Yee-Haw!!!

Well, after two family events that flopped this week, I am happy to say that our week ended on a great note at the Spiceland's farm!!!
But first, the flops...
For whatever reason, on Thursday of this week I thought it would be a great idea to have an impromptu picnic. I hadn't been to the store and I had NO picnic food...not even bread, so I rummaged through the refrigerator to grab just whatever was on hand...ummmm, pineapple, bananas, turkey stew (Gerber graduates for Sawyer...thanks Jill), a South Beach bar, mac and cheese, oreos, and pudding...aren't you jealous that you weren't invited to join us??? Addie Grace decided that she HAD to dress up for the event, and begged to wear a smocked Sunday dress...I said no, so after pouting and tears, her getting grumpy, me getting irritated, she chose dress number 2...still way too much for our picnic, but whatever. Anyway, we were off to a really great start.
I know it was probably hotter than this, but the last temp I saw that day was 87 degrees, so let's call it that. For those of you who have been to my house, you know...I have NO trees...so we are sitting out in the sweltering heat, in my GRAVEL yard, with nasty, melted food (cheese, white part of oreos, pudding...), and I am miserable...and they are pretty close to miserable. Addie Grace wanted to stay out so badly, but after about 30 minutes even she was begging to go in. No one ate their delicious food that I had slaved over(HOT mac and cheese and HOT turkey stew in the blistering sun???...what's their problem??? ungrateful brats!!!). Anyway, we lasted about 45 minutes and called the picnic off. Instead we went inside and ate ice cream. Oh well...I did get a few cute pictures...that's the important thing, right???



Grand idea number two for the week...
I thought it would be a great idea to have a 'camp in'. We would get a tent and pitch it in our living room, rent a movie (yes, I know it doesn't really go with the theme, but it was easy entertainment), and make s'mores in our fireplace! Brilliant huh?? Problem one...I don't have a tent, and I forgot to borrow one. Problem two...it was the night before we had to get up early to go to the farm, so Addie Grace really needed her sleep. Problem three...making s'mores in our fireplace (it's gas, it's a pain to take apart, marshmallows dripping on our logs...shall I go on???). We get the fireplace apart with my husband asking the whole time, "are you sure we have to do this????" At first, I was enthusiastically responding, "YES, YES, YES!!", but with each passing second I was realizing that I indeed WAS a moron, so my enthusiastic yes was quickly fading into an apologetic no. So, when we finally get the screen and glass down, I say, "noooo, let's not do this...let just use the grill!!!". Brian gave me the stink eye for a minute, but then we put it all back together and fired up the grill. Problem number four...the grill is really, really hot, and our hangers are really, really short. Also, the whole marshmallows dripping into our brand new, awesome grill thing (thanks Larry and Peggy)...anyway, after all the jumping through hoops, the s'mores were done, and Addie Grace takes about 3 bites and says "I don't want this...it's too messy!" Grrrr...
The movie was fine, but then trying to sleep in the floor...well, it was not. It was uncomfortable and Addie Grace WOULD NOT go to sleep!! After the fiftieth time of telling her to put her legs down, put the covers down, leave my pillow alone and to be still...the camp in ended at 10:13 PM. Oh well...maybe another day when I have some valium handy.



And then there was Saturday!!! Our friends Dan and Emily invited us to go to his parent's farm with them! We had such a great time that all my other flops of the week were quickly forgotten!!! We rode horses, fished, rode 4 wheelers, played cards, grilled out, saw cows, goats, pigs, chickens, caught frogs and just enjoyed the day with Dan and Emily and Dan's wonderful parents!!! Addie Grace rode a horse for the first time and caught her first fish!! It really was a perfect day and we had so much fun!! Addie Grace won't quit talking about it all!!
Here are some pictures of our day...

a little bit of this and a little bit of that...

Her job is to dress up in a blue billion outfits a day. My job is to oooh and aaaaw. Today I told her how pretty she looked. She said, "noooo I don't!!! I look cool!". Apparently, cool people don't smile.

I finally had to tell her ENOUGH! We'd probably still be sitting there right now!

Sawyer has been feeling rough lately. I'm not sure if it's the tooth that we can see popping through that's been bothering him, his recent shots, or just his anger about knowing what he wants to do, but not being quite able to figure out how to do it. Anyway, we are supposed to be in Nashville at VBS this week, but because Sawyer has been struggling, I didn't want to put him (or me) through the car ride, late nights post VBS sans his own bed-so we didn't go. I'm sad, but I didn't want to get there and kick myself for making my child more miserable. I was soooo looking forward to being able to sleep in every day thanks to a doting Nana and visiting with friends, but oh well...gotta do what you gotta do. Sunday, Sawyer woke up screaming from his nap and could only be consoled by going outside, so we spent our afternoon hanging out on the playground at a nearby school. Addie Grace was making me run around too much to get pictures of her, so Sawyer was my poor captive target...

Addie Grace reluctantly let me take this one since she found her first 4 leaf clover!

Friday, we went to our friends the Hayes's for dinner. While we were there we also went swimming and Addie Grace FINALLY went under water! We were so proud. It was also a first for her friend Shelby. I didn't have my camera with me (lest I fall prey to the lens of the camera manned by my evil husband) but since they each kept doing it, I made Brian trek to the car to fetch it to capture the memorable moment on film (or SD), and wouldn't you know...when I finally had it, they both REFUSED to do it again!! Little rotten girls! Oh well, here they are NOT going under...



And lastly, we are ready for soccer!! Addie Grace has begged to play for the last two years, and I cannot believe that the time has come that she finally can!! Brian has signed up to be the coach (along with Bill, Shelby's dad). When I told her that Brian and Bill were going to coach, she said, "no, I want them to be that guy who dresses up in the big costume and does cheers!" As for right now, the plan is for him to coach, but if that doesn't work out, I guess he'll be the mascot!! We went and bought her gear today...here she is ready to go...

When Brian got home we practiced in the backyard. Addie Grace stopped mid-kick a few times and said, "hey, I've got an idea, why don't we look for teeny tiny rocks instead??". She loved the running and kicking, didn't so much like the instructions on how to play. It should be interesting!!

Sawyer cheering her on. He started out with a shirt on, but fell into the pool when I went to answer the phone...oops. (Don't worry, Brian was right there).

Well, that's about all the excitement in the McDonald home! Have a good evening!

Sunday Morning...

We were ready for church early this morning (which NEVER happens), so I decided to take a picture of Addie Grace and Sawyer before we left.

It really went well...here's just one of my many wonderful shots...


Feel free to print a copy for your mantle.

Chuck E Cheese and Good Manners...

Today we went to Chuck E Cheese with our friends Jill, Shelby and Sydney. We all had a a great time! Addie Grace and Shelby were THRILLED!!! They are so funny together! Poor Sawyer and Sydney just kind of get dragged along on their adventures, but I think they had a good time too...even though they were both very ready for naps by the time we left.

I also want to share a quick Addie Grace conversation from getting ready to go this morning before I do pictures...

I realize that alot of you reading this won't really value this conversation...but for those of you who know Addie Grace well and can hear her saying this, I think you will appreciate it. For the rest of you...sorry.

me: "Addie Grace, come here please and let me do your hair."

AG: "Okay mom, but you don't have to say please."

me: "yes I do, I need to have good manners too."

AG: "well mom, THAT'S why you don't need to say please...because you DON'T have good manners."

me: "yes I do"

AG: "No you don't. Sometimes you're mean to Daddy"

me: "How am I mean?"

AG: "You talk mean"

me: "When????"

AG: "You know...like when he doesn't have his vegetables and casseroles"

me: "oh--okay. I'll try and do better."

I really have no idea what goes through her little mind, but she always makes me laugh!!

Anyway, here are some pictures of our morning...

Cousins...

I love this picture of Brian and his cousin Adam! They have always had such a special friendship...

Adam and Brian

...and their boys almost 30 years later

Brodie and Sawyer

It's going to be so much fun watching Sawyer, Brodie and Jack (Brian's sister's little boy who is 4 months older than Sawyer) get into trouble together over the next several years! I have a feeling that they will definitely be keeping us all on our toes!!

4th of July

We had a great 4th of July! It was a long weekend, but fun nonetheless!! Sawyer had his 1 year shots on Thursday before we headed out of town, so that made for a rough weekend, and that coupled with an exhausted little girl made me think I was going to lose it a time or two! Long car trips are getting harder and harder for the McDonald family...I thought that it was supposed to be getting easier?!?
We spent the 4th in Chattanooga with Brian's family. It was great seeing everyone that we don't get to see that often! On Saturday, we were able to go and see Brian's Nana (or Bo-Nana as Addie Grace calls her) in South Pittsburg and then on to my family's in Nashville and did it all again!
It was alot of fun, but we are all very tired and happy to be home!
Here are some pictures of our weekend...

Cha-Cha-Cha-Changes...

So, what'd we do today, you ask???

Oh, not much...


After going back and forth in my head for the past year and a half, we did it!! I'm sooo glad that we did! I love it...I feel like I have my little girl back!!! (Margaret, I know you're having a heart attack...just try to breathe.)

Peeking through our windows…

at Addie Grace.

I think that I’ve mentioned it before, but Addie Grace has 4 or 5 wardrobe changes a day. I went into her room last week and this is how I found her--tutu, undershirt and playing with her dollhouse. I loved these pictures of her…



She made me take a picture of the family (that’s us by the way). I’m not really sure what’s going on with ‘Brian’ in the picture.


She stopped playing long enough to give me a ballet performance. This is her new favorite ballet pose…I might need to spend some extra money on some private lessons huh?? She has the poise and gracefulness of her mother nailed in these…


And here is one of her many princess looks (notice the bed head)...



And lastly, here she is in the nursery in her smock a couple of weeks ago. I had nursery duty and she stayed and helped…she thought she was something! She really was a big help…she loves those babies!!


She's such a big girl...it kind of makes me sick! Okay, I have to go and hold my baby girl now...

Shelby-ke-kole…

My niece Shelby came and stayed the week with us and just left today. We miss her already! She is so much fun and such a goofball…we had a great time. We didn’t really do anything exciting, just hung out around here. Addie Grace and Sawyer loved having her here! They especially loved that even though she's 13, she wasn't too cool to hang out with them in their plastic pool! She's so sweet!! Look how Sawyer's looking at her in the pool pictures...

Here are some pictures of our week…

And here is a sidewalk chalk self-portrait of Addie Grace (thanks to a little help from Aunt Tanya)





We miss you Shelby!! COME BACK!!!!

Sawyer and Jack…

Well, I have finally done it…I got a picture of Sawyer and Jack that I like!! Maybe not a frame worthy picture, but a cute snapshot! At least they're both smiling! We kept Jack one day last week and I have a few pictures that I want to share…
When any of my nieces and nephews come and stay with me, I always have to make them chocolate and biscuits. Well, my niece Shelby happened to be staying with me the day that I kept Jack, so Jack was introduced to chocolate gravy and biscuits a little sooner than I had planned…and since Sawyer is a year old now and can have milk, so was he! (I DID ask Chris first Jill, so if he didn’t mention this to you, DON’T yell at me!!) Here are their pictures post-first-bite…
Do you think they liked it???


Addie Grace has a game that has these animal tails, and she put them on Sawyer and Jack. They liked wearing them around all day. When I took Jack’s off to change his diaper, he brought it back to me to put it back on him. They were so funny with them! Jack had on a monkey shirt, so I tried to put the monkey tail on him, but Addie Grace wouldn’t let me because it didn’t match his outfit…the lion one did…I think I might be in trouble!


Did you notice how color coordinated Jack is??

Addie Grace closed the doors to the playroom so that they couldn’t get in. Here they are banging on the doors trying to get her to open up. The whole time Sawyer was yelling Ah-Gah (Addie Grace)…he yells this about 7,000 times a day.

Here Sawyer spots that Jack has only eaten one of his cookies…

nevermind that he still has two in his hands, he decides to try to coax Jack into giving up his...

it didn’t work.

And this will probably be a common scene for the next few years…
This was taken right before I had to go intervene as they were trying to get the same car for the hundredth time of the day.

Luckily, the battle of wills didn’t last long…