Texas Trip

Whew...I'm glad to be home! Mom and I left for Texas Friday morning with the kids. It was a long day in the truck, but we made it. Baby Hunter is just the cutest - I forgot what an 8 lb. baby is like...I felt like I was going to break him. Although I didn't get to hold him that much. Courtney does NOT put him down and does not let many people hold him. I tried to convince her that she might be creating a monster, but I'll let her learn that lesson on her own! Ethan and Nina both loved him and were really gentle and sweet around him. Well, Ethan was Ethan several times, but other than that he was really sweet around Hunter. We enjoyed seeing Landon's family and worshiping with them on Sunday. Landon led singing Sunday night and sang 2 songs that Ethan requested and Ethan thought that was just great! We also saw their new church building that is almost finished and it is beautiful! After a trip on the road with hurricane evacuees, we're finally back home! I'm so glad to be home and don't want to go anywhere for a long, long time - or next week, whichever comes first! I took my bouncy seat for Hunter, but Nina occupied it most of the weekend. She thought it was so much fun to crawl in and out.
Courtney showing Ethan that riding the 4-wheeler with Landon is fun!
Now Ethan taking his turn

Hunter taking his turn - although he didn't go anywhere...just posed for pictures!
Hunter asleep in his swing
Nina pointing to her new cousin
Ethan had to do everything for Nina's baby that Courtney did for Hunter.... Nina on pappy patrol...

Yep, I got him to sleep!!!
Nina showing us her eyes
Hunter on Sunday - in the Feltman Brother's outfit my Daddy bought for Ethan's first Sunday
So sweet!!!
Usually when trying to get pictures of the kids, Ethan is the one that is difficult....today it was Miss Nina!!!

Nona with her 3 grand kids
Gregg and Karen (Landon's parents) with Hunter

Nina LOVED Aunt Megan
Ethan on the backhoe at the new church building

Nina once again on pappy patrol!
Once again trying for a picture with all 3 kids...and once again rooster Nina in rare form!
Our wonderful dentist, Dr. Vassey, is retiring this year and his staff has asked us for a family picture for him - look over Courtney's head....we tried to get Daddy in there too! Dr. Vassey has been our dentist for over 20 years and he's so special to us - he and his staff were at the funeral home and Daddy's funeral. We are going to miss him, but will continue to go to his practice!
So, my child refuses to eat Jello. Will not under any circumstances eat Jello...that is, until Aunt Courtney fixes it for him! Then he loves it! Thanks, Aunt Courtney, for making Ethan love Jello!! We love you!!

On the go....

Last week was another whirlwind week for us...Ethan started preschool Tuesday morning and loved it. He had a great day! When I went to pick him up, his teacher said that he did great, but he didn't want a stamp on his hand. For some reason he doesn't like stamps, fake tattoos, stickers, etc...oh well. It was funny because I questioned him all day long about what he did and who was there, but he would only tell me bits and pieces. Then when Mark got home, I heard a completely different version of what happened. It was too funny! Tuesday night we packed for our trip to Atlanta. About 1am I was finally ready for bed, but I couldn't find my camera. I remembered taking Nina's picture earlier when she was playing in my suitcase, so I knew I left the camera in our bedroom. Mark said he didn't know where it was, but we would find it in the morning. Typical. I knew that I could not go to sleep until I found it. Well, after tearing apart the downstairs, I remembered Ethan at some point that evening getting upset with me and he said, "well, I don't want your camera anyways." When he said that I was really confused. Well, at 1am, it all made sense! So I went upstairs to continue my search. I could not find my camera anywhere. I went into Ethan's room and he started stirring around, so I sat on his bed and asked him if he took my camera. He opened his eyes and LAUGHED at me and said, "yes, silly." Then I asked him where it was and he laughed again and told me it was in his playroom and he had packed it. I found my camera and my gold sandals in a bin on his shelf. Finally to bed! The next morning on the way to the airport, Mark asked Ethan why he took my camera and he said that he wanted to take a picture of Nina in his fire chief hat. And that's exactly what he did - see below. Kids!

We had a good week with my Mom - bittersweet, but good. It was quite busy. We celebrated my birthday Wednesday evening after church - Ed and Randi came over for ice cream cake. We had lunch with friends on Thursday. Friday we visited Poppa's bank. Kind of a crazy story - we were at the bank and went into Poppa's office to get something. Heidi walked in there with Nina and she pointed at his desk and said Poppa - she had never said that before... it was really strange. We had a nice visit there - not the same, but was good seeing everyone that loves and misses Mike J. Then we went to Nona's school to see her adorable class for awhile. The kids loved seeing Ethan and Nina and already reported several funny stories Nona told them about Mandy and Courtney. Ethan loves going to school and watching the buses roll out at the end of the day. Friday night we had dinner with the Kings and Melanie's parents. Saturday was Allie's birthday party and that was so much fun! Sunday we drove to Chattanooga for the day to see grandparents. We went to church with grandparents, Steve and Ryan, had lunch and went back to their house to visit awhile. They all seem to be doing ok - surviving like us. It was really good to see them all!! We tried to leave Monday, but the weather was horrible and flights were cancelled, so we stayed until Tuesday. It was a nice trip and the kids had lots of fun.

We're home now just for a few days. Ethan has preschool Thursday morning - Mom flies in Thursday evening and we leave for Texas Friday morning.

Other news...Nina is so close to walking - she actually took a couple of steps yesterday when we stopped by to visit with my old co-workers in PTC. She also does a great Waaaaaaaarrrrr Eagle and it's so cute.

Hope everyone has a great Labor Day weekend - football season is upon us yet again!!!! War Eagle!!! Enjoy these pictures!


Ethan's first day of preschool
Finding his cubby with his teacher
After his first day....didn't want to pose for a picture
Mommy, you can't pack me in here...
Ethan's picture when he hijacked my camera
Nina LOVES this hat - I bought it at Garden Ridge one day when I had Ethan with me. I thought it would entertain him while I shopped. Little did I know that a 50 cent hat would be Nina's favorite toy!
Waiting for our plane to arrive...watching all the FedEx planes land - this is Mark's plane
I had flown with the Captain several times so we talked to him before taking our seats - he let Ethan program the FMS. Ethan loved it!

Nina getting a little left seat action
Nina playing my piano my parents bought me on my 1st b'day
Happy 31st!
Big Ed (should be renamed to skinny Ed) feeding Nina ice cream cake - the only proof Randi was there is this picture....her hand in the corner! Sorry Randi, but I know you didn't want your picture taken anyway!
Ethan loved the slide. He was literally jumping down it the 2nd time. He was so hot, sweaty and nasty at the end.
Melanie and NinaI knew once I took her up, it would be over - Nina wanted to go again and again and again...it was exhausting! She loved it too!
Nona is going to get me for posting this!

Ethan and the birthday girl - not quite sure why Ethan was posing like this though....
Yet another of Ethan's masterpieces - Nana and Papa
Nona and Mema - taken by Ethan

Mommy and Nona - taken by Ethan
Eating snacks at Nana and Papa's house
Papa with his 2 great grand kids
On the plane coming back to Memphis - we were delayed due to FAA computer issues and the weather again....pushed back from the gate and taxied out only to shut down engines and sit and wait. Needless to say, the kids, at dinner time, were squirming and restless...so, I let Nina down on the NASTY airplane floor. But she was entertained, and she got a bath last night before bed.
Ethan sat like this almost the entire flight playing with his planes and tractors. He loves to fly!!!

August Fun

Last week we went with several girl friends from church and their kids to this water park across town. The kids had a great time running (or in Nina's case, lightning speed crawling) and playing in the water and we had a great time chatting. Then we ate lunch at Booya's - now that we're seeing gas below $3.40 a gallon, maybe I can get over there more!

This past weekend we celebrated my 31st. Mark made my favorite dish, lemon garlic shrimp with parsley rice. It's fabulous!! At my request, he PURCHASED a cookie cake with lots of fudge frosting and it was wonderful. I love his cakes, pies, tarts, etc....but sometimes, you just gotta go with the cookie cake! Mark took Ethan out shopping for my gift and then later we met for lunch. Mark was away from the table so Ethan proceeded to tell me that they tried to order a cookie cake but they can't pick it up until later. I had asked for a cookie cake, but didn't know he was going to actually buy one - because if you know Mark, you know it was hard to go so low as to purchase the birthday cake....no offense to those of us that grew up with store bought cakes - I sure did! He says he is still making me a cake when we get back from Atlanta. Then Ethan proceeds to tell me that they bought me an orange necklace...and with those really big brown eyes (that will melt some girl's heart much, much later in life) and a really excited mouth, he says, "but it's a surprise Mommy, for your birthday!" Mark doesn't know he spilled everything - shhhhhh!

Tonight, Mark and I left the kids with Cathy and Donnie because we had to go to preschool orientation. What a strange feeling that was! Ethan starts tomorrow morning 2 days a week. Tuesday he'll go until noon and Thursday until 2:30 - that extra time they have lunch and then Spanish lessons. They have music class every day for 30 minutes and all the teachers at this preschool are qualified educators. I feel really good about my choice - I took a long time asking around and researching....so long that Ethan actually got the last spot in this class! Hopefully tomorrow goes well - he's excited now (well, he better be asleep right now), but we'll see after tomorrow. Stay tuned.... Ethan running to find Macie Mae
Ethan and Nina playing in one of the fountains

I just couldn't resist the booty picture hanging out of the suit!
YUMMY!!!!!!!
While Mark was cooking, I was out shopping alone, so he let the kids do whatever they wanted while he cooked dinner...this meant that they destroyed the kitchen. Ethan made me a Cheerio pie using every mixing bowl, measuring cup, utensil, etc...he could find. They had a blast! Nina LOVES her belly button - and she calls it her tickle tickle
If you ask her where her eyes are, this is the look you get!
Nina's fishy face
Uh Oh!

Ethan with his Bartlett United Methodist Preschool t-shirt, bag and his new lunchbox. When I enrolled him, the Lands End catalog came that day so he picked out his backpack - orange. Then when I got the packet of info from school, they said that they supply bags for them to carry....so he was a little upset....therefore we ordered the orange lunchbox as a compromise and it came today! I had all the info the teachers had given us tonight in his bag and when we got home he was looking through it all and thought it was homework - but was excited! It was funny. The teachers asked if we could bring a picture of Ethan to put in his cubby where his bag goes so he would recognize where to put his stuff...so I told him that was his homework and he had so much fun going through pictures to find the right one to take with him tomorrow - it's of him digging in the dirt in the lot next door to us with his tractors! Imagine that! His clothes are all laid out and everything is ready to go. Alarm clock is set...gotta get to bed. Hope to post pics later of his first day! Check back soon!!