Sunday, August 31, 2008

Love This Picture




















This picture was taken by Kim, a good friend who watches Chloe for me one day a week while I work. Thanks Kim for being such a good sitter!!!!!

The Little Red Rocking Chair


On Thursdays, we typically spend the night with Grammie and O'Pa. This tradition started before I got married and still continues. When Stephen and I were dating, he would have class on Thursday nights, so I would always go to my parents house. Although it is a little harder to pack now, I still enjoy spending time with my parents.

Chloe loves to sit in the little red rocking chair at Grammie and O'Pa's. This little rocking chair was my grandmother's chair given to her by my mother. When my grandmother was little, her mother was sick and was not able to take her to a school function.....So, she promised her a little red rocking chair. My great-grandmother's (Mammie Nash) promise never came true and my grandmother never got her little red rocking chair....

Or so she thought.

On my grandmother's 80th birthday, some 75 years later, my mother gave her a little red rocking chair. Hopefully it will be in our family for many more years!!

Monday, August 25, 2008

More Household Chores






















Chloe loves helping Daddy with the laundry.... she likes to "sort" the clothes!!

Helping Mommy



















Chloe's favorite thing to do now is to help Mommy load the dishwasher. One night she even climbed onto the dishwasher!!

Weekend Fun



















On Saturday, we went to a cookout at a friend's house from church. Chloe had a great time as she is very social. Mrs. Michelle is holding Chloe in this picture. We had a great time although it was very hot!!

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Play Date




This morning we went for our first play date at Valerie's to play with new friends Zoe and Audrey. Kylah and Kim came along as well. Chloe had lots of fun trying to keep up with the big girls. She loved playing in Zoe's jumping seat, she loves to bounce!!

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Our Trip to Vanderbilt Eye Institute

Today we got up at 4:30 am and got ready for Chloe's 8:00am appointment at Vanderbilt. She saw Dr. Donahue at the Vanderbilt Eye Institute. He was a pediatric opthamologist. The whole facility was set up for young children and Chloe was intrigued. She loved the little motorized animals that moved and made noises. Chloe did wonderful through all of the lights shining in her eyes. They dilated her eyes and were even able to test the pressure. She did great!!

We got good news from the doctor..... He said that Chloe's eyes were the healthiest he had seen all day. She had no signs of glaucoma and her vision was very good. A geneticist from Vanderbilt may be contacting us because he/she believes they have found a gene for glaucoma.... very interesting. Anyway, our prayers were answered and we have a beautiful girl with HEALTHY eyes!! Thanks to everyone for all of your prayers, concerns and phone calls.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

A Trip to the Zoo


Kassondra by the Louisville skyline.... it was beautiful.



Dinner at the Spaghetti Factory.... Yummy!!




Chloe's expression while looking at the animals.







On Saturday, we decided to go to the Louisville Zoo and take Chloe and Kassondra, who was spending the weekend with us. Chloe loved having her cousin along!! We left around noon and did not get to Louisville until 4:00 as there was a bad wreck on the interstate. However, it worked out well because it was very nice and cool at the zoo. Chloe slept for a while at the zoo, but when she woke up, she really enjoyed looking at the animals. She especially liked the ostrich, as he/she was really close to us. After the zoo, we headed down to the river and looked around, the skyline was beautiful. We met Nanny for dinner at the Spaghetti Factory; it was so good. We did not get home until 11:30, so most of our day on Sunday was spent napping.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Chloe's New Toy

I bought this toy for Chloe at a consignment shop for $5. It has been her favorite toy so far. She is learning to pull to stand and did it for the first time yesterday.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

A Trip Down Memory Lane


Chloe enjoyed sitting on the back porch, it was such a beautiful day!!




Across the field, you can see Turtle and Betty Sue's house. I used to go home every Thursday afternoon and most of the time Turtle would be visiting my dad.




A weeping willow tree we gave my dad many years ago. It was only about 2 feet tall when we gave it to him.



The rosebush my grandmother gave to me.


The For Sale sign in the front yard :(



Three of my favorite men at my graduation in December 2004, when I received my Master's degree. Oh happy day!!

*******************************************

On Friday, Chloe and I went to visit the "Old Homeplace". My parents still have it up for sale. I really miss the tranquility and the atmosphere of the old house. You could hear the birds chirping and the crickets screeching as we sat on the back porch. A little hummingbird came right up to us. As I sat on the porch, I couldn't help but to think of all the wonderful memories of this house. My family lived in this house from the time I was about 12 years old until last year. It was such a good place to call home.

As I looked across the pasture, it made me think of all the changes that have occurred over the last two years. Seeing my aunt and uncle's house reminded me of my dear uncle Turtle. He was such a witty man. He died in November when I was pregnant with Chloe. I was so hoping she would have the opportunity to meet such a wonderful man. He was so witty. Once, when I was in the hospital, I did not want him to come and see me because I knew he would make me laugh and it hurt so badly to laugh. One of my fondest memories was scrubbing and washing TONS of pots and pans with Turtle at Taylor Christian camp. After washing several hours, Turtle said, "If you see anything left, just scrape it off with your fingernail." We were so tired of washing dishes. But he was doing one of the things he did best....serving the Lord.

Turtle was an elder at Crittenden Drive and he helped with the Senior Saints as well as benevolence, which made for lots of stories that he told best. As I think back about my uncle Turtle, one thing that I realize is that he was always there. In all the pictures of the major events in my life, Turtle was in almost every one. One more recent memory was the time that I was riding in the old blue truck with Turtle, I had recently broke up with one of my old boyfriends. Turtle told me that I would probably have many more heartaches, but that one day I would find someone that would never break my heart...... and he was right!!!

There is one other time that I remember Turtle vividly and that is when I am in my car turning left at a green light. He taught me to get "out in the middle" so that I could be sure to make the light. He reassured me that the other cars would stop when the light turned yellow or maybe even red!! Thanks Turtle.

Happy Birthday Adysen!!





Chloe having fun at Adysen's party!!





















Stephen and Chad saying their goodbyes; Stephen sure is going to miss his "bike riding buddy".





On Friday night, we went to Adysen's 8th birthday party in Glasgow. It was a swimming party, but it was a very cool night, so we did not let Chloe go swimming. She had a lot of fun just watching the other children. I dipped her feet in a few times. Adysen and her family will be moving to Alabama on Saturday, so it was a bittersweet birthday party. Her dad will be going to vet school at Auburn. Best of luck to Adysen and her family!!

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Black Widow??


Last night, while Stephen was cooking burgers on the grill, he saw a Black Widow in our garage. I really do think it is a Black Widow this time, Lea. What do you think?

Monday, August 4, 2008

From Kidney to Knee


Check out the knee!!


On Saturday, we got up early and went apartment hunting with Heather and Tim. Heather got a job in Bowling Green and so they are planning to move really soon. We will be so glad to have them in Bowling Green. After stopping at one complex, I decided to go in and check out the apartment with Heather and Tim. Stephen said that he would stay in the car with Chloe and finish feeding her. I had placed the razor sharp top to the Similac can in pouch on the back of the passenger seat so that Chloe would not get a hold of it. As Stephen made his way into the back seat, the razor sharp piece of metal sliced his knee open. Yes, you guessed it, we had another emergency. We had to go and get Stephen's knee sewn up. He had to have six stitches!! What a day!!

This is Chloe with our family friend, Sue, from Russellville. She is 93 years old. We went to visit her last Friday afternoon and she loved seeing Chloe.

This was so cute!!


Last week when I was giving Cloe a bath in the sink, she seemed to be really thirsty.