She Did it!

I know this is not the most flattering picture of her but it was taken just moments after her first successful roll over. It happened around 1:00pm and since then she is now en expert. You can tell when she has rolled over because she gets pretty loud and almost starts crying because she doesn't really like being on her belly. When she first rolled over she was a little confused and wondered what was going on but now she seems to know but still continues to roll over but doesn't like the result. Anyway, big Tess moment today! Yay!

Octoberfest

Pumpkins-- Caleb's then Griffin's, then Chase's-- the Snyder family who also joined us did the ghost pumpkin.

Lance's pumpkin-- this one of course was a huge hit! I think he should send it into the Jazz maybe they'd give him some free tickets or something!

Most of our group-- I am the one holding the pumpkin that looks like a birthday cake with all the lights-- I got the idea from Martha Stewart and needless to say it was a lot more complicated then she made it look! Thanks Randy for your help!

Dave and his girlfriend Hiedi

Last night we had a Watts family home evening activity that was really fun. My dad made his famous chili-- and it was probably his best batch ever. I made corn bread and sugar cookies-- and everyone brought their own pumpkins to carve for a pumpkin carving contest! According to Chase-- he won-- and I must say he really did an awesome job. Brian cut the top off for him and gutted it but then we had a kid carving set for him and he went to town. He carved the whole thing by himself and he LOVED every minute of it. In fact, since Randy helped me with mine he never carved his and Chase is dying to carve Randy's for him today! He is a proud little boy-- this morning Randy and I were getting ready and we heard the front door open and close-- it was a little freaky because we didn't know that Chase had woken up but the first thing he did this morning was check on his pumpkin! Anyway, the night was a hit-- all our pumpkins were really cute and clever! I couldn't believe the different ones-- they were all unique and really well done! Good job family!

Thanks for the Memories

As many people know, me and my family are long time Atlanta Braves fans. My mom is the biggest fan of us all-- I used to grow up having to watch every single game-- if we weren't home she would tape the games-- and that included their rough years. Anyway, for as long as I personally can remember Bobby Cox has been the manager of the team and well, tonight he coached his last game. It is silly but I found myself wiping away tears as he saluted the crowd and waved one last good bye to them. I called my mom, knowing she was feeling even worse, and she was. She was crying. Anyway, being Atlanta Braves fans is not easy. For the last 15 or more years they have been pretty good in fact. But in all that time they have only one a World Series once-- 1995. If it weren't for teams like those pesky Yankees-- who I hate almost as much as I love the Braves-- we might have done it a few more times (and yes, I said we-- almost like I am one of them-- but who doesn't say we for their team, huh?) I have many memories of the Braves. We have travelled to see them play in many ballparks as well as to Atlanta-- where my mom threw down her tomahawk chop with tears rolling down her face-- she was in heaven. One of my greatest memories is when the Braves beat the Pirates to go to the first of a few World Series'. I remember sitting in the family room with my sister Kelli and Ed, and my little sister Brooke was at our table with her friends coloring. My mom and dad were watching in their bedroom and the Braves were losing but had started to make a comeback-- when they started making the comeback my dad came into the family room telling us that nobody should move-- that whatever we were doing was good luck and wouldn't you know it a few plays later a no-namer-pinch hitter steps up to the plate for the Braves and hits a base hit that ushers in a close play at home with Sid Bream sliding at the plate to score the winning run! We all went nuts-- my mom and dad run in-- we are all jumping and screaming, hugging, high-fiving-- Brooke's friends that are sleeping over are plugging their ears laughing at what a weird family we have-- but it is still one of the best memories I have. I love those times. And so I am sad to see a little piece of these memories go. Hopefully we can find someone new to fill his shoes but it will never be the same-- much like when the Jazz lost John Stockton and Karl Malone. (Another team that brings back many amazing memories-- but we'll save those for another entry.)

Johnny Jumping Tess!

We got out the old Johnny Jumper yesterday-- she loved it! She isn't quite "jumping" yet but she liked sitting in it for now! I must say that she has been such a good, happy baby! So easy going, even if she does seem to spit up all her food. She is my bipolar sleeper-- one night she'll sleep until 7am the next night 3am. I am getting pretty frustrated with this schedule of hers so I am clamping down on my babywise system. Hopefully we'll have better luck in the sleep department. Other things about her-- let's she-- she loves to watch tv-- and as many have stated before, "like mother like daughter!" She grabs at toys and loves her little kicking pad/ station thingy. She is sooooooo close to rolling over-- her little shoulder just gets in her way and she gets so frustrated because she is trying so hard-- we laugh because she tries so hard to get on her stomach but when we give her tummy time she hates it so we'll see how she likes rolling over once she finally does. She has the biggest, cutest smile and has a giggle-- she hasn't quite belted out in hysteria yet but Chase works hard every day to help. She is very strong, especially in her legs-- oh and she loves to grab my hair! Needless to say, we are all in love with our little Tessa Boo.

Isn't He Cute?

Chase's first school photos! He even had a decent smile-- I just love this little boy!