A Pumpkin and a proud Momma

We gave Coco a book for her 2nd birthday entitled "Different Like Coco." It's a pint-sized version of the biography of Coco Chanel. The book is adorable and I love the moral of the story: always dare to be different. This has been our prayer for Coco ever since. We recognize that she oftentimes does not go with the flow and follow the crowd; this, to us, is a wonderful trait. It is admittedly a difficult personality to guide & instruct but we embrace it all the same. I was reminded of all of this when I went to her Thanksgiving party at school. Each student got to take the pumpkin home he/she had chosen at the Pumpkin Patch back in October. I went to get Coco's from the room and saw a row of beautiful pumpkins! Some really big, some really small, all of them orange...except for one. There was one white pumpkin in the bunch. I asked Miss Joy which was Coco's and she knew exactly what one: the white one. Miss Joy said Coco hunted and searched all over the patch for the perect one. My insides fluttered and I was instantly such a proud momma over this silly little pumpkin!

Turkey Day 2010

Grammy showing off her made-from-scratch Wet Walnut cake

Cory & Shelby

Coco & her BFF Jan Man!

Since Namps was recovering from rotator cuff surgery,

Jerry Hunter got to carve the turkey this year.

Looks like he's taking the job pretty serious.

Namps & Sebastian building towers...and knocking them over!

Jasper, Braxton, Aunt Jaime (sporting her Brazilian Blowout!) and Jilli!

Coco appropriately dressed as a "wild Indian" at her school's Thanksgiving Feast.

Fine dining at TCA!

Halloween 2010

As ususal Halloween was filled lots of candy and fun. We attended the annual Fall Festival at church, trick or treated at few houses and ended Halloween night with handing out candy at Grammy & Namps's house. Without a doubt, we had the most adorable Snow White and baseball player ever!

Fall Party at the Goforth's

Staci & Dan Goforth hosted another wonderful Fall Party this year. We were in the middle of a drought, but managed to have a small, yet contained, fire for roasting weanies and making smores. This kids decorated pumpkins and ran around playing; it was great family fun and a wonderful reminder of God's blessings of friends and fellowship.

Impossible to get everyone looking at the same time!

We don't get together much but when we do, Coco & Luke are inseparable!

My sweet boy

Family pics are few & far between... I love this one.

Coco was seriously thinking about how to decorate her pumpkin.

Sebastian & Lydia Joy

I think we found out what Santa needs to bring! He loved the tractor!

Solving the world's problems over a campfire??

Cedar Hill Farms

Jaime and I decided to take the kids to Cedar Hill Farms in Hernando, MS just for fun on a random Thursday during Fall Break. It was very spontaneous but also very much fun! There was a petting zoo, pony rides, haybale maze, train ride, a pumpkin patch and even piggie races (which we were so sad about missing!). Coco LOVED riding the pony; Sebastian wouldn't even consider it. The one thing he did love was the goat food! He cried and cried every time I tried to take the cup away. Eventually, I gave up and just let him have it. (Sebastian, when you're all grown up and reading this, yes, I did let you eat food meant for animals and no, it didn't hurt you. ) We had a fun lunch in the cafe and finished just in time...the rain started pouring down! There were so many "Kodak" moments happening I couldn't catch them all but here are a few from our mini road trip.

Aunt Jaime was determined to conquer the hay maze!

I just love this picture...Coco is finally learning to smile for the camera!

I couldn't believe how much Coco enjoyed riding the pony.

All of us!

Sebastian chowing down on the goat food!

Aunt Jaime being so very brave feeding the cow.

They both say the other one is their "best friend."

Hat Day at TCA!

Of all the dress up hats and princess crowns in her dress up box, Coco chose her "Fievel" hat for hat day. She was excited about wearing it to school but...not so excited about me taking her picture in it!

Oh my that look...I think I've seen it before. Wait, I know...it's the same look her Daddy gives me when he's had enough!! Donald and his little clone.

Disney on ICE!

This was Coco's first encounter with "real, live" Disney characters...and she LOVED it! It was a big deal to pick out a new princess dress to wear (and double as her Halloween costume) and we just knew she would choose Ariel. Much to our surprise, she chose Snow White. And she was the most beautiful Snow White there!

Daddy & Coco just before the show starts.

Bar none, Coco's favorite was the princesses.

There were disappointing parts for her though:

1. Briar Rose (a.k.a. Sleeping Beauty was not there)

2. Ariel just didn't quite look right.

We didn't think Sebastian was quite old enough to sit through the show, but after seeing so much Mickey Mouse on the ice, we wish we would have brought him.
He LOVES Mickey (or "minnie" as he calls him).