(Side note: I realize that personal struggles cannot be compared; that is, you shouldn’t be self-depricating about your “minor” struggles simply because other people “have it worse” or “have been through so much more” – everyone’s struggles are personal and worth the time and energy to be dealt with.  Just in case anyone thought I was trying to make typical/everyday struggles sound minor compared to other struggles.  Struggles are struggles.  Satan uses them all.  Period.)

So now, we have the big dilemma…

What will be the theme of the party?

Last year was all about Mickey Mouse; I made a pathetic attempt at a Mickey-head-shaped cake, and my sister-in-law’s sister-in-law made a gorgeous cake that looked like Mickey bursting out of a present – very cute!  So while I’ve still got Disney on the brain, I’m trying to steer away from the Mouse this year.

This is where you come into play: cast your vote!  Leave a comment with your pick of the following themes, or leave an alternative suggestion of your own.

• Little Einsteins
• Handy Manny
• VeggieTales

(Can you tell what Casey likes to watch these days?)

Happy voting!

1. Do you like Starbucks? And are you a fan of their seasonal coffees?
Chris L-O-V-E-S himself some White Chocolate Mochas.  As in, he gets one every single time we are near a Starbucks (not one in our town).  I enjoy their flavored drinks, but their plain coffee is burned and gross.  I definitely prefer their seasonal blends, especially the Pumpkin Mocha whatever-it-is that they have right now.  Tastes like fall to me!  Oh, and Casey thoroughly enjoys their organic juice boxes.

2. How do you decorate and prepare for Fall?
I have some random candles and table decorations that I collected when I worked at Bath and Body Works, so I bring them out with our seasonal Beanie Babies (the only ones I’ve held onto).  Our fall Beanies are the ghost, pumpkin, turkey, and then snowmen and penguins for the coming winter.  Other than that, I’m still wanting to get a small flag pole for the front yard so we can hang seasonal flags, and I WILL get a fall wreath this year, dangit!  Hopefully we’ll make our own as a family project, who knows?  Other than that, you know I’ma bust out my fall candles and get this house smelling absolutely deeelicious!

3. Will you participate in your college’s homecoming activities?
We’re definitely able to, as we live in the same town.  But campus (and the town in general) becomes ridiculously crowded during that weekend, so we tend to avoid attending anything near the area.  But since we’re going to a UT game in Austin at the end of October, we’ll probably end up taking Casey to the homecoming game this year, as a trial run for THE game later.

4. What is your favorite Fall clothing item or accessory?
SCARVES!!!  Only in the last 2 years have I gotten into scarves, and I have a small but fun and soft and comfy collection that I can’t wait to pull out!  Casey has about 10 fun jackets and windbreakers (not even exaggerating) that I’m ready to put him in, because they’re so varied (Duke to Mickey to Texas and then some) and adorable.  And speaking as Chris’ wife, he’s pretty cute when he does the sweater-over-a-collared-shirt thing, so I’m more than ready for the weather to permit

5. What was your favorite Halloween costume as a kid?
I didn’t really “do” Halloween in my family; I only went trick-or-treating one time with 3 friends from church, and other than that my parties were limited to church things (we had a Fall Fest around that time).  However, I do remember pictures of a year that I was a ballerina – and it sticks out in my mind because it was a 100% homemade outfit and it was awesome.  Kudos to mom for being so inventive.  Speaking of inventive, Chris’ most memorable outfit has got to be from the year he was Cousin IT (yes, from the Addams Family) and as the story goes, his mom used her sewing machine to death- literally – putting it together.  I’ll try to find a picture somewhere.  And of course, Casey will be reviving his role as MiniYoda this year… sure to be as cute as last year:

Adorable I am; melting your heart is.

(Nothing wrong with store-bought costumes, Patrice – this is a Target steal!)

6. Do you like Halloween/Horror movies? Do you have a favorite?
Chris is NOT a scary movie person at all.  I grew up watching Dario Argento movies with my dad, so I’m all for ‘em.  I DO NOT do torture gore, though – anything that could actually happen (cheesy slasher movie things aside) makes my stomach church (learn from my mistake: do NOT see “Hostel”).  The one movie that scares the bejeebies out of me is the original “Halloween” – the music alone makes my skin crawl and makes our electricity bill skyrocket due to my turning on every single light in the house.  But I’ve been watching it since I was a teenager, so it’s a classic for me.  As for a favorite… I’d have to say the two “House on Haunted Hill” films.  The Vincent Price original is a classic, and the remake is stinkin’ hilarious to me and my dad!  If you’ve ever heard us say “Booga booga” to each other and wondered why, just check out the remake.  Or maybe it’s just us being weird.  Anyway…

7. What is your favorite Fall activity?
Taking Casey to the park!  We also take him to campus, since the front lawn is huge and he likes to run around and meet people.  I’ll echo Patrice on this one – just being able to GO OUTSIDE is going to be soooooo refreshing!

8. What is your favorite Fall recipe?
My mom makes THE BEST pumpkin bread ON THE PLANET.  No, seriously, it’s a fact.  If you don’t believe me, it’s because you haven’t tasted it.  Chris just likes the whole Thanksgiving spread, and I’m fairly certain that the same goes for Casey these days… you should see that kid stuff his face – it’s mildly disturbing.

[And then eight more quickie questions were added, here they are!]

1. What movie coming out soon are you looking forward to seeing?
Almost everything *I* am looking forward to is limited release, so I’ll probably never see it due to our town’s lack of a good indie theatre, but I AM looking forward to part 1 of the final Harry Potter installment… so sad, though, it’s like the series is ending all over again.  Chris is wanting to see Wall Street, although I’m sure it will pale in comparison to the original.  Tangled should be a good one for Casey… and hey, it features Chuck!

2. What will you miss most about Summer?
Chris will probably miss all the times that Casey and I went out of town… NOT.  I won’t miss much from this summer; it was miserably hot and HUMID in this town, which I can do without.  I am looking forward to CBC next July, though!

3. When do you start your holiday shopping?
I tend to take after my mom and I shop throughout the year.  (Whether or not I can find what I’ve hidden come December is another matter…)  I like finding good deals on things that I know people will love, and I am cheap, and married to an accountant, so I’m encouraging him to be a year-round shopper, too, rather than going out of town and bracing the malls come countdown time.  (Although I do save some shopping for the last minute; as long as I only go once, I get a little rush at being in the midst of all the holiday cheer in a crowded mall.  Who doesn’t like to give?)

4. Favorite exercise/activity?
I’ve started doing Body Pump on Tuesday/Thursday mornings with my friend Heather.  As hard as it is to get up at 5am for a 5:30 workout, I feel SO GOOD when we’re done, and I can already tell a difference in my biceps.  And the endorphines keep me much more alert during Carpenter’s Kids than coffee ever has  Chris is still figuring out a good workout schedule, but I know for a fact that he likes the bikes.  They kill my thighs, so he can have ‘em.

5. Best book you’ve read lately?
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Eric Carle.  Yes, we have a toddler, how could you tell?  Really, though, it’s a cute little book that never gets old, and I’m hoping it’s helping him with his colors; he’s already pegged Purple Cat as his favorite.

6. Do you make your bed every day?
I try to, but mostly because our room is where everything else gets hidden when we’re trying to keep the house clean, so it’s the one thing I can easily make look good in the room.  We really jut pull the comforter up so it’s straight and over the pillows.  Does that even count?

7. If you could choose a personal chef or a personal shopper, which would you choose?
Personal chef.  I always feel the biggest wave of guilt when Chris gets home and I haven’t even thought about what to make for dinner.

8. Which TV show are you most excited for this Fall?
GLEEEEEEEEEEEEE!  Followed by Castle, Chuck, and Weeds… although we don’t have cable or satellite anymore, so we’re at the mercy of Hulu and our friends.  Not a problem!

I have been remiss in updating the family blog, but schedules have fallen into place for the school year, trips have been taken, and I think I’ve settled to where I can commit to keeping this regular once again.

In three days, Casey will be 22 months old – that’s right, by the time everyone gets home from their Thanksgiving shenanigans, we will officially have a 2-year-old on our hands!  And frankly, I couldn’t be more excited.  Every day we are discovering more and more reasons to be proud of him.

Although he’s not at the 2-year age limit yet, he’s already started his own preschool class where I teach, since, well, I teach!  And according to his teachers, he’s a great student; granted, he finishes his little worksheets and activities quicker than the others, but apparently he stays occupied and doesn’t disrupt.  I can already tell that being with (slightly) older kiddos is going to be great for his vocabulary; he doesn’t have any news words just yet, but when it comes to repeating after us when we talk to him, he’s much more apt to try rather than just nod or go along with us blindly.  I know that this is the beginning of the end, especially given his parents (ok, ok, his mother, I’ll own it), but I can’t wait for the day that we can have a legitimate conversation together!

Mom and Dad?  We’re doing pretty well, too.  Chris still loves his job, and loves coming home to his precious son even more.  I’m still enjoying teaching preschool and supervising way too many small children at the gym, and being home just after 1 every day is an added bonus.  Not to mention being able to take Casey with me… being a working full-time mom is exhausting, but I love it.  I’m incredibly blessed.

Well, that’s all I’ve got for now.  Here are some snapshots of the last couple of months… see ya next time!

first snowcone at freedomfest

born-and-bred american, stuffing his face on the 4th of july

celebrating Glammie's 50th birthday

pooped! at Miss Pauline's bible study

hey Grumps... you snooze, you lose... the iPad...

Casey and Nikki, BFFS for life

checking out a panda at the Memphis Zoo

Memphis Zoo aquarium area

first day of school!

with James and Evie @ the White Co. fair parade

the parade was boring, hanging with Uncle Nic instead

ringbearer in Becky and Steven's wedding in June

• Casey is 20 months old today!
• Casey threw a huge fit during his haircut, so all we really did was trim the bangs and get rid of that mulletish mop he had in the back (just because he’s from Arkansas doesn’t mean he has to look like it, y’know?)
• Casey and mommy are currently in NC visiting some very dear friends, who will probably get their own post later on

I know it’s been a while; I’m sorry.  I recently decided to only blog here, rather than on my personal blog, because Casey updates are time consuming enough, and far more interesting than whatever drivel I’d come up with for personal ramblings, so here ya go.  Talk to you again when we’re back in Arkansas.

For those who don’t know, DebRA is the Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association of America – an organization dedicated to finding a cure for EB, the skin disease from which precious baby Jonah suffers.

Junctional EB has a mortality rate of 87%  in the first year of life – ladies and gentlemen, Jonah Williams will turn ONE YEAR OLD on February 27th, 2010!!! This little man has had a tough year, but has pulled through like a trooper, putting smiles on faces wherever he goes – I mean, look at this face…

…I’ll bet you $20 that you’re smiling now, too!

[photo edited by Emilee Mills]

In celebration of Jonah’s first birthday, his family and friends are sponsoring an auction, with 100% of the proceeds going to DebRA, to contribute to their work in finding a cure.  Are you interested in supporting this GREAT cause?  Here’s what you can do:

1. Go to Jonah’s EB Auction blog for all the information you could possibly need.
2. Do you have things you could donate to the auction?  Email jonahsebauctionATgmailDOTcom to find out how you can donate.
3. Are you in the Central Arkansas area and interested in donating money towards gift cards that will be donated to the auction?  Leave me a comment on this post with your email (if I don’t already have it) and I’ll let you know how you can contribute.
4. PARTICIPATE!  The auction will run February 23 – February 27, leading up to Jonah’s first birthday.  Check the blog linked above during that time to see what items are up for bidding!

What a GREAT chance to do our part to help find a cure!

To sum up 2009 for the Fulks family…

• Casey witnessed a most historical presidential inauguration
• Casey went to Jonesboro a lot to visit Glammie and Pawpaw
• Casey went to North Carolina twice to see Mimi and Grumps
• Casey got 3 haircuts
• Casey went to DISNEYWORLD for the first time
• Casey met Ben Stein
• Casey had his first birthday
• Casey got 6.5 teeth (#7 is halfway in right now)
• Casey made mommy and daddy very, very, very happy

Like I said – if your 2009 was HALF as happy as ours, that’s still a heckuva lot of happy!

And now I’ll leave you with two quick things:

1.  The Fulks Fam now has a YouTube page!  WordPress, unfortunately, doesn’t let you upload videos directly to the site, and not everyone who reads this has Facebook (coughGRUMPScough), so we’re using YouTube to imbed videos (see item 2 below) from now on.  So if you’re ever craving some Casey cuteness and dont want to browse the blog looking for videos, you can simply go to our YouTube page and check out all the videos there.  [Note: yes, I realize that this is us putting videos of our son on the internet in an unprotected fashion.  But the "protected" viewer limit on YouTube is 25 people, and I know we have a few more than that looking at this blog, so that wouldn't be fair.  I'm simply going to trust y'all to act like grown-ups and not do anything bad with these videos, 'k? 'K.]

2.  There will be occasional Casey updates on my personal blog that don’t appear on this blog, so you might want to pop over there every now and then.  But be aware – that is also where I post my own personal blog thoughts, so for those who only want the Casey updates and not a piece of my mind, I will do my best to post a link on this blog to take you directly to Casey updates on the other.  Like this: today’s Not Me! Monday post is all about Casey in the snow.

That’s all I’ve got for now.  I’ll post a Christmas update sometime this week.  Now!  Go forth and check out the Casey face!  Happy 2010!

It’s been an amazing year.

If you’d like to read about the day Casey entered this world, you can do so here.

Birthday post to come this weekend

As you may or may not know, Halloween weekend also happened to be Harding’s homecoming weekend – and as you also may or may not know, Chris and Mandy’s Aunt Thelma went to Harding, so she came to town to participate in the reunion festivities!

We were able to meet up with her for coffee and bring her over to our house to see Casey and the beautiful nursery painted by his Aunt Mandy.  Of course, we love when family comes for a visit, so Aunt Thelma – thanks for spending some time with us during this quick trip from Chicago (GObama!).  Here’s a post all about you… and, y’know, Casey.

Aunt Mandy got hungry... or was she just giving Casey a taste of his own NOMing?

"Oh hey, Aunt Thelma brought a necklace for me to chomp!"

Of course, a seasoned mom isn't worried about the necklace, just happy to see the baby!

Big ol' cheesy grin FTW!

Some like their coffee; some like their fingers

Chris, Aunt Thelma, Mandy, and Casey

Chris, Aunt Thelma, Casey, and Jessie (check it out - Casey has inherited his daddy's fake picture grin!)

And a good time was had by all.  Remember: you, too, can have your very own post on the Fulks Family Blog when you travel great distances (or maybe even short ones) to see The Little Man… and really, who wouldn’t want their pictures all over our blog?

PS:  Apologies for the random spacing… not really sure why it’s doing that.  Enjoy anyway!