Jasey's 2nd Birthday

I'm still trying to catch up on the most important events in our lives so that I can start blogging regularly.

Jasey's party was a lot of fun this year. We had a luau theme; even though it was cold and rainy outside. This year the weather cooperated so that our families were able to drive to Savannah. Last year we got 7" of snow in just a few hours last year :(

Here is her cake that my wonderful friend, Sarah, helped me make. I thank her for driving up from St. Louis! She made the trip and ended up hardly getting to catch up with me and instead got to decorate a cake and help set up for Jasey's party. Thank you Say--I miss you!

These were her table centerpieces:Time for some sand art....
and coloringMy wonderful family!

Jasey didn't want to leave her PaPa's sideThe awesome pinata!

Time to open some presents! She got soo many; thank you to everyone! She had an extremely long day and as soon as we got her in the car she was asleep!

It just doesn't seem possible that two years ago I gave birth to this beautiful, smart, funny & amazing baby girl. Each and everyday she amazes me; whether it be with a new color, word, number or roll of the eyes. I never knew my heart could grow and love something so small and onery sooo much! I know that each and every moment I have with her is a gift and I pray to God each and everyday that I get to see her go to school, graduate, get married, have children and grandchildren. I can't imagine her not being in my life. Sometimes I think I love her SO much that I won't be able to love a second child as much as I love her. My friends with 2+ children assure me I will but I still have doubts. She is my world!!!!! I love you soooo much Jasey Lene Bell!

Snow days

This winter has been HORRIBLE and we've had many, many snow days. Jasey loves to go outside to play and thankfully I have a wonderful husband who enjoys taking her out. I'll go out too, but I enjoy staying somewhat warm/dry and playing photographer!

In my 26 years of life I've never seen snow roll like this before;

my husband is a genius! This made making a snowman so much easier

than all the times my sister and I tried it!! She was such a big girl; climbing and sitting on the drifts all by herself!

She had so much fun; she wasn't scared at all!

But there were days that it was toooooo cold to go outside and play so my wonderful husband and daughter tore up the house entertaining themselves instead :)

She likes my Cricut box!

And of course Daddy makes the BEST forts!

Playing Catch Up

If you've read some on my previous blogs than you know that my New Year's Resolution for 2010 was to blog regularly...well....I failed! I love reading my friends' blogs, but when I go to write my own post I'm blank. My life isn't exciting like some of the blogs I read. I love Kelle Hamptons, (thank you to Amanda for providing her link) The Pioneer Woman & The Davis Family Blog. They're entertaining; I find myself checking theirs multiple times a day to make sure I don't miss anything exciting! I seriously work 8-5, run to daycare to pick up my beautiful bug and head home for a quick dinner, bath and a little snuggle time before her 8p.m. bedtime. The weekends are left for cleaning, errand-running & grocery shopping :(

Since I have a few wonderful stories & pictures to share I'm going to go back a month or so and catch you up in a couple different posts! I hope you enjoy!

Granny

Jasey with Granny Oct 4th.....Looking pretty darn good for a 99-yo if I must say so!
5 Generations: Granny Maxine, Jasey, Me, Grandpa Dale & My dad, Brian

Granny holding Jasey for the first time at 11 days


Granny and Daddy admiring our girl !

Me, Granny, Dad & Jasey


Losing a family member is hard...no matter how you're related or how old they are. This past Saturday the world lost a very special woman, Lillian Maxine Atha. She was a strong Christian woman who was very wise, caring, smart and sweet. This was a woman who saw things change through out many decades and generations. There's wasn't a thing this woman didn't know how to do. She made every piece of clothing in her closet, she planted a garden that would compare to some farmer's fields, she had a huge backyard full of chickens, flowers in every color and cooked a feast at every meal. She made my sister and I's dresses for every occasion. I remember the joy that it brought for Brandi and I to go pick out the pattern and material for Granny to make it. We had the coolest dresses ever! She made us patchwork quilts that were so soft and fluffy. She had one of the 1st ever Monopoly games made and I remember sitting at her beautiful dining room table rolling the die out of that little felt cup. She taught us how to play Tiddliewinks and marbles. But my favorite memory that makes me smile about Granny is when my dad or any of the boys would walk in with a beer in their hand little 'ole Granny would ask for just the last sip. Now the rest of the world would say Yuck, I don't want the spit left in the bottom--but Granny would say she only needed one little drink to help with her arthrits.....


She was a very strong/stubborn lady.....depending on who you ask :) My dad always told her she was as stubborn as a mule; I say she was the strongest woman I ever met. You'd never tell by looking at her because she was a tiny frail woman who always wore a homemade dress with her apron over it, hose (as she called them) and a little pair of white tennis shoes. In her 99 years of life she witnessed her eldest son die of a heart attack more than 25 years ago, her youngest son die of cancer 12 years ago and approximately 15 years ago watched her middle son (my Grandpa) suffer from a brain aneurysm and stroke that left him in the hospitals for months and now has a limited vocabulary to about 5 words :( That was just her kids--14 years ago lost her grandson to a tragic bulldozer accident and then a granddaughter who was found murdered and a great grandson who died at birth. Now read all that and tell me she wasn't a strong lady? She grieved in her way and would tell us she'd see them again someday...she was right---she's in heaven right now with all of them laughing and catching up!


I have many many memories of Granny; I could go on for days and days. I wish I had the time and the talent to tell you how amazing this woman was! I can tell you that there wasn't a soul out there that didn't LOVE Maxine! I know that her visitation and funeral will show how many lives she touched. I will miss her each and every day but I know she went home and I'll be with her again someday! I'm so proud to call her Granny!

My Little Model

Jasey was chosen for a photo shoot with a photographer here in Savannah. The shoot went better than I expected! She was very cooperative and the photographers had so much fun with her. You can tell they love their job and look at it as play time. They provided everything for her shoot: tutus, hair clips, headbands, hats, leotard, etc. Jason even had fun playing dress up with all us girls!

She will be the "February Pin-Up/Cover Girl" for Marie's Photography. They're calling it Ballerina Babies! Here are the four shots she posted on facebook yesterday. She ended up taking probably 150 shots which Jason and I'll get a password to and be able to view online.

These photos are almost bittersweet. I love them and I know I'll always cherish them but I look at them and realize that my baby isn't a baby anymore. She's growing up each and every day. Shes talks so much and knows how to count to 5 and now knows her colors! She informed us yesterday during her photo shoot she wanted the purple one!! I can't believe she's almost 2. I remember going into labor and delivery like it was just yesterday. I remember holding her in my arms for the first time and the smell and feel of her skin. Where did all the time go? Now she smells like dirt and her dinner that she's managed to get all over! She tells me NO a lot and refuses to snuggle but still I love her--dirt and all!