Merry Christmas to All

Tim had to work the first weekend of December so Creighton and I attended his buddy Reed's first birthday party without him. The second weekend Meme and Papa were able to come up to visit us and take a tour of the Biltmore house and all the seasonal decorations.





The third weekend we spent at the cabin in Blue Ridge, GA celebrating Christmas with the Suskay, Doran, and Flowers families. We missed you Aunt Mollie and Uncle Drew. Papa got an outdoor climbing wall for the cabin, Meme received a new sewing table, and we received a one year pass to the Georgia Aquarium...we can't wait to see the look on Creighton's face when we check it out. The weekend was fun for all...we picked out a tree together, decorated cookies, put together a puzzle, and danced. Creighton, Madelyn, and Patrick were smiles all weekend.

Here is a video clip of the way Creighton enjoys opening presents this year...he likes to make sure every piece of wrapping paper is off before he starts to play with the new toy. I love it!







Creighton LOVES to vacuum as much as I do...doesn't seem to matter the size of the vacuum.




Then we hit the road and spent the next week in Maryland. Creighton was an amazing traveler the whole drive up to see Grammy, Pop-pop and Aunt Stacy. He enjoyed every minute of his time exploring Grammy and Pop-pop's house and playing with all the new toys Santa had brought him, he must have been a really good boy this year. It was great to be back in Maryland for Christmas, visiting friends and family we haven't seen in years.





Abbie and Matt came to visit us the last weekend in December. We enjoyed the unseasonably warm temperatures, checked out French Broad Brewing Co., and invited some friends over to celebrate Irish New Years (7pm our time). It was a fun evening watching Creighton and his friends, Liam and Reed, run around while we visited and grazed on a plethora of appetizers and local libations.

Merry Christmas and hope that your 2011 was as wonderful as ours! We are looking forward to our 2012, which is sure to be full of a whole slew of firsts for our amazing little boy.

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We have so much to be thankful for

hike Chimney Rock State Park during Aunt Stacy's visit to Asheville



Last month Creighton started feeding Bailey dinner and we finally got a video of it...




A special treat for Mandie, celebrating her birthday with family:
-Mom and Dad Garity came to visit on Mandie's birthday and took us out to eat dinner.
-And the following weekend Abbie and Mandie got to celebrate their birthdays together with all the Suskays.



Sometimes (not all the time) Creighton likes to feed himself...



Creighton and Madelyn can't get enough of Papa's quads



Thanksgiving morning Mollie headed to the airport to pick up Drew, the rest of us played out in the front yard waiting to greet them when they return home...



Mollie and Creighton enjoying a dance at her wedding



Mollie and Drew's wedding was amazing and we all had a wonderful time celebrating. Creighton, Madelyn, Patrick and Carson enjoyed Mollie & Drew's wedding to say the least...here is a glimpse of what you missed...




PHOTOS FROM THIS MONTH, CLICK HERE

October

1st weekend: A weekend at the cabin in Blue Ridge, GA with the Suskay and Flowers families together celebrating Angie and Anna's birthdays. Apple picking at Mercier Orchards, bouncy house, sandbox, and we were able to pop up our camper and camp out each night. Creighton figured out within minutes of entering the camper how to open the drawers.






2nd weekend: Road trip to visit Great Grandma Northrop in Sebring, Florida. Luckily Grammy and Pop-Pop were visiting as well. Creighton's cousin Will was celebrating his 4th birthday so the entire Robinson family was together and Uncle Bobby didn't disappoint with wonderful dinners every night. Here is a video of Creighton while we visited The Children's Museum of the Highlands.





3rd weekend: Dave and Laura Proctor, drove from the Outer Banks to visit us for the weekend before moving to New Zealand in December. It was a fun weekend reminiscing since the last time we were together was in Nicaragua in February of 2009. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed watching Creighton dance on the barrels to the band after the Highlands Brewing Company brewery tour Saturday night, he broke out some new moves we were not able to catch on video but they were hilarious. Sunday, the fall colors were amazing as we drove down the Blue Ridge Parkway. We stopped at Graveyard Fields to hike to the waterfalls before heading downtown Asheville for dinner.








4th weekend: Meme, Papa, Angie, Patrick, & Madelyn were able to drive up Saturday morning. After lunch and naps we headed over to Hickory Nut Gap Farm. Creighton walked straight into the pumpkin patch and picked up a pumpkin and that was it, we had our pumpkin for this year. Small but perfect. Then Patrick led the way on our adventure through the corn maze. Sunday we went to the Biltmore Antler Village and checked out the farm, stables and Creamery. The kids were smiling from ear to ear the whole day. It was fun to watch Creighton show his cousins around, Madelyn chase the chickens, and Patrick talk to the horses.










Creighton enjoyed every minute of Trick or Treat. Here is a video of our little Lion on Halloween



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Bailey is home

September

Our family is whole again. After being pampered by Pop-pop and Grammy Garity for nearly three months Bailey has come home. And of course Creighton couldn't be more excited, although I think Bailey may miss the peace he had in Maryland. It's great to be able to go to the park and on bike rides as we did back in Boise.

The month started out with a house warming weekend with Angie, Toby, Patrick, Madelyn, Abbie, Matt and Mollie coming up to visit us for Labor Day weekend. We went to Cane Creek on Saturday to splash around in the river then downtown Asheville on Sunday for some more fun in splashville. In this video Madelyn is on the far left, Patrick in the middle and Creighton is on the right...it is a brief glimpse of the fun filled weekend.




There is no shortage of things to do here. This month we have started going to the Gymnastics Center once a week for some padded tumbling. Attended a birthday party for Lilly, one of Creighton's new friends, enjoyed a bluegrass festival and the last "Third Friday" (until next summer), and still can't get enough of the Biltmore, Play Lodge, and Nature Center.


click HERE for photos from this month

Ocean Isle Beach 2011

This month started off with an amazing beach week at Ocean Isle, NC. Rhiannon and Travis flew in to Asheville and we traveled down together after a quick tour of our new home and downtown.

This years annual pilgrimage was full of reasons to celebrate; First it was my cousin Tim's son, Tyler's 16th birthday wish to have the party there which brought family from Wisconsin, Idaho, and Georgia to celebrate equating to two houses side by side right on the beach. Second Creighton's Godparents, Rhiannon & Travis, are pregnant! We couldn't be more happier for them. Also Travis is now a graduate of BSU, go Blue. And last but certainly not least my sister Mollie accepted Drew's proposal and are engaged! This year it was great to see Creighton running around with his cousins, playing in the water, and spending some quality time with his Dad, who finally after 7 years, was able to make it.












Unfortunately vacations always seem to go to fast and literally the day after we got back the moving truck arrived at our new home and we spent the next two weeks unpacking and getting the house in order. A HUGE thanks to Meme and Papa for coming up two weekends this month and working their butts off from the minute they arrived until all hours of the night then getting up at dawn and working again until they had to leave. We can't thank you enough for all your help!




After two weeks of unpacking, Tim got called out to go to Texas for 14 days and should return home this Friday. Creighton and I split that time up, a week at the house getting settled in and a week in Georgia swimming and playing with his cousins, grandparents and aunts. It is so nice having the opportunity for Creighton to see his family more often.



This month Creighton has started babbling A LOT. He says "uh oh" when he drops things (sometimes on purpose). It is neat that he understands many words, some of them are dance (if you say the word he will start dancing) bath, book, trash (loves all trash containers for some reason where ever we go he will point them out to you), milk (if you offer him milk he will walk over to the fridge and wait for you to open the door, so cute). He also can say daddy, doggie, meme, papa with a d. The other words he says don't actually sound anything like what he means.

Some other things I think are neat...


...Creighton has added a new move when he dances in addition to swaying from side to side he also lifts his feet one at a time very fast.


...when he hears an airplane he makes sure to show you, he looks in the sky and once he spots it he points and says a loud DaDaDaDa and just keeps saying it until you acknowledge that you also see it



...he is now running when excited instead of just walking

...and loves to share his books with you, he will bring one over and just sit right down in your lap and start flipping pages, pointing to his favorite pictures.



Click here to view our pictures from this month.

almost home

July was another busy month. We were able to get out of town and visit family 3 out of 4 weekends.

-1st-3rd we attended the Garity family reunion in Knoxville, TN. This was the first reunion Tim has been able to attend in 21 years and Amanda and Creighton's first ever. Creighton really enjoyed meeting and playing with his cousins.

-8-11th we went to Woodstock, Ga and celebrated Patrick's 3rd birthday. These are the type of events that prompted our move. It's great to see Creighton recognizing his family.

-15th-17th we stayed in Asheville, went to the Blue Ridge roller derby bout, the Biltmore Estates, Splashville and a few more restaurants downtown.

-23rd-24th Abbie & Matt met us at the cabin in Blue Ridge for a quick but relaxing evening.

All month we have been living in the Hampton Inn...well until tomorrow when we close on our new house (photo of house in gallery), Friday Reenie& Travis arrive and Saturday we drive to the beach for a Stuck family reunion.




photo taken at Garity Family Reunion in Knoxville, TN July 2nd


Meme and Creighton making cupcakes for Patrick's 3rd birthday celebration on July 10th


Creighton checking out the otters on July 15th


Creighton couldn't get enough of Splashville located in downtown Asheville on July 17th


Creighton thoroughly enjoyed cooling off in Cane Creek on July 22nd



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From Boise to Asheville

All we have to say is that our boy is one heck of a trooper. This month has been a whirlwind. We spent our last weekend in Boise hanging out with friends and family. Mandie participated in the annual "Dirty in Pink" bike race with her friends and then we spent the rest of the time packing. The movers arrived on Monday and by Tuesday afternoon our whole house was packed and headed east. Wednesday Mandie and Creighton flew out to Atlanta and Tim and Pops hit the road for a 4 day drive across the country. We all met at the cabin in Blue Ridge, Ga. and celebrated Fathers Day early before we headed to Asheville. We spent the next 10 days looking for our new home, made an offer, they accepted, and now the waiting begins as we aren't scheduled to close until August 8th. This gives us plenty of time to learn the area; we have already found some great parks, restaurants, breweries, and enjoyed some outdoor festivities downtown. Looks like Asheville is going to be a great place for our family.



Last bike ride as a family to the park from our house in Boise on June 3rd.




















Creighton's first time in a pool on June 9th.
















Creighton with Patrick & Madelyn checking out Meme & Papa's new tadpole in the pond at the cabin on June 11th.















Creighton strolling through French Broad River Park in Asheville on June 22nd.
















Click here for photos from this month

CJ's Walking Around

Mandie and Creighton went to Georgia on May 3rd to have some playtime with Maddy & Patrick, celebrated Mother's Day, and help with wedding preparations. Tim arrived in the 12th and the festivities were under way with a dinner at the clubhouse Thursday night. Mandie attended the bridesmaid luncheon, while Tim and Creighton had lunch with family and friends on Friday. Later that evening we attended the rehearsal followed by dinner and slide show.

Saturday, May 14th at 7:30pm Abbie and Matt got married at St. Ann's church in Marietta, GA (click here for link to Auntie Jill's blog with photos from the day). It was one of the most amazing weddings. We are so happy we were able to be a part of their special day (Creighton was a ring bearer, Tim a groomsman, Mandie a bridesmaid). Thanks to Grammy, Grandpa G, and Aunt Stacy for coming down from Maryland and watching Creighton.


We returned home on the 16th and we started preparations for our move to Asheville, NC. We decided to rent our house out and found a renter (thanks to Sasha). Auntie Penny had a going away lunch for us on the 21st and that evening we attended Elliott's first birthday party.


The rest of the month we've been trying to spend our free time enjoying out last weeks in Boise: bike riding, hanging out with friends, eating at our favorite restaurants.

This time next month when we blog it will be from North Carolina. It is hard to believe that in one week we won't call Boise home anymore.


Click here for this months photos


2 minunte video of Creighton this month...

ONE YEAR OLD

A lot of memorable events happened this April. We were all able to be a part of our cousin Josh's wedding celebration on April 3rd. Great Grandpa and Grandma Stuck came over for a visit on the 7th. We celebrated Tim & Creighton's birthdays with Auntie Penny and the family on the 10th. Grammy and Grandpa Garity and Aunt Stacy arrived in Boise on the 20th to celebrate Easter and Creighton's first birthday party with some friends on 23rd. During their visit Creighton enjoyed showing them the Birds of Prey Center and he surprised us all when he walked for the first time across the living room.

We found out at Creighton's doctors check up on April 28th and he weighs 19 pounds 12 ounces and is 28 1/2 inches tall. When it comes to feeding himself, this month he has been willing to eat pancakes and bread slices in addition to his Cheerios and puffs. He is changing so much every day and has started to voice his preferences. He prefers to be outside (no matter the temperature or weather conditions). And he still prefers books over any other object. He has figured out how to remove the pins on the front door to release the hinge. And he still pushes the airplane back and forth a million times a day.


Mandie enjoyed working part time (Creighton attended daycare) three mornings a week, for the month of April but that was short lived once Tim accepted the job offer in Asheville, North Carolina starting in June. So one chapter is ending while a new adventure begins.


click here to view photos from this month