Christmas, then and now

Carter, Christmas 2006
11 months old


Carter, Christmas 2007
1 year, 11 months old




Carter, Christmas 2008, 2 years 11months old
Cannon's first Christmas!

Cannon, Christmas 2009
13 months old

Carter, Christmas 2009
3 years 11 months old

Carter takes on Open Mic Night

Carter made his solo debut on stage tonight at the Fuel Coffee House. His Mom Carter is a regular there and Dana from Fuel asked me if Carter would like to sing a Christmas song at open mic night. I asked Carter about it later and he enthusiastically accepted the opportunity.

He decided to sing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

Performances make me a little nervous. Anyone remember the mad fish?

We were reassured that his stage fright may have passed when he sang with a group twice in front of our church and did great! This was a solo performance though and I just wasn't sure...

He also made this impromptu performance on stage, but that wasn't in front of a large group of people.

Carter rehearsing his song

When I asked him if he wanted to practice his song beforehand, he requested to go up and rehearse on stage with the microphone, so we did. He acted like an old pro and even asked if he could have the guitar. Dana was so sweet and walked him through what would happen.

So tonight was the big night. Carter was excited about his "repormance" all day. He couldn't wait for his turn to sing. Once on stage, he was a little hesitant at first, but the crowd cheered him on and he sang the whole song with confidence and somewhat in tune! Justin stayed up there with him to show some extra support. We are so proud of our sweet, friendly little guy...and he's a pretty good singer too!

Way to go Carter!

Fun with P-Dub

So most of you know that I am an avid follower of the Pioneer Woman blog, authored by Ree Drummond a self-proclaimed desperate housewife whose life was dramatically transformed (for the better) when she traded in the city life for life in the country. Being that I had made a similar move about the time I discovered her blog, I became hooked.

After the kids go to bed, I kick back and visit her blog to read about her family, see what her basset hound has been up to, follow her step-by-step recipes, read photography tips for when I get a fancy camera, enter her contests (and lose) and read about what pictures she decided to hang on the wall of "the lodge."

Her writing style is refreshingly honest and makes me laugh out loud.

And most of you who know me have heard me talk ramble about her. I shared her site with my friend Jill, whom I went to elementary, jr. high, and high school with, and she got hooked on her too.

She recently launched a fabulous cookbook and set a date in Austin for a book signing. Thus began our plans to escape for a girls trip....my first girls trip since girls trips became important...after having kids.

Jill standing outside the bookstore with Pioneer Woman's cookbook.

I got there early so I could wait in line to get a wristband, which would get us in line for the book signing. Often, I am not THAT person who is in the right place in the right time. Except one time in college when I won big at slots twice in a row. So I was thrilled when I was second in line to get a wristband. That may not sound too exciting to most, but it was a sweet victory in my book.

Originally, she was to speak at 7 and sign books afterward. But, she arrived early and some of us were able to have her sign books at 6...again, another victory for Jill and I.

I'm easily amused.

I was so excited to meet her. Since I read her blog daily and she shares all sorts of tidbits about her daily life, I felt like we were old friends (in a I read about your family every day and you have no idea who I am kind of way).

Of course, I chatted it up with her. I told her we were having a fun girls night out and that we had left our cute children at home to spare her hormones (if you read her blog you will know what I mean by that.) She wasn't rushed, despite the fact that there were about 400 people eagerly awaiting to meet her.

She asked where I was from and when I told her the name of the town and the population and that we had moved from the big city, she said, "Oh, you're like me!"

Yeah, we're buds.

:)

Can I come hang out with you?

I didn't say that, I promise.
So Jill and I had a great time. Not only hanging out with our new friend Ree (for like 3 minutes), but catching up on the last 5 years since we graduated high school. Or maybe it was just 10....

Wait, nevermind.

Sweet & Grumpy

The kids are either happy and sweet...or they're not.

Sweet

Grumpy

Sweet

Grumpy


Sweet


And they're done...

1 year, 1 month

I thought I would take this opportunity to update Cannon's latest milestones and post the rest of his birthday pictures since I said I would get those up about a month ago. Cannon has been keeping us busy, in fact, he has been practicing his walking skills - up to 8 steps in a row! He has seemed frustrated lately so I am eager for him to master his walking skills although I will miss his "enthusiastic" crawl.

He has added a few more words to his vocabulary: jacket (ka-ket), Carter (ca-da), & kisses (sis-sis). He climbs on EVERYTHING and has even figured out how to pull the pillows off the couch onto the floor so he can use them to get onto the couch or the ottoman. He loves to drink his Yo-Baby drinkable yogurt when he wakes up from his nap and cries (quite dramatically) when it is all gone. One day I gave in and poured some more into his sippy cup and lets just say that was too much yogurt.

We haven't really found a food that he doesn't like. Often, he eats more than Carter. He still loves to say and eat crackers (cra--KER). He will crawl over to the area of the kitchen where I keep the crackers and request them. He also seems to understand much more and follow commands, sitting down, handing something over, and sometimes he will even stop playing in Murphy's food and water when asked, but that is a tough one.

He loves to giggle and growl (yes growl) and is still laid-back and happy - but is showing some signs of spunk. Before he would just cry when Carter would interfere with something he was doing, but now Cannon will put up a fight. Sometimes he will throw a fit when something is taken away from him...we can't help but laugh because the seem very similar to fits thrown by a certain 3 (almost 4) year old in the house.

Now, a few more birthday pictures (my favorite is the last one)