It is official...

We now officially have a new blog. Run, don't walk your mouse right over to check it out... JillJarvis.com.

This blog, the old one, will no longer be updated. Be sure to change your reader so you can stay connected to our family. You can subscribe to follow the new blog using the RSS button on the main page.

Leave me a comment once you find the new blog and let me know what you think!

Numbers!

How many of you realized that on Wednesday there is a cool number thing going on? Well i hadn't realized it either until i was catching up on blogs and found this post from a fellow scrapbooker (Dear Lizzy). Document what you're doing at this time (either the am or pm option). Write it down, take a picture, tweet it or whatever, just be sure to leave a reminder so in 20 years when someone asks you, you'll remember!

DIY Dad

Beware this is a bit of an all open post...remember i warned you. Here goes, rarely do i talk about my parents but for a moment i need to brag about my dear dad. He is by far the most unbelievable person that i know, yes he does have his faults but that makes us love him even more. He makes me want to be a better person and make him proud. And the best part of all is how much he loves God and wants to learn more about Him. His walk with the Lord is inspiring.

He is an artist, an awesome woodcrafter. A few years ago he was on a show on the DIY network. Just this week i realized that his episodes are now online! When they were first airing we would watch them just to hear him speak. It used to drive Deacon crazy because it was when we had just moved south. Deacon missed his papa. So whether you want to hear him speak or you want to learn some mad woodturning skills...click HERE.

Just last week he mailed me a handwritten letter in the mail to tell me how he was feeling about me. When i called to thank him, he said he knew that he just had to tell me. Jump back a few years, when i first went away to college my Debbie would mail me a card once a week so that i would have mail frequently. Well at the beginning she would just sign the cards for both of them. i asked why dad never signed for himself. So every since he has signed his name, himself. It means so much to me. i'm into the little things in life.

Our Independence Day...

We had an awesome Independence Day! It basically started on Wednesday evening when Kelley & her family arrived for a visit. This was the first time that her husband Scott and son, Austin had been to our house {also the first time that James & Scott had ever met!}. We had planned to spend time at the pool and a little time at the lake. Well there was a situation at the pool on Wednesday night which lead to the pool being closed the entire time the Anderson's were visiting {actually the pool isn't scheduled to open back up until Thursday :( }. On top of the pool issues, the Ratliff's boat a had a glitch which meant that we basically spent time at the beach and on the dock. So Thursday Jameson & i hung out at the dock with the Andersons and Ratliffs. After we swam and played for most of the day we headed home for dinner with James. Following dinner i headed out with the Andersons to take some family pictures. It is always fun to photograph friends, especially ones that are willing to experiment with me. i'll be posted some sneak peaks soon! Friday we basically repeated the above except that the Ratliff's boat was fixed and James was off work!! Double bonus! Early in the day James & Scott put sod out onto the side yard...can you believe James would make his guest work?! {That was what all of the neighbors were saying as they drove by, Scott says he enjoyed it! Either way, thanks for helping out Scott!} Friday evening we had crab boil with a few of the neighborhood families. i personally think it was even better then T-60 {less spice!}

Saturday morning Kelley & i got up at 4 am to hit the Jockey Lot. i think she may have planned her trip around being here for a Saturday morning?! Either way it was fun to get some one on one time to catch up with each other. Friday evening it actually had struck me that as much as i love seeing her entire family and having them around my whole family, it limited the amount of time we got to catch up with each other. Which is what most of our past visits have been, mainly all of the retreats where we roomed together! So Saturday morning it was nice to get a chance to talk, even though it meant getting up SO very early! Once we got back from our shopping their family headed onto their next stop...Jekyll Island.

The rest of our 4th was spent at the Ratliff dock. By the middle of the afternoon it was obvious that Jameson was going to need a nap but he didn't want to leave the excitement. So Carrie & i headed out on the boat to nap the boy! The best part is that it worked! After returning to the dock we flooded around in our life jacket diapers for a few more hours. When the sun started to set there were 3 boats that tied up together and we watched the fireworks. Seeing fireworks over a body of water is the absolute best. And this year it was even better because Jameson wanted to snuggle in my lap (which is why there are zero pictures of fireworks from this year!). This little boy is going through a major snuggling phase and i LOVE it!

Onto other news, i've been keeping busy editing pictures from various sessions from the past couple of weeks. Be on the lookout for some exciting specials that will be offered for Jill Jarvis Photography!

Explanation of the crazy one leg in the air photo...the lining in his swim trunks is solid (not mesh like most). Whenever he gets out of the water there is usually some remaining water in them. He will sometimes do a little wiggle to make some music (it is hilarious). And other times he raises his leg high in the air (like the picture) to release the water. He is so cute!

Alive!

"Are you feeling overwhelmed with problems, projects or decisions today? Are you feeling mentally drained, physically spent, or spiritually numb? Take a dip with me into the river of God, the river of healing, and be awakened to life in God. Let this living water flow over, into, and through you today – for wherever this water flows, everything will live!" Rachel Olson

Seriously the blog is taking a major backseat to other things summer and i'm resolving to not feel overwhelmed by it. Reading one of the Proverbs 31 devotions from this week reminded me that God wants me to stay focused on living life. So i appologize if this is the only post you see on here for quite some time...we're enjoying time away from the computer. Which i might add has been having ISSUES this week...the router was replaced while i was in Florida, each time i try to view a page i constantly have to refresh it and then to add fuel to the fire i left my laptop on the dining room table and Deacon ran into the cord. We found it crashed out on the floor. So with all of that and the visiting friends and full lake...the blog has and will be suffering.

Happy 4th to everyone! A huge thank you to all of the many men and women out there that are protecting our great nation...YOU and your families are appreciated!

Air!

As i'm preparing to head out of town to ADPi-land, i was moving pictures off of my camera. This picture pretty much sums up life for this little boy right now...look at the air he got!

While i was packing he was being so adorable. He would go into his room and come out with a treasure that he wanted me to take with me. He finally decided on his sheriff badge, a santa pez and a sheet of paper that HE wrote my name on. They are all safely tucked into random places so that i will constantly be reminded of him {as if i need a physical reminder :)}. He also told me that he was sure that many of the other adpi friend would want to see these things - i am sure little man!

i should head to bed soon because the alarm is set for 4:45 (yes that is in the morning!). James has been getting up at this crazy hour to walk each morning. Since Nana Susan and Joe-Joe are here, i can go with him tomorrow. i'm excited to start my day with this awesome guy. Good thing for all of us, i'll get to go back to sleep for a little bit before the day will continue for me!

Moments to remember...

There have been a few moments in the last few weeks that i need to write down before i forget them. And i thought you all would enjoy reading about them too!

• While riding on the golf cart with Jameson & Cade we were discussing who was the biggest. They of course both said me. I then said who is the smallest. They looked at each other and thought for a minute. Cade, who will be 5 in August, said i'm 4 and a half so i'm bigger then Jameson. Then Jameson said well i'm 4 and a second so i'm smallest. The 4 and a second has stuck! He has started asking if so & so is 8 and a quarter, etc. So cute!
• Last week Jameson & i were out shopping. We stopped in to the Maxx and as soon as we walked in Jameson spotted the jewelry/watch section. He said "Daddy needs a new watch lets get him one!" He didn't realize that Father's Day was coming soon so it was a perfect gift from the little boy for his daddy!
• While tubing the boys likes to go fast but as soon as the driver starts to make lots of turns, he is done!
• The singing that comes out of this little boy is so darling. He will make up words to things or ask to sing nursery rhymes (his favorite right now is 1-2 buckle my shoe).
• He discovered masking tape and tied up both James & i around our ankles. It was so funny watching him have so much fun wrapping it around!
• He loves to do cannonballs in the pool, just yesterday he finally grabbed hold of his legs and actually made a big splash. Before that he was basically jumping in with his legs swinging all over because he couldn't get his arm around them fast enough!
• The amount of attention is pays to Deacon has increased. He loves to walk him around the house pulling on his collar. Deacon is usually pretty good about playing along but when he is done he just stopped walking and then Jameson cries for help. We try to explain to him that Deacon doesn't have the ability to 'say' he wants to stop so this is his way of communicating. Jameson doesn't like that so much.

That is all i can think of right now, but i'm sure there are lots that i'm missing. Hope you have a wonderful day!