize... heaven and eternal life with our Savior, Jesus Christ! So thought I'd share my latest endeavor and what God's teaching me every step of the way.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. " I Corinthians 9:25

YARD WORK

2008-04-19T20:20:00.003-05:00

Today was spent outside (as usual) but instead of just playing, Parker wanted to help daddy do some major yard work. We are slowly re landscaping our yard... it's over an acre so it'll take a while! We acquired some large crepe myrtles (one of my favorite trees) so Cleve rented an excavator and literally spent the entire day digging out old bushes and replacing them. He worked his little booty off and we're about to sit down for a delicious steak dinner to celebrate the hard work. By the way, I did not sit by lazily watching the progress. I have to say I did a little yard work myself. I planted some herbs and a hydrangea. Much easier labor but I was proud of my small achievement! I had a few minutes and thought these pictures captured our Saturday of hard work. Enjoy!!

The new entrance to the driveway... notice the massive pile of half-dead bushes removed

Cleve planting Crepe Myrtle #3

Parker's new toy

Safety first!!

APRIL SHOWERS...

2008-04-11T10:42:00.004-05:00

bring one dirty little girl!! Parker has now discovered the joy of splashing in mud puddles after a heavy rain. My natural tendency was to tell her "no" when she wanted to touch the water (because I like everything to be clean... something I have to deal with daily). But after my mom reminded me it's part of being a kid, I gave in and Parker had an hour of fun splashing and rolling around in the water. It did remind me how much fun it is to be a kid (or a junior in college- Molly & Emmers you know what I'm talking about)!

I forgot to pack more clothes so Parker ate dinner "neckie"

MARCH IN A MINUTE

2008-04-09T15:26:00.004-05:00

Well, I've let our blog fall by the wayside. I've had a lot going on. My graphic design jobs have kept me busy, not to mention Parker went though a 3 week phase of not taking more than a 45 minute nap a day. Needless to say, I didn't get much accomplished those days! Luckily she's back to napping (not as much as I'd like) but at least 2 hours a day.

Here are some pictures from March since I've done a terrible job at keeping up. I'm hoping April will be better...

Easter at Noni's house

Parker loves her new "baw" !

Parker in her beautiful Easter dress Mimi made

Parker & Bubba (she now refers to all cats as "bubba")

What a cute Easter bunny!
(Notice the funny face Parker makes every time she anticipates a flash)