sooo, about catching up

wow. i am so behind on blogging... but i better get on with it. or else christmas will be here!

we had the best time in charleston (yes, that was this summer i think) :)
some sweet friends let us stay in their home while they were on vacation, and we gladly loaded up and drove there for the week!
it was so fun!!

avery called it "friend share beach house" (because, of course.. they did share it)
we jumped waves in the ocean, floated in the neighborhood pool, ate yummy seafood, and had a blast!

charleston

some generous friends let us stay in their home near Charleston this past week, and we had the best time!!!!
our kids discovered they actually DO like the ocean (despite screaming at the site of waves on all prior beach trips)
(more pics to come soon)

reasons i love asheville

my little one looks like a hippie already.


1 out of 3 people here have a boat strapped to the roof of their car, and jackson is on his way.. with his "paaa-poo" shown here


my random garden is actually not totally random in asheville... it's "cool"


you can nurse your baby wherever you want to... and you don't have to be discreet about it like this little cutie :)

show me that smile

if you say that phrase to jackson, this is the face you get. how cute is that?

my little nurturer

this is no uncommon scene... these animals are constantly being dressed, undressed, diapered, potty-trained, rewarded for going potty, swung in the outdoor hammock swing, fed in jackson's high chair, or, most commonly.. put to sleep. :)

i love coming upstairs to find these 5 snuggling in our bed... i wondered... really?? would all five of you REALLY sleep all piled up like that? well, who knows. but avery sure thinks it sounds fun.

to name them left to right:
katie-roo (the kangaroo),
baby (the little baby),
bridgeeeette (the rabbit),
emily or meeela or something, her name changes daily
lulu, the lamb who goes everywhere (remember LULU, grayson???!)

little rock & camp nana-pop

We recently traveled to Little Rock for an AMAZING 10 year reunion for Fellowship Associates, a church-planting program.. They loved on us well, and we had a great time!! We are so thankful for all the cheerleaders we have in Little Rock!! It was also a super-fun treat to spend some time with 2 of the other couples that we went through the program with in 2007-08.

Nana & Pop (Johnathan's parents) kept Avery for the weekend (they offered to keep Jackson too, but his asthma was all worked up, so he went with us). Avery loved:
Reading books
Reading more books
Coloring pictures
Listening to the rain (it was the weekend of the crazy flooding in TN!)
Baking Brownies with Nana
Sleeping on her "Princess Pallet" in Nana's room
Dancing
And.. having all the grand-parent love!!

She had THE best time.. And i am still hearing stories..
Here are some pics of our fun weekend!! (the black & white one is our fun friends who went through the residency with us in Little Rock, and have planted Redeemer Fellowship in Kansas City... (http://www.reachkansascity.org/) Katie & I were pregnant the year we were in Little Rock. The last time I saw Quinn, he was 4 months old.. He and Jackson had the best time in LR over the weekend!
(note the matchbox car city that Johnathan pulled down from his parents' attic.. Jackson LOVED it!)

you know you live in asheville when...

your 2 year old begs you to see his farm animals in the downward-dog yoga pose (referred to as "down dog" @ the Tree House)