Ice Skating

Eli's friend, Katie, had a birthday party the week before Christmas.  We went ice skating!  It was so much fun!  Watching Eli in the beginning was akin to what I imagine it's like watching Bambi learn to walk, but he definitely improved!

The Peanut Festival

My absolute fall favorite is the Peanut Festival!

This year we headed to Dothan and Aunt Katie met us and Nana and Puddin' at the fair.

It was strange how warm it was at the fair this year.

Our first stop was to check out all the tractors and farm equipment.

Puddin' and Eli milked a cow.

Then we walked through the barn and checked out the real cows!

Landon absolutely loved this.  He loves cows.  Ask him what any animal says, and he will respond with, "mooo!".

Nana is happy to have a buddy to ride the swings with her!

Bumper cars were lots of fun too!

Twinsies.

The ferris wheel is so pretty to me.

Next, we took a break for corn dogs, of course!

These four had too much fun on the tea cups.  This was right as the rain was starting.

The boys LOVED it.  They both were cackling!

After this, the flood gates opened.  Mom, Katie, and I took the boys back to the car.  We practically swam back, and were all SOAKED by the time we made it back.  The guys finally made it back, but EVERYONE was trying to leave at the same time and it took us a good 45 minutes to get out of the fair grounds.  They ended up closing the fair on Sunday due to all the rains.  It was such a fun (and memorable!) night!

Six Years

July 11 marked 6 years for us!  We spent the day before in Auburn.  Wesley had arranged to rent a plane from the university and for our friend Tony to fly us around campus.  Such a fun surprise!

Tony and Wesley sat in the front of the plane and I had the back.  We couldn't sit together because of weight distribution!  Wesley helped play navigator and held the GPS.

Campus.

Samford is just as pretty from the air as it is from the ground.

War Eagle!  And check out that new video board!

Toomers Corner being worked on.

It's amazing, campus isn't nearly as big from the air as it is when you're trying to haul it from the band field to Biggin Hall in 10 minutes every MWF.  So since we still had time left out on our rental, we flew over to Phenix City to find our house.  Tony even let Wesley fly for a bit.  Eeeek!!

Phenix City from the air.

After our air tour, we hit up Toomers Corner for lemonade, and then headed to Acre for lunch.

The food was AMAZING!  I made us be those cheesy people and take pictures with our food.

Wesley got some kind of burger.

And I got cat fish tacos.  Everything at Acre is either grown on site, at the university, or by local farmers.  The catfish in my tacos came straight from the fisheries.  War Eagle to that!

Here's to many more years, Wesley Taff!  I love you!

VBS - Journey Off the Map

Whether you turn to the right or the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."  Isaiah 30:21

Whew...what a week!  Eli participated in his very first VBS this year, Journey Off the Map!  Wesley and I taught Eli's class, 4 year old boys, (entering kindergarten) and man, they are exhausting!  We studied Daniel, and learned about obeying God, even in the unexpected.  It was a lot of fun, and sweet memories for our family to do this together.

Eli's favorite part of VBS was music time!  These are the four year olds at music; obviously there were a lot more girls than boys.

Nut Fest

Early in November, we took the boys to the Peanut Festival in Dothan.  Not only did Nana and Puddin' go, but Ginny, Pops, and Katie were able to go as well.  We loved getting to hang out with everyone, and there were plenty of hands to help with both boys! : )

The trucks are always a huge hit at the fair.

Notice Eli's hand, on the horn.  He honked that horn at least fifteen times.

Tractors are fun to climb on as well!

Not only did we climb on tractors, but we also played under them!

 After playing on trucks and tractors, it was time for the rides.  This year Eli was confident and big enough to ride a lot of them all by himself.  He had a blast!

 Crazy kid on the crazy bus!

Eli did ask me to go on a maze/obstacle course thing with him,

but he ran off and left me!

And I ended up helping some random kid who was probably too little to be attempting this all by herself.

Love this one of Landy, Pops, and Ginny!

What's a trip to the fair without a stop at the corn dog man!?

Landon boy was captured by the pretty lights of the ferris wheel!

Aunt KT took Eli up on the ferris wheel.

 And Daddy took Eli on monster trucks!

After all the rides we got Mommy's favorite fair snack, elephant ears!

Landy even stole a bite!

The 7 Taffs at the waving peanut.

 So if we didn't know that the grandparents do things for their grandkids that they wouldn't do for their own children, this would prove the point!  Puddin' took Eli on an ELEPHANT RIDE at the fair!  Eli LOVED it!

BIRDS!

A little petting zoo fun!

Eli trying to touch Zak the Yak.

CAMELS!

And look at the sweetest little, blue eyed tiger here!  He melts my heart!

It was another fun trip to the peanut festival!  I am already looking forward to Eli getting to share the fun with Landy in the years to come.