and then the ice came....

So if you don 't live under a rock you probably know an enormous ice storm hit arkansas (and many more states) at the end of january.... well we were one of the 10s of thousands that suffered. We were without power for 5 days, lost everything in the fridge, missed a few days at work and were completely discombobulate for about a week. Amazingly we were one of the lucky ones.. know that there were many people much worse off than us.. so in all of this we were truely blessed to come out unscaved.. I also have to say we have great friends and family! The Lanes took us in for 2 days--mom and dad took us in for 3 more..

This picture was actually taken in complete darkness. Our electricity went out around 1030am on tuesday. We played around for an hour or so thinking it would just click back on (HA!) about noon we headed out for pizza and soon after realized it wasn't going to come on anytime soon and was getting worse.. We called up the lanes and told them they were about to be invaded!! chaz didn't care he had a great time!!

And these cute little bits became chaz's great friends. They are Destiny's nieces and their family was without power for about 4 days. We love Regan and Sydney!

Chaz's sweet aunt Dezzie reading to him and the girls. Look how happy he is!! I don't know if this experience sped up the Lane baby plans of postponed them HA!

This has to be the most beautiful original picture of the storm i have seen to date. This is our neighbors front yard. This Bradford pear tree was about 2 stories tall. WOW!! It is gone and i still look when driving by to see if maybe, just maybe this beautiful tree came back!

Township!

Mr Indepedant.

So chazman has made himself quite the indepant fellow. Below he is showing off some "skills"

I can eat with my own fork (and know i am cool for it!)

I can push my sweet baby cousin!!
I LOVE to hug my Gma and Gpa's dog kyle. He is one of my
favorite "people"
and I can ride my razorback stick horse (with no pants on of course)

I'm cute... just hope the big game isn't on

So this has been goin on awhile but it is great. Chaz thinks it is hillarious to turn the T.V. off (and sometimes on) I think he knows when we are watching and it is a bit of "pay attention to me!!" I have to say he always turns around, looks cute, claps and says "YEAH!"

Welcome home Gma and Gpa

Well as many of you know my mom and dad have been back and forth between Bville and Richmond VA for about 7 years now. It has been extremely tough for us this last 2 years (my pregnancy and Chaz coming into the world) Many tears (and some great trips to Richmond for unbelievable shoppping!!) Well they are back, for good!! I can't tell you how much this means to me, ryan and chaz. I grew up very close to my grandparents and as many times as i tell the story of meme making me close my door 100 times (i slammed it in anger, she taught me not to do this!) I could not imagine my life without the relationships i had with them. I can't wait to tell chaz stories of my grandparents and for him to experience them with his (we are blessed that ryan's parents also live close to us in fayetteville)

With that said, he helped unpack.....

He looked super cute (always!)

And Gpa thought it necessary to wrap him is packing
wrap. He was unfazed..

Hill 09 rewind (January)

So obviously i am trying to catch everyone up a bit.. Lets start with January.. I love love love teh picture of chaz in his daddy's hat. As many of you know when chaz was very little we bought a ton of hats (thought he would be cute!) and he hates hats. So this moment is priceless to me.

Next, oh my, well we lost the pepper shaker for a few weeks. When ryan went to clean the litter box guess what he found?!? Yep, the pepper shaker--needless to say i replaced it (don' t tell ryan, he thought a washing would be ok :)

and this well when Chaz's molars were coming in we had a few sleepless nights. This is what his room looks like when him and daddy are locked in for the late hours.

My Sweet boy!

And then there is this, what i usually look at. Mommmmmmmaaaaaaa, up! Literally taken within moment of the cute one above.

Here comes santa claus... and lots of family!! (08)

So like all families the holidays are crammed packed for us. We start witha wonderful day when we went to Pinnacle Hills to shop, it was a great day so we took advantage of the 60 degree weather and took some pictures. Chaz loved hiding in the big plastic presents around the tree. We would chase him and he would hide. It was such a great time..

and then the next weekend we went to see santa..... he was great up until his daddy sat him on santa's lap... and then there was no return.. i had to buy a picture because it was absolutely priceless.

My sister in law with my two favorite twin boys.. benjamin and brandon..

Usually at the beginning of December...we begin the season with the Annual hill family and friend UGLY christmas sweater party. This tradition began many many years ago (before the ugly sweater part) with some friends from college. Some have left and new have come in. note that it is a very coveted event. Only the best survive :) Last year we added in the ugly sweater part of the party, there is a good prize every year and it leads to insane outfits!!

The Hill kids and significant (minus Brad and his wife Michelle who were unable to make it --they live in north carolina) Ryan, Me, Cameron, Marcy, Meghan and Mike

the Clawson Clan.. i don't even know how to caption this .. it is priceless


The Hills.... note: the little guy's shirt had motion sensored lights...

Jackson.


If you have never been to the square in Fayetteville for lights of the Ozarks i suggest going there... there are poines, tons of lights and camels... what a better time for the kiddos!

Chazman point at the lights.. "out, out" he kept saying..
Ryan decided to try and ride the camels with chaz. It was very funny because they had to wear these silly helmets with santa hats attached to them (safety regulation by the city) The hat was WAY to big for chaz and kept falling to the side. It was very hard for me to take pictures because i was laughing SO hard... enjoy!

UofA here he comes!!

One of my favorite pictures is this one, taken at the UofA last fall by yours truly! :)

Chazman...11mths-13mths

So starting last summer through Chaz's first bday. We start with Chaz on the balcony at Virginia beach. We went with my parents during a trip to virgina. He didn't like the sand to much but he was just 11 months old.

Then we have some great pre bday pictures. I took some for his invite and Wendy being the great photographer she is took the sequence for a 1st year shot.

The we have the "slotter" picture. For his smash cake we had a little red razorback. Good times..
Next Cousin Anna kissing chaz at the pumpkin patch -- probably one of her favorite pasttimes.

Chaz Lee Hill -- 4months -10 months

Some earlier of Chaz.... 4 month shot (Onesie says "cutest baby ever!") Then we have the famous tie onesie shot.. he looks like a little doll! Next we have the frog after bath.. Then of course the infamous Charlie Brown.. we dress him up for Favorite TV character at school (we reused this at Halloween.. heck what else do you do with a cute, bald baby??)

What a ham?!?!

Professional pictures.. 3 months.. yes, he his still this big of a ham!

All because two people fell in love.... the day our life really began.. (Sept 15th 2007)

Chaz was born September 15th 2007. He is the best thing to ever. We love him dearly. He will one day know that his name came from jerry springer, when his mommy told his daddy his daddy said "oh, ok", his mommy LOVED being pregnant, his daddy was jealous of mommy feeling him move first, his mommy had a bad experience with green olives when pregnant, etc, etc, etc...... note: the two professional pictures are when he was 10 days old (again.. wendydunnphotography.com)