Game Day!!!

Okay I just wanted to say how proud I am of Bush's integrity from his speech congratulating a man who has done nothing but trash him for a year. Also, curious about all the people I know in my life that say how bad the last eight years were exactly how the last eight years negatively affected them personally since Bush keep our country safe for all these years and has had to deal with some poor choices made prior to him and a much lower approval rated Democratic congress. Bush has gotten so much hate from Americans and to set up a transition team to help Obama especially with how he was greeted to the White House really shows what a classy guy he is. (sidenote....interesting that the Dow had its biggest drop post election ever today) So all that rambling said I decided to post some pictures from the Ole Miss/Alabama game...another event that the outcome was not what I wanted. Brandon and I went on our way home from the beach with some friends and left all the kids behind with a babysitter for 10 hours for some fun tailgating and game watching. And I must add that Ole miss beat Alabama in all numbers except the score (of course that's the one that matters). '

Beach Trip

Okay so here are way more beach trip pictures then you probably ever cared to see. The sad thing is it's only about 1/8 the number of pictures I had taken. We had lots of fun after a few sleeping changes...we were suppose to have a 3 bedroom house and like last year I got a call a month prior saying we couldn't have it because it was in foreclosure so we got moved...unlike last year we got downsized to a 2 bedroom instead of upped to a 6 bedroom. They had a pull out couch that Brandon and I attempted the first night with great intentions that would then give Parkes and Cash the twin bedroom, but we could feel every spring and our head was a good foot below our feet so we decide to all share a room from then on out which can lead to some sleeplessness which has now continued with Cash since we got home....hopefully it will pass soon. Parkes, Jay and Cash all very much enjoyed the beach this year spending hours digging, building and eating (Cash) the sand. Parkes and Jay playing with the fish Jon and Brandon caught. They enjoyed fishing with their daddies....if I was better organized I'd put all the fishing pics together but I'm trying to get out the door to a much needed girl's night so you'll have to scroll down to see the other one). The pool was a big hit with the kids and adults for some late afternoon wind down from the day. We went to a local playground on a cloudy day for the boys to run around. We enjoyed the zoo again this year. And finally the tent Laura brought...that did look much bigger on the box, but when we got it put together was pretty small and blew away quickly. The boys did enjoy playing in it for a few minutes though.

Beach Trip...More to Come

Okay here's a few pictures for y'all to enjoy until I get around to getting more on here.

9 Months and 5 Years...Lots to Celebrate

Well to my surprise Cash is 9 months today, I told the nurse at his appt today he had just turned 8 months...the month has flown by. The head nurse at his doctors was my nurse when I was little and she was his nurse today because his normal nurse was out. Everything about him looked great and he did his best to show off for the doctor. He has moved down to the 55% on weight weighing in at 20 lbs and 14 oz. His height has moved down as well and if you remember he was already in the 5% last check up so he is now below the curve so we get to go back in six weeks for another weigh in to check if he is continue to climb up just at his own rate...he measured 26 1/4". It really isn't to crazy, however, for the genes he has. His two cousins have been below the curve and Parkes barely squeezed by staying just barely above the curve...so no big surprise. Here's pics of the boys in their Alabama gear for the weekend. Brandon has now built his outdoor TV into the shed with a hatch that opens so he has an outdoor theater for the games...you see his priorities on what gets done around the house first. We have a busy two months coming up with trying to meet my deadline on the house, vacation, holidays, school, anniversary, birthdays, etc. so if I am slow to post sorry...I'll do my best for my couple loyal readers. Brandon and I are celebrating 5 years of wedded bliss on Saturday so I changed the music to have the band that played at our after party of our wedding. It was such a fun day 5 years ago, I couldn't of imagine a more relaxed (yes I was relaxed), fun day celebrating with family and friends. And of course the five years that have followed haven't been too shabby either. I would of never imagine I would be celebrating my 5th year anniversary with three wonderful boys. **** Okay I had to add that Brandon thought it was very funny that I put a song "Best Free" for our anniversary....it was the only song from Lower Level I could find online.

Working on the House...Always

Well no new pics, but was just going to share this website with those in Nashville looking for good deals. www.faithfulprovisions.com/ It is a friend of my sisters who taught her coupon shopping and has grocery store deals as well as drug store and any other good deals going on around town....definitely worth checking out. We have just been watching football and working on the house. It was a GREAT football weekend at the Waymire house (sorry Engesaths). We have gotten the kitchen cabinets painted minus a few touch-ups from where I keep running into them last night, and we have the new wall in the living room all sanded and ready for paint....I spent most of yesterday on my hands and knees scrubbing the floors from drywall dust hopefully for the last time for awhile. We marked 5 years in our house this month and in those 5 years we have added a 750 square foot patio, a large smoker, a carport and shed with driveway, popped up the roof to make a master suite and alabama room upstairs, put new floors and Parkes room, new vanity in downstairs bath, took out two walls in living room opening it to a small office and building new wall separating from Parkes room, took out one wall in kitchen opening it to dining room, rearranged and painted kitchen cabinets, took out existing stairs and added a spiral staircase, removed brick chimny down middle of the house, rearranged laundry to make laundry room/mudroom, and added french door on back of the house with a butler's pantry area walk through to door. All of which we have done ourselves (minus framing upstairs, drywall upstairs, and taking out two walls in living room, but Brandon did help on all those projects) and most of which still needs finishing touches to be complete. We didn't really start doing stuff until 3 years ago and it is starting to take it's toll on me....I'm ready to be done (at least for awhile). So we made a goal to get it all finished up by the boy's birthdays/Christmas. I'm making a list of all the finishing touches to be done and hopefully get the front of the house reshingled and front porch added in the next month and we will be able to just enjoy our house for a little while.

No Gas so Let's Walk

Well the gas situation in Nashville has been crazy, and I planned on waiting out all the lines and thought I could make it through the weekend, but sure enough Friday my light came on and I only found one gas station with gas and it has lines like crazy and was complete chaos. So I drove home and Brandon was going to go out late that night to find out the closest station to us with gas had a 45 mins wait which I would of run out of gas waiting. So Brandon got up bright and early saturday morning and head out in search of gas with no luck and a car that wasn't going to make it to another gas stations. Luckily our generous neighbors waited out a line and filled up a gas can for us so I had a little gas, but not enough to waste driving around so we packed up the kids in the stroller and took a leisurely walk down the greenway to Target Saturday morning. We brought along the camera so here's some lovely pictures from our adventure. Parkes and Cash enjoying looking at the creek below. Parkes loves the greenway because he can run along the whole thing without me telling him to hold my hand. The walk wore Cash out and he napped on the way home with his new shoes on. Parkes picked me some flowers with the help of Brandon. Then we spent the rest of the afternoon watching football and playing in the yard. Brandon had a friend getting rid of a large tv that I told him he was not allowed to bring into our house. So Brandon being Brandon decided he would use it outside so he could watch the games under the carport. So here's Parkes and Cash watching football in Parkes' elephant chair and then Brandon and Parkes enjoying some football while relaxing in the hammock. We were about to all pile in the car on Sunday afternoon to head to Dickson to get some gas so we would be able to go to work this week when we got a call that the gas station in our neighborhood just got gas and because it is off the main roads we had no wait so everything worked out perfectly and we decided that we really should just walk to Target more on pretty days.

Finally Bath TIme is Fun

Parkes has always loved bath time, but Cash hasn't been the biggest fan of water from the beginning. He finally started warming up to it towards the end of the summer and just in the last couple weeks has started to have fun splashing in the tub with Parkes. Below is the new activity that Parkes and Cash like to do around the house....I'm waiting for it to end badly, but they both think it is so funny that it is entertaining to watch. Cash doesn't sit still for long these days and has enjoyed having some friends over so Parkes isn't the only one getting to play with others. And whenever I take a picture of Cash, Parkes poses for his picture.

Mr. Independent

Cash was 8 months yesterday...crazy. He has become a very independent, happy baby. He prefers to feed himself his bottle and does not like to be cuddled and rocked (his teachers laugh about it in his class that they want to hug and rock him to sleep, but he wants no part in it). He always makes his presence known if we are not paying attention to him by screaming not crying just more of a scream to say hey I'm over here. He also has started making a growling noise which he finds very amusing. He still hasn't decided to crawl on his knees but still does his arm crawl/push move to get around and he's getting more daring on standing up on things by trying a few steps around things, but he still has a ways to go on that since it usually ends in a scream as he falls, but he is definitely frustrated he can't keep up with Parkes. Cash is very much a mommy's boy which is very different then Parkes who likes for me to go out at night so he can hang out with daddy. It's been so much fun seeing Cash's personality come out and just how much both boys seem to be like Brandon.

Daddy Time and Silly Faces

The boys and I have made it through one week of school successfully. They ended up moving Parkes down one class so he is the youngest but just because the cut off is end of dec so the other kids are either old 3s or young 4s instead of all being 4 and turning 5 during the year which I am happy so he'll be with other kids that are his age. I was a little worried about the social aspect of the other class with Parkes being so much smaller then the other kids how they would treat him. So Parkes loves his class and teachers and gets to go to Sing and Sign once a week. And Cash took two naps on Friday so he is starting to get adjusted. He's very happy throughout the day (I get to check in on him because his room is right across the hall) and desperately wants to play with the other kids who aren't ready for his attention just yet. My class has been wonderful with no criers and every child has napped very well so I am waiting for something to happen because it was such an easy adjustment for the kids most being new to school. Daddy and Cash hanging out while we had a yard sale a couple weeks ago. We had to do it while Parkes was at the grandparents because he gets really upset when we get rid of stuff and everything ends up back in the house. Also, check out our neighbors house....a month ago it was just a one story and now it's almost ready for them to use...good work matt and brandon!!!! Here's what Cash is doing most days...chasing his brother around the house. He still hasn't decided to crawl with his knees but still lets his arms do the majority of the work with the occasional help of his feet. And this is the only way we get pictures of Parkes these days. And neither of my children like pants so they are usually just in shirts. Have a great week and I hope to get more pictures of the kids at school and out instead f just around the house...Brandon keeps taking my camera with him to work, but I've told him he's got to start leaving it with me.

More Stick People

Okay so last drawing by Parkes because I know y'all would rather see pictures of the kids, but here is a picture Parkes drew last night of Happy. I might be biased, but he is pretty talented. He has his eyebrows, mustache and even tie in the drawing.

Walls Come Down and Preschool Starts

It's been a busy week and as you can tell it has even lead Parkes to take a nap... Last Friday morning I got a call from Brandon telling me that the framers from his job next door were going to come on over and take out our two walls. So I showered, got everything packed up to spend the day out with two boys and cleared out two rooms in an hour so they could get in and start tearing my den apart. Luckily it turned out great and they were very clean about it and vaccuumed everything up when they were done which was a nice surprise. So then the next night we headed to my parents to see my grandfather and spend some time with family. Below is my sister Hayley with Parkes and Cash and their cousin Abby James (it's the best I could get) And here's Draper (and Aunt Jennie) who didn't want to be in the picture with the others. And Parkes and Hayley making silly faces...one of Parkes favorite things to do when a camera is around. I've almost finished my week of training to start working at the preschool. Cash has gotten his first experience in a nursery which from what I've heard and seen he is as happy as can be and took his first nap there today instead of being more interested in what the other kids were doing. And Parkes went the first two days with me and then Happy (Brandon's Dad) picked him up to spend the week with him so they could fish and have fun together. I'll be teaching the middle two's so any helpful hints are welcomed. And I am still in a little bit of a shock that after going around and asking the three year old teachers who had Parkes I found out he was in the four year old class which he would of been the youngest but not by too much. Then today I was told that they needed to move someone up from the fours to PreK fours and they were going to move Parkes after keeping him the first two days of training they felt he would do the best. I think he will do great in the class as he has always enjoyed talking and interacting with older kids, but it makes me feel my little Parkes is getting so old.

Portraits by Parkes

Okay as if I need to even tell you who Parkes' portraits are of since they are so beautifully drawn, they are from left to right, Jon, Jay and Ms. Laura (she's all yellow so a little hard to see) he drew for me this afternoon. So if you are looking for any portraits to be drawn Parkes is available. He usually sticks to our family until today. For the few days since Cash has started standing on things he is loving life. He's very happy to be up and able to see what his brother is getting into and Parkes has been good most of the time allowing him to play with the new stuff he can reach.

Woke up to....

Saturday morning (this picture is a reenactment...Cash doesn't sleep in a polo and shorts). Brandon and I were shocked. Cash can't sit up by himself without tumbling over after a few seconds, but he has no problem using his arms to pull himself up. Brandon started adding a second story to the neighbors house monday so he has had a rough commute to work these past few days...he told me last night after being inspired by the olympics which i have been obsessed with for some odd reason as i haven't watched it in years, maybe it's the crazy amount of world records being broken....anyway he told me he was going to run to work this morning so I hope he made it okay.

Pictures from the Past

Today is a meaningful day to our family so I've been looking through a lot of old pictures remembering fun times and sad times. So I thought I would share some pictures from 2004...it was very much a year of change for me and Brandon. We lived the newlywed lifestyle for six short months before we found out we were pregnant with "crawdad" as we called Parkes at the time. He was such a wonderful surprise that we had no idea we were ready for, but I guess we were. We had some wonderful times with friends and family...there were so many joyous occasions that year. I just wish I had known then to cherish each of those moments and not worry about the meaningless things that tend to get in the way. It is so easy to get caught up in our lives and the "to do" list that need to get done that it is nice to reminisce and remember how blessed we are to have the life that we have and our friends and family to support us through it. Thank you so much to everyone in our lives that have loved and prayed for us without y'all we would not be who we are.

Well to stay out of this heat we've had lots of days like the picture above playing inside and Parkes and Cash are happy to have each other to play with. I still haven't taken too many pictures lately, we've just had a lot going on this past two weeks. I've been interviewing for a preschool teaching job...we were looking to try to get me a job with insurance, but with Cash still young, preschools for his age in our area our competitive and consist of a pretty long waiting list so me working at a school the boys could go was the best option for us, but as I found that still isn't the easiest thing to find that can have two spots for the boys and insurance benefits. So I interviewed this morning and have the job as long as my references say good things at a three day a week preschool that can take both boys so at least it will give us the extra money to cover the insurance we have set up now and allow me to be home two days and not miss out on Cash's first couple of years which was one of my concerns with a full time position. So it will be an adjustment, but also nice to get a little break from what I've been doing for the past almost 4 years. Parkes has been as entertaining as ever lately. Here he is before bed last night in Cash's toy which he always wants to play with over his toys now. He has been quite the gentlemen lately too...he always tells me when I get dressed in the morning how I look beautiful or my dress looks nice. And yesterday as we were driving home from a baby shower (Brandon dropped me off and he took the boys out for ice cream) Parkes asked me if I enjoyed my shower and after I said yes he told me that I smelled nice and looked all clean. And finally Cash will be 7 months in three days....so crazy. It is amazing that he is the same baby from the colicky baby three months ago. He thank goodness has turned into such a happy little boy who definitely is going to stand up for himself around Parkes. He puts a death grip on what he wants if he sees Parkes coming near him. He spends most of he's days laughing or napping.