Mosquito Old

It's official, I can't hear the mosquito ringtone any longer! With that, I'll share that I'm now 31 years old... and I mean old!

After a really loud ring from a friend's cellphone I remembered about a new mosquito ringtone that supposedly only kids could hear. I tried it out a year ago and I remember being able to hear it.

I downloaded the ringtone from the internet and played it, but to my surprise I could not hear it! Was it a defective mp3? Nope, my young friends proved to me that they could hear it loud and clear and they didn't have to have their heads right up to the computer like I was :)

The New York Times did an article about this ringtone last year.

I told one of my young friends, "If you want to make someone feel old, play that ringtone for them."

myhealthIQ Ribbon Dance

I put good use of the myhealthIQ apron today. Abby and I did some ribbon dancing and Andrea took a short video on our camera. Its funny, slightly embarrassing, and a little scary.

Manor Christmas

This year my parents came to Nashville for Christmas. We were glad that Abby could experience Christmas day in our house.

The night before Christmas we also had my Uncle John and Aunt Susan over for dinner. Before the night was over we took turns reading the birth of Jesus from the Bible.

Carole and Moni (Pawi was home sick) came over Christmas morning to enjoy Abby opening her presents. They got her a Goldfish Dorothy, that she thoroughly loves!

Christmas e-Card

Make a free ecard - it's easy!

With all of the things that go along with pregnancy, we won't be sending out snail-mail Christmas Cards this year, so I have made an e-Card instead. I hope you all understand.

Please continue to pray for us during Andrea's first trimester of pregnancy.

Special Dress from Pops

With the news of baby #2 public, Pops gave Abby a special dress to show that she hasn't been forgotten and is loved!

Big Sister Abby

Well, Abby is going to be a big sister! That's right, we are going to have another child... Andrea is pregnant!

Today was our first appointment at the OB/GYN and baby #2 (name and gender unknown) is 8 weeks today.

The projected due date is July 22, 2008. Whew, I hope its not too hot around then :)

Please keep us all in your prayers as the pregnancy progresses.

Walk Through Bethlehem

Tonight we all went to the Walk Through Bethlehem at the Woodmont Christian Church in Green Hills.

Over 400 church members took part in recreating the Nativity of Jesus. We were transported back in time to the day of Christ's birth to experience the sights, smells, and environment that surrounded the Nativity.

The Walk Through Bethlehem was much more elaborate than I had imagined. I was pleasantly surprise to see the amount of work and detail that was put into the experience.

They had a lot of ways to engage both young and old alike. We had a great time tasting the foods, watching craftsmen weaving, making pottery, pressing olives into oil, stomping grapes into wine, etc...

For more pictures go to my Walk Through Bethlehem Picasa Web Album.

Toy Train Show

John Hall (Andrea's Dad), invited Pawi (Andera's Grandfather), Abby, and I to the 14th Annual Christmas Toy Train Show.

The event was held in the Agricultural Building at the TN State Fairgrounds. There were various operating train layouts setup across the building.

My favorite train layout was an n-scale display that took the operator, his dad, and his brother 1 ½ years to assemble! Now, that is dedication!

If you love model trains, then you would have been drooling :)

Thank you John for inviting us. We had a great time!

Ring the Bells

Abby and I went to the Ring the Bells Christmas Concert at Fellowship Bible Church this evening.

There were performances by Carl Cartee, Ronnie Freeman, Jason Ingram and Christy Nockels plus Tofer Brown, Evelyn Brush, Heidi French, Cheri Keaggy, Laura Licata, Geoff Moore, Cindy Morgan, Erin O’Donnell, Amy Stroup and Three Strand.

My favorite songs were Ring the Bells, Emmanuel, and O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.

I think Abby's favorite song was Angel's Lullaby sung by Christy Nockels. During the song a ballerina danced in the foreground. It was quite beautiful. Christy Nockels is one of Abby's favorite Christian artists. She asks for her CDs frequently in the car.

All the proceeds from the concert and CD sales will go to the African mission partnerships of Fellowship Bible Church.

Fellowship Bible Church composed a video that describes the inspiration behind the Christmas project. You can also listen to songs and buy the CD.

December Bible Class

Andrea and Abby got together with three friends for "Bible Class" in December to learn about the birth of Jesus.

They intended to meet four times during the month, but Andrea wasn't feeling as well as she expected, so they ended up meeting twice.

Still, Abby learned a lot from this time. She could tell us all the names of the people in the story and later she built a "stable" with her blocks. She included all the animals, baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph and even a star in her construction (all of blocks).

Gymnastics

Abby has started a weekly Gymnastics class at the Green Hills YMCA near my work.

I went to visit her on her first day of class. She had a great time jumping, rolling, climbing, swinging, etc... all over the gym!

For more pictures go to my Gymnastics Picasa Web Album.

Portrait Party

We were invited to a Portrait Party at our friend's house, the Drivers.

For $20 we had 20 minutes of Sally Kent's photography time in a home atmosphere surrounded by other friends. This setup was optimal for Abby to open up to Sally and the environment.

We were please to get some good shots from the experience. As a bonus, we get access to all of the pictures can use or develop them as we please.

For more pictures go to my Portrait Party Picasa Web Album.

Elftravaganza

Happy Holidays from the Manors!

Sit back and enjoy watching Andrea, Abby, and I as we dance in the new season!

Season Greetings.

Mouse Training

Today I taught Abby how to use the mouse.

Here she is showing her new ability after a short lesson.

Maybe I should start teaching her how to computer program next.

Hall Thanksgiving 2007

Andrea and Abby headed on to Jackson during Thanksgiving week and I met up with them on Thanksgiving day.

While they were gone, they surprised Anna, Andrea's middle sister, with a Lua themed birthday party. They had so much fun decorating for it. On Wednesday, Andrea's Mom's family came for and early Thanksgiving lunch. The kids all had fun playing together in the backyard, Abby splashed in some wet puddles for the first time and had a blast!

The next day, Andrea's Dad's side of the family came for Thanksgiving Day (along with me).

There were over 20 people at both gatherings. We had a great time visiting with family.

Memorization

We have been working on a different memory verse every month with Abby in coordination with a teaching program that Andrea has been doing with her. I thought it was about time to get a video of her saying them.

Also, Abby enjoys singing the alphabet song and counting numbers. You can watch her recite those as well.

Racquetball Boys

Andrea's sister, Alissa and her two boys came to stay with us for four days.

While they were here I went with the boys to play racquetball at the local Green Hills YMCA. We all got a good workout running around the court hitting the ball. It was all good, I only hit them a couple of times :)

Abby enjoyed playing with her cousins. While I was at work they all went to the ICE!^TM exhibit at Gaylord Opryland.

Andrea's other sister, Anna and her husband Ron and 6 month old Joshua came and stayed for 5 days. Anna was able to attend two events at Fellowship Bible Church with Andrea, Moms Together and Women at Rest. Abby was so sweet to baby Joshua.

October Preschool

This month we learned about the Fall season.

Andrea and Abby had so many fun activities to do this month.  Their favorite day was today when they got to share some of their favorite activities with their friends who came over for a "Structured Playgroup."  Look at the pictures above with captions to see some of the activities from this month.

For those of you who are interested, you can view the details of Abby's Daily Preschool Program for the month of October.

For more pictures go to my October Preschool Picasa Web Album.

Blogged with Flock

Treat or Tricking

Tonight we went to the Bellevue Publix for some treat or tricking. We carpooled with our neighbors, the Peacock family. Abby and Mary enjoyed riding together in their van :)

The workers at Publix seemed to be just as excited watching Abby and Mary walking around as they did getting candy!

Afterwards, we came back to our neighborhood and wagoned around for more treats. Abby is a lot more aware this year about candy and what it means :) She kept wanting to know what each each piece of candy was called and if she could eat it.

Sweating to the Candy

Tonight we went to the Bellevue YMCA for a pre-Halloween event. There was candy, crafts, activities, etc...

We met up with the Guinness family and toured the festivities.

Although there was some candy, Abby most enjoyed the craft area. She loves to color and create things.

For more pictures go to my Sweating to the Candy Picasa Web Album.

Pumpkin Carving

We carved our pumpkin tonight. I looked around on the internet for several minutes to find this year's pumpkin pattern. We settled on the Jack Junior.

This was Abby's first experience participating with carving a pumpkin. I kept the sharp utensils to myself, but she enjoyed looking inside the pumpkin and touching the slimy pumpkin seeds :)

For more pictures go to my Pumpkin Carving Picasa Web Album.

Family Fall Fest

We all went to the Family Fall Fest this evening at the Western Hills Church of Christ. There were hayrides, trick or treating, games, hot dogs, a fire pit with smores, a costume parade and much more.

The Talley family is shown in the above picture along with Andrea and our little chick Abby. Since I am allergic to hay, I stood a safe distance and took pictures and video :)

We had a great time and look forward to going again next year!

For more pictures go to my Family Fall Fest Picasa Web Album.

Bouncing Grace Party

Andrea and Abby joined in celebrating Grace Talley's third birthday on Saturday. The party was at "Go Jump" in Ashland City. Both Abby and Andrea had a great time jumping in the bounce houses. Thanks Talley's!

For more pictures go to my Bouncing Grace Party Picasa Web Album.

Fiesta Forever

FIESTA FOREVER!!

Tonight Andrea and I went to a special event at the Fellowship Bible Church called Parents of Preschoolers 'Fiesta' Event.

Joel and Jill Guinness, our community group leaders, hosted the event. They did an awesome job. We had a great time.

Joel rocks! He performed 3 songs that he wrote, 2 of which he completed this week! The food was delicious, the songs were funny & touching, the newlywed game was a barrel of laughs, and we sat next the neatest couple :)

Dave Ramsey, a local celebrity, attended the event. Andrea and I have been following his financial plan since January. As a side note, I encourage all of you to read or attend Dave's Financial Peace University. It has really helped to get us on the right track.

Archeology in Parsons

My Dad is doing an Archeology and Bible Seminar entitled "Digging for the Truth" at Parsons church of Christ for the next several days. We all drove over to Parsons this morning to attend church with my parents and visit with them afterwards.

My Dad's presentations were impressive and insightful as always. He is a very dedicated and enthusiastic speaker and you can tell he loves what he does. After church the congregation met in the basement for a fellowship meal (a.k.a. Potluck)!

We had some time after the potluck to visit with my parents at the house they are staying in. That is where the above picture was taken. It was great to see my parents and we look forward to seeing them later this year.

If you are interested, you can listen to his presentations at the Parsons church of Christ website

Gentry Pumpkin Patch

Today we all went to Gentry's Farm and we had a great time! It was a beautiful day outside to visit a pumpkin patch.

We arrived at the farm just as it was opening, which enabled us to experience the farm in an open and relaxed manner.

Abby had a great time playing in the kid sized log cabin they had, seeing the cows on the hay ride, playing in the feeding trof, going through a hay maze, etc...

For more pictures go to my Gentry Pumpkin Patch Picasa Web Album.

Dustin Overbeek

Tonight, we went to the local Notable Bistro in Bellevue to support our friend Dustin Overbeek who was performing his music.

We first met Dustin in our Fellowship Bible Church community group. I also play racquetball with him and Joel Guinness on a weekly basis (when our schedules work out).

Many of us from the community group came together for a fun night of good food and great music. I hope we can all get together and do this again soon.

If you have not heard Dustin's music, you should definitely check it out!

Cookeville Friends

Andrea and Abby had the opportunity to visit with their good friends, Ashely and Alana Atnip, who live in Texas now.

They were in Cookeville visiting family and invited Andrea, Crissy and Barbara to spend the day with them. They had a great time vising with friends. Miss Janet and Mr. Jim made a delicious lunch and set a beautiful table for them. They even had a little table set for the kids.

The kids, Alana, Abby, Grace and Jamison had a fun time together, too. They captured the kids playing "ring around the rosie" together.

For more pictures go to my Cookeville Picasa Web Album.

Deceptively Delicious

Andrea and several of her friends got together tonight to try out several recipes from the new Deceptively Delicious cookbook (written by Jessica Seinfeld) that just came out and was spotlighted on a recent Oprah episode.

"Jessica Seinfeld, like many busy parents, struggled to get her three kids to eat healthily. After much trial-and-error — and many mealtime battles — she discovered a foolproof system: delicious and easy-to-make stealth recipes that sneak in puréed veggies so kids will never suspect the foods they love are actually good for them!"

Andrea's Birthday Party

I gave Andrea a surprise birthday party this year. The great thing is that she didn't even see it coming until she opened the door to our house!

I made the following movie to commemorate her childhood. As you watch the movie notice how similar Abby looks when Andrea was her age. Its almost as if we have a glimpse as to how Abby will look in a couple years. If she turns out anything like Andrea, she will be breath taking.

Thank all of you who attended the party and for helping me make it a success. A lot of work went into planning, preparing, and executing the party. A special thanks goes out to Barbara O'hara, Chris Peacock, Carole McDonald, and John and Freda Hall. Also, thanks to everyone for keeping it a secret!

You can also view a larger version of the above video on Google Video.

Zoe Conference

We were blessed to attend the Zoe Conference this year with our good friends Erik and Sonya Luchauer.

Their friends in Knoxville count not attend and offered their tickets to us. Thank you Luchauers' friends! With very late notice, Andrea's parents came by to pick up Abby for the weekend. Thank you Andrea's parents!

We had a great weekend of awesome worship, powerful teaching, and reflective contemplation. It was a treat to invest time with the Luchauers Spiritually and relationally. It has been a long time since we have shared our lives with them. They are a joy to be with. It was very refreshing.

We hope it won't be nearly as long until we get back together with the Luchauers again.

Abby's First Haricut

We let Abby's hair grow and grow since she was born and it was finally time for her to get a haircut.

Abby was very cooperative and content during the haircut. It appears that she really enjoyed the experience. The hair stylist told me that she saw large hair bills in my future.

Andrea and my Mom have both painted Abby's toes previously and I tell you, she loves being pampered!

For more pictures go to my Abby's First Haircut Picasa Web Album.

September Preschool

This month Abby learned about families.

For those of you who are interested, you can view the details of Abby's Daily Preschool Program for the month of September.

For more pictures go to my September Preschool Picasa Web Album.

Twirling Balerina

Andrea bought a tutu from a consignment sale a week or so ago. We had Abby try it on and this is what happened!

You can also view a larger version of the above video on Google Video.

Mom's Club Farm

Andrea and Abby went with the Bellevue Mom's Club to a farm outing. Abby got to pet a pony, she wasn't too interested in sitting on it, though. They also went on a hayride pulled by a tractor. There was homemade ice cream and hot dogs for lunch. What a great time!

For more pictures go to my Mom's Club Farm Picasa Web Album.

Boot Camp for Men

As many of you may be aware, I am a bit fan of Men's Fraternity. I have been going to the various courses for the past 5 years or so.

Instead of retaking one of the 3 main Men's Fraternity courses this year, today I started taking a new Men's Fraternity elective entitled Boot Camp for Men.

"Boot Camp for Men is about preparation for carrying out orders to win the hearts and minds of people in preparation for the King’s coming return. Boot Camp for Men is Basic Training that will Sharpen the Mind (intellect), Deepen the Affections (character), and Strengthen the Hands (service)…to accomplish God’s Mission."

I am really exited about this course. It has one or two memory verses a week, reading assignments, projects, a movie review, and a physical fitness test!

I am a BIG fan... and I encourage all men to attend Boot Camp!

Harpeth River State Park

We all went to the Harpeth River State Park this evening. It is only a couple of miles down the street from us.

We hiked down a one mile path toward the Hidden Lake. It was getting dark by the time we got there so many of our pictures came out darker than desired.

We saw several butterflies, acorns, leaves, and many pretty flowers during our hike. Abby enjoyed picking up a lot of things. I am still enamored with watching her experience things for the first time.

For more pictures go to my Harpeth River State Park Picasa Web Album.

Weekend @ Pops & Nana's

Abby had a weekend getaway with Pops and Nana while Andrea and I went to a marriage conference by Dr. Dan B. Allender at Fellowship Bible Church.

We are so thankful to Pops and Nana for giving us the gift of time away to cultivate our marriage. Abby had a great time. They went to the farmers market and the train museum. Abby especially enjoyed pulling the train whistle!

For more pictures go to my Weekend with Pops and Nana Picasa Web Album.

Lawrence Welk Night

This Saturday evening we all went over to watch The Lawrence Welk Show with Moni.

I don't know who enjoyed it more... Abby or Moni :)

Billiards Tournament

The development team at my client site took off early today and had a double elimination Billards Tournament. Afterwards, we went out for dinner.

We enjoyed our time together in Downtown Nashville. It was good to get to know each other in a non-work environment.

I didn't win the tournament, but I did happen to make it in the winner's bracket somehow.

Congratulations goes to Colin Callahan for 1st place!

For more pictures go to my myhealthIQ Pool Tournament Picasa Web Album.

Potty Traning

Abby made the next huge step in toddlerdom... she has started potty training.

We took the extended Labor Day weekend to focus on this new uncharted territory. We provided Abby with tasty drinks and salty snacks to help increase her opportunity to practice. We spent most of the weekend sitting on our hardwood floored kitchen in case there were any accidents (which there were many).

At the end of the weekend, Abby had a lot of successes and her fair share of failures. She isn't "Potty Trained" per se, but she is well on her way.

Preschool at Home

This past month Andrea has started Preschool at Home with Abby. She is using Joyful Heart Learning, a theme based, basic Bible concept curriculum for 2-3 year olds. They have "school" two days a week. This month they learned about the ocean.

For those of you who are interested, you can view the details of Abby's Daily Preschool Program for the month of August.

For more pictures go to my Preschool at Home Picasa Web Album.

Abby's 2nd Birthday

We celebrated Abby's second birthday this weekend.

We had a friend’s birthday party in the morning and a family birthday party in the evening. A bunch of her friends came to the morning party. Several people offered to bring some fun toys to play with. There was a moon bounce obstacle course (thank you Becky), two pools (thank you Barbara), a slide (thank you Stephanie N.), and a ball pit (thank you Stephanie C.). In addition we had water balloons, bubbles, and various other yard toys. All the kids enjoyed licking the frosting off the cupcakes.

I created several videos to celebrate Abby's second year. You can view them online...

Disney Cruise 3 min	Friends 2 min
Dancing and Laughing 2 min	Blueberry Muffins 2 min
2nd Year Video 7 min

For more pictures go to my Abby's 2nd Birthday Picasa Web Album.

Fellowship Bible Church

You might think that after living in Nashville for over 1.5 years we would already be members at a local Church. We too are surprised that it has taken us as long as it has.

We are glad to say that we are finally members of a local church!

After much prayer, searching, and the guidance of God's Spirit we are now members of Fellowship Bible Church in Nashville, TN.

Some of you might be surprised that our choice is not a Church of Christ. We highly value our heritage and did not take this decision lightly. We are confident of this change and we look forward to seeing God work through us and this Church.

Fellowship Bible Church is not new to us. As you might recall, we have been involved with the church in one way or another for quite some time. Back in Little Rock I was involved with a ministry they started called Men's Fraternity for the past 5 years. The ministry has helped mold me into the man God had called me to be. Since we've moved to Nashville Andrea has been involved with the Mom's Together program and A Day of Rest ministry for the past year or so.

Talley Cookout

The Talleys invited us and several other families (Bosquets and O'Haras) over for a cookout at their house.

We all brought different dishes and they grilled some delicious hamburgers. We enjoyed playing in their backyard while the meat was being cooked. It was nice being able to eat all together at one large table. Afterwards the kids had a blast playing upstairs in the bonus room. Then we adults played Catch phrase until it was time for the kids to go to bed. We look forward to spending more time with these families.

Thank you, Talleys, for your hospitality and opening up your home.

Knoxville Manor

My parents came to visit on their way to Knoxville for an Archeology seminar. We were excited to see them both. We haven't seen both of them together for quite some time. Lately, one of Abby's requests is for me to draw pictures of Papa and Grandma. I draw them on the bathtub wall, in her coloring books, and anywhere else there is a writing surface.

While in town, Abby enjoyed showing Papa and Grandma her play centers up in our bonus room. Later we went to play at the indoor area of the Bellevue Mall and then Abby rode the electric cars. It was good to see my parents and for them to interact with Abby. They will be back on their way back from Knoxville just in time for Abby's morning birthday party!

For more pictures go to my Knoxville Manor Picasa Web Album.

Jackson Week

Andrea's oldest sister, Alissa, and her family came down to visit from Maryland.

They all went to Jackson to hang out with their parents for the week. The kids all had a great time playing together. Abby had her first hot chocolate. Dad and Mike setup a large tent in the backyard to provide shade in the day. They had a baby pool setup and lots of toys to play with. Moni and Pawi also came for several days. They played croquet and dominos with the kids.

They made several arts and crafts projects with paint and made homemade play dough that smells like pineapple. Pops and Nana got three huge boxes from the furniture store and make a huge fort out of them. They also went to play miniature golf and to the train museum in Jackson.

They had a great time together and we look forward to seeing them all at Thanksgiving.

For more pictures go to my Jackson Week Picasa Web Album.

Texas Extravaganza

Andrea and Abby went to Texas to visit our good friends Matt, Ashley, and Alana Atnip.

They had a great time together. They went to the children’s museum and the beach.
Andrea also got to meet many of Ashley's friends and see the church where Matt works.

While there, Abby developed a love for Alana’s favorite Sesame Street character, Elmo. Abby also developed an interest in using the bathroom inspired by Alana’s potty training. Every time Alana used the bathroom Abby would say, "Abby wants a turn!”

Since they have moved, we have missed the Atnips so much, but it was good that Andrea and Abby could visit with them. They are hoping to be able to visit again next year.

For more pictures go to my Texas Extravaganza Picasa Web Album.

4th of July Parade

On the 3rd of July we went to the Bellevue Community Church, with some famlies from our neighborhood, for a free concert, dessert, and fireworks. The concert was an entertaining medley of American music from the past 100 years. It was Abby's first experience seeing fireworks. She enjoyed watching the bright colors and we even caught her saying, "Oooohhhh".

On the 4th of July, our neighborhood had a special parade for all the children to participate in. Abby helped make some of the decorations that hung from her red wagon. All the parents and kids marched along the streets and there were people cheering us on! Jamison accompanied Abby in the red wagon. At the end of the parade awaited watermelon, cookies, and drinks.

For more pictures go to my 4th of July Parade Picasa Web Album.

Belated Father's Half Birthday

Today is a special day. It is my belated Father's Day and my Half Birthday! The above picture is a finger painting that Abby make special for me :)

Since Andrea was out of town helping Anna on Father's Day she wanted to make it up to me, so today was filled with wonderfulness.

It started out with sleeping in, which is a rare event with a toddler. Then we went to Cool Springs to get some Racquetball equipment for my half-birthday. Later in the day I took a nap and went to workout at the gym.

Thank you Andrea for showing me appreciation. I love you so much and enjoy being your husband and the father of our daughter.

Farrar Day Visit

Byron, Bertie, Mike, Donna, and Joann Farrar stopped by our neighborhood passing through on their way home from Kentucky. Carole and Moni made a wonderful lunch for everyone.

Joann and Abby enjoyed being together. They went to the neighborhood park and played on the swing, slide, and money bars.

I wasn't able to make it because I was at work, but I'm glad that everyone had a great time together.

For more pictures go to my Farrar Day Visit Picasa Web Album.

Paris Landing

Our friends, Josh and Melanie Cooper, invited us to join them for the weekend at Paris Landing State Park.

After having a little trouble finding the place (which is an understatement), we had a great time once we got there. The weather was quite hot, but while it was still cool we took a hike and we went to the pool. The rest of the time we mostly stayed inside relaxing and playing games. The Coopers brought their dog, Maggie, and Abby had fun watching and playing with her.

Thank you for thinking of us. We enjoyed the great outdoors with you all. I hope we can do it again sometime.

Barbara Sitting

While Andrea was out of town helping her sister with Joshua, Abby and I stayed at home. While I was at work a friend of ours, Barbara O'hara, offered to take care of Abby. I dropped her off in the morning and picked her up in the afternoon.

Abby, Barbara, and Jamison (Barbara's son) had so much fun together. They would go on fun trips to Publix, Costco, and Vanderbuilt, they would take walks, play hide and seek in the curtains, feed and walk Poker (Barbara's dog), and much more.

It was so great to have a friend take care of Abby during the day. We didn't have to worry about Abby and we felt comfortable leaving her with Barbara. Thank you so much Barbara for your time and energy.

In addition to Barbara's help, Abby and I went to see Pops and Nana (Andrea's parents) for the weekend. They helped me a lot too. I appreciate all you did!

We sure did miss Mommy while she was gone. I don't know how single parents do it. I did well keeping Abby fed, bathed, and alive. Other than that, I didn't feel like I had much more to give. I sure have a better respect for what Andrea does. Thank you Andrea.

For more pictures go to my Barabara Sitting Picasa Web Album.

Baby Joshua

Andrea went to help her sister, Anna Neal, in California with her newborn son, Joshua.

While she was there she did laundry, helped with cleaning, changed a lot of diapers, gave him bottles, put him to sleep, babysat while Ron and Anna went on a date, etc...

Ron took care of Joshua one afternoon which allowed Anna and Andrea some free time to go out and relax by getting their nails done and going shopping.

I think it is great that Andrea went out to help her sister. I remember how much we appreciated it when we had help come shortly after Abby was born.

For more pictures go to my Baby Joshua Picasa Web Album.

Atnip Visit

Ashley and Alana Atnip came into town for a brief visit. They recently moved to Texas for a new ministry opportunity. Andrea and Abby had a great time getting caught up and playing together.

Other moms and kids came too for the reunion. They had fun playing with water on our back porch and using the toddler swing-set that Andrea purchased from a garage sale.

For more pictures go to my Atnip Visit Picasa Web Album.

Flower Girl

We drove to Springdale, AR for Health and Caitlin's wedding. Andrea was the maid of honor and this was Abby's first experience as a flower girl.

Before we left Andrea checked-out several books from the library about flower girls and we even practiced several times in our living room (we set up chairs and had stuffed animals as guests).

Abby's great aunt, Beth, made her dress and boy was it beautiful. The day of the wedding came and everything seemed fine, however, I think it upset Abby to watch Andrea walk down the isle moments before her big moment. When it came time for Abby to walk, she was not happy. She threw down her flowers and was not going to budge. At that moment, my role as a flower girl assistant became very important. I proudly picked her up, held her flower, and carried her down the isle.

We enjoyed seeing family and supporting them in this special event. Congratulations Health and Caitlin! May God bless your marriage and draw you closer everyday.

On our way to and from Springdale, AR some of our friends let us stay with them to break up our trip. We stayed with the Wrights in Memphis on our way to Springdale, and we stayed with the Moores in Little Rock on our way back home. Thank you both for your hospitality. It was good to catch up with you all again.

For more pictures go to my Health and Caitlin's Wedding Picasa Web Album.

Arkansas Odyssey

We just got back from visiting my parents in Searcy, AR. Other than my allergies, we all had a blast this past weekend.

You could tell my parents had a great time interacting with Abby. We all had fun at Berry Hill park, played with play-doh, made homemade ice cream, and Abby and her Grandmother made blueberry muffins together. My parents recently got a slide in their backyard and Abby loved sliding down it over and over again.

The car trip to/from Arkansas was a little hard on Abby, but fortunately our friends, the Talleys, let us borrow their portable DVD player to help out with the end of the trip. Thank you... it made the trip more bearable for Abby.

For more pictures go to my Arkansas Odyssey Picasa Web Album.

Strawberry Patch

This Saturday we went on a morning excursion to the Vine Hill Farm in Franklin, TN to pick strawberries!

Abby enjoyed picking the strawberries, picking off the stems, but I think she most enjoyed eating them the best!

You can find Vine Hill Farm and many other places to pick your own fruit at the Pick Your Own website.

For more pictures go to my Strawberry Patch Picasa Web Album.

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!

I want to thank you for being such a wonderful Mommy!

I have so much fun with you playing and learning my letters and colors.

Thank you for teaching me how to be kind and that God made me and everything else.

I am so glad that you stay home with me during the day.

Your loving Daughter,

Abby

P.S. I made this card for you!

Jello Jigglers

Andrea is teaching Abby the different colors of the rainbow and she started with the color red.

One of the activities Andrea did to reinforce the color red was to make Jello Jigglers with Abby. Abby had fun mixing the Jello, making the jigglers shapes, and most of all eating it!

In addition to the Jello Jiggler activity, Andrea made a red box filled with numerous red items such as a red car, a red YoYo, a red crayon, a red apple, a book about red, a red spoon, red Legos, etc... I thought that was a really neat idea and Abby loves it!

For more pictures go to my Jello Jigglers Picasa Web Album.

Super Fort

Andrea created a massive super fort for Abby that spans our whole living room.

There are places for all of us to sit in the fort, to read books, and a tunnel to crawl through.

Abby gets very excited about the fort and refers to it as the "Nunnal" ( in reference to the tunnel ).

For more pictures go to my Super Fort Picasa Web Album.

Papa's Sabbatical Visit

My Dad came to visit us for a while.

He is currently on sabbatical from Harding this semester. He and my Mom just got back from touring Israel together.

He is in the process of writing an Archeology book. While I was at work he went to Starbucks and was able to write 6 new pages in his book. Now that’s the way to work :)

We enjoyed hearing about his and Mom’s adventures as they trekked through Israel together.

We were very pleased to see Abby warming up to my Dad. She has been in a phase where she is scared of all men other than me, so it was a really big deal for her to open up to him like she did. He is very sweet and gentle with Abby.

For more pictures go to my Papa's Sabbatical Visit Picasa Web Album.

Easter Lunch

This Easter we had Andrea's parents and paternal grandparents over for a special lunch after church. As you can see, we were well fed and full by the end of the meal.

While we were waiting for dessert to finish cooking we each took two Resurrection Eggs and went around the table telling the Gospel. We started this tradition last year and Andrea and I plan to do this every year with our family.

We're Debt Free!

As we mentioned in an earlier blog entry, we have been attending Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University since the beginning of the year.

On behalf of our family, I am proud to say that we are DEBT FREE (minus our house)!

We are now working on Baby Step 3, which is saving up 3 to 6 months of take home pay for a fully funded emergency fund.

I'd like to thank Dave and his staff for their ministry, Marshall for teaching our class, our fellow classmates for their encouragement, and our good friends and financial counselors the Crowleys.

Resurrection Eggs

Abby, Andrea, and I have been opening a couple of Resurrection Eggs each day this past week. The Family Life Resurrection Eggs are a special collection of colorful plastic eggs that tell the story of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection.

Abby gets so excited about opening the eggs that she can hardly wait until bedtime. The eggs are a tool to help teach Abby the true meaning of Easter in a fun and memorable way.

Easter Egg Hunts

This year Abby has gotten into the whole Easter Egg hunt activity. We started her off in our house to get used to the whole idea.

Then she progressed to the outdoors and then into the realm of candy filled eggs. We haven't really given Abby any sugary or chocolate sweets, so this was indeed a real treat!

By the end of the Easter Holiday, I think Abby will be a seasoned egg hunter.

Weekend with Pops & Nana

While Andrea and I were at the Weekend to Remember marriage conference, Abby had a weekend away with her Pops and Nana in Jackson, TN.

They had a great time together. While she was there they went to see a model train display, visited an artisan well, and had a picnic at the rotary park.

Thank you John and Freda for taking such good care of Abby while we were investing in our marriage. It is truly appreciated!

For more pictures go to my Weekend With Pops & Nana Picasa Web Album.

A Weekend to Remember

Andrea and I went to A Weekend to Remember marriage conference in Franklin, TN.

Family Life put on another great conference combining both great lectures and most importantly many opportunities for us to communicate and grow in our relationship.

For any of you looking for a great way to grow your marriage I would encourage you to find a conference near you.

The Graceful Zoo

Andrea and Abby went to the Nashville Zoo with Crissy and Grace.

Abby enjoyed the Zoo much more this year because she could recognize a lot of the animals and imitate many of their noises.

Grace is one of Abby's little girl friends. They ware so cute together.

Nature Bracelets

Andrea and Abby took a nature walk with special sticky bracelets to catch their findings.

Abby enjoys to picking flowers, grass, leaves, and other plant life.

I love how Andrea plans special activities with her. I am blessed that Andrea desires to be home with Abby and finds exciting ways to interact with her.

Marionettes

We went to the Nashville Downtown Library for a marionette show of The Little Rabbit Who Wanted Red Wings.

"An original Tom Tichenor marionette play featuring beloved Tichenor puppets and the voice of the puppet master himself. In this library favorite, Little Rabbit learns a valuable lesson when his wish comes true."

Abby absolutely loved watching the show. It was pretty neat to watch how an old fashioned marionette show works. It reminded me of a scene from the Sound of Music.

Amaryllis Bloom

The Amaryllis bulb finally bloomed!

The flower grew taller than Abby! It was sitting on the floor on in the above picture. The flower grew so large that the other day it fell off the table and crumbled.

I had wanted to get a picture with all the blooms full, but I'm glad I got this cute picture of Abby and one bloom.

Mama's Little Helper

Abby has enjoyed helping her Mama around the house.

She has helped putting up the dishes and she helps put the laundry to and from the washer and dryer.

She also helps to wash the floors and windows. Andrea mops the floor and she takes a dry rag and wipes it up. Abby enjoys hearing the windows squeak when washing them.

Its great to see her enjoy helping out. She is so sweet!

Aesop's Dance

Today we went to watch Aesop's Fables by the Nashville Ballet at the Downtown Library.

Afterwards Abby went up on the stage to get a special ballet sticker and then she started to danced around... see the above video to watch her.

Centennial Park

It was such a great day outside that I took off a little early from work and met Andrea and Abby at Centennial Park.

While it was still light we took pictures of Abby with some Irises that Andrea bought on the way to the park. Although it was a tad windy, it was an all around a beautiful day!

After our flower pictures we fed the ducks some of our left over bread at the pond. Abby loves to hear and watch the ducks.

For more pictures go to my Centennial Park Picasa Web Album.

Abby @ 18 Months

Abby is now 18 months old!

Her personality is developing and she is becoming more of an individual.

As the weather is getting warmer, she loves to take walks around our neighborhood. Andrea and I are amazed at how far her little legs will go until she gets tired.

Its fun to teach her new things and watch her examine her surroundings.

For more pictures go to my @ 18 Months Picasa Web Album.

Nashville Ballet

Andrea, Abby, and I went to the Nashville Downtown Library to watch a free performance by the Nashville Ballet.

Abby enjoyed watching the dancers jump and twirl around the stage. Their costumes were elaborate and creative.

After the show they had the little girls and boys come up on stage to act out some ballet moves. The moderator of the performance was describing the next ballet move they were going to make while one of the little girls started jumping up and down by herself. It was so funny to watch as all the other girls started to jump along with her. It was like a chain reaction!

If you have children ( girls or boys ) you might be interested in these free performances for kids.

For a list of upcoming performances in the Nashville area check out the Nashville Library Events page.

Frist Center

I surprised Andrea by arranging a Baby Sitter, thank you Amy Jo Green, and taking her out on a date.

We first went to the Frist Center for the Visual Arts. My favorite attractions were the Pop pieces by Andy Warhol and the Model Citizens exhibit including carved wood sculptures composed by Bob Trotman.

After our cultural experience we then proceeded to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner. The company, food, and dessert were excellent.

We both enjoyed the time we had investing in eachother and in our marriage.

Utensils

Abby has upgraded from eating with her hands and is now using utensils.

Watch the above video as she masters the fork and spoon!

Financial Peace University

Andrea and I just started attending Financial Peace University created by Dave Ramsey.

The 13 course walks you through making a working budget, getting out of debt, building security and wealth, and much more.

We are very excited about this course and have heard many good things from friends and family. We are now taking one baby step at a time!

Amaryllis

Today Andrea, Abby, and I planted a Amaryllis bulb together.

It is supposed to take anywhere from 6 to 10 weeks for the plant to be in full bloom. At that point, I will post another entry showing the status of the flower.

We pray that Abby will enjoy watching the flower grow and that she will learn the wonders of God's creation as it matures from a bulb into a fully bloomed flower.

Pigtails

After seeing several other little girls with pigtails, we figured we would try out the new hair-do on Abby.

Abby has been really patient when Andrea has put her hair up. I guess most girls like their hair being played with.

I am a little biased, but I think it is adorable.

Christmas Card Prayers

We took down our Christmas cards from the fridge and have put them into a basket.

Ever day at dinner Abby picks one of the cards from the basket and we pray for that family.

Here is a picture of Abby participating in our prayer.