The Ellis'

Vaiden's 7 years old!!

2012-01-01T20:11:00.000-08:00

Vaiden's 7!! Vaiden had the best party this year!! Pool party in December...so fun!!

Vaiden choose what he wanted on his cake...it turned out really cute!! He said that he was the little boy diving off the diving board, Mary Katharine is in the water with flowers in her hair, and Whitten is diving under, so that is why you can only see his feet:)

Our big boy!!

Vaiden and all of his buddies!!

Whitten had a blast too!!

Christmas Parade

2012-01-01T19:59:00.000-08:00

From the balcony watching the Christmas Parade!!

Whitten loved the band

Mary Katharine loved it all!!

We enjoyed the Christmas Parade from our neighbor friends work balcony!! It was so nice being up there because the kids were able to run around and play. We brought 2 full canisters of hot chocolate and marshmallows. The kids loved it. Mary Katharine had about 10 handfulls of marshmallows and Vaiden drank about 10 cups of hot chocolate. We had so much fun and plan to do it again next year

Happy Birthday Michael!!

2012-01-01T19:49:00.000-08:00

Michael turned 36 in early December and we cooked a big breakfast for him!! The boys filled his biscuit with candles and we sang happy birthday. Happy Birthday to the BEST Daddy and husband in the world!!

Star atop the tree Picture

2012-01-01T19:37:00.000-08:00

So hard to post this picture:) ha!! I really do it so that I can laugh at myself!! Ever since the first tree Michael and I ever had, I took his picture putting the star on top of the tree. When Vaiden came along, he got in the picture also, then Whitten, and now Mary Katharine. I can remember in the earlier years, Vaiden and Whitten had on their sweet smocked Christmas outfits each year. Well, 3 kids later and just happy to have a tree up, this is the "star on top of the tree picture"...2 boys without shirts!!!! LOL!! My oh my how our lives change...love the memories!!!!

Whitten...our tumbler

2012-01-01T19:27:00.000-08:00

So fun!!

Whitten has always been a ball full of energy!!!! We started him in a tumbling class this fall with several of his friends. He loves it so much and is learning so much too. Love to see that smile!!

Photo Shoot

2011-12-22T10:03:00.000-08:00

2 years in a row now Momma, Daddy and I prop the kids on the foot of their bed and we scream, dance, and make funny faces to get these 3 with the perfect smile!! Once again we did it!! I LOVE IT!!

Baby girl, Mary Katharine!

Sweet boy, Whitten

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My parents Christmas Card this year!!

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Vaiden and those natural red lips!!

Canton Square at Christmas Time

2011-12-19T09:27:00.000-08:00

The weekend after Thanksgiving, my parents and I always take the kids to see the Canton Square lights and rides. My kids love this time of year in Canton, but my parents love it even more!! Mary Katharine really loved the rides this year!! She cried when we took her off the carousal horse. Beignets and hot chocolate are also a favorite..even though is was 65 degrees outside:) Such a fun tradition for my kids and such a fun night!!

Thanksgiving Day

2011-12-19T08:32:00.000-08:00

We always spend Thanksgiving Day with Michael's family...have to share the holidays somehow!! This year we spent Thanksgiving Day at the cabin. It was so much fun to be out there!! The weather was so nice and the kids were able to run around and play outside. They rode the 4 wheeler, hunted, and even fished a little!! We all have so much to be thankful for this year!!

Our family on Thanksgiving Day

The Ellis bunch on Thanksgiving Day

Nana and PawPaw with their grandbabies

This Momma was so happy to have her boys for lunch!!

The boys hit the woods after lunch!!

A Thanksgiving Feast

2011-12-19T07:49:00.000-08:00

Whitten and Mary Katharine had a Thanksgiving Feast at school. My mom was here and enjoy the feast with us. Whitten's class sang a few songs and it was really cute. He sang very loudly:) Each class made some turkey artwork as well and I loved them both!! We had a great day and truly have so much to be thankful for!!

Cheering on the Rebels...

2011-12-02T20:22:00.000-08:00

Even though the Rebels didn't have a good season, we had a great season in the Grove!! Here are just a few pictures from this 2011 season:

We had sushi at the Georgia game...

We had oysters at the LSU game...

Some guests that stopped by the tent...

My little rebels...

"Look Mom...No training wheels"

2011-12-02T20:16:00.000-08:00

We have been asking Whitten if he was ready to take his training wheels off all summer, but he kept telling us no. Well, we talked him into it one early September day and once he started riding, he never stopped!! We practiced on the front sidewalk so he could ride into the grass, in case he fell off. He was such a natural!! He loves it!!

First day of school...

2011-12-02T20:07:00.000-08:00

Vaiden's in first grade this year...
Whitten's in 3 year old Kindergarten this year...

Mary Katharine's starting Mother's Morning Out this year...

Dove Hunt

2011-12-02T19:43:00.000-08:00

The first weekend in September starts football and dove season!! Vaiden was so excited opening morning because Michael and I bought him a gun this year. The weather was not so good, though. It rained all morning, so we tried going out in the afternoon. We got all set up and only lasted about 15 minutes before the bottom fell out. We all got soaked!! We sat in the truck for an hour hoping it would stop raining, but it never did. Needless to say, no dove were shot during our hunt opening weekend!! ha!! The weekend was fun though. We walked around out at the cabin...we all love being out there!! Whitten found a deer horn in a field and he was so excited!! Paw Paw taught the boys about good and bad berries and he let the boys ride his new tractor...probably the highligt of the weekend!!

Whitten's Skateboarding...

2011-11-09T09:11:00.000-08:00

This little man has enjoyed learning to skate so much!! I love to watch his face...he is so serious!!

Vaiden's skateboarding...

2011-11-09T09:01:00.000-08:00

This kind of stuff scares me!!!

Mary Katharine's one year old phot shoot...

2011-11-09T08:39:00.000-08:00

Here is my attempt at a photo shoot!! Mary Katharine was not in the best of moods this day. She also fell and had a big red goose egg on her forehead from early in the day...typical!! ha!! Anyway, I do think I was able to get a few good, sweet pictures!!

Mary Katharine turns ONE!!

2011-11-09T08:09:00.000-08:00

For Mary Katharine's first birthday party, we had some friends and family come over to help us celebrate!! She had a green and pink party and it really was sweet!! Mary Katharine loved her smash cake and she loved opening presents. We had a great party!! Still can't believe that she is a year old now:(

Joe Hudson and Mary Katharine

Mary Katharine's new ride to keep up with the boys...she loves it!!

Sweet girl has walked some miles with this stroller!! She loves pushing it around the house!!

Random August pictures of Mary Katharine...

2011-11-09T07:44:00.000-08:00

These pictures are just too cute not to share:)

Before and After...

2011-11-09T07:37:00.000-08:00

After the tornado took so many trees from our backyard, Michael and I had to get some blinds for the kitchen. We went with the cheap and easy ones from Home Depot. They look great in the kitchen and really helped with the sun coming in the house!!

BEFORE

AFTER

This is my kitchen window...love having it to watch the boys play while I am cooking dinner!! Love how the window looks now that we added these blinds!!

BEFORE

AFTER

These are not the best pictures, but you get the idea!! Can't believe we have been this long without blinds at the table!! Such a blessing!!

She's all ours...

2011-10-31T07:47:00.000-07:00

Michael, Whitten, Vaiden, Mary Katharine, Nana, and Mallie

at Nana's surprise Retirement Party

Nana retired at the end of July and we are soooo happy for her. She has worked hard for a long time and now she is getting to do anything she wants!! We love you Nana and so happy for you!!

Night life at the beach...

2011-10-28T08:48:00.000-07:00

We took the boys to ride go carts, ride bumper boats, and play mini golf while we were at the beach this summer. It was so much fun and the boys loved it. Vaiden has loved driving ever since he could hold on to the steering wheel, so when he got in this car and realized that he could drive it all by himself, he was so serious about driving and winning!! Whitten had fun on the cars, but he was serious business on the golf course!! He did his best to swing and hit that ball in the hole...just like his Daddy taught him. We had a great night and look forward to doing it all again next summer!!

A Ton of Beach Pictures...

2011-10-19T11:35:00.000-07:00

Michael and I took the boys and my sister, Aunt KK, to the Beach this summer. We left Mary Katharine at home with Nana and PawPaw because we just didn't think she would be too interested in the sand and heat. We had a great time and really enjoyed spending some quality time with the boys!! At the end of the phot shoot, I let the boys play in the water...I think these were some of my favorite pictures:)

July 4th Celebration

2011-10-19T11:14:00.000-07:00

We started our weekend celebration with a 1/2 mile Kid's Fun Run. Vaiden and Whitten both ran in this race and they both did so well!! After the race, we rode in the town's kid's Parade. The boys decorated their bikes...all by themselves!! It was so much fun and we saw so many friends waving along the way!! Later that day, we celebrated the 4th in the Grove with a picnic, friends, jump houses, a petting zoo, and fireworks!! Happy 4th Y'all!!

Happy Father's Day to one of the BEST!!

2011-10-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

I have an amazing husband that I am so proud to have as the father of our children. He is loved and adored by us all!! This Father's Day we spent the day in the Grove with many other families listening to music, enjoying a picnic, and playing with our children!! Just can't get much better than that!!

Splash Pad!!

2011-10-19T10:45:00.000-07:00

The hot weather in the South, calls for a Splash Pad and bathing suits!!

My attempt of a group shot:)

Mary Katharine is just excited about being here!!

Vaiden couldn't stand it...he wanted Mary Katharine to join in on the fun!!

His work paid off, she became very interested in the water:)

Picture time...

2011-10-19T10:35:00.000-07:00

Anybody that knows me at all, knows that my grandparents mean the world to me!! My Giddie and Sittie don't live close to me anymore, so anytime we see them I am always taking pictures.

(My children call my Sittie, Sit-Sit, because my Momma wanted to be a Sittie...so keep up of who everybody is:)

Here are some great pictures from their summer visit...

Whitten, Sittie, Giddie, Mary Katharine, and Vaiden

Giddie and Mary Katharine...she loves him so!!!!

My Sittie, my Momma, Mary Katharine, and I...4 generations:)

Sittie and her babies:)

My boys...

2011-10-19T10:16:00.000-07:00

We had a tornado early in the year that took so many trees from our backyard. It still makes me sad of all that we lost, but thankful nobody was hurt. We are still working on the backyard to make it nice, but in the meantime, the boys have really enjoyed the dirt/mud!! Vaiden's friend, Ross, came over to play and wasn't so sure about the mud, but as you can see from the pictures, he couldn't help himself...he loved it too!! Whitten, Vaiden, and Ross...BEFORE:)

Vaiden, Ross, and Whitten...AFTER:)

My good eater...

2011-10-19T10:09:00.000-07:00

Mary Katharine loves to eat!! She hasn't turned down any food except baby food! Ha!! She was ready to eat table food so early. I love these pictures of her eating spaghetti because it's her favorite food and as you can see she really enjoys it:)

Summer Pool Fun!!

2011-10-18T11:59:00.000-07:00

The family!!

Vaiden...cannon ball!!!!!

Whitten....loves to swim!!!

Mary Katharine and Mommy!!

This picture above is Mary Katharine at the beginning of the summer in her sweet, monogrammed bathing suit that only fit her about 3 weeks:( She grew up too fast this summer!! The bottom pictures are of her swimming!!!! Yep, swimming!! She loves walking around in the little pool and then just face dives...I have to pick her up, but when she comes out of the water she is all smiles!! Then she goes again!! Can't wait to see what she will do next year!!

Below are precious pictures from pool times at Nana and PawPaws house...gotta love the backyard, plastic, faucet water pools on a hot summer day!! Vaiden even squeezes his long legs in there, too!!!

Vaiden's T-ball season

2011-10-18T11:50:00.000-07:00

Vaiden's t-ball this season was alot of fun!! He has started enjoying the game more. He still likes to slide into every base and for any ball hit:) I love watching him play, but love watching his adore his coach even more!!

Always plays with a smile on his face:)

Love this picture!!

Vaiden and his coach...Daddy:)

She's walking...at 9 months!!

2011-10-18T11:44:00.000-07:00

You would think that the 3rd child in the family would be the lap/hip child...well...not in this family!! Mary Katharine has now started walking at 9 months old!! I knew I was in trouble when she started standing up in place. It didn't take her long to start moving those little feet!! She was supposed to be my baby and stay my baby...she had other plans:)

Mary Katharine...

2011-10-18T11:36:00.000-07:00

If you have seen my daughter in the last several months, you should know that these pictures are forever ago!! I am really trying hard to keep my blog in order and catch up!!

These pictures were taken this summer on our back porch. Mary Katharine was pulling up and she started grinning at her Daddy....I ran to get the camera and started snapping away!! Here are a few of my favorites!!

Love those chubby legs!!!!

Whitten loves frogs!!

2011-10-18T11:33:00.000-07:00

Whitten loves to play outside and while he is out there, he is always looking for critters to play with. He loves frogs the best!! He plays with them for a little bit, then lets them go off into the woods. Thank goodness he hasn't asked for a new pet frog:)

Monster Truck Show

2011-10-05T08:03:00.000-07:00

Michael and I took the boys to see a Monster Truck Show back in March. I looked at this show as one of those things that a mother does with her boys. In other words, I was not too excited about going. Well, those trucks proved me wrong. It was a great show!! I was so impressed with how high those monster trucks could jump and how much they could smash!! Oh and the boys loved it, too!! It was extremely loud, so I was happy the boys had their ear muffs. I am already watching the internet for another show to come our way:)

A trip to the zoo...

2011-09-10T05:39:00.000-07:00

The weather was a little cool, but Michael and I took the kids to the Memphis Zoo today. Mary Katharine loved riding in her stroller and the boys had a blast. Whitten was very interested in all the animals and the monkeys were his favorite!! The monkeys performed for us for at least 30 minutes. It was fun to watch them swing and run. Vaiden's favorite was the Apes. The boy ape was mad with the girl ape and he kept running her off. She would not leave him alone. She even picked up poo at one point and threw it at him. The boy ape never hurt her but it truly looked like we were watching children fight. It was crazy, yet very interesting!!

Mother's Day and Mary Katharine's Dedication

2011-09-10T05:26:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Mother's Day and Mary Katharine's Baby Dedication today. Mary Katharine's dedication was very special and we were so thankful to have our families there to see her. She received her first Bible and a certificate of dedication from the church.

Michael and I both had our Mother's with us today for Mother's Day. It was so nice to have them both here. After church, we all ate at the Inn for a buffet lunch. It was so good!!

Mother's Day Gift

2011-09-10T05:24:00.000-07:00

Vaiden came home with this picture. He gave it to me and said that he had made it for me for Mother's Day. It is a picture of me and him. I love that he added his freckles...I love his freckles!!

I want up too...

2011-09-10T05:18:00.000-07:00

Mary Katharine loves her 2 big brothers!! They were playing on the bed and she was determined to get up there with them to play too. She is growing up way too fast!!

Another day in the neighborhood

2011-09-10T05:15:00.000-07:00

When the weather gets nice...you will see this at all times!! These kids love to play outside!!

Boys and mud

2011-09-10T05:10:00.000-07:00

Anytime it rains...my boys are so excited!! Playing in the mud is a favorite around here. We rode our bikes with a neighbor to the cul de sac and the boys found a huge mud pit to play in. They were so excited that they left their helmets on the entire time!! Ha!!

The weight of the mud pulled Whitten's pants off...we got the biggest laugh out of him...he never stopped playing:)

Mary Katharine and Cooper loved watching:)

Vaiden T-ball

2011-09-10T05:01:00.000-07:00

Vaiden played t-ball again this year. He is allowed 3 coach pitched balls and if he can't hit them, then he hits from a tee. Michael has been practicing with Vaiden alot over the last couple of months, so he rarely hits from a tee. He did so much better this year. He actually was interested in the game rather than the dirt:)

Vaiden and his coach...Dad:)

Double Decker Festival

2011-09-10T04:49:00.000-07:00

Vaiden ran in the Kids Fun Run again this year. He did great!! He really enjoys running and it obvious when you see his face. He ran the entire mile with this big grin on his face:)

Mary Katharine's pulling up

2011-09-10T04:44:00.000-07:00

This is how I found Mary Katharine this morning. She was so proud of herself!! What a sweet, happy face:)

OM Baseball

2011-09-06T20:20:00.001-07:00

My parents and sister came up for several baseball games this year. The weather is always so nice and the kids love being able to run around and play. Vaiden gets his $4 snow cone and runs off to play on the playground with his buddies and Whitten sits right beside G-Daddy watching the game. He loves it!!

Aunt K and Vaiden

Vaiden with his "Snyder boy"

The boys with Coach Bianco

Whitten, Mary Katharine, Vaiden and G-Daddy with Canton Rebel...Jake MorganVaiden and Whitten running bases

Mary Katharin'e version of running bases:)

Whitten's swim lessons

2011-09-06T20:12:00.000-07:00

Whitten took lessons at the local Activity Center. He was swimming at the end of last year, so I really wanted him to have a swimming refresher lesson so that when summer started, he would be ready!! He did great with his lessons here and then went on to a local mom/instructor. When our pool opened Memorial Day Weekend, Whitten was swimming:)

Kindergarten End of the Year Play

2011-09-06T19:44:00.000-07:00

Vaiden's class performed the cutest class play. They performed the "Very, Hungry, Caterpillar". Vaiden was the plum and he was so excited because the plums got to wear glasses and dance. Vaiden's teacher wrote all the songs to the play and it was truly precious!!

Easter 2011

2011-08-27T15:39:00.001-07:00

We spent Easter in Canton this year. Michael and the boys really enjoyed the lake in my parents front yard. They fished the entire weekend. Michael and I took Vaiden to our old church, Pinelake, for Easter service. It was a great and made us really miss that wonderful church!! My grandparents, Sittie and Giddie, were also in Canton for Easter and it was so good to spend the weekend with them. Michael's parents also came up on Sunday to spend the day. My mom, of course, cooked a delicious lunch and we all ate too much. The weather was beautiful, so to sum up our weekend...we sat out on the front porch, visited with friends and family, hunted eggs a million times, and fished all weekend!! Sounds like a great Easter weekend to me:)

The hunt...

The Easter Bunny left us some goodies...

Coloring Eggs the night before...

The finished product...

Whitten's School Easter Egg Hunt

2011-08-27T15:35:00.000-07:00

Whitten's Easter Egg Hunt was inside due to the weather. They didn't seem to mind though. His teacher put eggs all over the floor and said "Go"...they all ran and grabbed eggs so fast. Whitten was once again worried about all the treats inside the eggs:)

Vaiden's School Easter Egg Hunt

2011-08-27T15:28:00.000-07:00

Vaiden's Kindergarten class had an Easter Egg Hunt in the park. It was so much fun for the kids. We put each child's name on 7 eggs, so it made them look a little harder for their eggs!! We also had the Easter Bunny show up for the hunt. The kids loved having him there!! We had a great day!!

Easter Bunny was all smiles

2011-08-27T15:21:00.000-07:00

My boys never liked the Easter Bunny. So, having this picture with all three of my sweet babies grinning is a great thing for this scrappin' Mama!! Happy Easter Y'all!!

Mary Katharine's first teeth

2011-08-27T15:18:00.000-07:00

Mary Katharine grew her first tooth in April!! She always has a smile on her face, so it was easy to see those teeth popping up!!

Santa Fe

2011-05-04T09:08:00.001-07:00

Michael and I went to Santa Fe in April. Neither one of us had been to Santa Fe, so this trip was alot of fun for both of us. I was amazed at the deserts in Santa Fe. They were beautiful to see, but it made me realize quickly how much I love to have my feet in the grass!! Ha!! Here are a few shots from the tour guide van of the deserts of Santa Fe...

Michael and I got to go white water rafting for the first time. We rafted down the Rio Grande. It was the first day of the rafting season, so it was a calm rafting trip, but a ton of fun!! Michael and I now have our feet wet to try a rougher river.

We also did some touring while in Santa Fe. We visited the Loretto Church. It has a "floating" stairway. Pretty cool to see and read it's history.

Michael standing in front of the floating stairway

We also toured Santuario De Chimayo and it's "healing" dirt.

We did a wine tasting at Estrella Del Norte Vineyard. Even though, the vines weren't green and blooming, it was beautiful to see these vines in such a desert environment. Oh and the wine was very nice!!

Me in the vineyard on a tire swing....after the wine tasting:)

On our last night in Santa Fe, Michael and I had dinner at Geranimo's. It was a great restaurant, with great food, and very romantic!! We had a great trip and hope to take the kids out to Santa Fe one day...

New Phone

2011-05-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

Okay...so I am not sure if I really have many people out there following my blog, but for those that do...sorry for the several months that I have been away!! I got a new cell phone and have been taking several pictures with it. I have just now taken the time to figure out how to download the pictures from my cell phone to the computer. So, with all that being said, I hope to get back on track!! I am starting back in April to keep my blog in order. So, let me get ya'll caught up on what has been going on in the Ellis' household!!

Playing with Daddy at work...

2011-05-04T08:22:00.000-07:00

Michael and his boys in the piles

Vaiden and Whitten standing on the CAT...they wanted to drive this huge "toy" so bad!!

Vaiden and Whitten inside the CAT scoop!!

Whitten's driving and pouring out rocks!!

Vaiden's turn to drive and pour out rocks!!

Whitten climbing~of course!!

I took the kids to see Michael at work a couple of weeks ago. We helped Michael move into the big office, now that he is the Manager:) We closed the doors to every office and let Mary Katharine crawl from one end of the building to the next. She loved it!! Anytime we are at Michael's office, Vaiden begs to drive the work trucks. The boys had a blast scooping rocks and dumping rocks. I really think they both could have stayed there all night!!

School Trip to the Zoo!!

2011-05-04T08:09:00.000-07:00

Every Kindergarten class in Vaiden's school got to go on the end of the year trip to the Memphis Zoo about a month ago. It was a little cold outside, but it was so much fun!!

St. Paddy's Day Parade

2011-05-04T07:57:00.000-07:00

Michael and I took the kids to the St. Patrick's Day Parade again this year. The boys really got into it this year...they painted their fingernails green like Aunt K:) They loved watching the floats go by and they really loved catching all the beads!! It is still hard to believe just how many they caught!! Mary Katharine loved her first trip to the parade. She sat in her stroller and watched with awe!! She also played with some beads as well. The weather was nice and the parade was so much fun!!

Lately...

2011-03-23T09:39:00.001-07:00

We are loving this warm weather!!

It makes me want to take pictures of my sweet babies:)

And she's off...

2011-03-23T09:19:00.000-07:00

Oh....My sweet little baby girl has started to crawl and it makes me so sad!! She is growing up way too fast!! She is into everything and loves to explore around the house!! She is one happy baby!!

Whitten's birthday party

2011-03-23T08:56:00.000-07:00

Whitten turned 3 years old in February and we celebrated with all of his buddies on March 5th. I call him "monkey" all the time because he loves to jump and climb on everything!! So, the monkey theme for his 3rd birthday party was perfect!! We had his party at the church's family life center. It was great because the kids brought riding toys and we had a huge jump house for them to jump in. Whitten had a blast at his party and especially loved having all of his friends and family there to celebrate with him!!

Monster Truck Jam

2011-03-23T08:31:00.000-07:00

My boys love trucks!! So, Michael and I took them both to see the Monster Truck Jam!! I was a little unsure of the event, but once I saw what these trucks could do, I became a fan. The boys loved every minute of it and are already talking about going again. Vaiden told me during the show that he wants to be a driver of those trucks too. He told me to make sure I signed him up!! lol!! As if it was a city league sport!! HaHa!!

Steamboat, Colorado

2011-03-23T08:18:00.000-07:00

Looking out the hotel...these are the lifts we played on all week...so fun!!

Michael skiing!! (to the right in blue)

Elizabeth skiing!!

Beautiful sight with a ton of snow!!

Michael and I took a trip to Steamboat, Colorado about a month ago. On our first day, we took skiing lessons. This was a first for both of us, but we learned quickly and then we were on our own for the rest of the week. We did great skiing and on the last day started at the top of the mountain and skiied all the way down throughout the day. We were completely exhausted, but had a blast. While we were in Colorado, we went snowmobile riding. It was so much fun!! Our guide took us through the trees and in open fields. We got to "play" in an open meadow where Michael learned that they had a limit to the speed on these bikes. The scenery was breathtaking and the snow was unreal. Us Mississippi folks don't get to see that much snow often!! Michael and I had a great "adult" trip and we are already planning a trip back to Steamboat with the kids!!

Whitten's Swim Lessons

2011-03-23T08:07:00.000-07:00

At the end of last summer, Whitten was swimming like a fish. He had a great summer and really learned so quickly the basics of swimming. Since this summer will be busier for me with Mary Katharine, Michael and I decided to put him in swimming lessons early, so he can learn how to swim before summer gets here. He is loving it!! He is doing so well and I can't wait to see how he does this summer!!

Whitten's MMO Valentine's Day Party

2011-03-23T07:53:00.000-07:00

Whitten had such a fun Valentine's Day Party at Mother's Morning Out. He ate so much junk and was on a true sugar high for the rest of the day:) He had a blast!!

Valentine's 2011

2011-02-12T10:32:00.000-08:00

Valentine's is always a great excuse to get in the kitchen with my kids!! They love to cook and I love having them in the kitchen with me!! We made some sugar cookies and the boys decorated with sprinkles!! We had a great day:)

What a smile!!

2011-02-12T10:25:00.000-08:00

A friend, Heather, and Michael's Aunt Bitsy gave Mary Katharine these cute headbands. I just had to do a little photo shoot of her in them...She is such a pretty baby girl!!

Mary Katharine is sitting up!!

2011-02-12T10:15:00.000-08:00

Mary Katharine is such a sweet baby!! She loves playing on the floor and she is always aware of where her 2 brothers are. She starting sitting up in the last week and she loves her new view!! She is already starting to go towards the floor to crawl:( My baby is growing up way too fast!!

Another Snow

2011-02-12T09:57:00.000-08:00

We got our 4th snow of the winter...which is basically unheard of in the state of Mississippi. We got about 5 inches this past week and I still can't believe that we have seen this much snow this year. The kids, of course, loved it and we were out sledding first thing that morning. Whitten had his tongue out the entire day, trying to catch all the snowflakes. We made snow ice cream that afternoon and it was delicious!!

Team Thunder

2011-02-12T09:35:00.000-08:00

Vaiden started playing basketball this year and his team was Team Thunder. It was alot of fun to watch. They played 4 on 4 half court and the goals were lowered to 7 feet. This year was a teaching year for the kids...basically, they learned the basic rules of the game. Vaiden did a great job playing and he really enjoyed it. He was a great shot blocker and he improved his shot over the course of the season. He is already talking about playing again next year!!

Happy Birthday to Us!!

2011-02-06T05:28:00.000-08:00

Three years ago, Whitten was born on my birthday (February 5th)!! It was such a crazy day, but fun and exciting day to say the least!! I am so happy to share my special day with my little man. We took the family out to eat last night and it was alot of fun. Whitten was so excited to have cupcakes and a candle to blow out!! Happy Birthday Big Boy!!

His cupcake was as big as his mouth!!

Adding just a few more sprinkles!!

I guess the icing with sprinkles were the best part:)

First thing yesterday morning, we put a candle in Whitten's cinnamon roll...he loved having us all sing to him!!

The most snow I have ever seen...

2011-01-19T07:40:00.000-08:00

We got 8 inches of snow last week. It was so beautiful and I still have a hard time believing that we got that much in Mississippi. The kids had a blast playing. We played a couple of hours at a time until we got cold...then inside to warm up and dry the clothes. Then it was back out again. Needless to say, the snow stayed around for several days and we were able to enjoy it for a long time. We built a huge snowman that we called the "redneck snowman". Michael loved him:)Vaiden loved sledding. We also built a ramp that Whitten couldn't get enough of. Mary Katharine just loved being outside and watching all the other kids. We loved all this snow, but I am truly happy that it is only a "every once in awhile thing"!! Here are a few of the hundreds of pictures I took during this great snow!!

2011-01-19T07:38:00.000-08:00

The boys have been begging for Mary Katharine to play in the bathtub with them...so I let her in and they played for an hour!! Love these babies!!

A night out with friends...

2011-01-08T08:31:00.000-08:00

Over the Christmas holidays, Michael and I were able to spend some time with old friends. So fun and so needed!!

Rolling Over

2011-01-08T08:16:00.001-08:00

Okay...so I totally staged these "rolling over" pictures!! I have to though...it has to go in her scrapbook:) Anyway, Mary Katharine is rolling over and she sometimes just rolls all over the room. She loves to be on her stomach because she can see what the boys are doing. She loves to watch EVERYTHING they do!! My little girl is getting so big!!

Cereal Time

2011-01-08T08:13:00.000-08:00

Mary Katharine is growing up way too fast!! She is now eating cereal from a spoon and loving it!! She instantly ate the cereal when I fed it to her. She is also loving some carrots and sweet potatoes. Oh and the fruit puts a smile on her face also!! She is going to be one good eater!!

Christmas Dinner

2011-01-08T07:46:00.000-08:00

We had a house full for Christmas Dinner this year and it was so nice to have everyone together. Michael and I have been married for 10 1/2 years and we have never used our fine china and silver that we got for wedding presents. Sad, I know...but today was the first!! The table looked so pretty and the food was delicious. Michael and I choose to have a non-traditional Christmas dinner...bottle of Plumpjack Cab, salad, salmon, shrimp stuffed potatoes, green bean bundles, rolls, my mom's famous lemon ice box pie, and cherry cheese cake. (I didn't get a picture of the food on the plate...so I just added the pics of each dish) We had a great Christmas and hope that you all did too!! Oh, I also added a picture of our Christmas Card Wall...I love going to the mailbox in the month of December to see all the cards from our sweet friends and family!!

Happy Birthday Jesus!!

A Very White Christmas!!

2011-01-08T07:10:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful Christmas morning we had!! The snow was so pretty and, of course, so muchFUN!! We didn't get alot, but we had enough to play in!! The kids had so much fun throwing snowballs and making a snowman. Even Mary Katharine enjoyed the cold snow!!

Santa Came...

2011-01-08T06:55:00.000-08:00

Christmas was so much fun this year. The kids were really into the whole Santa thing!! I, as always, was the first one up on Christmas morning!! I fed Mary Katharine and then woke Michael up to help me with rest of the house. He always complains about waking up early on Christmas morning, but really...is there any other way?? The rule at our house is that you can't go see Santa without everyone in the house!! So, we woke everyone up and heading downstairs to see it all. The kids had a blast opening up presents and playing with their new toys!! Even Mary Katharine got to open prsents!!

Christmas Eve

2011-01-08T06:33:00.000-08:00

My babies in their Christmas PJs!!

Christmas Eve was so much fun!! We made a Gingerbread House and cookies for Santa. The boys love to get in the kitchen to cook, especially sweet things:) Vaiden wrote a note to Santa and left their cookies and milk for him. We also left out the reindeer food on the sidewalk. Then they went straight to bed!!

Our little photo shoot...

2011-01-08T06:06:00.000-08:00

My 3 precious babies!!!!

Vaiden

Whitten

Mary Katharine

My mom and I love to have photo shoots of the kids!! I take hundreds of pictures (thank God for digital cameras) and she stands behind me screaming like a crazy lady trying to get the kids to smile pretty!! I got some great shots of the kids...here are a few of my favorites!!

First duck hunt...

2010-12-26T05:47:00.000-08:00

Michael is an amazing husband and an even better Daddy. He works hard at work each day and then finds the time and energy to spend time with his family!!

When you hear stories about children loving their parents, it is really touching to hear. But when you live to see how much one little man adores his Daddy, it is priceless. It is amazing to see how much Vaiden wants to be and do like his Daddy. Michael truly is his hero!!

Michael is an avid hunter and I knew that when we got married:) I knew I would never change him, but I also knew that one day he would share his love for the outdoors with our children. And that makes me happy!! Michael has been wanting Vaiden to hunt with him forever!!!! Vaiden has recently shown an interest in it. I think Vaiden likes to be with his Daddy more than hunting, but feels the need to tag along!! A couple of days ago, Michael woke Vaiden up at 4am to get dressed in several layers of clothing, to go sit out in the freezing cold in a flooded timber area to wait for ducks to fly in so they could shoot them. Vaiden really didn't know what he was in for...all he knew was that he would be dressed in camouflage, spend time with his Daddy, and have hot chocolate and a honey bun!! Well, Vaiden has now gotten the hunting fever because he loved it!! They killed 24 ducks in all, in other words, it was a good hunt!! The best part about this hunt was Michael took his camera (without my request) and took pictures. I cry at them everytime I look at them. I can see in Vaiden's eyes that he is in Daddy heaven!! I am so proud of them both and I am so happy to see the bond that they share!!

MMO Christmas Party

2010-12-26T05:44:00.000-08:00

Whitten's MMO class had a fun Christmas Party as well. They ate Christmas cookies and played in the gym. Our preacher stopped by to read the Christmas Story as well. The kids had a blast...fun party!!

Vaiden's Christmas Party at School

2010-12-26T05:36:00.000-08:00

Vaiden had a great Christmas Party at school this year. There were several centers set up for the kids to enjoy. They made necklaces/braclets, pin the tail on the reindeer, snack table with a mom reading a book, and decorate your own cookie. Vaiden's favorite center was cookie decorating!! He choose a blue icing because he knew it would turn his face blue. As you can see from the pictures, he was right!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

2010-12-24T08:06:00.001-08:00

Christmas Card

2010-12-24T08:04:00.000-08:00

My parents Christmas Card this year...I let them use the 50 free Shutterfly cards that I got:)

Christmas with the Ellis'

2010-12-21T05:52:00.000-08:00

Nana and her grandbabies!!

Whitten, the proud baker!!

Last weekend, we had Christmas with Michael's side of the family. It was great having everyone together, especially his Aunt Bitsy, that came up from Jackson. The kids had so much fun playing outside in the warmer weather and, of course, cooking in the kitchen with Nana. Here are some pictures from the weekend...

On the hunt...

2010-12-20T11:58:00.000-08:00

Vaiden's Kindergarten class had a Gingerbread Man on the loose. Every child in the class made their own gingerbread man trap. Vaiden didn't want any help with his...and did a great job with it. Then a couple of weeks later, his class took a field trip to the square on the hunt for the Gingerbread Man. They stopped in Square Books Jr. first. On the way inside, we had to step over "cookie crumbs" that had been left by the gingerbread man. Books were read to the class and then we all sang Christmas songs. Nobody had seem the gingerbread man though. So we headed off to Square Pizza. Along the way, the kids stopped in the stores to post their "missing" posters. Once we got to Square Pizza, we saw more crumbs on the ground...but no siting of the gingerbread man. The kids enjoyed hot chocolate and discussed where the gingerbread man could have gone. This field trip was so much fun!! On the last day of school before the Christmas break, the gingerbread man left a note telling the children that he had caught a bus to the North Pole because he didn't want to get eaten and he knew Santa didn't like gingerbread!!

Vaiden's poster for the missing Gingerbread Man!!

Vaiden and I at Square Books Jr.

Singing Christmas songs at Square Books Jr.

Christmas Tree Farm Field Trip

2010-12-20T11:49:00.000-08:00

Vaiden's class took a trip to the local Christmas Tree Farm a couple of weeks ago. I, of course, tagged along with several other moms. It was so fun. The man that ran the farm talked to the kids about planting trees, trimming trees, and cutting trees. The kids had a blast and were excited to take one back to school to decorate!!

Happy Birthday Vaiden!!

2010-12-20T11:24:00.000-08:00

Today, December 20th, is Vaiden's 6th birthday. It is so hard to believe that my sweet baby is already 6 years old. Vaiden shares his birthday with his great-grandfather (aka Giddie) and his cousin, Bobby. What a special day!!

Vaiden has had a great birthday month. He has had a birthday party with friends, at school, at grandparents, and at home. He thinks he is a year older with every party!! I just wish he would slow down growing up...6 years has gone by way too fast!!

I love you Vaiden and I hope you have had a great birthday month:)

Vaiden's birthday party at school...Michael and I took cupcakes and I read a book to his class...Vaiden wanted Mario and Luigi cupcakes for the boys and Princess Peach cupcakes for the girls...I thought they turned out really cute!!

Michael's birthday is December 10th and Vaiden's birthday is December 20th...Nana and Paw Paw always get a cake for them both to celebrate!!

We celebrated Michael's birthday on the 10th. The boys wanted him to have brownies...Michael loved them and they were delicious!! My mom was in town that weekend and kept the kids for us...we were able to go out to eat. It was so nice for just the 2 of us to do that...Happy Birthday to you too, Michael!!

Birthday Party for Vaiden

2010-12-17T06:25:00.000-08:00

Vaiden had his birthday party earlier in the month at Cloud 9. He, of course, chose to have a Super Mario Brothers theme!! It turned out to be a really cute party with lots of his buddies attending. I can't believe my baby is all grown up and turning 6!!

Visiting Santa 2010

2010-12-17T06:21:00.000-08:00

Our trip to see Santa at the mall...I am still in shock that my children didn't scream!!

City of Lights...

2010-12-17T05:57:00.000-08:00

Oh the joys of a small town!! Canton has the best Christmas set-up. They have lights, music, rides, and shopping all on the square starting after the day after Thanksgiving. I think my parents love to go more than my children though-Ha!! On Thanksgiving night, the kids and I drove into Canton from Vaiden. I rode around the square so they could see all the lights around the square. Vaiden loved it and said, "Hello Gorgeous"!! The next night my parents took the boys out in the cold to enjoy it all. Their favorite was the hot chocolate and beignets!! On Saturday, we went during the day while the weather was a little warmer and took Mary Katharine for her first time. She watched it all!! We had a great time and can't wait to do it all again next year!!

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-12-17T05:45:00.000-08:00

Sorry for such the delay on posting, but our life has been so super busy!! Here are some pictures from Thanksgiving Day. We spent the day with Michael's family and of course, his Momma, cooked the best Thanksgiving dinner. The weather was warm, so we spent the afternoon resting in lawn chairs in the driveway as we watched the kids play outside. We truly have a lot to be thankful for this year!!

50 Free Holiday Cards from Shutterfly

2010-11-29T08:46:00.000-08:00

I love the holiday season!! I love the decorating, putting up the Christmas tree, and sending out my Christmas cards! I was reading a friend's blog the other day and read her post about Shutterfly’s promotion for free Christmas cards for bloggers! I have been sending out Christmas Cards for years now. I love them!! I love making them, I love giving them, and I especially love receiving them!! I immediately knew that I wanted to participate in this great promotion...especially because they are FREE!
I've searched through their Holiday Photo Card selection
and found some really nice designs!! Can't wait to hear from Shutterfly!! You can do the same before the deadline. Check out how here!!

Vaiden's Thanksgiving Party

2010-11-19T07:32:00.000-08:00

Vaiden had his Thaksgiving party on Thursday and he had a great time. His class made their own Indian clothing and Vaiden's Indian name was "Strong Fox". They learned about how the Native Americans lived many years ago. They were able to go outside to find arrowheads and then they came back inside to make butter. It was a fun party!!

MMO Thanksgiving Feast

2010-11-19T07:25:00.000-08:00

Whitten's MMO class had their Thanksgiving Feast on Wednesday. It was so much fun and the kids played more than they ate!! Whitten's teacher, Mrs. Jamie, made her whole class turkey t-shirts for the occasion. I thought they turned out so cute!!

My Sweet Girl

2010-11-19T07:22:00.000-08:00

Just a sweet picture of my little girl...

Meeting Harper

2010-11-19T07:17:00.000-08:00

While Mary Katharine and I were in Madison, we had to stop by one of my oldest and dearest friends homes to welcome her new baby girl, Harper Grace Tackett!! Rebecca and I have been best friends since 1st grade and our children are all close in age. It was so fun to see them all and hard to imagine how fast they grow up...MK is just a 13 weeks older and she looks so much bigger!! Time flies!!

Hands and Feet Prints

2010-11-19T07:11:00.000-08:00

When Vaiden and Whitten were both babies, I had their hand and feet prints made into a mold. Sweet Dreams in Madison has a lady from Memphis come a couple of times a year to do these. I was so happy to make the trip to Madison to have her do the same thing for Mary Katharine. Now, all 3 of my children have one piece with both their baby hand and foot and another piece that is just their baby foot that is an ornament. Here are a couple of pictures of her making her mark!! Can't wait to see the finished products!!

Feeding MK...

2010-11-19T07:04:00.000-08:00

Since I have been nursing Mary Katharine, no one has had a chance to feed her. Vaiden has been begging me to let him give her a bottle. Well, on Monday night, I had a meeting to go to and Michael was at home with all the kids. Vaiden once again begged to feed Mary Katharine. Michael said that Vaiden did a great job and Mary Katharine just stared at Vaiden the entire time. I am so happy that my sweet husband knew to grab my camera and take this priceless picture!! Vaiden truly is one proud big brother!!

And if you know, Whitten at all, you know that he wants to do EVERYTHING Vaiden does!! So the next night, I had to make sure I let Whitten have a turn feeding his sister!! He also is one proud brother!!

Homecoming Game

2010-11-19T06:52:00.000-08:00

Ole Miss played the University of Louisiana Lafayette for their Homecoming Game this year. It was a cold weekend, so my sweet mother in-law stayed at home with Mary Katharine. Michael and I got the boys out and enjoyed a great day in the Grove. Michael played football for the University of Louisiana Lafayette in 1997 (then they were called Southwest Louisiana, i.e....the hat Michael is wearing), so this game was a real treat for us!! Vaiden wore one of Michael's football jerseys and he was a proud little man!! All day the boys were chanting...Hotty Toddy Rajun Cajuns!! We were pulling for both teams!!