More pics of that Beautiful Raleigh

I went back to see little Raleigh on Friday to see her and hold her before she left for Columbia.. I know that isn't far but not easy to just run by and see either... I may have to travel that road a little more often.. that is the cutest little girl I have seen in a while!!! She is just beautiful!! I have talked to Amanda some and they both seem to be doing well....Seth was changing all the diapers in the hospital ..I was very impressed....I did change one for them while I was there...it isn't an easy job when they are that little....
I am trying to get Amanda to start a blog but until then I will just update when I can for her!! HAHA!! So come on Amanda......people are going to be curious as to how little Raleigh is growing!!!

Introducing Raleigh Elizabeth Blanks......

Amanda and Seth are proud parents of Raleigh Elizabeth born Thursday around 5:30pm.....she weighed 8 pounds 6 ounces and was 21 inches long!! She is so cute... light brown hair and the sweetest little lips!! I was able to be right outside the room after the nurses tried to kick me out of the hall!! Raleigh was right on time being born June 26th which was her due date... we were all giving Amanda a hard time because if you know her very well she ALWAYS has a to do list and we just figured that is what she had on her list that day.....1. Wash hair...2. Clean house 3. Give birth to Raleigh!! I love you Amanda and am so happy for you both! You both are going to be great parents!!!
I am going to try and get some more pictures when I get up there to hold her sometime today!!
Congrats to the BIG BROTHER COLE!!! (Amanda's little dog!)

Fun on a Saturday night....

I can honestly tell you one of the reasons I fell in love with Chris was his love for children....If you know me very well you know that children have always been an important part of my life...growing up in Jonesboro and going to church at Southwest I would always have a child on my hip...I started babysitting for families when I was about 10 and loved it!! Babysat all through college and became a fulltime nanny right out of college for 2 different families......4 years ago now I started with this one family and they had one little 6 week old baby at the time named Marshall and they have since had little Josie... Marshall is now 4 and Josie is 16 months... they are my sweet little girls and I love them like they were my own(as I did most of my families...I get a little attached!! HA!).....Well when Chris and I started dating it was very important for him to meet this family... he was able to be at Josie's first birthday and the girls just loved him and he is great with kids!!! When I stay late at work he will come over and hang out with us and this past weekend I had them on a Saturday night and he came and watched us swim and hung out and helped me with them...these pictures are at their house watching a movie...Josie is always a little shy with him at first but then she is all over him...too cute...

Marshall can ignore almost anything when a movie is on...



Josie and Chris having fun...



The Groom and his 2 Flower Girls



Josie is such a mess...



This is my sweet Josie..she loves her thumb and her lovey!!!

FUN IN THE SUN!!!!

Marshall's new picture face....

We are living by the pool this summer....they have a pool at their house and we have many other pools to visit ....Marshall and I are going to see who can get the darkest this summer....poor little Josie will not have a chance!! HA!!


Josie loves her Lovey!!!

What would you like to drink JuJu??

She is a mess.. but a fun mess....

Can you say no to this face???? I can! HA! But not usually without a laugh!! She is 16 months and still not walking.... I think I spoil her too much!!!

My flower girls and I!!!

PB and J anyone??



This is Jack that watch every once in a while.... we went swimming together last week.....

He is only 3 1/2 and can dive so well....
This is the high dive and he was a little scared but he did it!
Marshall and her friend Ella...and little Josie chilling by the pool!!
My little Josie....she loves to be outside!!!!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!

Happy Fathers Day to all the dads out there!! I am very grateful to have such an awesome dad!! He has always been there for me and supported me through everything my whole life...he is now helping me plan one of the most important days of my life and I am so thankful for that!! I don't know how I would do it without him!!! Most people have asked if he is doing the ceremony and I have to explain that I just want him to be my daddy that day and he has always understood that!! My cousin Russ will be doing the ceremony...not only is he my cousin but he was my youth minister and was there for me through a tough time!!

My dads brother has a cabin on the Buffalo River and we just love it!!


This is dad (granddaddy) holding Wallace on one of the hikes!! This is one of my favorite pictures!!!
The kids love to climb up in Grann and Grandaddy's lap and it usually means laughing a lot!!
Last but not least....here is my dad having a little fun on Matt's bike....I am pretty sure my dad would have one of these if his wife would allow!!


HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DAD!!! I LOVE YOU!!! Thank you for everything you do!!!

Fun Times with my other family....

I was able to keep Eric and Rebecca's twin girls, Abigail and Ansley today while they got ready for Rebecca's sisters wedding......Eric was my best friend in high school and his family became like family to me and I spent some good times with them during the last few years of high school!! Eric and his wife live here in Nashville and you would think I would see them a lot but with life and different schedules we just don't...so today was great getting to spend time with the girls.....they just turned 2 in April and are so cute and just the sweetest girls....They call me JuJu but you sometimes here DoDo...pretty funny!! Eric's sister Jennifer was in for the wedding too so it was good to spend time with her as well.... she has a little boy, Benson, that just turned 1 this month...he is so sweet too!! Momma Donna and Daddy Lance were here too!! Donna was doing her magic and making the beautiful brides cake.....she will be making my cake in November and I know she will do a wonderful job then!! I have always known who would do my cake!!!
Chris finally got to meet my other family and I was very greatful for that!! I just hated it took this long!!!

Wow!! They are all at least looking at the camera....Abigail is on the right in this pic...


Trying to get 3 to look at the camera...better luck next time!!


Benson and those baby blue eyes!! What a cutie!!

I KNOW I KNOW...It has been a while...

Little Conner...is so sweet and cute..he and I share a birthday...he is 3 years old!!




Marshall just turned 4 in April and she is the cutest...so sweet!!
Josie is 16 months and a mess, but also so sweet!!
James is 5 and is ALL BOY!!! Fun to be with and fully of energy!!
Abigail is almost 11 and is like a sister to me( so yes we fight some) So sweet and fun to be with! Wallace will be 2 in July....so sweet and makes me laugh all the time!!!



Honestly I have not had anything to update about... I need to start carrying my camera again because I honestly don't have any new pics to give you guys....We were able to go to Jonesboro this past weekend and book a photographer and I really look forward to using Dodie Peterson...she just seemed really excited about what she does and had a done a lot of great weddings!! We picked out the tuxes and looked at a place called "The Station" for rehearsal dinner and it looks really nice....I need help on the whole decorating the reception thing so I will have to go back to Jonesboro soon to figure all that out!! That part just stresses me out!!! My dad has done a really great job as my wedding planner and I know that he is just loving it!! (I will let you all know if he is going to take this up for a side job! HA!)
I do have a few pictures of my little ones that will be in the wedding......My 2 nephews James and Wallace and Chris's nephew Conner will be the little guys in the wedding...and the 2 little girls that I nanny for, Marshall and Josie, will be little flower girls!! Josie and Wallace are a little young so we will just have to see how that goes!! Should be fun...I wouldn't have it any other way!!