Greg & Tiffany's Birthday Party

Greg, a member of DW's (my boss) "Boys Club" and someone I have been getting to know over the past few years since he, my new boss, and my old boss are all friends that go way back, celebrated his 50th birthday with a big "all black" party in conjunction with his younger cousin Tiffany who was turning 30. Rodney and I were invited - I felt all special and stuff!

Greg, Tiffany, and her new fiance' - he proposed during the party!

Me, Rodney, Virgil, and his ex-wife overlooking the river. Terri is in the background.

At some point during the party Gabrielle Union joined in the fun; she was so regular. She was in town for a speaking engagement and looking for something to do. That's her in the pic with Greg and his wife. Dave Hollister also performed several songs.

It was a good party and I had a blast! I had three straight weekends of adult entertainment. John Legend, this birthday party, and then Maxwell. That hasn't happened in at least 5 years and probably won't happen again for a very long time. It was fun while it lasted.

The Pumpkin Project

Each year we get this assignment. This year I stepped it up a notch. I got everything cleaned upstairs and got the laundry done. Started on downstairs and discovered the assignment as I was cleaning the kitchen table.



I never blogged last year's pumpkins so I added them to this post. I think this year's pumpkins would eat last year's pumpkins alive!

This is Max's from last year.

Black one is Max's.

Orange one is Maddy's - complete with her signature "never leave home without it" hair bow.

Maddy's from last year.

7 days and counting . . .

My house is a mess right now. I have all of the party stuff and Halloween decorations spread out over the place. I am also in the midst of my Fall cleaning. I have one more room to clean upstairs including shampooing the carpet. And I have to shampoo the hallway carpet. And I still have all of downstairs to do; I have done a few of those windows already.

I started the laundry before I took a break for a late evening birthday party for one of Max's classmates who had a T&A around the same time he did. So she celebrated her birthday late. Happy Birthday Jacey and welcome to the crew! She's new to his class. I forgot to take the camera so no picks. I was knee deep in wet carpet right before we walked out the door.

After the party I came home with the intent to finish upstairs but Maddy and Rodney were asleep so I came downstairs and wasn't motivated enough to do anything but sit on my behind. I have this big project at work that I have been working on for weeks; should have had it done last Friday. So I have been working on it for the last several hours. The program is slow so I have time in between sessions to blog, play computer card games, and do laundry. I thought I was almost finished but I just saw where there was an additional 5000 documents added to my 8000. I wonder if I am supposed to do those too. I only have about 500 left on the current set. I guess I'll plead ignorance and see where that gets me.

Party next week!

Pumpkin Carving 101

We finally got around to carving one of those pumpkins we picked up in Mayflower. I ran to the store as soon as we got home to get one of those pumpkin carving kits but it took me a few evenings to get motivated.Thought the kit would make the job easy. It's been years since I carved a pumpkin; probably when Jamey was a kid or maybe once when I lived by myself at the old house.

Yes, that's a watermelon. Such an oxymoron, but KWK decided she didn't get enough watermelon this summer (even though we brought back 4 or 5 from the Hope festival).
It was hard work. Maybe because of the help/semi help from the kiddies. Or maybe it was just plain difficult. Notice I said one. We decided to save one for fun with daddy.

The directions make it seem so easy. Half the crap in the kit didn't work the way it was supposed to so I had to improvise. Fric n Frac were totally fascinated - beats watching TV.

For extra fun I had Max pick the pumpkin seeds from the flesh to take to school for Friday's show and tell. I figured his teacher could use them for some fall project. They ended up smelling. I probably should read up on how to dry and store them for next time. I think you can eat them.

Did you know that you don't put an actual fire in them now. They sell some fake tea light thing that they recommend you use instead. I do kind of remember the handle on my last Jack O'Lantern burning up or something.

I guess we did all right because Uncle James thought we had someone make this one for us.

Max in the Middle

Max and I went to see "Where the Wild Things Are" this weekend while Maddy and Blocker watched the Razorbacks get whipped by the Gators. The movie was amazing - happy but yet sad. They did a really great job of bringing the book to life and Max loved it! And I don't think it had anything to do with he and the main character sharing the same name. It's one of Max's favorites; we will definitely buy the movie on DVD when it is released.

"Let the wild rumpus begin!"

We met Maddy and Blocker afterwards for dinner - I enjoyed my date with Max.

Cowboy Max

Max is typically frightened by the live animal displays and heads the other direction. I can still remember Aryshona taking them to the zoo one weekend when we were out of town and her calling me to say that they only stayed for a short visit and that Max said, "I want to go home. The animals gone bite me." It was just a few goats and ducks or something.

He is starting to grow up. He asked for the pony ride and he had a blast. I started off walking beside him, but he told me I could stand on the side line. Freaked his over protective dad out, but I say let him go with it - it's a pony for crying out loud. Maddy was pissed because we didn't let her get on, but I didn't realize that she had an interest until she started screaming.

Getty up, Max! Mommy was so proud!

Maddy vs. The Slide

Maddy discovered that she loves the slide on our pumpkin patch visit. It may have had something to do with the fact that the slides on the farm were not those playground standard super safety models. They were old school - slide or die type kinda slides!

The first round ended like this. Backwards, but she loved it and went back for more.

After a couple of backwards rounds and watching the other children she figured out from which direction to approach.

It ended with that face, but she kept going back for more.And yes we were all dressed in our Arkansas gear even though they had lost the day before. They got robbed!

Pumpkin Patch

20 minute drive from home

$10 hayride and pumpkin picking straight from the vine

$6 for icee's

$5 for handcrafted hair bows

$5 for decorative assorted gourds and dried corn

$3 Pony Ride

Sunday afternoon with your family smiling non-stop - PRICELESS

Rodney was fascinated with this tractor. He remembers his grandfather having a few of these on the farm that he spent his childhood summers.

Oh, and I haven't mentioned in any of these blogs that he finally shaved his head. He's been talking about it for years; he finally did it and I am getting used to it. I just wish he would stop messing with his mustache.

Max was scared to death of the hay tunnels but we finally got him to go through a couple of times. It's crazy how he will jump off a three feet jungle gym with out balking, but has the nerves to be afraid of the dark.

Maddy discovered and fell in love with the slide.

Best three hours of unadulterated cheap fun we've had in a long time. They were passed out in the car before we got back on the expressway heading home. We didn't even miss the fair this year. They had livestock on the farm premises. If I didn't know any better I would say that living on a farm is cool - the mowing alone would do us in.

Preston's 4th Birthday

Preston's birthday is always the 2nd one of the year. He celebrated this year at Chuck E' Cheese's. Max was only one week into his recovery, but we didn't want to miss it. Preston is at another school now and we really like his family.


Chuck's place was jam packed that day; they had like 20+ parties that day and were jam packed. Maddy stuck close to me, but Max had a blast! Somehow we didn't get any pictures of Preston or the cake. I think Max was in the bathroom at the time.

It's always amazing to me how we end up with all of these great picture of our children at other folks birthday parties and events, but it's always questionable when we host our own. I guess it's hard to play hostess and photographer at the same time.

T & A

Get your minds out of the gutter. Well, if it's not, I have to admit that that's where mine went the first time that term was thrown out at me. Max had a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy a few weeks ago - T&A. We had to stay at home for two weeks for the recovery. I slept the first 4 or 5 days - guess I was tired. He never missed a beat. So much for the old days when you laid around and ate ice cream and Popsicles and jello all day.

I ran out to the store to stock up on pudding, jello, applesauce, bananas, and Popsicles. I still have a stock pile of that stuff it will take us until next year to eat it. Brother man left the hospital asking for pancakes and pizza. His appetite has actually picked up since he had the surgery. He was his usual talkative, busy little self for the entire two weeks and I was worn out.

Below is a picture of him on the third day with his goody basket and Get Well balloon that Mrs. Ellis and her family sent him. It was a very nice surprise. Thanks to you all and everyone else who called to check in on us during the recovery period. If I didn't make it to the phone, he probably had me tied to a chair or something . . . . Let's just say he and I both were glad for him to go back to school on the third week.

My New Baby

Shortly after Aryshona and Be'yah arrived home we went over for a visit. We had not seen the nursery in it's finished state so we got to check it out. It turned out super cute and thanks to Godfather James for the wonderful paint job and furniture construction.

I was all excited to see her all cleaned up and smelling like Johnson's baby products.

Maddy is pretty excited about her new baby cousin as well. I hope they become good friends.

Max is already very protective of them both.