BBQ Fun

The Thames fam hosted a zoo tonight with all of the sweet children running around! They were quite brave to have all of us! Kirkley loved playing in their kitchen. Thanks to the Thames fam for a fun night!!! And let me also add that Ashley was so modest about showing off the girls' new room!! It is absolutely precious and full of their mommy's handiwork! Take a minute to look back at the post and note that she painted the bird pictures!!!

Flying Baby

This is how we...

do it...and eat fruity Cheerios! The dancing is really at the beginning...then we switch to snacking. We're loving all of the music channels on cable. So, no, we did not bust out Jock Jams circa 1995 -- the party favorites station is providing Kirkley with lots of dance tunes! I'm hoping she gets her rhythm from her daddy.

Now I remember

why I've been hesitant to give Kirkley pasta...though she thoroughly enjoyed it. She had her third bath of the day after I found it smeared in her hair, squished in her fingers, and somehow on her legs! If you look closely, you can see her three teeth! She's had her bottom two since 11 months, but she now has one of her top middle as of the last week! And yes, this is the whole wheat plus pasta with carrots, squash, and extra tomato paste...she'll never know the difference!

A New Favorite

We are having issues with Kirkley putting cords, strings, anything she can find around her neck. So I decided to try out one of my necklaces. It's a hit! {Note to nervous grandparents -- this one is strung on ribbon -- pretty hard to break!}

Taste Testing

As Kirkley gobbled down her oatmeal this morning fortified with pumpkin {vitamin A}, I realized I haven't posted about this. I got this book for Christmas, and we've tried a few things from it. I can't endorse the whole thing as there are many interesting recipes -- brownies with spinach?? Let them cool before you serve them so you can't detect the spinach. Not sure about that one, but I haven't tried it!

The basic premise is to insert vegetable and fruit purees into your normal cooking to help your family and kids get more vitamins. She tells how to cook and puree pretty much every fruit and vegetable. But my biggest admission is that I don't have time for that so instead in the recipes, I use...baby food! Already pureed and ready to go! Before you stop reading, examples: I use half a can of pumpkin in a big batch of steel cut oatmeal, I add a jar of carrots and a jar of squash per one jar of pasta sauce, and the chocolate chip yellow cake with pumpkin is great! I've snuck the pasta and the cake on two sets of friends {only telling them after they ate}. Both politely said...yum!

It's all pretty healthy but not necessarily diet food. Just a way to get more vitamins into your normal cooking. I try to do this when possible now adding carrots or squash to my taco sauce, it's always in my pasta sauce, etc. Anyone else have this book and tried anything? I'm glad to be out for the summer to have more time to test recipes. Still don't know that I'll try the spinach brownies...

Group Pictures...

are virtually impossible to achieve these days. Calli Ann and Georgia can't move too fast yet so I sat Kirkley down in there with her snack trap thinking that would buy me some time. Two seconds later when I was ready to take the picture, the girls were all going for the snack trap...oh well. We tried! What do you think Calli Ann is telling them? We had a great time at Noon Tunes hanging out with everyone!

Calli Ann, Kirkley, & Georgia

Jennifer & William

Kirkley & Mary Evans fighting for Maggie!

Sweet Caroline never budged the whole time...I can hardly remember those days!

Loving this...

Ashleigh posted about bloglines.com, but I did google reader since I already have an account there. I LOVE it. SO much easier than clicking clicking clicking forever on everone's blogs only to see that people haven't updated in weeks...I won't name names because I harassed them and they are getting better! :) Anyway, highly recommend. Super easy to set up. Then it's like checking your email! Am I behind the times -- did everyone else already know this???

Yes, we are those neighbors...

with an obnoxious blow up pool. Kirkley tested it out this afternoon for the first time. She was totally intrigued with the water coming down from the canopy!

Pool Party!

We went to see Mattie and play in the pool with her and Mary Evans! The girls had a great time! We will be so sad when Mattie and her family leave!

Kirkley, Mary Evans, and Mattie

William came and joined the fun!

Cruising the Lake

Kirkley took her first boat ride this weekend! She was a little too sleepy to enjoy it and conked out halfway through...

Daddy with Kirkley and Georgia. Both of the girls were thrilled with the ride!

Captain Tripp and his daddy.

My favorite lake activity...climbing in and out of this chair!

Almost OUT!!!!!

I can hardly stand it! My last work day is Monday (yes, Memorial Day...a national holiday!), and I'll be working hard moving classrooms! But after that I am FREE!!! I think I may be more excited than the kids though I know I'll miss them. I had planned on teaching summer school, but I don't think I can make that work. SO please call on us for lots of playing and fun!!! We'd love for you to come over to play, swim in the neighborhood baby pool, etc. Maybe I can get in the HMWC too! The countdown is on..

Thanks, Daddy!!!

Kirkley has lots to thank her sweet daddy for. Not only has he mastered nursery rhyme guitar chords and how to mix a mean bottle, he's also the source of these blue eyes and blonde hair. I'm still astonished as I look at my sweet child with these features so opposite of mine. Mommy has a thank you to daddy too for the new camera! All of my fancy camera friends were right...it is amazing! Alex claims to be not much of a blog checker...we'll see how long it takes him to find this post.... Also, she is loving being outside in the grass lately. I know, you're proud of me for letting her outside! We really are out a lot these days!

Splish Splash

Kirkley had fun playing with her water table today! She cracks us up with her little pointed toes. Thanks Boppy, Gigi, Whitney, and Hannah! This will certainly be a summertime fave!

Bounce!

Kirkley got in a bounce house for the first time at Sadie's party. She wasn't too sure about it, but crawled all around in it. She's also taken off with a walker this week. So maybe walking is close!

Happy Mother's Day!

Birthday Fun!

Harrison turned one! Kirkley had such a great time celebrating!!!

Waiting on Baby Myles...

No more waiting! Baby Myles arrived today! Myles Cunningham Tatum arrived at 3:51 a.m. on Saturday, May 10, 2008. Weight: 6 lb. 8 oz. Length: 20 in.

We had Payton's shower a few weeks back in preparation for the arrival of baby Myles. I must say we've gotten shower throwing down and we really had a great time! Scarlotte's house was gorgeous as always. Payton got lots of great stuff and I just know everything is set and just so in the new nursery!

Sweet Friends

We went to a going away get together for Ruth Ann and J. Robert tonight. We are so sad they are moving, but we know the Lord has great plans and adventures in store for them! We will miss yall! Kirkley will miss her sweet friend Mattie!

1 Year Appt

We had Kirkley's one year appointment today! Everything looks good. She's 20 lb 5 oz (almost 50th percentile) and 31 inches long (95th percentile). Long and lean! And her ears are clear -- hooray! It was a great checkup. We're trying to drop the bottle today for good! We'll see how it goes...sent her to school with just sippy cups!

Corks and Canvas

A group of us went to Corks and Canvas tonight! It's becoming one of my favorite treats to go do!!! We're hoping to get them to come to town so we won't have to travel! Here are some pics from last night and other nights I've been too. They are coming to Auburn on May 17 -- painting TBA. I can't go because we're giving a wedding shower at the lake that night! No idea where it is -- just saw it on their website.

Geraniums last night

Anna, Joanna, Brandy, Allyson Ashley, Jan, Sydnee

Brooke and Shealy

Roses with Kristin and Mandi

Tulips with Aunt Gloria