The Pink Palace and a potty seat

Yes, Thanksgiving is tomorrow, but the Anthony side of my family has already celebrated together.  We decided to have a gathering at my house on Sunday night since my mom, Gran, was having chemo round #3 on Monday.  I thought Sunday would be perfect and she would be feeling pretty great.  She definitely wasn't 100%, but she made the trip down to Mayberry anyway.

I wasn't’t on my “A Game” for sure.  I have honestly been slipping and I think Trey has even noticed and has been concerned.  We all know I stress, plan, schedule, and think things through before an event.  Not Thanksgiving at my house.  On Sunday we went to church, had nursery duty, taught the 9^th-10^th graders, then I went shopping, attended a birthday party, and didn't get home until 3:45.  My mom and dad arrived an hour later and I had naked kids and a mess to get cleaned up.  But my intentions with having “Thanksgiving” at my house were not to stress out, but to get together with my family.  Notice that we were all spread out.  This was no formal affair!              

 Ken, my brother, acts just as goofy as I do and John Brantley was eating it up!!!

 I love this picture.  Yes, my mom is sick with pancreatic cancer, but she is still as beautiful as ever.  You’d never know she was battling cancer.  I wanted a cute picture with Gran, BoomPa, and the kids.

Caroline (5), John Brantley (17 mo.), Molly Cate (7), Jack (2.5), and Ford (4).  We will leave off Gran and BoomPa’s ages!

 A long night of family fun can wear a little man OUT!!!

 This picture cracks me up for two reasons.  First, he looks like an evil chipmunk and secondly, he put himself in time out for throwing a fit.

 I found them strolling down the hall.   

 Mr. Strong-willed, Independent Lamar needed to feed himself some chocolate pudding.     

We love a field trip.  I am always up for a fun outing and today we had one.  My sister in law, Ashley, asked if we wanted to meet them in Memphis at The Pink Palace.  I thought it was a fine idea.  I knew better than to tell Ford that we were going somewhere fun with his cousins.  All he knew was we were going on a fun surprise outing to Memphis. When we pulled in he asked where we were and if his cousins were there.  When he found out he went nuts!

Please take note of the dumb and dumber hair style Ford has going on.  He decided to cut his own hair recently, and it looks a bit goofy.  This momma wasn't proud!

 Ford and Jack were amazed with the trains.

 John Brantley and Caroline

 My little dude….

Trying to get a good picture is nearly impossible.  

 I am still amazed that John Brantley didn't cry when I put him in Santa’s lap.  Before I sat him down I showed him the huge tub of candy-canes.  I think he knew a lot was at stake and he better mind his P’s and Q’s.   

 I have been working on reading with Ford.  He knows all of his letters and the sounds that they make so I decided that it was time to start blending some short 3-letter words together.  He is doing really well.  We read words like: cat, mat, bat, sat, put, big, bag, map, etc.  We have also been practicing on sight words which are commonly seen words that you can’t necessarily sound out like: the, and, is, etc.  He is doing really well and loves for me to teach him.  I don’t want to be “that mom” that teaches her kid everything and then he is bored in school, but Ford is a sponge and wants to learn.  And after all, the parents are the child’s first teacher.

Last Thursday John Brantley walked up to me and grabbed his diaper.  I asked him if he wanted to go tee-tee on the potty.  He doesn't talk, but he nodded his head, “yes”.  I went and sat him on the potty seat and he smiled and just sat there.  I said, “If you’ll tee-tee in the potty I’ll give you a Skittle.”  That little stinker went to town.  I clapped and cheered so loud.  Now a few times a day he will go beat his hand on the potty seat and I’ll put him on there and he will go.  I’m so proud of my 17-month old!

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