Lemonade stand at the garage sale!

Each Fall and Spring our neighborhood has a huge garage sale. I spent nearly all week preparing for it. I spents hours going through bins and bins of Jackson's clothing just to get rid of it all! I thought, surely this stuff will go quick - everything for $1 - come on you can't beat that, right!? Well, four hours and nineteen dollars later we packed it up and stuck it in the trunk to go to Goodwill. I couldn't believe it! What a waste! Well, not really. Even though we didn't do financially well, we had a blast as a family. It was a beautiful fall day and the kids just played outside with our neighbors all day. It was so fun to see all the kids outside running from house to house checking out all the junk...I mean, goods! Zoe came up with an idea of a lemonade stand to attract more buyers. Great idea, sweetie! Can you believe they made more money than we did!?

Lemonade mix...$2
Total profits from garage sale...$19
Watching your family have a fun day...priceless!

Breast Cancer Awareness Day at Liberty

Yesterday, Zoe came home from school telling me that they had to wear pink today in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness day at school. I told I had an even better idea, they could wear their T-shirts from Race for the Cure. (Unfortunately, we have had a conflict with every race that has happened in Georgia or Tennessee since May, so we have not been able to wear them yet for an actual race!) Zoe and Jackson were so excited with my idea!

I took a picture of them this morning so you could see them in their t-shirts! These shirts were made as a surprise for my mother-in-law, Sharon Linak....a.k.a. Grammy, who battles with breast cancer. My sister-in-law, Allison designed them and got them printed. In May, the John's family participated in the Race for the Cure in Columbus, Ohio. We were going to do it down here in Atlanta, but Zoe's dance recital was on the same day. The next two were in TN, but we went to Myrtle Beach one weekend and then the next was this Saturday and we are involved in the kid's Fall Festival at their school. One of these days, we will be able to participate! Addie even has her own onesie and of course John and I do too...t-shirts, that is. So, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month and my amazing mother-in-law, here's a couple pictures of the kids from this morning!

Oh, the things Daddy can do with a diaper box!

The tradition lives on! When Zoe and Jackson were little (notice the picture) John would give them rides whenever a diaper box was emptied. Believe me, that was too often! He would pick them up, spin them around, and push them around in the "diaper box car". Well, we now have another candidate for the game, "Things you do with a diaper box!" John decided to give Addie Marie her first ride today. She loved it and then Zoe decided she wanted a ride too! John is such a great daddy - he pulled our 10 month old and 6 year old around the house. Notice I said "pulled" instead of "picked up and spun around" - John's a little older, a little wiser and the kids are a little heavier! Anyway, Zoe and Addie loved it! I got some of their ride on video. Too cute! Nothing gives a mother greater joy than watching her kids having fun! Especially when their daddy is the one making it so much fun and providing the laughter! I am so richly blessed! And the best thing is I know this is only one among many more rides in the "diaper box car"!

Where a kid can be a kid!

We recently went to Chuck E Cheese for a neighbors birthday party. As a mom you gotta wonder how many germs those hands are picking up, but as a kid all you think about is...fun! Zoe and Jackson had a great time playing - especially Jackson, the video game king. Zoe wandered around until she found her groove on the horse you can ride and race. (Don't let her know that her horse isn't supposed to be going in circles the whole time!) Hey, at least she had fun!

this is a dangerous thought- Jackson behind the wheel

Zoe and Avery

gotta get a picture with Chuck E, it's a requirement!

love the pizza face, JT!

even daddy got in on the fun!

Addie's new trick

Like any little baby, Addie loves to play in the Tupperware cabinet. It's great fun for her, although she does create quite the huge mess! Well, at least the mess is in one spot for the moment. Along with her exploring she also found the cabinet where I keep the bowls and colanders. She kept putting the colander on her head and was looking out through the lines. It was hilarious to see her little mind work as she kept putting it on and taking it off. I love, love, love having a baby and watching her experience the little things for the first time!

Egg on my face!

Well, I've been scolded for not posting blogs more often. It seems whenever I sit down to get started something or someone calls me away from the computer. Oh, the life of a mom! :) Anyway, I thought I'd post some pictures of our sweet daughter Addie Marie. Every day of a baby is exciting. She changes so much each minute it seems. I truly cannot believe she is 10 months old! Truthfully, it makes me really sad that she is almost a year old. Each time she grows out of an outfit or conquers a new milestone, a little bit of me wants to stop time and cherish that second. Our children are growing too fast! Addie has been such a complete blessing in our family. We often say that she fits the third child role so well. She is so easy going and a pure joy to be around. By far, she is my best eater of the three kids! Now, that might not seem like a big deal but if you have a picky eater in your family you can appreciate it. Zoe has ALWAYS been picky about her food, Jackson got a little better and then came Addie. She will eat everything and anything. She has recently tried tuna fish and kept coming back for more. Crazy girl! The other morning I thought I'd try eggs for breakfast and she loved them! She didn't quite finish them, because she ate about half for bagel with cream cheese right before I gave the eggs. The only bad thing about her being such a great eater is that she wants EVERYTHING we eat and I can never eat a thing without Addie at my feet looking up at me. Who could resist!? Here are a few pictures of our happy eater!

spaghetti for the first time!

yummy eggs!

eating pizza!

Well, THE first day of school came and went without much drama or tears! Yah for us! Both kids woke up before the early 6:15 alarm and were excited to start the day! Today is Friday and that definately wasn't the case this morning. The early morning schedule has caught up with them, that's for sure. The good news is they can sleep in tomorrow, I assured them of that as I peeled Jackson out of bed this morning. We were blessed with great teachers and that makes a big difference. John and I drove the kids to school and Jackson was the first to be dropped off. He went straight to his seat and started coloring. I gave my big boy a kiss and he waved goodbye. That was it! No tears! Nothing! I can't say I'm totally surprised, he is such an outgoing guy, I knew he would have no troubles. Next was Zoe and it went pretty much the same. Having done this already last year, she was no problem at all! She walked in, hung up her "Hannah Montana" (another story for another day) bookbag and sat down. What a big girl! Of course, I had to include some pictures!