Taylor Swift

When the tickets went on sale Jonathan's cousin bought three extra tickets. So guess who got a surprise...Lilly, Granny, and I were able to go to the Taylor Swift concert. It was a fun experience, but neither Lilly nor I really know much Taylor Swift. Lilly was taken with the show and as usual I just loved watching her reaction to what was going on. I have decided that Daddy may be the one to take the kids to future concerts. Screaming, loud music, and little kids EVERyWHERE...along with the general chaos of crowds is not my idea of fun. THank you Leslie Young for the idea of bright clothing in crowds. I always thou hgt you were a little paranoid now I know why!

Lilly's Field Trip

Lilly's first field trip was to Vollmer Farm. The kids went on a hay ride, made butter, saw the animals, jumped, played, and picked a pumpkin. The first scheduled day was rained out so I ended up with two days off and the second day Gran was out of town and unable to go. We missed her!

I LOVE watching Lilly interact with other kids. She LOVES to be around people and had so much fun with her friends. Instead of being bossy, she was really kind and played well with the two girls assigned to our group.


Since going into teaching I have not had a desire to teach Kindergarden. Who wants to cut, paste, and color all day right? OH my! What a joy to watch Lilly learn so much in such a short time. Listening to her read and seeing the smile on her face when she does this by herself melts my teacher heart.

Jackson Turns 3

Jackson had a dinosaur birthday party. Every year he has had the perfect weather for his birthday, so I planned a dino egg hunt. Wouldn't you know it rained and was COLD. The kids all had fun. Jackson got a grill from Heidi and Rob that he LOVES and a tool bench from Gran and Grandaddy that he really plays with. We gave him a nice pair of boots and he wears those everyday. Except for those times he has accidents with pot tying and then he looses his boots.



He is still my loving sweet little fellow. He goes with Mama to visit Meme often and she has told me stories of how great he is with all the old people. Recently Mom and Dad were out of town, so I had Meme duty. Jackson went with me and each time I was amazed. He would all of a sudden be gone and I would find him in the room with the man across the hall talking away. The next day we went at lunch and he ran up to a different man and hugged him and sat across from him and just talked and talked. He walked through the dinning room and talked to all the residents. He really brings them joy. I got a good laugh when one man came in late and they asked him what he would like to drink. "A crown and coke" was his reply. When told they were out he said, "Well I guess I will have a Seagrams Seven." All of us in our "right" mind at that moment just laughed.

Pumpkin Patch

We had fun visiting the local pumpkin patch with our church. The kids and I had already been pumpkin shopping and decorating, but we had fun hanging out, picking out pumpkins, and on the hayride.

Trick or Treat

Pirates! Jackson has loved pirates since this summer,so he was excited to be a pirate and Lilly couldn't think of anything she would rather be. I was excited because I got both outfits at a consignment shop for $12 and came home and made pirates.

Halloween was rainy, cold and miserable, BUT both kids LOVED going trick or treating this year so it was worth it.

Oh Well

I thought I was going to make a nice change on my blog and seems that I messed it up. I will add that to my to do list...fix blog.

We have been extremely busy since school started. Lilly has dance on Tuesday's (tap, ballet, and clogging), church on Wednesday's (when we aren't too exhausted to go), and cheer leading on Thursdays. Lilly really LOVES dance and cheer leading so I guess we are just beginning the life of running all the time. Lilly usually CRASHES by 8:00 (another reason it is hard to go to church on Wednesday nights. We like to have baths and read before 8pm) Lilly does good at getting up using her alarm clock. In fact she gets up easier with the alarm clock than when I wake her up. I have been pleasantly surprised that Lilly eats lunch and breakfast at school. Since she goes with me each morning she usually eats breakfast after we get to school and that allows her to sleep a little later in the morning. Lilly riding with me does cut out my little bit of quiet time. I just love that Lilly loves school. She happily puts on her book bag each morning and walks to her class all by herself. I hear she socializes all the way to class and I guess this is why I got the boot. This past week Lilly lost her two front teeth. She pulled one herself and RoeRoe pulled the other. BOTH at school....she was excited. Lilly had her first cavity filled this past week and I was expecting A LOT of DRAMA....she didn't flinch or shed a tear. I was SOOOOOOOOOO PROUD Of what a trooper she was.

Jackson is ALL BOY and I am still AMAZED at the things boys will do. He LOVES to wear blue jeans and boots and shoot guns. FOr his birthday all he will say he wants is a T-Rex. This past week he did say he wanted a hunting gator (camouflaged gator). Hope he doesn't remember saying that because he is not getting that and his daddy doesn't hunt so he better hope Mr. Scott or Michael will take him hunting. He is not longer a baby/toddler. Definitely growing and so full of LOVE that I could just eat him up. HE can do the most mischievous things and yet smile and say I loves you Mama and that is all it takes. A few weeks ago Jonathan gave Jackson his first "real" spanking (from his Daddy) and Jackson's heart was broken. Jonathan was telling J to quit crying and listen and J went up and hugged (and patted his back) Jonathan and said "I am trying Daddy." It was sooooo sweet.

Jackson goes with Mama to see Meme at least every other day and according to Mama he is so good to have to sit. He goes up to one of the men and shakes their hand and talks to each resident as he passes them. I think Meme recognizes him some days but the good thing there is no matter what Jackson doesn't know and he loves and kisses her anyway! He is really a very loving little fellow and compassionate when others are hurting or upset. He is also a true little brother and terrorizes Lilly constantly.

Lilly and Jackson are getting much better at playing together. We went to the fair yesterday and Lilly would take Jackson's hand and help him onto each ride.

Sorry no recent pictures....I have been too busy. I didn't even take the camera to the fair, I decided to travel light. Hopefully in the next few weeks I will have new pics of toothless Lilly and Jackson turning 3.

From the Mouth of Lilly

Over the past week Lilly has had the following to say about school.
-The librarian is The Library Boss, The Writing Teacher is The Book Writing Teacher, and my favorite, The Couselor is Sunshine Girl. She has loved going to specials and the being exposed to new things.

Ove the course of the week she has shown her perfection issues in Homework and Art. She has meltdowns when asked to draw herself because she just can't draw people. THis is defintily a Jonathan trait because I would not care less.

Last night as we were talking before going to bed Liilly asked me "What is tomorrow?" I answered "Friday" Lilly "Can you remind me tomorrow?" Me: "Yes, Why?" Lilly: Because Caroline always get the answer right and tomorrow I am going to get the right answer."

That is how we have always gotten Lilly to learn new things, telling her her friends can do it. She doesn't like to be the kid who doesn't know.

Lilly's First Day

My sweet babby girl LOVES school and I hope this continues for years! I really think she just LOVES being in a social setting.

First day Lilly got right up , got dressed and ready with no problems. Jonathan went to school with us the first day and we walked Lilly to class. Lilly went right in put up her "stuff" and sat down to work. J and I left shortly after because there were ALOT of parents in that little room. I had said all along I wasn't going to cry b/c I was not emotional about Lilly starting school....I cried all the way back to my classroom. Day 2 I walked Lilly to her classroom. Day 3 I walked Lilly to the end of the hall and she sent me back. Day 4 Lilly wanted to go by herself to class. SO I got to walk her for 3 days...that was a little sad. Day 4 Teacher Assisant told me she saw Lilly walking to class and she had stopped to talk to everyone she knew along the way. I told her to please send her on her way, but she said Lilly wasn't being rude or out of the way just stopping to say Hello. She is SOOOOOO much like her Daddy.

I get to see Lilly at lunch everyday because we have the same lunch time. I have worried most about her getting hungry, but she eats lunch, snack, and eats again as soon as she gets to my room each day. Lilly has come home talking about a certain girl in her class that has to pull apples quite a bit and that this girl doesn't know that pulling apples is bad. The more she talked about this girl I became worried that she might not be making a wise choice for a friend, so I made a point to meet this girl at lunch yesterday. This is a little girl who is "special needs" and at that point all of my worry about Lilly's friendship turned to pride. She has befriended the underdog and was helping her with her lunch and telling her what she should do not to get in trouble. My heart is full of pride because Lilly always seems to gravitate toward the "different" person and try real hard to be their friend. I hope she will always have this compassion. NOW that doesn't mean Lil is perfect, she is still moody and stuborn, but I sure do love her. She also marked her conduct for making a noise during class time. She was terribly upset b/c she knew that she would be in trouble. That was her warning and now if she does this again she will have a consequence BUT really how many of us could go all day and be perfect without talking or slipping up here and there?

Random Jackson

Jackson was trying to talk to Grandaddy one day and Daddy was working in his office. Daddy said Jackson was talking and talking and Daddy just didn't answer him so Jackson said "He not listening to me." and walked out. That has been my laugh of the week!

Jackson's First Day

Jackson's first day of pre-school was very uneventful. He started before Lilly so she was able to spend some time by herself with Gran and Granny. Jackson got up and dressed with a smile on his face. He didn't cry when I left him this year. However he did cry when Lilly left him. SIDE NOTE: I wanted Lilly to have a sister so she would always have a friend, but God gave her a brother and my heart is full daily to see the love they have for one another.

Jackson went right on into school with no problems, all smiles. Whenever we ask his about school he says "I played with my friends." Last week he would tell me about the he read a story. He is so sweet but he plays rough so we had a serious talk about "no pushing, no hitting, no biting, no guns, no swords." I think we had the same talk with Lilly minus the guns and swords. In the end Jackson had a great first day and is enjoying preschool.

Other Jackson notes:
-He doesn't like loud noises.
-He is obsessed with guns right now....we have bought about 5 in a week because he always wants a bigger one. HOWEVER when Daddy shoots the real gun Jackson takes off running in the opposite direction.
-He is so loving. I still get big hugs when he sees me.
-He sleeps with us and has all summer. I just can't make them go to their own beds.
-He cries to stay HOME. He likes to be home in "his green house" UNLESS I am going somewhere then he cries to be with me.
-He is really sweet!
-He is not a baby any longer. He still let's me hold him like a baby and says "I is yours baby Mama"
-He LOVES babies and would make a great big brother, but I don't know that the rest of the family can handle another baby.

Finally Swimming

Lilly has finally learned to swim underwater. I enrolled her in swim lessons for two years. The last year she went she told the teacher what she was and was not going to do and at that point I just said forget it. She saw her cousins swimming and decided that she was going to swim and took off. She only swims if she can reach though and refuses to try in deeper water. When she jumps off a the diving board she has on a life jacket and a ring and determined not to go under water. (She gets this from both her grandmothers :0 ) Jackson will not swim but will go under water and stay 7-10 seconds at a time. He keeps his eyes open the whole time but he too refuses to swim and even go out in the water alone with a life jacket. I have thrown him out into the water with a life jacket on several times, but he just cries and go like lightening to the steps and then refuses to get back in the water.

Pirates

We took the children to the beach one last time before I went back to work. While there we were able to go to "The Pirate Invasion" in Beafort. It was hot and I am convinced Jonathan could have been a pirate because they were not on time. We were seated at 12:30 for a 1:00 show which didn't start until about 1:45. By this time we were all a little hot, tired, and grumpy. It was fun to see the pirates, hear the cannons, and see sword fighting. There was one pirate who was rather nice looking and we saw him on the news the next morning. Lilly said "Hey look! THere is the handsome pirate we saw yesterday." Can you guess which pirate that would be?

Christmas in August

Daddy put up our trampoline...it is pushing 20 years old. He bought a new mat for it before he was asked by the insurance company to take it down about 6 years ago. Crafty Tim painted it and the trampoline looks brand new. Lilly said it was the best day ever when she saw it and has asked daily when are we going to Gran's to jump on my new trampoline.

Family Beach Trip 2011

Lilly, Jackson, and I spent a week at the beach with Mom and Dad. Heidi, Rob, and Jonathan were able to come later in the week. We always have fun and it is truly relaxing because we all take turns taking naps with the kids. Both Lilly and Jackson loved the ocean and the pool. Lilly said we need a beach house because she didn't want to come home. (I never do!) I am blessed because Lilly really likes to spend time at the ocean and the pool. There were no kids her age that hung out at the ocean this year so she mostly played with Jackson. She would get on the boogie board and ride waves and they both had a good time just playing in the water. I don't think Mama even got in the ocean, but Daddy spent quite a bit of time with the kids in the ocean. It was hot, but there was a nice breeze where we were so it was perfect. (My camera had a hard time adjusting to the humidity so we have blurry pics) Jonathan and I took Lilly to the water slide for the first time. No pictures from that because we were busy going up and down the slide. Lilly really had a good time, I was supper sore the next day. We went fishing several times and never really caught anything. The first fish Daddy pulled up Jackson ran screaming like a girl. He sure makes me laugh. Jackson would also get naked and take a shower after going to the beach or pool. He has been doing really good potty training and would pull his pants down to pee wherever, but at least he got out of the pool. We had a great time and really didn't want to leave, but there will be next year.

Golf Cart Parade

July 4th we usually spend with Jonathan's parents. This is their vacation. This year the trailer park had a Golf Cart Parade. Lilly was very excited and Lilly is very creative. However Granny is Very Peculiar about such things so Lilly didn't get to do a lot of decorating. It was very fun to watch and see every one's ideas. Next year Granny may let Lilly get a little more involved after she saw all the other's had. They actually gave away money to the winners and the more the better was the theme. BOth kids had alot of fun and as always that made my heart happy.

A Very Special Lady

This post is for Lilly and Jackson and myself, when I am too old to remember.

Meme has ALWAYS a very special part of my life. My earliest memories involve her and Jojo and staying at their house. Meme now has dementia and it is simply a horrible disease. Gone is the fiesty, loving little lady that I wanted to grow and be taller than. Many times I would measure myself against her to see if I had gotten taller than her. (I didn't get far beyond her.) My parents and AUnts have been cleaning out her house over the past few weeks and this past weekend they had a yard sale. My Aunt Pam made the comment that the only place that made her emotional was the kitchen I would would have to agree. Taking things out of her cabinets I had tears streaming down my face. Others walked out the front door with items for the yard sale and I headed to my car with boxes of glasses and bowls. Her drinking glasses made me remember Jojo and he ALWAYS had a cup of tea on a paper towel
sitting on the table.



So I took those home.
There were her Bird Coffee cups.
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These were the cups that Meme and Jojo had their coffee out of every morning along with a bowl of cereal. It was this time that they prayed together. What a lovely memory. So of course the coffee cups went in the car. Then I came across the pudding cups. Meme made supper on Sunday every Sunday for the entire family. Many times dessert was a cup of pudding. So they went to the car too. Then there was the CoCola CUps that Jojo would make Mtn. Dew floats in. Into the car....



the platter and mixing bowl for corn bread....into the car.



Each thing I took out was just too special to let go. So my dear children when I am 80 and you are going through my stuff you will know the memories behind some of the things that I have. I hope that I will make as many memories with you and your children as I have of my own grandparents.