The Jackson Five

Brad Paisley...FINALLY!!!

2011-02-11T17:52:00.005-05:00

Since October 29th, I had been waiting for this night. Brad Paisley was coming to concert with Darius Rucker and I had been waiting for 2 years to see him in concert. It was our Valentine’s Day date and it did not disappoint. Jarrod Nieman opened the show and it was plain to see why some his songs were not played on the radio. While catchy, some of them could be quite funny and raw. He might need to clean it up a bit if he wants a few more on the radio than he has now. Darius Rucker came out at 8:00 and played for a solid hour. He could have done the whole concert on his own. He played his new stuff like “This” and “Alright”. He played old Hootie stuff. And he even played “Purple Rain”. He left to a standing ovation from the entire arena. In 15 minutes flat, they had the stage torn down and set for Brad Paisley. He came on stage playing his tour song “Water” and professed his sorrow for the cold weather and that for the next 2 hours we should just pretend it was the summer of 2011. Bo and I looked at each other thinking there’s no way he could play for 2 hours and there’s no way we could keep up with him for 2 hours. But, sure enough, he did not stop playing until 11:10 that night. There was not one break in the music...not even to change sets and there were still songs he could have played that he never got to. Half way through the show he came to a make shift stage in the middle of the floor seats where we were and played a favorite...“Letter to Me.” We were 20 feet from him and it was definitely the highlight of the night. By the end of the show, we were completely exhausted from cheering all night long. This concert was well worth every penny spent and I would go again tomorrow given the chance. Such a great show!!

SNOW FEST 2011

2011-01-17T17:51:00.010-05:00

For the first time since we’ve moved here, the weather men did not disappoint. They had been calling for freezing temps, ice and snow for a week and we were all excited about the potential of having a day off from school and work and playing in the fun white stuff. What we got was SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT. It was a Sunday night and we had asked Bo’s parents to come and stay with us for the big snow storm so they could be there the next day to play with all of us in the snow. We put the kids to bed on time...just incase there was no snow and school was really happening the next morning. And, we waited. And waited. We played bowling on the Wii and waited some more. By 9:00 PM, there was still not one snowflake in sight. But, by 9:30, Jenny had called us and told us that the city was getting nailed and was covered in the pretty white stuff. Finally, at 10:00, the snow started falling and by 10:30 we were covered. It was coming down harder and faster than we had ever seen before. School had been cancelled, so we woke up the girls to see the snow falling and them put them back to bed. We had a busy day of playing in the snow the next day. And, that’s exactly what we did. The kids were in and out all day long...between cups of hot chocolate...to play with their friends...sledding, snow angels and snowmen were the activities of choice. By mid-afternoon we were all starting to wonder what the next morning would bring. That evening was the NCAA National Title Game between Auburn and Oregon and we were all hoping for just one more day off so we could hang out for the game and not worry about work or school the next day. By late afternoon, we had gotten our wish...school had been cancelled for the following day. The temps for the day hadn’t gotten above freezing so nothing had melted and it had continued to snow off and on all day. The game that night was fun to watch with everyone because we all knew we had the next day to relax and recover from celebrating another SEC National Title...Go Tigers!! After the game was over, all the adults headed out for some midnight sledding...so that we didn't have any children interrupting our fun. And it was quite a lot of fun. An hour had gone by in the blink of an eye. The next morning came and went with more playing in the snow with our friends. The weather was warming up and starting to melt the snow, but the concern became the freezing temps coming back over night. Would they really cancel school for a third day??? Low and behold, the dinner hour came and the schools were already canceling for tomorrow. Not enough snow had melted and what did melt was sure to be ice the next morning. Bo’s parents decided to try and get home that afternoon before the freezing temps and ice and it’s a good thing they did because they wouldn’t have gotten out the rest of the week. The weather men were right and the melting snow and refreezing each night kept us home from work and school for the entire week. Atlanta was literally shut down for a solid week. Unfortunately, the loss in pay for furlough days and not taking care of kids made for a tough month, but the week we spent with the kids playing in the snow and having family game nights was worth it. By the end of the long weekend due to the MLK holiday, the kids were ready to go back to school and talk to all their friends about what they did for the week off. Most parents were happy to send the kids back to school and get back to normal, but part of me was a little sad to see them head back to school. Maybe we’ll have just one more snow day this winter for a little extra fun. Check out the Shutterfly site for all the pictures of our fun in the snow. Here are a few of our favorites.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-01T11:30:00.002-05:00

2011 has arrived!!! Here's to hoping 2011 will be a healthy, happy, prosperous new year for The Jackson Five and all of our friends and family. May we all be blessed with whatever comes our way this year and always.

Happy New Year!!!

Polar Plunge...

2010-12-31T11:30:00.009-05:00

Our south Florida new year was filled with lots of fun times with the Srigleys. Aside from the day we spent at Kennedy Space Center, we spent time hanging out at the house, watching college football, playing at the park and even had our own idea of the Polar Plunge on New Year’s Eve. Every visit with them is enjoyable and each time it’s over we always start thinking about the next time we get to see them. Lots of love to the Srigleys for being great people, even better friends, fantastic hosts and fun playmates for our kids.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Kennedy Space Center

2010-12-30T11:29:00.007-05:00

On our trip through Florida with the Srigleys, we spent a day at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. We had been there years ago before we were married, but with the Srigley boys’ interest in Star Wars and rockets and the influence that has on our kids, we thought it would be a fun day trip while we were in town. We got up early that morning to get there when the center opened. The kids got more excited the closer we got because rockets and space ships were lining the roads to the entrance. We saw several space shuttles and quite a few rockets. But, the most impressive one was the Saturn V rockets that launched the Apollo missions to the moon. We all enjoyed the bus tour and the stops to see the launch pads where the shuttles take-off from. The coolest thing to see up close was the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) where they put the solid rocket boosters and the fuel canister on the shuttle and then roll it out on the crawler to the launch pad. The building itself is HUGE and it’s amazing to think that the vehicles that transport humans into outer space are assembled in that building. Plus, there is a building just beside the VAB that controls all aspects of the launch until 7 seconds before take-off when it is then sent over to Mission Control in Houston, Texas. We also got to see a 3D Imax movie about the Hubble Telescope and that was very interesting. The work that the astronauts did on the telescope once it was in orbit to fix the lenses and create a working machine that would send images to earth from outer space is mind boggling. They practiced the mission in a huge underwater pool with a life size version of Hubble to emulate the weightlessness of space. We spent some time walking through a space shuttle model and even got to meet a real astronaut. At the end of the day we were all quite exhausted from all the fun and had great memories to fall asleep to.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Merry White Christmas!!

2010-12-25T11:28:00.009-05:00

Christmas was extra magical this year. From the minute Thanksgiving ended, we have been talking about Christmas and what it means to have three small children who are excited about the Christmas season and the magic of Santa Claus. We weren’t sure who would sleep less...the kids or us. The build-up this year has been more than usual. Aside from talking about Santa and thinking about Santa non-stop, we knew we were planning a trip to Florida to see the Srigley’s for New Year’s a few months ago. But, it turned in to a full week with them when plans with Tracey and Jerry fell through because of Tracey’s new job with AT&T. So, the thought of being in Florida with the Srigley boys for a whole week was super exciting to the kids. Plus, there were school parties, neighborhood parties, Secret Santa exchanges and days off from school. And then when the weathermen started predicting the possibility of snow, the excitement meter went through the roof. We went to bed on Christmas Eve with much anticipation of Santa’s arrival. Grandma and Grandpa Jackson and Aunt Jenny had spent the night with us so they could enjoy all the excitement as well. Ally came bounding in our room at 5:15 asking if she and Kelsey could play in their room for a few minutes until it was time to get up. We had told them no earlier than 6:00...so she knew they had time to kill. We asked her if Santa had come and she said she didn’t want to look until they were allowed to get up. We got up by 6:00 and the girls looked over the walkway to see that Santa had come and left a big pile of presents to open. They ran downstairs to find their new dolls and a market tote with their names on it from mommy and daddy. Drew had gotten a new, ride-on 4-wheeler with Buzz Lightyear on it from us. But, sitting beside the 4-wheeler was a brand new train table with all the tracks and tunnels and bridges set-up and ready to go. Santa had been busy at our house. We got Drew up and as soon as he looked over the edge and saw the train table, he almost jumped out of my arms to get to it. He was so excited. He slid all the way down the stairs and ran over to it as fast as his chubby little legs could carry him. Drew spent most of the morning playing with his toys as he unwrapped them. By nightfall, he still hadn’t opened everything. By 10:00, we had eaten a small breakfast and torn through all the girls gifts and family gifts. The girls loved their new dolls and were excited to play with the new things they had gotten...the Ramona and Beesus DVD, Hannah Montana CD’s, Tangled games and books, luggage and new clothes. But, hidden behind the tree wrapped in sparkly silver wrapping paper were several gifts left for the Jackson Family. When we opened them, we discovered Santa had brought us a Wii and several games and controllers to go with it. We were all so excited we had to get it out and play with it immediately. But, we couldn’t...it was time to go to Aunt Jackie and Uncle Stefan’s house. So, we piled in the car and headed over there for brunch and more gift opening and delivering. The girls were excited to hand out our presents to them and they were just as excited to get presents form them. Ally got a super cool ipod shuffle of her very own and Kelsey got her own CD player for her room. But, best of all, while we were visiting with the Blum’s, snow started falling and sticking to the ground. Kelsey had wished and prayed for snow on Christmas and she was getting her wish. She was glued to the window, watching it come down. By the time we got home for nap and lunch, the snow was really starting to fall and it looked like we might actually have enough to play in it. And, by night fall, the temps had dropped and it was sticking and accumulating. We had gone over to Grandma and Grandpa Jackson’s house to finish up our Christmas day and had to call it a night by 6:30 so that we could get home safely in the slush, ice and snow. While we were at Grandma and Grandpa’s house, we opened gifts with them. They had saved the best for last. Grandpa John had given the kids a play set for the back yard...something we have been wanting for a LONG time. And then, Grandma and Grandpa had given the girls their Christmas present. They opened up gifts with embroidered shirts in them that had glass slippers on them and Drew’s had a crown that said Prince Charming. We were heading to Disney in February!!!! Yay!!!! The kids were very excited and tried their best to be excited about such a big gift after a long, full day of fun. We know as the days get closer, we will be counting down the days until we see the big mouse. The kids went to bed as soon as we got home and we weren’t far behind them. It had been a day filed with tons of fun and excitement and we were all exhausted.

The kids spent the next day playing in the snow while we cleaned up the house for our trip to Florida. Christmas had come down faster than it went up and we were getting ready for the next part of our vacation. Enjoy all of our Christmas pics on the Shutterfly site. Here are just a few to get you started.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Magical Nights of Lights at Lake Lanier

2010-12-19T11:27:00.006-05:00

It seems like this time of year is all about family traditions and we do not lack in any of those for the holiday season. Every year we travel to Lake Lanier for an evening of Christmas lights and fair rides. This year we got to go before Christmas. It’s usually something we do between Christmas and New Year’s Eve because the crowds tend to be smaller. But with travels to Florida this year for New Year’s Eve, we had to find a way to do it before then. We picked a Sunday night to go up there thinking it would be slower than most other nights and we were lucky that it was. The girls enjoyed the lights, but have moved past the “splendor of the lights” and just want to get to the rides. For the first time, Kelsey was big enough to ride the big rides and she had a blast doing it. Ally...our child of no fear until after she rides something...enjoyed every minute of the big rides this year as well. Drew ventured on the carousel with mommy, but didn’t enjoy the ride until the very end. We always end our night with a ride on the ponies and then it’s back to the car to get changed into jammies for the ride home.

All of the Christmas pictures are posted together on the Shutterfly site. Check there often for updates on the fun holiday happenings.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Camp Meriwether American Girl Day Camp

2010-12-18T14:52:00.007-05:00

Ally has joined Brownies this year and we got to head to Camp Meriwether for an American Girl Day Camp. Ally was excited about this because her list for Santa included an American Girl doll and because we had not done a day camp with our scout troop since we had joined Daisy Scouts a few years ago. Hannah headed to camp with us for the day. The day started early and with a long drive. Camp Meriwehter is south of Atlanta and way off the beaten path so it took about an hour and a half to get there. We spent the day doing crafts and activities that the American Girls would have done during their time period...sewing, cooking, leatherworks, horseback riding and games. It was a day packed with tons of fun. We hit a Wendy’s on the way home for dinner in the car and by the time we got home, both girls were exhausted. I’m sure we’ll be doing lots more day camps now that we’ve had a taste of all the fun they can be.

Enjoy all the pics on Shutterfly.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

A Visit with Santa

2010-12-09T14:11:00.006-05:00

We headed to North Point Mall for our annual meeting with Santa Claus and the family Christmas picture. The kids were dressed in their holiday finest for the big day and they could hardly contain the excitement. This was the first year Kelsey was actually excited to see Santa and ready to tell him about the things on her wish list. Because it was a Wednesday, the line for Santa was nonexistent and we walked right up to see him. Before we got in the line, I told the girls that I knew Drew would scream and that it was ok for him to do that. Their job was to sit, smile and look at the camera for the picture. We tried to keep Drew away from looking at Santa while the girls got to his lap and talked with him about their wishes. Once the photographer was ready, I casually backed up to Santa and dropped Drew in his lap. For a minute, I thought we might actually get a good picture. But, one turn of his head and it was over. He saw this big man in a red suit with a hairy face holding him and the screams went full force...which is the picture you see below...a classic. After he was whisked to safety, the girls continued their conversation with Santa because no one was around to be next. We had a nice chat with Santa about the importance of sleigh bells and then we were on our way. We took some time to do some shopping and had lunch at the food court. It was a fantastic and magical morning to start off our holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2010-11-27T08:55:00.006-05:00

Thanksgiving has come again. And, again, we spent more time eating than taking pictures. This year we had dinner at the Blum’s house with Bo’s parents and Aunt Jenny. It was the most low key Thanksgiving I can remember having in years. But, I know our turn is coming for Christmas. Jackie put together a FABULOUS meal with appetizers of shrimp, brushetta, a relish tray and veggies. Dinner included the required turkey with plenty of sausage stuffing, cranberries, mashed potatoes and gravy, carrots and an italian style green bean alfredo casserole. We had yummy pumpkin pie and brownies for dessert and we all had to be rolled home by the end of the evening. Thanksgiving is, by far, one of the yummiest days of the year for our family.

Weekend with the Gators!!

2010-11-23T14:23:00.013-05:00

Last year we headed down to Gainesville in hopes of seeing Tim Tebow play in UF’s only perfect season and for his last season as a Gator. Unfortunately Alabama ruined those plans in the SEC game, but it was a great trip back to our old stomping grounds. So, we decided it would be a fun trip to make again this year. We headed to the Appalachian State game, and after the season we’ve been having, we were a bit nervous about the outcome of the game. We walked up and down University Avenue and peeked in the shops. We walked around the stadium and took pictures of all the monuments and statues that had been put up since we left. The game was a blast. Thankfully, the Gators pulled through for a win on Senior Day and what ended up being Urban Meyer’s last game in the swamp (he just made his announcement about retiring...for the 2nd year in a row...due to health reasons and to focus on his family). We had a blast at The Swamp after the game and then headed back to the hotel. When we got home to the kids the next day, they were happy to see us and covered us with hugs and kisses. It always so nice to visit our old favorites, but it’s always better to come home to that!!

Visit the Shutterfly site for all the pictures from the weekend.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Too Cute To Spook

2010-10-31T20:49:00.014-04:00

Happy Halloween!!!

Halloween seems to be more and more fun for the kids and the adults as the years go by. Every year I feel like we are living out the scene from the movie Mr. Mom when the families are all dressed up and out trick or treating. This time of year always makes me thankful for our friends, neighbors and the community in which we live for allowing such a small town feeling to sweep over our lives for just one night.

This year, for the first time, I am sad to say there was really no theme for the three kiddos. Ally has come in to her own world of likes and dislikes...and unfortunately, that also means we’ve kinda left the princess thing behind us. She still loves dressing up, but now it’s more of a diva or pop start image than a princess. So, this year, Ally dressed up like Hannah Montana...complete with wig and sparkling shoes. Kelsey has wanted to be Bat Girl for months. Hayden was going to be Batman, but changed his mind to Mario from Super Mario Brothers. To pick up the slack, Asher picked up Kelsey’s sadness and offered to be Batman, but he changed his mind and ended up as Wolverine. So...to keep our little Bat Girl from melting down, Drew stepped up and filled in to save the day. As much as I pushed for the super hero theme, Ally wasn’t breaking, so we had a super hero duo and the teen pop idol. I’m thinking my years for themes have passed us. :( The kids had dinner together...pizza...before trick or treating...a tradition that we started years ago and seems to be the easiest thing for a busy night. After dinner and costume prep, we all met outside for our cul-de-sac picture with everyone dressed up and then we were off. There were two distinctive groups this year...the older kids (Ally, Kelsey, Hannah, Hayden, Addison, Molly, Madison, Logan, Sydney, Jack, Ben, Ayanna, Treyvon and Asher) who ran from house to house and the younger kids (Drew, Caroline and Max) who were carted around in strollers and wagons from house to house. We scoured the neighborhood for 2 solid hours grabbing all kinds of candy loot and by the end the kids were exhausted. We came home, dumped all the candy on the floor while we watched The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, and had a few pieces of our candy while watching our favorite holiday show. The kids had school the next day, so we quickly got them showered and off to bed in hopes that the next day wouldn’t be a difficult start. Thankfully, Tuesday was an election day, so we had a day to catch up if we were dragging.

Check out the Shutterfly site for all the Halloween fun and pictures.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

You'll Be Missed...

2010-10-26T19:12:00.003-04:00

It's a sad day for the Jackson family today. Grandpa John lost his battle with cancer and left this world this afternoon. His stay in Hospice was longer than most. And, mom and dad Jackson were there with him. And while we're sad to see him leave us, we know he is in a better place with no more pain.

We love you Grandpa John!! We will miss you!! Be good in Heaven...don't go grabbing all the pretty girls!!!

Darby Rose Photography - Fall 2010 Edition

2010-10-20T21:10:00.009-04:00

October...the month for fall pictures with Darby Rose Photography. As always, Mrs. Darby does not disappoint. Here are a selection of the fabulous pictures we had taken at Barrington Hall in Roswell, Georgia. Head to the Shutterfly site for the full set of pictures. And, if you are in the Atlanta area, be sure to check out her website for information on how you can set up your own appointment for family pictures. She books up quickly in the fall and spring, so get in early. You’ll be very pleased you did. :)

http://www.darbyrosephotography.com

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

See You at the Patch...

2010-10-17T19:49:00.015-04:00

We took the annual trip to Burt’s Farm again this year...it’s certainly become something the girls expect and look forward to every fall. And this year’s trip did not disappoint. We got up bright and early on a beautiful fall morning, loaded up the car with a packed lunch and extra clothes and headed up in to the mountains for Burt’s. BY the time we got there, plenty of people were already filling the parking lot. We started off with the hayride around the farm. Afterwards, we took some time to play hide and seek in the HUGE pumpkins. And then, we had to get to work and find our pumpkin. Each of the kids got to pick their own this year for the big pumpkin carving contest coming up on the 29th. And then, they each got a little one for their room. By the time we were done, the back of our car looked like a small pumpkin patch. After we finished at Burt’s, we headed across the street to Amicalola Falls State Park for some lunch and time on the playground. Drew spent most of his time going up the stairs and down the slide. After playing and lunch, we took a walk and let the kids run up an down the hiking trails for a few minutes. And after that, we were ready to head home. Here are a few of the pics from our day, but there are tons more on the Shutterfly site. The kids were so cooperative for pictures, that we got lots of good ones.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Boosterthon Fun Run

2010-10-16T17:12:00.021-04:00

For the past 2 years, Holly Springs has done a fun run as their yearly fundraiser for the school. The girls try to get pledges and raise money for each lap they run. The lap is 1/16 of a mile and when it is all said an done, they run about 35 laps...which is over 2 miles in about 45 minutes. The fun run is held on a Friday and parents and visitors are welcome to come and cheer on their students. So, this year I took the whole group and headed out to HSE for the big event. Grandpa Jackson showed up a few minutes in to the run to cheer on his girls. They were very excited to see we had come to cheer them on with signs and lots of high fives. Asher and Madison ran a few laps with the girls and we all had a great time raising money for the school. Check out all the pictures on the Shutterfly site when you get a chance.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Drew's First Haircut

2010-10-16T17:12:00.010-04:00

Drew's first haircut was quite the success. We headed out on a Friday night to a small hair place called Sports Clips for boys and men. There are life size cut outs of famous sports figures. The place itself is designed and painted to look like a stadium. There are flat screen TV's at every angle and all of them are playing Sports Center or some sort of classic sporting event. Drew sat very calmly in mommy's lap the entire time. And after watching the nice lady cut off his hair, it was surprising how long it really was. His haircut is much shorter than I care for it at the moment. But, to even it all out, we went short for this first cut. Hopefully it will grow back evenly and we can find a cute way to style it so that he looks like a little boy and not little Bo. Enjoy the pictures!!

Before...

During...

And after...

Kindergarten Field Trip

2010-10-16T17:11:00.007-04:00

Today, Kelsey and Bo headed to the North Georgia Mountains for a day with the Kindergarteners at Burt's Pumpkin Farm. Bo was excited to be one of the chosen few who could go on the field trip and Kelsey was happy to have her daddy with her. While they were there, the kids took a hayride and learned about how pumpkin seeds turn in to pumpkins that we can pick in the fall. They took a tour of the farm and ended their morning picking out their own pumpkin to bring home. After the busy morning, they headed across the street to Amicalola Falls for some time on the playground and lunch. And then it was time to head home. Visit the Shutterfly share site for all the pictures. Here are a few to get you started.

PS - The little girl in the pictures with Kelsey is Annabelle...a friend from school and Kelsey's partner on the field trip.
http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Fall Fun!!

2010-09-25T14:32:00.004-04:00

It might still be 90 degrees outside, but fall is in full swing at the Jackson House. This week, the girls had fall break from school, so we spent a lot of time doing fun things that we don't normally get to do...a trip to the library, an afternoon visiting daddy's school and lunch with him, and an afternoon at the aquarium too.

But, to cap off a fun week, we had some family time at the Cagle's Corn Maize on Friday night and apple picking at BJ Reese's Applehouse on Saturday morning. The corn maize is not something we do every year...mostly because it would cost us $40 to just get in the door. But, with some coupons, we got in for $20 and had a fun filled family night complete with maze, jumping on the pillow, and yummy funnel cakes. By the end of the night, all 3 kids were worn out and ready for bed.

Apple picking at BJ Reese's has been a standing yearly tradition for many years now. We all look forward to heading up in to the mountains and (somewhat) cooler weather for picking apples. All the kiddos enjoy picking them right off the tree and taking a bite. The past few years they have added a petting zoo and we enjoy watching the animals run and play in the zoo. But, the best part is always the ride home with a bag full of farm grown goodies and warm fried apple pies that get devoured before we even hit the highway.

All of the pics are posted on the Shutterfly share site. But, as always, here are a few to get you started.

Lake Keowee

2010-08-22T16:34:00.008-04:00

The Last Summer Get-a-way...Lake Keowee, South Carolina.

Anne invited us and the Robbins family to come up for a day at the lake with the kids. And since they had never been on a boat before we thought this would be a great chance to let them experience that kind of fun. Anne's parents live right on the lake. They have a BEAUTIFUL home with a boat dock and lift, tons of floats, rafts, and water toys. And a jet ski as well. We got there early Saturday morning and brought the rain with us, but that didn't stop anyone from getting in the pretty lake water. It was perfectly warm and the girls had no reservations jumping in off the dock with their life jackets on. Drew enjoyed staying close to mom but had fun swimming too. By 4:00, the weather had finally cleared up and the sun started to shine. So, we all hopped in the boat with Captain Bob and headed out for some tubing. Each kid got to go with a mom or a dad and we all had a blast. We spent the last part of the day Jet Skiing around the cove and letting the kids play in the lake. By 8:00, they were all sound asleep and exhausted from the long, fun day. We had over 300 pictures for one day at the lake. Here are a few of them, but the rest can be found at the share site.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

White Water Rafting

2010-08-10T14:26:00.009-04:00

For the past two years, the girls have gotten together and sent the boys on a white water rafting trip for Father's Day. And, while we all know the weekend is filled with debauchery, we turn our heads and let them have their loud music, adult beverages and obscene conversations as far back in the woods as possible. We pray hard that no one gets hurt, lost, or offended in the 48 hours they are gone. They went with a different rafting company this year due to some scheduling issues, but had a blast and will probably go with this company again next year. Here's to a fun boys weekend away!!!

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Oh look...a lighter...who wants to go down in the woods and get it??? BUNKY!!!!

No need to sterilize the hot tub...it was 80 proof by the end of the weekend.

Bo says this picture emulates everyone's weekend trip...see if you can guess who was hung over, who did not want to go in the water, and who was the instigator.

Back to School...Back to School...

2010-08-02T05:46:00.009-04:00

The girls started back to school today. Ally is in 2nd grade and has Mrs. Zimmerman. Kelsey started Kindergarten this year and has Mrs. Stevenson. We are looking forward to a GREAT year at Holly Spring Elementary!!!
See the share site for all the pictures...http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Time to wake up...

Best Buds!!

Proud Parents...

Deepwater Cove Cul-De-Sac...there's something in the water here!!!

Have a good day!!!

Wipeout 2010!!!

2010-08-01T19:27:00.010-04:00

We had our first ever WIPEOUT Back to School party for the kiddos this weekend. And, I think this might make the list of annual events. Every neighbor created a fun event or obstacle course in their yard for the kids to complete. Our event consisted of a bat spin, running to and sliding down the slip and slide, dribbling a soccer ball through a series of cones, scoring a goal, jumping through a giga ball filled with water, running up the side of the house, sliding down the slide and sitting at the finish line. We shared our event with the Robbins and the kids were exhausted after a 2 house event. Afterwards we had pizza and a bunch of tired children. There are tons of pictures on the share site, but here are a few to get you started.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Date Night with Dad

2010-07-21T15:04:00.006-04:00

Ally had her first date night with Dad this month. They went to Olive Garden for a yummy dinner and then headed to Mountasia for a night of putt-putt and arcade games. Ally was super excited to spend some time with Dad and he couldn't have been prouder to spend time with his little girl.

The Stadium Course at TPC

2010-07-19T20:57:00.015-04:00

For the first time in all the years Bo has been volunteering at The Players Tournament, he finally used his free voucher to play the course. He and his boss, Bruce, and his boss's 2 brothers from Canada met in Jacksonville for a golfing weekend. They played at Windsor Park on Saturday and played the Stadium Course at Sawgrass on Sunday. There are so many stories from that weekend...everything from issues crossing the border in Canada, to almost missing a flight and leaving behind the one thing the guys needed...golf clubs. Probably the most memorable story of the weekend will not be from the 17th island green, but from the hole-in-one Bo got to witness first hand by Joe at the par 3, third. The guys hooted and hollered so loud that the marshalls had to ask them to try and keep it a little quieter. Word travels fast when you get a hole-in-one. Joe was honored with a plaque in the clubhouse with his name and date of the hole-in-one. He got to take home the flag from the hole and he will receive his own plaque in the mail very soon. Needless to say, the drinks were on Joe for the rest of the day. Bo was so glad he finally got to go and play this course. And now that he has, he probably will make it a yearly event. Enjoy some of the pics here and see the rest at the share site.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

And, on the tee, from Canton, Georgia, 4-time Players Champion, BO JACKSON.

HOLE IN ONE...

Joe was very excited.

Still very excited...and unable to breathe.

Time to rally...

The Stadium Course doesn't have gophers that laugh at you...they have raccoons.

Halfway home...hole 9.

Here goes nothing...the 17th.

Bring it home...finishing up on 18.

Grandpa John's 80th!!

2010-07-11T19:24:00.010-04:00

We traveled to Seneca, SC this weekend to celebrate Grandpa John's 80th birthday. It was a small family reunion for Bo's mom's side of the family and it was nice to meet some of the people I had never met and Bo hadn't seen in years. Uncle John and Aunt T were there with the Maguire Sisters (minus Lindsey). Uncle Joe and his wife Aunt Shirley came down from Michigan. Aunt Joan and Uncle Pete were there with their daughter Brittney. Aunt Jeanne and Uncle Bill helped Mom organize the event. And all of us were there...mom dad, Jenn, us and the kids. Grandpa walked in to his favorite restaurant...Copper River...expecting to eat dinner and he walked right into a private room where everyone was waiting to sing happy birthday. He was very surprised and seemed to enjoy the night immensely. The next day, we all gathered for lunch and some time together at Grandpa's house and then we all headed home. Enjoy the pics and visit the shutterfly site for the rest of them.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Blowing Rock, NC

2010-06-29T19:27:00.012-04:00

We got home from our fantastic trip to Blowing Rock, NC with the Srigley family today. There's so much to post about and write about...I hope I don't forget it all.

For startes, it's always so nice to spend time with them. We haven't seen them since they were here for Thanksgiving and we always pick right back up where we left off. The same old jokes, the same old stories and it never seems to get old. It was a great few days in the cabin with them and we look forward to them swinging through here on their way home.

We got to Blowing Rock a day earlier than we had planned because of some tutoring cancellations for Bo. We woke up Friday morning and the kids were excited to see each other and play outside for a bit. That afternoon we went to the pool at the bottom of the mountain. It had just been redone and now included a walk in entry area for the babies, a splash pad filled with water buckets and sprayers, and a water slide that the kids spent the entire time playing on. The next couple of days we spent doing things we hadn't done there before. We went hiking on a trail on the Blue Ridge Parkway and saw some pretty water falls. The falls we saw were actually used in the film Last of the Mohicans...a movie I'll have to watch now. The dads took the older kiddos for a morning of boating on the lake and had a blast. Niki and I did some shopping and scrapbooking. The boys played golf and cribbage. And we spent time just relaxing and catching up. Our last day there we spent at Tweetsie Railroad...a mountain amusement park with a petting zoo and lots of fun rides. The girls had been there before, but this was Drew's first visit. He loved the train ride and the ski lift. But he smiled biggest at the petting zoo and the baby goat he made friends with. The girls enjoyed the petting zoo, but they are riders at heart...just like mom and dad. They rode everything from the ferris wheel to the tilt-a-whirl, the carousel to the scrambler.

As always we had a great time in the mountains and look forward to the next time we can meet up with the Srigley's at the cabin.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Navarre Beach Trip

2010-06-06T09:36:00.012-04:00

According to the local newspapers, the beach towns west of Navarre were seeing oily footprints on their beaches and boardwalks already...

Tar balls were rolling on shore in Pensacola...

The locals were already feeling the harsh reality of an oil spill hundreds of miles off their coast line and more than mile under the water's surface...reservations had been cancelled, restaurants were emptier than normal, and fisherman were pulling in less and less with each passing day.

With the inevitable destruction of the gulf coast looming on the horizon and the possibility that this could be our last visit to Navarre Beach for a long while, we spent 4 glorious days soaking up the sun and enjoying time as a family. We fell into a routine quickly...rise and shine, breakfast, pack a cooler and head to the beach, swim all morning, nap after lunch, and go back down to the beach for more time in the water. Bo got up each morning and claimed our spot on the beach with chairs, a small pool for Drew, and our pop-up tent to provide some shade from the sun. In the past we had always visited in September and the beaches were busy, but not crowded. In June the beaches fill up quickly with vacationers and home owners. And it seemed like everyone was trying to get every bit of time at the beach while they still could. The days couldn't have been more relaxing. The girls played on the beach and in the water...building sand castles, riding waves and looking for sand crabs. Drew had his own, personal baby pool under the tent beside my beach chair and he was as content as could be for the few hours we spent on the beach each morning and afternoon. Since he wasn't walking, the sand proved annoying to him and he had no problem staying out of it. For two of the nights we were there, my family honored my wishes and dressed up for some pictures on the beach. The first night it was just the girls in some new dresses we found on the way down to the beach. I found out that night that we were quite the posers when we wanted to be. The next night, we went down as a family to get a good shot of all of us. And for the first time, everyone cooperated. Kelsey told me as we were walking to the beach that she learned if she smiled for 2 seconds it would be over and we would be done. FINALLY...that makes sense to her!!! And thankfully we did get a great shot of all 5 of us.

At the time of this post, the oil has been spilling since April 20th and they have no means of stopping it anytime soon. Projections right now look to August before it will be stopped. And worst yet, is the destruction that this oil spill will cause to the wildlife, the shoreline, the tourism and the way of life on the Gulf Coast. Keeping that in mind, it was especially hard to leave Navarre this time. We have been coming here since we were a family of four. Drew made his first trip here last year at 3 months old. We've come here with friends, family and by ourselves. We have memories of this place that we will talk about when we are old and think about "the good ole days." It has become part of the kids' childhood and memories they have of spending time at "Ms. Lynn's Tower" as they grow older. And to us, it's sad that because of this oil spill, this might have been the last time we would get to be there for years to come...the end of an era, kind of.

But, we were happy to have just one more time to visit the place we have come to love. We hope to be back again very soon. As always the pictures have been loaded on to the shutterfly site. Here are a few to get you started.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

15 Month Well Check

2010-06-01T15:14:00.002-04:00

Drew went in for his 15 month well check today and we got a perfect report from the doctor. He weighed in at 26 lbs. 12 oz. and was over 31 inches tall. He remains around the 75th percentile for height and weight and is in the 50th percentile for head circumference...all good things. They checked him from head to toe and found nothing we needed to be concerned about. He's not walking yet, but he's doing all the pre-walking things...crawling, pulling up, bearing weight, standing alone...so they said he'd take his first steps when he was ready but that it would probably be sooner than later now that he knows how to keep up with older sisters. They weren't concerned about his lack of words...we really don't say much other than da-da and ma-ma. But, when you point to things, he responds and he babbles constantly. She said once he starts walking there will be a HUGE jump in his vocabulary because he'll have one less thing to work on. As for now, we are supposed to continue what we're doing and all will be well in his world. :)

Happy babies = happy parents!!! :)

The End of an Era

2010-05-27T06:09:00.003-04:00

Today is the day that it becomes official. Today is the day I look in to my little boy's eyes and am thankful we didn't do it a few years ago. Today is the day I count my blessings in the 3 beautiful children I have and rejoice in their health, happiness, and love. Today is the day I know my age is real, that I am getting older, that certain milestones have come and gone. Today is the day I realize we don't attend weddings for friends anymore because we are all married. Today is the day I realize we don't attend baby showers any more because we all have complete families. Today is the day reality smacks me in the face and I understand that my childbearing years are over.

And although I am very aware that we have no room in this house, no room in our budget for another little face around here, the thought of it ending is still quite sad. Even though my heart hurts at this thought, my mind tells me to look to the future...to the baseball games, the dance recitals, the family vacations, the important milestones we haven't reached yet and be glad in them...enjoy them. Because, we might not be able to bring another child in to this world, but we have so much to look forward to with the ones we have!!

Mother Daughter Tea

2010-05-19T11:40:00.010-04:00

Today was the Mother Daughter Tea for Harmony on the Lakes. Jackie signed us up to go with her and Ava. When we arrived, we were shown to our seats. The clubhouse was decorated in pinks and browns. The tables were set with fine linens and pretty silver. And, each girl had a place card and a coloring page. Once everyone was seated, there was a Parade of Hats and then it was time for refreshments. The event was catered and it was delicious. We had chicken salad and fruit. The girls had peanut butter and jelly with fruit. After tea, we played games...based on age. Kelsey and I played a relay game to set up a tea party on a table as fast as we could. We didn't win, but we did a good job. Ally and I played a game where we had to match up answers without looking at each other. And, we finished in 2nd place. I was so proud of Ally for knowing so many answers. After the games, we had dessert and each girl went up front to get a rose for their mother. It was a super fun afternoon for all of us!!

Birthday Bash

2010-05-19T11:40:00.008-04:00

Today the girls had their birthday party at JJ Biello Park. Since they had decided to do it at the park, we invited all of our neighborhood friends and all of their friends from school. The party was very low-key. I was able to talk with some moms I hadn't seen in a while or had never met. And Bo enjoyed his time playing with the kids on the playground. Drew was a perfect baby and sat in his stroller for the party. I wish we could have let him roam around the playground, but there were just too many people. The kids sang Happy Birthday to the girls and ate cupcakes and chips. Here are just a few pics. All of the pictures are on the shutterfly site...courtesy of our neighbors Angie and Michelle. I was entirely too busy to take pics and they were nice enough to do it for me. Visit the site to see all the fun!!

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Happy Birthday Kelsey!!!

2010-05-14T06:25:00.005-04:00

Today, our sweet Kelsey turns 5 years old!! This little girl has brought smiles, hugs, laughter and love in to our lives for 5 years now and we are so excited to see what the next 5 years, 10 years, 20 years bring to her life. We love you Kelsey Bear!! May you have many more years of love and happiness in your life!!

Last Day of Pre-K

2010-05-13T07:43:00.010-04:00

Today was Kelsey's last day of preschool. And, we were just as sad to see it end as we were excited to see it start. Kelsey will miss her teachers a lot...Mrs. Pam and Mrs. Tera.
The end of year program was fun. The kids came out and did some songs and then they headed back stage to change in to their caps and gowns while the younger kids sang. After the program was over, the younger kids went to their classrooms and the 4 year olds processed back in to the sanctuary for graduation. Kelsey looked so cute in her cap and gown. And we were so proud of her!! Enjoy the pics.

Tu-Tu Cute!!

2010-05-09T10:50:00.014-04:00

The girls had their annual dance recital this weekend. And, it is sad to say that this might be the last one we get to attend. The girls have decided that dance is no longer their choice of extra-curricular activity, so we are starting gymnastics in the fall. Ally has been dancing with FBCW for 4 years and Kelsey has been there for 2. We might return to the program one day, but for now, we are exploring other options.
The recital was a huge production, as always, and the girls did a great job with their routines. Ally has always been one to memorize her routine and know it well. This being Kelsey's second year, we hadn't seen that in her until this year. She did such a good job with her routine. And, we were very proud of both girls for their effort and "finishing the race". Below are a few pictures from the recital. This being the last one for awhile, I found it more important to enjoy the show and watching them dance than snapping pictures of the whole routine. So, there are no pictures on the Shutterfly site...these are the only ones. Enjoy!!

Ally and Hannah backstage before the show.
Ally and Hannah cheesing it up for the camera!!
Hayden and Kelsey backstage before the show.
Kelsey's Ballet Dance - God Parted the Red Sea

Ally's Tap Dance
Ally's Ballet - Morning

Kelsey's Tap Dance - Down to the Promised Land
Aunt Jackie and Ava with the girls after the show.

Happy Birthday Ally!!!

2010-05-06T05:42:00.009-04:00

We can hardly believe how fast seven years has come and gone. You have grown from this tiny little 5 pound baby into a sweet, caring little girl who is learning to understand the world around you. We hope you have a life filled with love and happiness always!!! We love you!!

Darby Rose Photography - Spring 2010

2010-05-03T05:57:00.008-04:00

I guess this makes the third time we have had our family pictures done with Darby (www.darbyrosephotography.com). We traveled to BUMC for pictures in the Memorial Garden. The theme for this spring's pictures was based on a picture I saw on a friend's Facebook page. It's a very "posed" picture of feet, but it is timeless and I had to have one of our family as soon as I saw it. You can see the full set of pictures at the Shutterfly site, but here are a few to get you started.
http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

BUMC Father Daughter Dance

2010-04-23T06:33:00.007-04:00

The church held its annual Father Daughter Dance this past weekend and it was the perfect excuse for the girls to get dressed up in their pretty pink dresses one more time for a date with Daddy and Grandpa Jackson. We missed the event last year, but after this year, we won't miss another. The church fellowship hall was decorated beautifully...I can't describe it well enough to do it justice. There was pink and white tulle draped around all the doors and little white lights were glowing from underneath. There were candles and sprinkles on all the tables. There was a red carpet at the entrance and garden trellis at the end for picture taking before entering the fellowship hall. The lights were dim, the music was playing and there were lots of things for the girls to do...eating ice cream sundaes, making a bracelet, and taking a horse and buggy ride. At the end of the evening, each of the girls got a special "gift" from their date. It was a silver charm of a gift because the theme for the night was "Every Good and Perfect Gift is from Above." After the girls received their charms, Pastor Julie said a prayer over all of them and then the night started to wind down. The girls had a great time and I think the daddy's did too.

Orange and Blue Debut

2010-04-12T05:59:00.031-04:00

A few weeks before spring break, Bo realized that the Orange and Blue game fell on the same weekend we'd be coming home from Sea World. We've been wanting to go for several years now but it always seemed to fall the weekend after spring break and traveling that much in a short time period never seemed to work out. We were fortunate this year and took advantage of our luck. We got in to Gainesville on Friday night. We had a Gainesville staple from our past...Gumby's pepperoni rolls...and got the kids to bed. We spent some time chatting with Grandma and Grandpa Jackson before heading off to bed ourselves. In the morning, we checked out and headed to campus bright and early. Parking in the garage at the Reitz Union was free because it was Saturday and we found a great spot to leave our car without fear of it being towed. We took the kids all over campus and showed them all the cool things we used to do and places we would go. They loved seeing the French Fries and the Bell Tower. After we got through campus, we headed up to the stadium to see what was going on on University Avenue. There were tons of blow-up events and family type things to do. After we walked through there we headed back to the car to drop off the stroller, meet Grandma and Grandpa and grab some lunch before the game. We ended up in the South end zone and just as the game was about to start Albert came in to our section to get on to the field. We got a great picture with the best mascot ever. In all of our years at the university and all the times we have been to a game, we have never gotten to see of meet Albert and take a picture. So this was a super special day. During the warm up and game, the Gators looked good. It was nice to see Brantley leading our group, but his back-up is no slouch. We should have a few good years ahead of us. After the game was over, we piled back in to the car for the long 6 hour trip home. We wanted to be in our own beds and our own house for at least one day before school started back up. And, after heavy traffic and close to 9 hours on the road, we finally made it.

As always, the pictures are posted on the share site, but here are a few to get you started.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Spring Break

2010-04-12T05:59:00.026-04:00

For spring break, the whole family headed to Orlando, Florida for a week of fun in the sun at Sea World. This trip was our Christmas present from Grandma and Grandpa Jackson...and we had a blast. We left for Orlando on Easter morning and stopped about half-way in Valdosta for the evening. We got up early and headed to Orlando to check in and spend some time enjoying our hotel. Unfortunately, I had a terrible migraine and spent the first night in Orlando laid up in bed while Drew slept. Bo had taken the girls to the pool and by the time they had gotten back, they were exhausted and ready for bed as well. By Tuesday morning everyone was well and ready to hit the park. We got a late start on the morning and got to the park around lunch time. We saw lots of shows that day and took in all the things around us. Wednesday was a day to relax at our hotel. The place we stayed was more of a villages type resort that had 2 bedroom condos for rent with full kitchen, 2 bathrooms and laundry facilities. It was SUPER NICE!! The complex had several pools and this particular day we found the one that had a huge pirate ship with a water slide. The girls had a blast swimming in the freezing cold water. Drew and I hung out on the pool chairs and tried to keep warm in the sun. That night we headed back to Sea World for a special dinner show...the Makahiki Luau. Somehow we scored front row seats. The girls had chairs right next to the stage. We saw all kinds of fun dancing and drumming. The last act was a fire dancer that was amazing. Ally and Kelsey enjoyed him the best for sure. After dinner, we all went on the Sea World Sky Tower which the girls had been DYING to do. It was just turning to dusk, so everything was lit up and you could see the whole city of Orlando in lights. We could see the Shamu show going on and we saw Cinderella's castle off in the distance. After the sky tower, we headed around the big lake to the pavilion area for the nightly fireworks show. We made it about half-way around and then saw this cute little area beside the lake set-up with tables and chairs. So we sat there for the firework display. The wind was really blowing that night and one of the pieces of the firework landed right on Bo's head. Not a big piece, but it was a piece nonetheless. It even smelled of sulfur. Ally thought that was really neat and she took the piece in to her class to show them what had dropped on Bo's head. We got home late that night and headed right to bed. We had a full day at the park the next day for our last day at Sea World. We got up early, got the kids ready and headed to the park for everything we hadn't done yet. Grandma and Grandpa decided to sleep in that morning and meet us at the park later. When we got there it was very quiet and not a lot of people had shown up yet...we think they were worried about the weather because it was quite cloudy. First, we went to the Key West exhibit so the girls could feed and pet the dolphins. It was a huge success and I'm glad we did it. The girls were afraid at first, but then they warmed right up and enjoyed seeing these awesome animals so close up. Then, Kelsey and Bo rode Journey to Atlantis a few times while Ally, Drew and I headed to get seats for the Elmo and Abby show. Ally had ridden the Atlantis ride on Tuesday and had no desire to go again. After the Elmo and Abby beach show, we headed to lunch and then to the Sea Lion and Otter show. That is Bo's favorite show because of the mime who comes out and makes fun of the crowd as they file in to their seats. He really is quite funny. By the end of that show, Grandma and Grandpa had met us at the stroller and we headed to Shamu's Happy Harbor for the kids to play for a few hours while we waited for the dolphin show at 4:00. At this point, it became a free for all for the adults because it was time for Momma Jax, Bo and I to ride some of the big rides...particularly Kraken and Manta. We found a way to get on both rides immediately and then tried to go on Manta one more time. But, the lines had filled up quickly and we ended up missing the dolphin show because of it. The neat thing was that Manta is a roller coaster that you ride laying on your belly so at least the kids got to see us go up the first hill and they waved to us. After we got off the last roller coaster, we started to head towards dinner. We were SUPPOSED to be having dinner with Shamu that night. But, because of the trainer death just a few weeks ago, Dinner with Shamu had been cancelled indefinitely. So, we ended up with reservations at the Sharks Underwater Grill. Again, we had front row seats next to the shark tank and the kids had a blast looking at all the sharks while we ate dinner. For the last event of the night, we headed to the Shamu Rocks show at 8:00. It was a show filled with lights and great music, tons of jumping and flipping and plenty of getting wet!! Bo took the girls down to the splash zone and at the end of all of it, they were DRENCHED FROM HEAD TO TOE. I didn't get the chance to take any pictures of the show because I was video taping it. Hopefully the tape will do it justice. After a long day, we loaded the kids up for the long walk back to the car and headed to the hotel. After the kids got to sleep we all decided to go back the next morning for the dolphin show we had missed. And since the ticket we had were unlimited visits for 7 days, we took full advantage. And we were glad we had...the dolphin show did not disappoint. After the show was over, we loaded in to the car, headed for a quick bite and got up the road to Gainesville. We spent the night there so we could attend the Orange and Blue Game the next day...but again...that's another post entirely.
As always, we send lots of love and thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Jackson for a great trip. Enjoy the few pictures below and visit the Shutterfly site for the full show. I took over 600 pictures, but I only posted about 150 on the site.
http://the realjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Easter

2010-04-12T05:59:00.014-04:00

Whew...I have really let the time get away since I lasted posted on our blog. It seems that life in the Jackson house has gotten super busy. January and February were nice and relaxing in the cold of the winter. But, this spring has hit like a whirlwind and there doesn't seem to be an end insight until school is over.
Easter was as busy as Christmas this year. We had egg hunts and spring parties all over the place. Ally's school and Kelsey's school both had parties that Grandma and Grandpa Jackson attended. We had a flashlight egg hunt here in our cul-de-sac with all of our neighbor friends. And then, there was a big egg hunt at our church the Saturday before Easter.
On Easter morning we met for the annual picture at the gazebo and then we were off to...Sea World. Yep, you read that right. But, that's another post entirely. Below are a few pictures from all of the Easter fun we had. Feel free to visit the Shutterfly site for a complete look at all the pictures.
http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Happy St. Patty's Day

2010-03-17T16:51:00.003-04:00

From my Hooligans to yours!!

A Hoppin' Good Time

2010-03-06T09:01:00.009-05:00

Today we had Drew's 1st birthday party with all of the family and friends here. It was a party with a Frog theme to match his baby room. So...the house was decorated with blue and yellow streamers because I couldn't find green...seriously, it's March...who doesn't have green streamers everywhere???? The cake had a cute little frog on it. And all of the party favors were bath towels with boy and girl frogs embroidered on them. I'll have to post a picture...they were so cute.
It was the standard 1st birthday party. We had pizza, some fruit, a salad and drinks for lunch. All the kids did a frog coloring craft or puzzle. Drew opened some cute birthday presents. He got a car racer and some nerf balls. He got some fuzzy cars to roll around the house. All perfect little things for a boy. After the presents, we sang happy birthday and ate cake. Because we had a small family party on his birthday, Drew was well versed in the smashing of the cake. He sat joyously in his seat for close to an hour and chowed down on his yummy cake. By the end of the party, he was covered in icing and enjoying every minute of it.
Be sure to visit the Shutterfly site to see all the pictures from the party. Here are a few to get you started.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Happy Birthday Drew!!

2010-03-01T05:55:00.002-05:00

When we brought Drew home from the hospital last year, I was tempted to end his blog because the original intent of the blog was to document the pregnancy. And then someone convinced me that I should keep it for one year to post all of the fun things about Drew's first year. There are so many new things that a baby accomplishes in a year that it seemed logical not to fill the family blog with so much info about Drew and nothing about the rest of us. So, I kept the blog going for the first year. Now that Drew has hit his one year old birthday, it is time to incorporate his daily happenings with the rest of the family in our blog. So, from this day forward, Drew's blog will no longer have updates or postings. All of his fun stories will be posted right here with the rest of the family stories.
And...for his first posting...let's just say Happy 1st Birthday Baby Boy!!! May you have many more to celebrate!! We love you!!

Cinderella Goes to the Ball

2010-02-13T09:41:00.009-05:00

The annual Father daughter Dance was held at our clubhouse last night. Bo and Grandpa Jackson escorted Ally and Kelsey to the dinner dance in their very finest. Bo went over to Grandpa's house to get ready and then they came here at 5:45 to pick up the girls who were primping for close to 45 minutes. We put on pretty dresses, wore the crowns we got from Aunt Jackie, put our hair up in pretty curls and even got special shoes for the event. When Bo and Grandpa arrived, they had corsages for the girls to wear. They met Darby at the gazebo with all their friends to take pictures before the big night. It was snowing outside and that just made for a perfect picture taking opportunity. You couldn't get more fairytale than snow on the night of the Father Daughter Dance. Below are a few pictures of the night, but there is a full selection of them at the Shutterfly share site.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Pickles the Pony Comes for a Visit

2010-02-01T09:59:00.008-05:00

Every weekend Kelsey's class mascot goes home with a different student. Each student gets to take Pickles on fun trips for the weekend and then the student does a scrapbook page of all the fun things they did together. This weekend was Kelsey's weekend to have Pickles for a visit and we had lots of fun playing with him.
On Thursday, Pickles went with us to dance class.

On Friday, he helped Kelsey color a picture on the Junie B. Jones website.

On Saturday, Pickles spent the night with Grandma and Grandpa Jackson. Flat Stanley is visiting from our friend Ryan, so he went along too. They played with other ponies first and then they watched Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure.

On Sunday, Pickles and Kelsey spent the day cuddling on the couch.

We will miss you being here with us Pickles. Hope you have many more fun weekends with Kelsey's friends!!

Finally...a New Year's Resolution

2010-01-15T13:01:00.003-05:00

We are 15 days in to the new year and I have finally figured out my new year's resolution. I've had a few that were small and inconsequential that I have tried to work on this year. The first would be simply to make or try a new meal at least twice a month. And so far, with 15 days to go I have already done one. Yippee for me!!
However, with the help of a friend's blog, I have found what I REALLY need to work on this year. And, it never dawned on me until it was written in such a way that I could understand and comprehend. In my day to day life, I am a very "busy" person. There's always something that needs done, cleaned, wiped up, put away or fixed. Sewing and embroidery is always there in the background. My scrapbooks call out to me to get done. And while some of this stuff is fun and more like a hobby, it is still something on my "To Do List". But, with this blog posting that I read, I am finding out that I have spent way too much time worrying about the "To Do List" instead of worrying about the important things in my life...my little kiddos. So that is my new year's resolution...in it's purest form. My goal this year is to forget about the piles of things that collect around the house (much to my husband's chagrin), forget about the busy work that keeps me "entertained" during the day, forget about the things that can wait until after bedtime and take all the time in the world that I have and spend it with my kids and my husband. Because at the end of the day and at the end of my life, I would rather have fond memories and filled hearts than a crossed off "To Do List". Enjoy the read...it's worth the time.

I'm Gonna Miss This
How do you do it? How do you stay so calm with four young children?”

Part of it is just how God made me, I think. I am pretty calm with my children. And, honestly, often I stay calm even in the midst of chaos because, frankly, it’s better than the alternative. A shrieking, freaking out mama is not going to make an already stressful situation any better. So, for the most part, I stay calm and try to be in the moment with my children.

But how do I do it?

There is one little bit of inspiration that literally descended upon me almost two years ago, while I was holding Nuggey in the bathroom, that has completely revolutionized my parenting. When I keep this truth in mind, I find it as easy as apple pie to stay calm in the midst of toddler chaos.

I remember that I’m gonna miss this.

It was dark, during the end of bathtime, and Prince Charming was gone. I was doing dinner, baths and bedtime myself those days, as my husband worked late. It had been, undoubtedly, a long day with the kids. Big Mac was three, Nuggey was one and a half and Small Fry was a baby. It is as clear as day still, this memory.

I was sitting on the toilet, drying MckNugget off after his bath. Small Fry, unable to roll, was sprawled on the floor of the bathroom on some towels, wearing nothing but a diaper and a grimace. Big Mac was still in the tub. He was squawking to get out and Small Fry was bellyaching for attention. But I slowly wrapped Nuggey up in his towel, determined to stay calm, and cuddled him in terrycloth. I slowly rocked him back and forth in my arms and sang Rock-a-bye Baby to my second born.

As I wrapped up the song, I prepared to sit Nuggey up and attend to the chaos that was the other children. After all, there were baths to finish, teeth to brush, diapers to put on, jammies to find and beds to tuck children into. But as he sensed me about to right him, Nuggey tossed his wet head back in my arms and looked up at me. “Uh-gain!”

So I sang Rock-a-bye Baby one more time, but I told him it would be the last. Yet when I finished, he begged again for more.

I didn’t want to do more. I didn’t want to sing to him one more time. I was tired. Tired of children, tired of singing, tired of the day. I just wanted it to be over. But then suddenly, as if fairy dust was sprinkled from the heavens right onto my tired head, the entire reality of my future set in.

I’m gonna miss this.

I looked down at little Nuggey, his damp eyelashes long and dark batting at me, his tiny bottom cradled in my hand, his soft, chubby legs thrown over my arm, his body entirely dependent on mine as I held him in my lap, and I could see the future. Nuggey, a grown boy, sporting a football jersey and facial hair, walked out of the bathroom. It was going to happen, and soon. And while I knew there would be joys with that time in my life, when our young children are teenagers and beyond, it struck me like a ton of bricks.

When that time comes, I’m gonna miss this.

When Nuggey comes home from college, barely speaks a word to me and hibernates in his bedroom all summer, I’m gonna miss this. As my mind fast forwarded to the future, I knew that at that moment, I would give anything for 20 year old Nuggey to be a toddler again, just for one more hour, so I could rock him and sing while I stroked his wet head.

And here, years earlier, I was being given my wish. I was able to rock Nuggey, a nearly helpless babe in arms, one more time.

Given a new perspective from which to see, I sang Rock-a-bye Baby as many times as Nuggey would let me that night. Eventually Small Fry found her hands and started admiring them, and Big Mac grabbed a new tub toy. And I relished that time with my son in my arms, knowing that soon enough he would be all grown, and my arms would ache to hold him like a baby again.

I’m gonna miss this.

My mind cannot help but wander to those parents who have lost children. What on earth would they not give to hold their children again, even for a moment. I bet they would not complain about having to sing Rock-a-bye Baby one more time. Rather, they would probably give their right arm to sing it ten million times until their voice was hoarse and their eyelids closed in slumber.

And women with empty wombs who long and pray and ache for children? What honor am I doing them if I take for granted the fact that I have children, young children who are begging me to cuddle them, sing to them. I will love those women who long for a baby by loving my babies and not taking them for granted.

So, I determined right there and then in the bathroom to try to be ever thankful for the moments I do have with my children. I will not wish away their young years, always hoping to get more laundry done or other children dried off. I will relish each kiss, hug and song. I will leave their childhood behind with no regrets, no “I love you” unsaid, no cheek unkissed, no request to “Cuddle wif’ me!” turned down. Even as the macaroni flies and the Sharpie stains my table, even when there are midnight wailers and globs of Desitin under my fingernails, I know…

…I know I’m gonna miss this.

So long 2009...

2009-12-31T08:24:00.006-05:00

A year of firsts and lasts...

365 days and that's what I can come up with???? I've been thinking about this post for weeks now. What will I write? How can I describe a year's worth of emotions and events in to one, succinct blog? I want it to be something monumental...something worthy of publishing on a blog...something that conveys feeling, emotion, and sincerity as I reflect on 2009. And all I could come up with was "A year of firsts and lasts"? Really?? But...that's truly what it is...in every sense of the quote.

It is 2009...the last year of the decade. This decade started with widespread panic about computer glitches and Y2K scams. And here we sit 10 years later thankful it didn't happen to the degree we were scared it could have. In 2009, our family witnessed a lot of firsts and lasts. We had our third baby, but he was our first son. And he has been such a special addition to our family. With a new baby, there seems to be loads of firsts...a first holiday, a first illness (RSV in April), a first trip to Disney World. And, as quickly as it hit me that we were bringing home our first son, it was also our last pregnancy. In Drew's blog I recall a post about knowing this was the last baby and how that feels. Even as I type those words again, the tears sting my eyes. But...the future holds so many fun and bright memories for this family that the stinging only lasts for a minute. We may have experienced our last ultrasound, our last baby kicks, and our last trip to the Women's Center at Northside Hospital, but there will be plenty of birthday parties, family trips and special occasions to be a part of. This was also Kelsey's first year of school. I recall being worried that she would find it hard and not want to go. We worried about separation and how she would do academically. All we had to compare her to was Ally and she's every teacher's dream. But, she has proved us wrong in every worry and has made a place for herself in her class and has succeeded in ways that make us so proud. Ally finished her first year of school in May. We were sad to say goodbye to Mrs. Lussier...Ally and us. But, we were very excited to get Mrs. Anderson for first grade in the fall. Ally has continued to grow in herself as well and she makes us smile with pride each day. Bo completed his first half-marathon on Thanksgiving Day and came in just over 2 hours. We were all so proud of his accomplishment...13.1 miles is quite a daunting task. And finally, for the first time since high school, we are surrounded by family who lives just minutes away and not hours or days away. The Blums were the first ones here, just over a year ago. And Bo's parents joined us earlier this year. We are so fortunate to have all of them with us. We enjoy having everyone together for all the day to day adventures that life sends us on.

As this post closes on the last day of 2009, I have a chance to reflect on the year. It was a good year. It is filled with memories we will all cherish for the rest of our lives. And though most of it is not earth shattering, it's our life; our family, and that's what makes this post monumental and worthy of posting. So long 2009...we're excited to see what firsts and lasts the new decade will bring to us.

A Magical Night

2009-12-30T07:38:00.008-05:00

We spent one of our evenings off at the Lake Lanier Magical Nights of Lights. It's almost a tradition for us to go every year now. We all seem to really enjoy seeing the lights and going to the carnival at the end of the night. And now that we have 2 of 3 children who are old enough to stay up late and ride the rides, it's quite fun. It's nice to go after the Christmas rush because the traffic is minimal and there's no waiting for any of the rides. We bundled the kids up for a cold night of fun and head out to the lake around 5:30. By the time we got there, the lights were on and we drove right through. We got to the carnival and rode some of the rides. This was the first year Kelsey was big enough to ride the "Scrubbler" with Ally and Daddy. She was so brave and wanted to ride all the big rides. At the end of the night, Mommy took the girls on her favorite carnival ride...the Himalaya. On the way out the gate, we took the annual pony ride and this year no one needed a parent to walk with them. The girls are getting so big...and brave...and independent. There are more pictures at the Shutterfly site, but here are a few of our fun night.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Then A Little Fairy Showed Up

2009-12-30T07:37:00.003-05:00

A few days after Christmas, Ally's second top tooth became very loose. She was eating something hard and it was barely attached. After sitting in the bathroom for an hour with Dad, Ally finally got her tooth out. It was already late, so we quickly put it under our pillow and here we are the next day with our payout from the Tooth Fairy.

The Big Man Stops Here!!

2009-12-30T07:36:00.006-05:00

Christmas came and went in blur. But all of it was fun. We spent Christmas Eve hanging out with family and going to Church. Jackie had made a Christmas Eve lunch for all of us since I did Thanksgiving and it was very yummy. All the typical foods...ham, turkey, macaroni salad, shrimp cocktail, and sweets galore. After the lunch, we headed to church for the early kid's service where the girls went up on stage and played the hand bells. Everyone looked so nice dressed in their Christmas finest. And, when it was all said and done, we had filled up 2 and half pews with some of our closest family and friends for the real reason we celebrate Christmas. It was so nice to have and see everyone at Church with us. When we got home, we let the girls open their 1 Christmas present from us. Every year we get them each a new Christmas book and write a special message in it to remember the year. And then, when they are older and have their own house and kids, they will already have a full set of Christmas books to read and share with their kids. This year's choices were easy. For Ally we got the "Nutcracker"...because we went to see the Nutcracker this year with the girls and we knew she would enjoy reading the story about it. For Kelsey, we got "Auntie Claus"...a story about Santa's sister, who lives in NYC and travels to the North Pole every year to help Santa get through his busiest season. And Drew was super easy...he got "The First Christmas", because it was his first Christmas and because we want to make sure he always knows why we celebrate it. The plan was to read their stories to them, which was why we gave them their books on Christmas Eve, but it was late and they needed to get to bed. So we saved them for the next day. We put out cookies, carrots and milk for Santa and the reindeer and then they were off to bed. The next morning came quickly. Kelsey was actually the first one we heard, but it was because of her coughing and not for Christmas squeals. When we went in to see her, she finally sat up and asked if it was time to get up. By then, it was 6:45 so we tiptoed in to Ally's room to see if she was awake and she was already sitting up in her bed. They both came out and looked over the catwalk to see if Santa had visited and they were not disappointed...Santa had been there and left a huge stash of big and small presents under the tree. The girls were so excited. We walked in to Drew's room and woke him up...45 minutes early because there was no way either one of his sister's was waiting another 5 minutes to go down stairs. We all headed downstairs together and looked at all the stuff under our tree. Santa had been so good to us this year. he even brought us a new air hockey table that he had built and had sitting in our living room. We spent the next few hours unwrapping and playing with all our new toys. It took Drew a little while to get through all his presents, but he managed. One of the things Santa brought was a HUGE wall map to hang in our playroom. The girls always want to know where people live and where we are traveling to and it's hard for them to understand it unless they can see it. So, with this map, we hope to put a push pin in all the places we visit and all the places that people we know and love, live. But, when we walked in to the playroom to find a spot for the map, a brand new craft table had taken the place of our old one. It was super nice and came with 4 stools that had denim padding on the seats. Each kid had a drawer to put art supplies and it even had a roll of art paper that rolled over the top to draw on. That Santa is so tricky. One of the other favorites was a request from both girls...the Polly Pocket Roller Coaster Resort. And, we have played with it nonstop. Drew's favorite toy was the Little People Airport and we are so glad Santa brought that for him.
After we finished here, we headed over to the Blum's for some more Christmas presents and time with family. The kids played with each other's new toys and had fun giving gifts to each other. We headed home for nap after a lunch filled with yummy leftovers from Christmas Eve. And after nap, we went to see Grandma and Grandpa Jackson, Aunt Jenny and Great Grandpa John. They had gotten a few small things for the girls, but the big present this year was a trip to SeaWorld over spring break. Grandma and Grandpa know that these kiddos have everything they could ever want or need...we are very blessed and try not to take that for granted. So, for the past several years, they have adopted the theme of "Making Memories" instead of spending money on gifts that get old or broken. The past 2 years we've gone to Disney World. But this year, we are headed to see the big whale and all his friends. The girls were very excited to hear the news. Especially Kelsey who remembers being there a few years ago and not being able to ride the bouncy crab ride. So, she is much looking forward to riding all the rides this time. We spent the evening eating more yummy food and watching the movie "The Hangover" and then we headed home. Christmas day was lots of fun and tiring too. We're glad we have the next week off to rest up and play with all our new things.
Enjoy some of the pictures here and head to the Shutterfly site to see the rest.
http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Bonnie Boot Camp Christmas Party

2009-12-18T08:51:00.010-05:00

Every year I do a party here at the house for the kiddos I watch on a regular basis. Today we had snowman cookies for snack, we watched Mickey's classic Christmas movies with Small One, The Christmas Carol and, my personal favorite, the one with Chip and Dale inside Mickey's Christmas tree. After that we opened gifts and played with all our new stuff. This afternoon we'll be coloring Christmas pictures and watching more fun Christmas movies. Enjoy the pics and check out the Shutterfly site for the rest.
http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Madison...enjoying her present. She wasn't sure she was allowed to open it. Eventually she tore right through that wrapping paper.

Asher...the veteran, tore in to his right away.

Max was super pumped about his ball popper. but, once we turned it on, he was a little scared at all the balls popping all over the place. It was the crowd favorite today...I'm sure he'll grow to love those flying balls!!!

Caroline...loving her new puzzle!!

Drew playing with his magnetic car set.

Kelsey and her Under the Sea puzzle.

Party...Party...Party!!!

2009-12-17T07:24:00.009-05:00

You can always tell the holiday season is upon us when you have 4 parties in one day. Today, Kelsey had her holiday program at pre-school, Ally had her holiday party at school and both girls had Christmas parties at dance class. Four parties in one day will take it out of anyone. But, it was nice to have them and be done with them in one day.
First we headed to Mt. Zion Baptist Preschool for Kelsey's program and party. All of the 4 year old classes got together to sing some Christmas carols and Happy Birthday to Jesus. Then we headed to their rooms for yummy food, a book exchange and a very creative Nativity Scene craft. I'll have to put that idea in the back of my head for future use. It was white wooden building blocks with stickers of the animals, the stable, Joseph, Mary, the Angel, the 3 wise men, and baby Jesus each on their own block. So now, we can use our blocks to make a Nativity set...very crafty!!
We headed out of Mt Zion at 11:00 and went to Ally's school party at 11:15. Since there's not a whole lotta Jesus going on in public schools these days, it was a Gingerbread party. All the kids brought in a different part for the gingerbread houses and then they each made their own using milk cartons, graham crackers, and icing as glue. The house were very cute once they were finished and Ally's is sitting right in our kitchen for everyone to see. Ally had no idea we were coming to the party, so she was very happily surprised to see our smiling faces when we got there. Her favorite part was getting checked out early and coming home with mom. Today they are having Polar Express Day at school...wearing their jammies, drinking hot chocolate, eating popcorn and watching the movie. It's a great way to send them out for the holidays.
The dance parties came and went in a blur. As the room mom for both classes, I had to organize the food and make an appearance at both places...with a baby in tow and Bo out tutoring. Going back and forth between rooms proved difficult with a 23 pound crawler to tend to. Drew was everywhere and in everyone's food. You'd think he was starving, I swear. So, between keeping up with him and helping both girls get food, play games and do a craft, there was no time for pictures. But, rest assured, they had a great time even if you can't see it first hand on film.
Check out some of the pictures below and then be sure to click on the Shutterfly link to see all of the Christmas events and things we have done so far.
http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com/

Kelsey and Asher getting ready for the program.

Kelsey singing with her class. The little red head in front of her is her friend Laney, I think. :)

Kelsey was so glad we were there with her.

Ally was glad we all came to her party too. Mrs. Anderson is such a great teacher. We love her!!

Just What the Doctor Ordered!!

2009-12-14T12:37:00.003-05:00

A night out with friends. And wine. And good food. And more wine.

All I Want for Christmas is my Big Girl Teeth!!

2009-12-09T08:08:00.003-05:00

Ally lost another tooth today. This one was SUPER loose and took absolutely no effort to get out. Ally is always so scared to pull the tooth because of the blood, but she's always so happy to have it out and have a visit from the Tooth Fairy. Hopefully she will visit us tonight!!

Holiday Festivities

2009-12-07T09:21:00.006-05:00

The Jackson house had a very busy holiday weekend of fun. It started on Friday with a trip to the mall to see the big guy in the red suit. The girls were so excited to see him and we were so excited to see how Drew would react for his first visit. After waiting in line for a short while, we were finally next in line and Kelsey was becoming more and more afraid of sitting on Santa's lap. Even at 4 years old, we have not grasped the concept that Santa is the one who brings us presents on Christmas Eve and that it's ok to sit on his lap. Surely, we thought, if Drew sat on his lap it would help Kelsey to feel better. Drew was the first one up to see Santa. Each of the girls have their own picture with him their first Christmas and we had to keep the tradition alive. And, our little buddy did not disappoint. Drew's amazement of the big guy was picture perfect. And it seemed that Santa enjoyed his first visit with Drew as well.

After Drew's debut with Santa, the girls were supposed to come up and sit with him for a picture before they got involved in lists and toys and wonderment. Unfortunately, Kelsey was having nothing to do with Santa...scared WHITE!!! So, the nice people there gave here a little stool to sit on so she could still be in the picture but not on Santa's lap. And after that was all said and done, Ally proceeded to tell Santa what a good girl she had been and listed several things she and Kelsey wanted for Christmas. Our type A child...so helpful to her sister!!

On Sunday, we took the girls to see the Nutcracker at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center. We have a long time family friend who has a daughter that has danced in this show for years and this is her Senior year. So, for her final performance, she danced the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy. It was so nice to go and see old friends and watch Rachel dance her way around the stage. She was quite the performer and we were so glad to be there to see her. The girls were mesmerized by all the lights and great costumes. Kelsey fell asleep half way through the second act, but she enjoyed the parts she did get to see. It was a wonderful way to kick off our holiday season. We have many more weekends of holiday fun planned before the big man arrives and we are looking forward to all of it!!

Family Christmas Pictures

2009-12-07T09:20:00.003-05:00

Here are the Jackson Five looking especially dapper for the Christmas Pictures of 2009.

Gator Family

2009-12-01T08:22:00.003-05:00

It's that time of year again...SEC Championship Time!!! And in true Gator Spirit, I have to post our most recent family picture. Here's to a Gator Victory on Saturday...it's gonna be a tough one boys!!!

The Finish Line!!!

2009-11-26T12:08:00.012-05:00

In August, Bo started training for a half-marathon to be ran on Thanksgiving morning. After many long weeks of training, the race was run and here are a few of the pictures from his amazing accomplishment.

Before I post these pictures though, I have a few thoughts of my own to share about Bo's big run. First...it was so awesome to be at the finish line waiting to see Bo run by us and finish his first race. All of us were there to greet him...the kids, his mom and dad, Jenny, and even Stefan got to come and represent the Blum family on a blustery 39 degree morning. We brought our cow bells to cheer him on and it really was such a cool thing to witness so many people finishing up a 13 mile run. Speaking of 13 miles, I am wondering how many of you ACTUALLY COMPREHEND how far 13 miles really is. The night before the race, Bo and Nate (his running buddy) stayed in a hotel to avoid traffic and getting up any earlier than needed the day of the race. After the race was over, the 2 of them piled back in to my car and we headed back towards the hotel to get Nate's car. I couldn't figure out for the life of me why they stayed out past Spaghetti Junction (where I-85 meets I-285) when the race was downtown. It didn't seem to make sense that they stayed so far away. It wasn't until Bo's dad made a comment about how much more convenient it was to stay here than at home when Nate said that the start line was only 2 miles from their hotel. By this time we had been driving for a good 20 minutes and I was floored at what that meant. Bo LITERALLY ran the entire length of the connector from north of Spaghetti Junction all the way to Turner Field where the finish line was. And my new word for things this astounding is that this distance is RIDONCULOUS!!!! I mean seriously...who in the world voluntarily runs that much; that far. And, this was the half-marathon. There are idiots out there who started at Turner Field, ran north to Bo's start line and then turned around to head back to Turner Field for the full-marathon. A disease...I swear!!! And last, I might share that the pictures you are about to see of Bo actually running the marathon are not mine. Thankfully, my super brother in law and father in law were able to grab pictures of Bo finishing the marathon. And, it wasn't because my camera wasn't ready. Picture this...Bonnie is patiently waiting and looking for Bo from about 8:15 AM on. The race started at 7:00 and Bo thought he would finish in about 2 hours. But, I thought with all the excitement that he might come in a little under 2 hours. To avoid missing him, I am intently watching all the runners come through the finish line starting about 8:15. And, just as an aside...the winner of the half-marathon finished in 1 hour, 9 minutes. That's a 4 minute mile for 13 miles, folks!!! During my waiting time, I am trying to keep the kids entertained and warm and keep my camera in focus on the road so that the pictures aren't blurry. I have changed the setting to "burst" so that I get lots of pictures of Bo running and we can pick from the best to put on the blog. I keep looking at the official clock and it says 2 hours...2 hours, 3 minutes, 2 hours 5 minutes...and I'm still looking. Now, Bo was under strict orders that he had to finish this race because there was no way I was hauling my rear end 13 miles back the race course to find him. So, at 2 hours and 9 minutes we spot him coming over the top of the hill with the Olympic Rings and Torch in the background...the perfect picture and my camera is on him and focused. He sees us. Runs up to us. Give the kids and all of us high fives. He's in my camera lens and I can see him. He crosses the line and the race is over. At that moment it dawns on me that I was so excited to actually find him in the mass of people and so proud of him for doing something he worked so hard at that I never finished pushing the shutter button on the camera after I had pushed it half way to focus it. Really??? Seriously??? I had come all this way and waited all this time to get the perfect picture of his first race and I got NOTHING!!!!! Thankfully Stefan and Dad had gotten some great shots and I have those to share on this blog.

Congratulations on your run honey!!! We are all so proud of you!!! Be sure to check out the shutterfly site for the complete set of pictures.
http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com/

Maguire Get Together

2009-11-16T08:16:00.010-05:00

This past weekend, we headed up to Seneca, SC to visit Grandpa Maguire and all of the Maguire family. We had an early Thanksgiving with all the family...Uncle John, Aunt T, and the fabulous Maguire Sisters...Lindsey, Summer, Katie and Kristen. Plus, Grandma and Grandpa Jackson were there with Aunt Jenny. And, we got to meet some of the people we hear so much about, but have never actually met...Mary Rose and Uncle Bill and Aunt Jeannie. We spent Saturday afternoon cheering on the Gators, who played South Carolina, coincidentally. On Sunday, we spent some time walking around Lake Hartwell and then we visited Clemson...home of the Clemson Tigers and Death Valley. The kids played on the playground and swam...yes swam, don't ask...in the lake at the "Clemson Beach". Once we were all cleaned up, we headed back to Grandpa's for a yummy Thanksgiving Dinner with all the fixins. The girls were especially sad to leave...they had so much fun playing with the cousins. But, we got home safely and headed straight to bed. We were tired from our fun weekend with our family.

See all the pictures at the Shutterfly site:
http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com
Here are a few to get you started.
The Whole Family...aren't we a good lookin' bunch???

Playing at the playground and in the lake.

Visiting Clemson...

The Beginning of School Projects

2009-11-03T09:25:00.005-05:00

Ally has officially started working on planning for projects and completing them in a specific time frame. Her first school project was a book report based on a setting. She had to choose between 3 projects...a diorama, decorating a t-shirt, or creating a book based on the story she chose to read for this report. Of course, Ally chose the diorama. She read the story The Little Mermaid from her big book of Disney stories and came up with the idea to do an underwater diorama. We went to Michael's and found paper to cover the shoe box, fish stickers, "jewels" to use as bubbles, and pipe cleaners for seaweed. She was quite creative. She spent the better part of 2 days working on covering the box, hot gluing the jewels and sewing on the seaweed so it would stand up...which I helped with for safety reasons ;). She added in the Ariel, Sebastian, Flounder, and Ursula figurines we had at the house and completed the project with some real seashells she found at the beach. She is VERY PROUD of her hard work.

A Fourth Hole in Ally's Head!!

2009-11-03T09:01:00.004-05:00

Last night, Ally FINALLY lost the dangling tooth from the top row of her mouth. That poor thing has been hanging on by a thread for a week now and Ally was scared to pull it. But, after some convincing, Ally let me pull it. She didn't even know it was out because after I got it out, she asked to pull it herself. When she realized it wasn't there, she rinsed and smiled for the camera...with one less tooth!!

Happy Halloween

2009-11-01T08:30:00.011-05:00

It was a fantastic Halloween here in Georgia for the Jackson Five. Our weekend was filled with fun Halloween activities. We spent Friday night watching The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, a yearly tradition at our house. And then after dinner, we were in garage with the kids carving out our Jack-o-Lantern. When it was finished, we put on some music (just a little ZBB and some Kenny Chesney) and danced around the garage. On Saturday, we spent the morning celebrating a friend's first birthday and then headed out to Aunt Jackie and Uncle Stefan's house for the big Florida-Georgia game. It was a good win for the Gators and we were excited to celebrate in Gator fashion with the family. As soon as the game ended, we headed home to be with our friends and go trick or treating. It was a short outing compared to past years...we only did the 2 streets by our house because of the rain, but we hauled in tons of candy and the girls were excited to be with their friends. Ally and Kelsey were super cute as Glinda and Dorothy. They held hands the whole time they trick or treated...and that, for me, was the best part. People were running all over the place and there were my precious girls walking together, holding hands, big sister and little sister, taking care of each other. Warmed my heart on a cold rainy night...because that's what I look forward to most in their lives as sisters...a closeness no one will come between. Drew was a sweet Toto and sat in the stroller the whole time...taking in the sights, sounds and fun. We came home and had a few pieces of candy while we watched Charlie Brown one more time. And, then it was off to bed...an extra hour to boot!!
As always...all of the pictures are on the Shutterfly share site.
http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com

Preparing for the Big Night!!

2009-10-22T13:10:00.004-04:00

So, we have officially started counting down until Trick or Treating...9 days to go. In order to get in to the spirit of things, we put on our costumes this weekend to make sure everything fit and looked good. This year, the Jackson Kiddos are going as Wizard of Oz characters. Ally has chosen to be Glinda, the Good Witch. Kelsey will be playing the role of Dorothy. And our newest addition will be perched on the ground as sweet little Toto. After getting dressed and seeing how cute they all looked together, we headed to the gazebo at the lake to snap a few pictures. It seems like getting a good picture on the actual night of Halloween is near impossible, so we do it early. And then everything else is bonus. Happy Halloween!!!

Burt's Pumpkin Patch & Amicalola Falls

2009-10-18T14:26:00.007-04:00

Today was our annual trek in to the North Georgia mountains for a visit to Burt's Farm and Amicalola Falls State Park. This year, Grandma and Grandpa Jackson joined us and it was so nice to have them along...even if it was only 40 degrees outside. We arrived at Burt's shortly after 9 and saw there were already people filing in. Apparently the extra cold fall weather wasn't keeping anyone away. We took a few pictures by the big pumpkins, huge pumpkins, and then headed to the hayride. We got to see the talking pumpkins and Amicalola Falls was super easy to see this year...it was so clear in the mountains. After the hayride, the girls quickly picked out a small pumpkin for themselves and then picked one out for Drew. We found the pumpkin we plan to turn in to a scary Jack-O-Lantern for Halloween and then high-tailed it to the car. We had been outside for close to an hour and the weather seemed to be getting colder. We went over to Amicalola Falls State Park so that Mom and Dad could see the lodge and look over the falls. There was no picnic this year...it was just too cold. We had a fun trip today and look forward to visiting Burt's farm again next year!!

Visit the shutterfly site for all the fun pictures we took. Here are a few to get you started.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com/

Darby Rose Photos - October 2009

2009-10-16T08:49:00.007-04:00

We had our pictures done again by my friend Darby. And, of course, I had to share them. You can find a slideshow of them at the link below or you can visit her website, also listed below, and find the slideshow there. It is only available for 2 months. Some of the pictures are posted here in this blog. All of them will be posted on the Shutterfly site. Don't be fooled...these are not the best ones. Just had to tempt you to go and visit her website and see the slideshow!!

Darby Rose Photography Website
http://www.darbyrosephotography.com/
Slideshow Link
http://www.photobiz.com/slideshowbiz/slideshow.cfm?slideshowID=90082&photographerID=3614
The Real Jackson Five
http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com/

Picture Day...Again!!

2009-10-15T15:23:00.003-04:00

Kelsey's first set of school pictures came home today. Had to share them!!

It's Picture Day!!

2009-09-28T15:44:00.003-04:00

Ally brought home her school pictures today. Had to share our big 1st grader's picture. She looks so much older than six...can't believe it.

Navarre Beach Trip

2009-09-28T10:23:00.011-04:00

The Jackson Five headed south for fall break and landed in Navarre Beach, Florida...a small, quiet beach area about 30 minutes west of Destin. Friends of the family own a condo down there and if the place was not rented for fall break, they were going to let us go for a few days of fun in the sun. This is the 3rd year in a row we have visited Navarre and their condo and it never disappoints. We are so thankful for the Pyecha family and their generosity. Words can't express the thanks they deserve for the time we get to spend there.

We arrived in Navarre on Wednesday afternoon. It was nice to see sunshine after the week of torrential rains and flooding we had here. We made our usual stop at Publix before crossing the bridge and heading up to the condo. It's funny...you'd think we were stranded miles away from everything by the way we plan our trip. Once we get there, we don't leave. We pack food and fun for the days we are there and we don't venture past the pool or the beach. So, really, there's not much more to this story. We spent all of our mornings on the beach under our big tent that proved to be so useful with the kids. We came up to the condo for lunch and nap. Then, we headed back to the beach and pool until dinner time. And this was our daily schedule. One morning we got up to take pictures...which proved to be even more difficult with a baby...but it is what it is. We came back home on Sunday afternoon and tried to get unloaded and ready for the new week.

Check out the Shutterfly site for a sampling of pictures. There were over 500 pictures once I downloaded all of them, so I had to pick and choose the best ones. Enjoy!!

http://therealjacksonfive.com/

The best family shot we got...

The kiddos...

Hangin' with my sister and cousin Ian.

Drew's first time in the ocean...lovin' it!! Excuse the hat...the poor boy just grows too fast. It's a 6 month hat on head that wears 9-12 month clothes. It looked better before it was wet.

Playing in the water...

The Tooth Fairy Strikes Again!!

2009-09-22T07:03:00.004-04:00

So, amidst the high fever and complete lethargy, Ally found some time to play around with her loose tooth while she was sick all day Sunday. By Monday, Ally was feeling much better (although, after last night, I hope we are not relapsing) and her tooth was so loose. I couldn't believe it was still in her mouth. The new tooth was pushing up behind the baby tooth and the baby tooth was laying flat out in front. The only place it was attached was in the front and Ally was scared to do anything about it. After a little coaxing, she decided she wanted to be the one to pull it out, but she couldn't get a good grip. Finally, I think she just got tired of being defeated and grabbed a hold of it and yanked. She was in the bathroom all by herself and I heard her wince. She says it was because she heard a "crack" and then she pulled some more and the tooth came out. The tears were far less this time, although we still LOATHE the blood. We rinsed for hours it seemed. And then we tucked our tooth very safely into the tooth fairy pillow. That sneaky tooth fairy found some way to wiggle Ally's tooth out from underneath the pillow and left another dollar to go with the other 2 she has already lost. That's huge...because I know Tooth Fairies are broke these days!! :) Ally was very excited for her visitor and spent the morning thinking about how she would spend her new found money. It seems we will be seeing a lot of the tooth fairy in the coming months. This was Ally's third tooth to come out. She has already lost her two bottom teeth and this one was right beside those. Her other bottom tooth is already loose as are all 4 of her top teeth. If things work out just right, she might be toothless...literally...for a few days!! I hope the tooth fairy is saving up!!

Apple Picking Time

2009-09-19T07:41:00.006-04:00

Today, the Jackson Five headed out to the North Georgia Mountains for the annual apple picking trip. We have been every year for the past 4 years and it's a tradition we look forward to each year. We visited BJ Reese's Apple House where they have rows and rows of trees to pick apples from. We choose to go this time of year because this is the time that the Golden Delicious apples are in season...they are our favorite. Granny Smiths come in to season later...around mid-October...but I'm the only one who likes those. So, we do apple picking in September and do another mountain trip in October to the Pumpkin Patch.

Today's trip was sketchy at first, but turned out to be super nice. The weather was coming in from the south and we thought if we got there early enough we might be able to pick apples before we got drenched. And, that's exactly how it happened. We got to the orchards and headed up to the apple trees right away. The kids had fun picking apples and eating more than their fair share along the way. We filled our bag to bring hom,e and then headed back down the orchard to the farmhouse. Inside we bought yummy fried apple pies and a basket of home grown tomatoes. We hopped back in the car and as we headed back to the interstate, the rains came...perfect timing. The rain had held out just long enough and it kept the heat away...and the bees...for the entire time we were up there.

Head over to the shutterfly site to see all the pictures. Here are a few to get you started.

http://therealjacksonfive.shutterfly.com/

A Weekend with the Gators!!

2009-09-14T06:50:00.020-04:00

Bo and I spent the weekend in Gainesville with his parents cheering on the Gators. It's the first game I've been to a game since finding out I was pregnant with Kelsey...5 years ago. We had done a few things to help Bo's parents get settled in here in Georgia and they wanted to thank us by taking us to a Gator Game. It was such a great weekend and it was so nice to get away...with no responsibilities. Jackie and Stefan kept the kids for us while we were away. We got to Gainesville around 4:30 on Friday. And before I go any farther, let me just say how AWESOME it was to be in a town where orange and blue is the norm. There was Gator stuff everywhere you looked and it felt so nice to be "home". After we got checked in to the hotel, we found our way back to campus for some shopping in the bookstore...which is now located in the Reitz Union and not at the Hub. After dropping a small fortune for gifts and Gator necessities, we drove around campus and checked out all the new additions. It was fun to travel around our old stomping grounds. We even got to see our first apartment at Spanish Trace...so weird to think we once lived at 3500 Windmeadows Blvd. Anyhow...we ended up at Ballyhoos, a new restaurant that has a very casual, beachy feel to it and actually enjoyed the wait for our table. That's easy to do without having kids tugging on your leg asking when it will be time to eat. We enjoyed a great meal and then headed back to the hotel around 11. The game was at 12:00 the next day and we had no desire to stay up late and feel horrible the next morning. 8:00 AM rolled around quickly and we were all getting very excited to get to the stadium for the Gator Walk...a new tradition that's been started since we've left Gainesville. The buses rolled up with all the football players around 10:30. The police stopped traffic on University Avenue and let all the fans in to the middle of the street. One by one, all the Gator greats stepped off the bus...the Pouncey Twins, Demps, Rainey, Moody, Coach Meyer, and finally Superman himself...Tim Tebow. The crowd ERUPTED as he walked past his adoring fans and at that moment it was so great to be a Florida Gator fan. I had goosebumps!!! We were so glad we made it there to see that. And we couldn't have stumbled in to a better spot...up on a wall above the crowd so we could take great pictures!! Once the players were inside, we walked around the stadium amidst all the orange and blue. We found our way to Gate 1 and headed in to our seats. We were there as the players were coming on to the field. And the nice part about being so early is that you can go down to the front row and take pictures of everyone warming up. Mr. Tebow himself was 20 feet from me as he came out to personally encourage every one of his teammates before he started his own warm-up drills. There's just something about a man in UnderArmour...Bo should invest!!! The game was incredible...after a slow start. It didn't seem to get rolling until the sky unleashed and the rains poured on us. For a 12:30 kick-off, we couldn't have been happier...tons of clouds and cool rain for an afternoon at the SWAMP!!! When the game was over, all the players headed to the corner of the end zone with the band while they played the Alma Mater..."where palm and pine are blowing". And then the players sang "On Florida" for the band...very cool. Tebow ran around the stadium and gave high fives to all the fans waiting around the circle and then headed in to the locker room...such a good guy. After the game, it didn't seem like there was much tailgating going on...which surprised me. Bo thought it was because of the rain. So, like everyone else, we headed back to the hotel to shower and dry off. After some Gumby's pepperoni rolls and some pizza, we relaxed, watched a little football and then headed to the Ale House for the Georgia game and the OSU game. We had some munchies while we watched the games and then we headed back to the hotel for some sleep. We headed out Sunday morning and got home just in time to have dinner with the kids. All in all it was a great weekend!!! And, we can hardly wait to get back to Gainesville...hopefully it won't be another 5 years!!

I can't post all of the pics I took here on the blog...there's just too many. So, visit the shutterfly site to see them all. Especially if you need a Tebow fill!!
http://therealjacksonfive.shuttefly.com/

Dinner at Ballyhoo's

What time is it?? GAME TIME!!!

Gator Walk

One of the Pouncey Twins...

#11...Riley Cooper

Urban Meyer...can you find him?? He came off the other bus and I missed him.

It's a bird...It's a plane...It's Superman!!!

Game Time Pics...

Our view from the hotel...

Say it with me now...

2009-09-03T14:10:00.002-04:00

Gators are #1!! Gators are #1!!
Happy College Football Season!!!

A Day in the Life...

2009-08-20T06:00:00.006-04:00

We might only be in to the 3rd week of school for Ally, the 2nd week of school for Bo and the 1st week of school for Kelsey, but we are in full swing here at the Jackson House. Usually things start off a little slower and as the school year goes on, it gets a little more demanding. After this shotgun start, I am hoping that as the year progresses, we will fall in to routine a little better and it should get easier, right??

Bo's day starts at 5:00 with a work out and I am up at 5:15 to get myself ready and to get everyone else ready for work and school. Most importantly, I have to pack lunches and pump. If there's a little extra time, I might clean a bathroom or throw in some laundry because it's the only time of day I'm not chasing kids. At 6:15, Ally wakes up and we start getting ready for school...breakfast, get dressed, hair, brush teeth, out the door with dad by 6:50 for the bus. By 7:00, my kids start showing up...first Caroline, then Asher and Max, and last Madison. By 7:30, Drew is awake and needs fed, Kelsey is up and needs breakfast and it's time to get ready for preschool. We do another round of breakfasts, getting dressed, hair, and brushing teeth. Thankfully, Caroline and Max take an early morning nap while most of this is going on. At 8:30, I load up 6 kids in to the car and drive 3 miles to preschool and drop off Asher and Kelsey. Thank goodness for carpool, because if I had to get out of the car with 6 kids and then load them all back up again, we might have to rethink this preschool thing. I get home with the 4 kids I have left at 9:15 and we eat or sleep. Drew goes down for his nap, Caroline eats breakfast, and Max takes a bottle while Madison eats snack. Drew wakes up at 10 to eat again and then we have some time to play. 11:00 starts the hour of power. At 11:00, I eat lunch. Because if I don't, I won't have time later. At 11:15, Caroline eats lunch. While she is eating I get lunch ready for all the big kids...Kelsey, Asher and Madison. This way it is ready to go when we get back from school. At 11:30, I feed Caroline a bottle and change a few diapers. At 11:40, we are out the door to carpool so I can get in line to pick up the kids. If I am much later than that, the line is atrocious. It works out well though because, while we sit and wait, I feed Drew. 11:45 is his time to eat anyhow. As soon as he is done, the kids roll out and away we go. We are home by 12:15 and Caroline and Drew go to bed immediately. Asher, Kelsey and Madison sit down to eat and I feed Max his bottle. Max gets to bed about 12:30 and then Kelsey, Asher and Madison follow suit by 12:45. That leaves 2 hours for me to get things done around here before the bus arrives with Ally and Molly. Caroline goes home and it's me and 7 kids. I feel like Snow White only my dwarfs aren't typical dwarfs. By this time of the day they are no longer Happy, Bashful and Doc. It's more like Whiny, Hungry, and Sassy. Sleepy and Grumpy stick around too. Between 4:00 and 5:00 all the kiddos that aren't mine head home and we finish out our nightly routine...homework (which is no small task in 1st grade!!), dinner, story time, and bath...but not necessarily in that order. On Thursdays, we throw dance class in to that mix. By 6:45, Ally and Kelsey are in bed and very close to snoozing. Drew and I spend a few quiet minutes together until he gets grumpy and then it's off to bathe and feed him. By 7:30, all the kiddos are soundly sleeping. And I breathe a quick sigh of relief. Only because there's still more to do...clean up the house from the day and try get dinner ready for Bo and I when he gets home from tutoring at 8:30 or 9:00. And then of course, there are the things I like to do...scrapping, embroidery, blogging, catching up with friends on Facebook and catching up on some TV. At 10:30 I head to bed after pumping one last time. And by the time I get up the stairs and changed in to PJ's, I simply fall in to bed.
My moment of clarity...we do all this because it affords me the opportunity to be at home with the kids and it allows me the chance to help others with their kids. And, while we are working hard now, it won't last forever and it will be well worth the effort down the road. There is certainly no glory in changing dirty diapers and cleaning up spit-up all day, but it's my life...and I'm happy for it!!

Kelsey's First Day of School

2009-08-18T06:24:00.013-04:00

Our little girl went to school today. And she was so excited to be such a big girl. She talked about how she was going to be a good listener and play nice with her friends. Grandma and Grandpa Jackson came over to cheer us on as we left for school. We got to school and they opened the doors at 9:00. We dropped Asher off first. He went right in, put his bag on his peg and went to play with the toys...a complete pro!! Then, Kelsey walked us to her class...all the way at the end of the hall. She found Mrs. Pam's Ponies and ran right in to her class. We put our bag on the peg. She ran to Mrs. Tera and gave her a big hug. She ran to Mrs. Pam...waited for her to finish talking to another child (SHOCKER!!)...and then gave her a big hug as well. After that, she ran to the toy bins and pulled out the magnetic dolls that you can dress with different clothes. Bo and I had to BEG for kisses good-bye, but I guess that's better than having them pull her off our legs crying. The whole process took 10 minutes. She was such a big girl and we are so proud of her and excited for her. I can't wait to pick her up and see how her day went. Enjoy her school pictures.

I'm a Big Kid Now!!

Asher, Kelsey and Hayden are ready for school!

Sweet Girl!!

Mommy and Daddy are so proud!!

Grandma and Grandpa are excited for Kelsey too!!

Getting a drink on the way to class.

Finding our new classroom.

Putting up our bag.

Hugging Mrs. Tera.

Hugging Mrs. Pam.

Playing with the dolls.

Better Late than Never

2009-08-16T19:49:00.004-04:00

I meant to post this yesterday, but time got away from me and it had to wait until today.

Happy Anniversary to Us!! 11 happy years and counting...

We spent the day doing our usual mom and dad stuff...Bo played with the girls at the pool. He washed both cars and then he and Stefan mowed and trimmed both yards. By 5:30, we were dressed and ready for a night out. Jackie, Stefan and the kids headed over for the night and we headed out. First we stopped at Bo's parent's house. We had some yummy munchies and chatted for a bit over a glass of wine. They got us a really nice bronzed sculpture of The Last Supper by Leonardo DaVinci. Bo and I were very interested in the picture of it that Jenny saw on her tour of Europe a few weeks ago and when they saw it in Chattanooga, they thought we would really enjoy it. As a side thought...I think Paris has a close second running to my #1 need to visit place in the world. Rome is creeping closer and closer to the top and mostly because of my desire to see the Coliseum and Michelangelo's masterpiece in the Sistine Chapel. Maybe we'll get there for our 20th. Better start saving now. Anyhow, after we left their house, we headed to dinner at PF Chang's. There was a 45 minute wait, so we relaxed at the bar with a drink and a free Ahi Tuna appetizer. By the time dinner rolled around, we were ready to eat and all the food was yummy. We had soups, a calamari appetizer, some Sweet and Sour Chicken and Mongolian Beef for dinner and miniature cakes for dessert. We left full and happy. When we got home, we chatted with Jackie and Stefan for a bit and then headed to bed. It was a great night out and fun to think about that big day 11 years ago. So much has changed. And we have so many reasons to be thankful for all that we have experienced together over these 11 years. We can't wait to see what the years ahead have in store!!

Dancing Queens

2009-08-13T15:00:00.001-04:00

The school year is just getting started, yet I feel like we are in full swing. On top of Open House this morning at Mt. Zion, we had our first dance class of the new year. Ally is now in the first grade class and they have hour long sessions. Her new teacher is Ms. Jessica. She's very young and reminds me a lot of Ms. Leah. That should suit Ally just fine. They worked very hard today on learning dance positions and reviewing steps from last year. Kelsey is in the 4 year old class and seems to remember how things flow from last year. She went right in to class, sat on a marked spot and waited for Ms. Lizette to start class. After the success we had at pre-school this morning and the positive response from dance this afternoon, maybe here issues are with me. Due to the craziness of the first day, there aren't many pictures to share. I have one of Ally and Hannah...in the same class for the 4th year in a row now. And, I have one of Kelsey through the window on the door. I'll be sure to do a better job next week when things are less busy and get a few pictures posted of our little dancing divas. Enjoy what I have for now!!

Mt. Zion Open House

2009-08-13T06:21:00.000-04:00

Kelsey had open house today at her school. We got to meet Ms. Pam, our teacher and her assistant, Ms. Tera. It's hard to believe our baby girl is starting school already. She seems to have grown up so much faster than Ally ever did. This should be a very interesting year for Kelsey and us. Kelsey knows as much as Ally did in pre-school, but she has no desire to show it just yet. Some of things she knows blows me away, but I am finding that she likes to keep her knowledge a secret and it only comes out when I am not around...or so she thinks. Kelsey does seem to be a little more socially immature than Ally ever was, but that could be because I am with her in most structured situations...like Sunday School or dance class. It will be very eye opening to see how she does this year falling in to the social curriculum of school...following directions, paying attention, waiting your turn, sharing, and doing "school work". Can she write her name? Yes. Will she do it for me if I ask her to? No. Baby steps...baby steps...I am sure she will grow and blossom this year in to the big girl who goes to Kindergarten next fall. Best of all...she enjoyed visiting the classroom so much that she cried when it was time to leave. Let's hope that is how we feel next Tuesday.

I'm ready to go to school!

Kelsey and Asher getting excited for school.

Talking to Ms. Pam.

Kelsey had lots of love and support at Open House!! We're so proud of you, baby!!

We Survived!!

2009-08-07T10:16:00.001-04:00

The first week of first grade is over and Ally made it through with flying colors. She's enjoying her new teacher and her new friends. We have PE with Hannah, so that is a huge plus. Every year Michelle and I send in letters to the school requesting that Ally and Hannah be in different classes...for obvious reasons. We told Ally the reason she and Hannah won't ever be in the same class is because they don't let neighbors be in the same class. The teachers are worried that they would play too much and not do their work because they are friends. So, when Ally came home and told me they had PE together, she said "They must not know we're neighbors yet." Oh...if only she knew. We probably don't have many more years before they really figure it out. She has seen Mrs. Lussier everyday at lunch and that makes her day. Ally really misses her teacher from last year. Her highlight of the day has to be journal time. She has really turned in to a big writer (must be following in Aunt Jackie's footsteps because they sure aren't mine). And she likes it because they get to eat snack while they write in their journal. I think she thinks she is super cool to "do work and snack" at the same time. So, to celebrate the end of the first week, the parents got together at the bus stop to pick up the kids and nailed them with water balloons after they got off the bus. It was much needed relief after a long week for both the parents and the kids. Only 35 more weeks to go!! :)

Before...

Uh-oh...what's that in the sky coming at us????

It's a water balloon...a lot of them...but let's just sit here and get pounded. Why would we ever think to actually run and get out of the way?!?!?!

Watch Out First Grade!!

2009-08-03T06:41:00.000-04:00

Our big girl started 1st grade today. 1st grade?????? What is that all about????

Today was like old hat for Ally. She woke up at 6:00, 15 minutes earlier than normal so we could take a few pictures before the bus. She ate her cereal like normal, got dressed, brushed her teeth, watched a little TV and headed to the bus stop to see all of her friends. The bus stop is growing every year. This year we had Logan, Sydney, Jack, Treyvan, Ayanna, Molly, Ally, Hannah, Eisha, Caleb, and another new boy from down the street. When you add in all the siblings...Kelsey, Madison, Hayden, and Ben...the little corner on our street is pretty crowded. It is now 7:45 and Ally should be at school, unloading her backpack at her desk and turning all of her stuff in to her teacher. There are no assistants in 1st grade, so she has to remember to do all of it by herself. She's a product of Bo and I...I think she'll be alright!!

Good luck, Ally!!! We love you and we are so proud of you!!!

Time to WAKE UP!!!

Eating Cereal and getting excited about 1st grade!!

I'm a big first grader!!

Mommy, Daddy and Kelsey are so excited for Ally.

Ally and Hannah

The Bus Stop

The Jackson Five visit the White House

2009-07-26T21:25:00.001-04:00

This weekend, we traveled to Tennessee to visit old friends and we had a blast. It was so great to see Jason and Eisha and their kids. All of the kids had a blast having slumber parties and playing way too late in to the night.

We got to Gallatin about 12:30 and spent the afternoon playing out side with the kids. They have a huge backyard with a swing set and a trampoline. The girls thought they were in heaven. We pulled out the sprinklers for some water play...it was so hot and humid there. And the kids were smart enough to put the sprinkler on top of the slide to make it a water slide. After sliding off a slick slide a few times, Kelsey was scared to go down again, so Holland stood at the bottom of the slide to catch her. And when Kelsey got to the bottom, her lip found Holland's tooth. After they all came running to the house with Kelsey and her bloody face, we decided to take Kelsey to the ER in case it needed a stitch or two. We got there and waited for hours it seemed. They finally got us in to a room by 8:30 and then we waited some more for the doctor. Once he saw the cut, he said we had 2 options. We could opt for a dermabond cover with a steri strip to keep it closed or we could opt for stitches...probably 2 or 3. The dermabond would heal it, but the scar would be noticable for awhile until it faded over time. The stitches would leave less of a scar at the beginning, but would probably fade to be about the same kind of scar with the dermabond. We opted for the dermabond because we figured the emotional scars would far outlast the physical ones if we had to lay on top of our daughter swaddled in a blanket and hold her face completely still for them to put in 2 or 3 stitches in her face after having 2 big shots of stinging Novocaine to "help" with the pain. So...for now she is "glued" up and doing well. The band-aid and the dermabond are just starting to peel away from her face, so we should see her pretty smile real soon. After our night in the ER, we got home, put the kids to bed and hung out for a little while.
On Saturday, we went to the Nashville Zoo and had fun with the kids while Eisha was in class. We ended up at her school to pick her up for dinner. We headed to the Grand Ole Opry and Opry Mills Outlets to eat at Rainforest Cafe. None of us had ever been there, so I was glad to take the kids. The food was great and we all enjoyed the "atmosphere" around us...even the noisy animals and the rumbling of the storms. After that we headed home to put the kids down so we could hang out some more. And after a day at the zoo and a yummy dinner, we didn't last very long.
We got up this morning and packed it up to come home. The girls were quite sad and cried in the car for the first 30 minutes of the trip. They can't understand why Holland and Taylor had to move away. I'm sure we'll be talking about moving to Tennessee in the near future and how that is not an option for us.

Thanks White family for a great weekend!!! Can't wait to see you in October!!!

Kelsey and her boo-boo at the Sumner County ER.

At the zoo.

The Grand Ole Opry House - Carrie Underwood was performing there that night.

The Volcano Dessert at Rainforest Cafe.

A Weekend with Grandma

2009-07-19T19:40:00.000-04:00

Grandma Nesler came to visit this weekend. And it was so good to see her. We headed to the airport on Friday night to get her and the girls were so excited. She got to meet Ian and Drew for the first time and that was great. The boys were all smiles for their grandma. We stayed around the house and relaxed all weekend playing with the kids, swimming at the pool, and enjoying lots of yummy food. At nights we talked, laughed and played lots of poker. It was nice to lay low and be a family this weekend. It was hard to have her leave, but we hope she'll make it back to visit soon. We love and miss her so much!! Enjoy the pics of our time together.

Hanging at the pool

Grandma and Drew

Feeding Ian

Playing veternarian with the girls

Grandma and Kelsey

Grandma and her boys

Boys Weekend

2009-07-12T15:18:00.000-04:00

Bo went away this weekend with the boys as part of his father's day present from us. Some of the moms in our cul-de-sac got together and sent the dad's white water rafting up in Blue Ridge, GA. They stayed in a cabin up there for the whole weekend, rafted on Saturday, and came home on Sunday. They rafted on the same course the athletes used in the 1996 Olympics held here in Atlanta. From the stories I've heard in the few minutes we've had to chat about the trip, they had a great time and enjoyed every minute. I think this might end up being a yearly event for them. So glad you boys had fun...thanks for always being such great dads!! You deserved this trip and all the fun that went with it!!

On the boat from left to right...kind of...
The guide and his daughter, Jason, Bunky, Stefan, Bo, and Nate...riding the bull!!! ;)

Grandfather Mountain North Carolina

2009-07-05T21:53:00.000-04:00

One of the places we visited while we were in Blowing Rock was Grandfather mountain. It is the highest peak in the Blue Ridge Chain of mountains and only 2nd to Mount Mitchell...the highest peak East of the Rockies. We drove on the Blue Ridge Parkway to get to the mountain and it was a beautiful drive...the pictures really don't do it justice. Plus, it was a little foggy that morning so things seem a little blurry in the photos. Grandfather Mountain has lots of things to do and we tried to squeeze it all in.

First, we trekked to the top of the mountain to attempt the mile high swinging bridge. The wind was incredible and it was about 10 degrees colder there than farther down the mountain. The bridge is 228 feet long and spans an 80 foot chasm between the peaks of Grandfather Mountain. The bridge allows visitors to go to the other side of the mountain so that you can look down over the valley. It is the highest suspension footbridge in America. And, while the views from up there might be great, it isn't called the swinging bridge for no reason. Wind whips through the chasm and causes the bridge to swing as you walk across it. The bridge is made of steel and has safety rails that line the bridge. But, when the wind passes through the rails, it makes a loud humming sound...something like the sound of a 747 right in your ear. I must admit, my nerves were SHOT after going across the first time. I am sure if I only had myself to worry about, it would have been different. But taking Drew across in the Bjorn and holding Ally's hand was stressful for me. The kicker...once you get across, you still have to get back. Before we headed back for the car, Ally and Bo ventured out with Sean and Ryan on to the rocks that overlook the valley and took some great pics. Again, they don't do justice to the beauty and the height at which you are standing, but there as close as we could get. On the way back across, I managed to get a picture of the point on the bridge when you are standing 1 mile high...don't ask how.

After the exhilarating bridge experience, we went back down the mountain a little bit to the zoo and museum they have. The zoo is small, but very unique. They have otters and deer...I know, not unique. But, they also have a golden eagle and a bald eagle. I have never seen a bald eagle and I was quite surprised at how large they are. They also have black bears that you can feed. We packed a picnic lunch and ate at the zoo. We walked around the museum a bit and then headed home. We stopped at some picture spots along the way, but by then we were ready to get home. The kids had gotten very comfortable around the cliffs and ledges and it was more than us adults could handle.

It was a great day and we had a blast going across the bridge. So proud we could all do it, enjoy it, and without any drama or timidness.

Niki has a picture of the Jackson Five with everyones eyes open, but this one will do for now.

Grandfather Mountain - the bridge spans the distance between the 2 peaks...nuts, I know!!

The Bridge...

Before the walk across...

And after we got to the other side. Grandfather mountain is in the background.

1 mile high...Bo and I DID NOT join the Mile High Club!!!

Bo and Ally climbing the rocks.

Bo's view from the rocks back to the bridge.

Ally, Ryan, Kelsey and Garrett

Bald Eagle

Drew enjoyed the views through his eyelids.

Happy Independence Day!

2009-07-05T21:52:00.000-04:00

We spent the 4th of July in the Mountains with the Srigley's this year. Sean's grandfather built a house in Blowing Rock, NC and they try to make a trip there each year. This year, we got to go with them and it was so much fun to spend time with them. Blowing Rock is a very small town outside of Boone and it was the perfect place to celebrate Independence Day. It is small town USA and the town did not disappoint. We took the kids to the park that morning and the town was already starting to celebrate with bounce houses and rock walls for the kids, a live band, activities and contests all over the place and it was decorated from head to toe in red, white, and blue. All of the people there were dressed to celebrate our freedom and it totally looked like something right out of the movie Sweet Home Alabama with Reese Witherspoon when they have the town party and late night festivities. There was a parade at 2:00 which we opted to skip for nap time so that the kiddos would be well rested for the fireworks. We grilled out hamburgers and hot dogs in All-American style and let the kids play with sparklers to pass the time before the fireworks started. The house sits on the side of a mountain and just below the house is a resort area that does it's own fireworks. So, when 9:30 rolled around and the fireworks started, they were right in front of the house and we could sit there in our jammies, snack on munchies, and relax in the comfort of our own little place with no worries of driving anywhere or fighting the crowds to get home. It was the perfect way to end our vacation in the mountains. Enjoy our pics!!

My Girls

The Srigley Boys and The Jackson Girls

Ally and Ryan

Bo and Ally climbing the rock wall.

Kelsey on the Bounce House Obstacle Course

Happy Father's Day!!

2009-06-22T08:52:00.000-04:00

We had a wonderful family Father's Day this year. So many people were in town to share this time together. Tracey and Ashleigh were visiting mom and dad Jackson in their new house. Great Grandpa Maguire came down for a weekend visit. Jenny and Kevin came up for the day. Sean and Niki were here with the boys for summer vacation. And the Blums were here as well. All in all, a total of 20 people came through our door yesterday so we could hang out together and have dinner together. It was so nice that everyone chipped in with food...ribs, corn casserole, rice, garlic bread, salad, and yummy desserts. We didn't manage to get a group shot of everyone, but we did get several family shots...including the all important 4 generations picture with Grandpa, Colleen, Bo, and Drew.

Bo and his kiddos.

Four Generations...

The Jackson Family...

First Day of Gymnastics

2009-06-15T22:50:00.000-04:00

This summer we enrolled the girls in a set of 4 gymnastics classes at one of the local places. And today was their first class. Ally protested the whole way there that she didn't want to do it and that she didn't like gymnastics. She was nervous about not knowing anyone and was a complete downer. Kelsey, on the other hand, was super excited. I think this is more her style than dance...she's a rough and tumble kid. So, she's the real reason we're doing this...I wanted to see how she would do and if she would like it. I thought Ally might like it as well and the summer seemed to be a perfect time to give it a whirl.

Lo and behold, the girls were called to class and they both went in immediately...Kelsey because she was excited, Ally because she knows about school well enough to know to suck it up and go in there when you're called. After 5 minutes, they were both HOOKED!!! Ally came out half way through the session to potty and I asked her how she liked it and the grin that spread across her face reached from ear to ear. When I asked her if she liked this or dance better, dance got a big thumbs down. Hmmm....interesting...for someone who went in kicking and screaming to not be there. What amazed me about Ally was how natural she seemed to be. She was doing back bends and working on the balance beam with kids who had been there for awhile (I know because I chatted with the moms in the parent room) and she was doing as well as they were. She just seemed to "fit". And Kelsey was just as thrilled to be there as well. She had a full class of 4 year olds with her and they walked around a small area of the gym completing different tasks...somersaults, the uneven bars, balance beams, and other things. Kelsey tried it all, fell off a lot of stuff, but got right back up and tried again. Both girls loved the block pit. It's a huge "pool" filled with foam blocks that they could jump in to. The bottom is a trampoline, so it is extra springy for them. The foam looks to be about 5 or 6 feet deep so they have plenty of cushion when they jump from the platform about 5 feet in the air. That doesn't sound too bad, but when you see your little one on a platform so high and then they jump and sink in to oblivion, it's a little unnerving to see the first time.

So, the question becomes...what do we do in the fall...gymnastics or dance??? Bo and I aren't sure the girls should do more than one thing at a time, so it's hard to decide what they would do better at and what they would enjoy more.

Ally, in the black leotard, warming up and stretching.

Ally doing her backbend.

Ally chillin' on the beam.

Ally practicing her walk.

Ally getting on the beam...doesn't she look like she knows what to do????

Ally learning how to do a Cartwheel.

Kelsey warming up and stretching.

Kelsey on the beam.

Kelsey doing a sommersault.

Kelsey on the bars.

Kelsey on the Uneven bars.

Free time on the slide.

You Deserve this Award!!

2009-06-14T14:59:00.000-04:00

So, my sister sent me an award for my blog. It came from a friend of hers and I thought I might pass it along to some of my favorite reads.

The "Love Ya" Award states: These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

Without further ado, here are my award recipients.

1. Jackie Blum of In Full Blum - She's my sister, need I say more??? In all seriousness, Jackie's blogs are the perfect expression of emotion through words. She has a degree in Public Relations from UF, but writing is her true calling. No matter what her posts are about, there is an emotional element to them that tugs at my heart. She writes how I feel and how I wish I could write about my life happenings. Love ya dudette!!

2. Kristi Meldrum of The Meldrum Family - I have to be careful how I describe Kristi's blog because her situation is very special. And since this is an on-line posting, I am wary of how I describe this incredible woman and her family. They live in a world where Je..sus and G/od cannot be discussed openly. They have risked their lives (and continue to do so) to go to a country and fight for the sou..ls of those who have not found Ch/./ri-st. And, because of their sacrifice, any posting, letters, descriptions of them, to them, or from them, have to be broken up with hyphens, colons, etc. to protect them. They even have secure, encrypted e-mail accounts to communicate with people they know. Please take the time to click on her blog and see the amazing story of their new life with 3 kids in a country they believe the so-u/ls are worth fighting for. Their sacrifice is incredible and inspiring.

3. Michelle Robbins of Welcome to the Robbinsnest - Michelle is one of my closest, dearest friends and we have known each other for almost 10 years now. I have no idea where that time has gone, but we have lots of memories together to fill that 10 years. I know, even if we havn't seen or talked to each other in awhile, we can always pick right back up where we left off at a moment's notice. And, it helps that she lives next door to me!! We both lead very busy lives and that's why she deserves this award. Even though she doesn't have the time to blog as much as she would like, it's because she is busy working at school, doing the afterschool program, tutoring or taking care of her family. The new quote above her bed reads "We may not have it all together, but together we have it all." And in this day and age, that's alot!! Here's to you, friend!!!

Why I Love the Summer

2009-06-14T14:47:00.001-04:00

10. Sun-warmed tomatoes I can eat right off the vine.
9. Slow mornings and lazy afternoons.
8. Fun times at the pool.
7. Grillin' and Chillin' with all my friends and family.
6. Projects can finally be completed.
5. Visiting family and friends we haven't seen in a long while.
4. Only 10 more weeks until College Football Season!!
3. There's no sense of urgency for anything...no where to be, nothing on the schedule.
2. Spending lots of quality time with my kids, uninterrupted.
1. Having Bo home with us!!

TAGGED!!!

2009-06-14T14:08:00.000-04:00

My sister tagged me in this fun little game. Follow the rules and play along.
1. List Six UNIMPORTANT Things That Make You Happy.
2. Mention and link to the person who tagged you
3. Tag as many of your favorite bloggers to play along, and comment on their blog to let them know they've been tagged.

My six UNIMPORTANT things that make me happy are:
1. Trash magazines...like People and US Weekly.
2. A completed project...whatever it is, no matter how big or small.
3. Going to buy something at the store that you need and find out it's on sale as well.
4. A groovy ringtone...You know I like my chicken fried, cold beer on a Friday night!!
5. Family pictures every 3 months.
6. Watching reruns of my favorite shows...Friends, Golden Girls, Family Ties, Facts of Life, Three's Company, The Cosby Show.

You're it!!
1. Kristi Meldrum - can't wait to see how your list compares. I'm sure it won't.
2. Ardis Lussier
3. Can it be that all my other friends have been tagged already????

Daisy Scout Campout

2009-06-14T10:35:00.000-04:00

As a kid camping always seemed like a fun idea. And the Daisy Scout camp out was just that...tons of fun. The girls got together at 6:00 for dinner and a scavenger hunt. On their hunt, they found all the supplies to make yummy smores. After snack, the had craft and game time...bear hunt, tag, making bug catchers, decorating flashlights, and catching fireflies. Around 9:45, we headed in to our tents and called it a night...although the girls didn't call it a night until after 10:30. A night on the ground under the stars is glorious for 6 year olds. But, most of the mothers, this one included, woke up(or should I say rolled over) with little or no sleep, an aching back, and hot and sticky. But, we all had smiles on our faces. Smiles and questionable looks...at what point did it become miserable to sleep on a hard ground and worry about whether or not you'd be able to walk in the morning??? Next time, I'll remember my air mattress!!!

Ally and Hannah not listening to directions :)

Making firefly jars.

Catching a firefly.

All lit up...

Daisy Troop 2305

Being silly...

Time for bed in our tent.