weekend recap

This weekend was not as "falley" as I had planned.  Meaning the husband airrate the yard and his families yard and the boys and I hung out.  So, I practiced my pics on Gabe once again,  Sam escaped the chance by going with my dad to the Italian Festival, lucky boy.  But I am looking forward to picking apples, getting pumpkins, wearing long sleeves, and of course thinking about Christmas. :) Yes, I am one of those crazy people who just love it!

it's fall ya'll

I admit when I title things, I have no idea where to put the 's and such.  I liked history much better in high school.  If you are friends on Facebook, skip the obnoxiousness bc you have seen these- but for the people who don't refuse check their Facebook accounts (Dad, Lewis, Mr. Wyland, Papa) then here are some pictures that I took just for fun with stuff around the house and Gabe.  Sam refuses to sit for pictures unless he is doing something like hanging upside down or half clothed.  Must have gotten that from Jarrett. :)  I need a wink emoticon...

And the cowboy did let me take a few pictures, the cowboy with Christmas pj's and rain boots.  He is a serious western guy.

{this guy}

I am not a sappy person, don't like chick flicks all that much and its takes all I can to just write one or two lines before I sign a birthday card.  I want to be good with words, but they just don't come to me...imagine all the papers I wrote in college and grad school...not a fun time!  And I have been wanting to do a post for a while about this person, but I am having a hard time putting words together to explain my feelings for this guy.  And, when you know you have something good, you don't want to brag about it, but at the same time you want to share how important something is to you.  So, I am gonna do it!

Jarrett and I had a quick meeting-love-married story.  We met in January, engaged in July, and married in December.  So in 11 months we went from strangers to life long partners.  I never thought twice about it and can't imagine anyone else to share my craziness with!

This guy is quiet when you first meet him and you think he is shy...he isn't.

This guy loves his entire family and tells them outloud on the phone.

This guy's best friend (aside from me) is his brother.  But they seem to talk on the phone more that we do!

This guy had more tears in his eyes when our babies were born than I did ( I was just glad they were out- lol).

This guy stopped drinking like a fish and smoking because he knew that there was more to life then that.

This guy will get mad, yell loud, and then clean the whole house because he feels so bad that he raised his voice.

This guy will help anyone who asks him, no matter what the chore is.  His heart is helpful and teaches me that I should be more like that.

This guy puts up with me- he knows me when I am not at my best, which hasn't been in a LONG time, it seems.  He knows when I get frantic about the house and the "junk" in it, and how I put silly little "have to do it this freaking minute" on the top of the list when it could wait 6 months to do it.

This guy says I am pretty when we know darn well I am not in Old Navy Pj's bc that is the only thing that fits since I decided to eat like the grocery stores are closing...for good.

This guy gets everything off my Christmas list even though our anniversary and my birthday are a week away.

This guy gave up stuff and spending money so I could stay at home with our boys.

This guy loves the Lord and I see it in him each day and he isn't afraid to share what reading the Bible has done for him.

This guy wants a house full of kids, me...not so much- like the idea, but not the work!

This guy will forgive me over and over for things I know I shouldn't do- like charge things, get expensive hair cuts, go to Target alone (=trouble),  forget to cook dinner because my day was just so busy when really Pinterest  time just got away from me while the boys napped, and leave the gas light on and drive ALL the way home with it on. :)

This guy tries to make me laugh when its the last thing I want to do, when I am grumpy, sad, etc...and he does have the best sense of humor around in my opinion.

I could keep going but you get the point.  I see some couples who just make each other work better and I hope that one day people can see that in us.  So there is my brag on my man.....

And here is our song that we say describes us- not all the lyrics, but just makes us laugh more than anything :)

the boys

I have been practicing taking pictures of the boys so maybe one day I can do it for other people and not be totally intimidated by photography.  I love taking pictures, and some are better than others.  Sam rolls his eyes at this point- he wanted to take a nap today instead of taking pics if that says anything.  :)  I just love that I can document how my boys are growing and I totally stink at taking videos so this will have to do!  :)

back to routine

I am a girl of routine, but once I am in one, I think "I want a break!"  I definitely have that "grass is greener" mentality about stuff.  Sam went back to school this week and I was so proud of him.  He went right into his classroom and was so glad to go to school.  The second day, he even let me go into the carpool lane to drop him off.  When did he get to be so big?  He goes 3 days a week now and really needs school- not to learn things, but to socialize and have some structure and play in his day- more than I do! :)  So we got back into a routine, bedtimes, bath, dinner-hopefully at the dinner table.  :) 

The little guy sporting his 2 new teeth and his sitting in a booster!

Playdough and Puffs before dinner

First day of preschool

He picked out and insisted on the bow tie- a classy guy!

This is how most pics are- Gabe in motion!

john gabriel {9 months}

I wrote Gabe's whole name in the post title, because I think that I have written it only a handful of times and quite frankly, we forget that we named him that!  I don't think I ever shared why we named him that so......when we were deciding Sam's name, I loved Sam for quite some time.  Jarrett like Gabriel and for a while his name was going to be Gabriel Reed but I just wasn't feeling it.  Then we read a scripture that totally answered that we should name him Samuel.  So then with Gabe we had a few simple boy names.  Luke has always been a favorite but our last name kinda ruins that bc of the celeb named Luke Wilson....I digress....so with Gabe, we wanted something meaningful, but more than that something we both loved.  John Henry was Jarrett's great grandpa and he was a God fearing man, who loved God and showed that to others.  So, we thought John was a strong name and then paired it with Gabriel bc I felt that Jarrett should have a say in his son's name too!  We had more names that we feel if we ever have another boy we would love to use.  Lucas and Ben were next on the list, but with time I am sure that will change and who knows what our next child will be (if there is one)- but the thought of 3 boys makes me very tired and warms my heart at the same time.

Onward!  Gabe is 9 months and he is changing so quickly- love this little guy!

Dear Gabe,

9 months already?  You are ready to start moving.  Scooting all around is your favorite thing to do.  You got your first tooth at the beach and I think that more will come in soon.  You can almost get on your knees and crawl, but not yet- and I am ok with that.  You are a fan of eating food but we haven't tried table food yet- you still choke on puffs!  You finally give us belly laughs, but your brother is your favorite person and you will laugh for him in a second.   I am getting ideas for your first birthday party, but we aren't gonna talk about that yet...it makes your mama sad.

I love you little buddy!
-mama

the beach pt 1, 2 & 3

I intended to write about our little beach trip in little segments, because who really wants to see all the pictures I took dumped all into one post...but get ready cause I am!!! lol

We went to Myrtle Beach for our second year in a row and our third family vacation.  It's fun because we are starting some traditions of our own like where we get ice-cream and getting an ornament for our Christmas tree, simple things, but I am sure we will look back on them as wonderful little things. :)

And, now to the beach in a nutshell.  First, going with kids is work.  Work in like packing tons of stuff, then unpacking and then packing....see where I am going with this?  Dinner has to be somewhere fast, like a buffet which is a dream to Jarrett, but I of course picture us in a little beach place on the deck with the wind blowing...and it was more like "gabriel...if you drop that toy one more time... and sam, please sit and eat, keep your shoes on, stop talking so loud"...oh my!

But we had a great time, it was so nice to just enjoy the day and to enjoy each other.  Jarrett has been working some long hours this summer, and while we are so grateful for work and that he can provide for all of us, I sometimes need my man at home with me before I really do run away! :) PS- same pics that I put on facebook- sorry for the repeat! :)

Not sure what he was thinking but its cute!

beach baby nap

And this is how about 20 of my pictures looked- oh gabe! haha

My sweet beach baby

Having a float race

Papa would take Sam diggin in the morning- those boys are early risers!

Early morning beach walk

Brothers are so funny!

I have no idea why Sam looks like he is wearing lipstick! haha

This boy had to have his towel just right.

Reading a little with daddy

Matching jammies!

Sitting on the beach in our pj's!

The best take I could get!