I love ART!

Today I had the honor of purchasing my sons first piece of art from an exhibit. Pretty good for 1st grade. Tuesday night the school had an Dessert Reception and Art Show. I didn't have all the memos. I didn't realize until I spoke with another mother that all of the children had a project in the exhibit. When I figured this all out it was over. Lo and behold today we get an email stating that from 3-4 in the High School we could view our childs art and purchase it if we wanted. They had matted and framed them professionally. Well I made a big deal of it to Sophie and planned my day around it. I thought cool an art exhibit I can take the kids to and take pictures. I get Jaden and walk over to the High School and could not find anything at all resembeling an art exhibit. I was a little early so I decided that they had the routine down to a science and they were going to come in and throw down an exhibit in 10 minutes. No. I had a teacher come and ask me if I was looking for my childs art work. Yes ma'am. Okay we have to go through all this boxes (there were many) and look at each individual piece of art and see if it is your childs. WHAAAAT!

Well it didn't really take that long but it wasn't the kind of cultural experience I thought we were going to have.

So instead of having all of these great pictures of Jadens artwork exhibited we have random pictures of him holding his masterpiece. Oh well I LOVE the picture and can't wait for next year when I will pay more attention to the memos and grill him more on the details.

Jaden was very proud of the fact that we bought it and that I stopped by Grandma and Grandpas to show it off. They of course loved it and made a big deal about it too.

February 29, 2008 Leap Night Girls Night Out Cultural Experience.

So a few weeks ago I had another art event. My friend Mysty planned a girls night out with the purpose of giving some of us a cultural experience.
Here we are fixing to embark on our evening looking at art from Monet to Dali. I of course had my camera which Mysty quickly told me I would not be allowed to take any pictures inside the exhibit. So I took a picture of the very cool bathroom:)Hey... I didn't lug this big old camera and lens around not to leave with a few pictures.

They kicked us out of the Frist at 9 so we went on to Starbucks to chat for awhile

First night of YPG

Austin Becton-Jeremy White

Our Youth Pastors

YPG got off to a great start. Philip Rickenbaker lead in worship. Jeremy White took care of all the business. The Ryan Larkins Band continued leading in worship. The word was brought forth by the TN District Youth President Jimmy Kelley.

Sophie heard a few songs put her money in the offering then hit the hay.

She stayed asleep all through preaching, alter service and fellowship after church. Jerry put her in the car and she looked at me and said I didn't go to sleep. She closed her eyes and laid her head on my shoulder and was out again. Jerry carried her into the house and put her to bed.

Jaden has a new talent. He can put a sucker stick in between his two front teeth. He was in play practice tonight in Kids Church (probably where the sucker came from). He is going to play the part of a videographer in the "Simon Says" childrens musical.

Trying new things

So this week for some odd reason I have tried a few new things. Both were near disastorous. Made bread for the first time last night. It was edible but not what I was shooting for.

Well, today I felt a little adventurous and decided to take up dog grooming. Much to Freddys dismay I'm not so great. He looks a little like a rat with fluffy ears. We are just going to call it his summer cut.

I guess I will do anything to get out of doing housework. Need to get on that.

YPG starts tonight at church. Looking forward to a great weekend at church.

Can't believe the price of gas today $3.19 a gallon. Crazy!

On a happier note I was able to talk to a lot of my favorite people today on the phone (Diana, Tammy, Tera, Mom, and most important of all Jerry.) Tried Valerie but she was busy I did however get to chat with Mr. Harris. Will probably talk to the rest of my peeps before bed. #2,#3, #4, and Daddy.

If you are wondering about the numbers they are my siblings. I am Number 1, Andrea is Number 2 (ewwww), Farrah is Number 3, and last but certainly not least Gabe the Babe is Number 4. Mom assigned us all numbers a few months ago after repeatedly calling us by someone elses name. Sophie has told me a few times today that she is not Jadey and I need to remember that. I guess it is hereditary. I know Mom got it from Nanny because I am called Andr, Eliz, kim, Rhona, Farrah, Brenda and then finally Allison.

I should probably go and fix supper or pick up something.

Holler back
Allie

Better Today!

Well, we let Sophie eat today. She had toast for breakfast and still feels fine. YEAH!!! She was dressed up like Tinkerbell and then Cinderella before I even had breakfast.

She is holding up pictures of her and her brother and asking me which one I like better. I said, " I like them both." She said, "You can't Daddy likes me and you like Jadey." I told her, " I like both of you. I have two kids and like both of them." She replied, " Well you can't." She took her pictures and left.

We danced with Cinderella!

Jerry was home today. When he got in from taking Jaden to school he found me and Sophie dressed up. She was the princess and I was Queen. We went into the kitchen where Rascal Flatts was singing "My Wish". I started dancing with her. Then I immediately teared up. I was dancing with Cinderella...actually someone more precious than Cinderella. I was dancing with my little gift from Heaven. I have one gift already in Heaven and I am thankful that the Lord let me borrow our two blessings for a little while. Jerry cut in and I went and let out the cry I was holding in and came back and took this picture of them. Jerry put her down and danced with me while I cried into his sweatshirt. After a chorus or so we picked her up and danced a little while longer. The only thing that would have made this moment sweeter would have to had Jaden there with us. My heart is full! Thank you Lord for moments like these!

The firefighter playground

Sophie wants to be a firefighter when she grows up. Our fire station has a playground and it is not very far from our house. We asked her what she wanted to do today since she was better and it was 72 degrees outside. First response...I want to go to the firefighter playground and have a picnic. So we ran through Taco Bell and bought our picnic and went to play.

Jaden finally got to play outside with his basketball goal. Love the weather and the sun still being up at 6:00. I taught Jaden how to play 2 square. We had a great time! He was so exhausted I did not think he was going to be able to stay awake to finish supper. He did and found his second wind while I was TRYING to watch American Idol. He had no trouble going to sleep when it was bedtime.

We had to call Daddy at work yesterday afternoon because Sophie said we needed to move. Our conversation went like this. "We don't have a chimney," said Sophie. I said,"Why do we need one?" Duh was the look on her face. "For Santa Claus to come down," she said. "Well how did he get in last year?"I said. "I don't know lets just move okay he needs a chimney." she said. So I said, "Let's call Daddy." He of course agreed with her that we needed to move. It would not do for Santa not to be able to come down a chimney. Well sorry Santa the house marketing is not that great right now if you are a seller. Maybe next year!

Spring Forward

Saturday night we set our clocks and Sunday morning we sprung forward. Well not so much. I was at church on time for choir practice but it was without breakfast. Jerry took the kids and grabbed some nourishment before Sunday School. We are all feeling the loss of the hour today. I am however very excited about the extra hour of sunlight in the evening.

Sophie woke up this morning in a full run to the bathroom with what she has named Diaperreah. If she was not four I would not be writing this. I would not let her eat any solid food today and she thought I was just trying to be mean to her. Bless her heart. She just kept telling me how hungry she was and that you are supposed to eat EVERY day. I tried to explain to her that I had this virus last week and Grandma before that and that the only way to get rid of it was to not eat. She didn't really miss a beat today at 5:00 she was showing me some new ballet moves. Before bed I told her we would try some toast in the morning and she kept thanking me. Let me defend myself here a little...I gave her gatorade, jello, and I think 5 popsicles at last count...did not completely deprive the little pumpkin.

Grandpa picked Jaden up from school for me today (he was in town already and Soph was asleep). They have a little ritual of going to the Dollar Tree or McDonalds. Grandpa had been telling me that he thought Jaden was outgrowing going to the Dollar Tree but today he found something that he could not live without. Jaden is blowing my mind with how well he is doing in school. He is reading at 2.5 grade level and making 100+ on his spelling tests. Very proud!

We had 6 inches of snow at our house on Saturday. Very cool. We were able to go sledding and have a great time with it before it melted. Only in Tennessee can you wake up to 6 inches of snow and it be gone by 3:00. Jerry made a snow fort and a snowman while the kids and I took a nap. The hill they went sledding on was gigantic. I made the trek up once to sled down with Sophie. I was the only one who screamed all day. Sophie and Jaden had a blast I couldn't count the number of times they climbed the hill and came shooting down. We almost couldn't get Sophie dressed to get out. She did NOT want to wear Jaden's insulated camo suit. She told us camo was not for girls and that she wanted to wear pink. We finally (literally) put her in the suit kicking and screaming. She got over being mad as soon as she walked out into the winter wonderland.

Jerry decided to go down the hill once with Sophie and that didn't turn out so good. Half way down something happened and all at once Sophie was face down in the snow with Jerry trying to get off of her. We just knew that she was going to get up and be bawling. She lifted up her head, stood up, turned around smiled and said "Dad lets do that again."

When Jerry came down with Jaden it blew so much snow in Jadens face he looked like a snowman.

Scott came by on the gator and took the kids riding on a sled behind it. Sophie's hat was halfway over her face but it kept the snow from hitting her. She did not want to get off.

It was 60 degrees today.

Kenzie

Some of our very good friends had their baby dedicated today. Pastor held her and I guess he was too loud because she started crying. As soon as she was back in her moms arms she stopped.

Well that didn't last long. Priceless! She is such a beautiful sweet baby. Can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for her life. I love you baby Kenzie!

Punkin doodle got her heart broken

Sophie has been telling Jerry and I since she was 2 that she was going to marry Drew. She has been talking about it ALOT lately. Tuesday night while I was holding her Jerry told us that we were the two most beautiful girls in the world. I told Sophie she needed to marry someone like her Daddy because he was so sweet. She looked at me and said, "I'm marrying Drew." Like duh. I already have the situation handled mother.

Well fast forward to Sunday night. Drew sat with us in church because his parents were on the platform. Right as church was starting Sophie fell into me bawling. She couldn't breathe she was crying so hard. I said, "What is it?" She said, "Drew said he wouldn't marry me." I handed her over to her Daddy. He comforted her for about 10 minutes before she would calm down. Sometimes you just need your Daddy. Like the first time your heart gets broken. I felt powerless and knew that this would not be the last time that she would feel like this. After church Drews mom came rushing over and asked what happened. From the way Sophie acted they thought someone had punched her in the stomach. They were shocked that Drew had told her he wouldn't marry her. Poor thing he is 7 and probably thinks girls stink or have cooties and had no idea he would hurt Sophies feelings. Drew is very sweet and would never have hurt her feelings intentionally. He came to her after church and made sure she was okay. She actually got over it after the 10 minutes of falling apart and sat next to him and colored all during church. Well I don't know who Sophie and Drew will end up marrying I just pray that they get God's perfect person for their lives like I did.

For now baby just let Daddy be the main man in your life.