Mt. Berry College

From snow to 60 degree weather. Now I remember why I love the South. Yesterday we played at Berry College in Mt. Berry, GA. Just outside of Rome, GA. This is the largest campus (acreage-wise in the US)! It was beautiful. Olive is now pointing and waving at every stranger she sees until they look her way. She then wins them over by laughing like they are the funniest person ever. We're in route to West Palm Beach, FL today and play there tonight. Olive is enjoying old Popeye the Sailorman cartoons and an old 1970's Sesame Street video called " Sing Yourself Silly" to pass the time on the bus. If you haven't seen this one, I highly recommend it. It's the one with James Taylor, in his early 30's, singing his "Jelly-man Kelly" song. Shane and I have the entire video memorized and love the songs:)

On the road again...

Well we are officially on the road again and in Hawthorne, NJ tonight. It has been snowing all day and the busses are a few feet deep in snow! I slipped down the stairs today getting off the bus, no injuries. Olive is quite a charmer with all these new boys. We are out with Starfield this time. I have no good picks from today, but I love this one of Olive on the drums. Her favorite birthday gift was a set of instruments that came inside a drum. She loves to beat and tap on anything. Joey, our drummer, is of course so proud of her beat keeping ability, ha ha. This trip 4 days in has not been without its adventures already. One bus got stuck on a gravel road in the backwoods of NC, we all randomly got to go see Will Farrell (sp?) at a sold out 16,000 seat arena on his "Funny or Die" comedy tour. We got to park our bus around back about 20 feet from Will Farrell's bus because the people thought we were Casting Crowns! hilarious. David Nasser, our tour speaker, blew a tire in the snow today and had to get towed back to the venue. That's it for today. I'm hoping to keep a little running log of our days so Olive can look back and read some stories of her life on the road:)

Christmas tree hunt

Can I just say a big YIPEE!!!! We went as a family to hunt down the perfect tree for Olive's first Christmas. For all of you rolling your eyes at a seemingly normal pre-Christmas activity, let me introduce you to Shane Everett. A closet Christmas lover, who for 5 years somehow convinced me that there wasn't a need to get a tree or any decorations! A born salesman, he can take your point of view and somehow convince you of the opposite point of view by the end of the conversation!!! Well, NOT THIS YEAR FOLKS. To any of you who are married to Mr. Scrooge, use your kids in your argument. They will be forever damaged to look back on holiday pictures with no Christmas tree. By the time we got it home and went for decorations, Shane was obsessing over the symmetry of the tree...making sure all of our bells, reindeer, and balls were perfectly placed! Woo Hoo! we even had classical Christmas music playing the entire time. Big break through. Big.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy to be home after 3 long months!!

:( BOO HOO for Halloween :(

It was her day to cry...alot...

Not even a scary witch! After this pic the witch played..."These are a few of my favorite things..." but Olive only stopped crying when we got away from her!

Friends

Olive's buddy Lydia's 1st Birthday! Happy 1 year Birthday Lydia!

NYC Show...My worlds unite as Olive got to meet my little Frenchies that I nannied for in Paris Oscar and Tristan!!!

Our newest friend, Ava Elizabeth Self @ about one month old...

Today in Jackson, TN my college roommate from Baylor, Julia, came to the show and brought her 8 mo. old Reyn.

Roadie Pics

Daddy showing Olive the ropes on her future career.

Our show in San Diego got canceled because of all the fires :( which made it possible for a trip to the San Diego Zoo! Awesome day.



A couple days later we got to go to Yosemite Park to see trees that have been alive for over 2,000 years!

Happy Nine Months!

Today (Oct. 19th) our little pumpkin turned 9 months. Unbelieveable how babies put your life on fast forward. We touched down in Dallas for a quick couple days off before heading back out again. Olive has been full of surprises on the road! Who would have known that she has an uncanny gift for sleeping in very load droning moving vehicles? What can I say other than the Lord has given us a daughter that has no choice but to think busses, planes, cabs, and crowds of adoring Olive fans are common place among infants. I want to think that my child of course is far ahead for this accomplishment, but it is rather a very visual lesson to me that He gives us grace to live the life He has given...baby and all!

Olive's First Tour!

Olive's Favorite spot on the bus is standing up on the couch/bed and looking at all the cars passing by on the highway!

This might as well be called the "Olive Tour." It most certainly seems to her that we travel from city to city so that the crowds can gather around her!

Lov'in the moving bus bath on wheels!

Joining the generations of folks whose first food was Cheerios...

a day in the life...

Here are a few snippets from the road.

6 months!

It's been the fastest 6 months of my life! I can't believe she's already half a year old. You are such a big girl and defn our Little Miss Sunshine!

Close up

4 generations

My grandmother, Olive's Great Grandmother, "GG", came in town last weekend. We love you GG!

Teddy Everett

Aside from her blankies...Teddy Everett is Olive's favorite. He provided much comfort the day Olive got her vaccination shots (notice the red flower band-aids)

play date w/Lydia

YAY for Becky!

and "America's Next Best Babysitter" is...Becky Hall! Bec has been coming over to hang out with Olive while I advance dates for our upcoming fall tour. If there was such a show, Bec would defn get our vote. She sings, dances, reads, and strolls...she even does hair and clothes for daily photo shoots! Mo Hawk was the style this day. Thank you Becky, we love you!

We're sitting up!

Just the Three of Us...

building castles in the sky, just the three of uuuUS, yous and I.

Jet Jet

My sister, Jettie, came in town on her break from nursing school. We won't see her again until Christmas:( We love you Aunt Jettie!

Cousins

Olive's 2 girl cousins...Harper and Avery. They are both 2-ish and think Olive was made to be their personal baby dolls. Sweet sweet