Bus Rider

Before school started, Anna Catherine asked to ride the school bus. We debated for several weeks and decided to compromise with her. Rick will still take her to school in the mornings (1--the bus runs at 6:28 am and we sometimes aren't fully awake and 2---that is their special daddy/daughter time). I was having to wake up Jackson and Chloe from their naps to pick up Anna Catherine. This made them grumpy which made me grumpy and "when Mama's not happy nobody's happy". So, she now rides the bus home in the afternoons. She LOVES it!! She already knows a few people on the bus. This is just another way for her to feel more independent. Ace is just growing up way too fast!!!

Meat

Rick and I have hoped for this day to come for a long time...Jackson ate MEAT!!!! Well, a different meat but this is a huge step for him. Let me give you a little back story to explain....

Jackson is such a picky eater and has been since he was born. He doesn't eat any vegetables, except iceberg lettuce with lots of ranch dressing on it. He eats maybe one banana every 4-6 weeks and that is his only fruit. He started eating bacon last September and that is the only meat he has ever eaten. At one time he ate a lot of peanut butter but completely cut that out a few months ago. We were afraid he was going to have some sort of nutritional deficiency. His new food for the past few months is grilled cheese. You have to understand that he doesn't eat sandwiches so eating this was a big step as well. Let me assure you that he takes a multivitamin daily. Poor fella needs all the supplements he can get.

Jackson's approved food list includes certain breakfast cereals, bacon, pop tarts, maple and brown sugar instant oatmeal, pancakes, cinnamon rolls, grilled cheese sandwiches, cheese quesadillas, tortilla chips with rotel dip, cheese pizza, spaghetti, lasagna, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter granola bars, certain cereal bars, and most sweets (brownies, ice cream, cookies, candy bars, etc.). Yes, this is a long list of items (which is wonderful) but even with foods he likes he is extremely picky about the look of the food. He turned down a grilled cheese one day because the cheese was oozing out the side of the bread. He once refused to eat a grilled cheese because there was a WRINKLE in the bread. He doesn't eat the crust of his pizza or the crust of his grilled cheese sandwiches. He picks the meat out of his spaghetti and lasagna. He's so weird--LOL!!

Yesterday I asked him what he wanted for lunch and he said he wanted chicken nuggets. I had little confidence that he would eat them but we pulled into Wendy's anyway and ordered him a four-pack of nuggets. Can you believe that he ate ALL of them?!?!?! I don't know what made him suddenly decide to ask for them but I am so proud of him. I wish I had taken pictures of this milestone. Hopefully this is just the beginning of the end of Jackson's picky eating. Let's keep our fingers crossed!!!!

Southeastern Louisiana Game

September 19, 2009---The Rebels home opener against Southeastern Louisiana University was fabulous!!!!! Yes, we were ranked #5 in the NATION and they aren't a very good team. Nevermind those details, we were just excited that we were finally able to spend a day in the Grove (even as muddy as it was). Anna Catherine, Chloe, Rick, and I went to the game while Jackson spent the day with Grandmother. The mud actually turned out to be a good thing because it acted as a "babysitter" for Chloe. She didn't want her feet to get dirty so she stayed on the tarp under the tent.

We took the girls to the Circle to watch the drumline perform in front of the Lyceum.

Afterwards I went back to the tailgate because my foot was hurting (I had broken my pinky toe the day before by tripping and kicking a wooden rocker). Rick took the girls to the Walk Of Champions to watch the "Walk Through". I do not have any pictures from that but hope to get some at future games.

Doesn't the new turf look fabulous!!!

Chloe slept during the first quarter.

Anna Catherine cheering on her Rebels!

Brady and Anna Catherine

Brady and Chloe

We love our Rebs!

Keeping Chloe occupied with the Ole Miss rubiks cube

The final score on the jumbotron (with Coach Nutt shaking hands)...Ole Miss 52 SELA 6

Hotty Toddy!!!!!!!!!

Community Helper Day

September 18, 2009---Jackson's class had to dress up like a community helper. Jackson doesn't have any dress up costumes so we were at a loss for options. Just as luck would have it, Anna Catherine came home from school on Wednesday with a fireman's hat (a fire truck/firemen came to school for a tour and gave out hats), and the same day a friend offered to loan us her son's fireman jacket. VOILA....Jackson the Fireman

Jackson Zoo

September 7, 2009----Originally we had planned to spend Labor Day around the house just being lazy. However, we suddenly remembered that we have a year-long family pass to the Jackson Zoo and decided to take advantage of it. Yes, we had forgotten about the pass but are so glad we remembered. The kids and I had been in April for AC's class field trip but this was Rick's first visit. The Jackson Zoo is a small zoo that is working hard to update its exhibits. I don't have many pictures because I forgot to recharge my battery.

Chloe had a hard time sharing her icee!

The girls in one of the bubbles

Jackson liked watching the river otters

And of course we couldn't leave without a ride on the carousel

Jackson was too tired to even sit up for the ride

We had fun and that's all that matters!

We hope to go back when the weather is a little more fall-like.

Easely Amused

September 5, 2009---Anna Catherine's goal for the summer was to read at least one book a day (on ability level). If she did, she received a sticker on her "goal chart". Once the chart was filled she was rewarded with the day out of her choice. She opted for Easely Amused which is an art studio offering step-by-step art lessons to both adults and children. I pulled up their website http://www.easelyamused.com/ and let her choose the class she wanted..."Rudolph"

Waiting patiently for instructions

Working oh so carefully to do what Mrs. Bridgette says...

Anna Catherine proudly showing off her masterpiece!

Anna Catherine absolutely LOVED her morning spent at Easely Amused. She has asked to go back and create more beautiful works of art. She is currently working hard to fill her behavior chart with stickers in order to earn another Saturday morning at Easely Amused.

Easely Amused offers adult classes on Tuesday and Thursday nights and all ages classes on Saturday mornings. They currently have a studio in Ridgeland and another in Flowood but are opening branches in Hattiesburg and Tupelo soon. They offer a large variety of classes. Below are some pictures taken of paintings done in previous classes.







I can definitely see a much needed girls night out happening at Easely Amused!! Go to their website, http://www.easelyamused.com/ , to see pictures taken during previous classes. It looks like sooooo much fun!!!

The Mosaic Shop

August 29, 2009---Anna Catherine was invited to her best friend's birthday party at The Mosaic Shop. They both really like to do crafts and had attended a birthday party here in May. This is becoming a favorite place for these two girls.

They worked really hard on their jewelry boxes.

The Mosaic Shop is open five days a week to anyone who wants try their hand at the art of mosaic tiles. They offer many wooden cutouts and terra cota planters to work with or you can bring in your own pieces.

If you don't have time to finish the project, you are allowed to leave it and come back and finish another day. There are two walls filled of partially completed artwork.

There are beautiful pieces hanging around the shop on display and some that are for sale. Here are a few of my favorites...

Student of the Week

August 31-September 9, 2009---Anna Catherine was "Student of the Week" for her class. Her week was actually a week and a half because of the Labor Day holiday. She made an "All About Me" poster which she had to present and speak about to her classmates.






All students had to bring a baby picture to school and they were placed on a bulletin board. The students then had to try to match the student with their picture. Here is AC standing next to the picture she submitted (the color photo---Ole Miss dress with Col. Reb and pom poms).





Rick had lunch with her on Thursday (no pictures) and Chloe and I visited her class on Friday. I read two of Anna Catherine's favorite books to her class, "Baby Honu's Incredible Journey" and "Dinosaurs Wear Underpants" (Thanks Aunt Pauline for that book! It is a favorite of all three children!). Then we had lunch with her. Well, Chloe ate and I just sat.



A perk of being "Student of the Week" is that the class turtle, Molly, gets to spend the week with you. The student has to write a paragraph about the things Molly did while at their house. Here are a few pictures of AC and Molly...



riding in the van



painting at Easely Amused




listening to dad read Junie B. Jones books




listening to dad read Captain Underpants books