The Adventures of Jared and Josiah

Christmas Tree 2009

2009-12-06T00:45:00.000-05:00

Although I somehow neglected to take photos of the tree trimming, Jared and Josiah DID assist their very anal mother with decorating the tree! :)

Jared's Solar System

2009-11-28T11:41:00.000-05:00

Jared is currently obsessed with the planets and I have been letting him explore this newfound love of the solar system. He was pretty excited when I surprised him with this on the wall in his bedroom. :)

Gingerbread House

2009-11-26T00:35:00.000-05:00

MOSH with Mom

2009-11-14T00:23:00.000-05:00

Jacksonville Zoo 2009

2009-11-07T23:16:00.000-05:00

Spooktacular 2009

2009-10-30T22:51:00.000-04:00

Jared's Halloween at VPK 2009

2009-10-29T22:38:00.000-04:00

Megatron and his buddy Iron Man and an anonymous friend waited to go trick or treating...

Jared revealed his secret identity!

Jared and his friend, Rachel took a break from the festivities to pose!

Harry Potter showed up to join in!

And finally, the class headed off to trick or treat on the downtown FSCJ campus!

Halloween 2009 at Chappell

2009-10-27T20:58:00.002-04:00

Josiah dressed up as Thomas the Train this year for trick-or-treating on campus.

Whenever I can, I join in. I actually wore this conductor's hat to teach all my classes.

My grumpy lil' trick o' treater...

Josiah leading the pack!

All done! Back to eat my treats!

Experiments with Jared

2009-10-24T20:24:00.003-04:00

Jared LOVES his science experiments! :)

Fun in the Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-18T07:13:00.005-04:00

Jared was so thrilled to be the official pumpkin picker for the family!

This is the BEFORE photo when the boys visually protested being constrained for a photo!

Jared got back into the spirit quickly!

One of Josiah's favorite parts was scaling the various planks that the bales of hay rested upon.

Jared's goal was to find the biggest pumpkin they had!

While Jared searched for the perfect pumpkin, Josiah ran laps around the pumpkins!

Jared struggled to choose! There were so MANY perfect pumpkins!

Every chance Josiah could, he would run back to the picnic table. I think he was hoping they would serve lunch! :)

Here is the AFTER picture... the boys had SO much fun running up and down the aisles of pumpkins!

Jared really wanted to help carve out pumpkins (he was going to be a scooper) but he did NOT like the smell. Every time he tried, the poor child would gag!

He DID help me draw the plans for carving on the pumpkins!

We did it! Dalvin and I carved our first pumpkins (Dalvin's is on the left, mine is on the right)! Jared approved of our efforts-- after we implemented his recommendations of course!

All in all, the boys were pleased. It was a good day, full of pumpkin cheer!

Happy 2nd birthday, Josiah! :)

2009-10-03T02:30:00.007-04:00

Jared's 4th Birthday...

2009-10-03T02:14:00.006-04:00

Just a few extremely belated birthday pictures from Jared's party in July!

The Book Nook

2009-07-18T00:56:00.003-04:00

I recently created a booknook in the corner of Jared and Josiah's playroom-- it's nothing fancy, but they LOVE it. They ask to be read to every day and they spend time snuggled in the floor pillows turning the pages of whatever book catches their fancy. It's the best thing I have done in awhile! :)

Unadulterated Joy

2009-05-07T21:00:00.004-04:00

Josiah's Rendition of "No One"

2009-04-10T23:34:00.003-04:00

Jared's favorite song is "No One" by Alicia Keyes and because we listen to CDs primarily in the car, I am usually driving while singing.

Apparently Josiah is also tuned in while Mom is singing because here you see him imitating me while playing with the steering wheel at the park. This completely caught me off guard, and is so hilarious!

Dragon Hunting at the Zoo!

2009-03-09T12:57:00.013-04:00

This past Sunday, we had a family trip to the zoo. It was a gorgeous day and our zoo was having the premiere of the new Asian Bamboo Garden and the Komodo Dragon Exhibit. We haven't been able to schedule a family excursion in a minute, so this was the perfect opportunity. And to make it even more special, we were able to join Michelle's clan for dragon-hunting adventures!

The zoo was divided up into sections, many of which were based on continents and the animals that inhabit those areas. The first area (and the one where we spent the most time) was Africa.

Jared was very serious for most of the day, I felt like he was collecting data for a research paper!

I was really surprised at Josiah's fascination with the animals. He would eagerly point out animals that I hadn't seen or that he wanted to get a better view of!

Here is Jared peeking over the fence to catch a glimpse of the warthog!

Jared and Daddy posed for a picture in "Africa"...

Josiah spent the first half of the zoo trip eating his hamburger and pointing at various exhibits as though to ask-- "Did you see this one yet, Mom?"

One of the funniest things about the day was that Josiah wanted to tickle all the animals... Dalvin would pick him up the give him a better view and he would reach out saying, "Tickle, tickle!"

For some reason I love this picture of Dalvin and Jared...

Josiah excitedly pointed out the anteater to me!

Mommy and Jared paused to snuggle by the elephants!

After being trapped in the stroller for most of the day, Josiah was gleeful at being free! He is a little escape artist!

Dalvin showed Jared and Josiah the enormous koi (and various other fish) in the pond...

The kids are excitedly examining the big fish in this exhibit-- and as usual, I got a great shot of the back of their heads!

I cannot BELIEVE that Gabriel is taller than his mom!

As was the norm for the day, I took a lovely shot of the kids enjoying the Asian Bamboo garden.

The kids made a pitiful (and relatively unsuccessful) attempt to let me photograph their faces for once!

The kids watched the komodo dragons from a special kids-only viewing window-- and I watched them!

The KOMODO DRAGON!

Jared and Josiah peered in at one of the komodo dragons...

Gabriel, Logan and Eden found a komodo dragon they could climb on. :)

Jared was obsessed with the zoo map and spent the second half of the zoo trip asking me to identify the symbols on the map and show him which way we were going on the map...

Jared REALLY wanted to pose for this picture with Eden, but he couldn't stop looking at the map even long enough to smile for the camera! Too busy navigating!

After a long day at the zoo, both boys fell asleep in the car on the way home... Jared continued his nap on the couch...

Josiah continued his nap in the bed... what a wonderful day!

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Learning to Write J-A-R-E-D

2009-01-11T22:13:00.004-05:00

Jared has been begging me to teach him to write lately, so I bought him a whiteboard to practice on. It has a page for tracing letters, one for shapes, etc. Tonight he asked if he could learn to write his name. He can already spell it and has randomly practiced his letters at different points, but this was the first time I wrote his name and asked him to copy it.

"I am running out of room!"

"Yay-- I did it!"

The final product... not bad for his first solo try!

Santa, Stockings, and More..

2008-12-31T23:53:00.003-05:00

Before bed on Christmas Eve, Jared helped me bake cookies for Santa Claus. He took responsibility for putting the milk and cookies out for Santa before bed.

Upon waking, the boys quickly discovered the gifts from Santa. Santa left Josiah a covered wagon for 2 (where he returned to eat his breakfast)!
As always, both boys indulge in each other's gifts!
Santa brought Jared a "kitchen"-- although he promptly corrected me and told me was his "restaurant"!
And again, both Jared and Josiah promptly began exploring all the features of the new "restaurant"!

After the discovery of their special gifts from Santa, Jared went in search of the Christmas stockings and found the remnants of Santa's midnight snack. He was shocked to see Santa had left one of his cookies unfinished!

As soon as Jared turned his back to get his stocking, Josiah resolved the problem of the remaining cookie! This Christmas was his first experience with chocolate chip cookies, and we can safely say he is a BIG FAN!

The boys finally sat down to open their stockings (from Mom and Dad). Josiah is still scarfing down the last of Santa's cookie!

I think their favorite stocking stuffers were the blinking Rudolph noses!

It was a blessed Christmas! I love my boys!!!

Christmas Tree 2008

2008-12-31T23:44:00.003-05:00

Every year I take a picture of the boys by the tree....

Jared's Letter to Santa

2008-12-31T23:02:00.006-05:00

So Jared composed a letter to Santa this year which I found sweet and hilarious. Here is his letter:

Dear Santa,
This year I would like to ask for:

1. Incredible Hulk skateboard
2. color pencils
3. pajamas
4. a Dora book for Josiah with his picture like I have
5. toy tape
6. flowers for Mom and Dad

Thank you,
Jared Devine

The next day I helped him mail the letter. :)

"Okay, Mom-- here goes! Are you sure Santa is going to get this letter in time?"

"Can't.... quite... reach!"

"Okay-- done! I hope you are right about the Postal System, Mom!"

AND for those who are interested-- this is what happened:

1. No skateboard this year! (Are you KIDDING me?)
2. He did get colored pencils from Mom and Dad.
3. He DID get Incredible Hulk pajamas from Mom and Dad.
4. Nini actually bought Jared this book (in which he plays a character), and she is likely to eventually get Josiah this book, so she overruled Santa.
5. Sadly, he did not get toy tape (tape to play with) but he DID get to help Mom wrap Christmas gifts for family.
6. Santa did NOT buy Mom and Dad flowers-- whats up with that, Santa?!

Santa brought the boys each one gift (as he does every year). Jared received a kitchen, which he says is a "restaurant, NOT a kitchen, Mommy!" Josiah received a wagon for 2.

More Christmas pictures to come...

The Devine Elves

2008-12-21T21:14:00.000-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Christmas Portraits 2008

2008-12-14T21:46:00.002-05:00

Jared and Josiah are excited about Christmas this year... okay, well maybe just Jared. At one, Josiah doesn't really have much idea whats going on... but he HAS enjoyed driving around to look at Christmas lights! :)

Spooktacular 2008!

2008-11-02T13:25:00.006-05:00

We decided to take the boys to Spooktacular at the Jax Zoo this year. Its a huge Halloween event with hundreds of carved pumpkins, an enchanted garden, a pirate's cove, and lots of trick or treat stations.

The boys look like cat burglars! :) I love when they hold hands in the car.

Here is a close up of Josiah in his ladybug costume!

And here is Jared in his bumblebee costume. Although he really liked being a bumblebee this year, I think it is the last year I get to dress him up in a baby-ish costume!

Finally, we arrived at Spooktacular-- I had to get one picture of the boys with hay and pumpkins! Naturally, I can never get both boys to look at the camera at one time. :)

The path to the Enchanted Forest was fairly long and lined with pumpkins. Here I am cozy with my boys! Jared was distracted by all the sights and ready to find his cousins!

Josiah LOVED walking around in his costume (and dancing to the DJ they had playing) but he usually liked to walk in the opposite direction, so Dalvin was often Josiah's mode of transport!

We finally found JR, Laurel and the kids at the entrance to Pumpkinville! I managed to get one shot of all the kids. :)

Sarah looked stunning and WAY too grown as Cleopatra! :)

Micah was a mighty Power Ranger!

Many of the animals were asleep, but there were a few available for viewing-- including this giraffe-- Jared's current favorite animal!

Here is Jared posing in front of another of the huge pumpkin displays! The carvings were so cool-- we may add pumpkin carving to our traditions NEXT year!

Our two little ladybugs, Josiah and Baby Hannah stopped for a hug and a kiss!

Another close up of Josiah...

And a similar close up of Jared...

Here's a family shot of Bro and his clan...

On our way out of the enchanted garden, we passed a troll! He was a very patient troll, because some of the kids were quite liberal with the insults!

Jared studied the map to see where we should go next! Off to the pirates cove we went!

Sarah and Jared were the first to enter the Pirate's Cove.

After a long night of checking out animals, fish, jaguars, trick or treat stations, a black light display, play areas, and dancing to old school tunes, we finally headed out! Spooktacular (and our Halloween with the boys) was a success! Happy Halloween to all!

Trick or Treat!

2008-11-02T11:17:00.007-05:00

On Halloween night we took the boys Trick or Treating in our neighborhood. Traci came up from Orlando with her daughter Taylor to join the boys. Our neighborhood is small, so it was a brief, but fun adventure!

The boys were eagerly awaiting the arrival of their friend, Taylor. They were dressed in their matching glow in the dark Halloween t-shirts to answer the door for early trick or treaters!

After tearing the playroom apart, the kids finally got dressed to go trick or treating! They were fast friends.

Josiah joined them for a photo, but he wasn't happy about it! He was ready to go for a walk!

At one of the houses, they had headstones that were set off by motion detectors, a crime scene and more. Jared had mixed feelings as he is not fond of the scary parts of the holiday!

Taylor and Jared had a blast ringing doorbells and exclaiming "trick or treat!" They didn't really care if anyone answered the door, although it was more fun when they were given handfuls of candy.

Apparently a flying witch had a little accident at one neighbor's home!

Josiah was just excited when we let him run around the cul-de-sacs!

All in all, Jared and Taylor had so much fun and declared that they were best friends. :)

Jared's First Day of School (June 2008)

2008-10-01T23:59:00.007-04:00

This summer Jared started preschool at the school on my campus... I have been so delayed in posting pictures lately, but I saved these pictures of his first day of school to eventually post.

When Jared started school, we were still living in Gainesville, so we had to wake him up earlier than usual to get him to school on time after a 2 hour commute! As you can see he was still very sleepy when Daddy carried him to the car.

He struggled to wake up for one farewell picture, but wasn't very successful! :)

Once we arrived on campus, Jared was very excited to carry his own lunchbox and wear his new backpack!
Before going to school, Jared wanted to stop in Mom's office. My office is about 2 minutes walking distance from Jared's school. Part of our daily ritual is to go on a campus walk when I pick him up every day-- ending back at my office where he has a snack while I wrap up my day and pack up for home.

He wasn't even 3 years old when he started school this summer, but he looks FIVE in this picture!

Jared wanted me to take a picture of his backpack. :)

This is the last stretch before arriving at Jared's school.

When we arrived at his school, he rushed right in and dropped his bags in the middle of the floor.

One of his teachers showed him his personal cubby-- where he keeps his backpack, a family photo and sheets and a pillowcase for naptime.

One of Jared's favorite corners of the classroom is the full kitchen. He has prepared many a pretend meal for me in that kitchen!

Here he is sitting down in his class for the first time!

Ms. Heidi is about to do Music Time with the kids.

Jared was still a bit unsure about this new environment! This was the last picture I took before leaving him for the day! I can't tell you how difficult this was for me at first. I took comfort in the fact that he seemed very comfortable and that I could peek in the glass windows at ANY time during my day to make sure he was okay!

When I went back to pick Jared up in the afternoon, he and his new friends had been outside playing and he was busy drinking a glass of water.
Jared loves his water! More please!

He was happy to see Mommy after a hard day at school! :)

Here Jared is showing me some of the toys on the "baby side" of the school. Jared is on the toddler side.

After leaving, he declared that he loved his first day of school and sometimes he still asks me to tell him the story of his first day of school.

He promptly turned to begin what would become a longstanding ritual-- our afternoon walk around our very pretty campus. We always chat about the day and often stop at the vending machine for an afternoon snack and some raspberry tea. I LOVE having him so close to me every day and he has a wonderful director at his school who gives me SUCH peace of mind!

Hanbok Pictures for Josiah's Tol

2008-09-28T22:07:00.005-04:00

Here are a few more pictures from Josiah's one year portraits... my boys are growing up way too fast!

Josiah is One!

2008-09-27T17:20:00.003-04:00

I know I am so behind in pics, but I thought I would post a few from Josiah's 1 year portraits...

Josiah is one-- here are a couple pics from his 1 year portraits.

Growing Boys...

2008-06-29T03:01:00.004-04:00

For both boys, I've done portraits at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months... after that it's a yearly thing... here is Josiah at 9 months and Jared at almost 3 years.

Family Fun Night

2008-06-29T02:26:00.002-04:00

A local gymnastics club hosts a family fun night once a month and we try to take the boys whenever we can... here they are at the recent one.

T-Ball

2008-06-29T01:51:00.006-04:00

Although Jared is only 2 (although he will be 3 in July), I thought it would be a neat experience to let him play t-ball in the YMCA league this summer. The league is for kids between 3 and 5 but they made an exception and let Jared play. It's really casual, so I figured it would be fine even though it's probably a little early for organized sports!

Even though his attention span isn't really long enough for a full game, he ended up having a great time. Here are a few pics of his first game.

Go Pirates! :)

"Dad, can you help me get my glove on?"

"Daddy, practice with me before the big game!"

A little pre-game pep talk!

"Okay-- I think I am ready now..."

"Mom, wish me luck! I am up at bat!"

"Wait.... NOW I am ready! GO PIRATES!"

"Okay, Dad! I know what to do now! Let me hit the ball! "

"Okay, Dad-- I am running as fast as I can! First base, here I come"

"Whew, I am tired! Can I get some Gatorade?"

"I am beat now! Can we go home?"

Father and Son

2008-05-27T03:52:00.001-04:00

Jared LOVES matching Daddy!

Sleeping Boys

2008-05-27T03:38:00.004-04:00

By the time I wake up every morning, I have 2 additional little beings in the bed with me... a few days ago I left the bed to go to the bathroom. When I left Josiah (almost 8 months old now) was between me and Dalvin and Jared (2 3/4 years old) was asleep at the foot of the bed. When I came back, Jared had squeezed into the small space between Josiah and Dalvin and this is what I came back to... so adorable! Josiah loves his big brother and doesn't mind being used as a cuddle pillow. :)

Jared Singing his ABCs

2008-03-31T19:05:00.004-04:00

Here is Jared singing his ABCs- he has been saying them for awhile but I finally managed to video him singing! :)

The Boys

2008-03-31T15:14:00.004-04:00

We had Josiah's 6 month portraits on Friday, and this was my favorite shot! :) The rest of the pictures are on slideshow at the top right of the blog.

To see bigger versions of all the pics in the slideshow, go here.

The Land

2008-03-27T16:56:00.008-04:00

After the Easter egg hunt, we all went for a walk on the land...

The first stop is almost always the pond, brimming with fish that the kids LOVE to feed! Papa built this deck, too.

As we ventured along the perimeter of the land, Jared kept stopping to explore...

Papa and Micah takin' a break...

I just love this picture of Jared!

Another one of Jareds pit stops; all he wanted to do was draw pictures! Yes, that is everyone else off in the distance!

Jared walking back to the swings trailing another stick... he was quite the loner for the walk...

Papa always takes the kids to see the chickens....

and the puppies...
And back to the swings! Here is Sarah, pretty as a picture...

and Hannah Banana...

And Micah!

Jared finished up the day once again... drawing in the dirt!

All in all, it was a wonderful Easter day!

The Easter Egg Hunt is On!

2008-03-27T16:47:00.002-04:00

Sarah and I hid the eggs for the kids to find...

As you can see, Sarah didn't make it TOO hard for the boys to find the eggs... I think there are 6 eggs under this ONE tree! :)

Jared found one of the plastic eggs w/ a toy car inside and has stopped to examine it more closely! Micah is not far behind...

Sarah occasionally gave Jared a helpful hint!

And even after one of these "hints" he was gleeful! "I found one, Mommy!"

Finally Jared stopped to examine his hard won treasures!

Yay, they are here!

2008-03-27T16:40:00.004-04:00

Finally, JR, Laurel, Sarah, Micah and Hannah arrived!

Sarah (who is now 10) has always been good with the kids. Josiah is certainly enamored of her!

Micah had a great time riding Jared's new tricycle!

Here is Jared putting on his shoes for the big Easter Egg hunt!

Laurel and her lovely kids-- Micah, Hannah and Sarah...

Waiting for the Cousins to Arrive!

2008-03-27T16:27:00.005-04:00

Here is Josiah hanging out with his Papa-- one of his favorite things to do! He has fallen asleep many times in that very spot!

We decided to go outside and play until JRs family arrived. You can't really see it but Jared is playing with a bubble wand...

Meanwhile, Papa is playing with Josiah on the swings (that he built for the kids)! Halmonee is inside making Easter dinner.

Whew, did Papa push you too hard, Josiah?

Ahh, thats better.. :)

Jared loves to play in the back of Papas truck! Micahs not here yet, but he will join him soon!

A Sunny Easter Afternoon

2008-03-26T19:35:00.003-04:00

On the afternoon of Easter, we went to Halmonee and Papa's house... but while we waited for Dad to load up the car, I took some pictures of the boys in the yard. As you can see, Josiah is sitting up now... he is SUCH a big boy! In fact, he was the only one sitting still long enough for me to get a few photos. Jared was zooming around the yard in anticipation of the long awaited Easter egg hunt with his cousins.

Finally, I got Jared to sit down with Josiah for a SECOND before he zoomed off again! :)

More pictures of the afternoon at Halmonee and Papas to come...

Easter Egg Decorating!

2008-03-26T19:18:00.004-04:00

The night before Easter I decided to decorate Easter Eggs with Jared. I am not sure what made me think handling multiple containers of dye with a 2 year old would be an effortless process! :)

Jared was all excited and wanted to plunk multiple eggs into each container of dye... He wanted to add stickers before dying the eggs.... He wanted to move eggs from one container of dye to another.... Needless to say I was a bit crazed, but it was a blast nonetheless. The joy he takes in the simplest things makes it worth every second of nervewracking madness.

"Okay, Mom, I'm ready! Can I dunk it yet? Please mom?"

Even Josiah tried to get in on the decorating... here he is with one of the little egg-dunker-things!

"OOh--ooh, Mom! I want to do the stickers! I LOVE stickers!"

"Mom, can I just eat this egg?"

"Here they are! Aren't they great? Now, I just have to wait for these other ones to dry!!! Easter egg decorating is great!"

Jareds New Tricycle

2008-03-26T19:05:00.002-04:00

Jared loves his little ride-on cars, but my mom suggested last week that we get him a tricycle so that he could ride it outdoors... and he LOVES it. The transition to pedaling is still a struggle because he can still go so much faster just using his little Flintstone feet, but he is getting there! :)

"Thanks for helping me up that little hill, Dad! I LOVE my new tricycle!"

"I don't know about these pedals though, can't I just walk it around?"

"Ha-- look at me, Mom! I am doing it!"

The Boys in February

2008-03-10T14:11:00.004-04:00

Whew I am so behind... things have been so hectic I haven't really been able to post, but here are a couple pics of the boys from February. I will post more in the next couple days!

Josiah has been rolling over for about a month now and just starting to sit up (pics coming soon!)

Here is Jared laying on the floor with his baby brother. My favorite thing is when he puts his hands on both sides of Siah's face and says, "Siah-- you make me SO HAPPY!"

Josiah Getting a Workout

2008-02-03T21:25:00.000-05:00

At 4 months old, Josiah has started his workout regimen in his Baby Einstein Exersaucer. :)

Jared at Bedtime

2008-02-03T19:44:00.000-05:00

We just got a new king sized bed and Jared loves to play in it... here you see him playing in the new bed in an attempt to postpone his own bedtime. :)

Josiah's Baptism

2008-01-22T16:17:00.000-05:00

Josiah was baptised this past Sunday... I don't have all the pics but couldn't resist posting a couple. :)

Sometimes he seems so serious it is hard to believe what a little giggler he is. I dressed him in a hanbok (traditional Korean dress) for his baptism. This outfit is made for a one year old... and Josiah is not even four months old yet!

Josiah was very excited about the big day! :)

Jared was pretty excited too and asked several times if he could have a baptism too! He doesn't remember being baptised the same weekend 2 yrs ago when he was six months old. :) After Pastor Glenn sprinkled the holy water on Josiah, Jared almost succeeded in attaining a second baptism!

Here is Josiah during the actual ceremony... As you can see through the window it was a perfect day for his baptism!

Josiah's Baek-Il

2008-01-19T04:56:00.000-05:00

We recently had Josiah's Baek-Il (or 100 day) celebration! Baek-Il is a Korean tradition on the 100th day after a child’s birth to celebrate that the infant has survived this important milestone. Traditionally, the purpose is to give thanks and pray for the child to have many blessings.

Alot of loving care went into preparing a table of "bounty" to represent future blessings for Baby Josiah!

Josiah dressed in a han-bok and joined everyone for the celebration!

Here he is in a traditional pose, ready for family photos!

Here is a close up of a very patient "Baby Siah" waiting for all the adults to get it together! :)

After seeing Josiah in his han-bok, Jared insisted upon being able to wear his as well. Josiah examined his big brother's outfit closely before giving his approval! :)

Christmas Morning (2008)

2007-12-30T05:19:00.000-05:00

After coming back from Halmonee and Papa's house on Christmas Eve, Mom and Dad told Jared he could sleep in their room as a special treat. This was convenient so that Santa's helpers could assemble his Christmas gift right in HIS room.

This Christmas, Santa brought Jared a train table equipped with this 200 or so piece train set. Santa's helpers were up ALL night Christmas Eve assembling the table and train set. It's a good thing Santa's helpers love Jared SOOO much! :)

Santa also left a special interactive Pooh story book for Baby Josiah.

A very sleepy Jared was pretty excited to wake up and find this special gift in his room!

Here Jared watches the train make its way around the track!

He awaits its arrival around this curve. His favorite phrase of the day was "In my own room-- in my own room, Mommy and Daddy."

Needless to say, the train was a big hit!

After getting dressed to go visit Grandma Betty and Papa Rich, Jared asked to get in Josiah's crib with him. Since Josiah was so little (3 months on Christmas Day), Jared decided to show Josiah his special gift from Santa. Josiah was a bit young to participate in this part of the Christmas festivities this year, but Jared had enough fun for the two of them-- and we have no doubt Baby Siah will be ready for the fun in a year or two! :)

Waiting for Christmas

2007-12-24T03:56:00.001-05:00

Jared and Josiah are enjoying every moment of the Christmas season this year... including Christmas pajamas! Jared LOVES these snowglobe-footie pajamas and would wear them EVERY DAY if Mom and Dad didn't require him to let us wash them!

Meeting Santa Claus

2007-12-11T16:30:00.000-05:00

On the day we went to get our Christmas photos, Santa happened to be on location and offered to take a photo with the boys. I am not sure how Jared and Josiah felt about it or if they really knew what was going on, but they played along! :)

A Christmas Preview

2007-12-08T05:24:00.000-05:00

Yes, I dressed the boys alike this year... I am THAT mom. :) But aren't they adorable??!

Josiah is Stylin'

2007-11-25T19:44:00.000-05:00

"I just wanted to send a thank you to Aunt Mer-Mer for the sweater and hat she knitted for me! Jared tried to wear it but of course it was made just for me! I love it!"

The Boys

2007-11-21T11:36:00.000-05:00

Some new pics of the boys in our front yard...

A Petting Zoo, etc.

2007-11-14T17:29:00.001-05:00

This past weekend we found out that O2B Kids would have a big activity day, including a mobile petting zoo, and because of Jared's love for animals we decided to go. Josiah was in attendance but missed most of the festivities due to his rigorous schedule of perpetual napping. Thus I decided to include these pre-activity photos.

"So, where are we going, Mom? A petting zoo? What's a "petting zoo"? Animals? What's an "animals"?
"Josiah, the petting zoo will be awesome! You HAVE to promise to stay awake! It's going to be sooo much fun!"

"Okay, Jared-- I still don't know what it is, but I promise! I promise!" (This concludes the photos of Josiah for today-- stay tuned for his next adventure when we HOPE he stays awake past the car ride!)

We arrived at O2B Kids at the same as Uncle Tim, Aunt Shelley and Jordyn...

"Hey Jared."

"Hey Jordyn. Hey Uncle Tim."

Uncle Tim and Jordyn headed down to the petting zoo...

"Wow, Daddy, look at this cow. Moo Moo! Moo Moo! This looks like a baby Chick-Rick (Chick-Fil-A) cow!"

"Are you trying to tell me BOTH of those 'aminals' are chickens? They don't look ANYTHING like Papa's chickens!"

"Mom! Can't you see I am examining the 'aminals'? I don't have time for photos!"
"Okay, Daddy, how does this brush work?"

"I am brushing the sheep, Daddy! "
After the petting zoo, we decided to check out some of the other activities. Naturally, Uncle Tim (the golf addict) took Jordyn to the putting spot.

Then Uncle Tim and Daddy played basketball with me. Daddy says I can handle the ball well and Uncle Tim helped me make a shot!

"SLAM DUNK, DADDY!"

And I finished the day on the jungle gym. Thanks Mommy! Thanks Daddy! Thanks Baby Siah!

"Watch Me Move" -- A Video

2007-11-12T03:19:00.000-05:00

I had to upload this video of Jared dancing to the new Verizon commercial, which he makes me repeatedly play so that he can dance. He says "Mommy, I wanna dance with the phone again!"

I have uploaded Take 1 and Take 2 because I find them equally hilarious.

Dalvin says that we should have him do several repetitions before bed every night so he can get in his cardio!

VIDEO - TAKE 1

VIDEO - TAKE 2

Get your mouth out of your finger! - A Video

2007-11-11T21:20:00.000-05:00

Josiah has been smiling the past few days and I wanted to catch it on video. In the meantime, Jared has his own ironic message for Josiah. "Get you mouth out of you finger!" as he makes his signature backwards pinkie in the mouth move.

This very random video clip has a few funny elements that are part of the changes in our household these days... Josiah continuing to grow at exponential rates... Jared pretending to be a baby and at the same time being such a tender, sweet, affectionate big brother. I love my boys! :)

Josiah is six weeks old...

2007-11-07T03:26:00.000-05:00

Because he is growing at exponential rates, I thought I would share a photo of Josiah at six weeks old (although he is arguably the size of a 4 month old)! :) They grow so fast!

Halloween Adventures -- 2007

2007-10-31T23:36:00.001-04:00

Halloween this year was a smashing success! This was Jared's third Halloween, but the first time he finally understood what was going on. It was pretty amusing in the days preceding Halloween, because he didn't really understand. He was sort of excited because he knew he had this cool costume that had something to do with Halloween, but he had also seen plenty of frightening Halloween images, so whenever the topic came up, he would say "Mommy, I scared of Halloween." It didn't help that we ran into life size ghouls and mummies everywhere we went! In the end, dressing as Thomas and the promise of lollipops won out and he got very excited.

On the other hand, Josiah spent his first Halloween (at 5 weeks old) doing exactly what Jared did during his first Halloween-- he slept. We dressed him in this adorable red chili pepper costume and he stayed awake long enough for a few photos (just barely) and then he slept for the next 3 hours.

After dressing the boys and taking photos, we finally ventured out to find that almost no one on our street actually answers the door anymore. It was initially a bit anti-climactic, but we hung in there and by the time we reached the end of our cul-de-sac we found some Halloween enthusiasts. Jared tried to go into a few people's houses which was pretty hilarious-- especially if there were dogs or other children there. The only way to get him to move on was dangling the promise of more candy at "the 'nother house". Mostly people ooh-ed and ah-ed over the boys and their costumes and Jared got the lion's share of lollipops. It was no surprise that Josiah slept the rest of the way home.

All in all, it was a fun night. I am all for any excuse to dress the kids up and take photos, but it was also fun to see Jared begin to grasp a cultural tradition-- even if it is a bizarre one that sort of involves doing something that scares you a little for the promise of candy! (Naturally we had to have a little chat about that! ) :)

"HAPPY HALLOWEEN, Mommy!!!! I am THOMAS the Tank Engine!"

"Okay, now it's time to get serious. I have my Halloween basket and I am ready to go..."

"Okay, this one little box of Nerds is not going to cut it, Mom. We have to go trick or treating!"

"Mom-Dad-- apparently I am a red chili pepper. I don't know why I am wearing this but it is VERY cozy, and I am going to get a head-start on my nap!"

"Come on, Josiah! Don't go to sleep. Mom and Dad said that if we put on these clothes and go to people's houses they will give us CANDY!"

"Okay, okay, Dad! I will wake up for a MINUTE! What are we doing? Where are we going? What is a chili pepper?"

"FINALLY!! I still don't understand what trick or treating is, but I have my basket and I am ready to go.... as soon as I finish this piece of candy Mom already gave me!"

"Hello?! Who is it? Happy Halloween! Candy?"

And finishing off our silly family adventure... is Josiah doing what he does best! :)

A Close Up of Baby Josiah

2007-10-24T18:03:00.000-04:00

Because I know my mother is going to complain that the photos are too small and she can't see anything... I decided to post a close up of Josiah I filmed when he was searching for his thumb.

In this video he is 4 weeks old and weighs 12lbs and 10oz.... more than many 3 MONTH OLD babies! I grow monster size boys, don't I???

(It doesn't look like it, but the video is below-- it looks like a plain black box. Just push play!)

***VIDEO ALERT***

Josiah's a Baby!

2007-10-24T16:30:00.001-04:00

I am SO behind in posting pics of Jared and Josiah since Josiah's birth, but I promise I will get caught up! In the meantime I thought I would post this video and the associated pic of the boys. Even though it is a bit dark and you can't see Josiah's face, it is soo adorable I couldn't resist posting it! :)

***VIDEO ALERT***

Here is the photo from today of Jared (2 yrs old now) holding his brother (4 weeks old)-- something he does every chance he gets!

And here is one of Josiah where you CAN see his face! :) This photo is actually from when he was 2.5 weeks old:)

More to come!

Welcome Josiah!

2007-09-29T09:03:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to post a very quick message that Josiah Devine was born on Tuesday morning at 8:33am. He was 9lbz 11 oz and is absolutely a dream. Here are just a couple pictures to tease you with until I have a moment to post more!

Jared is delighted to have a little brother and has really surprised with us his constant interest and concern for his little brother. If he hears him cry, he will drop everything and come running, saying "Don't be sad! Don't be sad! It's okay! It's okay!" Or he will look at Josiah and just burst into a fit of giggles.

Here is Josiah after his trip home from the hospital!

Needless to say we are both exhausted and blissful! More pics and Josiah's birth story later!

Love from Penny, Dalvin, Jared and Josiah

A Baby Shower for Josiah

2007-08-19T23:50:00.001-04:00

This weekend, several of Mommy's closest friends (Donni, Latoya, and Veronica) threw us a baby shower for the impending arrival of Baby Josiah. :)

This is the cool cake that Auntie Veronica ordered to match the safari theme in Josiah's room.

Apparently Mommy is supposed to freeze this little cake until Josiah's first birthday... I thought it was for ME! :)

Here I am contemplating exactly what this baby brother thing means... so he is going to live with us? And I have to share everything with him? Including Mommy and Daddy...? Hmmm....

But I get to play with him too?! Sounds good to me!!!! :)

Hey... guess what, Jordyn? Mommy says I am going to have a baby brother! Another kid for us to play with!!

Sarah and Micah are excited too-- they just got a new little sister recently and they say Baby Hannah is awesome!

All in all, I am pretty excited about this Big Brother thing! :)

You asked for it!

2007-08-15T07:46:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I have had repeated requests for belly pictures... and as I approach the last month of this pregnancy, I realize:
#1. Pictures of me are far and few between this pregnancy
#2. I am HUGE!

I don't have any recent pics except several that I inadvertently took as I tried to take pictures of Jared on my lap. So here you go! :)

Happy Birthday to Me!

2007-07-15T06:13:00.000-04:00

***VIDEO ALERT***

Guess who is turning 2?!

2007-07-11T20:33:00.000-04:00

Jared turns 2 this Saturday-- how time flies when you are having fun! :)

playtime!

2007-07-03T15:58:00.000-04:00

Jared recently had some playtime with his pal, Jordyn! Isn't she growing up?

"Mommy, Jordyn has this dancing Elmo thing... why don't I have one?"
"That's pretty cool!"

"And now Jordyn is showing me some dance moves! Fun times!"

the many faces of jared

2007-07-03T15:36:00.000-04:00

This is Jared's serious, "how can I help you, Mom" face.

This is Jared's latest attempt at smiling for photos... "CHEESE!!!!"

"This is Jared being thoroughly entertained with himself, giggling up a storm!

And here is Jared's everyday, "Aren't I charming?" smile! :)

Jareds New Bed

2007-06-06T15:07:00.000-04:00

This isn't really the best view, but this is Jared's new "big boy" bed which he absolutely ADORES! Its a loft bed with a dresser on one side and a desk on the other. The ladder is currently on top of the top bunk to remove temptation from my little climber~!

Every night before bed, we say nighttime prayers and then Jared snuggles up with Teddy and Pooh (not in picture). :)

It's not even bedtime and Jared is already cozy and ready to go!

Visiting My Cousins

2007-05-10T18:07:00.000-04:00

"Recently we went to visit my cousins again. I always like to sit over in the breakfast nook, although I have gotten into my share of trouble exploring the foliage Aunt Laurel keeps on the table!"

"Cousin Micah let me ride the rocking horse! Very cool!"

"Hey Micah! I didn't see you back there!"

"Although, you can't tell in this photo, I really AM 2 years younger than Micah!"

"Sarah came in from playing with her friends in the neighborhood to say hi!"

"When it was time to go, Sarah, Micah, Sarah's friend and Auntie Toya snuck me away for a walk!"

"But then Mommy called me back... as you can see, I am not so thrilled about it!"

"I ran over to Mommy to see if I could sway her to join us for the walk, but she said we had to go home."

"So we said our goodbyes and headed back home!"

Teddy Love

2007-05-10T16:19:00.000-04:00

Jared has only recently enjoyed snuggling with his teddy bears... Here you can see him snuggling with Teddy and Pooh.

And here he is giving Teddy a big goodnight kiss. "MUAH!"

Introducing Cousin Hannah Jolie

2007-05-01T15:45:00.000-04:00

"Wow, look, Halmonee and Papa.... Hannah is so tiny! I think she is smiling at me..."

Here are Grandma, Mom, Sarah and Baby Hannah...

Here is Micah, snuggling up with Mom and Hannah...

Little Hannah after her first bath...

And finally, a close up of Hannah Jolie...

Jared has an Announcement

2007-04-11T23:53:00.000-04:00

"I am excited to share the news that this fall we will have a new addition to the family! I can't wait to have a new baby in the family! I love kissing Mommy's belly every night." (Jared's version of "kissing" the baby involves prolonged raspberries on Mommy's belly!)

"It's hard to tell with these ultrasound pictures, Mommy, but I am voting for a girl! I will be happy with either a brother or sister though!"

For those who are "ultrasound-challenged" like most people, New Baby J is on his or her back with his or her head on the left side of the photo. In the 3 pictures, you can see the baby begin to turn his or her face toward the camera.

New Baby is due in the fall (around Sept 21). We couldn't be more thrilled! :)

Spring Break 2007

2007-03-19T01:34:00.000-04:00

We have had a family timeshare in Daytona for years that we never actually visited ourselves (i.e., we rented it out each year). This year we decided to take Jared and go check it out for a little family vacation. Jared loves the beach, so we thought he would enjoy it, and he had an amazing time!

Jared is extremely particular about the sand that he likes to walk on. He doesn't like the soft, mushy, dry sand by the shore OR the squishy, wet sand closer to the water and would ask to be picked up if he felt like his feet were sinking. The sand HAD to be firmly packed for him to stroll down the beach on his own. However, he would sometimes be distracted in his pursuit of the seagulls to forget the sand between his toes!

Even on his stroll with Dad you can see Jared looking down checking for the "squish factor."

For most of our visit the beach was deserted and gorgeous. We visited the beach twice a day every day during our trip... with only time for a nap in between trips to the beach. As you can see in this photo, Jared was exhausted but still did NOT want to leave his beloved beach. He could only be lured away by promises to splash in the heated pool and equally tempting promises to ride in the elevator (still pronounced "ele-gator).

As it was the end of bike week in Daytona, the city was overrun by motorcyclists which Jared found generally entertaining. We were headed for one of our walks on the beach when a friendly biker neighbor offered Jared the opportunity to sit on his first Harley. He instinctively tried to start the bike and almost succeeded! He enjoyed this way too much for Mom's liking!

On our last afternoon, Jared naturally took a few moments to gaze out at the ocean and reflect on our trip....

"Thanks, Mom and Dad! It's been a fabulous vacation! I am ready to head home now!~"

My First Video Attempt - Jared on Tumble Run

2007-03-15T00:03:00.000-04:00

This makes me laugh EVERY time I watch it!

Jared's First NBA Game!

2007-02-28T13:10:00.000-05:00

As part of our fun-filled family weekend, Donni got us tickets to see the Hawks-Phoenix game, so Jared was able to attend his very first NBA game! (It actually turned out to be a very close game, too.) We arrived at the game early so we were able to relax before the game started. Jared was particularly snuggly at the game, maybe because of the overwhelming amount of stimuli (music, lights, crowd noise, etc) but he had a BLAST. He is very into dancing right now and had fun dancing in the aisle until the game started. After the game, Ni-Ni took us behind the scenes. Jared particularly enjoyed playing in the dancers locker room!

As always, Dad is WAY more excited! Jared had alot of fun though.

Here Jared is playing with the 2 of the MANY thunder sticks that his Ni-Ni sent up for him. (He is still playing them now-- he has 2 in the car, 2 in his room, 2 in his playroom, LOL).

As you can see, Jared is VERY cuddly. He would periodically press his face against Dad's face. Needless to say, Dad found this very endearing.

And finally, here is Jared playing in the dance teams locker room. Given his current love of climbing into spaces, he had a great time!

Snuggle Time

2007-02-28T12:59:00.000-05:00

This weekend we took a family trip to visit Jared's godmother and my best friend, Donni, AKA "Ni-ni" (pronounced Nee-Nee). After a yummy dinner at the Melting Pot, we went back to Donni's house and hung out slumber-party style. I had to post the first series of pictures of Jared in complete bliss rolling around in Donni's bed eating a candy cane (one of his FAVORITE things in the world)!

"Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm."

"Is there ANYTHING better than being cozy in bed munching on a candy cane?"

"What, mom? Haven't you ever seen anyone enjoy a candy cane before?"

"Okay, maybe a snuggle with my Ni-Ni is just as good as my candy cane!"

"Hmm, or maybe a snuggle with Bailey in HIS bed!"

Chillin'

2007-02-19T16:15:00.000-05:00

Because my drive to work is so long and I take Jared with me twice a week (to drop off at my mom's) I have a DVD player for him in the car to watch his favorite episodes of Diego, Elmo or Barney... here you see him relaxing on the way to Halmonee and Papa's house. All he needs is a remote control and a recliner...

Weekend Getaway

2007-02-13T22:12:00.000-05:00

Jared and I decided to take a weekend trip with a friend who just bought a lovely vacation home in Amelia Island. Although it was a bit chilly, it was a lovely crisp afternoon. The beach was absolutely gorgeous!

Jared's favorite beach activity is still digging in the sand, although this time he kept rubbing the sand on his face as though he was applying lotion. (Who knows why?) He didnt mind wading in the shallow pools but wouldn't actually walk in the "big water" as the kids referred to the waves rolling in. He was also pretty comical when his feet started to sink into the sludgy, squishy sand. He would sort of panic, squeal and run to me yelling, "Mama, Mama!" Thats one funny kid.

Here you see Jared taking a break from splashing with the other kids to ponder the meaning of life. :)

Jared's New Passion

2007-02-05T16:39:00.000-05:00

Jared now love-love-loves playing with legos... my parents bought him a huge bin of them for Christmas and he loves building things with them. My mom built this little "fort" for him and he sits in it like its a big easy chair... and yes, in this photo he is wearing my mom's fuzzy socks! :) He will find them and insist, "socks, socks, socks" until she lets him wear them!

A non-Jared post :)

2007-02-05T16:35:00.000-05:00

When we got the new carpet put in, we also changed the entryway to the house-- here is a photo for those who are interested. :)

My Guys

2007-01-30T22:42:00.000-05:00

I know it's been awhile since I have posted... so I thought I would post a pic of my guys!

Happy New Year!

2007-01-15T16:57:00.000-05:00

I feel so behind in posting-- so much has been going on with the new semester beginning, teaching online, painting and generally preparing Jared's new room for his furniture that I haven't been able to really post since the new year began. I do have some fun new pics to post in the next few days. :)

I just wanted to send a big happy new year shout out from our whole family! I hope this is a wonderful, happy, stress-free year for everyone!

Gotta Go!

2007-01-14T00:36:00.000-05:00

"Can't talk, Mom! Gotta tell Dad the big news! The Gators are national champs in basketball AND football!"

Go Gators!

2007-01-14T00:02:00.000-05:00

Jared and Dalvin wanted to say a belated "Go Gators!" for winning the national championship!

Jareds New Furniture

2007-01-09T17:14:00.000-05:00

Well, it's almost time for Jared to leave his crib and move on to his new big-boy furniture. I wasn't sure what to plan for his new room until I went into my friends store (Hey Baby!) and saw this wonderful loft bed! (This is not exactly it, but you will get the idea!) Jared's furniture will be a darker wood. I will have to hide the ladder to the loft be for a few years, but otherwise I am sooo excited about his new furniture!

Christmas Card Photo 2006

2007-01-01T13:52:00.000-05:00

A Very Merry Christmas-- 2006 Style

2006-12-30T21:41:00.000-05:00

This year was Jared's second Christmas, but the first time he really understood a bit more about some of the Christmas rituals. Before beginning our holiday travels, we began the Christmas festivities on the morning of Christmas Eve at our home. Jared opened his first Christmas gift while enjoying one of his favorite holiday delights, the candy cane (or "nandy nane" in Jared's words).

We began our day by taking the annual photo of Jared in front of our Christmas tree. As you can see, Mom likes shiny wrapping paper!

"Oh Mommy, we have sooo many Christmas presents for everyone! Can I help open them all? Okay, but after I finish this candy cane!"

"Mom, I really DO want to open this present, but I am a little busy right now! Can I get back to you in a minute?"

"I LOVE the Diego Hot Wheels, mom and dad... now if I could only get this wrapping off this candy cane, I would be very happy..."

As you can see, very few things inspire the kind of bliss you see here on Jared's candy-cane smeared face.

"After Christmas Eve at home with Mom and Dad, we headed out to Halmonee and Papa's for the rest of the day. I LOVE going out to Halmonee and Papa's land!"

"One of my favorite parts of Christmas is hanging out with my cousins Sarah and Micah! Halmonee set up a pretty Christmas table for dinner but we messed it up a little bit."

After dinner, Jared played Santa Claus for awhile. He doesn't know much about Santa yet, but he really likes wearing the hat!

"As always, I got lots of Christmas love from Halmonee and Papa! Mmmm---muah!"

"On Christmas morning, we drove down to see Grandma Betty and Papa Rich. Daddy read me the Frosty the Snowman book that Auntie JoJo got me for Christmas."

"It's always fun to see Papa Rich, too!"

"Grandma Betty got me and my cousin Jayden these cool tricycle things... but then we ended up trading! It worked out perfectly because Jayden liked mine better..."

"... and I got the cool Diego one! Yay-yay!"

All in all, it was a wonderful Christmas this year. We couldn't ask for anything more!

Orange You Glad I like Oranges?

2006-12-20T12:47:00.000-05:00

In the past few years we have watched this tree grow and change. At first we thought it was a cumquat tree.... then the next year we thought it was a lemon tree... this year it became clear that it is, in fact, an orange tree. Sadly though, our oranges still TASTE like lemons... We did not take proper freeze precautions, so they truly taste like lemons... that does NOT stop Jared though. Every day as Dad takes him on their "nature walks" Jared begs Dad to pick an orange for him ("oran, oran, oran!") and then begs Dad to "open" the orange ("op, op, op!).

My Multi-Tasking Baby

2006-12-17T03:47:00.000-05:00

Apparently Jared believes literally in the expression "Eat and run!" Here he is experiencing the treadmill for the first time at Papa and Halmonee's house. I wish I could post the video, this was sooo hilarious! :)

BUBBLES!

2006-12-15T00:43:00.000-05:00

Jared has a newfound love for bathtime... and it has everything to do with BUBBLES!!!

"Oh, wait, wait, Daddy-- what are you gonna do??"

"Oh-- THATS what you are going to do!! Bubbles are the best!"

Even with his sheer delight in the bubble bath, Jared still takes his bubbles very seriously.

"No, Daddy, I am NOT ready to get out of the tub!"

A Christmas Preview

2006-12-10T18:46:00.000-05:00

We went to get Christmas photos done and this is one of the ones we did not choose, but I thought was cute nonetheless. Jared is growing by leaps and bounds. :)

decorating the christmas tree

2006-11-27T20:47:00.000-05:00

We love Christmas, so this year we decided to put up our Christmas tree nice and early... promptly after Thanksgiving. After returning to the store to buy shatterproof ornaments, we got started right away! Jared doesn't get alot of it yet, but he definitely likes the fancy 16 function Christmas lights Mommy bought! (Unfortunately you can't see the lights in the photos).

"Mom, can I hang the last ornament, please? I want to put up the little red boot!"

"I found the perfect spot!!! Isn't it pretty?"

"Yay! We are all done! Now what are we supposed to put UNDER the tree?"

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-25T01:14:00.000-05:00

"Happy Thanksgiving from me and my family!"

fun new things

2006-11-23T01:00:00.000-05:00

Jared is having a blast exploring his world and two of his latest favorite things include looking out our front windows into the yard and climbing our furniture. Both are depicted here as he climbs our couch to look out the window in his Winnie the Pooh pajamas.

"What's wrong, mom? Don't worry-- I'm fine. The view is great from up here!"

some construction work

2006-11-18T02:12:00.000-05:00

Playing LEGOS with Jared is alot more fun now that he likes to build as much as he likes to take things apart!

"Okay, mom... hold on, I just have to put on the finishing touches!"

"TA-DA! Here it is! What do you think of my creation?"

festivals and bellydancing

2006-11-08T03:24:00.000-05:00

Recently Jared and I went to a an outdoor festival downtown. We were going to watch a friend's bellydancing troupe. We were disappointed to see that the day was rainy and a bit gloomy, but we had fun anyway! :)

"Let's go, Mommy... I think it stopped raining! Or we could go into Dragonfly and get some sushi instead of just standing outside."

"Don't worry, Mom. I don't really mind that you make me eat sliced apple when all the other kids are eating funnel cakes and ice cream!"

One of the places we sought shelter was under this tent with a very interesting circus act. Jared was pretty curious about the dancing caterpillar man....

But the clown scared him and we had to leave before the end of the show!

Soon thereafter, Kate's bellydancing troupe began to perform... they were great!
"Mom, can you help me get on the stage? I think they want me to join them onstage!"

"Okay, Mom, this has been fun, but I am getting sleepy now..."

"But before we go I want to meet the star of the show! Great bellydancing, Miss Kate!"

Happy Halloween 2006!

2006-11-05T01:24:00.000-05:00

Although Jared was still fairly oblivious to Halloween itself, he did enjoy dressing up as his favorite fuzzy character, Elmo!

"Wow! I don't know what Halloween is, but if I get to dress like Elmo, can we have it every day?"

(Although this picture turned out fuzzy, I had to post it because it perfectly captured his glee upon seeing his reflection in the mirror! )

"C'mon, Mom and Dad! I am ready to GO!"

"Trick or treat!!!!"
"Do we go in the car for trick or treating?"

"Okay, I am all dressed up... now where do I go?"

"Sorry, Mom--- can't stop for pictures---too busy!"

"Okay-- fine. One picture! But then I really have to go! I don't know where, but I have to go!"

"Okay, I like dressing as Elmo, but I kind of feel like he is eating my whole head!"

" Thanks for a fun Halloween, Mom and Dad! Next time, can we leave our cul-de-sac?"

new friends

2006-11-01T16:49:00.000-05:00

Recently, Jared and I went to visit Marisa and her new kitten, Ginger.

At first, Jared and Ginger just sort of looked each other over...

Then slowly, they started to check each other out...

Finally, Jared reached in to pet Ginger, who was fairly receptive to his curiosity.

Overall Ginger was more interested in napping on the chair, but a good time was had by all.

Dress Up

2006-10-21T04:09:00.000-04:00

"When I grow up I want to be just like my daddy! Go Gators!"

Sittin' in a Tree

2006-10-20T01:49:00.000-04:00

Anyone who has read my blog has seen my numerous references to Jared's girlfriend Jordyn. Jordyn's parents are close friends of ours and Ive been friends with Jordyn's dad for almost 20 years... Since Jared and then Jordyn were born, we have joked about them getting married some day... in that spirit, we decided to have their portaits taken together as babies.

When we were at the mall, another parent actually asked us if they were brother and sister, to which I replied, "No, they are boyfriend and girlfriend." You can imagine the look she gave me. :)

I figure that when they grow up they will either laugh at how silly their parents are or just think we are plain crazy.

Sesame Street Live

2006-10-15T02:22:00.000-04:00

Last week, Dalvin and I took Jared to Sesame Street Live: SuperGrover. As can be seen in the photo, everyone was there (Left to Right: Zoe, Elmo, Grover, Telly, Rosita, Baby Bear, Bert).

When I was a kid, Big Bird probably made the biggest impression on me... I am not sure why, but it was fun to see him in person.

Zoe, one of the very few female monsters, was in attendance. Rosita and Prairie Dawn were there too, but I didn't want to post all 200 of the photos I took!

And of course, Elmo-- Jared's favorite-- was a big part of the show.

When the show began, Jared was very focused. He stared in what almost appeared to be disbelief... "Is that really who I think it is?" After staring with rapt attention for awhile, one of the thunderous roars of applause shook him up and he was upset for a moment. I worried that we would have to leave early, but he returned to his fascinated state quickly.

After intermission, Jared quickly became very comfortable. We sat on the center aisle in the floor seats and we had to physically prevent him from running up to the stage every 2 minutes!

Judging by Jared's applause, he enjoyed the show thoroughly! Dalvin and I were surprised at how much we enjoyed the show too-- Good job, Sesame Street!

"Thanks for bringing me to see Elmo, Mom and Dad! I had so much fun!"