Fireman Jackson's Fourth Birthday

Fireman Jackson's Four

Firehouse #4 is the spot

For a party that will be hot!

Truck on by starting at one

We're fired up to have some fun!

October 19th is the date

We hope to see you

It's sure to be great!

As you can tell, Jackson celebrated is birthday in a BLAZING way!  He loves fire trucks and had decided months before his party that he wanted his big day to be full of firemen, fire trucks and everything that goes with it!  Fire Chief Mommy made sure that Fireman Jackson got just what he wanted.  The party was a lot of fun for everyone!  Jackson really enjoyed spending time with his friends and was very grateful for all of the presents that he received.  Thank you so much to all of our friends and family that helped to make his 4th birthday his favorite one yet!  

Here are some highlights from his big day!

Our little fireman made a big wish before blowing out his candles.  BeBe made his fire truck cake and once again, she outdid herself!

Happy 4th Birthday, Jackson!

Cooper really enjoyed sitting, I mean standing, on the fire truck!

Here is Cooper ready to take the fire truck for a spin!

Carter really enjoyed climbing up into the fire truck!

Fire Chief Jackson takes his turn behind the wheel!  His favorite part of the entire party was when he got to sound the siren and lights just before the fire truck left!  He really thought that he was "hot stuff"!

Jackson was so glad that Molly Margaret and Bonnie Kay came to share in his special day!

Jackson really enjoyed opening all of his wonderful presents this year!

Carter made everyone laugh when he tried on some of the fire fighters gear!  Looks like he may have to grow a little bit more before it fits just right!

Jackson looked like a pro hanging from the side of the fire engine.  It was a mere coincidence that the fire truck number that came to our house was engine #4!

Jackson loved trying on a real fire fighters helmet!

Cooper opted for the pretend version-it wasn't quite as heavy as the real thing!

We Are The Champions....

Carter's Fall Ball Team went undefeated this season!  They were 11-0!  All I can say is "Wow"!  He was blessed to be on such a great team with such great coaches!  We can only hope that we are as blessed this spring!  Although I missed his last game due to my gall bladder surgery, Carter gave me a play by play when I got home from the hospital!  Todd said that he did great and got three hits!  He certainly improved dramatically this season!  We are so proud of him!  Here a a couple of pictures that Todd took at his last game:

Way To Go Burgundy Team!  

One last huddle...

Carter anxiously awaits his last at bat of the season...

Other's Day 2008

Our school's big fundraiser each year is Others Day.  For those of you who might not know about it, Others Day is a day in which everyone in our school goes out and does some act of kindness for someone (or some place) else.  Some classes may go and plant trees or build things for those that are in need, while other classes go and volunteer their time at a local school or organization.  Its really a neat event that the boys and girls (and teachers) get excited about.  The students ask family members and friends to sponsor them in order to raise money for our school.  Our school always chooses what the bulk of the money will go to months in advance so that the students will know what the money that they raise is going to.  This year it was decided that we would purchase another 15 passenger bus for our school.  A few weeks later, after an awesome high school chapel, an idea was brought forth that really challenged our students to do more to raise money.  During that chapel, the guest speaker mentioned that several churches in Walton County have come together to create an organization called the F.I.S.H.-the F.I.S.H. is responsible for making lunches during the summer months to feed children and their families that would not get a meal otherwise because school is not in session. The F.I.S.H. is in need of volunteers and money to help keep this ministry going.  Our school decided to give any money over the cost of the bus that we got from Others Day to the F.I.S.H.-our goal was to give them $10,000.00-the bus cost around $46,000.00, which means that our school would have to raise $56,000.00.  We knew that this would be a great challenge, especially with the economy the way that it is right now, but we prayed even harder for God to "move mountains" and to help us in our endeavor.  I am very pleased to report that God did move mountains, and last month, YACS presented the F.I.S.H. a check in the amount of $10,000.00!  Praise and glory be to God for all that He does!  

Carter's class went to the Volunteer Fire Department to help them clean up.  Because I was with my class at an assisted living home, Todd went with Carter to help him out.  Here are some of the pictures from our wonderful day!

Carter and his daddy after a long day at the Fire Department...

Carter loved helping to clean up at the fire station

If only he would clean like this at home...

Carter poses for a quick picture with mommy before the day begins

Go Yankees!

Jackson is playing tee ball again this Fall.  He is on the Yankees and absolutely loves it!

He especially likes hitting and has gotten quite good at hitting the ball off of the tee.  He gets so excited when he runs the bases!  It is too cute!  

Here are some pictures of his first game that was in September!

Jackson runs to first base!

Waiting to go to second base...

He makes it to home plate!  Way to score Jackson!!

Jackson waits in the dugout for his turn to hit the ball!  As you can see, he gives baseball 

two thumbs up!

Put me in coach...I'm ready to play

Jackson is supposed to be "down and ready".  Instead, he's looking down at the dirt!

Now he's ready...

Hammerin' Hank, Who??  Jackson hits the ball well his first at bat!

Run, Jackson, Run!!

Go Tide!

Carter is playing Fall Ball again this year.  This time, he is on the burgundy team.  Our team decided to get Alabama hats to match our uniform, so we decided to call ourselves the Tide for Alabama Crimson Tide...trust me, daddy was NOT thrilled about this but he has learned to deal with it!  Our team says "Go Tide" and not "Roll Tide" which makes it a little easier for us to handle!!

Carter's first game was in September.  He did AWESOME!  He got three hits and got the game ball!!  His daddy, Mack Daddy and Didi all missed the game due to their work schedules but Mommy and Mimi were there to cheer on our little slugger.  

It's amazing to see just how much Carter has improved since Spring!  We are so thankful for his coach and his team this Fall!  They have really helped Carter become a wonderful player!  

Here's a picture of Carter and Coach Donnie after the game

Carter and his Mimi-Carter is proudly showing off ALL of the money that Mimi gave him for the wonderful hits that he had at his game!

The Three Amigos...Baseball Style

Carter (with his game ball), Will Cawthon, and Dawson Coe strike a pose on the pitcher's mound after their first game.  They are all on the same team and really have a great time playing together!

Carter in action playing right field

Carter gets ready to catch the ball

Mighty Casey, I mean Carter, up to bat

A quick time out for a photo op for Mommy...Don't you just love the black "stuff" under his eyes to help keep the sun out of his eyes?  How cute is he??

Carter waits patiently on first

Fieldtrip Fun!

Carter had his very first field trip in September.  His class went to the Children's Discovery Museum "Imagine It!" in Atlanta.  While we have been a couple of times before, he was excited to go with his friends from school.  He was especially excited to go as his daddy got to go with him!  They both had a lot of fun while they were there.  Here are some pictures that Todd took of Carter while he was there (thanks Todd-I don't tell you enough but you are such a great daddy!  I appreciate all of the pictures that you took for me so that I could see how much fun you both had!  I wish I could have gone, but am so happy that you got to experience this with him!)

Here's Carter playing in the sand at the museum-it's probably his favorite thing to 

play with there!

Hmm...What can I build with this??

Look at me!

What a wonderful train table!  I wish I had one this big at home!!

Carter's masterpiece...our little artist had a lot of fun painting!

Cooper and Jackson's First Day of School

On Tuesday, August 14th, Cooper and Jackson had their first day of preschool.  I was broken hearted that I could not be there to walk them into school their first day, but Daddy stepped in and did a great job.  The camera battery was going dead and I didn't realize it so I do not have many pictures at all from their morning, which I hate, but Todd was able to take a few.  Below are some pictures of their big day!

Cooper went into class kicking and screaming-not his usual self at all.  I think he was out of sorts because he was in a new room-it was not the baby room he was used to last school year, nor was it the classroom that his Sunday School class meets in.  He also has brand new teachers that were unfamiliar to him.  His teachers said that he cried for about 15 minutes, but then he got happy.  His report that afternoon stated that he ate both snack and lunch very well (not surprising) so he must not have been too upset!  Now he absolutely loves school.  He loves all of the art projects that they make and also loves going outside to the playground.  Now that he is walking (well, more like running) he is into everything!  I am sure that his teachers have their hands full with him!

Here he is being loved on by one of his teachers.  As you can tell by the look on his face, he was NOT a happy camper!

Here he is starting to settle down a little!

Jackson, on the other hand, could not wait for school to start back.  I had ordered him a Spiderman backpack and lunchbox from Pottery Barn Kids for him to take to school this year.  I had ordered it back at the very end of June.  It came while we were gone to Panama City Beach and when we got home, it was all he could talk about.  He even walked into my room early one morning still in his pajamas with his backpack on and his lunchbox in his hand and told me that it was time for me to get up-he was going to be late for school!  He was so insistent that I had to make his lunch and let him eat it out of his lunchbox for the next several days!

He did get a little apprehensive walking into his new class.  Jackson is a "creature of habit" and does not like change (he gets that from me!).  He did not like the fact that his class was in a different room this year.  Todd did a great job of explaining that he was in a big boy class now and that his old classroom was for babies.  He accepted that and went on into his class. He loves school and all of the things that they do.  He always has a story for me and a new song to sing!  It is so neat to see how much he has grown from this time last year.  He has definitely changed from my baby into my little boy!

Here he proudly shows off his book bag to one of his teachers, Ms. Jennifer.  She was also one of his teachers last year, so that helped ease his fears a lot!

Here he is waiting on his teachers to take his first day of school picture.

Carter's First Day of Kindergarten

Carter had his very first day of Kindergarten on August 8th.  I was an emotional wreck as the thought of my baby going to Kindergarten broke my heart!  I still cannot believe that he is old enough to be in Kindergarten!  It made it even harder for me as I was unable to walk him to his classroom.  For those of you who might not know, I started back to teaching this year at the Christian school where Carter goes.  I am teaching First Grade and am loving it, although it has been an adjustment to say the least!  I went to school early on the first day as I wanted to make sure that everything was "perfect" for my students.  Todd brought Carter to school later that morning, just in time for his day to start.  He loved having his daddy walk him into school!  I had given Todd strict instructions to take several pictures and he did.  He quickly realized that he was NOT cut out to be a photographer!  Below are some of the better pictures that he took!  They are priceless to me!  We hope you enjoy!

Carter and Daddy stop by my room en route to Carter's class and quickly pose for a picture

Here is a picture of Carter with his teachers Mrs. Lindsey

and Mrs. Sizemore (his Teacher's Aide)

Carter went right in and quickly found his seat. He immediately started on his Morning Work.

Carter is hard at work on his coloring sheet!

An extra special surprise...

Once things had settled down a little, Carter left his class to come and bring me flowers! They were from all of my precious boys to wish me the best of luck for a great school year!

They are the best boys in the world!!