My First Sparkler

Well, we have to wait until Tuesday for the electricity to be turned on in the new house. We've moved practically everything out of storage and into the garage. Now, we just have to confront the arduous task of unpacking all of the boxes.

We took a nice break Sunday evening and shot off more than our fair share of fireworks. Here, Ethan experiences the joy that exists within holding his first sparkler.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Woot!!!

Ok, the electrical inspector finally showed up to do his job. The meter is supposed to go on this morning, and the final touch-up is underway. We're scheduled to close at 4pm today, and we're just brewing over with anticipation. We loaded up most of a storage unit into our U-Haul rental last night, so we're ready to go as soon as we have the keys in hand. The next update should find us settled into a new house.

Two From a Finished House

The house is finished. We're going to do the final inspection and closing after the holidays have had a chance to work us over. With any luck, we'll get our moving done and toast the New Year in a New Home.

Celebrity Seen at Hometown Gala

The celebrity superstar known only as "Ethan" performed at the illustrious Old Fort Academy 2006 Christmas Program. It was a joyous affair replete with singing and praise. And while our celebrity refused to sing, he did give us the benefit of pausing for this photo.

When questioned about the incident, Ethan had only this to say,

"Where's Santa?"

Yes, folks, you read it here first.

New Address!!!

We have an official new address. Please make note of this address for all future correspondence.

The Christopher Family
842 Fleming Farms Dr
Murfreesboro, TN 37128-6174

Ethan Turns 4!!!

Yesterday marked the fourth anniversary of Ethan's birth, and I think time moves faster with each passing day. How quickly he seems to be growing up. Here are some shots from his party.

Welcome to Winter

Well, it's December 1, and Old Man Winter has finally decided to rear his lovely head. We even had a bit of light snow this morning. As it's such a busy season, I thought I would take the opportunity to remind you that Ethan will be having his first real birthday party tomorrow. The fabulous festivities will take place at Steve's Fantastic Fun Zone at 10AM. Christmas is rapidly approaching, and you still have time to order those items from our wishlists (at the right), with plenty of time for shipping.

House Update!

Here are the latest pics from our new house. I spoke with the builder this morning, and we're scheduled to close December 14. That's only 13 days away!

Whistlestop at Cumberland Science Center

Cumberland Science Center recently had their 2nd annual Whistlestop, and we had a blast looking at all of the trains. Here are two shots of some of the world class miniatures.

More From the Mountains

Ethan's second official hike was a big success, as we tackled the Lower Bottom Trail.


Here, you see Ethan getting some buccaneering pointers from some old pros. He also got his first taste of air hockey, and you can see he's becoming quite the competitor. Check out that game face!

Summer Fun

I recently ran across these pics from a family outing back in September, and I just couldn't resist sharing them with you. Enjoy!

Drywall is Installed

The drywall has now been installed. Our builder tells us that within the next week (weather permitting), we'll see the hardwood flooring and the paint go in.

Ethan Goes to His First Party

Well, I suppose he's growing up more and more. Last Saturday, we attended Ethan's first party. These pictures are from a place called Steve's Fantastic Fun Zone, which is filled with a bunch of huge blowup toys. He had a great time!



What? No one said Daddy couldn't play on the toys, too!

Christmas Wish List!!!

For those of you needing gift ideas, we're continually updating our wishlists on the right side of the page. There is a list for Amazon.com and a list for Musician's Friend.com. Ethan already has about as many Thomas and Friends toys as he (or we) can stand, so you might think about other items this year.

One of the main items I want Ethan to receive is a set of Boomwhackers. Unfortunately, these aren't available through Musician's Friend. However, I've found the manufacturer, and here's a link to purchase them directly from their store:

Click here to go to the BoomWhackers Store!

Harvest Hoedown

Every year the World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro holds a gigantic event called the Harvest Hoedown. It's a great time for adults and kids alike, and it cuts down on the amount of children running loose in the streets at night this time of year.

This year Batman met his worst villian yet, the Mommy Witch. Beware!

Siding and Roof

The new house now has siding and a roof. Drywall is supposed to be installed within the next few days. Wow! It's really starting to resemble an actual house these days.

Eat Here and Get Gas!

Believe it or not! This is an actual photo I took while driving through Wears Valley near Pigeon Forge, TN. I'm not sure what their marketing approach is, but it certainly caught my attention.

Who's That Peeping in My Window?

We stopped a nice little country store in Wears Valley where Kim snapped this great shot of Ethan.

Smoky Mountain Trip '06

Here's the first assortment of pics from our recent trip to the Smokies. We took a ton of pictures, so expect to see more in the near future.

We have a roof!

Our house is finally taking shape. It's nice to see windows and a roof!

Are You Sure This is Flush?

Here's Ethan helping Daddy take some necessary measurements.

On a side note, if you haven't realized, you may click the images themselves to see a larger version.

Enjoy!

This is My Room

Although this is the fireplace, Ethan insists that this is his room. He says it's already his size. Cute.

Sept. 14 House Update

The roof trusses are up.

We've got Walls!

Hey, everybody, the house has walls! We spoke to the builder earlier, and we should have a roof and siding next week. Get ready, it's starting to look like a house.

It's Hot!

This is shortly after Sunday afternoon's kite flight. You can tell it's really getting hot out. Time for some water and a trip indoors to cool off. If you look carefully, you can see one of the tell-tale signs of any young boy (bandaid mark on knee).

Let's Go Fly A Kite

...or rather...let's go see how many times Daddy can run until near exhaustion while trying to keep the kite afloat. With all due respect to the elements, the kite did stay up for considerable time on several occassions. This was Ethan's first kite flight, and he seemed really into it.

My Little Artist

Ethan tried his hand at Adobe Illustrator this evening. After a fairly brief tutorial of the basics, he sat down and started drawing like a pro. Here's a shot of his first masterpiece; expect to see others soon at a gallery near you.

All Blocked Out

Well, we've picked out the lot, and we've picked out the plan. We're having a new home built just south of Murfreesboro (near Christiana), in a neighborhood named Fleming Farms. Everything's abuzz with excitement around here.

Here's the most recent picture of the job site, and you can see that the primary foundation is down, and the builder has recently gotten all the blocks in place. We're well on our way now!

Don't Look So Grown

This was taken yesterday. With that pose and that new wristwatch, Ethan's really looking grown up. Man, time really does speed up when you have children. I just hope he doesn't grow up as fast as he wants to.

1978

Here's a great picture that my grandparents sent me recently. Here you see my grandfather teaching me the ropes of driving the tractor. This was taken back in 1978, and I think you can see a good likeness between Ethan and me that doesn't exist as much these days.