Ornaments 2012

Look at all the beautiful ornaments Collins made this year! He was asked to bring a shoe box to school after Thanksgiving to keep all his 'goodies' together. Mrs. Anna and Miss Kathryn must have a load of patience to help about 14 toddlers make 8 ornaments each, but I am so thankful they do! Very special. I told Collins they were so pretty and he said, "Thank you!" He's proud of himself :)

Typical

Christmas Card!

Tiny Prints Snapshot

Christmas Party

Our Sunday School class had our Christmas party last Sunday night (PawPaw's birthday!!) Matt and Abby hosted it at their beautiful new home. It was a couples party, but no one cared about taking a picture of the guys ;) It was like we were in junior high...the girls hung out and sat together and the guys did their thing separately. Fun though! We have a great class and I'm thankful for each friendship we've made!

SoACE

During the first week of December, some co-workers and I attended the SoACE conference: Southern Association of Colleges and Employers. It was held in St. Petersburg, FL which is near Tampa. Amy and I presented for the first time, and Mary Loyd and Jennie facilitated a 'round table' discussion. We were proud because most of us had never done that before, and none of us in the last few years. 

The conference was fun! St. Pete doesn't have a lot happening like I thought. It's kind of a snow bird town. But the beach and weather were beautiful; it messes with your mind when you're laying on the beach in December looking at Christmas decorations at the pool!

Our presentation room! Too bad we didn't get a pic of us actually presenting : /

The beautiful view from Mary Loyd's room!

Me, Amy, and Amber at one of the dinners.

 

Amy and me on the beach after our presentation :)

The conference folks threw us a luau the last night!

 

Complete with flashy glasses!

 

Pathetic excuse for a group picture. The limbo had started right next to us, so space and lighting was limited. Amy, me, Jennie, Amber, Amy R., Mary Loyd, and Naomi. Fun group from UA!

Baby Jase

My high school friend, Leslie, had her baby boy on December 18, 2012 at 7:34pm. His name is Jase Thomas Jones. Jase and Leslie are both doing well. The baby weighed 6 pounds, 5 ounces, and was 19 inches long.

Leslie and her husband, Buck, got married on the same day Jake and I did! They celebrated eight years together in November. For six of those eight years, they have been trying to have a baby. I know for sure they did two rounds of in vitro, maybe three. Leslie has been on bed rest since about 25 weeks or so. She almost delivered that early.

At Jake and Leslie's high school reunion, I remember her encouraging me that I would get pregnant soon. We had only been trying for a year and a half at that point; they had been trying for three and half. I almost hated to tell her when I did get pregnant, but she was truly excited for us.

Many, many prayers of petition and thanksgiving have been said for little Jase and his parents. What a perfect Christmas present for this special family!

Welcome to the world, Baby Jase! You are so loved!

Decorating for Christmas!

These photos were taken right after Thanksgiving, it just took me a while to post them! I had a great little helper to aid me with the tree this year. Daddy was hunting, but came home in time to play in the tree storage box :)

Notice Hank's chin propped on Jake's arm. Pitiful!

Collins picked out this snazzy outfit all by himself! I only contributed by choosing the jeans.

Cheese!

SEC Championship Party!

Hanging out with Hudson at Garrett Grace's house!

Donning her party attire.

My fabulous friends, Casey and Ashley!

Intense moment in an intense game.

Pure excitement!

Celebrating with Daddy!

And with Hudson!

And with Garrett Grace :)

Looking at Mrs. Ashley's bare feet.

Conversations with Collins

Here are some new things Collins has said or done lately:

• "Cawins Dabid Doodin" (his name!)
• "I NOT!" (when being told not to do something; just like a teenager!)
• Likes to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," "Here Comes Santa Claus," and "Up on the Houstop"
• Likes to say he's a doctor; "I help people feel better." 
• Loves to look at Christmas decorations! Says, "Look! Decorations!" and "Let's find more!" Also wanted to, "See dat dog POP oudda dat choo choo train!" (a blow up of a reindeer popping out of a present)
• Tells me I'm pretty and that I'm his girlfriend! But sometimes this preschool chic named Kendall is his girlfriend. I'm pretty sure I can take her, though.
• Calls me "Mommy Tiff Doodin" and Jake "Daddy Jake Doodin." And of course, "Hanky Poo Doodin." Recently started calling me "Mommy Dabid Doodin" (David!)
• Said his daddy was "sharp!" (Jake tells him he looks sharp a lot.)
• "I busy right now."
• "I not in trouble right now."
• "It's fine." (after a spill or something)
• "It's my birthday! Sing!" (and we do it)
• Has to be corrected often for being too bossy!
• Recently told Jake, "Daddy! It's raining on my knuckles!"
• While I was on a work trip, Collins woke up early one morning and called, "Daddy!!" Jake flies in the there and Collins asks, "Where my pappus?" Jake said, "Son, you called me in here for that?!" :)
• Likes to trace people's hands on paper. Says, "be still."
• Driving home one night I said I was hungry. Collins said, "I hungry too. I want spaghetti!"
• "I gone run away." (shouldn't he be at least five before he wants to run away??)
• "Lee me lone." (more teenage back talk!)
• "My knee hurts; I old" (as he staggers to get up)
• "What ew doin, Mama?" (while driving; x50,000!)
• Sometimes says, "Mama, what ew doin', baby?"
• "My effant" (elephant)
• We frequently read, The Night Before Christmas. In the scene where the man is looking out the window at Santa's sleigh Collins asked, "What him name?" I said, "I'm not sure. What do you think? Maybe Pete?" He said, "No, Mr. Powell." To my knowledge, Collins doesn't even know anyone named Mr. Powell. But he refers to the book as "dat Mr. Powell book."
• The cut glass on our front door looks like a pig to Collins. He won't go into the foyer because he says, "dat pig get me!"
• My boy is obsessed with bare feet. He likes to look at them and smell them. He made our friend Ashley let him touch her bare feet not too long ago, and made Haylee show him hers while video chatting on the phone. 
• The other day I couldn't figure out what he was saying, so I asked him to repeat himself several times. I finally got it. Then he said, "You made me mad."
• Tells his daddy, "Love you WHOLE much!"
• "Don't cry; Santa Claus watching!"
• "I mean it!" (more sass)
• "Tiss! Hug!!" (at night after we put him in bed and when we leave preschool; he wants one more kiss and hug!)
• Tells Jake and me to pretend to be dogs. Jake is the big dog who barks loud and I'm the little dog who whimpers. Then he comes over to me, pats me gently, and says, "It's otay, Mama...you a puppy?"
• "Hey guys!" (pretty sure he learned this at school!)

Thanksgiving in Laurel