Linscomb Family

Zoo

2009-10-30T23:37:00.002-05:00

Jack had so much fun at the zoo! I loved the conversation between Jack and the sweet 4 year old in the picture below:

Jack: Giraffes have spots.

Boy: That's because God made them that way.

Jack: Yeah. (nodding)

End of Summer Fun at the Park

2009-10-30T23:34:00.000-05:00

First Day of School

2009-10-30T23:30:00.000-05:00

Meet the Teacher

2009-10-30T23:24:00.000-05:00

Wiggles

2009-10-30T23:20:00.000-05:00

I LOVE THE BEACH!!!

2009-10-30T23:18:00.000-05:00

Lady and Sons= Yum

2009-10-30T23:13:00.001-05:00

Family Fun at the Beach

2009-10-30T23:03:00.001-05:00

Beach 2009

2009-10-30T22:51:00.003-05:00

S.C. (2)

2009-10-30T22:43:00.002-05:00

Trip to S.C. 2009

2009-10-30T22:28:00.003-05:00

MeMe's 90th Birthday Party

JoJo's Visit

2009-10-30T22:21:00.001-05:00

4th of July

2009-10-30T22:14:00.001-05:00

Jack was not happy about taking pictures at the neighborhood parade, but he had a fun time. He loved swimming at Luke and Jen's house!

How Sad!

2009-10-30T22:06:00.003-05:00

Hello my name is Meri and I am a facebookaholic. Adam created my facebook page without me really wanting to have one and now I am hooked. I think that my ignoring the blog is also impacted by the purchase of my Iphone. I didn't want one of those either and now can't imagine not having one. I am never on an actual computer anymore other than my tablet for work. I am going to try to do better though. That being said, I am going to try to post a few past pictures and start from now. We'll see how it goes!

My week

2009-07-04T14:54:00.002-05:00

Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia. What a difficult way to say a rare, benign breast tumor. That is what I had removed on Thursday. I had been having some issues and pain over the last couple of months so my gynecologist referred me to an awesome breast specialty center for an ultrasound thinking I likely had a fluid filled cyst. On Monday I had said ultrasound and found a 1 1/2 centimeter tumor. I was told there was a less than 2% chance it was cancerous, but it was still scary. I had it removed and biopsied on Thursday and got the results yesterday that it was okay. This type of tumor is not supposed to increase my chance for breast cancer. I need to go have a follow up ultrasound in 6 months, but am good to go besides being sore and bruised. I am also having some blistering which is very rare, but not surprising with my sensitive skin and allergies. Anyway, moral of the story is keep doing those breast exams girls!

Chuck E. Cheese

2009-07-03T22:43:00.000-05:00

Go-carts and Putt-Putt

2009-07-03T22:34:00.001-05:00

Farmstands

2009-07-03T22:25:00.002-05:00

Boston Aquarium

2009-07-03T22:10:00.003-05:00

Trip to New Hampshire

2009-07-03T21:01:00.000-05:00

We had a great trip to New Hampshire! Jack had so much fun with Nana and PawPaw! He did great on the plane rides. Jackson took a ten minute nap in the car on the way to the airport after a long morning at VBS and was so wound up he stayed awake until midnight that night! What a long day! Our DVD player died after fifteen minutes so needless to say Mommy and Daddy were exhausted! Mommy won't make that mistake again! We had our new laptop on the way home so Jack watched all his shows and was a happy camper. Nana and PawPaw splurged and bought us an awesome laptop for our birthdays. We love it and have loved being able to do IChat (or whatever it is called) all over the house so they can see Jack play and even take a bath.

We had a whirlwind trip that included a trip to Boston to see the Red Sox come back win over the Yankees for the sweep in the pouring rain. It was so much fun that I almost didn't mind walking (limping due to my knee) for half an hour in the rain with a thousand other fans. Adam and I went to the Fine Arts Museum and Science Museum and ate at our favorite Italian place. Park and Linda brought Jack down so that we could all go to the Boston Aquarium. Jackson is obsessed with penguins and his favorite color is pink. I know, I know! Before we even went in the aquarium he spotted a pink penguin stuffed animal that he had to have. Now Jackson carries around his two penguins, Pettie and Pinkie, everywhere we go. Jack had a great time seeing the fish and penguins, riding the carousel, and eating pizza and cookies.

Once we were back in New Hampshire, we hit up several farm stands and fed the animals. We also made a couple trips to Chucky Cheese and had fun splashing in the pool in the front yard. Jack played his first rounds of miniature golf and even rode a go-cart with Daddy (while I had a heart attack). Jack loved playing the piano and PawPaw's guitar, playing with his tools and many, many toys Nana had for him to play with, and tickle and cuddle time with Nana and PawPaw. Jack was a handful at church. We attempted to go to late service after Bible class which never seems to go well for us. Jack wanted to play and kept saying "Hi PawPaw!" while Park was preaching. Jack and Nana got in some good bonding and bribing with chocolate time in the cry room. Oh well.

Muchas Gracias Amigas de Dobie!

2009-07-03T21:00:00.001-05:00

My wonderful PPCD team gave me a going away party at the end of school. It was incredible! The flower pots that the kids made and had their pictures on them will be treasured always! What can I say about that card!!! With many, many tears shed I had to say hasta lluego Dobie. I have worked with the best people I could ever work with. You guys are my closest friends and know more about me than is normal:) I have learned so much from all of you- therapy wise and life wise. The kids are so lucky to have y'all in their lives and I am truly blessed to have you as friends! Take care of my babies for me y una brazo a todas! I love you all and will miss you so much!!!

May Lifegroup

2009-07-03T21:00:00.000-05:00

Jack, Ella, and Hayden at the Park

2009-07-03T20:55:00.001-05:00

Jack's Birthday Party

2009-04-12T22:45:00.007-05:00

Jack's birthday party was so much fun! Thanks to all our friends and family who made the day so special! We love you!

Our Little Man is 2!!!

2009-04-12T22:28:00.003-05:00

Go Horns!

2009-04-12T22:17:00.002-05:00

Jack cheered on the Longhorns while they lasted in the tournament. We were robbed by those devils!!!

First Thomas the Train Big Boys Undies

2009-04-12T22:08:00.002-05:00

We are starting to teach Jack about the potty. He went three out of five mornings in a row, but then got sick and hasn't been going since then. I am thinking this summer will be serious training time. We'll see how that goes... I picked him up a pack of underwear at Walmart the other day and he saw them and wanted to put them on and show Daddy. He also decided to ride his bike, wrestle, and fly like JJ the jetplane.

Backyard After

2009-04-12T22:00:00.003-05:00

(We moved the swingset back so Jack and his friends would not crack their heads open on the concrete so don't worry!)

Thank you Daddy for putting together my awesome swingset! Thanks to Grandma, Grandpa, Nana, and PawPaw for the coolest birthday present ever!!!

Jack Helping Daddy

2009-04-12T21:56:00.000-05:00

Backyard Before

2009-04-12T21:55:00.000-05:00

Two Future Longhorns???

2009-04-12T21:52:00.001-05:00

Missions Weekend

2009-04-12T21:35:00.002-05:00

The cake I made for the big meal on Saturday night.

At the end of February our church had a missions weekend. Adam was on the committee that planned the entire thing with Paul and Scott. They all worked so hard. There were lots of members who put a lot of time and work into the weekend and it showed. Sandra Cooper outdid herself again and was awesome! I am so proud of Adam! Thanks to Zak and Ronna for coming out and showing your support!

Sleepy Pirate

2009-03-26T12:44:00.003-05:00

Jackson loves his Captain Feathersword hat and sword from the Wiggles Playland. He even likes to wear it at 6:00 AM on the way to Grandma and Grandpa's house. My sleepy pirate is such a trooper to tolerate two hours in the car every day.

Happy Birthday Caroline!

2009-03-26T11:50:00.002-05:00

My cutie pie niece Caroline had a birthday two weeks ago and we celebrated last week at Cheesecake Factory. It was yummy! Jack only had to leave the restaurant once to go ride the carousel. He had fun hanging out with his cousins. Happy Birthday Caroline!

Our Future Hockey Player

2009-03-26T11:43:00.003-05:00

Jack had fun skating with Daddy! I sat this one out since my knee was acting cranky. I am pretty sure Jack is already a better skater that I am! Check out his first skates! When Jack sees a hockey game on TV, he immediately says "Play Hockey!". He has hockey sticks and loves to hit the puck and balls all over the house. It cracks me up!

Playing with Grandma

2009-03-16T14:43:00.001-05:00

Valentine's Fun

2009-03-16T14:30:00.003-05:00

Playing with swords with Grandpa is so much fun!

Gluing Valentine's and eating the smallest ice cream cone on record with Grandma

Eating heart lollypops that Nana sent

Jack loves the pink heart sunglasses Nana sent too.

Rocking out in the car.

2009-03-16T14:27:00.000-05:00

Robin's Shower

2009-02-01T13:50:00.000-06:00

Cake after Jack dropped it!

Cake after cake surgery! Still a little messed up, but oh well!

Baby BOY Brant's Cake

Robins mom and Grandma and my mom

Court and her beautiful table set-up

Desiree and Robin

The hostesses and mother-to-be

Jess andRobin

Mike and Robin

Lauren, Baby Girl Yates, and me

The Berkner Girls Blinded by the Sun

Robin, Desiree, me, Courtney, Lauren, Nikki, Gina, and Jessica

Robin's shower went really well. The punch was tasty, the food was yummy, and the cake was pretty decent if I do say so myself. Robin is one of my best friends from high school and college and she is expecting her first baby. A BOY! She was told it was a girl and we sent out shower invitations for a girl. Robin registered for a girl, bought bedding and other items for a girl, and bonded with a baby girl for two months before finding out that she is having a boy. What a shock! She is very happy to have a boy and has adjusted fabulously to the change.

It was great to see Robin's family and friends! Our friend Desiree came down from Oklahoma and it was so fun hanging out with her! It is so hard to make the time to spend time with girlfriends and I really need to do better.

I made the cake for the party. My first stacked cake and what an experience! I learned a very important lesson: NEVER turn your back on your toddler when there is a cake around! I made the mistake of putting the top layer's cake carrier on the coffee table while I put the bottom layer in a box and loaded my car. As I was walking back in I hear a bang and turn the corner find Jackson pushing the cake carrier across the wood floor like he is pushing a truck. The bang was my dearest angel throwing the cake off the coffee table and onto the floor. I couldn't even say anything and promptly started laughing hysterically! All that time and effort and I thought it would be a great idea to put the cake in the hands of Jack- what a dummy! At least it didn't topple over completely so I was able to do some serious cake surgery once I got to Courtney's house and it turned out okay. It was a little slanted and messed up, but only appropriate for Robin to see that her baby boy will soon be a toddler and get into everything like my little one.

Lex's Birthday

2009-02-01T13:49:00.002-06:00

Lex had his first birthday party at the coolest place. I think it was called My Gym in Frisco. It was so much fun! Jackson had a blast!

First Time Ice Skating

2009-02-01T13:08:00.000-06:00

Jack had a great time ice skating! His jacket was too bulky to wear and his shirt kept coming up so we learned a lesson for our next trip. We only stayed for about thirty minutes which was about twenty nine minutes longer than I needed to see that I do not need to be on ice skates. I never was a good skater, but after a knee surgery and multiple knee injuries it is not a good plan. I was so bad Adam had to hold my arm if I wasn't next to the wall (which I was whenever possible). I was scared I was going to drop the camera, trash my knee, and fall on Jack all at the same time. Next trip, I will have to be the camera person wearing shoes.

Laura's Shower

2009-01-26T13:02:00.004-06:00

Lindsey, Rebecca, Laura, and Me

The cute cake Rebecca made

The girls from our Lifegroup and playgroup had a small shower for Laura on Saturday. It was fun hanging out with the girls and Laura got some fun stuff to prepare for little Benjamin's arrival. Rebecca made the cutest cake! We are hoping to take a class together soon. I am excited to have a cake decorating buddy!

Ella and Hayden Turn 1

2009-01-25T18:46:00.003-06:00

Ella and Hayden had their first birthday party last weekend. It was a really fun party! All of the kids loved the ballpit and slide that they got for their birthday. Nikki and I made the cakes and my mom and I made the cookie boquet and little crown cookies. Nikki's husband made these really cool crown boards to put the cakes on. We had so much fun! Nikki did a great job decorating the cakes!

Nana and PawPaw

2009-01-11T12:46:00.000-06:00

Jack loved having his Nana and PawPaw in town!!! He wouldn't let Nana out of his sight. They were great to take such good care of him. While they were here, I read three of the four Twilight books (and read the fourth after they left- addicted!), went to an actual movie... in the theatre, and got some shopping done. I would like to say that I took the opportunity to clean or organize my house or garage, but I just didn't. It was so nice! Jack had fun going to Walmart, the park, the soccer field, the Wiggly play center, the mall, and spending time with Nana and PawPaw. He wrestled and read books and watched his shows. He was loving life! Jack was so sad to see them leave. He cried and cried when they had to say bye and head to the airport. We can't wait to see them in three months for Jack's birthday. How is my little boy already almost two???

Merry Christmas!

2009-01-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

Santa!

Santa's letter to Jack

Wow!

Jack showing Nana his new penguin.

I need some coffee! I am so tired!

Daddy looks like he could use some coffee too.

Jack loves all of the dancing decorations.

Our tree. Santa has been here.

I know it is time to eat, but I want to play!

Grandpa, Grandma, Daddy, Jack, Nana, and PawPaw

Jack got a guitar like his cousin Holt. A Holtar as he calls it :)

Jack loves Mr. Potato Head now!

Syd and Caroline having too much fun!

Looks yummy! Bring on the prime rib!

Jack playing with Grandma and Caroline.

Can you tell I just got the new flash and had no idea how to use it?

Syd, Beau, and Caroline

Do I have the two most gorgeous nieces or what?

What a wonderful Christmas we had!!! We are so blessed to live so close to my parents and my brother and his two daughters and it was great to spend time with them on Christmas. We are also blessed to have Adam's parents come down to visit every few months. They would not miss seeing Jackson on Christmas for anything so they were in town to join in the fun. Our "keeping it simple and not overdoing it" Christmas did not happen and my house now looks like Toys 'R Us. Jackson loves his new diner and has been "cooking" nonstop. He loved his new shopping cart (a manly red and yellow one of course) and his new airplane. He has also been playing hockey and basketball to make up for all the cooking and cleaning he has been doing. This keeps Daddy from throwing away the baby doll. He was so overwhelmed on Christmas that we stopped opening his presents and let him open a present or two a day for the next week. Jack loves his big wheel that his Aunt Sharon got him and his tent that Grandma Donna got him too. We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family to share the holiday season with.

Chirstmas Eve

2009-01-09T23:00:00.001-06:00

Tantrum or snow angel???

I love my new wheels!

Why is all this stuff in my way?

I'm not sure what I think about this talking bear!

Jack and his fans.

Jack and PawPaw

Jack with his favorite people!

Jack opened one present on Christmas Eve.

Night night Grandma and Grandpa.

Daddy and Jack hanging up stockings.

Jack with Nana and PawPaw

We enjoyed some yummy lasagna, salad, and bread on Christmas Eve at our house. Jack loved having all four of his grandparents over! He showed off his new big wheel that Aunt Sharon and the gang gave him for Christmas. After dinner Jack opened one present- a Wiggles car. How fun! He hung up his stocking with Daddy and read The Night Before Christmas with PawPaw and Nana.

Baking Cookies with Nana

2009-01-09T15:10:00.000-06:00

Jack had fun baking cookies with Nana before Christmas! He even liked eating the cookie dough just like Mommy. Nana was not pleased:) He loved wearing the apron like Nana and rolling out the dough. It was hard to get the rolling pin out of his hands. He also enjoyed decorating the cookies. Decorating in his mind means dumping all the sprinkles in one spot. It was so cute. He was very proud of himself and had a great time.

Christmas PJs

2008-12-21T13:56:00.000-06:00

Jen and Luke brought Caroline over to play so they could go to Luke's Christmas party. The kids had so much fun playing. I thought they looked so cute in their little Christmas jammies. Getting a good picture of the two kiddos together was no easy task as you can see.

Jack's Christmas Party

2008-12-20T13:44:00.001-06:00

Jack had a fun time at the Christmas program, showing Grandma and Mommy his toys and friends at school, and eating lunch with Daddy. He did not have a fun time with Santa! He was literally shaking he was so scared for a minute after I picked him up. So sad! We traumatized him! We love Jack's school and his teacher is really great with the kids!

Family Fun & Thanksgiving

2008-12-12T15:13:00.000-06:00

My aunt came to visit from Costa Rica and my grandma came to visit from South Carolina for a week of fun with Jackson. JoJo immediately was Jack's best friend and he wanted to spend every waking moment with her. It was funny to see how my mom (normally his favorite person) was temporarily bumped down a spot on his favorite people list. Of course she was right back on top after JoJo went back home, but she saw how I feel sometimes when I come home from work and he says ,"No!". MJ was amazed at Jack's development since she saw him in August. She thought he was even talking more by the end of the week she was here. MeMe loved spending time with Jackson too. Jack loves MeMe's stroller (walker) and he rode around on it and liked sitting with Meme. MeMe taught Jack how to break the ends off of green beans. Now if someone would teach him to actually eat them, we will really be getting somewhere. I had so much fun spending time with my mom, MJ, and MeMe. We shopped, baked, cooked, went to the grocery store, watched the Wiggles and Barney, and celebrated Thanksgiving. I am so glad that they were able to come in town. Jackson says their names in his prayers and "calls" them on his pretend phone often. We all miss them everyday!

Turkey Trot 2008

2008-12-10T14:53:00.000-06:00

Jack with Mommy and Daddy

Grandma, Grandpa, Mommy, and Jack

I love this slide!!!

Jack jumping in the bounce house.

Jack loved the pony ride!

Neigh!

Cockadoodledoo or Cockdoo as Jack likes to say.

Jack pet the bunny.

He loved petting and brushing the goats and sheep.

He's going to hate me for making him wear the hat:)

There goes Grandpa!

Go, go, go!!!

Jack cheering on the runners.

Our family has a tradition of running or walking in the Turkey Trot every Thanksgiving. My dad has run the race on and off since before I was born. Adam and I ran/walked one year while dating, took a year off for our honeymoon and have now ran/walked in four in a row as a married couple. This was my first time to actually run the race. I was so proud of myself because I didn't have to stop once. This was only my second 5K to run so I was happy about my time. My dad and Adam ran the 10K and both did well. Jack played in the bounce house, rode a pony, and played in the petting zoo that they had set up with my mom while we ran. He had a blast!

Santa Joe

2008-12-09T18:36:00.006-06:00

We had a good time with Santa's helper Joe. Jack would not sit in his lap, but would give him high five. Ella and Hayden were terrified of Santa Joe too, but looked super cute. Jack had fun playing piano with Caroline. Sadly, Jack was not in the mode to pose for a cute Christmas card picture. Oh well! Better luck next year. Thanks to Donna and Joe for having us over.

Adam's First Marathon

2008-12-09T17:44:00.006-06:00

Uncle Steve, Aunt Michelle, Grant, Holt, Jack, and Adam

Adam running across the finish line. Bravo!!!

Grant, Uncle Steve, Aunt Michelle, Holt, and Jack on the River Walk

Little Man all bundled up.

MeMaw, Adam, Jack, Uncle Steve, Aunt Michelle, and Holt

MeMaw, Jack, and Adam

Jack and his buddy Holt

He did it! Adam finished his first marathon in San Antonio! I am so proud of him! He set a goal last New Year's Eve to run a marathon and he did it. He also set a goal to cut out all caffeinated beverages and he has not cheated at all. I asked what we were in store for next year, but he hasn't decided yet. Adam has family in San Antonio so it seemed the best spot for his first marathon. We stayed with his Uncle Steve and Aunt Michelle and they were the best hosts. Jack loved their boys Grant and Holt and he wouldn't leave Holt alone all weekend. Holt has a little guitar that Jack claimed for the weekend. Holt was a great sport to share his toys and have a runny nosed little one attached to him constantly. We were also able to see Jack's great grandmother MeMaw and Adam's aunt Mary. Jack loved playing MeMaw's piano and doing laps around her house. It was great to spend time with everyone and I hope to see everyone soon.

First Trip to Sea World

2008-12-09T15:08:00.005-06:00

Our first family trip to Sea World in San Antonio was so much fun! Adam's cousin Holt was able to come with us and we were so glad he did! Jack loves his Holt and said, "my hout" all weekend. We fed the dolphins and saw penguins, sharks, frogs, fish, and Jack's favorite sea lions. We asked him what the sea lion said and said, "whowho" just like the sea lion. When we got home to my parent's house, my mom asked him what he saw at Sea World. He promptly said, "Shampoo jump otta da wawa" while pointing a big arch in the air. He thinks he is so funny!

Pumpkin Jack

2008-11-10T21:42:00.005-06:00

Jack loves pumpkins! He kicks them, sits on them, falls off of them, rolls them, plays them like drums, ......

Trunk or Treat

2008-11-10T21:25:00.010-06:00

Hook 'Em Horns!!!

Our Longhorn trunk.

Farmer Carson

Emily was the cutest goldfish around!

Andrew holding Madelyn

Pierce the Elephant

Superman Blaine

Laura, Matt, and Luke

Luke wants to be a Longhorn too!

Luke, Jen, and Caroline

The cutest farmers in town- Carson and Davis.

Zac, Ronna, Emory, and Blaine

Ronna and Emory

Jack loved the bounce house!

Grandpa and Jack had so much fun!

Emily and Lila

Mac Brown, Crazy Fan, and Colt McCoy

Briley Bee

Miranda and Audrey

Jamie and Brady Pig

Bill, Stacy, Joey and Deanna

Jeff, Angela, Kolby, and Taylor

Mac and Colt

We had a great time at Trunk or Treat this year! We decorated our trunk with a Longhorn theme. Jack was Colt McCoy and Adam was Mac Brown. I was a crazy fan and Grandma and Grandpa were fans too. Adam and his dad spray painted a field and made goal posts. We had Longhorn music blaring and ended up having to borrow jumper cables at the end of the night. Thanks Wayne! We had so much fun and are looking forward to our new Halloween tradition!

Fun with Nana and PawPaw

2008-11-10T21:20:00.003-06:00

Can you tell he is familiar with the camara?

Hi!

More pumpkin baseball PawPaw!

Jack loved hitting a craft pumpkin off his tee.

Rock Climbing

2008-11-10T21:07:00.007-06:00

Ronna, Dawnda, Me, Lisa, Misty, and Beth

The sweaty couple

Wahoo!

SpiderAdam

Ray and Beth

Nate and Lisa

Me and Dawnda a.k.a. SuperWoman

"I finally made it! Now how do I get down???"

This is what rock climbing is supposed to look like. Misty is the best rock climber ever!

Our Lifegroup achieved the impossible... a night out without kids! We went to the Canyons at Frisco and had a blast. I was scared the first time when I got about half way up and came back down. Once I got the hang of it, I made it to the top repeatedly. It was a great workout and I was sore the next couple of days. We had a great time!

Nana and PawPaw's Visit

2008-11-10T20:50:00.003-06:00

Nana and PawPaw came in town and we had a great weekend! Jack loved showing off his costume and all the attention he got. The second night they were here, we attempted to go to the Frisco Fire station Trick-or-Treating, but the line was super long. We learned to be better prepared for next year and arrive earlier. Jack still enjoyed seeing the fire truck and police car and looking at all of the kids in their costumes.

My Drummer

2008-11-10T20:38:00.003-06:00

Jack's new fun game is to take apart my laundry hamper and turn the pieces into drum sticks. He loves to sit at my latest garage sale find even though his little feet won't touch the floor for a few months (or days at the rate he seems to be growing). He gets this crazed look on his face and drums away. We are hoping that he has some of his Daddy's musical ability and non of mine! He is on the right track!

Jack's 1st Costume Day at School

2008-11-03T11:49:00.001-06:00

Cake Decorating Class 3

2008-11-03T11:37:00.004-06:00

My mom's cake.

Here are our last cakes for our class. Do you think we passed? We discovered that roses are not our friends. I think we will have to stick to animal cakes and anything were we can do dots or stars only. Mama is the leaf queen though. We took them up to our church Trunk or Treat and had lots of compliments on them. It was dark though... :) We enjoyed our class and plan to take another one in January or February if life would slow down for a minute or two.

Cake Decorating Class 2

2008-10-27T15:09:00.004-05:00

My mom's cake.

My cake.

This is our second cake for the class we are taking. I gave mine to the quadruplets that I work with since it was their birthday the next day so I made four clowns. The kids loved it! This week we have to make a roses so we'll see how that turns out....

Cake Decorating Class 1

2008-10-20T17:15:00.000-05:00

My mom's cake after a bumpy ride in my car.

My cake.

My mom and I are taking a cake decorating class at Michaels this month. This is our first cake that we decorated using a rainbow template. I free handed the writing to practice and my mom used this cool stamp to imprint the words and then she traced on the lines. Who new they made such neat stuff for cake decorating. You could spend a fortune. I guess that's why the class is only $20 so you will have more money to spend on all the junk. I am so proud of my mom for taking the class with me. She and her arthritic fingers are doing awesome!

Painting Pumpkins

2008-10-20T14:50:00.003-05:00

Jack and Mommy

Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Apple

Laura and Luke

What a mess!!!

I love this picture of Jonathan! He is so proud of his purple pumpkin!

Davis looks like he is ready to karate chop the pumpkin.

Jonathan and his purple pumpkin.

Matt, Laura, and Luke

Misty, Davis and a good looking pumpkin. (Mark was kind enough to take all of these pictures.)

Eric, Rebecca, Pierce, and Preston are the cutest family!

Blaine and Emory had fun painting their pumpkins!

Ridge painted an awesome pumpkin!

I love our Lifegroup at church! We have the best friends ever! Painting pumpkins after our discussion was so much fun! The kids didn't want to stop painting and most ended up with brown pumpkins since they used so much paint. Luke was awarded the messiest painter award and Jonathan was awarded the tidiest painter award. Jack was in the middle and kept saying pumpkin paint the entire way home.

The Fair

2008-10-19T21:31:00.005-05:00

Jack loved seeing all the animals.

MomMom carried Jack the entire time so I could take pictures.

Jack pointed out his favorite animal; the giraffe.

Jack loved looking at the goats and sheep and saying "maa".

Jack cracked up at the scary birds pecking at some guy.

I did not find the scary bird amusing!

Jack saw lots of neat things, animals, and interesting people at the fair.

He got wheeled around in style in his new jogging stroller.

Jack enjoyed his first Fletcher's corn dog!

He gobbled it up and then played drums with the sticks.

Jack loved riding the cho-cho to and from the car.

Jack had a great time at the fair on Saturday. It was a total zoo since it was the last weekend. After taking 45 minutes to park, we had a great time. We took Jack to the petting zoo and he got to feed the animals. He was more interested in taking all the shovels then actually feeding them. He was excited to see his first giraffe, zebra, ostrich, and many others. He named the animals and made a lot of animal sounds. Jack LOVED his first Fletcher's corn dog!!! He also ate ice cream bites and french fries while we were there. Jack fell asleep at 7:15 on the way home and slept until 7:00 Sunday morning. We were all exhausted.

New Friends

2008-10-12T13:10:00.002-05:00

Jack has three new friends named Hippo, Monkey, and Blankey. He loves to cuddle up with them and watch his show before nap and bedtime. My friend Kathy made the blanket for Jack before she moved away and it is the neatest blanket!

Who Beets Ella & Hayden?

2008-10-12T13:00:00.003-05:00

Nikki, being the good mommy that she is, thought it would be a good idea to have her kiddos experience the taste of beets. The twins were not impressed, though it did look like they were wearing some Berkner Bandolera's lipstick. It was too funny! Jack had fun exploring all of Ella and Hayden's toys and pretending to go night-night on their blanket.

Frisco Roughriders' Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-11T20:38:00.006-05:00

After the Texas/OU awesomeness, we went up to the Roughriders' stadium where they were having a pumpkin patch fall party. By the time we got there, all of the pumpkins were already gone. Oh well. They had a hayride, bounce houses, balloons, and face painting still going on. It was a fun little outing and Jack enjoyed checking it all out. He still does not enjoy people in costumes and was less than thrilled to see Deuce, the Roughriders' mascot. He did give him a high five after we both gave him five. Baby steps. It could be a rough Halloween for our little man.

Ethan's 2nd Birthday Party

2008-10-11T20:36:00.005-05:00

We had a great time at Ethan's 2nd birthday party this morning. Jack loved jumping in the bounce house, drawing with sidewalk chalk, and playing soccer. It was a great party!

Texas/OU Game!!!

2008-10-11T20:29:00.005-05:00

Hook 'Em Horns!!! What an awesome Texas/OU game! After Ethan's party we raced over to MomMom and Ba's house for the big game. Jack was excited with all the yelling we were doing at the TV. He slept for two hours so that we could enjoy the game and eat some tasty burgers. Nice work kiddo. He is still working on getting his fingers to make the correct Longhorn position, but he has the "Hook 'em" down. He also says a version of "Touchdown!" and throws his hands up in the air. He looked very cute in his jersey that he will wear on Halloween. Yeah Colt McCoy!

Little Messer

2008-10-06T20:55:00.004-05:00

Jackson can now climb into our bathtub by himself. Note the diaper he is still wearing.

He also explored my suitcase when I got home. He likes our craft too.

Jackson is obsessed with the water fountains at church. At least he waited until after Bible class to soak his shirt. What a mess he is!!!

Women's Retreat

2008-10-06T16:39:00.009-05:00

I enjoyed a nice weekend with the ladies from my church this weekend. We went to Pine Cove and stayed in cabins. They were really nice and the food was really tasty. We had a great time getting to know each other better, learning, singing, toasting marshmallows around the campfire, crafting, and playing games. I roomed with my good friends Ronna, Dawnda, and Sarah. We also got to know Candice the second day. What a great weekend! Adam took great care of Jack while I was gone. They went to the Wiggly Play Center and the park and Jack was perfectly behaved of course since I wasn't around. They even made it to church without me there to help get Jack ready. They were just a little late. I was sad to leave my little man for so long, but it was worth it to go on the retreat.

The Wiggly Play Center

2008-10-06T16:34:00.006-05:00

I finally made it to the Wiggly Play Center today. I had the day off from work for our Fair Day so Jack and I had a fun day together. Jack has been to Wigglemania several times with Adam, but it was my first time. Jack had so much fun! He was so independent climbing and attempting to jump in the bounce house. I bought him a little stuffed Dorothy and Henry the Octopus. He calls them Dothy and Ocpus. It is so adorable.

Brenly's Birthday Party

2008-10-01T21:49:00.006-05:00

Isn't this the cutest cake!

Jack, Brenly, and Ethan

Jenny and Kaylin

Jen and Caroline

Caroline and Jack

Bren and Jack

Luke, Jen, and Caroline

Summer and Brenly

Brenly had an awesome 2nd birthday party in Celina. Jack loved seeing all of the animals, feeding the goats, going on a hayride, and riding the tractors. He wasn't so sure about sharing the wheel with his friends. We had a great time!

Brayden's Birthday

2008-09-19T15:05:00.003-05:00

Jack's friend Brayden turned 1 and had the cutest turtle themed party! Jack had so much fun playing in the ball pit and pinning the tail on the turtle.

My Little Tree Climber

2008-09-19T15:05:00.000-05:00

I LOVE TO CLIMB TREES!

Jack's First Day of School

2008-09-11T15:01:00.003-05:00

Jack had a great first day of school! He walked right in the class and started pushing a push toy around the room. He loved fingerpainting in apple sauce and he had his first show and tell- an apple. (Of course, I have already dropped the ball as a mom by not sending an apple to school. I didn't get the email from his teacher until that day, but she brought an extra. Since he was out sick last week, I didn't get a note about it. How Sad Mommy!) He ate almost all of his lunch and played well with the other kids. When Ba went to pick him up he was sleeping soundly on his nap mat in the middle of the room with four other kids running around. They were yelling and bumping into his mat and he didn't budge. What a sleepy head! I asked Ms. H where she bought the magic wand to make my child sleep on a mat in a room full of other kids. Wow!

Jack's First Longhorn Game

2008-09-06T19:08:00.004-05:00

Jackson enjoyed his first Longhorn football game. After MomMom and Mommy took the scenic tour around the entire stadium (let's just say it was obvious that it was the first game of the year for all the employees directing people to their seats), we met back up with Daddy and Ba to see Vince Young's number retired. It was neat to be there for that and see sweet sweet Vince. Jack said "Hook 'Em" over and over and danced with the band. He only cried once in the third quarter when the entire stadium yelled at once when a receiver dropped a pass at the goal line. He was a cutie pie even though he wasn't feeling that well. We are so proud of our future Longhorn. (or whatever he chooses, but we can hope)

Meet the Teacher

2008-09-06T19:00:00.002-05:00

Jackson had his meet the teacher last week and loved his new classroom! He ran right in and started pulling toys down and exporing the playhouse. Mrs. H is very nice and we excited for Jackson to start school this week. He had a stomach bug last week so he missed the first two classes, but he is back to his old self again. I know that Ba is excited for him to go to school. He will go on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-2. We have to take him a little mat to sleep on. I see that going well...

Rudolf

2008-09-06T18:20:00.002-05:00

Rudolf, the red nosed Jackson... Jack was left alone with his ketchup and I love the results.

First Week Back

2008-09-03T21:25:00.003-05:00

My best friends at work Amy, Lori, Liz, & Donna

Lori, Donna, Jack, & Liz enjoying some yummy food.

Well, I have finished one week at school and it went great. Except for the minor detail of my classroom and seven others being broken into. They didn't steal anything from our room, but did steal a laptop, a flat screen monitor, a digital camera and other items from other rooms. They went through all of our cabinets and we had stuff everywhere. We felt so violated!!! I am sure the thieves were upset when all they could find in my class was play-doh and paints. At least, they didn't break anything other than our doors. We couldn't get in our room until mid-morning so the police could fingerprint everything so we had a really long recess. It is just really sad that people would do such a thing. Especially to a school that really prides itself on trying to help the neighborhood and take care of its students and families. How Sad! (This is the PPCD way of laying on the guilt when you are not doing what you are supposed too. Jack is now repeating this and I think it is so funny!) Hopefully, we will get new doors soon so our kids will stop ripping through the paper we have put up temporarily. Our kiddos are wonderful!!! We have never had such an easy start of school.

Ella and Hay

2008-09-03T21:14:00.004-05:00

Jackson had fun playing with Ella and Hayden. He said Ella perfectly and said Hay for Hayden. He said Ella about fifty times after we got home. Someone has a crush! He was not sure why Hayden kept wanted to touch his ear though and why Ella wanted the drums he was playing with. I was impressed that all he did was pout. He is not used to sharing. School is going to be a rude awakening. I am not sure who is cuter the hugger or the napper. It must be a tie. Nikki and Chris are so blessed to have such sweet little ones!

Rock Star

2008-09-03T20:15:00.002-05:00

Caroline, her friend, and the proud Papa looking on.

Check out that guitar player!

Jack, Beau, and my awesome older and gorgeous niece,Sydney

My not so little niece Caroline is now a rock star! She attended a week long School of Rock camp in August where she had some intensive musical training. The week culminated with a concert on Greenville where she played guitar and sang in front of a packed house. It was so much fun!

Jack's Top 10 Cutest Sayings

2008-08-24T15:14:00.003-05:00

Jackson has been talking up a storm lately. Sometimes he says things that just make you smile. Here is my top 10 cutest things he has said lately in no particular order:
Please
Oh No!
E-I-E-I-O
B-I-B-L-E (the song)
Homerun!
Bible
Mommy
Alrighty!
Hook 'Em!
Amen!

It also melts your heart to hear him say everyone's names: Mommy, Daddy, MomMom, Ba, Nana, Paw- Paw, Meme, JoJo, G, Beau, Ca, Syd, Emmy, CiCi, Maggie, Aydy (Brady), Ella, Hay, Amy, Donna....

Back to School

2008-08-18T21:12:00.003-05:00

Well, I started back to work today. So sad! No more playgroups at the pool, running errands during the day, and relaxing with Jackson during the day (except weekends) for a long time. It was good to see my friends at work and I am looking forward to seeing my kiddos and getting new kiddos next week. At least we can get in our rooms and they are clean this year. No new carpet, ceiling tiles, or other renovations this summer to keep us out until the weekend before school starts this year. It won't be so stressful this year. Jackson had a great day with Ba. He didn't cry when I left and was happily playing with MomMom when I got home. He wanted to show us all his toys. MomMom set up his tent in the living room and he had a big time. He was very excited to have pancakes, sausage and an egg for breakfast. No more waffle and canned peaches for him now that MomMom has something to say about it. I hope that he continues to behave himself for Ba and they have another great year.

A Few More Beach Pics

2008-08-10T19:28:00.001-05:00

Folly Beach

2008-08-06T14:09:00.006-05:00

Grandpa Ba, MomMom, Jack, JoJo, & Emmy hanging at the beach the first day.

Jack digging at 9:00 pm on our walk.

Mr. Cool and his bubbles!

Liz, JoJo, CiCi,G, Jack, Mommy, MomMom, Ba, and Daddy had a great time celebrating birthdays.

Jack loved to help blend our yummy drinks!

When we first arrived at the beach the house we rented for the week was awful! It advertised two full bathrooms. By that, they meant one yucky full bathroom/ laundry room upstairs and one bathroom downstairs next to where you park the cars. It looked like it was the public bathroom for all of Charleston. It was so gross!!! The shower was completely corroded and I won't even go into what the toilet looked like. Agghhh!!! After unpacking two cars, Dad went back to the rental place and told them ever so nicely that the house was not acceptable. After an hour or so he was satisfied when they gave us a nice new, much larger house, with 3 1/2 bathrooms ... for a discounted rate. What a relief! We didn't even mind loading and unloading the car again. The new house is wonderful!!!
Jackson loves the beach! He likes his "house" (tent) and loves to dig in the sand. He even likes to stop and dig at 9:00 pm on our evening walk. He is warming up to the waves, but isn't crazy about the water yet. That is fine by me since we saw a baby shark on the beach right in front of our house the first morning we were here. It was still alive and a lady threw it back in the water. I am sure his huge parents were happy to have their baby back. I am terrified of sharks!!! Jack loves surf boards and is in luck with a surf camp in front of our house in the mornings. Cousin CeCe got him a little surfboard and he stands on it and falls to the ground. Hours of entertainment!!! He loves watching Daddy and Ba ride the waves on their rafts.

MeMe and Family

2008-08-06T13:47:00.006-05:00

Fun at the kitchen table with G and Memes.

First corn on the cob. Mmmmm!

Emmy and Jenny smiling pretty.

The Three Carter Kiddos all grown up.....kind of.

Emmy and JoJo teaching Jack about all things Southern.

The girls in matching shirts. How cute are we???

Buddy, MeMe, and MomMom on the back porch.

MJ with Aunt Florence

Check out the ups on Aunt Florence's dog!

Meme has the coolest dancing flowers!

I love my MeMe!

JoJo and G are so much fun!

Pretty is is pretty does!

JoJo and Cousin Em

We arrived in SC safely and Jack was very excited to see MeMe. We had been practicing saying her name by looking at her picture before we left Dallas and she was thrilled he could say her name. She kept pointing to herself and asking "Jack, who's this?" and to her great delight he would always answer MeMe. He would also answer MeMe to any other question she asked him, but what can you do.

Meme's next door neighbors have two roosters in their backyard. They start announcing morning at about 4:30 AM. Did I mention I hate roosters!!! Jack, however, loves them. He awakes with a smile (at 4:30AM) and says doo or doodle. It is really cute. The Wiggles sing a song that goes Quack, quack, quack, quack, cock-a-doodle-doo..... and they move their arms up and down like duck wings and put their hand on their head for the rooster part. It is Jack's new favorite song and wants everyone to sing it and do the motions all the time.

Jackson experienced his first South Carolina peach and his first corn on the cob this week. He loves them, but still wants the peaches in the cup too. We went to the peach shed and got fresh peaches twice and made the best peach pie. We also made my favorite Southern dish- fried okra. Yummy! I am not going to fit into my clothes when I get back.

Jack got to meet his Uncle Virgil for the first time and he sure loves his "G" as he calls him. He also is loving his Aunt JoJo who has taught him to say VaVaVoom! His Mother's Day Out teacher is going to think he is the strangest child this fall. He has charmed my cousins Emmy and Cindy (CeCe) by saying their names and flirting with them. Uncle Buddy and Aunt Jenny think Jack is a sweet little boy too. Uncle Buddy bought Jack a blow-up pool for the backyard at MeMe's house. Jack liked it so much he immediately got in and pooped in it. Of course we had not taken the time to put a swim diaper on him yet. A few minutes and a few Lysol wiped later, it was good as new.

MeMe can't believe how much Jackson will eat. He ate his weight in samples on a Costco run and she is still talking about it. Jack will definitely let you know what he wants and does not want (sometimes very loudly). What happened to my little baby? He is such a toddler now. MeMe has told everyone how he says Amen after a prayer. She thinks her great grandson is pretty special. He loves his MeMe too!

Road Trip

2008-08-06T13:44:00.006-05:00

We made it to Memphis after a fairly smooth eight hours in the car. We enjoyed tasty ribs two nights in a row, went to Graceland, and swam in the hotel pool several times. We also checked out Beale Street and listened to some music. The world famous Peabody Hotel ducks were neat to see too. It was a nice way to break up the long drive to SC. Thank God for travel DVD players and the annoying Wiggles!

The Lake

2008-07-26T22:10:00.001-05:00

My brother Beau has a house at Cedar Creek Lake and a really cool boat. He had us all out for my niece Sydney's birthday. We had a great time! Jack really liked riding on the boat and dancing to the country music. He was less than thrilled about having to wear a silly life jacket, but he still managed to have a good time. I took all my cake decorating stuff that Adam's mom had given me to the lake house so that the girls could help decorate Syd's cake that I made the night before. They thought it was so fun. One of the girls even said she wanted to decorate cakes for her job when she grew up- so cute! All of the girls decorated a section of the cake and Syd had the most colorful Birthday cake in town.

The Beach Club

2008-07-19T16:16:00.004-05:00

My friend Lindsey invited us to join her for her first trip to the Beach Club of the summer. We had so much fun! Her kids, Briar and Deacon, are so cute and Jack loves playing with them. Briar is only about six weeks older than Jack and is his little girlfriend. The sand was a lot of fun and a good warm up for the beach. He didn't really like walking in it at first, but then got used to it. After swimming, we headed to lunch at McDonald's. It was Jackson's first time to play on the indoor playground. Of course he wanted to try to climb up the tubes and steal the other kids' shoes. What a mess that boy is!

The Glenville Pool

2008-07-19T16:11:00.007-05:00

Today we went over to Mom and Dad's house for lunch and a trip to the Glenville Pool. Jack loves running around the splash park. He ran back and forth from Grandpa to Adam and then to MomMom. He figured out how to stand on the water spout and have the water shoot up high. Jack also tolerates going under water. He had so much fun. I think this boy is ready for the beach!