Christmas Decorating!

We decorated for Christmas last night! What fun! We put on some Christmas music, and started our tradition of decorating the house and tree. Emma thought it was quite interesting! She tried to help Daddy. She really liked Daddy's train that goes around the bottom of the tree. "Choo choo!" Enjoy a few pictures!

Vacation

We are finally back home from our 10 day North Carolina Vacation over Thanksgiving! We had a wonderful time, and made it to see many friends that we have wanted to visit for a long time! We started off to Asheville, NC - and spent a couple of days just the 3 of us! We visited the Biltmore House - which was a lot of fun. They have some new areas...including a farm

with a petting zoo - so Emma had a blast. Mommy & Daddy enjoyed the winery as well!

We then headed up to Charlotte to visit our college friends JP & Jeff, and their son Connor - who is Emma's age! We had a great time - Emma had fun flirting with Connor and we had a great dinner out! Enjoy a few pictures!

{giving each other knuckles!}

Then we headed up to Wake Forest to visit more college friends, Amy & Seth, and their daughter Lena who turned 2 while we were there! Emma and Lena got along great! Lena taught Emma how to jump on a trampoline - and Emma [well Daddy] taught Lena how to throw rocks!

We then headed to Yadkinville to visit some family from my grandmother's side (Aunt Ruth, & Cousins Paul & Vance), as well as visit the cemetery. It was a nice visit, and Emma loved playing in the leaves at their house. We then hopped in the RV {"arrr beee" according to Emma}, and headed to Hayesville to visit MeMe and Pop Pop for Thanksgiving.

{walking our land}

{sleeping on Grandad}

We had a wonderful time in Hayesville...Daddy and Uncle Michael and Pop Pop got to play some golf, Emma got to ride the golf cart and find golf balls, and the girls got to spend some quality time by the fire and relaxing on the porch! A slideshow of more favorites and of our time in Hayesville will be added shortly!

Next stop...Christmas!!!!

Ladybug

Halloween has come and gone - and Emma for one had a blast! She was a ladybug this year - and actually put on her costume to go trick or treating! We had a Halloween party for Mommy's work on Friday night, and Emma refused to wear her ladybug gear! So - she went as a Gator Tutu Princess...and loved it {she twirled all night!}! But she did wear the Ladybug for us on Halloween and was adorable! She got the hang of trick or treating pretty quickly - watching the many kids around her chant "trick or treat" and get

to pick out candy to fill up her bag {and learned to say "trick or treat by the end of the night}! Too cute! Enjoy some pictures of our fun evening!

Butterfly Pumpkin!

So we carved our pumpkin tonight! What fun! Emma didn't really pay too much attention...until the finished product! She did like her butterfly pumpkin - and is now saying butterfly over and over! Enjoy some cute pics of pumpkin carving with Dada, Emma, Grandma, Grandpa, and Mama! Happy Halloween!

{best part = candy!}

{Yes, Dada is using a router to carve our pumpkin :-)}

{"what are you doing daddy...I don't like that noise!"}

Pumpkins

We made it to the pumpkin patch! What a fun adventure for a 19 month old! We got a few good photos - but had more fun chasing Emma around the maze of pumpkins. We finally settled on 3 - one big, one medium, and 1 small pumpkin. While here, Emma learned to say "pumpkin" as well. That's how it is these days...she tries to say EVERYTHING! Basically, one of the last words you say in every sentence will be repeated!!! So cute.

We also went to Emma's first Gator Game this weekend! We decided to head up to Gainesville - even though the game was at 7 pm, and stayed through half time. Emma was a trooper and had a great time. She even learned how to sell tickets!!! She got to eat a burrito at Burrito Brothers (and has a shirt to prove it!)! She touched a real alligator too! Oh, and she loved watching Albert and Alberta on the field! What a weekend!

{selling a ticket}

{enjoying a treat!}

Zoo, again!

Emma and I went to the Brevard Zoo this week (it's just a tour of zoo's around here!) We had a blast. We did everything! We saw {almost} all of the animals, we had a picnic, we went to the petting zoo, we played on the playground, and we {she} swam! It was quite a day! Emma has been such a little angel this week. She is missing Daddy - but will get to see him tomorrow! We've had a lot of good girl time...our favorite is cuddling together at night before bed!

She is also talking up a storm. She tries to say EVERYTHING you say...so be careful!!! I couldn't even count how many words she knows now! She's really learning how to communicate her needs/wants to us - it's so cute! I HAVE to get a video of her saying please {"peas"}.... She is loving songs now too...her favorites are: "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands...", "Wheels on the Bus", ABC's, and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." So cute!

Oh, one other little bit of news. Emma is starting down the potty-training path! This is not on Mommy or Daddy's urging - but Emma's (shocker, right). I bought her a little pink potty a while ago, and put it in the corner in the bathroom, and suddenly she is super interested in the "poddy." She has gone in it 3 times...but we've had some accidents as well. She now wants her diaper off in the evening and wants to walk {run} around the house naked. I talked to her doctor today, and he said it's early, but as long as it's her timing, it is fine. He said the naked thing is normal, and that is actually helpful to potty train...you just have to clean up a lot of messes along the way :-) Boy, where has time gone! Enjoy!