Early College Preparation

So...I hope the following pictures showcase Tate's creativity, not highlight the props Mama overlooked him utilizing...

I am pretty sure I was editing pictures when he first brought out the Mountain Dew and I promise, he originally was putting them in the cooler, not building a wall...

Is it bad to admit that I am kinda proud that my two year old can construct such a structure when I knew some college boys who had issues with the same task... (wink face to you, Savy!)

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

We did not send out a Christmas card this year. We wanted to. We talked about a family photo session. And then all of a sudden it was December, and we still had not taken a "worthy" family picture. Fast forward two weeks when we took the trip to the Botanical Gardens to see their Garden of Lights. It is there that we happen to take what I believe would have sufficed perfectly as our Christmas card. Alas, it is a bit too close to Christmas and I still have a fair amount of shopping to finish so we will not be sending it out. Rather, I will happily post our "Christmas card" along with holiday cheer and wishes...to all of you!

Wishing you the Merriest Christmas and the Happiest Holidays!

~Love,

Tate, Angela and Dave

Decking the Halls...

So, I'll be the first to admit that I don't start the day after Thanksgiving "Christmas-tizing" our house. Please do not get me wrong, I love the idea of a wonderfully decorated house, with lots of lights, and greens and golds and reds. I really, really do. (just ask Pinterest). The thing is, for me, I don't have whole day (or half a day for that matter) to clean, and put away the fall decor while arranging the Christmas and winter decorations. And truly, the main factor is that, I have a two year old. He is awesome and I love him, tremendously, but he is not on the band wagon of "keeping things tidy" or "picking up after yourself". So I stalled. I totally did. I did not know when I would find the time to get all the holiday decorating done with a little boy following me around, touching everything and asking a bazillion questions (that part actually wasn't so bad). So I did what any smart, creative woman/mama would do. I waiting until my husband came home and made him document the whole process. That way, we could team up and initiate a zone defense with Tate when needed. *oh! He's over on your side of the room, he's yours now!*

I also embraced the idea that Tate might actually like to help and decided to incorporate him into the tree decorating process...he was in charge of the candy canes. They suspiciously change positions every time I leave the room.

As we were setting up the tree, this was our conversation:

Tate: what you doing, Mama?

Me: I'm decorating the tree.

Why?

Because that's what we do at Christmas time.

Why?

(Oh I see what's happening)

What you doing, Mama?

Decorating the tree.

Why?

(giggles)

What you doing, Mama?

Picking my nose.

(Stops. Looks at me and laughs) You no pick you nose, Mama! What you doing, Mama?

What am I doing, Baby?

You decorate tree, Mama!

Chief Candy Cane Placement Supervisor

Trains and Towers

Tate is at the really fun age where he is able to play independently and Mama can get stuff done is into so many different things. Now granted, his attention span at times is very lacking, but all the same, Tate thinks some things are totally the bee's knees.

Thomas the Train is one of the constant loves in Tate's life. When he was little, he used to sit in the middle of the tracks, but size and imagination has moved him to conducting outside the rails.

Notice the elevated tracks. Smart boy figured out that Thomas wouldn't fit otherwise...

Very focused. So focused in fact he allowed me to take many pictures. Normally, now, when my camera comes out, he immediately stops doing whatever it was I wanted to capture.

Tate with G-Pa and "Gibbys!"

Tate just saw this picture and said, "Tate build tower, Mama!" and then started listing off all of the colors.  :)