Thanksgiving and Black Friday

So I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and is now ready for Christmas, because ready or not it is coming and almost here!

We had a great Thanksgiving! We spent the day with family at my aunt and uncle's house in Callahan. We ate and ate and ate some more! As every year I am thankful for what God has given and done for us, this year I was even more thankful than years past because Jesus Christ gave us the special gift of a sweet and oh so beautiful baby girl. It is amazing how a baby can change your view on a holiday. Thank you Jesus for giving us a healthy, beautiful, and loving little girl!

Some of you who know me know that I hardly go to the movies. The reason, I hate paying $10 for a ticket and then dropping $20 to $30 for popcorn and drink! It's a rip off! Anyways, I had the great idea of going and seeing "The Blind Side". I have wanted to see this movie ever since I saw the previews for it. Well we found out that it was showing at 5:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving and decided we'd go! Well leaving Callahan at 4:30 p.m. and knowing the movie starts in an hour and knowing that you have to run home and turn the dogs, isn't the best idea...time really isn't on your side! Well we get home, rush to turn the dogs out and make it to the theater to find out that the movie is SOLD OUT! How disappointed was I?!?! First of all remember that I HARDLY EVER go to the movies and the ONE day I decide I want to go, it is sold out! Hmmm...maybe reason number TWO why I do not go to the movies! Needless to say, Alan and I have yet to see it! Maybe we will just now wait and buy it when it comes out on DVD!

Since we didn't make it to the movies, we were able to put up our Christmas tree! Since the movie was sold out I asked Alan if he would be willing to get the tree down from the attic so I could decorate it! This year he was extremely excited about decorating the tree because he didn't have to help! I didn't have two huge storage boxes of ornaments to place on the tree! Last year we down sized to a "pencil tree" so we even bought new ornaments, the names of Jesus ornaments, they are beautiful! So with a smaller tree comes fewer ornaments, and Alan figured he could play with Clara while I decorated the tree!

As if decorating a tree isn't enough to wear you out, Maddison called me and told me that she was going shopping on Black Friday. She also wanted to know if I would go with her! I went and the only reason I went was to people watch! So at 4:30 a.m. on Friday I headed to mom and dad's and picked her up! Our destinations, Target (with a million other people) and Kohl's (to get a Kitchen Aide mixer). We had a great time at Target, running in to a million people we knew and haven't seen in years! After we bought Target out of toys and things for Clara for Christmas we headed to Kohl's. The most exciting thing about Kohl's, finding money on the ground in the parking lot while loading the car with our purchases! It was amazing! Maddison was even shocked when I said here let's split the money! So was it worth getting up early and going shopping?!?! HECK YEAH!

As with all holidays, they come and go to quickly! We are so excited for Christmas to get here as it is our first as a family of 3 and most importantly to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! So enjoy the Christmas season as it will come and go in the blink of an eye.

Football update: (what post would be complete without it!) Please pray for the players, coaches, and fans as they travel to Freeport, FL this Friday. If we win this game we go to the state championship! Please pray hard!!!

We have a crawler! Watch Out!

Just like the other posts, we have still been on the go....we are trying to do our best to slow things down, but it seems like something just keeps coming up, baby showers, bridal showers, dinner here, dinner there, we need to go here and get this, it's old!!!!!

As you can tell, we have a crawler on hand! Clara has been crawling for about a month now. It took her a little while and to be honest, I thought she was going to skip that stage and go straight to walking! She also continues to pull up on things and is now trying to stand up on her own! It is so cute, when she is trying to stand up, it almost seems like she is going to do a hand-stand! Do we have a future gymnast on hand?

Going back a few weeks, Halloween has come and gone...little bit was a pumpkin! She was the cutest pumpkin in the patch!

Clara also wants nothing to do with "baby food" anymore. She solely wants to be eating whatever we are eating! It is so funny to watch her eat because when she "figures" out that she is eating baby food, she immediately starts to spit and then won't eat anything else! Can we say she has that Acree temper! But so far, she has tried spaghetti, green beans, vegetable soup, mac-n-cheese, meatloaf, cracker barrel biscuits, and many other things! I don't think there isn't anything she doesn't like! As many of you mom's already know and for those who don't, Gerber has these "finger" foods that help teach babies how to eat solid foods by eventually dissolving. Well, Clara loves the yogurt bites and these puffs, she loves those things and it is so much fun to watch her pick it up and put it in her mouth. By watching her, I think she is going to take after her papa and be a lefty, 99% of the time, she eats and picks things up with her left hand, and when she does use her right hand, her left hand is guiding her right one!

Anyways, for the past 2 weeks, we have been battling an ear infection. We have been to the doctor's office twice. Hopefully we won't have to go back until her 9 month check up.

An update on Trinity's football team!!!! We have made it into the playoffs and won our first game, which means we keep playing, which means PRACTICE ON THANKSGIVING!!! You may wonder why in the world are they practicing on Thanksgiving? Because we have a game on Black Friday! So, say a prayer on Friday for the Conqueror's are they face one of their toughest team yet this season!

Well, I hope everyone has a wonderful, family-filled Thanksgiving!

We're back...take 2!

Ok ... so I know Clara told you that I would stay on top of this blogging thing, and she didn't lie ... I just kept putting it off! We are always just go ... go ... going. We are like the energizer bunny, but a family.
But anyways, all of the election stuff is over, thank God! We should be getting back to being a "normal" family, if you want to call us that!

You may be wondering what we have been up to the past MONTH! Well I will try to remember it all ...

Friday night football games are still going on! And I would like to report that we are still UNDEFEATED!! Although, please say a prayer for us as we head to Tallahassee this weekend to play North Florida Christian who is also undefeated!

Clara has stayed with her first two real babysitters one Friday night as we headed to the Trinity and Nease Football game ... she stayed with the Belton's who loved on her like she is used to being loved on! And the Saturday after that, she stayed with the Moses'...Clara's stay there wasn't as pleasant as the week before, beings she was cutting a tooth! Needless to say, we all managed! We are so blessed to have sweet friends that will love on Clara and take great care of her!

As I just stated, Clara now has TWO teeth! She has her two bottom teeth! They came in about a week apart and as they came in, she was a little fussy, but nothing major, she was still her chipper little self!

With Clara having teeth now, she loves to gnaw on her sippy cup spouts and the straws in her sippy cups .... yes you heard me right ... Clara is drinking out of sippy cups and drinking out of straws! She is such a big girl ... anyways ... back to gnawing ... we went out and bought her teething biscuits! She loves to chew on them and the dogs love them too ... she has a tendency to drop them on the floor, now making them puppy treats!

A couple of Sunday's ago, we were getting ready for church and I looked in Clara's crib and she was standing up! She pulled herself up and was just a smiling at us when we walked in on her! You can tell that she was excited about her accomplishment! But mommy and daddy were a little nervous! So nervous that we decided it was time to lower her crib! (Papa and Nae Nae helped us lower it!)

We all know that after the pulling up, comes the walking part, well, Clara loves to walk with you! She will hold your fingers and walk right along with you!

With Clara now wanting to walk and not sit still, I figured it was time to put some shoes on this girl ... she has never worn a pair of shoes in her life ... so last Friday night, Alan and me decided it was time to put some shoes of her tinee tiny little feet! We went to stride right at the mall and bought her some Keds Tennis Shoes! They are soo cute!! But when we put those shoes on her, she didn't know what to think! It was so cute watching her try to walk with shoes on her feet! Needless to say, she has gotten the hang of it!

Finally .... yesterday, the 19th, was Clara's 8 month birthday! I cannot believe that she is already 8 months! I say this every time, but time has flown by! We celebrated her birthday at the grand ole Callahan Fair! We rode out to the fair with Nae Nae and Papa and met daddy (he came from football practice), Clara's Great Grandparents (papa and granny), Great Aunt and Uncle (Sybil and Billy), her second cousins (Blake and Dusty, and her third cousin (Harlyn) out there! We had a good time ... and Clara played her first fair game and won a prize, the Duck Game ... it's the game where you pick 3 ducks out of a "pond" and you get a prize! Clara won a little piggy! It was a great fair night as it was a little on the chilly side! We bundled Clara up in 3 layers and even put on her beanie hat! She was so cute!

Well, that's all for now ... I will do my best to keep up with the blogging!! Have a great Tuesday!

We're BACK!

Sorry for the long break in between posts...we have been extremely busy....here is what we have been up to the past couple of weeks...

Trinity Football Games! This is daddy, mommy and me at the first home game...we won! I had a great time people watching and I really loved listening and watching the band and cheerleaders! Mommy tells me that I was the cutest thing there!

One lady at the game said that she could see me being the coach's daughter from Remember the Titans....running up and down the sideline pulling her hair and yelling at the players and refs! I haven't seen that movie yet, but I am sure that when I get old enough, I will watch it with daddy!

Here is what I love doing now that I am 7 months old:

I love spending time with Nae Nae,

papa,

and my "big" granny and papa!

I am also learning to ride in my pedal cars....papa and nae nae have bought me about 30 of them! Papa says that I can play with any of them that I want, but nae nae says that they are only to look at...she needs to talk to papa and listen to him! Their most recent purchase is a pedal air plane! I can't wait to fly away in it!!

Nae Nae and Matt Matt bought my a walker a couple of weeks ago....when I first started, the only thing I could do was go backwards, now...2 weeks later, I am running after the dogs and chasing them! I am having so much fun!

I had my first trip to the Publix where I was able to sit in the cart all by my self! I had the best time! Everyone knew I was in there because I was singing, talking, and screaming!

I am even holding my own bottle now! I am such a big girl!

Not only am I holding my own bottle, I am sitting up all by myself, with out any help...I can sit up from when I am laying flat on my back...I also am cutting TWO teeth! I love to drink out of a cup, like a big girl, I even can drink out of a straw! I am learning to clap and wave bye-bye. I am a typical Dorminey, because there isn't a food that I have tried that I didn't like. I weigh 16 lbs and 9 oz and am 26 inches long.

This past Thursday, daddy spent a night away in Miami with his football team...they played against Miami-Dade Christian and they WON! It was a great trip, he had a great time!

This past Saturday was the Tennessee Vols vs the Florida Gators....you know who I am pulling for...I'll give you a hint....There ain't nothin' greater than a GATOR! Daddy went with Nae Nae and Matt Matt down to the game...I was scared he would get picked on, but us Gators are good sports and were very nice to him! I am excited to say that the GATORS WON! Even though mommy didn't get to go to the game, she was excited to spend the day with me...after we cleaned the house, we went and kept papa company at his house and watched the game with him...I am not sure who he was pulling for, but I think it was the same team I was pulling for..I have a way with him! :o)

This is daddy, mommy, and me at breakfast before the game on Saturday. Matt Matt made my onesie...it says...My QB is hotter then your QB....QB meaning quarterback...talking about Timmy Tebow!

Mommy wants me to pass the word on that she will try to keep the blog updated on a regular basis. I will try and remind her to do so! As for now, it's way past my bedtime, so....so long, farewell, and good night!

Sick as a dog!

It all started Friday morning when my alarm went off. I woke up with a sore throat, but thought it would get better as the day went wrong...boy was I wrong. Thankfully I have a wonderful boss who let my team have a half day. So I proceeded to go on with the plans I had planned on Friday...go order Clara's 6 month pictures and head to Alan's football game at Ed White. While at Ed White I started feeling blah, but stuck it out since it was Alan's first football game. To be honest, I really didn't think too much of it. Saturday I woke and could hardly move...my body ached so bad...so bad that I couldn't even drive myself to the doctor....my mom had to do the honors! Diagnosis: Upper Respiratory Infection. Drug: Z-Pack

Monday came around and I was still feeling horrible. Alan made another doctor's appointment, this time with my real doctor. When I arrived at the front desk I was handed a mask and told to go straight to room 5. I guess they thought I was contagious or something! Diagnosis on Monday: The Flu with a possibility of it being the Swine Flu. Ahh......

Well, it was already bad enough because I wasn't able to be around Clara and hadn't been around her since I left for work on Friday and I was told not to be around her until Friday. How do you tell that to a mom who has a 6 month old? But I knew deep down inside that it was for the best of both of us.

Moving on...I get a text from Maddison on Wednesday saying that she had Clara, but mom and dad were on their way to the ER. Dad was in so much pain, and thought that it may be caused by a kidney stone. Well, in less than 5 hours he became Dr. Dorminey. He was spot on. He was given a shot with pain medicine and told to go home. As of today, he is feeling better.

Enough already...well not quite. Maddison called me Wednesday around lunch and told me that something just wasn't right with Clara, she wasn't her normal bubbly self. So I called her doctor and was told to have her in the office at 4:00. Her diagnosis: Pink Eye AND a left Ear Infection. Needless to say mom spent Wednesday at the ER and pediatrician's office. But, I am so thankful that we live here near my parents. It helps me knowing that she is in the best of hands, being taken care of, and most importantly loved when she isn't with Alan or myself.

So I want to send the BIGGEST THANK YOU to my Dad, Mom, and Maddison for letting Clara spend the past 6 nights with you and for taking care of her when she wasn't feeling her best. We love you!

Just call 'em coach!

For the past several weeks, Alan has been helping out with Trinity Christian Academy's football team! Trinity is a local private Christian school here in Jacksonville. They always have an amazing football team...they have won several state titles. Hopefully they will win one this year! We are keeping our fingers crossed!

Anyways, Alan is having a blast getting to know the boys and other coaches. He is learning a lot, but most importantly, having fun. He is able to help out with both, the JV and Varsity teams.

So needless to say, on Friday nights, the Acree's will be at football games! It's Football Friday's for the Acree's!

Here are a few pics of their preseason football game:

My Baby is Growing Up!

I can't believe it...Clara is 6 months old already....where has the time gone? The past 6 months have been a whirlwind...but yet the best 6 months of my LIFE! It is so much fun watching her grow and change each and every day. Here a a few of the things you are doing/love at 6 months:

• Sitting up all by yourself
• Drinking juice out of a sippy cup
• Eating real food (baby food that it!)
• Drink 6 oz of milk
• Laughing ALOT
• Smiling all the TIME
• Swimming
• Pedicures with Nae Nae and mommy
• Tasting ice cream!

Loves bath time

Loves giggling and laughing with poppy and nae nae!

We are having so much fun with you! Clara Renee, we love you to the moon and back!!