The Johnson Page

Ada's Artwork!

2011-08-24T17:57:00.000-04:00

In her art and crafts class today, their assignment was to draw pictures of themselves and their friends. This picture is of Ada and her friend "Ava with the yellow hair". Her new teachers were very impressed with her art skills. They were also impressed that she could write her name.

I thought you would all like to see this...and yes, I am keeping this one for our fridge.

Happy Aniversary to us!

2011-07-14T12:00:00.001-04:00

Adam and I went to French Lick, IN, this past weekend to celebrate 4 years of marriage. Have you ever heard of French Lick, IN? Us either! We are so glad that this is where we threw the dart for our pasted together "romantic" weekend. We had low expectations and fewer hopes on the success of this weekend. We were just hoping that the joke of heading to the middle of now where Indiana would be enough to keep us laughing the whole time. We did do some research and knew that there was a designed single track mountain bike trail that Adam really wanted to do and I wanted to tour the two historic resorts there. We just didn't realize that there wasn't much besides that there! If you life golf or gambling, then there is a few courses and one of the hotels has a casino. There is a scenic railway and if we had time I would have wanted to do that, but we will save that for next time. Adam gave me roses and my very own bike for our anniversary, so the big perk was that I was able to join him on his bike. We had a wonderful time! I fell once, and I have a sore backside and elbow, but other than that, I'm fine. We fell in love with French Lick, IN, and hope to return soon. We just had a great time! Special thanks to Grandma and Grandpa for keeping Ada for us! If you want to see the history of the Resorts, go to http://www.frenchlick.com

The Official New Orleans Recap

2011-07-14T11:38:00.000-04:00

We had a wonderful time in New Orleans for Sally's wedding. There was lots of good eating, to include the introduction to a real muffaletta for Adam, and enjoying Cafe Du Monde first hand. The pool was fun at the hotel and of course, the company was the best. The wedding was delightful and we all had a great time. We found out that our little Ada is a real party goer. Once she got use to the music and had a little cake in her, she was ready to dance with the best, and not so best of all them. I think she was on a mission to dance with everyone there and I'm almost certain that besides the DJ she reached her goal. Ada and Sally became best friends. Ada thought being that close to a real princess was the most fascinating thing ever.

As we gather more pictures, because there were a lot, I will post some as they come. These are from the photographer's website, that is why it has his web address on them. We will order some of these, but if you see one that you want a copy of, let me know and we will get an extra copy.

Ada and the Doctor

2011-07-01T13:00:00.000-04:00

Dear All,

Well we just got back from the hospital and all is well for now. She still has reflux but has been down graded to a 1 and 2. (She started off as 4 and 5, 5 is the worst you can get) So, this means she is responding well with the medicine and will continue taking it daily as directed. She is "growing out" of this, but shows signs of possible permanent damage to her ureters (the tube that connect her kidney's to her bladder) that may need surgery to fix. Right now, we are scheduled to recheck her kidneys via ultrasound in 9 months, assuming that we get the same great results from a few weeks ago, she will have her bladder checked nine months from then. So, we won't have to go through what we did this morning for another 18 months! Yippee!! Dr. Hill thinks that because she has made such drastic improvements from what she started off as 3 years ago, he thinks that she might out grow the reflux, but is concerned that the damage to her ureters may not heal properly thus requiring further treatment to repair. Once again, she is not done with this battle, but is doing very well with her treatment.

As for this morning, she did very well. The "funny" gas was a hoot to watch with her. The hospital has staff who's sole purpose in life is to come in and distract kids during procedures like this. Kim, our entertainer for the morning, must have blown a million bubbles in the hour we were back there. Ada just giggled the whole time. She didn't like the nose piece but responded to the mask that the "gas doctor" had to hold over her face. She giggled, talked and laughed the whole time. She got fussy when they inserted and removed the catheter, but we were expecting that. She did experience pain afterward. The doctor said it was bladder irritation from inflating her bladder so large, but it would pass. That was great news, but at the time, not helpful due to the fact she was screaming and there was nothing we could do to comfort her. Luckily, the trip from the hospital to the doctor's office across the street wrapped up in her strawberry shortcake blanket and 3 suckers later, her spirits started to improve. She will still be sensitive for the rest of the day, but by tomorrow there should be no issues. Right now, she is fighting a nap and is singing at the top of her lungs, so I would say she is recovering back to normal quite well.

I think here shortly we are all going to take a nap, 6 am came early this morning for all of us.

I hope all are doing well!
XOXOXO,
Adam, Liz and Princess Ada

New Orleans!

2011-06-21T22:37:00.000-04:00

We had a wonderful time in New Orleans this past weekend! As I gather all the pictures and organize them I will add them to page along with the full story of our events, but I just wanted to go ahead and share this photo of Ada. She has a blast at the "Princess Party"!

Ready, Set, Tumble!

2011-06-09T14:12:00.000-04:00

Ada has started her gymnastics class. She will take this class every Tuesday till the first week of August. She loved it! I stayed and watched her along with all the other "gym moms" who were quite willing to tell me about all the great things she will learn how to do. She is taking this class from a real gymnasium that trains girls for Nationals and Olympic tryouts so she is learning from the best. Thankfully, her preK-3 class does not involve the strenuous work ethics of the older girls, and is only about having fun and learning the simple steps. I think Ada's favorite part was when she was able to jump into the "pit". This was on the other side of the gym from me so I had a hard time taking pictures but it was quite exciting to watch due to the fact that Ada disappeared below ground. There is the long springy runway they got to run as fast as they could down then jump into the "pit" that was filled with foam. The first little girl ran her heart out then came to abrupt stop at the end and refused to jump, her teacher threw her in, once the little girl climbed out and Ada saw that she was in fact alive, well, Ada thought this thing was great. She took off down the runway and into the deep unknown she went. A few seconds later she was climbing out ready to skip over all her classmates to try it again. Needless to say, she has asked several times about when she will be able to jump into the "pit" again. I'm so glad we got her into this class because I think she really loves it!

Memorial Day Weekend!

2011-05-31T10:37:00.000-04:00

Adam has been working in the western panhandle of Florida this past week so Ada and I decided on Thursday to take advantage of this and head to the beach to see him! We had a wonderful time. Ada shares the love for the water like Adam and the two of them were building sandcastles, spotting fish, chasing seagulls, and jumping waves all weekend. We attempted to go to the beach in the mornings while the sun was not so hot and the afternoons in pool at the hotel. We stopped by the Air Force Armament Museum to see all the "momma, daddy and Ada" airplanes. It was really cool. Adam and I both had a sweet spot for the C130, but that is to be expected. We ate a lot of good food and saw some really big boats and had a wonderful mini-vacation. We came back to "da-land" on Sunday and Adam had Monday, Memorial Day, off so we headed over to Moss Rock here in Hoover for a bit of climbing and hiking. We all had a great time and can't wait to do it again!

WHOA! Where has the time gone?

2011-05-25T17:07:00.001-04:00

Wow! These past few months have just gone by so fast! There has been so much going on! Since my last post in February (Sorry!) we have celebrated both Adam's and Ada's birthday, we took Ada to the aquarium in Atlanta, she loved it. I finished school earlier this month, it was a long hard semester and I'm thankful it's over. Adam has been working out of AL since February so Ada and I have temperately moved south to spend more time with him! I'm taking the summer off from school and we have enrolled Ada into lots of activities here in AL. She will start gymnastics in a few weeks and then swim classes later in the summer. This summer we have several traveling trips scheduled, first big one being New Orleans mid June for my cousin's Sally's wedding. I can't wait! I think Adam and Ada will enjoy the big easy!
Well, here are a few pictures of things that have happen over the last few months! More to come, I promise! HaHa!

Adam Broke his leg!

Ada's Birthday at her school.

Ada's Birthday manicure! She loved it!

Easter Hunt 2011

Lollipop fishing!

Our little Easter Bunny

My Mother's day present!


At the Baseball game!

We found Ada a summer job at Old Navy! HaHa! She did this all on her own and Adam got the picture! Our little comedian!

Ada's 3 year old pictures!

2011-02-28T15:34:00.000-05:00

We had Ada's 3 year old pictures taken a few weeks ago. I think they came out great. She didn't want her picture taken at first, but then she came around. I think we ended up with a few good ones. Here are a sample of the top ones. If you want one, email me and I'll get it in the mail!

Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New year!!

2011-01-13T10:21:00.000-05:00

I apologize for the two month hiatus that I have not intentionally take from the blog. There has been a lot going on in these last few months that have kept all of us very busy. So here is what happen the last few months.

Ada went to Birmingham, AL, to Grandpa and Grandma Martin's house while we set up the Christmas tree stand here in Knoxville. She had a great time playing with all the kids there.

We did manage to get the tree stand up and running. Lamar, Adam's Dad, came up from Atlanta several times to help. David Allen, Adam's son, come over from North Carolina for about a week to help out and visit. It was good to have all three generations in one place. This only happen about every three to four years.

Ada and I made cookies for Santa this year. She was very interested in Santa and the reindeer, but once she figured out that she was going to have to wait for them to come, she did not think that was so much fun.

The next morning she forgot all about waiting for Santa and was quite happy that he had came. She asked if he was coming again that night.

We spent New Years at Grandmother's and Bug's house where we also celebrated Spencer's 1st birthday. Ada and Spencer got along great, well as long as Uncle Tommy knew that he was there to play with Ada!

It has been snowing for over a week now. Earlier this week we decided to get out of the house and drive up to Frozen Head State Park to explore the snow and get out of the house. Even though Adam broke his leg on December 14th, it was Adam's idea to go for a "hike". We really didn't do much other than walk around on the "smooth" areas. We did come across several hikers and their dogs so that was fun to talk to them. They all seem to understand Adam's cabin fever with the broken leg and the need to get out smell the fresh air. Yet, still due to Adam's leg, we did not venture to far from the parking lot. There was a playground and Ada made good use of it. It was nice to be out in nature for a bit. It was very pretty up there and we hope to make it back next year and do a little snow-shoeing.

The next few months are going to be hectic but manageable. I start school today, in about two hours. Adam is still on the recovery from his leg but so far things are going great. We hope once it heals than things will start to get back to normal for all of us. Ada will go back to school full time next week and that will be great for all of us. She has missed her friends and is eager to get back to them.

Halloween Videos

2010-11-01T16:53:00.000-04:00

Trick or Treat!

2010-11-01T16:43:00.000-04:00

We had a wonderful time trick or treating last night. Ada is now a pro at it. She never was quite sure what to do, sometimes she barely knocked on the door but others she banged on it with all she had. Most of the time she tried to "help" people put candy in her bucket and always inspected her goods after every door. She was a trooper. The night started out her swinging her bucket from side to side taking in all the sounds and strange creatures wondering around. Ada never thought anything was scary. Pumpkins, spiders, and ghostly creatures were eagerly pointed out and called "cute" while dancing skeletons and glowing eyeballs were looked at with her head cocked to the side as if trying to figure out the mechanics of it all. It did not take long before she was dragging her bucket on the ground to carrying it with two hands, but never once, even after several offers from both Adam and I, did she want to give up load. By the time we had gone about fifteen housed further than Adam and I had anticipated, Ada had learned that cutting through yards was a lot easier than walking on the road. She was always headed to the "next one" and consistently pointing out all the "next ones" she could see with their front porch and decorations glowing. By the time we had reached the steep driveway side, and the last leg of the neighborhood, she finally said she was going to take a break and sat down at the end of someone's driveway. After a brief conversation about the urgency of moving on and not being allowed to eat anything till we got home she was up and at it again, but this time Daddy was allowed to carry her bucket between houses. With just a few more houses to go, she completed her trick or treating journey on foot, said her last "Thank you trick or treat-er", wished everyone a "Bye Halloween" and gladly took a free ride in my arms with a blue sucker all the way home.

Happy Fall!

2010-10-19T19:38:00.000-04:00

Picking Pumpkins in our clown suit! Grandmother Leslie made it in all pink for the little princess!

Apples!!!

2010-10-18T22:16:00.001-04:00

We went to Mercier Orchards this weekend for pick your own weekend. Little Ada and her Daddy were in Apple Heaven!! Ada and I were able to go both days. Saturday with Grandma Martin and then Sunday with Daddy. Pink Lady and Cameo are in season and Mercier only has one 2-day weekend open to the public to come in and pick there own. I'm not sure Ada really cared about the picking part, but she loved the tractor ride up the hills to the orchard and the eat while you pick.

On Sunday, Ada got to experience a true Georgia treat, fried pies! Her and her father split a cherry pie, and I say split only because Ada let her dad have a few bites. We came home with huge fresh apples that I have no idea what to do with but I can promise that they won't go to waste! I think we have found a new fall family tradition! There was nothing more relaxing than walking hand in hand with my family eating fresh apples with gorgeous mountain views! Thank you Mercier! See you next year!

Click on the picture till it shows the video

2010-09-25T20:54:00.001-04:00

Fall/Winter Micro Garden

2010-09-25T20:51:00.000-04:00

Well, we have decided to attempt to grow a mini micro garden. Adam started researching online about how we could do it and I found a publication from UT about good winter plants for the area. So this morning we ran to the Mayo Garden Center, they confirmed our study fines and directed us to the winter seeds. So we now have seeds in little planters. Carrots, spinach, Georgia collards, roman lettuce and green onions are all in the ground thanks to our little helper. In addition to that we also have sprouts, rosemary, basil, chives, and garlic in separate containers. The rosemary and basil we got from a friend and got them to sprout in a water jar. The garlic I bought from the grocery store a while ago and noticed this weekend it was growing so we planted it as well.

Ada loved it! It wasn't just getting to play in the dirt, but she understood that we were building little homes for the seeds and this is where they were going to live and grow. She enjoyed watering them and both Adam and I were impressed that she did not try to flood them. Ada was oh so careful patting the dirt down and making sure they all had their "blankets" on. I think she is going to be a good little gardener and I really hope that she inherits her Nana Carol's green thumb!

Bread!

2010-08-13T09:33:00.000-04:00

So Adam and I have been in bread making mode for a few weeks now. I haven't bought store made bread in about a month now and now, I don't think I will buy it again. We have made several traditional loafs that some have turned out great and some have turned out a bit flat. Here lately we have started to branch out. Sunday we made a honey wheat round loaf and last night we made bagels! Both are delicious! Adam and I are really enjoying this new hobby. We hope to get good enough at this to start being able to give it away to people and them be able to tell what it is!

New house new stuff to do

2010-07-13T08:50:00.000-04:00

In the middle of unpacking and getting settled, last night we decided to take a break and introduce Ada to the swimming pool. Saying that she loved it would be an understatement. She did not run and jump in the first time, but she thought about it. It took about ten minutes of making ourselves look like fools for Ada to understand that she needs to kick and paddle her arms at the same time. Once she grasped that she was dog paddling across the pool between Adam and I, well with assistance. She did swallow a bit of water a few times so we are now working on swimming with our mouth shut. She looks kinda silly b/c she is wiggling and frog kicking all while making a "kissy" face. Adam let her get out of the pool and jump back into his arms, but that opened a whole other can of worms. She liked that a lot, but wanted to try launching herself into the pool from every corner, so Adam and I got our workout b/c we were having to swim as fast as we could to opposite ends of the pool as she ran around it.
We both were very impressed at how quickly she picked up on swimming and really do think that she will be dog paddling with floats by the end of the summer. The best part of it all, she slept like a rock last night.

We are on the Move again!

2010-07-01T12:17:00.000-04:00

Just to let everyone know that we are moving, again! Ha! Our phones will stay the same so email me if you want the new address. Here is a cell phone picture of the townhouse. Its a 2 bedroom 2.5 bath house in the west side of Knoxville. This is a lot closer for my first 2 years of school, great school system for Ada and close to work for Adam.

Cooking with style

2010-05-23T21:17:00.000-04:00

Nana Carole sent Ada a new apron she made. So we put it to the test this weekend making sugar cookies. Ada loved "helping". I think she may end up sharing my love for baking. It was fun, a huge mess, but fun.

She loved the elephant!

I think making the dough "turn around" was the most fun for her.

She didn't grasp the idea of putting the cookies down in rows, she just kinda put them where she wanted.

I think she was kinda surprised that she "cooked" something.

Random 2010

2010-05-16T18:00:00.000-04:00

Thumbs up for Dad's BBQ

Showing her personality

Showing more of her personality

May showers

2010-05-13T17:52:00.000-04:00

(Ada's new way of surviving the grocery store)

It's almost half way over, and I am just now getting to writting the first post of the month. Shame on me. It's been busy keeping up with the Johnson's this month. It seems that the warm the weather gets the busier our calender become. But, hey, can't complain.
Ada is talking up a storm. She has mastered simple complete sentences and is starting to work on some more complicated ones. She knows how to ask for a towel and loves to "clean" up after herself. The only problem with that is that I am the one that ends up fishing out the silverware from the trashcan. Found a plate in there the other day, so there is some room for improvement.
Adam has extended the services he offers with the company to include printing now. He is very excited b/c it allows him to do more graphic design.Other than that, he is doing well.
I go next week to pick out my class schedule for the fall. I guess then I will be an official college student...again. I'll let you all know what I am taking when I find out.

The great fall of Easter 2010

2010-04-04T19:55:00.000-04:00

Today we went to Look Rock on the Foothills Parkway just south of Maryville, TN, along side the Great Smoky Mountain park. Had a great time. It was a good short day event with spectacular views of the mountains. The observation tower is about half a mile up the mountain on a nicely maintain gravel path. Ada loved running from rock to rock and tree to tree. She saw a few squirrels and tried to call them over, but they weren't having any of that. Ada also had to pick up every pine cone along the way. By the time we got to the top we had enough to make a wreath.
Before we started the hike, Ada took a tumble trying to jump onto the sidewalk. We did not realize the extent of the scrapes till we were well on our way up the mountain. She was a trooper and hung in there all the way to the top and back down again. Once we were back in the parking lot, we converted the back of the SUV into a first aid station with a snack and drink bar. Adam and I were about ready to break out the fan and grapes for little Miss pitiful when she decided that she was ok with the "sticky's" on her knee, elbow and finger.
We ended the day with a stroll along creek at Abrams Creek camp ground in Happy Valley at the bottom of the mountain ridge.
It was good to spend Easter Sunday surrounded by all things good, green and peaceful. It was kinda nice to have the cell phones turned off.

The Great Smoky Easter

2010-04-03T21:19:00.002-04:00

We went to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park today to take Ada's Easter pictures. We has such a wonderful time. Our day started by meeting Grandpa and Grandma Martin at Newfound Gap. It was very windy and a bit chilly. You could still see snow up there! Adam and I were able to walk on the Appalachian trail for about 200 feet and it was enough to confirm in us that hiking the whole thing from Georgia to Maine would be worth every blister. After lunch in Gatlinburg with the Grandparents we set off for Easter pictures in the park. We stopped off at Sugarland's visitor center and took advantage of the meadow in front of the Ranger station. We then set off on a little hike to the waterfall. We really had lots of fun and Ada had a blast hiking in her Easter best. After trying to hug the waterfall it was clear that Ada was ready for her afternoon nap so we set off to Cades Cove about an hour away, just long enough for her to get a good rest. Once there, we pulled over in the picnic area and got our feet wet in the little creek running along side. It may have been a warm sunny spring day, but that creek was still stuck in the winter! Boy was it cold! Ada loved standing on "her rock" while holding on to Adam for balance to pick out river rocks to "skip" in the creek. Once she threw a big enough one that the splash got us all a little damp we decided to wash our toes off and set off for dry land. The cove itself is currently closed so the park can do much needed road repair, but we able to stand at the entrance and look down. There were wild deer that had wiggled their way into the horse pen. Then off in the distance you can see the horses running in the meadow. It was just breath taking to watch. Adam and I are counting down the days till June when the road opens back up.
Only with the amazing views we were consistently reminded that it is now bear season, so that maybe the only downside to this whole adventure, but for now, we will roll with the punches.

We wish all of you a very happy Easter. May you all find your own joy in this season.

Love,
Adam, Elizabeth and Ada

Ada turns 2

2010-03-22T20:39:00.002-04:00

So, Ada turned 2 today. She is getting so big. Her latest measurements puts her right under 3 feet tall and about 29 pounds. Everyday she learns a new word and she is starting to talk in simple sentences. The cartoon movie "Bolt" is her favorite movie hence why Adam got her the stuffed animals of the the two main characters, Bolt and Mittens. We still haven't figured out if she is left or right handed. She uses both hands equally and truly shows no preference to either. He hair is really starting to curl in the back. There is one long ringlet that I can stick my pinkie finger in and it hugs it nicely. Ada is learning how to order Bentley around, sometimes he responds to her sometimes he doesn't. She still hasn't met a stranger. If I would let her, she would run and hug everyone, so there is good and bad to this. Time is flying with her. Potty training is her next project.
Due to Mom having surgery last week, we reworked our birthday party plans and moved the party to Birmingham, AL, to Grandpa and Grandma Martin's house so that Lauren and I could go see Mom in the hospital in Huntsville that weekend as well. The weekend prior we met the pre-surgery Mom and Bug in Gatlinburg, TN, and had a mini party there. Mom wanted to make sure she was able to celebrate with Ada and I think she did a great job!

This past weekend in AL, Grandma Martin was such a blessing in organizing a party for Ada so I could have plenty of time to spend with Mom in Huntsville that day. Before the party, the Martin grandparents decided to take Ada to the park and I think she had a good time. What I do know was that everyone came back pretty darn tired. That night we had the party, and Grandma Martin did a wonderful job, she copied the underwater theme from the birthday cards that was the original idea since Ada really loves the aquarium. The bakery that she used for the cake did a fantastic job in decorating, and it was a perk that the cake tasted as good as it looked. Great-Grandma Martin was able to make it to the festivities and she may have been the only one more excited than Ada. It was a good day and we are so happy that we have a such wonderful family to share it with.

Good times

2010-03-22T20:10:00.000-04:00

Wow! I have been a bad little blogger! We have been so busy that I just haven't had the brain power left at the end of the day to blog. I feel horrible about it! Well, I am just going to upload a few pictures of things we have done recently. We have really enjoyed exploring our new area.

Ada and her Flashcards.

2010-02-10T20:53:00.000-05:00

We have been working on the flashcards and she is doing very well, the only problem is keeping her still long enough to go through them!

Video from Gatlinburg.

2010-02-06T21:19:00.000-05:00

Adam and Ada in the tunnel.

SHARK!!!!!!

2010-02-06T20:32:00.003-05:00

Nana sent Ada tickets to go to the aquarium in Gatlinburg, TN, this week so we took advantage of the cold rainy day to spend indoors in a tropical oasis. We had a blast! Ada was running from window to window yelling "FISH FISH!!" and it didn't matter if it was a frog or crab they were all renamed. Once we got to the "tunnel" and on the moving sidewalk Ada learned a new word for a new fish and that word/fish was "SHARK". She yelled "Shark" at every darn shark in the tank and even a few tuna got yelled at too. It didn't help that Adam was humming the theme song to "Jaws" the entire time but the young couple behind us were leaning on each other for support in laughter. We also got to see a huge tank of sting rays that were absolutely beautiful. I told Adam that in our next house I wanted a sting ray fish tank that was that size in our house somewhere. (I don't think he shared the same enthusiasm as me.) Well Ada didn't know what these new animals were and I don't think she could figure out how to say "sting ray" so she just pulled a word out of her small vocabulary and renamed them "KITTY!". (Once again the couple behind us grabbing there sides and now snorting.)
On the way out of the aquarium Ada spotted a very colorful plastic octopus and asked Adam what it was. Adam told her and she repeated it perfectly. So our not quite 2 year old calls sting rays "Kitties" but can pronounce "octopus" clearly....go figure.
New words learned today: Raccoon, Turkey, & Bear: Thanks to Bass Pro Shop. Octopus, Shark, Jelly (for Jelly Fish), and Crab from the aquarium.

Park and Snow

2010-02-06T20:21:00.003-05:00

The weather outside is frightful but the snow balls outside are HUGE!

So we got some snow....then we got some more....and some more.....

Last week we were hit by a winter storm that dropped about 5inches on Knoxville. We stayed indoors for most of it, but a few days later when most had melted we ventured out to the park to get some fresh air. In the field next to the park was what was left of a ginormous snowman. Ada is standing in front of what was left of the midsection. I'm just glad she didn't try to lick it.

Ada's new phrase!

2010-01-26T19:02:00.002-05:00

I have no idea where she learned this, but she started saying this today. Remember, she isn't even 2 yet!

A day at the parks

2010-01-23T22:11:00.005-05:00

Well even though today was not a pretty weather day, it was the first dry day we have had in several days, so we decided to take advantage of it. This morning we took Ada to the park. On the way we made a pit stop at the fountain pond to feed the geese and ducks. Ada loved it, and we loved the fact that she never tried to jump in after them. Ada kept yelling at the ducks to "eat" after throwing bread into the water. She never did say geese, but we were happy with the well pronounced "duck".
Once at the park Ada met twin boys who were much older than her, maybe 5 or 6, who taught her a new way to go down the big slides, head first. Ada loved following these boys around the playground and they had fun leading her on all all the big kid toys. The grandmother that was there with the twins was very concerned that the boys would knock Ada over and she would get hurt. Adam and I were very watchful, but were more concerned for the boys safety. We realized that once Ada got comfortable around the big boys, she started to "nudge" them down the slides. It was very funny, yet bad habit forming so we tried our best at keeping a straight face and letting her know that "nudging" on the slides was not appropriate behavior. She figured out real quick that if she beat them to the slides then she didn't have to wait on the boys to go down.
If you haven't figured out already, then the pictures should clue you in, Ada has no fear. None. Not a bit. Heights don't stop her. Steep stairs and long climbs are not going to keep this child on the ground. There was this very old, very tall, very rickety slide there that Ada loved. Standing at about 10 feet tall and zero safety features on it, it's a nightmare for any mother seeing her not even 2 year old standing on the top as happy as can be. What did Ada do? She went up and down it about 10 times, each time doing it a little faster and not holding on as much. Adam finally had enough with climbing up behind her that we were able to get her excited about another shorter safer slide. It wasn't long after that when we decided that it was time to go. Ada cried the entire walk to the car, it about broke my heart, but we all were very tired after 2 hours at the park.
We came home, got a quick bite to eat, grabbed the dog and headed to the dog park. Ada fell asleep in the car on the way as Adam predicted and slept the entire hour in the car we were at the dog park. Adam had the pleasure of being inside the fence with Bentley this time, I stayed in the car with Ada. Bentley was in heaven. The pond was open for the first time in several weeks since the all the ice had finally melted so Bentley jumped right in. Adam said that Bentley figured out real quick that none of the other dogs could keep up with him, so he would egg then on to run with him then take off on them. He would also catch other dog's toys and run off with them only to return them after a victory lap. One owner/dog pair had a ring Frisbee that Bentley caught and flipped around over his head so he had it around his neck. He was running around with this neon orange necklace on. As the sun started to fade and the temperature dropped even more, our once very white English setter had turned very brown and it was time to head home. Adam was able to give him a very quick very cold shower with the hose that was there and then it was a warm towel in the back of the car for Bentley for the ride home. All in all, today was a great day. The house is very quite now with the baby and dog fast asleep in their respected beds. We look forward for the next "parks" day.

January so far...

2010-01-13T19:46:00.003-05:00

With the unbelievable cold conditions that we have had here in Knoxville of the past few weeks, we all have been stuck in the house more than we wish. Luckily we have managed to keep ourselves entertained. Adam and I have been working really hard with Ada on her letters, numbers, and animals. She is blowing me away will how fast she is picking things up. I have not been able to get her to grasp the idea that letters and numbers have an order to them, but I know that it will all come in time. The fact that she knows most of them is a blessing in itself.
Ada is also quickly turning into a little girl. She has developed the massive need to help and be involved in everything that Adam and I are doing. Out daily duties she has started to master like helping to empty the dishwasher, find her food in the pantry and open the fridge to bring us her milk or juice. This morning she and I played dress up with my shoes and her tutu. Unfortunately for Bentley, he got a little too nosy with the activities and got involved weather he liked it or not.
My baby is turning into a little girl more and more everyday.....

Happy Birthday Spencer!

2010-01-05T21:18:00.002-05:00

The new addition to the family!!

Spencer Thomas Eckenrode
Born: January 5th, 2010
4:57pm
7lbs 2ozs, 20 3/4 inches

Congratulations Lauren and Tommy!!!

Christmas At Mom's house

2009-12-29T20:29:00.003-05:00

We went to Christmas dinner at my mother's house in Huntsville, AL. It was great to see her and Doug. Ada had a blast chasing the "kik-Kees" around, I am not so sure they enjoyed it as much. We took Bentley down with us. He did fine playing outside and sitting by the stove looking for scraps. When the cat jumped over the makeshift fence, well, that is another story. No wounds, thank goodness, and I am not too sure who was more surprised, us or them.

Christmas Eve at the Park

2009-12-24T18:58:00.003-05:00

We went to the park today to entertain ourselves this afternoon, and well, here are the results. Enjoy, and Merry Christmas Eve!!

Early Christmas

2009-12-24T11:01:00.006-05:00

Today is Christmas eve, and we celebrated our family Christmas today since we will be up way to early in the morning to head to Grandmother and Bug's house in Huntsville, AL, for a big family dinner day. Ada enjoyed opening her gifts. She got lots of clothes from Uncle Tommy and Aunt Lauren, a handmade sweater and hat from Nanna (Adam's Mom), a tea set and pull toy from us. A week ago a friend of ours was sorting through things getting ready to move and gave us a tricycle and grocery cart so we waited till this morning to give them to Ada as an extra surprise. She loves them all. She took the shopping cart over to the pantry and started emptying the shelves and putting it all in her cart.
It has been a good holiday season so far, and we look forward to seeing even more family tomorrow.

Christmas in the Mountains

2009-12-20T18:45:00.003-05:00

This weekend we went to Murphy, NC, to Dad and Denise's new mountain cabin. While there, Ada was able to celebrate Christmas with Grandpa and Grandma Martin. Among the new outfits and lego kits, Ada also received a kitchen. We waited till today to set it up, and thanks goodness we did, it need a power drill and lots of screws. Adam and I discovered that trying to put a child's kitchen together while your child is trying to play with it is very difficult, but we worked through it.
As you can tell from the pictures, Ada loves it. We have had lots of fun watching her cook in her kitchen. She loves putting stuff on the stove and talking on the phone. So far she is a great cook and multitask-er! (She gets that from her Mom.) We did not expect her to mimic working in the kitchen so well, so she must have been studying us for a long time! It's a real treat to watch her make coffee!!
We invite all of you to come over because Ada would love to cook something for you now!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-16T23:11:00.002-05:00

It's our first Christmas here in Knoxville and we are excited. Of course there are many things going on. We are starting the holiday celebration this weekend and Dad's new cabin in Murphy, NC, then off to Mom's in AL on Christmas day. Hopefully somewhere in there we will get news that our new nephew will have arrived. Little Spencer is not due till mid January, but I have bets on around the New Year. Here are the Christmas pictures we used for our cards. We were very lucky that it snowed the first weekend this month, so yes, that is real snow on the tree. The pictures were taken at Krutch Park in downtown.

Thanksgiving and Christmas Parade

2009-12-04T19:42:00.002-05:00

Lots of pictures from the last month. Some are from Thanksgiving at Dad's house and some are from the Christmas parade here in Knoxville from Dec 4th. Enjoy!

Top 5 things we have learned about the new loft.

2009-11-15T20:27:00.003-05:00

Ok, so now that we have been here for a few weeks, there are somethings that we have discovered that are vastly different from our old house. (You may notice, that most of these Ada has been a key figure in them.)

1. If the dead bolt is not locked then Ada can open the door and get out. You will not know this until you hear the door slam shut. Prior to running out after her, make sure you unlock the door handle or you will be locked out.
2. This building requires more keys and door codes to enter than Fort Knox, but hardly none to exit, therefor, grab your keys on your way out to chase after Ada.
3. There is not a pantry in the kitchen, and the only place to store the food is under the island. This means that everything is eye level for Ada and she can go get what she wants when she wants it. (Like cheerios at 7am and bring them to you in bed so you have a wide awake baby and a box of cheerios as your morning wake up call.)
4. The knob to turn the shower on is a pull up on top of the faucet in the bathtub. This is easy access for Ada. So it's very entertaining for her to turn the shower on and off while waiting for her bathwater to rise.
5. The sun is bright. Our wonderful huge windows face west and at sunset we eat supper with sunglasses on. They are also an odd size which makes finding window treatments difficult.

As we continue to live here I am sure that there more things we will figure out. So far it's all been a fun learning experience!

Veterans Day

2009-11-11T21:19:00.003-05:00

"In war, there are no unwounded soldiers."
-José Narosky Quotes-

We all went to the Veterans Day parade here in Knoxville. As always, I got emotional during the National anthem and Taps, but was able to hold it together for the rest of the festivities. Ada loved waving to all the people in the parade. I kinda wish she was old enough to understand the importance that this day holds for me and Adam, but at the same time, her innocents is just as joyful.
We were able to get small flags and she somehow knew what to do with them right off the bat. She loved waving them, then handing them to me, then getting them back and waving them again. I was worried that she wouldn't like the bands of the firetrucks, but she just waved, danced, and looked at them saying "wow" over and over again. Never did get scared. It was a great day. It was a great parade.

"This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave."
-Elmer Davis Quotes-

Hello Knoxville!

2009-11-03T21:24:00.002-05:00

Ok, grab a cup of coffee, this is going to be a long one.

So, I have been without internet for about 3 weeks now, and of course this has been the craziest 3 weeks to date. A short recap for those of you who are completely clueless on the details of the Johnson's life this past month, well, we moved to Knoxville, TN. Now, for a bit more detail on the ins and outs of it all.
We still have our house in Fayetteville. It has yet to sell or rent but we have our fingers crossed, of course, if it doesn't do something soon, we may be moving back to NC. Adam is working for Slamdot here in Knoxville selling websites while trying to get his new business, Bingham Johnson, up and running. I am in the process of trying to get into UT in January. I have an appointment next week with the admissions office to see what kind of red tape they can cut through to get me in. After talking with them and looking at our situation, we have decided that going straight into UT and taking an easy semester is better than me going to a community college first. Keep your fingers crossed, prayers and good vibes coming this way that all goes well!!
Now, about our new place. Guess what everyone...we live in a downtown loft again!! We are in The Emporium Lofts, which are only a few blocks from the UT campus and the World's fair park, not to mention the river as well. Ada and Bentley seem to be adjusting well to it all. Ada loves the elevator and the very long hallway we have that she can run up and down in. Surprisingly there are several children in the building. We know this, not only from seeing them coming and going, but apparently all five lofts on the 4th floor (directly above us) all have children and they all play in the loft directly above us during the day. Starting about 8:30 in the morning we hear the "thump thump thumps" of little feet running. We have gotten a kick out of it so far. I hope that once we get a little more settled and feel a little more adventurous, we will meet the 4th floor community and join in on the action.
Adam and I have enjoyed being able to load Ada in the stroller and go for a walk every night. We have set off in a different direction every time and have yet to overlap anything. So far we have discovered that there is not a shortage of coffee shops, pubs or restaurants downtown, and as an added bonus, very very few chains. There is also the historic Tennessee theater that is literally a few blocks up the street that is still in operation and has advertised several acts that we would love to see, i.e. Bill Cosby and the Imagination Movers (Disney kid show for Ada). We have already found a building that we want to buy and convert half of it into a home for us. It even has a little yard, the only problem is that it's 2.5 million and that is a "bit" out of our price range at the moment.
As we settle in more and discover more things, I will keep you all posted. I have added a few pictures of Ada picking out pumpkins for Halloween. We will change our numbers soon and I will send them out. If you have not gotten our new address yet, let me know and I will pass it along too.

Our Knoxville, TN, trip!

2009-10-03T20:23:00.003-04:00

Last weekend Ada and I made our way to Knoxville, TN, to see Adam for the weekend. We had plans to spend Saturday at the hot air balloon festival and go to the zoo with Uncle Tommy and Aunt Lauren, unfortunately we were rained out of our plans. We did however have fun at Build a bear at the mall and a fun dinner where Ada played with Aunt Lauren's drink cup and had everyone laughing. Early Sunday morning we were able to see Lauren and Tommy off at breakfast and it turned out to be a gorgeous day for the zoo. Adam, Ada and myself spent five hours walking the Knoxville zoo seeing all the animals. They had a butterfly exhibit that was lots of fun, but Ada seemed to like the red panda's better. The snow leopard made an appearance and Adam and I were very impressed with it's size and beauty, but Ada didn't seem to think too much of it. The otters were very cute but we did not get a swim show. I personally thought the very large turtles were impressive, but I think by that time of day Adam and Ada were ready for a nap. Regardless, it was a wonderful family outing and we enjoyed ourselves very much.
On Monday morning Ada and I left Knoxville and headed south towards Alabama. We stopped in Huntsville to see my mother and Doug. Ada had a wonderful time riding the carousel at the mall with her Grandmother, but I think she had the most fun chasing the cats around at Grandmother's house. Ada and Doug got to walk down the driveway to the mailbox and enjoyed making Doug follow her around. On Tuesday, we had made it to Birmingham to see Dad and Denise, so Grandpa, Ada and I, went to see my Grandmother. She is doing well and enjoyed our two short visits that day. Grandpa also took Ada up to his and Denise's offices to show her off. As to be predicted, Ada made everyone smile.
It was a wonderful trip that we all enjoyed thoroughly, but of course it was way too short and are looking forward to our next one.

A new beginning

2009-08-31T22:32:00.003-04:00

Today marks the beginning of a very big change in our family. Adam left this morning for Tennessee to work with his friend Sean at Slamdot in Knoxville. He will be there all week and will come back on the weekends. The plan is for this to last the month of September, but there is a chance that if all goes well, Adam will continue to work till the end of the year or till we close on the house, which ever comes first. Adam is no longer an owner of ARC Design. This was a sad and rejoices event for us both. Adam and I realized that selling his portion of ARC and starting over was the best thing for our family and we are excited at what the future holds.
Ada, Bentley and myself are staying in North Carolina till the house sells or till we can manage to live all together and still pay the expences of keeping the NC house. Luckly Ada has no idea what is going on, other than today she did point to the door and ask for "Da da" around the time that Adam is normally home. I am sure that as the week goes on she will realize that he is not here but will adjust to having just me to entertain her. To make the time go by faster, I am trying to plan things that she and I can get out of the house and do around Fayetteville, weather permitting. We hope that not only will this week and month fly by, but that it is a safe and sucessfull one for Adam.
We did find out about a Hot air balloon race in Knoxville at the end of the month and have made plans for Ada and I to join Adam for the fun festivites. Adam nor Ada have seen a hot air balloon race, so I will be more than happy to show them the ropes and funnel cakes. It may not be the Mississippi, but I think it will still be fun for us all.

Ready for the Snow!!

2009-08-30T19:45:00.002-04:00

I was going through Ada's closet today to weed out the clothes that she no longer can wear. (This is becoming almost a weekly event now.) I realized that the snow suit I asked Meredith to get for Ada's birthday is size 18 months, the current size she is wearing now. Fear ran through me, so to see if I was going to have to give this away, we tried it on. Thankfully it still has LOTS of growing room, but now I can't wait for the winter!! I know Texas is not known for it's freezing cold winters, but I am now hoping for a blizzard because I think that Ada is the cutest little snow bunny ever!! These pictures do not capture how laugh out loud cute she is because you can't see her move around in this thing. If it wasn't 75 degrees in the house and the fear of a heat stroke from her wearing it, I would dress her in it everyday!
I think I am going to plan a trip this winter for the Alps just so she can waddle around in this thing all day long!

Even if it takes all day

2009-08-29T22:22:00.001-04:00

Remembering Sen. Ted Kennedy

Today I watched the funeral of Sen. Ted Kennedy, and was moved in ways that I have never been before. I have, like most in this great country been thinking of him often since learning of his passing on Wednesday. All week there have been stories on the news about his great triumphs and server tragedies. He seemed to, like all the Kennedy's, live a life of extreme highs and lows. His and his family's highs are much greater than any of us would have ever dreamed to have achieved and unfortunately his lows were much harsher than anyone I know personally has gone through. I believe President Obama said what all of us must have thought about Sen. Kennedy at one point that he had been through such hardships in his life that if he had chosen to live his life bitter and in solitude no one would have blamed him, and everyone would have understood, but the amazing thing is that he did not. He strove to heights that were far beyond the capabilities of most.
I never had the honor to meet Sen. Kennedy, but I would have like to. Unfortunately, I did not realize that till today after listing to his sons speak so fondly of him. My own ignorance has blinded me of even being able to fully see how this one single man has made my life better. For the first time in my life, I feel guilty for not being able to name a single legislature that this man fought so hard to pass in his 47 years in the Senate. I know that I have reaped the benefits of them, but I have no idea what they are. They called him the "Lion of the Senate", and I am sure that he must have been. He is quite obviously one of the greats, and no one will ever be able to fill his shoes.
Tonight as the sun set, he was buried in our nations most sacred place, Arlington Cemetery. Of course, as veteran of our United States Army, Arlington holds an honor in my heart that few may be able to fully understand. I, never been, can only imagine the instant feeling of Honor, Courage, Self-Sacrifice and Heroism one must feel the instance that they cross through the gates and see the rows upon rows of tombstones lining the well manicured green lawns. I got into a disagreement today with a former co-worker and still current soldier on weather Sen. Kennedy deserved to have his final resting place within the grounds of the soldiers holy land and was very disappointed. His view is that Sen. Kennedy is not worthy simply for the fact that he did not support the war. I have thought about that all day, and even as the lone bugle player was blasting out Taps over the sunset sky there in Washington, I was reaffirmed that Sen. Kennedy is in his rightful resting place. He is not only with his brothers, but he is in the sacred land of those who gave all that they had to not only to protect the land and people of this country, but to make every citizen's life better by sacrificing theirs.

Like I said before, I could not begin to tell you a single thing that Sen. Kennedy fought to pass in the Senate, but it's not hard to realize that we as Americans lost one of our Greats.

Tonight I hope that you will join me in saying a prayer for the Kennedy family for the loss of the man who held them all together when tragedy struck and for the courage to continue striving to the heights that he fought so hard to achieve.

Thanks be to God.

A new way to recycle

2009-08-29T19:09:00.001-04:00

So we had dinner out of a box tonight and Ada found a new use for the box that it came in. She is very creative and wore her new look for about an hour.

Adam and Ada's trip to the beach.

2009-08-21T20:13:00.002-04:00

Adam and Ada went to Myrtle Beach, SC, this morning to see Adam's father Lamar. Do to last minute plan changes, I was not able to go so David Allen, Rachel and Harmony could go and see their Grandfather also.
Being Ada's first trip to the beach it was a big deal, but Adam says that she loved every minute. Once they got there and were headed to the beach, Adam says she took off running to the water. Due to the hurricane there were strong rip currents so the water was very shallow when the tide was in. This only allowed for more splashing room for Ada. Adam says that she fell over once, but that didn't deter her from the water. Grandpa Johnson (Lamar) said that she had no fear and was surprised by her enthusiasm to stay out there. All in all, it was a quick but good trip. Adam said that it was good to see his dad and Ada obviously had a great time too.

Home cooking

2009-08-18T20:47:00.003-04:00

I decided that I wanted to start cooking healthy from scratch for Ada. I figured out that with all of these reports about don't feed your kids this or if it contains something then your kid will develop something absolutely crazy, I needed to figure out a way to feed her. So, instead of spending half a day in the grocery store reading labels to make sure that these crazy things are not in what I am buying, home cooking seemed to be the easy answer. With all that said, I started looking for healthy cookbooks, and not just healthy, but ones that are geared towards what your kid needs to eat, and surprisingly they were not hard to find. The first one I found is called "Healthy cooking for your kids", shocker, I know, but it's been wonderful!
I have attached two of the recipes that we have tried so far that have been a real hit in our household. Adam has eaten himself sick off of them, so my next project is establishing portion control. This has been very fun, and I have really enjoyed the 500 steps it takes to make these dishes, well one b/c I love to cook and the other is b/c I know that it is healthy for all of us. I have already bought a second cookbook that goes by how old your child is and what they should be eating. It not only has tasty recipes in it, but educational as well.
Well, enough of me rambling about all this, I scanned the recipes so you can click on the picture to make them readable and printable. Let me know if you try any of them and what you think. Also, if you know of any healthy recipes, please email them to me. I do hope you enjoy them!

Adam and Ada

2009-08-12T23:16:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago, Adam needed a few professional pictures taken for work, so he called Raul Rubiera. We went out into this field for about an hour or so and Adam danced around while Raul took some great shots. Once Raul felt that he had what he needed, but before we got all packed up, Adam picked up Ada and Raul was nice enough to take a few shots for us. Of course, Ada stole the show. Here are a few of what we thought were the best.

Ada's first horse back ride

2009-08-02T09:50:00.004-04:00

Ada and Daddy have gotten lots of time to play with each other over the past few weeks, so the creative level to do something different has elevated. While playing the normal "give me a high-five then run around in a circle" for the five hundred millionth and one, Ada started climbing on Adam and before long Adam was crawling around upstairs with a passenger. Ada figured out real quick that holding on was much better than sliding off, but once she and Adam got their grove down Ada had a wonderful time. Unfortunately, Adam's need to call this little adventure finished came much sooner than Ada was ready for it. I am sure that here before to long she will have another horsey ride.

A day in the park

2009-07-19T13:10:00.010-04:00

After a week of either very hot or very wet weather, this morning we woke up to a wonderful blue sky and just slightly warm Sunday morning. Since we all had been lock up in the house all week, we decided to take advantage of the beauty and set off for the park here in Fayetteville. None of could have imagine how much Ada enjoyed the freedom of the wide open and empty field of the park. As soon as she could break free of Adam's grasp she was off exploring all there was to see. Running from one tall grass patch to another pointing and looking up at it asking "watz zeezs" ("what is this", in Ada language), she could not get enough of it all. Only after every grass blade was touched and every leaf was picked up, did it become obvious that the little exporer was tuckered out and ready for some juice and a cupcake.

Ada's 15 month appointment

2009-06-24T10:08:00.002-04:00

Today I took Ada to the doctor's for her 15 month appointment. All went well. She is developing right on track. I was concerned about her speech because she hasn't really said any one word clearly, well besides "yeah". The doctor said for me not to worry about it yet because she is talking, just not quite in english yet. Adam seems to hear a lot more words than I do. He is pretty determined that she says "here" when she hands you something, I have yet to hear it. So we will see.
We are having issues with teeth brushing, and the doctor pointed it out today that I need to do a better job. I have yet to find a happy medium between getting her teeth brushed and her wanting to fling toothpaste all over. So hopefully we will get the down pat soon.

Other than that, all is well. I am healing slowly from my tree climbing/falling event from last weekend. I have huge bruises and scratches but they are healing.

This weekend is the ARC Design BBQ, we are looking forward to that. I'll post pictures soon.

The House got painted!!

2009-06-12T17:48:00.003-04:00

It took 3 coats of primer and 2 coats of paint to cover the ceder siding, but it was worth it!! As Adam says, we have a happy house!

Before:

After:

Let us know what you think!!

Fun in Austin

2009-05-20T19:34:00.005-04:00

Who would have thought watching 1.5 million bats fly out from under a bridge would be a fun thing to do? Well, we did, and it didn't let us down. I wish we could have gotten better pictures, but it was dark. They flew out and this black river started to flow through the Texas sky line, just amazing!
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/10852

Here are a few more random pictures from our trip.

The Flip Happy Crepe ladies that you may have seen on the Food network on Bobby Flay's throw down. Very Very good!!

Adam and the State Capital Building

Adam and I on the South Congress Bridge, also known as the Bat Bridge

WE LOVE AUSTIN!!!

The Architect's House, Austin, TX

2009-05-20T19:17:00.005-04:00

Adam and I went to Austin, TX, from May 12th through the 16th. After driving for 3 days, we were so glad to get to the Architect's house in downtown Austin, TX. It is an all green modern construction. We happen to stumble across this place about a month ago while looking at things to do in Austin. It spoke to us. Adam and I love all things modern and green so excitement is an understatement when we found out that the guest house was available for the time period that we wanted to visit. Unfortunately, we forgot to take pictures of the outside of the place, so I have attached the web page, and I highly encourage you to check it out. We spoke directly to the architect and really fell in love with the house and her modern vision. www.thearchitectshouse.com

Ada plays in the rain at Grandpa Martin's house

2009-05-20T19:07:00.004-04:00

Adam and I went to Austin, TX, last week and Ada got to spend the whole week at Grandpa and Grandma Martin's house. While she was there, other than getting spoiled rotten, Grandpa let her play in the rain. As you can see, she had lots and lots of fun but came in once it started to thunder. If you look closely, Grandpa was in the garage staying dry while taking the pictures.

Ada's new Tutu

2009-04-29T18:34:00.001-04:00

Aunt Carolyn, Uncle Jim and Sally got Ada a cow and a tutu for her birthday. Here is some of the fun we had with them today!

Yazoo City Trip

2009-04-22T21:25:00.003-04:00

Maggie and Ada

Ada giving Aunt Margaret hugs and kisses

Ada and her sweet Uncle Burke, it was love at first sight for those 2!

Ada and her Great-Gran

For those of you who don't know, Ada and I made a rush trip to Yazoo City, MS this past weekend for my sweet dear cousin Thomas's funeral. He was killed in a car accident Friday, April 17th, on his way to school. He had a short life, only 16 years, but he left more of an impact on his family and friends then most people do in 80 years.
It was Ada's first trip to Yazoo City to meet the family there, and even though the circumstances were very sad, she made everyone smile. I think once we got there, I only got her back for bottle time and when her diaper needed to be changed. It was a very good trip and we are looking forward to going again soon.

Easter 2009

2009-04-22T21:20:00.002-04:00

We took Ada down to the park and had an one egg Easter "hunt". She didn't care too much for the grass.

Ada's 1st Birthday

2009-03-23T20:00:00.002-04:00

Well, Ada turned 1 this past weekend. We had her birthday party on Saturday the 21st, instead of on her birthday the 22nd. We had a great time and are so thankful for everyone who came or called. Ada had lots of fun spending time with her grandparents and aunts and uncles. She got tons of toys and adorable clothes. It was also Ada's first time eating cake, and I think she handled it well.

Fun in the Park

2009-03-07T19:29:00.003-05:00

We went to the park today, seemed to be a good thing to do on the first real warm day this year so far. Ada had a great time. She loved the swing set but I think her favorite part was playing in the sand. She just sat there and kept pushing a stick in and out of it. She and Adam drew pictures in and it was a good day for all of us.

A bunch of Random Pictures

2009-03-07T19:22:00.003-05:00

From her mastering the sippy cup to sticking cheerios to her face, these are just some random shots of the past few weeks. She has continue to walk more and more, if she wants to get somewhere fast she will crawl, but every time she walks she takes more more step than the last time. We are working on the sippy cup. Sometimes she will drink from it, sometimes she will just throw it.

Ada walking on feet and knees

2009-02-20T18:47:00.003-05:00

We took another video of her walking on her feet and then her knees. I am not sure why she wanted to walk on her knees, but she did!

Ada cought walking

2009-02-18T18:37:00.003-05:00

We finally got her on film walking, it's not the best she has done. She has walked across the room, but it seems that every time she does that the camera has magically disappeared. We were able to get a few steps on film, before she knew we had it. Enjoy!

She did it, all on her own.

2009-02-11T20:25:00.002-05:00

Ok, so Ada has been pushing her highchair all over the place this evening, so when I heard it stop moving, I looked up to see what she had gotten herself into. As you can see, the picture says it all: this is Adam's daughter.

Ada makes music!!!

2009-02-09T19:36:00.002-05:00

1st attempt with crayons

2009-02-09T19:30:00.004-05:00

Adam got Ada crayons the other day and she had her first drawing experience, well, it was more of a tasting event.

Ada Walks!

2009-02-03T08:40:00.002-05:00

Last night at 6:32pm Ada took her first steps. I was sitting on the floor next to her and she took the 2 or 3 steps from me to the coffee table. I asked Adam, who was sitting on the couch behind me if he saw it, and of course he didn't. We moved her back out into the middle of the floor and she walked back to the coffee table. We counted, and it was 4 steps all on her own. It was the stiff leg wobble but she did it. Knowing her, she either won't do it again for 2 weeks, or she will be running by this weekend. I'll keep you posted.

She found her a new spot

2009-01-24T16:52:00.001-05:00

Do I need to say more?

Ada get's in the chair

2009-01-24T10:25:00.003-05:00

She did it! All on her own!

Ada has a bow!

2009-01-24T10:19:00.004-05:00

So she finally has enough hair to get a bow. It's unbelievably hard to put it on, but once it's on her it's worth it. Well, until she takes it off and tries to eat it.

Snow Day!!

2009-01-20T08:47:00.004-05:00

We woke up this morning to my phone ringing. It was my dentist letting me know that the office was closed due to the weather and I would have to reschedule, why they had to let me know at 6:45am I am not sure, but that got me to get up to look out the window. It was glorious! Everything was white, and big huge puffy snowflakes where dancing their way down to the ground. So, what did I do? I ripped the sheets off Adam and acted like a little school kid thinking I had a free day off, demanding that Adam get up and dance around with me. Needless to say, I think divorce may have crossed his mind, but 20 minutes later with the smell of coffee in the air, he was up looking out the window with me.
Ada got up soon after, and after breakfast we bundled her up in everything she owns, to include socks on her hands (we don't have gloves for her yet), and took her outside for her first snow experience. Enjoy!

Learning how to eat chicken

2009-01-15T19:54:00.002-05:00

Apparently, the only way to eat chicken is to prop your foot on top of your table. We attempted to correct this behavior but she preferred to eat this way. Charm school, maybe?

Weekend with Grandpa and Grandma

2009-01-12T10:27:00.002-05:00

Grandpa and Grandma came for a short trip this past weekend. They brought Christmas with them. Ada had a good time and loves all of her new toys, especially Stump Jr.

Father like Daughter, or is the other way around?

2008-12-31T21:12:00.002-05:00

She always grabs for Adam's blue tooth when he has it on, so we put it on her, she didn't seem to mind. The really sad thing is that even though we are tech savvy, she is going to be showing us how to use things in like 3 years.

Best seat in the house

2008-12-31T21:10:00.002-05:00

Daddy and Ada watching tv. She has got the best seat in the house, well I think.

More Ada's First Christmas

2008-12-25T10:41:00.001-05:00

I think she enjoyed it all!

Ada's First Christmas!

2008-12-25T10:34:00.002-05:00

She needed a little help with getting the wrapping paper off.

Christmas Pictures

2008-12-25T10:29:00.001-05:00

Here are a few of the pictures we used in our Christmas card.

Ada licks the glass

2008-12-04T21:16:00.004-05:00

Adam went outside to fix the Christmas lights and when he turned around he saw the following....

Ada climbs the stairs

2008-11-23T19:32:00.003-05:00

We finally had the camera ready to catch her in the act. She started climbing the stairs about a month ago, but now she can move up them pretty fast. We only have one baby gate so they block the downstairs. When she is out playing we just have to make sure she doesn't climb up.

Kitchen-DONE...well for the most part.

2008-11-19T19:12:00.004-05:00

After a year and a bit of working on the house, we can now call the Kitchen done. We just have a few minor things to do, like finish the molding around the bottom, but all the major stuff is done. We are very happy and think that it looks great, I hope you agree!

Before:

After:

GO STATE!!!!

2008-11-16T00:26:00.002-05:00

I hope we win, knock on wood!!!

GO STATE!!!

I love football!!!

Ok, so MS State may have lost miserably to Alabama, but Ada was oh so cute in her MS State shirt that grandpa and grandma Martin gave her. I think we have a Dawg fan in the making...

Ada does a pull-up!

2008-11-15T23:54:00.003-05:00

Well if you didn't know or couldn't tell before, Ada comes from a military family. She did her first pull-up the other day in the kitchen.

She crawled over to the island and reached up, grabbed the handle on the drawer and pulled herself off the floor. It wasn't a true chin press, but it was a good start. Adam was quite impressed and we both were scared at the same time.

The Cutest Cow EVER!

2008-10-31T19:56:00.003-04:00

OK, So I didn't get out to go shopping for Ada till the Wednesday before the Friday Halloween, so my options weren't a whole lot. The first two places I went to didn't even have costumes in her size, so once I did find a place, it was either a cow, a bear or a pink bunny. For some reason, the cow spoke to me. I know that when she is like 20 I will have to pay for her therapy b/c I made her a cow for her first Halloween, but it will be totally worth it. When Adam and I got home, we put her in her new outfit, and well as you can see, she is the cutest cow ever!!! So, happy Halloween!!!

Grandma (Gigi) and Ada

2008-10-20T19:09:00.005-04:00

We had such a wonderful time in Birmingham last weekend. It was so good to finally get Ada and Grandma, who goes by Gigi, for the great-grandchildren, in the same room. Grandma was having a great day when we showed up. She and Ada seemed to get along right off the bat! We also had a great opportunity to get Grandma and all her great-grandchildren in one picture. Little Christopher, Kyle and Rebekah's oldest son, was not to happy about having his picture taken and little Maddie was ready to take a nap in Grandma's lap. Caleb spent most of the time sleeping but was too cute for words. The one and only time I got to hold him, he started to coo at me and it almost made want another one, then I looked up and saw Ada crawling and getting into everything so reality set back in. I think Dad and Denise were very happy to have their house full of children, but then were just as happy when we all left too.

Kyle, Christopher, Grandma, Maddie, Me, (2nd row) Ada and Caleb

Ada's professional pictures

2008-10-15T14:22:00.000-04:00

While in Birmingham this weekend we had professional pictures taken of Ada. She did very well with the chaos in the studio and the strange people. There were a few pictures taken with props and Ada did try to eat them all. She was a cutie! I'll be sending out everyone copies of pictures this week.

Here is where she tried to eat the pumpkin.

If you didn't know already, she can pull herself up now.

Here is an old video

2008-10-07T21:18:00.000-04:00

This was shot May 21st, 2008. As you can tell, we just got the jumper and she is much much smaller then than she is now. Enjoy!

Ada in Motion

2008-10-07T20:14:00.000-04:00

Ada has started crawling. It's not graceful, it's not pretty, but she is moving. She prefers to "low crawl", on her knees and elbows, but she will get up on all fours and move in a very shaky sort of way. She will however, get quite a bit of momentum going if she spots a blackberry or one of Bentley's toys. She is pulling up and grabbing for everything, toys, the dog, my hair, it doesn't matter, she wants it, and she wants to eat it.

Ada's webpage, long and overdue...I know...

2008-10-07T20:02:00.000-04:00

With Ada getting older (ya know she is 6 1/2 months old now, before long she will be packing up and going to college), I decided to go ahead and bite the bullet, take on one more project and blog about her. In some ways this is a sigh of relieve because all I have to do is write about it once and it is up to you, the family and friends, to read it. This in a way relives the aggravation and time consuming effort of calling and sending everyone emails and so forth. But, at the end of the day, when it comes down to it, it just means I gave in to the pressure and now I am no different than any other "mommy page" out there, I did it, I have a blog about my child.
So with that, here it goes...