The Adventures of Jack

It's No Longer "All About Jack..."

2009-08-20T08:03:00.000-07:00

Hi! We are moving everything over to a new blog. When I created this blog I wasn't thinking about the future....now we are a family of four! (Or will be in 6 1/2 months!)

For some reason blogger won't let me link the new blog on this post.
You can look on the Blogs I Follow List to the left and it will be The Iles Family blog.

It is www.ilesfamily.blogspot.com
If you have me on your "Blogs I Follow List", please change the website.

Jack eating a lemon

2009-07-27T18:58:00.001-07:00

This is hilarious. The kid has always liked lemons!

Iles Family Vacation

2009-07-27T18:54:00.000-07:00

This is going to take several posts. Clint, Jack and I went to Baton Rouge for a couple of days for a family vacation! We stayed with Jenn and Drew (thanks, again guys!) who were the perfect hosts. Thursday night we ate at Acme Oyster House, which was fabulous! Friday we saw Mike the Tiger and went to Blue Bayou, and Saturday we went to the aquarium. It was so good to just spend three days together having fun!

Blue Bayou

2009-07-27T18:44:00.000-07:00

On Friday we spent the day at Blue Bayou Water Park. Oh my goodness...that is the most fun I've had in a long time. We will definitely be back next year! Jack was a champ on all the water slides (that he was allowed to go on). They have a section called "Pirate's Cove" that is just for children under 50" and their parents. We were able to go down the big slides with him. He was so much fun! That evening we went to eat then went back to the rides part of the amusement park. Again, they had a section just for little kids and Jack was able to ride several rides. He wasn't scared at all - in fact, he was laughing at yelling and having a blast!

Aquarium

2009-07-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

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On Saturday we went to the aquarium in New Orleans. We spent longer in line outside than we did in the aquarium. It seems that Jack doesn't want to stop and read about the fish or take his time! Haha! He would rather run from tank to tank yell "WOAH!!"

Jesus Loves Me

2009-07-19T18:51:00.000-07:00

You might need to turn your volume way up to hear this!

Grandma's Dishes

2009-07-19T18:39:00.000-07:00

Before I got married, I inherited my grandmother's china from Germany. My grandma was moving out of her big, beautiful house to go live with my aunt and had to get rid of a lot of beautiful things! Of course, all the McCullin's (including myself) were more than willing to take all of these wonderful things off her hands. I was very excited to receive her favorite dishes. They have been in storage at the Iles' house for five years (I know - I'm a terrible daughter-in-law) and we went and picked them up this weekend. I couldn't believe HOW MUCH it was!! I was heart-broken knowing that I'd just have to get rid of it because there was no way I could fit all of this in my kitchen.

But, the more I unpacked, the more determined I was to keep it. And, it all fit!! I can't wait to have a big, nice dinner on my grandmother's china!

The whole set, including glasses and matching pots!

6 different size plates - 12 of each!

Salad bowls and serving ware, including pots and pans - I didn't keep those.

Four different sized glasses - I was only able to keep 3 sizes.

Can you believe it all fit??

Intense Love for Trains

2009-07-12T13:48:00.000-07:00

Everything in Jack's life is about trains right now. He carries Thomas with him everywhere - he has several Thomas engines so in case we can't find one we always have a backup! Yesterday he was playing in his room by himself and put together these train tracks! He was so proud of himself and played with his trains for half an hour!

Jack will not go to sleep unless his trains are in the bed with him. This afternoon I went to check on him during naptime and this is how I found him. So cute!!

Summer Adventures

2009-07-09T14:09:00.000-07:00

If you asked me what I did this week, I'm not sure I could tell you. That is the beauty of summer! Many times people ask me if I like working and would I want to stay at home. I will admit that there are some weeks during the school year when I would love to be at home. I get stressed, the students can be obnoxious, and I'm so tired at the end of the day. However, I do love my job. And more importantly, I love Jack's daycare. He learns so much while he's there! Jack is very social and talks about playing with friends all the time. AND, I'm there by 3:00 most days, and never after 3:30. Teaching really is a wonderful job for a mother. I only work 37 weeks of the year, I can call in anytime Jack is sick, and I have wonderful benefits.

But, oh, I do love summer. August 5th, the countdown will begin for summer 2010!

This afternoon, Jack and I ventured outside for a while. A wasp nest took over his swing. I got stung a few weeks ago and I'm not going near it again!

Clint's boss gave us some ferns from his yard (don't you love free plants?) and I decided to put them on the shady side of the house. After getting two ferns in the ground, I looked up and saw this HUGE wasp nest! The pictures are terrible because I was SO FAR AWAY when I took them.

Clint's parents are gone to Liberia for the month of July, and we have the privilege of keeping their dog, Ivory, while they're away. She's very old and can hardly move, so she sits on the front porch all day and snores!

Mother's Day Out

2009-07-02T14:55:00.000-07:00

Jack is attending Mother's Day Out on Thursdays for the next couple of weeks. This gives me a few hours' break and allows Jack to play with friends. Today I painted my lab tables at school. They look so great! They were wood-colored with tons of lovely grafitti from equally lovely students over the years. Today the tables are all a flat black and look so modern! I forgot to bring my camera to school today, so I'll take pictures whenever I finish the second coat.

I got a new camera this weekend to replace the one I ruined at the beach. I thought I'd love it because it's so small, but the pictures are almost always fuzzy!! Does anyone know how to fix this??

Jack had a great time at MDO! They asked me to put him in red, white, and blue. He also made a firecracker that he thinks is an airplane. Whatever. Here's a couple of pictures from today. Sorry they're all sideways. I forgot to rotate them!

Florida or Bust!

2009-06-28T16:33:00.000-07:00

Jack running away from the waves.
Taking a break eating animal crackers and drinking juice.

Jack watching the waves for the first time.

Last week Jack and I headed to Destin to spend time with my family. My dad was generous enough to rent a condo on the beach for a week and we all had a great time together. Jack was absolutely not afraid of the ocean. It was a little scary! He would run out into the water at full speed and would get taken over by a wave and would come up spattering and screaming "No, no water!!"

There are many more pictures, but most of them include me in a bathing suit. Those aren't getting on the internet. For good reason, too....you would all be blinded by the "white!" Also, my camera broke halfway through the trip! So sad.

I love this age with Jack. He is so full of life and learning new things every day. We really had a great time in Destin. Thanks, Dad!

Swim Party

2009-06-28T16:31:00.000-07:00

We are blessed to be part of the New Parents Sunday School class. We had a moms and kids swim party last weekend and had 13 moms and 20 kids show up! We had a blast letting the kids play in the water, slip and slide, and baby pools. We ate hot dogs afterwards, then all headed home for a nap! Great time that we'll have to do again! Please ignore Jack's pink floaties. I didn't bring his and our host only has granddaughters. HA!

Officially Summer

2009-06-16T19:53:00.000-07:00

This is the first week that I'm considering officially summer because Clint and Jack have recovered from surgery and VBS is over. And, baby, we are livin' it up. Teaching has its many challenges, but a huge perk is that I only work 9 months of the year. Every time I'm overwhelmed with life during the school year, I just take a deep breath and remember, "Summer is coming."

Clint is out of town most of the week, which stinks, but Jack and I are having a great time. Monday I worked out while Jack played with friends and then we went to the zoo. Jack loved the monkeys and the train. We went back home for a quick lunch, then headed to DeRidder to hang out with Amy Shillingburg and her precious son, Ben. Then we ate supper with Mom at New Life's VBS. After we put Jack down we watched Marley and Me. I cried, and that's a big deal, because as my sisters would tell you, I have a cold, cold heart. (Well, at least when it comes to movies). Sad movie! However, it was so refreshing to watch a movie where the husband and wife stay married through thick and thin.

Tuesday we went to Dry Creek for lunch at the camp and visited with Dee and PaPaw. Then, we headed home. Jack fell asleep in the stroller while we were taking a walk, and I just put him in bed and haven't heard from him since!

AAAhhhhh.....cleaned out storage building. You can't beat that.

Jack's expression riding the train.

Happy mommy and boy.

Seriously, why do I cook spaghetti?

ABC Hip Hop

2009-06-11T13:50:00.000-07:00

Right now there are three things making Jack happy: Thomas the Tank Engine, popsicles, and this ABC Hip Hop video. Very fun!

Kiss them Bye Bye!

2009-06-09T15:49:00.000-07:00

Jack is having his tonsils and adenoids out and tubes put in tomorrow. YAY!! And I'm not saying that with sarcasm. We've had so many ear infections over the past year and I'm so tired of seeing Jack feel bad. We have to be at the surgery center at 5:45 AM and we can't give him anything to eat or drink after midnight. That is not going to be fun! We should be back home in the mid morning. I'll update tomorrow or Thursday!

Check those suckers out! They almost touch each other!

Sweet, happy boy that has no idea what's about to hit him!

First Swim of the Season

2009-05-31T18:18:00.000-07:00

Jack got a swimming pool for his birthday and today was the perfect day to break it out! The water was freezing, but that didn't slow him down. He came down that slide 90 mph and would scream and shout "Oh WOW!" when he hit the cold water. He's such a fun boy. I cannot believe he barely has any trace of baby about him anymore!

Rudy

2009-05-26T11:17:00.000-07:00

We have been wanting a kitten for quite some time now. I just love cats! She is definitely going to be an outside cat once she gets a little bigger and can defend herself against Flapper. She's only six weeks old now and just precious!

Jack loves her. He loves to hold her (which she doesn't love) and has given more kisses than Clint cares to admit. He runs around the house screaming "Find cat! Find cat!" The poor little kitten hides from him most of the time. You can see in the second two pictures that he is letting her play with his train. So sweet!

In other news....Terry and Sara got married on Saturday. They had a beautiful spring morning wedding and we are so excited for them! They are currently on their honeymoon to New Orleans, but Clint and I look forward to having the newest Iles family over for supper when they get back.

Clint is having hernia surgery Thursday, so please keep him in your prayers as he recovers!

LSU Graduate!

2009-05-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

My sister Jennifer graduated from LSU on Friday. We are so proud of her! Not only did she complete college in four years (difficult for an education major), but she also got married during those four years. Also, she got a job on Thursday! CONGRATULATIONS JENNIFER!!

Laura's boyfriend Bob also graduated with a degree in Landscape Architecture. We were able to spend some time with his family on Saturday, also. We love you, Bob! Laura and Jack played on the slip and slide in Jenn and Drew's backyard. She is such a fun aunt.

Mother's Day

2009-05-11T15:15:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful Mother's Day! I can hardly believe this is my third Mother's Day. Time really is flying by, and I can't seem to make it stop!

Clint and Jack really did good on Mother's Day! I got a gift card to a day spa. I plan on getting a facial this summer.

Jack got me this really sweet card. Can you believe he's writing already (just kidding...he had Daddy there to help)

And I got a kitchen herb kit for my windowsill! I'm excited about the basil, thyme, and sage that will be growing there!

My sweet, popsicle-loving two-year-old boy...who needs his hair brushed, his teeth brushed, his clothes changed, and his face wiped. Don't judge me.

Today I came down with pink eye! I went to school anyway, then my principal sent me home. The doctor gave me some drops and a refill for if (or should I say when) Jack and Clint get it. I was really hoping to make it the rest of the school year without missing any days! Oh well...so goes the life a working mother with a toddler. So, I really had a relaxing day!

How Fun!

2009-05-09T08:15:00.000-07:00

Well, while my sweet husband has taken Jack to town to run errands (part of my mother's day gift - a couple of hours to myself) I am surfing the internet and sewing. Check the sewing blog later for updates. While surfing for some new FREE patterns, I found this amazing video. I know it's four minutes, but watch it all the way through...it's worth it.

I love how surprised the spectators are and how the whole thing just looks spontaneous. Hope this brightens your day!

Bridal Shower!

2009-04-28T15:33:00.000-07:00

Friday afternoon we had Sara's lingerie shower here at the house. We had so much fun eating and laughing! Sara and Terry will be getting married May 23rd. Just three and a half weeks away! I'm so blessed to have wonderful sisters and sisters-in-law!

Deep and Wide

2009-04-25T19:16:00.000-07:00

Jack loves songs and is starting to understand how to sing. He loves the song "Deep and Wide" and has been singing it all day today!

Big Boy Bed

2009-04-20T19:30:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it?? Night #2...here we come!

Weekend in Arkansas

2009-04-20T19:23:00.000-07:00

We took a quick trip to my grandparents in Rogers, Arkansas this weekend. We picked up a gun cabinet that was my father's and a half-church pew. We were so excited to get these two great pieces of history! I didn't do a good job of taking pictures while we were there, but Clint took a picture of Jack and Grandaddy (Jack calls him Dean) at the fish hatchery. The Burns family came over Friday night for gumbo and helped load the furniture in the truck. Jack had a great time playing with Aunt Tricia!

Powerful Video

2009-04-20T19:20:00.000-07:00

Drawn from Water from Drawn From Water on Vimeo.

Don't we take for granted our homes, our families, our society, our churches, our friends...I could go on and on. Take the time to watch this video. I wouldn't post it if I didn't think it was worthwhile. This orphanage was just started two months ago and already has 10 children.

Visit the website at:
www.drawnfromwater.org

Easter Celebration!

2009-04-13T05:50:00.000-07:00

We had an Easter celebration yesterday for two reasons. The first reason we celebrated was because our Lord has risen again! It seems to me that every year that becomes more and more precious to me. It is because of Him that we live and will live in eternity. To God be the glory!
It was a true celebration at Calvary Baptist Church. Many, many visitors from all walks of Alexandria came together to worship the Lord, many for the very first time!

Our second celebration was for Jack's second birthday party! I decided just to have a low-key family party yesterday. My mom, Laura, Jenn and Drew, Laura's roommate Jessie, Terry, Sarah, Mrs. DeDe and Mrs. Iles came for lunch, cake and presents. Jack got many wonderful presents, but his favorite so far is the bubble mower. We're already out of bubbles!! Thanks, Laura!

The tables ready for guests!

Jack really wanted to wear his cowboy hat while opening gifts.

The bubble mower!
My mom got Jack a slide. He loves it!

The wonderful cake that I did not make.

Two years old!

Good Friday Tradition

2009-04-10T14:20:00.000-07:00

Jack was born the day before Easter. That Tuesday, four days before he was born, I went to the doctor and he said that I wouldn't have the baby in the next week and they would schedule to induce. He said just to go on about life as normal. So I did! That Friday, which was Good Friday, my friend Leanne and I potted plants on our front porches. By 4:00 that evening I became overwhelmed with fatigue!! I was at the hospital by 8:00 and Jack came at 2:22 in the morning! So, I've made it a tradition that on Good Friday Jack and I will pot plants together. This morning we loaded up in the Explorer and took off for Lowe's! We had a wonderful time searching for the perfect pots and flowers for the front porch. Here's our end result!!

Just the Three of Us

2009-04-10T05:39:00.000-07:00

Tuesday we had a little birthday celebration with just the three of us. We had Jack's presents set out on the kitchen table when he got up, we ate cinnamon rolls, then after school we ate at Chuck E. Cheese. A very fun day!

Presents on the table when he woke up.
Decked out in his cowboy outfit

Riding the cars at Chuck E. Cheese

Two Years Old!

2009-04-10T05:18:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe my little Jack is two years old. He has grown into a very fun boy who I love to be around. Sunday we're having his birthday party, so I'll post more pictures then. For now....here's a recap of the past two years!

Precious Boy

2009-04-06T18:23:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is Jack's birthday! (Look for another post tomorrow evening) His birthday party is on Easter Sunday. We're going to have a lunch and small family party afterwards. I'm so excited about cooking and decorating the table for Easter! Part of the decorations will have Jack's picture, so my goal for today was to get a nice picture of Jack that I could get prints of. I got a few, but overall it didn't go so well...

Well, actually I love this picture, but he still has orange popsicle residue on his face. I may print it out anyway, because it really captures the two-year-old boy that he is.

This one is cute.

Jack fell down and broke his crown.

This is his thoughtful face.

And here are some baby birds we discovered in the geranium pot! I think they were hatched today. I found them when I was watering and I really hope I didn't hurt them!!

Day with PawPaw

2009-03-30T17:47:00.001-07:00

PawPaw will be in the Congo during Jack's birthday, so he took him out for a day on the town as an early birthday present. They watched a movie about a bear, rode the tractors at Lowe's, and ate at McDonald's. What a fun day! I don't have any pictures from today, but here's some from the last Jack/PawPaw day about a month ago.

Let's Play Ball!

2009-03-30T17:40:00.000-07:00

Mom ready for the catch.

Ignore the dirty face, please!

As always, the ball ends up under the couch.

Spring Has Sprung!

2009-03-28T20:06:00.000-07:00

Jack and Clint found a baby frog.

Jack rolling his truck through the dirt.

A beautiful tree in our front yard.

Last weekend was the Nursery Festival in Forest Hill and I scored some great deals! I got one gallon azaleas for a dollar and one gallon Indian Hawthorne for 2 dollars! Our house has ZERO landscaping, so we knew we would need a lot of plants. We had a great time planting and the front of the house will look great in a few years when these plants get bigger.

Does anyone know how to get rid of town ants? That's what Clint calls them. They are EATING my Indian Hawthorne!! Thousands of them! You can sit and watch them take the leaves off and carry them to their hill. I have tried ant poison, but it hasn't worked! Now the plants are looking very sickly and I'm scared my two dollar plants are going to die! HELP ME!

Lots to post!

2009-03-16T18:18:00.000-07:00

I haven't been very consistent with my blogging lately. Sorry about that! Here's some things that have been going on in the past week:

Clint turned 25 on Saturday! He shares a birthday with Josh Hebert, a friend in our Sunday School class. We had a crawfish boil Saturday evening, so Amanda Hebert and I came up with this fun cake for the party. Poor Josh has kidney stones and had to miss the party!!

Sunday Terry was licensed to preach/ministry and Robin and the boys were in Dry Creek, so we headed there after church. Jack and Noah loved playing with PawPaw on the tractor. Jude is getting so big and Robin and I really enjoyed catching up.

Latest news...As of tomorrow, Jack is in the two-year-old room at school! I don't know why, but it really made me sad! I was thinking "WAIT!! He's not two YET! You're rushing him...You're rushing ME!!" He'll be two next month. I just can't believe it! We went to visit his new friends and new teachers. The kids were learning their letters as we walked in (and one was on the potty, one was crying and two were wrestling on the floor).

Can you believe he's 23 months?? (We won't say "two" until next month!)

I shall call him turtle and he shall be mine.

2009-03-07T10:25:00.000-08:00

A little timid at first...

He warmed up with Daddy's help!

Poor little turtle.

Yay for Spring!

2009-02-22T14:01:00.000-08:00

Well, the stomach bug made its way through Jack, Clint and me over the course of 48 hours. We're all better now and ready for fun! One of the main reasons we bought our house is for the yard. It's 1.04 acres and surrounded by privacy-bearing trees. Some people don't like a big yard, but we love it for the following reasons:

1. Free entertainment - it costs nothing to play kickball, dig in a flower bed, or make a bonfire.
2. Work ethic - Clint and I both grew up in families that required us to do yard work. We believe
it teaches responsibility and the value of working hard.
3. Ministry opportunities - Once the weather has consistently warmed up and Clint is done with
planting season, we want to have a big fish fry. I would also like to have a huge
waterslide/splash party this summer for the kids in our Sunday School class. It's easy
to find ways to invite lost friends when you have a place to entertain them.
4. We just like it - I love yard work (except for when it's 100 degrees). I love flower beds, raking,
planning the landscaping. Everything. It's a full year of something to do for relatively
lost cost.

Jack and I got out in the yard today and finished the raking.
Jack liked to help Mommy by throwing handfuls of leaves in the trashcan. So cute!

Jack took a snack break with some grapes. He ended up feeding them to Flapper. Isn't this the CUTEST picture??

Our massive pile of leaves to burn when Clint gets home this evening. This entire pile is just from our raking today. Be impressed!
I brought Jack inside for Round 2 of grapes (Flapper ate all the other ones) and I picked up the rakes from the yard. I came back inside and found him asleep on the floor! I guess he was worn out from all the raking!

Stomach Bug!

2009-02-19T07:30:00.000-08:00

Jack has his first real stomach bug. Poor baby!! Vomiting scares him half to death and we just won't mention the diarrhea...I guess I just did. I stayed home from school today and Clint's getting home around 2:00 so I can make parent-teacher conferences. Jack is soaking up the television and slurping the Gatorade. I took this picture from around the corner because I didn't want to disturb him peacefully watching Cars. Doesn't he just look pitiful? I think the worst has passed. Hopefully it won't hit Clint or me!

Animal Sounds

2009-02-14T05:32:00.000-08:00

Thanks to a great book Uncle T and Aunt Sarah gave Jack for Christmas, Jack has learned many animal sounds. My personal favorite is the cat sound he makes. It's so cute!! Today we are going to PetSmart to try and adopt a kitten. We'll have another post if we get one! Sorry it's sideways. I keep forgetting I cannot turn my camera!

Valentines

2009-02-14T05:27:00.000-08:00

Jack had his Valentine party at school Friday. We were in charge of cupcakes. Jack loves to watch the mixer go 'round! I found some Valentines with stickers of puppies and kittens and knew they were just perfect for Jack! Friday afternoon I rushed over to Calvary from school and was able to catch the party in full swing. Baby Bible Song CD was blaring and 13 very content almost-2 year olds were chowing down on cupcakes and cookies. They were so cute!

Good Times with Friends!

2009-02-08T18:37:00.000-08:00

This weekend Jack and I made the trip to Starkville. Our friends Lloyd and Kristen Reitz will be moving to Pennsylvania next weekend. Check out her blog over on my list. It's "From Dixie to Dairy." Isn't that precious? Lloyd, well, Dr. Lloyd, is an official DVM and will be starting at a practice back in his hometown in Pennsylvania. Saturday night we had a surprise going away party for them. Jack and I stayed with John and Leanne. I was able to see precious, beautiful Mary Audrey. Jack was so good with her. He was very concerned about where she was and what she was doing. It was so cute. I left my camera in Woodworth, so I tried to steal a few pictures from Kristen's blog, but Blogger told me it was corrupted. (My goodness, Kristen!!) Also, Leanne said she'd email me a few of Jack and Mary Audrey together.

We sure miss you Starkville folks!!

2009-02-03T19:07:00.000-08:00

I follow the blogs of several families who are adopting from Ethiopia. We don't know if this is something God is calling our family to, but we know He is calling us to pray for them. For those of you who are unfamiliar with international adoption, it's such an amazing journey for families who go through it. American World Adoption Association is the program I follow. This particular association has programs through China, India, Rwanda, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Ethiopia. Many of you probably know about Steven Curtis Chapman and his two daughters from China. One of them was recently killed in an automobile accident. The Chapman family went through American World for their daughters. From DeRidder, Pam Graves Beadle and her husband Shawn adopted Kailyn from China.

The Blackwell family from Missouri is adopting a little girl from Ethiopia and will be traveling this weekend to pick her up. They passed court, which is a major milestone, and Rahel "Rae" is officially and legally their daughter. Jump on over to their website and check out the sweet video of them introducing their new daughter.

www.bringscouthome.blogspot.com

Single Mothers...Bless You

2009-02-03T18:52:00.000-08:00

The winter months are especially busy for Clint at work. It's planting season, which means two crews from Mexico come and plant trees on clients' land. Clint and his coworker Robert stay busy keeping up with land, workers, trees, etc. Most days he is gone before I get up (and I get up at 5:15) and is home after Jack goes to bed. Several days, including today, he is gone overnight. He and Robert switch out Sundays, but now two crews are here, so they are both working Sundays for the next few weeks. I'm not saying that to complain, because I am so grateful that Clint has a steady job during these uncertain economic times. I'm only describing our situation to say that I've had an extremely small taste of what single mothers go through every day.

I've thought a lot about single mothers lately. Whether they are widowed, divorced, or never married, it doesn't matter. I have gained so much respect for single mothers over the past few weeks. Walking into church alone is difficult. I hope to never ignore a woman who is at church by herself. Just the every day errands and worries and chores would be overwhelming.

Even though the past few weeks have been difficult, God has shown me what a blessing I have in Clint. He has also taught me to reach out to mothers who don't have much help with their children. Anyway...ramblings just to say that I have a deep respect for women who do this on their own. Let me know if you need anything...

Here's a picture of Jack asleep tonight!

I'm NOT a baby!!

2009-01-31T11:00:00.000-08:00

Jack is becoming a big boy! We've gotten rid of the high chair. We should have done that a long time ago, but never did. I'm so glad we don't have to look at that anymore...at least for a while! (no that is not an announcement) I love babies and all that that entails, but I never enjoyed my house being taken over by baby items.

BIG NEWS! Jack pooped on the potty yesterday. He's been talking about doing that all week, and then yesterday out of the blue he came and got me and brought me to the toilet. He put all his poo in the potty, jumped off, and flushed the toilet! I can take absolutely no credit for this, and I have no idea how he learned that. Of course I went crazy! Dancing around, singing about poo in the potty, and we called everyone that might care (and some who probably don't). Jack was elated that mommy was so happy with him. Maybe he'll do it again this afternoon!

Clint and I both hate the idea of a little potty seat that we would have to clean out, so we bought this bigger potty seat that we can take off. We'll see how it works!

I said "Pea-BODY!!"

2009-01-24T16:16:00.000-08:00

The magnificent ASH Trojans played the Peabody Warhorses Friday night at Peabody. It's always a great experience to see a basketball game at Peabody, especially when they play a rival. We got to the Emerald Palace an hour early and still had about 150 people in front of us in line to get tickets. Terry came with us and brought two Louisiana College students from Nepal. The two students really had a great time! They want to really get a feel for the culture in the United States. An ASH vs. Peabody game certainly has culture!! Our varsity girls won, but our boys lost.

Wild Thing...You Make My Heart Sing

2009-01-24T16:11:00.000-08:00

It's cold tonight in Woodworth! Jack still wanted to play outside, so Clint got him all dressed up for a winter night tricycle ride down the big hill. No true biker would ever go without goggles. Especially goggles from the tool kit Jack got from his girlfriend Mary Audrey Long. It's not the greatest picture, but you get the idea.

My Awesome Birthday Husband!

2009-01-19T18:15:00.001-08:00

Clint really outdid himself this year. Usually we go out to eat for our birthdays, but Clint went all out. He reserved a spot for us at a couple's cooking class in February at the Kitchen Warehouse here in Alexandria. I am SO excited!! He also bought me a pair of Sperrys!! I've been dying for a pair and I couldn't believe he remembered that. I have a great husband (and a great pair of shoes!!)

So, I'm 25 now. My students told me I'm past the "cool" part of life and I'm now just an old wife and mother. I think I'm okay with that.

LASC Roomies!

2009-01-19T17:56:00.000-08:00

Sorry, no pictures!

This weekend was LASC State Convention. It is so strange going to this convention as an adviser...I went every year through junior high and high school as a student. The convention was at Bolton High School this year, so we didn't have to stay in a hotel. We decided it would be fun to stay together at a house so we wouldn't lose that bonding time with each other. I live next door to the student body president, Emily Switzer. The girls stayed at her house and the two boys stayed at our house. Kyle and Bruce were a lot of fun! Jack loved seeing them in the mornings. (I'm not sure that they enjoyed seeing his bright eyes early in the morning, though!

New Blog!

2009-01-11T18:50:00.001-08:00

I have started my own blog about my on-going sewing/crafting projects. Visit the new site at www.seeamandasew.blogspot.com

Mommy's Helper

2009-01-11T18:42:00.001-08:00

The new house has all hard floors, which I love. Even though I'm constantly sweeping, at least I know the floors are clean. Jack loves to "help" mop. He makes a huge mess, but he really thinks he is being a big helper!

Jack the Tricycle Maniac

2009-01-10T19:46:00.000-08:00

Many family members and friends have commented that Jack seems to have no fear. He believes large dogs are friends to be made and great heights are meant to be climbed. Jack received a "Cars" tricycle for Christmas and the too-big-for-him trike is the highlight of his 22 month life. Our house is at the top of a steep hill. So steep that you have to put on your parking break if you're on the incline of the hill. So steep that I wait for Clint to get home so he can bring the trashcan back up to the house in his truck.

So steep that riding a tricycle down is potentially very harmful. Like blood, swelling, panicking mother, etc.

But, as I said, Jack has no fear. He rides that tricycle down the gravel driveway like he was born to go 30 mph with Lightning McQueen shouting "Get out of my way!" And it scares me to death. Clint and I run beside him so we can catch him if he falls, or we can stop the tricycle if it looks too out of control.

Last Sunday we were getting everything in the car for church and I noticed the back door open. I flew outside screaming for Jack and there he was, perched on the top of the hill, his little behind up in the air, positioned for optimal speed. He was off before I could think about how to stop him. I sprinted after him, screaming like a mad woman the entire time. He, of course, was laughing and flying down the hill with one hand on the handlebars. He didn't get hurt; must have been a miracle.

Jack's tricycle is now chained to the front porch. He sits on it every afternoon and gazes out across the yard, dreaming of his next ride.

This video is one that we took Christmas morning of Jack receiving his tricycle.

This video is one of his recent rides. Enjoy!

Christmas 2008

2009-01-05T18:42:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year! We spent the 23rd with Clint's family in Dry Creek and had Christmas with Clay, Robin, Noah, Jude, Terry, and Sara. Noah and Jack had so much fun playing together! I was so proud of how well they got along....even with new toys!

Noah and Jack playing a tune...

Clint and I reading books to Noah and Jack that Meme gave them!

Me holding my sweet nephew Jude. He just melts my heart!

On the 24th we had our own little family Christmas. Clint was off and we had a wonderful day with just the three of us. We went to the Christmas Eve service at church and Clint and I stayed up late putting together Jack's toys.
Toys ready for a fun boy on Christmas morning!

I had no idea this Thomas the Tank Engine set would have taken me an hour!!

Clint putting together Jack's tricycle!

Reading Jack's farm animal book on Christmas Eve. Thanks Uncle T and Aunt Sara!

Jack ready for bed!

On Christmas morning, Jack had a great reaction to his toys.

After we played with toys for a while, we went to DeRidder and spent a couple of days with my family. My camera was not working, so I have no pictures!! (I stole the pictures of the Iles' family from Robin....so Jenn or Laura if you have any send them to me!!)

Friday night we had the "Big Iles Christmas" at the Glasers house. Again, no pictures...Britney or Courtney if you have anything, send them my way!)

All in all we had a spectacular Christmas. I already cannot wait until next year when Jack will understand more about Jesus and why we celebrate!

After Christmas was Jennifer and Drew's wedding...another post in itself! I'll save that for another day.

Crazy Two Weeks!

2009-01-05T18:34:00.000-08:00

My two weeks off from school included moving into a new house....

Celebrating Christmas...

And Jennifer's Wedding...

John Long, Can we go hunting?

2008-12-12T14:23:00.001-08:00

This post is dedicated to John Long. John and Leanne are great friends of ours from Starkville. Even though we haven't seen them since JUNE!! We've got to get to work on that...

Anyway..Clint was getting his hunting gear organized the other night and he dressed Jack up in his camou hat and face covering. Jack was so proud of himself! Clint is counting down until Jack can go hunting. (And secretly I am, too! Quiet Saturday mornings...)

Who's Afraid of the Dark?

2008-12-03T17:36:00.000-08:00

From the time Jack was a little baby, Clint has always put him to bed. It's our family's routine that seems to work out well for everyone. I pick up Jack from daycare around 3:30 and we play. I make supper and we eat whenever Clint gets home. Clint puts Jack down at night and that gives me time to get school work done. I'm so blessed to have a husband who loves to help with our son!

I've had several posts over the past 20 months of Clint and Jack's nighttime adventures. Last night he put a headlight on Jack's head for reading. Jack thought that was the best thing EVER!! He would move his head around and watch the light bounce off the walls and ceiling and was in complete awe. Here's some pictures of their time last night. One picture is with the flash and one is without. Enjoy!

Terrific Thanksgiving!

2008-11-30T15:04:00.000-08:00

Jack had so much fun playing outside this week!!

Jack and I spent a lot of time just like this...he has become so snuggly lately!!

Our little family meal Wednesday night.

Our table all set for Thanksgiving!

We had a great Thanksgiving! I thoroughly enjoyed my week off from school. Jack also stayed home the whole week, which we both loved. Monday we went Christmas shopping and ate a free dessert (yay for coupons) from Johnny Carino's. Tuesday we just lay around the house doing absolutely nothing and ate a "Friend Thanksgiving" and Nguyen and Emily Nguyens' house. Wednesday evening we had our own family Thanksgiving. How wonderful it is that we live close to Beauregard Parish so we don't have to spend time on the road our whole break!! We loved being able to stay home more. Clint grilled steaks and I decorated the table and we had a fine meal. Thursday drove to Harrisonburg for the Terry family Thanksgiving breakfast and Thursday night ate the McCullin Thanksgiving supper. Friday Alice' and I shopped from 4:30 - 9:00 and Mom, Jenn, and I shopped from 12:00 - 4:00. Saturday we made a trip to Dry Creek

to spend time with MeMe and Dee. Today we finally had to get back to normal. I made some PowerPoint slides for class tomorrow and Clint went to work for a little while this evening. Do I really have to go to work tomorrow???

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Rolls Done!

2008-11-20T14:54:00.000-08:00

YAY!! I sold 23 pumpkin rolls for Thanksgiving. I finished them up last weekend and put them in the freezer. Last night I finished the sleeves for them out of fall fabric and tied the tops with rafia. They looked great. I'm excited to have some freezer space back because I have 20 more to make for Christmas!

If anyone is interested in buying some for Christmas gifts, they come already wrapped up in Christmas fabric with a ribbon and ready to go! Just post a reply or email me at:

clint_amandailes@hotmail.com

Enjoy!

Thank you, Aunt Robin!

2008-11-20T14:51:00.001-08:00

Robin gave Jack some bathtub markers a while back. Jack has figured out how to use them! Last night he was thrilled to see all the different colors the markers can make on the side of the bathtub. Now bathtub is even more fun!

Music Man

2008-11-17T19:08:00.000-08:00

I'm so frustrated with Blogger. I have a great video to share and I've tried for the last hour to post it, but to no avail. Anyone else having these problems??

Anyway..Jack loves music! I've shared that before, but it's becoming even more evident now. On the weekends Clint plays his music while we go about our day and Jack will dance and clap and just have a wonderful time. Saturday morning I found Jack sitting at the computer just peacefully listening to Clint's CD.

If you could see the VIDEO (!!!) you could see Jack clapping and moving to the music. No one else was in the room (except when I sneaked in to catch the moment on film). Just Jack, enjoying lazy Saturday morning. Also, notice the ever-present boots :)

Dumptruck Utensils

2008-11-17T18:19:00.000-08:00

Jack loves trucks, cars, trains....any type of vehicle. My mom bought him some trucks to keep at her house, but Jack would not leave without them yesterday! Here he is with his truck at supper tonight. He was eating Pasta Pickups the fun way - putting all the pasta in the scoop of the truck and driving it around the tray of the highchair. Fun times with a fun boy!

Good-bye, Danger Ranger!

2008-11-11T08:23:00.001-08:00

Clint sold his truck last week! We were so surprised - it only took 5 days and he got asking price! Autotrader is the way to go...

Clint was sort of sad; I was not.

These boots are made for walkin...

2008-11-11T08:05:00.000-08:00

Jack has a recent obsession with his rubber boots. The other day I was in the living room folding clothes and Jack was in his room playing. I hear him start to fuss, then start to cry. I went to see what was wrong and he was STANDING ON TOP OF HIS CHANGING TABLE!! Obviously I don't have a picture of this because I got him down before he broke his neck. He was trying to get his boots down from the shelf! Since then his boots have been a constant companion. He wears them all over, except for daycare and church. When we get him from his crib in the morning, he looks at us with bleary eyes and says "shoes?"

Here are some pictures from his recent boot-wearing.

Crayon Roll-Up

2008-11-02T18:06:00.000-08:00

My KayeGranny gave me her old sewing machine this summer. I have had so much fun learning to use it! Many (and I mean many) projects have been totally horrible, but lately I've been getting the hang of it. I bought a great book at Hobby Lobby that has sewing projects for beginners. I made this crayon roll-up last night during my "extra hour." A certain nephew of mine will receive it for Christmas (sorry to kill the surprise, Robin). What do you think? I have entertained the idea of opening an Etsy shop (online store where you can sell handmade items) once I can really start generating some products. Clint suggested that I make a bunch in different fabrics and bring them to a local children's store. You never know what could happen!

Disappointment

2008-11-02T11:16:00.000-08:00

Last week we lost the SD card to the camera! So Friday after school Jack and I ran to Target to buy an SD card so we could save all the wonderful Halloween memories from Friday night. Jack had an absolute blast as a dragon! He would run around "roaring" at people and just thought he was the scariest toddler around. We went to the Zoo Boo for trick-or-treating and it was beyond awesome. We went on the "Not scary storybook trail" much to Clint's dismay. Jack loved seeing Pooh Bear and Tigger. Why do I not have pictures?? The SD card we bought did not work! I'm so upset. So, try to imagine what Jack looked like posing next to a huge pumpkin and passing out his candy to princesses and fairies. He was precious!!

Pumpkin Rolls for Sale!

2008-10-26T14:59:00.000-07:00

It's fall again....which means it's time for pumpkin rolls!! Last year I sold pumpkin rolls for the holiday season (Thanksgiving or Christmas - you pick) and it ended up being a big hit. They're a great gift for coworkers, friends, or secret pals. They're also a great food for parties or to just have on your Thanksgiving table!

Pumpkin rolls are $10.00 each. Each roll serves 8-10 people.

Orders of 10 or more are $8.50 each.

Email me at clint_amandailes@hotmail.com or post a reply on the blog.

Thanks!

I prefer flower girls....

2008-10-26T14:56:00.000-07:00

In my last post I mentioned that we went to my aunt Sarah's wedding in Baton Rouge three weeks ago. I forgot to mention that Jack developed a huge crush on the flower girl. They held hands and walked around for a while. He put his foot down when she wanted him to jump down the ditch. He rung his hand loose and ran away! I thought the whole experience was hilarious!!

Goin' to Grandma's

2008-10-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

A couple of weekends ago we went to Baton Rouge for my aunt Sarah's wedding. It was a beautiful wedding and we really enjoyed spending time with the whole McCullin family. We ate lunch at my Grandma's house that afternoon and Jack had so much fun playing with all her "Grandma toys." He especially enjoyed the wooden horse!

Congratulations, Aunt Sarah and Lynn!

Merry Christmas!

2008-10-23T19:22:00.000-07:00

My KayeGranny cross-stitched a beautiful gift for me and gave me money to have it framed for Christmas! She made one for herself, my mother, Jennifer, and she's working on Laura's. I'm so proud of it and cannot wait to display it for many Christmases to come!

I know, I know....

2008-10-23T19:03:00.000-07:00

I'm just terrible at blogging. I spend considerable time every evening reading everyone else's blogs, then I just sigh and think, "Tomorrow I'll update mine." So it's not that I'm "so busy" or whatever the going excuse is. I'm just lazy. There you go. So now that the confession is out of the way...

I must say that this week has been such a wonderful week! We are all finally healthy and the weather has been gorgeous! Jack and I have a new routine in the afternoons. He loves to be outside and it had gotten to be such a battle every day! We would come home from daycare and he would BEG to go "ahsiiiiide" until we were both at our wits end. It's not that I don't want to take him outside, it's just that supper has to be made and laundry has to be done, etc. This week I gave up the battle. I bought a box of sugar-free popsicles and every afternoon we get a popsicle and go on a 2 or 3 mile walk. I've made super simple suppers and somehow laundry has still kept up. It's funny how our priorities get so out of wack. Jack has been much happier and I'm burning some major calories.

Jack and I went shopping for fall clothes Monday afternoon. Jack definitely loves clothes. I know they say that boys don't care, but this kid has opinions about shoes and jackets. He got some great pants and shirts. One shirt says "Jack's full service gas station." Here's a couple of pictures from the past couple of days in his new clothes.

Weekend with Grandparents

2008-10-05T12:58:00.001-07:00

This past weekend Jack spent a couple of days with PawPaw and Grandee! It was fair weekend in Beauregard Parish and Jack had a wonderful time. My mom met them at the fair and Jack loved seeing all the animals.

Boxing robe or Bath robe?

2008-09-23T18:44:00.001-07:00

Clint said when he and his brothers were younger, they would put on bathrobes and "box" around the house. I'm sure Jack and his cousins (see Robin's Blog) Noah and Jude will be boxing around in bathrobes before you know it!

Hurricane Gustav

2008-09-03T06:11:00.000-07:00

Many of you have texted or left messages on our phone wondering if we're okay. We are! We still have power and water, even cable and internet! This morning we woke up to lots of water! It rained really hard all night and the drains and ditches have met their maximum. Hopefully there's not much water left to come, or we may be moving to higher ground!! Sorry the pictures aren't that great...

Beautiful Pictures!

2008-08-30T19:51:00.000-07:00

My good friend Emily Nguyen is wonderful with the camera. She wanted some practice and took Jack out for a little photo session. I think the pictures turned out so great! Thanks Emily!

Jack's Room

2008-08-25T18:32:00.000-07:00

Since we have been in our apartment, we have really enjoyed Jack having his own room. In Starkville, the nursery was a little room adjoined to our bedroom. This was convenient was Jack was a newborn and was up all night, but quickly became a headache as he became older. We would have to tiptoe around, especially in the mornings as we were trying to get ready for the day, and many mornings he woke up early and irritable.

Now Jack has a room all his own and his sleeping habits have become a lot more predictable (even though we still have a bad night every once in a while). He has enjoyed playing with all his toys and I have enjoyed not having baby toys all over the house!

Cousins Come to Visit!

2008-08-25T18:22:00.000-07:00

The boys loved riding around in the wagon together

Noah enjoyed playing with Jack's scooter

Clint holding sweet Baby Jude!

Noah and Jude came to visit us last Friday afternoon. Jack had a wonderful time playing with Noah! I'm so glad that they are now both old enough and big enough to really play together. Many more fun times to come!

Takin' on Michaelangelo...

2008-08-13T19:18:00.000-07:00

Jack came home from daycare Tuesday with his first art project!! He fingerpainted and the teacher drew "legs" on it and called it a bug! It got a little cruppled along the way, but I think that only adds Jack's special touch. I love Jack's daycare! He goes outside once or twice a day and goes to the indoor playground once or twice a day. They also do crafts and games and music!

Today I walked up to the room and Jack was lying on the floor in the corner all by himself. His face was very red, so I figured he had been crying. The teacher said "Oh no! He has been outside playing and he played so hard he needed to lie down!" HA!

Pooh Bear

2008-08-11T18:14:00.000-07:00

When I was pregnant with Jack, Mrs. DeDe gave me a precious gift - a Winnie the Pooh that Clint loved when he was young. Clint's name is even written across Pooh's bottom with a magic marker. Jack has not shown much interest in stuffed animals until very recently. Clint started giving Jack the Pooh bear every night when he lay him down to sleep. Tonight I snuck into Jack's room after he fell asleep to put away some toys, and this is what I found....

Water Baby

2008-08-05T20:06:00.000-07:00

I went over to Uncle Bill and Aunt Budda's house for supper tonight. Clint has been out of town working for the past couple of weeks and the walls in this little apartment were starting to close in on me! I'm so thankful that I have family here in town who are also wonderful friends.

Uncle Bill and Jack are great buddies. They both love to be outside and play! Uncle Bill has always been special to me and it's such a blessing to see him share a fun relationship with my son. Tonight after supper they went outside to play with the water hose and Alice' captured this great picture. Enjoy!

Bonus Buy!!

2008-08-04T17:20:00.000-07:00

I don't know about everyone else, but keeping the grocery bill down is the biggest budget struggle in our family! On the nightly news back in the spring, I saw a story about The Grocery Game. This wonderful lady takes all the work out of coupon shopping! All you do is clip coupons from the paper on Sundays and file them away. She pairs the store sale items with the coupon to get you a rock-bottom price! I've gotten our grocery bill down to about $100 a week (which includes toiletries, diapers, cleaning products, etc). It's lots of fun and I always get a thrill when the cashier says "You saved 20% with your Kroger card today!"

Still don't believe me? I got two 100 oz. bottles of Tide liquid laundry detergent for 8.99 a piece! That (hopefully) should get us through 12 weeks of laundry! Also, I got ribs for $1.74 a pound - ribs for four people were only 6.73. Two weeks ago I got 116 diapers for $13.80!!

I also got a beautiful bunch of gladiolus for $2.50!

Well, for any of you who are interested, the website is:

www.thegrocerygame.com

Night, Night Jack!

2008-07-28T18:50:00.000-07:00

Clint put Jack down the other night while I went to the grocery store. They made me a video of Jack saying his favorite words. Precious!!
Jack now says:
Puppy (his favorite)
Bye Bye
Bird (and he always points up when he says it!)
Wa (for water)
Thank You
Amen
Hey!
Eat (when he's hungry he goes to the pantry door and says "eat eat")

We have really enjoyed teaching him new words and seeing him figure out what they mean!

Duck for Cover!!

2008-07-23T10:24:00.001-07:00

Jack and I are soaking up the last bits of summer!! Next week I am starting full-time and starting Jack in daycare full-time. I don't have to start until Aug 6th, but I feel overwhelmed with all the planning I need to do and it's hard to get anything done with Jack running around :) So, this week we are doing everything fun we can find in Alexandria!! Monday Laura and Bob came up for the day. Laura gave me a fabulous new haircut and Bob was so great playing with Jack! Yesterday we went to Petsmart and looked at all the birds, fish, and kittens and then went to McDonald's for an ice cream cone and the playland.

Today on our "fun list" was to go to the Horseshoe Baptist Church parking lot. Why? They have ducks everywhere!! There's a pond that runs in front of some really nice houses and I guess the residents enjoy looking out of their homes and seeing the ducks peacefully swimming in the water.

Well, there is nothing peaceful about these ducks!! They RAN to the car to greet us because they knew we had bread. Most of the ducks were as tall as Jack and were really mean! Jack got the hang of throwing bread to them and they would all crowd around and fight over the bread. It really was hilarious.

Sorry the pictures aren't that great. Every time I let go of Jack's hand he would run to the water to try to swim with the ducks!

Fun with Daddy

2008-07-22T17:55:00.000-07:00

Clint and Jack spent Sunday afternoon together. They had a great "Dad and Son" day! They watched a little baseball and went to the mall to the baby playland. When I came home from grocery shopping, I found that they had taken the leaves to the kitchen table and propped them up with a chair and were letting cars and trucks fly down into the fireplace! Jack thought this was SO much fun. Clint is such a great dad. Jack always has fun when Clint's around!

New Baby Cousin Jude!

2008-07-06T18:31:00.001-07:00

On our way to Colorado we stopped in Fort Worth and saw our new nephew, Jude! He is such a perfect baby and Noah is so proud to be a big brother. Noah loved showing Jack all of his toys and Jack was very interested in watching Noah do everything! I cannot wait to get all three of the boys back together again.

Family Vacation, Part 2

2008-07-06T18:22:00.000-07:00

Jack got a black eye from playing in the rocks. Many more the come I'm sure...

My only fish from our day of hiking and fishing together!

Jack helping paint the cabin

Family Vacation

2008-07-06T18:10:00.001-07:00

This past week my mom, Clint, Jack, and I set out for Colorado to visit my grandparents. We had a wonderful time hiking, fishing, and eating fantastic food.
The first couple of days Clint helped Grandaddy paint the cabin. Jack had a great time "helping" them paint. On Sunday morning and all day Tuesday Clint and I hiked and fished together. My mom and KayeGranny were kind enought to keep Jack, and Clint and I enjoyed some great time together. Thursday Clint and my grandaddy went hiking and fishing and my mom, KayeGranny, and I went to Lake City and shopped. Friday we went to the Creede 4th of July parade and we came home Saturday and Sunday. We had a great week!!

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

2008-06-20T18:42:00.000-07:00

We are officially residents of Alexandria, Louisiana! We moved in this week. Our first order of business after unpacking boxes was to take Jack to the zoo! He liked the colorful birds and the seaturtles the best. He also loved the train. We will definitely be back often!

Swimmin' in the Creek

2008-06-20T18:22:00.000-07:00

On Father's Day we took Jack to the creek to swim! PaPaw and Grandee had taken Jack the day before and he had a blast. After the pictures he went completely skinny dipping! He thought it was great. He loved the sand and watching Ivory swim around! What a great Father's Day!

Clayton Jude Iles Has Arrived!!

2008-06-19T06:48:00.000-07:00

Clay and Robin had their baby yesterday at 11:30 p.m. We don't have any pictures yet, but I'll put some up when we get them!

International Moving Company

2008-05-28T13:51:00.001-07:00

We no longer live in Starkville! All of our belongings are in a storage building in Alexandria until we can move into our apartment in a couple of weeks. For right now, we are living in Dry Creek! Our good friends in Starkville helped us load the Budget truck. Here's where they are all from: John - Sturgis, MS; Leanne - Gulfport, MS; Lloyd - Pennsylvania; Kristen - New York; Prakash - Nepal; Dung Bao - Vietnam; Nathan - Soso, MS. We thought it was funny that everyone was literally from all over the world. We couldn't have done it without their help!

First Haircut

2008-05-28T13:45:00.000-07:00

Jack's ducktail just had to go, and I didn't want anyone else but Laura to cut it!

Diamond Rings and Wedding Dresses

2008-05-28T13:35:00.000-07:00

Jennifer is engaged! The wedding date is January 3, 2009. We are so excited for her and Drew. Last weekend Jack and I went to Baton Rouge. Saturday we went wedding dress shopping and Sunday I left Jack with Mom and came back to Starkville to move to Alexandria! It was a fun weekend.

Field Day 2008

2008-05-17T20:05:00.000-07:00

The Friday after MCT every year, Lee Middle School has a field day! The kids compete in tug of war, volleyball, and all sorts of races. It is a blast! The past two years have been such a learning experience for me. I could fill a thousand blogs with stories and life-long lessons that I have learned during the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 school years. It has not been an easy journey, but I am so thankful for our merciful God who has brought me through it!

Here are some pictures from Friday.

Going Away Party

2008-05-10T07:50:00.000-07:00

Our wonderful Sunday School class threw us a going away party! David and Linda Sanders opened up their gorgeous home and we enjoyed an evening of eating, playing games, and chasing after babies. We will certainly miss Sundays at First Baptist Starkville. We have met so many great friends!

Update!

2008-05-03T15:24:00.000-07:00

Sorry I have neglected the blog lately. Here's an update on what we've been up to:

We are moving to Alexandria, Louisiana in three weeks! Clint has taken a job as a forestry consultant, and I will be teaching at Alexandria Senior High. We have found an apartment to rent for the next six months. The Lord has really blessed us by allowing everything to fall in place so far. The apartments are wonderful and they are just a mile from ASH and 1 1/2 miles from Calvary Baptist Church, where we hope Jack will be going to daycare. The apartments have TWO bathrooms, which we are REALLY excited about, and they also have a pool and a fitness center. At first I was not excited about the idea of being in an apartment, but now I am amazed at what God has provided for us.

We've started to pack up the house little by little. We are moving May 27th to a storage building in Alex. We're going to leave our stuff there because our lease does not start until June 13th, which is another wonderful thing that has fallen into place. Clint's parents are going to be in Africa for three weeks and are graciously allowing us to stay at their house until our apartment is available. I have a feeling we'll be picking a lot of vegetables and bushhogging, but I'm excited about being in the country for a few weeks!

Well, I'll leave you with a recent picture of Jack. He loves goldfish.

More Birthday Pictures

2008-04-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

The Grill

2008-04-07T07:41:00.000-07:00

Funniest/Embarrassing Moment:

When we reserved the pavilion for the party, we were told that we could use the grills out there as long as we brought our own charcoal. Well, the problem was the grills were way across the pond, no where near the pavilion. Clint said, "No problem. We'll just go back home and bring our grill up here." Problem: Our grill is falling apart. We haven't bought a new one because we didn't want to have to move it to Louisiana. We were just waiting until we moved to buy one. Reluctantly, Jenn and I went back to the house to get the grill. I was wincing as they set it up. You see, the grill doesn't even have a bottom to it. Clint rigged up a piece of wire mesh to hold the charcoal in the bottom. Because of the heat coming through the mesh, the back legs were starting to rot off. Well, the guys got the hamburgers made and were working on the hot dogs when we all heard a "crash." You guessed it...the grill had literally fallen apart. Hot dogs everywhere. Total disaster and complete embarrassment. They finished off the meat by setting the grill on the ground. Clint and Grandaddy hauled the grill to the dump on our way back home.

Happy Birthday Jack!

2008-04-07T07:27:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at Jack's birthday party! We had a party out at Dorman Lake on the National Wildlife Refuge. Several friends and family members came and we even had a surprise visit from my grandparents! Jack had a wonderful time eating cake and opening presents and showing off for everyone at the party. It was such a special weekend for Clint and me and we were so glad to share it with you!

Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T15:19:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful day celebrating the risen Lord! Jack woke up to his first Easter basket. He really loved shaking the eggs filled with Cheerios and jellybeans. One of the eggs popped open and Cheerios went everywhere. He was so surprised! Notice the snake draped around his shoulders in one of the pictures. Ha! The past two weeks Jack has been out of daycare - Clint took him one week for his spring break, then I was off last week for my spring break. Needless to say, Jack has gotten quite attached. Tomorrow starts the "real world" again with work and activities starting back up. Pray for us as we get back into our routine and march on to May!!

Little Red Wagon

2008-03-23T15:15:00.001-07:00

PawPaw and Grandee gave Jack an early birthday present - a red wagon! We have thoroughly enjoyed bringing him on walks around the neighborhood. He looks so proud, too! Yesterday we worked in the yard and Jack had a great time hanging out in his wagon watching us work.

McCullin Cousins!

2008-03-19T19:35:00.000-07:00

Jack and I headed to Louisiana during my Spring break and when we hit Pineville, Jack had an explosive diaper that required a bathtub!! I called my Aunt Budda in Alexandria and we got there as fast as we could. Jack had a great time playing with Alice', Hal, Aunt Budda, and the dogs. Hopefully next time Uncle Bill will be able to meet him!

Almost a Year Old!

2008-03-19T19:32:00.000-07:00

Our little baby is becoming a big boy! He's been on a "learning spurt" lately and is starting to pick up new tricks and skills. Still not walking yet, but he sure crawls fast enough to get wherever he wants to go. He now does "muscle man", blows on his food, waves, says mama and dada, "sings" to music, and gets into everything possible. We love our little man!