down on the farm.

we went a pumpkin pickin'.




i've learned to just not ask...

she's on the move...

I took these pictures today...Ninnie (did I tell ya yet that she's been re-named??? Not really, but Jett calls her that and it has stuck with the rest of us...) is a movin' and a shakin' these days. She was beginning to crawl before we left Jacksonville. Now she's fully crawling...and pulling up. The pulling up part makes me super nervous. She's not even nine months old yet. Tell me this girl is not going to be walking at nine months old. I think the gray hairs will begin surfacing if she does!!! :o)





She only passed up the bottle for a second...she went right back for it!


And then something else cought her eye...


Ninnie is also eating lots and lots of new yummies! Here she's eating tasty Gerber puffs. She's also had Cheerio's, blueberries, bananas and very cut up chicken fingers!


She has to be fast...her brothers always seem to be more intersted in what she's eating than with what is on their plates!!




"Maybe if I cover my eyes she won't see me..."


Ya'll pray for me. I'm in for a world of trouble when she starts walking! Did I mention our new house has stairs???? YIKES!

someone's got to say it...

Someone should have told him to OPEN the coloring book and color INSIDE!





Someone PA-LEASE tell this boy to stop growing!!!



Someone already thinks she's the cutest little girl around!!! Well, EVERYONE thinks so! :o)


(she's already 5 months old ya'll...can you believe it????)

it wasn't easy...

My mom and step-dad treated all of us to Maggiano's for Sunday afternoon lunch last week...YUMMO!!!

Afterwards we went outside and snapped a few photos...I did the best I could. They were willing to take a quick photo. I wasn't allowed to lolligag. They wanted to get it over and done with!! So, here's the best we got.



A little train came by and kinda saved me. They all sat still and watched as it choo-choo'd along.


It only took me 4+ months to get a picture of all four of them together...I'll try not to make it that long next time!

Thanks Grandma and PaPa for lunch!!

terrible two's, here we come...

he can fool ya with his sweet smile and soft voice...HA! jokes on YOU! this boy is diving head first into the wonderful world of the TERRIBLE TWO'S!!!

two days ago he did this...



it's Cheese and Shells with half a box of dry baby cereal...nice!

and this...

this is the remains of two bags of M&M's and what he had to pull down to get them.

and this...



it's artwork on the wall. what every mama dreams of!!!

and finally, this...

it's a LOT of spilled SWEET tea! just one more sticky mess i get to clean up...oh goody! it's all in a days work!

i failed to take pictures of the days before adventures...i'm gonna start getting proof that he's such an "angel"! one day i'll laugh about all of this, right????

on a side note...McKinley started eating cereal. YAY!!! as for it filling her belly so she'll sleep better at night...this is NOT the case! i sure wish it were....

big brother lending a hand...sweet boy!

I'm such a slacker...

I have so much to catch you all up on...McKinley at 4 months old, Resurrection Buns, Easter morn and egg huntin'...a bunch! Oh, and, I found my memory card so there will be pics for all!!! YAY!!!

So stay tuned...

Sweet McKinley is home!!!

We brought our precious baby home on Sunday. Jake and I have been on a crazy roller coaster of emotions over the past week.

Here's a small glimpse of the first few days of her life....

December 9th- McKinley Rose was born.

December 10th- She is doing great!!

December 11th (wee hours of the morn)- McKinley is taken to NICU because she spit up bile.

December 11th (around 6:00am)- we go see our little girl in the NICU. I can't describe the emotion one feels to see something so precious hooked up to so many wires and tubes. We're told she'll be there for at least 48 hours to run tests and to do an upper GI to look for a possible blockage in her intestine. I talk my doctor into giving me one more day in the hospital. (I couldn't bear leaving her there....me going home without her.)

December 12th- I head downstairs to the NICU for the GI results and the doctors tell me there is "no medical explanation" as to why our daughter was sick. She continues with "she is clinically HEALTHY"!!!! Now, you tell me prayer doesn't work! There were folks all over the country praying for McKinley! The power of prayer will never cease to amaze us!!!! Our daughter is HEALTHY! I'm able to push my discharge time back as late as I could....I go home at 9:30pm....without McKinley. (they wanted to continue observation on her)

December 13th- I get up, leave Daddy and Big Brothers at home so I could go to the NICU to spend the day with her. She's such a sweet, sweet girl!! Daddy went to see her right after I got home. He was there until late that night. (Jake cannot deny the softy he's become for his little princess!!! He would have been by her side 24/7 if he were able!) We are told she can go home tomorrow!!!!!!!

December 14th- We all get up and get ready to go get Baby Sister!!! We drop the boys off at Ganny and Poppy's and head straight to the NICU!! Our little girl is waiting!!! She's got her IV out...YAY!! Her heart monitor was still attached but that's ok....it was nice to not see the other stuff we knew was uncomfortable for her. We get her dressed, get the run-down on how to be parents (DUH!) and we are off!! McKinley Rose is in the truck with us and we are taking her HOME! We make a pit-stop at Great Grandaddy and Great Granny's house and then picked up the Brothers....and then she was home!!!

December 15th- We are still in awe of how GREAT God is! We have such a precious little girl!!

December 16th- I'm at home with 4 kiddos...Daddy's at work...tell me this gets easier!!! :o)

So, without further ado...here is our Princess!!!!


I love this little hat the hospital nursery gave her. These are all made by elderly ladies in nursing homes. They then take "field trips" to the hospital to deliver them....how stinkin' sweet is that??!!??


McKinley Rose and Great Grandpa


in the NICU...she was so rested and peaceful! This was a huge improvement from a few hours prior. She was obviously uncomfy before she went to the NICU.




after the tube was removed...YAY!!!


Daddy's Girl! (and that's my handsome hubby!!!!!)


It's time to go home!


McKinley and Great Granny


One proud Big Brother!


Another proud Big Brother! (Please excuse his eyes...this child has the hardest time with the flash! LOL)


Who does she look like??? She is a spittin' image of her Daddy!


This next pic is completely off topic but I had to share! This is our Santa pic. We drove all the way across town for the two youngest boys to be near terrified...and for them to tell us that we only get two shots with our camera and we could buy the one they take. HA! I refuse to pay $20 for ONE 5x7...not happenin'!!!! And well, I think I captured a pretty good shot of all of my boys! (even if it is a teensy bit blurry and Jake's eyes are closed...look at sweet Jonah peeking around Daddy!)