Fun on the Farm

We had a great weekend on the farm in Virginia. We went up to see Grandma and Grandpa and celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary!

Here Dad and I are relzaxing on the couch watching College GameDay- a great way to start a Saturday. Too bad NONE of our teams won!

Grandpa bought us this John Deere Gator that is just our size. My cousin Win came over to take me for a ride around the farm. I figured out how to push the pedals. It is the steering thing that is kind of tricky!

After lunch we picked some apples from the apple trees and headed over to feed the horses. This is Savannah and she really liked apples.

This is Savannah getting way too close to me! She was quite friendly!

Mom had to slide this pic in b/c she loves me in my saddle shoes.

The Big Surprise!- Dad (with a little help from Mom) has been working really hard on a scrapbook for Grandma and Grandpa. He sent a letter to all their friends and family asking them to send back letters, emails or cards with their favorite memory/story/well wishes for Jim and Bambi. We got over 50 responses and compiled them into a scrapbook with pictures starting with Grandma's deb ball in Winston-Salem when they had first started dating all the way through now. It turned out great!

Here is Grandpa crying before he even knows what is in the present!

Gma and Gpa would only glance at the book b/c there were lots of people around and they were too emotional. They went through it later on by themselves.

Here's Aunt Ann and Mommy. They are due 3 weeks apart. Yeah for cousins close in age!

The whole Councill fam minus Jay's crew. Happy 40th Jim and Bambi! Here is to 40 more!

Tuesday at the Playground

My Aunt Ann and Uncle Ryan (Dad's sister and her hubby) are here visiting us from St Louis where he is doing an ENT residency. Yesterday I took them to my favorite playground. The weather is beautiful here and it was my second playground of the day! We love FALL!

Impromptu Family Photo

Don't Ann and Ryan look good with a kid? They are practicing with me since they will have their own come March!

The Lion Book

Mom bought me a new book yesterday. It is about lions, elephants and monkeys- my three favorite animals. I knew about elephants and monkeys but Mom taught me how to roar like a lion yesterday. You can see how good I am at it here. In less than 5 minutes I learned to roar, but I still don't say "mommy." You can imagine my mom's frustration. She still thinks I am the cutest boy ever. I am sure you would agree.

Happy Birthday to Mom!

It was my mom's birthday yesterday and I helped her celebrate big! First dad and I made her breakfast in bed. Well, Dad did most of the cooking but I helped with the eating! Last night we had friends over for a dessert party. Dad broke out the chocolate fountain and lots of dippers- strawberries, bananas, apples, oreos, pretzels, marshmellows and rice krispie treats. It was so yummy! I enjoyed it all and Mom felt very loved!

Ben enjoying a mouthful of marshmellow!

The spread

Playdate at the Park

We met up with our friends this morning at Brueggers and headed over to one of the coolest playgrounds ever- and my mom has seen a lot! Here I am with my buddies Greyson and Ben.

We were very insistent on holding hands as we walked through the parking lot. Mom caught the moment- very cute!

Pre-School

I am 22 months today. Wow! Time is flying! I also had my second day of pre-school. I love it! I love my teachers and have already made a friend. I ran in today and was so excited to play with the toys. When mom picked me up, she asked how I did and Miss Carol told her I was great and that my favorite part was definitely snack time. Shocker!

Other cute things I am doing these days:

-I have learned to say prayers. Well, you have to say the prayer but I know to sit at the table and fold my hands and wait for Mommy and Daddy to say the blessing before I eat. Yesterday Mom gave me a snack of chips and salsa and when she turned around I was sitting quietly at the table with my hands folded. I was waiting for her to bless the chips and salsa! Mom ran to get Dad so he could see and of course they blessed the chips and salsa and I said "amen." Tonight I stopped three times during dinner to say prayers. Mom and Dad were smiling so big and explained that we only have to say prayers once before we eat. I also have learned to kneel at my bed to say prayers before bedtime. It is one of the sweetest things you will ever witness!

-At Mom's doctor's appt on Friday, we went to hear the baby's heartbeat. Mom was super nervous b.c of past experiences and I could tell. I gave her lots of kisses and hugs that morning. We got into the room and Daddy was holding me and as soon as the dr put the doppler thing on mommy's belly and we heard the galloping heartbeat, I started clapping! Mom teared up - not only b/c the baby was okay but b/c even though everyone thinks I don't know what is going on, I really seem to. I know that my brother/sister is coming soon and I am so excited!

Just Jack no more

Although I let Mom write the post below, I reminded her that she failed to account for why she looks a little larger than usual in the pic from the concert. So she told me I could explain. You see, folks, the Just Jack show is coming to a close. Come February, I will be a big brother. It's true. I have been told I will enjoy it but right now I am practicing being sweet to the other babies I know. Below is my new friend Lily. She just got here in July so I like to give her kisses on her foreheard. Mom won't let me touch her otherwise. I hope my baby brother/sister likes to play with trains and trucks. Mom just hopes I won't throw them at him/her.

And like with me, Mom and Dad aren't going to find out if it is a boy or a girl. So you can form your own opinion. We'll let you know around Valentine's Day!

Brooks and Dunn

A few years ago, Clay and I saw Brooks and Dunn in Atlanta. During their “Only in America” song they bring out a few military people and do a really cool celebration. A few weeks ago, Clay came home and told me that B&D were coming to Raleigh and he really wanted his brother Jay –stationed at Ft Bragg, will deploy in December- to be one of those people. You may be saying well, yeah, that would be nice but how in the world can that happen? Through our jobs at KaBOOM! And THD we have worked with the Academy of Country Music the last 6 years to build playgrounds and every year a country star attends. Last year, it happened to be Brooks and Dunn. I could not attend b/c of Jack but Clay went and met the guys and some of their “people.” Well my ever resourceful husband has stayed in touch with some of those “people” and made a few phone calls and low and behold, Jay Councill was one of the three military guys that got to be onstage during “Only in America.” He and his wife, Jen, were treated like rock stars, hanging out backstage through the whole concert and meeting B&D, Rodney Atkins and ZZTop. Clay also scored four more free tickets and his younger brother Jordan and his friend Adriana came down from Virginia for the weekend. We dropped Jay and Jen off at the back entrance and enjoyed their VIP parking pass while we tailgated for a couple of hours. Then we proceeded to our amazing seats all the while commenting on how Hurricane Hanna could have ruined it all. But we only got a little rain and by 2pm the sun had come out. The show was awesome and when they started “Only in America” the crowd went crazy but when Jay and the two other guys- Marines- came out the place went nuts! The video is below. There is a lot of screaming but you can hear the song and see the guys come out. Jay is the Army one. A wonderful, moving night that I know we will all remember! Clay, you are the best husband ever but Saturday night I think you also won Brother of the Year!

Brothers- Clay, Jay and Jordan

Jay, Jen, Jordan, Adriana, Clay and Jennie

Tailgating- love those inflatable chairs!

Clay enjoying the grilled peaches and ice cream

The video- "Only in America"

Golf with Goose

Goose bought me my first set of clubs this weekend. Here he is giving me a tutorial. If you listen closely at the end, Goose spits and I do the same thing.

Labor Day Fun

Mimi and Goose came to visit me over the weekend. We had so much fun! I took them to one of my favorite parks here. Pullen Park has a carousel, a train and a playground. I loved riding the carousel with Daddy and then the slide again and again and again. We tried a new restraurant- The Pit- which is really good bbq. On Saturday, while mom and I took naps, Mimi and Goose made a sneaky trip to Toys R Us and came back with some great surprises. I got my very own slide! Goose even put it together in the backyard and brought me outside to surprise me! I did my happy dance and all I could say the rest of the night was "slide, slide slide." After dinner, he brought out a different toy- my own set of golf clubs. He is starting me early. I loved hitting them and then running after the balls. I also got my own nerf football that was thrown dozens of times. I love playing with Mimi and Goose and can't wait to see them again! Thanks for visiting!