Pre-Halloween

On October 30, the boys and I met Jeremy for a Halloween party at the Folkmoot Center in Waynesville. It was a little too sophisticated for the boys - we weren't there five minutes before leaving to get Bojangles for dinner - but they loved hanging out at Daddy's office before hand - and meeting Ms. Denise's dog, Valor.

Also, here is a video of Farmer Jones playing his harmonica and then sticking in the wrong "pocket." You're welcome.

Photos of Frederick

Here are some pictures of my favorite Freddie Bear, as well as a video in which you can see how he's gotten confused by all of Jones's birthday celebrations!

(Obviously, Freddie's not even TWO yet, but since he's a LOT more "two" than he is "one," I'm just going with it.)

Freddie LOVES his daddy's new car,
which he calls "MY car."

Happy Anniversary to Daddy & Mama!

For our fourth anniversary, Jeremy and I went to Linville, NC, to spend a nite at the Eseeola Lodge, known better to Jeremy as a place where Bobby Jones spent many of his summers (so where else WOULD we go?!?). Jeremy tried to surprise me with the trip. Little did we know how hard it is to surprise a super sleuth like me. 

Though Jones's birthday celebrations meant we celebrated the weekend AFTER our anniversary, it was an amazing weekend at an amazing place. The leaves were pretty much at peak color, and the weather was picture perfect - cool enough to need a sweater but not cold and coat-worthy. It just felt like a textbook "fall" 24 hours. 

As we drove around the Linville Golf Club - where Jeremy played his first round in 18 months - I thought to myself, "I am SO thankful we got married in the fall, because every year that we celebrate, it will look like this outside."

I am also so thankful that Jeremy has a taste for the finer things; I tease him all the time about having "Sea Island taste and a Myrtle Beach budget," but he has taken me - who'd been to a lot of amazing places (thanks, Mom & Daddy!) - to some of the best spots I've ever seen. 

The Eseeola Lodge is definitely among them. The dinner, for one thing, was one of the top five dining experiences I've ever had. It may actually be top two. Plus, it was fun to HAVE to get dressed up for the first time - maybe since our wedding. 

And the macaroons ...

Let's just say we accidentally spent $40 on 9 cookies. Here's how it happened: at dinner, the people at the table across from us were eating something for dessert that we didn't recognize. We went from thinking it was bread to thinking it was hummus, so we asked our waitress, who told us it was a macaroon, which is one of the things they're known for. Did we want one? OF COURSE. 

Meals were included in the room rate, so we were definitely up for getting our money's worth. She gave us one to take back to our room. The plan was to eat it in the morning. Of course, that didn't happen. When he took the first bite, Jeremy said, "My mom would love this," so at breakfast the next morning, he asked if there were any macaroons left. That meal was the last service of the season for the Eseeola, so we thought they may be trying to unload them, anyway. Plus, if they were free the nite before, why wouldn't they be the next morning?

The maitre'd asked how many we wanted. Jeremy just guessed, "Four." Minutes later, the maitre'd brought out a box, and we headed back to our room. On the way, we stopped to settle up at the front desk. Jeremy reviewed the bill and asked about a $25 in-room dining charge; the girl behind the desk sweetly said, "That's for the macaroons you just ordered."

Say WHAAAA?????

At that point, though, what can you do? So he signed the ticket, and we headed to the golf course. We ate lunch after the 11th hole. They asked if I wanted any macaroons with my egg salad sandwich, adding that they were cheaper there ($3, instead of $6.25!) than anywhere else on property, so Jeremy decided to buy the five that they had remaining, and that's how we headed home with $40 worth of 9 cookies, which, I'll have you know, his mother DID love. 

After all she's done for us, it's the least we could do for her!

Neither one of us can wait to go back. In fact, we're eyeing a trip this spring. We will know, however, that if we want to takeaway macaroons, we should order them at dinner.

the Last of Jones's 3rd Birthday Celebrations

This is a double-doozie cookie cake from Sam's.
I think they'll serve these in Heaven.

Until Freddie was born, all three of my parents' grandsons shared the same October birthweek. Jones's is the 16th; Camden's is the 19th, and Payton's is the 23rd. We decided to combine their birthday celebrations this year with cookie cake at our place.

I honestly can't believe how big
a hit this $20 Walgreens drumset has been.

For some reason, Jones got very nervous about
blowing out the candles on the cake.

When Payton blew them out,
Jones patted him on the back and said,
"Good job, Bobo!" 

Tacky tank tops are among Camden's
favorite things, so I got him this one for his birthday,
in case he needed something dressy
for his upcoming Homecoming dance. 

Jones was VERY excited about
that Bullseye that his Aunt SeaSea got him.
Later that nite, we went to the Pressleys',
and Bullseye was the one toy
he asked to take with him!

This police car from Mayme and Pop
is pretty awesome, especially
when it's rollin' on harvest gold linoleum!

Jones could NOT figure out what I meant by "press the forward
arrow," so he kept pushing the backward, making the
car crash every single time.

Sissy had just told Payton to quit throwing the Nerf-y football
in our den when I said, "There is nothing in this den that he
can hurt." Like those who said the Titanic couldn't sink,
I was wrong. The next time Payton threw it,
the football hit Jones's drumkit at the one spot where it COULD
be hurt, so that meant buying another set - which is good,
because now, both boys have one!

In addition to "the Hot Dog Song,"
Jones can ALSO play the theme song
to "Special Agent OSO."

After I explained to Jones what thank
you notes are, I asked him to draw a
picture on each card. He took the pen
and traced the roadway that's around
the edges. Boys.

The boys are OBSESSED with the
fire truck tent Jones got from his Nan
and Pop. They especially love eating
in there.