The Jarretts

Alex Is 8 Years Old

2008-11-15T23:37:00.004-05:00

My first born and only boy, is 8 years old now. I can't believe it.

I think Alex enjoyed his birthday, since we celebrated more than once. We ate Japanese after church Sunday, with our close friends & family. Celebration #1. He was excited about his gifts and couldn't wait to get home to play. Tuesday, after school, we met Alex's friends Mack & Charlie at the movie. Celebration #2. Then on Friday, his birthday, Jody took him to breakfast at McDonald's. I made cookies for the class, grabbed a Happy Meal for Alex & Ella, and met Alex for lunch in the lunch room. So he had McDonald's again. Celebration #3 & #4. Friday night we ate Mexican with the Carswells, My parents & Lindsey & Hope. He opened his gifts from us there, and was excited to see that we found a new Buzz Lightyear. Then we headed over to the bowling alley, for a few games. After 2 or 3 hours of bowling we needed a snack and went over to DQ. So we had a full night of celebration.

Anyone that knows Alex, knows that he is cracking us up all the time. You never have to guess what he is thinking, he tells you, good or bad. He surprises us from time to time. Which could be good or bad, depending on the situation. He has a very good memory. He loves, loves, loves his sisters. He is ready, at all times to defend them when needed. Of course, at Emily & Ella's age they don't need much defending.

Alex has lost 2 teeth on the bottom, and one on the top is loose. He is my little/big boy. Little, because he is small for his age & is in the 1% in weight, 42#. Big, because he is 8 and doesn't want to be called little. His jeans are always baggy, and those are slims. I just bought 3 pairs of jeans for him this week. They had to have the double tough knee, and those may not last the whole season. He is hard on his shoes and pants, but aren't boys supposed to be? He is happiest playing outside. He loves to run, climb, dig, swing, ride bikes & scooters etc etc. I could go on and on.

In school, Alex is awesome in math. He enjoys PE & recess too. All the other school stuff is boring to him right now. He has really improved in reading and spelling in the last few weeks. We are so proud of him, and how hard he tries at school.

I'll try to wrap this up, with a poem I found recently, that made me think of Alex.

Sticky fingers, dirty face

Rugs and pillows, out of place.

Cars and trucks, here and there

Blocks and balls, everywhere.

Gold and silver, have I none

But worth a million, is my son.

Alex, you are worth more than a million. You mean more everyday, and we couldn't be more proud of you. I love you, to infinity and beyond!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Ella

2008-11-01T11:33:00.003-04:00

Ella turned 2 today. I can't believe how time flies. She has been such a blessing to the family, and we are so thankful for her. Ella is talking more & more each day, and she makes us laugh everyday. Some of the funny things she says are:

Mine.

No Mann= No maam. Don't take, touch or look at my toy.

Mommy mooomie= mommy can I watch a movie.

I do it!

Emny=Emily, Al lah=Alex, Lanny=Landon, Nanny=Nana or Nena

Daddy Fffing peas= I want to swing please

Whera baby bobble?= Where is the baby dolls bottle?

Whera pappy?= Where is my pacifier?

Gimme pive, don yo= give me five, down low

Noneys= Noseys (rubbing noses together)

I could go on & on with more cute things, but I know you'd get bored. Ella brings so much joy to our family. Alex & Emily love her so much. When we prayed for our lunch today, I thanked God for her being in our family. Then Alex had to say a prayer too. He said, "Thanks for letting Ella be my sister, I love her because, when she had that juice box & I asked for a sip, she gave me the whole thing." Then Emily said, "I'm thankful for Ella because she's my sister & my friend and I love her." I know she can't tell us yet, but I know she is thankful for her big brother & big sister.

Well, Ella, I hope you've had a fun day. Happy Birthday my sweet baby girl. I'll love you forever, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be.

Thursday 13

2008-10-16T09:13:00.002-04:00

Here are 13 things I have going on or that are on my mind today:

I'm having lunch at Kani House with my parents today.
I need to get groceries.
Ella has school today, and she is really enjoying her time there.
Jody will be off early today & he's off tomorrow.
Emily has become a very good reader. She really likes school too.
I'm anxious about Alex's IEP meeting we have next Friday. But I'm also looking forward to it. Jody and I will be in a room with 7 other teachers, therapists or administrators. SCARY.
I got to go to dinner with "the girls" for my birthday this week. We missed you Stacy & Heather.
I love my husband! He took me to PCB for4 days last weekend. My parents kept the kids. We had a nice relaxing time together. Thanks Jody! And thanks Mom & Dad.
Alex has started putting on concerts. He sings on stage(the hearth) and sings pretty good. He sings the songs from Toy Story & Toy Story 2.
Ella will be 2 years old in 2 weeks. Alex will be 8 years old in a month.
Emily is enjoying her Hip Hop class and dances every chance she gets. She usually takes turns with Alex. She has a recital, then he has a concert. Ella just runs around in circles.
This weekend, I get to see my sister-in-law, that I haven't seen since Christmas.
I'm ready for our family time tonight and tomorrow. We're going to Burt's for a hayride.

I've Been Tagged

2008-10-06T10:00:00.008-04:00

I was tagged by Jessica Smith. Here is how it works.
1. List the rules of the game
2. Write 6 random things about yourself
3. Tag 6 more people
4. If you're tagged just go ahead & do it.

My 6 random things:
1. I met Jody at a Confederate Railroad Concert at Cowboys (it was called Crystal Chandelier then).
2. I was engaged 2 months to the day, after the concert meeting. And the engagement only lasted 5 and 1/2 months.
3. I celebrated 13 years of wedded bliss June 10, 2008.
4. Besides babysitting, my first job was Little Caesars. Pizza Pizza. I did everything except make pizzas. I made salads & sandwiches. Cut & boxed pizzas. Took orders.Did dishes and ran the register.
5. I like to sing to the radio. If I'm at a restaurant eating and hear a song I know, I have to sing along. Or I'm trying really hard to keep myself from singing.
6. I was working as a Medical Assistant when I met Jody. That only lasted 8 months, since I quit to get married & move to NC. I loved the job, but loved Jody more.

Now I'm tagging Heather, Deanna, Miranda, Krista, Jennifer Wright and Katie Deese.

FALL BREAK AT DISNEY

2008-09-27T01:29:00.002-04:00

Last week was Fall Break for the kids, so we headed to Disney. My parents were able to go too. We were in Orlando Sunday through Thursday. When we got to the hotel Sunday it was about 7pm, we already had dinner, so we settled in and went to the pool.

Monday we ate breakfast at the hotel and hung at the pool for about 3hours. Once everyone got cleaned up we headed out to get our tickets and to eat an early dinner. I had been planning this trip for 5 or 6 months, and made reservations for our favorite restaurants. Usually you can call the hard to get in places up to 90 days before. So I counted it out on the calendar and called around 85-90 days early. The 2 main meals we wanted were 1 character meal & to eat at O'hana. O'hana is a restauant at the Polynesian that is ssssoooooo good. It is family style & one price for unlimited amounts. We try to go every time. Well they had nothing for our dates. I couldn't take no for an answer, so I called every week at least once, sometimes more to try to get in. No luck. By the way, they have changed the time to call for reservations to 180 days ahead of time. That is 6 months early. This is why we couldn't get in. We did get a reservation for Rainforest Cafe, San Angel Inn in Mexico at Epcot and the Playhouse Disney Character Breakfast at Hollywood Studios. These are the Little Einstein Characters & JoJo's Circus. So, I was happy with what we got, but still wanted O'hana.

When we came in from the pool on Monday, Jody called to try to get in, nope couldn't do it. But we did find out they open at 4. We were going to be right by there at Shades of Green getting our military discount tickets (no tax) . So Jody decided we would just go show up as walk ins. So we dropped Jody at the curb, drove around and parked, and waited for him to come walking out, with the look of disappointment. But 5 minutes after going in he called & said we'll have a table in 5 minutes, come on in. Yay!! I was so excited. Even more excited when I started to eat the food that is so good. And the dessert. YUM we got 3 of them just for the 4 adults. The kids all had their own.

Tuesday we started off at Epcot, ate lunch there and then headed to Animal Kingdom. We got a lot accomplished at AK considering we only had 2 hours before they closed. They close at 5, so we headed to Hollywood Studios for a couple hours, before they closed at 8. Then we headed back to the hotel, got the kids bathed & in bed. Then Jody & I went on a date. Fun.

Wednesday we started back at Hollywood Studios for our Character Breakfast. Then we headed over to Magic Kingdom about 1pm. We stayed there till about 7:30. We were all exhausted. This was the first time Alex & Emily walked the whole time. We have always rented the double stroller for them, but this time we got it for Ella.

Thursday we checked out & headed to Downtown Disney. We went to the toy store & to the Ghirardelli chocolate shop. Yum Yum. My trip is not complete till I get a chocolate milkshake at Ghirardelli. Can you believe that for 3 shakes & 1 sundae it was $29.59. But it was so worth it. I already want to go back.

Of course, the day after we got home I started planning our next getaway. Next year we are planning to go back with the rest of the family. We sure did miss them while we were there, but we had enough fun for everybody. I guess I better go ahead and make our dinner reservations.

Update on my camera: It has been found, but is broken. It has been sent off to get fixed.

Thanks to my dad (aka:the family photographer) for taking all these pictures. This is why I'm a little late updating the blog. I had to get the disk of pictures from Dad. Thanks Dad.

ALEX'S FAVORITES

2008-09-27T01:25:00.001-04:00

Alex has no trouble having fun, especially when there is anything Toy Story related. Or any Disney movie characters. This was Alex's 8th trip to Disney, but this is the first time he has been 48". This means you get to ride everything, well except the little race cars, you have to be taller to ride those alone. I guess they're afraid a shorter person might jump the tracks & speed off.

Seeing the characters was his favorite, but he also loved all the rides. His favorites were Rockin Roller Coaster (pictured below), Expedition Everest & Space Mountain. He rode RockinRC 4 times, the last time he was in the very front. Everest he rode 2 times in a row and only had time for one time on Space Mountain.

To the right is Jody, my dad & Alex on Rockin Roller Coaster.

He really enjoyed O'hana too. He liked the games but really loved the food. He ate a ton. But he had just played hard at the pool for 3 hours before our meal, so I guess he worked up an appetite. Below you see Emily trying to get ahead of Alex in the race.

He really loves everything about Disney and has a blast while we are there.

EMILY'S FAVORITES

2008-09-27T01:20:00.001-04:00

Emily had fun riding some milder rides. She also likes posing & looking cute. She still really likes Soarin at Epcot a lot, but will plug her ears because of the fireworks at the end. This was when we were waiting in line. This was one of our longest waits. They told us it should take 10-15 minutes from start to finish. So Mom kept Ella, while everyone else rode. We took the backpack/diaperbag with us, since it was so short. Well, we ended up waiting 40 minutes before even getting on the ride. I was worried the whole time, but when we got off, I was happy to find that there had been no diaper explosions.

Emily rode Expedition Everest 2 times. She did not want to the 2nd time, but we made her. This picture was the first time she rode. After this she didn't want to ride any other roller coasters. I think it scared her, since it goes backwards.

At O'hana Emily enjoyed the coconut race & the limbo the best. She didn't care about the food that much. Just the fun every 15 minutes. Emily's hangin out in front of the toy store, before heading home.

ELLA'S FAVORITES

2008-09-27T01:15:00.001-04:00

This was Ella's first trip to Disney. She seemed to really enjoy it and I'm sure she will like it more with each trip. She was able to ride the most at Magic Kingdom. She liked Small World, Winnie the Pooh's ride, the Tea Cups & Mickey's Philharmagic 4-d show. At Animal Kingdom, she liked the Safari, but her favorite was dancing at the parade. She worked up a sweat. At Hollywood Studios she loved the Playhouse Disney show. She sang along with the characters and danced all over the place. She danced so much she kept creeping closer & closer to a family in front of her. When we moved her back she didn't like it, since

we were interrupting her moves. She ate lots of ice cream & popsicles too. We rented a double stroller, so that Alex & Emily could take turns riding. That was a mistake. We started off letting Miss Ella ride alone, therefore she thought that was ALL hers. This picture above, is one of the few time someone rode with her, without tears. When Emily tried to ride, Ella would scream & pull her hair. So Emily would relent & get out crying. With Alex she would just scream or pinch him, he would laugh, she'd get louder & the adults made him get out because we couldn't take it. Ella (not even 2) beats up on her 6 & 7 year old siblings.

Ella also enjoyed the character meal. Only as long as the characters stayed 2 feet away. She would smile, wave & say hi. Then start crying saying no, no, if they stood beside her, or touched her. As soon as they stepped away, she'd start smiling again. Except for Goliath, the lion. He was the last character, and she had enough by then. He is a little scary. I think it's all the fur. Even though you can't see her face, she is smiling at JoJo the clown.

To the right Ella is saying don't get me, please.

She didn't really say that, but I'm sure that's what she thinks.

One more for Ella

2008-09-27T01:00:00.001-04:00

When Ella rode rides, she had a problem staying seated. So as you can see below, she likes to stand up. This is why she rode with Jody on most rides.Overall, I think she had a good time. She slept great at the hotel, in the crib. In the morning she'd wake up & climb out to start her day. She would come to my side of the bed whispering Hi Mommy. I'd say Hi Ella, Where's Daddy? Then she'd go to Jody, he'd get up & I got to sleep 30 more minutes.

Thursday 13

2008-09-04T15:28:00.005-04:00

I realized I haven't updated the blog lately. So here I am, with a list of 13 random statements.

The kids are wrapping up the 5th week of school.

Emily is starting Hip Hop again tomorrow. She did 9 weeks in the spring, then they had a recital. But guess what. I missed it:(

Ella has gained 4#'s in 3 months. Is that alot?

Jody got a mountain bike in July. He goes riding at Blankets Creek, when I let him.

Alex enjoys riding his bike with Jody on the trails.

My niece Lindsey, turned 11 yesterday. Happy Birthday Lindsey!!!

Ella started going to Mother's Morning Out last week. She goes 2 days & loves it.

Jody & I went to dinner one night & for dessert one night. All in the same week. WOW!

My friend Heather is in her last weeks of her pregnancy.

I'm looking forward to going to the fair in 3 weeks.

Alex, Emily & I rode on the bus, to the race Saturday.

My parents kept Ella & Jody worked (last Sat of the month & Labor Day weekend)

Our guy won the race!! It was awesome!!

I thought when school started back, things were going to calm down. And I'd have more time to do things like update the blog. But instead we've been busy with homework, homework & more homework. Then there's dinner & showers etc. But I will try to update more often since there are sooo many people reading this. I'll try update again soon.

Ella the monkey

2008-08-18T10:20:00.002-04:00

School is back in full swing & Ella is so bored without the kids home. The first week of school, Ella learned to open the refrigerator. Every time I turned around she was in the fridge eating cheese, hot dogs. She put the sour cream in the freezer & some other crazy things. She is also opening the kitchen drawers, getting things out & with her level of activity, you can see why I look forward to nap time. Ella sleeps for 2 hours, while I get to relax, read watch tv, sit in the office on the computer... Oh but there are 2 other kids, a 1st & 2nd grader, and they have homework. Yippee! So our new schedule during Ella's nap consists of a snack for the kids & homework. This usually takes 30-45 minutes, but last week we were spending 1 hour to 1&1/2 hours with Alex alone. So you see the importance of her nap. Well last week guess what else she learned. To climb out of the crib. She climbed out 3 times in a row, then I rocked her & layed her in her crib asleep. While she slept, I considered my options. 1. leave her in the crib 2. move her to a toddler bed or 3. get a crib tent. #1 I didn't want to risk, since Heather's daughter broke her arm after climbing out of her crib. #2 would work since her crib converts to a toddler bed, but then I'd have to deal with a new sleep routine & her climbing on furniture, all while trying to do homework too. So I decided on #3 the crib tent. Put her in the crib enclosed be a tent, and zip her in. Seems easy enough, but I was worried she may be scared.
After dinner that night, my mom & I went to Babies R Us to get the tent (they rip you off when you're desperate). Jody & I put it on (30 minutes) and then we put her to bed. She loved it. She never cried or anything. I hope she continues to like it, at least till the kids have a break from school or maybe even till next summer. I always like to do transition things like taking away a paci or moving to a bed when they have a break from school/preschool. I took Alex's paci away on a trip to Disney, Emily's was taken at Christmas break & she was potty trained at the same time. Alex was potty trained during spring break, and Emily was moved to a bed during the summer. When we took Alex's pacifier that was the end of naps for him & the beginning of bedtime battles. When Emily moved to a bed, she started sleeping with us. So with Ella being the 3rd, (you live & learn) I decided she could have a paci & sleep in a crib till she was 5 if that keeps her happy. We'll see what happens.

No pictures

2008-08-18T10:06:00.003-04:00

I've lost my camera!! I've been holding out on a blog, hoping to find the camera first. It's been almost 2 weeks and I'm about to give up the search. One of the 3 children may be to blame, but we haven't succeeded at beating it out of them. Just kidding.

The last time I used it, I put it back in my purse, where I keep it. Several days later, I wanted to download pictures, since the memory card was Full. Yes it was full. All those memories are now lost with the camera. So I'm trying to wait it out & decide when to give in & buy a new one. I'll have to get one in the next 3 weeks. We are heading to Disney World & have to have one. I'll keep you posted.

Back 2 School

2008-08-04T09:00:00.001-04:00

Today we started our new school year. Alex is in 2nd grade, while Emily is in 1st grade. We met the teachers Friday, and we love them both. Emily's best friend from last year is in her class again, along with 2 boys that she liked. One of the boy's mother, was room mom last year & said she is room mom again this year. She loves Emily & seems to be tight with the teacher already. So I know Emily is in good hands.

Alex's teacher was hand picked by his Sp Ed teacher from last year. The 2 teachers could be sisters. they look & sound alike. She seemed very nice. In some of her about me papers, she said her goal is to ensure each child feels cared for & safe in her class & then they can learn. She wants to get to know the child & appreciate them for who they are. Sounds like the perfect choice for us. I'm looking forward to getting back in the swing of things, but not the homework, so much. The kids were anxious but excited last night. Alex was more worried about there being an emergency at home, while he is at school, & he can't take care of it. He said that I had to be responsible for the house & Ella while he's gone. OR I'd have to go to the school & say "I need Alex Jarrett for check out". So I told him I thought I could handle it, for the short time he is gone. He is a sweet Big brother. Emily is just going to miss spending time with me & Ella.

5 hours of sleep, 2 cups of coffee & Monkey Joes

2008-07-31T15:52:00.002-04:00

Boy have I had a day.
First of all I went to bed way too late this morning, because I was online too long. So when I got up after a few hours of sleep, I had to have coffee. Now, I really only drink coffee when it's cold outside, which, it is far from. OR,I drink it when I am tired. The coffee was so good, I had to have 2 cups. Then the plan for the day was to meet my friend Michelle & her 2 boys, for lunch & then go to Monkey Joes (an indoor inflatble place). With the plan in place I decided not to eat breakfast, the coffee had filled me up enough. Fast forward a few hours, I leave the house with the 3 kids, stop by the library. The kids got a free Chick-fil-a kids meal & a book for the summer reading program & today was the last day to turn it in. When we left the library Michelle called & said let's save time & let the kids have pizza at Joe's. So by the time I got there, I was so hungry & jittery, I could barely unbuckle Ella. Did I mention it had started pouring rain? So we go in & the kids are off to play. I immediately ate a huge pretzel & a piece of pizza. I started to feel better & relaxed while the kids played. Then it happened...
The angry, angry mother, of a 5 year old boy. She was carrying her sniffling child toward me, but Michelle & Alex were ahead of her with Michelle rolling her eyes & Alex with a look of sorrow.
Michelle quickly told me Alex scratched the kid in the face, before the mother started in talking very loudly.
momzilla:"HE SCRATCHED HIM IN THE FACE & THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE"
I become jittery again & I ask Alex did u scratch him?
Alex: "somebody pushed me down"
momzilla: "he didn't even apologize" "Look at this, look at his face"
I look & see a small scratch
me to the mom:"I'm sorry" then to Alex:" why would you do that? You don't"
I couldn't even say much to Alex with this lady talking in my face, while I'm trying to handle it. So needless to say I get very angry with her & flip on her. Well, you know, for me I flipped.
I looked at her & said "you know what, I don't know what to tell ya, I said I'm sorry, what do you expect me to do, you want me to jerk him out of here, pull his pants down & beat him. Would that make you feel better? You sure don't look like the type that believes in spanking"
momzilla:"No, I just want him to apologize"
Alex is crying saying he did apologize, I'm saying he got pushed down when he accidentally scratched him. Then she tells me she didn't even really see what happened, her friend did & she told her how it went down. Oh, and here comes an employee to break it up. We both ignored her & kept on talking loudly at each other. Eventually, I wrapped it up & told her to get over it, he apologized, it was an accident, & I'd deal with him, but get out of my face. So she went to sanitize the scratch & apply neosporin. :((Wah Wah.
I made Alex sit out for 15 minutes then he went on to play. The momzilla left after some first aid. Thank goodness. But it took me a good 30 minutes to calm down, but then I got fired up again when I told Jody the story.
So here is the question: If it was your child that was scratched, how would you handle it?
A) Get on to the kid yourself (Hey, you don't scratch people. That's not nice, you need to apologize.) Then don't let your kid near him the rest of the time.

B) Just leave

C) Grab both kids & go confront the other mother. Which could be handled 2 ways.
1. Hey just wanted you to know your son, scratched my son. I figured you'd appreciate knowing.
2. Your son scratched mine, now I'm gonna stare at you or yell at you till you have the response I want.

Let me know what you think. I know everyone has different parenting styles, & your friend's tend to match up with your style. But I personally would have never approached the other mother. One day mommy won't be there to help you out. How will the child handle himself then, if he isn't taught that. Now I'm not saying let your child be a bully either. He shouldn't be allowed to hurt others physically or emotionally. If Alex was in fact a bully, he wouldn't be going to Monkey Joes. Because what better place to push kids around? That is bully heaven. JMO
What's your opinion.

The ABC's of Me

2008-07-14T21:55:00.002-04:00

I saw this on somebodies blog & thought I'd do it too.

A is for your age: 34

B is for your favorite burger: Ted's Bison burger with onion & bacon

C is for the car you drive: white 2007 GMC Yukon

D is for your dog's name: don't have one

E is for essential item you use everyday: Degree deodorant

F is for favorite TV show at the moment: Grey's Anatomy

G is for your favorite game: Catch Phrase

H is for your hometown: Marietta/Woodstock GA

I is for the instruments you play: all air, but mostly air guitar

J is for favorite juice: I don't usually drink juice, but I do like apple & orange

K is for the last person you showed kindness: Jody & the kids

L is for the last Restaurant you ate: Red Lobster

M is for your favorite meal: any meal my mom cooks`

N is for the number of piercings you have: 2, one in each ear

O is for overnight hospital stays: 3, one for the birth of each child

P is for the people you were with today: Mom, Dad, Brett, Stacy & Landon and of course Alex, Emily, Ella & Jody

Q is for what you do when you have quiet time: get on the computer, read or watch tv

R is for biggest regret: making Jody wear a Tuxedo for our wedding, instead of his Marine Corps uniform

S is for status: I'm a wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, niece & friend

T is for the time you woke up today: 8-8:30

U is for what you find unique:

V is for veggie you love: broccoli & squash

W is for worst habit: wearing pj's most of the day

X is for x-rays you've had: besides my teeth, I had one of my left wrist that I broke when I was 9 or 10

Y is for yummy food you ate today: Roast & mashed pot (thanks Mom) & chocolate ice cream

Z is for Zoo visits: Jax Zoo in 2003, we also rode thru the Wild Animal Safari last year

2008-07-11T00:52:00.002-04:00

Sweet Ella waiting for breakfast. Such patience.
Pouting Ella, not getting her way, but she is still a cutie!!

Ella's Thursday 13

2008-07-10T22:26:00.003-04:00

Hopefully you won't be bored, but I wanted to dedicate this weeks 13 to, things Ella is doing at 20 months of age.

Eats with spoon, fork & hands. This child loves to eat & makes a pretty good mess while eating. She will use utensils, until she is slowed down, that is where the hands come in. You can shovel food with your hands much faster.

She loves to dance to music. Sometime she dances & we don't hear any music....but SHE sure does.

Ella names and/or points to atleast 15 body parts. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? what a Genius

She takes her clothes & diaper off. She's got some great large motor skills.

Ella loves to laugh. Especially when others laugh first. Then she mocks the laughter while slapping her hand on her leg. I think she has seen Jody do this, when someone comes to the dealership & offers a ridiculous amount for a car.

The other night she was on my mom's steps, looked around the corner at Jody & said, "Daddy, on steps!" which meant Daddy, I'm on the steps & we both know I'm not supposed to be here.

Ella says no for no and no for yes. You have to watch for body language to translate.

She follows directions. She had gotten some tights out of Emily's dresser & left them in my bedroom floor. So, I said, "Ella, get the tights (I didn't point at them) & go put them in Emily's dresser where you got them & come back." She did it in less than 5 seconds. What a good listener!!

Ella loves to watch the movie Cars w/Alex. She races around with him when the cars race. Alex really loves her doing this. She will also watch Hannah Montana w/Emily. She dances to the music in the show & if you know Emily you know she loves to dance too.

She loves nap & bedtime and never fusses. She goes to bed with a silky (which her head lays on) a cloth diaper (that she holds) a pacifier and gloworm (it plays music & glows). In the am & after nap she stands up in her crib, starts gloworm's music & dances, then when it's over she looks at it & says "bye bye".

Ella LOVES her family. She calls my mom & dad, Nanny & Poppy. And since she loves babies, she's very interested in baby Landon & loves to hug him. She really enjoys Lindsey & Hope playing with her at the pool.

She will sit on the potty 2-3 times a day. She gets a little toilet paper, wipes, puts it in the potty, flushes & says "bye bye". She doesn't actually Go Potty, but it's a start.

Ella loves to pout. She is the most pouty toddler I've ever seen. (remember I worked with toddlers for 3 years at a daycare) She also likes to pitch fits, but is ever so careful not to hurt herself when she throws herself to the floor. Most of the time I ignore this behavior, but sometimes I have to use distraction to move it along.

All in all Ella is a sweet, sweet girl & we love her so much. She can have a little temper, but overall she is very manageable and understands most of what we talk to her about. She is such a blessing to our family and I can't wait to see more exciting developments in the next few months.

Happy Thursday!

Thursday 13

2008-07-03T14:26:00.002-04:00

13 things on my mind today

Ella is staying with Jody's mom tonight.
The other 4 Jarretts are going to the race.
I'm seeing my long lost friend Deanna tonight, after almost 6 weeks:)
I'm really hot, but it will be a lot hotter at the race.
Jody is off work today & tomorrow.
I get to see the Hixsons tonight.
My family is coming to my house tomorrow.
The kids are starting to get really bored with the summer.
Alex & Emily swam on their own at the pool this week.
Even though everyone is coming to MY house tomorrow, my mom is cooking most of the food. Tonya is cooking the other food. I'm such a cook, can't you tell.
Jody is working all day Saturday.
I'm trying to plan lunch Sunday, for my dad's birthday.
I'm going to miss Brett, Stacy & Landon tomorrow. They have other plans.

Have a good 4th.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JODY

2008-06-26T16:31:00.002-04:00

Today is Jody's 35th birthday, so I wanted to wish him a Happy Birthday. Jody, you are a wonderful husband & father and I'm so happy to be your wife. I hope you have a wonderful day and I love you very much.

Now we get to go out on a date. So I better go get ready.

Thursday 13

2008-06-26T15:41:00.006-04:00

In honor of Jody's birthday today, I'm telling you 13 things Jody enjoys.

1. Spending time with the kiddies. (he is such a great daddy)
2. Playing Nascar 09 on PS3. (I just have to sit at the computer while this is going on)
3. Playing golf. He really enjoyed this course 7 years ago, when there was only 1 child. Now with 3 he only plays 1-2 times a year. Sorry Jody. This is the TPC Sawgrass.
4. Cooking breakfast for the family. (I love this!)
5. Listening to talk radio. (I really, really don't like this)
6. Going to Amicalola Falls State Park. In the fall he goes weekly, just about. (very pretty place if you haven't been)
7. Teaching his 1st grade Sunday School class.
8. Driving in the mountains. (There are some good country restaurants)
9. Going 4 wheelin in a Jeep or on one of the 4 wheelers. (at times till 4 am)

10. Going to dinner with ME!!!! (tonight)

11. Going to Cades Cove at the Great Smoky Mtn Nat'l Park.

12. Going to sleep early & getting up early. (Don't love the sleeping early, but the gettin up early is great with the kids)
13. Singing, especially if it's karaoke. (I love this)

So this is just a few of the things he enjoys. I'm sure I've left off some things, I was just trying to list things not everybody likes or does. For those who know Jody well, let me know what I've left off by leaving a comment.

13 things I still want to do this summer

2008-06-19T10:41:00.002-04:00

Go to the pool again.
Take the kids to the movie.
Go out with Jody to celebrate our 13th Anniversary (it was the 10th while we were in FL).
Find a VBS for the kids to go to, since we missed ours last week.
Go to the movie or lunch with my mom & Stacy (no kids).
Take the kids bowling.
Go to PCB so I can see Deanna for the 1st time in a month.
Eat lunch with my Dad for his birthday & a belated Father's Day.
Take Emily to get her nails repainted.
Take Alex to lunch.
Take the fam back to FL, even if it's for Jody's work.
Spend a day at the lake, on a boat.
Have a night away with Jody for his birthday (26th) and our anniversary.

Do you see a common theme here. I'm late on a lot of things & have delayed certain celebrations. Or, am I stretching out the celebrations to last a week? I've always tried to make my birthday celebrations last for a week. Why not our anniversary? Don't you do that too?

Quiet Summer - So Far

2008-06-19T09:55:00.002-04:00

The first week of our summer we spent sitting around the house. We wore pj's as long as possible, ate lunch at home and played inside & out. We did make 1 trip to the pool when Jody could go and the kids had lots of fun.
Our second week of summer we were able to go to FL for 4 days. Jody went on a work trip to buy cars, so we went too. We stayed down in Deerfield Beach, between Fort Lauderdale & West Palm Beach. We spent time at the beach & the pool and had lots of fun. One thing that will be a challenge for me this summer, is taking pictures. I took a total of 1 picture on this trip, and that is very sad. I took it on my phone & have no idea how to get it off. I think the kids always look so cute with swimsuits on at the beach or pool, & would like to take pictures of them. But as you can imagine, with 3 kids who don't swim, it is difficult to take pictures, even when there are 2 adults.
So that brings us to this, our third week of summer. This week we've been able to see some friends we don't get to see much during the school year. Monday we saw Michelle, Mack & Charlie. Michelle also fixed us dinner & that was great! Thanks Michelle. Today we get to see Heather & her kids. The kids are looking forward to seeing them, since we haven't seen them since Emily's party. So that is our summer so far, and there are really no big plans. Just whatever comes along that we want to do, I guess we'll do. Hope you are having a good one.

Let the wedding season begin

2008-06-01T23:29:00.005-04:00

Did you know that the wedding season has officially started? Well for me at least. It kicked off at Deanna's, with Lindsey's Bridal Shower. She had a great shower, with lots of gifts and lots of great food. Lindsey has a little over a month before her wedding, so she is busy having showers and putting the finishing touches on her wedding day. It was good to see friends at the shower, that I don't get to see often, so we had to get a picture. Congratulations Lindsey, can't wait for the BIG DAY.

L to R: Katie, Lindsey, Hollie, me and Tonya

After the shower, I headed home to pack for the next wedding event. Friday morning we headed down to Jacksonville for my sister Amy's wedding weekend. Jody had to stay home to work, so just Emily & I went down. My brother Brett, Stacy & Landon and I rode down, following Brian, Tonya, Lindsey, Hope & Emily. Friday night we had the Rehearsal dinner at one of the Jarrett family's favorite restaurants Maggianos. It was good, as expected. I did miss the rehearsal, earlier in the day, but they filled me in at dinner. Then Saturday was a busy day getting ready for the wedding. I'd like to say a big Thank You to Stacy (my SIL) for fixing my hair & makeup. Also for trimming Emily's hair & getting her ready for the wedding. Thanks Stacy, you were a BIG help!!

As you can imagine, since I was a bridesmaid, I didn't get many pictures. But I wanted to post the few I had. I wish I had a good one of Amy & Kyle (bride&groom). The one I have isn't bad, it just would've been nice to get a posed picture of them. Anyway, we had fun, the dinner was good and the cake was even better! Congratulations, Amy & Kyle!!! We love you.

We took this of ourselves in the limo, going to the ceremony. Amanda (getting married in July), me & Rachel(my other sister). The 3 bridesmaids.

Amy sitting for a bit with Emily

Finally, The Tooth Fairy is Coming Tonight!

2008-06-01T22:52:00.003-04:00

Alex had a loose tooth for sooo long, I figured the Tooth Fairy was coming months ago. We've tried a few times over the last 2 weeks to pull it but it was still too attatched. The permanent tooth is 25% in and still hadn't pushed it out. In the mean time, the tooth beside it has been loose, but not much. Well, today Alex was helping Jody wash the car and squirted Jody with the hose. So Jody threw a wet rag at him & his tooth went missing. Of course it wasn't the long overdue loose tooth, it was the other one. Can you believe that? Anyway, like I said, the tooth went missing, so we looked in the driveway & the grass, and no tooth. We gave up on it after a while. Alex said that he may have swallowed it. Do you know of any kids swallowing teeth when they came out? After hearing about the tooth fairy coming tonight, he decided to let us pull the other one. So he will have 1 tooth under the pillow, but still be rewarded for 2 teeth. I took a few pictures and only one really turned out. You can definately see the gap for the one tooth, but the other gap is already 25% filled, so it is hard to get the full affect in a picture.

Now Emily is eager to start loosing teeth. Stay tuned for her toothless post. We'll see if I can beat this blog on how many times I can use the words tooth, toothless or teeth. (19 times with the 1 in the title)

Birthday gifts

2008-05-22T23:17:00.004-04:00

Emily registered at Learning Express Toys. That made it very easy for everyone to know what she likes. When they register, the child actually goes around with a shopping basket, putting the items in there. Then when they've picked everything, there is a Rubbermaid container with Emily's name & party date on it, and that is where it all goes. So one friend went in to get a gift and asked for Emily's registry. Thinking it's on paper. Nope, they just pull down the tub and you pick your gift from that. In this first picture Emily gets a doorbell for her room from Katie & Carson.

This is the Alligator Dentist game from Aunt Penny. We were glad she was in town for the party.

This is a Hello Kitty bag with lots of accessories, from cousins Lindsey & Hope.
Here Emme is sooo proud of her gift. It's the Hannah Montana DVD Game.
Hope & Addie couldn't wait for Emily to open this (as Addie said) "Baggage Catch Kid". Hope is behind the bag helping too.
Jonathan & Jessi got Emily two of her favorite things. Makeup. And Hannah Montana anything. In this case it was an accessory bag.
Emily is really enjoying the gigantic bubble wand from Brett & Stacy, the jump rope & hula-hoop from Rachel, and the personalized Moo Mixer from Nina & Papa. Oh and the Jonas Bros. posters from our babysitter Jessica. Thank you all, we had a fun night.

Birthday pictures

2008-05-22T22:59:00.004-04:00

Emily and Rachel. I love Emily's face in this picture. Isn't she pretty? We think so.
Singing Happy Birthday.

Make a Wish.

Emily is 6 years old

2008-05-15T22:02:00.002-04:00

I can't believe it!! At 4:55a.m. my eldest daughter turned 6. In some ways she seems older than just 6. But then in other ways I still think of her as my baby girl. This morning I was thinking about all that has gone on in 6 years. It seems like it has flown by. Then I sadly thought about the next 6 years coming even faster, and she'll be 12. But really the only sad thing about that is I'll be older. Anyway, we are very proud of our sweet girl. She is such a kind, considerate, genuine, good hearted girl, and we love her very much. BTW she is also the MOST HELPFUL GIRL. She got an award this week for being so helpful. Congratulations and Happy Birthday Emily!! We love you!!

PS. I'll have pictures from the party sometime soon.

PSS. My computer is now fixed and I'm so happy!

10 Days and counting

2008-05-04T19:11:00.002-04:00

I'm very sad to report that I have been without a computer for 10 days now. This has been the longest 10 days of my life. Well, not really of my life, but still VERY LONG. Our hardrive crashed and needed to be replaced. It was shipped Monday and arrived Friday. Jody was going to install it, while on the phone with Dell, and guess what. It's not the right part. They sent us a hardrive for a laptop. Boy do I wish I had a laptop. They reordered the right hardrive and told us the expected arrival date. May 27. What?? I have no idea why, but that means I will still have no computer till then.
Over these last 10 days I've taken some time to reflect, and I've realized something. I spend more time than I thought on the computer. It could just be a habit, but when it's there you use it,a lot. We use it to get phone #'s, directions, email instead of calling, research, shopping, banking, bill paying, scrapbooking pictures, order pizza, and to plan trips etc etc. Can you tell I'm having withdrawals?
Right now I'm getting my fix, on my good friend Deanna's laptop. Thanks Dee. This month with no computer will be long but busy. I've got a girls trip, Mother's Day, Emily's Birthday, a wedding, end of the year school stuff and more. Hopefully this will help keep my mind off my withdrawals, so this doesn't get any worse. Anyway, that is the latest from the Jarrett household. Hope you have a wonderful month. Oh, BTW,in case you need to get in touch with me before June, CALL ME.

Pictures from Spring Break

2008-04-19T15:26:00.006-04:00

Alex bowling a strike.
Emily & I went to Tea Leaves & Thyme for lunch one day. She put a flower in my hair & took this picture.

Here is sweet Emily. She is having some terrible allergies this Spring so her eyes are a little puffy.
Look who we ran into at Mary Mac's. It's Fox 5 News meteorologist Ken Cook. He & his wife just had dinner, when Jody & the kids saw him. Jody was sooo excited, he HAD to take a picture. He was very nice & has grandkids Alex & Emily's age. He was heading over to the studio, to do the weather for the evening news. Thanks, Ken for keeping us up to date, on the latest weather info.

This is Emily riding her new bike. She thinks she still needs the training wheels. She is just very cautious.
Then there is Alex. He rides straight for you & swerves at the last second. But he rides really well without training wheels. Sweet Ella Bug

Spring Break

2008-04-12T16:56:00.002-04:00

We are wrapping up the kid's Spring Break. Monday will be back to school & homework. But only for 6 &1/2 weeks, then it's Summer time. This week Jody was able to take some time off to do yard work, I mean to spend time with the kids. So we've had a fun relaxing week hanging out. The kids got new bikes, so they rode those a lot. We went bowling, out to eat, to our friend's house for a cookout, to the movie & out to eat some more. My Aunt Penny was back in town to get my cousin Cale back to Iraq. He had been home on a short leave (for my aunt's B-day) and was due at the ATL airport Friday. We got to visit with him Thursday. Please keep Cale and all the brave men & women in your prayers.
I'm sure you wouldn't be surprised to hear that we didn't make it through this week, without a trip to the Dr. We had to take Ella on Wednesday. She had not been sleeping well & had a little cold. So, after getting up every 30 minutes Tuesday night, & seeing some drainage in one ear,I decided she needed to be seen. The Dr said she had a double ear infection & that the ear drum had ruptured in one ear. Poor baby. I felt so bad. She seems to be recovering great though. They want to check her ears in 3 weeks, which works out great. Her 18 mth check-up is in 3 weeks, so we'll kill 2 birds with 1 stone. If you don't mind, pray for the health of our family. It seems that we've been nothing but sick lately and it's getting old. One good thing, we're getting into the warm months, so there shouldn't be too many more illnesses.
I'll try to post some Spring Break pictures later. Have a good day.

Babysitting Landon

2008-04-04T22:15:00.003-04:00

Tonight, Brett & Stacy went on a date, so I got to watch Landon. He was here for a few hours, so I took lots of pictures. He did really well & the kids had a blast with him. Ella likes to hug him & pat his back, if he cries. Alex likes to kiss & hug him. And Emily likes to burp & hold him. I really didn't have to do much with all that help. We had a lot of fun. Brett & Stacy enjoyed their time away too. Here are a few pictures (JEN) so you don't have to see poor Ella at the hospital still. Oh BTW Landon will be 3 months on Wednesday. Isn't he cute?!!

Dr Visits, Children's Healthcare of ATL and Easter

2008-03-24T17:36:00.005-04:00

By Dr visits I mean 4 trips between Wed & Sun with the same child. By Children's Healthcare I mean Urgent Care Thurs night, and Scottish Rite Fri night. And Easter, well, you guessed it, I wore jeans all day.

It all started with Ella getting up from her nap with a fever last Sunday. Remember, I just got in from FL & was sick as a dog. Anyway, the fever continued Mon & Tues. Tuesday night it was 104 & above. So we went to the Dr Wed a.m. The strep & urine were negative, so they figured virus. Then Thurs she started the day at 104 & was moaning & groaning. She just wanted to be held & was lethargic. So after speaking with the nurse, she advised to go to urgent care that night or bring her into the office Fri a.m. We decided on urgent care so they could get to the bottom of it that night. The urgent care Dr. only did a flu test (negative) & said her PCP should do further testing in the a.m. So off to the Dr Fri, where they did bloodwork. At 5:00 Fri the Dr called & said Ella's white blood count (WBC) was 2x's what it should be & to head for Scottish Rite for further tests. So after my parents came to stay with Alex & Emily, we headed down to Scottish Rite. There her temp was 103. They did a chest x-ray, repeat bloodwork, started an IV & gave Rocephin (strong antibiotic only given through IV or injection). Her WBC was still doubled, but chest x-ray was clear. They said she had an infection, but they don't know what it is. So we got to go home at 12:15 a.m. So Saturday Ella had to be checked by the Dr in the office by 11 a.m. By then she felt much better & stareted to play with toys & walk around. Since she was doing so well we didn't need to do anymore tests. But our Easter plan was to meet the Dr on call at the office at 9 a.m. for her 2nd Rocephin dose. So this time the family went. Her temp was staying around 102 Sat & 100 Sun. She seemed back to normal Sunday, so the Dr didn't think she needed the medicine, as long as the WBC was down. So she sent us back to Scottish Rite for bloodwork. Luckily we didn't have to go through the ER, just to the lab. We did end up having to register as inpatient, to get the labwork done. Jody & the kids ended up missing the 11:00 service at our church. But they kept announcing the 11:00 service in the chapel at the hospital, so we went to that. WOW!! We sure do have so many things to be thankful for. Thank you Lord for my healthy, mobile, talkative children. We are so blessed!!!

Easter afternoon, we were able to have our Easter dinner, as planned, at my house. We had a family join us that had 2 boys. The kids had fun with the Easter egg hunt & playing outside. The adults had fun eating & talking.

Monday the Dr called with good news. Ella's WBC was normal & the blood cultures are still negative, so she is over the infection. She hasn't had a fever since Sunday a.m. & she is doing great.

Quick Update

2008-03-19T16:22:00.003-04:00

Well, it's been awhile so I thought I'd let everyone know what we've been up to.

Sunday March 9- Jody & I were able to go to the Nascar race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. We went with 10 or 12 other friends and had lots of fun. I took a few pictures, but not any good ones. I just wanted a good one of Jeff Gordon, but he's a little too fast.

Wednesday March 12- Jody & I had Alex's IEP meeting to discuss next year. That went great.
But when we left the meeting, Brett called to tell me my Grandmother died. So I spent the rest of Wed and most of Thurs making travel plans to attend the funeral.

Friday March 14- Brian, Brett & I flew to Tampa, rented a car and drove to Port Charlotte for the Visitation that night. Even though this was a sad time, it was good to see that whole side of my family again. This was my Jacksonville, dad's mom. I haven't seen a lot of my aunts & uncles since my Grandfather's funeral, when Alex was 6 months old.

Saturday March 15- Funeral & Food. Then travel back to Tampa to sleep for the night.

Sunday March 16- We are flying home at 11 am. I thought we'd never make it. Two MAJOR problems!!!
Brett & I are sooo sick throwing up every 30 minutes or so. After a long walk & several stops in several different restrooms we made it on the plane. We were still sick on the plane, but somehow managed not to ruin anyone else's day. Thank you Lord! Brian dropped me off at home about 3 that afternoon. I was so relieved to be home, to get my PJ's on and get in bed. I had been looking forward to seeing the kids, but I'd have to catch up with them when I felt better.

Tuesday March 18- Jody left at 5 am for Louisville KY.

So that brings us to today. Pretty uneventful day. Jody should be home tonight. He is driving home through pouring rain, wind & storms. I'm praying for his safety. I'll be glad to see him when he gets here.

Yummy Sonic Corndogs

2008-03-05T16:59:00.005-05:00

With the money Jody won, the kids and I went to Sonic for dinner the other night. I normally go through the drive-thru, but decided we would park & eat in the car. Yeah! So exciting!! Well, it wasn't until after I ordered, that I realized~ Ella has never eaten a corndog, at least not without it being cut up. But I thought I'd try it. So here she is eating her first corndog, strapped into her carseat, behind me, in the car. Not the best idea, especially with a choking hazard like a hotdog. But she did great. I was going to take the stick out after the first few bites, but I couldn't get it away from her. Yum Yum. That was great! The stick is pretty good too.
Alex wanted a picture too. Here he is showing his new cowboy boots & corndog.

Bouncey ball + JODY = $$

2008-02-29T09:49:00.003-05:00

Jody went to the auction in ATL yesterday. As he walked in, they were starting early arrival prizes. Well, as you know, Jody is always early & has pretty good luck. But luck wouldn't help him this day. Today his speed & agility was the key. I'm sure you've guessed it involves this silly ball. His mission, should he choose to accept, was to race someone, about 50 feet, while both are sitting on the ball & bouncing their way to the finish line. Ha! Ha! Ha! That is Hilarious! I wish I could have been there to watch this & take pictures. I even tried to get him to reenact this last night, but he didn't fall for it. Anyway, Jody did win the race, so he got the cash prize. WooHoo!! We are sooo proud of Jody & his skills. This is just an example of how hard work & dedication(& being early) pays off. Way to win again, Jody!! I love you!

2008-02-23T23:33:00.005-05:00

Kim & Heather at babyshower for Emily
Emily 8 weeks & Jonathan 3 weeks
Emily & Jonathan at birthday party

Jonathan, Alex, Emily & Jessi (Ella too)

Old & Young Friends (I mean longtime, not old)

2008-02-23T17:49:00.007-05:00

Jonathan & Jase, Alex, Ella, Emily & Jessi
My friend Heather & I have been friends for almost 12 years now. We met at our work, & became instant friends. We lived close to each other, spent lots of time together, went on trips together etc. But then the kids came & we moved 2 counties away. Most of that came to a halt. So then we started getting together once a week and then every other week and now hardly ever. We still try to have a good talk at least once a week, but because of the school schedules, the kids rarely ever see each other. So this week, with winter break & a little guys First Birthday Party, we were able to see them 2 times in 1 week. Can you believe it. We all had lots of fun, and were glad we got to spend time together. Of course with 6 kids between us we don't always get pictures, but I did have some that I wanted to share. Now most of you know what a miracle it is to get 6 kids to sit down, let alone look in the direction of the camera. So these turned out really good. By the way Heather & I haven't had our picture taken since right after Emily was born. So I may throw in an old one of us. I know she'll love that. Isn't it nice to have old friends? We love you Arwood family!

Winter Break

2008-02-23T16:38:00.004-05:00

We were able to go to PCB for a few days this week. We had fun relaxing & playing. The weather ended up being very nice except for a severe thunderstorm Sunday night. There was wind, rain, thunder & lightning. All the things that make up a thunderstorm; except, crazy guy. Crazy guy walks out onto the beach, in the midst of the storm. Then crazy guy proceeds to lay down, face up, on the sand. He laid there at least 15 minutes, during the worst part of the storm. I'm pretty sure he was asking to be struck by lightning. But, we kept looking out during the lightning flashes(which was pretty dangerous) to see if crazy guy was still there. Yep, he was there. Alex said. He's dead." & Emily just stayed in the back room. Then the police showed up & ran him off. So crazy guy made it through.

While in PC we got to play mini golf and go through a maze. We all enjoyed it. I tied with Jody in golf, which was great. Then for the maze we split up-Jody & Alex and Me & Emily. At the start you punch your time in through a machine. In the maze you have 4 checkpoints, where you punch your ticket, then try to find your way out & punch time out. Emily & I got to all 4 checkpoints, and found Jody & Alex, who only had 3. So we won. Maybe Jody was having an off day, or maybe Ella slowed him down. I'm sure Ella was to blame. Anyway, we had a good time. As you can see I took zero pictures, which I am now kicking myself for. You know what that means. We have to go back again, soon!!!

Valentine's Day (or is it week?)

2008-02-15T23:47:00.004-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day! A little late. I was waiting to post till I had pictures, and I temporarily misplaced my camera, so now here I am. For those of you who don't know, at our house, we tend to stretch celebrations out for at least a week. So we started last Friday night, with Jody & Emily going on a date. Jody took Emily to Marietta Square to walk around and to get dessert. Emily loved the square, especially the stage. She got up there and danced and sang a song. She also played on the little train. She thought she was really something, showing off for Daddy. From the Square, they headed to Chili's for her favorite dessert~ Chocolate Molten Cake. MMM SO GOOD!! They had a lot of fun. Here they are on date night.

I didn't take many pictures of our other celebrations, but we had a busy week. Sunday night was the First Grade Bible presentation at church. So Alex walked up on stage to get his Bible presented to him by Pastor Johnny. My neice Hope got one also. Afterwards, they had a reception with pizza, balloon animals & pictures with the pastor. Wow, what a line. We opted out & decided Alex & Hope could have a private photo session with Pastor Johnny and maybe Mrs Janet too. Without the wait.
From that we moved on into the week, so Alex & I could plan our date. We were going to go to the Melting Pot for dessert, but that didn't work out. So we settled for Chick-fil-a milkshakes, which is one of his favorite things. But he only likes "Ranilla"(as he calls it), unlike his mom who only likes chocolate. Spending time with the kids one on one, is really special & fun. That is actually one of our goals for the year. We are planning at least one little date a month, Alex & Emily get one on one with either me or Jody. January was Jody & Alex and Me & Emily. And we're rotating every month. Ella already gets one on one time with me all week, and Jody spends 1 or 2 mornings with her. It may not seem like much, but it's a start, and now it is a priority. So because of these new priorities, Jody & I didn't really get to go on a date. We did go to lunch on Thursday, but you know I still want the Melting Pot or even Stoney River. But, we are creating special memories for the kids now, and that is important too.
Our most exciting celebration for Valentine's Day was Thursday afternoon, when my little brother got married. Brett and Stacy were married yesterday and it was really a special time. The whole family was there and the kids were almost as excited as the adults. Emily said back in May, before they were engaged, "Guess what. I'm going to be the flower girl in your wedding." We were like, O-KAY, great honey. Nothing like kids and their impatience. So Emily was the flower girl. She couldn't go to sleep the night before, then had her alarm set for 5:45am (she thought) so she could get ready for the wedding. She was so excited, she forgot about school that day. Poor thing that must have been one of the longest days for her. But she made it through, and Emily, Lindsey & Hope got to be the flower girls. Alex stood up there too, but he wasn't "holding no flowers". My Aunt Penny also came from FL.

Brett has always been a great brother, you know since I'm older & he listens to me. But I am really proud of him. And Stacy has become a good friend and is now a sister. I'm proud of her too, for picking a great guy. We are so happy for them and glad we could share in this special time. I'm looking forward to seeing the blessings God has in store for Brett, Stacy & baby Landon. Congratulations Guys!

Now the kids are out of school, and we're off to PCB. Have a good weekend!

Super Sunday & Super Tuesday

2008-02-06T17:15:00.000-05:00

Super Bowl Sunday Mike Huckabee came to hear some awesome preaching by Pastor Johnny. It was an exciting time at church, with security buzzing around, people trying to get a parking space and even an airplane flying around. The airplane had a Mike Huckabee banner behind it, you know like the ones at PCB that say "Come to Schooners for Ladies Night tonight". Anyway, Jody, Alex and Emily got to meet Mr Huckabee before the service, and Jody took a picture of the kids with him. I know Jody was really more excited than the kids, but they'll appreciate it one day. Mr Huckabee also shared a brief testimony during the service. He was saved as a child at VBS. Later as an adult was elected Governor for 2 terms. He was honored to be Governor, but he said the most important thing in his life is God and his salvation. Well we were impressed and we would love for a man like him to be the next President. If you'd like to learn more about him visit http://www.mikehuckabee.com/. Pastor Johnny also had a great message about Gratitude.
Well, as soon as church was out we rushed over to Rachel's 8th birthday party. (sorry we were late). The kids had a lot of fun with all the inflatables.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY RACHEL!!! Then closer to Super Bowl time we headed over to Brian & Tonya's. We enjoyed good food with family and friends. I did not see a bit of the Football game till the last 2 minutes. Can you tell I'm a big fan. We had to call it an early night because of Miss Ella. She was into EVERYTHING & was EVERYWHERE.
So that brings us to Super Tuesday. I went to vote at 11:00 and was in and out in less than 10 minutes. That was with Ella, the stroller and all. Anyway I was excited to see Mike Huckabee won GA. Also, Jody came home early to eat dinner and spend time with the kids, while I went to a shower. Now that's a Super Tuesday.