Walking with Witten

Jason Witten, that is :)

Check out this cutie I got to go to the game with last weekend!

Koen and Kris on the way into the game on Sunday, full pads in tact!

My Dad came to spend the weekend with us and to go to the game on Sunday, we had a wonderful time, but it passed much too quickly!  Lucky for us we will be traveling to NC very soon to see both he and my Mom!

Mother's Day Out

Last Spring, we decided to register John Thomas for a Mother's Day Out program that is put on by a local church.  We have heard great things about it and felt like it would be good for him to be in an environment that is outside of our home and would be with other kids his age.  Well on September 6 he had his first day! He will go on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm through the end of May.

I am so impressed with everyone at the church and all the great things they have planned this year for our little man!  He will be exposed to Bible stories, music, along with other special activities they have scheduled throughout the year.

Here are some pictures before his first day!

Each day his teachers send home a report from his day, below is from his first day.  Needless to say, I was a proud Mama!

NC Trip, Part 6 (Last one!)

My mom, sister, John Thomas and I went to Boone one day for my sister to take a test for school and we enjoyed the beautiful weather, some shopping and walked around my Alma Mater.  I have the best memories of college and God's amazing handiwork in the scenery of the mountains.  At the time, I took my surroundings for granted, but now, each time I go back I fall more and more in love with the area.  We bought John Thomas the cutest little Appalachian tailgating chair, so we stopped to take a few pictures in front of the sign at the entrance to campus.

Mommy and John Thomas

His new chair!

Nana and John Thomas

At the burger place we stopped at for lunch there was a chalkboard where you could write where you were from or where you were headed, much to our surprise, someone had written "Rockwall, Texas!" Such a small world! 

There were several things I didn't get pictures of and I am sure this isn't a complete list, but we also had a visit from my best friend and college roommate, Abby, it was her first time meeting John Thomas, and I loved catching up with her!  Koen went fishing numerous times, spent hours in the pool and at my parent's creek, went with my sister and Justin to Shatley Springs for breakfast, where he ate and ate, and also got a really cool handmade slingshot and came home with an insanely large bag of candy and all kinds of other treats!  I was also able to get away one night to go to dinner and a fun wine bar with Heather and Patrick while my mom and dad kept John Thomas! We had numerous visits from family and friends, to say we are blessed is an understatement.  Each time our trip comes to an end it gets harder and harder to say "see you later!" Thank you to everyone who goes above and beyond to welcome us home each time!

Love, 

Alisha 

NC Trip, Part 5

One night after dinner, my mom and I took the boys to the park in my hometown so I could run and they could play. John Thomas was such a big boy and LOVED his first time in a real swing!

Koen climbing the big rock wall

Sweet Brothers

First time in a real swing

First time down the slide with Koen

Koen's creation before we left!

 

Handsome Koen! 

NC Trip, Part 4

 One day we took Koen to the lake so he could learn to wakeboard.  He got his first wakeboard for Christmas last year and hadn't had a chance to learn how.  Luckily, our family friend, Chase is a PRO wakeboarder!  He graciously offered to take Koen out and teach him how!  Within minutes he had Koen getting up and wakeboarding across the lake.  You could barely wipe the smile off Koen's face!

Up and looking like he has been doing it for years!

Getting ready to go for another round

Chase trying to get Koen to pose for the picture

Later that same night, we had a wedding to attend and Koen had big plans with Uncle Randy.  He picked him up and they went to eat what Koen claims is the best burger ever, followed by going to the lawn mower races.  He had a blast!  After the lawn mower races they went to race go karts!  Needless to say, I was in the bed before he got back, so he had a sleepover at Aunt Allie's house :)

Uncle Randy and Koen before their night out! 

Everyone else went to the wedding, so we were able to take a few pictures when everyone was actually dressed!

 

Love, 

Alisha 

NC trip, Part 3

It is always a bonus when we are in town and my best friend, Heather is there, too!  She came by with her niece, Madalyn, and they got some John Thomas snuggles! I loved catching up with her and wish we lived closer! 

Heather, Madalyn and John Thomas

On the Fourth of July, John Thomas enjoyed coffee with Nana and then we headed to Ellen's house to cook out and play in the pool!  John Thomas was able to see his friend, Campbell, again, unfortunately, I don't think he was any more excited to have him around this time than he was the last ;)

He thought he was such a big boy holding on to the coffee cup!

Koen laid back in a very large ring!

 My dad and John Thomas spent lots of time trying to take Koen out in pool football! I really don't know who had the most fun!

 One of the best parts of coming home, besides family and friends, is the food and ice cream!  We enjoyed homemade peach ice cream and chocolate frosty ice cream. John Thomas just enjoyed what was left on Mimi's spoon!

Pa Hall and John Thomas in the shade

Campbell and John Thomas played together in the small pool in the shade.  They were so funny, Campbell kept looking at John Thomas like he was invading his pool!

Sweet Campbell

Buddies!  Only 4 months apart

Mommy fail... this is what a diaper looks like that isn't a swim diaper!

Our baby boy LOVES water!

Playtime with these two isn't complete unless someone is crying!

 I had also ordered a Fourth of July onesie for John Thomas, but of course didn't put it on him until we were back at my parent's house!  So we had a mini photo shoot in their backyard and he was over it before we even started!  It is probably a good thing he wasn't a girl, because I am not very good with the whole dress to impress thing :) Most of our days are spent in white onesies!

 

We had a laid back, relaxing 4th!  After it was over, Kris and I realized it was the first Fourth of July we haven't seen any fireworks!  We were just too tired to go out to watch any!  

Love, 

Alisha

NC Trip, Part 2

We also got to spend some time with our cousins!  It was wonderful to see my grandparents with all of their great grandchildren.  Some of my greatest memories are with my grandparents and I am thankful that Koen and John Thomas have the privilege of spending time with all of their GREAT grandparents!  Grandparents are truly a blessing! There is something different about them that mommies and daddies just don't have :)

Cousins, Haley and Laryn, they were such big helpers!

Cereal with Mimi, one of the greatest women I know!

 The kids and adults enjoyed some intense corn hole competition!

John Thomas got some more loving in the swing with his cousins!

The great grandchildren had lots of fun hanging out after dinner!

Four generations

My cousin, Chris, and his daughter Laryn, and neice Haley

Kris and Koen with my grandparents

Koen absolutely loves my grandmother's dill pickles.  Each summer, for my entire life, my grandfather gets the garden ready in early spring and plants rows and rows of vegetables.  My Mimi spends hours sitting on a 5 gallon bucket picking them at just the right size for her famous dill pickles.  When I was little and would spend the night, she would tell me each night that if I woke up and couldn't find her not to be scared, that she would be in the garden picking the vegetables.  She would always bring everything back to the house and we would sit on the patio and she would show me how to carefully wash them with a small toothbrush to get all the dirt off after we did the "rough" wash.  After they were washed and dry, she would bring them into the house and would sit and cut just a small amount off the ends and pack them carefully into wide mouth mason jars with the dill she planted each summer.  I cannot imagine how many hours she has spent, tirelessly, making dill pickles.  She has been offered several times large amounts of money for her jars, but each time says there is no price for the time she spends, and gives them away without hesitation. She is always waiting with two jars of pickles for Koen and he eats almost the whole jar and then drinks the juice, he CANNOT get enough! He has even had several "care packages" of pickles mailed to him, along with blackberry jelly from my Aunt Libby that he and Kris love!

One of MANY pickles this boy put away on our trip!

Precious picture I will always treasure! 

I am so thankful to have my grandparents still with us, there is no doubt they played a huge part in the person I am and I cherish the many life lessons they instilled in me.  I can only hope to be half the woman my grandmother is!  Kris also is blessed to have all FOUR of his grandparents they, too, he would agree play a huge part in who he is as a husband, and father!

Love, 

Alisha