The Jacob Family Album

We've Moved!

2011-09-18T13:52:00.008-04:00

Due to the fact that we've exceeded our limit of Picasa photo uploads we had to create a new blog on blogspot. Please continue to follow us here and save our new address to your Favorites so that you can enjoy the antics of our everyday lives as they unfold. :)

The Life Aquatic

2011-09-14T12:57:00.012-04:00

Human fountains.

Happy, happy faces!

Our Up and Coming Young Photographer

2011-09-10T12:05:00.008-04:00

Here are some pictures that Lorelai took of Miller while we were in Destin. It's evident that if I'm ever out of commission as the family photographer, I certainly have a more than capable replacement.

Glamour Girls

2011-09-08T22:21:00.004-04:00

All Smiles

2011-09-05T17:01:00.016-04:00

Though she may not be grinning from ear-to-ear, she still looks absolutely beautiful.

A wonderful photo of the birthday mom.

What a great grin!!

Pap and Chase sharing some quality time together.

Proud Pap.

Cheerful Chase.

Perfect Pairs

2011-09-03T14:51:00.008-04:00

Dan and his carbon copy.

Ma CJ and her handsome sons.

Lisa and me in our usual spots.

Lisa and her nephew, Andrew.

The two sweet faces that we all know and love.

Party Animals

2011-09-01T11:56:00.006-04:00

Here are the Fab Four and the animals that they chose at Chase's Build-A-Bear party. Oddly enough, none of them chose a bear. Lorelai and Miller still drag their newest additions everywhere we go.

Chase and "Chase."

Miller and "Lucky." Miller and Chase chose the same puppy. Looks like great minds think alike.

Lorelai and "Lucy Jane Marley Lorelai."

Sierra and "Rose."

St. Mary's Newest Duck

2011-08-29T18:56:00.008-04:00

Lorelai started St. Mary's Catholic School today. She will be in K4 this year and she is so excited about. She has to wear a uniform everyday, except on special occasions. Their mascot is a duck, hence the title of this post.

Full view of the uniform.

While she may be dressed like everyone else in her class, and everyone else in the school for that matter, make no mistake that Lorelai's personality will still come shining through.

Impersonating "The Fonz" by giving two thumbs up.

Model behavior.

Let's hope this little angel shows her face around St. Mary's every now and then.

Chase's Build-A-Bear Birthday

2011-08-27T20:57:00.007-04:00

This year Chase celebrated his 3rd birthday at Build-A-Bear Workshop. Everyone had a wonderful time, and a bonus each child got to leave with their very own stuffed animal.

The first thing the party guests did after they chose their animals was prepare a special heart to put inside Chase's puppy.

Miller wasn't as interactive as the other kids, but he did pay close attention the whole time.

Celebrating with Bearemy

2011-08-27T20:24:00.007-04:00

Chase is lucky enough to share a birthday with Build-A-Bear's mascot, Bearemy. He was on-site to pose for pictures and greet customers.

Chase and Lorelai couldn't wait to get their pictures made with Bearemy.

Chase's yummy cookie cake.

Nice Shootin' Tex!

2011-08-24T11:21:00.006-04:00

One of the biggest hits at the pool in Florida were the hydro-guns. Sadly there were only two so one of the hardest parts was taking turns.

Bella getting the first few rounds off.

Perfect pinwheels.

Direct hit!

The Agitator!

Finally getting his turn.

The Piece(s) de Resistance

2011-08-20T07:52:00.004-04:00

The personalized water bottles that my mom made for each child. Gymnastics can make you work up quite a thirst!!

The beautiful Belle cake we ordered from Gretchen's bakery in Mauldin. It was every bit as delicious as it looked.

Flips and Fun

2011-08-17T22:29:00.008-04:00

Just like her invitation promised, she "flipped" for her 4th birthday party!

Finally enjoying all of the festivities the party had to offer.

Cody ~ walking tall...

...and showing off his somersault skills.

The Trampoline ~ The Hit of the Day!

2011-08-15T21:44:00.018-04:00

Lorelai was first up on the launch pad.

Magnificent Miller.

Jumping JB.

Joyous Julia.

Bouncing Belle.

The Three Musketeers ~ Belle, Lorelai, and Isabella.

Balancing Acts

2011-08-13T11:01:00.010-04:00

First up on the balance beam, Miss Lorelai.

Miller's turn!

Getting some help from Daddy.

Emma~Lorelai's friend from swimming lessons.

Lorelai's friend, Logan. (How very "Gilmore Girls!") They were friends at her daycare when we lived in Taylors.

Precious Maria.

Lorelai's best friend, Isabella.

Looks like she's done this before.

Slide Snapshots

2011-08-11T22:17:00.004-04:00

Miller's sweet girlfriend, Maria.

I love this picture of the birthday girl.

Lorelai's Gymnastics Party

2011-08-09T20:55:00.017-04:00

This year Lorelai was thrilled to have her 4th birthday party at Easley Gymnastics. Since she doesn't take gymnastics regularly she was super-excited to be able to participate in this type of activity to celebrate her special day. Everyone had a blast! As usual I took tons of pictures so the party will appear in multiple postings.

The beautiful birthday girl.

First things first. Everyone had to get out on the floor and get ready to start stretching.

Shake it out.

Time for the parachute. They put balls in the middle and let them fly into the air.

Wee!

Making sure all the parents were watching.

Here's a close-up of what Miller was doing while everyone else was playing with the parachute. Don't worry ~ eventually he joined the festivities.

Catwoman

2011-08-07T08:35:00.009-04:00

While in Florida Lorelai was like a kid in a candy store in Caroline and Bella's dress-up closet. Most of her dress-up consists of two piece princess outfits, costume jewelry, and crowns, but they had anything from a butterfly to a can-can girl. She was in heaven!! One day she found a cat costume and I must say it suited our sassy little lady just purr-fectly. Wouldn't you agree?

Making sure she showed off her tail ~ or at least she tried to ~ it was kind of tricky with her puffy "paw."

The Verdicts Are In

2011-08-04T17:28:00.014-04:00

Before we left for Florida we had Lorelai and Miller tested to see if they would be following in Dan's footsteps with his poultry allergy. We were very blessed to find out that both of them are allergy-free! They were tested a day apart so the evening of Lorelai's testing she and I went out to dinner and then the next day they both enjoyed nuggets in the car.

Lorelai's special dinner took place at none other than Chick-Fil-A.

On our way to the restaurant I told Lorelai that she was going to get to try chicken nuggets for the first time and she yelled from the backseat that she was "so excited!!" When we sat down to eat I told her make her "excited face" for me.

I tried desperately to get her taking a bite of a chicken nugget, but I guess they were so tasty that she just couldn't resist stuffing them in her mouth.

Here are pictures from our second outing. This is a little more of what I had in mind.

Miller's first monumental nugget. His exact words ~ which have now become famous around these parts ~ were, "It's good! It's yummy!" Poor Dan. :( He said he knows he must be missing out on something pretty fantastic when it gets rave reviews like that from a two-year-old.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!!

2011-08-02T16:10:00.003-04:00

Lorelai has an announcement that she just couldn't wait to shout from the rooftops...

...She's going to be the Town Crier in the Fountain Inn Civic Center production of "Cinderella Kids."

Lorelai is attending a two-week workshop and they will perform the play twice at the end of the workshop. She had to prepare a singing audition, as well as a speaking audition. She sang "Itsy, Bitsy Spider," and her speaking audition was "The Three Little Pigs." She was both the big, bad wolf and one of the little pigs. At the end of her piece she blew the house down, then as the pig she fell down, stood back up to take her bow and shouted, "Bravo!" She certainly has a flair for the dramatic.

Reliving My Childhood

2011-07-30T19:03:00.012-04:00

I never had an Easy-Bake Oven as a kid but I always wanted one. Lorelai got one from Santa last year, but she hasn't gotten around to cooking anything with it until recently. We decided on S'mores.

This year is the 45th anniversary of the Easy-Bake Oven and with her retro outfit it almost looks like she could be in an ad for the original.

The chef, preparing the ingredients for the oven's debut.

Putting the cookies in the oven. (I love Miller's expression in this one.)

Checking on her progress.

I'm sad to say I have no pictures to show for all of our efforts. As I stated previously, I never had an Easy-Bake Oven so I had no idea how long one little dessert would take to make. She lost interest after the first cookie started baking. I guess that's because she's used to putting normal baked goods into the oven and letting them bake and going back for them later while with these you have to change them out every 8 minutes and you have to let the ones that just baked sit in the colling chamber for 10 minutes. (It's quite a sophisticated science!) Anyway, by the time they were all finished she had forgotten about them so we didn't bother finishing them. Maybe next time we'll make something less complicated!!

Better Belated Than Never

2011-07-28T09:06:00.001-04:00

My birthday was a month ago, but I never posted pictures and I'm not quite sure why I never got around to it. I didn't really have much of a celebration, but the pictures are cute anyway, so here goes.

The "party" basically consisted of my mom, the kids, and me going to Johnny Rockets for lunch. It was pretty tough to get them to sit still with the music playing non-stop, so I just let them dance to the jukebox until lunch arrived.

Chic Chapeaus

2011-07-26T00:19:00.002-04:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a sucker for hats, so I couldn't help dedicating an entire post to them.

Since our blond-haired, blue-eyed boy is so sensitive to the sun, Ma CJ and I thought it was pretty imperative for him to have a hat since he was going to be spending two weeks at the beach.

Of course his sister, who gets a tan almost instantly when she steps out into the sun, just had to have one too.

While we were down at The Harborwalk for Miller's birthday, there was a live band playing and as soon as Lorelai heard the music playing she just had to go dance. The band had a trunk of random props for the audience to rifle through and Lorelai was immediately drawn to this very ostentatious hat.

One of the crafts "Aunt Lucy" planned was making crowns.

Bella was kind enough to loan hers to Miller so he would have one to model. Sadly, I think one of the monkeys fell off during the exchange.

Miller and Lorelai wore these wedge caps when we celebrated my birthday at Johnny Rockets.

Miller's Birthday at The Harborwalk

2011-07-23T23:55:00.002-04:00

This year we were in Florida for Miller's 2nd birthday. We went down to The Harborwalk to have dinner with my parents, Caroline & Bella, and their special friend, Jeannette. It was a small, intimate gathering but it was the perfect way to celebrate the very special little man that God has blessed us with. Happy Birthday, Miller Man ~ We love you!!

The handsome birthday boy.

Those crazy girls showing their inner wild sides.

Time to blow out the candles.

The restaurant provided this sweet treat ~ a brownie covered in a giant scoop of ice cream and whipped cream, complete with its own decorations.

This cake was great because it had a nice beachy feel to it.

While the cake decorator was putting Miller's name on his cake, I saw this adorable cupcake in the display case. She overheard me saying that I wish I had seen it earlier because it would have been perfect for Miller. She gave it to us free of charge.

Miller started to dive into the Nemo cake, but decided he didn't like it.

Lorelai devoured the Nemo cupcake ~ or at least all of the icing off of it.

Bella ate the brownie swimming in ice cream.

After a taste test or two Miller finally decided the chocolate cake was a keeper!

Sweet Sensations

2011-07-21T22:30:00.001-04:00

After pizza it was time to make dessert. Yesuly made the cupcake batter and once the cupcakes had cooked and cooled we let the kids decorate them with all kinds of sprinkles, flowers, and even Princess crowns!

Miller wasn't really interested in decorating the cupcakes, but he sure did enjoy eating them.

Time to dig in ~ YUM!!!

Their colorful confectionary creations.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye

2011-07-20T19:59:00.000-04:00

Our first culinary activity was making pizza ~ including dough from scratch. Way to go, Aunt Lucy!!

While in Florida, Lorelai discovered her nowfound love for pepperoni and she just couldn't stop eating them!!!

Cookin' Up Some Fun!

2011-07-18T09:18:00.000-04:00

While in Florida, Lorelai and Miller spent one afternoon making pizza and cupcakes with Caroline and Bella. Since I have difficulty cutting pictures out I'll be posting these activitives in several posts.

Everyone showing off their aprons ~ or as Lorelai calls them ~ "opros."

Somehow Lorelai managed to miss the cut, but everyone else had a great time modeling the rhinestone glasses...

...and I do mean everyone.

Yesuly, or as Lorelai called her "Aunt Lucy," was our sponsor for our cooking activities for the day.

Time for some fun faces.

Even Better Than Krabby Patties

2011-07-18T09:17:00.000-04:00

On Spongebob, Plankton is always after the recipe for Krabby Patties. Apparently the Spongebob popsicles are pretty tasty, too.

Pastries with Pap

2011-07-16T11:50:00.002-04:00

We've all heard of "Donuts with Dad" and "Muffins with Mom," but Lorelai was lucky enough to have a boat ride out to Crab Island and share her "Pastry with Pap."

Dog Days of Summer

2011-07-13T20:54:00.001-04:00

While catching some rays on the back of the boat I saw this little guy riding up on a boogie board and couldn't resist taking his picture.

Crab Island ~ Here We Come!

2011-07-12T15:47:00.002-04:00

On Sunday before the 4th of July, we all went out to Crab Island which is a large sandbar where hundreds of boats gather to anchor for hours at a time. We stayed for the majority of the day and had a great time just playing in the water and getting to spend time with family.

Captain Ken.

These lovely ladies need no introduction.

Lorelai in her honey buns. (Let me just tell you, those things held up ALL day and have now been dubbed "honey buns of steel"!)

Three pretty maids all in a row.

Esther Williams, ready to hit the water.

Ken shows us what Crab Island's all about ~ finding hermit crabs!

My two best guys.

Ma CJ ~ what a kidder!!

Taking a break on the boat.

Enjoying the ride home.

Worn out after a long day!

Flags for the 4th

2011-07-12T15:47:00.000-04:00

While we were at Crab Island someone gave the kids flags to celebrate the 4th. Of course I did my best to get a picture of each one of them with a flag. Miller was the trickiest, but I still prevailed!

Bright Colors, Even Brighter Smiles

2011-07-10T22:15:00.003-04:00

Even though Pap was a bit out of commission due to his fractured foot, that didn't stop him from doing everything he could to put smiles on all of the kids' faces while he was in Destin. He sure did the trick making Caroline's name out of these brightly colored Legos. I think her enormous grin says it all.

From Gaga Wigs to Glowsticks

2011-07-10T22:13:00.000-04:00

On the 4th of July Caroline and Bella came over to watch the fireworks celebration that takes place over the harbor. Earlier in the day Lorelai went swimming in her Stars & Stripes bikini, so I snapped a few pictures since it's probably the only time she'll wear it all year.

For all you fans of the movie "Shag": Doesn't she look like Melaina in her original outfit for the Miss Sun Queen contest?!

Bella brought over her Lady Gaga wig and Lorelai couldn't wait to try it on.

As usual, Bella was a fabulous model in the Gaga wig. She even had the Hollywood sunglasses to complete the ensemble.

Ma CJ had the brilliant idea to bring glowsticks to play with during the fireworks display. They were a HUGE hit!!

Bella's smiley face creations.

Goggly Eyed

2011-07-08T22:25:00.004-04:00

Technically I know it's a snorkeling mask, but it was just too cute to pass up.

Southern Belles

2011-07-08T22:21:00.000-04:00

My mom and her cousin, Evelyn.

A True Southern Tradition

2011-07-06T19:38:00.023-04:00

One of the things I love about the south is the old houses and their screened-in porches. While we were in Hartwell I was able to get the kids to sit still long enough to snap some photos of them on the steps in front of my aunt and uncle's screened-in porch.

Well, whoever said you can't get a good picture once you add more than one kid to the mix never had my cousin Sarah as their photographer's assistant. I'm going to see if I can get her to be my Santa's helper once Christmas card time rolls around.

A few cropped photos to showcase certain individuals ~ AKA ~ to detract from my poor photography. :)

Sunset Cruise

2011-07-05T17:32:00.015-04:00

Well, here we are in fabulous Destin, Florida for the next two weeks visiting my cousin, her husband, and their two girls. The first night we were there we were lucky enough to go on a sunset cruise in the harbor. This is the life!

Lorelai and Caroline.

Bella ~ who never fails to stop whatever she's doing to pose for a picture for me. Thanks, Bella Bear!!

Several people took a turn at the helm including my cousin Christine ~ AKA ~ our very gracious host.

We are lucky enough to have Ma CJ and Pap with us for the first leg of our vacation here in Destin.

Glamour Girls!

Apparently they didn't mind blowing the horn, they just thought it was too loud.

Does life get any more beautiful or peaceful than this?!

Pop into Pringles

2011-07-05T17:05:00.006-04:00

While Pringles are incredibly delicious all on their own, half the fun of eating them is introducing your kids to the novelty of making duck bills with them.

Lorelai's debut as a photographer.

Mirror images.

Lorelai Catherine and her namesake.

A Whale of a Tale...in Photos

2011-07-02T18:30:00.000-04:00

Lots of fun action shots from the blue whale pool.

Not sure if he's praying or diving, but he looks adorable either way.

Gotta Stay Hydrated

2011-06-28T16:58:00.005-04:00

Even while going down the slide Miller couldn't stand to let go of his beloved Capri-Sun.

Baby Pool Buddies

2011-06-27T01:03:00.000-04:00

Miller and Elizabeth had a grand old time splashing around in the baby pool.

Give Me 5

2011-06-25T09:56:00.000-04:00

Miller was so proud of himself for diving into the baby pool all by himself that each time he jumped out he would run over to me and "give me five."

Downhill Racers

2011-06-23T23:20:00.021-04:00

Splashdance

2011-06-22T09:54:00.011-04:00

Sarah and her girls have a fun routine of dancing under the hose to the theme song from "Flashdance." Lorelai couldn't wait to get in on that fun.

Not surprisingly, Lorelai nominated herself to be in charge of filling up the baby pool.

Now it was time for the wet and wild fun to begin!

Whale Watering Hole

2011-06-20T21:34:00.008-04:00

In order to cool off in sunny Hartwell, GA, we set up our own mini-waterpark. One of the attractions was a baby pool that had a slide shaped like a whale. Sarah attached a hose to the whale and it became a sprinkler that Lorelai and Elizabeth seemed to think was a drinking fountain.

Our Day Trip to Hartwell

2011-06-19T17:52:00.012-04:00

My cousin, Sarah, and I practically grew up together. Her mom ~ my Aunt Evelyn ~ and my mom were basically raised as sisters along with my Aunt Carol. I am sad to report that Sarah and I live about 45 minutes from each other and our kids haven't even seen each other in 3 years. To add insult to serious injury, she and her family are moving to Columbia in the middle of July. Good grief! In an attempt to make up for lost time my mom, the kids, and I drove down to Hartwell to spend the day with Sarah, her parents, and her two girls. My next several posts will show you what a wonderfully fabulous time was had by all!

Introducing Miss Grace. She was such a huge help with wrangling all of the younger kiddos, not to mention that she always ready with a smile for Aunt Amy while I snapped pictures all day.

Adorable Elizabeth and her honey bun hairdo. She and Lorelai are one year apart, almost to the day, and were instantly inseparable.

Do cousins get any cuter than this?!

My Aunt Evelyn and my cousin, Sarah.

This wild man needs no introduction, but I just couldn't resist including these pictures from our trip and they didn't really fit in with any of the other themes of my posts, so I just threw them in here.

Best Birthday Ever

2011-06-17T17:21:00.007-04:00

So, turning 35 turned out to be pretty fantastic this year. I got a laptop from my amazing husband, a NOOK (possibly the best invention ever!) from my parents, and a fabulously cool personalized Tervis Tumbler that I desperately wanted from my in-laws. I pretty much figured it didn't get any better than that. Then I went in to get Miller dressed this morning and told him that it was my birthday, figuring he wouldn't have any idea what it meant. He started singing, "To you, Mommy," to the tune of "Happy Birthday." How sweet is that?! By then I was pretty sure my day was set. I mean, how could you top something like that, right? Well, Lorelai put the icing on the cake, so to speak. My mom treated the kids and me to lunch at Johnny Rockets this afternoon (pictures of that to come later) and after the wait staff sang to me Lorelai came over to me, kissed and hugged me, and said, "I love you~You're the best Mommy ever. Happy Birthday." Looks like 35 is gonna be a pretty great year.

Blown Away

2011-06-16T07:52:00.026-04:00

What do you get when you put together two giggly little girls, a few medical gloves, and a grandmother with a seemingly endless supply of energy and Oxygen? Answer~A whole lot of fun at Ma's!

Ahoy, Mateys!

2011-06-14T16:26:00.007-04:00

Miller and Lorelai found some accessories to a Halloween costume a few days ago and have had a great time dressing up in it ever since.

Have you ever seen a cuter pirate?!

Peek-a-Boo!

What a beautiful buccaneer!

Humoring Me

2011-06-12T21:28:00.011-04:00

Since I managed to snap just over 500 pictures on Memorial Day I know the girls were especially tired of posing for me. I told them instead of smiling for the camera they could just humor me by making some silly faces.

Nothin' Like Shuckin' Corn

2011-06-10T22:40:00.006-04:00

In preparation for our Memorial Day feast of hot dogs on the grill and corn on the cob, the Jacob grandkids helped Ma shuck corn. It doesn't get more southern or All-American than that!

Homemade Fun

2011-06-08T08:46:00.012-04:00

On Memorial Day we went to Ma and Pap's house to celebrate with Sierra, Chase, and Uncle Rob. Toward the end of the evening the kids got to ride the bike that Ma and Pap keep for them at their house off of a makeshift ramp. Hold on, 'cause here we go!

Showing Their True Colors

2011-06-05T13:39:00.012-04:00

Before we headed to Ma and Pap's to celebrate Memorial Day, I took a few pictures of the kids in their Memorial Day colors.

Lorelai singing and Miller sticking his tongue out at her. Just another normal day around this house. :)

The "cheese" man.

Our wild and crazy girl.

Sweet kisses.

Superheroes and Mermaids

2011-06-02T09:48:00.012-04:00

While we were in Athas after church one Saturday night Lorelai, Miller, and William had a great time running and jumping around pretending to be superheroes. It's a good thing we've got them to protect us from the bad guys!!

Lorelai striking her superhero poses.

Our drama-loving daughter has come up with a "mermaid dance." This is the ending pose.

Happy, happy cousins.

For Ma.

Bring On the Bubbles

2011-05-31T12:45:00.013-04:00

Miller was dying to get in on the fun. **See how he's pretending to blow bubbles~poor Mimmer.** :(

Eventually I conceded even though I knew the giant mess that awaited. Ah, the joys of motherhood!

Well, I'll say this for the little guy, he's persistent.

Sending you all a bubbly farewell!

Two Little Bakers

2011-05-27T19:56:00.023-04:00

While Dan was on his golf trip the kids and I did some "bakeless" baking. This endeavor resulted in a cheesecake. Typically Lorelai is Mommy's Little Helper while Daddy wrangles Miller, but since Dan was gone I was lucky enough to have two chefs in the kitchen with me.

Before getting started they, of course, had to make sure that none of the ingredients had been poisoned! :)

Throwing some sweetness into the mix.

Looking a bit terrified as she tried to hold onto the beaters.

Mmmm, tasty!!!

Lorelai with her prized creation.

Yep, he managed to stick his fingers in and take yet another taste just as I was trying to take a picture of him with his masterpiece. I am also a little ashamed to admit that we all ate it anyway.

Cousins in Columbia

2011-05-24T22:44:00.028-04:00

While our nephew, William, stayed with us for the weekend we took a day trip down to Riverbanks Zoo.

Our first stop once we got to the zoo was the overlook to feed the giraffes.

After feeding the giraffe Lorelai just kept screaming, "I did it, I did it!"

Our giggly, giddy girl.

My precious boys.

All aboard!

Pony rides, anyone?

Say, "Cheese!"

Exploring the aquarium.

'Round and 'round we go.

The End.

Celebrating at Chuck E. Cheese

2011-05-22T08:25:00.014-04:00

Sierra celebrated her 5th birthday at every child's favorite place to hang out~Chuck E. Cheese! Lorelai couldn't have been more excited because although she's been there numerous times to play, she's never been there for a birthday party. She got to dance and play with Chuck E. Cheese, not to mention that she got to play all of the party games and eat cake!!! What a whirlwind day for everybody~Happy Birthday, Sierra!

A vision of my future~Lorelai as a teenager with a phone attached to her ear!

Sierra with the Main Mouse.

Dancin' the afternoon away!

"Happy Birthday to You!"

Hooray for the Birthday Girl!

Time to make a wish!

These expressions after opening her presents say it all.

A trove of "Tangled" treasures~complete with a personalized Tervis Tumbler from Ma.

The birthday girl and her friend, Anna Grace, got a turn in the Ticket Blaster. Most of the tickets got caught on their clothes or in their hair, but hey, "Finders Keepers!"

You Know Who.

The Glowing Graduates

2011-05-18T23:49:00.008-04:00

On May 6th, Lorelai and Sierra had their graduation ceremonies from Kidsco Academy. They were very proud of their accomplishments and everyone came out to support these very special girls.

Before the ceremonies each class sang songs and danced. Lorelai was very careful not to "break character."

Ready to take on K4 and K5~respectively.

Lorelai and her very best friend, Isabella.

Va, Va, Va, Voom!

2011-05-16T22:12:00.003-04:00

Literature Comes to Life

2011-05-16T21:46:00.006-04:00

"Little Boy Blue"

"Where the Wild Things Are"

Maria's Museum Madness

2011-05-13T17:38:00.028-04:00

One of Miller and Lorelai's friends, Maria, celebrated her 2nd birthday at the Children's Museum. The kids got to spend three hours exploring all of the exhibits, with a brief "layover" for pizza and cupcakes. Now that's what I call a party!! Everybody had a spectacular time~kids and parents alike.

The birthday girl, Maria, and her mom.

Me with my good friend, Elise~the fabulous hostess of the day's festivities!

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines!

Lorelai loves going grocery shopping with me every week. Now she finally had a cart of her own to push.

Fulfilling her dream as a checkout girl.

Putting in some time at the job site.

Our future Hollywood superstar got to belt out a few songs in front of the green screen. All she kept saying in between songs was, "I'm on TV!!!"

Bring on the sugar rush!

After their sugar got a much needed boost it was time to hit the slide.

"Just one more time, Mommy."

Now that's what I call a Lite Brite!

Taking a leap of faith.

The happy couple.

Low Country Boil~My Favorite!

2011-05-10T22:17:00.031-04:00

Several weekends ago we attended a low country boil with Rob and Lisa in their neighborhood. The cousins got to hang out and I got to indulge in one of my favorite delicacies of the south!

Those adorable Jacob girls.

Enjoying the flavors of the low country.

After dinner it was story time.

The usual suspects~our mug shots.
Grand Larceny Lisa.

Racketeering Rob.

Drunk & Disorderly Dan.

Aiding & Abetting Amy. (Oh, and did I mention Arson?)

Since Dan and I rarely have opportunities to be photographed together, Lisa was kind enough to take lots and lots of pictures until I was satisfied with a select few of them.

Lisa and me~our standard shot.

Those handsome Jacob boys.

Emulating Miller's classic "cheese" face.

A friendly game of Leap Frog. These girls certainly can jump.

Tiaras and a Talent Show

2011-05-08T10:21:00.021-04:00

While Dan was away on his golf trip we had lots of hours to kill. One of our activities started out as playing dress-up, but when put together looks like an impromptu beauty pageant and a talent show.

Lorelai was the emcee, so you'll never guess who was crowned the winner...

...Miller James Jacob.

"I can't believe I won!!"

And now, on to our talent show portion. With both of our kids their motto really is, "Go big or go home!"

Feelin' the beat.

As they sang and danced in circles, they were kind enough to smile for the photographer as they swung by.

That's all, folks!

Miller Man Montage

2011-05-05T11:52:00.000-04:00

Seeing Double

2011-05-02T13:12:00.001-04:00

Ma bought these matching nightgowns for her little princesses-in-training.

"Look, I'm Woody~Howdy, Howdy, Howdy!"

2011-04-30T07:56:00.004-04:00

Last week Sierra won the grand prize basket after the Easter egg hunt. Since Chase already has most of the "Toy Story" toys in it, she was generous enough to give it to Miller. What a sweet cousin!!! One of the toys in it was a Woody hat that everyone had a great time modeling.

While we were still at Rob and Lisa's, Chase and Pap got to take turns trying on Woody's cowboy hat.

First up at home~Mommy and Daddy.

Howdy, pard'ners!

Now it's "Jessie's" turn.

Here's "Jessie" giving us a big "Yee Haw!"

Easter Extravaganza

2011-04-27T11:47:00.021-04:00

Rob and Lisa graciously host Easter lunch and an egg hunt at their house each year. The adults get to chat and relax while the kids play, and play, and play.

The first thing on the agenda is lunch. Lorelai enjoyed the dessert I brought which was topped in a nice thick layer of whipped cream. Mmmmm!!!

This year we decided to go with plush Easter baskets.

I didn't get any good pictures of Lorelai during the egg hunt this year because she was just too fast to keep up with, and because she and Miller went in opposite directions. However, I did get this great picture of Miller with his newest treasure.

Relaxing under a nice, shady tree.

Group/duo photo time.

Ma and Pap with two of the best presents the Easter Bunny could ever bring.

Only took us about 15 tries to get this one. I was especially picky this year.

Me with my sweet Miller~this picture is one of my favorites that I have of the two of us.

My handsome husband and me dressed like we're ready to go shaggin' at the beach.

The two Rapunzels on top of their tower.

The princesses gazing afar.

While Daddy's Away~The Kids Will Play

2011-04-25T11:59:00.022-04:00

Here are some pictures of the actual activities we participated in at the Southern Kids Fest. The festival had lots of bouncy houses, inflatable slides, and makeovers by Club Tabby! The other children in the pictures are my friend Jessica's kids~Logan and Delaney. Logan and Lorelai are old friends from a previous day care.

While we were waiting for our friends to show up the kids had a great time riding the escalator and climbing the stairs. Here's a great shot I captured of Miller.

Wee!!!

Logan, a young man of many faces.

Catching up with Miller at the bottom.

Jessica and me while we wait for the kids to get their makeovers at Club Tabby.

Here's Delaney with her new hair color~courtesy of Club Tabby.

When you get the full treatment you get two people to work on you.

Who says Club Tabby is just for girls?! Miller Man sporting a striking shade of blue.

Logan showing off his new "do" and his "Club Tabby Boys" tattoo.

Giving us his smoldering stare.

Right before we left I told Lorelai she could pick out one treat from any booth that she wanted. She ended up leaving with this boa from Club Tabby. Ooh la la!!

A Cavalcade of Characters

2011-04-22T17:11:00.010-04:00

While Dan was on his annual golf trip last weekend I did my best to keep the kids super busy. Our first trek was to the Southern Kids Fest. They had lots of characters there that the kids could have their pictures made with. Miller is still terrified of anything is costume but Lorelai is totally on board with cozying up to them. Check it out!

Andy Armadillo~the mascot for Texas Roadhouse.

I didn't catch a great smile on her, but I remember how happy she was to see Monkey Joe so I decided to post this one anyway.

Come on, Dora! Vamanos!

Good 'ol Spongebob Squarepants.

Some pics with various mascots from Bi-Lo and the Greenville Hospital System. She was chasing down any character that would stand still long enough to pose for a picture.

Lorelai couldn't wait to have her picture made with Hello Kitty.

Now it's my turn with Hello Kitty~a childhood dream come true!! A friend of mine, Jessica, joined me.

Lorelai and the man of the hour at this festive time of year. This is the first time she's ever had her picture made with the Easter Bunny. Now granted, this particular costume wasn't top of the line, and the person inside wasn't very professional because he was just a child, but not too long after this photo was taken Lorelai had the revelation that it was "just a boy inside the suit." That girl is just too smart for her own good!

Spring Photo Shoot

2011-04-19T21:11:00.010-04:00

This year I had a momentary lapse of sanity and decided to conduct my annual spring photo shoot all on my own, sans my dearest Thea Caro. Not sure if I'll go that route again, but this year necessity was the mother of invention. That having been said, I hope you all enjoy this year's comedy of errors~or what I like to call~"I took 100 pictures and this is what I have to show for it, not to mention a headache that lasted for a week."

From dainty and demure to downright silly.

The dashing Miller Man.

These are the three pictures that made the spring card.

I love how I captured her giggle in this candid shot.

It all looks so effortless in print.

It almost looks like she has bunny ears~how precious!!

Mohawks Up Ahead!!!

2011-04-17T05:00:00.002-04:00

Jacob Girls' Night Out

2011-04-14T11:15:00.029-04:00

Last week while the boys went to cheer the Road Warriors onto victory, the girls had a special evening of dinner and a show. St. Joseph's put on their Spring Musical of "Beauty and the Beast" and it was absolutely spectacular! Lorelai and Sierra were perfectly well behaved and the show that the students put on was unbelievable, not to mention that the girls now have memories that will last a lifetime.

Slurping up some fun at Pizza Hut before heading to the theatre.

Our fancy tickets. Not bad for a high school production.

She looks like she just stepped off of the board of "Candyland."

A few pictures of the girls before the show starts.

The ever-present shot of Lisa and me.

Pictures of me with my precious Lorelai.

Lisa was very happy to have a good picture of her with Sierra.

Some sweet pictures of Ma and her best girls.

Enjoying some snacks during intermission.

After the show the cast was kind enough to stand outside the auditorium for pictures. Gotta love those Catholic school kids and their gracious upbringings!

The Beast had a voice to die for!!!

Here are the swooning ladies with Gaston.

Apparently I'm not up on my "Beauty and the Beast" facts, but the storyline of the wardrobe in the film is that she used to be an opera singer. Here she is with a wig as enormous as her personality!

And of course, the girls had to get their pictures made with the star of the show, Belle.

Always a Princess

2011-04-11T20:11:00.005-04:00

While I was making a bowl of cereal for Lorelai in the kitchen I heard her call out to me, "Mama, can you please bring me my Prince Charming?" She meant her bowl of Lucky Charms. How adorable is that?!

Pizza Play Date

2011-04-11T11:51:00.013-04:00

My good friend Elise invited us over to have pizza with her and her sweet kiddos, who happen to friends of Lorelai and Miller's from school. Naturally I had to bring my camera along.

The gorgeous, giggly Maria!

Cody and Lorelai taking a break from playing to pose for my ever-present camera. Thanks, guys!!

Miller and Maria sharing some sugar.

Perhaps Miller Man's new name should be the "Ladies' Man."

Hunkered down to watch a video.

Cody relaxing while Miller gives us a send off.

The Bean Place

2011-04-07T20:46:00.017-04:00

Lisa and I took the kids to Joy of Tokyo for lunch a few weekends ago. Since Sierra gets mountains of edamame (soybeans) there, she refers to it as "The Bean Place." Miller was recovering from an ear infection so he was in my lap most of the time and wasn't much for being photographed~therefore he is absent from this post.

Greetings!!

Since Sierra loves the soybeans I told Lorelai to at least try them. She's pretty game about trying new things.

Nope, not a fan.

Since she wasn't digging the beans as much as Sierra was, she decided to try eating rice with chopsticks instead. It wasn't exactly successful, but it sure was fun!

Clearly "The Bean Place" really is Sierra's favorite.

"Magic Mirror, on the wall, Who is the fairest one of all?"

Chase recently got his first "big boy" haircut. I tried desperately throughout our lunch to capture it on film. When I finally did I realized that Lorelai was in the background so it looks like he has a mullet. Oh well, better luck next time!

I always try to get at least one cute picture of those adorable Jacob girls.

Going Green

2011-04-02T21:03:00.007-04:00

Here's a compilation of instances when the kiddos were decked out in a rainbow of hues of green for several different occasions.

This face is priceless! This was taken right before we went to church the evening after she went to Club Tabby with Sierra. It's the only outfit I could find in her closet that was church appropriate that wouldn't clash horribly with pink hair. :)

A few shots from St. Patty's Day before heading off to school.

Showing off her newest pride and joy~a dragonfly tattoo she received at a friend's birthday party. Thanks, Belle!!

In all honesty I know this one's probably pushing the envelope a bit, but hey, he's wearing green and he looks way too cute to not include in this post!

Fire Chiefs to the Rescue

2011-03-29T20:21:00.004-04:00

Fun at the Food Court

2011-03-26T11:05:00.011-04:00

Sierra showing her super strength.

Uncle Rob and the Pink Ladies.

As soon as the girls saw this cow they chased him down and just HAD to get their picture made with him. Since Lorelai has never been inside a Chick-Fil-A she's never seen this bovine mascot so he was somewhat of a novelty to her. She just couldn't get enough of him!

A wonderful mother/son photo opportunity.

Muscle Mania

2011-03-23T19:39:00.009-04:00

Lorelai had fun showing off her muscles for the camera.

Don't let her petite look fool you. This girl is a pint-sized powerhouse.

Tabby Cats

2011-03-20T10:57:00.016-04:00

Last weekend Lisa and I took Lorelai and Sierra for mini-makeovers at Club Tabby. Can't believe they didn't have anything like this when we were little girls~we were soooo deprived!!!

The soon-to-be-legendary Club Tabby!!!

Some "before" shots~just like on those makeover shows.

Getting beautified at the nail station.

Next, each girl wanted to get their "do" done.

Here's a shot of the moms as we waited for our glamour girls to get all dolled up. Who knew we'd be so color coordinated?!

The Pink Ladies.

Time to work the catwalk!

Vintage Flair~Updated

2011-03-16T21:43:00.008-04:00

Here are Miller and Lorelai in their vintage t-shirts again. Lorelai's pictures were too dark last time, so I lightened them up and reposted them. Enjoy!!

Beatle Mania!!

Miller giving us his classic "cheese" face.

Showing her "sweet" side in her retro Runts shirt.

Hair Raising

2011-03-12T07:43:00.007-05:00

One of Lorelai's favorite bath time activities is shampooing her hair and trying to get it to stay straight in the air. I tried to catch it on film but it wasn't a giant success.

Lathering up for the "mane" event.

This is her hair at full height~hate that I caught her with her eyes closed. :(

Trying again.

This shot is my favorite!

Furry Fun

2011-03-10T11:32:00.006-05:00

The weekend before the kids came down with the full-blown flu they were hunkered down on the couch enjoying some movies. Lorelai was kind enough to donate her furry blanket and pillows to add to the fun. They also had their new friends from Build-A-Bear join them.

Lorelai and Crown Lucy.

Always the model.

Miller and his furry friend, Desi. Can you tell we're "I Love Lucy" fans?

"Cheese!"

Potty Prepping

2011-03-05T07:12:00.010-05:00

One weekend I heard Miller saying the word "potty" so I decided to put him on the big potty and see what happened. No surprise, nothing did, but he sat there for a considerable time and was very patient. A few weekends later Ma and I went to a consignment sale and found him a potty so he could start getting used to sitting on one his own size.

The first night we put him on the potty he immediately stood back up. We thought he was finished with the whole endeavor but he immediately came back with a book and sat back down. Guess maybe he figured he was gonna be there a while.

Not sure why he felt the need to climb into the potty each time before sitting on it.(Don't worry~the potty was clean inside~and still is to this day.) **No pottying progress to report. He will still sit on it several times a week (climbing in first~no idea why) but still hasn't made any deposits of any kind.**

He reminds me of a superhero scaling a building.

Later he moved on to bigger and better toys, when it seemed run-of-the-mill books just weren't enough.

Budding Young Artist

2011-03-01T12:07:00.011-05:00

Since the weather has been really nice lately Lorelai has been begging to get outside and paint.

The artist at work.

The masterpieces.

The sign of a creative genius at work~very, very messy!!

Prima Ballerina

2011-02-24T20:25:00.007-05:00

Lorelai loves playing dress-up more than just about anything. Here are some pictures of her in her favorite ballerina/fairy combo outfit.

She may not be the most polished ballerina, but we wouldn't want her any other way.

Sweet Smiling Faces

2011-02-22T21:26:00.002-05:00

Our Cowgirl Fairy Princess

2011-02-18T13:14:00.000-05:00

The Mad Hatter

2011-02-16T17:25:00.007-05:00

A friend of mine gave me a hat that the kids love playing dress-up in. Miller looks very handsome in it and one night I kept trying to get a picture of him wearing it. Of course, he was anything but cooperative.

Success at last!

Monkeyin' Around at Monkey Joe's

2011-02-12T16:01:00.010-05:00

We had a great time on a recent outing to Monkey Joe's with Sierra, Chase, and Uncle Rob. As most of you know it's pretty tough to get pictures of kids riding down giant slides and jumping inside bouncy houses~so, here's my best effort!
Ready or not~here we come!!

Lorelai preparing to be launched.

Piling on top of Uncle Rob.

Trapped!

I tried to get a picture of the three oldest cousins together but it wasn't exactly a roaring success. Before the first picture was even snapped, two of them tumbled off of the giant sea monster they were sitting on. Consequently I got a few cute pictures of Lorelai and Chase together and great one of Sierra by herself.

Floats in February

2011-02-09T18:48:00.012-05:00

Lorelai found some pool floats in the laundry closet last weekend. What better time to bring out toys that haven't been used in months than when you're cooped up during the winter months and need some toys they haven't seen in a while~especially when they can be repurposed? :)

Running wild.

Taking a dip.

Jumping for joy.

"The Little Merman"

Daydreamer.

My little starfish.

Unseasonably Warm

2011-02-06T18:09:00.003-05:00

Since the weather was unseasonably warm last weekend, Lisa and I decided to take the kids to a local park. A great time was had by all!

Two peas in a pod.

Not sure exactly what this expression is, but it just strikes me as funny.

Tackling the big slide.

A precious mother/son pair.

Those two are always ready to pose for the camera.

This Boy Never Stops Smiling

2011-02-03T22:04:00.004-05:00

Giggles

2011-02-03T21:15:00.001-05:00

Our Beautiful Little Lorelai

2011-02-01T16:36:00.000-05:00

Candid Cousins

2011-01-28T16:19:00.002-05:00

Lorelai and William had a great time making funny faces for the camera.

Just Love This Picture

2011-01-26T21:09:00.004-05:00

Puzzler

2011-01-24T21:39:00.007-05:00

One of Lorelai's newest passions is completing puzzles all on her own. This past weekend she finished both 24- and 48-piece puzzles without any help at all! Here is the master puzzle maker with her creations.