Here, There and Everywhere-First Leg

It's been a very busy July. I counted it up and since July 2nd we've covered about 12-hundred miles. We went in just about every direction and I packed and unpacked and packed again.

Soooo anywho..... since I'm your personal tour guide for this little story... I invite you to buckle up, grab a snack and by all means... keep your hands to yourself.

First, I want everybody to wave HI to my family. I've been part of this group officially for 10 years and I am very lucky girl.

So the first leg of our journey took us home... that would be three hours east. We spent the fourth with family. Lots of family. Reunion family and lots of fun.

I could tell you about the fishing, the fish fry, the raffle in which I WON a very cool handmade quilt or the egg toss which ended like this.

Instead I'll to tell you how this family reunion set an unofficial world record. I took part in the world's longest hayride. You wanna guess how long my family set on hay? Not 1. Not 2. Not 3... BUT FOUR HOURS!!!

Thankfully, we were in the mountains and covered by shade most the time. Thankfully, I had snacks in my bag. Thankfully, Jake fell asleep. Thankfully, I am not still on that wagon. (can I get an Amen?)

On this leg of our tour I learned a new lesson. Getting cousins together and trying to get their picture in matching t-shirts is not easy.

Take 1:

Take 2:

Take 3....ahh forget it!

I'm ending our tour today at one of Jake's favorite stops. The pool.

Soak up his cuteness and get ready for out next stop. We're heading west!!

Back At It

I am simply one of the most blessed women you will ever meet. I admit, I don't realize it all the time... but I truly am.

God provides little surprises and treats for me all the time. Actually, many of the treats are huge. I mean.. Ephesians 3:20 type of stuff. You know...exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.

When Jake went to school I wondered what would I do? Duh! Nothing!

Of course it would be great to spend the free days reading, shopping.... but in this house... it ain't happening. (I say that to mean we are normal...we're on a budget folks!)

So what did the Lord do? He provided like he always does. He provided a friend, who provided a job...which is absolutely perfect for me !

I now spend a couple days a week working as the studio manager for Mandy Johnson Photography.

Her work is unbelieveable... her heart even better.

I mean just take a look at these pictures...

>

AND OF COURSE SHE DID THIS ONE.....

Mandy's on my mind today because she had surgery. I'm wish'n her well White House style.

Go check out her website and blog if you need a happy place for a moment.

It's brand spankn' new. Click here: mandyjohnsonphotography.com

So I love me some pictures. Good pictures. ( and hers aren't cheap) So I have to let you know that she's got a great deal right now. She's offering fall mini-session for $125. (that's like half off) If your interested just email me at jennyann.white@gmail.com and I'll tell you more about it. (can you tell I just wrote a newsletter for her.. I'm all informationed up)

Hope everyone has a great 4th!

p.s. If you go to her website check out that home video. Oh my! priceless!

The Many Sides of Jake

Calculating... hmmmm.....

Curious??

Sillly... Blaaaaa

My favorite though... he's all mine. (every sweet inch)

Vacation- The Finale

So I showed you the water fun, here's some pictures that could be filed away under " cute".

We took a few pics on the beach one night. Did NOT go well.

Example A:

But we did get a good one with Aunt Meg.

We took in an outdoor movie one night. Jake had a blast just running around.

As usual he had to play in the dirt.

Then, it was time to party.

All he had to do was glance at another boy playing with these swords and "pops" swooped him up and went and got him one.

And for the finale. A new family tradition... a last day group shot.

Thanks mom and dad for a wonderful time!

Vacation 2010-1st Attempt

So many cute Jake pictures to show your from our family vacation.

First the facts... we went to the Gulf. Thankfully we didn't see any oil. I went down there with a little boy who was clingy in the water...and came back with this kid.

A doggy-paddlin-let-me-do-it-kicking-like-crazy-pool-water-drinker.

Very cute to watch! But we didn't bring the video camera.

We spent most our days at the pool. Playing like this...

and cheesing like that.

I also spent of alot of time telling a 2 year old to not drink the pool water and .."NO STICKERS IN THE POOL!!"

We did do one beach day. But between the heat, the seaweed and the sand, I was one and done.

Jake started out all smiles...

and ended up hot and tired.

So there ya go... but don't thing you've heard the end of it. Oh yes, more is to come.

Clear as Words

Wanna see something funny?

Here's what my boy thought of the new juice I got him.

Yep, without words...he told me it was garbage.

Camping With Jake

We had a few days off around the holiday and no where in particular to be so.....off we went with our tent.

There's a state park not far from our house. A perfect place to take our two-year old on a camping trip. If it all went bad, we were 30 minutes from the house.

Jake was so into it he wouldn't take a nap. I need to apologize to our neighbors for the crying background noise they roasted their marshmellows to. Yes, a little boy was over tired and had had a tough time gearing down for the night.

He had spent his day doing this:

And this:

And this:

He loved his little hike and walking stick so much that we did it all over again the next day!

One lesson I learned. When playing with your child in the woods... bright-colored clothes are a plus.

Another thing I learned, you can spend a lot of time putting rocks and leaves in a plastic bag and call it a "nature walk".

I love doing things like this. Making memories and getting away from all things electrical.

Next trip is just a week away and like everyone else headed south.... oil is top concern.

It will be fine. It will be fine. It will be fine. (yeah..talking myself into that one)