Tennessee

Me and my sister Lisa

My Dad

Nana must be "Number one"






Sweet Boy taking Grace for a ride on Nana's John Deere




Bella not too excited about her birthday hat and cake

The kids on Nana's John Deere

Me and Grace and my cousin Kimberly and Bella

Jamison got a kick out of Grace's insatiable appetite for cake

(she kept sticking her fingers in Bella's cake)

I think Grace ate more of Bella's cake than she did.

Jamison(holding Grace) and Jada, Tyler and Sarah, Aunt Kim,

cousin Kimberly, Uncle Keath, and Bella

Unce Arch and Aunt Nola

My fave cousin Kim and Bella flew in from Florida
(she's a photographer for Home Shopping Network)

Bella and Grace

The Twins....could they be any cuter?

Auntie with both girls...Grace got a little jealous so she had to have them both at the same time

Twinkle Toes pushing Gracie in the swing

Nana's Birthday Party for Twinkle Toes

Uncle Mark....the kids had a blast on the four wheeler!

Cousin Drew

So the kids and I flew to TN for the last 2 weeks. I swear I left here with three little angels. They did so perfect for me on the flight out, but somehow I ended up coming home with three devils. Actually, I'm sure it was a combination of being super tired and excited to see Daddy but the plane ride home was not too fun. To make matters worse I got air sick on the last flight. No throwing up but I could barely function. I'm sure everyone around us kept wondering why that lady wasn't paying any attention to her kids. I was just trying to keep from hurling all over the person in front of us. But we made it home and were so glad to see Daddy and be back in our home. Tennessee was nice. My sister Lisa met us at the airport and helped me get the kids all in car seats. We stayed our first night in a hotel in Nashville. I didn't get any pictures of my 93-year-old Granny but I got to see her and visit with her. Even with such failing health, there is still a part of her that is the same Granny I remember. I recall Granny didn't care what we did....she just always wanted me and my cousin to stay with her and we spent a good bit of our summers on the family farm. I got to see my Dad too, who has been really ill. There is nothing quite like the sounds of spring in Tennessee, with the frogs croaking, the crickets chirping, the birds calling, and the lightning bugs coming out at night. The kids were introduced to fireflies and had a blast catching them and putting them in a jar. They had a blast playing with cousin Drew and meeting their other cousins. Twinkle Toes and Sweet Boy got to go to some of Drew's baseball games and that was a big hit...no pun intended. Baseball and softball is a big community event in the South and everyone goes. It was fun to run into people I knew. The only thing we don't miss is the heat and humidity. I have to say, that is one thing Oregon has going for it! We enjoyed my Auntie and Uncle's good Southern cooking and had a barbeque at my Aunt Kim's and went swimming. Caleb did manage to bring a visitor home with him from Tennessee. The day after we got home Daddy had to take him to the doctor to have a tick removed from his privates. Ouch! He screamed when the doctor removed his "visitor." It was so great to be with my family and see all the love they had for my kids. I have a pretty awesome family. I definitely miss being close to my own family to have them love and spoil our kids. We don't get that too often here. Now it's on to packing and moving to La Grande. From what the Hubby is telling me, we are going to love it there so I am excited.