Just this morning...

...we had a little photo shoot in honor of Reed's Halloween party! Thought they turned out pretty cute for an improptu "session!"

Luke had toaster strudel all over his face and his hair desperately needed to be brushed!

Snoopy ready to party!

Brotherly love (at that moment) :-)

Baby Sister...

Well, I may look back on this pregnancy and say, "Was I even pregnant?!" Baby sister has gotten absolutely no "air-time." With Reed and Luke I was constantly journaling, measuring, keeping up with every ache, pain, and kick. With baby sister, we are just living it day to day...poor little thing. Anyway, now that I am almost 30 weeks (and the pregnancy is winding down), I thought I would give a little run down on what it's been like this time around (our 3rd and final pregnancy):

1) Candy, cookies, cake -- bring it on in every size, shape, and flavor!

2) I was going to try not to gain as much weight as I did with the boys -- already exceeded that, i.e. candy, cookies, and cake!

3) She is a very active little thing -- at this very moment she is kicking the stew out of me.

4) Rob and I both think she is going to have brown hair and brown eyes...maybe we will finally have a child who's features are similar to ours.

5) Everything I have added for her nursery has come from Dirt Cheap (my favorite store...more on that later)!

6) I need to look back at all of my wonderful "notes" from my first 2 pregnancies, but I don't remember being this uncomfortable at the beginning of the 3rd trimester.

7) Baby sister is going to have more clothes that she will be able to wear. Thanks to everyone who has had these precious little things before me.
8) I am about to finish a Bishop gown that I smocked and started contructing 7 years ago when we lived in Birmingham. Now that we are having a girl, I decided it was time. It will be so so special!
9) I am also making her diaper bag and am so excited. This is the bag, this is the exterior fabric, and an adorable lining that I can't see to find online! Will post some picks when I finish! Can't wait! 
10) I pray for her every day and hope that she is as precious, loving, faithful, and sweet as her two namesakes, Granny and Nana!

And this recipe is one reason why the LBs have packed on. But it is so so simply. It is Lindey's fall mix, which is yummy and very addictive, don't take a bite unless you want to eat the whole bag. Here is the recipe:                                  
                                  1 bag of M&Ms
                                  1 Dry roasted salted peanuts
                                  1 bag candy corn

Happy Fall Y'all!!

Wrap this one in Maroon and White!!

We anticipated the first Mississippi State football game of the year for weeks! This is how we spend our afternoons after school...throwing the football, dressing up in football gear (shoulder pads and all!). 

Finally the game got here!! And boy were we excited.

 

Fun at FanFare: CHECK

 

Tailgating tent and food: CHECK

Besties from college: CHECK!

Besties from home (plus Vicki, bestie from college): CHECK!

FUN with adoptive family members, Anna Sukman and Chris Ward (Laura's uncle and cousin): CHECK

Tired little boy: check

Wrap this one in maroon and white: CHECK!!!! 
Looking forward to (and enjoying) a wonderful (and win filled) football season! 
My favorite time of year!

Arkansas!

I am getting way behind on my blogging so I am going to play a little catch up!! Back in August, Rob, myself and the BBs loaded up and headed to Heber Springs, Arkansas, to visit with Rob's best buds from college, along with their families. We had a blast and enjoyed staying in the beautiful "cabin" belonging to Josh's wife Stacey's boss. Thanks so much for the invite and we hope to get to go back again!
See cabin below:

This was around 6:00 a.m. (our boys were the first ones up)...but it was worth it for this view!

Playing football on the front lawn!

Daddy's boy!

Love the glasses! Meanwhile, after about 10 minutes of screaming tears, Luke slept in my lap for about an hour!

Matt and his sweet wife Erica and girls!

Josh and baby Clay

Fortson and Stephanie

Stacy and Gwenth

Finally awake and enjoying the boat. Luke loves to look at boats, but wasn't so sure about riding on one at first.

The house from the lake...the color of the water was gorgeous!

We LOVE sailboats, thanks to granddaddy Charles!

And you can't go to the lake without fishing!

Don't know if I have said this before, but Reed is obsessed with fishing! He caught about 10 fish...Luke pretended to fish...we're not quite ready to unleash him with a hook. He is dangerous enough with the pole itself.

Sun setting on a perfect day at the lake.

The guys: Rob, Fortson (who were roomates at State freshman year) and Josh and Matt, who were also roomates at State freshman year! And the girls: Erica, me, Stacy, and Stephanie

We had SUCH a great time and hope to get to go again soon!

The new dinner table...

For the last 3 years, our family, the Harris', and the Hills, have gathered often (at least once a week) for dinner. Both of these families are our neighbors and great friends. We all started out with one child a piece and Laura, Sarah, and I were all pregnant together on round two! Before we all sat around, visited, and enjoyed meals, fun, and fellowship. 

This is now what dinner looks like when we are all together:

Parents are left standing in the kitchen and eating where we can...:-). I thought this was so so cute, though, how each of them had a place at the table (and we didn't!!). It's going to be so much fun watching each of these precious children grow up together...the only question I have is where is Mary Flynn going to sit?!?

I "heart" fabric

Love this fabric -- fresh squeezed fabric on Etsy

Possibility for Diaper Bag I am making for Mary Flynn!

MFY

Yesterday (August, 26, 2010) was the BIG DAY!! We found out that our third (and last) baby is aGIRL! We are just thrilled! Her name will be Mary Flynn Yates.  

Mary, who is Rob's paternal grandmother, is such a special lady and so very dear to both of us. Rob told her we would like to name our baby girl after her, and in Mary Yates fashion said, "Well, it's about time after all these grandchildren and great-grandchildren...you would have thought there would have been a Mary Catherine, or Mary something by now!!" Rob said, "You finally got one!" We hope that our Mary has all the spunk, sweetness, and loving spirit that this Mary does, as well as her strong faith!

Flynn, who was my maternal grandmother, was one of my best friends. Not only was she a grandmother,she was such a good person who was loved by everyone. She served the Lord every day of her life (and always make sure I put Him first in everything) and was an extremely talented pianist who played the piano in her church for over 60 years. She was a wonderful cook, bridge player, and loved to travel.
Both of these women are so special to Rob and me and both hold many of the same values, beliefs, and interests. Had they lived in the same town, I know they would have been great friends. Our hope is that this little girl has all these characteristics and then some! I can't think of two better people to be named after...what a blessed little one!?!?!

And one more thing...this may not be my first sewing project for this little sister, but it is definitely on the list. I found these embroidery alphabet patterns on the Etsy store Penguin and Fish!  I am going to change all these colors to pinks, turquoise, oranges, and yellows!!!