Thanksgiving 2010- Photo Heavy!

After a long late night drive in Tuesday, we wasted no time to get to see some family. We had breakfast at our favorite Cracker Barrel and then took off to the Fantasy of Trees in Knoxville. Thank you so much to our sweet friend Channa for the tickets!!


This is my sweet niece Olivia. She turned one in October and I couldnt believe how big she was!

Tristan and Griffin both loved playing in the train. Love time he gets with his cousins!

They also had a carousel that he and Daddy enjoyed!

our family

JC, Leann, Tristan and Olivia

Granny and her grandkids!

The Isham cousins

Griffin got a nice surprise and early Christmas present from Uncle Tyty when we went over to Cici's house... a personalized UT jersey!!

Now he can really practice kicking for UT :)

I was so thankful to get to see my sweet friend Jessica! She is expecting her first in May and I couldnt be happier!!! She is the first bridesmaid of mine to get pregnant :)

Carter at 28 weeks and Baby Tuten at 14!

Tyler's girlfriend, Cara, got to go through the fun Thanksgiving craziness with us this year! Running between 3 houses for 2 meals makes for a fun-filled day :)

We headed to my Uncle Scott's house Thursday morning. Although we didnt get to eat with them we were thankful to get the boys together to play!

The birthday twins at 19 months old!

Mimi and Potts with their great grandsons

our family

the whole crew!

We headed to Mamaw and Frank's next. I just love that Griffin loves his Tyty now (yes it took time ha!)

Griffin all smiles with his dirty Santa gift

with susu and vdiddy

Mamaw with all her grandkids and great grandson

Mamaw and her kids-Dad, Debbie and Ray

Friday morning we had a mini vacation within our Thanksgiving vacation. Susu and VDiddy took us to Gatlinburg! It was a wonderful getaway!

This picture says it all for what Griffin thinks of Mason right now.. bless his heart I think all the hair scares him :)

I sure do love my handsome bro! We enjoyed some FABULOUS karmel korn..YUM!

The big Auburn/Alabama game was on so we all got to watch it together. So glad the Tigers pulled it off! Dad is a HUGE fan :)

After a delicious dinner at the Peddler, we came back to let Griffin swim. It is amazing how much more he can do since even this summer.

cheeses with Diddy

Saturday on our way back to NC, we stopped at the boot store. JR and I received new boots as our Christmas gift from Sue and Dad. We LOVE them!

And Griffin enjoyed trying them on too :)

As usual our trip was not long enough but we were so thankful to get to spend time with our family! LOVE you guys!

Thankful!

As Thanksgiving approaches in just a few days, I cant help but simply just be thankful! I do try to reflect on everything God has given me every day but since this is "thanks"giving I thought I would take the time to express them now.

First and foremost, I am so thankful for my relationship with Jesus Christ! My goodness, where would I be without His grace, love and mercy?!? He is so good to me and I dont deserve any of it. I realize all good things come from Him and so in order to be thankful for everything else in my life I must first realize the source of all things that I am thankful for. He constantly pursues me and loves me despite my constant failures and is my one true hope. Thank you Jesus for loving me.. I am so thankful!

I have been extremely blessed with an amazing husband and best friend. He truly loves me the best way he knows how and constantly points me to Jesus. I am thankful for his leadership in our home, the excellent father he is and that he tells me I am beautiful still every single day. I love you JR. Thank you for loving me... I am so thankful!

One of the greatest gifts I have ever been given is being a mom. I can truly say I know that God made everything inside of me to want to be a mom and I simply love it. There are still days when I look at Griffin and think, Wow I am really a mom! He is such a blessing, brings me so much joy and I cant imagine my life without him. And now the thought of getting to experience that all over again by having Carter makes my heart leap! I love you boys and LOVE being your Mommy... I am so thankful!

My extended family means the world to me as well. It is very difficult being so far away from them but I am so thankful that we can remain close despite the distance. Every time we get to spend together is now so much more sweeter and I dont take it for granted as I used to. I am thankful that my family is close and even though we each have things that are different, we love unreservedly. I am one lucky girl to have such a great family... I am so thankful!

Friends are another great joy of my life! It is always a joke that I can never have too many, and its true! I am lucky enough to still have friends from elementary school, high school, college, seminary and now adult life! Each one of you bring my heart happiness and.. I am so thankful!

This past year has seemed a bit of a whirlwind with JR graduating, interviewing and then getting the job at Bethesda. We truly had no idea what we were getting ourselves in to and through the transition of now becoming a pastor and family, I am so thankful for our church. It is not just a job, but a family! We have been taken in just as many of the members own family and I am so grateful. They have loved us as we have tried to learn the ropes this first 7 months and it is their support that has been so welcoming! We have no doubts that this is exactly where God would have us to be and... I am so thankful!

And although this may seem small... to me it is one of the greatest things- that I get to stay at home and raise my boys! I am SO grateful that JR works so hard to support our family and they we made the decision for me to stay at home. To have Griffin crawl in my lap in the mornings to read a book, to have the time to sit and teach him things, to sing silly songs in the car on the way to the store, to go on walks every day together and take in God's creation... oh I love love love these moments! Yes we do sacrifice many things but to me this is the greatest (and might I say, sometimes hardest) job in the world! I am so thankful!

Crazy 28th week!

We are now just 77 days away from meeting our little man Carter! We had our 28 week appointment today and the doctor said everything looks good and to plan on meeting him on FEBRUARY 7th!!! The planner in me LOVES the idea of knowing when he will be here.. or at least that he will be here no later than that!

I did have my craziest week of pregnancy this week, starting off with not getting very much sleep due to Carter's constant movement and hiccups at the bedtime hour. I saw 2am several times and that is RARE! I also experienced my first Braxton Hicks contractions on Thursday and again Friday. I ended up calling the doctor Thursday because they lasted 2 hours but he wasnt concerned. So thankful to have gotten the glucose test over today as well. Why in the world do they make you fast and then take so much blood? Gosh I thought I was going to pass out ha! 15 pounds gained and feeling HUGE. Looks like its time to slow down this last trimester :)

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. He's also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

Putting up the Christmas tree!

This year was so fun putting up the tree since Griffin actually knew what was going on and could help! He was so proud of the tree once we finished :) If only he hadnt thought all the ornaments were balls and broke several of them in the process ha!

Here is our new family ornament... 4 snowmen!

and our new Pottery Barn stockings for the boys! Makes it so much more real to know we are having another seeing it hanging there!

So amazed by the lights!

We all 4 slept under the tree, as it is our family tradition. Even though it wasnt the best nights sleep, I do enjoy these little moments we have together as a family!

2 tired boys after all the hard work

Play day with Lottie

For Veterans Day, Griffin and I got to hang out with this sweet girl while her parents were at work!

Griffin was very intrigued by having another baby in the house and had to be right in the middle of everything she was doing... hence why he is on the table while I am feeding her lunch :)

the bumbo made a return!

I got really brave and decided to take them for a stroll to the playground. Have I mentioned that this stroller is more like an 18 wheeler?!? and SO heavy! whew ha!

Lottie loved watching the kids play

I was rather sad to look over at my little boy and now realize he is BIG!

Happy Birthday Stacey!

Happy birthday Stacey! We had a special time with friends to celebrate her big 2-1!!

Her loving fiance was the party planner

and by this look on her face, I think she was surprised :)

Griffin loves his Stacey! It was so sweet because she was the first person he ever actually said, "happy birthday" to!

the girls and Carter

with our balloons of love :)

I love watching Griffin with his Uncle Jake. He just takes in whatever they are doing.. here they are searching for animals on the computer.

Griffin has taken is master cheese to a whole new level here :)