The end of 2010...already?

I cannot believe this year is over. It has flown by so fast. Caroline turned 1, Ginger turned 5, We bought a new house and sold our old one. It happened so quickly that I still can't believe it! Who would have thought that we would have a White Christmas and ring in the New Year in a new house?

Never again!

I have said before and I will say it again. I hate moving. You never realize how much stuff you really have until you get ready to move. We have found so many things to throw away and to donate that it is not even funny. I hope this is the last time we ever have to move!

It's official, WE'RE MOVING!

We closed on our new house this morning. We will be moving soon and should be settled in a little before Christmas! We're not going far, just right down the street. I'm not sure if it is even 1/2 mile away! We've been packing things up little by little for a few days, so the move shouldn't be too bad. We're really excited and will have lots more room! The only problem is that it is a two-story house and unfortunately Caroline is a daredevil and loves climbing stairs. She will have to learn how to properly and safely come down the stairs.

Brewer Trick or Treat Hayride

Since Halloween fell on a Sunday this year, a few people at our church decided that it would be a good idea for the kids to meet up at the church at 4:00 to go trick or treating together. It was actually a little hot when we got to the church but it was cool by the time we got back. Numerous church members agreed to be at home at this time and anxiously awaited the mass arrival of our little ones as we rode around Brewer on our Trick or Treat Hayride. Everyone had a blast and we got back in plenty time for the 6:00 service with the kids still in their costumes. This was such a great idea.

Caroline, dressed as Wonder Woman, arrived right on time but she wasn't exactly sure what was going on


Claudia and Caroline look a little confused but they know that they are going to have fun so they take our word for it. This outfit just suits Claudia's personality. She's a little 50's Rock n Roll diva (maybe Elvis's girlfriend or groupie)

Nora Foster with Claudia and Caroline. This was the best I could do at the time. She was so cute as a little Indian girl.

Stacey with Claudia, ready to go!

Here's a shot of the group. I tried to get everyone in it, but a few faces didn't make it in the shot. Everyone had so much fun and got lots of candy...and even a little fruit. This really is a wonderful community that we live in and a wonderful Church family that we are a part of.

Caroline's 1st Beach Trip

We took a family trip to Gulf Shores two weeks ago. I took lots of pictures (240 to be exact) and a couple of videos. We all had so much fun and can't wait to go back. The water was clear and the weather was perfect! We saw several crabs in the water, a little stingray, and a jellyfish. Oh, and Jeff competed in a triathlon while we were there and won his age group and 5th place overall. Here is a video of Caroline's first reactions to the beach. I'll try to post some pictures soon.

Go Dawgs!

Football season is finally here! There's a feeling in the air. Football season has always been a big deal in my family for as long as I can remember. There's just something about this time of year. We went to see Mississippi State play Memphis on Saturday. The game started at 6:00 and we got there a little after 3:00 because Caroline took a later nap than usual. She was well rested and had so much fun and did better than I expected. She was so cute in her little cheerleader outfit. We spent a while at the tailgate and walked around to see people. We took her to the game and we left at halftime as I thought we would. She was getting tired and restless and we needed to get her home and to bed.

Come on, we gotta go!


Caroline with Grandma Hilda. Caroline helped her open a present.


Caroline sitting so cute and happy in her princess chair

Caroline and Daddy enjoying the tailgate

I just love that smile and those beautiful blue eyes!

Caroline with my cousin Lauren. She helped her open a present, too.

Caroline with Lauren's son Rivers. She just couldn't stop staring at him. I think she was mesmerized by his braces.

Well, it was a great day. It was a little hotter than expected, but all in all, it was cool for the first game of the season. We started off the season with a bang, defeating Memphis 49-7. Go Dawgs!

Is she too young for her own iPhone?

A couple of days ago, Jeff's new iPhone 4 came in. Well, apparently, his old phone still works to play with apps and music but it shouldn't make calls anymore. This is big news for Caroline! Now, she has her own iPhone and can play Peekaboo Barn anytime she wants. I don't know. Is this a good thing? If you have an iPhone and a small child and don't have this app, I strongly recommend that you get it. It is truly worth $1.99. Everyone else that I know who has it swears by it. It is the best thing I ever downloaded on Jeff's phone.

Hugs and kisses, too!

Caroline is the sweetest little girl in the world. She has always given such good hugs, even though Ginger might beg to differ. I think she is still skeptical from the hair pulling. For months now (not sure how many but it has been a while), if she was holding a doll or stuffed animal, we would say, "love your baby" and she would hold it so sweet and sway with it so sweetly. Well, recently, she topped the cake. She gives little kisses on the cheek now (she also kissed my knee the other day in the kitchen when I was doing dishes). So sweet!

Oxford Endurance Weekend

Last weekend, Jeff competed in the cycling portion of Oxford Endurance Weekend. There were three cycling events: 8:30 a.m. Saturday--Race of Truth Time Trial (13 miles), followed by the Plein Air Classic (22 mile road race) at 1:00 p.m. On Sunday at 9:05 a.m., the event concluded with the Oxford Square Criterium.

That's Jeff in the middle, waiting for the time trial to start. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the time trial, it is a race against the clock. Here, each competitor starts individually in 30 second intervals.


Still waiting, but ready to go!


Caroline conducted official business while we waited on Jeff to complete the time trial.

I was unable to get any pictures from the road race. Caroline was finishing her nap as it started but we were able to see Jeff right after he finished. It's a good thing we didn't go for the race because, according to my phone, it was 102 and it said "feels like 126" which I assume meant that was the heat index! In case you don't get the idea, it was extremely hot!!!


Jeff racing in the criterium in Downtown Oxford. This race lasted for 30 minutes and consisted of laps around a part of downtown and the square.

Here's another shot of Jeff in the criterium. He had a strong race and was able to separate himself from many of the other competitors.

Overall Results:

Jeff finished 6th in the time trial, 13th in the road race, and 4th in the criterium. Points are awarded according to your finish in each race. Among those competing in all three events (the Omnium), Jeff won 3rd place overall. Also, the top 3 overall in the Category 5 Omnium were all from Tupelo: Adam Morris finished 1st, Josh Westmoreland finished 2nd, and Jeff was 3rd.

Caroline's 15-month checkup

Caroline went to the pediatrician on Tuesday for her 15-month checkup. We had a 9:00 appointment and I thought we wouldn't have to wait much and we would be out of there quickly. We actually got there a little early and there was no one in the waiting room. Wow, can you believe that? We waited and Caroline played and ran around until her name was called at 9:15. I undressed her and got her weighed and measured right after getting to her room (she weighed 19 lb. 14 oz. and was 31 in. long). Then we waited...and waited. Dr. Nikki was making rounds at the hospital and we didn't see her until 9:55. Needless to say, Caroline got restless waiting in her room. I did my best to keep her entertained. She drank lots of milk and ate Cheerios, we played Peekaboo with her blanket, and I sang to her and danced with her. She was good for Dr. Nikki, but she was ready to go. Then, it seemed like we waited forever again for the nurse to come in with her shots. Then, she screamed, of course and then we finally left at 10:35. Thank goodness this is her last set of shots until she starts school.

Weekend in Memphis with Friends

We went to Memphis for the triathlon and to see some friends of ours. We stayed with one of my best friends from college and her husband and two dogs. Thank you so much Leland and Joseph for letting us stay with you! We had so much fun and stayed up late talking, catching up, and reminiscing. Ginger even got to go, too. Ginger has never been to someone's house where she was treated like a princess and the dogs that lived there were treated like the step-children. It was so funny. Ginger got to stay in the main part of the house wherever we were, and their dogs either stayed outside or in their bedroom.

Sharpshooter Super Sprint Triathlon

This past weekend, Jeff and his good friend/training buddy Adam Morris competed in the 2nd Annual Sharpshooter Super Sprint Triathlon in Memphis. It was a 400 meter swim at Herb Parsons Lake, followed by an 11 mile road bike ride, and then a 2 mile trail run. Jeff finished 3rd in his age group and 36th overall with a total time of 1:01:38. Adam won his age group and finished 8th overall with a total time of 53:31. Way to go guys!

Are we ready? Getting psyched up before the race.


Jeff getting final encouragements from Caroline


...and off on the bike

...and we're done.

Our two winners from Tupelo! Congrats guys! Their trophy is a pewter belt buckle (very unique, going with the Sharpshooter name).

My Happy Little Girl

Who wants out of the crib when there are blankets to play with? The answer would be Caroline. She could play in a blanket all day, in or out of the crib. I found her just the other day in the kitchen cabinet, playing house (as she does quite often) and she had a blanket with her. She doesn't have a particular one that she is attached to, but she has about 30. They were all presents; I didn't buy a single one.

I just love it when she wakes up happy from her nap!


Come on, let's play!


She can make a blanket into a hood, a cape, and sometimes a skirt.

What a happy girl. She is growing up so fast. I can't believe she is almost 15 months-old.

Hugs for Ginger

Caroline is just fascinated with Ginger. Unfortunately, she also likes to pull her hair and squeal at her (she's just saying "Hi"). Ginger is a really good sport about it. A few days ago, Ginger was in my lap and I was sitting on the floor. Caroline walked over and gave her a hug and smiled. It was so sweet! Ginger wasn't sure at first what Caroline's intentions were, but she has continued to hug her whenever she can get a chance (before Ginger gets away!). Caroline has done so much better about petting Ginger lately, too. Ginger really does love Caroline, too. She just never knows if she is going to get squealed at, have her hair or paw pulled, or hugged, so she stays on her toes all the time. (The paw pulling is a new one, too.)

Sewing Spinoff Blog

I decided that my sewing was already taking over our family blog, so I decided to create a spinoff. It's called Sew What's Going On?. I'll try to update it as I finish new projects. Click the link here or on the link on the blog list to the left. If you see anything you like, let me know!

Just Lacks Two Buttons!

As many of you know, I am new to this. I can say that I have sewn before, but I am talking about 8th grade Home Economics. I was inspired then to make several things on my mom's sewing machine, but that was a long time ago. Sewing is like riding a bicycle, though. You don't really forget. You just jump back on. Making dresses is one thing (especially pillowcase dresses), but I discovered a whole new world in making this two-piece outfit. I made it through. It really wasn't hard. It was just a lot of steps I hadn't done before (that I had to analyze thoroughly and make it make sense), like the shorts and the facings on the inside of the top. I was a little intimidated by some of the steps involved, but I would compare it to the book, "The Monster at the End of this Book," starring lovable, furry old Grover. I bought this book for Caroline last year and I remember it from when I was little. Moral of my story: it wasn't that bad like I thought it was at first when I had the pattern pieces laid out (shorts look really odd at first and then they make sense). Now, I am ready to do another one of my two-piece patterns.

It is basically finished. I just need to get two buttons to fasten the tabs at the shoulders and stitch my button holes. Unfortunately, I have a feeling it is going to be a little big on Caroline, but that's better than being too small. I used the size 1 on the pattern, which was the smallest. See more at Sew What's Going On?

Dress No. 3

I finished this dress a few days ago. I just love it! For some reason, it makes me think of candy, so I call it the "candy dress." I can't wait for Caroline to wear it.

Aside from pillowcase dresses, I am working on a two-piece outfit right now. Not sure how this one will go. The top is pretty much done, but I have never done any kind of shorts or pants before (or bloomers for that matter). We'll see. I may end up sticking to dresses. Who knows?

Pillowcase Dresses

Well, nearly a month ago, I bought a sewing machine. I figured I could really get some use out of one right now. Caroline has a few smocked dresses that were just about dragging the floor, so I needed to hem them up now and then I can let them out next year for her to wear again because they seem to be plenty big and there doesn't seem to be a big difference in the sizes, except in the length.
I have seen these pillowcase dresses and love them. I thought to myself, "I can do that," so I went to Hobby Lobby when their patterns were 99 cents and bought several patterns, some fabric, and a few supplies. When I put my mind to something, I go for it. I was so excited to get started. Here are just a couple that I have finished recently. The first one is my favorite and the first one I made. I couldn't wait for Caroline to wear it to church today. I don't mean to brag, but she got lots of compliments. I have another one in the works and several more ideas to come with the other patterns I bought. I am already dreaming up something MAROON and WHITE for this fall!



These are great because she can wear them now as a dress and later as a top when it gets too short. They usually fit a range of 2-3 sizes; just scrunch it up at the top with the ribbon to fit. Also, in the fall & winter, you can pair it with a turtleneck and tights or leggings.

Brewer 4th of July Parade

Since the 4th falls on a Sunday this year, the annual Brewer 4th of July parade was held this morning. We got up and got dressed and went to watch the parade at Stacey, Steven, and Claudia's house.

Caroline's waiting for the parade to start. "Where is everybody?"


Caroline and Claudia playing before the parade began. Oh, and Jeff in the background playing on his iPhone


Caroline and Claudia chillin'. Caroline with her first sucker. There was lots of candy thrown in the parade. The girls really racked up!

Caroline walking with her sucker. For some, this could be a disaster, but she managed to avoid it. She seems to walk really well with something in her hand.

Uh oh, she dropped it in the grass. Oh well, it was good while it lasted.

Dragonfly Triathlon

Last Saturday, June 19, Jeff competed in the Dragonfly Triathlon in Sardis, MS. For those of you who don't know where Sardis is, I guess you could say it is somewhere between Oxford and Batesville. The course included a 1/2 mile swim in the lake, an 18 mile bike ride, followed by a 4 mile run. Let me tell you, it was so hot. I think this one should have been called Heatwave instead. Luckily, Caroline and I were able to stay in the shade. Jeff finished 9th in his age group (out of 21) with a total time of 1:59:05. Once again, the top two overall finishers were from his age group.

Here comes Jeff out of the water from the swim in the lake. It was tough running through the sand.


Go Daddy go!


Jeff coming in on the bike. You have to be off the bike as you cross a certain line before going back to the transition area.

Heading out for the run. The last part.

Here comes Jeff! Finally, crossing the finish line!

Heatwave Triathlon

Saturday, June 5, Jeff competed in the 25th Annual Heatwave Classic Triathlon in Ridgeland. It started at 7:00 a.m., so we were up early. We stayed at my cousin's house in Flora. (Thank you so much, Lauren, for letting us stay there! Great to see Gotta Go represented at the race site!) Jeff wanted to be at the transition area to get everything set up at 6:00. We set our phone alarms for 4:00 so we would have plenty of time to get ready, eat breakfast, pack up, and get out the door. We didn't want to wake Caroline until we got ready to leave. Tipsy woke Caroline up around 5:30, but we weren't far from waking her up. My plan was to try to get her in the car (still asleep), change her clothes when we get there, and feed her breakfast in the parking lot. Well, I got two out of three. Amazingly, she was awake the whole ride there and somehow didn't fall asleep until 10:00 (which is close to her usual morning nap time, but considering she was up a couple hours earlier, I was shocked that she was awake that long...and happy!)

Anyway, back to Jeff and the triathlon. Rain was definitely in the forecast, but it held off until we left the race site around 10:00. I guess we were lucky that it was cloudy most of the time. The sun came out a little, but it kept going back in. It wasn't too hot like the earlier forecasts had predicted. The race consisted of a 1/2 mile swim in the Ross Barnett Reservoir, followed by a 24 1/2 mile bike ride along the Natchez Trace, and ending with a 10k run along Ridgeland's Multi-Use Trail. Jeff finished 25th (out of 34) in his age group with a time of 2:33:04. This is probably the most competitive age group (as with many other triathlons), especially considering that the top two overall finishers came from this age group. This triathlon is much bigger than King of the Hill. There were nearly 500 people competing.

Getting down to crunch time! Hoping the rain will hold off.

Checking out his bike ahead of time, making sure everything is perfect. You can't waste any time in transition from getting out of the water. Every second counts!

Heading into the water for the swim. Jeff is the one in the middle, just in the water with the yellow & blue jersey and black shorts

Jeff coming out of the water. The water was very choppy, but it seems to always look that way.

Yea! Go daddy! Here he comes toward the finish line.

Sorry I didn't get any good pictures of Jeff on the bike. Everyone left and came in so fast and it is hard to get a good shot.

Milkshake!

We took Caroline to Chick-Fil-A tonight and after she ate her chicken tenders, Jeff thought it would be a good idea to get a milkshake. He said it was for Caroline, but I know he really wanted it, (especially when he said to get chocolate!). We all shared the milkshake and Caroline was so cute when she sipped from it. She had a few sips from one before and loved it. She's so cute when she gets a taste. It's like her eyes light up and she smiles like she knows it is a special treat.

Pool Time!

We got Caroline in the pool for the first time of the year today. Since it rained recently, the water was cold and Caroline wasn't too thrilled. After a little bit, she warmed up in the water and got in her new float. She just couldn't understand why this big bathtub was cold and not warm. Hopefully, we will have some hot days to get the water warm again before we get in next time. Ginger joined us outside, but decided not to jump in this time.

Suited up, sunblock on, and ready to go!

Caroline with Daddy and Ginger, testing the waters

She wasn't too happy at first. The water was a little colder than we expected.

Finally, a little smile with Mommy