Antonio's Birthday Dinner

Tomorrow is Antonio's 32nd birthday. I thought it would be nice to get some friends together for dinner, so I sent out an email to everyone and invited them to dinner thinking only a few would be able to show up due to previous plans, family sickness, etc. However, everyone said they would be able to come minus one family. I must say I was a little surprised, but excited because it has been so long since everyone has been together and I don't know that we have ever been able to get everyone together with the kids too. So, I made reservations for 42 people. This was including NINE high chairs!! Tonight was the dinner and everyone showed up, but a few got babysitters so we had a few kids missing. Here are some pictures from tonight.

(this first one is from this morning when Tatum and I were running around picking up Antonio's birthday cake and stuff)

This next picture is Tatum and Sydney.

This is a picture of Chuck, Scott, and Jessica that my niece took.

starting from Left to right, Antonio, Eliana (Aunt E. E., Antonio's sister), Shane, Dawn, and Ainsley
This is my sister and her family....Mckayla, Laurie, Mya, and Cyp
This is Sydney with her daddy, Jeremy(aka Perms)
Another pic courtesy of Mckayla of David and Allison
This is Kevin

Here is a picture of Antonio's cake. It was sure yummy!!! You can't beat a huge cake from Costco!!
Here is Daddy-O and his cake. This lady to the left decided that she needed to join in on the birthday party, so she sang with us and hounded Antonio about being old enough to drink now. Can we say "crazy lady"?
I had some special helpers handing out the cake. Here is Ainsley helping me.
And Mckayla helped too. We only had one piece that ended up in the floor and one piece that fell into Mckayla's shirt.
The next few pictures are a failed attempt to get some pictures of all of the mommies and babies. At least we tried? I put them all up because there wasn't a clear perfect picture. I guess we shouldn't be surprised.

Just think....about a year and a half ago (20 months I think?) none of these babies were even born! There are more that are missing too.

Next is a family picture (minus Caleb) of Shane, Ainsley, and Dawn. Good pic guys!
Ainsley was playing with Tatum and making her crack up.

here is a picture of Tonya (mommy) and Riley.
Next is a picture of Jenny and Mackenzie. How cute!??!
And the best person EVER with kids(Tim). Here he has Maddie and Tatum.
Sydney and Nickie(mommy)
David and Zack(Riley's dad)

a bunch of the guys...
Jenny and Tonya doing some "mommy talk"
Ashley being silly and giving Kevin rabbit ears...You are too funny!
Jennifer and Tatum...
Jennifer, Tatum, Maddie, and Courtney

me, Tatum, Maddie, and Courtney...
standing are David and Allison and sitting are Kevin and Ashley
Daddy-O and Tatum
Tim has Tatum and Jeremy is holding Sydney...Tatum was "petting" Sydney because she was sleeping...

Dinner was lots of fun tonight. I didn't make everyone do the big group picture like I wanted to because I didn't want to feel like a big dork, but we did get the babies together. As you can see, we all had girls. The boys in the goup didn't show up(some of the girls didn't either). Hmmmm, did they all plan that?!? Our girl's soccer team is going to be UNSTOPPABLE in a few years!!! We have lots of talented coaches(aka daddies) that I am sure will love teaching these girls the art of soccer.

I didn't take very many good pictures tonight and i sure wish I had. I don't even have a picture of me and Antonio together. There are also a few people that are not in any of my pictures....Mike, Keith, Laura, Cindy...I am not sure who else. So, if anyone else has any good pictures that you took tonight, can you please email them to me?

A HUGE thanks to everyone for coming out for Antonio's birthday. We had fun seeing everyone and catching up. Let's not wait so long before the next time we get together?

Happy Birthday MOM (Grandmommy)!!

Well, yesterday was my mother's birthday and she turned **. Well, she I am sure she doesn't want that number announced to the world, so I will just leave it a secret. I went back and posted lots of pictures of my mother from the past year. Where is the best place to start??? I figured we could start Nov 7th of last year. Here is a picture from my mother and Mckayla opening one of my mom's birthday presents...



This is a picture from Christmas last year and yes, my mom did get a HUGE can of green beans. My mom makes the best green bean cassarole and it requires 6 cans of green beans. I guess that was the humor behind the present? I am not really sure. Anyway, this picture brings up the fact that my mom is a wonderful cook. And more importantly, she is so kind and likes to spoil us so much that when we come home, she always fixes our FAVORITES from the green bean cassarole, to sweet potato cassarole, rotel chicken, breakfast cassarole, the peaches and pears with cheese and mayo, chess squares, sausage balls, sausage with cream cheese on cresants, etc. It makes me hungry just to type this.

My mom also values the important times not only in our lives, but her grandkids' lives as well. She is at every birthday party, baby dedication, birth, soccer games, etc. She doesn't let the hour and a half drive from her house to Memphis slow her down. Growing up, she never missed a football game, basketball game, cheerleading event, band compitetion, etc. She has always given us a great example of how important family is and how important it is to be supportive by being present. It has always meant alot to me that she is there in person when possible and I know that Tatum will grow up appreciating this as well.



My mom (and dad of course) have also always stressed the importance of family vacations. It was never a question during the summer growing up if we were going on a family vacation. It was WHEN are we going!?!? I guess as we have gotten older, we all miss those family vacations. We were blessed this past year to make an attempt of a huge family vacation in Florida and I must say that I enjoyed it so much and hope it is a tradition that will happen every year!

Below is my mom with all 3 grandkids.

Finally, here are a few pictures from last night. Antonio, Tatum, and I along with my sister, 2 nieces, uncle, aunt, and grandmother all went to dinner with my mother in Jackson, TN. Tatum decided that she wanted to help my mother open her gifts.



Thanks Mom for all you do for my family. You have always been there for me and I truly appreciate it. Thank you for always putting up with my sassy attitude growing up and for always giving me a great example of what a amazing mother looks like.

I know that my impatience comes from you...flash back to me in the hospital in labor. You decide it is just taking too long and demand to know what is going on in my room. All though the lady at the desk probably thought she had a "crazy lady" on her hands, I know you were just concerned for my well being.

I know my love of music comes from you...I can always remember you singing (and what a beautiful voice) around the house, in church, in the car, etc. You are also a wonderful piano player. i can remember you always singing to wake us up in the morning.. what are the words again?? "It's time to get up, it's time to get up....it's time to get up this mooorrrrrnnnnniiiinnnggg!" Is that it? I try to sing to Tatum whenever I can and I know that is why she likes music so much...not because I sing so well, but because music is a big part of our lives.

I also know that my giving and caring qualities come from you. Even though growing up I HATED shopping with you because we had to go through EVERY section of Wal Mart "just in case" we saw a great deal and then we could ponder who to give it to, I know this is just you wanting to help out a family in need. You are constantly buying things for people that are less fortunate, or maybe just because you think it will look good on them. They probably don't appreciate it as much as they should, but I can see God has blessed you with a giving heart.

Thank you for being you and may you have many more birthdays to come. Love you and Tatum says HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMOMMY!!!

Tigers Game and More

Well, Tim and Jennifer were a definite lifesaver for me and Antonio on Thursday night. They took Tatum since I was sick and Antonio had just had his surgery, so I got to sleep and get some much needed rest. Then on Friday morning Jennifer took Tatum to daycare, so I took a sick day Friday and rested some more until I had to pick up Tatum. I didn't have much of a fever on Friday and I felt much better. I picked up Tatum and we all hung out at home and went to bed early.

On Saturday, Antonio said he was feeling good enough to stay at home alone for a while so me, Tatum, Ashley, Coleman, and Jennifer all decided to go to the Tigers football game. It was homecoming, so we hated to miss it.

Here is a picture of Tatum and Coleman loaded up in the car ready to go. Notice their matching carseats?


This is Ashley and Jennifer at the game.

Tatum, me, and Jennifer at the game.
Tatum, me, Coleman, and Ashley
We sat below my bro-in-law, sister(I think we caught Laurie in the middle of cheering?), and neices(Mckayla is not pictured 'cause she was too busy watching the game and cheering)
Next is Jennifer giving Tatum a sucker for the first time.
Needless to say, Tatum LOVED the sucker. Check out her little tongue.

A Memphis Tigers game wouldn't be complete unless Elvis showed up, and well, he did!

Tatum wouldn't take a nap before the game, so she got so tired during the game. I couldn't do anything to please her so she would go to sleep, but as you can see below, Jennifer has the magic touch. I am her mom and she won't do this when I hold her.....not fair!
I thought this was a cute pic of Ashley and Coleman.
Finally, skip to today. I dropped Tatum off at daycare and went to work. Her class was having snacktime at the table when we got there, so I put Tatum down and Ms. Carol put Tatum in her chair at the table and gave her milk. Tatum sat up at the table like a big girl and drank her milk and ate a snack. It was too cute and I was surprised she sat up there without trying to get down or anything.

When I went to pick her up, she was SCREAMING and I didn't know why. I could hear her before I even walked in her room. Her teacher was holding her and giving her lots of attention, but she was still screaming. I picked her up KNOWING she would stop, but she didnt. I put her in the car and gave her a pacifier KNOWING again that she would stop, but she didnt. I figured she was tired and would fall asleep on the way home, but once again, no luck on that one. So, the whole way home, I kept thinking that it was great birth control when she acts like that(which is not too often), but I couldn't help but giggle a bit. I turned up my music a little and just sang a little louder on the way home. Don't think I am a bad mom, just think I am a mom learning to cope with "not so happy" Tatum. I would rather sing over her than get in a bad mood and frustrated by it. Anyway, I know lots of you guys out there think that Tatum is a pure angel, and she is most of the time, but I bet you have never seen her like this!?!?!? Enjoy the video!

Ask and you shall Receive!

Well, I had no more posted my last blog than my phone started ringing. It was Jennifer telling me that she and Tim would love to take Tatum tonight so Antonio and I can get better. I didn't give her much resistence because like I said previously, I don't want Tatum to get sick too if I am contageous(not sure how to spell right now) and I feel like poo.

So, Jennifer met me at the house and we went to daycare together so she could see where to take Tatum tomorrow. We came back to the house and loaded Tatum in her car and off they went. I am now going to feed my hubby and give him his medicine and then we are both going to bed for a while!!!

I just want to rest and get better.

HUGE thanks to Jennifer for helping us out in out time of need!!! You are such a great friend and I owe you big time!!!(you too Tim)

Stealing His Thunder...

Well, as I posted last night, Antonio was scheduled for his knee surgery this morning. We had to be at the surgery center by 6am and since Tatum's daycare doesn't open til 6am, she got to go with us and the plan was when Antonio went back for surgery I would take Tatum to daycare. So, the plan was in place....

Well, my body decides that tossing and turning is more fun than sleeping last night(not fun) and, better than that, I woke up at 3:30am throwing up. It was that dry heaving that is the worst way to get sick. As I was sitting in the bathroom floor, I was praying I would be better by the time Antonio woke up at 5am so that all the focus could be on him. Well I ran to the bathroom off and on from 3;30AM until the time we left to head to the surgery center. My body was aching, I was nauseated, and I was running a fever....Just to make myself (and everyone else) happy, I went ahead and took a pregnancy test before we left. I knew there was no way I was pregnant, but I haven't been sick like this since I was pregnant with Tatum. So, to clear the air, I am NOT pregnant.

Anyway, we made it to the surgery center and I made a few runs to the restroom to get sick and they finally called Antonio back. Tatum and I got him settled in and we left about 7:30 to head to daycare. i stopped on the way back and got a sprite and took some tylenol for the fever. I was feeling lots better. Antonio got out of surgery and we got home about 11:30. We ate a little lunch and both went to bed for a long nap. I woke up about 2:45 and the fever is back. I don't know what is wrong with me. I am trying to concentrate on taking care of Antonio, but it is pretyt hard when I feel so bad. I am waiting til the last minute before I have to go pick up tatum from daycare.

Antonio is knocked out in bed and doing well. He is actually doing better than me I think. lol

So, keep those prayers coming in and say an extra one for me to get better. I now have to take care of Antonio, Tatum, and now myself. Anyone want to practice with a 1 yr old?? over night? The LAST thing I need is for her to sick too. i am believing that whatever I have is going to be gone tomorrow! Antonio needs me to be healthy so I can cater to him because he deserves a little (LOT) of pampering.