Love is in the air

   There's always something to document around here.  You know, first days of school, losing teeth, holidays, and of course....first ponytails!!!!

I'm not sure if Annie or I was the most excited!!!!!

Cupid's day was yesterday.  I find good reason to celebrate, decorate, and buy gifts for any such reason.  I got up bright and early, 5:00 AM, to prepare for my little love bugs.

Ford is totally into looking athletic and these gifts pleased him.

Sister liked the dog the most.

And Bitty said all his candy tasted bad!

BoomPa came down all day to help run interference with the kiddos so I could attend parties.  First I celebrated with The Bit.

 Ice cream sundaes....

 I will be sad when this little man grows up.  I love his inability to pronounce his "R's" and "L's" correctly.

 "Momma, I need to tell you a secret.  This ice cream tatstes funny!!!"

 Bitty and Elizabeth

 His best friend, Eli

Typical

That afternoon I headed to Ford's class.  I patiently waited outside the classroom until party time and snapped pictures of their recycled projects.

 His snow globe

Ford and Cooper

I love my Valentines!

Smoochie clothes and a dog bite

Smoochie clothes make me happy.  You know pajamas, t-shirts, sweats... just comfy clothing.  What makes my Bit happy is his Paw Patrol shirt and his Gran and BoomPa shorts.  This ensemble was purchased in 2015 and appears that it'll be running strong yet again in 2017.  I bought the shirt as a bribe to calm down once in Kohl's.  I found that gem for $7.00 on a sale rack.  Around the same time mom and dad met me in Dillard's.  Both boys wanted a pair of those black shorts and I refused to but them.  Good old Gran and BoomPa pulled through.  To say we have gotten our monies worth would be an understatement!!!!!!

John Brantley's teacher, Mrs. Laura, shares a birthday with BoomPa.  I took snacks to celebrate her.

Only my child would smash a cupcake in his hand.

Sister came and stole someone's chair!

Later that day Annie got her first experience in a car wash....

That night we went to dad's to celebrate his 66th birthday.  Ken made him a shirt that said: BoomPa est. 2006 (when Molly Cate was born) and the back says BoomPa 66.  I thought it was genius!

And the little ones fell asleep on the ride home....Ford is faking!

The next day, bright and early, I headed to Jackson for a 3/4 posse reunion.  I love these two girls!  We became "the posse'" (one is missing) in 9th grade.  Three of us have hung tight.  No, I don't see these girls all the time, but we pick right up where we left off.  I actually hadn't seen them since mom's funeral.  Here's a story about that....

The day of mom's funeral they call me to say they've had a blow out on the side of the road in Jackson.  They both panicked thinking they get killed, raped, kidnapped, etc.  I was worried too because I'm not sure what I would do in that situation myself.  Pretty quickly a truck pulled over with writing on the side.  It had "Tate" county plates.  Katie said to Jamie that she thought that's where I lived.  Two men got out to change their tire who happened to be from Senatobia, supervisors from here, that we know.  They changed their tire and escorted my friends to Senatobia at a fast pace so they wouldn't miss the funeral.  To say God doesn't send angels to help is a lie.  They were placed in that exact place at that exact time because God knew I needed them.  I held my emotions together pretty well until they walked through the doors and I started crying as soon as I saw them.  They knew I needed them.  Best friends are special and rare, and I have two of the best.

Friday Bitty had a playdate with Nash and Mary Emma.

Sunday as we were getting ready for church Bitty said his pants were too big.  He pulled them up really high and started laughing and saying Gran wore her pants like that.  When I asked to take a picture he cried!!!!!!

Feeling the Rebel spirit...

Bo, Puddin and Pops's dog, bit Annie when she messed with him while he was eating.

Tough guy headed to baseball....

Limos and hippy joints

   Sometimes you have a lot of friends that have birthdays at the same time and you need to celebrate.  Then you run into the problem that Mayberry doesn't have good restaurants and you all want to ride together.  That poses a problem when you have ten friends wanting to hang out.  So you invite them over to your house for drinks and appetizers....

I found these gems at DOLLAR TREE!!!!!!

And later you surprise them with a 20 seater hummer limo!  BAM.... then you can ride together.

My children thought it was the coolest thing ever.  We had to let them ride a bit too.

We ate at a hippy joint called Hog and Hominy in Memphis and then went to a karaoke bar.  Some people may or may not have sung a little ditty that night!

He won't act right!!!

Headed home after a super fun night!

And thanks to Puddin and Pops for keeping the kids.... Ford lost the argument and didn't get to sleep with Annie!

I've got chills, they're multiplying

Have you ever heard that song that says, “I’ve got chills, they’re multiplying….”?  Well, I’ve got them and it’s not for a good reason.  No, I’m not sick, rather I am inflicting this torture on myself.  Her name is “Apple Cider Vinegar”.  

One day I googled "organic apple cider vinegar" and a list of uses and benefits came popping up.  I told Trey if even one of these actually worked then we'd be winning.  So I bought some, I try to take two shots a day, and I'm hoping for good results.  Needless to say, it is by far the NASTIEST crap I have ever put in my mouth in my entire 34.5 years.  But folks, one perk is it cured gout in my dad's foot.  He REFUSED to try any until we read that was one of the benefits, and now the man drinks it everyday!

Bitty had a work day on Monday at the farm with Uncle TA.  Sometimes you gotta stop and clean out your boots.

Make-up momma!!!!!

Child labor

I have slightly changed my life plan here lately.  I have gotten up at 5:00 every weekday morning for like ummmm 10+ years now.  I have and it's stupid.  Showers on the other hand are not stupid and I prefer to have at least one a day.  I have found that sleep is a beautiful thing even though I don't get as much of it as I'd like to.  Since I am a SAHM (stay at home mom) there's really no reason for me to get up at 5:00.  I can swing that suburban through carpool without a shower.  My mother would NOT approve of such.  I never saw her in blue jeans in my entire life and she never left the house without full make up and jewelry.  Go Gran!  So now I am getting up at 6:20 and showering with Sister after we drop the boys off.   It's kind of our morning thing (if we don't have much to do of course...then I do have to get up at 5:00).  After showers we might snuggle in the chair!

This was "Pp" week in 3k.  P is for PARTY!  I asked Bitty's teacher if they'd like to have a "Pp Party" and she thought it was a grand idea.  We sent purple plates and napkins, popcorn, pretzels, pixie sticks, and punch.  Nothing like a "Pp Party" to make your week fabulous.

There are some days when deviating from the 7:00 bedtime schedule just isn't okay!

I have said it before, I hate an Ipad and my kids don't have one.  They don't.  I don't.  But Trey does.  I have a few games on his Ipad for them to play.  If I left and went to Seattle they'd never know I was gone as long as that Ipad had a charge.  I'll let them play some on the weekends and very little during the week.  Do you see how zoned in they are.... it's just not healthy.

Basketball is going good.  Ford is dominating on the court.

 Sister sat oh so still last week.

 And Bitty cleaned his nose!