Five on Friday

1. Our new staff guy has been at church now for several weeks. He and Fred really enjoy working together. What an answer to prayer!
2. The boys and I went to stay with my grandmother one night this week. I have been blessed with grandparents whom I would call friends. My grandmother has dementia and will be moving into an assisted living facility some time in August. Knowing this would be my last chance to stay with her at her house I headed to Franklin. As I left she did her usual stand-in-the-drive-way,-wave-and-blow-kisses. I blew kisses back. Thankfully, I had on sunglasses because they hid the tears that were streaming down my face. She would have worried if she'd seen me crying. I cried to the river (half-way home). The realization of not ever being able to go back "home" hit hard. Growing up some times is just no fun.(She does NOT like having her picture made!!)

3. Clayton has been in the kids triathlon club here in Paris, Tri-Eiffel-etes, for two years now.  He will compete in his first triathlon tomorrow.  He will swim 100 yards,  bike 3 miles and run 0.5 miles.  Go, Clayton go!!
4. We found out this week that Jack got Clayton's kindergarten teacher. Also, we discovered that the guy pictured below will be in his class. That is Jack's bff. Look our Rhea Elementary and Ms. Linda!!

5. Andrew is really putting together sentences. This week Fred leaned back in the chair to catch a cat nap. Andrew pointed his little chubby finger and said, "Daddy sweepin'. He lay down."

Five on Friday

1. Fred has been getting lots of yummy things out of our garden. This week he was super proud of a really pretty cabbage.
2. I have been looking into making my own laundry detergent and liquid soap. I think I've finally decided to try it. Why? #1 Andrew has really sensitive skin and I think it will be good for him. #2 I am really cheap. I can make laundry detergent for $0.05 a load. Do you know how much laundry we do around here?!?
3. Clayton has spent the week at Mimi and Tee's house in Jackson. He has attended Union's Summer Music Camp. He has had a blast! We get to go to his concert tonight.
4. Jack has really missed Clayton this week, especially at night. They sleep together in a full bed each night. When I say sleep together I mean that they sleep snuggled up in the middle of the full size bed...all night.
5. Fred says Merwin's (my maiden name) are squirrels. We are always working, we never sit down and we love a project. Andrew is a Merwin...even though his last name is Shackelford. Well...I've been purging the house the past few weeks. I've had a pile of stuff in one of the bedrooms. Andrew was quiet for about 15 minutes and Fred got curious. You see, he found a cup and a bowl in the pile of purged items. He proceeded to turn on the water outside, fill the cup and bring it inside to dump in the bowl. There is no telling how many trips he made. We don't really know why he did it, but he was busy and it was a project. He's a squirrel. It makes me smile.

Camp Linden

After the boys returned from Mawmaw and Pawpaw's house we headed to children's camp at Linden Valley Retreat Center (a.k.a Camp Linden).  I grew up going to Camp Linden with a great group of girls.  Oh the memories, but I'll save that for another day...
I left Wednesday with three of our 4th and 5th graders.  Then Fred and the others came Thursday.  The older kids get to do a few extra things like play paint ball, climb a ropes course, serve around camp, etc.  All in all we took 19 kiddos and 6 adults.  We had the best week!  I cannot stress enough about how wonderful our kiddos acted throughout the week.  It really was the best time!

 One of our kids and two kids from FBC Paris preformed a "normal dance" (as per their words) routine for the talent show.  I laughed until my cheeks hurt! 

 One afternoon there was an obstacle course that included a mud pit.  Once the game was over I looked back at the mud pit and almost every one of our kids (minus my children) were in the mud pit--swimming.  Yes, everyone of them!  Too funny!  They literally had to tell the Paris kids it was time to get out of the mud.  Literally.

Here is the talent show for your viewing pleasure...

Untitled from Fred Shackelford on Vimeo.

Five on Friday

1.  Fred really like blackberries.  We have a patch at church that is full of blackberries right now.  He has been picking them at the end of his work days this week.  He says there are a ton of them and he can get a lot in a short amount of time once he scares off the snakes.  Snakes?!?  I think I'll let Fred pick the blackberries.
2.  We have been sick around the house this week.  Jack started with strep throat and a double ear infection on Monday.  Andrew started running a fever Tuesday evening so Wednesday morning we were with him at the doctor.  My throat started hurting Tuesday so I while I was at the doctor with Andrew I just figured I'd let the doc check me out as well.  We both have sinus infections and are on antibiotics.  Wednesday Jack started getting really sick again.  He proceeded to vomit (sorry Janice!) for the next 18 hours and we were back at the doctors office Thursday.  After blood work and two shots he appears to be feeling better.  Andrew is still running a low grade fever, but our goal is to stay out of the doctor's office today.  It's a small goal, but I'm hoping to reach it!! (Many thanks to our doctor and nurse at Eastwood Clinic and our friend Wes!  You guys are my heroes!)
3. The boys will be spending a little time in Memphis next week.  While they are there they get to pick "treats" at the grocery store.  Clayton told us this week that one of his treats was going to be butter.  Butter?!?  As in sticks?!?  Yes, was his reply.  He loves some butter.
4.  Jack has been sick this week as mentioned above.  Whenever Jack runs a fever he vomits.  It has been exciting to say the least.  On the way to the doctors office he said weakly from the back seat, "You know, mom, I don't really mind being sick because I get to drink Gatorade and sleep on the couch."  Now there's the silver lining to a double ear infection and strep throat!
5. Andrew has a serious love affair with his pap pap (pacifier).  I was told he should have done away with it by one, but I sort of missed that deadline.  As a compromise, he can only have it in the bed.  He loves it though.  He would have it all day if we let him.  This morning he came down the hall with his blanket in one hand and the other hand suspiciously behind his back.  When he saw me and Fred he stopped dead in his tracks.  Knowing what was behind his back we told him to go put pap pap in the bed.  He stood for a while and then turned toward his room.  After several minutes I went to check on him.  He was laying on the floor by his bed holding his blanket and pap pap.  It was pitiful.

Five on Friday

1.  We have had a great week at church for Vacation Bible School.  It has been busy, but very rewarding.
2.  We have had a few things come out of our garden this week, mainly yellow squash and zucchini.  We had sauteed squash and zucchini for lunch one day and I made zucchini bread.  It is so rewarding to use items from our garden.    
3.  Our dear friends, the O'Neals, are back in town after begin gone a year.  Clayton and Shannon have just picked up where they left off. 
4.  Jack does not like taking a nap at all, but he still needs one.  It has been a struggle getting him to lay down the past several weeks.  Once he lays down he is out, but it is a battle getting to that point. 
5.  Andrew's new phrase is, "I habit!! I habit!!".  (Translation--I have it.)  He usually says it once calmly and then it escalates until he's jumping and saying, "I habit!".  He usually does this to the boys when they have something he wants. 

Eleven years today!

Fred and I have been married for eleven years today.  We were talking and reminiscing about life over the last eleven years.  We both agreed that it is better today than it was in 2000.  We have enjoyed every phase and hope and pray that it only continues to get better.  I keep a journal of personal letters I've written for Fred (not posted on the internet) but I thought we could do a list of things that are better now than then...you know I love a list!!
1.  We live together.  Woohoo!  I love hanging out with Fred and living together makes that much easier.
2.  We live a much healthier life style by eating better foods and living more actively. 
3.  We communicate better. 
4.  We have three awesome kiddos.  They really are precious and a joy to watch.  It is interesting to see how they exhibit some of our same behaviors. 
5.  All of our siblings are "grown" and living happily.  We love the spouses they have chosen.  The more the merrier!
6.  We get to serve at a church where the people really have become part of our family, and we believe we are in the center of God's will here.
7.  Our parents are now our friends.  Not that they weren't 11 years ago, but those relationships have changed for the better. 

God has been so good to us!  It hasn't all been easy or pretty.  I have moments I'm not proud of, moments I'd like to do again, but that is part of who we are today.  We are still standing strong and I can honestly say I love Fred more today than I did eleven years ago!  Happy Anniversary, Fred!!  xoxoxo

Jack is 5!

What a birthday it was for Jack!!  He got to pick where he went to breakfast and of course it was Nene's. 

 After breakfast we came home to show him our present...a new (bigger) bike.  He was pretty excited.  His other bike was so small it was ridiculous. 

 Nana and Grandad came to Paris on his birthday and took him to eat lunch.  Guess where he picked?!?  Oh yes, Mexican.  They also gave him a "real" gun.  He was so excited about this bee bee gun.  Since receiving this gun he has shown every person who has entered our house his new gun.  (FYI--it stays in the top of our closet--unloaded.)

 Later that same day we had his official party.  It was just a simple shin dig at church.  Jack wanted a pirate party with chicken nuggets and corn dogs.  So that is what we did!  We went on a treasure hunt and had a big time. 

 Mimi and Tee came for the party and then spent the night, since my dad had to work in Paris on Friday.  Jack loves music.  He likes our ipod shuffle so Mimi and Tee got him one of his own.  He was super excited and has been listening to music since then...and showing his gun.

THEN...our Memphis family came to town for Jack's birthday.  We had burgers and homemade ice cream sandwiches.  We were also celebrating Father's Day.  It was a great three days full of friends and family.  Jack is definitely one loved little fella!!