Farm Expo 2009

We went to the Farm Expo last weekend with the Lowe family. The boys had a great time and got to play in some big boy toys.Connor prefers to drive





Sheep and a Great Pyrenee

Dylan and Connor found the tallest and biggest tractor in the whole show

Again, Connor must be at the wheel! All of those golf cart drives he takes

with papaw is starting to show. Now I know who really drives!

Dylan, Andy, Kyle and Connor

One very big Gobble Gobble

Please boys- don't touch those- bird flu is going around again!!

Joy and Avery looking pretty!

Connor rides this kind of tractor at papaw's farm

My liitle cowboy when he was eight weeks old..I bet that hat would fit now.

Welcome Abby Potter

Ladies and gentleman, faithful SipeLife blog followers, Oregonians, Tennesseeans, Vol fans, Duck fans, and any other weirdos that are blog stalkers(like myself!!)- There is a new POTTER girl in town.

That is right- Layney has a sister!!!!!!

Miss Dara Abigail Potter arrived on Sunday January 12, 2009 at 3:54 pm!! She made her debut about 5 weeks early and her sweet, tough mother had a long road to get her here healthy. Lisa entered the hospital on New Year's Eve( the night of the Potter/Sipe New Year's Eve celebration that never happened) and endured some long nights and days trying to hold her off. I can bet that she is gonna be a little pistol. She weighed 5 pounds and has been in the NICU staying warm and getting lots of nutrients. She is beautiful and her Aunt TIffany has seen her up close and personal. Layney and Connor know all about her but have never met. Hopefully she will come home soon so we can resume sleepovers soon. Here is an email that Lisa sent this week and above is a recent photo. She has some cute little gowns that Aunt TIffany and Miss Lois bought her but she is too little to wear them just yet (they are preemie size so that should explain how little she is!!)

From Lisa:

She has gained some ounces to her skinny little body. She now weighs 4lbs 12.8ozs. She gets to have her IV's removed. She has no longer a need for her nutrients and fats that she was receiving. Now we have to work on her breastfeeding and we will be doing great. She is doing that 2 times a day. That will increase every 24 hours. We are on 22 days of the hospital which is officially getting old. Everyone we know is sick or has someone in the house sick. No visitors for Lisa poo!!!!! Oh well I will make it. I just have to put my "Big Girl" panties on I guess. My whole household is sick at home also with that nasty stomach virus. Needless to say I haven't seen my other daughter and husband for 4 days now. But again I will make it!!! Just continue to pray for us as you all have been doing. It will be pretty sad if I have to beg the hospital to let us stay longer because of the home cooties!!! HA HA HAI am attaching a picture of Abby. Somehow I got here to smile. I hope it's not too dark for you. If I use the flash she goes crazy.

Love Always,Lisa, Justin ,Layney and Abby

Mommy's Daddy thinks she looks so professional!!

I returned to graduate school at ETSU for my last year of Family Nurse Practitioner classes. I can finally say that I graduate this December. I tell people that and they wait a minute then go.."Oh- as in next December" and I say "Yes- this year at least!!".

As an undergraudate nursing student I had to wear all white (so that the human waste I was exposed to illuminated well to remind me what I was really getting myself into) at UT. My dad never really saw what he was paying for. I would just bring home great grades and a 1998 National Football Championship and I was doing really well at UT to him!! I began clinicals as a FNP student this past fall and he was really impressed with how I was dressed. He thought for the first time in my career I looked professional and really smart. That is the point- I may not know what I am doing but at least I look like I do!!!! I asked him to take some photos so I could keepsake them here. I hope in a few years I will look back at this young (ha ha) lady and remember what she went through to get to where she is today- or at least something like that!!
This is my Miss America pose. Actually I didnt realize I posted it twice but it gives me the opportunity to wish Miss Tennessee, Ellen Carrington, good luck at Miss America tonight!!

Really I think I missed my calling- professional modeling for medical jackets could have made me a millionaire!!!

I am pretty sure only an only child would post this many photos of herself!!

My cheesy little boy and my new Facebook profile pic!!

Where does he get that cheesy smile from????

Layney and Connor's 2nd Birthday Party

Today is Connor's 2nd Birthday. I really cannot believe that my little baby is two (Time for another???Ha Ha!!!) Lisa and I decided to have a birthday party for the two of them since they are just one day apart.

Happy Birthday Layney- one day late.

Each of them had there own cupcake and Curious George to blow out

This is Connor eating cupcake and trying to blow the party favor.
This is from his first birthday. I am sure that he would have looked the same if
the cupcake had been larger. He really likes icing.



A little easier this year. Especially since his mother put that ridiculous hat on him!!

Ahhhh...the icing!!

More presents. Having a Christmas time birthday means that you open gifts for about 5 days straight.

I can see the good and bad in that.

The boy loves to play in the balloons. We saved them so that they can play with them at New Years.

Anyone who knows my mother knows how much she loved

wearing that hat on her head. She really loves her little Connor.

Also, that is Connor's new Burberry sweater from Aunt Aimee with a little help from Miss Alex...

Me and my princess Layney. She did not want to wear the dress up tiara.

So, I say if the crown fits, wear it!!

Umm, her parents may kill me for this one.

Papaw Jones and Granny Potter

Christmas Part II

Our first attempt at Prime Rib..Fabulous..Layney came over to play cars with Connor. He insisted on going in diapers only..

Justin enjoyed the train racer game more than the kids

He also enjoyed Connor's construction helmet..

Christmas Day Part I

Connor was so excited to open his first Christmas present on Christmas morning. He was throughly disappointed when the singing dog scared him to death. He had nothing to do with it the rest of the day

OHHHHHH...TRAINS DADDY!!!

OPEN!

Watching the VeggieTales Ultimate Silly songs after present madness

A White and Icy Oregon Christmas

We went to Oregon in mid December to celebrate Christmas with Nana, Papa, Cameron , Sydney and Aunt Aimee, and Art.We actually had a white Christmas. There was a lot of ice too!! Since we left there (earlier than we planned due to weather) they have had 16 inches of snow. No work, school, or anything in the Portland area. Lot's of cabin fever. We spent a lot of time indoors but found some time for a trip to Nordstrom's, out to eat with friends, and some more shopping at great malls without sales tax..
This was Connor's first gift- Thomas the Train- he didn't realize he had more gifts so he was pleased with just his new train. Once he figured out that he could get more trains he was amazed and enjoyed every minute of it!!

This is Nana opening stockings. Connor had some little trains in there. Sydney was pleased with her very own bionacles.

"Come on Nana- get it out of there"

This was my last photo of the day because naturally my batteries went dead. Sydney was opening her clothes from her favorite aunt Tiffany and Uncle Kyle!!

Connor got to visit Miss Scarlett. He liked giving her hugs...

Scarlett let me brush her hair and pull it up.. Ahh- she knows that I have a boy.

Scarlett and her pretty momma Heather

We went to dinner at Gustav's. We weren't sure we would see everyone again since the weather was so bad so I got a photo just in case...

Marc, Kyle, Billy, Floyd, and Eric

Uncle Billy is a big hit when he comes in the house. All the kids run to him with there arms wide open wanting him to pick them up. Connor saw Jessica do this so he joined in himself.