Thursday, July 18, 2013

Jake's 5th Birthday party


Jakes' funny sense of fashion





Jake has been riding with training wheels at the Greenway for a while now so we decided it was time to take a crack at riding his bike without training wheels before football season starts again. He did pretty good, he kept looking behind him as Josh was holding on to steady him. In time I am sure he will get it, he is just not a thrill seeker so he is a little hesitant.




Jake's 5th Birthday party


Jake's new rash guard


My parents came in the night before the party and that next morning Jake, Mom and I went to the greenway to walk the dogs and then we went to the Blackberry festival in downtown Lenoir. 

It was a lot of fun, my parents got to sample some of the local wines and we bought some blackberries. They also gave out cups of blackberry cobbler. :)


Jake and mom on the train


Jake's 5th birthday was at the Hickory Foundation Y



It was great because it gave everyone time to swim, it didn't rain but for 5 minutes and it was in the mid 70s














Jake received many great gifts and the party went so well, I would have it there again next year. We were blessed to have so many friends and family take the time to come celebrate with us.


My sister, her husband and my newest nephew, Brooks, had another event the same day so they were unable to come but they bought Jake some lego pjs he loved.


Jake's new knight costume


Jake playing with his new batman


Scary batman:)


He wears this towel EVERY day, ALL THE TIME:) lol

I can't believe yet another year has flown by. In a little of 5 weeks he will be starting kindergarten.
 How can that be? 

It just seems like yesterday he was learning to walk, talk, potty, go to preschool.

He has grown in to such a sensitive kid. He likes to make people laugh (he tried to stick a strawberry up his nose at camp and when i asked why he told me he wanted to make people laugh).

He loves singing church songs at bed time with his dad after prayers.

He loves superheroes and ninja turtles.

He wears 5T clothing and size 12 shoe.

He is so lovable. He tells Josh and I he loves us many times a day. 

He is becoming a good swimmer and can swim without a flotation device.

His good friends are Izzy, Sydney, a kid Liam (from camp), Lucas

He loves playing with his cousins.

We are trying to continually teach him about money and how to be a saver, spender and a giver. 

He is not a thrill seeker, he is not wild, he is not a good sleeper :) (although he seems to fall asleep on the way home from camp every day).

He LOVES Math and can do simple addition and subtraction (numbers 15 and under)

He asks a lot of questions and sometimes it is to early in the morning for me to think on the way to work ha!

He will ask why the sun comes and goes so we talked about the earth's rotation around the sun

I know I will miss our car rides after over 4 years of riding an hour each way together every morning

It is bittersweet that he is growing up, I can't wait to see what his future holds yet at the same time I am sad he is not my baby any more.

He loves to play golf with his dad and I hope that Josh and I will always have a strong relationship with him.

We love you Jake and can't wait to spend many more birthday's together!

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Chicago 2013


Last weekend Jake and I met up with my parents, sister, Stephen and Brooks in Knoxville, TN and made the 12 hour drive to Chicago. 



The night before we left



Brooks and Grandpa


Jake (almost 5), Brooks (7 months)  and Grandpa













Jake and I took a day and went to the Lincoln Park Zoo












We also went to Oak Brook Outdoor Mall for a little shopping. Jake said " I wish we could do this more often" :)


The Brantleys in the water


Jake and I at dinner at Maggiano's with everyone




Jake (almost 5 ) Charlotte (3)


Nellie (6), Charlotte (3) and Jake (5)


Brooks loved playing with Grandpa's hair


A couple of days after we came back it was July 4th and Josh and Jake and I went to see Despicable Me 2 and get some frozen yogurt.