NO WAY!!!

Richard got his very own camera for his birthday....We had a great time playing at Gattistown for his fourth birthday...One of my sweetest friend's daughter LOVES to play with Richard...We found "Mater" in Louisiana....PatPat's kitchen Christmas tree covered in letters...

Woody was one of his favorite presents for Christmas (from Aunt Dale).... MeMe and DD with all the "grands"...

Ty and I with the cousins...

Richard had a great time reading to Abby and Sarah Katherine...

He did NOT want to wake up Christmas morning and believe me...we will NOT wake him up next year...BIG MISTAKE!!!

So there's absolutely NO WAY that I can update in ONE blog everything that has happened since my post of Richard dressed up at Thanksgiving for school....so I'll hit a few highlights and add a little bit over the next few weeks!

We were in Baton Rouge and Clinton for Christmas. My brother and his family came in town so Richard had a great time getting reaquainted with his cousins. We decorated gingerbread men (lots of fun - my brotherinlaws girlfriend had made them). Richard is really enjoying school - he is reading now. Because of his love of reading, PatPat decorated her kitchen Christmas tree with letter magnets. Richard turned four in January...we will just leave it to say that HIS party will be memorable....he was SO mad that everyone was singing to him because it was NOT his birthday...he kept saying "NO, it's not my birthday! My birthday's the 19th!" (we had his party on the Saturday before his actual bday). That afternoon I threw a surprise party for Ty's 40th birthday...it was MSU themed rather than over the hill! I made my first "real" cake - probably my last...didn't realize cake decorating was so challenging! I will devote a post just for his party later. Ty and I took Richard to Gattistown for his birthday. Ty went with his parents and his brother to celebrate his 40th birthday. I cannot believe that school is flying by so quickly! I am looking forward to Spring Break - Ty will be off the whole week! And before you know it, summer will be here...I will be teaching Vacation Bible School at two different churches, Richard will go to MMO two days a week, and we are going to Science Camp....fun, fun, fun!!!

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Yes, we are still alive ....

I have not posted in ever so long...school is good, just busy.

Richard ADORES going to school. EVERYTHING about it...he loves to learn...he enjoys sounding out ALL print in his environment...not a good thing when you are in a hurry...maybe "hurry" and three year old don't mix. LOL

He is growing up so quickly...looking back at the picture on our mantle (momma beth took it for mother's day) and his school picture and it makes it look as if a YEAR has gone by NOT just May to September! He can be stubborn at times, but overall still has the sweetest personality and giving attitude. He melted my heart Wednesday: I asked him if he wanted to go to church and his reply was "oh yes mommy - singing about Jesus is my favorite thing in the whole wide world!" Discipline we struggle with but the one thing that really gets to him in the form of discipline is to take computer time away. He LOVES working on the computer...Ty set up his own profile and he knows how to log on (and off) and navigate to his Clifford, Disney, Starfall, Arcade, or Dora games.

He had a great time at school dressing and taking part in the Thanksgiving festivities...I was a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to convince him to wear something other than his uniform. He colored his headband all by himself...pretty good for a three year old, but my OCD friends will laugh...he was determined that he had to color in order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and then purple (although the blue crayon also looked purple - but it's on upside down)..NO I didn't teach him the color order...I think he learned it on one of his games.

I must run - Ty is out of town tonight, and Richard is fed and bathed and in bed so I think that I will be too in just a few minutes...maybe just a bit more surfing and then a bit of mindless tv.

Till later - y'all have a blessed holiday.

Yes, we are still alive ....

I have not posted in ever so long...school is good, just busy.

Richard ADORES going to school.

He is growing up so quickly - the one thing that really gets to him in the form of discipline is to take computer time away.

He had a great time at school dressing and taking part in the Thanksgiving festivities.

Till later - y'all have a blessed holiday.

Richard's First Field Trip....

Today, the three classes of PreK3 at Richard's school took their first field trip of the year. We had a GREAT time...a bit chilly beginning the day, and some of the less fortunate ones got REALLY muddy, but Richard had a great time. He loved the hay ride, swinging in the tree, climbing the hay bale mountain, picking out a pumpkin, snack time, and then BackYard Burger for lunch. Thank you for a great day Mrs. Montgomery!!!

Fun Times with Family and Friends...

I've been fighting the "crud" for about a week now, so I was not able to go to Baton Rouge with Ty and Richard for fear of exposing Poppa to any germs before his treatment begins Tuesday. I was pretty much a recluse and rested and cleaned house, but today I met Mom, Dad, Aunt Susan, and Uncle Dennis at Julep for brunch. I really enjoyed spending time with them and hate to think that they leave in a matter of a couple of weeks to return to England - seven weeks seems as if it would feel like longer!!! After brunch, mom and Aunt Susan came out to our house and helped me finish cleaning - WOW - not how you treat "company" - so glad they are FAMILY - and also we worked on a digital scrapbook of their travels here in the USA. I really missed my two guys, but at the same time was really thankful for a great time of fellowship. Kinda makes me smile looking at the picture of me and Aunt Susan - I was four when we met so it is really strange to be the one looking down rather than up - love me some Aunt Susan....p.s. thank you for ironing our laundry....I'll just have to hop in your suitcase back to England to return the favor!!!

"1st Day at Big Boy School" Celebration

After a GREAT first day at school, Ty suggested that we take Richard to the new Chuck E Cheese to celebrate. It was relatively empty since it was a Wednesday night ( I think there were a dozen of us there - including the employees). He ate well and then headed for the games!! We bought a family deal, but were LOVIN' the fact that we had almost SEVENTY coins left over from one of my niece's birthday party last year. He loved Ski ball as usual, shooting baskets with daddy, throwing the football with daddy, the number game with mommy, riding the horse, and he absolutely LOVED the virtual roller coaster - I think I'm in for it..it is such a good thing that his daddy loves thrill rides - Ty will finally have a ride partner!! We were all exhausted and Richard fell asleep two minutes after leaving the parking lot...he slept so soundly that I changed his clothes, sponge bathed him, and dressed him for bed without him ever waking! What a fun and exciting day in our little boy's life!!!

"Big Boy School"

Well, we have hit a BIG milestone at our house: BIG BOY SCHOOL!!! The "orange and blue" school as Richard fondly calls it. This past Wednesday Richard had his first day of PreK3! WOW! How quickly the past three and a half years have flown by - everyone says that they do, but when you are in the moment it sometimes doesn't seem like they do..that is until BIG days like Wednesday. He LOVES his teacher Mrs. Montgomery! He is in class with Claire, Emma, and Manze; Wes is in a different class, but they see each other for enrichment classes, playground time, and at the after school program. I better take notes and a lot of pictures before time once again passes all to quickly and we find ourselves entering Kindergarten - I probably WILL cry then!!!!

You know it's love when....

you go to an even that you had vowed you would never attend again!! My daddy's birthday was at the end of July. He/we have cousins who have a cabin at the Neshoba County Fair...we went about 5 years ago - what I remember most about that trip was how miserably hot it was and I vowed to never attend again!!! WELL,,,,Daddy expressed that he REALLY wanted me to go and to bring Richard as well (Ty had to work)....so we got a room at the Golden Moon for the night before and after breakfast the next morning we headed to the fair in the ............wait for it............ wait for it.......the RAIN!!! Yes, my friends - it was raining and LOTS of it!!! So instead of scorching hot it was muggy and muddy....I do have to admit that Richard really enjoyed his cousins, feeding the animals, and the races though. Mom was a trooper and rode the rides which totally delighted Richard. I joked and told daddy that we had enough fun that I think I'm good for another TEN years till his 76th birthday!!!