The Christmas WhirlWind!!

I can't believe Christmas has already came and gone! But what a fantastic time it was this year! I loved every minute of last week and am so blessed to have such wonderful family to spend my time with!
Here is how our week played out...
This year, I wanted Cooper and Saydie to spend the night (seperately of course) with us, and do fun things like making candy, brownies and crafts!
Cooper came first, last week on the 23rd...he spent the night all night (first time ever) and slept right between Shannon and I! We had a blast! Here are some pics from his visit...
We made Nanny's "Potato Candy" and it was fabulous...taste wise, we are still learning how Nanny got these little things to look good AND taste good!




Then it was Christmas Eve! How exciting!! We went to church at Oak City and it was a wonderful service with Christmas music and the Lord's Supper. We then went to Aunt Carolyn's house for Dad's side of the family Christmas...




After dinner and a fun night at Aunt Carolyn's we spent the night with Nana & Papaw, it's our new tradition that we started last year...we love to watch the kids (Cooper & Saydie) open their Santa presents too, so we have to be down there really early AND we don't have a chimney for Santa to get down, so we HAVE to stay at Nana's house...right?
Christmas Morning...




Then, last night (the 28th) Saydie had her night with us! Jack had a rough night the night before at Cici's house, so he came home too and was really good to let me play with Saydie and enjoy our 'girl time'. While Jack napped, we played "Libby Lu" and I fixed her hair and added just a 'tad' of make up! She is beautiful without it though!
She and I made Peanut Butter Brownies! FROM SCRATCH!!! I loved them, she liked making them but didn't like the way they tasted...oh well, we had fun anyway!





We hope everyone had a beautiful Christmas, just as we did and we hope you have a Happy New Year!!

This is what we've been doing...

On Monday, we had a playdate with Baylor (Carrie's little boy) at Sprout Studio...it was fun but I think the Mommy's decided it may not be quiet worth the $12 to play for a few hours when we have all the toys they have at our homes...without all the germs. BUT it was a neat little place and probably a lot better for the older kids...
This is Baylor, Jack's buddy!

The boys trying to escape the "2 year old and under" play area!


On Tuesday, we went to my friend Mary Beth's house to play with her little boy, Thomas (who's 3) and to show her how to 'blog'. However, I figured out that I am not too much of a 'pro'...I'm more of a "figure it out each time I do it" type of girl...
Go visit her page by clicking...The Etherton's

And then today...eshh...the dreaded Dr's Check Up. You know, I now know why we as adults hate to go to the dr...every time poor Jack is in there, he is poked or proded with someting and today was no different. Don't get me wrong, I love the dr's there because they saved his life at 5 weeks, however the 3 shots he got today about killed us all! It is SO stressful for Mommy, Daddy and Jack. He was sweating before they did anything to him AND to beat it all, he had 2 of the 3 shots in his arm!! I just don't think it's very nice because his little arms are so small! Essh, oh well...he handled it like a trooper and was over it about 3 minutes after the nurse walked out of the room...he was so good...he had to have a prize from Wal-Mart! :)

Which brings me to what we were doing at Wal-Mart, it is a known fact how much I really dislike this place, however when you are buying for 23 kids all under the age of 13...it's the place to be! Shannon's store is having their Christmas party Friday and we decided to take some of the money corporate gave them out for toys! What is better than that?!?! We did good, Shannon and I bought all boys and girls presents in less than an hour WITH Jack in the buggy...he was a champ!

Then we went to watch my BEAUTIFUL Saydie dance her little heart out tonight at dance class. Tell me she isn't the most adorable thing in the world? God definitly blessed my Sis and I with beautiful children!!

Oh Yes...she's already a S-T-A-R!!




Shake it GIRL!

Jack the Shepard!

This past Sunday, Jack was a Shepard at Oak City Baptist Church in their children's Christmas special! He was so good and loved every minute of the attention!! I made a slideshow to share and added an adorable Christmas song by Jack Johnson, so make sure you turn up your volume!
P.S. Cooper & Saydie were in the older kid's Chrismtas musical, but I didn't get good pictures of them...my camera wasn't working too good during their part so I hope their Mommy did!

Happy Birthday Mandi...

So, today...my little family and I ventured to Kingsport for a SURPRISE 30th Birthday party for our wonderful friend Mandi.(Go visit her page...she has great ideas...Mandi Shandi's ) She was totally surprised and came in before I was ready with my camera, so I didn't have the "action" shot I was wanting of her face, but it was well worth it to be there to see the shock and happiness in person!
Happy Birthday Mandi and I hope you had a fantastic day!

Jack was a little wore out at this point...

Mandi and her boys, Walker & Connor blowing out her candles!

As I WAIT imPatiently for the UPS Woman...

For her to bring Jack's Christmas cards so I can get them out and in the mail...I thought I would post some pictures of my beautiful Christmas Angel...he is my pride and joy, as if you didn't already know and I just had to show him off some more.
I am done with school (thank goodness) until January 6th, 2009! I have only one more full semester, then some summer school to finish up my Master's and then I will **hopefully** be student teaching in the fall!! I am so excited and so ready to start teaching!! I know this is what I am supposed to do, just wished I would've done it years ago! Oh well, we live and learn...and I have had the opprotunity to stay home with my little man!!

On to the pictures! Enjoy!!

Christmas Time at the Hamilton's!!

So we FINALLY put up our tree! I have been dying to get it up and get the house decorated...I wanted to do it before we went to South Carolina for Thanksgiving, but we didn't...however it's up now and that's all that matters!

We had a great Thanksgiving and ate way too much...and I can't believe it has already come and gone, but oh well...IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME!!

I haven't bought the first gift and wish I were crafty like my friend Mandi so I could make things, but I just don't think it's possible without being able to sew on a button! :)

Here are some pictures of our decorations...oh and I guess I should explain why out tree is in the dinning room, huh? Well, I know my son, he is so adventurous and into everything, so I knew the tree wouldn't last more than a day, so we put it in the dinning room...took the leaf out of the table, made it small and round (and it's cute that way I must add!) and then put it on the other side...which is bothering me because it isn't centered with my chandelier now! Oh well, next year, the tree will be back in his designated spot in the living room...hopefully! Oh and as you can see in the first picture, our stockings had to be hung on the china cabinet...they were pulled down first 5 minutes on the mantle!

Cooper and Saydie

Go to my "Photography Site" and look at the pictures I just took of my beautiful niece and nephew! They did a great job "modeling" for Gigi (that's what they call me!)...

They are so wonderful and fun...I had a great time, thanks guys! Gigi loves you!

Late Night Thought...

I am in school again, I think I can be the 'forever student' your teachers and parents warned you about...however I am loving learning about being a teacher. Having Jack completely changed my views of the world and what I "wanted to do when I grow up" thoughts...having a child, made me 'grow up' in some ways... :)
Anyway, I feel so blessed to be able to go back to school with the support of my wonderful husband, son and family. I couldn't do it without them. In one of our Saturday classes, our teacher, Dr. Best told us about this poem/saying and I cried. (So if you don't want to read the rest of this...go to the poem! It's worth it, I promise!)
Anyway, I know this was for a classroom, but being a Mother, I know that I make the weather in my home. If I am feeling yucky, or just out of it, it reflects on my face, my attitude and even in my communication skills...I think that many times, I take for granted the time I have with Jack and may not always be the "best Mom", but I'm trying. I try everyday to tell my son and husband how much I love them and show them. I know this is a random/all-over-the-place blog, but I just wanted to share how this little saying affected me. Even if you don't have a family or interact with children on a daily basis, remember you could be the only smile that someone may see in their day. Remember YOU make the weather.

I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or deescalated and a child humanized or dehumanized. -H. Ginott

So we thought...

Going to see Santa this year would be fun, boy were we WRONG! Poor little Jack was scared to death, he was ok until it was our turn...

I carried him to Santa, thinking I would just plop him down on his lap and have his picture taken and I was so dead wrong! I got about 3 feet from Santa and Jack's legs gripped around me so tight and he started freaking out! I didn't know his legs were that strong...so I slowed down, and Santa said "this is probably going to be a Mommy and baby picture"...I was thinking I don't have on anything good! (Silly I know) So we walked a little closer and Jack climed across me to the complete other side while going "uh, uh, ugh, ugh," louder as we got closer...so Santa said to just put him on the other side and sit on his knee...

This was scary for me because this was a really good old Santa (at Bass Pro) and I was afraid I'd break his leg! So I "hovered"...like we do in public bathrooms, it was an exhausting 2 minutes!

Anyway, we did get a picture, but I haven't scanned it in yet, these are the one's my friend Lorie took...too bad we didn't have the video camera!

We are going to try one more time this year with his cousins in a week or so! Maybe he will be "brave" with his "Bubba" Cooper and Saydie...we'll see.

Daddy and Jack waiting to see the "Big Man"

I know it's blurry, but you get the point...see him pushing away from me!?!

Almost ready to take the picture...but still scared to death!

Smile Big...even when scared!

BYE Santa!

Who doesn't love a Give-Away?

Ok, if you are a blogger or just like lurking around, go to my friend's BLOG Jessica Leigh Photography Blog for her AWESOME idea and give-away!
Follow the directions and you could be the BIG winner!!

06-06-09

On June 6Th next year, this beautiful couple will get married!

They are such great friends of ours, so we decided to try and let me take their pictures yesterday!

Let me know what you think!

It was my first time photographing anyone but my family. I going back to school to be a teacher, but I love taking pictures and capturing those special moments between people! AND the abililty to be creative for a few hours! Fun Fun!

I really enjoyed it and hope they loved their pictures!

(I took over 280 pictures, sent them 121, so I made this collage...)

Click Here for my "photography" website for their collage:

http://jenniferhamiltonphotography.shutterfly.com/mandyanddrewengagementsession

Do you Wordle?

Ok, so I found this on someone's page and I absolutely fell in love with this idea! I just put in a few words to make an example but you can put in a poem, verse, song...anything...just try it...
http://www.wordle.net/

Yoda and the Raccoon

So, I procrastinated again and didn't buy Jack a Halloween costume until the Wednesday before~this isn't like me with things for Jack...but I did it. I admit it and it was all ok! :)

This year, he was Yoda and a Raccoon...We had a great Halloween and went to Nana and Papaw's to trick-or-treat and eat dinner! It is always the best time to be around all our family. Here are some pictures.

Last year...he was a goldfish and I loved it!

Jack the Goldfish 2007

Jack the Raccoon 2008

Time to go Trick-Or-Treating!

Jack as Yoda 2008