making dreams come true

Well, I can't believe it's really happening, I am happy to announce I am currently enrolled and taking classes to become a Dental Hygienist. It has been a dream of mine since I became a Dental Assistant in 2001. It has just never been the right time, but now that I am a wife and mother (with loads of time on my hands....lol!) I am now going back to school. The cool thing is that I never really liked being a student, but now that I am doing it for me, and I know that the outcome will be the job of my dreams, it is so much more interesting, and I am actually enjoying it. It is not easy by any means, but I am doing well, and finally Jackson is adjusting to not having his momma around all the time, he is starting to take naps again, he went through a few weeks of no naps, I was about to go crazy, but we are good now. He likes the sitter and she really likes him and is always bragging on just how smart his is and how she can tell that he really gets a lot of attention and is loved at home. And that really makes me feel like we are "doing something right." I am so thankful for the opportunity to go to school, so that we can send Jackson to the best schools when the time comes. And I am honored to have been accepted, because there are 24 seats in my class, and about 177 people applied. How cool is that? Brian is the greatest husband in the whole world, he supports me 1,000% and he works so hard for us. Thanks for being a part of making my dreams come true. Oh, and to all our family and friends, I would like to apoligize in advance, but until graduation, if you don't see or talk to me very much, it is not because I am upset or don't love you. It is just trying to study, be an attentive mom and wife ( to a husband that I don't even get to see everyday), and take care of our house, is pretty much the entire 24 hours of my day and then some. So, just know that I love you all and keep me and my sweet little family in you prayers and thoughts. Yeah, for dreams, and I am excited that mine are actually within reach.

Go Redbirds!

Yesterday was very exciting for us, we saw our 1st Redbirds game, it was about 49 degrees and rainy, but we bundled up and had a blast! We were invited by some friends and we started out sitting on the hill, but when the rains came, we headed for our seats. While we were on the hill, one of the Redbirds hit a home run and it was headed straight for us, luckily Ben T. was paying attention to the game, because someone would have gotten injured, but we didn't because Ben caught that ball with his bare hands!!!! Wow, way to go Ben! Jackson loved the game, he was getting lots of hugs and kisses from Julie, and he always loves attention from the ladies. After the game the Redbirds were letting all the kids run around the bases. Jackson was in heaven, he even slide into 2nd base, well, mainly because some other kid kinda bumped into him. Nevertheless, he loved getting dirty and looked really cute, he also loved Rocky the Redbird. We had a great time, and the Redbirds won the game, yeah! Thanks Ben and Christie and Julie for inviting us!

catching up!

Well, I said I would not be one of the bloggers that was really consistent, and then just stopped, and it looks like that is exactly like what I did. So to catch up on things....life is great, my sweet husband just celebrated his Big 35! And we had a weekend of fun! Kickin' the weekend off with a steak dinner with some of our favorite friends, Barry and Heather and Dale and Elisha and their little ones. We ate steak and green bean bundles and sushi, and I made a Black forest cake for dessert of course with the candles in the shape of a 3 and a 5! Then we played guitar hero until everyone was exhausted, but they left the x-box here and I continued to play while Brian was snoring on the couch, I think it was about 2:30 am while I turned it off. I seriously think if we had that game I would be addicted and I most of the time hate video games. On Sunday I had our family celebrate Brian's b-day lunch with us at Jim-N-Nick's restaurant and it was really fun seeing everyone. I love when our family all gets together, even though, I never know who is talking to me because they are all talking at once. I misses my granny being there, she didn't feel good, and we missed her alot. Jackson was so funny, he wanted to eat the rolls and we where waiting for the waitress to bring more to the table so we offered Jackson some chips, and he shook his head "no" and said "Roll" very cute. I made a cake for this as well. And to end the birthday weekend with, you guessed it.....more cake I made another cake for him to take to the fire station. I am all baked out. Just kidding...I would make 50 more cakes for my sweetie if I needed to. Happy Birthday, Brian, Jackson and I love you so much!

Jump

I know that I have been blogging way to much about little kid shows, but I just think this is so cute, that I just can't resist. There is a commercial for a show called Yo Gabba-Gabba. We haven't actually watched the show, but Jackson loves the commercial for it so much. There are all these silly looking monsters and robots and one looks like a drop of water, well, they are all running around like crazy, while the robot wants to take their picture....are you still with me, this story gets better I promise....So the robot tell all the other characters that they have a case of the "Sillies, and they need to get them out." Then they bust into song about how to get the sillies out. You gotta jump! Shake! Shimmy them out, you gotta jump, shake, shimmy, them out, to get the sillies out, get the sillies out, and that's what it's about! Well, that is the song, but it is not just a song around our house. It is more like Jackson's theme song, he walks around all day long, putting one hand up in the air with his fingers in a snapping position, singing "Jump!" and that is mommy's cue to sing the rest of the sillies song. Well, this has been his favorite song for about the past month and a half, and we finally got an actually picture of him singing his part "Jump!" He is so funny!

Paramedics.?...not again!

In the past 13 months Jackson has managed to get his leg stuck in a shopping cart that required the assistance of the Bartlett Fire Dept. and now the Paramedics. Tuesday night, after taking his bath and getting on his jammies, he was playing on his favorite birthday toy, the little tike's slide, which he plays on constantly. And well, I guess the fleece p.j.'s gave him an extra slick bottom, because he flew down the slide like lightening, and slammed head first into the entertainment center. I quickly grabbed him and peeled his face off the cabinet door. He was of course crying, but holding his breath, so I had to blow in his face to get him to take a breath. Well, after getting him to calm down, so I could see what the damage was, I noticed that his right eye was starting to swell on his eyebrow. I was worried about it so I tried to call Brian at work, but of course he was driving the ambulance and they were taking a patient to the hospital. I left a message for him to call me asap. Then his Lt. called me back and told me that he was putting in an emergency call to Brian, that way he would know that I needed to talk to him sooner that waiting for him to come back to the station. And the Lt. also talked me though checking out Jackson's pupils for dilation. (Thanks, Kenny!) I tried to call our neighbor who is a MFD paramedic, but no answer. So, by this time Brian called me from the hospital, dropping off a patient who had a broken hip. I explained what happened and he told me to call BFD and talk with the paramedic, and just make sure they didn't need to check Jackson out. I called and keep in mind that we know all these guys since Brian worked there for almost 6 years. So, I talked with the medic, and he felt like it would be best if they just came out and made sure that he didn't have a concussion or something. They just came on over it wasn't an official 911 call, so they didn't come "lights and sirens" or anything. So, they looked him over and they said everything looked okay. Thanks Guys! What a relief! Just chalk it up to being a boy,I guess. I think I have given birth to the next Evil Kenevil.

happy anniversary to us

I just wanted to say what a wonderful husband I have an on the 16th we celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary. We started the day by taking Jackson to mothers-day-out, then we decided to have breakfast at cracker barrel(yummy!) After eating until we felt like we were going to pop, we came home and exchanged gifts, I set up a tee time for Brian and a friend of his choice to go play golf and I gave him golf balls. And he took me to a nursery and I picked out a Crepe Myrtle(dark purple) for the front yard and a Ginkgo tree for the back yard. After tromping Thur the mud at the nursery, we went to pick up Jackson from school and on the way home we stopped by the pumpkin patch. Jackson was just having the best time, I think he climbed on every pumpkin in the whole patch.Pointing to each on saying "pumpkin" and he even tried to take a bite of a few of them. We also went on a hayride while we were there, and picked out the pumpkins that we wanted to bring home with us. When we got home we got ready and we went out to eat at Blue Fish (in the cooper-young area), and Jackson stayed with his Nana and Granddad. We had the best time ever!

Happy Anniversary, Brian, you are the love of my life and my soul mate and it is so awesome the live each day with my BEST Friend.....you! And just like the engraving on your wedding ring says, you are "my friend, my love, my hero" Thanks for always giving me the best of you. I am looking forward to the next 100 years of fun, and love and well, you. I love you, happy anniversary!

Busy Day

Yesterday, we had such a busy day, we went down to Mississippi to see my Granny, Jackson's Great-Grandmother, which he called her "Nanny" in his attempt to say Granny. He played and played and discover all the picture of his family and learned all their names, over and over again. Also his Mimi came to see him and they played tee-ball which for a 1st timer he was surprisingly good at making contact with the ball. After leaving Mississippi we came home quick enough to eat a snack and take showers, then we went to home group where he played with Julie, Gavin, and Dylan. They had a blast. We put his p.j.s on at home group then we went from there to my friends house who just had a baby. And we held Hayli then. We came home. What a day.... and the amazing thing is that Jackson didn't cry the whole day, until I was changing his diaper before putting him to bed and as I was reaching for the diaper, he stood up like he sometimes does. They he began to pee. The crazy thing was that it landed on my jeans, so I made a funny sound, I mean, I wasn't mad at him, it was just an accident, so it startled him, and he stopped then he started again a second later. By this time, he was crying and peeing and I was laughing because he peed on me. I had to reassure him that it was okay, it was an accident, a funny one at that! So that was the only time he cried the whole day. What a good baby we have!

Baby Dedication

We had baby dedication at church a few weeks ago, this was presenting the babies to the congregation. The parents were asked to write a letter to their babies, which were printed in a program....here is ours...
Jackson-the first time we saw your sweet face, we came to realize what a blessing and gift you truly are. Your Papa and I can't thank God enough for sending you to us. Some of our many prayers for you are that you continue to grow and remain healthy. That you thrive in life, surrounded by your family and good Christian influences. We pray that we will always have a warm, loving Christian home where you can feel God's love, learn about Christ, and the value of a family and the meaning of love. Also, we pray that you will learn to be a great husband and father, but most of all that you choose to follow Christ whole-heartedly and walk the Christian path all of your days. We want you to know just how important you are to God and with Him, nothing is impossible. We are so honored that God has entrusted your life to us. And we are completely trusting in God to lead us down the "parenting path." We want nothing more than to do the Lord's will and give Him praise and glory as we embark on this journey with you, Jackson. We love you so much. Always in the past, the Cross has been amazing and the reason we have lift eternally, but I must admit, I never actually realized the entirety of God's gift...His Son, until my son was born. Now, thanks to you Jackson, I have an even greater, deeper love for God that He could give His Son for you and me and Papa and the whole world. So thanks be to Christ who loved His children so much, and taught us how to love. For without Christ, we would have no life. Jackson, take Christ with you wherever you go. He will never forsake you.
Love, Mommy and Papa

singing songs

Today has been a pretty cool day, my son did something amazing. He loves the show on Noggin' Jack's Big Music Show, and we watch episodes from time to time. And I also Tivo it just so that we have it on hand. Well, this morning, Jackson walked up to me and handed me the remote, and said "Jack-Jack!!!!" So, just to make sure I understood what he was saying I asked him, "Do you wanna watch Jack's Big Music Show?" and he answered "Jack-Jack." So I turned on an episode, and he sat in his Bumbo to watch.
Now for everyone who hasn't seen this cute little show, filled with puppets and musical instruments, and all different kinds of music, the opening song is so cute and the opening lines are: Come on everybody give your foot a tap ( and it shows Jack tap is foot to the beat) come on everybody give your hands a clap( and it shows his hands clapping) Well, my genius of a son tapped his foot when Jack did, and then he clapped. The best part was when the puppets say "jack's big music show" because my Jackson knew when to say "Jack" I consider this to be the 1st some that he sung a song. Then as the show went on, they sang a few more songs, and he would pick up on the chorus and sing those too! Look out Justin Timberlake, we have some competition for you. What a day!

Check out another Slide Show!

Happy Birthday!

We have had 365 days with a beautiful son, and we are so blessed. I can't believe how time flies! He is so awesome, I can't thank God enough for such a wonderful gift and I am looking forward to all the birthdays to come. We couldn't ask for a sweeter more perfect son. Have a look at his one year old photos. They are amazing...of course!

climby climberton

My life just got a little more crazy....Jackson has learned to climb on everything!!!!!!!! Today alone he trying to climb up on the couch, the dinning room chair, the office chair, my scrap booking rolling bag (it looks like a suitcase),and the treadmill, he also tried to climb up the office desk drawers. He climbs on the pack and play, also he tries to climb up the baby gate. And if we stand still long enough he will climb up us, like we are "parent trees" or something. I need a nap.....just kidding! I love that he is learning so fast. Well, I guess we will see what he will try to climb tomorrow. :)

how i love my caR

Last year (while I was pregnant) as I sat on the couch, I saw out of the corner of my eye red flashing lights. So, of course I got up to see what was going on outside. It was the fire department, and my neighbor had closed her car door while it was running, with her 1 year old daughter inside. The fire department had to rescue the baby who had been just sitting there patiently waiting to go "bye-bye". Well, since I witness this, it has become a motherly fear of mine that I will some how lock Jackson in the car. Every time we go anywhere I always drive myself crazy making sure that a locked door won't get shut. So I pull up on the lock to "MAKE SURE" that it didn't some how get pressed down. Well, I was getting ready to go to the bank and to drop off the recycling today, and Jackson was not even in the car yet, but in my freaky habit I made sure the door lock was up. Oh, I might add that the car was running to cool it off before I put Jackson inside. I accidentally pushed the lock down, and the coolest thing in the whole world happened.......THE LOCKED POPPED BACK UP ON ITS OWN :) :) :)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My super car has a super secret feature that we didn't even know about, if the car is running and the door is open the locked can not be engaged....What a load off!!!!!! Thanks VOLVO!!!! You are Amazing!

strange things are happening...

It seems kinda crazy, but lately I have noticed that Jackson's toys have a mind of their own. I was rocking him to sleep (in his bedroom) and in the playroom, one of his toys started playing music all by itself. And tonight, while I was feeding Jackson, a totally different toy started singing and talking and we were no where near it, not once but twice. So I turned it off, and if it comes on now, then I will really be worried. And on another note, our TV will just turn itself off all the time. So, is our house HAUNTED??????? Just kidding. I thought this CRAZY picture of Brian with a Bumbo hat on was appropriate for this story! what do you think?

the invitations have been sent

I am happy and sad to say that my little sweetheart will be celebrating his 1st birthday, it is bittersweet. It seems like only yesterday we were driving to the hospital. Now he is walking nonstop and the invitations have been sent for the monkey themed birthday party. I made the cute little monkey invitations and I am making the cake, and most of the party favors, and food. I sent out 19 invites, so it just might be standing room only.....:) I even found the cutest monkey outfit for Jackson of course. This is just a preview of all the monkey business to come. C-ya at the party everyone.

our family

here are some cute pictures of my sweet family!!!!!! I love my two boys, Brian and Jackson!!!!

sick day

It all started yesterday, Jackson woke up with congestion, and is nose was running like a faucet. The night was full of ups and downs, coughing , wiping little noses, and using the little aspirator (Jackson's favorite....just kidding!) And he woke up about 4:15 this morning and I checked his temperature and it was 102. he was so hot with fever that even his hands and feet were hot to the touch. With a dose of Tylenol, I put him in our bed, he snuggled up with me and fell asleep. This morning he was very congested, and still running fever so we went to the Dr. The Dr. said he has a viral infection with knots on his throat and fluid behind his left ear, and there is not too much we can do, but just wait it out and make sure that he doesn't get dehydrated and that he gets plenty of rest and lots of fluids. This afternoon when he woke up from a nap, I took his temp again, and it was 103.1, I gave his a cool bath and he seemed to feel a little better after that. Now he is in bed, but his nose is running so much that he won't sleep very long because his pillow will be soaked. So, pray for a speedy recovery for my little angel, he has had a few colds in his life, but never anything this intense.

Jackson's 1st road trip

Saturday we celebrated the August birthdays by driving to Shiloh to eat at Hagy's Catfish Hotel, right on the Tennessee river. Jackson has never been in the car for that amount of time, so we had to pull over once on the way there, just to give him a break from his car seat. I changed his diaper in my lap and then we listened to the church cd all the way there, because it is soothing to him. I sung the whole way, sorry to Nana and Granddad and Brian,who had to hear this for 2 and a half hours. When we finally arrived @the restaurant the waitress brought the highchair that looked as if it were used during the civil war, and it was so sticky and gross, but it could have been made of gold, Jackson didn't want to sit down anyway, because he had been in his car seat most of the day. So Brian and I had to eat in shifts, and Nana walked around with Jackson, too. Then we talked with everyone for a few minutes, then got in the car and came right back home. But not without a stop at a mom and pop gas station to give Jackson a break, diaper change and put his p.j.'s on. After we put him in his car seat again, his p.j.'s zipper had a blow out and half of his leg was exposed until we got home. It looked pretty funny! I have to say that we will not be making another trip like that for along time, for Jackson's sake. I was glad that we were invited and happy birthday to Don, Clay and Nancy!!!!!
Brian and I had been there before to eat after a date @Shiloh. It is a cute little place with pretty good catfish, go early because it gets very crowded. And the only place to wait is outside. It was cool because when we got there is when I remembered that we had been there before. It was a pleasent surprise. Also while we where there this time, the civil war re-inactment was taking place, and all the soldiers were waiting outside as we were leaving. I should have taken Jackson's pictures with the soldiers, but I didn't. I did however get some good photos of Jackson and his granddad looking at the boats going by on the river. I have to say that Jackson is not ready for a drive to DisneyWorld yet. :(

jackson's 1st date......

It has happened, my son went on his 1st date. Julie and Jackson went to Olive Garden on Thursday. When Julie got here, Jackson was very excited and kept walking up to her car seat and smiling and pointing at her. He wore a cute little outfit with palm trees on it, and she was in a sweet little green and pink shorts outfit. Then when we where getting ready to go, and put Jackson in his car seat, he and Julie were playing footsie. It was the most adorable thing ever. Well, when we got to the restaurant, Julie fell asleep, but not because Jackson was a boring date, because he was being a wildman, he sat in his highchair for a while, but then he wanted me to hold him, so as I was holding him he managed to get this foot on the table, and in my bowl of soup. And flirted with every girl, young and old in the restaurant. One waitress came up to me and told me that she was having the worst day until she kept seeing how Jackson was acting so silly and his cute little smile....and she thanked us for coming in and said that he made her day! That was pretty cool.

family day....

How cool is it when your husband brings you flowers and tells you that he is not going to work so that you can have a family day???? Well, that is what my wonderful husband did yesterday. He told me to put on something that could get wet, and to get Jackson ready, but he wouldn't tell me where we were going. I was really putting up a fight, because, I didn't want to put on anything that even came close to a bathing suit! But finally I found a bathing suit that was not too bad on me, and put on a pair of shorts and a tank. Jackson wore his cute swimming trunks and we went to the cutest little park in Collierville, it is a water park. For those of you who haven't heard of it, there are several different things like, rainbows and snakes, and buckets that fill with water, or spray water at different pressures and they are also set on a timer. It is so much fun, with all the kids running around everywhere, and the ice cream truck has a permanent parking space! I thought Jackson would be scared of the water spraying him in the face, but he was laughing and crawling toward the different station. I think that he is still young yet, but he still had a great time, and so did I. It was the best day I have had in so long, as a matter a fact, I can't remember the last time I had that much fun. Brian, you are the best, thanks for the flowers and the family day, Jackson and I had a blast. ** Go to the Collierville water park everyone. ** And I think we should get a petition up and try to get a cute little park like this one in Bartlett. We know the Mayor,(and we voted for him:) ) do you think he would listen to us????