Trick-or-Treating (Round 2)

October 31, 2007---We went trick-or-treating in Oxford today. Anna Catherine chose a different wig and clown face this time. It didn't turn out as cute as the picture but I tried (give me a break...I can't draw a stick person!). Anyway, we had fun going door to door with Joe, Julie, and Molly. Molly was a very cute butterfly who didn't want to wear her wings or antenna. Jackson wasn't very excited about the whole event but eventually caught on and had a blast. We had Molly's wagon and our stroller to haul everyone and our gear up and down both sides of Lamar Avenue and the neighborhood just off Lamar (towards campus). Then we went to Abner's for dinner before coming home to crash from exhaustion. Now we have too much candy! Thank goodness we only do this once a year!!!

Chloe hits the motherload

October 30, 2007---Chloe found some goldfish crackers that Jackson had put on the bottom of the exersaucer. She chewed/gummed them as fast as she could with her two teeth. Boy, was she excited!

Trick-or-Treating (Round 1)

October 29, 2007---Pontotoc had it's annual trick-or-treating downtown this morning. Some of the businesses on Main Street and around the court square pass out goodies to the children (this year there were 24 businesses that participated). The kids' pumpkins were filled to the brim with treats. The kindergarten and first grade classes from all of the elementary schools, all of the local preschools, and the public were invited to attend. I heard someone say that 690 children came through this morning. We went with Anna Catherine's preschool class. My nephew, Ben, was there with his mom and his preschool class. We saw several of Anna Catherine's friends as well. Anna Catherine was a clown, Ben was a devil, Jackson was Thomas the Train, and Chloe was a green pea pod. (Most people today thought Chloe was a catepillar, but I've decided that she is a LeSueur pea---only the best for my baby---hahaha.)

She's On The Go!

October 28, 2007---She's on the go! Today Chloe pulled up on a toy, let go, and fell down. She was quite upset but didn't let it stop her. Later, she pulled up on the couch and walked the length of the couch. Occasionally, she would let go, but she wouldn't take any steps unless she was holding on. She never fell when she let go either. Now she wants to stand at all times. As if she weren't into everything already... (I apologize for the blurriness of the pictures but she is constantly moving/bouncing/dancing and it is hard to get a good shot.)

Pumpkin Patch Farms

October 27, 2007---Today we went to Pumpkin Patch Farms in Blue Mountain. The kids had so much fun. They jumped in the bouncy barn and played on the playground. Anna Catherine loved the inflatable slide but Jackson wanted no part of it. Jackson loves trains but refused to go on the train ride. We rode the hay wagon to the petting zoo/pumpkin patch area. Of course, Jackson LOVED the animals!! They had roosters, chickens, sheep, full size horses, miniature horses, and llamas. He was upset because there were no cows or pigs. There was a hay maze in the barn. We each picked a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch. Jackson threw a huge fit when we had to leave. He could have stayed all day and still would have been upset when we left. I am hoping we can go back in the spring for the strawberry patch!

Corn Maze

October 21, 2007---Rick, Ryan, Anna Catherine, Jackson, Chloe, and I went to the Corn Maze today. It is located at Wise Farms in Shady Grove. This year's layout was the state of Mississippi (some of the counties were mapped out) and the donkey from Hee Haw was within the state. The maze covered four acres with trails totaling over one mile in length. Due to the extremely dry summer we had, the corn was very short and thin. It took us just over thirty minutes to get through the maze. I can't imagine how long it would have taken had the corn been tall and thick. Some nights the maze is "haunted". That's not my thing but apparently it's a popular thing to do during October. Mr. Wise said they'd had 500 people come through on Friday night. The kids also enjoyed eating ice cream cones, climbing on hay bales, and playing in the corn pool.

http://www.wisefarmer.com/

October 20, 2007

October 20, 2007---Chloe is 8 months old today. Over the past few weeks she has added "bye-bye" to her vocabulary, waves, and is giving high-fives. She also enjoys sucking her upper lip, thumb, and big toe. Jackson fed her goldfish crackers today while I was in the shower. This is not the first time he has given them to her (he's been warned many times not to feed her). He also gave her cinnamon graham cracker sticks. I guess he is trying to be a good big brother and share his food. I don't think he's being bad on purpose; I think he's just being a little boy. It's very hard for me to come to terms with the fact that my baby is growing up. It makes me sad to know that she is my last baby. (I know this may not be of any interest to you but this is what I love to do---talk about my babies.)






Rick, Ryan, and Anna Catherine went to the Ole Miss vs. Arkansas game today. I was too exhausted to go today, plus I didn't feel like being very social. My sitter for Jackson also fell through and there was no way I was going to take him to the Grove again. It's just torture for everyone. Very rarely do I miss an Ole Miss game and apparently I missed quite an eventful one today. Stephanie was able to come to the Grove this week (only two more weeks until Miss Eliza makes her debut!). There was a 30 person bachelor party from New York at the tent next to ours, which included a singer/guitar player (They weren't affiliated with Ole Miss. They had heard that the Grove was a fun place to be. I'm sure people were asking, "You had your bachelor party where?!? A field in Mississippi?!?). And there was a girl fight nearby. The game was terrible--we lost 44-8. It was an unusually hot and muggy October day; everyone was sunburned. The stadium lost power due to a botched fireworks display at half time. And, to beat all things, there was a decent Hotty Toddy this week started by the one and only Deuce McAllister!

Ole Miss vs Bama

October 13, 2007---Papa Gator and Nana Sara came in town this weekend for the Bama game. We had dinner with them Friday night and the kids were very well behaved in the restaurant, which is very odd. The Grove was packed with both Rebel and Bama fans (Bama fans show up on Tuesday in their RVs). Jackson came to this game so he could spend time with his grandparents. Papa Gator, Rick, and Anna Catherine went to the game while Nana Sara, Jackson, Chloe, and I stayed in the Grove. Jack only strayed from the tent a few times and luckily, was within eyesight. He played with his cars and dinosaurs and made friends with Garrett, a two-year-old at the next tent. Ole Miss lost the game 27-24 thanks to terrible calls by the refs. The fans were not happy. Afterwards we came home, ate steak and fish from a local restaurant, and watched more football games. Can you believe LSU lost to Kentucky!?!

Scott--An Amazingly, Wonderful Person

October 12, 2007----I lost my very dear, sweet friend, Scott Martinez, this week. He was a healthy 38 year old who collapsed Sunday morning (10/07) on his way to the Saints game. He was on life support until Friday, when he was removed from all of the machines and passed away. We will not know what actually happened nor the exact cause of death until the autopsy results are in. We have had an extremely emotionally draining week to say the least.

I'd known Scott for about seven years. Even though I was only able to see him a few times each year, I still considered him a close, personal, wonderful friend. He was always happy, with a smile on his face from ear to ear. His stories were soooo funny. He was also an amazing cook and a devoted Saints fan. He was a very laid back, happy-go-lucky type of guy. I feel so honored to have had him as a guest at my wedding, at my surprise 30th birthday party, yearly football get togethers, and many other random visits to the Memphis area. My family went to New Orleans last summer for Memorial Day weekend and stayed with the Scott, Katy, and Riley (which was loads of fun). Luckily, I just saw him three weeks ago. The Martinez family came in town for the Florida game. It was so great to see them. I never would have imagined that it would be the last time I would see Scott.

I met Scott's wife, Katy, over twelve years ago in college. We have had lots of good times together. She was a bridesmaid in my wedding and has always been an amazingly awesome friend. They have an adorable five year old daughter, Riley, who is the spitting image of him. Scott's brother, Jonathan, is Rick's fraternity brother and college roommate and a wonderful friend to me as well. My heart goes out to everyone in the Martinez/Sontag family for they have lost Scott--an amazingly, wonderful person.



David Scott Martinez August 08, 1969 - October 12, 2007

D. Scott Martinez passed away on Friday, October 12, 2007 at the age of 38, after a short illness. He is survived by his beloved wife Katy, his much adored daughter Riley, parents Bernard and Pamela Sontag; grandparents John and Jennie Rein; Eldean Martinez and Bernard “Wimpy” Sontag; brother Jonathan, sister-in-law Emily, niece and nephew Kyle and Taylor Ann; mother-in-law Rose Kull, and brother-in-law Ken Kull Jr. Also survived by numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, E.J. Martinez and Beverly Sontag. Scott graduated from Archbishop Rummel High School and Florida State University. He was Vice President of Industrial Instrument Works, Inc.

Ole Miss vs. La Tech

October 6, 2007---The tailgate was smaller this week but it was still a lot of fun. As I've written before, lots of good food, drink, and socializing. Taylor Hicks of American Idol fame started the Hotty Toddy. The Rebs pulled out a 24-0 win over the Bulldogs. The score makes it sound like a great win but it wasn't. Too many dropped passes, blah, blah, blah. Hopefully the Rebs will look better next week against Bama. We had a little drama in the Grove after the game. A drunk ole Miss student drove his Land Rover into one of the concrete parking poles between the street and the Grove. There was one tent between us and the vehicle. He was had stopped at the stop sign on sorority Row but drove straight into the pole/Grove rather than turning onto the Grove Loop. The driver bailed out of the Land Rover, grabbed his cooler, and ran leaving his passenger in the SUV talking on his cell phone. The vehicle was quickly surrounded by UPD and security officers. The driver was coerced back to the vehicle via cell phone calls from friends where he was arrested and his SUV was towed. I heard he had a suspended license so he's probably facing some trouble. My guess would be DUI, driving with a suspended license, and leaving the scene of an accident. Unfortunately I didn't think to take pictures of the event.

Homecoming Parade and Pep Rally

October 5, 2007---The girls and I met Joe, Julie, and Molly on the Oxford Square for the Homecoming Parade and Pep Rally (Jackson stayed with Grandmother and went to a birthday party). I've seen much nicer parades but a few of the floats were impressive. Others looked as if they had just thrown a bunch of crap on a trailer thirty minutes before the parade started. Anna Catherine loved the band, cheerleaders, and Rebelettes. She was so mesmerized by them that we didn't leave the square until all of the cheerleaders and Rebelettes left. They didn't even have to perform to keep her attention. Just being in their presence was enough for her. Chloe liked to play with their hair and pom-poms but looks not so happy in the pictures. Afterwards all the girls went to the Grove and held our spot until Rick, Kevin, and Brady got there with the tents. Joe had broken his toe earlier that day and went home due to pain (it hurts, believe me...I've broken several toes several times and it is very painful!). Security allowed the Grove to open twenty minutes before the scheduled 7 p.m. set-up time. Julie and I were able to safely secure our position in the Grove. Eric met all of us at Oby's where we enjoyed a yummy dinner and entertaining adult conversation. It was a fun afternoon and I hope to make it an annual event.