What was I thinking????

Tonight I decided to let Sarah Katherine participate in the Halloween on the Square. This was both of our first trip to this event. Last year we spent Halloween in Texas and the year before we were getting ready to go to the hospital to have her.

I told myself this morning that we were going to make sure that she had a good nap today. When I picked her up from Mother's Day Out I told her to take her nap and we would go Trick or Treating tonight. Surprisingly enough it worked, she went right to sleep. I thought that she got a good nap...2 hours at least. But I don't know now if it was enough.

When she woke up we went outside to get some pictures in front of our monster pumpkin. We got a few and then Kiley, Dalton and Keaton came over. We thought we would take the kids to Vicki Popwell's to get their pictures made in their costumes. We didn't quite make it though. I did get some really cute pictures with Dalton and Sarah Katherine.

We did finally make it to the square. Needless to say Sarah Katherine was none to appreciative of the head part to her costume. The only time she had it on was for Ms Vicki and Ninny. But at least they got it on. I guess maybe everything up there just overwhelmed her. She refused to ride in the stroller, wouldn't hold anybody hands, didn't want to be carried and certainly didn't want to have anything to do with me. She is becoming Little Miss Independent. We did manage to get a little bit of candy. She did figure out that if she opened her bag she would get some candy. I am a little afraid that now that she has discovered candy she may actually have a part of me in her....my sweet tooth.

Since most of the pictures that I was able to get don't show her costume...she was a cow. I figured that she would love that since she is so fascinated with them.

I do appreciate that Nana and Pa went with us tonight. But I do hope that if I am crazy enough to do this again next year Daddy is with us. We are a little sad at our house, we had to take Randy to the airport on Tuesday. Not sure when he is going to be coming home. They are towing the rig from Singapore to the Gulf of Mexico. He flew down to Cape Town South Africa and will be riding the rig to Trinidad. We talked to him just for few minutes last night. He was going to get to go around some today and tomorrow and see a little of the country. We do know that he won't be here for Thanksgiving. We are hoping for Christmas though. So please say a prayer for me. I am a single mom of a soon to be two year old.

Birthday Parties

It is so hard to believe that my baby is about to be two!! Since there was so much uncertainty about Randy's schedule and when he would go back to work we planned Sarah Katherine's birthday party for this weekend. We orginally planned it for Sunday, but Randy got worried that he maybe gone so we moved it to Saturday.

Since we had to move it, Patricia, Jimmy, Jill, Steven, Peyton and Lane were not going to be able to come. So Patricia decided to do a little party for Sarah Katherine at her house. We all went over Wednesday night before the fair. Patricia had her a pumpkin cake. Sarah Katherine enjoyed the icing off the cake. She also got to get her presents. She knew just what to do with them. These where the first presents that she has opened. Last year she wasn't sure what to do. Patricia and Jimmy gave her six pair of pricness shoes. She had to model each pair before she would open the next present. Jill, Steven and the kids gave her a cow, horses and an outfit.

She had a ball that night. It was so great of Patricia to do this for us.

Saturday we got to have another party. Nancy, Jeremy and Jack were able to come and Sarah Katherine loved being able to hold little Jack finally. She wanted to hold him in the hospital but she was just too small. She got to play with Dalton and he helped her with her presents. She was very excited over Elmo and her kitchen stuff. Hopefully my daughter is not going to take after me. Right now she enjoys playing with her pots and pans and helping people cook. I am hoping that this will continue. Since we moved the party, Jerry got to come with Mary and Laura. I wish Laura was here all the time. I might could get more done if she was. SuSu gave Sarah Katherine a round jumpy thing that she loves. We didn't think that we would ever get it aired up enough but we did. Now we just have to figure out where we are going to keep it. Thank goodness Sarah Katherine got lots of book too. We were starting to get tired of the ones we have. Just this week she has really gotten into reading. Before we would read at least a couple of times a day. Now it is hours on end. Loy and Kiley made sure we would have new reading material. I am ever so greatful.

Fair

Wednesday night we went to the fair. Peyton was singing in the talent show so we decided that this would be a great night to go. Peyton did a wonderful job. Every time she sings it brings tears to my eyes. We all thought she did the best!!! And of course the judges did too!!! Peyton walked away with a first place trophy.

After the talent show we took Sarah Katherine out to the midway. It didn't take her long to figure out just how this ride business worked. She was hooked from the first ride. I was so nervous letting her go, but she was fine. She drove the big trucks first. There were two sweet little boys that helped her on and off the truck. Wish we knew who they were, they were just so thoughtful. I was actually afraid that we wouldn't be able to get her off the trucks. We did thank goodness. Then she and her daddy went to ride the "horses." After that ride she was pulling us all over the place. When she saw something that she wanted to ride she was pulling us towards it. Again she had no fear!! She even wanted to ride the Himanlanya ride. After we wouldn't take her she even tried to get Pa to take her. She just didn't understand she was just a little too small.

We had hoped to let her see the wildlife, especially since she has such a fascination, but all the rides just wore her out. We tried waking her but never got her up. Usually picking her up and putting her in the car would do it but it didn't. I guess only having a short nap that day didn't really work in our favor. Maybe next year!!!

Cows!!!

I don't know where it has come from but Sarah Katherine is totally fascinated with cows and horses. It probably started with Susu!! Randy and Norma decided that they needed some pinestraw for their flowerbeds and they decided to go to Susan's to get it. Of course I was working so I missed all of the fun.

All summer when we would go out to Susan to go swimming Sarah Katherine was more interested in the cows than the pool. We decided that we needed to come back, when the cows weren't sleeping, and let Sarah Katherine feed the cows. So this was the perfect day to do it. While Ms. Norma and Randy gathered the pinestraw, Susu and Sarah Katherine had a ball. She feed the cows. Needless to say she had a ball. It just amazes me how she is so fearless. She was climbing the gate just to get in with the cows. I am sure from now on there will not be a trip to Susu' without getting to feed the cows.

Trip to Montgomery

I know that it has been awhile since we last posted. Things have been sooo busy. Randy and I went to Montgomery last weekend to meet Aunt Maydell at the Conferdate Memorial Park. Maydell is a member of a club Forever Young and each year they have a special program at the park. We got to enjoy the Sullivan Sister's who sang several songs from the 50's accapella. There was also a speaker, Bill Rambo, who spoke on the history of the park and the old Confederates home. It was a great opportunity to see Maydell. She of course brought Sarah Katherine a little goodie that she loves. Maydell found her a baby that sings Happy Birthday. Maydell always finds things that Sarah Katherine enjoys.

Since we were in Montgomery that day, we decided to stay and go to Alcazar Shrine Temple for Mason Day. The Shriner's had all of the different groups set up so that Mason's could learn about all the things that they do. Sarah Katherine made a friend that day with Aiden. They got to ride in the convertible.
Sarah Katherine really wanted to get in the yellow car but we just didn't think that that would be an great idea.

Of course there was some great food. Sarah Katherine really enjoyed the cake!!!


We had a really good day last Saturday. It was great to see Maydell and enjoy the company of the Shriner's. They are a great group of men who do a lot for the children.

Greenville South Carolina

This weekend Jennifer and I traveled to Greenville South Carolina to tour the Shriner's Hospital for Children. We had a great weekend with friends and we were able to get an overview of how the staff of the Shriner's Hospital in Greenville help all the little children with Orthopaedic disabilities and injuries.

We met with our friends on Saturday morning to load the bus for Greenville at 8:00 and stopped at the Varsity in Atlanta Georgia for lunch. The Varsity is a restaurant styled in a 1950's setting and has great food. There are several Varsity restaurants in the Atlanta area and we ate at the Varsity on Dawson Blvd. We then set out for Greenville and arrived at our hotel around 5:00 which was just in time for some refreshments in the lounge before dinner. We ate dinner at the Open Hearth in Greenville. They had some of the best rib eyes you could ask for and topped it off with cheesecake and strawberry shortcake. I highly recommend the Open Hearth to anyone going to Greenville South Carolina. After dinner, we were so full we crashed.

Sunday morning, we had breakfast and headed for the hospital. Now let me tell you a little about the Shriner's hospitals. The Shriner's raise money primarily for the 22 hospitals across the US, Canada, and Mexico. These hospitals treat and heal children from birth to 18 years of age that suffer from Orthopaedic problems, Burns, Spinal Cord injuries, and much more at no expense to the children or their families. They will even transport and house these children and they even have certified teachers to conduct school while they are being treated. The research and design is performed in house and it is all there to heal children. It's the most amazing gift offered today and this is what we do as Shriners. The tour was great and we even got to interact with a few of the children. It'll bring tears to see these kids in good spirit and playing regardless of their painful disabilities. We're just so glad we can be a part in helping these children and their families.

We left the hospital about 1:00 headed back home and had a blast on the bus ride home. Besides their benevolence, the Shriners know how to have fun. We got back home around 9:00 and we picked up Sarah Katherine who stayed with her Grandmothers during our trip. We can't wait for our next trip.

Dixie Stampede

Tonight we went to see the Dixie Stampede. If you don't know what the Dixie Stampede is, it is a show that features singers, horseback riders, horse and buggies, cows, and lots of horse tricks. The theme is North vs South and when you make reservations, you choose whether you want to sit with the Northerners or the Southerners. Naturally we sat on the South. But they dress as Yanks and Confederates and compete to see who wins while you eat a grilled rotisserie chicken, a potato steak, ham, corn on the cob, and a cat head biscuit you dip in gravy. You also eat everything with your hands. It is a grand show and worth every penny. It is a show by Dolly Pardon, so you know it's good. We got the preferred seating which put us on the front row. Sarah Katherine had a fit over the horses and longhorn cattle drive. She loves horses and cows. If you are ever up in the Smokies, it's a must see.

Check Us Out!!!

2nd Day In The Mountains

Today we drove to Cade's Cove which is part of the National Park where you drive through a 11 mile track of mountains and valleys. Driving down to the Cove is a rocky river that runs parallel with the road which is beautiful. In Cade's Cove ,there are 1800 era homeplaces and churches as well as huge fields and hills where all sorts of wildlife can be seen if you're at the right place at the right time. We didn't see as much wildlife as we have in the past, but it was fun.



We took a horse and carriage ride after we drove through the first time and then we drove through again to see the deer as they come out before dusk. The driver of the carriage let Sarah Katherine sit up from with him to help him drive and she really enjoyed that. We didn't see any deer or bear on the ride, but riding through the creeks and bottoms on a horse and carriage was fun enough for Sarah Katherine.


You can park off the road and walk trails to the old homes and churches. We walked and enjoyed the relaxing scenery and outdoors today. It is so peaceful to not rush life and enjoy it every now and then.

Our work schedules allow us to enjoy our family life and we are very blessed to have that. We take full advantage of what God's given us and thank Him each day.

The Great Smoky Mountains

This is amazing!!!

Well Randy decided to get up when the alarm clock mistakenly went off and take pictures of the sunrise here in The Smokey Mountains. The weather is great and the Fall leaves are starting to change colors. We have lots planned, but Sarah Katherine may not allow us to follow a schedule because she has her own in mind. She loves horses, so we plan to see some horses and take her to see some wildlife because she also loves deer.

We Needed A Break

We're now Sevierville Tennessee taking a little vacation from it all. We all need a break every now and then and we take advantage when we get the opportunity. We'll be staying until Thursday at the Oak Haven Resort in Sevierville which is a log cabin resort on a mountain. We've rented a 2 bedroom 2 bath cabin, but they gave us a 3 bedroom 3 bath with a gameroom. It's nice to have the room, but it's more than we really needed. If you get the chance to come up here, the website is www.oakhavenrosort.com.

The Deep South Doggie Dash

4th Annual Deep South Doggie Dash and Strut Your Mutt

Saturday the Humane Society held the 4th Annual Deep South Doggie Dash and Strut Your Mutt fundraiser. This is a way that the humane society helps raise money. This is such a fun event because it give people and opportunity to come out and do something with their dogs. We have events for both children and adults. We had a lot of fun this year and all the money raised goes to a good cause to help area animals.

Cape Merrill's Birthday Party

Sarah Katherine's First Tea Party

Sarah Katherine had her very first Tea Party this weekend. It was in honor of Cape Merrill's 3rd birthday. Cape is in Sarah Katherine's class at Mother's Day Out. The theme of the party was sooo cute. It was a Little Mamas Day Out. The girls dressed up their babies in their pretty clothes a they dressed up like mama's. They got to have a Tea Party with real china and glasses. Cape's Mama, Hannah had even fixed cupcakes and pink lemonade. They all seemed to have a great time. They played a little game of "How Well Do You Know Your Baby." The girls were blindfolded and had to feel each of the babies to see which one was theirs. It was so cute.. I think only one was able to do it with out peaking. Cape and her sister Bay have a trampoline and they all got to jump. They also got to go into the chicken coup and try and catch a chicken. The Walt and Hannah Merrill sure know how to fix up a house. We all had a great time watching the girls.


Sarah Katherine had a ball at the party. One way we could tell she had a good time because she was covered in dirt from her head to her toes.