Jackson's 2nd Birthday Party

Though Jackson's 2nd birthday is not officially until Monday (thank goodness, I'm not ready quite yet to accept that he's 2), we had his tractor-themed birthday party last night with a collection of our friends and Jackson's BFF, Annalee, here to help celebrate!  They both got temporary tattoos to mark the occasion :)
 

The food was very kid-friendly with fried chicken bites, roasted butternut squash, macaroni and cheese a'la Panera, mashed potatoes, fruit salad and cornbread salad. 

Jackson's party could not be complete without a tractor birthday cake, made by one of my awesome coworkers!  It was delicious- the tractor was chocolate and the sheet cake was white with chocolate buttercream frosting-yum!  The wheels were donuts- so creative.

 

We also had tractor and cow-shaped cookies made by Jackson's super-talented Aunt Rachael!  Adorable!  Jackson loved them so much that he spent the day of his party pointing to the cake stand and saying, "cookie pwease" and ended up getting several out of his cuteness :)

 Jackson enjoyed his cake very much!  He didn't really understand the idea of blowing out the candle and was entirely distracted by all the people watching him but he was more than happy to eat as much cake as I would let him have and a scoop of "i cream".  He started out with a slice of chocolate cake and then requested more. It was his party so who was I to say no?  So I gave him a slice of white cake.  He then made his request again, "more chocolate cake" so that I didn't make the mistake again of giving him white cake when chocolate cake was available :)

 

Jackson got truck and tractor books, a tool belt (so he can be like daddy), a puzzle and a dump truck!  He has been running around the house hauling everything in the back of the dump truck since last night :)

 

 

I will post some pictures again on Monday but just have to say now that we are the luckiest parents to have such a sweet and smart boy like Jackson. 

Tender Tennessee Christmas :)

My absolute favorite Christmas song is "Tender Tennessee Christmas" because, though we can be assured of snow when we spend Christmas in Minnesota, nothing says Christmas like spending it with our families in Tennessee.  This year I did not have to work over Christmas for the first time in three years and so we both took vacation and traveled back for a week at home.  It was perfect timing really because J was really into Christmas for the first time and both of our families were able to enjoy it with us.

First snowman building

Cute boy in a new reindeer hat

This year's visits (above and below) with Santa were not the success story of last year (everyone needs one of these shots though, right?)  And I wouldn't have wanted to talk to the Santa below either- weird with the Crocs!

First real gingerbread house for the both of us

Loving his new play kitchen/activity table

Helping put Daddy's Christmas gift (a smoker) together

Favorite farm thing- climbing on the tractor twice a day everyday!  This kid needs a farm

Grandaddy with a portion of his grandkids and great-grandkids

Family Christmas pic 2013

Dump truck, train and a farm book!

More tractors and trains

 Hanging out with aunts and uncles :)  My favorite picture of the whole trip!

Little red hat

I was finally was able to get a crochet project 6 months in the making completed in November.  I had been trying to make a hat and blanket for my newest baby cousin for literally over 6 months.  When she actually turned 6 months old- I thought it was about time to get my rear in gear.

Finally finished just in time for the cutest Santa pic ever with the little red hat in the last couple of shots here!  Looks like I'm going to have a busy January and February with lots of orders from various people :) Jackson already got his things with a new pair of slippers and a new hat for the rest of the winter.

Thanksgiving....a few months late

I am a terrible blogger.

Obviously.

But tonight I am out to remedy that and catch up on major events in the Harris family.

Like Thanksgiving (see below).

And Christmas (give me a few minutes).

This year I decided to host Thanksgiving for our family and some friends who were without family in town.  In total we had 10 adults and 4 children and so, given our small 1950 house- we moved the dining table to the living room to eat and then, because we have great friends, we moved the table back and let the kids have at the toys :)

I made my first ever turkey this year- pomegranate-glazed black pepper turkey a'la Bobby Flay.  It was delicious and entirely beginner's luck I'm sure.

Everyone else brought delicious things too.
 

(Note Jackson posing next to the food)  ;)
























We are so grateful to not only have had the day to celebrate our blessings and our family but also to have a great group of friends to share it with.

Fall 2012

These first two are my favorite pictures thus far this fall- he is a mischievous little boy :)

Checking out the tree cutting guys up the street.  This boy loves some trucks and heavy machinery.

"Hat" - new word for last week

"Ba" = bathtime which is a favorite around here, especially since bubbles entered the pictures.  I like to call this photo "blackmail"

 

"The night Max wore his wolfsuit and made mischief of one kind..."

"..and another"

 

"His mother called him 'Wild Thing'..."

This boy would be outside all day everyday if he could

"Bobo"- chasing after the dog

You think he's just playing in the leaves but what he's actually doing is taking his mittens off now that he is a safe distance from me

"Nose"

"Ears"

Goofy kid

"Cheeeesssse"