HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!

Daddy's birthday was Thursday! We have been having MUCH birthday FUN!We woke him up to Krispie Kream donuts with candles!We gave him a new cd to listen to.We met him for lunch at McAllister's and gave him "happies".We met Mimi, Big Bob, Jake, D and Laura at Swanky's for birthday dinner and presents. We had made chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing and Mimi brought an Oreo cake-YUMMY!

I gave daddy "golfballs"-which I had been wispering to him all week because its a secret. Luckily we had daddy fooled because he really got an indoor golf ball set and a round of golf at a new course here in Memphis. He got new movies to watch, a new cd to listen to and tailgating stuff for the Bulldogs! We love BRAD and had a great day celebrating him.

Friday night we drove to Jackson to be with family. Brad has twin brother Matt so we always have a fun birthday party all together. We had a movie themed party-The Lion King. It was fun and daddy got lots of great gifts. I always love being with family and playing at Grandmomma and Grandpa's house. This time I got to "play" with baby Carson. I love him!

We had a SUPER time celebrating Daddy and Matt. Fun Fun time!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! We love you!!

ready for rain

Connor has been wanting a monkey umbrella for over a year now...he mentions it randomly

Grandmomma recently found him a monkey raincoat...without ever knowing we were wanting a monkey umbrella. That led to finding the matching umbrella at our target store. He is the funniest all decked out playing inside with his umbrella! Hopefully in the rainy season we will put this to GREAT use but for now we just play "dress up" inside. Now if we could find matching monkey rainboots!?!?!

Summer Visit to "Jackson Family"

Connor and I have tried to start taking a week to visit family in the summer time. Last summer we spent 1 week with each side of the family and had a blast...This summer our week in Jackson was a little altered due to my mom's heath. Thank you everyone who prayed and was concerned. Hopefully she is on the road to GREAT recovery.
So our FULL week was not truly a FULL week...but it was jammed packed with FUN!

We have Brad's side of the family living in the Jackson area...I say that because I don't think any of their actual addresses are Jackson. We've got Terry, Raymond, Brandon, etc.

We stayed of course at Grandmomma and Grandpa's house...i call out in the "stix"!

We visited the Natural Science Museum, did some outlet shopping in Vicksburg, shopping of course around Jackson, painting at Harry the Potter, playing with all the fun toys at Grandomma & Grandpa's house, and eating out at some of our favorites!! (my awesome Father-in-Law truly understands my passion and deep love for Dairy Queen and always takes me there! Girl Scout Mint Blizzard--YUM YUM!!) We did get to spend some great quality time with all our relatives...I hope and pray that Connor holds these memories dear to his heart. Going to Grandparent's and family for visits can be such sweet times. I love and cherish all the time we spent there last week. While I won't bore you with all the details-here are the highlights.THANK you precious family!! We love you MUCH!! Never enough time when we come-no matter how long we are there!

This is "GREAT Gran". She and Connor and I ate at a cool ole homecookin place (Trace Grill) where she learned of Connor's love for fried okra.(Of which she then made a batch for him before we went home.)She helped read and put him down for his nap in this pic.

Connor with Pappaw and Memaw. It was actually close to Papaw's bday...so we took him his annual gift of goo-goo bars and a "miskelly" gift card (McAllister's really)

Memaw pulled out really cool cars for Connor to play with this time. He still likes to line everything up like a train.

We met Aunt Vickie and Grandpa one morning at the Natural Science museum where we all had a GREAT time! Lots of cool animals.Connor added a baby turtle to his own personal animal collection from the gift shop.Go if you can...VERY NICE!

Shopping in Vicksburg was way successful for Connor...lots of new clothes and a brand new MONKEY!! Hoping maybe to replace luvie monkey with this "toddler version". Connor is into lemons now a days and Grandmomma let him have hers at McAllisters where we refueled before more shopping!!

We met Grandpa and Aunt Vickie again- this time for painting!! FUN time by all!! Connor took some lessons from the ever talented Vickie who taught him squiggle lines and dots. Hopefully all our pieces will turn out as masterful as we expect!!

Saturday morning before we left Connor had hours of BOY fun in the yard...DIRT PILE and WATER HOSE!!!

O.K. This trip REALLY could've been called "cookie visit"...If you know me well, you know that we don't do much "Sweets" with Connor. But this trip was all about COOKIES!!

Connor needed to go "potty" while at Beagel Bagel...as we walked to the restrooms...he says, "momma, I see a thing that can be GREAT dessert for us". Sure enough he spotted a super cool flower cookie. He was quite nice to share (as always) a petal each to Grandmomma and me.

Grandpa taught Connor how to eat Oreo's:

While Primo's has great food...their desserts are by far the best thing about going there. Connor chose a SUPER HUGE cookie covered in sprinkles that he could not even come close to eating "all gone". We did bring daddy his favorites home as a treat from here.

We even made our own ice cream sandwhich cookies...of which connor called ice cream pigs. LOTS of fun and tasted GREAT! Might have to start making this a tradition!!

FISHY! FISHY!

Connor is simply a fishy fishy in the water!

Since the weather has been rainy and going to continue rainy...we took advantage of Monday being sunny and nice.

We haven't made it there as much as last year...but enjoy every swimming time at our Ypool.Connor loves his floaties. He loves the pool. He tries to do his own "swimming" which is quite good. He likes to blow bubbles. He likes to play with his toys in the water-especially the football. He likes to go under the big mushroom and through the sprayer. He loves to go touch the big sprayer ball. He likes to JUMP the most. He has not made it down the big slides yet this year but really wants to...he just can't stand in line to wait his turn without giving up and chickening out.Maybe before the summer is over or certainly we can wait until next year!

He is soo fun to watch and play with in the pool. We are grateful for a fun pool soo close by. Oh yeah...and the "ice cones" there are SUPER DUPER GOOD!!!

NINE YEARS AGO TODAY!!

NINE YEARS AGO TODAY!!!!

I married my best friend and soul mate.

I was the happiest and giddiest girl in the world.

I became a wife!

I was surrounded by my family and friends.

I laughed and cried.

I had a GORGEOUS and PERFECT wedding.

I began a whole new life.

I changed my name from the front of the alphabet to the stinking end.

I was full of hopes and dreams.

I couldn't stop smiling.

I let go of my deep ties with my mother and father.

I clung to my new husband.

I felt safe and secure.

I was excited about my whole new inlaw family.

I was anxious and a little nervous.

I simply knew the peace of having it official...married.

I made a committment FOREVER!

I couldn't have been any more happier.



And now on this day...NINE YEARS LATER...with all that has come my way good and bad, beautiful and ugly, changing and unchanging, growth and failures, happiness and sorrow, riches and poorer times, blessings and hardships, laughter and tears, additions and subtractions, more and less...I still feel and know that all that took place NINE YEARS AGO is the BEST thing ever!!

And as far as being the happiest ever on that day...now today I can surely say I am WAY more

happier, loved, hopeful, blessed, secure, safe and changed.



I LOVE YOU. BRAD...FOREVER!! I adore our life together! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!

movie with mom

Our Malco Theaters do a Summer deal on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. I had thought about this for an activity this summer but kinda had forgotten about it until this week. Brad had to go out of town for work and Connor and I don't really ever like being by ourselves. We decided to see what movie might be playing this week and give it a try.

Connor has not been to see many movies in the theaters before, and he was sooo little he did not "watch it" anyway...just a family tradition at Christmas time. He does enjoy to watch things now though and I was pretty sure he would watch the WHOLE movie when I found out that they were showing Madagascar 2. He LOVES this movie and all his "friends"- Melman, Gloria, Alex, Marty, Move It Move It, penguins, etc. He thinks that all our animals here at the zoo are named these names...he LOVES to go see Gloria and Melman and Alex at our zoo.

We paid our $4 total to get in and $2.50 for popcorn, drink and candy...it is by far a SUPER GREAT deal!!!

We got to our seats and Connor yells out..."SOOOO BIG MOVIE"!! He couldn't believe how GIANT the movie was!! It was soo enjoyable. He sat in his own seat some and cuddled up with me some. It was a really fun time to watch him enjoy watching a "BIG MOVIE". He did eat some of the popcorn, all the candy and most of his "spicy water" (Sprite). It was a fun memory to make and now have.

P.S. I don't know how long it goes on this summer or what the exact movie schedule is...but its a GREAT deal that I think all the Malco's offer around here...Tuesday and Wednesday mornings 10:00 a.m.

Aunt, Uncle and Cousin!!!

We are now very proud first time Aunt Julie, Uncle Brad and Cousin Connor!!!

Brad's brother and wife had their precious son July 9th.

His name is Carson Joseph Young.

We did get to go and meet him.

We love him and the whole new world as aunt, uncle and cousin.

Congratulations Matt and Tasha!!