Mini Town

We had so much fun a couple of weeks ago at Mini Town that I thought that Brooke and Evan might like it too, so on Friday we went back. After gymanstics we went and had lunch at Chili's with my mom, Brooke, and Evan. I ordered the Southwestern Cobb Salad and found a little bone in my chicken. Luckily I saw it sticking out and pulled it out. When our waitress came around I showed her, I wouldn't have even thought that kind of chicken would come with bones, she apologized and then the manager came out. I joked that this seriously always happens to me!!! I have found everything from a screw in my quesadilla at Taco Cabana to a pebble in my rice at Fire Hut to, what I am pretty sure was a fingernail, in my chicken sandwich at McDonalds. It's a wonder I still eat at restaurants. Anyway, the manager was super nice and she took the salad off of our bill. I guess I know how to "give my mom the hook-up" when she takes us out to lunch. :)

So, after lunch Brooke, Evan, Jackson, Gavin, and I went to Mini Town. Evan seemed to love it as much as Jackson and they had a great time together. They had lots of fun on the see-saw. Evan laughed and laughed and laughed. It was so funny. Jackson showed her the "infamous video arcade" that he couldn't stop talking about over lunch. They played all the games (again, sans quarters) and had a great time. I showed Matt the pictures when we got home and told him, "Don't you say a word or this will become a very expensive habit." Once again, the best part was that we were the only people there. They said that last week they were busy with most of the schools being on Spring Break, but when we were there..... Fine with us, I just hope that they can make enough money to stay open.








HAPPY 3 MONTH BIRTHDAY TO GAVIN!!!
wOW these 3 months have flown by...

Another fun day at the zoo

Yesterday we got together with my best friend Jill, who is visiting this week with her 3 beautiful girls during their Spring Break. Jill has been my best friend since we were in 5th grade and we have kept close for all of these years. It's so nice that our families are so close too and I love to hang out at her parents house with her family, it's like a second home to me. Jill, her 3 girls, and her sister Jenny joined Jackson, and Gavin, and I for a fun day at the zoo. We had a great time and then went back over to their house for pizza and Wii. Well, Wii for the kids, Jill and I sat on the couch most of the night. Kenzie and Madi are so good with Jackson and he really looks up to them. Kenzie was his buddy the whole time at the zoo and Madi played Wii golf with him. And Jackson was so sweet to share his animal crackers at the zoo with Molly. Jackson also loves to spend time with Harley. I was telling Joy last night that it's so hard to believe that they're almost 4, because it seems like just yesterday they were babies. Jackson was born when Harley was 3 months old and the first time that they hung out was about a week after he was born. They are so cute together. I wish I would have taken pictures of them together playing Wii, but like I said, we were on the couch--exhausted from the zoo.

Over pizza Jill asked Jackson, "What is your favorite animal, Jackson?"
And Jackson responded, "My favorite animal is the Okapi. I like the Okapi because it's half a giraffe and half a zebra."
I told them that someone asked me the other day, "How do you get him to talk in complete sentences like that?" I'm really not sure. My mom suggested that it may be the way that we communicate with him. I hope that he keeps it up, although I can imagine as a teenager he may revert back to 2 year old talk--one word answers. (I hope not!!) I love to hear him talk. It's so adorable. He sounds like a little adult.




Jill and I were so impressed the way that Jackson figured out how to pick the games he wanted to play without any help since we don't have a Wii and he's only played a handful of times. At one point when he was playing tennis Jill and I laughed because Jackson was making all 4 of the players "Jackson". It's so funny how easy it is for kids to pick up on how these things work.

The best sound in the world

Last night my little sunshine laughed for the first time. He's been smiling for weeks and smiles at anyone and anything. He has sounded like he's tried to laugh before, and he does it sometimes when he's sleeping, but this was unmistakable. We were just hanging out in Jackson's room waiting for Jackson to finish brushing his teeth before bed and I was talking to Gavin and he started laughing--a few huh huh's then the backwards breathed in uuhhhhh. Adorable. He loves to carry on a conversation, too. I talk and then he babbles and it sounds like he's really trying to say something.

Yesterday my big boy got his haircut. He's been wearing it kind of long, which I love, but as the weather's getting hotter he needed to get it cut so he won't be soaked with sweat every time we hit the playground. I forgot to take pictures since I was feeding Gavin the whole time we were there, but I'll take some today. Jackson was so excited that we got to go to Sport Clips. It's his favorite place to get his hair cut.

This was something from Facebook that I did with Jackson last week. It's really cute. It's funny what our kids think of us. I'm not sure why Jackson thinks I'm such an athlete. I wish I were. I do play soccer and baseball with him--but I'm not as good as he thinks I am. :)

Jackson age 3 years 7 months

1. What is something mom always says to you?
Go to bed.

2. What makes mom happy?
When I listen.

3. What makes mom sad?
When I don't listen.

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
Tell a joke....and when you tickle me.

5. What was your mom like as a child?
Playing.

6. How old is your mom?
10

7. How tall is your mom?
Didn't say anything just reached his right hand up as high as he could.

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
Play baseball.

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
Run.

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
For being you.

11. What is your mom really good at?
Soccer.....and air hockey.

12. What is your mom not very good at?
The egg finding game ???

13. What does your mom do for her job?
Go at the school.

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
Salad

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
Being nice.

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
The dad from Rolie Polie Olie (huh?????)

17. What do you and your mom do together?
We walk....slowly....we walk slowly (again, huh???)

18. How are you and your mom the same?
We both have eyes...and everybody does....Everybody has some eyes.

19. How are you and your mom different?
Our teeth.

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
Hugs. Everyday you give me hugs, mom.

21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
To your school.




Wow, it's a good thing I don't bet on this stuff. Scott wasn't even in the bottom 3. Last night it was goodbye to Alexis Grace. They said they were thinking about saving her, but in the end said that she was "good, but not good enough." Whoa, that's harsh. Next week it will be Wednesday and Thursday since Obama will be giving a speech on Tuesday.

My children will never know life without....

It's so funny how I take for granted all of our modern technology...until I hear Jackson say something like, "Mom, I recorded it, so I can watch it later." Over the last few days I've realized that my kids will never know life without our modern conveniences with these conversations:

Jackson: Mom, I want to play on the computer. Can you put it on "dot com"?
Mam-maw: Jackson, when your mom was your age they didn't even have the internet.
Me: Are you kidding, Mom? When I was in high school we didn't even have the internet.

(My dad has been in the hospital for the last few days and I had been communicating with him via my step-mom. When she went back to work on Monday, Jackson and I had this conversation over breakfast)

Me: I want to call Grandpa George, but I don't have a way to get a hold of him.
Jackson: Why? He doesn't have his phone with him?
Me: No, Grandma Cyndi is bringing it to him tonight.

Here's a conversation that we had while watching tv:
Jackson: Mom, will you rewind it?
Me: Jackson, when I was your age we couldn't rewind the tv, if we missed it we missed it, we couldn't fast forward through the commercials, and if we had to eat dinner we couldn't pause it.


I guess that's our generation's "When I was your age I used to have to walk to school uphill both ways in the snow."


American Idol Predictions....
WOW, Kris impressed last night. Loved his Garth Brooks song. He's a cutie. Matt joked, "He just needs to lose the wedding ring." Simon said last week that he shouldn't have brought up his wife so early in the competition since he's a heart throb. :) I think it's sweet, of course. I'm sorry to say that I think Scott might be going home. I know that he probably does work harder than any of the other contestants, especially with his visual impairment, but Simon was right his performances are so similar to each other. Mixed reviews at our casa for Adam Lambert. I was a little freaked out, but Matt said that he liked it. I liked his voice as usual, but the arrangement and his face in the fire behind him as he performed....huh??? Can't wait to find out tonight who's going home.By the way, Jackson doesn't really watch the show so much, but his favorites since the beginning are Kris and Allison. He may be right on for the two it comes down to. :)

5 minutes a day

Yesterday at church our pastor led us in a commitment to read our Bible at least 5 minutes per day...for the rest of our lives. He gave a great analogy for life applications of the Bible. He said that when we fill up our gas tanks we don't map out how we are going to use every gallon that week, but we know that our gas will get us to where we need to go. Just like when we read our Bible everyday, we are fueling ourselves to be prepared in any situation. I wanted to document our commitment so that I can hold myself accountable. Matt got a head start on me. He's been reading The Power of Positive Thinking, which encourages reading the Bible daily, so he's read the book of Matthew in the last couple of weeks. Today he purchased a study Bible, so we'll be able to read it and go over it together daily.

Ro Ro left to go back to New Orleans this morning. I am so glad that we got to spend time with her. I always look forward to seeing her. She is always so positive and is such an inspiration. She will be 78 in July and she is so active with a very sharp mind. I hope that I can be as fabulous as her at that age. Okay, I wish I could be as fabulous as her right now. :)

Family Fun

My super-duper fabulous Aunt Rose, aka Ro Ro, arrived on Friday from New Orleans for a fun 10 day visit. Last night my mom, Ro Ro, Jackson, Gavin, and I went to Austin to see Brooke and Evan and Ronnie. We ate yummy chicken salad, fruit salad, and some broccoli, sesame seed, bacon salad (don't know the name, but it was good). The ladies had lots of fun playing Apples to Apples, a game that Brooke won as a gag gift at Christmas that turned out to be lots of fun. There was lots of fun and laughter and we didn't leave to come home until after 11pm!!! I had already called Matt about 7 pm and told him not to watch American Idol without me and asked if he would mind watching with me in the morning since I knew he would be fast asleep by the time we got home. We got up and watched it this morning at 6 am before he went to work. I was right about Jorge, but Matt's girl Jasmine was a goner too. Apparently Anoop's sunny personality helped him sail through to the next round. They announced the new rules about being able to make 1 "save" but I guess neither one of them were worth saving. Can't wait til next Tuesday. :)

My picks for American Idol

As I said before, I just started watching American Idol last season and now I am hooked. Matt and I watch it every week and make our predictions on who is going to be sent home. I decided to lock in my vote here so that I can see in 11 weeks if I was right or if I was way off. As of right now, the first week, I predict that it's going to come down to Danny and Adam. I am going to say that the two going home tomorrow are Anoop and Jorge. I thought that Anoop sounded so karaoke. And trust me I have heard some karaoke. Allison kind of disappointed this week. She was good, but I have heard "Alone" the song she sang a couple of weeks ago in the semi-finals 25 times, because we recorded it and Jackson thinks she rocks, and that performance never gets old. Her interviewing skills lack big time, but she can sing. We both really love Lil Rounds, too. Matt really likes Jasmine and I really like Megan.

Sorry guys....










Today Jackson, Gavin, and I went to the zoo with friends. The kids had lots of fun. Jackson was so excited to be around his friends that he doesn't get to see as much as he used to and I loved being able to hang out with adults. We have lots of fun together.