Thursday, October 20, 2011

So we just ordered our invitations from Shutterfly!!
I think they look adorable... and I got 50 for about $30!!
Also had a free shipping code!! You can't beat that!

Photo Card
View the entire collection of cards.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Traditions

Fall has always held a special place in my heart.... I have so many wonderful childhood memories. Each year, my parents would take us to get pumpkins. Chuck would always get the biggest pumpkin, I would get the middle-sized, and Kaitlyn would get the smallest.
Chuck would always carve a scary face into his... He has always been artistic, and would come up with the scariest, most intricate designs for his pumpkins. Snarling faces with wrinkly eyes and jagged teeth. I would always do a funny face... the great big circular eyes with the classic snaggle-toothed jack-o-lantern grin. Kaitlyn would try her best to turn her tiny pumpkin into a princess.

Now that we have Jameson, Jay and I are talking about our favorite past-times and things that we want to do with him as a family. Now that we are on our own, we have to start our own traditions... make our own memories. Of course we will have the normal Christmas with the family, Thanksgiving traveling from GA to SC... But we wanted to do something special. Something that is just ours.

We have been trying to do a lot of different things this year, so we can find out what kind of things we like...

One thing that we tried was the North Georgia State Fair. This one is definitely going on our list of things we HAVE to do each year!! We went, and we asked Jay's brother and his family to tag along. They met us there, and we had a blast. What is better than deep-fried food, fries drenched in vinegar, petting zoos, and merry-go-rounds all surrounded by the smell of candy apples and cotton candy? Nothing, that's what.



It was kind of a chilly-day. I wore a hoodie - which screams perfect weather to me! :o) We walked around in the petting zoo, and Jameson checked out all the animals. In honor of the country fair, the boys wore matching plaid. Hey, I'm never too ashamed to get a little cheesy. In fact, I strive for it.

After the petting zoo, we did a walk-around to find out which rides Jameson would be big enough for. He is 10 months, but he is really tall, so for the rides that were based on height, he was in. We had him ride the rides with his cousin, Abi, because I didn't trust him not to try to escape the spinning Nemo mid-turn.




After the Nemo ride, Abi spotted the boats. She informed us that Jameson would absolutely LOVE the boats, and that we just HAD to let her take him on it. The boats seemed like a ride for older kids, and was a little bigger. She said that they MUST be for smaller kids because they had glitter and horns. Well, what can I say. She had me at glitter.



Have you ever experienced a moment of just pure joy, but through the eyes of a child? Watching my sweet boy smile smile with all 7 1/2 teeth, while emitting squeals of delight took me back to MY days as a child... When life was about having fun. Life was about doing what made you happy. Life was about belly laughing while driving a silver-glittered boat in a circle while driving not one, but 2 steering wheels. Life was about riding a gorgeously-adorned carousel horse like a bucking bronco - with one hand in the air!




A lot of fun was had at the fair. Next year, he will be a little older and we can venture into the slightly bigger rides. I have a feeling, that the merry-go-round will always be a favorite for this boy.




This past weekend, we added 2 more items to the running of Butler Family Traditions. We went to the Apple Festival in Ellijay, Georgia, and then we stopped at Pettit Creek on the way home. The Apple Festival was a bit of a struggle, because we were all getting over the sickies, but we were troopers, and managed to do a lot. I found some great deals at a tiny boutique toy store downtown and we scored some AMAZING boiled peanuts. After walking around for a bit and grabbing some lunch, we headed to Pettit Creek. They usually have a fun Christmas set-up where you drive through the woods, and they have it decorated with TONS of lights. For fall, it's all about their animals!





The goats were too cute!! After the goats, we got on the 'safari bus'. By 'safari bus' they mean a pallet being pulled by a tractor. It was covered in straw, and the seats were little hay bales. It lasted for about 15 minutes, and you got to stop twice to feed zebras, camels, and more sheepy-goats.






I would say that we are well on our way to making our own family traditions. Whether we're on the carousel at the fair, watching zebras from a smashed hay-bale, or eating warm boiled peanuts while driving down a scenic mountain highway... we're making memories. Memories that we can look back on in years to come and smile... Hopefully ones that Jameson will love enough to tell his children about.