Continuing a Tradition

When Kelly & I were kids, dad almost always set up his model train under the Christmas tree and we had so much fun watching it go around and around the tree. We haven't gotten the train out since we moved to Tennessee, 15 years (yikes!) but something made us think about it this year and we convinced him to get it out again. Jack has had so much fun running the train, stopping it at the station to let people get on & off, shouting "all aboard" and filling the fuel train up with gas. Several pieces were broken off the set and Jarred & I have already been to the hobby store to try to find replacement parts. We soon realized that this fun hobby could get expensive fast. We can't wait for Abbott to get here to help engineer the train, too!

Jack & Popo checking out some pictures on the iPhone.

Showing them to Moma Jo.

In the box of train cars and accesories was a 3 story rooming house that had never been put together. Jarred & Dad worked on putting it together and realized why it had stayed in the box all those years. The pieces were just a tad tiny.

George enjoys the train, too.

Don't you want to come play with the train, too?

Jack & George helping repair the track.

Last part of my Amarillo trip.

We had a great time in Amarillo. We got to see great friends and Jack had so much fun with all the kids. He & Dacie fought one minute and got along well the next. When they were playing nicely together, they were so cute. When they weren't, Dixie & I wanted to go crazy! Here are some pics from our last few days there.

Flying airplanes off the playhouse porch.

Aren't they cute?

Dayton wasn't feeling good one night and Jack helped take care of him.

Nothing but trouble here. They needed to wash their hands a lot and one morning I caught them feeding the fish, just a little too much food. No harm came to the fish and they have the cleanest hands ever.

Not really sure about this one.

We met up with several of my high school friends at the discovery center in Amarillo. They all had fun playing and we got to visit a tiny bit. It's always good to see them, even if it's briefly!

Jack's rolling the ball down the roller coaster he helped build.

He is excited about the snake in the aquarium behind him.

One of the favorite spots was the different bubble exhibits. Jack's trying to make a big bubble.

Trying to see who can make the biggest bubble.

I think Kent wins!

Trying to get himself inside a bubble.

One last story time together before we head back home. It was a great time! Hopefully we can all see each other again soon!

More Amarillo Fun

This weekend we got to spend the weekend with my second parents and family. Fay & Bill came to Amarillo and we had such a good time visiting with them. It's so good to see people you haven't seen in so long but it sure does make me realize how much I miss them! I am having so much fun. I'm still hoping my congressman will get on the issue of moving Oklahoma and Arkansas and squishing Tennessee and Texas together so we can all be closer. Someday, someday.

Jack & Summer wrestling a little.

Jack & Ganma Fay involved in a fun game of Don't Break the Ice.

Trying to keep Ganpa Bill awake.

My little Jack-A-Roni.

Me, Jack & my other parents.

Learning to play Candy Land with Jennifer & Bryan.

Brandon & Timothy were good sports about letting Jack walk all over them. Literally.

He may make an excellent tackle someday.

They just laid there and he just walked all over them.

Seems like a lot of wrestling went on at Jennifer's house.

Look how well behaved and precious they all are.

Oh wait, that's more like it! :)

This is what it's all about, Man!

The crazy man at Cadillac Ranch today summed it up perfectly. He and his interesting female friend were traveling the entire Route 66 and had stopped at Cadillac Ranch to see them and paint them. It turns out we were there to see and paint them too and he was mesmerized with the kids and how excited they were to be there. Every little thing they painted or said, he'd respond with, "This is what it's all about, Man." I think I have to agree with the crazy man at Cadillac Ranch. We're spending great time with great friends and we're having a blast. Life's too short not to enjoy it. I only wish I could enjoy it with Jarred and the rest of my family, too.

Here are some pictures from our first days in Amarillo and one before we left that was too cute not to add.

Jack & Abbott sharing chex mix before we left.

Jack & Dacie became reacquainted quickly, though this time the tables were turned. In Memphis, Dacie wasn't too fond of Jack and Jack kept trying to tell her he was her friend. This time Dacie wants to love all over Jack and he keeps saying, "Don't touch me. I don't want her to touch me." They are now acting just like brother and sister. Fighting, screaming, sometimes hugging and playing nicely.

Jack found and has fallen in love with this huge fire truck (Santa, are you reading this??) Dacie could care less about fire trucks until Jack decides to play with it. Now it's the favorite toy.

Daxtyn had basketball practice on Tuesday so I was in charge of the other 3 kids. Here's what happens when I'm in charge. Dayton decided to make a slide off the chairs.

Dacie & Jack played nicely with the fire truck for awhile.

See how sweet?

Jack & Dacie took turns on the slide. It was big fun and fortunately no one got hurt.

Dixie had about 25 trees planted today. We cut ours down, they have trees planted. Jack was so excited to watch this "little excavator" dig holes and watch the trees get planted.

He even got to help Dixie's dad move the water hose out of the way so a tree could be planted here.

After watching trees get planted, we went to Dacie's gymnastics class. They let Jack play too and he had fun flipping.

He's quite the acrobat.

After we got the boys from school, we headed out to Cadillac Ranch to try our hand at spray painting them. None of us had ever done it before so we decided we needed to do it. This is when we made friends with the interesting Route 66 couple.

Dacie's ready with the paint.

The caddies had recently been painted yellow in honor of Lance Armstrong.

Jack was more interested at this point in throwing rocks.

Here is the interesting Route 66 lady. I've decided to take her fashion style and make it my own.

Jack finally got into painting the cars.

Look how good he can spray paint his name! :)

Three trouble makers!

Dayton paid tribute to the King and gave us his best Elvis face.

Crazy Route 66 man marked his momentous trip with the Route 66 sign. He took great pride in getting it just right.

Here are the 3 cars we worked on.

In case you couldn't tell what we painted, here's a closer view. Car 1.

Car 2.

Car 3.

Dacie got a little close to the fumes and ended up with a pink face. She would say she is "pink-a-licious" but was not to amused that we kept talking about her pink face.

THIS is what it's all about, Man!

Happy Halloween!

Jack's Halloween started on Thursday when he had a party at school. Saturday we trick or treated with a group of friends so we had a good time. When I asked Jack a few months ago what he wanted to be for Halloween, he said a monster. His answer never changed every time I asked but it evolved a little. I asked what color monster he wanted to be and he said brown. Later, it turned into a brown friendly monster. We wondered where we would find a brown friendly monster costume so I figured I'd try my hand at making it. I took him to Wal-Mart with me and he picked out the color brown fabric he wanted. I asked if he wanted spots or stripes or something and he said spots. I took him to the felt and he picked out a green felt for spots. When I started to make the costume he helped place the spots where he wanted them and when it was all finished he was very happy with it. I came back to his school early on Thursday to watch some of the party and sat at lunch with him and he said, "Mommy, you sewed my costume really good." I was just glad he liked it.

On Saturday he got very excited about trick or treating and getting candy. We all walked together up to the first house and he got his candy and he walked back and said he was ready to go play, he didn't want any more candy. I told him he was supposed to trick or treat at a lot of houses and we should follow his friends. At the next house he was on the porch and the lady was about to put candy in his bucket and he shouted, "I DON'T WANT ANYMORE CANDY!" He watched the other kids go up and get candy and was ok with that. Finally, I tried to explain that we were going back to play and that he could trick or treat AND play and that would mean he would get to do 2 fun things. He agreed to go to the door but still said he didn't want anymore candy. I asked if he would get some for me. After he left the porch he said, "I got you some candy." Good Boy.

We had a busy weekend. We went to Popo and Moma Jo's today and Jarred and I went to the mall and Jack stayed and helped make pizza dough and sauce. While he was outside with Popo some, he got stung or bitten by something and a lot of drama ensued. He got 2 little bites on his neck and one on his finger. I think he will survive but the finger has been bandaged and elevated most of the day. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. Here are a few pictures from Jack's school party and trick or treating. We're off again in a week to Amarillo to visit friends so we'll have a lot of pictures to post from that trip soon!

Learning how to play "hot pumpkin". Jack said he didn't want it to be hot!

Playing Mr. Potato head with his friend Benjamin.

Getting ready to trick or treat!

Excited about the green dots!

All friendly monsters have green hair.

Isn't this the friendliest brown monster you've ever seen?

I was dressed up as a South Carolina Gamecocks fan. Tennessee played South Carolina this night and I forgot to wear orange.

Our group of trick or treaters.

One of the trick or treaters that showed up at the house we were at. Can you tell who they are??

It's All About John Deere

Jack should be the next spokesperson for John Deere. He is all about John Deere. Today he told me he didn't have a motor grader and we should get one at the store. He was also disappointed after watching his John Deere tractor movie that he didn't have any old tractors either. On Friday he helped move the cows across the road and had to be all decked out in his John Deere gear. If you're wondering what to get him for Christmas, John Deere is the way to go! :)

We had a fun weekend with Aunt Lissa and Zoe. We thought just Aunt Lissa was coming but she decided to bring Zoe, too. It was good to see her again since we didn't get a lot of time with her last weekend. Today I got my first quilting lesson and Wannie pieced together a quilt that I'd cut out while I practiced. Tomorrow I guess I'll start quilting my first quilt! YAY! Here are a few pictures of the weekend.

Jack watching Poppa shave.

Hat, Shirt, Sweats, Boots- check.

Wouldn't he sell a lot of tractors?

John Deere could even sponsor his golf game.

Supervising the cow move.

Loving on baby Zoe. Tonight he told me that she was so cute and so little. I asked if he liked her and he said yes. I asked if he wanted a baby like Zoe at our house all the time and he said, "Nah." I guess we better start talking it up!

Isn't she sweet?

This morning he helped Wannie make waffles in his John Deere PJs and socks.

Talking about the days events with Poppa.

He got sidewalk chalk from Aunt Lissa and he wrote Popo on the driveway.

She's smiling at Wannie.

Finishing out the day by building some road with his new John Deere construction equipment! :)

Athens Day 4

Today was another fun day of visiting and playing. We went to Canton for lunch with Aunt Sue and then after nap time we had a nice dinner at Whataburger. Now we're getting ready for Moma Jo, Popo & Abbott to head home in the morning and Jack & I are going to stay an extra week. We had a great time with Abbott here but I bet he'll be happy to see his mommy and daddy and I bet they'll be glad to see him.

Reading this morning with Wannie.

Being silly with Aunt Sue.

Aren't they cute?

She doesn't look too sure about these boys! :)

Poppa makes a good slide!

YAY!

Flippin' with Poppa.

Silly boy.

If Jack does it, so does Abbott! What a fun (but crazy!) week! I've been trying all day to send Jack back with Popo & Moma Jo so he can spend a week with Kelly but they aren't too keen on that idea.