the denton family

A Year in Review

2010-07-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

How sad, sad, sad to realize it has been more than a YEAR since updating this blog! Where did the time go? Between going back to work, shuffling new schedules, adding more activities and relying more and more on the ease of facebooking our way through life, the Denton Diary has fallen to the way side. So…in an effort to pull in all together and get back on the blogging wagon, here’s a highlighted version of where life has taken us in the past 365 plus days…

Summer 2009:

Got a guinea pig…Mr. Buttons

Unfortunately MB met an untimely demise at the hands, er…foot of Pavin. Guilt and therapy to follow. After the allotted grieving time, Mr. Buttons was replaced by Smalls, who though unfortunately not as friendly as his predecessor, seems to be a bit heartier.

Hot fun in the summertime continued. We enjoyed a new found love for the backyard and the kids found new ways to cool off.

We also enjoyed visits from friends and family.

Our BFF Bowers Bunch came down to SC where we continued our tradition of a Mommies/kids photo session.

Fall/Winter 2009

Summer ended rather abruptly when an unexpected opportunity to return to teaching came out of the blue. The kids and I packed up our show and took it on the road…just across the street, to Cross Schools. Here is where the blogging melt down really got bad and picture taking got even worse. Even now to post this, I’ve been forced to scramble through the blogs and online albums of my friends to fill in the Fall! (Thanks, Katie and Erin!)

A good time was had by all during the year’s Halloween festivities. Handy Manny and Snow White made several appearances…and even more since. (On a related note: the dress up closet is growing to include more and more masculine items for a little boy who loves to play right alongside his sister.)

The Dentons and Dalzells (Dizzells) found a new love of sleepovers. Our look-alike oldies and youngies are the source of much confusion as to who goes with who when we are out and about. Gracen and Emma Kate are two peas in a pod, with matching personalities (sassiness) to prove it. Pavin (Payman) and Campbell (Mambell) continue their rough and tumble play. Pavin is rough (in the most loving possible way) and Campbell usually takes a tumble.

Christmas ’09 was quite an exciting time for our family.

There was of course the world famous Bluffton Christmas Parade...

Gracen's first Children's Program at LCC...

And the Cross Schools Christmas Show...

To top it off, we spent the week previous at Disney, staying on property and making some fabulous memories in the process. An amazing time was had by all.

We traveled back through Jacksonville on the way back to SC, where we shared the Holiday with Grandma Debbie, Pa, M, Richard and Nannie.

Jan/Feb 2010

We rang in 2010 quietly at home.

We’ll as quietly as possible…

then headed back to school after the break and awaited a busy stream of fun milestones and memory making.

Gracen and Fred celebrated their Birthdays.

Freddy and I celebrated with a night away at the beach. Gracen had a horse themed day with her besties.

We had a few more sleep overs…

We took advantage of a little winter break and traveled to Indiana to see the Bowers lovely new home and play in the snow.

Spring 2010

We welcomed a fresh new season with a little daffodil picking.

Easter was terrific, relaxing and we had a great family day celebrating the grace and sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

A little trip to Jacksonville was also a welcomed break. The kids and I went to MOSH and took in the sights of the River City.

As summer approached, we had a lot of big events.

The kids had their first school Fun Run.

Gracen enjoyed playing goalie during her second season of soccer.

Jen celebrated another birthday.

And enjoyed the birthday's of others...

Pavin got a real, big boy hair cut.

Gracen graduated from Pre-K.

And got her ears pierced!

Somewhere in between…we ate some donuts.

Summer 2010

Which brings us to the present! This VERY much anticipated summer. We finished up a challenging and productive school year and headed into an extended break with much excitement on the horizon.

Gracen went to cheerleading camp and loved it! So much so, that she will be joining the HHI Upward Cheer Program in the fall. She had quite a little audience in tow for her final pep rally...

Fourth of July was a fabulous celebration. The kids and I joined Fred at Haig Point for boating, food, bounce houses and more!

Whew…so that was a year in a nutshell. Here’s to keeping a better, more accurate record in the future. Life’s tiny moments are just too brief and often forgotten not to reflect upon and share. It’s becoming painfully clear that Pavin and Gracen are growing up so quickly. We don’t want to miss or forget a thing. This blog has allowed us a little scrapbook of sorts…something Facebook statuses, just can’t compete with!

June Recap

2009-07-02T09:01:00.000-07:00

So I officially blame Facebook for my lack of blogging. It's just so much easier to post little status updates and be done with it. But, it just doesn't have the same keepsake quality that the ol' blogging does. So I'm back at it...at least in highlight form to fill in the blanks.

We've enjoyed a fun, HOT summer thus far. School, CBS and MOPS closed up shop for a bit and we have been filling our days with gym time, pool days, visits from family and friends, beach fun, camps and yummy summer treats.

Speaking of which, Pavin's ongoing, passionate relationship with food continues and the summer has ushered in a season of first loves.

Cherry Jello

Cotton Candy

Sandy/Salt Water-y Beach cupcakes...with one of his other loves...Campbell!

By now my roller derby escapades are the stuff of legends. But here's a little picture shout out with the kids on my first night of camp for the blogosphere.

Gracen finished a camp of her own this June...the Make-Believe camp at Bluffton School of Dance. Princess dress-up, crafts with 10 tons of glitter, gymnastics and snacks...capped off with a little parent performance on the last day.

She had a great time and is already begging to put on her dance shoes in the fall. Stay tuned...

Lazy summer evenings have been spent cooking out and cuddling up in the A/C reading books and watching movies. The following captures one of those nights...with the added flair of Gracen's new found love of photo editing.

We also had a fabulous visit with the Fink family. It's so wonderful to have friendships than span the miles and time and allow you to always pick-up right where you left off.

Sydney and Gracen became instant friends.

The boys showed off their goofy sides.

Our biggest celebration of the summer came last weekend to mark the 80th year of Nannie! Her surprise birthday party was a smashing success.

I am so blessed to have such a special relationship with her and am thrilled that my kids are making so many terrific memories with their great grandmother.

Oh...and one last thing...because he refused to use it as his FB profile pic, much to the dismay of his daughter, here's Freddy all "done up" by picnik.com and G! :)

Cheers to all for a happy summer and a great 4th o' July!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2009-05-08T11:23:00.000-07:00

Best birthday ever...hands down! I celebrated for a whole week...Monday prior to Monday of! Seven days of various birthday cakes, jim n nicks chocolate pies and lots of love.

One of the big highlights was a surprise shindig at Truffles with a few of my favorite lady friends. Thanks girls...especially Erin with her fake out funk! Anybody wind up with any photos?

The day of was a glorious one that strangely turned into a day filled with Ss...

Six am Spinning, Sauna, Shower, Starbucks and Scones, Spa, Spinach Souffle, Salon, Snack, Shopping, Szechwan Supper, Sweet treats! What a day!

Many, many thanks to my fabulous husband for holding down the fort at home!

Here's a photo of me with my Birthday buddy, Lalo. Doesn't he look like a smiley Sayid?

Happy Easter!

2009-05-08T11:03:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a fabulous Easter this year. We were fortunate to have 6 services to choose from at the Bluffton Campus. Fred's work schedule made the Friday evening service a perfect fit. We enjoyed fabulous worship and a terrific message. The kids and I loved it so much we headed back for a second dose on Sunday morning. How wonderful and overwhelming the sacrifice of our Lord...how exciting and freeing, His resurrection!

After a great night, the kids and I headed out to see the Easter Bunny on Saturday. Pavin gave him a high five. Gracen sat on his lap and whispered that she hoped he would bring the Thumbellina movie.

Gracen happily posed in front of the Bunny Garden.

While I was taking her picture, Pavin dove in the Bunny Garden.

Easter morning was a blur of baskets and candy. Pavin quickly learned that the camera flash was extra bright in the am.

He planned for this by squinting up his eyes in every picture there after.

Gracen wanted nothing to do with pictures at all on this particular occasion. :(

What a great celebratory weekend! Jesus is Alive! :)

April Activities

2009-05-08T10:43:00.000-07:00

In the midst of a very busy month, we managed to pack in a ton of fun filled memories along the way. Here are a few of the highlights.

Pavin is becoming quite the little ham. He'll do just about anything for a laugh...including allowing his sister to dress him up in a flower tunic and mary janes. *White lacy parasol is just out of the photo frame.

During a recent trip to Beaufort, the kids loved playing a the cutest little park down my the river. Pavin definitely enjoyed it a bit more than hot, tired Gracen. But both perked up for the hot dogs and ice cream at Southern Sweets. Yum!

G on the slide.

P braving the tunnel.

Pavin's western "find," shopping on Bay Street.

We did enjoy our share of April showers as well, forcing us to get very creative with our indoor activities.

G, Payco, Finn and Jack "camping" in Jack's room.

Another great rainy day spot is the play area at Shelter Cove.

Pavin peeking out of the Lighthouse.

Gracen riding a dolphin. :)

Of course, rain or shine...there's always room for cookies!

Pavin enjoying an orange butterfly cookie from Ronnie's Bakery.

We really do live in an amazing place with out of the way treasures and fun discoveries to be made...you just have to look. :)

M's Wedding...

2009-05-08T10:32:00.000-07:00

The much anticipated Pierce/Meeks wedding was a glowing success! It was a pleasure to plan and participate in! Both kids did a terrific job in their respective roles and Freddy did a great job keeping all in order while I was running in circles. The bride was beautiful and everything went off with out a hitch! Hooray!

Professional pictures are forthcoming, but here are a couple of cute shots of the kiddos for now.

Handsome Pavin loves the ladies!

Gracen getting all dolled up!

Many, many blessings to my sweet sister and my new brother!

March Madness

2009-03-29T12:11:00.000-07:00

March Madness is a great way to describe our month…and it has absolutely nothing to do with basketball. What a nutty, nutty time it has been. With multiple trips to Jacksonville and new spring fun added to the mix of our usually chaotic lives, these past few weeks have been a whirlwind of craziness and great memories. Thus the belated blog-post that has been both guilt ridden and jeer-induced.

Anyhoo…The kiddos are doing great, getting bigger by the minute and celebrating life as only they can…taking everything in stride and showing more of their budding personalities daily.
Pavin has busted out of his funny shoes… entertaining himself as well as others. He can really turn on the charm when it suits his needs…which are still primarily food related. He loves to dance and I’m sad to say, has a favorite (though not wholly appropriate) song. (Mute music for the full effect.)

He enjoys books, but is an extremely controlling page turner, has a very distinctive “chicklet” grin and has a growing interest in fashion.

He insists on copying everything his big sister does, which includes making up songs that are wrought with emotion but remain undecipherable as of yet. On this particular day he opted to drive a bus and serenade outlet mall passersby with what could only be described as a power ballad.

Gracen has blossomed into a full on little girl! She is taking on new challenges and responsibilities and expressing a heartwarming and often hilarious interest in Jesus. We have had some great, question filled conversations that have been such a blessing. After church today she was in her thinking mode and said with great decision that she thinks "Ursela the Sea Witch was mean and stole the Little Mermaids words because she had sin in her heart." Then she said, "I'm not afraid of her anymore. Her's just so sad." Little Beth Moore, delving into the word. :)

She and her buddy Jack are still takin’ on Bluffton one lolly-pop at a time and learning a great deal about the male/female dynamic along the way. She’s gets moody and pouts, he consoles and gives her space, then it’s off to the races again. The photo below was taken approximately 2 minutes prior to Gracen running Lightening McQueen up and over an embankment and into a tree that prohibited a further plummet into the marsh. A few tree scraps and all was well. When we pulled them out, Jack patted her on the back and said, “Don’t worry Gracen, I will drive home.”

She has also started soccer. Though not a fan of the dirt and bugs, she really seems to enjoy it so far. She celebrates EVERYTHING and consistently asks after each practice if she gets a trophy now.

In preparation for Easter, Gracen dyed her first PAAS eggs today. She had great disdain for the “stinky” smell of the vinegar , held her nose and gagged a little the whole time. But pleased with the outcome, she happily posed for a picture (after scrubbing her hands 3 times).

No more updates until after the “Big Day” of M’s wedding. I’m sure we will have lots to report…esp. regarding the beautiful flower girl and handsome ring eater/bearer.

Speaking of big days...it's been over 8 yrs now since Freddy and I tied the knot. Whoo Hoo! Thanks, Chelsea and Aunt Janie for babysitting for a fun night out to celebrate. :)

Happy Spring!

Funny Valentines

2009-02-14T20:32:00.000-08:00

Cheers! Valentine's Day '09!

4 is Fabulous...so is 30-something!

2009-02-14T19:44:00.000-08:00

Freddy and Gracen enjoyed a wonderful Beauty and the Beast themed birthday this year!

The festivities began at the ol’ Bluffton Library where Gracen was joined by some of her little classmates and buddies from church and CBS. The highlight of the day was getting her very own library card…a privilege reserved for those FOUR and up!

She was actually asked if it is okay for her parents to view her account. Seriously…they have to answer and a witness has to sign. Thank you ACLU.

Jack and Camden played on the computer. Mrs. Erin smiled, while Finny gazed lovingly at cutie-pie Mrs. Kimberly. Gracen snuggled up with Emma Kate. Pavin scavenged for crayons…which he ate.

The day was topped off by a visit from M and Nannie. We had a nice cheese pizza dinner and 2 very special cakes. Belle and the Beast!

Gracen was overjoyed with her cake and new Giselle Barbie.

What a wonderful way to celebrate two of the most terrific people in the world. Hooray for 1/26!

New Dos

2009-01-12T08:24:00.000-08:00

As promised, here are some fabulous pictures of our mommy-daughter hair cuts!

Actually this is our best impression of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty.

Gracen thought Pavin needed to be included as well. So here's Cinderella...or the lead singer of some 80's hair band...take your pick.

Gracen's hair really did turn out super cute! She enjoys her sassy new style and brushing and combing it herself in the mornings. She's turned quite independent as of late. Which is both hilarious and a little sad.

This is one of my favorite new Payco pics. Bright blue eyes, "with a caught in the act" expression.

The kids have been busy playing the wii this morning. Gracen is actually not bad at golf. But boxing is her best "sport".

She even tried to teach Pavin.

Happy Monday all around!

Pavin's First Haircut

2009-01-08T14:07:00.000-08:00

Pavin has a new girlfriend...Miss Danielle. Not because she gave him a super cute big boy (sniff, sniff) haircut, but because she kept him double fisted with Cheetos and cookies throughout the clipping. :)

He did a great job, mostly because it was just another opportunity to eat and look a pretty lady. Just a typical day for Pakes.

He lost his curls (and partial mullet) in the process and now has even less standing in his way on his road to general nuttiness. What was I thinking? Note...the tight grip on the goodies to go.

Gracen goes in for her second ever haircut tomorrow. Pictures and commentary to follow.

New Year Nuttiness...

2009-01-08T13:40:00.000-08:00

We are back in the swing of things and embracing all the fun and chaos a new year brings. The kids have enjoyed playing with all of their new stuff and getting back into the routine of school and friends again.

Here's a lovely picture of Gracen and Sleeping Beauty. She was able to purchase the princess and her bed with money she earned doing chores around the house (and secret piggy bank stuffing by Pa on his last visit.) We are most proud however of her sweet spirit and excitement about tithing her money as well.

Classic Pavin scrunchy face.

We got all rowdy and pumped up for the big Sugar Bowl game. Apparently that spirit was lost on our beloved Tide.

Payco also helped clean up the Christmas decorations this year. That is if helping means crawling in all of the boxes and belly laughing until I "found" him and pulled him out.

Here's to the post Christmas clean up and clear out! Bluffton Self Help donation center, here we come!

Terrific Times!

2008-12-28T17:54:00.000-08:00

Christmas this year definitely did not disappoint! We had a fabulous family day on the 24th, sharing a lazy morning, nice lunch and perhaps the most wonderful Christmas Eve message I've heard in a long time. We just love Lowcountry Community Church (shout out)!

Amid the flurry of Santa's visit, we began Christmas morning with a little "Happy Birthday" diddy for the Baby Jesus, complete with a celebratory candle in a strawberry muffin. A sweet moment, abruptly thwarted by Gracen yelling, "I don't like Strawberry muffins!" It was well intentioned...

Present time was the most fun to date. Pavin did exactly what we'd hoped and plunged himself on both of his "big presents"...a stuffed dog chair and "George, George the Bouncing Horse" (aka George, George the Special Donkey). He was hilarious! Gracen opened each package with the same response, "Wow! It's just what I asked for!" That "sweet baby" tops the favorite present list, followed closely by the pink guitar, Cinderella outfit and princess bike from the Grandma Debbie and Pa. They happily joined in the fun Christmas night, along with Nannie and Melissa and Richard the following day. A good time was had by all and of course Gracen said some sad goodbyes last night...Pavin waved. :)

We did a horrible job with pictures this year! Not a single family picture...and poor Fred was absent completely, as he was behind the camera the whole time. We need a little PhotoShop action for memory keeping purposes!

The slide show below gives a little glimpse into the week and captures the kids in their regular state of nuttiness.

The new blog header and music reflects a fresh start in honor of a fresh new year. We have been more than blessed with countless great memories among friends and family in 2008 and look forward to more of the same in 2009! Love to you all!

"We Wish You a Merry Christmas!"

2008-12-18T08:46:00.000-08:00

Gracen's preschool held its annual Christmas Party this morning, complete with a visit from Santa himself and a little 2/3 yr. old performance.

Gracen happily dressed in her new fancy clothes from Grandma Melody and Grandpa Fred.

Our Yo Gabba Gabba collection increased by one Foofa...

and one Plex!

By far, the highlight of the day was the combined classes singing,

"We wish you a Merry Christmas!"

(Make sure to mute the playlist in the side column to get the full effect.) :)

Ready, Set, Open!

2008-12-17T11:31:00.000-08:00

In the midst of a wonderful visit with Grandpa Fred and Grandma Melody, the kids experienced their first taste of opening Christmas presents in '08.

Gracen was thrilled to get not one but two of her beloved princess Barbies. She's now added Jasmine and Belle to her collection.

Pavin LOVED opening everything! I can't wait to see our little nut after Santa comes. If we can just stop him for attacking his sister's presents too.

Sitting on Santa's lap went very well this year. Gracen was a little timid at first, but Pavin reached right out and joined the fun.

We hope all of you are enjoying a terrific holiday season and remembering the most gracious gift of all during this special time...and always.

PS...the second new song on our playlist is a current Gracen favorite. Sorry, Mrs. Erin! :)

So thankful...

2008-11-30T06:16:00.000-08:00

for the countless blessings God has given us this year! While Thanksgiving itself was a sad combination of fevers, coughing and tissues, we did manage to down some pumpkin pie and say a heartfelt prayer of thanks for God's grace and goodness. We don't have a great deal of photos from the actual day, but here are a few leading up to...

Gracen's sweet teacher, Miss Sherry made the cutest little costumes for their school Thanksgiving party!

"I'm a Pilgrim, TaDa!"

On Wednesday, the girls attended a fabulous party at Mrs. Erin's house (while the boys stayed at home and drank Motrin and cough syrup.)

The Mayflower and Tee Pee looked great!

A grand feast was served and together we enjoyed the story of the First Thanksgiving, as well as a lovely rendition of "God Our Father" lead by Shelby and Jack.

Owen was an adorable Native American. :)

By far, Gracen's favorite part of thanksgiving was the Macy's Thanksgiving Day "Harade". She stood in front of the tv for nearly 3 hours copying everything she saw...especially the cheerleaders!

As for Pavin...he was finally feeling a bit better yesterday and had a grand ol' time playing with the "Baby Jesus Box" aka the Little People Manger Scene Box.

We pray all of you had a great holiday as well and are enjoying a terrific start to the most wonderful time of year! :)

PS...For those of you sick of hearing Sweet Home Alabama...too bad, the boys spanked Auburn yesterday! Who am I to break the streak? :)

Celebrating the Boy!

2008-11-13T09:23:00.000-08:00

The last couple of weeks have been a nutty blur of candy, sickness and chaos. The outcome? As usual, lots of great memories, good times with friends and family and some funny pictures to keep track of it all.

Since last blogging, we had a super fun Halloween night and ushered in a huge milestone...Pavin turned 1! **For "Fall Festival" details and pics, go to www.theusserys.blogspot.com

As for the big event...It's so crazy that we have already shared a year with our lovable little guy. We continue to be blessed and entertained by his sweet snuggles and emerging (ever boy like) antics. His climbing up, banging on, roaring at and ramming all that will stand still, keep us laughing and on our toes.

We celebrated several days prior with some of his little dude friends (all born within weeks of each other) as well as older siblings and a few mommies and daddies. His beloved Yo Gabba Gabba was the theme, making the DJ Lance cake my finest baking feat to date. He REALLY enjoyed a little Brobee cake of his own and totally would have eaten the entire thing if left to his own devices. Thanks to all who joined us and seriously beefed up our collection of boy toys!

A classic birthday party photo...forced smiles and sugar comas!

The happy, tired birthday boy!

The Yo Gabba Gabba theme continued on his actual birthday. Gracen insisted that he needed a Plex the Magic Robot cake. The following series of pictures shows him grabbing for the cake while we sang, the beginning of a protest as I left to divvy it out and an all out fit when I didn't return promptly. What can I say, the kid likes to eat! :)

Happy Birthday, Payco! We love you so much!

PS...while I'm not at the point of doing the "hand-jive" in my living room, I do have enough of a superstitious nature to keep playing Sweet Home Alabama, as long as the Tide's still rolling! :)

Pumpkins, take two!

2008-10-26T09:33:00.000-07:00

Our second trip to a pumpkin patch this year thankfully included Gracen too. The Hampton Lake PumpkinFest proved to be outstanding. :) Gracen picked a terrific pumpkin, while Pavin pointed at all the "balls".

Gracen even tried her hand at a little pumpkin rolling. The first pic is just before the race, the second is the instant she discovered that rolling pumpkins means mud on your hands. This invoked a very early forfeit. :(

If she wasn't havin' the mud, she certainly wasn't fond of the pumpkin guts spilled later that evening. All were pleased however with the finished (albeit very girly) product.

PS...Let the music keep playin'...the Tide's still rollin'! :)

Caution! Spoiler...

2008-10-21T12:51:00.000-07:00

I know I should wait until Halloween to post costume photos. But this was too good to wait for!

Our MOPS group had a playdate today at Cahill's. They always have the sweetest little pumpkin patch out front. The little kiddos wore their costumes and played in the pumpkins...or "balls" as Pavin kept chanting. Gracen was is school, so I'm refraining from talking about how much fun it was in front of her. But the kids were so adorable and the big ol' white lab that hangs out at the market was Pavin's best friend.

While his costume will have much more context when his sister stands along side. For now, here's a peek at the cutest fish I've ever seen. :)

Good times!

2008-10-21T12:29:00.000-07:00

Fall...cooler temperatures...fun autumn activities...the kick-off to the holiday season...the whole bit! I am beyond excited about all of the craziness and blessings that are sure to be within the next couple of months.

The kids are loving the weather these days too and have regained their appreciation for the back yard. Pavin can now happily join in on the action and is all smiles as he trudges through the grass and dirt...a concept completely lost on his sister. He is pretty close to walking, though we aren't rushing anything.

Gracen loves playing with her brother and takes her role as big sister to heart. Jealousy has been rearing its head from time to time lately, prompting a few more "watch me"s than usual...which is fine because there always seems to be something worth watching. She is really coming into her own. She's been super chatty and extra inquisitive in the last few weeks. She's doing well in school. Her teacher is lovely, patient and very "old school"...which is great.

4 under 4

2008-09-29T03:21:00.000-07:00

The concept of getting four children under the age of four to do anything remotely civilized is a frightening thought indeed. Carting four children under the age of four to a rather fancy place in coordinating outfits and attempting to capture them on camera is darn near impossible. But once again Miss Jeni (http://www.candidkids.smugmug.com/) has outdone herself. While we won't have the full photo session for another week or so, here's just a taste of the delightful memories captured when the Bowers/Denton crew combined forces...

FruitiPie

2008-09-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

After many moons and more than a dozen transformations, my new Etsy shop, FruitiPie is finally up and running! I'm adding the widget to the side of the blog so items can always be viewed, but the official address is www.fruitipie.etsy.com. Click over, stock up and tell your friends. FruitiPie is the one stop shop for all of your hair clippy needs. :)

PS...

2008-09-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

Just a little musical motivation for what is sure to be a hard fought battle this Saturday for my Bama boys! :) Roll tide!

Bring on the Fall!

2008-09-25T14:35:00.001-07:00

I am officially the biggest slacker-blogger on the planet! I just don't know where the rest of the summer went...but we are happily welcoming Fall, some cooler temperatures and a new chapter of updates. Thus the new blog theme and fresh set of tunes. :)

The kids and I are settling back into our regular routines of preschool, MOPS and CBS and the weekends are filling up quickly with lots of fun trips and special events just around the corner. Meanwhile Freddy is gearing up for one of his busiest times of the year at work. Our date planner is working overtime and looks more like a jigsaw puzzle than a calender. But we are making some great memories and learning to take joy in all the little things along the way.

Gracen and Pavin are doing great and are finding that they really love to play together (most of the time). Their favorite joint activity by far is playing with Little People. Gracen is learning to be patient, while Pavin is learning to take A LOT of direction!

Our last big bash of the summer was probably the Ussery Boy's birthday party. I didn't get any action shots of the event itself, but managed to get a great picture of Payco kicking back after we got home...with his souvenir tattoo!

More to come...

Rainy Day Fun

2008-08-13T13:59:00.000-07:00

Coming off the heels of a fever-y cold thing on Pavin's part, today's rain ushered in yet another day inside. I knew we were really gonna have to pull out all the stops in the creative activity department, lest we explode into a fiery ball of tantrums and lunacy. Here are a few of the highlights in pictures.

Pavin spent the day getting his hair styled (while Mommy was on the phone) with about 12 oz. of Vaseline and a Snow White crown. He was being serenaded, "Happy Birthday" when I made this discovery. His locks have been washed 5 times...with no end to the greasiness in sight.

With tiara happily removed, he was free to hang with his buddy Finn. Each taking turns scratching and spinning out the Baby Einstein hits.

Gracen enjoyed a fun day painting with window markers...

Snacking while crafting...

And teaching Jack Boy to slow dance in the living room. :)

Her little "prince" was hilarious and his level of concentration, admirable. Note the position of his feet, as this picture was snapped as they lunged into a waltz (of sorts).

All in all another great day with these lovely, nutty, priceless, little kiddos.

9 months of Payco, a new start for Grayco

2008-08-07T12:27:00.001-07:00

As if our house wasn't crazy enough, Pavin is now really coming into his own...crawling, diving and at times mysteriously catapulting himself into everything and anything...especially those bathed in electrical cords, food of any kind and dog hair. The last 9 months have passed in a flash and we are looking more and more into the eyes of a little boy instead of a baby. Weighing in at nearly 21 pounds and a healthy 30 inches high, he is now a force to be reckoned with. :) He is still just about the sweetest little thing on the planet and loves to cover us in wet, sloppy kisses. This photo captures a rare serene moment, curled up with Freddy on the couch.

Other times, the scene looks more like this.

My friend Maura and I used to laugh when we'd open up the One Step Ahead catalog and see helmets for infants and toddlers to wear around the house to avoid injury. Now that I have a boy, I'm beginning to understand the invention.

Gracen began her first day of real preschool today. She really enjoyed the summer program, but now it's down to business! :)

She was happy to give out goodbye smooches and thrilled that her Daddy got to drop her off.

PS...Grayco is not an official nickname for Gracen...in fact she hates it and throws a fit of protest whenever it is uttered. It just worked for the post title...so I went with it.

Arrrh!

2008-07-25T11:21:00.000-07:00

So I love this picture of Gracen because it is a really good reflection of her little personality right now. While she would have nothing to do with the pictured pirate gear for Charlie's actual pirate party earlier in the day, she insisted that it was a perfect complement to her fairy jammies 5 minutes prior to bed time. I especially love the fact that she is holding a baby doll while growling "Arrrh!" What a nut!

Things have been a little nutty in general this month, with time flying by in a particularly speedy manner. We've had a ton of fun along the way...enjoying summer school, play time with friends, church activities and more fun nights out at Berkeley Place for the weekly Headliners concert. The picture of Pavin below was taken there a couple of weeks ago. His little grin was the product of his sister shakin' it down on the dance floor with Jack. :) Check out his dimple!

4th and 8...

2008-07-07T05:52:00.000-07:00

Just a little football themed blog title to characterize a terrific 4th of July and celebration of 8 months of Pavin. :) We had a fabulous weekend with family and friends, enjoying being free!

The festivities actually kicked off on Thursday, as we enjoyed a day off with Freddy and Gracen headed off to her "Red, White and Blue Party" at school.

On Friday, Mom and Daddy came up to hang out with me and the kids. Freddy unfortunately, had to work most of the day, but was able to join us in the evening. While the 4th itself was rather uneventful...with an exciting trip to Wendy's and the new Food Lion as the highlights...we ended the day with a yummy cookout and movie night.

Gracen was feeling camera shy. But Pavin made up for her reluctance and provided us with lots of smiles for his first 7/4 holiday.

Saturday marked a proud day for Daddy, as he was able to take Gracen fishing for the first time. The Ussery's hosted an outing to Hampton Lake, where neither skill nor patience is required to reel 'em in ( a perfect combo for 3 year olds!). As Mr. John put it, "It's literally catching fish in a barrel."

Gracen was quite content to be escorted down to the dock by Jack-Boy...princess pole in tow.

Below is a photo of Gracen's first and possibly last fish. After the initial accomplishment, she was happier to feed the fish from the edge of the water and cheer on her buddy. She refused to hold the line, but both kiddos took a chance and touched the little flipper, which was immediately deemed, "yucky".

Jack was much more excited by the sport of it all. Here he is with his first trophy fish...proudly contemplating his super angler skills.

Pavin and Finn took it all in from their Joovys...enjoying some delicious cheerios.

Pavin became his typically sweaty mess at the first hint of humidity...and apparently expressed how he felt about it, with his right middle finger.

Saturday afternoon was perfectly stormy. While the little ones napped, I enjoyed some cheese cake and watched Little Miss Sunshine for the umpteenth time. While admittedly, not the most "wholesome" of flicks...I laugh from start to finish. I could honestly watch the last ten minutes of that movie every day. Because, dang it...sometimes nothing says love like doing a memorial striptease to superfreak in a whacked out beauty pageant! :) The extra good mood that ensued, set off fun-mommy mode and produced a wonderful pancake breakfast-dinner and a camp out in the living room.

As Gracen saw her surprise dinner for the first time she said, "Mommy! It looks like Pavin!"

Speaking of...Sunday marked 8 months with our awesome little Payco! We spent the evening with small group friends where we enjoyed a great dinner and exciting game of corn-hole in the rain. Pavin loved "worming" around in the floor with Finn and Scout (the sweetest, most kid-friendly dog on the planet).

Meanwhile, Jack and Gracen played in an amazing box fort, hand crafted by Mrs. Erin.

Lastly...by popular demand...for those who have yet to view the previously mentioned, now lowcountry famous, "worm" by Pavin Denton, check out the following video to view our little nut's preferred mode of transportation.

Before history repeated itself...

2008-07-01T12:37:00.000-07:00

So here’s a little blast from the past…below is a picture of the first time that a then 8 month old Gracen pulled up.

Five minutes after this photo was taken, she was discovered crying behind her bedroom door, having somehow flipped, climbed or flown out of her crib. When she first debuted her little trick, I thought…”How cute! She can stand up in her bed.” Not even thinking that this was a huge indicator to lower the mattress. Lesson (quickly and thankfully without harm) learned.

Thus when I discovered Pavin, who will be 8 months on Sunday, doing the following, it took me all of 5 minutes to lower the rails to the lowest possible setting.

Gracen was feeling a bit jealous at the little party I was throwing over his mad skills. She insisted she be in a picture too.

He’s kind of bummed now, as he really seemed to enjoy the view from the top. But he’s finding other ways to fill the time…like eating us out of house and home!

In addition to nursing, baby food and table food, he’s now supplementing with formula. He almost always insists on holding the bottle himself and does this "stare down" thing, lest anyone think of taking back the goods. I fully expect him to lap Gracen in weight in the very near future.

What are you wearing?

2008-06-24T12:20:00.001-07:00

My Mama Is So Embarrassing
ACT I

(Enter Mommy, wearing workout shorts and tee shirt.)

Gracen: Mama, What are you wearing?

Mommy: Shorts and a tee shirt.

Gracen: But what are you going to wear to take me to school?

Mommy: This…these shorts and this tee shirt.

Gracen: Oh…(drops head)

Mommy: Why? You don’t like it?

Gracen: No. No, Mama. I don’t like it.

Guess we’ll just have to start saving up for therapy now...

Speaking of fashion…Pavin was simply rockin’ Father’s Day for his Daddy this year.

We enjoyed a great day celebrating our fabulous Freddy.

Cuddles and laughter were shared by all.

In addition to making a splash on the fashion scene, Payco can also woop it up as a loveable soap monster in the bath.

Plus…he’s patriotic!

**Special blog-o-sphere shout out to Stacey and Dean...Congratulations! Go get your baby girl! :)

Pavin Rhys, Rockstar!

2008-06-11T11:17:00.001-07:00

Now playing in limited release…covering the hit,

“Love Bites!”

Entertaining his groupie…

Taking suggestions for new stage names.

Enter in comments, below. :)

3 years, 7 months and 1 day

2008-06-10T14:57:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday, we celebrated 3years in Bluffton! It’s crazy how quickly the time has passed, as it seems like just yesterday that we were packing up our chubby cheeked 3 month old baby girl and heading cross country.

While we still miss our friends in California terribly, we have been so very blessed to find amazing friends and an extraordinary church family here in our new home town. So many great things have come our way since moving to the LowCountry. I’ve realized my dream of staying home with the kiddos, Freddy has a job he loves, Gracen has blossomed into a funny, creative little princess (with a great set of buddies of her own) and of course we welcomed our little, little Payco. God has been so faithful and we are so very thankful!

We marked our anniversary with a night out with the family. We enjoyed a fun dinner, a “special cookie” and an outdoor concert up at Berkeley Place. The band was really great and played a lot of kid-friendly tunes. Here’s Gracen doing the Hokey Pokey.

On Friday, Pavin hit the 7 month mark! He is just about the happiest kid on the planet. He is such a joy and my heart just swells at the sight of that smiley little face. We marked the day with a trip to the Jacksonville Zoo.

He just took it all in and was a great sport despite the miserable humidity. His little cheeks would turn bright red and his little head was a sweaty mess. Regardless, he napped like clock work.

His favorite animals by far, were the goats! They seemed to like him too and were very tolerant of the ear pulling and drool he showered them with.

Gracen of course loved everything. The new baby giraffe was born on her/Freddy’s birthday, so she thought that was pretty neat. Her heat attack was calmed by the splash park and shaded playground. On the way home she said, “I liked the lion the best. But princesses are still my favorite.” Yes, yes…we know.

We are officially 1 day into preschool! Our girl strapped on her backpack with pride and headed off without a second thought. She arrived home with crafts in tow and more than a few stories…mostly about her yellow dress which she was so proud of. Apparently she expressed this multiple times to anyone who would listen, as two of her teachers stopped to tell me that “she sure was excited about her dress today.” It is pretty cute…

But THIS is the cutest of all! Gracen just loves her brother and I think he might think she’s kind-of cool, too.

**Note Gracen is now unable to “smile with teeth” because “I lost my words last night” Possibly a throw back to the Little Mermaid?? We’re waiting it out…

Teeth and Tutus

2008-06-01T18:21:00.001-07:00

It’s been a rather eventful weekend. Pavin busted out his first tooth and Gracen participated in her second dance recital of the year. Grandma Melody and Grandpa Fred, as well as Nannie and M joined in both milestones and our tiny dancer was ever so thankful for a big showing in the audience. Here are a few photos…though the tooth has remained camera shy to this point.

Good Luck, Baby Girl!

Coloring with Mary backstage. All of the girls did such a good job! A big thanks to Miss Rochelle for being such a fabulous teacher.

M greeted the little prima with a stick balloon and Hollywood shades.

Mommy and a very tired ballerina.

Payco is a ladies man. His flavor of the week is Miss Stuart. :)

This kid loves, loves, loves to eat! Note the very orange carotene nose.

Couldn't have asked...

2008-05-19T14:08:00.000-07:00

for a better day! A family of four, fabulous weather, a day at the beach...

A Few of their Favorite Things

2008-05-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

To the tune of the ‘ol Sound of Music diddy…Sing with me!

Tea parties, muffins and visiting Daddy,
Princesses, boat rides and driving mom batty,
Snuggles and tantrums and golf “clups” that ping
These are a few of their favorite things.

Yeh…basically I’m a lyrical genius. Here’s a glimpse at our week in pictures, including all of the previously highlighted favorites.

This is Pavin, just minutes before his first boat ride and trip to Haig Point. Freddy’s been working A LOT and the kids and I were invited to stay in one of the Plantation Homes for the weekend.

We enjoyed a nice time, exploring the island a bit. Both kids loved all of the animals (deer, bunnies, woodpeckers, blue jays, crazy fox squirrels, and horses at the equestrian center). Gracen even enjoyed a private golf lesson with the club’s most handsome instructor. But being the nosey little kiddo she is, she was just as content to play around the town home. By the time we left, there was no door or cabinet left unopened or unturned by tiny little 3yr. old hands.

Here she is checking out the stairs and being “sassy”. About five minutes later she proceeded to fall down the bottom six steps and landed in the foyer. All was well…

Until this week Pavin has had two big loves…things that just really get him jazzed…his nutty sister and MAMA. He’s now added a third: blueberry muffins! (little, miniature crumbles of blueberry muffin, that is.) I have honestly never seen him so excited about something. This kid just loves to eat…guess he comes by that honestly.

Gracen's really been into cuddling on the couch lately. She’s also a big fan of night gowns, especially if they feature a princess or two.

Speaking of…we went to the absolutely sweetest little princess/dress-up birthday party for Gracen’s little friend Mary last week. Tiara cakes and cookies, chocolate covered strawberries, pin the lips on the frog, pink drinking goblets and a take home purse full of goodies…what more could you want? The little girls were precious and a lovely time was had by all.

Gracen was beyond thrilled when Payco accepted her request to join her (and Sleeping Beauty) for Party Tea. Mommy was allowed to come along as well.

Gracen got a really kick out of him using the dolly’s highchair. He just wanted to know where the real food was…pretend? What?

Another great week! Hope you enjoyed the same.

**Special note: the administrator of this blog neither encourages, condones or promotes the use of a doll highchair for an infant, nor the feeding of muffins to a six month old without the direct, watchful supervision of a parent or caregiver. :)

paper flowers and perspective

2008-05-11T12:24:00.000-07:00

There are moments in my life that upon contemplation, I can say with certainty that I’ve felt an intervention from God…a whisper (or in some cases a shout) from the Holy Spirit seeming to say “Pay attention! This is important.” While many of these instances have revolved around “big” things…obvious life changing shake-ups, today’s unmistakable kick in the butt came from an unusually ordinary place...

We’ve had a crazy day. Sunday’s are usually frantic, as I’m often flying solo, getting the kids out to church, while Fred is getting ready to go or typically already been at work for several hours. Add Mother’s Day, Pavin’s Baby Dedication and thunderstorms with a tornado warning in the mix and you’ve got the makings for a rocky start at best. Thankfully, we had Daddy with us for the first part of the day.

After realizing that neither of the two vehicles we needed to drive to church were in the dry confines of the garage, we proceeded to wrangle a three year old and a sleeping infant into the thick of it. Needless to say, the work of my fancy new flat iron has completely demolished in about 2 seconds.

We arrived in the sanctuary, no more than two minutes prior to the dedication. As soon as we walked off the stage, Freddy kissed me goodbye and ran to catch the ferry. After returning the kids to their classes, I ran into a friend who said, “You look great…too bad you have to drop those extra weight watcher points for breastfeeding moms now that Pavin’s started eating solids.” What? Crap…So much for the chocolate flower on a stick they gave out in the lobby.

Church ends and the kiddos and I head through the puddles and muddy gravel to our car. Immediately a strange rustle and flailing starts from behind me. Turns out it’s the sound of my daughter cleaning her dirty, wet mary janes on the back of my seat and surrounding upholstery. The flailing builds into an all out war with the dirty shoes, as they have to be removed immediately. Insert fit here…

So I enter the house (which looks like the previously mentioned tornado ran through after our tear out of it earlier) with a fit pitching toddler, now screaming hungry infant and dogs barking relentlessly. Pavin proceeds to eat, puke and poop nearly simultaneously, while Gracen screams to watch “that chocolate factory movie” again.

I begin to lament the fact that in the chaos, we have no family/mommy and kid pictures from the morning, no photos of the dedication and no keepsake to give to Pavin to remember his special day. Self pity rears its ugly head. I trudge on, attempting to prepare my Mother’s Day lunch of lean cuisine ravioli for me and chicken nuggets for Gracen…which she then refuses to eat. Insert fit #2 here. As I head back to the fridge for the next round, I can honestly feel myself loosing it…really going out of my mind. I have a split second thought of what it might be like to run down to the nearest psych ward and check myself in…like a spa for crazy people. Whether I said it out loud or not, I’m not sure, but a seemingly rhetorical, “Lord help me!” escaped me. And here’s what he said…

As I shut the refrigerator door, the paper flower Gracen made in sunday school drifted to the floor. Admittedly, my first thought was “Great! Something else to pick up!” But then, immediately…with no logical reference point or tangent to bring them to mind, the faces of four moms I know flashed in my head, one right after another. The impact of their images literally brought everything to a standstill.

Because the truth is, these four women are having a very different day than I am. No, they aren’t off at a fancy retreat getting a massage, being showed with gifts and affection or basking in the sun at the beach. Honestly, any one of them would trade circumstances with me in an instant and fight me for that paper flower. Two of them are missing the children they’ve lost so badly it’s breaking them in half. While the others are praying with every ounce of their being that they will still be here with their babies this time next year. Insert abject humility and on my knees prayer here.

Are you kidding me? Muddy shoes, fizzy hair and uneaten chicken nuggets? This is what I’m upset about? These minuscule, insignificant little blips mean nothing even in the course of a day, much less retain any real significance. Any of these women God has put on my heart today would give all they had and them some to hold that precious little pipe cleaner stem in one hand and the sticky little fingers of their child in the other. Who am I to diminish the absolute privilege, honor and blessing the Lord has provided me in making me a mom? What is it in me that draws me to spout out all of the inconveniences of the day instead of the joys? We were given the gift of dedicating a child to the glory of the Lord today for goodness sake! I obviously needed perspective.

Father, forgive me and right my heart. Raise me up to the calling that you have for me in my gift of motherhood. May it be the hysterical happiness you provide in a million and one ways and not the tiny little annoyances that overflow from my heart. Above all…let my children find you in me as I do in them.

I also said a prayer for those moms that God used to move in me today. (I hope you will too!) These women are a beacon to me for the simple fact that they have breath left and even more so for the fact that they give Christ the credit and praise for every one they take. Peace, healing and love to you.

Whew…a little heavy for the Denton Family blog, huh? Here’s the thing. I’m not a bible scholar. (I was the worst Bible Drill competitor in the history of Cedar Hills Baptist School.) But I know enough to understand that when God speaks to you as loudly as he did to me today, you can’t contain it. This definitely wasn’t the mother’s day I wanted, hoped for or expected. But it was definitely the one I needed.

So now with both monkeys napping and the first season dvds of Friday Night Lights (Thanks, Kimberly!) waiting for me, I’m off to break into that chocolate flower and worry about the weight watcher points (and all other things) another day.

I sign off with two photos of my precious little loves.

This one showers me with smooches and makes my sides hurt from laughing.

And this one…this one just melts my heart.

Rockin' Six and Rollin' Skates

2008-05-06T19:27:00.001-07:00

Today our little Payco turned 6 months old! It’s beyond nuts that time has passed so quickly. He is more fun every day and is just a big bundle of love! He is still completely awestruck by Mommy…which hasn’t worn on me in the least. I could do without him being such a crazy eater…but it’s an easy trade off. We can’t praise the Lord enough for our sweet, sweet baby boy!

This weekend he got an early half birthday gift in the form of an activity gym he’s been coveting at his buddy Finn’s house. It actually makes him belly laugh to the point of hiccups nearly every time he plays with it. His big sister enjoys sitting with him and singing the songs.

Gracen scored some new Barbie roller skates yesterday. She is slowly getting the hang of them after the initial “freak out” (that I totally called, by the way). She’s taken a couple of spills, but honestly has “gotten back on the horse” each time with a lot less drama than I expected. She ventured outside with them for the first time this evening…never letting Daddy too far out of arms reach.

After the critically acclaimed debut Mommy and Daddy portrait series, Gracen’s sophomore presentation includes arms and legs. Also…if you look closely, I have a belly button.

First time for everything...

2008-04-29T14:45:00.000-07:00

The last 5 days have been a series of “firsts” for our family. While some have been much more pleasant than others, as usual the good stuff by far counter balances the yucky.

On Thursday I embarked on my FIRST plane trip (complete with connections) with both Pavin and Gracen. We headed out for our FIRST Bowers/Denton Family get together with all four kids. The trip out was thankfully smooth and relatively event/meltdown free. We were greeted by three of our favorite people in the world and instantly paired up into three very well matched sets! :)

On the day of our arrival, Sam experienced his FIRST broken bone, resulting in his FIRST cast (Colts blue!). He was a real trooper and Stacey and I cracked up all week at how quickly he developed his own special way of getting around…rather quickly I might add. Somehow I missed getting a photo of the actual injury, but here he is with his Diego “feel better cookie”.

Gracen began to feel a little left out as the days passed and developed her own (pretend) foot injury. Here she is with her Dora “feel better cookie”.

Sam and Gracen definitely spoke the same language this go around. Their equally stellar imaginations were a hilarious combination! They loved giving each other “check-ups” (ie: playing “sick” or “docker”). Gracen also got a kick out of having someone to sing along with all of her shows. As for Pavin and Max, though not super far apart in age, they don’t exactly have a perfect developmental match. (Though that will change before we know it.) They played together wonderfully none-the-less.

Pavin’s favorite family member this time around was Trinity. She seemed to share a similar admiration and really, really wanted to give him constant kisses. She was a good girl though and they were a funny pair. She held herself back from loving him up with licks and he desperately tried to “swim” over to her every time he had the chance.

On Saturday, we enjoyed our FIRST visit with the Warner Newlyweds, Tim and Mindy. Tim did a terrific job on the grill and mixed up some yummy strawberry sangrias. They have a cute little house right across from an ice cream shop, so that practically made it an amusement park for the kids. As usual, Mindy was everyone’s favorite friend and Gracen couldn’t stop talking about “Mimi”! In the afternoon, Stacey treated me to a spa day at Aveda for my birthday. We got hot stone pedicures together (my FIRST) and then I stayed on for a massage, facial and hair cut. It was awesome! (Thanks again, Stace!)

Sunday was quite eventful. After a great church service, we headed over to Cookie Cutters, where Max was given his FIRST mohawk and Gracen received her FIRST haircut! The mohawk is awesome and Maximus truly is a Rockstar for Jesus!

As for Gracen, we’d been talking about getting a “Snow White” hair cut for a while now. We’d talked her through it a little and also chatted about the Beautiful Lengths program. We explained that she could get a new princess hair cut and then give her old princess hair to boys and girls that don’t have any hair of their own. Initially, this was a difficult concept for her to grasp (in fact she freaked out the first time we mentioned it), but I think she eventually got it (as much as a 3 yr old can).

She did great! She sat in a pink princess jeep and watched a princess movie as 9 inches were chopped off in one quick cut. I instantly teared up…partly out of nostalgia, partly out of nervousness as to if it was going to turn out okay and partly out of fear that Freddy was going to kill me when we got home!

It is absolutely adorable and she loves it. She kept saying she couldn’t wait to show her Daddy because “him going to love it and say it so beautiful!” She’s also enjoyed talking about giving her hair to “the boys and girls without any hair.” Here are a few of the highlights…

Preparing for the big cut.

" Look at my ponytail!"

Beautiful Snow White hair!

We spent most of Monday morning packing, but squeezed in a quick visit with the Collins brothers, who met Pavin for the FIRST time. It was so great to see them!

Pavin, Scott and Super Why (in the background).

Pavin with Jeff...getting an eye full of baby fist.

After an absolutely wonderful time, we headed home yesterday afternoon. Now while any trip with two kids can technically be considered a success should all parties arrive safely and unscathed, our return trip was far from uneventful, traumatic and tantrum free and I’m not even including what happened with the kids! They actually fared a lot better than me in the long run. The full story is just too long and frustrating to recap and ultimately returning home safely (albeit at 1am this morning!) was all that mattered. Let’s just say “the friendly skies” aren’t so friendly these days and I fear it will only get worse before it gets better…a tirade for another time…

Thanks all around to Max, Sam, Aunt Stacey and “Uncle Naffin” for a fabulous week! We miss you already and can’t wait to see you again soon!

Home at last...with super cute hair!

Music and lyrics...

2008-04-23T10:47:00.000-07:00

by Gracen Augusta!

In the craziness that has been today, Gracen has been entertaining herself and us by making up a wide variety of songs. While the melody of each song is basically the same monotone repetition, the narratives are distinctly different.

Song one…

“I am dreaming. I dream. I dream. He bring me flowers sometimes. Sometimes he bring me flowers, some times. I dream. I am dreaming. He bring me flowers sometiiiiiiiiimes.”
Repeat x 500

Mommy: Who brings you flowers sometimes?
Gracen: Jack-Boy
Mommy: He does? When does Jack-Boy bring you flowers?
Gracen: Sometimes…when I am Belle. When I am Belle, him bring me flowers.
Mommy: Oh, that’s nice. When he brings you flowers, will you give him a smooch on the cheek?
Gracen: No way! (with a devilish grin) On hims lips! :)

Somewhere two sounds occur simultaneously…a thud and a click…as Freddy hits the floor and Mr. John locks up his son.

Song two…

“I love Pavin. I love Pavin. Sometimes I call him Payco…Payco sometimes, Payco sometimes, Payco sometimes! I love Pavin. He drops hims toys on the floor and I pick them up. He can’t eat pepperonis cause hims a baby. I love Paviiiiiiin!”

Here’s a snipit below of what I can only assume is the chorus.

Good news…Pavin isn’t allergic to the rice cereal or the formula we mixed in. Guessing he’s just got a bad case of eczema at this point. We have a new mixture of greasy greatness (80% vasaline) that seems to be working pretty well. It just makes pajama time more like wrestling a greased pig than settling a cuddly baby.

He was beyond thrilled to dig into the cereal again and proceeded to scream a “hold his breath scream” when he realized it was gone. The bowl was still full when this photo was taken.

Long time, no blog...

2008-04-20T17:08:00.000-07:00

Where in the world have the last two weeks gone? What a crazy blur of travel, teething and tantrums it has been! Don’t let that description fool you, though. We’ve shared some fabulous fun with friends and family as well! ( I just love me some alliteration!)

Let’s see…we’ll start with the boy. Pavin has had a couple of big weeks. He turned five months old, started rice cereal, was taken off rice cereal after developing a rash, is trying desperately and much to everyone’s dismay to pop up some new teeth, is a fantastic drooler, loves the jumperoo and is sporting the coolest new mohawk on the planet! Here’s the pictorial…

Gracen continues to delight in her special little world of make believe and anything with a tiara. Mom took her to see Princesses on Ice last weekend (Thanks, Grandma Debbie!) Despite the scary dragon and mean witch, she had a great time. She chose to be Snow White for the day. Here are a few of the highlights…

"Belle and that guy with fire on hims head and hims hands from a Belle movie"

She also took in a day at the beach while Mommy, Pavin and Aunt M shopped for bridesmaids dresses. I won’t be at all surprised if our son’s first word is luminescent taffeta. No luck with the dress, so here’s a pic of Gracen at the beach.

Baby Mine

2008-03-30T18:07:00.000-07:00

I am so in love with my baby boy! I’ve been singing this song to him since before he was born and it was the first he attempted to “sing” along with. Freddy and Gracen got their special video slide-show earlier in the week. So this one’s for Mommy and Payco…

http://www.slide.com/r/KJ13YG1C6T8IUZCL8U2hu537QIQoSog8?previous_view=lt_embedded_url

Speaking of Freddy's little twin...a minor mishap with a razor in the cutting of Daddy's hair and wha-la! an instantly increased resemblance between father and son! :)

Gracen was feeling a bit jealous and insisted that her picture be taken as well. Here she is with her oldest friend, Papu.

We have hair!

2008-03-28T17:43:00.000-07:00

The picture doesn't do it justice, but Pavin's new shampoo gave him an instantly spike-y do.

We have been battling on again/off again cradle cap for quite some time. But we may have found the miracle cure...Mustela! (Thanks, Tuesday!) Once he was flake free, his hair just popped right up out of nowhere.

Here's a side shot that shows it a bit better. Looks like he's going to be a little blondie. :)

Seven years...

2008-03-24T13:36:00.000-07:00

Ago tomorrow, Freddy and I started our adventure as husband and wife! We have been so very blessed during our journey thus far.
I love you, babe and can’t wait to see what God has in store for us for the next 77!

Jesus is alive!

2008-03-23T13:38:00.000-07:00

It’s an Easter miracle! Both in the true sense of grace covering our sins through Christ’s death and resurrection, as well as the fact that this was the first day from which we picked up Gracen from MOPS, CBS or Sunday School in the past two weeks where we haven’t been greeted with a frown and a sad mumbling of “Jesus got dead!” This morning, with a happy little smile, she said, “Jesus is alive!” over and over again. For those of you unfamiliar with a 3 year old’s interpretation of the Easter Story, ours goes something like this…

“Some mean guys come and got Jesus dead. Then Jesus got dead. They wrap him up in a white clothes and put him in a cabe. Jesus got dead in a cabe. Then Mary come and she cry and cry because her miss her Daddy and because Jesus got dead. Then they roll a rock away from a tunnel and Jesus not got dead anymore. Jesus is alive!”

How sweet and wonderful it is to know our kiddos are learning how much God loves them. It may be a little jumbled in the translation at times, but I am so thankful that He continues to mold and shape their precious hearts for Him!

Here are a few photos of the morning with our super cuties in their Easter Best.

(Note: this is following a fit prompted by her dislike of the tights she was forced to wear…screaming “Just legs! Just legs!” repeatedly for well over 10 minutes. She did NOT win and wore the tights to church. :)

As for the festivities of the weekend, we attended the LowCountry Easter Egg Hunt yesterday (the Hilton Head version) wherein Gracen made a mad dash to collect as many eggs as she could. Each one seemed to be filled with more delicious little morsels than the last. After accumulating about 30 or so eggs in her basket, while still surrounded by what seemed like hundreds more, she proclaimed, “I am all done now.” Apparently she got what she came for. Pavin just hung out in the baby bjorn…attached to his sad, frustrated Mommy who arrived without a camera to document the fun! So…no pictures of the collection.

After church and lunch today, we headed home for naps and a viewing of “the white princess movie” delivered by the Easter Bunny. Enchanted came out this week. After meeting Giselle in the “harade” at Disney last weekend and seeing multiple commercials about the release last Tuesday, Gracen has begged to get it. Yes, we have officially entered every parent’s worst fear…the moment when commercials stop being tiny breaks between shows and start to become a shopping list for your children!

Here are some Easter basket pics below…

Pavin had no clue what was going on, but was his jovial self, content to drool and gaze at Mama.

We will finish up the evening with what promises to be a terrific time…dinner with our small group buddies, big and small. I love me some pot lucks and this one is sure to be yummy!

We pray the true joy and meaning of Easter is at home in your hearts today and always. “Jesus not got dead anymore! Jesus is alive!”

The Happiest Place on Earth...

2008-03-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

was just that! We had an absolutely perfect first family vacation! Capturing the magic of this wonderful time with our kids was amazing. Gracen loved every single second of “going at Cinderella’s Castle”! Her expressions throughout the day were priceless and nearly brought me to tears more times than I could count. While Pavin will remember nothing this time around, we just enjoyed cuddling him and sharing some great memories with our boy at our side.

We started our adventure at the Magic Kingdom, where we were able to at least see all of the princesses and meet some in person. The Little Mermaid was unbelievable! She talked with Gracen for over 5 minutes in full character. It was beyond sweet. The parades and shows were terrific. We of course covered the classics like Small World, Dumbo and the Swiss Family Tree House as well.

By far, the highlight of the day was a “ball at the palace”…dinner at the Royal Table at Cinderella’s Castle. It was fabulous! Gracen was in heaven, meeting Cinderella, snapping photos and getting her to sign a special autograph book. All of the little princesses received magic wands and enjoyed a private show with the Fairy Godmother and the mice. We were fortunate enough to be seated in the center stained glass window with a full view of Fantasyland below. Dinner itself was incredible…3 courses, complete with chocolate crowns on top of all of the yummy deserts. Perfect! Perfect! Perfect!

The next day we headed over to Sea World. There were some really neat exhibits and activities. Both Gracen and even little Pavin LOVED the Shamu show! They were both exhausted however, from the previous day’s adventures and crashed mid-day.

After a rest at the hotel, we were ready to go again and headed out to Downtown Disney for dinner. Following another late night, both kiddos (and Mommy and Daddy) were ready to crash. We headed home yesterday with smiles on our faces and tons of lifelong memories. We already can’t wait to go back!

Enjoy the slideshow below for more photos of the fun...

Sniff...Sniff...

2008-03-13T15:20:00.000-07:00

Our baby is a little less of a baby! Weighing in at nearly 16 pounds and 27 inches long, little Payco is officially too big (in length) for the infant carrier! I’m really kind-of sad about it…as it’s all the more evident how quickly time is passing. But God has blessed us with a healthy, growing boy! We have SO MUCH to be thankful for. :)

Here he is in his new big kid car seat. He grinned from ear to ear when we tested it out in the living room. Gracen passed down her seat and moved to a youth seat. So she is happily riding in new digs as well. Thanks to the MacGillivray Family for outfitting us with the cool “cowboy baby” seat cover. You have saved the kid from years of mental and emotional anguish that surely would have ensued had he been forced to ride in pink and yellow poesies.

Party Tea!

2008-03-12T19:52:00.000-07:00

The bonds of sisterly/brotherly love continue! Gracen just loves playing with “her baby” and Pavin FAR from minds. After repeated attempts to get Mommy to play “party tea,” and being kindly delayed in the name of laundry. Gracen moved on to harassing…uh, um…inviting her brother to a tea party. They both enjoyed the pretend sipping and play.

Gracen especially enjoyed spoon feeding Pavin his share of the beverages. Good practice for the solid foods in his near future.

When the festivities turned to hair brushing and make-up application, he wasn’t quite as pleased.

I finally got on the stick and organized Gracen’s baby clothes. I decided to try the highly recommended Space Bags. This was before suck down mode…

This was the after…not bad, considering they were spread out in too many boxes to count prior to this. But to be honest, they aren’t as revolutionary as I expected. Perhaps I filled them too full? Regardless…they leak! The audible hissing from the closet was a dead giveaway. Well, they are organized none-the-less and I was able to cross off another item on my ever growing list of projects.

Fantastic 4...

2008-03-06T18:05:00.001-08:00

months today! Our little boy is getting so big and the time is just flying by! In some ways it seems like just yesterday that he jumped into our hearts and in others…like he’s been with us forever. He is truly a sweet, sweet baby. He might ( I say hesitantly) be turning a corner with his late night antics (making him all the more endearing) and his absolute fascination with his big sister seems to grow by the day.

Here’s a shot of him in his newly unpacked Bumbo seat. I don’t think he’s quite sure about it yet…most likely because it doesn’t have anything for him to attempt to ferociously demolish with his little baby fists. Thus…”his birds” on the baby gym remain the current fave.

The weather here has been awesome! This has left me with little to no excuse to not get out running behind my new double jogger (Thanks, Heather!). It’s a real workout and the kiddos seem to really enjoy it. When we started our journey Pavin had TWO red socks. We returned with one. This kid loses socks like crazy. I’m considering duct tape…

For the past couple of weeks after making my bed, I’ve been noticing the corner turned up and all wrinkly at random times throughout the day. I just continued to straighten it and go on with the day. Yesterday, I discovered the sneaky culprit…Baby Muffin. Somebody’s been sleeping in my bed!

BREAKING NEWS…
The countdown is on! For well over a month now, Freddy and I have been trying to work out the logistics of a trip to Disney. Finding the time and resources for a big trip as well as juggling Fred’s increasingly busy schedule have been really big obstacles. We just SO want to capitalize on the magic of Gracen’s imagination and go when she’ll be in awe of absolutely everything. Today at lunch, in talking about the agenda for the rest of the month and Fred’s upcoming full weekend off (which never happens), we both just looked at each other and said, “Cinderella”! We are so fortunate to live so close…why not just do a quick 2 day excursion to the happiest place on earth? After dinner we made a little countdown rope and hung it on her door. Every night she gets to take off a “gween cwercle”. She is already beside herself with excitement. I may not sleep a wink between now and then in anticipation of the look on her little face when we walk down Main Street for the first time!

Pavin's first of many

2008-02-27T17:34:00.000-08:00

embarrassing moments at the hands of his sister! He was fine for about 5 minutes…but then seemed to instinctively become annoyed, as Gracen continued to apply and reapply the gigantic pink bow to the top of his head. Fred is less than happy that this picture is being posted here…but it was a milestone of sorts in the brother/sister battles that are sure to come.

Regardless…they already love each other beyond words. Pavin simply lights up when Gracen is remotely in his eye line. He always has. Even when I was pregnant, he flipped and punched like crazy when she would talk to my belly. This picture was a scene that melted my heart. Gracen insisted on holding her baby brother’s hand “because I love him.” Daddy was just a bit touched as well…
PS…note Gracen's “glass slipper” jellies that now apparently complement every outfit…even in 45 degree weather!

Bathtime Monkey Business

2008-02-21T15:26:00.000-08:00

Pavin got a new bath tub last weekend, as he very quickly outgrew the tiny infant contraption we had. While he appears relatively content in the above photo, he really doesn't like bath time much at all. He HATES to be cold. He HATES any face/ear touch-age with the washcloth...and really HATES if even a drop of water so much as inches toward his eyes. In summation...he's not a big fan of the bath.

But...both he and Gracen love their monkey towels! Santa brought them a matching set to complement their monkey themed bathroom. Although they shed little pieces of brown terry cloth all over the place, they are super cute and I love to bundle up my sweet smelling, teeth chattering kiddos in them after a dip in the tub.

3 and 3

2008-02-15T18:13:00.000-08:00

Last week we had some 3 year and 3 month pictures taken of Gracen and Pavin. To say we are overjoyed with the results would be an understatement! While every parent thinks their kid is the cutest ever (as well, they should!) we fall in love with our kids again and again in looking at these incredible photographs. Their little personalities were captured perfectly. A million thanks to Jeni Zapor who has given us some truly treasured memories! Here are just a few of the 210 amazing shots. To see them all, visit http://www.candidkids.smugmug.com and click on “denton kids”.

PS…If you live in the area, you have GOT to have Jeni do your next photo shoot. Her demeanor with the kiddos was awesome and as you can see…she takes great pictures! Not to mention, she is by far the best deal in town. Run to grab an appointment before she becomes famous! :)

Smooches!

2008-02-14T12:39:00.000-08:00

…on this Valentine’s Day, 2008!

Hugs and kisses to you on this special day of (commercialized) love! We spent the morning with our super cool bible study/play group buddies, enjoying some cookies, conversation and chaos. Here are some photos of the fun…

The Little Man

Beautiful Gracen

Jack-Boy…as a bag head monster…Handy Manny undies cropped out.

Footloose and Fancy 3!

2008-02-06T11:16:00.001-08:00

3 months old, that is! Here’s a little profile of the miniature man I’ve become

in the last 92 days…

Name: Pavin Rhys…but the ladies call me Payco.

Eye Color: still dark blue…which I can now fill with tears. They compliment my pouty lips nicely when I’m “asking” for something.

Hair Color: the jury’s still out…waiting for enough evidence…

Favorite Pastimes: lookin’ at my birds, kickin’ it (literally) in my swing and heading out on the town with my girls (Mommy and Gracen).

Things I Love: milk! milk! milk!, jumping in the air with Daddy, any ceiling fan I can get my eyes on and MAMA!!...my sister’s pretty okay, too.

Things I Hate: being hungry, poop in my pants and anyone touching my ears or my nose!

Favorite Color: orange…I look awesome in orange!

Favorite Song: Baby Mine and Guns n’ Roses, Sweet Child of Mine (esp. when Mommy “sings” the guitar solo.)

Future Goals: sleeping through the night, rolling over and shooting 4 under to win the 2027 Masters

Obviously, life’s treatin’ me pretty good so far.

Stay tuned for all the exciting developments to come!

Grounded...

2008-02-05T17:26:00.000-08:00

After seven days at home last week for the long day's journey into potty training, we have been grounded this week due to fever, mucus and cough! :( Our typically running, jumping, spinning, twirling, little delight of a child has spent the last three days camped out on the couch. The toughest part has been keeping her from lovin' on her baby brother. She just doesn't understand why she can't kiss and hug on him. Fortunately things are looking up. We really hope to be back in action soon. To be continued...

Dante missed something...

2008-01-31T19:58:00.000-08:00

Unless I skipped over a section of the Inferno, I truly think Dante neglected a key element in detailing the various circles of hell. If you really want to stick it to somebody for all eternity, forget about the wailing and gnashing of teeth...force them to attempt to potty train a "spirited" 3 yr. old 'til the end of time!

As you may note, my sarcastic sense of humor is just now beginning to return, as hopefully (pray, knock on wood, do that catholic cross-y thing) the worst of it is behind us. After pulling out all the stops...every trick in the book (and there were several) consulting with the pediatrician 3 times, bribing, cajoling, guilting, etc...etc...we finally took drastic measures...threw out the pull-ups, locked ourselves in the house and tried the "Jen Denton Hell or Highwater Method" (tm) :)

She's doing great and hasn't had an accident in 4 days! Of course we haven't taken this show on the road very much yet, so I may be counting my chickens about now. But she will proudly tell you, "I pee-peed at Target!" :) So...we shall see. Regardless, she earned enough stickers on her potty chart for her "red fishy from smartpets." She named the fish, Ariel.

Here's a pic of Gracen and her new friend.

Thankfully, Pavin is just about the easiest going kid around...otherwise he'd go nutty putting up with his two favorite women all day long, especially after being under lockdown with us for 5 days. Speaking of, he's got a new trick...

You know those pendulum clock things at museums that have a big ball that swings and knocks down the dominos to tell time? Pavin has his own (much cuter) version. He lays under his Baby Einstien gym and slowly works his way around in a circle, little by little. If I could figure out his average speed and consistency, I'm sure I could use it for time keeping purposes. "What time is it, Jen?" "Oh, just a bit past the red cardinal."

While he continues to hone his skills as a human watch, his sister has become an artistic genius. When Gracen first drew the following pictures on her easel, I thought it was a fluke. So I asked her to erase and recreate them. She did exactly the same thing. This was what she drew.

Mommy: "Yous a lady. Yous have long hair"

Daddy: "Hims gots curly hair on hims head. And hims got scratchy hair all over hims face."

Happy Birthday, Beautiful Princess! ;)

2008-01-26T17:04:00.000-08:00

Today our baby girl turned 3...(and her Daddy celebrated his 29th birthday for the 3rd time!) We are just gushing with happiness and pride over the fun, creative and sweet girl she is becoming...and Freddy just loves sharing this day with her. While her passion and independence push every button we've got some days, it's that same spunk and spirit that makes her the amazing little nut we love beyond words!

She started the day with a audible gasp of excitement over her Cinderella cake. She saw it in a magazine a while back and couldn't stop talking about it. She was overjoyed to say the least and kept saying, "Oh! Thank-you, Mommy! Thanks for making my special cake!" I even caught the tail-end of a "conversation" she was having with the cake wherein, she was happily listing all of the little friends who'd be attending the her party. And what a wonderful fiesta is was! She was so excited to see all of her buddies and share her "happy day" with them. We held the shin-dig at Color Me Mine...a new pottery painting place here in Bluffton. The kiddos got to choose and paint their own ceramic pieces (mugs, banks, mirrors, etc.) that they will pick up in a few days after being fired. While it went against the very fiber of my being...I restrained myself from "helping" Gracen with her tiara shaped piggy bank, making it a true multi-colored heirloom. :) Thanks so much to all of the munchkins and their families who shared this day and their friendships with us! We love you all! Here are a few pics from the festivities...apologies to the Daddies of the crown wearing boys for some of the photos.

Freddy enjoyed his day as well...especially, the early morning birthday greeting from Gracen which included getting his rather large card chucked at his head in the excitement. The card by the way, has the Superman symbol on the front and plays the Superman theme song when opened. We've heard it a few (million) times today. After the party, we had a great lunch together as a family. This is where Pavin joined the action. He woke up and ate early this morning, played for a while and then slept through Gracen's entire party. It wasn't until we drove to the Island for some yummy pizza that he started to stir. He is such a sweet, happy baby! Here's a clip of Payco in his full cute-ness, discussing which he prefers...the birds that hang from his Baby Einstein gym...or Mama. :) (Again, I'm a dork and loaded the video sideways and can't figure out how to un-do it!)

Simply a terrific day for the Denton family! We are so very blessed.

Who needs the stinkin' writers!?

2008-01-18T11:01:00.000-08:00

As the writer's strike enters its umpteenth day, I've started to seriously question the future of my entertainment requirements. However, today's random series of events have left no doubt in my mind that life in general will continue to be more than enough to make me laugh and provide priceless entertainment value.

Gracen has spent the day in her increasingly common magical world of pretend play. I try to remain out of sight as much as possible to catch the little actress in the moment. This morning's drama revolved around a "Pall at the Palace" (Ball at the Palace) for which Ballet Baby was preparing. I heard her say, "Okay, you all ready?...Oh thank you, Fairy Godmoder!" This was the result...Ballet Baby dressed in bodice and tu-tu puzzle pieces, complete with princess bandaid accessories.

As lunch was coming to an end, I heard her say, "Look Mommy, I turn a cookie to a rocket...like on Little Einsteins."

now, it kind-of looks like one of those weird ink-blot things and perhaps I've just been hanging out with a toddler for too long, but I actually see a similarity!

Now...as for the Pavster, I've often said he's a 0 to 60 kind of kid. Meaning he can go from totally chill to totally crazy in no time. Today's tummy time turned from a heated kick/flail fest to passed out sleep in an instant!

The best part of the day thus far was just captured on video. Check out Gracen attempting to sing one of her new favorite songs, "Boogie Shoes" to her brother, Payco. (The fact that I couldn't get the clip to turn the right way only adds to the nutti-ness...turn your screen sideways if need be.) :)

As a final thought...it really would be nice if the writer's could get their deal. After all, the kids do have to sleep at some point and I really need me some new Jim Halpert.

Soccer Payco

2008-01-10T13:51:00.000-08:00

So I guess about a month ago, Gracen came up with a little pet name for Pavin..."Payco". When asked why she calls him that, she usually replies, "'Cuz him a little, little Payco." Although we thought it might be a short lived thing, it appears to be sticking. She is relentless about it. Today he is "Soccer Payco" which makes her belly laugh when she says it. :)

Speaking of the little, little Payco...he's not so "little, little!" Weighing in at over 13 and a half pounds and nearly 25 inches long at his 2 month appt.! He's a big bundle of love. And as this picture shows, just about the sweetest thing ever! Wonderful things come in ginormous little packages. :)

This week at MOPS I did a talk on manners, based on the Polite Child program that among other things, emphasizes the importance of teaching young children good table manners. Obviously, I am an EXPERT in the field! :)

My Family of Morphos...

2008-01-10T13:30:00.000-08:00

So my friend Heather, the Internet Queen :)tells me about this site (myheritage.com) where you can input photos and using facial imaging software, they find your celebrity matches. Now obviously they are getting fixed images, so they suggest you keep submitting photos and try to note a pattern of reoccurring matches to see who is most likely your overall match. It is so funny and kind of neat, as although Fred, Gracen, Pavin and I had different personally reoccurring matches, Pavin and Fred shared many similar matches and Gracen and I shared similar matches. When I submitted photos of my sister, again...her overall match was different than mine, but we had many common matches as well. Here are the results...

Apparently, I am a near dead ringer for Melanie Chisholm aka "Sporty Spice" because I kept matching her over and over again. She is one I shared with Melissa, who's reoccurring match was Jessica Simpson. Pavin and Freddy's cracked me up! Both of them kept getting Pedro Martinez and Carl Lewis! Fred also got a couple of Christopher Reeves (which is interesting as Gracen has said for quite some time that "Daddy is SuperMan!) Pavin also got several Shirley Temple matches, as did Gracen. By far Gracen's common match was Emma Watson (Hermione Granger of Harry Potter fame) with Katie Holmes running a close second. Gracen also got a Pedro Martinez match which added to the hilarity. She and I shared several matches including the previous mentioned Mrs. Tom Cruise and Misha Barton of the OC. Oh...Melissa also had a couple Misha Matches. In addition to Pedro, Fred and Gracen also shared a Natalie Portman match. (Fred as Natalie Portman? Crazy! Esp. as Fred thinks she's super cute!)

Here's a morph of Gracen and Miss Portman...

%1

A Merry Little Christmas!

2007-12-26T15:47:00.000-08:00

Wow! What a great Christmas...our first as a family of four! We were very fortunate to spend 5 terrific days together (with Freddy at home!), making some wonderful memories.

We spent Friday and Saturday here in Bluffton. Gracen enjoyed a trip to see Santa, where she very directly asked for "princess stuff". This was a stark contrast from last year's clinging and crying. Pavin slept through the whole experience, so Mommy gave the elves his list. :)

On Sunday we traveled to Jacksonville for dinner and family time at Nannie's. Monday was spent celebrating M's birthday and opening gifts at Grandma Debbie and Paw's house. Gracen was a blast this year and everyone really enjoyed watching her open presents. By the time we left, our car looked like a mobile Disney store...jam packed with princess paraphernalia. The following would be our daughter in a Belle dress, Snow White wig and Alabama football Crocs (which you can't see) flying a Superman action figure. Hey, at least she's well rounded...

We headed home Monday afternoon, just in time for a wonderful Christmas Eve service at church and a quick dinner. After putting out cookies (Omega 3s for Santa's heart health), Gracen happily went to bed with anxious anticipation. Pavin finished off his 8th meal of the day and settled in as well. Freddy and I enjoyed a quite evening with hot chocolate, a good movie and a tool box...while we "waited for Santa".

Christmas morning was a delightful whirlwind! Gracen really enjoyed the opening element of everything this year and especially liked helping her baby brother with his gifts. During our dinner prayer, Gracen said a super sweet "Happy Birthday to Baby Jesus" and we thanked God for His amazing blessings this year. We had a fabulous day together and topped it all off with a fun holiday "fiesta" with the Ussery Family and friends. (Ole'!)

Please enjoy the slide show below for the highlights...

We pray Christmas was as joyous for all of you as it was for us. Only 364 days 'til next year! :)

The Big Dance...

2007-12-18T18:13:00.000-08:00

or more appropriately, the Big Stand. Curtains opened, lights came up and six 2 and 3 year old ballerinas stood starry-eyed and transfixed by the ginormous crowd of people before them. There was very little dance involved, but in my completely unbiased opinion, they stole the show. I must admit, I burst into tears at the mere thought of my baby girl dancing in her first recital.

Those tears soon turned to laughter as Gracen stood in her sparkling white tu-tu, moving her tongue from side to side in what I can only assume was an attempt to lick off her lip gloss. Regardless, she was absolutely beautiful and we couldn't have been prouder. Below are some of the pre-performance pictures, including the hair and make-up session. :)

She had quite a showing in the audience, including Mommy, Daddy, baby brother Pavin (who slept through the entire show), Aunt M and Richard, as well as Grandma Melody and Grandpa Fred.

In addition to attending the big performance, Grandma and Grandpa also ushered in the arrival of Snow White. We already had daily appearances of Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. We now have a third to add to the mix. Something tells me that Santa (or one of his helpers) might be waiting in the wings with yet another fair maiden to expand an already exploding imagination.

We finally have some good snuggling weather! For our two little ones (especially Pavin), this is a welcomed comfort.

Here's hoping the cooler temperatures stick around for at least another few weeks...and that the desire to cuddle never goes away.

Speaking of the little snuggle bug...he's getting big! He's 6 weeks old today and seems super tall...or long, I guess you'd say at this stage. He's already in 3-6 month onsies due to the length. He is such a terrific little guy. He's so sweet and has slept through the night twice in the last week, which of course only makes me love him more because I am viewing him through well rested eyes. He smiles, appears to recognize my voice and lets out an audible sigh of relief/security when he nuzzles in close. What more could a mother want?

Baby Prince Charming

2007-12-13T19:08:00.000-08:00

The obsession with all things princess continues...Gracen has renamed Pavin, Baby Prince Charming. She puts on her blue dress and holds his little hands, swaying to "So this is Love." Pavin has no clue what's going on, but shoots her a smile now and again regardless.

Pavin LOVES to stare at the Christmas lights (which are out of sight in this picture). His big sister just loves to stares at him, singing, "Cue-y, Cute-y, Cue-y, McCute-y!" :)

Pavin met his new buddy, Max this week. Aunt Stacey and I are looking to lots of years ahead with our giggling boys in the back seat.

Fa-La-La-La-La!

2007-11-29T10:33:00.000-08:00

Even Pavin is feeling the spirit of the Christmas Season! Isn't he just the cutest little Santa Baby?

A lap full of love! :)

Last night we decorated a little Gingerbread Family. Gracen and I worked on hers (complete with tu-tu and crown), Pavin's (she insisted his wear jammies) and mine. Freddy did his own. :)

For an extra laugh, check out our merry family of elves! :)

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9637626558

It's here...

2007-11-25T11:53:00.000-08:00

The "most wonderful time of the year" is officially underway! We kicked it off with a terrific and very thankful Thanksgiving weekend. We began the morning with the Macy's Parade, which Gracen thoroughly enjoyed. She especially loved the Cheerleaders and the dancers. After the Dog Show (which was also a big hit) and some football, we shared a yummy dinner with Melissa, Richard and Nannie. Pavin kicked back most of the day in his bouncer...

This adorable shirt was his first personalized gift and made for the perfect Thanksgiving Day outfit. Gracen calls it his "cock-a-doodle-doo shirt." :) (Thanks, Heather!)

While you can't see them, this dress was complemented by a pair of gold satin slippers that Gracen insisted on wearing. Since the dress had blue flowers, she said it looked like Cinderella's dress and thus...she was Cinderella for Thanksgiving.

Freddy and Pavin relished the effects of the "turkey coma" with an afternoon nap.

On Saturday, Sleeping Beauty joined us to put the ornaments on the tree. We have already deemed this a Princess Christmas! Her ever growing obsession with Belle, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella...and anyone with a big dress and a wand for that matter is all she talks about. It's definitely added to her already blooming imagination which has provided endless entertainment. Yesterday she kept asking, "Where Prince Charming? Where Prince Charming?" This is princess code for "Where's Daddy?" She's usually sufficed with the answer, "Prince Charming's at work." :)

Getting in the Swing of Things...

2007-11-14T16:24:00.000-08:00

After an exciting, wonderful blur of a week, we are attempting to get back in the groove. Pavin had his first pediatrician's appointment this week, confirming that we have a big, healthy baby boy! After our visit, Gracen had ballet, where she is preparing for her big Christmas recital next month. The one minute performance by the 3yr. old class is sure to be a show stopper! Yes...note that Gracen is in the THREE year old class...she's quite advanced! :)

Pavin loves the fresh scent of...Dreft, apparently. In a particularly fussy moment, I laid him down in a pile of laundry to swaddle him. He instantly stopped crying, took a deep breath and fell asleep. I'll try to remember this tactic at 2 in the morning.

Pavin enjoyed watching his Big Sister eating her breakfast.

Gracen just enjoyed breakfast. What a little nut!

Our Family is Home!

2007-11-08T18:22:00.000-08:00

Freddy and Gracen arrived bright and early to bring home our beautiful baby boy! Gracen was wearing her "I'm the Big Sister" t-shirt and happily told everyone that she was bringing Baby Pavin and Mommy home from the hospital.

This was our first car ride with a very full backseat. Gracen loves talking and singing to her baby brother.

A very happily family. :)

Pavin smiles, while his big sister gives him smooches.

Welcome, Pavin Rhys!

2007-11-07T09:22:00.002-08:00

Welcome, Pavin Rhys Denton!

Born November 6, 2007

11:54am - 9 lbs, 5 oz!

Though he looks super grumpy in this picture, Pavin is just the sweetest baby! Our labor and delivery experience simply could not have been better. Three of our four doctors participated in the process and we felt like VIPs. We are thrilled to welcome our BIG baby boy to our family!

Gracen loves her baby brother! She is a little confused, as she was convinced that mommy had a baby girl in her belly. But she loves to touch his feet and kiss him on the "kissy spot".

We will post more when we return home with our newly expanded family. God is awesome, in control and so very, very gracious. We are beyond blessed!

"I be a cheerleader!"

2007-10-31T18:32:00.001-07:00

"I be a cheerleader!" That phrase has echoed through our house for weeks now in anticipation of Halloween night. By far, this 3rd trick-or-treating experience was the most fun yet...complete with cheerful "twick or tweet"s and "happy how-ow-ween" s. :) Gracen joined her little buddies Charlie and Maddie as a football player and fellow cheerleader, as well as Hannah, who was a lovely dragonfly. They were quite a crew and came home wired with sugar and excitement.

We LOVE Superman!

2007-10-31T10:21:00.000-07:00

The former reigning champion, "pink ice cream" has now been replaced by "Superman ice cream" which is not only fun to order, but has the added benefits of turning everything it comes in contact with...teeth, lips, tongue, etc....a lovely shade of blue. This newly prized flavor is a perfect compliment to what has become a growing obsession with the Superman Movie, which she asks to watch at least 3 times a day.

Enjoy Gracen's 2-yr-old commentary on the subject. :)

Krispy Kremes, Sassy Pants, and "Sleepy Booty"

2007-10-28T17:46:00.000-07:00

Of all the stellar qualities Gracen has inherited from her Mommy, her all out love of Krispy Kreme chocolate iced donuts has taken center stage as of late. As one of my primary pregnancy cravings, Fred often makes Publix runs on Monday mornings to snag us some sweet deliciousness! :) (Bluffton is not blessed with a "real K.K." so we have to settle for the weekly delivery to the grocery store.) Gracen has gotten so accustomed to this trend that she usually greets Daddy on Monday mornings with, "You go get donuts now?" You can tell from the picture that she really dives in...so much so that it is the only treat I can think of that she gets stripped down for.

This is Gracen being "sassy." The first time she did it, Fred said, "What's up Sassy?" and ever since then, she will strike this pose on command.

The wide shot of this picture didn't look much different, except for the fact that it included what seemed like a few hundred more princess dresses and tiaras scattered about. She'd been quiet (too quiet) for a while. When I went to check, this was what I found. She happily said, "Look! I "Sleepy Booty"!" Later, when she took a little ride around the neighborhood in her race car, she insisted on wearing this outfit. Several people said, "Oh, you're a little early for Halloween." No...this is just her afternoon ensemble. :)

Pumpkins!

2007-10-23T12:39:00.001-07:00

In an attempt to do something "fall-ish," despite our unseasonably warm temperatures...Gracen took a trip to the Pumpkin Patch with one of her favorite friends, Jack-Boy (to differentiate between Jack the boy and Jack the dog). :)

The kids had a blast running through the pumpkins and feeding the goats and pigs. Gracen actually let the goats eat out of her hand this year...a big change from last year when she ran away screaming. Her aversion for dirt in her shoe however, has not changed and we spent a great amount of time and baby wipes cleaning and wiping her little "princess" feet. :) Oh, well...she comes by it honestly, I guess.

We spent the evening painting white pumpkins: one for Gracen and one for the baby. Gracen wanted to paint a pink cat on hers and a blue cat on the baby's. Despite my best efforts, we have two painted pumpkins which clearly look more like pink and blue bunnies than pink and blue cats. Gracen doesn't seem to notice the discrepancy and slept with her's the first night.

Coming Soon...

2007-10-20T18:47:00.000-07:00

Much like this new site, featuring the day to day hilarity that is our life...the newest addition to our wonderful chaos is still under construction. I'm at 37 weeks and considered full term. So any day now, we will officially be a family of four! Gracen simply can not wait to meet who she is convinced is her new baby sister, though that has yet to be confirmed. :) We are so very blessed...and so anxious to meet our new little love.

PS...How ya like these snazzy pajama pants? :)