Five on Friday

Each Thursday Fred's sister, Elizabeth, posts a blog entitled "Ten on Thursday". I so enjoy reading it that I decided to do something similar. My only hesitation is I don't know if this particular season on my life will allow me to think of and post ten different things about us. I adapted mine to Five on Friday, thus allowing each member of our family to have one new thing. Without further adieu here are our five...

Sorry to start on a mellow note, but life is life...
1. By Saturday Fred will preach his second funeral in five days. Funerals are normal for preachers, but two in five days is a lot. Both of the people who passed away were active church members and both of their deaths came as quite a shock. To say it has been an emotional week around here would be an understatement. Our hearts and prayers are with the families that will bury their loved ones this week.

2. Last week Fred asked me if I wanted to go visit a lady at Vanderbilt in Nashville. While I had a super long to-do list, I just kept hearing a still, small voice whispering to me, "People are more important than tasks.". I felt an overwhelming sense that I should go with him. Man, am I glad I listened and obeyed. Both of the people we visited were the ones who passed away.

3. Clayton came home this week from school super excited! As part of the World's Biggest Fish Fry here is Paris, First Bank is sponsoring a coloring contest. Students from across the county will enter pictures. He will be in the kindergarten through first grade category. After much planning he began to color. With a smile on his face he told me what the first place prize was and then he said, "but even if I don't win that they have prizes for second and third place." Precious confidence. I pray he keeps that confidence. When I mentioned it to Fred he replied (confidently), "Of course he'll keep it!" Wonder where he gets it from?!?

4. Jack did not want to leave my in-laws house after Spring Break. He was really sad and crying. In an attempt to get him to stop Mr. Fred offered him a nickel. No response from Jack. Mr. Fred then offered him a quarter. Jack then replied through sniffing and crying, "I'll take a dollar." sniff. sniff. Atta boy!! Go for the big stuff!!

5. I finally broke down and started feeding Andrew cereal. He does not like it...really does not like it!! View below...

Spring Break

Our Spring Break started a little early because Clayton was sick. Fortunately, by the time our real Spring Break started he was better! The boys started Spring Break in Jackson. I don't have any pictures from their fun time there. They did all sorts of fun things: fed the ducks, bowled, played at the arcade, ate donuts for breakfast (and really any time they wanted them), got kids meals at McDonald's, and on and on!!! They had the best time! Wednesday night after church Fred and I headed to Jackson for the night. Thursday morning we headed out and made our way to Memphis. We went the back way and stopped at a Mennonite bakery in Whiteville. Then we continued on to Wolfchase Galleria. The boys L.O.V.E. to ride escalators! Below you can see the excitement in Jack's face. They HAD to eat their lunch before they could "ride" up and down and up and down. Too funny...


We found a little play area that was conveniently located right outside one of my favorite stores, New York and Company.
Clayton and Jack found this wheel to spin. They even argued over who got to do it next. We had to take turns spinning this wheel. Did they win a prize, you might ask??? No, it was just a wheel.
When we came in the mall they had these little jumpy things. The big boys decided to use their allowance to do this. No fear. They went twenty feet up in the air. The sign said you had to be 20 lbs. to participate. We were going to let Andrew do it, but he didn't have his allowance!!

We even rode the carousel. After the carousel we jumped into a photo booth. You know, the old fashioned kind that takes four pictures and then develops them in two minutes. Well, we didn't quite fit. I scanned our debit card while the big boys were coming inside. Fred was getting Andrew out of his seat. Unbeknown-st to us Andrew had leaked through his diaper and poop (sorry mom) was all over him. So he entered the booth, that was way too small for five people, and the fun began. We didn't get a single picture of all of us, but the final pictures were really funny!
Friday morning while everyone was at work we headed to downtown Memphis for a picnic and a visit to the Fire Museum.



We were completely exhausted, but not too exhausted for a cupcake!! On a recent trip to Nashville, Fred and I discovered a little place called Gigi's Cupcakes. We looked and found that they had a location in Memphis. Oh, how great!!!

We had the best Spring Break...loaded with fun!! God has blessed us with a sweet family! Oh, how we enjoyed our time together! Summer break is around the corner!!

Easter at Springhill from 2006

We have been at Springhill since August of 2004. This year marks our sixth Easter. As I looked at our Easter picture this year I was thinking about all the ways God has blessed our family. While I couldn't find a picture of our first Easter here I could locate 2006 to the present. Hope you enjoy!


2006-Clayton was 2 1/2 and Jack was two months out from making his appearance.

2007-Clayton was 3 1/2 and Jack was 10 months old. 2008-Clayton was 4 1/2 and Jack was not even two (yes, I know!! a very large two year old!!).
2009-Clayton was 5 1/2, Jack was 3 1/2 and Andrew was seven months out.
2010-Clayton is 6 1/2, Jack is 3 1/2 and Andrew is 5 months old.

Easter Sunday

After a wonderful Easter service we all gathered in the gym for an Easter Egg hunt. I like to call it an Easter Egg gather. All the eggs are scattered in the floor of the gym. Fred and I generally point out all the Reese's eggs for the boys to pick up. Jack tried to find all the eggs that aren't pink. Why??? Well, pink is for girls!


Shackelford Family picture, Take 1...
Shackelford Family picture, Take 2...
I thought we might get another one once we got home, but as soon as we sat down Andrew decided to...relieve himself all over me and him!! Maybe we can all get dressed up again to recreate this picture!?! After my skirt is dry cleaned of course!

Good Friday--for more than one reason!!

Several weeks ago I realized that my boys and my nephews were going to be out of school on the same day. I started planning a rendezvous in Franklin. We went to Chick-Fil-A, the Nashville Zoo and Christie's house. We started off at the zoo on Friday morning, along with every other person in the Nashville area.


After a long day we went to Aunt Christie's house for grilled burger and hot dogs and an Easter egg hunt. A good time was had by all!

Mawmaw comes to town!

Mawmaw came to Paris during her Spring Break. She got to go to Story Hour with Jack, to McDonalds with the crew, to lunch with Clayton and to read to Clayton's class. When she was at Story Hour she got to see the Easter Egg hunt. Mrs. Donna is below giving directions for the hunt. You can see Jack in the background. He is peeking through the door to check out the eggs. Too funny...

Mawmaw stopped to snap a picture with Jack before we left Story Hour. (Andrew wanted to be in the picture so he spit up on Mawmaw's shoulder to make the blog.)

Here is Mawmaw reading to Clayton's class. She read a book about Moon Pies and then passed out Moon Pie treats for all to enjoy!

We sure had a great time while Mawmaw (and Poco) was visiting! Thanks for spending some of your Spring Break with us!!

Clayton

Clayton has been sick since Tuesday. He's been running a fever and his stomach has been hurting. He's been pretty pitiful. After 24 hours of this he seemed to be getting worse so I took him to the doctor. What a sight we were...I took Jack and Andrew into the clinic and then went back to the car to carry Clayton into the clinic. He was so weak and pale. Bless his heart. While we were waiting to be called back Jack and Andrew were model children. Clayton sat in my lap for the first time in a while. As we were sitting there I noticed how big Clayton had gotten. I got a little sentimental and this is the conversation that ensued:

Me: (with every sentimental bone in my body and fighting back a tear) I wonder how much longer I'll be able to hold you in my lap? I mean just look at your legs. They are almost touching the ground. When was the last time I held you in my lap like this?

Clayton: (very weak, pitiful and quiet) I don't know, but could you please stop talking. Your breath really stinks.

Precious moment... gone and it still makes me chuckle when I think about it!!!