Dax Davis is 6 Months Old

He is SO sweet I could eat him up!

This picture is of them this morning showing some brotherly love. Kepler has Dax's attention now and Dax is loving it. It's cute to watch Dax laugh at Kepler. Kepler was dancing for him just a few minutes ago. Dax is growing like crazy. I wanted him to stay a baby but I don't think that is going to happen, he is bigger than Kep was at this age. Thank you friends, for keeping up with our growing boys!

Christmas!

Christmas with Kepler and Dax was wonderful! It is so fun having these two little boys. They make me smile so much and give us so much joy. God is so good and has shown his goodness to us through Kep and Dax Davis. These are the pictures from their big day.

I made a birthday cake on Christmas day for Kepler (and Dax) to sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and blow the candles out, we videoed and he really said "happy birthday" and then "Jesus". This will be a tradition for years to come!

I hope everyone enjoyed their families and time together and wished Jesus a "happy birthday" too!

Christmas Eve

A Christmas Tradition! Breakfast on Christmas morning with Momma Bates, except this year we had changed it to be on Christmas Eve morning.

Lively Christmas

Since Wednesday we have been in Clarksdale visiting and were there for the family Christmas get together. We such had a great time. Kepler and Dax loved playing with the other kiddos. Kevin got to do some duck and deer hunting and got poison ivy all over his eye from leaning up against a tree! Here are some pictures from our weekend.

Grandparents and grandchildren! L-R: Kepler, Matthew, Jo Jo, Mason, Warner, Pops, Dax Davis, Madison and Maggie is sitting on the floor.
Our family!

The Lively Family Christmas! What fun and craziness with 7 going on 9 grandchildren!

Kevin's grandam and Dax are in the first picture.

Michelle (Kevin's sis) gave all the girls aprons.

I was talking on the phone on the way home last night and this is what Kep was doing!

Kepler got a blow up bouncy for inside! He was so excited even when it was being blown up!

Christmas Tree and 2nd Hair Cut

There IS a cute little face under that mop that was on his head! Kepler was so good having his hair cut today. I hate getting it cut because I just love all that blonde hair, but it needed it!
As for Dax, he is turning into a little ball of energy! Almost sitting up, bouncing like crazy in his exersaucer, and squealing at everything. He is tons of FUN. I am excited about his first Christmas. (He is too) Speaking of Christmas, thought I would invite ya'll in to see our tree! Not one of my favorite I've done, just wasn't into Christmas decorating this year. I think because I know how much work it takes to put it up. Kepler likes saying tree, talking about the Christmas tree. The last 2 nights nana and granddaddy have taken him to see Christmas lights. He says "more" more lights "peas" please!

Christmas with the Family

One of my favorite Christmas gatherings is with my dad's side of the family. We usually have Christmas with them on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Since we are all expanding it is harder to get together. On Sunday all 26 of us were there! Including 2 sets of newly engaged couples!

Also, because of our crazy weekend, JoJo and Pops (Kevin's parents) came to stay with Kepler and Dax Davis. I am sad to say I did not take any pictures (I have been kinda bad lately). Thanks for coming again! The boys such a great time with you two!

Pitiful

Both of us attempted a gingerbread house for the first time today. Kepler helped me with the bright colored candy on top. Pretty pitiful huh? The box came with a gingerbread man that I thought we could decorate later, I had it on the plate with the house when I sat it down in front of Kepler. As I picked the plate up, I noticed he had the little man and took a bite out of him! Guess we won't be decorating that gingerbread man.

Our Weekend

Who knew getting one good picture of these two boys would be this difficult. This is two different days worth of pictures just to get a picture I could use this year for our Christmas card.

Excuse Kep's head being cut off...

Tonight (love this 75 degree weather in December) we went to see Heidi, our friend's Amy and Brett's new black lab. Kepler did not want down when he saw this tiny little thing. (funny- we have 3 huge labs and 2 cats) He eventually warmed up and ran around.

Yay for girl time. I was so excited to visit with some high school friends on Friday night. You know you are officially old when you eat and sit at the same place for 5 hours and talk - not knowing it has been 5 hours! Thanks Wendy for a great evening.

On Saturday night Kevin and I helped with the Christmas Walk at our church. In our town this is an annual Christmas outreach event. It is such a great way to share Christ with visitors both christians and non christians. No pictures to show but, each scene is a depiction of His life on earth leading up to the cross and then his decent into Heaven. Kevin played the part of a shopper in our Sunday school class' modern day mall scene, and I was an extra at the inn where Mary and Joseph were turned away. Today the sermon tied in with my "inn scene" in that we/I turn God away so many times. Instead of that inn keeper seeing a pregnant woman and feeling sorry for her he had no compassion and baby Jesus was born in a barn and laid in a feed trough. Can you imagine that? I hope everyone thinks about baby Jesus this Christmas with all the fun things going on! We were privileged to be a part of such a neat event.

Ho Ho AGAIN!

We WILL teach our boys that Christmas is about Jesus' Birthday.

But, we just can't get enough of Santa this year. Dax needed to see him again, some things he said he forgot to tell him that he wanted!

We Saw Santa!

Kepler is being bribed with candy to sit in Santa's lap! Dax Davis likes it too!

A new picture of Dax tonight.

Story time at the library!

Do I laugh or do I discipline??? My cousin and I took our boys to the library for story time today. Kepler ran around the entire time, pulling books out, checking out the other kids (who were mainly sitting with their moms)... Kepler loves to "tackle" like as in football tackle. He did it to me a time or two and then decided to run and tackle another mom who was just sitting nicely with her little boy. All I could do was laugh and make this Oh I am so sorry expression! We might not make it back soon to the library for "Story time"!!!

Thanksgiving!

Kevin's parents have a beautiful Pecan orchard with 1,000 trees and this is the time of year that they gather the pecans. It is a great experience to watch them shake the trees and gather the pecans and then sort them out and put them in bags. Here we are in the orchard - Matthew, Maggie, Mason, Ansley, Kep & Madison

Mason, Matthew, and Kepler - how cute are they in their camo???

Glenn, Michelle, Kevin, Me, Dax Davis, Russell & Kevin's cousin Kimberly

Thanksgiving Day in Clarksdale! So many kids! So many blessings!

We had fun visiting with my in-laws and Kevin's sister Michelle and her family. The house was packed full of fun! Kepler had SO much fun with Mason, Michelle's youngest~ as of now... she is pregnant with twin boys (that will put her at 6, yes six children!) I kept asking her questions... what if, and how are you going to... she finally said "You are just in shock aren't you" yeah, I guess I am, I don't know how she is going to do it!

Kevin and I are blessed beyond measure and are thankful for our two sweet little boys. God is so good to us everyday and I thank the Lord for all he has done for our family.

P.S. Pray for Kevin, that he will pass a part of the CPA exam on Wednesday. He really needs to pass and he really needs prayer. Thank you in advance!!

Tiff's Wedding!

This past weekend I sang in my friend Tiffany's wedding. I was so honored that she asked me to sing and felt so privileged to be a part of her special day! (I couldn't remember the last time I sang, eeee....) She got married in Auburn at the neatest old chapel built in the late 1800's. Their reception was at an art museum and it was amazing! She was so beautiful as a bride! This picture is of Tiffany, me and her sis Amanda at the rehearsal dinner. Thanks for letting me be "a part of the family"! She and her new husband Kevin are in St. Lucia now! Hope you had fun Tiff. Love you two girls! (okay Tiff, I am the one that kinda looks like a ghost in this picture with you two tanning bed beauties!)
Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving and that you all remember your many blessings!!!

18 MONTHS!

Kepler has reached a milestone today! Before I had these two boys I didn't really know why people would say that their child was 11m, 17m, or 22m... instead of he's a year or he's two. (I mean ultimately I did, it is just that when I had my own did I really know.) They change so much and so quickly within just those few MONTHS! This 18 months age has always stuck out in my head and now Kep is there. I have learned many things these last 18months about Kepler (and me) and get a good laugh every day because this little boy is Fun-ny! Right now his big thing is climbing up to get on the tables at the house and shaking his finger saying no no no. He has poured all of my salt out of the shaker at the moment and he is the cutest little dancer. I love it when he says mama and offers his unconditional love and a sweet kiss. I really believe he is on the verge of talking, he is saying so many words. I also don't know what I would do with out my Dax. He is precious, have I mentioned that before? And getting SO big on me already. Monday I took them on a walk through the woods on a trail beside the house and wanted to get some pics of Kepler. He did his best to cooperate and say cheese but the pictures he is smiling in were not from me making him laugh but from my cat, Scout running by him. He thinks the cats are chasing him which all of us know they ARE NOT. It makes him laugh. So glad I let the cat go for that walk with us now!!!

Happy Birthday Nana!

Today is my mom's birthday. Kepler and Dax say happy birthday to you nana! We love you! Have a great day. See you this afternoon.

Beautiful Fall Day

We are taking full advantage of this pretty weather and being outside with the gorgeous trees. Hope it is as pretty there as it is here for everybody! Look at Kepler licking the sand in one of the pictures, my child, my goodness.

Kevin's Blog...

Looks like Haley will wait another year for a W!

Roll Tide! No wait, Go State!

We have done our best to confuse this little boy with which team to cheer for this weekend. Kevin is a MSU grad and I KNOW there is no other team to be a fan of but the Crimson Tide! I am just glad he wasn't an Auburn grad. I just hope Kep says Roll Tide before he says Go Dawgs! Let's hope for a W over the Dawgs this weekend!!!! GO BAMA!!!

MISSING...

cowboy Kep's pants and a shooting showdown partner! He put this get up on by himself except for the guns and holster. It was kinda scary when he knew exactly how to hold those toy guns. I don't think he has seen any before.

5 YEARS AGO...

on this day we were getting married! I can't believe it has really been 5 years. Happy Anniversary Kevin. I love you! To bad our wedding pics weren't digital or I would have those posted of course!

More Pumpkins!

I had this idea before Halloween but just today got to try it. I thought Dax was not going to fit in it at first but he just kinda plopped down and it worked! So here he is in a pumpkin!

My cousin, Julie, and her baby boy Nate came to visit and take pictures with us. How cute is the little pea in a pod?

What A Night!

Pumpkin and the Caterpillar. Kepler and Dax on their first Halloween together.

Trunk or Treat at our church! L to R - Kepler ready for the candy. My friend Amanda and Dax Davis. Her mom, Mrs. Judy (Judas) and Kepler. Amanda's dad, Charles with Kep and Kev - some of the little girls at church love Charles, he let them dress him up, he's an Auburn, girly, princess, pirate. (I told him he was scary enough without all the makeup.) A high school friend's little sister Anna and her husband Randy (newly weds) with Kep, Dax, and Leighton. Kep and a girl friend, Ayla. Charles. Kep. Kep & Dad. Got all that????!

Trick or Treat at the Fire station. My cousin is the Fire Chief here and every year they do a trick or treat. Clockwise - Hunter Ousley and Kep (Kep's little friend); Blake and Kep (our cousin); Hunter and Kep; and.... My extended family - Ashley (Fire Chief), Joan with Dax, Blake and Kevin & Kep. Got all that too???

Trunk or Treat at Providence. Clockwise - Granddaddy and Nana with the grand boys; Moma Bates, Me and Dax Davis; Dax and Kiera (they were born within 2 weeks of each other); and Me, Dax Davis, Shana, and Kiera. Shana was one of my friends that I grew up with, she has 3 girls!!! So glad she was there.

We would definitely not have had as fun of a night if we didn't have these two precious boys! We made 3 stops and had so much fun. Kepler won a tricycle in a drawing at my mom and dad's church for their trunk or treat! (We hope it wasn't rigged!) It really was not, we promise, we didn't even know his name was in there until he won! Mrs. Anita, great lady, she put it in there!!! Can't wait to see everyone in there Halloween gear!

Dax Davis Says Happy Halloween!

Dax is 4 months old!! I just took these pictures of him on the back porch. Hope everyone has a fun Halloween night!

Happy Birthday Madison!

Kepler and Dax say they hope you have a great DAY! We love you.

Rock City

We spent the weekend in Chattanooga seeing several different sights! It was so much fun I was ready to come home Saturday afternoon!!! HA! We took both boys and one night in the hotel was enough for us right now! Kepler was riding the arm of the sofa, hiding our things from us in the room, being very loud, I know he had to have woke the entire floor we were on Saturday morning... Yesterday morning we went to Rock City. The weather was beautiful, just cold enough! The boys had a good time being outside and seeing the view from "Lovers Leap". (I am sure some of you remember going there when you were a kid). When we got back to the little gift shop after our walk, Kepler spotted a straw cowboy hat and would not leave without it. I have the best picture of him with it on but once again its on the video camera! Scroll down to see the rest of our eventful weekend!!! :)

Choo Choo

Kepler likes some trains!!! At the Chattanooga Choo Choo you can even spend the night in one. We stopped by there to see the train and let Kep play. Got some cute pictures.

Tennessee Aquarium

Kevin and I enjoyed watching Kep see all the sights at the aquarium. There's freshwater and saltwater buildings. At the top of one is a butterfly room where you can get an up close encounter ~ he really liked that, you can pet stingrays, and see penguin's... Dax took it all in in his stroller! Kevin and I had really had fun too. This place was designed very well! Go check it out if you are in Chattanooga!

My Favorite Picture...

from our weekend at the saltwater aquarium.

Rolling Over

Dax rolled over today for the first time by himself!!!