Babies with a Puppy - doesn't get any better...

Last month when we were in Fredericksburg my nephews and Tucker got to spend some quality time together.  And while I'm a little behind posting this, it's too adorable not to.  

Tucker loves Chase

Going for a ride (Parker insisted)

Tuck looks like he's loving it

Don't you want to just squeeze them all?  Or maybe that's just me...

And here's a few of us - not as cute, I know...but at least Tucker is in them :) 

Happy Halloween!!

I hope everyone had a great Halloween weekend!  I usually don't dress up for Halloween and this year was no exception.  Although late Saturday night I had the realization that Tucker would make the perfect Toto - perhaps I will have to be Dorothy next year :).  Just because I don't dress up doesn't mean that I don't love doing festive Halloween activities or that I would pass up the opportunity to dress my puppy up.  No way!  So this past week John and I carved our pumpkin and dressed up our own little pumpkin!

 

Tucker the pumpkin!!  What you can't see is that he's wearing the "stem" of his pumpkin costume that goes around his ears and makes them stick up.  But he's too fluffy, so the stem doesn't show haha.

Pumpkin carving

A masterpiece at work - check out that free hand

Tucker's good at carving pumpkins

The jack-o-latern

Tucker also got to to trick-or-treating at the shops in downtown Fredericksburg.  I think he was slightly overwhelmed at first, but after the first few shops he knew exactly what to do - run in, look cute, get a treat.  He's still working through his bag of treats!

Happy Halloween!

Fall Fun

While my nephews were in town we all took a trip to Graves Mountain Lodge Apple Festival and the Belvedere Pumpkin Patch (the pumpkin patch my sister and I went to every year growing up).  I must say the apple festival wasn't the best idea I've ever had.  I've wanted to pick apples the last few years, but haven't had the chance.  I figured what better than an apple festival - wrong.  The place was packed and all of the apple trees were pretty much picked over.  There's always next year I suppose...

Attempted photo #10 (they're both ALMOST looking at the camera)

Trying to get a pic with both boys paying attention is harder than it seems

The boys were ready to pick pumpkins, too bad we were at the wrong place

Pretend apple picking

In the apple orchard

The pumpkin patch was definitely more of a success.  I love taking the hay ride out to pick our pumpkins, it reminds me of when we were little and would go pick our pumpkins, ride the zip line, and play in the hay barn.  Parker had a great time - there was face painting, and a petting zoo, and tractors, and pig races, you get the picture.  And I would show you pictures, except that I forgot my camera and my sister's died.  So these few pictures will have to do.

Riding out to pick our pumpkins

 

 

Happy 4 month birthday!

Tucker is 4 months old today!!!  I can't believe we've had him for almost 2 months, although it seems like forever since I've been able to sleep in :)  He's gotten so big since we brought him home.  When we first saw him he only weighed 2.3 lbs.  Then when we brought him home Labor Day weekend he weighed 3.5 lbs.  Now he weighs a whopping 7 whole pounds!  I'm aware that is still tiny, but he seems huge compared to what he was.  Here are some pics of him over the last few months...

When we first met Tucker at 8 weeks

Sooo tiny!

When we first brought him home - 10 weeks

Loungin' around - 12 weeks

14 weeks

 While we were a little terrified at first of his craziness (barking, biting, etc.), he has turned out to be a pretty awesome dog :)  He still hasn't totally adjusted to us leaving him every morning, but who can blame him, John and I are pretty fun haha.  Sure he still has his puppy energy, but he's a good dog.  And he even goes back to sleep on weekend mornings now - my kind of dog!

Engagement Pics sneak peek

We recently spent the weekend with John's family and had our engagement pictures taken in Charlottesville.  It was great to spend some time in Orange, and celebrate Anastasia's (John's sister) birthday with everyone.  Tucker LOVED running around the backyard with John's parents dogs Oreo and Ginger.  Oreo is a 75 lb. lab/dalmatian mix and Ginger is a little shih tzu/yorkie mix.  While Tucker and Ginger weren't the best of friends (unless you call bark-offs friendly haha), it was pretty clear he was in love with Oreo - Tucker would walk around right under Oreo everywhere he went, and constantly annoy him and lick his face.

Tucker and Ginger staring out the door - Oreo watching (bottom right)

We headed to Charlottesville on Sunday to have our engagement pictures taken around the downtown mall, and out on our photographer's farm.  It was so great to finally meet our photographer (Jen Fariello).  She is awesome!  She is so relaxed and sweet, and made us feel comfortable despite feeling very awkward haha.  Lets just saying "acting normal" and "in love" isn't as easy as it sounds.  Here is a sneak peek of some pics she sent us the day after our photo session!

Engagement photos by Jen Fariello

Spending some time on the farm

Making his first appearance on my blog is my 21 month old nephew, Chase.  He is the cutest, most adorable little guy, and so much fun to play with.  While we were in Fredericksburg, John and I took Chase and Tucker out to Snead's farm with my parents.  We enjoyed a picnic lunch and then scoped out the pumpkins, ate delicious kettle corn, and fed the chickens (well, Chase fed the chickens, I chose to watch and keep Tucker from attacking the chickens).
 

Getting ready to go - Chase and Tucker are already BFFs

Family photo at the farm

Most people tend to take pictures of their cute children with pumpkins - not this girl.  That's right, I put Tucker on top of a huge stack of pumpkins in order to get his picture.  I think he enjoyed himself?  Either way, he looks cute :)

Cutest pumpkin in the patch

Chase had a great time wandering around the pumpkin patch, and even found some pumpkins just his size.  However, he doesn't look as thrilled to be taking a picture with his favorite aunt.

Chase ended his big day with a little tractor ride and feeding the chickens.  I think feeding the chickens was his favorite - he is quite the animal lover.

Happy October!

Some quality time with the MOH

A few weekends ago we got to spend some quality time with my family - my sister, brother-in-law, and nephews made the trip up from NC to visit at my parents house.  Adam and Erin were even nice enough to make the trek up to Arlington to visit John and I at our new place - which I'm sure they were regretting 30 minutes in as they experienced the joys of Northern VA traffic :).  We kicked off the weekend with pizza, beer, and outside seating (combination for a good time), and then headed down to my parents the next morning for some fall festivities with the boys (my nephews that is).

Dinner at Fireworks

Erin and Adam at dinner

You'll be seeing lots more of these two on the blog as Erin is my MOH (duh) and Adam will running the show (the ceremony that is) with our Episcopalian minister.  I'm so excited to have both of them be a big part of our special day.  Up next....introducing Parker and Chase (and you thought Tucker was cute)!!!

Slacker of the Month award

Saying I fell a little behind on the blog recently would be an understatement.  I just realized it's been a month since my last post!  UNacceptable.  Therefore, I must make up for it with several new posts on our recent adventures.  My lack of blogging would be a result of the crazy October we've had so far.  To catch you all up to speed - we've been taking Tuck to puppy class and he graduated Thursday (kind of a big deal, but not really), we spent a festive fall weekend with my nephews and the rest of my family going at an apple festival and the pumpkin patch, spent a weekend in Orange with John's fam, and had our engagement pictures taken.  In wedding related news - I have picked a wedding planner, and I love her!  I'm excited about all of her ideas, and I know her help will greatly reduce my stress level, which is good for me and great for everyone else (mainly John and my mom :))

More posts to come this week about the pumpkin patch, our engagement pics, and everyone's favorite puppy (or maybe just mine), Tucker!!! Hope everyone had a great weekend, and is as excited about Monday as I am :(

My middle name should be decision-maker

Clearly we all know that is false.  And I'd like to say that I've been more decisive when it comes to planning the wedding, but that would just be a lie.  Being less than a year out, we've already had to make some decisions, and while I feel great about them, they certainly weren't easy.  The only easy decision was saying yes to marrying John (awwww).


The first four months were spent enjoying the excitement of being engaged and delaying the stress of making decisions.  Fredericksburg v. Charlottesville, indoor v. outdoor, etc.  We must have visited 8 or more reception venues (I'm surprised John didn't call it off then) and went back and forth on what location would be best.  They were all GREAT, but ultimately we chose a vineyard in Charlottesville, and it's perfect.

So the date is set - August 27, 2011, we got the UVA chapel in the lottery, and we're looking forward to a wonderful wedding weekend in Charlottesville.  Date - done, location - done, reception venue - done, photographer - done, band - done.  Booyah!  Don't say I never make decisions. :)

We're so excited and feel its so fitting for us as a couple - we love Charlottesville and we love wine.  Not to mention King Family was the the last stop on our wine tour before getting engaged (more to come on that story later)!  In the meantime, here's a sneak peek of the beautiful reception location...

View looking out the back of the building

I've taken a little break from the wedding planning recently, but it's time to get back on my "A" game.  I'll keep yall updated on the progress until we get the actual wedding website up and running (ahem, John).  Up next, engagement pics in a few weeks!

So fresh and so clean

Last weekend we gave Tucker his first bath (well his first bath at our place, lets hope he's had a bath before that).  Can't say that he loved it, but he took it like a champ.  Here he is pre-bath.  Poor guy, he has no idea what's about to happen...

He may look fluffy, but there's not much under that hair.  It's actually quite pathetic looking.  

Looking reeeaal good on a Saturday morning

Our little drowned rat

All done!  Now wasn't that exciting?? :) 
Perhaps you all have Tucker overload (although I dont' know how that's possible).  But don't worry I'm going to switch it up next time.