Our Lunch Date with Daddy!!!

Today, we all (Me, Dorothy, Mack, & the boys) went to Boone to eat lunch with Daddy! We went to Burger King!! Yummy! (It's close to his station!)

(Daddy chalking the wheels of the truck so he can eat with us!!!)

In case I haven't mentioned it before, Mark was moved from Station #1 on King Street in Boone to Station #2 near Watauga Medical Center (State Farm Road) near the first of March. There are 2 of them on Staff there now for each shift. Mark is the Driver/Operator and Jimmy Ingold is the Firefighter on their shift! (I'm VERY proud of Mark!!)
(Mark showing his parents the street map of Boone & the surrounding areas that the FD covers)

(Mack with the MACK Truck!!!)
(Creston posing like his Daddy!)

(Dorothy and her little men!)

(Mackie showing us that he's perfectly big-enough to drive the truck!)

(Notice that the 2 Macks could care less about their pictures being taken!)

(The Day-Room of Station#2)

(The Kitchen at Station #2)

(Some of the guys gear)

(Many little people come to visit the stations each week....this little fella drew the guys a picture and they put it on their fridge~place of Honor!)

We all had a GREAT time and loved getting to be with Daddy at his Station!!! Thanks for letting us come and play with you today, Daddy!!!!

Our Picnic with the Isaacs Family!

Today we were supposed to meet up with a couple of other families for a big picnic, but when we awoke, the weather was all cold and yucky........so we decided to go to one of our friends houses to play instead.....then the weather got all warm looking and pretty, so we decided to go to the Valley Crucis Park to play and let the kids run around like wild people!!!

The Pump for our well had decided to lose it's pressure the day before, so (very much in Parlier Family Style) we were LATE getting to the Park since we were trying to fix the Pump. When we got there, the wind was blowing so hard and cold that it was almost unbearable....we had made the Isaacs wait on us and freeze to death! SOOOOOO SORRY!!!!

We got there and got our picnics out and all huddeled(?) together while the kids played on the playground with their coats and hoods on! (THANKS, Paulette for the hooded jacket!!). They didn't seem to mind the cold as much as we did, but they WERE running and playing and creating some more heat then we were.

Here's the picture of our interestingly-cold play date! We quickly called it a day and decided to play again on a warmer day!!!

Love you guys!!!! Thanks for thinking of it!!!!!

The High Country Mom Squad TV Show!!!

I just wanted to post this about my friend's TV show that she does here in the High Country! Her name is Sarah Pinnix, and she started The High Country Mom Squad web-blog a little over a year ago and has recently plunged into the world of TV with segments on family, child, & parenting issues among other "Family Friendly" things offered here in the High Country!!! Click on the link for The High Country Mom Squad Weekly TV Show to get the show times! It's really something worth watching and following! Sarah is a BRAVE gal to be taking this on! Her endeavors will be so worth it to our area and to everywhere else that can "watch" it on down the line! THANKS Sarah! You might just be the inspiration that we mommies need here in our area!! We can do ANYTHING that we set our minds to as long as we have the desire and God on our side!!!

OH!! If you can't pick up the Mtn.18 TV channel out of Boone, you can watch the show on-line at
http://www.mtn18.com/ or at Justin TV.....http://www.justin.tv/mtn18 (you can chat with Sarah here if she's on-line watching too!!)

Good Luck, Sarah!!

Underwear, Tree Trimming, and Rhubarb!

Hey! How's that for a title!!! Oh! and I left out "Exercising", and Mackie's FIRST walk down to Nana's! A lot went on this weekend!!! Oh! I forgot about finishing up the Kitchen (Cleaning, that is!)

Where to start? Well, Mackie has decided (as was posted earlier a month or so ago) that he LOVES to wear Creston's Undies on top of his pants. Thinks that's the BEST thing in the world! He got a hold of a pair, and on they had to go! We went to Nana's and he took off his coat and showed her what he had on! Smiled from ear to ear! This morning at Church he grabbed at his diaper and said "WET!" I think that's pretty nifty! Maybe we'll get him out of diapers before he turns 2! I'd be o.k. with that since the things cost an arm and a leg anymore!

Nana and Paw-Paw have a treadmill in Mark's old room, so on cold days, I've been "Walking" on it for 10 minutes at a time! I know, I know! Big Exerciser, aren't I????? Mackie wanted to try it, so he and Creston kept getting on it and "walking" in place since it was turned off. Mackie wanted it to "GO!!!!" That wouldn't have lasted too long!!!

The weather was COLD on Friday, so we really didn't go out much at all that day. It was pretty, though. Saturday, it was cool, but nice, so out we went. Mark wanted to trim up all of our trees, so he trimmed, and Creston pushed his Dump Truck around gathering up the clippings and taking them to out "Fire Pit". Big Boy! Mackie just pulled a rake around behind himself! He thought he was cool!

This is a picture of Mackie (and Creston) taking his very first walk by himself (with Creston) down to Nana's! This was a big deal when Creston first did it. He was older than Mackie is now, but since Creston was with him, we let them go. They looked so cute! We told Creston not to let go of his hand and he didn't! They got down to Nana's and both ran across the yard to her!

And finally! What you've all been waiting for! My RHUBARB is coming up this year!! Whoo Hoo!!!! It did a little growing last year, but then flopped over dead, so I was worried that it wouldn't come back! Here it is!!! Ye Haw!!! Doesn't look like much, and you've got to really look to see it, but trust me, it's there!!! Might have to make a pie or something!!!

Anyway.....that's all the fun and excitement that I've got to share from our corner of the world. The Bristol Race was today....we can usually see the Jet Fighter Planes zoom over our house after they do their "Fly-Overs", but didn't seem them today! I got the kids out in the yard and everything. A different plane flew over, though, so I yelled "There it is!!!!! Look!!!!" It amused them.......they're 4 and 1 1/2! I'm bad! Love you all!!!!

It's the FIRST Day of SPRING!!!!!!

It's finally here! Spring! And it was 26 degrees here this morning! Oh me! Mark wants to get outside today and get some yard things done, but it's still too chilly at lunch-time. Maybe in another hour or two!! I'm in the process of Spring Cleaning the kitchen! Starting with my window-seat/bookshelf! Shew! Dusty!!! I'll move on from there to the rest of the kitchen! Hoping to have a yard-sale with several friends in the next month or two, so I'm moving all the junk out to the basement for "processing"!!! :o) Poor Basement!!! Gotta Run!!!

Neat new Quilting Site and Contest!!!

A friend of mine posted a link to a new Quilting site on her Facebook account......http://youcanmakethis.com. I looked into it and it really looks pretty informative and actually like it would be FUN to try to start my first "real" quilt! ALSO....they are having a contest to give away a Marie Osmond Sewing Machine! Click on the link that I am posting on the right of the screen and it will take you to the site and to the contest Entry pages! If any of you know of any other good Quilting for beginners sites, let me know!!!!!

St. Patrick's Day!!!

After several attempts with the "Auto-Picture-Taker" mode, this was as good as it was going to get as far as having a picture of me with the boys! Not so sure how in the world I have two Blonde boys, but that's o.k.!!! Creston's hair will get darker like mine and Mackies will probably turn back red......(it was red for a few months before it turned this brilliant shade of near-white!)

For St. Patty's Day, Daddy and Paw-Paw were installing a set of Cabinets in Boone, so Mommy, Nana, & the boys loaded up and went to do a BUNCH of errands in Boone too!

While out at the Mall......Creston saw all of the ASU sports stuff at the Sprots Store. He has been wanting an ASU Jersey (Helmet, pads, pants, football, ect...$$$$!!!!), so we looked to see how much they were...........AAAAAGGGHHHH!!!! They were between $43.99 and $45.00 for a CHILD'S jersey!!! Boy! So after some pulling and dragging.....we left..........outside the store, there were some sales racks of clothes, so we looked there to see what we could see and lo and behold, there was a Jersey JUST Creston's size!!!!! AND...............it was only $5.00 due to a hole in the back of it!!!!! Please see the following picture! Creston LOVES this Jersey!!! He thinks it's the best thing since sliced bread! He's the stuff and we all should know it!!!

Now.............for the funny part......please no one who LOVES ASU dis-own us........It is a Michigan Jersey..............thus the probable reason for the hole in the back..........(ASU beat Michigan year before last in a home game at Michigan!!!!!!......). So..................we purchased enemy attire......however, Creston can't yet read, and we probably won't have him out in it, so he's safe in the confines of our home and yard!!!!!

More Changes to my Blog!!!

After seeing how cute some of my friends blogs are, I decided to investigate http://www.thecutestblogontheblock.com/ to see if even I (technologically behind the times-Martha), could figure out how to make my blog more "finished" looking!

After a bit of "messing" with my test blog, I figured it out!!!!!!! I LOVE the Cutest Blog on the block site because they explain how to get your background changed easily! The only other thing that I found to be helpful was on the http://www.simplychicblogs.blogspot.com/ site....there, I found out that it helps if the template for your blog is the "minima" one. The very first one you can choose on your Template preference screen. Other than that!!!!! You just follow the directions and there you have it!!! Yippee!!!! Now I'll really go crazy for all of the months, holidays, special days, and other stuff!!!! Whoo Hoo!!!! So THANK YOU all who are currently using the CBOTB!!! You have all created a monster, but that's o.k! I'll have a MUCH Cuter blog now!

I also added a "Blinkie" to the right just above my counter button!!! Oh!!! I'm soooo excited!!! It's late, and ANYTHING is going to tickle me pink right about now........just bear with me. I'm going to bed now and will get some much needed sleep and all will be right with the world tomorrow!!! Night everyone!!!

Zachary is Home!!!

We all got together this evening to visit with Zachary before he has to leave again to go to Camp Geiger on Monday morning. Pretty much the whole family was there. This was our first family get-together since Grandma passed away, so it was a little strange for me, but we all had a good time together.
This is Zachary's "Official" Marine picture. He looks so handsome and grown-up. He's 20, so he IS grown up, but I could sense a difference about him that made him actually seem a lot older than he is. I suppose that is what Boot Camp will do for you. We love him greatly and wish him all the best as he leaves to go on to the School of Infantry at Camp Geiger. I asked him when he'd get to come home again and he wasn't sure. He also stated that he would probably be heading for Afghanistan before the end of the year. He really seems to want to go and I believe he will be an asset to the Marines! (I'm partial!).

I've always been partial to Zachary. He's my cousin, but is only 10 days older than my niece, Melissa, so it's almost like he's my nephew! He made it through Boot Camp and will make it through the rest of his training with flying colors, I'm sure!!!

Here is a link to the Camp Geiger School of Infantry website.... http://www.lejeune.usmc.mil/soi/home.shtml

Any single ladies out there,.....he's single! I'm sure that he would LOVE to be someone's pen-pal!!! If anyone knows of anyone who would like to write to him or any of the guys in his group, let me know and I'll get you some addresses and names!!!! (Always the matchmaker!)

Mackie's FIRST Barber-Haircut!

We had to go to Boone on Tuesday to drop off a bunch of clothes for the Wee-Cycle Consignment Sale, and on the way out of town, decided to get Daddy & Creston's hair cut at the Barber-Shop. While there, we figured that we'd see if Mack would sit still long enough to get his hair cut too!

As you can see....he did. He sat good and still and had a good time. Pretty neat for a first-timer, huh? We didn't have the camera, so I had Mark whip out his phone camera. They turned out pretty good!!!

Our Fun in the Snow!!!!

We were FINALLY able to get outside with the kids and play in the snow a bit! Since we've all been sick, we kept telling Creston that he couldn't go "sweddin'" because he was still icky-sick. The weather warmed up and out we went down on Nana and Paw-Paw's front-yard hill. There was STILL about a good 8-10" on the ground!

I made a slide-show of the rest! Enjoy!!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Reading is Fun! See????

Here are my two little fella's reading together before bedtime! They got all quiet and I went to check on them (since as we ALL know....quiet isn't always good!). There they sat....sweet as could be.....just reading away!

Creston is looking at a book by Richard Scarey(?) "What do people do all day". This is a really good book if your little person won't tear the pages out and will actually sit and look at all of the pictures! It's filled with neat pictures that are jam-packed with activity that your little ones can find. Creston LOVES this book!!!

Mackie is reading about fruit! The book shows the picture and lists the name of the fruit in English AND Spanish! It's never too early to pick up that second language!!! Now....if he'd only pick up that first language first!!!

Bath Time!!!

O.k.....bathtime is usually a 1-kid-event. This is partially due to the fact that a few weeks ago, CRESTON decided to create some floaters (if you know what I mean) WHILE Mackie was also in the tub. I about died! CRESTON even about died! There were several "boats" floating around and he started screaming "Ooohh!!! Aagghhh!!! There's somethin' in the water!!!" That's our smart boy! Oh my! So.......anyway.......we tried it again the other night.....aside from Creston dumping water down our heating vent, all went well......the vent....not so well, but it dried out.

This is Mackie basically saying "Yippee!!!"

Lovin' the Bath!

You do it like this, Mackie!

Now, this one has a small story......this is Mackie crying and pointing up to where his washcloth is hanging on the peg. I don't give him his "Washie" because he tends to get it all wet and then "wash" the outside edge of the tub, which results in LOTS of water in the floor....I know-I know...he's a little kid, but I still can't stand all the water to be in the floor.....so......NO WASHIE! He hates me.....

This is Mackie crying to Daddy that he wants his Washie......mommy is mean, Daddy! I want Washie....pwease??? Boo hoo....I won't tump water in the floor! I promise!
This is Mackie with the washie...................................Daddy is loved......mommy is still hated.

Now.......this one is showing how we take "Multi-tasking" to a WHOLE new level......While in the tub, Mackie washes his body AND brushes his teeth! But note......he's got two brushes....and each brush is brushing the upper or lower teeth! Hey! May need to get a patent for one of those!

Zachary Brandon Sheppard ~ Marine Boot Camp

My cousin Zachary has been in Boot Camp at Parris Island since before Christmas. He was planning on joining after Christmas, but an opening became available in the area that he wanted to be a part of, so he went in early. He will be graduating on Friday (3/6/09). We are all so very proud of him. He is truly an amazing young man to have gone and done all of this while we are in a time of War. I know he will do great things and serve our country well!

Below are some pictures that a Church-member of Zack's families Church was able to take at a ceremony this past week. The Church-member is a retired Marine and was able to attend this ceremony that other family members can not attend. These pictures are very special to Zack's parents and to all of his family!


The Elizabethton Star has this thing "How far can you take the STAR?", and the picture below will most likely be in the Eliz. Star sometime soon showing where the paper went. Good looking group of young men!

CONGRATULATIONS, ZACHARY!!!!! We LOVE you!!!!