HOLLY DAYS

Red Dress Pictures

2012-02-05T07:03:00.000-08:00

There is a little red dress that is very special to my family. Starting with my oldest girl cousin, all the "Barksdale" girls have worn this red dress for pictures. I was so excited that the dress finally fit Anna Ruth, and it was time for her pictures in the red dress.

(Above) Holly in the red dress
(Below) Anna Ruth in the red dress

Now, here is a picture of both of us side by side. Do you see a resemblance?

So, what were we up to during the month of January?

2012-02-05T06:51:00.000-08:00

So, what were we up to during the month of January? We got into a little bit of everything!

We.....

played in a water puddle on a pretty day after a big rain...

colored the princess castle we got for Christmas...

colored our face to look like a kitten while Mommy was getting a bath and then said "Meow" when Mommy stepped out of the bathroom...

shopped for groceries with our baby...

ate a Barbie candy cane that Santa left in our stocking...

dressed up as Rapunzel and watched the movie, "Tangled"...

had some pictures made with our horse, Hee Haw...

and had some pictures made with Big Harry.

We also have been dealing with sinus issues (coughing, runny nose, etc.) that do not seem to want to go away. We look forward to what February has in store for us. :)

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T08:04:00.000-08:00

Christmas Morning

2012-01-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas morning, but I will let the pictures do most of the talking. :)

Santa visited during the night, bringing Anna Ruth lots of goodies. The wrapped gifts are from Mommy and Daddy. Santa does not wrap the gifts that he leaves at our house.

Our elf, Ivy, left a note and a gift for Anna Ruth. I guess we'll see her again next Christmas season. :)

Santa was very good to us this year. He even left some surprises for our pup, Jock, and he filled Alan and my stockings. Just in case you are wondering, yes, our house does now look like a toy store exploded! When Anna Ruth is not aware, some of the toys will be put up for awhile, and we will bring them back out periodically. She has hit toy overload right now!

Getting Ready For Santa

2012-01-01T07:38:00.000-08:00

We did some preparing for Santa's big arrival this year. We made reindeer food to ~~spread~~ dump on our yard for the reindeer, and we made some cookies for Santa. We also left our special Santa key by the door so Santa could get in to leave our surprises! :)

Making reindeer food...

~~Spreading~~ Dumping the reindeer food on our yard...

Putting the magic key out for Santa...

Cookies and Milk for Santa

Christmas Gatherings

2012-01-01T07:09:00.000-08:00

We had several Christmas gatherings to attend this Christmas season. We celebrated Christmas with Alan's Mom, Dad, and Granny Eunice, my Daddy's family, my Mama's family, my Mama and Daddy, and Alan's family. Here are some pics of Anna Ruth from our Christmas gatherings....

Christmas with Granny Eunice, Mimi, and Paw Paw

Christmas with Daddy's family

Christmas with Mama's family

Christmas with Granna and Papa Jack

Christmas with Alan's family

Christmas Tree Pictures

2011-12-31T13:37:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures we took of Anna Ruth in front of our Christmas tree...

Anna Ruth put the first ornament on our tree this year.

She really wasn't into the picture taking this day.

Anna Ruth and her Bitty Baby

Ivy Elf

2011-12-30T06:01:00.000-08:00

Before Ivy had to return to the North Pole on Christmas Eve, she landed in some silly places and did some funny things. Here are some more pics of Ivy, our elf...

My Birthday

2011-12-29T10:25:00.000-08:00

I celebrated my birthday on December 20. Anna Ruth and I spent the day with my parents, until Alan got off work that night. My Mama and Daddy gave me a gift certificate (along with some other really nice gifts) to buy some Boyds Bears. I have not bought any Boyds Bears in years. Mama encouraged me to go on my birthday because the store where I have always bought them is downsizing, so they were having some great sales. I bought some really cute resin pieces. After Alan got off work, we all headed to Sarge's Shack for a yummy supper. Then, we returned home to enjoy some birthday cake and ice cream. It was a great day! :)

Santa's Village

2011-12-18T15:06:00.000-08:00

This past Tuesday night, we headed to Santa's Village, and it was a great night to go! It was not too cold; in fact, we didn't even wear our coats. Also, it was not crowded. Last year, we waited in a long line to see Santa, but not this year. We only waited about five minutes. Anna Ruth loved seeing Santa again. We got some cute pictures of her with Santa, but the photographer there got a really good one, which we plan to order. It was an overall wonderful night, and I hope we get to visit Santa's Village again next year.

Our Elf, Ivy

2011-12-12T01:45:00.000-08:00

At the end of November, I told you about our visitor for Christmas ~ our elf, Ivy. As you may know, she watches over Anna Ruth during the day, and, then, each night, she flies back to the North Pole to report to Santa on Anna Ruth's behavior. When she returns from the North Pole, you just never know where she will land or what she will get into. The first thing Anna Ruth does each morning when she wakes up is to go look for her. Here are some pics of Ivy from the mornings we have found her...

~Hanging from our shelves with a balloon~

~Hanging out with Mickey and Minnie~

She found a comfortable spot in Anna Ruth's stocking.

~Sitting in our kitchen Christmas tree~

~Enjoying a marshmallow bath while reading a book~

As we get closer to Christmas, I'm sure there will be more pictures of Ivy to share.

Christmas Scavenger Hunt

2011-12-12T01:26:00.000-08:00

Alan and I hosted a Christmas Scavenger Hunt at our home this past Saturday night. It was so much fun! Four families participated in the hunt, which involved them finding certain items and/or doing certain activities. The instructions were given out around 10:00 a.m., and all the teams met back at our home at 4:00 p.m., where we all enjoyed food and fellowship while the points were counted. All the teams did a great job, but the Jordan family had the most points. I think everyone is wanting to make this a yearly tradition! =)
(I wish I had taken more pictures, but I was busy counting points. We do have the pictures that the participants shared with us to prove certain activities that they did, but there are too many to share!)

Supper with Santa and the Galaxy of Lights

2011-12-10T02:28:00.000-08:00

This past Monday night, my Mama and Daddy treated us to supper with Santa. They also have tickets to Santa's Village for us, and we had planned to go after our supper with Santa. However, it was drizzling rain, so we decided to save that for another night. We chose to go to the Botanical Gardens Galaxy of Lights, since that was an activity we could do in the car. Anna Ruth loved both of these fun activities. She was not scared of Santa at all. She told him exactly what she wants for Christmas ~ Ruby and Max and Ruby's bed and Max's bed. She loved Santa! Of course, as I say every year that she has went, she also loved the Galaxy of Lights mainly because we allowed her to get out of her car seat. She had a ball. At one point, Papa Jack let her hang her head out the window. She was shouting ~ Merry Christmas! She is a mess and is so much fun!

Busy Weekend

2011-12-05T01:12:00.000-08:00

We just finished up a very busy weekend! Saturday, we headed to the Decatur Mall (along with about a million other folks!) because we heard that Dora was going to be there. We thought Anna Ruth would enjoy seeing her. Well, 2 hours later, we got to meet her. Yes, you read that right ~ we waited in line 2 hours! Once we got up there to see her, Anna Ruth didn't get a lot of time with her, which I think disappointed her a bit. I guess she thought after waiting that long to see her that she and Dora were going to hang out or something. She still had fun though. While at the mall, we picked out some ornaments at the Hallmark store to hang on our tree. I picked out one that I can get Anna Ruth's handprint on, and Anna Ruth picked out a Winnie the Pooh one. Next, we headed to CiCi's pizza and, then, we headed home. Anna Ruth took a nap on the way home. That night, we went to the Rogersville Christmas parade. Just like at the Athens parade, Anna Ruth's favorite part was seeing Santa. Sunday, we had church, and, then, we headed to Florence to do a little Christmas and grocery shopping. At Target, we let Anna Ruth get a Dora ornament that she is so excited to hang on the tree. I wish I could say that I am now finished with my Christmas shopping. Although I did buy several gifts yesterday, I still have several more to go. I'm sure we will stay very busy from here on out until Christmas! Now, for the pics....

Waiting to see Dora...

Finally meeting Dora...

~Anna Ruth and me at the Rogersville Christmas Parade~

Athens Christmas Parade

2011-12-02T17:39:00.000-08:00

This past Thursday night, we attended the Athens Christmas parade. We were able to watch it from our warm, cozy vehicle. Anna Ruth was so ~~hyped up~~ excited that she could hardly sit still. She loved seeing all the marching bands. At one point, she said "Happy Christmas everybody", which, of course, Alan and I thought was so cute. She loved all of the parade, but her favorite part was Santa. She was yelling for him and waving at him. She was sad when he left, but we explained that he had to go back to the North Pole to make more toys. Here are the pics from our night at the parade...

Christmas Visitor

2011-11-29T14:00:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday night, after the Alabama/Auburn game, we heard our doorbell ring. When we went to the door, this is what we found...

Santa has sent an elf to stay with us for the Christmas season. We have named her Ivy. Ivy makes a trip to the north pole every night to report to Santa on how well Anna Ruth has acted that particular day. When she returns from the North Pole, you never know what she will do. Anna Ruth loves looking for her each morning. So far, we have found her in the kitchen with yogurt raisins, hanging by a balloon from our shelves in the living room, and sitting on the light fixture in our kitchen. Anna Ruth thinks Ivy is a pretty cool elf, especially since she arrived with a gift for her ~ Hello Kitty bath toys.

It is going to be so much fun to find her each morning. There is no telling what all she will get into. =)

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-26T18:14:00.000-08:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Our Thanksgiving was busy; we had two get togethers to go to, which can sometimes be challenging with a little one. However, we made it to both, and we had a great time, and, of course, we ate too much food! We first had lunch at my aunt and uncle's house. After that, we left to let Anna Ruth get a quick nap before heading to Alan's aunt and uncle's house. Here are some pics of our girl on Thanksgiving....

Anna Ruth at my aunt and uncle's house

Anna Ruth at Alan's aunt and uncle's house

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-20T16:44:00.000-08:00

We all have so much to be thankful for all through the year, but Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to remember our blessings and spend time with family. I hope you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving! I am already looking forward to all the yummy food! =)

Sesame Street Live

2011-11-10T11:12:00.000-08:00

This week has been an exciting week for us so far. We went to see Sesame Street Live! We first met cousins ~ Clint, Whitney, and Trenton at Chick-fil-A for supper. The Chick-fil-A cow even made an appearance. Anna Ruth gave him a high five and a hug. (I didn't get any pics of this though.) After eating, we all headed to the VBC to see Sesame Street Live. It was great! Anna Ruth loved it! When I asked her which character was her favorite at the show, she said Super Grover. Before we got in the car to head home, Trenton and Anna Ruth gave each other a good-bye hug. It was a fun night! :-)

Ready to go!

Anna Ruth and Trenton with their Elmo wands

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T05:47:00.000-07:00

Our little Strawberry Shortcake had a fun Halloween. We made six stops (all family), and she was so cute saying ~ Trick or Treat! She loved eating the candy. In fact, she would not eat her supper; she only wanted to eat her candy. Oh well, Halloween only happens once a year! We hope you all had a "Berry" Happy Halloween!

Trick or Treat!

~Enjoying her candy~

Paw Paw's Birthday

2011-10-25T15:03:00.000-07:00

Today is Alan's Dad's (Anna Ruth's Paw Paw) birthday. We celebrated Sunday night by giving him his gifts and enjoying some cake with him. Anna Ruth helped me bake him a cake Sunday afternoon. She loved mixing the batter and ~~placing~~ dumping the candy and sprinkles on the cake after it had cooled and been frosted. I think she thought it was neat that we were all eating the cake that she had baked. =) Happy Birthday, Paw Paw! Here are some pics....

Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-24T11:19:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, we visited The Belue Place Pumpkin Patch, and we had a wonderful time. Anna Ruth loved all of the activities, but she wasn't so sure about the cow train. She started crying, so she ended up not riding it. It was kind of noisy, and I think that is what maybe scared her. There were so many fun things that Anna Ruth enjoyed: playing on the toddler playground, going on the hayride, picking out a pumpkin, playing in the corn crib, playing on the tire/sand area, and seeing and petting all the animals. Right before we left, we took a break to eat a hotdog and some other goodies, and we bought Anna Ruth a pumpkin sucker to enjoy on the way home. It was a very enjoyable day. I hope you enjoy these pics!

Fun Family Day

2011-10-22T19:27:00.000-07:00

This past week, Alan took a few days off from work to spend with us. One day, we decided to head to Florence. First, we stopped at McDonald's for lunch. This McDonald's had a play area, so after we ate, Anna Ruth enjoyed playing for a bit. Next, we headed to The Children's Museum of the Shoals. It was fun and educational. We had a great time, and we plan to take Anna Ruth back sometime, especially when she is a little older and can understand some of the exhibits a little more. After the musuem, we went to Big Lots and Wal-Mart. Before leaving Wal-Mart, we fed AR some nutritious snack items (cheese, fruit, etc.), so that if she fell asleep on the way home before supper, it would be okay. That is exactly what happened. She fell asleep on the way home, and we were able to get her to bed without waking her up. Here are some pics from our day....

Maggie

2011-10-18T04:27:00.000-07:00

Our sweet Maggie dog turned 16 this month! Yes, 16! Although she does have a few health problems, she is doing pretty well, and she loves to eat!! Happy Birthday, Mag! We love you!

Going to Yard Sales

2011-10-18T04:22:00.000-07:00

Some Saturdays, we love to get up and head out to some yard sales. The last one we went to was the one (actually lots of them) on Highway 101 that seems to usually happen on the weekend of the Fiddler's Convention. Although we didn't make it to to the Fiddler's Convention this year, we did enjoy going yard saleing on this Saturday. Anna Ruth got two new shirts (one of them is a personalized airbrushed Strawberry Shortcake shirt) and a Winnie the Pooh game.

Ready to go to some yard sales!

We Were Booed!!!

2011-10-18T04:20:00.000-07:00

So, that kind of sounds like a bad thing, right? But, it is totally not. Being booed was really fun! I actually caught one of our neighbors booing us because I thought that my Mom and Dad were here for a visit, and I was going to the car to meet them. I was home alone at the time, so I kept it a secret from Anna Ruth. So, when she got home and found all the goodies, she was so excited!!! So, then, it was our turn to boo some neighbors too, but that is all I will say about that.....Mum's the word!!!

Meeting Brobee and Geoffrey

2011-10-18T04:19:00.000-07:00

The Toys R Us/Babies R Us at Bridgestreet in Huntsville recently opened, and to celebrate the opening, they had some fun events planned. On Friday of the opening weekend, Brobee from Yo Gabba Gabba and Geoffrey, the Toys R Us giraffe, made an appearance. When we heard that Brobee was going to be there, we knew we had to try to take Anna Ruth because Yo Gabba Gabba is one of her favorite shows. (In fact, you may recall that she had a Yo Gabba Gabba 2nd birthday party.) We decided not to tell her that we were going to see Brobee and Geoffrey because we were afraid that for some reason they might not be there, so we just told her that we were going to a new toy store. So, you can imagine her shock and excitement when we just "happened" upon Geoffrey and Brobee in the store. She was thrilled; she was not scared of them at all. In fact, she did not want to leave them. After meeting them, while we were shopping in the store, she kept asking to go back to see them. Daddy bought her an Olivia ~ Princess for a Day ~ doll and a Max and Ruby Halloween book, which of course brought her some smiles. However, the highlight for her was meeting Brobee. She even asked Granna on Saturday about going back to see Brobee, but Granna had to explain that he had to return to Gabba Land. =)

~Big Harry~

2011-10-18T04:03:00.000-07:00

Since Anna Ruth recently turned two and a half, it was time for me to get some new pics with Big Harry....

~Wild Child at the Library~

2011-10-18T03:59:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to take Anna Ruth to the Rogersville preschool story time at the library. Let's just say that we had to leave early due to the fact that Anna Ruth could not sit still long enough to listen to all the stories. I was very disappointed that we did not get to stay for the craft time, but she was being a wild woman! I thought maybe she was just excited since it was her first time, but Alan took her the following Friday. They had to leave early again. I am concerned that she can't sit still for long, but I have read that children's attention spans match their age. For example, since Anna Ruth is two, her attention span would likely be about two minutes. I have talked to some other moms of children around AR's age, and they have some of the same issues, so maybe I am worrying for nothing. I sure hope so. It's just that, as a former teacher, you want your child to sit still, listen, etc. Hopefully, it will come.... Until then, I guess I just need to enjoy this time with my sweet wild woman! =)

Working on a puzzle before story time

See that empty spot in the circle? Yep, that's where AR "should" be standing! =/

~Fun at Bridgestreet~

2011-10-18T03:51:00.000-07:00

Bridgestreet in Huntsville is a very fun place, and I think these pictures show that... =)

Cotton Pics

2011-10-05T10:57:00.000-07:00

We live in an area with an abundance of cotton. We love to take pictures of Anna Ruth in it. Here are some of her I took just a few days ago...

Alan's Birthday

2011-10-05T10:50:00.000-07:00

Alan celebrated a birthday September 21, so we are the same age until December. ;) My mom and dad treated us to pizza and got him the delicious cake. He received some really nice gifts this year from my parents, his parents, Anna Ruth and others. ;) I made him a birthday supper consisting of: chicken n dressing, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, dirty rice, and cherry cream cheese pie. I think he had a great birthday this year! Here are some pics from his special day...

Family Bike Rides

2011-10-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

We have had our bikes and Anna Ruth's trailer for awhile, but we have not been using them much. We decided a few weeks ago to change that, and we have already been on a few bike rides. We have had so much fun. (Although Alan really does get the biggest workout because he is the one hauling Anna Ruth, the cooler, etc. in the trailer.) Anna Ruth carries along her critters ~ the Gabbas, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Mickey and Minnie, just to name a few ~ and she has the best time playing and looking out her window. At certain points during our bike ride, we stop to have a drink, let AR get out to look around, etc. We end our ride at a playground to let Anna Ruth play. The weather has been great for this, and I hope we get to go on several more family bike rides before winter sets in.

Trail of Tears/Trip to Chuck E. Cheese

2011-10-05T09:51:00.000-07:00

For as long as I can remember, Alan has participated in The Trail of Tears, and this year was no exception. He started in Madison and rode a little past Rogersville this year. Granna, Papa Jack, Anna Ruth, and I were waiting to see him in Athens. He stopped to see us and to get some pics. Granna and Papa Jack had promised AR a trip to Chuck E. Cheese, so after Alan got back on the road, we (Granna, P. Jack, and AR) headed to Chuck E. Cheese. It was a fun-filled day!

Rogersville Homecoming Parade

2011-09-28T19:22:00.000-07:00

I was so glad that I was able to attend the Rogersville Homecoming Parade with Alan and Anna Ruth this year; I was not able to attend last year, so Alan took her alone. We had a great time this year! Before the parade, we ate at Hardee's, which turned out to be a good place to leave our vehicle during the parade. We put AR in her wagon, walked to the section of town that the parade would be coming through, found a good spot to watch, and, then, waited. Finally, we heard the parade on its way, and Anna Ruth was excited. Although I know she enjoyed the parade, I think her favorite part was receiving all the candy that was thrown out. She had two suckers during the parade!

Grandparent's Day

2011-09-28T19:06:00.000-07:00

For Grandparent's Day this year, Anna Ruth gave her grandparents and great-grandmothers bananas and banana chips with the tag ~ that she colored ~ saying I Go Bananas For You!

Granna's Birthday

2011-09-28T18:59:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Granna's birthday on September 6. She opened her gifts, we went out to eat (Keeping AR's taste in mind, she chose pizza for her b-day supper), and we enjoyed cake and ice cream. Words can not describe how thankful I am for my mother. She does so much for my family and me! I love her so very, very much! I hope she has many, many, many more birthdays!

Granna's Birthday Cake

~A Rainy Day~

2011-09-28T18:52:00.000-07:00

A recent rainy day provided the perfect opportunity for Anna Ruth to get to use her new raincoat, boots, and umbrella that Granna and Papa Jack got for her. She loved playing in the rain! She did not want to come back inside!

~Taking a Bath in Mommy's Garden Tub~

2011-09-28T18:42:00.000-07:00

Recently, we let Anna Ruth get her bath in our garden tub. (She usually takes a bath in her rubber ducky bathroom.) As you can see from these pictures, she really enjoyed herself! :0)

Ice Cream Truck

2011-08-31T14:44:00.000-07:00

On a recent visit at Granna and Papa Jack's, we heard the unmistakable music of the ice cream truck. It was on the road parallel to Granna and Papa Jack's road when we heard it, so we scrambled to get money to buy some. Clint, Whitney, Trenton, and Cory also heard it. We all waited together until we saw it make the turn down our road. We all cheered! Haha! This was Anna Ruth's first experience with the ice cream truck. She really enjoyed her ice cream, as we all did! :0)

Kid Venture

2011-08-06T11:13:00.000-07:00

Alan and I enjoyed a fun day with our girl Friday. We took her to get pizza for lunch, and, then, we took her to Kid Venture ~ an indoor play area in Huntsville. She had a blast! They had an area just for toddlers ~ three and under. Anna Ruth loved playing there! However, as we had suspected, she also wanted to play in the big kid area. It was not crowded at all, so we let her play in the area for the bigger kids too. She played until she couldn't play anymore! Before we left, we had frozen yogurt and drinks. It is so funny, but when you ask Anna Ruth if she had fun, lately she says ~ No, I do it again! That to her means she had fun. :0) She definitely had fun, so I foresee us making a trip to Kid Venture sometime again.

~Before we left~

~Rocking and singing to her
baby on the way home~

Whistle Hollow Farm

2011-08-06T10:45:00.000-07:00

This past week, we (Granna, Anna Ruth, Neicy, Whitney, Trenton, and me) went to Whistle Hollow Farm. Anna Ruth and Trenton loved seeing and feeding the animals there. They also enjoyed playing on the little playground. We ate lunch there, and it was very good. With two 2 year olds, we were always on our toes, but we had a lot of fun. I want to go back soon!

Messages to Ellie

2011-08-03T05:03:00.000-07:00

July 29th was our Ellie's Gotcha Day. (When we do not know our pets' birthdays, we celebrate the day we got them ~ their Gotcha Day.) Oh, how I wish we could have celebrated Ellie's Gotcha Day our usual way - with new toys, treats, having fun, and playing. Instead, we were left wondering, as we often have since January, where is our Ellie and what exactly happened to her. It has been a difficult time not knowing. We miss her so much! We wanted to do something on her Gotcha Day, so we (Alan and I) decided to each write her a message and attach our messages to her on balloons. We then released our balloons ~ hoping they will find their way to her. Realistically, I know they won't reach her, but we wanted to do something so that she will never be forgetten. Our pets are like our family! We hope to continue this tradition, and, when Anna Ruth is older and would not be traumatized by letting balloons go (she is *crazy* about balloons right now), we hope to include her in this little tradition. I did get pics of our balloon release, but it is hard to see the balloons, so I will just post this one of our precious Ellie.

We love you and miss you so much, Ellie! You will always be in our hearts!

Picking Flowers

2011-07-31T18:56:00.000-07:00

My uncle and aunt have some beautiful flowers, so we headed over there a few days ago to get some pictures of Anna Ruth with them. Neicy even let Anna Ruth pick some of them to put in her little basket, which is a very special basket. This same basket is the one that I carried when I was a flower girl in Neicy's wedding years ago. Also, Alan and I used it at our wedding reception. Anna Ruth enjoyed smelling, looking at, and picking the flowers. I'm not sure if you can tell in these pictures, but there were several butterflies all around. Anna Ruth loved seeing them. I really like the way these pictures of Anna Ruth turned out. We took several pictures, but I only have time to upload these two right now. I have uploaded a few more on Facebook.

Neicy and me, the flower girl

We used the basket for mints on the gift table at our wedding reception.

~Anna Ruth~

Kiddie Carnival 2011

2011-07-31T16:09:00.000-07:00

I am so glad that Athens has the Kiddie Carnival. It is a wonderful event for families! I *love* to take Anna Ruth. It always brings back memories of going when I was little. Anna Ruth has had the opportunity to go a couple of times this summer. She had such fun! The only disappointing part was that the train was not working, but there were so many other rides, so it wasn't really a big deal. Maybe it will be working next year, and she will get to ride it then.

Birmingham Zoo

2011-07-31T15:56:00.000-07:00

We (Papa Jack, Granna, Neicy, Whitney, Alan, Anna Ruth, Trenton, and me) recently took a trip to the Birmingham Zoo. We were prepared for a hot, hot day outside; although it was still hot, it was somewhat overcast, and it ended up being a nice day to go. We had a great time. We all really enjoyed it. I won't describe all the fun we had; I'll let the pictures do the talking. (Warning: Lots of pictures ahead!)

~Watching videos on the way~

~Granna painted her toenails on the way~

We're ready! Let's do this!

~Taking a water break~

~Riding the train~

~Trenton - Riding the train~

~Splash pad at the zoo~

~Two Tired Kiddos~

~Eating a push up pop before heading home~

Anna Ruth's 1st time at a movie theater ~Winnie the Pooh movie

2011-07-31T15:00:00.000-07:00

We took Anna Ruth to the Winnie the Pooh movie, and beforehand, I was a little nervous about how she would do and if she would sit quietly for the entire movie. (Last summer, we took her to a movie at the drive-in, and she was not interested in the movie at all!) She did great; however, we literally feed her the whole movie, so I think that had something to do with it! Haha! We all enjoyed the movie; it was really cute. I look forward to taking Anna Ruth to another movie sometime.

~Concentrating on the movie~

~Giving Winnie the Pooh a hug~

Mimi's Birthday

2011-07-31T14:42:00.000-07:00

We visited Mimi at Calhoun to take her birthday goodies to her. Anna Ruth enjoyed visiting her. Since there were no students there at the time, Anna Ruth got to look around the chemistry lab, and she liked that. While at Calhoun, she also got to visit Daddy's office and talk with some of Daddy's coworkers.

July 4th, 2011

2011-07-31T14:30:00.000-07:00

On the morning of July 4th, we took some pictures of Anna Ruth and Jock. Well, let me rephrase that ~ We tried to take some pictures of Anna Ruth and Jock. Jock would not be still enough for us to get a good picture of him, but we did end of getting some cute ones. More importantly, we had fun! That night, we had a get together with Alan's family. We enjoyed a meal together, and, then, the kids, and a few adults, swam in the pool. Alan swam with Anna Ruth. She had a ball. She even surprised us by wanting to go down the slide.

Lucy's Birthday

2011-07-31T14:15:00.000-07:00

Lucy turned 7 years old this past June, which is so hard to believe!! As usual, we could not let this occasion pass without some new toys and treats for Lucy. Also, thank you to my parents, especially Papa Jack, for taking such good care of Lucy! We love you, Lucy!

Goodies for Lucy!

Father's Day 2011

2011-07-31T14:05:00.000-07:00

From Anna Ruth, Papa Jack got a sleep shirt with Anna Ruth's pic on it.

Even Jock remembered Daddy for Father's Day.

Alan received grilling supplies, and he got to use our special celebration plate for our meal.

Daddy and Anna Ruth matched for Father's Day.

Kisses from Daddy!

~Giving Paw Paw his gifts~

Slimer

2011-07-31T13:20:00.000-07:00

Many of you may know this, but Alan inherited his Paw Paw Obie's truck, which has been lovingly named Slimer. Alan cherishes this truck, as we all do. We went on dates in this truck, and we even left our wedding reception in it. Before Father's Day this year, we were trying to think of something special for Anna Ruth to give our Dads. Alan had the thought of taking pics of Anna Ruth with Slimer to frame to give to his Dad, so that is what we did. We fell in love with these pictures, and Alan plans to put some in his office at work.

Chuck E. Cheese

2011-07-31T13:10:00.000-07:00

As I have said before, Anna Ruth loves to go to Chuck E. Cheese. We try to take her periodically. We have plans to take her again very soon! :0) Here are some pics from a recent trip.

VBS and 2 and 3 year old class at O'Neal

2011-07-31T12:58:00.000-07:00

Anna Ruth recently moved up to the two and three year old Bible class. She has been having a little trouble staying in her seat for the entire class time, but I think she is getting better each time. I think she will do lots better when she starts preschool this fall and sitting in your seat for certain amounts of time becomes regular. I am also going to start trying to do some short lessons with her on my own, and, hopefully, that will help as well. Overall, we are very proud of her, especially since she is one of the youngest in her class. The best part is that she is really excited to go. The way she says Bible class is so, so cute. Here are some pics of Anna Ruth at church, including some during the week of VBS.

Fun in the Sun

2011-07-28T22:48:00.000-07:00

It is time to play catch up with the blog, and I hope to do that in the next few days! ;) I will start with more water play pictures. In the previous post, back in May, I mentioned that you would probably see more pics of Anna Ruth playing in the water, well, here they are. She has had several chances to play in the water this summer, and here are a few pics to prove it! ;)

~Having fun at Granna and Papa Jack's~

~Splash Pad in Florence~

~Swimming with Daddy July 4 at a family get together~

~Swimming at Uncle Don and Aunt Judy's~

~Splash Pad at the Birmingham Zoo~
(More on our trip to the zoo later...)

Water Play

2011-05-29T09:47:00.000-07:00

Anna Ruth got to play in the water for the first time this season, and she loved it! She had so much fun, and Jock enjoyed playing as well. Anna Ruth did not want to come inside, so, you will probably see many more pics like this in the coming months. I'm sure she is going to have lots of opportunities to play in the water this summer.

Anna Ruth and Big Harry

2011-05-23T18:15:00.000-07:00

As you may know, I love Boyds Bears and have been collecting them for around 8 years. We have had our biggest bear, Big Harry, for many years, even before Anna Ruth came along. When Anna Ruth was a tiny baby, we decided to start periodically making her picture with Big Harry to help us see how much she is growing. It is so neat to look at these pictures and see how much our baby girl has grown. We hope to continue taking pictures of Anna Ruth and Big Harry, as long as Anna Ruth will let us!

Papa Jack's Birthday

2011-05-15T11:24:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Papa Jack's birthday on Saturday, May 14. Alan cooked chicken fajitas for us. They were so delicious! After this, Papa Jack blew out the candles on his cake ~ he let Anna Ruth help! We all enjoyed cake and ice cream. Lastly, Papa Jack opened his gifts. Happy Birthday, Papa Jack! We love you so much!

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-15T10:52:00.000-07:00

Easter 2011

2011-05-15T10:48:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful Easter this year. On the Saturday before Easter, I took Anna Ruth to an Easter egg hunt with church friends, but she had no interest in hunting eggs that day, so I was afraid that is how it would be for Easter Sunday as well. When we woke on Easter Sunday, we found that the Easter bunny had made a stop at our house. After helping Anna Ruth go through all her Easter goodies, decorating eggs, and getting ready, we headed to church. After church, we went to my aunt and uncle's house. It was a wonderful afternoon filled with family, friends, food, fun, and egg hunting. To my delight, Anna Ruth hunted for eggs. She only hunted for about two minutes, and then, she lost interest, but I'll take what I can get! =) I hope you enjoy these pics from our Easter 2011.

The Easter Bunny came!

Anna Ruth looking through her Easter goodies

Decorating Easter eggs

Our decorated eggs

Anna Ruth in her Easter dress with her Easter basket
(Photo by Kelley Rigsby)

Anna Ruth in her Easter dress
(Photo by Kelley Rigsby)

The back of her dress
(Photo by Kelley Rigsby)

Anna Ruth
(Photo by Kelley Rigsby ~ She took some Easter photographs of Anna Ruth, and she did an awesome job!!)

Anna Ruth

Anna Ruth ~ Hunting Easter eggs

Alan and Holly

Anna Ruth Turns Two!

2011-05-15T07:44:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that our baby girl is now two years old!!! She turned two on March 31. Alan and I spent that day with her. When she woke up, she found her birthday goodies waiting for her on the couch. We spent that morning opening gifts and spending time together. We also watched Sprout all morning, hoping that the card I sent in would be on the show. (It was not on the show, but it did appear on their webpage.) Then, we got ready to go out for a little birthday adventure. First, we took Anna Ruth to GiGi's Cupcakes in Madison. It was the first time for all of us. Our cupcakes were delicious! Next, we headed to the mall to Build a Bear. We let Anna Ruth pick out any critter that she wanted to make. She picked out an elephant. Since we had been to GiGi's for the first time that morning, we all decided that GiGi would be a cute name for the elephant. After making GiGi, we went to Chick-fil-A to eat. On the ride home, Anna Ruth snuggled with GiGi and her Gabbas.

The following Saturday, we had a Yo Gabba Gabba birthday party for Anna Ruth at Joe Wheeler State Park with family and friends. We had hot dogs, chips, dip, cake, and ice cream. There were several activities for the kids: Yo Gabba Gabba bean toss games that Alan made, a pinata, and a playground area with slides, etc. I think everyone had a good time. I know the birthday girl did!

Anna Ruth's birthday card that I sent to Sprout

Anna Ruth's birthday gifts from Mommy and Daddy

Birthday Morning

Birthday Girl

Enjoying her cupcake

Our Family at Build a Bear

Anna Ruth with GiGi, the elephant

Ready for the ride home

Anna Ruth's Birthday Party

Birthday Cake

Cupcakes and other food items

Daddy with the birthday girl

The Birthday Girl again

Toodee from Yo Gabba Gabba made an appearance at the party

Brobee bean bag toss game

Muno bean bag toss game

Valentine's Day 2011

2011-05-15T07:05:00.000-07:00

Anna Ruth woke up on Valentine's Day to find Valentine goodies from Mommy and Daddy. Later, to celebrate Valentine's Day, Anna Ruth and I went to Calhoun to pick Alan up for lunch. We ate at one of our favorite places, The Brick, in Decatur. When we got back to Calhoun, Alan had a surprise for Anna Ruth and me. He had beautiful roses for us, and he even had a balloon for Anna Ruth. She *loves* balloons, so she was tickled to death! It was a great Valentine's Day for the Kelley family! =)

AR's V-day goodies from Mommy and Daddy

Anna Ruth ~ Checking out her goodies

Yay! Lunch with Daddy!

Anna Ruth was so excited about her Valentine balloon.

Anna Ruth ~ Smelling her rose from Daddy

January 2011

2011-05-15T06:52:00.000-07:00

January 2011 turned out to be a sad month for us. Alan's precious Granny Susie passed away, and our pup, Ellie, became missing. I won't go into details, but we believe that Ellie has crossed the rainbow bridge. So, needless to say, January 2011 held several dark, depressing days. However, we also had some fun that month too. I really can't remember the last time we received as much snow as we did this month. Anna Ruth enjoyed playing out in it, and she also enjoyed eating snow cream.

Alan's Granny Susie ~ She was the sweetest lady! We miss her terribly!

Our precious Ellie ~ We miss her so much! It breaks my heart not knowing exactly what happened to her! =(

Anna Ruth and Daddy in the snow

Anna Ruth and Mommy in the snow

Anna Ruth loved the snow!

She had a little trouble walking in it.

Yummy! Snow Cream!

Redneck Sledding!

Jock enjoyed playing in the snow too!

Christmas 2010

2011-05-14T13:35:00.000-07:00

So, I think my last post was about the Athens Christmas parade. Picking up from there, we had a wonderful Christmas season. We tried to do some fun, family activities with Anna Ruth leading up to Christmas, such as going to a couple of Christmas parades, making a gingerbread house, etc. Also, Granna and Papa Jack treated us to an evening to eat Supper with Santa and a visit to Santa's Village. Finally, Christmas morning came, and Anna Ruth was so excited to see that Santa had made a visit to our home. He left her lots of toys and goodies. She also received lots of goodies from both sets of grandparents. In fact, she has received so many toys, that our house is starting to look more and more like a toy store. Oh, well, that's okay with me! They are only little once! I hope you enjoy these pictures from our Christmas 2010 season.

Anna Ruth with Santa

Our family at Santa's Village

Decorating the Christmas tree

Making a gingerbread house

Anna Ruth and I at the Botanical Gardens ~ Galaxy of Lights

Rogersville Christmas Parade

Christmas was Granna and Papa Jack

Cookies and Milk for Santa

Christmas Morning

Yay! Santa came!

Christmas with Mimi and Paw Paw

So Behind!!

2011-05-13T15:26:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm just an award winning blogger, aren't I? My last blog entry was in the winter, and, now, it is spring ~ almost summer! So, to say that I am behind on my blogging, would be an understatement. Please bear with me, and, in the next few days, I hope to be caught up on all the happenings in the Kelley family in the last few months!

Athens Christmas Parade

2010-12-04T07:58:00.000-08:00

This past Thursday night, we took Anna Ruth to the Athens Christmas parade. We have all been a little under the weather, with runny noses and coughing, so we knew that we probably shouldn't stand out in the cold for the parade. We really wanted Anna Ruth to see it though, so we took Alan's Bronco and parked it that afternoon, so we could watch the parade from inside the warm vehicle. Anna Ruth really enjoyed the parade for the first 20 minutes or so. After that, she got a little restless. She loved when the bands came by. It was so cute to watch her clap her little hands and wave. As I said, she loved the parade, but we think her favorite part was simply playing around in the vehicle out of her car seat. The next time we need some cheap family entertainment, we may just sit in the driveway and let her play in the car out of her carseat. =)

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-28T07:25:00.000-08:00

We had a great Thanksgiving this year, and, of course, we have so much to be thankful for! We started our day with cooking and preparing food to carry to our get togethers. We made a few things, but I made a pumpkin pie (with chocolate chips) that was really fun because we used Anna Ruth's little handprint for the top to make a turkey. I would like to do this every year to see how much she has grown. I hope I remember to do that next year. Our first gathering was to be with the Barksdale Bunch, and Anna Ruth had so much fun playing with Trenton, as she always does. After this get together, we came home for a little while to rest, and, then, it was time to go to Alan's family get together. Anna Ruth again had fun! After this, we went home, got AR in her pajamas, took her to my Mom and Dad's house to spend the night, and, then, Alan and I headed out shopping. This was my first time to go shopping on Black Friday. We bought a few things, but I wouldn't say that we got any huge deals, but I was mainly going to just "experience" it. We went to Walmart, ate at IHOP at about 2:30 a.m. where there was a 30 minute wait, went to Target, and, finally, Lowe's. Let me just say - It was cccrrraaazzzyyy! We had fun though! The verdict is still out on whether we will do it again next year! We will have to see how adventurous we are feeling then.

Halloween 2010

2010-11-05T15:06:00.000-07:00

Halloween 2010 did not turn out the way we had hoped, but we made the best of it. A little while before Halloween, Anna Ruth developed a rash on her bottom. She had no other symptoms, so we didn't think much of it. We just started treating her for diaper rash, but, then, the rash started to appear all over her body, but there were still no other symptoms. She had no fever, she was still eating/drinking, and she was continuing to play, as always. Still, I was concerned, so we decided to take her to the doctor. They did a test for strep, which was negative. He determined that the rash was probably caused by her having a viral infection. He suggested keeping her in until her rash was better, so that meant no trick or treating (other than our homes). =( So, my plan was to just have her put on her costume to trick or treat at our house. As it turned out, she didn't even feel like putting on her costume. (Luckily, a few days before Halloween, I took some pictures of her in her costume - Cinderella). So, we left her in her comfy clothes, Alan took her around to the front door, and I treated her. Granna and Papa Jack (and some other sweet family members) gave her some Halloween treats, so she did get some goodies. Maybe next year, she will be able to do more trick or treating. I'm just glad that she is feeling better.

Anna Ruth's Halloween goodies from Mommy and Daddy

Anna Ruth with her Halloween goodies from Granna and Papa Jack

Anna Ruth's treat bucket

Alan ~ helping AR trick or treat at our house

Alan ~ helping Anna Ruth open her gift

Alan and AR with her new Cinderella doll

Our Sweet Cinderella

Carving Our Pumpkin

2010-11-05T09:57:00.000-07:00

We had already decorated a pumpkin at the fall festival, but we also wanted to carve one. We did not carve one last year because Anna Ruth was so small, but we were excited to do one this year. Since Anna Ruth was Cinderella this year, we decided to do a Cinderella pumpkin. Anna Ruth wasn't too interested in the pumpkin carving; she really just wanted to play with her toys. She didn't even want to play in the pumpkin gunk - haha! In fact, she didn't even want to touch it! It took awhile to finish our pumpkin, but we were really happy with the way it turned out.

Anna Ruth is not too sure about the pumpkin gunk!

Our Precious Pumpkin

Telling Daddy what to do!

The holes have been punched. Now, it is time for carving!

Alan and I took turns carving.

Our Cinderella Pumpkin

Fall Festival

2010-11-02T20:08:00.000-07:00

Anna Ruth ~ "Trying" to Hula Hoop

Our Decorated Pumpkin

Cinderella can drive herself to the ball!

Recently, our neighbors hosted a fall festival, and we enjoyed taking Anna Ruth. Anna Ruth went in her Halloween costume (Cinderella), as did many of the kids (and adults). We all had a great time! Anna Ruth liked the games, but her favorite thing to do was just to run around. So, she kept us busy all night trying to keep up with her. After games, we enjoyed hot dogs, chips, and an assortment of sweets. Then, many people carved pumpkins, but since we knew it would soon be Anna Ruth's bedtime, we decided to decorate our pumpkin instead of carving, so it would be quicker. When we got back home, Anna Ruth drove her Barbie car around in the driveway for a little while. It was a fun night! =)

Yo Gabba Gabba Show

2010-11-01T08:27:00.000-07:00

About 2 weeks or so ago, Alan and I took Anna Ruth to see the Yo Gabba Gabba Live show in Huntsville. Anna Ruth loves that show so much. She has all the characters, and she knows everyone of them by name. When the show comes on TV, she goes and gets all her characters to have with her while she watches the show. So, when we found out that they were coming to Huntsville, we knew we wanted to take her. We ate lunch at TGI Fridays and then headed to the show. Anna Ruth was mesmerized by the show. She loved it! I'm so glad we had the opportunity to take her. Her favorite part: I think it was when the balloons dropped down from the ceiling. She is obsessed with balloons.

Visit to Tate Farms

2010-10-10T18:28:00.000-07:00

Alan, Anna Ruth, and I visited Tate Farms this past Friday afternoon, and we had a great time. It actually felt more like a summer day due to the heat. We took a snack break, and the lemonade tasted so wonderful, especially since it was so hot. Anna Ruth drank the majority of the bottle of lemonade, which Alan and I found kind of funny because when I was pregnant with her, I drank *so* much lemonade. Anyway, back to the pumpkin patch trip. Some of the activities that we enjoyed were: playing on the playground (AR loves to slide!), seeing and petting the animals, going on a hayride, and picking out a pumpkin in the patch. Anna Ruth was so cute with her pumpkin. She was so very, very proud of it. She even kissed it a couple of times! We had a fun afternoon, but we were all so tired! I am looking forward to all the fun things we have planned for this fall and winter, but, honestly, any day that I get to spend with my family is a wonderful day!

Yard Sales and Fiddlers Convention

2010-10-04T15:48:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, Alan, Anna Ruth, and I got up and went to some yard sales. Anna Ruth got three dresses, a play vacuum, and an outdoor slide. No pictures from our yard sale adventure, but we had a lot of fun. We came home, ate lunch, and, then, headed to the Fiddlers Convention. Anna Ruth did well again; she got two new hairbows! =) We had lots of fun walking around, running into friends we haven't seen in awhile, and listening to the wonderful music. It was a great day! =)

Alan's Birthday

2010-10-04T15:38:00.000-07:00

Alan's birthday was September 21. We celebrated by having his parents and my parents over the Saturday night before his birthday. We had pizza, cake, and ice cream. He had a Red Sox birthday cake. Then, continuing with the Red Sox theme, I made "Green Monster" cupcakes for him to take to work for Rick and Alan's birthday. I must say that those were the absolute messiest cupcakes ever! That green icing got everywhere! Haha! Anna Ruth and I exchanged gifts with him on his birthday. Anna Ruth got him a tie with pictures of her all over it. Inside the box, it said ~ For best Daddy, there can be no "tie". I hope he had a wonderful birthday. He is the best husband and father. Alan, if you are reading this, please never forget how very, very much I love you! =)

Trail of Tears

2010-10-04T15:08:00.000-07:00

Alan and his Dad rode in the Trail of Tears (well, part of it) this year, so Anna Ruth had to come out to show her support. Daddy and Paw Paw stopped to get some pictures with Anna Ruth before continuing on their way.

Grandparents Day

2010-10-04T14:54:00.000-07:00

For Grandparents Day this year, Anna Ruth colored some sheets that said ~ Happy Grandparents Day! After she colored them, I had them laminated, and I put a magnet on the back. She gave these magnets to Granna, Papa Jack, Mimi and Paw Paw for Grandparents Day. She also gave them a picture frame.

Granna's Birthday

2010-10-04T14:17:00.000-07:00

We celebrated my Mama's (Granna's) birthday on September 6. We had cake and ice cream at Granna and Papa Jack's house, and we gave Granna her gifts there. We all went to eat at Cracker Barrel that day. There was a short wait, so Granna and Papa Jack enjoyed entertaining AR until our table was ready. I love my parents so much! They do so much for my little family and me. God has truly, truly blessed me with wonderful parents!!

Painted Fingernails and Toenails

2010-10-04T13:54:00.000-07:00

I painted AR's fingernails and toenails for the first time in August. It looked so cute! I did it while she was asleep, so she was surprised when she woke up! I used a pretty purple color. It was peel off polish, so it didn't last a real long time.

Chuck E. Cheese

2010-10-04T13:42:00.000-07:00

Anna Ruth loves going to Chuck E. Cheese! Although Chuck E. Cheese pizza is not mine or Alan's favorite (we happen to *love* Mellow Mushroom), we love going to Chuck E. Cheese because our girl loves it so much. She is not old enough for some activities, so I see more trips in our future when she can do them. Here are some pictures from one of our visits to Chuck E. Cheese this summer. On this particular day, Chuck was actually there. Anna Ruth liked him, but she really wanted Daddy to hold her when Chuck was around. I guess that's what Daddies are for: protecting their girls from huge mice!

Ellie's Gotcha Day

2010-10-04T13:06:00.000-07:00

Pets are part of our family, so when their birthday or gotcha day rolls around, we remember them just as we would another family member. Since Ellie came to us as a stray, we celebrate her gotcha day every July. Here is a picture of her gifts and treats. She enjoyed them all and even shared with Jock. For those who do not know: Lucy now lives with my Mama and Daddy. She is a pup who relishes aloneness (as in being the top dog), and Mama and Daddy can provide that for her. I miss her terribly, but she is being very well taken care of. In fact, Papa Jack may be her number 1 person now. It is wonderful that I still get to go see her, visit with her, and take her goodies every now and then. She will always be my "first baby", but she is where she needs to be now. She is just as spoiled as she ever was! =)

July 4, 2010

2010-10-04T12:50:00.000-07:00

The Kiddie Carnival

2010-10-04T12:27:00.000-07:00

Anna Ruth had a few chances to attend the Kiddie Carnival this summer. She had so much fun! It was so neat to see her enjoy something that I also enjoyed as a child. The Kiddie Carnival is a great family fun event! We are already looking forward to next year's Kiddie Carnival! =)

The Little Gym

2010-10-04T11:51:00.000-07:00

This summer, Alan and I decided to have Anna Ruth take a parent/child class at the Little Gym. Usually, I was the one to take the class with her, but Alan was able to come a few times, which was wonderful. Anna Ruth loved the class; she had so much fun. Her favorite part was at the end of the class when they all got to play with the balls and bubbles. We hope to have an opportunity for her to take another class at the Little Gym at some point in the near future. It is a really neat place!

Playing Catch Up

2010-10-04T11:01:00.000-07:00

Wow! I have no excuse for not updating more often, but, hopefully, I can do some catching up in the next day or so! The Kelley family has been having lots of fun lately, and we look forward to even more fun in the coming months. I seem to always say this, but, hopefully, I will start keeping up to date on blogging. However, all you moms out there know how hard it is to keep everything going - laundry, meals, dishes, cleaning, etc. So, if you don't hear from me sometimes, I guess I am having a hard time keeping up! Off I go to do some catch up blogs....

Father's Day 2010

2010-06-27T12:40:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day 2010

2010-06-27T12:37:00.001-07:00

Obeying My Mama

2010-06-27T12:34:00.000-07:00

My Mama told me the other day that I really needed to update my blog, and, since she is one of the few people who probably actually read it, I think I need to obey my Mama! She is right though because it has been awhile, but I tend to play on facebook more than I blog. Bear with me while I update on the things that have been happening in the Kelley family lately. :)

40 Things About Me

2010-04-15T12:44:00.001-07:00

I saw this on someone else's blog, and I thought that it might be kind of fun to try to come up with 40 random things about me. I originally was going to try to come up with 100, but I can't. I am just not that interesting!

1. My first name is Jacquelyn. I am named after my Daddy, Jackie.
2. I am a perfectionist. I will let something very small and insignificant really bother me, if it is not my idea of perfect. I really don't like this about myself and "try" to overcome it, but sometimes it gets the better of me.
3. I have a hard time getting rid of things sometimes. I have kept just about every card I have ever received!
4. I collect Boyds Bears, but I like all bears.
5. I worry way too much!!
6. Alan proposed in the exact spot where our house is now.
7. I used to want to be a nurse, but, after volunteering at the hospital in high school, I decided that wasn't for me.
8. I used to "teach" my dolls, so teaching has been in my system for awhile - haha!
9. I am a stress eater!
10. I found my first gray hair at the age of sixteen.
11. I get very attached to animals and view them as a part of my family. (Those of you who have followed me on facebook know how upset I have been since our Lucy has been hurt.)
12. My mom and I used to not get along (mainly when I still lived at home - you know, it doesn't work to have two queens in the same castle - haha!), but now we are the best of friends!
13. I like to scrapbook, but I don't finish many pages. (See number 2) I am getting better though because I have told myself that the most important thing is documenting our memories not if it looks perfect!
14. I was a very shy child, and, occasionally, my shyness still comes into play in my adult life.
15. My stress relief is to shop. I love to shop, but I don't get to very often anymore because I am now a stay at home mom.
16. I procrastinate on things that are not fun to do. I always have. I can remember staying up all night working on projects in college that I had put off until the last minute.
17. I sometimes battle depression. I view myself as tender hearted and I really let things get me down sometimes.
18. I am a Christian.
19. I need to study my Bible more.
20. I love to send cards. I always have. Someone once jokingly said that I help keep the post office in business. I don't have as much time with a little one to do cards as I used to, but, when I can, I love to sit down and fix up cards to send to people.
21. I am a believer in thank you notes, and I strive to always send them, when I feel it is appropriate. I hope I will teach Anna Ruth that if someone spent the time/money to buy you something or do something for you, the least you can do is send a thank you note.
22. I buy way too many cards and scrapbooking supplies.
23. My birthday is December 20, which is part of the reason why my name is Holly.
24. I would like to have another car, but we just can't afford one right now. I have a two door, which is hard with a carseat, etc. However, I am thankful to have a car that gets me where I need to go. That is more than some folks have.
25. The death of my grandmother, Annie Ruth Barksdale, was very hard for me. I so wish she could see her namesake, my baby Anna Ruth.
26. I love to read biographies. Alan has tried to get me to read the Harry Potter and Twilight books, but when it comes to reading, I really love to read about "real" people's lives.
27. I like to be organized, but I never seem to reach my goal in that area. Alan says I am an overwhelmed organizer.
28. I love to go to Gatlinburg, TN.
29. When I was pregnant with Anna Ruth, I wrote messages to her in a pregnancy journal. I would like to start back writing messages to her for her to read when she is older. The last message I wrote was right after she was born; it's been a busy year - haha!
30. I love Hello Kitty stuff. When I was little, when my mom took me to the mall, I *had* to go to the Hello Kitty store. I still love to go there. I am still a kid at heart.
31. Sometimes, I can't believe that I am married with a little girl. I still feel so young sometimes.
32. Alan and I love to entertain. I love getting our house ready for company and having friends and family over.
33. I wish I could lose weight, but, every time I try, I seem to have some sort of setback. I simply love food!
34. Alan and I started dating on March 15, 1997.
35. On our first date,we ate at Ruby Tuesday, and every year on March 15, we try to go to Ruby Tuesday.
36. I love pens. It really is a sickness, I think. It is the greatest feeling to have a pen that writes smoothly. I know I am weird - haha!
37. I cry when I pack Anna Ruth's clothes up. She is just getting too big too fast.
38. A few days before I had Anna Ruth, Alan took some maternity pictures of me. On one picture, we used blocks to spell out "Anna" on my belly. Alan said that he wanted to surprise me and spell something. He spelled "Help me" on my belly! It was hilarious. Clearly, by this point, I was miserable, and Alan helped me get a much needed laugh! Wonderful memory! =)
39. I wear glasses most of the time.
40. I love my family and friends.

If you got this far, whew! Thanks for reading! =)

Easter 2010

2010-04-06T03:00:00.000-07:00

We had a great Easter this year. It was not Anna Ruth's first Easter, but it sort of felt like it. Last year, because she was so little, we decided to stay in. So, this Easter was the first one where she got to hunt eggs. Our Easter morning started with the discovery that the Easter Bunny came! I think Anna Ruth might like him a little better than she did a couple of weeks ago when she went to visit him. Maybe now, she realizes that he's a pretty good guy after all, since he brings goodies. The Easter Bunny also brought our fur babies - Lucy, Ellie, and Jock - a basket. After church services, we headed to the annual Wood Easter gathering. We, as we always do, had a great time. The food was delicious! The egg hunt was fun, although Anna Ruth didn't really "get it" - she just enjoyed walking around! It was so wonderful to spend time with our family and friends, and it was such a beautiful day. =)

Anna Ruth's Princess Party

2010-04-06T02:20:00.000-07:00

On April 3, we celebrated Anna Ruth's 1st birthday with family and friends at Onyx Gym in Athens. They have a wonderful facility for birthday parties, and I'm sure we will use them again in the future. I only have one small complaint. I wish we could have had more time to set up for the party. We only had about 15-20 minutes to set up. So, when we got there (or I should say when the Onyx folks got there - we were waiting), it was a mad dash to put tablecloths on the tables, get the food, etc. in place, put up the balloons, etc. before the guests arrived. It just felt really rushed. I don't know what Alan and I would have done without my Mama and Daddy there to help. One would watch Anna Ruth while the other helped set up, and then they would swap up. Also, I have to brag on the helpers at Onyx; they were wonderful to help us set up. They were very helpful. I just think if I had had a little more time, it wouldn't have been quite as stressful for me. Also, imagine my disappointment when I got home and was looking through our b-day pics and discovered that we did not get a pic of the cake totally set up. (I guess I was so busy - running out to get pizza, serving cake, ice cream, etc., opening gifts, trying to be a good hostess, that it slipped my mind). However, Chandra Holland (the lady who made the cake) was kind enough to share a pic that she took of the cake. =) We were so pleased with the cake. It was beautiful as well as delicious. In spite of the stressful start, the most important part is that the birthday girl (as well as the other kids) had a great time! They have lots of fun things to do at Onyx, including a slide and moon bounce. However, Anna Ruth's favorite thing to do was walk around on the open area. She had a ball. It was hard to get pics of her; she was moving too fast! She had a smile just about the entire time. It warms my heart to see her smile! The funny thing about her walking around was that she would not go near the adults. She would walk away from adults; I guess she thought that they would pick her up, and she was not wanting to be picked up at that point. The kids got to play for an hour, and, then, it was time for the cake, ice cream, and opening gifts part of the party. Before everyone ate, we sung Happy Birthday to AR. We then gave her the smash cake, which was a little carriage. She really didn't do too much smashing. I think she must have thought it was too pretty to smash. =) When it was time to open gifts, the birthday girl was tuckered out, so Alan and I opened her gifts for her. Overall, it was a great party, and, as I said earlier, all that really matters to me is that my precious birthday girl had a good time. Happy 1st Birthday, my sweet Anna Ruth! I love you so much!

Birthday Trip to Nashville

2010-04-06T01:43:00.001-07:00

When Anna Ruth woke up on her birthday (March 31), we had gifts waiting for her to open. We also gave her the toy box with her name on it for her birthday. After gift opening, breakfast, etc., we took a day trip to Nashville. We took her to the Opry Mills mall. We first ate at the Rainforest Cafe, but our birthday girl would not eat much because she was too busy watching all the sights. The folks at the Rainforest Cafe sang Happy Birthday to her and brought her a treat. Alan and I even ordered a volcano, which we had never done before, but since it was AR's b-day, we decided to go ahead. It was a delicious treat of brownies, ice cream, whipped topping, chocolate sauce, etc. AR even ate a few bites. After lunch, we headed to Build-a-Bear (well, I should say Build-a-Bunny in our case-haha!). Our very dear friends, Nelson and Shannon, sent Anna Ruth a gift card to build a critter, and we thought that we be a great thing to do on her birthday. In honor of Nelson and Shannon, we named the bunny, Nelleigh. Daddy helped her build it while I took pics. After this, we spent a little more time at the mall. We went in a few more stores. One of my favorite stores there is the Carter's store. We got Anna Ruth some new pajamas. After shopping, we headed to the Nashville Zoo. We will have to go back another time because we did not see it all. I think Anna Ruth would have been fine with leaving the zoo out, but we had fun while there. She especially enjoyed seeing the monkeys. They were very active swinging from tree to tree. We had a fun day, but we were exhausted.

Happy Birthday, Anna Ruth!

2010-03-30T23:41:00.000-07:00

I can not believe that my baby girl is one year old. Wow! This year has been filled with lots of joy, lots of love, and, well, yes, lots of sleepless nights, too! I love Anna Ruth more than words can say. I love being her Mommy. I will soon be posting about all our birthday festivities in the coming days, but, until then, I want to share some pictures of our sweetie throughout her first year! =)

Visiting the Easter Bunny

2010-03-20T20:10:00.000-07:00

Alan and I took Anna Ruth to see the Easter Bunny today. At first, Anna Ruth seemed to be cool with sitting in E.B.'s lap, although she would not give us a smile. However, right after the picture was taken, she looked up into E.B.'s face, and the reality of her situation came to light for her. She started crying, and, of course, I ran to her rescue! After I comforted her for a minute, I put her down so we could pay, etc. Well, she immediately ran to Daddy! I guess she thought he might offer a little more protection than Mommy or maybe she thought I might put her in E.B.'s lap again, since I was the one who originally put her there. Either way, it was sad and funny at the same time! After our visit with the Easter Bunny, Alan and AR rode on the Merry-Go-Round. Anna Ruth enjoyed it, but I think she may have still been a little traumatized by her visit with E.B. =)

Welcome to the Kelley Family, Jock!

2010-03-02T15:17:00.000-08:00

Well, we have a new family member named Jock. He just appeared at our house one day. Actually, he has been with us for a few months (Santa even knew he was here this past Christmas; he left him some goodies here), but we were not sure that we were going to be able to keep him. Alan tried to find his owners, but he did not have any luck. He is so sweet! We have become so attached to him! We finally decided that we will keep him. We didn't really *need* another fur baby, but we sure do love him. He is fitting in well with Lucy and Ellie. His name really fits him. Alan and I have loved watching the show, Dallas, in the past, so we decided to name our fur babies after characters from Dallas. However, there will not be a J.R., Bobby, Sue Ellen, etc. because three dogs is really all we can afford right now, so Jock will complete our fur family. If another dog comes to our house, I will *have* to find it another home, no matter how cute it is!

Valentine's Day 2010

2010-03-01T20:00:00.001-08:00

The Kelley family had a great Valentine's Day. Alan gave beautiful red roses to me, and he gave Anna Ruth a sweet pink rose with a pink teddy bear attached to the vase. He did this all on his own without any prompting from me! :0) I am so glad that he got Anna Ruth a rose too. That is one thing that I remember about Valentine's Day from when I was a little girl. My Daddy would give me a rose, and it made me feel so special. Alan also gave me some candy and the Little Women movie. Alan got candy from Anna Ruth, the fur babies, and me. Speaking of our fur babies, they got a new toy for Valentine's Day. :0) Alan and I gave Anna Ruth a chair, a doll, Little People wedding set, books, and snacks. Anna Ruth was also spoiled by her grandparents. Granna and Papa Jack gave her a Wonder Pets toy and a Little People fairy treehouse. Mimi and Paw Paw gave her a teddy bear and book. So, as you see there was a lot of love going around. :0)

January 2010

2010-03-01T19:35:00.001-08:00

These are some various pictures of Anna Ruth from January 2010.

Christmas 2009

2010-03-01T18:22:00.000-08:00

Anna Ruth's first Christmas was a whirlwind, but it was wonderful! We had several family get togethers: Christmas with the Barksdale bunch on Christmas Eve, Christmas with my Mom and Dad (Granna and Papa Jack), Christmas with Alan's parents (Mimi and Paw Paw), Christmas with Alan's family, and Christmas with my Daddy's family at LuLu's house. We also had supper and exchanged gifts with our friends, Nelson and Shannon Bush. Our friends, Todd, Lisa and Myles Garver, were not here for Christmas but sent a special gift. Needless to say, we were very busy, but we feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family and great friends. Anna Ruth received so many wonderful gifts. She now has so many toys that they completely fill her pack-n-play from top to bottom. Santa was also very generous to Anna Ruth and the fur babies. I guess they were good in 2009! :0)

I'm Back!

2010-03-01T18:06:00.000-08:00

Wow! It has been a long time since I updated! In my defense, I have tried several times to upload pictures, and I had a hard time, so I kind of gave up! haha I'm not even sure anyone is still reading this blog or not, but, just in case, I am about to have a blog marathon and try to update most of what has been going on with the Kelley's. So, bear with me! :0)

Thanksgiving in the Smoky Mountains

2009-12-09T15:34:00.001-08:00

This past Thanksgiving, we spent it in the Smoky Mountains with the Barksdale Bunch ~ everyone except Uncle's Don's bunch ~ we really missed them. We had a great time. We spent alot of time at the cabin just hanging out. However, we did two of my musts ~ the scrapbook store and Country Clutter. One day, we all decided that Anna Ruth and Trenton would enjoy the aquarium, so we did that. It was such a blessing to get to spend time with the family. It was a very special time, especially with it being Anna Ruth's first Thanksgiving.

Early Thanksgiving

2009-11-21T19:01:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Thanksgiving a little early today with Alan's Mom, Dad, Granny Susie, and Granny Eunice. We were also so very happy that Haylee-Sue and Ryelee got to come too! Anna Ruth has so much fun with them!! We had chicken and dressing, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, corn, cranberry sauce, and rolls. For dessert, we had Turtle pie and some of Granny Eunice's coconut cake. After the meal, Anna Ruth loved playing in the floor with Haylee and Ryelee. In fact, she had so much fun playing and was so tired, she fell asleep while taking her bottle.

HOLLY DAYS

Red Dress Pictures

So, what were we up to during the month of January?

Happy New Year

Christmas Morning

Getting Ready For Santa

Christmas Gatherings

Christmas Tree Pictures

Ivy Elf

My Birthday

Santa's Village

Our Elf, Ivy

Christmas Scavenger Hunt

Supper with Santa and the Galaxy of Lights

Busy Weekend

Athens Christmas Parade

Christmas Visitor

Thanksgiving 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sesame Street Live

Halloween 2011

Paw Paw's Birthday

Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

Fun Family Day

Maggie

Going to Yard Sales

We Were Booed!!!

Meeting Brobee and Geoffrey

~Big Harry~

~Wild Child at the Library~

~Fun at Bridgestreet~

Cotton Pics

Alan's Birthday

Family Bike Rides

Trail of Tears/Trip to Chuck E. Cheese

Rogersville Homecoming Parade

Grandparent's Day

Granna's Birthday

~A Rainy Day~

~Taking a Bath in Mommy's Garden Tub~

Ice Cream Truck

Kid Venture

Whistle Hollow Farm

Messages to Ellie

Picking Flowers

Kiddie Carnival 2011

Birmingham Zoo

Anna Ruth's 1st time at a movie theater ~Winnie the Pooh movie

Mimi's Birthday

July 4th, 2011

Lucy's Birthday

Father's Day 2011

Slimer

Chuck E. Cheese

VBS and 2 and 3 year old class at O'Neal

Fun in the Sun

Water Play

Anna Ruth and Big Harry

Papa Jack's Birthday

Mother's Day 2011

Easter 2011

Anna Ruth Turns Two!

Valentine's Day 2011

January 2011

Christmas 2010

*So* Behind!!

Athens Christmas Parade

Thanksgiving 2010

Halloween 2010

Carving Our Pumpkin

Fall Festival

Yo Gabba Gabba Show

Visit to Tate Farms

Yard Sales and Fiddlers Convention

Alan's Birthday

Trail of Tears

Grandparents Day

Granna's Birthday

Painted Fingernails and Toenails

Chuck E. Cheese

So Behind!!