Making biscuits

If you've never had the chance to taste my Daddy's biscuits, then you are missing out. My Daddy's biscuits are just like the ones his Dad and Mom used to make for us that would melt in your mouth. On Tuesday night, Pop and Mimi served as babysitters while I took care of a few things. According to Caroline, she learned how to make biscuits during her visit. Personally, I hope she did because my biscuits never turn out quite like my Daddy's.

While they were on the farm, the kids made sure they got to see the horses and play on the tractor. When I picked them up, they were fed, bathed and ready for bed. Who can complain about that? Pop and Mimi....when are you available to babysit again?

Happy Birthday Mammaw!

Today the kids and I helped my grandmother celebrate her 84th birthday. Since we spent the night with them last night, Caroline was the first person to wish Mammaw a happy birthday. While still in the bed, my little cutie stood beside Mammaw's bed and sang her the most beautiful little birthday song ever.

In her younger years, my grandmother was a force to be reckoned with (in a good way) and would work from sun up to sun down. Looking back now that I'm a mom, I am amazed that when she kept all five of her grandkids on Saturdays, she would get us all fed, bathed and ready for bed with ease before our parents would pick us up. If that was not enough, she would then prepare a feast for Sunday dinner and still be on time for Sunday School and church. I can now truly appreciate all of her hard work in caring for our family, all the while never complaining about what she had to do or how tired she was.In recent years my grandmother's health has been deteriorating. It has been very difficult for me to watch as my once very active and hard working grandmother slowly lose the ability to not only care for those around her (something she has always done cheerfully) but also care for herself as she would like. However, I am so thankful that I live much closer to home and can visit her more often. I am extremely blessed to have the opportunity to know my grandmother so well and consider her one of my best friends.

As for the party, we did not have to worry about our entertainment because the youngest guest made sure we had a few laughs. Will decided he would try a little bit of the cake his sister made and ended up wearing it once all was said and done. When the festivities were coming to an end, he plopped his feet on the table and began to pout. What a character!

Our 1st football game

On Friday night, Caroline and Will went to their first football game. My dad's high school alma mater, Neshoba Central (and my high school's #1 rival), was in town playing Ridgeland High. Since Uncle A plays the drums in the band for Neshoba Central, we figured it was a great chance to watch some football and hear Uncle A play. Before the game, we had a little time to kill so we all loaded up and made a trip to the Bass Prop Shop. While this store is not my favorite, it is a big hit with the rest of my family. Caroline and Will love looking at the fish and this trip had fun trying on raccoon hats and pretending to be hunters. However, I must mention that Caroline's favorite thing about the Bass Pro Shop are the boats. Once we look at the fish, she immediately begins her never ceasing request to get in a boat. Granted, she's been in a boat that is actually in water plenty of times, but there is just something about the boats at the store that she can't resist.

Once Friday night rolled around, the kids were ready to go! They had a blast watching everything that was going on around them at the game...cheerleaders turning back flips, football players tackling each other, the bright lights, the beat of the band, and our favorite....a drummer named Uncle A. Personally, I think they were a little overwhelmed because neither seemed to be able to wind down afterwards and go to sleep despite it being WAY past their bedtime. Oh, I should probably mention that Neshoba Central won the game easily...they are now 3-0.

It's funny how the weather always seems to dampen our plans, because once again we planned a trip out of town when another hurricane decided to come our way. (This is not to make light of the thousands of individuals who have lost so much as a result of the storm....they are definitely in our thoughts and prayers.) The plan was to get up early Saturday morning and head to Louisiana to visit Matt's parents. Mamaw Kat's employer was having a big family picnic and she wanted to show off the grandkids. Well, as luck would have it...we got a call early Saturday morning from Mamaw Kat advising us not to come after all because the weather report was suspect. Luckily for us, our weekend wasn't spoiled because Pop and Mimi had spent the night and were ready to take us to brunch at Pop's favorite place...Cracker Barrell. Afterwards we went shopping a bit before returning home for a much needed nap!

Watch me go!

Well, it has become very obvious that my little man is going to be a climber. Just check him out!

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Going to the Chapel

On September 27th, my cousin Rachel will be headed to the chapel to marry her sweetheart, Claude. To help her get ready for the big event, I (along with a few other ladies) hosted a lingerie shower at my home. It is so hard to believe that Rachel is old enough to be getting married. I am the eldest of the 5 grandchildren and I can vividly recall how we all used to play together at my grandparents when we were kids. We loved playing school, and since I was the oldest, I usually was the teacher. Hmmm....perhaps that is where I get my take charge nature at times. Anyway, Rachel is a wonderful girl, or shall I say young woman, and Claude is fortunate to be marrying her. I only hope they can have as much fun together as Matt and I have over the past 6 1/2 years. Best wishes, Rachel!

The Circus

This past Friday night, Matt and I took the kiddos to The Greatest Show on Earth...the Barnum and Bailey Circus. When we told Caroline we were going, she was very excited but I think she was just as excited that Kevin, Mecie, Hunter and Helen were going with us. Matt, however, was not so excited about the circus because the last one we went to was in Dothan and it was by no means the greatest show on earth. It was a tent in the middle of a parking lot with no air conditioning. The heat, combined with a terrible smell and me being 8 months pregnant with Will, made for a not so pleasant experience.











This circus, however, proved to be a lot of fun for everyone. We went early for the preshow which allowed the kids to get up close and personal to the entertainers. They even got to try on some circus clothes, walk the tight rope and hang from the swing. Once the show started, I believe it was the only time in their lives that all four children were still and attentive for a long period of time. Mecie and I looked at each other and agreed that we could do this everyday if it meant the kids would be still and quiet for once! I believe the elephants were Caroline's favorite although while they were doing their tricks she asked me when the pigs were coming out. Who knows where that came from. Anyway, when the daredevil guys started running inside and outside of the circular cage, she informed me that she was going to do that when she got a little bigger. I told her I didn't think she would really want to do that and she quickly corrected me and said, "Mommy, when I'm bigger I sure can." I hate to bust her little bubble, but if she inherits her surefootedness from my side of the family, she's in trouble! In case you were wondering, Matt enjoyed this circus...well, except for being robbed at the concession stand. I still can't believe he actually paid that much for popcorn and a coke. Maybe he is loosening up or was just really hungry!

A visit from Eden (and her parents)

On Thursday evening, we were so excited to have "Baby Eden" as Caroline fondly calls her, come for a visit. Eden is the precious baby girl of my college roommate, Ashley Jones Bodie, and her husband, Graham. Of course, Matt and I were glad to be able to catch up with Graham and Ashley as well, but you know how it goes with babies...they steal the show. The Bodie family came to Jackson for a visit with Ashley's parents for Labor Day and ended up staying the entire week as a result of Hurricane Gustov. Ashley and Graham just moved to Baton Rouge to begin teaching in the Communication department at LSU. Thankfully, the hurricane did not cause much damage to their new home, but it did wipe out their electricity for a while. Since their classes were canceled, we benefited from the ordeal and got to spend some fun time with them. Bodie family...we can't wait to have you visit us again and hopefully next time it won't be because a hurricane came your way!

My little Picasso

Well, since Hurricane Gustov seemed to like hanging around our house (it rained almost all week), we weren't able to play outside. That being the case, I had to find something to keep the kids occupied. I had seen a cute little art project on the internet and decided I would give it a try. If you are like me, you wonder why people pay so much money for a piece of art that resembles nothing to hang on their wall. Since I needed a big piece of artwork to hang above the couch in our new house, I thought I would let my little Picasso paint a little something. As it turns out, I think it looks a lot like something you might find in an art gallery up North that you'd have to take a second mortgage out on your home to afford. Hmmm....maybe Caroline should start her own business!
When I asked her what she drew, she quickly informed me that it was Mommy, Daddy, Will, Nana, Pop Buddy, Pop, Mimi, Mammaw Kat, Pappaw...the list goes on and on. Obviously, I should have guessed that because it resembles all of us, don't you think? Anyway, the plan is that when Will gets a little bigger, he'll get to add another color to the painting. I will then have a masterpiece to cherish for years to come.

1st day of playschool

Last week, Caroline and Will began their first day of playschool (aka Mother's Morning Out). While both seemed excited to have their own bags and lunch boxes, they were both a little hesitant when I dropped them off at their classes. Caroline ended up finding a kitchen and baby doll, so it didn't take her long to warm up to her new room, but poor little Will has become a little attached to his Mommy. When I left, I could hear him crying and coming towards the door, but I stood firm and waited it out. He quickly got distracted and all was well. According to his teacher, he was fine once I left, because he quickly made a new friend just his size. As for Caroline, she did great! She used the "little potty" as she calls it and did not have a single accident. She told me she liked the lunch I packed for her and that she also liked her teacher. I was thankful to have a little break in order to finally get my hair cut, run a few errands and write a few articles.

Daddy's Pancakes

Yippee....Matt finally got back in the kitchen and began fixing his delicious pancakes! Last night I wasn't in the mood to cook, so Matt volunteered. I quickly took him up on his offer, and stepped aside. Well, not totally since he had no idea where any of the cooking utensils and various ingredients reside in our new kitchen. Caroline and Will decided he needed a little assistance, and together they made a wonderful breakfast meal for dinner!

1st trip to Texas

This past weekend we decided to take a trip to visit Aunt KK and Uncle Stephen in Texas with Nana. Granted, we knew there was a hurricane approaching the coast, but since we couldn't cancel our reservations, we decided "what the heck". The original plan was to stay through Labor Day, but since the weather seemed to be deteriorating, we knew there would be the possibility that we would have to come home earlier. So, you know what that means....pack everything we can into a 2-day visit... and pack we did!

Once we finally arrived to Grapevine, Texas we stayed at the Great Wolf Lodge which was absolutely wonderful! It is the neatest hotel/water park ever, and I highly recommend it to families with active kids. Of course, my mom and I can't resist a chance to shop, so early Saturday morning, KK took us (Nana, Will and me) to Sam Moon. Afterwards, we returned to the hotel to learn from Caroline that her Daddy took her down the biggest slide at the waterpark. Since there was a height requirement for most rides, I thought she was pulling my leg. However, her Daddy confirmed her story and explained that he talked the life guard into letting him take her down the slide. He told me that he figured I wouldn't allow her to do it, so he thought he better give it a try while I wasn't around. Well, Mama didn't raise no fool. I asked Caroline if she enjoyed the big yellow slide and she said, "Yes, but I'm not gonna do it again."

After we had as much water as we could stand, we grabbed a front row seat at the Luau show by the pool. Being up close and personal, I cannot imagine how those guys and girls move like that, but shake it they did! Before the kids hit the sack that evening, we went down to the Great Clocktower Show and pajama story time.



Sunday morning, we went to Aunt KK and Uncle Stephen's church, Gateway. We really enjoyed the contemporary music and their pastor is outstanding. After church, we headed for a bite to eat at the Cheesecake Factory in Southlake. Of course, considering that this is such a shopping destination, we took time out of our schedule to check out some shops. Since the guys aren't much for shopping with us, they headed to Cabelas. Once the girls and guy (Will) had finished shopping, Aunt KK took us to Christ's Haven where she operates a horse program for the kids.

To conclude our trip, we went to Aunt KK's house to pick up Matt and prepare to hit the road yet again. Though it was a rather short trip, it was action packed and we enjoyed every second we got to spend with Aunt KK and Uncle Stephen (aka Donald Duck). When leaving Caroline said, "I love Texas." I agree and hopefully we can visit again soon.

Once we finally got rounded up and hit the road, my mother mentioned that she would like to stop in Canton, Texas to grab a bite to eat at Dairy Palace. Of course, since Canton was only an hour into our trip home, my husband wasn't too keen on the idea until she informed him that they served 32 flavors of Blue Bell ice cream. That sealed the deal and I'm glad it did because that hamburger was unbelievable! We finally made it home after midnight, and just before Hurricane Gustav made it into town! Since the weather was yucky most of the day it gave us a chance to catch up on the one thing we didn't do alot of during our trip to Texas....SLEEP!

Puttin' up butterbeans

Caroline wanted to help me freeze butter beans Monday night, and actually proved to be very helpful in the process. Well, that is if you don't account for all of the beans that ended up on the floor. We were up to our ears in beans because in total, we froze 6 quart bags of peas and 7 quart bags of butterbeans. It's a good thing because my Little Butter Bean, Will, absolutely loves peas and butterbeans! He shoves them in his mouth faster than I can put them on his plate.