Go VOLS!

Asa finally got to cheer on his team wearing the appropriate orange! We have a UT onesie, but it's a size 3-6, and Asa doesn't quite fill that out yet. Thankfully, G-Pa and G-Ma surprised him with a 0-3 onesie in the mail this week! He was all set for the big game against Georgia.

Let it be noted that the first time Asa wore a UT onesie to support his team, they actually WON! Whoa! :) Here are a few pictures of the smallest Vol in our house. He was really excited and wouldn't stop "talking" about the Vols putting up a W. :)

Check out his picture site for more!

Our Little Pumpkin

The weather here in Florida does not feel like fall (highs in the 90s), but is IS fall so we decided to celebrate with a new family tradition. We took Asa to a pumpkin patch!

A church up the road has a free "patch" (they pile pumpkins around part of their grounds) with some sweet scenery set up for taking pictures as well. Since Asa isn't old enough to have ANY idea what's going on, it was really all about the photo op. :)

He was his usual, alert, take-it-all-in self. So we didn't get too many pictures of him looking at the camera. :) And he didn't really smile either--just stared at everything. He also held onto and looked at his feet until we gave him something else to hold in his hands. But he is our little pumpkin and it was fun to capture his first "fall" experience. Later this month we plan to attend our church's fall festival. Our costumes are all set--you will HAVE to come back for the pictures. :) :) :)

For now, here are a few pumpkin pictures. To see the rest, just visit Asa's picture site!

p.s. How often do you see people wearing shorts and short-sleeves to the pumpkin patch? :) Asa's orange outfit has farm stuff all over it to go with the pumpkin patch idea. And then the overalls just seemed like an appropriate alternate outfit (except he was boiling hot in them). :)

FL Kubo Christmas

Since we have the JOY (and I MEAN that) of visiting both our families each year for Christmas (it's such a blessing to get to see BOTH of them), we started a tradition 4 Christmases ago to celebrate just the two of us (plus our stow-away, this year) before we leave town.

I know when we moved this far away that, Lord willing, with a larger family in the future the time might come we'd decide to stay in FL for Christmas (though I cannot yet bear that thought.... at all). I knew if that time came, I would want there to be traditions already in place that would make it "feel" like Christmas. I know Christmas is all about WHOM it's about, and as much as I love our families, Christmas isn't about them. But it is such a special time of year; I can't imagine celebrating without them. And so began the brainstorming of traditions we could go ahead and put into place.

We have our decorations, choosing the tree each year (and alternating who gets the final say, as we prefer different types of firs), etc. I proposed having a specially themed dinner the night we celebrate dinner just the two of us. That way, if we ever do stay here, "just" the FL Kubos, we could continue that tradition and it "feel" like Christmas. So, each year on the night we celebrate, I make a "gourmet" breakfast dinner. We set the table with our china, crystal, and festive table linens. And I set to work making the most delicious French toast (all credit goes to the recipe, not to me), sausage, bacon, eggs, etc. It's delicious. And we both look forward to it. It's kind of strange that though we've been married 3 years, this will be our 4th Christmas as husband and wife (because our anniversary is about 2.5 months before Christmas). The Christmas Breakfast Dinner has definitely solidified as a genuine tradition for us. :)

This year I am making the French toast, pancake puffs with my new pancake puff pan I received for my birthday (can't wait to try them!), eggs, bacon, sausage, and we'll have milk and OJ to drink. For dessert, I have Krispy Kreme donut holes. :) Other years we've tried gingerbread men and cinnamon rolls for dessert. But since we're leaving this week, I didn't want to throw out a lot or have left-overs go bad.

After dinner, we'll open stocking stuffers and exhange gifts (Sammy even gets in on the action!). And get this, Matt is DONE shopping AND wrapping..... ALREADY!! He wrapped everything YESTERDAY (then he bought something else today and wrapped it right away). We are both looking forward to celebrating Christmas #1, (and #2 and #3 with family soon), and we'll be sure to post pictures from this evening later. :)

Love,
Becca