Harvest Day at School

Shepard's school recently did a harvest day. They baked apple pie and pumpkin bread in class and practiced acting out a book. Shepard plays the role of an enormous turnip, with the help of some of his friends. He is in a plaid shirt. We had a good time playing "tossed salad" and having snacks in his class. I watched him POUR APPLE JUICE into his own cup. Without spilling. Amazing what they have these 3-year-olds doing. Do note that his class is 3 - 4 year olds with several turning 5 in the fall as well.

We had lots of fun.

Pumpkins, pumpkins, everywhere.

We got to go on a little field trip with class to the pumpkin patch. We had real, live police escorts shutting down the streets for us! God bless those teachers. They earn every penny. It's stressful keeping up with that many 3-4 year olds!

But fun too.

Rock-tober--PICTURE EDITION!

I simply love October. Cool air, astonishing sunsets, lots of family birthdays to celebrate, fall festivals. I mean. Does it get better? All that awesome-sauce without the stress of Christmas just yet?

We've been having some fun...

Play-doh night with Daddy

Always my jumping super-hero

Hanging out with the Jones clan for Grandma and Aunt Jessica's birthday celebration...

Dino-Shepard

My cousin-of-a-cousin BFF.

Go Eagles longhair.

And of course, we had to hit up a fall festival! We were there with friends, but when you're all chasing your respective progeny, it's sometimes hard to get a group photo.

My pumpkin

sandbox is always a hit

Giant RED TRACTOR!

Daddy is standing on the back...but that was one big tractor!

Along came a spider and sat down beside him

All three of us looking at the camera would be a miracle

HAY. RIDE.

Some of our friends from church.

Running through the mini-maze

Sad pumpkin. It did not make it.

What a nice little vignette they set up!

Fun water pumps with ducks

On Sunday, we got to participate in the York County CROP walk with Shepard's school. Several hundred folks did a walk to raise money for hunger. Team Jones raised $75! Thanks, everyone! We did a one-mile mini-walk through Winthrop campus. Shepard brought along his trumpet and did great walking.

Prepping for the CROP walk at Winthrop (see Tillman tower in background)

Picture in the Herald (Jerod and Shepard on far right)

Waiting to cross the street on our CROP walk with his preschool director

Fall Round-Up

October was especially full. We were able to celebrate birthdays of Grandma, Aunt Jessica, and Pops! We all went to the SC State Fair. Then, we took in a fall festival at the Aw Shucks farm. The really great pictures here were taken by our friend Pranee Loffer at Beauty for Ashes photography. Then, we rounded it all out with Halloween and a sweet puppy costume. Whew!

Looking forward to the holidays, spending more time with our dear family and enjoying Christmas with our little ball of energy.

Fall for the Beach!

Last weekend Shepard and Mommy had a chance to make a quick getaway from the everyday and join Gigi and Pops at the beach! The weather was divine, so we struck out east and had a blast. Here are some pictures of our time there. Video coming soon.

I'm tall. By Shepard

Modeling my new beanie from Nicole

Today I went to see the doctor. He's a big guy who always pokes at me and puts the cold tubey thing on my chest. He also looks in my ears. I guess he's making sure I still have a brain or something.
He says I look very good. Then the short blond lady comes in and I don't know what she was doing on my leg 'cause I was looking at mommy but it pinched and made me cry. Mommy said that it would keep me healthy. Mommy thought she was making me think about something else with that bug toy but it still hurt but only for a minute then I was better.
In the folder with all of my stuff the doctor wrote on the tall chart, "Father 6'10"." That must mean something about Daddy being as tall as the doorway. I wonder if I will be tall like a doorway. I am taller than 95% of other baby boys my age. Mommy knew this must be happening because every time she puts a new outfit on me it doesn't seem to fit right. I thought maybe she would cry this morning when those brown overalls were too short. She called them highwaters and showed Daddy and said it's all your fault. And my ankles got cold. So she took them off and was talking about how she would have to learn how to sew more than just german outfits so she could make clothes that would fit me. I hope she works something out because I don't just want for my ankles to be cold a lot.

Smiling boy with cow and pig

Everything else is going just fine. I already weigh 15 and a half pounds so the doctor said I could eat some cereal. I wonder if that tastes like what Mommy and Daddy eat, because sometimes their food is stinky like that curry stuff Daddy eats. I'm not sure about all that. I will let you know what I decide.  I like being four months old because I get to sit in my bumbo seat and I think they are going to put together my exersaucer. I think I will like to exersauce. I have seen my friends exersauce at school and it looks like fun especially because there are things I can put in my mouth and press on.

Mmmm...pork.

I like school pretty good. I get to see other babies there and play with them and nap. Speaking of nap...see you later!

It's Fall, Y'all!

We were able to hit the Windy Hill Orchard Apple Festival last weekend. The sun was bright, and it was a beautiful day. Shepard hung out with some pumpkins...after he took a long nap. Mommy was delighted to get a caramel/candy apple! Next year, he'll probably really enjoy the pigs, goats, hayride, etc. This year, we just had a nice time being outside under the beautiful Carolina sky.