Happy 2009!

Our New Year's Eve celebration was quite different this year! We have already counted down and celebrated and it is only 8:30! That was as late as this little boy could make it! Now we will see if Carlton and I can make it up for the real countdown at midnight! We hope 2009 is a great year for everyone! We know it will be an exciting and fun-filled year for our family!

Christmas, Christmas, and MORE Christmas!

Christmas festivities for us began last Saturday. They did not end until last night! We are on Christmas overload!! We began last Saturday at my grandparents' house here in Meridian. Last Sunday we had Christmas at my granparents' house in Needham. On Christmas Eve we cooked and hosted dinner for Carlton's familyat our house. On Christmas morning we had brunch with my family at our house. On Christmas night we went to celebrate at Carlton's grandparents' house. The day after Christmas we went to Carlton's mom's house for dinner. To end it all up, we went to Aunt Linda and Uncle Russell's house last night to celebrate with Carlton's sister and nieces from Florida. It has been such a busy Christmas! It was a little harder doing all of this this year considering we had a 3 month old tagging along wherever we went!
Even though it was a busy time we had a FABULOUS first Christmas with John Turner. We had fun opening his gifts and watching his reaction to everything. We said we weren't going to get him much this year because he is only 3 months old. We had also told others not to really get him much this year. Well....I don't think anyone listened to that including us! He is going to have so much fun with all of his new stuff!!
Carlton and I said we were only buying for John Turner this year and not each other. Well, Carlton began bringing me home little prizes each day for the twelve days before Chistmas. I found a new prize around the house each day. So much fun! On Christmas Eve night I got a wonderful surprise toy from John Turner and his daddy! Carlton bought me a Nikon D90 camera! I was shocked and sooo excited! I love it! I just have to learn to use it now! I have such a sweet husband!

Me with my new toy!


John Turner ready to open his stocking!


Our first Christmas together!


I LOVE my new stuff!!

Where is John Turner????

A Christmas Tradition

Making homemade Christmas cookies is a tradition that has been in my family for years. My mom, my sissy, and I have been doing it for as long as I can remember. It is one of my favorite events of the year. My mom makes sugar cookie dough from scratch! It is DELICIOUS(even raw)! We then cut them out with using different Christmas shapes and symbols. The cookie cutters we use are very special to us. They were given to us by my Grandma Doris(my mom's mom). She used them to make cookies for my mom and her brothers and sisters when they were little. We decorate the cookies with homemade icing once they are cool. We aren't the best cookie decorators, but we have a lot of fun doing it!
This year we had two extra "little" helping hands, my 17 month old niece, Carly. She wanted to do everything we did. She thought you were supposed to eat the flour!
I can't wait to share this tradition and others with John Turner. I also can't wait to make some family traditions of our own!

My mom getting the dough ready


My niece, Carly, cutting her first cookie out



She wanted to help sooo bad! She enjoyed eating the flour also!


These are my grandma's cookie cutters


Before they went in the oven


We are not the best cookie decorators, but we have fun doing it!

Since John Turner couldn't help with the cookies this year, here are a couple of cute shots of him!

John Turner Is Three Months Old!

John Turner turned 3 months old this past Saturday! It is hard to believe our little man is that old! Time is flying by! Here are a few updates on our sweet baby boy!


John Turner is VERY happy most of the time! He smiles at almost anyone who will talk to him. He smiles at himself when he looks in his play mirror. He also smiles at his toys. Last night he actually got tickled and laughed out loud for us! Carlton had gotten home from hunting and we went outside to greet him. When his daddy started talking to him he giggled and giggled. (I think he laughed because Daddy looked so ridiculous in that camo!)

John Turner has recently discovered his hands and his tongue! He loves to suck on his fingers and stick out his tongue. He is also drooling and blowing spit bubbles! What fun that is!!

He has now started to enjoy hearing someone read to him. He is usually attentive for about 1-2 books a day. Since I have been buying him books since the day we found out we were having him, it is nice to get to use them. This is his Aunt Holly reading him his favorite book, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Cousin Carly is enjoying the story as well!

He has started to really enjoy tummy time. He can hold himself up very well! His favorite place to have tummy time is front of the TV. He gets that honest! Carlton and I are TV addicts!

He LOVES the Christmas tree lights! He will sit in his bouncy seat for an hour just staring at the tree! I think I will leave it up all year!! The bouncy seat is a Christmas present from Santa that Mommy couldn't wait to give him!

He has also started to hold his toys. His favorite toy is the monkey that hangs from his Baby Einstein play mat. He hits it and it swings around. Yesterday he finally grabbed hold of that monkey. I didn't think he would ever let it go!

He is beginning to enjoy the Bumbo seat more. He is still a little wobbly in it as you can see, but he is getting stronger each day!

This is the look that says "Mommy, please stop taking my picture!!!"

Please Give Me What I Want, Santa! I Have Been A Really Good Boy!

An Early Merry Christmas

A few weeks ago we had our pictures made for our Christmas cards. We were also able to get some cute shots of John Turner. Thanks to Rachelle for the wonderful pictures!