I have been a busy lady with working, a new baby, and the holidays! Here is a picture of our little one for our Christmas Ecards this year.

the ONLY good picture we got for our Christmas Ecard

Tessa being a little fussy, not wanting her picture taken anymore...

Pita is not sure what she did to deserve this LOL

The Smoky Mountains!!

Me & Joe at the first pull-off near Chimneys

It really did get to 65 degrees, I was so fascinated it changed THIS much!

At Chimneys picnic area, beautiful creek and COLD water!!

At the TN/ NC border...I had no idea we were that close!

Yes...8 months pregnant and I made it to the top of Clingman's Dome...highest peak in TN 6650 elev.

View from the parking lot at the base of Clingman's Dome!

VBS break!!

Sorry all, this week I was scheduled to work full-time and it happens to be Vacation Bible School at our Church...I was helping with Crafts and the Kitchen this week...also Music! The theme is aviation this year.

Update:
Last week we found out we had a water leak so Joe and I worked on that until 2am last Friday night. We had holes dug all over our yard, and I was his other good hand so we were both in the mud! We got up early Saturday morning and took a spontaneous "babymoon"  (**like a honeymoon but pre-baby getaway!) to Gatlinburg, TN. It was our first time here so we went to the moonshine distillary (It fascinates me, how booze is made...im half way done with ky bourbon trail and I looooove visiting winerys!) because they are closed on Sundays and we walked around the "strip". We did splurge and check out Dixie Stampede in Pigeon Forge. That was fun, but overpriced. I, of course, have to go to every single horse attraction wherever I go. Our favorite part of the trip was Sunday when we just drove through the Smoky Mountains...we cannot wait to go back and possibly do the camping trip thing or do a family long weekend and rent a cabin and split the cost. Little Tessa will be here for that too!!! I cant wait until she gets here! The Smoky Mountains were so cool...literally...in Gatlinburg it was 90 degrees...when we got up in the mountains my thermometer read 65 degrees!!!

After our fun weekend we both had to work all week + VBS.

Yesterday we had our 34 week and 4 days baby doctor appointment. Everything is normal and perfect with both of us...just hurry up and wait I guess. Here is a picture of what Tessa should look like about now...

As for the wedding planning, I really like the ruffled bluish dress best...but the boots...I didnt like them so I sent them back! We got plenty of time though and a sweet baby girl to plan for first!

One year countdown!

Today I'm Thinking About Wedding planning...

Sometimes it takes me a little while to get motivated to start the wedding planning...but now that we are starting the count down (it will be in a year...est. wedding date to be June 22, 2013)
#1 I'm busy preparing for our babyTessa to arrive...understandably I'm more concerned about that at the given time.
#2 My first (short-term-6months?) marriage didnt take long to fail...so not that i think it will fail...again...its a little scary because it took 2 weeks for HIM to change and turn horrible last time (disclaimer**its not all his fault, I resisted to the changing attitude and that made things worse). I PRAY that wont happen...and I dont think it will. But, it makes me a little reluctant to begin the wedding planning process.
#3 Getting married these days...everything thats SUPPOSED to go into it is a little bit over-rated (in my opinion). Traditions are great, I love them and can't wait to start our family's traditions...BUT having to cater a meal to "x" amount of guests...the big white poofy dress-PLEASE! and what is wrong with pot-luck picnic style?? Mom standing up to signal everyone else to stand up in the congregation...getting given away...must I go on?

Not to sound negative about the whole thing or to crush someone's dreams with my opinion but Joe and I choose eachother. This is OUR day, and not to sound snotty or mean...its going to be done the way WE like it...whether its by the book or not :) not EVERYONE will be invited, not EVERYONE will be expected to show up (I live 600 miles away from my family)...its going to be a fun party with no meal. **i know we can just go to the JP...but we would like the preacher to marry us.

Last weekend, at the most wonderful baby shower thrown by my fiance's sisters, niece, and cousin...we talked about the past and if those things didnt happen, we wouldn't be who we are today.

I'm happy about who I am, what kind of man Joe has become, and our wagon before the horse (<3 Tessa!)  I think the challenges and experiences I've gone through have prepared me for this time in my life and for what is to come. I look forward to a lifetime with Joe, and I hope we have a house full of kids and a pasture full of horses!

MommaNikkiJo

getting on the wedding planning...i hope Joe doesn't see this...but I LOVE these dresses but can't decide which one I like better!!
option #1

option #2

option #3 (my original favorite, but i'm worried about the buttons and showing too much cleavage!!)

note: I already got the wedding shoes...they will be red-topped cowboy boots...totally awesome!!!



I need opinions!!!!

Mommy & Baby Tessa's boots!

Maternity shoot I did for myself :) That is me and my boy Rocky!

Howdy!!

Welcome to my blog! My name is Nikki Jo, I am 23 and I live in Kentucky. I have been working on Thoroughbred horse farms for the past 5 years and met my soul mate, Joe, a year ago. We've just bought a farm and are expecting our first child this August and we plan on getting married next summer! I also have a photography business that I do on the side!

I had the goal from a very young age that I wanted to be as close to "self-sufficiant" as possible. I wanted to grow a garden, hunt and raise my own food, and basically live as simple as I can. My fiance, Joe, as always grown up in kind of a "mountain man" lifestyle and we are determined to save money where we can. I am interested in making anything that will save us money in the long run so I don't have to skimp on horses, tack, and boots :)

Thats where the cowgirl part comes in, I loved horses since before I could remember and I grew up around them (thanks to my neighbors!). I used to have 2 horses, but sadly had to sell one, due to hard times. I still have Rocky though! He is my Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse. You will see him from time to time on my blog! He has the most miles on him and will be great for Joe and the kids to ride! I will be looking for a second horse, I'd like to do some competitions and learn to do something new, like roping.

Another hobby of ours is Coonhunting! My fiance and I have 2 Treeing Walker Coonhounds; Bent Bar and Dutch. I own 1/2 of another coonhound as well, his name is Woody. That is our evening entertainment and exercise!

Asside from all of  that, my other interests are; being an excellant mom, cooking, decorating, crafts, going to church & doing church activites, travel, attending rodeos (someday competing), country music, fashion, and of course photography...in no particular order of course!

So, if you have any simalar interests as me or am interested in my story, subscribe!

MommaNikkiJo