More Snow

January 26, 2011

We got more snow last night, so Max spent the day outside with the cul-de-sac-ers.  They worked all day on an igloo.  They collected snow from all the trampolines and piled it high.  I was impressed on what a good job they did and Max is tired tonight.  Yahoo!  Mary Kate seems to be all better from her flu this weekend.  I took the opportunity to attempt to get a picture of them together in the snow.  Hopefully, I didn't get her sick again.  She cried the while time we were out.  I can't decide if it was because she looks like Maggie from the Simpson's in her snowsuit and it's uncomfortable or if she just doesn't like the cold.  Well, here's the pictures. . .and the faceplant that ended Mary Kate and my time outside.  Enjoy! 

PS:  Abby the new Lisa Frank look is just for you!!  I thought of you when I picked it out.

My Snow Angel

Molly goes crazy in the snow!!

Please take a picture for Mommy??

and then the faceplant that chapped her cheeks, literally!

mKate's FIRST Birthday at Home

January 22, 2011

Well, Mary Kate's first birthday was nothing liked I had planned, but we made the best of it.  She had a bad cold last week and we had been treating her symptoms as they arose.  On Thursday she took a turn and spiked a high fever.  Jay took her to the peditrician after I begged them to stay open until he arrived.  (The snow had already accumulated by 4pm on Thursday and they were closing.)  The office was glad we came in once they laid their eyes on her.  She was hacking, coughing, choking on the coughs, high fever, and "limp as a dishrag."  They quickly gave her some attention and she was diagnosed with the FLU.  Ahhh!  We can't have the flu this weekend, it's her birthday, her first birthday, pictures, dinner, her party and the circus . . . not the flu . . . my whining did no good the test was postive . . . even with her flu vaccine.  So . . . we called everyone invited to her Pancake Party for Saturday and cancelled.  On Friday, Jay woke up with a sore throat and was home by lunch with a fever.  He went to the doctor that afternoon and got a positive strep test.  What?  It's birthday weekend and we have strep throat and flu in the house, GRE-AT! So we then sold our circus tickets with my lip rolled out and pouting like my 4yr old and prepared for a weekend at home.  No one was even going to want to see us for her birthday, much less celebrate with us.  So sad.  We made the most of it and rented movies and cooked up some really great meals.  We have gotten lots of snuggle time and rest time in for all four of us.  Tonight we had a great soft dinner for Jay's throat and then had our own family party for our princess.  We made cupcakes yesterday and enjoyed them with ice cream after dinner.  Mary Kate loved the attention and the presents.  Max and I snuck out this afternoon to shop for her so that she would have some to open on her day.  She was really impressed and loved us all cheering for her.  So, Happy First Birthday my little Kat-e-bug!  You will get your party in a few weeks and we will all sing again.  Until then, please enjoy the pictures and videos of our private party tonight.  Thanks for everyone's prayers and wishes for her.

She loved that they were all hers!

Her very own picnic basket  to put her "collections" in

She kept leaning down and trying to kiss the cupcake

We even got a few cmiles tonight!

Feeding the Ducks

January 15, 2011

Saturday was our day to keep promises.  I made a deal with Max this week that if he went school with no problems all 3 days he could pick a surprise.  He still crys at least 1-2 days a week when Jay drops him off at pre-school.  Since my Mom was going to be taking him this week I wanted him to do good . . . . so I bribed him!  His first choice of a surprise was that he wanted a parade.  I didn't really understand this wish and couldn't get a clear answer of if he wanted to be in a parade or go to one.  Anyways, there aren't many parades in January so we moved on to another wish.  The second wish was to go feed the ducks.  This is a fun pasttime that Max loves. He held up his end of the deal with only tearing up at school.  He didn't throw any big fits that I heard about from Bebe.  (She would never tell a story would she?  Hummm.) Anyways,  I kept my end of the deal and off we went to feed the ducks.  We took a whole loaf of bread and Daddy and Mary Kate with us.  It is impressive to see how many ducks are still at the lake's edge this time of the year.  Max was worried about the geese because one bit his finger last summer.  But like I expected there were no geese there due to the time of the year.  He had a big time tearing up the bread and tossing it to them.  Mary Kate even got in on it and was taking pieces from me and throwing it over the edge.  They were both too cute.  I love these childhood moments with my kid-os even if if was freezing cold.  Well, we will see what special bribe this week brings!!!  It is a big week here in our house . . .  Mary Kate turns ONE this week!!  Ahhh!

The Week

January 4, 2011

With the coming of the new year Max started back at his swim class.  During the holidays he asked many times about when he would go back to swim school.  Since it sounded like he was still interested we signed him up for the next swim semester.  He did great on his first night back.  He looked like he hadn't even missed the last session of 2010.  We were very proud of him and he was happy with himself.  This past week at class his teacher pulled me aside and questioned me about a different class.  YAY Max!  Once again, he is moving up.  This week he will start his first lap class with the older boys.  He is super excited about his advancement into another class.  When we got in the car he had to call his Daddy and both sets of grandparents.  Fingers crossed that it is not too big of a jump from his class, but I'm sure he will see the motivation of the older boys and do great.

January 11, 2011

Ha 1.11.11...fun

With the snow this week, Max has enjoyed some time outdoors.  I snapped a few pictures of him on the "jumpoline" after school.  He loves the way the snow bounces as he jumps.  Mary Kate wasn't too excited about the cold or wet.  She wanted to be picked back up when I sat her down on the deck.

Little Logan

January 1, 2011

Well, I didn't think I would be blogging this quickly into the New Year, but God had other plans as he brought Little Logan to us earlier than expected.  Amanda and Chance welcomed their little boy into the world on New Year's Day 1.1.11 at 7:47am.  He was five weeks early, but looks perfect!  He weighed in a 5lbs 7oz and 17in long and was the first baby born in the county for 2011.  Yay!  Winning awards the moment he was born . . . . that's our boy.  We are looking forward to many FFMs and chip parties with you little Logan.  First one on the calendar is Tahoe in March, better get your skis ready!

New Year's Eve

December 31, 2010

After Carter's Birthday Party, we headed on over to our Culdesac New Year's Party.  The New Year was rang in with great friends and a fabulous game of Minute to Win It.  The Johnsons worked really hard at recreating 15 of the games and all their details.  We then broke up into 10 teams of 2 to battle it out.  I got lucky enough to be matched with Cody (my 19 year old colleigate football player neighbor).  Sweeeet!  We kicked some butt and walked home with the overall win.  Happy 2011!

Cody and Jay attempt to catch 12 pencils off the back of their hand

Max and I celebrate after our victory in the cereal box puzzle game.

Jessica, Shannon, Camille, and Kerry...aka...Queens of the Culdesac

Carter's 7th Birthday

We were honored to get to celebrate Carter's 7th Birthday with him.  They will be driving back to Mexico on his actual day, but we got to party before they left town.  Family and Friends all went to a local Japanese hibachi grill to eat and watch the special cooking talents of the chefs.  I cannot believe he is already SEVEN!  Time goes by too fast.  Max loves his Carter and Emerson!!

Our Christmas

I have spent the afternoon compiling our Christmas pictures into one slide show.  It includes our Christmas Eve at the Kelleys, Santa at our house, and Christmas Breakfast at the Parsons.  Please sit back and enjoy!

This free photo slideshow created with Smilebox

Cookie Party

December 23, 2010

We had our cookie party before Christmas to make lots of good treats.  The kids loved making their own personal cookies for Santa.  It was a real mess, but they all got to ice, sprinkle, and draw on their cookies to their hearts content.  Abby, Amanda, and I kept it together some how or another, but our kids had fun and that is what matters.  Lots of special Christmas Memories.  I am beginning to see that FFMs (Fun Family Moments) sometimes look different from the parent end of the deal!

Abby, Emerson, Carter, & Kayla

Emerson, Abby, Jack, Max, Tristan, & Amanda

Jack, Tristan, & Max

Kayla, Emerson, & Jack

Sawyer & Mary Kate

Jack, Tristan, Amanda, & Max



Garth Brooks

December 22, 2010

On Wednesday night we got our turn to go to the Garth Concerts that had taken over Nashville. Garth planned on doing one show for flood relief, but because so many people went nuts-o over tickets he added more and more shows on to the schedule.  It was stated that he was going to add shows until the tickets stopped selling. The money raised went to the people of Nashville who were affected by all the flooding in the spring.  The mayor reported at our concert (the last of 9 concerts) that the expected economic impact of the series was close to $15 million for the city.  Un-be-liev-able!  It was one of the best concerts I have been to.  The crowd sang along to every song he sang.  Many times during the night he would just play a single cord and the crowd would start the song and carry it all the way through.  Crazy!  We loved the concert and the night out with some of our closest friends.

Crowds blocking the roads

Shannon, Jess, and Abby

Polar Express

December 4, 2010

Saturday was Max's annual Polar Express Ride.  Bebe and Big Daddy have made this trip a yearly one that he looks forward to each Christmas Season.  It is a fun day for him and my parents.  I think they both look forward to it with equal anticipation.  This year Mary Kate got to go for the first time.  They both got to see and talk to Santa about their wishes for Christmas.  Max met an elf that obviously grew very fond of him.  That elf keeps showing up at our house and dropping off small gifts and notes for the kids.  Max gets so excited when he discovers that Milo has brought another treat.  He even brought a book that told about him and how he returns to Santa to give him reports on behavior at night.  I am so glad that Max met an elf that is now coming to visit.  It has made this Christmas season even more fun.  I wonder who Max will meet next year on the Polar Express.

Christmas Parties

December 17-19, 2010

This weekend has been jam packed with Christmas festivities.  Thursday night we enjoyed Max's Christmas Program at school.  Then on Friday morning I got to do the Mom thing and help out with Max's class party.  The kids had so much fun!  We made stain glass ornaments and glittered ornaments.  The kids swapped gifts with a fun musical chairs game and then we ate all the goodies they all brought.   Friday night, Jay and I attended the Servpro Corporate Party downtown.  It was a nice time, but a fabulous time being just the two of us.  We enjoyed dinner and then went to the party.  Daddy Mike and Sassy B kept our two little ones so we could have a good time with no worries.  Thanks guys, you are the best!!

Saturday night we attended our annual Christmas in the Culdesac Party.  Wowzers, it was fun and late.  We ate lots of good finger foods and enjoyed the company of our neighbors and friends.  We partied late into the night with the Newlywed Game.  I forgot how hilarious and fun that can be.  We are blessed to have such a wonderful group of people to raise our children with here in the culdesac.  The picture shows all the kidos.....what a busy section of the neighborhood.  Hahaha.

Sunday Jay and I hosted my Big Parsons Family Christmas at our house.  It was the first time in many years that everyone could be in attendance.  Bull and Nanny Margaret where here, Tony and Linda and all their kids and grandkids, and my Parents with all three of us and our families.  It was a very full house, but much needed family time as we have all grown up and apart.  We made a new game this year with Parsons Family trivia.  Everyone came up with various facts and questions about the family and wrote them on cards.  Then we put them in a bowl and Dad and Tony read them and with Bull's help answered them the best they could.  It was an interesting time of learning about our history and telling stories that everyone can continue to pass down.

NAPS Christmas Program

December 16, 2010


Max participated in his first Christmas Progam on Thursday night.  The Preschool he attends holds an annual program for all the kids to sing.  It was extremely cute and to the point.  Each age group takes the stage to perform 4-5 songs that they have been rehearsing in music class.  Max's group of 4 & 5 year olds sang 5 Little Fingers, Feliz Navidad, Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer, Suzie Snowflake, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas.  It was a wonderful performance with minimal skirt flashing, nose picking, and crying.  He had a great time, did a beautiful job,  and a large crowd of family supporting him.

Will Barrett Williams, Max, and Mac Miles

Maddie Floyd, Will Barrett Williams, Max, Mac Miles, & Maddie Tillman

Max and his Best Friend, Kirkland