Growing Up Halbert

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T19:42:00.000-07:00

Labor Day Staycation

2010-09-05T08:10:00.000-07:00

Though we considered traveling this weekend, it worked out better for us to stay in town. Daddy had a special 'guys' trip to the Alabama game/golfing with Uncle Johnny and the timing didn't work for us to come along. So, we planned a fun filled weekend here at home!

Friday morning Jack was in school, so Tyler and I went outside for some playtime fun, playing baseball and riding bikes in the driveway. I busted out my camera to try and capture a few new images. Here's some of the bounty:

And possibly my favorite:

After school ended on Friday, Mimi & Grandpa joined us for our staycation. They packed their overnight bag and came over! We hit Five Guys for dinner, which the boys both love so much! It was gorgeous weather, a break from the heat we've had for so long, so we dined al fresco!

Then we hit the local mini golf course for some great family fun. The boys both LOVE miniature golf and are pretty good at it! Jack understands golf scoring, so it was funny to hear him get a 4 on a par 2 and say "Double bogey!" as he completed a hole!

After a competitive round of golf, we went home for some popcorn and Wii play before turning in for the night. The boys were excited to have Mimi and Grandpa over to sleep...they haven't slept over at our house in 3 years!

Stay tuned to the next post to hear about Saturday's adventure!!!

m.i.n.e.

2010-08-02T21:12:00.000-07:00

this little ray of sunshine makes us smile every day...Happy 1/2 birthday, little one. We love you. How has this year of 2 gone by so fast so far???

Blog who?

2010-07-25T22:46:00.000-07:00

Wow. It has been a while since I blogged. That's a bummer, because I love knowing all the little jewels of info are here for the reading, whenever i want to come back to them. And last year I printed out the blog thus far at that point, and it is a cool book to read and have! Life moves at a rapid pace these days...

Tyler says the funniest things and makes the funniest faces! Here are a few of my current favorites:

After I am gone for a few hours or he is gone overnight, he says "Mommy, long time see you go!" He says it exactly the same way every time. So cute.

THIS face is so classic Tyler right now...

He led the prayer last night. It went something like this: "Fank you, God, (for) my family...fank you, God, (for) fire...fank you, God, (for) my house...fank you, God, (for) Daddy, Jack, Mommy, Colby. FANK YOU! (Instead of Amen)

Tyler started to tell me something today. I think he was going to ask me for help or something. After about 2 seconds he said "Mommy? Nefermine."

Yesterday he hops up from the couch and picks up a toy raquet. He asks me where the ball is and I tell him to look around. He says "I can't fine it." I tell him to look in the little tent we have up that is beside the couch. He looks at me with the straightest face and says "I look there 4 times! I no fine it!" He hadn't even moved! What is this 4 times business?? :D

it's fun to be two!

2010-04-22T22:17:00.001-07:00

A Hunting We Will Go...

2010-04-04T14:04:00.001-07:00

Last week the boys enjoyed our annual Easter Egg Hunt at Hillsboro. They both were great hunters and Jack was off like a flash...hence the limited pictures of him!

Can you spot him picking up an egg?

There was lots of rough housing with the older boys...Jack had a good time with his friends.

Daddy escorted Tyler to all of the less populated areas in the field so he'd have ample opportunity to score eggs!

Once the hunt was over, it was time to go inside to eat lunch and check out what was inside of our eggs. How DARE photographer Mommy ask for a posed picture when we were supposed to be going in to eat! Tyler was so mad and kept yelling "EAT EGGS!" Classic, don't you think?

I couldn't resist showing the boys' cousin, Logan, here with her Uncle Samuel. What a sweet pair...
A rare moment when Jack was hanging out with us...what a big boy he's becoming!

Rub-A-Dub-Dub, 2 New (Hair)Dos in the Tub!

2010-03-23T13:10:00.000-07:00

After a much longer than planned break from our scheduled hair appointments, the boys finally made it over to Divas and Dudes, formerly Sweet N Sassy's, to welcome Spring with brand new hair dos! We left quite a bit of sandy blond hair on the floor there, as these boys were well overdue for a trim!

Jack went back to his favorite "rock star" haircut, and is just as pleased with it as ever. He noted that his 'rock star' was almost gone the other day before school and asked me to 'fix it'. A little lime hair gel and he was good as new.

Tyler is sporting a big boy haircut. Admittedly too long, I was rather enjoying his shaggy overgrown look. Adorable either way, I think his new look is befitting of his maturing personality!

Both boys enjoyed a lengthy frolic in the tub afterwards and didn't even seem to mind having a few pictures taken!

Our handsome Halbert boys. They sure are growing up fast!

I am 2. What's the big deal?

2010-03-03T09:13:00.000-08:00

A preview of Tyler's 2 yr old photo shoot, courtesy of yours truly...

under the weather...

2010-02-26T14:54:00.000-08:00

No traveling to Birmingham for our great-nephew and niece's double first birthday party for us...for we're a wee bit under the weather. Tyler has a stomach bug and hasn't been his perky, busy little self for a couple of days now. Here's what it looked like around here today. Check out those fevery cheeks:

Big brother claims to have a 'little' stomach ache and needed to stay home from school today as well. Not sure if that is true or if he's just figured out a new trick to get himself a 3 day weekend but we're letting it slide for today, just in case.

Sorry we won't get to see Meemaw and the rest of the Halbert family tomorrow. Enjoy the party...we can't wait to hear all about it! Happy Birthday Preston and Logan! We love you and can't believe you are both 1 already!

The Waiting is the Hardest Part...

2010-01-30T11:55:00.001-08:00

When Tyler woke up from his nap Thursday, he found his birthday cake waiting patiently to be eaten at the impending birthday party after dinner. Tyler found he was NOT nearly as patient as his waiting Pluto cake.

At first he seemed willing to wait.

But quickly realized that two year olds come with little self control. So, cute as he could be, he drew his pointer finger and took that first stab at the edge of the frosting.

Nirvana! He got a little confidence in his deviant ways and soon was hamming it up for the camera as he made his mark on the side of his cake.

The 'damage':

Some friendly onlookers who arrived early for the party:

It was actually an adorable moment and Meemaw and I laughed as he nibbled away. We topped off the afternoon with a mini slice for both boys as they waited for the party to begin.

Last year we had a 'smash cake' session as he turned 1. This year I'm going to fondly remember this moment as Tyler's 'poke the cake' session!

Happy Birthday, Tyler!

2010-01-28T21:44:00.000-08:00

The littlest Halbert turned 2 today! No longer a baby, this little guy is a full fledged 'boy'!

Birthday pictures are sure to follow, but suffice it to say that it was a WONDERFUL day full of celebration and happiness as our hearts overflow with love for our buddy Tyler!

SNOW DAY!

2010-01-15T18:42:00.000-08:00

As we head to warmer weather soon for some R&R, we are reminded of the recent COLD weather we've had here in TN!

when it rarely snows where you live, you really don't know what to do in snow...i'm guessing snow 'professionals' don't ride bikes...

and this was CLASSIC! His first tumble...he just lay there, hands raised off the ground. I had time to see him, grab my camera, focus and shoot...and he still was motionless for a few seconds after that! :D He didn't cry, but he wasn't sure about all that snow on him!

Tennessee Christmas 2009

2009-12-28T12:29:00.000-08:00

We are so fortunate to be able to spend the holidays with all of our family every Christmas. This year, after returning from the big holiday festivities with the Halberts in Alabama, we celebrated again with the Quists in Nolensville. Mimi and Grandpa were thrilled to host their favorite (and only) grandchildren, along with their parents, for a fun Christmas celebration. The boys were showered with many gifts and there was food and fun a plenty! What great ages: 7.5 and nearly 2, the boys both find the holiday magical and the gifts exciting! We are blessed beyond measure. Come share a bit of Christmas with us...

Mimi and Grandpa and their two buddies

Let the gift exchange begin!

Trying out their new toys...

Our sweet boys...

and their evil twins! (just kidding)

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

The True Meaning of Christmas

2009-12-27T18:25:00.001-08:00

As I sit here, surrounded by shiny, new toys that will replace other shiny, almost new toys in the quiet warmth of our home as we've returned home from food and festivities with family, I am reminded of the true meaning of Christmas...watch this amazing work provided by my friend Kelly's organization Ordinary Hero. May we all be reminded of the true meaning of the season in this season and in always...

Merry Christmas!

He Knows When You Are Sleeping...& When You Are in AL!

2009-12-26T12:29:00.000-08:00

Santa sure knew our exact location this Christmas. Jack was sure to tell him when we visited him at the mall earlier in the month. Please excuse the first image (no personal cameras allowed at Santa's mall office.)

The boys were up early and happy to see that Santa did, indeed, know exactly where we were on Christmas day (at Meemaw's house.) As you can see, Santa's sleigh was weighed down heavily by the numerous wonderful gifts that the boys received.

Both boys loved all of their gifts and excited played with as many as they could during the morning before we headed out to Aunt Ginny & Uncle Erle's house to celebrate Christmas with most of our extended Halbert family, 23 or so of us, including all the little ones! Jack enjoyed playing his new Nintendo DSi against his cousins Amy and Laura, who both had their own DS handhelds with them, along with Laura's husband, Ross! It was a DS fest! Tyler hung out with Logan and Preston and did great the entire day (til 7p!) without a nap. Wow. I don't think any of us are ready for that to become a regular occurrence just yet. You'll have to take our word for it, though, since not a single picture was taken that afternoon (SHAME ON ME!)

Tyler's favorite toy from Santa, by a landslide, has been Spike the Remote Control Dinosaur.

And we saw a lot of THIS for a few days after Jack got his DSi, complete with his favorite game: Super Mario Brothers (after playing it on Christmas day with Amy & Laura.)

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends!

Christmas Eve in Dixie

2009-12-26T09:45:00.000-08:00

Christmas was very exciting this year, as it often is with little ones. The excitement of decorating the house, seeing Santa, spending time with loved ones and receiving gifts with little kids warms the heart. And to see it times 2 this year made it all the better!

We spent Christmas Eve with the new babies in the family. What fun to see Meemaw's house filled with the laughter and excitement of 4 little ones this year! We've waited a long time for Jack to have siblings and cousins to play with at the holidays...he had to go it alone for many years. Now the house is full with 3 babies under 2!! We were sure to get a few pictures of the cousins...

"He comes in with all those presents from WHERE??"

Jack enjoyed being the Christmas "pro" and handed out all the gifts from under Meemaw's tree.

It was a fun evening with our growing family, though we missed cousins Cayce and Jason, who were celebrating with the Williams family this year. Tyler was fascinated with his very own "fish tank" from Aunt Peggy and Uncle Mike.

The boys were happy to head to bed knowing that Santa was coming soon. Of course, they were not disappointed. Santa remembered that they were traveling to Alabama!

(a parting shot of our boys playing...a bit rough at times these days)

Oh where oh where has the blogging gone?

2009-12-09T22:11:00.001-08:00

If you haven't heard the news, I'm a workin' girl! Balancing family and business takes some practice, I'm afraid! Hopefully with the chilly weather comes a little rest for this busy Mommy...cuz she really needs it!

So before Christmas gets here, a quick Fall picture as we bid it farewell...

He Loves a Lollipop and I love...

2009-11-23T12:34:00.001-08:00

my new camera!!! Took her out for a spin this weekend and grabbed a few shots of my most willing subject...

First Haircut!

2009-11-05T15:00:00.000-08:00

Our baby finally has enough hair for a trim! This was a long time coming, as hair was not one of Tyler's earliest blessings...

He did such a good job! Mimi and Mommy took him to Sweet N Sassy's, where Jack says is "the perfect place for a haircut!" and he was such a brave, big boy!

He especially enjoyed the dryer and the lollipop at the end!

Thanks, Miss Becky for the great hair cut! We'll be back soon!

Wordless Wednesday...Rounding the Corner

2009-11-05T00:13:00.001-08:00

Trunk or Treat!

2009-11-01T08:42:00.000-08:00

The Tree Frog and Wall-E:

Those pesky feet!

As odd as it might sound, this was our first year participating in our church's annual Trunk or Treat. I guess we have Tyler to thank for that one! And Grandpa!

Grandpa, the boys and I headed over to the church, costumes on, for dinner and Trick or Treating, Trunk-style. We had a great, kid friendly dinner of hotdogs, sides and dessert and then headed out to the parking lot where LOTS of cars were parked waiting for their little, begging, costume donned visitors.

The boys were happy to trick or treat at each car trunk and, before we knew it, had visited every car! The weather was perfect and the lollipops (pop pops!) were plenty! A great time was had by all!!

A worn out, candy filled trick or treater...hanging out in our trunk!

The Zoo Crew

2009-10-29T21:21:00.000-07:00

Our friends Cooper and Cara, along with their friend Cecilie (and her baby brother) met us at the Nashville Zoo for some fun this week. It was a gorgeous day and all the little ones had a great time!

We saw elephants and giraffes, meerkats, monkeys and more. We ate lunch together and played ring around the rosy. Tyler insisted on a hat and, since we didn't have one with us, we made a purchase of an adorable new Zoo hat for him. Tyler's favorite animal was the lblblblbllblblb. Well, that's how it sounded when Tyler tried to tell me that he loved the lizards!

Here's a peek at ring around the rosy. Cara is the sweetest big sister...so much so that she adores Tyler, her little brother's friend, too!:

The Zoo Crew. The 3 little ones were all born within 2 months of each other:

The Crew checking out a 'used' gummy bear napping on the rock wall...

Parting shot. Tyler checking out the zoo! It was a great morning. Maybe it's time to get a zoo pass again???

Time for a Haircut!

2009-10-29T21:16:00.000-07:00

Wow...caught this while out this week with sweet Tyler, who turned 1 and 3/4 years old yesterday...

I think we'll be calling our favorite hair dresser, Ms. Shelby, at Sweet N Sassy to make an appointment for Tyler's first real haircut!!! Oh I hope he doesn't look too grown up with his new hair. This baby is becoming a 'boy' all too quickly!

Fall Break in the A-T-L!

2009-10-19T13:45:00.000-07:00

The boys and I headed down to Atlanta for a few days of R&R with our friends, the Whites. We spent lots of time hanging out with Uncle David too!

Here are a few pictures to tide us over til we get home...having a great time! Wish you were here!!!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like....FALL!!!

2009-10-14T11:36:00.000-07:00

Sunday afternoon we went to Lucky Ladd Farms in Eagleville TN with some friends from our Sunday School class. We had the BEST time! This is going to be picture overload, but it was a beautiful day and we had a great time checking out the state's largest petting farm, riding the monster slide, playing in the kid area, taking a hayride and hanging out til well after dark roasting hot dogs and smores. Tyler hung close to Mommy and his other toddler friends while Jack ran off with the bigger kids and conquered the giant slide on his own! He had such a great time that I don't have very many pictures of him! We were all tired as the night ended but couldn't have asked for a better event! If you haven't been down to Eagleville in the Fall, add it to your "To Do" list!

I don't think the sign applies to just the donkey!

Tyler hanging in the kid zone:

This slide was awesome!

The petting zoo was a big favorite of Tyler's. Jack? Notsomuch. Tyler trying to kiss a sheep:

Cooper, Tyler's buddy, and Tyler are HUGE dog lovers.

It was getting dark once we got to the campfire site, so there weren't too many group pictures. The kids all enjoyed roasting marshmallows and playing chase in the field in the dark!

Whew! It was a busy afternoon/evening and the boys slept well! It was a little tough getting up Monday morning but it was soooo worth it!

OH, AND A SNEAK PEEK at one of our trick or treaters...this year's costume arrived in the mail on Saturday morning. From 11am straight until bedtime, we found that Wall-E had joined our family!!! I think someone is excited about their costume!!

Everything's Better When It's Fall!

2009-09-29T21:54:00.000-07:00

Love, fun and FALL is in the air!! Can you see it? (hint: look on their faces!)

Happy Birthday, Daddy!!!

2009-09-24T21:00:00.001-07:00

Tonight we celebrated Daddy's birthday with presents and CAKE! The boys did wonderfully...they signed/colored cards, gave Daddy his presents so sweetly, hugged on him and patiently waited for the best part of the evening...the CAKE eating!!

Tyler has just perfected his smile for the camera "smile"...isn't it cute?

Both boys were thrilled that Daddy had candles to blow out. Tyler nodded along as we sang "Happy Birthday". Everyone tried to help Daddy blow out the candles and Jack thought it was a scream that we 'tricked' Daddy with relighting candles.

I love the way they are looking at their Dad in this one!! They sure do look up to him!!

The boys had their allergen free cupcakes with vanilla icing and Daddy and I enjoyed some delicious chocolate cake, which is Daddy's favorite ever since Mommy made it for him when we were dating. You could hear "MMMMM!" from Tyler through the entire cupcake!

It was a great night full of lots of smiles, hugs and love. Those boys sure love their Dad!!!

Happy Birthday, Daddy! Hope this year is a good one!

Wordless Wednesday...A Rare Moment of Reflection

2009-09-23T19:46:00.000-07:00

A Glimpse in the Window...

2009-09-20T20:43:00.000-07:00

Here's a compilation video of some snippets from an afternoon recently with our sweet little monkey. Enjoy getting a 'live' look at our growing toddler!

PS Sorry about the lighting...it's definitely not our best work!

On the way to 2...or are we there already?

2009-09-17T19:20:00.000-07:00

Tyler celebrated his 19 month birthday recently...but he sure seems like a 2 yr old to me! He's become such a sweet, inquisitive, observant, and active little boy! He absolutely LOVES to play with his big brother. Outside, they both ride bikes and play "crash into each other (gently) head on" much to their Mom's dismay. Inside, they have ride on toys as well and play chase around the downstairs while Mommy gets dinner ready. They chase each other, run and laugh constantly. Jack is gentle and Tyler can keep up and hold his own pretty well! It is so much fun to watch our two boys become friends. What a blessing for them both! It's fun to have a house of (handsome) boys!

In other Tyler news, his favorite show is "Curious George" and he often points to the TV and asks for "Eee Eee" (the sound a monkey makes)

Tyler loves to give you a big, strong, arms-wrapped-around-your-neck big ol' hug. It'll cure whatever ails ya!

Tyler loves to watch Wipeout with his brother and now says "igh ow" and holds his head when the contestants crash to show that they got an 'owie'.

Tyler is eager to help around the house. He enjoys sweeping, putting his dirty diapers in the trash without being told, brushing his teeth all by himself and leading the prayer at dinner. He covers his eyes, peeks out from between his fingers, and then grunts to encourage us to participate as well. It is sooo cute!

Tyler can jump. And hit a ball off a tee. He has some raging gross motor skills!

Tyler calls Jack something like "ay AAK!" We're pretty sure he's copying Mommy, who says "Hey Jack!" more often than she just says Jack's name without the hey.

Tyler goes to a modified MDO one day a week...called Mimi & Grandpa's. Each Thursday, they keep him from 8-3. Gives Mommy time to get some work/errands/chores done and allows Tyler some great one on one time with his grandparents.

That's the update!

Wordess Wednesday...Eyes are the Windows to the Soul

2009-09-03T10:26:00.001-07:00

Curiosity Starved the Dog

2009-08-26T10:42:00.000-07:00

Left to his own devices for a maximum of 3 minutes as I emptied the remaining dishes from the dishwasher, I found THIS in the middle of my bedroom hallway, food scattered about. He IS quite creative with his mischief, I'll give him that.

Now that school is in, I do miss big brother alerting me to Tyler danger before it gets too out of hand!

Operator? Please get me my grandparents!

2009-08-24T20:57:00.001-07:00

Tyler LOVES the phone. Whenever he sees a phone, or anything resembling a rectangle shaped electronic, he picks it up, assumes the position above and says "Hi?"

He even asks to call Meemaw, Mimi and Grandpa! And while the phone rings he patiently waits, blinking all wide eyed, and when they answer? He says "Hi?" He identifies them by name and says Hi a few more times. Then he says "Bye Bye" and tries to find the off button.

I don't know how much they enjoy these toddler phone calls of limited conversation but, from my end, they are a crack up!

MEEEEEE MAAAAAAW!!!

2009-08-18T18:08:00.000-07:00

Meemaw!!! That's a sound we heard over and over and over this weekend from Tyler. And a sweet sound it was! I know that Meemaw LOVED hearing Tyler calling for her all over the house.

We headed to Birmingham this weekend to visit Meemaw and to attend John T's wedding to his fiance, Liesl. Daddy was a groomsman so Mommy and Daddy were busy Friday and Saturday with lots of wedding activities. Meemaw (and Aunt Peggy too) did an awesome job of taking care of the boys. Here's a glimpse of our fun weekend!

Jack and Tyler drove the mini golf cart around and had a blast! Jack couldn't convince Tyler to finish his turn...and they barely fit on the seat together!

What a loving big brother!!!

Tyler hanging out indoors...with Jack's IPOD, Thomas and Daddy's old Matchbox cars...

The lovely Mr. & Mrs. John Harris!

Check out that handsome groomsman and his wife!!! Woo hoo! The view from the reception site of Birmingham was amazing!

Mommy's Little Helper

2009-08-10T22:03:00.000-07:00

My little helper...he's right in the thick of things, ready to lend a chubby, toddler hand. Sometimes he even takes the lead!

I was putting a load of laundry in the washing machine and who comes running to help? Tyler! He grabs some clothes off the floor (dirty) and motions for the dryer. So, I open the dryer door and he proceeds to put 7 or so pieces of clothing into the dryer.

I continue along with loading the washer alongside my laundry buddy when suddenly I find this:

How he got in there I still don't fully know. But he enjoyed hanging out in there for a while! What a sweet helper!

18 months old...and looking the part

2009-08-03T19:42:00.000-07:00

exploring around the yard. very important stuff!

when did all these airplanes start flying in the sky? wow...

What a big boy. 'Nuff said.

1 whole year plus one half

2009-07-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

Just one and a half years ago, we were graced with the presence of this teeny little guy...

...who grew to be an adorable little baby just one year ago.

And now, a year later, a little boy has emerged. Where, oh where, did our baby go? How did it all go by so quickly?

Happy 18 month birthday, Tyler. We love you and enjoy having you in our lives so very much.

Great Summer Evening

2009-07-25T22:25:00.000-07:00

Our Sunday School class got together this evening at Edwin Warner Park for food, fun and fellowship. All of the kids are 7 and under, and there are lots of them and even more on the way! We had a great time watching the bigger kids play in the creek. They played and played and played. The bikes and ride on toys went untouched! We ate some great food and then back to the creek until it was time to leave. Jack said it was the best time ever! Tyler watched from the sidelines, ran around a little and enjoyed the hot dogs and baked beans! Here's a little peek at our wonderful evening.

The gang back at "camp".

2 little boys. 1 car. Uh oh.

The stand off. Bennett reluctantly shared the car with Tyler. What a good friend. Look at Mr. Mean Face. We see this face a lot. The 2's are gonna be fun, I think!

Jim was one of the River Children Whisperers. He never got a break the entire evening. Jack had no problem grabbing Jim's hand and asking for help to cross the slippery creek bed.

The smart ones who stayed dry!

Just to clarify, that is Candice IN that creek...way to go, woman!

Bedtime waits for no one. Someone was sleepy and ready to go home. Good thing that Daddy has a nice broad shoulder to rest on! And Roll Tide!

What a fun night!

Thanks friends! We need to do this more often!

Wordless Wednesday...Down By the Creek Bank.

2009-07-14T23:56:00.000-07:00

Watch Lucy Lane Come Home!

2009-07-12T14:17:00.001-07:00

Please take a moment to view our friend's adoption video. It's the story of how they came to adopt their daughter Lucy Lane and bring her home to her forever family. I have a personal connection as I was asked to create the video. If you love it, it is due to the wonderful family you'll find in it, for sure!!!

Enjoy and remember all of God's blessings today, big and small. We are so fortunate to live in this amazingly affluent country and to be surrounded by such love in our lives!

Happy Birthday, America!

2009-07-05T21:36:00.001-07:00

See that shirt above? "Future President" - never know, might happen!

Our mischievious monkey!

The 4th of July. A fun festivity smack dab in the middle of hot summer. For most of the years that we've lived in TN, the weather has been favorable and it has been clear skies and hot. This year, however, with 90% rain chance in the forecast, it was not looking favorable for a fireworks show.

Meemaw came up for the weekend and we all had dinner at Mimi and Grandpa's house. It was a good ole' Southern feast of bbq pulled pork, homemade potato salad, homemade slow cooked beans, corn on the cob, fresh fruit and a delicious blueberry pie. Now THAT's some good eatin'!
Then we started watching the storm forecast and debated on whether or not some of us would chance the weather and walk the :15 to the ballpark with Jack.

As we were still debating, we started hearing fireworks in the distance. They kept on and kept on and finally we realized that they had started the town fireworks show about :40 early in order to beat the rain! We scooped up the troops and headed outside where we stood on our friends' porch for the entire show.

The boys loved the fireworks. Tyler was mesmerized and didn't look away for the entire show. He was calling them "bop bops" by the end. It was really cute.

We had a good time and it was super convenient. We walked back across the street, loaded the car and headed home! Jack was pretty disappointed, however, that he has to wait AN ENTIRE YEAR before he can watch live fireworks up close. Sorry buddy!!!

Tyler's First Chore

2009-07-02T21:12:00.001-07:00

Tyler's First Chore: Feeding the Dog

Hmmm. I think if I get this cup...

and put dog food in it...Careful! Don't spill...

Colby would like it if I put some in his bowl...

Oops. A few got on the floor. I'm sure that's ok...Now eat it up, Colby. Good dog.

BUSTED!!!!!

and that was BEFORE he started splashing all in the water bowl til there was a 3 ft diameter puddle on the floor! Aaaah!!

Indoor Summer "Pool Party"

2009-07-02T09:43:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this isn't really a pool party. But it is just as fun. Our boys LOVE to take a bath together. And they LOVE bubbles. It's so great to see them having fun together...

And THIS is what happens when SOMEONE looses the bubble wand inside the empty bubble container. Tragedy of epic proportions!

You Are Gonna Have To Trust Me On This One

2009-07-01T20:32:00.000-07:00

My two boys are opposites when it comes to adventure. Jack is the Wipeout watcher and Tyler, undoubtedly, will be a Wipeout contestant. He's such a little daredevil! He constantly keeps me on my toes.

Today, the 3 of us went swimming at our sweet friend Trina's house. She has a cool mac-daddy chlorine free pool, which is great for Jack. Tyler has only been pool swimming a few times in his little life, so one would expect him to be cautious and hesitant, right? Not this crazy boy. He was at the TOP of their 6 foot pool slide (after a LOT of pleading, begging, whining and pointing) where he slid down and into my waiting arms in water over my head. He only traversed the whole slide one time, but he also hopped off the end of the slide more than a handful of times from several feet above the water! He went under several times, just a little, without any complaint.

Perhaps swimming lessons are in order? He's a little spitfire, that boy! And you are gonna have to trust me on this one, because my camera was safely at home staying dry amongst all the fun. Maybe next time?

My Assistant

2009-06-26T22:09:00.000-07:00

In my 'spare' time, I've been trying to hone my photography skills in consideration of starting my own photography business. Today, while Jack was hanging in Nolensville with Mimi and Grandpa, my assistant, Tyler, and I trucked on over to downtown Nashville so we could scope out some cool places to take pictures. Isn't he a cute little model? And he works for snacks! Woo hoo!

And a quick picture at home before we called it a day...

A New Friend

2009-06-25T21:35:00.000-07:00

Our friends just adopted a sweet 7 month old baby girl from Ethiopia, which makes kiddo #5 in their house of love. Mom, her 2 yr old and new baby girl, Lucy Lane, came over today for coffee so we could catch up. Tyler LOVED having two friends his age over. He adored the baby and followed George around a lot, fascinated by another kid almost his size in the house.

The Kiss

Tyler thinks she's cute!

Tastes like chicken! (Looks like chicken too!)

Gonna be fast friends!

I couldn't help but take a few pictures of sweet Lucy Lane while she was here. She's the happiest baby, for sure!!! CONGRATULATIONS, SWEET FRIENDS! God has blessed your family for sure!

You can read all about their journey through adoption at www.weloveourlucy.blogspot.com.

Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

2009-06-21T12:16:00.000-07:00

Here is our Father's Day present for dear old Dad... We love you, Daddy. Thanks for always showing the boys how much you love them and for tickling and playing crazy in a way that Mommies just can't do!!! I love to watch you and the boys together...thank you for being their dad. We love you! Love, Mommy, Jack & Tyler

...and a Big HAPPY FATHER's DAY to my Dad, who is an absolutely awesome father and grandfather. Here's a little something that we put together for him this year. Yes, the theme this year was "from the heart, not from the wallet" if you hadn't already noticed.

THE CELEBRATION:

So we gathered this evening for a great dinner at Mimi and Grandpa's house. Here's a peek at the fun... Grandpa checked out his gifts, with some help:

Daddy's "Special": a bona fide TICKLE FIGHT!!!!

And after dinner and dessert, guess who found some extra cake back at the dinner table?

Delicious!!!

Picture of the Day...and Praying For Stellan

2009-06-18T22:04:00.001-07:00

Picture of the day today. Tyler: 16.5 months old. Exploring the backyard and deck before dinner tonite. Just adorable, this little guy!

Praying for baby Stellan tonite. He's in the hospital and all treatment to help his heart rhythm are yet to work...see 'button' on the right side of our blog for more info.

Waiting for Lucy Lane

2009-06-16T20:53:00.000-07:00

We are all excited here at the Halbert household. Our sweet friends, the Johnsons, have just adopted a gorgeous little baby girl from Ethiopia. Kristi is in Ethiopia right now hanging out with her brand new (to her) 7 month old baby girl. Lucy Lane Martha Johnson and her mom and aunt Kelly will arrive here on Friday evening and we plan to meet her then! We just can't wait to see this awesome family be blessed by the addition of kiddo #5!!!

Here is Tyler "meeting" Lucy Lane tonite. I think they are gonna be fast friends.

The Most Magical Place On Earth

2009-06-14T20:58:00.000-07:00

Tyler has now graced the doors of Disney on both coasts! Not too shabby for a 1 year old, especially since it took nearly 40 years for me to do so! We headed out shortly after school ended to show Tyler the sights and sounds of our favorite place...Walt Disney World! Grandpa and Mimi drove to FL and got our condo all ready for our arrival. I flew with the kids on Saturday and they were both wonderful on the trip. The plane wasn't full, so we had an extra seat for Monkey Pants to move around a bit.

Once in Orlando, we checked out the fantastic digs that Mimi & Grandpa had found...it turned out to be an amazing condo complex just minutes from Disney. It had an awesome park with a lawn chess set (which Jack LOVED) and a spectacular zero-entry pool with a toddler fountain area. Both kids enjoyed the surroundings at the condo. And he slept so well there! The condo had a pack n play and Tyler slept in my room with me. He slept just as well as he does at home. What a great traveler!

Disney was perfect, as usual. We took Tyler to the Magic Kingdom, where the boys both got a new set of Mouse Ears. This was Tyler's first pair and they are adorable!!!

The boys enjoyed riding in a double stroller together...it was so cute!!

It was really hot!!! Summer has come early to Florida. Tyler was really good about it all, even in the heat and without stopping for a nap!

I LOVED watching Tyler interact with the characters at the Winnie the Pooh lunch buffet at the Crystal Palace. He wasn't afraid at all and tried to kiss Pooh on the nose!!

Tyler enjoyed several of the rides. Jack really enjoyed sharing his love of Disney with his brother. We spent time in EPCOT and Hollywood Studios as well. It was ALL FUN!!!

One day during our stay we went to Melbourne to see Jack's doctor. After our visit there, we headed out to the beach for a picnic and some fun in the sun. The boys were cute together playing in the sand. Jack ran up and down the beach in and out of the waves while Tyler took a more timid approach, keeping a (small) distance from the water. It was a wonderful day.

Our last day in Florida we went to the Contemporary Hotel to have lunch and watch the monorail go through the building, which is a cool sight to see!

Then we headed to the airport and back to Nashville to see our hardworking Daddy!!! It was a great vacation and a great beginning of what is sure to be a fun summer!

Bye Disney! We can't wait to come back again soon!!!

Sprinkled with Sweetness

2009-06-10T22:43:00.000-07:00

If you didn't happen to drive by this afternoon, you missed seeing our boys playing in the sprinkler. It was a blast for both boys. Here's a little taste of our fun. If you happen to drive by on another day and see us out there, feel free to stop by or honk!

Tyler LOVES LOVES LOVES this car. I picked it up off of Craigslist and he is oh so glad that I did!!! It isn't easy getting him to park his car in the garage after a "drive".

A Family Tradition...

2009-06-06T21:25:00.000-07:00

Tradition. An inherited pattern of thought or action. Licking the beater after Mom makes icing? Well, that's a tradition that spans both the Halbert and Quist families. Scott remembers getting to lick both beaters after his mom's yummy pound cake. He says that batter was just as good as icing! And at our house, thre were 3 of us fighting for the two beaters full of icing...me, my brother David, and DAD!! He LOVES icing as much as we do!

This week our boys got to experience this tradition for the first time together. After making some icing for a cupcake for Jack to take to a birthday party, I gave each of the boys a beater full of icing. They were happy, quiet and still. Jack was reluctant to give up the empty beater and Tyler actually cried! Grandpa was proud that they had experienced this right of passage together...

Do you like it, Tyler??

Finger lickin' good!

Delicious!! Can we have some more!?

Leavin' On a Jet Plane - WISH ME LUCK!!!!

2009-05-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

It is nearly "go" time and I'm getting a wee bit nervous. The kids and I are headed to a fun filled vacation to Disney World tomorrow. And that is FANTASTIC. My parents will be vacationing with us, and that is also FANTASTIC. However, I have to take both kids on the plane alone tomorrow in order to experience said awesome vacation. Oh, and I need to bring them both home alone on the plane too. Not so FANTASTIC.

Jack is a veteran air traveler. Has been flying to FL and various other states (CA, MA, IL to name a few) since he was a tot. He's a pro.

It isn't my eldest that has me concerned. It is my energizer bunny of a toddler! Whew, this little guy keeps me on my toes! See where he likes to hang out???

Good thing he's so cute!

I'm not sure how we are going to convince him that lap sitting for 1.5 hours on a plane is a good idea. Yes, I know the benadryl trick, but I'm not going to try it. Not my style. He'll most likely eat his weight in dry snacks and pummel his brother and me by standing and catapulting from seat to seat. Sure, he's flown before, twice to be exact. And he did great. But as you can see below, those were different, more contained, times.

Here are a few pictures from our last jaunt to Disney. We had a great time in CA at Disneyland in November. Tyler was 10 months old and understood his "job" of sitting in the stroller.

We didn't have to carry him too often and he even napped in the stroller when he got tired!

I'm sure it will be an adventure that will leave us with some good "Tenacious Toddler Tyler" stories!

Regardless, we plan on having an awesome time at our favorite stomping grounds. Jack is ready to show Tyler the ropes of his most favorite vacation place of all time! I hope the park is ready for US!!!!

"See" ya when we get back!!!

There's No Place I'd Rather Be (Than Outside)

2009-05-13T18:50:00.001-07:00

Toddler Tuesday

2009-05-05T22:19:00.001-07:00

Spending a little time in Tyler's favorite place, the Outdoors...

Meeting Cousin Preston

2009-05-03T22:07:00.001-07:00

The boys and I headed to Birmingham for a long overdue visit to Meemaw's house. Tyler tried to say "Meemaw" but it came out more like "EENAH". We'll take it, though!

Cousin Lindsey came over on Friday to visit and brought her sweet 10 week old baby, Preston, for us all to meet. Tyler kept wanting to pat Preston's head and would push Meemaw's hand away as she tried to shield Preston from all the overzealous lovin' that Tyler was giving!

Before Lindsey and Preston left, the boys took turns, literally, kissing Preston's head. I'm not sure that Preston enjoyed it whatsoever, but our two had a fantastic time showering their 2nd cousin with affection.

Sweet baby Preston...he's such a cutie!!! Congratulations, Lindsey and Brad!

We can't wait for the holidays this year! With Tyler, Logan and Preston in the mix, family events are bound to be a lot more interesting!

2009-04-30T19:26:00.001-07:00

Watching my 2 boys spending time together each evening after dinner is enchanting. Tyler adores his big brother and Jack loves to make crazy sounds and gestures to get Tyler laughing. They even attempt to play the Wii together. There's a lot of love around here. And I never grow tired of watching them interact together. We are blessed, for sure.

Open...and much more

2009-04-28T20:11:00.001-07:00

Tyler signing open

Tyler turned 15 months old yesterday. In light of this milestone, I thought I'd make a list of all the words and signs that Tyler has at this point. We're thrilled with his language development and it's nice to see how long this list is!!

Spontaneous Words:
bath
up
ice
cookie
dog
stuck
bye bye
choo choo (train)
Mama
Dada
Jack
nite nite
Grandpa
Mimi
duck
woof woof
vroom vroom (car)
ball
hot (my coffee)

Signs He Uses in lieu of Words
eat
water
milk
more
all done
open
french fry
change diaper
cookie
cracker
nods yes
bird
ball (signs as he says it)

He also shrugs and raises his arms to say "where is xxx?" So cute! Way to go, Tyler!!!

And so it goes...

2009-04-23T19:13:00.001-07:00

Tyler and I hit the trail in search of some good photography practice. The trail consisted of a short walk around our house but it was fun, nonetheless. 32 pictures, 3 were keepers. Sounds about right, don't ya think? Why is it so hard to delete the other mediocre 29?

The 3 that made the cut (and one adorable little subject, if I do say so myself) are featured below for your viewing pleasure!

We are thrilled that Spring is officially upon us but concerned that if we blink we might miss it entirely! It was 81 today and we were sweating as we walked around the elementary school waiting for big brother's dismissal. We are both excited that in just 4 weeks from today we'll be celebrating Jack's last day of school and he'll be home with us all day to play!! I'm not sure who's more excited...Mommy or Tyler!! Perhaps Jack is the most excited of all!

A Monkey's Uncle

2009-04-17T21:45:00.000-07:00

Uncle David has come to Nashville for a visit. We are all so glad he's here. While Jack was in school, Tyler got to spend some quality time with his Uncle. And a great time they had!

and here's the monkey himself:

Have a safe trip back home, Uncle David. We sure will miss you!!! Perhaps the next time you visit Tyler will still be performing his new trick that you taught him of pulling up his shirt and patting his belly....we all thank you for that one.

Come back soon!!!

...and one last picture added from Saturday at Grandpa's birthday party:

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Birthday, Big Brother!

2009-04-08T22:20:00.000-07:00

Here Comes Peter Cottontail...Easter's On Its Way!

2009-04-04T20:54:00.000-07:00

This morning Tyler got his first taste of an Egg Hunt. Big Brother Jack and Mommy took Tyler to church for our annual Easter Egg Hunt. Jack was all ready to show Tyler how its done but, in the end, went off in search of his own eggs! Tyler participated in the 'toddler' area, which proved to be just his speed. It was a gorgeous day and we all enjoyed the hunt and lunch that followed!

Monkey See, Monkey Do

2009-04-02T10:08:00.000-07:00

Tyler likes to explore. A lot. Take your eyes off of him for just a second and you'll be surprised how much trouble he can get into. Grandpa came over today and was hanging a picture. I turned away for 5 seconds and found this...

Grandpa thought it was great and encouraged further climbing.

I'm wondering how long it will be before we have to teach Jack how to get to his top bunk without his ladder? So far, we've managed to catch Tyler anytime he's climbing up brother's bed ladder...but he's a quick little thing!

Wordless Wednesday: First time at the Water Table

2009-03-31T21:25:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wednesday: Dining Al Fresco

2009-03-18T20:07:00.000-07:00

Welcome Spring...won't you stay for a while?

2009-03-16T21:23:00.000-07:00

Smash That Cake!!!!!!!

2009-03-09T20:21:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to brush up on my photography skills in my spare time. I was really looking forward to this: Tyler's smash cake session! He loved the cake soooo much! As you can see, there wasn't anything left. He's gonna fit in well in this family!!!

Wordless Wednesday: When the Cat's Away...

2009-03-04T08:42:00.001-08:00

I wanna be....just like my big brother!

2009-03-01T18:45:00.001-08:00

Tyler has the benefit of being the younger brother. He has access (legal or otherwise) to lots of toys designed for kids 2 and 3 times his age! Jack had an amazing love, way back when, with trains. There are several sets still around, though Jack has essentially grown up and lost interest in them. Tyler has already begun to play with the Thomas wooden railway and today he spent a few supervised minutes with the GeoTrax set. While he was entranced by the powerful locomotive rounding the curves, he was frustrated that his wee little uncoordinated hands were unable to properly place the train on the track. I'm sure, with his determination, it won't take long to master this skill. Until then, we'll have to suffer through a few tears! All in all it was a fun experience playing with big brother's trains!

Uh oh....get out the parenting manual!!!

2009-02-28T07:24:00.000-08:00

13 months old today...and now the tough work begins. The first year he was all cute, cuddly and adorable. Now we're hearing the call to be true parents. It was fun while it lasted...see for yourself. And this was on the FIRST day. It got worse on day 2...with Mommy as the victim that time. So far, Tyler is not responding to any form of discipline, traditional or otherwise. We'll gladly accept any suggestions!!!

Bare Feet

2009-02-22T19:11:00.000-08:00

Like his Mommy, Tyler prefers his feet naked at all times. I, for one, can't blame the boy!

Living the Beach Life in February

2009-02-20T19:47:00.001-08:00

We had a few warm days recently and Tyler got his first taste of the sandbox (a wee bit literally.) He LOVED it!!! Now he points to the deck to go outside even on cold days!!

Just A Few More...I Couldn't Resist!

2009-02-03T22:20:00.001-08:00

Just thought I'd share a few more pictures. I love them all!

Now to see if I can lucky enough to have both my boys in the same picture together??? Stay tuned...

Tyler's 1 year Photo Shoot (by Mommy)

2009-01-30T09:51:00.000-08:00

Tyler was a great model yesterday (since he's a big boy now) and let Mommy take a few pictures of him as he turned 1 year old! Here are a few of our favorites:

Happy Birthday, Sweet Little Tyler!

2009-01-28T18:56:00.000-08:00

Today marked Tyler's official leap into toddlerhood. He's 1. No longer a baby, and certainly not a little boy, he's come a long way these past 12 months. Here are a few moments that made this year so amazing...

One month old. He slept so much and was an easy baby!

2 months and his smile was adorable!

At 4 months Tyler had a procedure to check his airway. He got "tagged" at Vandy.

My first personal photo shoot! I took lots of pictures and got this keeper!

Mother's Day. Tyler is 4 months old:

School's out! Jack is LOVING being a big brother:

Who would've thought a Pack N Play bassinet could hold a baby and a 6 year old?

5 months. Father's Day:

Summertime. Loving visits to Mimi and Grandpa's house, our Boston friends and Meemaw's, swimming, and hanging out:

Fifth's Disease:

5 months and almost sitting, first airplane ride:

6 months...sitting alone!

Has his first girlfriend at Sunday School:

7 months: Making new friends and his first tooth. During this month he begins to stand and crawl, too!!

More teeth arrive and Tyler has his 2nd photo shoot at Frogs and Fairies photography.

Goodbye summer!

October finds us with a little pumpkin of our own! He made an adorable lion for Halloween!

We took a fun day trip to Chattanooga to catch up with some of our February 08 baby friends:

Fall was a busy time for Tyler, as he was constantly on the move! In November, our 10 month old enjoyed playing in the leaves and an amazing trip to California.

At 11 months old, December was a fun time of year. Tyler got to experience snow and has become a mischievous little boy!

Christmas and Santa (no tears this year!):

January...we head into the home stretch of this first year with our 11 month old. Our little guy is walking with a walker, standing without holding on, beginning to talk with a handful of consistent approximations, and even gingerly takes a step or two from time to time.

Today we say "Happy Birthday" sweet angel baby. Our world wouldn't be near as rich without you in it. We love you!

He's 50 and counting!!! (weeks, that is)

2009-01-15T22:23:00.000-08:00

Just 2 weeks away from Tyler's birthday, here are a few photos of the sweet boy before he officially becomes a 1 year old toddler. He's grown so much over these last 11 months! What a great ride it has been. He has been an utter joy to us all!

I've been attempting to work on my photography skills. However, I've got one older boy that strongly dislikes to have his picture taken and a little one that won't sit still long enough for Mommy to focus! I may soon have to resort to taking pictures of the dog. Tyler enjoyed playing with the telephone and put it up to his ear and said "Bah oh" into it. Wonder if he'll end up as talkative as his Mommy and brother???

And the keeper:

That makes it all worth it!!

So BIG!!!

2009-01-11T17:50:00.001-08:00

Wow, things are progressing quickly around here as we head down the home stretch toward Tyler's first birthday, just a mere 17 days away! Our little guy is proud to show you how big he is by raising both hands over his head when asked "How big is Tyler?" And now, it seems, he can even do this while standing!!

Tyler got a new "toy" this weekend...a beautiful wooden walker from Mimi and Grandpa, who are encouraging my baby to become a full fledged walker before his first birthday! As part of their plan, they have provided Tyler with an awesome walking trainer that comes with a tension brake, allowing as little or as much resistance to help him have the correct speed as he learns to walk. It really works! Here he is, just moments after we opened the box! You go, Tyler!!!

Rite of Passage - I'm a Big Boy Now

2009-01-08T20:12:00.000-08:00

Today marks the end of an era. I am no longer toting a baby around town. Nope. One sweet, curious, adorable big boy is joining me on my outings. We went from this just a short time ago...

to this...

and now, much too soon, to this:

So, if you see us around town, give us a honk. But don't be surprised if I'm too misty eyed to see you, at least for the next few days.

Ho Ho Huh? Who IS that guy!?

2008-12-23T20:12:00.000-08:00

Mimi and Mommy took Tyler and Jack to see the man in the big red suit today. Surprisingly, Jack was excited to introduce his baby brother to jolly ol' Saint Nick. He planned to put a bug in Santa's ear about a Wii for himself and a playset for his brother. As one might have anticipated on December 23, there was a mad dash to get final requests in to the big guy. At 10:00 a.m., the line was already estimated at 1.5 hours wait time. Whew. Good thing we had Mimi! She met us at the mall and was able to stand in line for about 40 minutes before we arrived.

Jack enjoyed his visit with Santa very much. Tyler looked a bit like a deer in headlights, if you must know, at first. As the picture taking elf shook her squeaky ball to gain his attention, he gave a look to say "Um, I'm not sure what all this is about but, yeah, I'll look at ya." He then took his attention back to the big guy with all that hair and his eyes never left until we plucked him out of Santa's lap. We captured the moment with a few pictures of our own...and now we wait patiently for 2 more nights for him to make his appearance on our rooftop!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Our baby is becoming a...puppy?

2008-12-08T09:05:00.000-08:00

Tyler loves Colby, our family dog. Colby is less fond of Tyler, but tolerant all the same. Seems Tyler, now heavy into imitating, has taken a few tips from Colby. Here he is in action...

Now to just get a picture of Tyler loving on the dog. It is truly one of the cutest things I've seen in a long time!

Happy Monday!

Giving Thanks

2008-11-30T21:19:00.000-08:00

I'm taking a moment tonite, in the still of the late evening with both boys tucked in their beds, to give thanks. It shouldn't take a holiday to bring it to mind, but as is the season, here goes...

I give thanks to God for Scott, my provider and friend. Father to my boys...who strives daily to be the Daddy and husband he wants to be for our family. Jack and Tyler love their Daddy so much. Jack enjoys telling Daddy about his day and loves the way Daddy lets him listen to music when he tucks him in to bed. Little Tyler's face lights up like a Christmas tree when he sees his Daddy. Even without being able to yet say "I love you" his love is evident. I prayed long and hard for a Christian husband and provider for my family...and God granted my prayer request with a resounding yes.

I give thanks to Him for my beautiful children, who hold my heart. I also prayed fervently for children of my own and wondered, when I was 29 and single, if that would be a prayer that God would see fit to grant. Oh, did he do so! Jack is my ever loving, innocent angel boy. His spirit is honest and true and he loves us with great passion. I am proud to be his mom and even more proud because he can say so! He is growing up so quickly and I'm scared to blink for fear I'll miss a single moment! And Tyler, my sweet, smiling bundle of joy. How grateful I am that he has joined us and completed our family. He has brought renewed hope, healing and joy to all of our hearts. Most of all, he is a powerful force for Jack. We are blessed with the changes we have seen in Jack just since Tyler has arrived. He puts a smile on all of our faces. I can't wait to see what an amazing boy he will soon become as well!

I give thanks to my God for the relationship I have with my family. My parents, my brother and my mother in law. God has granted me wonderful people to call family. How lucky for me to have been placed, by God's own hand, into such a loving, caring and nurturing family as an adopted child. I am blessed beyond measure. And to spend almost every day with my parents this past year has been an enormous blessing that I could never even have imagined. I am so grateful for their decision to move to be near us and to be such a vital part in their grandchildren's lives.

I give thanks to God for my friends, both near and far. I have an amazing group of women that I can honestly call my friends. I am proud to call each one of them "friend" and rest in the comfort of knowing that they would rush to my aid, should I need it.

I am so grateful for this blessed life I am living. There have been many bumps in this road, but life is full of unexpected turns. I'm coming to understand that. Who wants to eat vanilla every day of the year? I know that my life experiences have shaped me into who I am today, in both negative and positive ways. I am constantly striving to be the woman that God intends for me to be...wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, advocate, contact person for help, volunteer at church and school. I enjoy the crazy, sometimes hectic place that I am in at this moment...and pray that God finds favor with it too.

Happy Thanksgiving. Give thanks for all that you have. Today and every day.

Brotherly Love

2008-11-16T18:28:00.000-08:00

There's a love affair going on at the Halbert house...it seems the boys have already found their favorite person to be with is each other. Jack tells me repeatedly how much he loves Tyler and pushes us all aside to rush to greet him after they've been apart. Tyler gives Jack the biggest belly laughs and is constantly on the move to wherever Jack is playing. We hear "aaaah?" "aaaah!" yelled loudly when Tyler is searching for Jack. We are pretty sure he's calling for him... here's a little bit of what love looks like here between our two brothers.

One sunny afternoon in the driveway...

Playing miniature golf for the first time...

Tyler watching his big brother in a bouncy house...

A recent mode of transportation for Tyler (one he isn't all that fond of)...

A day at the park...

Jack helping Tyler enjoy the leaf pile...

A personal favorite of mine...

There is nothing love cannot face;
There is no limit to its faith, hope, and endurance.
In a word, there are three things that last forever:
Faith, hope, and love;
But the greatest of them all is love.

from 1 Corinthians 13

Hope you have a Roarin' Good Time this Halloween

2008-10-31T08:30:00.000-07:00

...from our house to yours!

Tyler's Day Out WithOUT Mommy

2008-10-28T20:52:00.000-07:00

by Tyler Halbert

Today was Big Brother Jack's first field trip. Mommy wanted to go with Jack to the Pumpkin Patch. Normally, Mimi and Grandpa would watch me but they are in Gatlinburg for a church retreat. So Mommy called her sweet friend, Ms. Amy, from our church to have me over for the day.

I got there at 8:00 and met Bennett and his big brother, Nolan. We had a blast all day! Ms. Amy took great care of me. I was such a good boy. I even took a 45 minute nap for her, just to prove how sweet I am. Boy, Mommy was surprised at that one! The boys were so much fun to play with and they made me laugh a lot!

Before I knew it, my playtime was over and Mommy and Jack came to pick me up. I really wasn't in any hurry to leave because they had cool toys and books that I had never played with before! But it was time to go, so we packed up and headed home.

Jack and Mommy had a great time on Jack's first big school field trip. And my big brother promised me that he'll make a Jack-O-Lantern for me out of the pumpkin he got at the pumpkin patch! I can't wait to see it!

Here are a few pictures from our big day. Thanks, Ms. Amy and my new friends, Nolan and Bennett!! I had a great time! I hope we can play again soon!

Here's the face I made at Mommy when she arrived. I was hoping she would have stayed at the field trip a little longer!

Here are a few pictures of Jack on his field trip to the Honeysuckle Hill Pumpkin Patch! I can't wait to go to big school! It looks like fun!

Checking off the baby to do list!

2008-10-21T19:43:00.000-07:00

Tyler is 8 months old now and boy, has he been busy! Here's the latest, just in case it has been a few months since you've seen him...

* standing in his crib

* crawling EVERYWHERE

* babbling "ba" and "da"

* signing "more" and "milk"

* eating small diced fruit

* has 5 teeth!

* noticing his Mommy leaving the room (and not liking it)

* standing everywhere...sit to stand to sit

* clapping

* waving

* drinks from a straw

but he does NOT sleep through the night! No one seems to mind the last one too much except for his Mommy!

Happy Fall!

2008-10-04T20:43:00.000-07:00

Jack was quick to point out, on September 22, that Fall was officially here! Yay for our favorite time of year in Tennessee!! Crisp mornings, warm afternoons and beautiful clear blue skies! Makes up for those steamy hot August days, I suppose. As we took a walk on Sunday evening, we noticed a few of the early 'turners' already at work...the Bradford Pears were golden and even crimson (go Tide!). So, in the spirit of the season, Fall picture taking has begun. This season, Tyler is the ever ready subject, eager to go wherever Mommy takes him. He poses well, unless placed near grass or leaves, all of which he has deemed as edible!

So from the Halberts to your home, Happy Fall!

Frogs and Faeries Photo Shoot #2

2008-09-30T21:29:00.000-07:00

My sweet friend, Heather, is an awesome photographer. She took some pictures of Tyler in August. I thought I'd share a few of my favorites, though it is so hard to choose! Tyler was not the cheeriest of fellows that day, as he was teething. We really had to work for the few smiles that we did get! As he's still teething 6 weeks later, I suppose she captured what is the "norm" for now. If you are interested in her work, check out her blog (link on the right side of the page) or go to www.frogsandfaeriesphotography.com.

Muaahaaahaaa!

2008-09-16T21:42:00.000-07:00

- that's vampire for Ha Ha Ha. We are brushing up on our vampirese as it seems we may have a little vampire in our midst and we'd like to be able to converse with him. He's about 2.5 feet tall, has very little hair and the sweetest (umm, I mean scariest) little grin you've ever seen!

Yes, Tyler is getting some teeth! Not exactly the ones you'd expect, but we are under the assumption that all teeth are good ones and there are no hard and fast rules for tooth rearing. Take a look at the top row...you just don't see that every day.

And there's one lone tooth standing on the bottom, just right of center. No friendly toothmate to the left yet. We are left wondering if Tyler's gonna be one of those kids who does everything his own way. If the teeth are any indication, we are in for some interesting times!!!

Put it all together and you get one sugary sweet smile sure to melt your heart...don't believe me? Come on over and see for yourself!

Babble Babble Babble Babble Babble

2008-09-02T20:48:00.001-07:00

Tyler just turned 7 months old...and he's started babbling. He's one happy baby!

6 month old Tyler

2008-08-20T21:10:00.001-07:00

Sweet baby boy!

Happy Baby!!

I say this each month but WOW, time is moving so quickly. And Tyler, to quote Mimi, is changing. He's sitting like a champ and curious about everything around him. Someone comes in the room? He's whipping his head around to see who it is. He's too nosy to eat in a busy place. He's too nosy to nap with anything going on. He can be totally asleep in your arms, but put him down in his crib and those eyes pop open and he's wiggling around everywhere! Naps are lasting 45 minutes at the most, and there was a tooth that caused us all some serious grief at night!! Weighing in at over 17 lbs. and 26.5 inches, he is your average sized baby, measuring a little smaller than his big brother at the same age. And he's a doll!

The tooth finally popped through this week and sleep has been easier. He's dropped an evening feeding this week as a result and Mommy is getting some much needed sleep! It's hard for a mommy to be at her best when she's up every 3 hours all night long!

And we've started solids now that he's 6 months old. We've been battling some lion-sized tummy troubles, so slow is the method of choice. Tyler is very excited about it and so far has enjoyed everything he's tried! We started with avocado and banana, with great success. Sweet potatoes didn't seem to sit well, so they are back on hold and pears are in the current rotation. Mommy is enjoying making baby food again.

Tyler is started to show some stranger anxiety. Yesterday Mimi and I took him to have his picture taken by a photographer friend and he was a bit overwhelmed by it all. We had to work a little to get those smiles! Of course, as soon as we got in the car, he looked over at Mimi and gave her the biggest grin! And today my sweet friend came over to see him and he started to pout and actually turned and put his arms out to me! May not be too much freedom in sight for Mommy for a while. For a short time you can check out those pictures at www.frogsandfaeriesphotography.blogspot.com. The title of the preview is "Mr. T."

Mommy took some adorable pictures of the boys together this weekend. It was Jack's idea, actually. Of course, it might have been easier to take a picture of a litter of kittens, as much as they were moving and jostling about! Here are the keepers of the bunch.

Speaking of moving about, the photographer's son is just 2 days younger than Tyler and is already crawling. Mommy and Daddy are NOT ready for a mobile infant just yet! Thankfully, he's not showing much readiness in that department just yet. But I'm sure it is just around the corner!

Here are a few other favorites from the month:

That's a great ride! Tyler and his Daddy.

These two guys never get tired of each other!

Tyler's first salad? Mmmm. Thanks, Carney and Faye for the gorgeous backdrop!

Swimming and Peek A Boo

2008-08-04T19:54:00.001-07:00

Today was truly one of the great days of summer. We woke to the squeals of little boys, as everyone ended up in our bed by 7:00a, boys playing together between Mom and Dad. It is so cute that they love each other so much already. We packed up and headed to our friend Trina's beautiful, chlorine-free pool, where we met Mimi and had a great morning swimming. Tyler went under one time (planned) and seemed ok with it and Jack really pushed his comfort zone boundaries and swam without any additional floatation devices! He even walked around in the 3 ft. shallow end by the day's end! Other than the 96 degree temp, it was a perfect day! Thanks, Trina!

Jack freestyle in the boat!

Keller and Jack

Jack and his swimming instructor, Mimi!

Mommy and her two boys

Tyler kickin' it in the kiddie boat

Jack jumping off of Mimi

Break time. Napping in the shade.

This afternoon we lounged around the house, the boys took baths and we played. Tyler created a new style of Peek A Boo, where there is more fun while hiding than actually popping out. It was adorable! And later in the day, after I shot this video, I found him in the pack and play giggling to himself, hiding under a blanket. He's one funny little guy!

In his high chair..."I'm ready to eat!"

First Bath Together!

2008-07-26T21:56:00.000-07:00

Jack has been waiting for this moment for quite some time...he was finally able to take a bath with his little brother. Tyler has been sitting well for a week or so now, so we brought out the tub seat and they celebrated this monumental achievement in style! What better way to spend a Saturday afternoon? We sure couldn't think of any! Tyler enjoyed it, as did Jack. I'm not sure who had the better time! Tyler was smiling and splashing and Jack enjoyed "teaching" Tyler all about the big bath tub. Here's a peek at our special day...

Five Month Old Tyler

2008-07-22T21:35:00.000-07:00

Tyler is almost 6 months old now. How did he get so big so fast? This past month he's started sitting, blowing raspberries, turning to voices, following all of us around the room (with his eyes), sleeping more consistently at night (note I did not say THROUGH the night), flown on a plane, traveled on his first vacation, drank from a cup and more. It all happens so fast.

Here are a couple of pictures from this month. Where did that little baby go???

5 month photo shoot

4th of July (he stayed in at Mimi's house)

First Vacation/Plane Ride to Massachusetts

Mastering Sitting!

Tyler's First Date

2008-07-17T08:55:00.001-07:00

I know my friends in the South will be disheartened to know that Tyler's first date was with a Yankee girl from Boston, but so it goes. MY family will be proud! We traveled to Boston this week and I was able to catch up with my BBC friend, Amy, and her cute as pie baby girl, Zoe. Zoe and Tyler are 2 weeks apart in age. The 'date' was adorable and we moms had a great time too!
More on our trip to Boston to come soon...but for now here's the video I made of the 2 kids.

Slurp Slurp Yum!

2008-07-09T21:09:00.001-07:00

Today Tyler had his first drink of water. It was from Mommy's glass. As you can see, he REALLY liked it! (And that's Mimi in the chair - my mom)

A Look Back (Waaaay Back)

2008-07-05T19:00:00.000-07:00

Dug out the old photo albums today. No real reason, just had some time on my hands and have been wondering lately who Tyler resembles. Literally half of the people I encounter say "He looks JUST like you!" and the other half say "Oh, he sure looks like his Daddy, don't you think?" Honestly, I think he's a great blend, just as Jack is. Parts from each in equal measure. So, I usually say "He sure looks like a Halbert!" Here's what I was able to find from each of us at about the same age...decide for yourself! Feel free to leave a comment, as I'd love to hear what you think!

Sweet baby Tyler

Jack. Awww.

Scott - what a cutie!!!

Me...being the only girl in the clan, I guess that was obvious!

Fun In The Sun

2008-06-27T22:17:00.000-07:00

Summer's here and it's time to go swimming! Tyler got to hit the pool today for the first time. He donned some shades and skivvies and impressed the ladies with his super cool look. Check him out! Overall, I'd say that he enjoyed the day. It was 93 and sunny, so we weren't out for too long. Gotta keep his skin baby smooth and burn free! Big brother Jack spent some time in the pool with his good friend, Owen, and little sis' Olivia. Thanks, guys, for the invite! We had a great time!

Coolest dude in town!! (Too bad he hated those glasses!)

Chillin' out.

Post swim. Relaxin'.

A couple pics of Jack and Owen, swimming all around the pool together and having a blast!

4 Month Old Tyler

2008-06-19T10:09:00.001-07:00

Like all new parents, we are mesmerized by our little one. We marvel at every accomplishment, and drool over benign things like his adorable-ness as he sleeps. So it goes. And, as new parents, we feel compelled to share these things with our family and friends. So, consider this a look at our extensive wallet photos, if you will. Here's a few moments with our newest pride and joy. And, note, he really is a happy baby and smiles ALL the time, but stops immediately in the face of a camera. Not sure why, but digital images of smiles are quite impossible to get, so far.

Happy Father's Day!!!

2008-06-16T21:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day, Daddy.

Jack and Tyler have a great Daddy who loves them very much. Jack loves Daddy's games of tickles, his big hugs, riding in Daddy's "fast" car, and he loves going to Daddy's softball games. (his list). Tyler, I suspect, loves to have Daddy hold him and give him big smiles and kisses.

We decided to celebrate Father's Day "weekend", so the family went bowling on Saturday...Jack's current favorite pasttime. We chose the Route 66 (mini) bowling, as the big lanes were full and on a wait. Anything goes in Route 66...as you'll see by Jack's form. It's functional but it sure ain't pretty! We then hit the arcade, where father and son tried to outplay, outwit and outlast! They even got in a game of air hockey, which Jack played pretty well! Jack claimed his prizes and we headed home via a family shopping trip to Target...our favorite Saturday stomping ground! Both boys were great for our excursion.

Here's Daddy's favorite arcade game, Pot O' Silver. You know, the one with the quarters/tokens and when one drops down you hope it pushes a bunch off the ledge into your waiting hands? Well, he's really good at it too and always gets Jack lots of tickets. He's going to have to practice before Tyler gets older. He'll need to win twice as many!

Father's Day found Mommy a little under the weather, so Daddy and Jack headed out to church in Daddy's fast car. I heard them discussing seating as they left, both agreeing on the balcony (their favorite spot!). Tyler and I hung out at home and awaited their return. We had lunch together and then I prodded all 3 boys out to the deck for some pictures. Here's a few of the great ones! What handsome men I have in my life!!!

As his gift, Daddy got his very own home version of his favorite arcade game, called Push-A-Coin. Now he can "practice" whenever he wants!

Then we headed over to celebrate Father's Day with my dad. We had a great afternoon, and Jack stayed for a sleepover. Happy Father's Day, Dad! Enjoy shopping on Ebay to stock up on supplies for your new/old hobby, stamp collecting!