It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

This is what Jane does when you
ask her to smile. Nice, hunh?

Although the commercial world started gearing up for the big day in October, we're going on about ten days of Christmas spirit in our house now!

Trimming the tree

Trimming her nose

E.T. phone home...

Placing candy on gingerbread house

Removing candy and licking the icing

Ta da!

Jane had her Christmas program at school today. They wrote a script based on the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? So it went like this: 

"Angels, Angels, what do you see?" 

"I see shepherds looking at me." 

Then the shepherds would come on and be asked what they see, and they'd cue the next group, etc. It was pretty cute! Here is an overview of the manger scene once everyone had been herded on stage. Jane's class is dressed as sheep on the bottom left (stage right... any theater geeks reading this?). 

Fashionistas, take note:
turtleneck tucked in to ruffle bootie leggings.

Jane brought this home from school today:

I can't even think of a caption... it's just awesome.

Please stand still

Can you please stand still and let me take your picture?

Ok, I'll be still, but I'm not going to enjoy it.  

Thanksgiving and such

Happy Thanksgiving!

This year we headed up to Monteagle, TN to spend Thanksgiving with Richard's family.  We had a wonderful time, and Jane especially enjoyed visiting with the Memphis Cowans.  

Everyone cooperated to take this cute pic.
Are they really all looking at the camera AND smiling??

Cowan and Walt are all boy, but they were SO great with Jane.
She loved watching them run around and play.

S'mores!

On Saturday we drove up to a gorgeous overlook on Sewanee's campus and hiked along the perimeter trail.  

Jane was surprisingly content in her first
baby back pack experience.

Catching water dripping off the rocks.

And I had to add this picture of the costume Jane made (with a fair amount of teacher assistance) at school.  Parents were not invited, but apparently each kid dressed up as a different Native American and had a little parade.  Jane was "Gentle Snowflake." 

Halloween Fun

Happy Halloween!

As you probably gathered from my last post, Jane was a ballerina for Halloween. We already had the skirt, so we borrowed some shoes (Thanks, Lillian!) and voila! Easiest costume ever.  

Already learning to be on point.
(Trying to pet Nickel is a good incentive.)

Our motley crew of Trick-or-Treaters

Thanks for bringing the wagon, Davies!
Our candy success rate was only about one in five houses,
but we were determined to bring Trick-or-Treating back
to our sleepy, elderly neighborhood.

Richard threw a hat and lasso on top of clothes he was
already wearing to make a pretty convincing cowboy.

Here is another costume idea I was going to try. I had this little coat that I thought sort of looked like something an old lady would wear, so my friend suggested the Queen Mother. Isn't that clever? Anyway, this is as close as I got. The hat and purse did not stay on long enough for a picture, let alone a night of Trick-or-Treating. I guess it was just too many accessories for a toddler.

That's supposed to be a Corgi dog... Nice try, right?

Yay for toddler parades

Yesterday Jane's school had a little "Pretend Party" in honor of Halloween, which included a parade. When I say parade, I really mean groups of toddlers standing on the stage for one minute and dozens of parents snapping photos. It was hilarious. Here is Jane during her minute of fame, dressed as a ballerina.

Yay! Good standing everyone!

And here is a wobbly video I took. I was ducked behind the end of a pew so Jane wouldn't see me and start crying, hence I am very far away from the subject matter. I suspect only the grandparents will watch this riveting footage. If you'd like to skip it, here is a summary: Enter toddlers (like herding cats); Cue photographers; Applause (Jane claps for herself); and scene.

Please notice the baby Princess Leah, back left.

Terrible photo, but can you tell all the kids are holding
hands as they walk back to their classroom? Precious!

Side note: Jane just woke up from her nap, and I can see her on the monitor bouncing her stuffed bunny along the railing of her crib and saying, "Hop hop hop." Video monitors are the best!

Happy Fall from Tennessee

Maw Jane and Paw Richard wish you "Happy Fall" from the Ellington Agricultural Center! 

Seriously, though, the Ag Center has been such a fun resource right here in our new neighborhood. Last weekend they had a "Music and Molasses" festival that was really cute. Lots of local farmers and craftsmen turned out to share their talents. Jane got to see molasses being brewed and even taste some.

No thanks.

 There were lovely figurines to purchase.

I shouldn't make fun... my child has a mullet.

This awesome yellow line was a big hit.

The best part, however, was the stable full of Metro Police horses, whom you can visit any day of the week! They are so cool, and they even have their names above their doors, which I think is cute.

Oh, and there is a pretty cool old tractor, too.

What's the goodbye version of "Howdy"? If I could think of it, that's what I would write here: "________!"

Daddy made a big door

Well, we owned this house for ten weeks before tearing down a wall. It was so fun and exciting that we had to stop ourselves from attacking another one! So here it is, the first step in reviving this old sixties ranch.

BEFORE

Here is the original den, complete with some of the old stuff
that was in the house when we bought it.

And here is the original breakfast area between the
kitchen and den.

AFTER

Happy to see the wall go,
but kinda sad to lose the pocket door.

More room to run!

Next step... painting the panelling and, yes, the pink kitchen... and possibly opening up another wall somewhere. So now that we have caught the project bug again, we revisited another old pastime: going to Home Depot on a Saturday night. As if that wasn't bad enough, this is how our poor child was dressed:

Yes, she is wearing a diaper, a sweatshirt and sneakers.