Random

GRRRRR......Drew is taking our picture (we're at the mall playing with trains at Barnes and Noble)
Knox chillin'

Drew found a bucket in Andy's office, and what else should you do but put it on your head. It made perfect sense to me.

Andy and his boys at his new office. He started a new job in January. He's back at the good old Republican Party.

Uncle Ryan...

Ryan came to visit his family over Christmas, and we had a chance to hang out with he and his girlfriend. We had a great time visiting, and of course Ryan arrived in style. Drew LOVED this car, and was so excited to get to sit in it.
Cool car AND cool people! Can you see Drew's head popping up in the window?

Mimi and Papa came to town....

Happy Birthday Dad! It was my Dad's 53rd birthday (almost), when they came for Knox's dedication, so we celebrated. Any excuse for a cake. Here we are! What a lovely crew. Drew with no shirt, Knox in PJ's, mom with Knox drool, and I have no make-up on and my hair isn't fixed. At least my dad looked good (and he was the most important person for this picture)

Knox and Mimi

Knox and Papa

Knox's Dedication

At our church we dedicate our children. When they are young we stand in front of the church body and commit ourselves to raise them with the Lord as the center of our home. Our pastor prays for our child, but also for us as parents.

Here is Knox and I before leaving for his dedication.The family...

Here is Pastor Kent holding Knox, getting ready to pray. I told Kent before the service that Knox is in a "grabbing" phase so to watch his mike. Here's Knox checking out the mike.

Here is Kent dodging our baby, trying to keep him from the mike. I don't have a picture of it, but Knox also ate the mike. (well, attempted to anyway)

High Chair

Here are pictures of the boys their first time in the high chair.

KNOX
DREW

CHEESE!

Here is a picture of Knox "cheesing it up" for the camera. I don't think we've ever seen him smile so big! The other 2 pictures are of our "normal" smiling Knox.

Potty trained....Hallelujiah!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, we had been putting off potty training, mainly because I had no idea where to begin. I kept thinking of ways to try it, and I didn't know if they weren't working, or if Drew just wasn't ready. Drew knows about the potty and has gone on it some, but never consistantly. This past Monday I decided we needed to take the plunge, so I put him in big boy underwear and guess what??? that was it! He had 3 or 4 accidents on Monday, and a few each day after that, but for the most part he tells me when he needs to go. I don't even have to keep asking him. I'm thrilled! (although I've been told we may do good and then have set backs, but fingers crossed that won't be us). We went to Target and I let HIM him pick out some fun underwear (Diego), and then I picked out some fun underwear for him that I like (boxer briefs). He's gone several places now with his underwear on and done really well. This weekend we had a "potty party" at Chuckie Cheese with Andy, Knox, Drew, Gigi, Papa, and I. We also got him a cookie slice from the mall and sang him "Happy Potty Trained to you...." It's been a great celebration at our house! Prizes from Chuckie Cheese sitting in front of the potty

We had 48 tickets and we needed 60 for the prize Drew wanted (a cheap plastic roach), so Andy played a game like slots. He got 2 tickets, then 4, then he hit the jack pot and got 75. Needless to say that moved up our prize options. Way to go Daddy!

Heather....

One of the things I got to do while in Ocala, was get together with an old high school friend. Heather, her husband Phil, and her son Jackson live in Oregon, but we thought we'd take advantage of both being "home" for Christmas and get together. Her parents are friends with my parents so they came over as well, and we had a great time! The last time I saw her was at her wedding 7 years ago. She was one of my best friends in high school and it was great to see that we still have so much fun together! We had a lot in common, including the fact that we were one of the few people who got to cheer and play in band. How you ask? We just marched half-time in our cheerleading uniform. We thought that was pretty cool! I don't know why some of our family was laughing about it when we reminisced. :) Anyway, Heather...I really wish we lived closer. It was great! Phil, Heather, Jackson, Kristen, Knox, Andy, Drew

Christmas in Ocala

We spent the weekend after Christmas with Kristen's side of the family in Ocala. Traveling worked out well (much better than at Thanksgiving when we timed it wrong for Knox). We had a great time talking, eating good food, and playing with the boys.

The Family-Eddie, Kate, Mom, Dad, Andy, Drew, Knox, Kristen

Mommy and Drew
Daddy and Drew

Drew is getting horsie rides while waiting to open presents
Drew and Papa

This is Drew getting his stocking from Mimi and Papa. He loved it!

Trucks from his stocking

Before Christmas Drew asked for a drum almost every day. Uncle Eddie and Aunt Kate got him a really cool wooden percussion set that he loves.

Uncle Eddie, Aunt Kate, Knox (and his new finger puppet :) ) Papa and Knox

Drew helping Papa open his new picture for his office. (It's a picture of Papa, Drew, and Knox at his office)

Mimi is reading Drew his Christmas card from them.

Mimi and Drew (and his new drum stick)

Drew giving Mimi and Papa a web cam for Christmas. We just need to get the sound working on theirs. Other than that, it works really well.
Drew got a basketball goal from them. The present was bigger than he was. He was so excited to open it.

Mom, Kristen, Knox, and Dad

Knox.....love him!!!!

Tallahassee Christmas

We had a great Christmas! We spent Christmas day in Tallahassee and Andy's parents and his Grandma came over. The next day we headed to Ocala to have Christmas with my parents. We started off our day by doing our last candle on our advent wreath and letting Drew help us tell the story of Jesus' birth. Then we had YUMMY cinnamon rolls and we put a candle in it and sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. We wanted to make sure that the focus of our day was that we were celebrating Jesus.

If you can see, there is a red sign on the wall and it said "Days until Christmas". I had made construction paper rings, and each morning leading up to Christmas Drew would come downstairs and pull a ring off and count how many days were left until Christmas. He really enjoyed it. Here he is pulling the last ring off.

Drew as a police officer. (The glasses look just like a pair I saw on an 8th grade picture of Andy) He was cool!

Drew's big present was a trampoline. Before purchasing it, we looked on consumer reports to find out what kind would be best. All we found was "DO NOT BUY A TRAMPOLINE. THEY ARE DANGEROUS." Drew is good about being cautious so we felt okay, but if we post an injury on here in a few months, please keep all "you should have known better" to yourselves. :)

Here's Knox hanging out on Christmas with his usual look; SMILING

Knox thought it would be funny to pretend like he was a present. He didn't quite fit in the box, but he was trying!

Here is Drew with his book from his Great Grandma and Grandpa Jaffe. He LOVES books and trucks, so it was a perfect gift. We've read it almost every day since he got it.

Construction Man

Knox....

Drew helping Daddy...

Drew helping Mommy...I'd have to label this Christmas "a few of my favorite things". Andy got me some wonderful gifts, that were well thought out. (Examples: necklace I found at a store and said was my favorite as we were shopping for someone else, one of my favorite movies (Anne of Greene Gables, clothing from my favorite store, Ann Taylor)

Drew and his airplane

Andy's Grandma, Dad, Mom, Knox, Kristen, Andy, Drew

Andy's Dad, Andy, and the boys

4 generations. Andy's Grandma, Andy's Mom, Andy, Knox and Drew

Andy and his boys on the trampoline