Hates goodbyes....

   Just a warning this post is not finding me at my happiest point but I feel if I am going to blog it has to be the good and the sad.... so here goes....

1.  We had to say goodbye to JR's mom Lisa Flanagan right after Christmas as she headed to Texas before deployment.  Sunday she boarded an airplane for Iraq.  My heart goes out for her as leaves behind her family to fight for all of our freedom and safety.  We are all so very proud of her!!

2.  My sister decided to go ahead and move to Charlotte, NC about a week ago... It was very sudden as she was laid off last Friday. With the slow job market in Atlanta she decided to move early and head up there to job hunt.  My heart is breaking over this move.  I have never been so far from her and not mention little Elijah.  Those that know me know I LOVE Elijah... maybe too much at times since I am only his Aunt but he was a huge part of my life. 

So as the New Year is in full swing I have to re-evaluate myself... Life is short so LOVE with all you have and never look back....  

Caden is walking!

Caden started taking a few steps a few weeks ago but nothing often.... Then he just took off!  So proud of him!  He is also cutting all 4 molars as we speak so he is very cranky and hurting! 

  

Caden's Candy Land Birthday Party

  We celebrated Caden's First Birthday Saturday January 15th.  I went a little overboard on the theme... but the motto Go Big or Go Home kept running through my mind!  So I planned his party around the Candy Land Board Game.  We felt so loved and blessed to spend the day with family and great friends!  Caden is a loved little boy!
Enjoy!

The decor as the guests walked in

Yummy Food

Pictures of Caden from birth to a year

Party favors for the guests- Candy Bar

Opening all the wonderful gifts with lots of little helpers

Cake time :)  He loved licking the icing off his fingers

Walking along his game board

Grayson and Caden enjoying their cupcakes

Caden likes to sit in his baskets of toys

Some of our friends and family enjoying candy fun

                                      Playing with some new toys that his sweet little friends brought

Saying hi to his friend Fallon- she is precious!

The Gross Girls (minus 1) making their Candy Goody bag

What a wonderful and perfect day.  We could not have asked for a more perfect day spent celebrating Caden's First year!  Thanks to everyone who helped make the day so perfect!

Snow, Snow and Ice

  Let me first say that when the weather channel kept telling us that we needed to prepare for "snow" I thought it is Georgia we will get a little- No big deal!  Well I was wrong!  The snow started last Sunday night around 9:30 pm and did not let up until sometime late in the night!  Well the snow twas so hard and then it turned to freezing raind and ice that it kept us out of school the entire week.  Here are a few pictures of our adventures in the snow/ice.

Caden's First Birthday

  We decided to have a family dinner at Marietta Pizza company on Caden's actual birthday.  We enjoyed spending time with both sides our family!  Caden ate almost an entire piece of cheese pizza (if you know MPC you know how large their slices are!)  Then he opened his presents... most of which he was mad he could not open and play with them.  Then he enjoyed playing with a piece of cake.  He was not a fan of the icing on his hands!  What a special night we were able to experience with our loved ones!  Caden is so loved and such a lucky boy to have such a great family!