Christmas preparations

This was our first year to go and see Santa. Jackson was so excited. After telling me for 2 weeks he was going to ask for a tricycle, that morning he changed his mind to 4 lollipops.
This is the first year I've really gotten excited about Christmas for Jackson. It's exhilerating to try to shop around for him and hide gifts and such. We've also been talking about the nativity story. He wants to get down the manger scenes to talk about them...unfortunately we have breakable nativities and so I can't just leave them down but hopefully after christmas is over i'll get the little people's nativity for next year.
Another fun story was for our ward christmas party Brent and I were asked to be Mary and Joseph. We thought it would be fun to dress Jackson up as a donkey to walk in with us. He was so cute and then got up to the front and yelled "I'm superman!" Sorry mom, no pictures.

feeling wintery

We may have been the only ones out walking this morning in the just above freezing temperatures, but it made the hot chocolate really good. He was serious about it too. After I gave it to him he promptly said "now go away."

I never did this??

So I just realized I never blogged about this! My brother Lance is getting married! Katie has really been in the family forever. They've dated for years. Really longer than Brent and I. In fact I can't remember if its longer than Matt and Robyn or not. Needless to say we're thril led to have her be a Hutchison soon. They'll get married in Oxford in May and probably live some where between birmingham and tuscaloosa. Yeah for lance and katie!! Oh and how typical of Alabama to have a pose in front of an Alabama flag. Roll Tide!
3 posts today. i know im pretty much amazing.

i love my new house!

So this was the view I woke up to this morning. well actually this....but still
pretty right?

a glimpse out the front window

and finally our house in the snow. snow + new house makes me happy.

In the kitchen

I feel like its been a while since I blogged. I feel guilty not for not blogging but for being disappointed every time I find a minute to waste time and check blogger only to see that I have no blog updates. I expect others to update without doing it myself. Ahh....well. Jackson is wasting his life watching tv in the other room, Brent just set up my desk/internet, and I was just feeling inspired.

So Jackson loves to help in the kitchen. These are from the old house but I thought they were cute enough they deserved to be shown. mashing the bananas for muffins

this is seriously how i found him when i left him with the bowl. so cute.

We're closing today!!

Wish me and my poor little overactive nerves luck!

We're a long way from done

but this makes me happy. boxes all the same size neatly labeled with their white labels. i love it. thanks gma dee!

my halloween

or lack thereof.

So I feel a little anti-blogger. Bloggers love all things Halloween! I mean a lot of you really get into it! You decorate, carve amazing pumpkins, cook fancy meals, etc. I am impressed, really I am. I was the kid though who refused to help decorate pumpkins cause i thought the guts were just too gross to get over, much less all the fake eyeball blah-di-blah stuff.

We had a ton of fun this year though. We went to Boo at the Zoo, halloween at the park, and trick or treated in the neighborhood. All of those times Jackson was dressed up as an adorable lion. the cutest. i just forgot to take a picture for proof. (i've talked to my mom no less than 5 times since then promising to post pictures of him in his costume b/c i didn't have the courage to tell her I forgot. shhh....)

Actually though my favorite thing of the whole event was watching Jackson go through his candy. He'd pull one piece out of a time, ask me what it was, and was just thrilled with each treat. He went through his candy individually, without asking to open it, carefully examining each piece, asking what it was like, who in the family liked that kind the most, and counting how many of that kind he got at least 3 times. It was so fun to watch. What candy finally broke him that he just had to eat first? The first one was that black or orange wrapped candy that they only sell at halloween and then a peppermint. yeah. he's even too young to know that chocolate is the best stuff in there!
watching him made me resent greedy teenagers even more.
i was a greedy teenager for too long.

The Circus!

This past weekend we were given free tickets to the circus. While for me the circus is...eh... it was so fun spending time together. This elephant was the coolest part. Recently Jackson's been hearing "sweetie I can't do that because of the baby" a lot. I mean my back aches blah di blah but I felt like this ginormous elephant blew away all of my lame excuses. If he can stand on his legs like that for like 45 seconds then maybe I can spend another 20 minutes crawling on the floor.

Amazingly though Jackson wasn't blown away and spent a big part playing peek-a-boo with my now dumped out bag. I think he just assumes anybody can fly on that trapeze.

jackson, pretend like you're sleeping with daddy.

good pretending

Sewing machine...today we were friends.

We're not always good friends. I've been debating at what point i needed to pack my sewing stuff. It's not mandatory but it's always on my mind about what i need/want to get done. To pack it would basically mean all projects with a deadline probably wouldn't get done. I wasn't quite ready to give up on some though. I finished Lori's toy bags for my final pay it forward project. Then I looked at the stacks of squares for Jackson's blanket. I wanted to give it to him for Christmas. It looked like packing was going to win. I assembled the boxes to start loading them up. Pulled out the machine then before I knew it I was sewing at the kitchen table. Spontaneous sewing stresses me out b/c i'm bound to make giant mistakes. Today, however, I just kept going with few mentionable earthshattering mistakes. It makes me so good when projects transform from lots of little pieces to a big piece. It makes it feel like the end is near. (even though its not even close) but its still fun to look at progress. so I guess i'm saying, thank you sewing machine for loving me today and not making me regre hasty decisions.
It's only the fun part of the quilt top. I still have serious inspections/corrections to make.

This is us 5 years ago

on our honeymoon.

We didn't have a camera so we took a disposable camera that we never got developed until our five year anniversary. Some how it just kinda never got done. It became one of Jackson's toys.... I don't know. These pictures make me happy. Happy that we're still happy. Happy that despite the fact it was pre-digital camera I didn't have my eyes closed in one single picture. Happy that as a sign of kinda how low-key we are we went to Nashville for our honeymoon. Happy that as another sign of how low-key we are we still own and wear most of those clothes. Happy that even though its been five years (which i realize is nothing) so little has changed. I mean the world has changed a lot around us. But between us, where it matters the most, nothing has changed. Strengthened, totally, but constant.

Oh and for the record, for our five year anniversary, which I hear is the paper anniversary, we totally knocked it out of the park and are under contract to buy a house! I've never been more scared in my life but the excitedness is slowly, slowly creeping in.

Sometimes Brent struggles getting to work on time.

maybe this is a reson.

I want to buy a house.

sort of. It's such a huge decision. I know the market is perfect right now for first time home buyers. I've spent....an embarassing amount of time....looking for houses. Trying to figure out what we can afford. What we need out of our house. What we want out of our house. Unfortunately, I have these big, too big, dreams of what I want. I'm realizing though that this most likely won't be our one and only house. a starter home. so I'm pleading with you. What is highest on the list? bedrooms? kitchen? bonus? square footage? yard? proximity to work/shopping? pantry? neighbors? I know I'm kinda an introvert so I think a neighborhood pool would help me meet neighbors. Is that silly? Just tell me you homeowners. What did you feel like you most appreciated/used/needed/lacked from your first house.

The giving tree

.I told Jackson I had to do dishes so I couldn't play (two posts in row of me putting him off to clean!) He told me he was going to read to me.

PS It's really quiet.

I hope that giving is always practiced in our home. My lesson: give my time.

here i am!

That's what my camera said when I found it yesterday. It had been hiding for the whole month of september. I decided to celebrate winning hide and seek by posting. just cause.

So yesterday I grounded myself from the computer so I'd get some things done. (like finding my camera) it had been sucking out my soul. I had a lot of cleaning to do so I wasn't finished when Jackson woke up from his nap. I kept telling him to follow me and he could help me with my chores. He just wanted to go play in his room. Then he comes in and says "Mommy come on! I made a BIG BIG MESS!" these are words I fear.

This is what I found. He'd knocked over his stack of library books, added a blanket, pencil, and puzzle piece to the "disaster." Yeah, sometimes its nice to have a child that wasn't more creative with his I'll-get-moms-attention-by-making-a-mess scheme.
I don't have a scanner so I just took a picture of my ultrasound. We did this a few weeks ago. We've decided to wait to find out the babies gender. We found out with Jackson but thought this would be fun. I know its just an ultrasound. A black and white picture of a baby that could be anybody's. I get all emotional though looking at it. I'm so so excited. I think more so with this one than Jackson because I have a clue about what mommy love is. With Jackson I didn't know how to interpret my feelings and nerves and stuff. With number #2 though I can attach this strong feeling of love that I've experienced before to this new person I haven't met and I just stinkin' can't wait. I'm crying now. typical. I love you baby!

We miss you daddy!!

But we're doing the best we can to deal til you join us.

So I feel like recently my blog has been heavy on my thoughts and light on Jackson.

We really have a lot of fun together.

I have a history of this

taking on projects that are too big for me. I decided to make Jackson's quilt for his new bed. I let him pick his main theme fabric and I'd make a simple quilt. I thought it's no big deal. I've been wanting to learn how to quilt but needed a motivation. a good kick in the pants. the problem is i have a tendency to get in a project and see nothing else in my life. I thought I'd do squares 7x5. They're 11" but now laying it out it doesn't seem big enough. That means 14 more squares (b/c i was one shy anyway.) Then there's the fact that I want to loosely piece the back. Then I can't even let myself think right now about the actual quilting, the piecing is my favorite. All that said, I'm still happy with what I have so far. Sometimes making a project public makes me feel more accountable. I know I'm silly but fear of being asked motivates me. It's very loosely based off of this design. I said loosely!! I of course am no professional. I really like the white lines separating the squares.

Jackson's art!

I just wanted to show some of the really cool crafts we've copied from No time for flashcards. A couple were interpreted our own way for our needs. She has really cute craft ideas for toddlers to do. It's been fun to watch Jackson learn how some new skills. Some of those we just did during the day but a lot of them we've made for Family Home Evening. We really weren't good at it, thinking Jackson was too young to care but boy were we wrong. He loves it! Last night he was begging all through dinner and us getting ready to start family home evening. These are some of the other things we've made. He's really liked the games (matching, red light/green light) and wants to play them all the time.

Now this is obviously Brent's creation. I thought it was pretty far over his head but he loves it too. He'll walk up to the fridge and talk about what happens (well we just did it last night.) I love it because it's SO Brent. He is not a simple quick artist. If he's drawing he's really gonna draw it.

I ask you how!

How do you get your kids to poopoo in the potty? I've bribed him. I've sat him in front of the TV. I've even given him a suppository when he got himself sick. He can keep his underwear clean and dry all day (well still not for naps or nightime) except for a #2 accident or he'll get constipated. Too much to share? Is he just not ready?

preparing for the real thing...

Three days a week I've started watching one of Jackson's friends from nursery Iris. She's about 6 months younger than Jackson which I didn't think Jackson would even notice a difference. He does though and it has given me glimpses of the type of big brother he will be. It's funny to see my characteristics/behavior in how he treats her. Now imagine this in a high imitating mommy type of voice, here are some of my favorites..."Honey, you want some juice." "Are you drinking juice? say yeah. say yeah." "Who am I? I'm Jackson. say Jackson." (when she picked up the remote control) "that's not for you Iris." "that's not safe Iris." He'll pick out books to show her and teach her how to... well jump on the bed or play red light/green light (a new favorite since our fhe on obedience.)

I know its not exactly the same but it's an idea of maybe how things will go and it makes me more excited. I'm grateful to see the patience and kindness he has shown her. I think, really I do, he'll be a great older brother.

my mom came

and basically this is all we did.

because the rest of the time was spent doing this.

That is popping beans and potty training (see the pants.) no--he isn't potty trained.

so pretty

It's been a while since I publicly vowed my love of fabric. I thought, nah they don't care, but...I'm sorry....I just thought these Arcadia fabrics by Sanae (Moda) were gorgeous! I couldn't choose which picture I liked best. The bottom two are for sell on Etsy.

Oh and by golly it's a two posting day! Amazing!

Jackson at 2 1/2

So this post is really for future me to look back and remember the Jackson that is singing/moaning in his crib right now as he is today. I know I forget things and he does lots of things I want to remember but I don't have a picture or story to blog about.

Favorite tv shows are Curious George, Bob the Builder (although I'm a mean mom right now. He used to ask for it constantly but then something about this movie, while I was sick, I swear made my nausea worse and I've now told him "sorry, its broken" just b/c it makes my head spin. i know im horrible!) Super Why, and Little Einsteins. My favorite is Word World but we lost our movie at the beach and the show comes on during his naptime.

Lines he says that will always get a laugh: "Oh my goodness! Are you serious!?" Come on mom/dad/whoever is there whose name he knows, This'll be fun!" "bridge" (now this one we all try really hard not to laugh at but inevitably somebody will snicker, it sounds really naughty) "no way jose!" and i'm sure countless others but those are the most common ones.

Favorite books: "Go Dog Go" is way high up there now but he also likes "Ready set skip", Elmo books, "The Cat in the Hat", and truck books. We go to the library weekly too so we always get new books there.

Jackson is a great sleeper. I thank the healthy sleep habits happy baby book. He has his routine and will go to bed without crying. He may resist starting the routine and even avoid getting into bed but when we leave there are no tears. That is, as long as he has white kiki (a ragged waffle blanket that as it appears is more irreplaceable than I thought. can't find another anywhere.)and big blanket. Recently he has started sleeping mostly with Elmo and any other random toy he thinks which reminds me of this one.

When we play he loves going outside. He normally will ask for a walk so he can pick up sticks/rocks and drop them in holes (which are drains.) We also play with balls a lot. Gma and papa barnes now have an empty room in their house where great-gmas bed used to be where he loves to play corners. What's corners? who knows all we do is laugh and run from corner to corner. We've barely started trying to have craft projects too which are fun. Maybe I'll do a post on those?

He loves all members of his family, even those he doesn't get to see often and will get so excited when we mention anything exciting that they're doing. He desperately needs a sibling (which I'm working on) b/c he always has to try to drag us old people around. A summary of Jackson 2.5 isn't complete without mentioning tantrums. I love you despite them future Jackson but wow you can throw a bad one. I'm sure other moms have left the mall with screaming toddlers in their arms but when it happens, you feel all alone in the world. Often the only thing that will calm you down is a blanket and primary songs. I love how primary songs can soften both our hearts though and I love you more b/c of it. I love how already the church means something to you and you assume all big pretty buildings are temples and all people who wear robes or have beards are Jesus. You learned how to drink from an open cup by the sacrament. You say irreverent but sincere prayers (praying for books, toys, and even Joe working). You demand to be included in morning scriptures and will refuse anybody who tries to put you to bed without prayer ON THEIR KNEES! You teach how pure and forgiving real love is. Sorry this turned into a different post than I intended but I'll let it stand.

a new favorite? maybe.

I just finished David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. It was absolutely fabulous! I think anybody who enjoys classic literature will love this book. For me, when I read a lot of books I have found that I mostly want to get to the end, to find out what the climax is, how it will happen, and then to know. I find that I race through these books for them just to be over. I just love endings I guess. With David Coppperfield though I found that I'd often set the book down in my lap just to think about it. I loved the whole world that he lived in. I loved all of the characters. I just can't say enough.

On a side note. I love names that mean something. I love family names, and scripture names, and names from my favorite characters in books. I have often told Brent that I'd love to have a "sweet sweet Melanie" (Gone with the Wind). Agnes is a new Melanie to me. I really wish I liked the name a little more because I love her role as the angel always pointing upwards.

Oh I also read another book before this one but I forgot to mention it and unfortunately forgot what it was called. I know that's bad. About a girl who falls in love with her imaginary friend. It was like a day read but I enjoyed it. Just no lasting impression.

It wasn't a dream!

You may or may not remember my nightmare soul crushing post where I cleaned but then realized it was all a dream. Well today it was all real! I washed 3 loads of clothes and put them all away, cleaned out the car (which was no small task on its own), washed the dishes and put them away. I know its not much for normal people but for me these days it was huge.

So when Jackson asked, as he does every day, "mommy, good day?"

I could easily say, "yeah buddy! good enough to cut up half a watermelon for just the two of us."

Well, except for feeling totally skammed by a Farragut fundraiser. Six bucks for 9 pieces of candy! really?!?!