Friday, July 31, 2009

Third Time's A Charm

We took a last minute getaway to Nashville before school starts back on Thursday. We were going to see Jack White's new band, The Dead Weather. Once we got to Nashville, we stopped at Third Man Records, and we had missed meeting Jack by just a couple of minutes. The store was really neat, and we enjoyed looking at all of the stuff.


Matt in front of the Icky Thump Gold Record


T-Shirts on the wall


Cool phone booth


One of the walls in Third Man Records

After we left Third Man Records, we headed to our hotel. We checked in and found out that the weather was really bad in Memphis. Tornados were hitting everywhere. We met the other guys in the Business Center and watched the Weather Channel and Channel 5 via the internet to make sure our families were ok. Matt kept watching out the window because he say the bassist for the band autographing a kid's vinyl from our hotel room.

Once we felt like our families were safe, we headed across the street to where Matt had seen the bassist to find out that we had missed Jack by just a couple of minutea AGAIN. His Mercedes was parked close to the back entrance, so we decided to stick it out to meet him. We hung out talking to the other people around and finally Jack came out. We got our tickets signed by him and got a couple of pictures with him.

Matt walked up to him and asked if he would take a picture. Matt put his arm around Jack and said, "Say CHEESE, Jack." Jack giggled at this, and right when I went to take the picture an old guy jumped in front of me making my camera refocus and NOT take the picture. Then Jack said that he had to go. It was sad to not get the picture, but it was great to finally meet Jack.

We went to the concert later, and it was great! We had hoped for a little more since Nashville is Jack's hometown, but we were a little disappointed.


Jack coming out after sound check


Jack again...


Jack signing my ticket


Matt asking Jack for a picture. This is the old guy that got in the way too!


Jack playing drums at the concert

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Happy Birthday Jack

Jack turned 1 today! I can't believe my baby is growing up. He is starting in the Toddler Room at daycare next week, and I can't believe it! He isn't even walking yet. :( And, on his birthday he bit another baby in his class and left a mark. His teachers couldn't believe it, but Trent bit him earlier this week, and I guess that was all the teaching that Jack needed. :)

We gave Jack his first cupcake today since his party isn't until Saturday. He seemed to know what he was doing...


This looks yummy!!!


I guess that I will try it out...


That is good stuff!


Maybe better than I thought...


This is good practice for my smash cake on Saturday!


It's a good thing Mommy gave this to me right before bath time...


Boys will by boys!!!
We love messes!!

A Year of Jack

Well, a year ago today we welcomed baby Jack into the world. It has been an amazing year, and I couldn't imagine life with our my little "Jackpot." He is the best baby! He makes me smile and laugh every day! I thought that I would share a little year in review. Hope you enjoy!


Newborn Jack-a-roo


3 Week Old Jack-a-roni and Cheese


Jackpot in Matt's great grandmother's cradle


3 month old Jumping Jack


Count Jack-ula's First Halloween


Hungry Jack's First Thanksgiving


Jack Attack's First Christmas


Jack Double Stack at Christopher's Birthday


Jack Be Nimble in February 2009


Little Jack Horner before he got his tubes in March


Jack Sprat (aka Our Little Fireman)


Our Sweet Cracker Jack


Jumping Jack Flash on his first camping trip


Jack Hammer showing off his teeth


And our Jack Jack is 1!!!

This year has flown by, and I hope time slows down a little so we can enjoy our baby boy some more before he grows up!

Friday, July 17, 2009

Snakes, McDonald's, and Swimming

Well, while I was blogging earlier, Matt was busy mowing. In the process of moving our basketball goal he made a discovery - a snake. He ran in to get me to come and look at it. I am not a fan of snakes, so this was not my favorite thing to do. We took a couple of pictures, and then I told Matt to kill the thing. It took a few times with the shovel to finally cut its head off, but RIP snakey poo. You are not welcome at this house.

Here is the snake while he still had his head. (Garter Snake)

Trent studying the snake from a distance

Headless Snake

The Great Snake Hunter (Matt), his apprentice (Trent), and the kill

I have to admit that I lack motivation right now. So while Matt was busy working, I decided to pick up dinner. The boys and I rode to Taco Bell to get Matt dinner. Then we hit Mickey D's for the boys and me. Jack had his first McDonald's today. Wow, how things change with your second child. I think Trent was two before he got McDonald's.

Jack wasn't so sure what to think at first...

But he decided that he liked it!

I mailed Jack's 1st birthday party invitations today, and now we are preparing for his first birthday and our first swimming party. We have been working with Trent for a few nights now on swimming. I taught him how to blow bubbles, monkey crawl along the wall, and practice. He is getting better and better each night.

Here is Trent swimming to Matt

Swimmng back to the steps

He even jumps in the pool and swims to the steps. My brave little man!

A Day in the Life of Jack

I have been looking at all of my pictures the last few days, and it occurred to me that Jack has the life. These pictures were taken on different days, but they give you the idea of what his life consists of on a daily basis.

Recently, I started feeding Jack solid foods. Here he is with his first banana.

Ar first, he didn't know what to think, but he liked it.

Anytime Jack is in the high chair, he knows how to call Brodie. He says, "Uh, uh, oh." Anytime he says that Brodie comes running to see what treat he will receive.

They are both usually pretty quiet. That's why you have to listen for, "Uh, uh, oh!"

At night, Jack gets very sleepy at dinner time. Sometimes he falls asleep right in the highchair.

Here he got tired of us waking him up, so he turned around and fell asleep facing the back of his chair.

Almost everyday Jack takes a ride somewhere in the car. We turned his carseat to face forward this week.

Doesn't he look as cool as a cucumber here?

He always follows he big brother around. He adores Trent, and it is so sweet to watch him.

Here they are watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

The boys play and play, but their favorite place now is the swimming pool. Last night we swam after dinner, and Jack had a ball. One minute he was laughing and the next minute...


So what do you think? Does Jack have a tough life or what?

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Favorite Toys


Here is a good picture of Jack showing all of his teeth. He is such a cutie pie!

Well, Matt and several of his friends went on a "Guys' Trip" this weekend. They went to Anderson, Indiana and stopped at some roadside attractions on the way. This left me at home with the boys. We have had a fun weekend. We have had friends over every day to swim and play. Nicole, Parker, and Caroline even spent the night on Friday night.

The one thing that I have paid special attention to this weekend is what my children are playing with. I bought Trent several 100-piece puzzles on Friday, and he has enjoyed putting them together over and over. He also has (or should I say had) a gun from Bass Pro Shops that is always a big hit. It doesn't actually shoot anything, but it makes a cool popping noise. To clarify, I did not take the gun away. Trent broke it in half this weekend, so it has gone to trashcan heaven. :)


Here is Trent playing with the Bass Pro Gun. Somehow I don't think this is the definition of a concealed weapon. :)

The other thing that has occupied ALOT of time is a box. Yes, I said a box. I bought a new ottoman for the living room that opens and has space for us to store toys downstairs. Trent calls the ottoman, "A Treasure Chest." Well, it came in a big box, and that box has been a boat, a car, a bed. a skateboard ramp, etc.


Here is Trent using his imagination to make something new with the box. If you notice Jack is playing with a remote control.

Jack LOVES remote controls and phones. I wish they sold toys that looked like REAL remotes and phones because he doesn't seem to care about the ones that look like toys. :)

We have had a fun weekend, and we are all anxious for Matt (Daddy) to get home. I can't wait to hear stories from the trip. I will post again soon....

Monday, July 6, 2009

Rest in Peace, Pap


Omah R. Gatewood
April 27, 1924 - July 3, 2009

Matt's grandfather passed away early Friday morning, and we have had quite a whirlwind weekend. We got up Saturday and packed up and headed to Jackson. On our way down, Matt's mom informed us that their air conditioner went completely out. Once in Jackson, Matt booked us all hotel rooms, and we headed to get shoes and pants for Trent for the funeral. It was so crazy busy that we didn't even eat dinner until after 9:00 on Saturday night. Even though their schedules were completely messed up, the boys were great. They handled things so much better than I expected.

On the way to Jackson, we talked to Trent about Pap being in Heaven. He is really confused about it though. I think that he understood that Pap was in Heaven with God and Jesus. However, when he saw Pap at the visitation it blew his mind. "Mommy, is Pap broken?" I had no idea what to say. We just tried to stay out of that room because Trent looked really worried while in there. He did well through the funeral service. Jack made it through most of the music and the eulogy, but we had to duck out a little early.

It was a long day. The visitation was from 12-2. The funeral was at 2. Then we had to drive to Forest, MS for the burial. The boys fell asleep on the hour drive. Once at the grave site, Trent got more confused. We prepared him for a 21 gun salute, and he couldn't handle that. He started crying and said that he wanted to go home. I took him to the car, and we sat and talked while the service took place. He asked me, "Is Pap gonna spend the night there in that tent?" I tried my best to explain to him that Pap wasn't in his body anymore, but I think it just confused him more. The poor thing. :(


Trent in the car during the graveside service. He's my little handsome man!


After the graveside service, we ate dinner at the local church. Then we headed to get Brodie and head home. It was a long, long day. We got home about 10:30. I rode with Scott for part of the way, so Matt beat us home and got the boys in the tub. It was REALLY late by the time we all got to bed.

Overall, the funeral was very nice, and it was great to see all of the family. I hope that Ging Gong is ok. Pap was in the hospital at the time of his passing, but he was supposed to be released on Friday. He went to bed with Ging in the recliner next to him and went peacefully in his sleep. Rest in Peace....