The Roberts Family

It's football time...or it was...

2011-01-27T16:51:00.004-06:00

We had out big tailgate spread again this year...it was even bigger than last year. Old friends, new friends, family, and coworkers...It was a great way to spend the fall! If the Titans had won more, it would have been about perfect! Well, here it is in pictures...

Gary manning his massive grill with a little help from BillMitch and Megan taking a break from their own football game

Jack and Alex. Not many pictures of them this year. They were too busy playing most of the time.
John, Leiber, and Gary

Me and Erin

Me and Lindsay

Me and Amy

My cousin, Ryan and his oldest son, Cole even stopped by

Jake's ready to go play football!

In the game...Gary having fun with his two youngest boys

Mitch and Gary talking some serious football

The girls...Amy, me, Lindsay

The guys...Gary, Neal (belongs to Lindsay), and Ryan (belongs to Ryan). Let's not forget Mitch and Jake, too.

That's about it for Titans football!

More August 2010

2011-01-27T16:02:00.005-06:00

No point in stating the obvious...I'm behind!

Anyway, here's what August held for us, other than Mitch starting Kindergarten.

Mimi and I took Mitch and Jake to the County Fair. I already knew that Mitch shared my love of rides, but this was Jake's first chance. I wasn't sure what to expect when he got on his first ride, but as usual...he didn't dissapoint! He loves them, too!
Me and my little junior farmers.

Jake and Mitch drinking their chocolate milk that they "bought" with the money earned by "working" the farm. Sad to say this was Jake's first ever chocolate milk!

Gary enterred the Music City BBQ Festival with some friends. They didn't win, but they had a great time and got entirely too many ideas! They spent 3 nights on Jeff's boat and days grilling and drinking in the August heat! The boys and I took a trip down to check it all out one night. They loved it, too!

Left to Right: Gary, Stacy, Jeff, Mark

"Two Chefs and Jeff" set up

Jake in his truest form....food on his face and sweating because he doesn't know how to sit still! I love that sweet face! :)

Mitch is serious about his BBQ!

My friend (and partner in crime), Lindsay and I enjoyed the ease of going out with only 2 kids. It's been a long time since we could run man on man defense. You would think that after years of wrangling 4-5 kids, we could keep 2 from climbing on the displays at Children's Place! The worst part is probably the fact that we both got our cameras out to snap off a few before we made them get down!

Aside from football starting, that pretty much sums up August. But football/tailgating is a post all in itself!

I ALMOST feel sorry for them...

2011-01-07T11:08:00.003-06:00

I don't know how many of you saw the Bama/Michigan State Bowl game, but it really wasn't much of a game! Bama won 49-7!

These are some quotes from the Michigan State 24/7 Sports forum board. Even if you aren't a Bama fan, you have to love some of these...they are great!

"Julio takin' us to schoolio"

"why are they allowing Alabama to play with 35 players on defense?"

"I think their punter is currently drinking around the world in Epcot." (from the early 3rd quarter) ...just for the record, I don't understand this one...

"If we played 10 times, they would win 15"

"If Cam Newton costs $200,000 for a season, how much is a 2nd half rental?"

"and now Cousins is dead" (referring to MSU's starting QB)

"If I was our QB I would hire an attorney and sue them for negligence or intentional infliction of physical and emotional distress."

"I'm ready to accept MSU boosters paying for an offensive line. If we get caught I can deal with it."

"This is getting out of hand...an Alabama d-lineman just popped out of my TV and threw me 10 yards behind my couch."

"Do you think this is how Custer felt?"

"We're going to have a wing named after us at Orlando Regional Medical Center by the time this game finishes."

"This is embarrassing. So are we officially a basketball school again?"

"I want to know how many times in the history of organized football that teams have punted on 4th and goal"

"So this is what they mean by team speed"

"if i'm Maxwell, I fake an injury on the way to the huddle" (Referring to the backup QB, who was knocked out of the game three plays later)

"good lord. Their 4th string running back just ran through our entire defense and all we could do was swing our purses at him."

ROLL TIDE!

Out of the mouth of Mitch

2010-11-18T19:42:00.003-06:00

Mitch had his friend, Georgia, over to play this afternoon. She's in his class, rides his bus, and lives 4 houses away, and they can't seem to see enough of each other! Today while she was over, Jake was following them around driving them crazy. Mitch comes out of the Bonus Room, and says, "Mommy, Jake won't leave us alone. Me and Georgia need to be alone for a little while." What?!? Did my 5 year old honestly just tell me that? It took all I had not to laugh. In case you were wondering...request DENIED! :)

It's Time for Kindergarten!

2010-10-31T13:47:00.005-05:00

My baby started Kindergarten in August! Can you believe it? We have full day Kindergarten here, so he gets on the bus at 8:00am and gets off at 4:00pm! He loves it, though. His teacher his wonderful (and is even a Bama fan), and he already knew people in his class. There are 2 girls from our neighborhood, and 2 boys from his baseball team in his class. There's even a boy whose little brother was in Jake's Kindermusik class last year!

Starting school was about a 3-day event here, in case you are wondering why he has on 3 different outfits.

They have a great way of introducing the kids to school here. Each kid has a "small group day". They go for a partial day with only about 5-6 kids from their class. It allows the teachers to help them learn about the school, the classroom, and lunchroom procedures on a more individual basis. These are pictures from his small group day...

Before school photo shoot

Outside his school

Walking to his classroom. He looks so tiny in that big hall!

In his classroom before I left my baby for his first day of Kindergarten! He was so completely "Mitch"! No tears, no hesitation...just "Bye Mommy!"

Picking him up from his small group day. Jake was VERY excited to see his big brother. He missed him!

Then there was his first full day with his whole class!

Mitch eating breakfast before his first full day of school

He begged to ride the bus, but Gary and I wanted to take him to his first full day

Mitch with his teacher, Mrs. Conway

My plan was to wait a few days before letting him ride the school bus, but he drove me crazy asking to ride it, and I just gave in. He rode the bus on his second full day of school! Here is my little guy waiting for that great big school bus to pick him up and take him to school.

Getting on the bus for the first time

He made it!!!! Here he is coming home! That's Emma (our neighbor) with him. She's in 2nd grade, and helped him find his class for the first few days.

He's about 2 months in now, and he's doing great! He still loves school, and is learning so much! He knows and can write all of his letters, both upper and lower case, and he knows all of the sounds that they make. He is starting to read. He recognizes a few "sight words" and is doing great at sounding out words. He can count to 100 and adds some small numbers. He recognizes patterns and knows all of his shapes. He gets along well with all of his classmates, and follows directions well. He enjoys doing his homework, but we definitely need to work on his handwriting. We'll working on it though!

2010 Lake Days

2010-10-25T20:08:00.007-05:00

We had another great summer on the lake! We spent almost every weekend out on Old Hickory (except for when it was closed because of the flood). The kids are becoming real water boys...all 4 of them!

Jake LOVES to ride the Jet Ski. He prefers for it to be moving, but he's not picky...he'll sit on it while it's tied to the boat (with the key out of course) or even on the trailer in the garage. As a matter of fact, we are pretty sure Gary lost a brand new pair of high dollar sunglasses to Jake's love of the Jet Ski. They were in one of the cup holders on the boat...and then they weren't! It was right after Gary had gone out the Jet Ski and had told Jake he couldn't ride that time. We don't have any proof, but we are pretty sure Jake sent them for a swim! Jake also kneeboarded and tubed a few times.

Alex tried skiing a few times, but I think he preferred learning to drive the Jet Ski. Next year, he'll have his license and Jack will have to share drive time! :) He also liked to kneeboard and tube, but I think Alex's favorite thing to do on the lake is good old fashion jumping in!

Mitch is dying to try to ski, but we don't have any skis small enough for him, so he had to settle for tubing and kneeboarding. We may need to put skis on his Christmas list. He got pretty good at kneeboarding, and he thought he was great...he liked to show off and do "one arm". He loves to jump in also, especially when Alex is out there.

Jack is really our water boy, though! There is nothing that boy won't try! He is our official Jet Ski driver. He learned to ski last year and got really good at it this year. He loves to kneeboard and is working on tricks. He even learned to slalom (ski on one ski). He also helps us with the little guys when they kneeboard. He is such a big help, that I almost don't even want to go if Jack can't go with us!

Jeff and Erin (and Megan) were out there pretty much every weekend also, so we tied up with them almost every weekend. We had friends out with us a few different weekends, and we went up to Center Hill with friends one weekend. It was a great summer...one that left us wanting a houseboat! We'll see what next summer brings....keep your fingers crossed that we can make it happen! We love out pontoon boat, but it just doesn't have enough room to bring a lot of people out with us.

So, that's the verbal recap...here is the summer in pictures:

Jake's favorite place

Left to Right: Luke, Jake, Mitch, Sam, Gabe

Jack and Alex on Jet Ski

Mitch and Megan and Cedar Creek Yacht Club's Memorial Day Picnic

Jack helping Jake kneeboard for his first time (at Center Hill)

Jack helping Jake jump off of the top of Ryan and Amy's pontoon boat...he only did that once! :)

Alex jumping

Jack

Jack helped Thomas jump off also

Left to Right: Thomas, Jake, Robert, Mitch as we were getting ready to head out on Center Hill

Tyce kneeboarding when he and his family came out with us one afternoon.

Christian and Alex

Jake in time out on the boat (BEFORE he threw Gary's sunglasses overboard)

Christina, Mitch, and Leroy tubing

Christian, Alex, and Jake tubing

Christina, Baby Christian, and Leroy

Happy Birthday, Pa!

2010-09-18T20:02:00.006-05:00

We celebrated my dad's birthday with a bang this year...it was the big 60! He and his wife, Kathy, rented a big house in Hilton Head for everyone...and I do mean everyone! Guest list: Dad, Kathy, me and my family of 6, my brother and his family of 3, Kathy two kids and their families (6 total), and one of Dad's sisters and her hubby. We had a great pool in the backyard, and the house sat on a lagoon and the kids could fish. We had a great week! We swam in the pool, played on the beach, rented bikes, went parasailing, rode horses, and enjoyed a relaxing week!

Now, for all you really care about...pictures!

Jake had a blast swimming everyone around the pool. That little dude is STRONG and pulled Jack all over the place! (Leah and Tammy in the background)

Gary getting some good cuddle time in with "Baby Becca"
Mitch on Josh, Jorgia on Jack, and Alex playing in the water

Gary jumped in the pool carrying Leah...fully clothed!

On the boat getting ready to parasail

Jack, Mitch, and me

Gary and Alex...This was Alex's first time. He doesn't look so sure about here, they were just lifting off of the back of the boat, but he loved it once they got going!

Me, Tammy, and Jorgia riding horses

Josh and Daddy hanging out on the beach

Jack and Alex boogie boarding...they even gave me lessons! I think I'm too old to learn new tricks!

Baby Becca getting her nap in on Pa (check out those rolls - aren't they just perfect?)

Mitch LOVED boogie boarding, too. He just needs to turn the board over! :)

Pa and Baby Becca

Group shot! Kathy's son's family had already left (they didn't stay the whole week), and my aunt and uncle declined to join the photo shoot :)

My crew spent more time on the beach than the rest. Here's one of most of my crew hanging out on the beach.

....and Jake playing in the sand and water with his trucks

"I'm ready! Let's go!"

Pa got some good cuddle time in with his youngest grandkids on this trip! Jake took a nap on him, too!

Baby Becca boogie boards, too...only she does it in the pool

Jake liked reeling in the line...as long as there wasn't a fish on the end of it!

Mitch and Alex fishing, too

...and Jack The view of the back of the house from the lagoon Covered porch overlooking the pool. This was my favorite part of the house!

Happy Birthday, Pa/Daddy! Thanks for a wonderful trip!

PCB 2010

2010-08-08T18:47:00.010-05:00

At the beginning of June, we went to Panama City. By "we", I mean me and Gary and the 4 boys, plus Gary's parents, plus his sister, Lauri, and her two boys, Ronnie and Wyatt. Ronnie is about Alex's age, and Wyatt is Mitch's age. (If you are trying to count, that's 11 people...8 boys and 3 girls) We had a fantastic 4 Bedroom condo on the beach, with a wonderful balcony!

We got up every morning and went to the beach. We spent the whole day on the beach and then came in and fixed dinner and went to bed. We could have officially been called "beach bums" and it was great! We really didn't have room in the condo for all of our beach toys, and beach chairs, and beach umbrellas, so we left them in the car, and Alex and Ronnie carried everything down to the beach every day. We didn't even come in for lunch. Lauri and I would fix sandwiches before we went down for the day, and Jack and Gary would pack the cooler to last the day. Poor Jack or Gary had to drag that big, heavy cooler through the sand every day...not fun, I'm sure!

The only negative of the entire week was the grocery trip Lauri, Judy, and I took when we got there on Saturday night. It was CRAZY! Super Wal-Mart was the closest store to us, so of course that's where we went. The shelves looked like 3:00pm on Black Friday! No kidding, the shelves were EMPTY...but the store wasn't! We had to have 3 carts to hold all of our groceries (that's what happens when you have that many boys), and we had to leave our cart's on the end of the aisles and bring the food back to the carts. We COULD NOT get our carts down the aisles. It was the craziness shopping trip I have ever had!

Okay, so I know you really just want to see pictures, and pictures I have! Consider yourselves warned, there are LOTS!

I loved to wake up in the mornings and fix my coffee and sit on the balcony (usually with Papa Jack). One morning, we walked out to this beautiful rainbow. It is the first time I have ever seen a full rainbow! This was when we first got to the condo. Of course, the boys headed straight out to balcony to check out the beach. I love this picture because Jake is trying to copy the faces Mitch is making. "Idol worship" in action!

Judy had not been to ocean in about 30 years. She was a little concerned that our condo was on the 12th floor. She had never stayed above the 5th floor and she doesn't like heights. She said she would just stay away from the rail, but this is where she headed as soon as she got there. She handled it great...and now she says she's going to the beach one way or another every year!
Jack and Judy were so cute together all week. I have more pictures of them together from this trip than I do for the entire last 8 years combined!

Papa Jack, Jack, and Gary went deep sea fishing one day while we were there. They loved it! Mitch, Jake, and Wyatt are not old enough to go yet, and Alex and Ronnie didn't want to go. It's kind of funny that it ended up being all three "Gary Jack Roberts".

From left to right: Jake, Wyatt, and Mitch all sporting their goggles, and Papa Jack in the background Ronnie and Alex buried Jake, Wyatt, and Mitch in the sand

Jake and Gary playing in the ocean. The water was absolutely beautiful all week...no oil!

I LOVE this picture! Wouldn't you just love to know what they were talking about?

Why are little boys so cute from the back looking out at the ocean?

Here are all of the kids playing together! Who would have guessed that 5 boys ranging in age from 2 to 14 would play so well together?

Mitch and Alex (not sure who buried them)

Papa Jack in the ocean with Mitch and Wyatt. This isn't as easy as it looks...Both of them want to hold your hands and jump the waves. Unfortunately, they did NOT like to put their feet back on the ground after they jumped!

Ahhhh...This was great! Gary was trying to talk Alex into going parasailing, and Mitch was standing there listening to it all. Well, Gary never talked Alex into it, but Mitch wanted to go! I told him he couldn't because he wasn't big enough. Of course, in typical "Mitch" fashion, he asked, "How do you know?" So, I told him we would ask...never dreaming that they would say YES, he could go! What?!?! He's only 5! Are you kidding me? Well, great! Now I was faced with the choice to either let him go, or make a big deal out of it, and make him afraid of something he wasn't afraid of. So...he went...and I went with him! Here we are...not that you could tell that from the picture.

We stayed on the beach until 7:00pm or later ever day, except one. We came in early one day, and all got ready for a little sunset photo shoot on the beach, and then we went out to dinner.

I love this picture of Jake...he looks so sweet!

and this one...captures the true Jake! :) Woo hoo! Family photo!

And...a whole group shot!

Grandma Judy (or Mimi) and Papa Jack with all of their grandsons! All of the boys...in a hole, of course!

A rare photo of Jack and Judy together...smiling...both of them!

Alex and Mitch goofing off

Another shot of the whole group

The only girls...Me, Judy, and Lauri

We walked down the beach to dinner. It was so sweet to watch Jack helping his grandmother! He really is the neatest kid!

Gary with his little "Mini-Me"

Yay! A picture of me and my favorite man!

Gary, Jack, Alex, Ronnie, Wyatt, and Mitch all went for a banana boat ride one day. Here they are getting ready to go

and coming back in

All of us playing in the water (except Jake)

Jack and Gary trying to put together Mitch's Star Wars kite, that never did fly...not enough wind that day

This was how we spent almost ALL of our time! We originally had our beach chair back away from the water, but the kids wore us out going back and forth. It only took one day to figure out we'd be much better off to just put our chairs down by water!

The Spring in Pictures

2010-06-22T22:03:00.006-05:00

Okay...let's just get this caught up through May! Here we go...not in order (just this once).

Leah and Baby Becca came into town and we all went with Mimi to pick strawberries again this Spring. (Did I mention how precious that sweet baby girl is?) Mitch is the only kid that really picked this year. Jake ran around getting strawberries out of everyones baskets and eating them. Then he found water to play in. Becca just chilled out in her stroller for most of the time.

Bedtime has been quite the ordeal. Jake doesn't like to slow down long enough to fall asleep. Twice this spring I lost him when I thought he was in his bed asleep. I went to check on him one night, and he wasn't in his bed...so I looked to the right and found this...

The other time I went to check on him because I could hear him banging around in his room. I couldn't find him anywhere! I finally found him hiding STANDING in the windowsill BEHIND the blinds!

Mitch finished Pre-School! Yep...he'll be in Kindergarten in the fall. He had his luncheon, which was a picnic this year.

Mitch, Jack, and Gary went to Draft Day at the Titans Stadium.

And....The Harts came to visit. Well, sort of. The visited Christy's parents, about an hour away. We went there to hang out with them for the day. We played at two parks, tried for lots of pictures of all the kids, and Luke had his first skinned knee!

Whew! I think I am caught up...at least through May. Coming up....lots and lots of pictures from the beach and a few from the lake...some videos too if I can figure out how to post them!

Happy Birthday, Mitch!

2010-06-14T20:57:00.009-05:00

On April 22, Mitch turned 5! I can't believe it! He's such an amazing little guy. When he was younger, Gary and I were very curious to see what kind of personality characteristics he would take on. With him sort of being the oldest, and sort of being a middle child (with Jack and Alex not living with us full time). He has proven to absolutely be an "oldest child"! Oh...and he has an answer for everything. He's never wrong. He'll will argue his point endlessly to try to get you to agree with him...even if he is dead wrong! It's cute sometimes, and it will probably serve him well later in life, but it sure can be exhausting sometimes. He's very social. He loves to be with other people, and he loves to make new friends. He is at that difficult stage where he doesn't know if he wants to be a big boy like Jack and Alex or a baby like Jake. I know in a couple of months he's going to start kindergarten and he will grow up so much and he won't be a baby at all anymore.

Now, onto his party. I know this won't come as a shock to very many of you, but he wanted a Star Wars party. So, I decided to go all out this time. I scoured the internet for ideas, and found all kinds of wonderful ones!

When the kids arrived, they can info the dining room and got their Jedi robes or Princess robes and light sabers. The robes were made by just folding over a piece of fabric and cutting the neck out of it. Then I tied a cord around their waists. The light sabers were pool noodles cut in half and black duct tape wrapped around one for the handle.

Here's the table where we had it all set up.

The birthday Jedi!
Two daddies and their babies (born the same week) On the left, Leroy and Baby Christian. On the right, my brother, Josh, and Baby Becca.

Give the kids light sabers, and fights will begin! I definitely think they were the hit of the party!
Once everyone was there, and they had a chance to "train" with their light sabers, Darth Vader (played by Jack) invaded the party.

The kids all attacked Darth Vader (and yes, the dads insisted that the TV be on during the party...as you see in the background)

The Jedis and Princesses chased Darth Vader out the front door, and wanted to keep going after him. We had to guard the door and physically keep it shut so they wouldn't chase him all the way outside.

After they chased off Darth Vader, we played "Save Princess Leia". We dumped out a bunch of balloons and the kids had to pop them and find a picture of Princess Leia that was in one of the balloons.

Unfortunately, I think the balloons should have been cheaper balloons. They were a very strong and the kids had a really hard time popping them!

Then we played a Star Wars version of Pin The Tail on The Donkey.

After the games, we moved onto cake. Yes, I made the cake!

And...another picture of a very happy birthday boy! It's so rare that pictures of Mitch showing pure joy like these!

Blowing out the candles (as if you really needed a caption for that)

I probably should have thought about the mess the black icing would make. Oh yeah, and we had edible light sabers also. They were pretzel sticks dipped in red and green candy melts. Tabitha is eating one in this picture, while Jake is covered in black icing, and Savannah is trying to contain the mess at this table. In case you don't already know, Savannah is our little teenage neighborhood babysitter, who Mitch is in love with! Mitch absolutely insisted on inviting her, and she came. Isn't that so sweet?!

After the cake, we busted the Death Star pinata (actually a soccer ball painted with silver paint). We had planned to do this and hopefully a couple of other things outside, but it was pouring down rain, so we had to do the pinata in the garage.

After all of the chaos calmed down, Jake got some snuggle time in with Mimi.

And some coloring in with Uncle Josh

And Leroy and Christian took a nap!

It was a great party! The kids all had a wonderful time, and it was so much fun to watch them. There were a whole lot of kids in my house, but they were fantastic kids, and I would do it all over again...even though my mom and my sister in law, Leah, thought I was crazy! :)

Oh yeah...and a special thanks to Lindsay...always my event photographer! :) She even did a little photo shoot with Becca.

Easter Fun

2010-06-14T20:23:00.006-05:00

We went to Mimi's to color Easter Eggs on Good Friday. Mitch had a blast, and so did Jake...even if Jake only played in the water!

Sunday morning the boys woke up to see what the Easter Bunny brought. Jake got a new bike (which he refused to peddle, by the way, but Mitch loves), and Mitch got a remote control car and a couple of video games. Of course, there was chocolate in their baskets, and that was Jake's favorite part! :)

Then we got ready for church and had a little mini photo shoot before we left. Of course there is the required picture of Mitch trying to put his arm around Jake and Jake pushing him away!

...and my two little goofballs! I gave up trying for the photos and we went to church.

After church, we went to Mom's/Mimi's and played for a little while before we had lunch and then hunted Easter eggs. Mitch had a great time playing football with Daddy in the backyard.

I caught Jake hanging out on the steps to Mom's porch and snapped off some fantastic pictures. These are a couple of my favorites.

And then...the egg hunt!

...and a rare photo of Gary to cap it off!

Mitch's Baseball Season

2010-06-14T19:48:00.005-05:00

Mitch played T-ball last year, but this was his first year of Baseball. It was great, but I'm not sure who enjoyed it more...me or him. It was a 5-year old league and Mitch was THE YOUNGEST on his team, since he didn't even turn 5 until 8 days before the cut off...he was also one of the smallest, if not THE smallest, but he didn't let it stop him! Mitch had FANTASTIC coaches! I couldn't have been happier!

So...here was the way the game was played. Every kid on the team played in the field every time, and every kid got to bat every inning. There wasn't really any specific positions they played regularly, but Mitch mostly played Short Stop, First Base, and Left Field occassionally. We usually only played 2 innings in an hour. Each got 5 coaches pitch balls, an dif they didn't hit it, they would hit off of the tee. At the start of the season, maybe one or two kids could hit the coach's pitches. By the end of the season, there were games that EVERY kid on the team hit the pitches! It was so much fun to watch the kids grow and improve. I plan on Mitch playing again in the fall (I think we'll skip soccer this year).

Here are a few pics...

Mitch fielding a ball at first base. He really liked playing first base, but he got a little confused sometimes. He always wanted to go after the ball, which is fantastic, but he would be all the way out in right field and first base would be completely uncovered! :)

Baseball ready...with the hat backwards, of course!
Batting...he would be much better if he would open his eyes! :) I showed him this picture and several others where his eyes were closed. His response..."They aren't closed! I was blinking!" Gotta love that kid...he has an answer for everything!

This picture is just so Mitch!

Welcoming Baby Becca!

2010-06-01T21:10:00.005-05:00

On March 6th, after my sister-in-law, Leah, had spent a couple of days in the hospital with high blood pressure, my new baby niece, Rebecca, was born via C-Section! She was 3 weeks early and teeny tiny! Only 5 lbs 10 ounces...and absolutely beautiful! Mom and I made it to Memphis in time for the delivery, and were there for Baby Becca's first photo shoot! Mamma and baby both did great!

Baby Becca's first photo! Look how tiny she is compared to Josh's hand!

Isn't she beautiful?
Proud Daddy (my little brother) and his new baby girl!
Mimi and Papa with their "baby" and new "grandbaby"

Mommy and Becca
Look at that tongue! At about 3 months, she still likes to stick her tongue out!

Mimi, Daddy, and Baby Becca

Did I mention that she's beautiful? When can I start spoiling her?

Snowy Winter

2010-05-18T21:28:00.003-05:00

It may not look like much to some, but for us, this is a TON of snow! The last time we had enough snow to sled was 2006! This was only one of many snows that we had this year, but it was by far the best! The boys had a blast sledding with Daddy. The neighbors all came out in force to sled down the big hill in front of our house. I think the adults had as much fun as the kids! Mitch wanted to make a snow man, but this snow wasn't good for snowballs. You could literally walk on top of 4-6 inches of snow without even sinking. Anyway...here are some of my favorite pictures from the day...

Mitch pulling Jake in the sled...so sweet!

Mitch and his friend, Thomas

Daddy "catching" Mitch and Jake after they came sledding down the small hill to the side of our house

Daddy pulling them back up to sled again

Random January Fun

2010-05-05T21:31:00.005-05:00

I guess when you are 4 months behind, you can lump an entire month into one post, right?

Remember Mitch's friend, Tyner, who moved to Mississippi? Well, we tried for several weeks to get Tyner up to Nashville for the day (his dad comes for work sometimes and Tyner has come up with him and spent the day with us before). After plans fell through so many times, and Mitch was disappointed, I decided it just be much better to surprise him. So, one morning, Tyner just rang our doorbell, and Mitch had no idea he was coming.

Being the girl that I am, I was all hyped up and ready for this great reaction...NOPE! Mitch saw him, and just simply said, "It's Tyner", just like he had seem him just the day before. Zero reaction from either of them. I am really going to have to get used to this whole "guys reaction" thing! But...even though I was disappointed in their reactions, they had a great day together, and I'm so glad they got to visit. Here is one of the only pictures I got though. They were looking at pictures on Mitch's new camera. They are so cute!

This one was NOT one of my favorite days in January...or any other month for that matter! I was working from home, and had been on the phone for quite a while. Jake was playing, and I knew he was too quite. When I came out of the office, I found this...Jake had dumped an ENTIRE box of pancake mix all over the downstairs...even in the toy closet!

My friend, Lindsay's, youngest son, Luke, turned 2 in January, and we went to Chuck E Cheese to celebrate. Here's one of the birthday boy. I know this picture is blurry, but look at those eyes. They make me think of Precious Moments dolls! Jake, going UP the slide, instead of DOWN...go figure!

Oh...and here's one of Jake with a shiner...and I honestly don't even remember how he got it!
Mitch and Gabe playing Air Hockey

We also had a great snow and I got some good pics of the Gary and the kids playing in it, but it will have to be another post....there are too many good pics!

Christmas in Gatlinburg

2010-05-05T20:21:00.006-05:00

For the last two years, we have gone to Gatlinburg with Gary's family for Christmas. Unfortunatley, it's May, and I'm just now getting around to posting about it, so I don't have alot of commentation on it! So, I guess I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

One day we went into Pigeon Forge, and one of our stops was at a western store. This may very well be my all-time favorite picture!

Okay...so we aren't all born to wear hats!

We also went roller skating that day...or well most of us did. It was Mitch's first time, and he LOVED it! It was really sweet to watch Jack and Alex helping him, too.

Jake, well...he didn't love it so much! He stood on his skates for about 5 minutes, and cried all of those 5 minutes. After that, he just hung out with Papa Jack.

And...back at the cabin...

Gary playing with Molly and baby doll nursery we got her for Christmas. We may get a little crazed when we actually get to buy girly things! :) Is there a better thing to give a teenager than a game named "Smart Ass"? Jack thought it was hilarious...and it happened to be a fun game too!

Yep, Gary brainwashed Molly, too! Her daddy is a big Georgia fan, and isn't too crazy about this!
Storytime with Aunt Tara and two of Mitch's favorite cousins
Ron, Alex, Matt, Jack and Gary in the hot tub
Out of the entire family of 16, these are the only girls! Gotta love a family that makes me look tall! :) The refrigerator loaded for 3 days with 16 people Mitch, Wyatt, Molly and Jake in their personal swimming pool...otherwise known as a jacuzzi tub, with water color tablets for a little extra fun! I'm pretty sure there was more water around the tub than in it when they got through! Jake, Mitch and Wyatt getting ready to "go swimming". This was Jake's first time in underwear (instead of a diaper), and he didn't like it. He ended up going naked! In a house with this many people, I guess you have to sit wherever you can find a seat! Playing "Smart Ass"
Mitch and Wyatt playing Leapsters. This is pretty much what they did for 3 days.

Whew....through Christmas posts! I may even get one or two more done tonight...we'll see!

Christmas Day!

2010-03-20T13:26:00.003-05:00

We left my Mom's early afternoon on Christmas Day. We picked Jack and Alex back up on our way back home. We met my brother, Josh, and his wife, Leah at our house, where we exchanged Christmas gifts with them. Then we all bundled up good and heading to the Christmas night Titans game. No tailgating this time...too cold!!!! Again, I drove separately from Gary because I didn't think Jake would stand the cold for the whole game. Again, I was wrong! We all made it the whole game!

There were two women sitting at the end of our row, who I think had a couple of drinks before the game started. :) They LOVED Mitch! I think Mitch talked to them the entire game! The one that Mitch is blocking wanted us to take her picture with Mitch, but Mitch didn't cooperate. This was the best we got.

I love this picture of Josh, Jake, and Leah! A kid sitting beside them kept referring to Leah as Jake's mom...can't imagine why anyone would think Jake belonged to them! :)

Nope...not done with Christmas yet! Next up is the Roberts' Family Christmas!

Christmas at Mimi's

2010-03-18T20:09:00.004-05:00

Christmas Eve afternoon, we took Jack and Alex back to their Mom's and headed over to my Mom's for the night. We had Christmas dinner, opened presents, spent the night...and when we woke up, Santa had made another little trip for all of us! We ate breakfast and opened more presents on Christmas morning.

I obviously was way too interested in my new video camera, because I sure didn't get very many pictures, but here are some of them...

One of my FAVORITE pictures of the boys!

Mimi got the boys a Wii

Jake got a remote control truck...

...but was afraid of it when it started moving. Solution...he chilled out in the chair with the remote (the steering wheel is the remote)

Jake was a big helper opening presents

Daddy might have enjoyed the Wii as much as Mitch!

Christmas Eve Morning!

2010-03-18T18:34:00.007-05:00

Santa has been kind enough to accommodate our Christmas schedule with Jack and Alex. Since they are with their mom on Christmas morning, Santa makes a special trip and comes to our house on Christmas Eve morning!

The night before, we let the kids open one present each...and I think these were pretty much the favorites...

Jake didn't really have a favorite, but this may have been one of my favorites!

Mitch was super excited to get a guitar, and Jack was helping him play it!
Alex got the new phone he had been wanting.

And Jack...well, Jack got a picture of a shoe! He wanted a pair of shoes that had to be special ordered from Nike, and he didn't pick them out in time for them to get here, so he got a picture of them!

Then Santa came...

And this is what Jack woke up to...Jake climbed in bed with him,

and Mitch played him a little "tune"!

Jake loved his new motorcycle (even though it was March before he actually got to ride it because it's been so cold)

Mitch went straight for the Radiator Spring GeoTrax. I think Jake took over shortly after this picture, though!

Alex and his new Bama hoodie

Jake opening his Hungry Hungry Hippos game. I think we kept up with the marbles for a couple of months, but they have mostly disappeared now.

Jack got some clothes and some Father Ryan "gear".

Oh...and they all four got Nerf guns. In hind sight, I think Santa should have brought Gary one, too!

Jake's favorite part was the chocolate, though...go figure! Ummm...do you see how close he is to my chair with those grimy hands?!

So...I moved him to the table!

Mitch and Alex both got skates

...and I got a new camcorder, so hopefully I'll be able to figure out how to post videos along with the pictures sometime soon!

Next up...Christmas at Mimi's!

Merry Christmas from Pa!

2010-03-18T18:16:00.003-05:00

A while back I started looking at what kind of beds I wanted for Mitch and Jake since they are sharing a room. It was almost time to move Jake out of the crib, and I didn't have a bed to move him to. I knew what I wanted and I just couldn't see myself paying what Pottery Barn was asking for them. Actually, let me correct that, I couldn't see me talking Gary into paying them! So...I thought...PA (my Dad)! And Pa delivered...For Christmas, he made the boys beds!

Here is Daddy and Pa putting the first one together.

Just curious...do you think Jake likes his new "big boy" bed?

The finished product (the bed anyway...now I need to paint!)

Mitch thought it was fun to play in the bed while they were putting it together.

And here's Pa with his two favorite grandsons! (I can say that because they are his ONLY two grandsons!)

A Picture Is...

2010-03-18T18:01:00.002-05:00

Worth A Thousand Words!

Thanksgiving 2009

2010-02-17T19:20:00.006-06:00

We have Thanksgiving with my Dad's side of the family every year. My grandmother, "Granny" ("Pa" passed away several years ago), lives out in the country, and growing up, we loved the freedom that came with being there. Mitch was no exception. He had a wonderful time running around outside with his cousins, who he only sees about once a year. You might think that would make him a little stand-offish, but not Mitch! :)

Mitch and his cousins Brody, Tyler, and Aiden playing Army with sticks they found, all wearing my grandfather's hats! Good thing they were there since none of us moms brought any...and it was REALLY cold!

Mitch and Brody sitting on the stairs. Pa did all of this stonework himself many years ago!

Jake and his cousin hoping to escape to the outdoors with their brothers

The red heads stuck together! Jake hanging out with my cousins's hubby, Zack (left), and my brother, Uncle Josh (right)

I told you there is height in my family...I'm just the runt!

A rare photo of me, Daddy, and Josh And an even rarer one of all of us. I think it may actually be the only one ever!

Left to Right: Gary, Jake, Me, Mitch (look low), Leah (with Baby Beccah in her belly), Josh, Kathy (Dad's wife), and Daddy
Granny and her kids

Left to Right: Daddy, Debbie, Granny, Teresa, and Vickie

On Friday, we all went to Mom's and played. Gary brought the smoker, and he and Josh played with it. Mitch brought his football, and he and Jake played outside in Mom's big backyard. Mom, Leah, and I had a great time watching all of the boys! Notice the big swing in weather...it was perfect weather on Friday, after being so cold on Thursday. Gotta love Tennessee weather in the Fall (and Spring)!

Mitch playing football, and Jake pushing one of his toys

After a while, Uncle Josh decided the kids needed to learn to climb a tree, so he helped them into one of the trees in the backyard. He saw fun...I saw photo op! I love the pictures I got of them in the tree! Check out Mitch climbing in Crocs...hmmm...maybe not the best shoes for climbing trees!

"Look at me!"

"No hands! I'm Superman!"

My little poser!

Don't ask...I have no idea what he's doing, but I love it!

Uncle Josh had as much fun as the kids did!

Are you kidding me!

2010-02-17T08:56:00.002-06:00

Okay....first let me say that this is a post out of order. Let me also say that this is a post for me more than anything else. I use this blog as a sort of journal to keep up with all that the kids do, and this is one I want a record of.

My mom has been staying with us for about a week and a half, while her floors were repaired and refinished. Thursday night, after putting Jake to bed, Mom was is in the living room and I was in the office, and Jake "escaped" from his room. He was very sneaky about it, too. He snuck into Mimi's room and got "candy" out of her closed overnight case. Unfortunately, that candy was actually Synthroid (thyroid medicine) and he finished off the bottle (16 pills). He also got into one of her multi-vitamins and the capsule broke open in his mouth. He didn't much care for the taste of that one and started crying, which is when we found out that he was out of bed...and that he was eating something. It took us a little while to figure out what it was, though.

Once we realized what he had done, we called the pediatrician and poison control. They said that it was not a toxic dose, and that we didn't need to take him to the ER. So, Jake slept with me and Gary that night (what a little snuggle bug!), and I took him to the pedriatrician on Friday morning. They checked him out and then drew some blood. They had a hard time getting the needle in his vein, and they ended up having to try both arms. The first time they stuck him, he didn't even flinch. Then they had to move the needle around trying to get into the vein, and he was fine for a little while, and then he got upset. They got the second arm pretty quickly, but the damage was done by then. As soon as he was done, though, and he got a sticker, he was a happy little dude again. All the poor little guy wanted was some fries, so we ran through McDonalds, and got him a Happy Meal. Poor thing, he fell asleep before he even could eat his fries!

He never did show any of the symptoms they told me to expect and looked perfectly healthy to the doctor. By the time we got the bloodwork back I was pretty much convinced that he hid the pills instead of taking them. WRONG! The bloodwork showed that he definitely took them!

Because of the pills, his thyroid was compensating for the excess and not producing whatever hormone it is supposed to...which is a good thing, and why he wasn't showing any symptoms. I had to take him back on Tuesday (yesterday) do the labs again to see how it was progressing. Bless his little heart, he started screaming as soon as we walked out of the waiting room and into the office! He remembered... They knew which arm to try this time though, and it was over very quickly. He screamed the whole time though until his was done and got his sticker!

The labs this time showed that the pills were basically out of his system, but his thyroid hasn't kicked back in yet. His doctor said he is progressing exactly as he would expect. Now I have to take the poor little guy BACK AGAIN on Tuesday to do it all over again. The hope is that his thyroid will back to functioning at full speed then! I'll keep you all posted.

Long story short, though...HE'S OKAY and quite a trooper...not to mention a stinker!

As for Mom, she went back home this morning, about 3 hours ago, and I already miss her! She was such a huge help. She did my laundry, kept my house in perfect order, cooked dinners, played with my kids, kept them while I worked, and did diaper duty for a week and a half. Not to mention, kept me company! It was so nice to have another adult in the house, especially one I love! Thanks, Mom! I love you!

Random Fall Photos

2010-02-14T13:45:00.005-06:00

Stacey, Lindsay, and me in line waiting to see New Moon!

Cooper and Jake playing at Cooper's B-day Party

Jake still likes my headbands

Mitch's Pre-K class at their Thanksgiving Program

Mitch and Lily (he says he is going to marry Lily)

Mitch (aka "Howling Coyote")

Jake wearing my boots

Alex driving Jake and Mitch in Mitch's Power Wheels (I'm sure Alex will love me for this one!)

Jake playing in the "jumpy" that Mimi got him for his birthday

Mitch running in the backyard. I just love this picture of pure joy!

Jake's 2 Year Update

2010-02-14T13:18:00.002-06:00

On November 10th, I took Jake for his 2-year well visit. He weighed 31 pounds and was 36 inches long. That put him at about the 80th-85th percentile in weight and about the 90th percentile in height. Even the doctor keeps asking me where that is coming from! Apparently he takes after his Uncle Josh in more that just hair color. He is perfectly healthy and happy little boy!

I have been somewhat concerned about his speech. He's not talking as much I feel like he should, so I asked his doctor about it. He felt like he was a little delayed but not enough so to be overly concerned. He referred me to Pediatric Speech Pathologist for an evaluation, but said there was no rush. So I waited until we got through the chaos of the holidays and took him.

She tested his receptive language (what he understands) and his expressive language (what he actually says). He tested ahead in the receptive and a few months behind in his expressive. She said that the gap between the two told her two things: 1) We notice the delay in speech more because he understands so much that we expect him to be able to talk more, and 2) He is not generally delayed, which means that most likely he will have to have to some sort of speech therapy along the way. It is definetely something he is struggling with.

She felt also felt that there was no rush, since we are not currently seeing any behavioral issues associated with frustration from not being able to communicate. Gary and I decided we would wait until he is 2 1/2 and see how is doing at that point. We feel like he will benefit more from the therapy when is a little older and a little more capable of focussing for a longer period of time. If it gets to be a problem behaviorally before then, we'll start sooner. She did give me some suggestions of things that I can do at home to help him, and we've been working on that.

Jake doesn't complete his words. For example, bed is "beh", Mitch is "Mi", dog is "dah", and so on. He does have some words that he says very clearly, such as "Mommy", "Daddy", "Mimi", "Pa", and "Papa". Most of his words (other than names), are one syllable words. He also doesn't put multiple words together yet, which most two year olds do.

Aside from his speech, he is a perfectly normal little 2-year old, in every way! You've heard the phrase "Terrible Twos"? Before Jake, I thought it was a myth. Mitch never hit that phase. Jake...is making up for it! The child is into EVERYTHING!!!! And he has more energy than any one person should have! It's impossible to be mad at him, though. He still has that sweet little smile that will get him out of trouble every time. He still likes to be carried, and I'm just sucker enough to do it way too often. He plays great. He loves other kids. He still loves to eat. He loves to play ball and race cars. He has started wanting to play PlayStation and Wii with other boys, and they let him (with a fake controller). He is definitley a morning person. Regardless of what time he goes to bed, he's up by 6:30 every morning (occassionally I get lucky enough to get 7:00am). He and Mitch are in the room together, and they both love it. He is quite the little copy-cat. He is really good about going down for his nap, but not so much for bedtime. He usually take about a 2 hour nap, with one or two 3 hour naps a week. He almost always wakes up from his nap grumpy and isn't happy until after he eats his dinner. A snack just doesn't cut it for him. He still likes to wear my shoes, and it still drives his daddy crazy! He is very loud! As a matter of fact....he is JUST LIKE HIS DADDY! :)

Jake Turns 2!

2010-02-06T12:31:00.004-06:00

Well, 4 months ago he turned 2, but who's counting?

What do you do for a 2 year old birthday party? PANCAKES & PJS'!!!! Is there anything that Jake likes more than food? I don't think so!

Jake had 5 of his buddies come (and some of Mitch's...most have siblings that are friends with Mitch) play and eat with him. I have to say, those are some of the best 2 year olds I have ever seen in my life!

On to the pictures...

Mommy and her not-so-baby Jake! (Seriously, could he look any LESS like me?)

Mimi and Jake
Jungle Pancakes with all of the "fixin's"!

Birthday Boy with Mommy & Daddy
(and his sippy cup, of course!)

Jungle Pancake Creations

Jake's B-day Cake

So cute and so easy!

Time to blow out the candles! We didn't catch a picture of it, but he actually did blow out his own candles. We couldn't believe it!

Mimi bought him a "bouncy" for his birthday, and we set it up for the kids to play in. It was a gorgeous fall day! So, after we stuffed them full of sugar, we sent them outside to jump and run around. Amazingly, no one got sick. This is one of Jake and Cooper playing.

After the party....enjoying the wrapping from his presents....isn't that such a typical two-year old? :)

WRONG!

2010-02-05T09:45:00.009-06:00

When I finally caved and let Gary talk me into Titans PSLs, we agreed that 4 seats would be plenty (and my Mom got two a few rows down from us). I mean, by the time Mitch and Jake are old enought to go and really enjoy it, Jack and Alex will be out of the house, right? WRONG!

One weekend, we didnt' have anyone to keep Jake, so we decided to tak him with us. He's still free and Mom let ustake Mitch with her second ticket. So...we had all 4 of our boys! We took two cars, knowing that Jake wouldn't last the entire game, and I would leave early with him and maybe Mitch. Again...WRONG!

We tailgated for several hours before the game, which the kids LOVED! Jack and Alex have several frineds who also tailgate in the same lat that we do, so they all played together. They even let Mitch and Jake play with them...they are all such great kids! When it was time, we headed to the stadium, and Gary sat in our seats with ALL FOUR BOYS, and I got to sit with Mom and not have to take care of any kids! (What a hubby, huh?!?) Jake and Mitch both lasted the entire game...and every game after that! Yep...it went so well, that we took all four boys to the rest of the games this season...And decided that we need two more PSLs, since Jake won't be free this next year, and Mom didn't really buy the extra ticket for us to bum every week!

As for tailgaiting, a while back I teased you with a new addition to our tailgate party. For Gary's birthday, his dad (Papa Jack) and brother (Matt) fixed up a smoker (that Papa Jack built) for him. It's absolutely huge...and AWESOME! Of course, I was certain that we couldn't possibly need that much room and would never fill it up...it's just too big! Again...WRONG! I should have know better, huh?

So...in a nutshell, we had a great time tailgating and going to Titans games with the whole family and some great friends. It was a good move, and I'm glad I finally caved...but don't tell Gary! :)

"The" Smoker

Mitch, Jake and Alex playing BAGO (or Cornhole...whichever you call it)

Mitch staking out the prime seat in the house (or tent)

All of the boys playing football

This is what happens when you leave the kid alone with his Daddy! :)

Our first game as a family

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum (a.k.a. Alex and Mitch)

My guys...enjoying the game (do you see them? right behind the rail)

Group shot! (you have no idea how many tries it took to get one decent shot)

Ahhhhh...me and my hubby!

Redneck Paper Towel Holder

More of the boys playing football

Gary and Jeff (the cooks) before the "new addition"...look at those tiny little grills...how did we ever manage?

Mimi and Jake at his first tailgate

Mitch hanging with the big boys!

Happy Halloween!

2010-02-03T19:37:00.006-06:00

Yes...I know...Halloween in February, but remember? I'm still catching up...so let's pretend, okay?

Anyone who has been within earshot of Mitch in the last year knows that there was never any doubt that Star Wars we a part of our Halloween! So, very early on, we got Mitch's Darth Vader costume and Jake's Yoda costume. I was afraid Mitch was going to have his torn up before we ever made it to Halloween!

But...it didn't stop there....

Yep...It was a family affair! I even talked Gary into being Darth Vader also. Mitch was sooooo excited!

Our friends, Amy and Ryan, have a pre & post Trick-or-Treating party every year. As always, it was great! Amy is an amazing hostess and had the dining room all decked out for kiddos. After eating dinner, we all headed out to get some loot! After Trick or Treating we headed back to Amy and Ryan's and let the kids play and dig into some of their treats before calling it a night.

Is he not the cutest little Yoda you've ever seen?
Mitch, Daniel (Thomas's cousin), and Thomas (Amy and Ryan's oldest) enjoying some yummy cupcakes!

Next up...More Tailgating!

Apple Orchard

2010-02-02T19:58:00.006-06:00

After one failed attempt, we (Mitch, Jake, Mimi, and I) finally made it to the apple orchard. By the time we got there, though, it was so late in the season that all of the apples were already off of the trees! We still had a great time, though. We bought A TON of apples from their little store, and some fried pies. We snacked on fried pies and wandered through the orchard, where I got some of my favorite pictures of all times! (It was a great fall for great pics!) The boys even found one apple each still hanging on the tree and ate them...core and all!

Enjoy the pictures....I know I do every time I look at them!

Jake enjoying his freshly picked apple....

Mitch's pics....

Mimi and her boys...aren't these great?!?

....and me and my monkeys!

Mitch makes the funniest faces! He is so expressive! He's trying to open his juice in this picture.

Jake still loves to eat! They didn't quite get the concept here, huh?

Next up...Halloween! Check back tomorrow!

No New Update today...

2010-01-30T16:11:00.002-06:00

I know...I'm falling short of my goal by not doing my Apple Orchard post today....but I have good excuse!

It snowed about 4" here yesterday...which it almost NEVER does! So, we spent the morning outside sledding. We are in for nap/rest time, and I am catching up on some laundry and getting ready to go a friend's for dinner tonight.

So...you'll have to forgive me, but the Apple Orchard will have to wait for tomorrow...and the snow pics will have to wait their turn, remember I'm still working on October!

Fall Farm Fun (Take 2)

2010-01-29T16:16:00.008-06:00

...and Take 1 part B... I forgot a few of the pics from our first trip when I posted yesterday.

Last year when I posted our farm pics, I said we'd see how long we could keep the fence rail pics going...Well, here's one more year!

Mitch and Gabe 2009 (age 4)

Mitch and Gabe 2008 (age 3)

Mitch and Gabe 2006 (age 1)...we missed 2007!

Jake and Luke playing on the steps of the log house

These two are not easy to get a good picture of together!

Hmmm...maybe Jake is the problem...Here's the best shot we got of all 5 boys. Jake wasn't looking at the camera in any of them!

Jake playing in the corn field and sunflowers

Mitch and Jake at the water pump

Here are a couple of Mitch and Jake together...

Gabe...I just love this picture, so I had to put it in! :)

Ahhh...the faces this kid makes! :)

Mitch and Jake in the hay bail maze

Jake fell in a mud puddle and wasn't very happy about it!

Mitch on the hay ride

Playing the seed bins

Tomorrow's post...The Apple Orchard with Mimi!

Oh...and by the way...IT'S SNOWING today!!!! BIG TIME!!!!

Fall Farm Fun! (Take 1)

2010-01-28T19:11:00.005-06:00

Every fall, me and Lindsay and our boys, head to a wonderful little farm for a little fall fun! We look forward to it all year! By the time September hits, we can't wait! You see...it's only open for about 5-6 weeks of the year! They have a great pumpkin patch, hay rides, a hay bail maze for the little ones, a little playground area, little calfs and pigs and chickens, goats to feed, a corn field...basically, you name and they have it!

This past year, we actually got out there twice, and this post is just the first trip! It hit us that the first time we went, Mitch and Gabe were younger than Jake and Luke were this year. How did time go by so fast?

Enough words, though...I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

WARNING! LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF PICTURES BELOW!

I LOVE this picture, even though neither of them is looking at the camera. There's just something so real and precious about it!

...speaking of real! Wow...could Mitch look anymore mischeivous? and could Jake shrink any further away from Mitch? He wasn't about to let go of that pumpkin to push Mitch away, though!
Awwww...look at those cheeks!!!!

Mitch and Gabe

Does this picture of Mitch look a little bit like the one with Gabe above? I had to crop Gabe out of the picture to have a solo picture of Mitch from this outing! Mitch and Gabe were absolutely glued at the hip!

Jake and Luke

My little trouble-maker! I have no idea what he was up to, but by the look on his face it must be something good!

Mitch, Gabe and Sam...when did they get so grown?

Jake loved playing with the tractors and farm toys

He's such a ham!

I feel quite certain this was some type of Star Wars Jedi pose!

Make sure to click here to see the post from last year and see how much the boys have grown!

And....mission accomplished! One post today! Yay me! Tomorrow's post...our second farm trip!

I'm Back...

2010-01-27T19:37:00.004-06:00

...and I'm not going to make any excuses, it would just take up valuable posting time! I'm just going to jump right back in where I left off...OCTOBER 2009!

I love fall! It's always so full of fun times...soccer, football, chili cook-off, halloween...and the weather is beautiful! Our neighborhood sponsors a chili cook-off every fall, and it's a great time for the whole family! We had jumpies, face-painting, a fire-truck, and a DJ with games. The boys had so much fun! Mitch's class has a cow, Connie the Cow, who goes home with a different kid every week, and it was Mitch's week with Connie....so Connie got to go the Chili Cook-Off also!

I'm not really sure what is with Jake and the solemn face...not like him at all!

Mitch and his twin "Jack Jones"....and yep...that's Mimi in the background. She got to come, too!

Mitch posing with Connie the Cow for his page in the Connie Journal

Funny, isn't it? The further behind I am, the less have I have to say!!!

FYI...my new (more manageable goal) is one post a day until I am all caught up! See you guys again tomorrow with pictures from "The Farm" as we affectionately call it!

Tyner's Visit

2009-11-22T17:51:00.005-06:00

A few posts ago, I mentioned that Mitch's friend Tyner was moving to Mississippi. Well, Mitch has missed him terribly...especially once school started! Tyner's dad comes to Nashville for work occassionally, so in September, he brought Tyner with him one day. We picked Tyner up from his dad, and he got to spend the day with us! We planned to go to Mt.Juliet and go to the apple orchard with my mom. Unfortunately, when we got there...they were closed! So...we went to park instead...I mean, it's not like the kids really cared where they went...and we had a great time!

What?!? A "natural" pose? No way!

Tyner and Mitch climbing Jake playing on the "Pirate Ship"

Tyner and Mitch being silly...of course!

Mitch and Tyner IN the Pirate Ship

Is there anything cuter than boys running?

I LOVE this picture! I love the colors of the old train and I love that Jake is trying to figure out the bolts....he's always trying to figure out a way to tear things up!

And...of course...being silly again! Do you know that I could not get them to be still and smile for a single picture!?!

Whoooo Hoooooo! I did it! It's 6:15 Sunday night, and I am officially done with September!!!!!! Yay me!

Tailgating for Titans

2009-11-22T17:17:00.004-06:00

If you know Gary, you know he doesn't do anything half-way. And if you know Gary and Jeff together, you know how much they "feed" off of each other. So...when we got parking passes in the same lot for the Titans games, and decided to tailgate together, I knew it was going to be one heck of a production...and they didn't disappoint! They have the full spread going...Two tents, two grills, a TV with satellite (contributed by "The Staceys"...Jeff and Erin's neighbors), Titans flag on massive flagpole, propane heater for when it's cold and fan for when it's hot....need I say more? Well...let's leave it to the pictures...

Me and Erin enjoying the tailgate...while the guys did all the work!

Papa Jack (he came up and went with us)

Something to look forward to....since I am behind in my updates, the tailgate spread has grown! Keep checking!

4-Year Old Soccer

2009-11-22T16:45:00.005-06:00

Mitch had his first soccer game of the season in September. He did a great job! He was very aggressive, but not too much so...He "ran with the pack"...as that is apparently how 4 year olds play soccer, and, of course, he looked adorable! He kicked the ball every chance he got, and then some...but he didn't score. He was pretty bummed out about it, too! It appears that Mitch may be a little more competitive than I thought he was!

Gary is the official family sports photographer, and he got some great shots! Here are just a few of them!

First Days of School

2009-11-22T16:08:00.009-06:00

At the beginning of September, Mitch started his last year of Preschool! I finally managed to get in a little "first day of school" photo shoot this year. (I have forgotten to do this every other year, but I figured this was as good of a time as any start!) Photo shoots with Mitch are a little easier said than done these days. You never really know what you are going to get...pouts, fake smiles, silly faces, or a little bit of each.

This time...I got a little bit of each!

Two days later, Jake had his first day of "school"/Mother's Day Out, too. (Mitch is two days a week, and Jake is only in one.) Although Gary begs me not to, sometimes I just can't resist dress them to match. I mean, really, how much longer am I going to be able to do that? I thought the first day of school for them both was a good time for it!

And...I even managed another little photo shoot. One thing you can count on in any photo op with Mitch and Jake together is this one...Mitch trying to "love" on Jake, and Jake pushing him away!

But...I did manage a couple of sweet shots, too...and a good one of Jake and one of them together!

Another busy month!

2009-11-18T15:01:00.002-06:00

Okay...I just got my first September post up (the Titans tickets/Mitch's first game). I'm hoping to be able finish all of my September posts this week, but it may be an ambitious goal, as September was another busy month! We had Mitch's and Jake's first days of school (complete with before school photo shoots), Mitch's first soccer game of the season, Mitch's friend Tyner came to spend the day with us, plus a few random funny pictures of the family clown (a.k.a. Jake)! Keep checking!

I finally caved!

2009-11-18T14:33:00.004-06:00

Well, he finally won! Gary has been fighting me for years about getting Titans PSLs (meaning we bought the right to buy season tickets)....and this year....he won! So...we are now proud owners of PSLs and season tickets to the Titans games! We bought 4 and Mom bought 2. They aren't right together, but they are in the same section. Couldn't have picked a better year, huh? I mean...we only started the season 0-6! But...hey...it's getting better! And we LOVE our seats! We sit in an upper section of the club level where there are only 8 seats on a row, and we have half of them, so no one is EVER crossing in front of us, and we aren't having to cross in front of anyone else. Also, we are in the front row of the section so there is a rail in front of us...not people, so it feels like we have more room.

There were two preseason games, and we let Jack and Alex each pick a friend to take to one of the games. Jack got to take a friend to the Packers/Titans game, and since Jack likes the Packers that worked out great! We also decided it was a great time to take Mitch to his first NFL game. Mom let us use one of her tickets so I got to go too! Mitch had a great time, but I'm not sure how much of the game he actually watched. (I didn't go to the one with Alex, so there aren't any good pictures. Gary took a couple with his phone but they are so blurry they make my eyes cross looking at them!)

Gary and Mitch enjoying the game

Me, Mitch, and Mom/Mimi...what do you think? Do we look alike?
Me and Mom...very rare photo op!

Jack and Zach

Jack watching the game with Mitch...he's such a good big brother...and Mitch loves him to pieces!

Mitch

Jack, Gary, Mitch and Me before the game

Well...since I am two months behind on my blog...I have lots more pictures from other games, but they'll have to wait...you know...since I can't seem to bring myself to update out of order! Just a little teaser....we have even taken Jake! Keep checking back...and maybe I'll get to those updates before 2010!

Roberts' Family Day on the Lake

2009-11-16T14:02:00.005-06:00

At the end of August, Gary's whole family into town and spent the weekend with us. It was the first time we have ever all been able to get together just for fun! We usually just manage to get together when we are celebrating something (holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) and we are always rushed with our time. Not this time...they all came up simply to visit and spend the day on the lake! The kids had a blast, and so did the adults!

I would give anything to have a picture of all of 14 of us on the pontoon boat! At one point in the day, most everyone was at the back of the boat for some reason, and we realized the back of the boat was actually under water! We quicly realized that we would need to keep the weight fairly evenly distributed, and even then, the pontoons were almost completely under water. It was very comical! We spent the day grilling on the boat, Jet Skiing, skiing, tubing, and most of all... laughing!

I'm not sure if you would call these three the Three Muskateers or the the Three Stooges... but they sure are cute! (Molly, Mitch, Wyatt)

Gran'ma Judy and Papa Jack
Matt in his strategically placed seat (helping balance out the front end of the boat)
Wyatt, Gary, and Alex on the Jet Ski

Me, Lauri, and Tara - I am sooooo lucky to have two sisters-in-law that I love just like sisters!

Jack hanging out on the tube with Mitch and Jake. I'm sure he thought he would relax...but Jake and Mitch had another idea!

Molly "fishing" with the noodle

Jake in his cool shades!

Mitch and Wyatt in the tube

Jake, Wyatt, and Gary on the Jet Ski. Do you see the resemblance between Jake and Wyatt? I don't know if you can tell, but I think they have the same nose and the same face shape!

On Sunday, Gran'ma Judy, Papa Jack, Bill, Tara, and Molly all had to head back to Georgia. Lauri and Wyatt stayed for a while and spent another day on the lake. My favorite sunglasses didn't make it back from that trip. Gary was pulling me and Lauri on the tube, and he flipped up good! I was just glad I still had all my bathing suit! I really miss those glasses!

Mitch, Wyatt, and Jake eating. That's pretty much how Jake spent most of the day!

Gary and Matt hanging out on the boat

It's Soccer Time Again!

2009-11-16T13:29:00.004-06:00

Mitch started his 3rd season of soccer in August. Gary has been so excited to be able to make it to most of his practices this season...almost as excited as Mitch! Oh...and me...since when Gary is around, Jake "ditches" me...which means I get to watch in peace! :) Mitch's friend, Jack Jones, is on his team this year, so that has been a lot of fun! Here are some pictures from the first practice!

He had soooo much fun! By the way, that's him in the blue shirt...

I love these pictures of Jake...they just speak volumes about him!

Fun in the Country!

2009-11-11T14:41:00.007-06:00

Christy and the kiddos came to town to visit at the end of August. We were so lucky to get a couple of really great visits in....one girls night and one all-day playdate!

Girls Night Out!
Her parents live about an hour from me, so we went to spend the day at their house out in the country. I know my kids are city-boys, but it's times like this that I reminded of it. Mitch called it "the place where there aren't so many houses". And the horses at her parents house...I couldn't get him to understand that they weren't "wild horses" just because they weren't in a zoo! They both loved it, though!

We first went to each lunch and play at McDonalds (okay...it's not so far out in the country that there isn't a McD's).

The kdis had a great time playing on the playground!

Christy and I tried to get a picture of all 5 kids...but this was all we got! Kendyl is hiding behind Ronald McDonald and Luke wasn't wanting any part of it! Hmmm...I think we had about this much luck when we tried to get a picture of the 5 of them when we visited them in Michigan!

Then we went back to her house and put Jake and Luke down for naps. We put Mitch, Kendyl, and Kaitlyn outside playing with a cooler full of water, plastic cups, and paint brushes. You can't even begin to imagine how much fun they had with just those three things! It was one of those times that I really wondered why on earth we buy them toys!

Jake came out and played, too, after he woke up from his nap. He loved it just as much (maybe more) than the other three. Luke missed out on the party, though. He's one of those kids who takes 3-4 hour naps everyday! Ahh...I remember what that was like (Mitch was one of those kids)...now I am lucky to get an hour and a half to two hours out of Jake!

Redneck Swimming Pool!

Jake "painting" the deck with water
After a while, Mitch kept saying he wanted to see the horses, so went to let him pet them. Let's just say that Mitch was being very literal when he said he wanted "see" the horses. I did finally get him to pet her once (okay...maybe I didn't "get" him to...maybe I "made" him!) Jake was a little more willing...
Jake also enjoyed feeding her long pieces of grass.

Oh yeah! And remember this picture from a previous post? It was taken on this day, too! I LOVE this picture! Thanks, Christy, for getting it!

We had such a wonderful time and we can't wait until they come visit again....maybe we'll be invited back to her parents' house! The kids really need to get out of the city occassionally! (Hint Hint, Christy)

It's Always Something With Us...

2009-11-11T13:49:00.004-06:00

Everytime we take Lindsay to the lake with us (which isn't really that often), something ALWAYS goes wrong!

Last year, we decided to make a couples day of it out on the lake, and Gabe got sick. We were able to go anyway, but Lindsay and Neal were worried about him the whole time.

Earlier in the summer this year, we decided we had so much fun last year, that we needed to do it again. This time, Lindsay and Neal almost had to back out at the last minute because of baby sitter issues. We were lucky to find someone wonderful (or crazy) enough to keep all 5 of our kids at once and we got to go! We had another wonderful, relaxing day on the lake...just adults!

Well, late in the summer, Neal was out of town so Gary suggested that we invite Lindsay and her 3 boys to come out on the lake with us. Yes, that is 5 kids ages 6 and under (all boys) on one pontoon boat! Mitch was so excited to finally get to take some of his friends out with us! We had a fantastic time! That is...until Jake decided to vomit in the boat...and not just once! We never did really figure out what was wrong with him, but he went to sleep and slept for most of the day on the boat. When he woke up, he was pretty pitiful, but I did get some good cuddle time in! The rest of boys just kept playing and we ended up having a great day anyway. But...it seems like it is always something with us!

We took lots of pictures, but here are some of my favorites!

Gabe, Sam, and Mitch waiting patiently to get this boat moving!

A VERY rare photo of Luke and Jake sitting still!

Gary is so incredibly patient with the kids. He let each of the "big boys" (as we call Mitch, Sam and Gabe) take a turn driving the boat...alone!

Me and Jake on the ride out to the cove...before he got sick!

Mitch and his "Cee-Cee" (aka Lindsay)...he LOVES her!
Me and Jake on the ride back in to the BoatHouse...after he got sick! It just breaks my heart to see this little bundle of energy laying still like this....you know he doesn't feel good if he is being still!

In spite of everything, we always have a great time! I'm sure we'll try again next year...and maybe we'll have better luck!

Ahhh....Puerto Rico!

2009-11-07T21:33:00.009-06:00

Gary and I have been so incredibly fortunate to get to go on vacations without kiddos over the last several years. The company he works for runs contests every couple of years or so and the winners get to go on trips to wonderful places! So far we have been to San Diego and Laguna Beach, a cruise to Bahamas/St.Thomas/and St.Martin, Hawaii, and now Puerto Rico! It's times like these I am actually grateful for all of the time that Gary puts in working! :) And speaking of grateful... even though Gary qualified for the trips, we would never be able to go if it wasn't for my mom keeping the kids! Thanks, Mimi! I very literally couldn't do it without you! I know there aren't too many couples with very young kids who get to go off on tropical vacations!

Puerto Rico was wonderful! The resort was gorgeous! We didn't venture off much, but that just isn't my style of vacation. We went snorkeling one day and Gary played golf one day, and the rest of our time was spent by the pool or on the beach! We absolutely loved our time together, and we also loved getting to hang out with our friends in the company that live all over the country and we don't get to see but once a year or so! Gary also had several people from his team that qualified, and it was great to get to hang out with all of them and their spouses outside of the office!

Enough words, though...I know you really want to see the pictures....Speaking of pictures, I'm not sure when I last posted pictures of Gary, but prepare to be shocked! He is my new and improved...skinny hubby! Gary has lost 50 pounds this year!!!! I am soooooo proud of him!

Chris and Gary at the airport in Puerto Rico...and no, Chris is not walking ahead of Gary, he is just that tall!

Yes, it really is a picture of me and Gary together...and no, I didn't have to Photoshop us into the same picture! :) Are you ready for the real shocker...there are more to come later in this post!

This is the resort from the Ferry that took us to and from the private island that the resort owns. The beach was on the island.

This is the beach....gorgeous isn't it? It was my favorite place!

There were few different pools on the resort, but this is one where we hung out our first day there...with Tom A., Chris and Ann, and Tom and D'Linda L.

Ann, Chris, and Gary sipping fruity cocktails in the pool...Ahhhh...this really is the life! Ann's, of course, was non-alcoholic, since she's pregnant! Ferry ride photos....D'Linda, Ann, and me on the ferry to the island while our hubbies were playing golf!

Gary and David...David doesn't look too pleased about Gary's driving! :)

I love this picture of Gary golfing!

Gary and me going to dinnerGary and me on the ferry to the island
....and us again, eating lunch on the island ....with Tambry, David, Matt R. and Matt S.

(Did I mention that Gary's brother is working with him now, and he got to go on the trip also?...that would be Matt R.) And...the whole crew...

Tom A., Tom L., D'Linda, Tony, Gail, me, Gary, Matt R., Matt S., Tambry, David, Ann, and Chris

In the airport waiting on our flight out of Puerto Rico...yes...Gary is already working again! Oh well...I wonder where that hard work will take us next time?

I have a High-Schooler? Really?

2009-11-07T21:22:00.003-06:00

Of course, I knew Jack was going to start High School this year, but when I went to pick him up from Band Camp (okay...go ahead and laugh...we all do...that movie ruined it for every kids who ever goes to band camp again), it really hit home...I mean, I have a High-Schooler! How did that happen? And you know what? It really isn't bad! He's a really great kid! Of course, he's a kid that is already taller than me...and his dad, but he's still a kid, right?

He has known for as long as I can remember that he wanted to play drums, so this is his chance! He started in the on the drumline in his school's marching band this year, and I couldn't be prouder of him! He has worked so hard, and they are really good! Here are some pics from the day I picked him up from Band Camp (okay...laugh again).

Hmmmm...maybe I'll have to figure out how to load some video and start taking the video camera. Kind of hard to capture a marching band in still pictures. Anyway, in case you couldn't tell...he's the one with the blonde hair and white t-shirt!

"Spray-Ground" Fun!

2009-11-07T20:45:00.007-06:00

Okay...here we go....the first of many updates from August... (Yes...I'm very aware that is November! We've been so busy making memories, I haven't had time to record them!)

For our last playdate of the summer with Mitch's 3-year Pre-K classmates, we went to a "sprayground". Amazing what you find that you didn't even know you had! It was a great little park downtown that had lots of different little sprinklers and water features...and the kids loved it! It was such fun to watch them all just being kids...so carefree and loud and rowdy! :)

It was a little bitter-sweet, though...We learned that Mitch's best friend from school, Tyner, would be moving to Mississippi in just a couple of weeks. For any of you reading this that don't know...Mitch LOVES Tyner! They were completely inseparable at school, and any time the two of them got together. It is just so sweet to watch! So, we made sure to get some great pictures!

Here are some of Mitch and Jake playing in the sprinklers...

When we got through playing, we told the kids that it would be Tyner's last playdate with us because he was moving. This what we saw immediately after...no prompting, I promise!

(Judah, Tyner, and Mitch...saying their "goodbyes")

This took some prompting...Judah, Tyner, Mitch, and Ella A....They were the four that were able to come to this playdate...we were missing Parker, Ella O. and Lilly.

Oh...and this one....took A LOT of prompting! Amazing enough, Mitch and all of his friends above have sibling within about a year of each other, so they had a ready-made playgroup, too! Here are Jake, Shiloh (Judah's sister), Noah (Ella A's brother), and Maggie (Tyner's sister).

Whew...I'm tired just thinking about it...

2009-10-28T20:19:00.004-05:00

August was an incredibly busy month for the Roberts Family! We had our last t-ball game of the season and our end-of-the-season-party. We had our last summer playdate with Mitch's 3 year Pre-K class. Jack's band practices and band camp got into full swing. Alex football got under way. Gary and I went to Puerto Rico. Titans' football season started (preseason anyway), and this is our first year with season tickets. We spent lots of time on the boat while we still could, before school and all the fall activities got into full swing. Christy and her kiddos came to town, and we had a Girls Night Out then me and the boys spent a day at her parents' house. Mitch's soccer season started. And to round out the month, Gary's family came to spend the weekend with us!

Hmmm...no wonder I'm behind on this blog, huh? Well, I got July done tonight.... How long do you think it will be before I get August done? Any bets? I can tell you this, it won't be tonight! I'm done for the day, but maybe I'll get started on August tomorrow...check back and see!

Oh...and just because I feel like every post is more excited with a picture of cute kiddos...here ya go!

Jack's 14th Birthday Party!

2009-10-28T19:48:00.004-05:00

Yeah...Yeah...I know, that was way back in July, but hey....better late than never, right?

Last year's party went so well, that Jack decided he wanted another party on the lake. This time, it was co-ed! :) Mitch got to join the festivities, but Jake was not invited (by me or Jack!).

Tubing...Roberts Family Style

Group Shot! (no wonder Mitch thinks he's 14)
Another Group Shot...just hanging out in the water...

Birthday Boy!

Yep...he's cool!

....and so is he!

Some of My Favorite Peeps!

2009-10-28T19:29:00.004-05:00

By now most of you know my friend, Lindsay. For those of you who don't, here's the abbreviated version of how our friendship started. Just before Mitch turned 1, I was in the toy aisle shopping for Mitch's birthday and started talking to another mom there who had a child about Mitch's age. After talking for a few minutes, we discovered that we have children only a month and a half apart in age (and she has also has an older son, too) and lived in the same neighborhood. We became very quick friends...as did our kids (if you haven't figured it out yet, I'm talking about Sam and Gabe). A little less than a year later, we found ourselves pregnant together, both with more boys (Jake and Luke), who are 10 weeks apart exactly. So...now when we go places together, it's me and Lindsay and FIVE (yes...FIVE) boys (assuming I don't have Jack and Alex...then it's 7)! Crazy, huh?

This summer, we took all of them to zoo, and here was our first attempt at a picture of all 5 of our wonderful boys....

Front Row (L to R): Mitch (4), Gabe (4), Sam (6)

Back Row (L to R): Luke (18 months), Jake (20 months)

Hmmm....maybe next time! :)

Family Reunion

2009-09-15T13:25:00.003-05:00

Way back in July (yes, that's how far behind I am), we had the 1st Coleman Family Reunion that I know of since I was a little girl. Josh came in town, and we all headed out to the Reunion. It was so great to see family that I hadn't seen in such a long time, and mostly to meet family that I didn't even know I had! I even found out that I have distant cousins going to the same High School that Jack is going to!

The day was a turning point for Jake, socially. Up until this, Jake had been a complete "Mama's Boy", especially in crowds. And don't even think he would go to someone he didn't know! By the end of the day, I actually overheard someone say about him, "He will just go to anyone!" What, is that MY child they are talking about? Well, apparently, he decided it was fun to meet new people, because he has never turned back!

Amazingly, we managed to get a group shot, and I think everyone except Jake is actually looking at the camera.

Here's Mom and Uncle Ed coloring with Jake, Mitch, and Reed (their cousin)

Uncle Josh with Mitch and Reed...Uncle Josh is always the entertainment for Mitch!

Jake and his new friend, Uncle Ed

I can't wait until the next one, and next time we'll take Jack and Alex!

Ahhh...Jake....

2009-09-04T14:55:00.007-05:00

Where do I even start? He is 22 months old now...way too close to 2! I just can't believe it! He is the funniest little dude I know! All of you reading this that know him well, know exactly what I mean....It is impossible to be around this kid and not laugh. He loves to make people laugh. He just loves life! His favorite things to do right now are play outside, play at the "jumpies", give kisses, run through the downstairs hall, and eat! Yes....he still loves to eat! Hmmm...actually this sounds a lot like his 20 month update, huh?

He has turned into quite the little "Daddy's Boy". He ditches me for his Daddy every chance he gets! He still loves to be out on the lake, but the water has gotten a little cool for him to really enjoy being in it. He loves to drive the boat, though, and gets pretty upset when Gary tries to help him. Last weekend he even went tubing with Jack. He just grinned from ear to ear the whole time, and when he would pass by the boat, he would just sit up and wave as big as he could!

He is VERY independent. He will NOT let me help him get out of the car. I am allowed to unbuckle him, but that is all. If I try to offer him my hand to help him out, he pushed it away and shakes his head "no". Just today, he needed a diaper change, and came to me with his pants off and the diaper already on the floor!

He still isn't talking much. He has added a new word to his vocabulary just in the last couple of days... "MINE!" and he uses it often! Gary is working with him on saying "Roll Tide", and Mitch is trying to teach him to say "Trick or Treat". I'm just trying to get him to say anything that he will...the yelling every time he wants something is getting a little old.

I guess you could say he has officially entered the "Terrible Twos" stage. He is into everything! The other day I got out of the shower and he was covered in my mascara...even his tongue was black! Sorry...I couldn't find the camera, so no pictures to come of that one...you'll just have to use your imagination. He loves to yell while I am driving, because he knows I can't get to him to stop him. He even pulls his legs up to him in his car seat so I can't reach them to swat him when he doesn't stop. The best part, though, is the little smile he gives you when he knows he's doing something he shouldn't! It's not a "ha ha...what are you going to about it" smile, it's more of a "look at this cute face, you can't be mad at me" smile!

Mitch's First T-Ball Season

2009-09-04T14:06:00.006-05:00

Well, I guess one good thing about being so far behind is that I can do one post for the entire T-ball season!

Mitch has been dying to play Baseball since he saw some kids at Sonic in their uniforms over a year ago, and this summer he finally got his chance...and he did great! Just ask him, he'll be glad to tell you all about it! :)

Here are some pics from his very first practice. He was really good at hitting...had some of the best hits on his team throughout the year!

And throwing...again...he was really good! The coach kept telling him he would be a pitcher some day. He was really excited when he found his Uncle Matt used to be a pitcher.

And fielding the ball...well, he can't be great at everything...then you would just think I was bragging! :)

Here are some from his games! Yes, he is missing his hat! We got ready to leave for the first game and I couldn't find his hat anywhere. I never did find it. Almost a week later, Jake came walking into the living room wearing it. I'm convinced he hid it somewhere! (At least it was easy to figure out which one was him!) We finally decided to keep it in the car, so that we would always have it with us.

This is one of the team and their coaches/helpers after their last game.

And...finally...here's Mitch getting his trophy from Coach Heath. Of course, Jake didn't like being left out of the action...he wanted to know where his trophy was!
Of course, the most important thing was that he had a blast! He loved going to practices more than he did the games because he got more turns. He did what the coaches asked of him, and he always played the whole game (as opposed to picking flowers in outfield).

It truly was a fantastic season...the kids were great, the parents were great, and coaches were amazing! We couldn't have asked for a better first T-Ball experience. We will definitely be playing again in the spring!

Much Needed Update!

2009-09-04T13:59:00.002-05:00

It seems like I'm saying this alot lately, but I am WAY behind on updating my blog! I didn't put the kids in any kind of Mother's Day Out or Preschool for the summer, so my computer time has been limited. They start back next week, though...and none too soon! It has been a wonderful summer, and, surprisingly, I haven't at all regretted my decision to keep them home with me this summer, but I'm ready for my weekly break now! :)

I have so much to catch you all up on! I am not OCD about many things (unlike my wonderful hubby), but I CANNOT make myself update this blog out of chronological order... So...I'll start WAY back with Mitch's first T-ball season! I don't know how long it will take me to get caught up, but check in often for my newest updates...I promise lots and lots of pictures of some cute kids, a few of me and my skinny hubby!!

Road Trip!

2009-07-28T18:05:00.011-05:00

Last month, Mitch, Jake and I loaded up the Honda Accord and drove the 8-9 hours to visit our friends in Michigan. Christy, her hubby, Mike, and her 3 kids lived in our neighborhood until about a year ago when they moved for Mike's job. (See this post) So, while Gary was gone to Leader's Conference, we went to visit them! It was so wonderful to be able to spend such good time with good friends! And the kids did amazingly well on the drive! Of course, you know the trip is best told in pictures...

Kendyl, Mitch, and Kaitlyn hanging out in their PJs on our first morning. The girls were asleep when we got there, so this was the first time they got to see each other!

For any of you who know Christy, you know she had our week planned out well in advance! Our first day there, Christy and I went to the zoo with our 5 combined kids, and met her friend, Mandy with her 3 kids and her sister. We all had a great time!

The zoo there has a place where you can feed the giraffes!

Mitch and Kaitlyn...Those two sure do love each other!

Jake and Luke looking at the monkeys. They are only 3 weeks apart!

Our attempt at a group picture of all of the kids! FYI, Mike and Mandy's hubby kept ALL of these kids one night so we could go out for a Girls Night Out! What troopers, huh?

Luke, Jake and Christy

Jake and Luke

The next day, we went had a play date with a couple of Christy's friends and their kids. We went to the mall and walked around for a little while. Then ate lunch. Then went to "the jumpies", as Mitch calls it.

Kaitlyn, Mitch, Christy, Kendyl (I had the stroller with the babies)

Mitch and Kendyl were walking ahead of us, and this was our view! Isn't it the cutest?

Then Kaitlyn wanted in on the action...Mitch is going to love these pics some day!

He's going to be crushed when someone tells him he is going to have to choose just one sister one of these days! :)

The kids had a great time at "the jumpies"...especially Jake! He learned how to climb up and go down the slides (the smaller ones) all by himself! Kaitlyn taught him!

After "the jumpies" we went back to Christy's and the kids had a little "rest time". (The babies napped.)
That night was Girls Night Out (the night the guys kept all 8 kids!).

Sad to say that I think this is the ONLY picture EVER of just me and Christy!

Here we are at dinner (and drinks, of course)! Leave it to Christy to have this many girlfriends after only living there for a year! She amazes me!A few of us stuck it out for the Wine Loft for after dinner drinks (and desert for some). We had a fantastic time, and it was so awesome to get to meet so many of Christy's new friends!
The last day there...PAJAMA DAY! We stayed home all day and just played. Christy has a full funished basement that is the kids' playroom. It was awesome!!!!

Here's our rather unsuccessful attempt at a group photo!

Jake and Luke spinning around in circles together
Mitch and Kendyl (aka Mommy and Daddy) pushing their "babies" in strollers around the basement. Yes, Mitch's "baby" is his "night-night"!

And...I saved the best for last! The kids (except Luke, who was asleep) had all been playing downstairs in the basement for a couple of hours. It was a wonderful break, and Christy and I got to just sit and visit with no interruptions...what a concept, huh? Then we heard Kendyl cry, so Christy went to check on her. The next thing I heard was Christy, "Nicole....Come down here...and bring your camera!" This is what I found! Jake is NOT going to like this picture some day...but I do! My rough and tumble all-boy boy dressed up in a princess dress...complete with tiara! Gary says I'm not allowed to go back! :)

4 Year Old Logic

2009-07-14T19:02:00.002-05:00

Me: Mitch, it is not okay to "blah blah blah"

Mitch: I didn't mean to!

Me: Just because you didn't mean to doesn't make it okay.

Mitch: I wasn't trying to make it okay, I was trying to not be in trouble!

Well...there you have it...4 year old logic!

Whoda thunk it?

2009-07-14T10:34:00.016-05:00

My little chicken... I threatened to make Mitch wear a chicken costume for Halloween when he was about Jake's age. The child was afraid of everything! (Well, everything except people.) When he was 2 1/2, he went to two different birthday parties at Pump It Up ("the jumpies" as Mitch call it), and sat on floor looking at a Nashville Parent magazine the whole time. He was afraid of "the jumpies". He was terrified of Tickle Me Elmo, and any toy that he couldn't figure out what made it "talk". When Mimi and Pa bought him his Power Wheels for his 4th Birthday, he was afraid to push the gas.

So...when we took a family trip to Six Flags in Atlanta last month, I didn't really expect a lot from Mitch. Oh...and by "family"...I mean "family". It was me, Gary, Jack, Mitch, one of Jack's friends, (Alex didn't come, and my Mom kept Jake), Gary's Mom, Gary's two sisters, and their kids. We had a great time! I showed him the roller coasters online....they even have videos of some of them. He was soooo excited and kept saying he was going to ride roller coasters. We really talked it up, but I truly thought he would change his mind when he got there and saw them. I couldn't have been more wrong! The first ride he rode was the "Log Ride". He wanted to sit up front and with Jack. What?!? My baby is riding his first ride, and he doesn't want his "Mommy"?!? What is up with this? He got scared for a just a little bit when he went down the first little hill, but after the big hill, he said, "I want to do that again!"

I didn't take my camera to Six Flags, because I was afraid I would lose it or damage it. But...the next day, we went to a kid's park called American Adventures. Jack and his friend, went to White Water (water park) which was right beside it, and Gary, me, Mitch, Lauri and Wyatt went to American Adventures. Mitch rode every ride there a million times! He faster and crazier the ride was, the better! And having his cousin, Wyatt, with him just made it that much better. They are 5 months apart in age, and they have a blast together!

Here they are having chips and Goldfish for breakfast before Six Flags. Wyatt lives in Atlanta, so we stayed with them.

Mitch and Wyatt before American Adventures

This is about the only proof I have that Jack and Jacob (Jack's friend) were even with us. The left us right after this picture was taken, and spent the day at the water park.

Their first ride...listening intently to the instructions...my little rule-follower! :)

Now he's getting too cool in the trucks....he's loving this stuff!

Daddy and Mitch on his first ever roller coaster!

After a couple of rides, they decided they didn't need us anymore...and they wanted to ride together. Gary rode behind them once for reassurance. After that, they didn't care if we rode or not.

Can you see his hands in the air? This is the way he rode EVERY ride at least once!

Wyatt and Mitch on the swings. (Sorry Mimi!)

...On the Crazy Bus

Ahhh...nice, relaxing ride on the wagon ferris wheel. She let them tell her which way to go and where to stop. They loved it!

Gary and Mitch on The Scrambler. This is the one that I thought for sure would do him in...but it was his favorite ride!

Me and Mitch on The Scrambler

Me, Wyatt, Mitch, and Lauri on the Tilt A Whirl. We got on one that spun the ENTIRE time, literally! When it was done, Lauri and I had to take a break, and the kids were begging to ride again!

We definitely got our exercise for day walking up the steps to this slide. Poor Lauri...at least Gary and I could switch off! Lauri had to go every time! Oh...and Gary cheats! He kept pushing Lauri and Wyatt back so he and Mitch could win!

Left to right: Me and Mitch, Lauri and Wyatt, random kid who is in lots of our slide pics

Gary and Mitch

Lauri and Wyatt, Me and Mitch

Gary and Mitch, Lauri and Wyatt

After we rode all of the rides for hours, we went inside and ate lunch. Then we played in the "Foam Factory". It's a 3 story playground, basically, with a ton of foam balls that you can suck up with vacuums, shoot out of guns, send up with pullies, etc. There are climbing ropes, and several slides. The kids had a great time.

Here's Mitch vacuuming up some of the balls

Mitch and Gary shooting people with foam balls. Look at the evil expression on Gary's face!

The kids couldn't reach the guns to shoot them, so here's Gary holding both Mitch and Wyatt while they push the buttons that shoot.

They are 4, so after a while, they got bored with the Foam Factory and wanted to go play games in the arcade. I love this picture of them on the motorcycles. I'm not even sure if there was money in the machine, but Mitch seriously concentrating!

And...HE'S DONE!!!!

Yep...He's 20 Months!

2009-07-14T09:41:00.007-05:00

It won't be any time and I will be posting about his 2nd birthday! How did that happen?

He is such a funny little guy! As I type this he is trying to climb into the wine cabinet...where does he get these ideas? He is definitely a high-energy kid! He loves to tackle, wrestle, hit, and throw. But just as much as he loves to be rowdy, he loves to snuggle! What a great combination! He loves to make people laugh, and he loves to laugh! I have no doubt that Jake will be the class-clown when he starts school.

He has finally started walking places. Yes, he has been walking for a while, but he always wanted to be carried into stores or to the car or basically to any destination. He would walk/run all over the house or outside, but aside from that...he was a "carry me" kid! I tried putting him down and making him walk, but he would sit down and cry in the middle of the parking lot! FINALLY, in the last couple of weeks, he has started walking everywhere. He walks to the dock when we go to the boat, he walks into the grocery store and to Target, and even into the church to take Mitch to VBS this week. It's good timing...I'm not sure how much longer I would be able to carry him...he is already almost 30 pounds!

He has also started talking more. He says Momma, Daddy, Mimi, Jack, Mitch, bye, go, yes, eat, please, up, and a few other things that I just can't understand! He follows instruction amazingly well! He cleans up his messes occasionally. He puts his sippy cup in the sink when he is done with it (that is, when he doesn't put it in the trash can)! He still loves to eat, and isn't picky about what he eats. He loves to show you his belly button. And he has a great time cheering for Mitch during T-ball. He has at least one bruise on his head/face at all times. Probably because he leads with his head in whatever he is doing. He even uses it as an extra limb to help him climb things!

He is constantly suprising me with the things he can do! The other day he opened a bottle of water and started drinking it. He even got almost as much in his mouth as he did down the front of his shirt (thankfully we were outside). He has learned to open the car door. Last week, I left him in the garage while I was running in and out unloading the car. When I went to check on him...I found him in the drivers seat of my car! (Is it wrong that I went to get the camera before I got him out? I mean, it's not like the keys were in it!)
He gets into his carseat on his own and even tries to strap himself in.

He throws his own diapers in the diaper pail, and sometimes even lets me know he when he needs a clean one. He brings me his shoes when he sees us start getting ready to go somewhere (he isn't going to risk being left behind). He climbs all over the playground equipment...up the ladders, down the slides, wherever he wants to go. I have even found him on Alex's top bunk once. Yep, climbed the ladder to hang out up there.

He has slept in a big-boy bed once. Last week while Mitch was a Mimi's he kept pointing and grunting at Mitch's bed. Of course, I'm not completely crazy...I ignored him and put him in his crib. After about an hour of him fussing off and on, I went in to check on him (for about the 3rd time) and this time I picked him up. When I did, he tried to get out of my arms and to Mitch's bed...so, what the heck? I put him in Mitch's bed...and that is where he went to sleep. I moved him back to his crib before I went to bed. He woke up at about 3am and was one ticked off little boy! :) That is first and last time he has slept in a big-boy bed for now. I am NOT ready for him to be out of his crib yet!
He loves the water! Last weekend, while we were on the lake, he started jumping off the boat into the lake (don't worry...he was jumping to his daddy). Mitch was doing it, and he was not about to let someone else have all the fun! He likes to "swim" and blow bubbles, and splash!

Jake is just a pure joy to be around. You can't possibly be around him without smiling! I couldn't be more blessed!

Pickin' N Grinnin'

2009-07-09T13:13:00.007-05:00

Mitch, Jake, and I went to pick Strawberries with my mom last month. Amazingly, I am 33 years old and it was the first time I remember ever doing this! We really lucked out, too...In a month of uncommonly HOT June days, we actually had a very nice day to go. Jake had a blast running in the rows with his basket, and Mitch actually got in there and picked some.

Ah...my little city boy, Mitch! We are in the middle of a strawberry field, with baskets full of strawberries, and he complains that he is hungry! So...I told him to eat to some strawberries... Seems obvious, right? Mitch says, "But, Mommy...they aren't washed!" He really needs to get out of the city some! :) After much explanation and consideration, he gave in and started eating...unwashed.

Ahhh...he may be a city boy, but he sure is a CUTE city boy! How can he wear a yellow hoodie, with shorts that are almost too small, hiking boots and white socks...and still look this cute?!

And this one....This picture so completely captures my youngest son! Sippy cup in hand, bruise on head, food on face and shirt! The only thing missing in this picture is his mischevious grin!

After we got two big baskets full of strawberries, we went back to my mom's. Mimi (my mom) played outside with the boys while I made my first attempt at home made jelly...with Mom's direction, of course! Yummy! It turned out great...and was surprisingly easy! This will definitely be a new family tradition for us!

Mr. Mischievous!

2009-06-19T08:04:00.004-05:00

And you thought I was talking about Jake! Looks like Mitch isn't as innocent as he usually looks... Check out that look on his face!

And...Mr. Innocent is back...

Chocolate Cupcake? Really?

2009-06-19T07:55:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago, we all (Me, Gary, Mitch and Jake) went to a "Sip N See" for a college sorority sister of mine. The hostess (T-Lynn) had cupcakes that looked delicious, but I wouldn't let my boys eat them. I could only imagine the mess they would make...especially Jake. So, T-Lynn sent a couple home with me for the kids. Looks like I made the right move! I even scraped off all of the icing before I gave it to Jake! He doesn't really love it anyway...and it was green! Can you even imagine?
Mitch, on the other hand, loves his sweets! He ate Jake's icing and licked all of his off. I'm not sure he even ate the actually cupcake!

Monday Morning Playdate #1

2009-06-17T10:03:00.003-05:00

Mitch had the greatest group of kids in his class the past year...and the perfect number... only 8! So...before school was out, we coordinated a little playgroup for the summer. Every Monday morning, we get the kids together to play.

The first one, we went to a park. Mitch was the only boy from his class that was able to make it, and he thought he was hot stuff! :) Of course, Jake just plays right in there with them, and lots of the kids in Mitch's class have younger sibling that are around Jake's age. Here are some pics of all of the little cuties!

I just love this picture of Jake and his little red cheeks! :)

Mitch and Lily

Jake and Nora (Lily's little sister)

The kids wore themselves out going to the top of this hill and running down...Little House on the Prairie style! :) From left to right...Sadie (Ella O's little sister), Noah (Ella A's little brother), random kid, Lily, Ella O, Ella A, Mitch

Mother's Day and Papa Jack's B-day

2009-06-16T17:58:00.005-05:00

Last month we went to Gary's parents for Mother's Day weekend, and to celebrate his dad's 70th Birthday! Since it was Mother's Day weekend, Jack and Alex didn't go with us. Alex was with his mom for Mother's Day, and Jack was actually in New York on a school trip. And Ronnie (my oldest nephew) went to a NASCAR race with his dad...so it was just little ones. They had a really good time and loved playing together. Mitch, Wyatt, and Molly are getting old enough to really enjoy each other, and remember that they like to play together from time to time that they see each other.

That Saturday we celebrated Papa Jack's 70th Birthday! The kids had a great time playing outside ALL DAY!

Papa Jack with his 4 youngest grandkids! Wyatt 4 1/2, Mitch 4, Molly 3 1/2, and Jake 1 1/2

The Birthday Boy with all 4 of his kids! Gary, Tara, Lauri, and Matt (from left to right)...Don't worry...I'll spare the ages! :)

And...a photo I just couldn't pass up...

After a full afternoon of play...we all got ready and went to dinner for a Mother's Day celebration with Gary's mom, grandmother, aunt, and uncle...plus of course, all of the his brothers/sisters, and the little ones. Yep...we were very brave! :)

Gary (um...I mean the kids...) got me a new little camera for Mother's Day. I LOVE my Nikon DSLR camera, but it is not very convenient to carry with me places. So...I wanted another one that I could just toss in my purse. He got me the Nikon Coolpix, but it didn't take good pictures so he ended up taking it back and getting me the Cannon PowerShot Digital Elph...I love it! All that say...please excuse the quality of these next pictures...they were taken with the Nikon Coolpix!

At dinner, Gary gave me, Lauri, and Tara the best Mother's Day gift...He sat with the kids and we got the dinner off! It was great...and Gary is so good with the kids...so patient!

Sunday morning, we got up and went to church with Gary's mom. It wasn't until we got there that I found out they would not be having Childrens Church or the Nursery. WHAT!!??!! You mean Mitch and Jake are going to have to sit still and quiet in church for an hour?!? Okay...Here goes nothing! :) Actually, Mitch did great! It was Jake that was quite the challenge! He wasn't loud, but he sure didn't want to sit still! With Gary and Gran'ma Judy's help...we survived! Sure am glad I don't have to do that often, though!

Okay...one more update down, and only 1/2 a ton more to go! :)

The Little Stinker...

2009-06-16T17:51:00.002-05:00

You just gotta love him! Jake has started wanting to stay in the garage when we get home from anywhere. I let him out of his car seat, and he doesn't want to come inside. I have a rocker in the garage that needs to be refinished, and sometimes Gary puts Mitch's booster seat in it when he takes it out of his car. The other day I walked out to the garage to get Jake, and this is what I found!

Like I said...you just gotta love him! You never know what the kid is going to do next!

Mitch's Spring Luncheon and Pre-K Program

2009-06-16T17:30:00.005-05:00

A couple of months ago, Mitch had his Spring Luncheon at school. It was such a special treat to get to see him in his classroom and see what they had been doing this year. Then the entire Preschool also sang some songs for us! Mitch was glad to have me there, but absoltely beside himself that his Daddy was there! It was just too cute!

It is so precious to watch Mitch and his buddy, Tyner, together. They are inseparable at school! Aren't they too cute?

This is the class walking in and lining up for the singing performance.

And...Mitch smiling for the camera. He was going make sure that we could get an obstructed picture of him! :) (Yep, that's him on the 3rd row...peeking around the kid's head in front of him!)

How does he do it?

2009-06-16T17:21:00.003-05:00

It is amazing to me how Gary gets Jake to sit still long enough to fall asleep on him, but he does! Jake has not fallen asleep on me since he was 4 or 5 months old. Oh...how I miss those days! He would fall asleep on me, and I would sit on the sofa holding him while he slept for 2-3 hours (while Mitch was napping in his bed). I knew there were a million things I needed to be doing in those hours, but nothing was more precious that time. It wasn't an all-the-time-thing, but every now and then, I just couldn't help myself!

Well, not so much anymore. My friend, Lindsay, says he climbs on all over me like a dog...and she's right. He won't sit still in my lap. He climbs up in my lap and then back down and over and over again. It's like he's afraid to sit still. But...not with Gary!

Is there anything more precious than a sleeping baby?

Get Ready!

2009-06-16T17:19:00.002-05:00

Okay....Get ready....and check back often! I have tons of pictures to post! We've been so busy for the last couple of months that I haven't been able to stay on top of my pictures or my blog...but I'm motivated...I plan on catching all of you up on what has been going on and lots of pictures will be coming! Consider yourselves warned! :)

Wow! What a year!

2009-05-21T07:33:00.003-05:00

Well, it official...School is over for the year...and what a year it has been! I took the boys to school on their last day, and couldn't even get out of the building before I got all choked up! And no...it wasn't because I won't have my 5 hours a week without kids for the next 3 months! It's because my babies are growing up so fast...and because they are leaving such wonderful teachers who genuinely love my kids!

Mitch has learned so much this year, in school and at home! He learned to recognize all of his letters and numbers. He learned to write his name and even to recognize his friends' names! He has made wonderful friends, and learned to share and take turns! He learned his bedtime prayer and can say it all by himself! He learned to draw stick people! He learned to sing songs for the preschool program! He learned to take care of his little brother! He learned who Jesus is and what he did for all of us! He learned to play Lego Star Wars on PlayStation! :) He learned to play computer games and put together puzzles all by himself! He learned to dress himself! He learned how to get himself ready for bed (go potty, get pjs on, get drink of water, and get in bed)! Oh...and about a million other little things!

And Jake...wow! How he has changed! When we started the school year last fall, he would cry every time I dropped him off, and again every time I picked him up. It was really kind of funny with the pick-up, but miserable with the drop-off. By the end of the year, he was going right to his teachers for some good lovin' as soon as we would get there. And when I picked him up, he would run to me with his great big smile (knocking over anyone or anything in his way)!

Now...we have a few months off. I decided not to put them in summer school. I may regret that decision later, but so far it has been great! I'm sure we will keep busy! We have plans to go to Six Flags with Gary's sisters and their kids, to Michigan to visit Christy, fun time at Mimi's, fishing with Pa, and will probably even go to spend a few days with Grandma Judy and Papa Jack. Not to mention, all of the fun with our friends right here! Don't worry, I'll be documenting all of it, right here!

Batter Up!

2009-05-06T16:45:00.002-05:00

Mitch is going to be playing T-ball at the Y this summer, so Uncle Josh got him a batting tee. I think T-ball is going to be much more up his alley than soccer! He can really smack the ball! I love these pics of Uncle Josh and Mitch!

Party Time!

2009-04-27T14:15:00.006-05:00

Mitch and Thomas (one of our friends in the neighborhood) are only 5 days apart, so we decided to have a joint party for them. We had the party at Pump It Up. For any of you parents who have never done or been to a Pump It Up party...I highly recommend it! They do everything! We took goody bags and cakes and that was it! They have two "Arenas" with different inflatables in each arena. The kids spend 40 minutes in each arena and 40 minutes in the party. We were even able to order pizza, ice cream, and drinks through them.

I think Mitch's favorite part was wrestling in the "jumpies" and "force fielding" Jack and his friend, Joe. Mitch is seriously into Star Wars, if you didn't catch that. If you ask him, he will tell you that his favorite part was all of the presents! Yep...he's 4! Here are some pics of the festivities!

Here is one of many pictures of him "force fielding"

He loves to climb the rock wall...but he always wants Daddy to help...no one else...just Daddy!

These are the four boys in his preschool class. Funny how they all grouped together, isn't it?

Here's the attempt at a group photo. There were way more kids there than this picture shows, but you try getting 20 4 year olds to all sit still for a picture! This is the best we could do!

Thomas's and Mitch's cakes. Thomas had a Wall-E cake and Mitch had a Star Wars cake. If you have never done one of these Pull-Apart cakes, you are really missing out. It is cupcakes (these have 24 each) that are iced together like a cake... no cake to cut...you just pull them apart and hand them out! Wonderful invention! We got these at Publix.

I made these goody bags for the party. I love doing this kind of thing...I just wish I was a little more creative by nature. By the way, as long as I'm giving party advice... Oriental Trading! You can't beat it for goody bags goodies!

Mitch and Thomas sharing the "throne"!

Mitch wasn't so sure at first when everyone started singing Happy Birthday, but he warmed up to it pretty quickly!

I know it was Mitch's day, but I can't complete this post without some pics of Jake enjoying the "jumpies" also! He was very clingy with me when we first got there, but Mimi eventually got him to go to her for a while. Before long he had warmed up to everyone except the men. It was really pretty funny... After Jake had completely worn me out carrying all 27 pounds of him up the steps to the gigantic slide, I made Uncle Josh take him. Jake cried the entire time Josh was carrying him up the steps. As soon as they got to the top and Jake got ready to go down the slide, he went straight from crying to laughing. He laughed all the way down...all the way until Josh picked him up at then end of the slide...and then he went straight back to crying! It was way too funny!

Jake going down the slide alone...the only way he likes to go!

Gary throwing Jake...he LOVED it!

After the party, Mom, Josh and Leah (my brother and his wife) came back to the house with us and spent the day. It was so much fun to be able to just hang out with everyone while the kids played! Josh and Leah are great and super patient with Mitch wanting them to play with him all the time! They are going to be great parents to my little neices/nephews one day! :)

Happy Birthday Mitch!

2009-04-27T14:03:00.004-05:00

I can hardly believe that my little baby turned 4 last week! When did he change from a baby to a little boy who wants to go everywhere his Daddy goes and do everything his Daddy does? Where has the time gone?

Last Wednesday was his birthday and Mom, Dad, and Kathy (Dad's wife) came over to help him celebrate! They went in together and got him a Power Wheels. My brother had gotten him a little 4-wheeler for toddlers for Christmas a few years ago, and he had outgrown it...so he needed a big one! He wasn't too sure about it at first, but he's kind of getting the hang of it. I think I have him figured out finally...he doesn't like to be out of control, and he isn't totally certain how to control the Power Wheels yet. He is so concerned that he is going to run into the road, bless his little heart. Jake sure had a blast being driven around in it, though!

Don't you just love how hard he is concentrating?

Oh! And how about the haircut? Yep...I had it chopped off again! I know, I can't make up my mind if I like it short or long.

Mitch had his party this past weekend, but that is a post all on its own. Don't worry, I'll get to work on it, and it won't be another month before I get it up! :)

Wow! He's really becoming a man!

2009-04-26T21:04:00.005-05:00

Last weekend, Jack had his Confirmation. For any of you who don't know what that means exactly, I'm kind of with you. It is something the Catholic faith does, and I am not always up on those things, having been raised Methodist. I've learned alot over the last several years, though, through Jack and Alex. To the best of my understanding, this is a time that is Jack's turn to Confirm his faith...to make the same promises on his own that his parents made for him as an infant when he was Baptized.

What an amazing day it was to see this wonderful "kid" taking one more step to becoming a wonderful man! I am so proud of him...the love he shows his friends and family, the friends he has chosen, and the decisions he makes on an every day basis! I feel so blessed that his dad chose me to be a part of his life, and am cherishing every moment!

Easter Fun!

2009-04-26T16:24:00.004-05:00

Yes, I am just now getting around to posting Easter pics...I have figured out my problem with keeping up with this blog. I take way too many pictures, and it takes forever for me to sort through them, and narrow them to what I want to put on here. Anyway, I'll definitely work on it, but for now, here's my Easter post...two weeks late!

Mitch's first Easter Egg Hunt this year was at school. He was so excited about it! He got to take his Easter Bucket (not a basket...that would be too girly...note the sarcasm) to school, and some of the parents hid eggs on the playground. Then the kids all got to go outside and find them. When I got there to pick Mitch up that day, one of the other mom's, Andrea, said that Mitch had gotten about 3 eggs! From the sound of it, he got side-tracked by the slide! He said he had to go down the slide to see if any were hidden on it! He is way too good at making excuses for his age!

Then we went to Mimi's house (for those of you who don't know...that's my mom), and colored eggs. Then I hid them and he found them. He really did a good job of finding them, much better than I expected, but he didn't exactly have any competition, since he was the only one hunting. Then he wanted to hide them for Mimi to find. Wow! He is much better at hiding them than he is hunting them! He was putting them in the bushes and everything! Mimi even missed a few the first time around!

On the Saturday before Easter, we took the kids to the Easter Egg Hunt at the Zoo this year. When I say we took the kids, I mean all 4 of them...and Mimi even joined us! Is so much fun! It was right up Mitch's alley...it was more of an Egg Gathering than an Egg Hunt. They dumped thousands of eggs in the middle of a field and the kids got to run out and pick them up. He didn't actually have to search for any of them. The hunts were divided by age groups so Jake and Mitch went at separate times, but I think they both had fun.

Jake on the way home from the Zoo, eating his animal crackers. This is what happens if you give Jake more than one animal cracker at a time!

Alex helped Mitch on the Carousel
Jack was way too cool to ride the Carousel, so he just sat and waiting on the uncool people to get off!

Jake LOVES the Carousel... He giggled and clapped through the whole ride!

Mitch showing off his two buckets full of eggs! Daddy is so proud!

Mitch filling his bucket

Alex helping Jake with his first Egg Hunt

Not real sure what this face is all about, but I just love that pout! Oh, and yes, that is the beginning of a black eye...he ran into a chair in the restaurant.

Jake "practicing" carrying his bucket

Jake wanted to make sure Mimi had enough to eat!

Is he....

2009-04-15T20:03:00.003-05:00

...as sweet as he looks?

From 9th Grade to Now...

2009-04-15T16:26:00.004-05:00

Mt. Juliet High School Cheerleaders...

Then...

and now...

Spring Break Vacation

2009-04-05T09:31:00.009-05:00

Okay...big surprise, I know...but I'm a little overdue on this post (and a couple others). I actually have an excuse, sort of, this time. Most of the "action" shots we took on vacation were taken with Jack's camera, and he had it with him for the past two weeks... Is that a good excuse?

So....here goes....

We took our first Spring Break Vacation this year and went to Fort Walton Beach, Fl. For anyone who doesn't know, that is on the Floriday panhandle, right beside Destin. Alex decided to stay and hang out with him Mom, so Gary, me, and the other 3 boys headed off to the beach for 6 nights! We had a wonderful time, and had mostly cooperative weather. The first couple of days were a little cool and we did have a little bit of rain, but the last few days were great!

When we go to the beach, we always go somewhere there on the panhandle because it is the closest, only about 7-8 hours. We have had 3 kids who travel wonderfully....and then...there's Jake! Oh my gosh! I was ready to jump from the moving car by the time we got there! He yelled...and I mean YELLED...almost the entire trip! Not crying, not even really fussing all that much...just YELLING! And he was into everything! As you can imagine, it's tough to pack for 5 people for 6 nights, with baby gear and toys, and pack light. So, it was almost impossible to make sure nothing was in his reach. He kept pulling Boogie Boards down on top of himself and then getting mad. Poor Jack was on Jake duty...good thing he is such a trooper! Jake only slept for about an hour of the entire ride down. When Mitch was that age, he would have slept most of the trip! I will say, though, the trip back went much more smoothly! Jake still didn't sleep much, but he was much more content.

While we were there, we hung out at the beach a little, and the pool a little, and Jack and Gary even went Deep Sea Fishing one day, Mitch wasn't quite old enough...one more year. I DON'T Deep Sea Fish! I love it, but my tummy doesn't...I am talking SERIOUS sea-sickness! We ate out a few nights and cooked in some. It was a wonderful vacation, and so nice to be able to spend 6 nights straight with my hubby!

Mitch really enjoyed the sand and the pool this time. Jake loved the pool, but not so much the sand! I remember Mitch being the exact same way when he was this age. The difference, though, is that Mitch would sit and play very happily under the umbrella for hours! Just guess if Jake did that... Ha! 30 minutes, max! I did forget how hard it is to be away from home with a 16 month old. The child was into everything! The first thing we had to do was rearrange the kitchen (knives in the bottom drawers...not a good idea)!

The sleep arrangements worked out great. Jack had his own room, and Gary and I had our room, Mitch had a little "bunk alcove" (nothing but bunk beds in a little corner, not even a door) and he was so excited to sleep on the top bunk! Jake...well...what do you expect from parents who make their child sleep in a closet? We set up his pack n play in the bathroom (yes, it was a big bathroom)!

Okay...enough of my rambling...I know you really just want to see pics, so here they are!

For once in my life, I actually planned ahead and got everyone white shirts and khaki shorts (and me a white dress) so we could get some pictures on the beach! Unfortunately, we didn't get any of all 5 of us together, but the ones we got turned out great...I just wish Alex had been with us! Oh, and, yes, Jack is that much taller than me...he is even standing down-slope from me!

Here are the pics of the fishing trip...They caught an AmberJack and a few White Snappers. We grilled them one night at the condo, and they were great! Mitch even ate them!

For the most part, Jake stayed on the beach chairs...

Leave it to Gary...I don't know how he does it, but he is a pro at getting the kids to do things they aren't comfortable with! Look at Jake walking on that sand all by himself! I think that was a one-shot deal, though!

Gary and Jack decided to take a kayak out one afternoon, and Mitch said he wanted to go with them. Okay...now this is the kid who is scared to do anything new...a kayak on the ocean...yeah right! Gary and I both thought he would last all of 10 minutes before they would have to bring him back in....Boy were we wrong! He LOVED it, and stayed out the whole hour!

Jack dug the sand out from under the legs of the beach chair that Gary was relaxing in and it tipped over! This was payback!

Jack dug a "seat" for Mitch...funny to think Mitch wouldn't touch the sand just 2 years ago!

Daddy really has the touch! I tried for over an hour to get Jake to go to sleep...Gary had him for a few minutes!

Mitch wanted to go around the Lazy River, but the water was too cold for his taste, so Gary and Jack took turns like this!

Mitch with his "circle"...he thought he was so big that he didn't need any help! Neither did he understand why he couldn't go where we couldn't see him! Jake "swimming" between Gary and Jack...Jake LOVED the pool! I couldn't keep him out of it...he would just slide right off the side into the water, whether anyone was there or not...definitely had to be on our toes!

All pooped out! He literally fell asleep just like this...and stayed that way for about an hour!

Who knew Jake was so creative?
This was our one attempt at a group picture of all 5 of us...and it was the very last night!

One tough "Pretty Boy"!

2009-03-12T11:56:00.004-05:00

Saturday morning, Gary and Mitch were getting ready to leave to pick up Alex for the day, and I heard Mitch screaming outside. Gary walked in the back door carrying him (I couldn't see his face) and said, very calmly, "I need you to go pick up Alex. I'm going to have to take Mitch to the Emergency Room." WHAT!!!! You can't just calmly waltz in here and drop that bomb on me with no more details than that!?! And what makes you think I'm not going with you to take MY BABY to the ER?!? Then again, it's exactly that reaction that banned me from going! :) Ok, so I wasn't technically "banned". Gary just very nicely persuaded me that Mitch would be better off with him because they could make it an "adventure". So...they did and I stayed home with Jake! Jack went with them to sit in the back with Mitch and keep him awake and keep the cloth on his head. Oh...and most importantly, to send me pictures throughout the day! Forgive the quality, they are from a camera phone.

This is what it looked like before it got stitched up.

The put a "cocaine patch" on it to numb it. It worked so well they didn't even have to give him shot before they stitched it. Good stuff!

I think this is how he spent most of the day...talking on the phone and changing channels with the remote....definitely a guy thing! In this picture, he's talking to Alex, telling him all about his cut!

Here he is getting ready for to be stitched up....FINALLY! It took 8 stitches! And Gary said he couldn't believe how calm he was. They brought in someone to help hold him down while they did the stitches, since most kids that young are really freaked out by someone sewing their skin together....not Mitch! They didn't even have to hold him down. He just layed there while they "fixed his boo boo"!

And here's what my baby looked like the next time I saw him! He is quite proud of his stitches! Good job, Daddy! I guess you were right, after all...he did stay much calmer with you than he would have with me!

Oh! By the way...he fell running to the car and hit his head on Gary's open car door, in case you were wondering how it happened!

No words needed...

2009-03-11T16:40:00.003-05:00

...but I can't resist.... Maybe he shouldn't take his first date to a donut shop, huh?

Playhouse Disney Live!

2009-03-11T16:25:00.005-05:00

A few weeks ago, Gary and I took Mitch to see Playhouse Disney Live. Mitch watches it EVERY morning for as long as I will let him. He LOVES Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, especially, and Little Einsteins, Winnie and Pooh, and Handy Manny are some of his favorites also. As luck would have it, those were the 4 shows represented. As soon as I heard they were coming to Nashville, I KNEW we had to go! Mimi kept Jake so we could make it an adventure for just Mitch. I don't think just the three of us have done anything together since Jake was born. With 4 kids, none of them get very much individual attention with both Mommy and Daddy!

Daddy and Mitch waiting for the show to start!

This is what Mitch looked like for most of the show. He sat in Daddy's lap, and stared in amazement!

At the end of the show they let the kids go stand up front. Here's Mitch waving "bye" to everyone before they went back home to be on TV the next morning! :)

My favorite story about Playhouse Disney Live took place that morning while Mitch was watching Playhouse Disney on TV. He was very confused about how they were on TV when they were supposed to be "live" that afternoon. After I tried to explain to him that they recorded the show so little boys and girls could still see them, he said, "It's Playhouse Disney DEAD!" Well...at least he knows his opposites! :)

"Mine Does"

2009-03-06T15:30:00.003-06:00

Lately, Mitch has been waking up and coming to my room way too early in the morning! So, we implemented a new "rule". He has to stay in his room until "the first number says 7" on his clock by his bed. Yesterday morning, he came downstairs at 5:00am! WHAT!!!! Why are you waking me up this early!?! Really, you don't want to mess with me at 5:00 in the morning! So...I simply said to him, "Honey, the clock doesn't say 7 yet." He very seriously responded, "Mine does..." Guess what my child has been doing? He is CHANGING the time on his clock to make "the first number say 7" when he wakes up! Man...am I in trouble with this one! Way too smart! I have absolutely no idea how even knows how to change the time, but apparently he does!

Whew! February is over!

2009-03-04T08:24:00.007-06:00

I can't even begin to tell you how glad I am that February is over! I try so hard to not "wish away" ANY time with my kids (well aside from the time between dinner and bedtime...don't even get me started on that!), but I have decided that February is officially my least favorite month! (Maybe that's why it's only 28 days long! hmmmm...) It's the cold weather...I don't remember it ever bothering me quite so much, but with two young kids, it's just about torture! It is miserable to get them both suited up in their coats just to go to the car and strap them in the car seats all bundled up...not to mention, not being able to get outside and play! Oh...don't get me wrong, we do have an occassional nice day, and then it quickly drops 40 degrees and stays there! It's just enough to remind us of what we AREN'T going to be able to do every day! Did I mention that I am glad February is over?

Thankfully, we had a very busy month, so it passed pretty quickly. Mitch had 6 birthday parties in the last 4 weekends! Yes, you read that right...SIX! And I drug Jake along to everyone except the last one. Mitch had so much fun at them all, though, and Jake enjoyed them, too. We had a "first birthday", then a party at a fire station for a friend at school, then we had a party at "the jumpies", then came Alex's party (also at "the jumpies"), then Gabe's party at an indoor playground, and finally Jack Jones had a science themed birthday at his house! I'm tired just talking about them all! :)

In addition to the many birthday parties, we also made a trip to the Discovery Center in Murfreesboro with Lindsay and all three of her boys! Yep...you counted right, that is 2 mommies and 5 boys...1 six year old, 2 "almost 4" year olds, a 15 month old, and a 13 month old! We figured out that we actually could all ride together in Lindsay's minivan. We got everyone strapped into their car seats, sat down in our seats and turned around to see this...Don't you just love it?!? This another favorite of mine from the day...You already know that Jake will eat almost anything...apparently that includes blue markers!

Mitch actually got to take two trips to the Discovery Center this month. Mimi and Aunt Sandy (my mom's sister) took Mitch and Reed (my cousin's little boy who is Mitch's age). They had a great time playing together and Mitch is wanting to know when he can play with Reed again. We don't really live close, but the Discovery Center is a good middle-ground. We will definitely be doing that again. Maybe next time, I'll even be invited to tag along! :) I would love to see those two together!

We found lots of things to do inside where it's warm and still keep the kids entertained...but, warm weather...we are definitely ready for you!

Jake Update - 15 months

2009-02-14T15:02:00.003-06:00

It's official...my baby is no longer a "baby"! He is now a "toddler"! How did the past 15 months go by so fast? He is walking everywhere now, and has learned to open all of the interior doors in the house. I'm sure all of you will be shocked to hear that his favorite door to open is the pantry door! He knows exactly where the food is! :) He still isn't really saying anything much. I am pretty sure he says "yeah" and definitely will shake or nod his head. Just this week he learned the sign for "more" and uses it often!

Last Friday, he had his 15 month check-up. He is 26 pounds, and 32.25 inches long. That puts him in the 75th percentile for weight, and 80th percentile for height. I keep telling you all that their is height in my family...it's just "diluted"! :) Then again, so is the red hair, and he certainly got that! I am so excited to say that I believe the red hair is here to stay! It does appear to be lightening to a more strawberry color, though.

Oh...and as for his little personality...this is the sweetest child in the world! He LOVES to give and get kisses! And his little smile will just melt your heart! He is definitely a more sensitive kid. If I get onto him for anything, he drops his head and won't look at me. And if I am upset with him for something, he tries to love on me or make me laugh...anything to win me back! :) He's a VERY good listener! I am constantly amazed at how well he follows instruction. I'm sure in another year, I'll look back at this post and laugh and that sentence when he won't do anything I ask him to! But, for now...I'll just enjoy it!

He and Mitch are playing so well together these days, too! Mitch loves his baby brother, and the feeling is mutual! They love to wrestle and sword fight! They also like to run together down the front hall in the house. I'm wondering how much longer it will be before Mitch is annoyed with Jake following him everywhere! But, again, for now...I'll just enjoy it!

I believe that's about it...I'll leave you with some recent pics of my baby...oops...I mean toddler!

This is something we see at our house almost every day. Jake loves to get my headbands out of my drawer and wear them. Needless to say, Gary really isn't too crazy about this habit!

Jake hanging out at the park...he got mad because he fell down and didn't have anything to pull up on. He can stand up without holding onto anything, but he doesn't realize it yet!
Jake's newest trick...If he was at home on a rug or in the pack n play, he would have his hands up and balancing on just his feet and head!

That's him walking!

Oh...and you gotta love a good fit! I am such a mean Mommy...I told him "no"...Maybe he does't hear it enough, what do you think? And yes...instead of concoling him, I took a picture! :)

Park Days in February

2009-02-14T14:42:00.004-06:00

It has been ridiculously cold for Tennesee this winter, so when the weather finally gave us a break, we hit the park! It has actually stayed nice here for the last week or more, so we have gotten to visit the park a few times.

Thursday, after we picked the kids up from school, my friend, Suzanne and I took the boys to the park. She has "Jack Jones" who is Mitch's age, and they live in our neighborhood. They ran all over the playground and played in the dirt for 2 full hours! There was a boy there who was a couple of years or so older than Mitch and Jack, and he kept tackling Jack. Jack would try to get away from him, but he kept chasing him. After a while, Mitch decided it was up to him to save the day. He looked at Jack and said, "I got this!" (Where did he learn that?!?) Then he ran right up to the boy and jumped to a stop with his arm straight out and his palm out and said, "I force field you! SSCCHHH!" Amazingly, it worked! The kid left Jack alone after that!

Jake wasn't quite as hyper as Mitch was. He was going on only a 30 minute nap all day, and he was so tired! He laid down on the sidewalk and put his head down to rest in the middle of the park! How long did he stay there?, you ask....Well, until I figured out that he wasn't going to get up on his own, so I picked him up and held him for a while....all 26 pounds of him! Then...he almost fell asleep in the swing. But mostly, he was happy finding and playing with sticks on the ground and pieces of playground mulch.