Happy 90th Dottie!

Clay's grandmother, Dottie, is turning a young 90 this year. All of the kids and grandkids (and great grandkids) are celebrating by each visiting her throughout the year and doing something fun. Dottie is an avid baseball fan. When I was pregnant with Jack she flew to Atlanta to visit us and we went to a Braves game. In July. It was so hot but Dottie was worried about me being okay! So last week we drove over to Winston-Salem to take Dottie to a Dash game. They have a beautiful new ballpark downtown and it was a gorgeous, cool evening. Everyone had a great time! We love Dottie so much and are grateful that our kids are making memories with her too!

Virginia Ann stayed in the Bjorn the whole night. She took in the action for a little while and then we looked over and she was asleep!

Jack's favorite part about the game was the carousel and bounce houses in centerfield!

Madeline spent much of the game playing on the railing. I have a feeling I spent my childhood doing the same!

The next morning we made a stop by Old Salem to go to the bakery. Clay has a weakness for sugar cake and Moravian cookies.

Jack enjoyed his cinnamon bun!

This is the perfect picture to describe my children- Jack is being silly, Virginia Ann is taking it all in and Madeline has her mouth open!

I love the way VA is looking at Jack here.

It was a great getaway! We are so lucky to have Dottie as a part of our lives! Here's hoping we are all like her at 90!

Happy Birthday Chandlyr!

Last weekend we went to Fayetteville for our niece Chandlyr's birthday and baptism. It was a great family day We love that we are close enough to be able to celebrate milestones like this!

I think Virginia Ann is thinking "How did I get in this crazy family?"

My friend Carrie makes these cute bows for flip flops and I got some for my nieces- Chandlyr, Bayli and Maeve.

I found these buckets at the Dollar Store and cut the vinyl with my cricut!

Bayli and Madeline relaxing in the baby pool.

Bayli and Jack awaiting cake!

The birthday girl- 8 years old- and her Justin Bieber cake!

Entertaining as always!

Seven Months

I am so serious in saying that time is flying. I felt like with Jack the baby stage was FOREVER long. I was so ready to get out of it. I was exhausted and didn't feel like I could do most things right- and Jack was a really good baby! It could not be more different with Virginia Ann. I can't get enough of this baby stage. She is so "yummy" in the words of my friend Barb. I could hold her all day long but she has reached the point of wanting to be on her own! She is sitting great and scoots or rolls wherever she wants to go! She has started feeding herself puffs, mum mums, bananas and beans. She has started taking baths with the big kids and loves it! All of a sudden she is a little person! I am not really for this stage to be over. I want to snuggle a little longer. I want fat rolls on her legs and arms and sweet cheeks to kiss. Please, time, just stop! I have been told that #3 is magic and in our case, it is certainly true!

Virginia Ann has her mouth open all the time! She loves sticking her tongue out too. Madeline, of course, needed to be in a few pics.

Hey blue eyes!

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to the best Daddy a kid could ask for! Clay gives me and the kids his all every day. He has more energy than all of us combined and is always up for an adventure. He invests himself in everything we do as a family and I could not be more blessed to have him as a partner on this adventure! We love you babe!

And a Happy Father's Day to my dad and Clay's dad! We couldn't ask for better grandpas for our kids! You are great examples to us all!

Teacher Surprise!

Really behind on my blogging but need to include this in my "journal." We loved Jack's teacher Ms Tricia so much and wanted to something really special for her. I made t-shirts for the 5 boys in the class, we put them on in the parking lot and they ran into school together to surprise Ms Tricia. To say she loved them was an understatement! She was so excited and felt very special and the boys were so proud!

Jack, Cooper and Connor

Hair today, gone tomorrow

Jack has great hair. I will not be so humble and tell you he inherited it from me. But it is super thick, like mine, and very heavy. And HOT! I love Jack's hair long but I realized that it was probably not the best summertime cut and since summer hit us hard this week (highs of 97), it was time to let the hair go for a while.

Before

After
So sad but I know we can grow it again in the Fall and I know he will be much more comfortable! Short hair or long, I still think he is the cutest boy around!

Lawyer in the Fam

We headed to Knoxville to see my brother Ryan graduate from Law School at Tennessee. We are so proud of him!

Mr and Mrs Connor (and their niece and nephew)

Dad, Ryan, Mom and Julia
Jack and Maeve on the way to the graduation

Seriously-highest honors! He is so smart!

The graduate and Virginia Ann

Maeve:"I am going to put this blanket around you. You be Kate and I will be Pippa.
Madeline: "Okay!"

Maeve:"Jack you will be William."

Jack: "Aw man! I thought we were going to play dragons!"

Hanging in Goose's car!

Sisters

Graduation day was also my parents' 39th anniversary. They are such a great example to all of us! We got the kids to sit for this pic as a gift.

Strawberry picking

We headed down the street (literally) to pick strawberries a couple of weeks ago. So glad we did b/c we had a big hail storm on Saturday and it ruined the crop! So sad! The kids had a great time! Love watching them enjoy these traditions. Here is Jack in 2009 and Jack and Mad in 2010. We will not be adding a child for strawberry picking in 2012 (just fyi).

MMmm Yum!

The youngest picker

Our crop

Playing in the wheel of the tractor

Six months

A whole half year! Virginia Ann is a growing girl. She weighed in at 14.12 lbs- doubling her birth weight! She is 26 inches- 7 inches since birth! She has started eating food and loves Mum Mum crackers. It is so cute to see her try to feed herself. She is sleeping well, loves her pacifer, rolls everywhere and is trying to scoot. She sits by herself if she has pillows around her but topples over easily still. Stranger anxiety has started a little - VA loves her momma! Her personality is showing through every day- she is very easy, loves to smile and laugh. We are so blessed to have Virginia Ann in our family!

Last day of school

September 2010

May 2011


It was the last day of school today. Amazing how much life has changed since we started- and how much hair Madeline has finally grown! We loved the kids' teachers this year and are so sad to see the end come.

I love my husband for many reasons and this is one. He took the time last night to write a sweet note to Jack's teacher who has been so instrumental this year, one where he learned so much. Clay wrote exactly what I was feeling but would never get through the tears to say to Ms. Tricia. I am putting it here as a keepsake but also for any of you that teach- so you may know how much you affect children's lives!

Dear Ms Tricia-

We just wanted to add our own "thank you" to all those you will be receiving today. We thank you for your smile, your heart, your friendship and most of all your desire to teach and inspire Jack. We really feel blessed to have had you in our life this year. You have been more than a teacher and have effortlessly found ways to love and get to know Madeline and Virginia Ann, too. We thank you for every big smile, warm hug, kind word and short note. Your contribution will not soon be forgotten.

Jennie and I believe in the notion that "it takes a village to raise a child" and with Jack being our first, there are so many things we just don't know about and are learning as we go. We both come from loving families and have those experiences to reference, but not having any of them nearby causes us to rely greater on our "village" to help show us the right way. We feel especially blessed when we encounter those who are willing to inspire, love and teach our children. You have been a key "villager" for us this year. Jack can now write his name, count in order, identify shapes, spell his friends' names, tell me about fire trucks, dinosaurs, bugs, animals and fish. He also better understands his role as a brother, friend and most importantly a child of God. And it may be a stretch, but he seems to be starting to see himself as not just a member of a family but also of a community. It warms our hearts to know that he learned these things while in your care.

So before you finish celebrating the end of the year and begin your summer break, please know that we value your role as a teacher. Your contribution to our son's life has not gone unnoticed. We thank you for making the choice to teach and having a desire to do it so well. You are a gift to those who know you and a treasure in our life. We wish you the very best and hope to stay in touch.

Our most sincere thanks,

Clay and Jennie Councill