Rootin' Tootin' Birthday at the Root Beer Saloon!

Last month we also celebrated cousins Walt and Ryn's birthdays - "Western-style"at the Root Beer Saloon! My sister, Sherri, made their cake - it turned out really cute and there was karaoke, boot-scootin' and ALL! :)

Cash and Ryn - this is the only pic I got of the birthday kiddos! Walt was somewhere upstairs the whole time playing with his friends. Well... it was his party and he could do what he wanted to! All the kids were so cute decked out in their country attire.


Jobi kept trying to steal horses off the cake before it was cut!





Karaoke was a hit... well, at least just the microphone part. Yes, my little man is a "showstopper!" If there's a mic anywhere in sight, you can bet he's gonna be on it! More than likely, singing his ABC's or "Happy Birthday." Those seem to be his two favorites :)


Alese and Arden - all smiles!! I love this cute pic :)

Happy Birthday "Aunt" Bef!

Our dear friend, Beth celebrated her big 3-0 birthday last month. We met her and the fam and a few friends out for dinner - Mexican, of course!! One of our favorites :) At this particular restaurant, when it is your birthday, they sing and place a ginormous sombrero atop your head. Fun times :) I had to share a few pics...


We had to decorate her office all up :) I'm being nice and not showing all the childhood pics we had posted around the room! You're welcome, Beth.


Hellooooo gigantic sombrero :) Don't worry, you make this even look good, friend! (minus the whipped cream on your chest) haha

LOVE this pic!!! Of course, Jobi had to get in on the fiesta!! (in on the complimentary ice cream sundae, too!)

That weekend, we celebrated BIG in NOLA for the 30th bday - just "the girls" We had a fabulous time!! But that's a whole 'nother post for a whole 'nother time ;-)

Happy Father's Day

"A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society." -- Billy Graham

Father's Day was the Sunday following the day after we returned home from our Atlanta trip. I should've made more preparations beforehand to celebrate the way Chris deserves. I still feel bad about not being able to do a whole lot. But we didn't let the day go by without letting him know how much we love and appreciate him. :) Jobi and I were planning to do a garden stone for him... this is a project we will work toward in the future and hopefully he'll always remember it as a special token of our love and affection for Father's Day 2010. Sorry these pics are a little blurry - I emailed them from my cell. They were taken at Hard Rock Cafe in Atlanta.

Jobi and his Daddy always have such a great time together (as you can see!) - they have tons of memory-making moments every day :) I am so thankful and consider myself VERY blessed to have a loving, Christian husband and father for my baby boy. A true "Daddy" is becoming less and less heard of these days and it deeply saddens me. Truly makes a mom/wife appreciate what they have! Thank you, Chris - for being a wonderful Daddy and hubby. We love you more than words can say or actions can show!!

A Father's Love
"A father is respected because he gives his children leadership... appreciated because he gives his children care... valued because he gives his children time... loved because he gives his children the one thing they treasure most - himself."

**(We love and appreciate our Papa and Pop TOO!! We enjoyed spending time with all of the special men in our lives and hope you all had a happy day!!) :)

ATLANTA! (and all that that implies) "The Final Chapter" :)

Thursday night of our trip, we took Jobi to his very first Major League Baseball game!!! It was such a treat. Chris's cousin Lara and her husband Doug, live about an hour from Atlanta and Doug was able to get game tickets from work. Our seats were fabulous! It was so great being able to spend a fun evening with them. They picked us up at our hotel... then off to The Varsity to eat!! (a pre-Braves game MUST - gotta have onion rings and a F.O.!) Love it. Then we headed to the ballpark!!

Jobi was in AWE :) If you know our little man... you know how passionately he LOVES baseball!! SO sweet watching the excitement on his little face!

Daddy made a trip to the Clubhouse store and set Jobes up in all the necessary apparel. Oh and he just had to have a ball and glove too. Jobi did not take that glove off his hand for just about the entirety of the game (nor his cap!) He was such "hot stuff." :P

Such fun times and good memory-making!! :)

Overall, Jobi did really well throughout the game. There were just a couple of times he got a little "antsy" as to be expected. But he loved every minute and really was very well-behaved! Daddy had to get him some "go juice." He sucked that icee down in about 10 minutes flat! I think the cool Braves container they served it in had a lot to do with it too.

TOMAHAWKIN' TIME!

Jobes was big buds with Doug the whole night :) Chris and I had tried to teach Jobi to do the "Tomahawk Chop" before the game but he wouldn't have anything to do with it. Once we got there, though, and he saw everyone else doing it and heard that chanting begin - he was all about

it!

BRAVES WIN!! BRAVES WIN!! It had to be Jobi bringing them good luck. Last year when Chris and I went, they LOST! haha

For those who don't know our story... this is where Chris proposed to me :) Atop the Sky Field at Turner Field at the Coca-Cola bottle (even though they have now CHANGED it... if you have been before, you know it used to be composed of bats, balls, bases, helmets, etc. It's still very cool, of course, and will always be a special place for us - but I still like OUR old bottle better. Not that they ask my opinion). Oh well.

Jobi had such a full, exciting day... as you can see he was WIPED! And yes, he insisted on sleeping with his hat. Yes we tried to coax him to give it to us, and no - he would not surrender it! My precious angel... he had SO much fun!! What a night to remember :) Chris and I will treasure this milestone and look forward to many, many more new experiences. THANK YOU, Lara and Doug for a WONDERFUL time!!!!!!!!

This would be the end of our Atlanta adventure. Thanks for bearing with me through all the pics and details - after all... this IS for YOU, my Jobi :)

ATLANTA! (and all that that implies) PART 2

Tuesday night of our week in Atlanta, we were able to meet up with Kim, Fleet, Logan, and meet our newest addition Baby Fleet! We ate some great Greek food and had wonderful fellowship. Kim and I had made plans to visit Imagine It! - the Children's Museum of Atlanta with the kiddos Wednesday morning. It was SO much fun!! It was also very hard to take good pictures because, as you can imagine, putting a 2 1/2 year old in a massive, wide open space with "the world at his fingertips" - makes for one BUSY little bee!! :) On our next venture to Atlanta, I would definitely love to take Jobi again to play. It was well worth our $12 spent!

Started out with the ball machine...


Then on to the train tables!



His favorite part of the whole museum - "Fundamentally Food!" Yes... he is definitely a Potin! He was so cute "shopping" for all his fresh vegetables... they had everything you could think of - just like a real supermarket! And he whizzed that little buggy ALL over the place!! Watch out! :)




They even had a conveyor belt to pack up and load your "shipments"


A life-size erector set...


2 words for ya - MOON.SAND. - the BEST!! We need some of this at home.


We got to watch a circus show while we were there! And here are my feeble attempts to try to get a good pic of Jobi and Logan together - oh well. haha


Kim and sweet baby Fleetwood - just hanging out!


On to the "fishing hole" :) Jobi loved this too, of course! It was so cute - they have all these different little raincoats to choose from to wear...

"I caught one, Momma!"






I couldn't even get Jobi to slow down long enough to get on the big John Deere tractor... we're about to get ready to leave and lo and behold, Logan has climbed HER way to the top! It almost gave Kim heart attack - not cool at first. But afterwards, we decided it was pretty darn cute! haha That little girl is FEARLESS!

Later that evening when Chris finished up with work and got out of his class, we headed to Kim and Fleet's to visit with Lisa and the girls! Jobi was so excited all week about seeing "cousins!" That's all he talked about. The kiddos had a great time all playing together and the adults had a nice time chowing down on some Dreamland and fellowshipping :) Hate that Justin couldn't be there! He had taken his youth to a Braves game. Next time, hopefully no one will be missing.


Sweet Addy and her puppies.... ahhh... how she loves them. There's a funny story behind this pup. I won't bore you with the details - but Lisa is sure to get a chuckle when she thinks of it! I laugh everytime I do!!!




I got this series of pics with each one of their eyes closed... I don't know why but they just thought this was the funniest thing!

Had to get little Riley in there! :)


After dinner, it was story time with cousin Kim! This is the cutest book and I had never heard of it before - "Tickle Monster" by Josie Bissett (who knew??! isn't the chick from Melrose Place?) The kiddos loved it! Lisa and Fleet are very good ticklers!


Riley says... "what in the world?? these kids are CRA-ZY!"

After storytime, Fleet pulled out the horsey since it was a special occasion :) Good times!



I had to take these pictures for the family who had not met babies Riley and/or Fleetwood IV yet!! They are both so fine... I could just eat 'em up!!


On to Thursday of our adventure... our last day at Skull Island/Six Flags. Daddy finished up early and was able to go with us! YAHOO! So much FUN!!!


Jobi saw all the other bigger kids holding their noses as they went down the water slides so he thought he better do it too! It was so funny. Of course, "monkey see monkey do" :)


I had had my fair share that week of going down the slides with Jobes... he LOVED having his Daddy there to race him!

"one, two, ready... GO!"

After we left Skull Island for the last time of our trip, we were off to find some of those attractions that Jobi could enjoy. You can imagine what a BIG BOY he felt like! Oh, I can't wait to take him again and again over the years. His face was pure joy :)
I hope he ends up liking roller coasters like his Mommy and not stand on the ground and "hold the purses" like his Daddy!! ;-) Just teasing, honey - love you!!


Flying ships - "Wooooooooo!!!!!"

Ridin' the flyin bulls!! This pic is one of my favorites :) Just look at the pure joy on his face! This was one of the rides he actually was required to ride by himself!


This was the scene when we left Six Flags each day ... completely worn out and would sleep all the way back to the hotel. TOO much fun?? Nah ;-)

Next post.... BRAVES GAME!!!!!!!!! Stay tuned!