It's Fall Y'all

We love this time of year!  Tennessee Football, Friday Night Lights, camping, bonfires, back porch rocking, hoodies, new episodes of our fave shows coming on,  and the list can just keep on going!  I guess this time of year can be bittersweet because I am the first to welcome and love summer, but I do love fall too!  Summer seems like a blur to me at this point, so I am looking forward to enjoying every aspect of fall!  

We had a great fall weekend.  Emma, Maylee, and Becca went to see Disney on Ice with Grandmamma and Lynsey Saturday morning.  Saturday night was CAMPING NIGHT!  Dan setup the campsite on the edge of the woods in our backyard.  Yes, we have our own "Camp Samples" happening here on Legends Drive!  We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows.  The girls told "ghost" stories.  It was one of those moments that I so wish I had recorded them with my phone.  Dan and the girls finished the night by sleeping in the tent.  Jack and I stayed in the house!  Plus, I got to catch the end of the TN game and then do some R & R with a good book.  Hmmm... I love camping nights at Camp Samples.  :) 

All smiles!

Still smiling

Snow Cones!  First thing the girls had to get at Disney on Ice!

Yummy!

Excited Girls!

Cinderella 

Jack  heading to the campsite!  It was too dark to get pics outside, so this is the only one we captured!  

We took this same picture almost a year ago.  WOW - what a difference a year makes!

Little brother looking so big!  We decided to call him BEAR!  :) 

Jack is 12 Weeks Old

Jack is Rolling!

September 12, 2012 - Jack rolled over at 11 1/2 weeks!  Maylee and I were on our way home from her gymnastics class when Daddy called to let us know that Jack rolled over for the first time!  He was able to catch the last part of the act in a picture.  Of course, we have been trying to get him to do it again and he won't, but I am sure he will do it again soon.  And it won't be long and I have a feeling he is going to be all over the place!  

Photo Catch Up

Happy Monday!  We had a great week and weekend.  The following is our last two weeks in pictures!

Promotion Sunday at DHBC 2012 

Silly Faces


More Snapshots....

The girls had a "slumber party" Saturday night.  Jack decided to crash the party.  I am sure this will be the first of many times he does this to his big sisters.  

* For some reason, I cannot add captions to the pics tonight.  It is moving the pictures when I try, so I will try again tomorrow night.  

Back to Reality

I returned to work last Monday, so that would be the reason behind today's post title.  It was such a bittersweet day.  I was so sad to leave Jack at home, but I was so excited to get back to school.  Thank goodness for my sweet cousin, Lynsey.  She is coming to our house to keep Jack each day.  This made it so much easier to leave him.  The day did fly by for me.  I was so busy trying to get out and about to see all of the sweet students and awesome teachers.  Plus, it was really neat to see Maylee as a "student".  It seems like she grew up over night.  I was a little nervous to see how it would be with both of us at school, but she actually acts like she does not really know me.  It was a great first week back!  

Jack McCay Samples - 8 Weeks
Lynsey sent this pic to me to make my day.  It worked!  

The Friday before I returned to work, Dan and I managed to have a date night!  We went to the Brad Paisley concert at Snowden Grove.  It was such a gorgeous night and an awesome show.  We had a great time.  It was nice to spend some time together.  

The tooth fairy has been very busy at our house!  Check out the latest pics of our toothless beauties!  :) 

I also have to share these photos I found on my phone one day after Becca was "playing" on my phone.  She is very interested in Jack's things.  She keeps up with what he has, where it is located, and the purpose of each item.  Check these out....

Swing and Car Seat 

Exersaucer

Bottle Warmer :) 

And a Self Portrait  :)

And to leave you on a SMILING NOTE.....
We hope all of you have a wonderful week!

It is all in a Nickname!

Jack is growing so much!  Lately we have been debating what his nickname will be!  One day Grandmama called him "Jack-a-roo"!  Well that just stuck with me and I have been calling him ROO!  Well Dan said NO...and he has been calling him "Haus" because our sweet baby boy LOVES to eat and has some very big cheeks at this point!  So the debate begins...

Here are some recent pics of Jack!

Jack with GiGi 

Big Sis, Emma, fed Jack!

Becca holding Jack....she is a huge help!

Grandpa holding Jack..  I think he was teaching him to say "Go VOLS".  It is almost football time!!

Mama Ann - great grandma- with Jack and Maylee.

Snoozing after a long ride home in our new "bus".  

This is why Mama gets nothing done during the day.  How can I put him down when this is such a precious site!

Since the new addition to the family, I was struggling with ROOM in our car.  One day, I literally had to put groceries on top of some of the children!  :)  So we decided to bite the bullet and go ahead and get the ultimate of SUVs....the Yukon XL.  I must admit.... I love it!  And the best part... it is NOT a van.  Seriously, the room is fabulous.  And we should be set for years as our sweet children grow!  

Maylee patiently waiting as we were getting the "Burb"! 

Dan driving our new family mobile home.  :) 

First Day of School 2012

Monday was a BIG day for Emma and Maylee.  Maylee started Kindergarten and Emma started First Grade!  Both of the girls had a fabulous first day and love their teachers.

Maylee - 1st Day of Kindergarten

Emma - 1st Day of First Grade 

Monday was such a strange day for me.  Since I am still on maternity leave, I did not want to show up at school that morning and chance not wanting to leave!  I have not missed the first day of school since I was in K myself!  It is my life....it is what I do!  With that being the case, I did not take Maylee to school on her first day.  Yes, she has been up and down the halls of Hope Sullivan since she was 2 1/2 years old.  I was just so torn since this was a milestone day for her!  I must admit, I had tears in my eyes as she pulled out of the driveway to start her life as a student.  As I sat looking at Jack, all I could think about was the moment when she was a tiny baby like him and I was facing going back to work.  I knew the day would come that she would be in school and I would be there with her.  I cannot believe that day has come so soon!!  I know all of you who are parents know exactly what I am talking about...the time just goes by so quickly.  Now we are in a new chapter of her life.  This is also a new challenge for me too.  Having her as a student at my school is a new thing too.  I just want her to have a normal life in school.  She is already so funny about me being there.  I go back to work in less than two weeks, so I am enjoying the final days at home with Jack.  And I must admit...I have a new found appreciation and respect for the stay at home parents who get their children ready each morning and to school on time.  Yes, the principal's daughter almost received a tardy this morning!  :) 

I hope all of you who are educators had a great start to the school year.  I am very excited to get back to the daily routines of school life!  

Thank you, Daddy, for taking on the craziness of the first day!  

Maylee in her K class.  

For those of you who know me very well, you will LOVE this.  Maylee said her favorite part of the day so far (as of DAY 2) is nap time!  The child has not "napped" in two years.  She must have heard my thoughts and debates about actually having nap time!  :)