Why I Love Fall Saturdays

"It was one of those perfect English autumnal days which occur more frequently in memory than in life. The rich colours of grass and earth were intensified by the mellow light of a sun almost warm enough for spring..." ~P.D. James, A Taste for Death

 Since David started his MBA program, life has been a little crazy.  His schoolwork takes a ton of time.  A TON.  We are definitely a quality time family - the three of us like to spend every single second we can together, so it has definitely been an adjustment (even though it's an online program and he can be in the house with us while he is learning, he still has to have his thoughts on school).  I am so, so, so proud of how well he is doing in his classes and how he has managed his time so that he has the maximum amount with us that he can.  These days, Saturdays are pretty much our big day each week that we have the most free time (and even then he has to do some work usually, but at least we usually have a good bit of free time on Saturday afternoons).  So we have spent Saturdays really living it up and having a good time together as a family recently.  

One of the things we love to do is to take walks in our neighborhood.  Our neighborhood is called "Hamilton Lakes," and that's because there are several small bodies of water within the boundaries of our community - Lake Hamilton, Little Lake Euphemia, Big Lake Euphemia, and Jim King Pond.  Our neighborhood also has a pretty extensive system of trails, and more trees than just about anywhere else in Greensboro.  It is so, so, so beautiful in the fall!  Here are some pictures of our last few fall Saturdays!!!

A couple of Saturdays ago, we took Joseph to the swings at the playground at Little Lake Euphemia

It was hard to get a good pic, but he was laughing hysterically.

Swinging with my boy!

Little Lake Euphemia

Little Lake Euphemia

Little Lake Euphemia

My two favorite people

Area around Little Lake Euphemia

Practicing our walking

Right after we took this picture, the temperature dropped and the wind started blowing like CRAZY (I mean, like severe thunderstorm-strength winds), and leaves started blowing around everywhere.  It was spooky!  It got chilly, so we packed up and headed back home.

This past Saturday, we took a walk down to Lake Hamilton (the largest lake in our neighborhood) and played in the grass there.

Lake Hamilton

I love how the trees reflect on the water - stunning,

One of the trails

Looking at my guys from afar!

Joseph "flying" with Daddy - he loves it!

And these may not be outside shots, but I couldn't resist including them.  This past Saturday, Joseph was playing with the toy toolbox that his Uncle Ben, Aunt Lindsay, and cousins got him for his birthday.  He was sitting on the bed playing with the toy saw with David when, right in the middle of playing, he got tired and fell fast asleep (this was right around the time of day that he typically takes nap).  Love my sweet, sleepy boy!

So happy to be able to soak up every spare minute with these two guys!  They are my heart!!!

Recent Autumn Events

"Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree." -Emily Bronte
Wow, we have gotten to do SO many fun things this fall!  Here is a rundown of some of the things we've been up to recently...

We went to the State Fair in Raleigh, where we had so much fun.  Ate a bunch of fair food, saw some livestock, watched some people milk a cow, and proudly rocked our "Vote Republican!" stickers front and center that we got from the GOP booth!  Joseph went in "babywearing style" for his first NC State Fair, as he and I debuted the new wrap that my mother made me to wear OVER the Boba, thus keeping Joseph and I both warm (as we went to the fair on a very chilly Friday afternoon)!

David enjoys some fair food

Joseph enjoys some babywearing (yes, he looks miserable, but it was only because he was wanting some of my elephant ear)

The next morning we took Joseph to his first ever Lexington BBQ Festival!  David and I have gone every year since we got married, but we skipped last year because Joseph was just a few days old.  Funny thing - since Joseph wasn't due until November 7th of last year, we were expecting me to be in my 39th week of pregnancy for the BBQ Festival 2012.  David and I had planned to go and do lots of walking to try to get labor started!  But God (and Joseph) had other plans, and our sweet boy had already joined us by the time of last year's festival.  We were glad he was old enough to go this year!

There is no way to tell in this pic (bad angle - I was wearing him in the Boba when I snapped this), but this is Joseph trying his first ever bite of NC BBQ.  He loved it!!!

BBQ Festival Sand Sculpture

Joseph is wrapped up in our babywearing cover again, staying warm and cozy!

This child loves to play with leaves.  Seriously, he can do it for hours.

David and I shared a bloomin' onion...yum!

And Joseph practiced his walking skills.

Halloween was really fun this year, as Joseph went as a bat!  He looked so cute!  On Halloween morning, I had my parents (and their camera) go with me to pick up a few things at the grocery store.  Usually when I'm shopping I have him in the Boba, but on this day I let him ride in the cart so he could show off his costume.  So fun!  And we wrapped up the shopping experience by checking out with our favorite cashier (I check out with her almost every time - she absolutely loves Joseph!)

After shopping that morning, we went to my grandmothers house to take some pictures in her driveway and backyard...

And we ended the evening with our annual Halloween bonfire in our front yard.  We've done this tradition every year since we got married (except for the very first Halloween, when we were in Charleston, SC on the last night of our honeymoon).  It's a great way to have fun while handing out candy to trick-or-treaters.  My parents come over and we invite a few of our friends, and it's always so much fun!  Since Joseph was too young to trick-or-treat this year, we decided to do the bonfire again (although it's so much fun that I think we may continue it in future years after trick-or-treating hours end).

Opening up smore materials

One of Joseph's BFFs - James the Giraffe!

Our Jack-O-Lantern, designed and carved by my very talented husband.

Joseph was tried of wearing his bat hat by this point...

My fire-tender

And our most recent of fun activities?  Joseph's first college basketball game!  David called me from work a couple of Fridays ago and said "Oh my gosh, I forgot the exhibition game is in Chapel Hill tonight...we have to get tickets!"  So I jumped online and bough us tickets, put Joseph (and myself) in Carolina garb, and as soon as David got home from work we headed to Chapel Hill.  No time for dinner, so I ate a slice of Papa Johns at the game and David had a BBQ sandwich.  We had to sit midway up on the 2nd level, and while Joseph enjoyed the game for a little bit, he eventually got fussy.  So, what does a momma do to keep the peace?  Two things - breastfeeding, and bouncing (who says the fussy baby hold only works for the first few months?).  Works every time!  And great win, Heels...good job!!!

Nursing, Tar Heel style (Oh how I wish they made UNC nursing covers)

Bouncing during basketball

The other event from October that I want to mention but don't have pictures of is our 4th wedding anniversary!  I can't believe it's been 4 years since I walked down the aisle to marry the love of my life!  He continues to be not only the love of my life but my very best friend, and I cannot imagine what I would do without him.  I never knew I'd find a man that I loved so much OR that loved me so much.  Thankful for him every day!

We've had a fun-filled fall and I'm so grateful!

Joseph's First Birthday!

"If someone lined up every single baby in the whole world together, and said I could choose one, I'd always choose you...every time." -What I tell Joseph on an almost daily basis
Something big happened in our life recently, and that something big is that, on October 20th, our little man turned a year old!  It's hard for me to believe that it's been a year since his incredibly scary and eventful entrance that I had blogged about here ( http://onefleshonelove.blogspot.com/2012/10/my-most-emotional-and-longest-post-ever.html ) .  While I'm still not sure I'm 100% emotionally healed from the traumatic events of that day, I do know one thing - my little man is growing so fast!!! 

When he was born, I really had two parenting goals in mind for his first year of life - to spend as much time with him as I possibly could, and to breastfeed for at least a full year.  Well, we've accomplished both!

 In his first year, the longest I've ever been away from my sweet boy is seven hours, and that was on the actual day of his birth (this was due to some very very poor hospital procedures involving the emergency nature of his delivery, and the hospital has admitted to me many times that Joseph and I should have NEVER been separated so long that day).  Other than that, I've been with him pretty much constantly, other than an occasional 2-3 hour date night.  I'd say this goal was accomplished for sure!  I love that I've been able to have so much precious time with my boy and consider it a true blessing from the Lord.

And we've met (and exceeded) our breastfeeding goal!  Many of you know what a huge breastfeeding advocate I am, and from the moment I got pregnant it was very important to me that I do everything in my power to nurse my baby for a full 12 months.  Well, his first birthday came and went and we are still happily nursing - a little less often of course, but still nursing.  It's been positively one of the best parts of motherhood for me.

So, with both goals met and a year of life with our sweet Joseph under our belt, it was time for some major celebration!  Thus, on Saturday, October 19th, we had Joseph's first birthday party!  We had a football theme, lots of family and friends, and a TON of fun.  What a special day!!!

Joseph had so much fun having all of his family and his good friends there!  What a blessing!

Joseph and his buddy Samuel share some puffs on the coffee table!

Joseph's friend Bennett is on the move!!!

Joseph and both his grandfathers - love these three!

Miss Ginny with Bennett

Just look at these two boys having fun!  Samuel's mommy Heather is my best friend (other than my hubby, of course)...imagine my delight that Jojo and Samuel will grow up so close in age!

My two favorite people.

We were so thrilled that our friends, the Jordans, could join us!

Family birthday shot!

Miss Hannah and Davis

David talking to Heather (probably MBA talk that I'm not smart enough to understand!) while our boys continue to have a ball!

Heather and Samuel - love them!!!

Joseph with Mimi and Poppy who came down from the mountains to help him celebrate!

 We had lots of yummy food and some fun decorations!  Let me use this opportunity to thank my parents and my in-laws for all of their help that day!  Without them, this party wouldn't have gone off very easily at all!  My mom made the invitations and took care of the cake.  My in-laws took care of Joseph that morning while I got things ready and went to the store to buy some last minute refreshments.  Bless them all!!!

We all had a ball opening presents...

And he definitely had fun with his smash cake!

After everyone left, Joseph was so worn out from all of the fun that he passed clean out asleep.  Great Mimi (my grandmother) and Poppy (David's Dad) took turns holding him for nap time...

What a wonderful celebration!  Thanks to all of our family and friends that came out to help us celebrate one year of Joseph being on this earth!

The next day, on Joseph's actual birthday, we took a walk around the neighborhood and, while doing so, took a picture at 3:09pm - the exact moment he turned a year old!  Boy, being on a walk in the neighborhood is sure a lot less traumatic than laying on an OR table!

One year old, to the minute.

I hope this little man knows how very, very, very much his mommy and daddy love him, and that we are so excited about what the future holds for him and for our family!