Sprucing Up!

I have been wanting to spruce up the blog lately. I have been all over on those free template/background sites and just couldn't find anything that I liked. So I started clicking through the blogger templates they have available and saw the all white and really liked it. Nice and simple, just what I was looking for. Then I asked Jared to make me a header. Don't you like what he did?! It took him about 30 minutes or so and I just love it. And I have been ready to change the name. The Road Ahead was perfect for the start of this blog. I was looking forward, anticipating what was to come. As Jared and I were sitting there thinking of a new name, we knew it was going to be called The Three Of Us. It was the little saying afterward I wasn't so sure of. We came up with a few great lines and then I said "living in the moment". We both said "oh, that's good". It wasn't until we left there and were walking around a park that I was thinking about that little saying. I said "Jared, that is actually so fitting, the blog was called The Road Ahead while we were getting ready to move and then getting adjusted to Nashville. And now it say's Living in The Moment. We're here, we're ready for whatever God has for us. It's so exciting and sometime's scary but I wouldn't have it any other way." It has been so fun to have a blog to post pictures and keep in touch with everyone. I didn't think I would ever be comfortable writing something and then putting it on the web for people to read. But I am and so happy that we decided to do so.

Chocolate Chip Cookies = Happy Hubby!

I have been going to this bible study on Wednesday mornings at Forest Hills Baptist Church led by Nancy Dunn. The study is Godly Wife/Godly Mother. I have only been a couple times but have taken away so much. The very first week something she said was "know what makes your husband tick, what ticks him off and what tickles him". It is so neat to leave there and think of ways to make my husband happy. What a sweet reminder! One of the things she asks us before we even start is "have you done something to tickle (something he likes) your husband this week, is there something you know ticks him off and if so did you not do it". Well, this week while I was grocery shopping I bought all the ingredients for chocolate chip cookies. Pretty simple but they are my husband's favorite. So today Andon and I whipped them up and when Jared came home for lunch the house smelled so good and they were ready for him. He was so happy! I think he ate 5 with lunch and took a bag back to work. So sweet!
Here is a pic of Andon getting ready to help make the cookies...

And here is a pic of my hubby headed out the door, back to work. Can you see the bag in his hand? So cute!!!

Something so simple to say "I Love You"....

I love Fall!

I absolutely love the Fall! I love opening all the windows and letting the breeze run through the house, the crisp fresh air. Pulling out all my cute sweaters and boots. Being able to order Pumpkin Spice Latte's from Starbucks! Knowing the holiday season is almost here. And getting to watch the leaves change colors!! This will be my first year to see the beautiful colors everywhere being that I am from Florida and you just don't really see that. It is my favorite season and then comes winter which I am pretty excited to be spending our first here in Tennessee. Hopefully we'll get to see snow here. If not we won't have to drive too far to see it. Anyways, back to the fall. This weekend we spent some time carving the pumpkin that Andon brought home from school. Jared wanted to do something simple. Last year they went all out but I thought the pumpkin was kind of scary so we did cute this year. :) Here are some pictures of my boys hard at work on the pumpkin.
First cleaning the thing out.

Then drawing the face on ...

And carving the face out.

And here he is in all his cuteness... :)

So after they cleaned out the inside of the pumpkin I started rinsing the seeds. I have never made pumpkin seeds but knew it was pretty simple. Here is a picture of the finished product. They were so yummy!!

I also made pumpkin butter! No, not from roasting and pureeing the pumpkin. Maybe i'll do that next time. I just happen to have cans of pureed pumpkin and all the right spices to make it the day we were carving the pumpkin. Here is a picture of the finished product. It is so good. But, only I think that here in this house so it's gonna take me a while to eat it all. :)

I love getting into the changing seasons. Next weekend we will be going to a pumpkin patch and corn maze. I will take lots of pictures and start getting some pictures of the beautiful colors all over the mountains!

Letter P Week

It's been about a month and a half since Andon started the Mom's Day Out Program. That decision was one of the hardest yet most rewarding we have had to make since moving. When he first started he would cry every time I dropped him off and then I would cry and be terribly sad the whole time he was there. That has quickly turned into him running into the classroom all proud and yelling "bye Mom, see ya later!" And when he gets home he always says "I want to go to school all day again" I guess because he feels it wasn't long enough. But it is the perfect amount of time for me. Five hours two days a week is about all I can handle leaving him. :) Sweet little thing..

This week they are learning the letter P. So on Wednesday they had a pumpkin patch all set up for the kids to pick out their own pumpkin to bring home. Along with that they did a hay ride ( which he can not stop talking about ) and played games and potato sack races. And today he got to wear his pajamas to school for P day. How cute is that!? So, of course we took a few pictures before we left and when we got there. He chose to wear his Batman pj's. So in the car he was in character mode which made me a little nervous. I had to tell him that you get to wear your Batman pj's to school but your Andon and he kept saying "Mom I am just playing"! He has a pretty good imagination and I don't need him pretending someone in class is the joker or something and want to start to fight! :)

So here are a couple pics we took before school...

In this picture he is putting his hands up to make his shadow look like Batman. Told you, pretty good imagination. :)

And here is is flying into school. He did it all the way to his class!

I have two creative and imaginative guys in my life! It is always an adventure around here! :)

What a Weekend!

This past weekend was the women's retreat for my church at home in Florida. I had been looking forward to this trip since I moved here to Nashville 2 months ago. And what a weekend it was! I have come home feeling refreshed, renewed and ready to apply what I have learned. We did the Beth Moore Loving Well study which was awesome! She talked about how God measures maturity by how we love and how we will never learn to love well without allowing Him to love us first. We have been called to love.

I took my camera with the hopes of taking many pictures but I completely forgot! So here are a few that I snapped right before I had to head to the airport.

This is Brandi, Brooke, Me and Cassie.

Here is a picture of Me and Sun.

Here is a picture of Abby, Me and Christie, my sweet running partners!

And this is a picture of two of my favorite women! They both have loved me and taught me so much! Jackie has been a wonderful mentor and friend over the last year and a half and Terri lead me to the Lord 7 years ago. I am so thankful to have these precious women in my life.

The trip was wonderful and then I came home to my handsome hubby and sweet little boy. The house was spotless and Jared was pretty proud of himself for that! :) I have to say I am one blessed girl!

Now we have to start planning something girls! I can't wait too long without seeing all of you! I'm thinking twice a year get togethers! :) I had such a great time, I miss you all already!!

I'm Going Home!

I leave tomorrow for Orlando! I am so excited to be going home already! I will be spending a couple of days there with my best friend Brittani. Isn't she just adorable!?

And then headed to Jacksonville with all my precious friends from Westwood. I can't wait to spend the weekend with all of you! Lots of late nights and Starbucks! Here is a picture of a few of my friends. There are so many more I just don't have a picture. But don't worry, after this weekend I will!

I know this time will be great. I am already praying for my departure. I have had this to look forward to since I moved and when I come back I won't have it to hold on to anymore. :( But, I am flying home with my new friend Elizabeth and her little Avery who are going to the retreat as well. So that makes the flight home pretty sweet. :) I can't wait to see all of you and hear about what you've been up to! See you in a couple days!!!! Love you!! ~Jen

Vacation in Georgia

Well, after a much needed vacation we are back home. We had such a wonderful relaxing time in Georgia. The drive was about 4 and a half hours if you count losing an hour once you get there. But it was a nice drive. Especially through Ocoee Tennessee. We drove along the river where you could see people white water rafting! It was awesome! I hope I never become numb to the beautiful sights here in Tennessee. I have plenty of pictures to show the beauty of the land and my precious boy of course! :)
Here are some pictures from Anna Ruby Falls. What a sight to see. The hike up was pretty long but way worth it once you got there.


Here are my boys looking at the scenery on the way to the falls.

And this is what I saw the whole way up. Andon wants to play follow the leader all day every day! And somehow he's almost always the leader! :)

The next day we went out on a canoe for the afternoon. Andon absolutely LOVED it! He was helping Jared paddle the canoe.


And every night we built a fire and made smores. I don't know why because Andon dosen't even like them. He ends up cooking the marshmallow handing it to me to eat and then eating the chocolate and graham cracker all by themselves. :) Here are some pictures of them collecting fire wood for our nightly fire. They loved to go out in the woods collecting logs and sticks. :) Boy stuff...


And here is a picture of Andon down at the lake.

We had such a nice time staying in the mountains. Thank you so much Larry and Terri for letting us use your beautuful cabin!