Well.....Davis is going to have a........Sister!!

~October 3rd~

We have known this for a while, I am just so BEHIND on blogging! I could not wait until our 20 week appointment to find out what we were having......as soon as I was close to 16 weeks we went to a ultrasound studio to identify the gender and our doctor was correct it was a girl!! Lance and I could not be more excited......Davis may not know what he is in for, but I know he will LOVE having a little sister to look after. We are so blessed and cannot wait for our baby girl to get here!
And now we can let the SHOPPING begin....I think Lance may have a heart attack when he finds out how much girls cost.............they are so EXPENSIVE!! When we found out we were having a girl, he immediately started thinking of how he was going to keep the boys away and how he was going to pay for wedding...haha! I can't wait to see Lance with a little girl, she will have daddy wrapped around her finger in no time! I just can't wait to have a girl, I treasure the relationship I have with my mom and I cannot wait to have that with my daughter. :)

18 Month Pictures of Davis

Well, I know that I have been MIA for a LONG while, and I promise I will be back soon! I have so many pictures to post, but I wanted to go ahead and post these. For those of you who don't know......Lance and I both went to Berry College in Rome, GA and that is where we met, and we also got married there. We LOVE Berry and I couldn't wait until Davis was old enough to do his pictures there...I have been waiting and waiting for that time. If you have never been to Berry, you need to go it is so worth the trip!

Lance and I packed Davis up and headed to Rome late Friday afternoon to meet Katherine Birkbeck....who is my FAVORITE photographer.....I LOVE her work! Last time we took pictures with Katherine Davis was 6 months old, and I told her over and over how happy he was and I swear he did not smile once that day, and those of you who know Davis know that is so not like him. But Friday was a completely different day....thank goodness! The only problem was he was so happy RUNNING around everywhere, we could barely get a good family picture, but she sure got some GREAT shots of Davis and boy did his personality show. Lance and I just love this pictures because she really captured his little fun spirit!

After pictures we went to eat at one of our favorite college restaurants Schroeders! It was a fun evening down memory lane!

Here is Katherine's Blog Post (I copied this from her Blog). If you love pictures, you can stalk her blog like I do...haha!! The pictures show up even better on her blog if you want to look at them there, you will have to scroll down to October 26th.

http://kbirkbeckphotography.squarespace.com/

Last Friday I got together with the Cone family! Last time I did pictures with Davis he was not the happiest little boy that his parents always tell me that he is. Well, this time he was ready to smile and laugh and run! After taking pictures for a little bit I think he realized who I was and what I was doing. We let him run and play all over Berry but when he would stop to notice me he would immediately bend down on one knee and strike a pose. It was the funniest thing ever and oh so cute! Davis is going to be a big brother in February as well! Maybe he'll teach her how to pose for pictures when she arrives. Here are some of my favorites from Friday's session...

This is what he did most! Good thing Katherine is good at getting pictures on the RUN!

Look at his hair.....this is when we decided that he was DONE!!!

"YAY!!!! I am finished!!!"

What Happened To Your Blog....MIA???

I know we have been MIA this summer, but I promise that

"Life is Good" and LOTS of updates are to come soon...we have lots of good news at the Cone house! Please read the previous posts for the THREE big CHANGES at the Cone house. There is also a post below about our July trip to Destin.....and eventually I will finish posting about our ten day Utah trip!

Third and BEST CHANGE at the Cone House!

I am going to be a BIG BROTHER!!!

Dear Family and Friends -

It has been a long time since I have written on this blog.....but I have some really big news to share with all of you today. Well......it is official I am going to be a BIG BROTHER!! My little baby sister or brother is due on March 3rd, but since my mom has to have another c-section, my baby sister or brother will be here sometime during the last two weeks of February. We are SUPER excited around our house! I am not sure what this BIG BROTHER thing is all about, but my mom and dad sure keep telling me that it is going to be great so I am looking forward to it (sort of.....I hear I am going to have to share all my toys and hugs and kisses......I am not sure how I feel about that)! I went to the doctor with mommy and daddy yesterday and the doctor said he is 75 percent sure it is a girl.......I think my mom really liked that news!! My dad seemed to like it too! When we got in the car, my daddy said well if it is a girl I need to start saving for a wedding and I need to buy a gun! Girls sound like they may be a lot of work!! I am kind of hoping for a little sister......but a little brother would be awesome too! Whatever it is, we are super excited!

Love,

Davis

Second CHANGE at the Cone House!

Well, as you can see we have lots of changes going on at our house!! The second change is I have decided to take a new job this year. Last year I was working part time as a Title I teacher at Midway Elementary. I loved my job and it was perfect to work a little and be able to spend more time with Davis. I really was blessed last year. But as you know with all the budget cuts part-time is always up in the air these days. So....this past year, I have been looking into the Georgia Cyber Academy as a back up plan because I get to work from home. But this wasn't really much of a back up plan because they had so many applicants!!

I began this interview process back in April and I went to an in person interview and had several phone interviews etc....but come July I still had not heard anything and began to lose hope. To make a long story short I ended up getting the job and I also was offered my job back at Midway so I had a big decision to make. I decided to put our family first. I just couldn't turn down this opportunity to work at home with another baby on the way. It is a full time job, but it is really flexible and I can create my own schedule on most days. I really think this was just another answer to a prayer. So Lance and I thought long and hard about it and I decided to take the GCA job. So, I am teaching third grade math and I am really excited about this new adventure

The best part is, one of my good friends from Midway, Gillette, also got offered a job at GCA and she took it so we are able to work some together and help each other out. This first few weeks has been VERY STRESSFUL just because I have so much to learn, but each day is getting better. My main concern was not having daily face to face contact with my colleagues...I am so big on sharing and collaborating...I love that part about teaching. But, I went to a two day professional developement meeting and was able to meet my team and other teachers in the school. All I have to say is I LOVE my team! They are so nice and helpful and I felt apart of the team from the moment we met, so I know it is meant to be!

I start teaching the week of September 7th, so I am looking forward to getting into a scheduled routine. Until then I am doing lost of administrative type work and getting to know all my parents, so I am spending lots of time on the phone. I will be teaching lessons on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday via Elluminate, on the Internet. Monday is a LONG meeting day (but it is all done online so I am home) and Friday is my day to get organized, plan, hold conferences, hold field trips etc. GCA is a public school so I still get great benefits and the teacher retirement system which is so nice. GCA works with parents that are homeschooling their children. I will be working with these parents and helping them along the way. Anyway, that is just the "skinny" of my new job! I am sure it is one of those jobs that once I get into it I will love it! If you want more info about GCA you can go to their website. www.k12.com/GCA

First CHANGE at the Cone House!!

First CHANGE at the Cone House......

First Day of School

Does he look excited or what?

Lance and I are so excited for Davis! He has a new year ahead of him with so many new experiences. Last year, he had the wonderful opportunity to have our neighbor Mrs. Tina watch him (and he was the only one with Mrs. Tina)! It was really perfect for his first year.......but the teacher in me really wanted him to be able to be exposed to more kids. Davis is so social Lance and I really thought Mother's Morning Out would be so good for him. I have heard such good things about Creekside Christian Academy, and they take kids once they can walk....which most places won't take them until they are two. So everything worked out perfect! Davis is going to school three days a week from 9:00 - 1:00. His teachers are WONDERFUL! This works out perfect with my new work schedule and I am able to get so much accomplished while he is at school. MeMe is still watching him on Tuesdays ......which he loves and Friday he is MINE all day.....which I LOVE! He is happy when I drop him off and happy when I pick him up! I am just so excited that his first week went well and that he seems to be adjusting so well. He even met a little friend, Parker....and Parker and Davis have the same birthday!!

Destin Beach Trip - July 12 - 16

Our annual 4th of July Destin trip with the Cones! We had a great time spending time together and enjoying the nice weather. We thought the oil spill may ruin our trip, but the water was beautiful and we did not see ANY oil! We had such a great time at the beach....Davis LOVES the beach as much as we all do! I could come down here once a month if it was closer.....there is nothing better than being on a beach. Enjoy all our beach pictures!

We went to Baytowne Wharf and Davis had so much fun dancing and playing with the kids......he started to throw a little fit when we had to leave! He also kept trying to get on stage......he already likes being center of attention!

Davis LOVED the carousel Lance and I do not think we are EVER seen him this HAPPY! We were not sure if he would like it, but he thought it was the BEST thing ever invented!! He laughed, smiled, and squealed the whole time. Every once in a while he would let go and clap and of course he had to keep kissing his horse...he is crazy!

Davis and Nana

He just stopped and did this out of nowhere...I guess he was tired??

Davis and Papa

Me and my Sister-In-Law (but I prefer to just call her my sister) Anna

Anna dressed Davis up in her bikini......Lance was not happy..haha!

Daddy and Davis catching sand fleas. Davis loved holding them...he would just laugh and laugh!

He has a sand flea in his hand!!

Davis would walk up and down the beach and he would stop and say hey to everyone he passed. When he went on a walk with Nana she said people were talking to him and even giving him snacks....he was quite social at the beach.....I don't think he met a stranger the whole time we were there.

The traditional sand dune picture at Grayton Beach while we waited to eat at the Red Bar! This is my all time favorite restaurant at the beach. It brings back memories of going to the beach when I was younger.

Davis used to be so good about posing for picture, but now he has better things to be doing I guess because we can barely get a picture anymore!