The Robertson Family

New School Haircut!

2009-08-21T10:56:00.000-07:00

I found myself taking Tate to get her haircut way to often. Today we went again and I realized I need to ask the girl to cute alot off. For Tate's hair an inch is alot, and that is what she took off. The new haircut looks really cute. She looks like a different child. The trip to Sweet and Sassy was an exciting one. Tate got a purple glitter star on her cheek, Cinderella (the movie)was playing as her hair was being cut, she got glitter in her hair, and a free sucker. We love it!

Thankfully Mary Carter is still a great baby. She is very content and we are so glad! Tate has finally started to adjust to a family of four, which has made life in the Robertson household much more peaceful.

g

et her haircut about every two weeks.

Birthday party, beach, and more!

2009-06-01T11:37:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pictures from our beach trip with Stephanie (and the potty training fun). We also went to Selma for Memorial Day weekend. Tate and Anna Belle had fun riding Mason's old gator. Trey also found a turtle. Tate was fasinated by it. The birthday party was fun. Thanks to everyone that helped with it. One of Tate's gifts was a big girl bike. It has a plastic zipper pouch on the front. Once the pinata was broken she was taking as much candy as she could and stuffing it into the pouch. Not sure where she gets that love for candy????

Big Girl Bed, We Love Homewood Day, and a little Dress Up

2009-05-07T12:29:00.000-07:00

Tate is actually doing pretty good in her "Big Girl Bed", and doesn't seem to care one bit that all her old furniture is now in the babies room. Now that we have gotten this out of the way, we will see how pottery training goes next week.

Last weekend we had Anna Belle's birthday party. Tate defiantely got my taste buds..they had a pinata and tate was grabbing candy as fast as she could. We also went to We Love Homewood Day that night. They had a parade, band, and little street party. This was our first year to go. It was very fun, we will be back next year.

Easter

2009-04-13T12:49:00.000-07:00

We had a great Easter weekend. Friday we got together with some highschool friends and had lunch at Margaret's mom's house. It was fun to see everyone. The babies there were: Mary Drue (Amy), Maggie (Margaret), Anna Belle and Wynn (Stephanie), Luci(Amy's sister), John Braxton (Mary Christie).
Saturday morning we went to the Easter egg hunt at the Country Club. Tate had a good time, but was more interested trying to figure out what was in the egg than actually finding more eggs. She would not sit in the Easter Bunny's lap once we got inside. Anna Belle loved him, but she still couldn't get Tate up there!
Tate loved all the surprised she found in her Easter basket Sunday morning. Once we finished up some PEZ candy for breakfast we headed off to church!

First Official Easter Egg Hunt!

2009-04-05T19:40:00.001-07:00

Our supper club got together last night and we had an Easter Egg hunt for the kids. They had a great time finding the eggs. The weather was perfect for it.
Over Spring Break we went to see Leslie and her family. Tate and Andrew had a great time playing. Baby Maggie was there too, but is still too little to "stomp her boots in the mud" with them.
We also spend the night with the Browns not too long ago. Tate and Anna Belle had a big time as always.
Big News...Tate actually went to the bathroom in the potty tonight. She was so proud of herself. I still haven't studied up on what I need to do about potty training, maybe a miracle will happen and she will just figure it out. Campbell has been a big help. She got potty trained over Spring Break, and Tate has watched her in action. Hopefully this wil be a "monkey see, monkey do" case???
My parents picked up Tate's "big girl bed" this weekend and got it to us. We have alot of work to do in both rooms before we assemble it and start shifting around furniture. I will post pictures once it starts coming together.

A little bit of Chaos!

2009-03-08T14:43:00.000-07:00

It is amazing to see how a small home project can turn a little house UPSIDE DOWN. We are adding a closet in our bedroom since the baby's room is our storage area. I have had to take everything out of the area of the bedroom he is adding the closet and everything out of my closet. Our house is a complete mess! I am feeling like it will be like this until the baby is here...hopefully not, but likely! I will add pictures when it is complete. Keep your fingers crossed we like through the mess!

Snow in March

2009-03-01T15:39:00.001-08:00

Well, Tate just kicked me out of my own bedroom. She wanted to sit on the bed with her Daddy and watch TV. When I came in she said, "Go Mommy".

It snowed alot today in Birmingham. This Alabama weather is crazy! I feel like snow in March is somewhat common. Growing up I remember it snowing on Margaret's birthday alot. It seems like we were at my house some of the times for it too.

Tate enjoyed the snow today. Probably would have stayed out there all day long if we allowed it. I would have never made it out there all day. She is definately her father's child.

I put our guest bedroom chest of drawers and side table on Craiglist yesterday. Trying to make room (and money) for the new babe. Sold all three pieces today. I am very exctited about that. Tempted to crawl around in the attic and see what else I can find to sell! Now the room has a ton of stuff just sitting on top of the guest bed. Hopefully we will find a spot to put all of it.....we will see???

Weddings and more....

2009-02-28T12:20:00.000-08:00

Valentine's weekend we had my cousin Heather's wedding. She was a beautiful bride and I did not get one picture of her. They had a party that night at her new mother-in-law's house. They lived on the lake and had five dogs running around. Tate really fell in love with one of them. She also found a swing she could not stay off of. Maybe that will be a good 2nd birthday present for her.

Tate is still very into dress-up and realized that Max is the perfect buddy to play with.

In baby news....we found out that the baby is a girl. We are very excited about this. The nursury will stay the same, just be moved to the guest bedroom and Tate will stay in her room with a new big girl bed. Once We get it put together I will post pictures!

A Lesson Learned!

2009-02-09T17:56:00.000-08:00

Well, we started redoing our den in November of 2007. Part of the plan was to build in bookcases under the sunroom windows, and to turn the sunroom into a playroom of sorts. Robert said he was willing to make the bookcases for the sunroom.....great idea, right??? Not long after we talked about this, I got baskets for my anxiously awaited bookcase. Tate's toys went in the baskets and they went in the spot where the bookcases were to go. Well, yesterday the bookcase was complete. A whole year and a half later. Intially I was told, "Oh, it will just take a weekend". Little did I realize a weekend project could turn into a year and a half. The bookcase is great, but the time frame was miserable! Well, I am thankful he built it and we can seem semi organized now.

I have also begun to tackle my fear of the kitchen. Several family members will be proud to know that I prepare dinner several night a week now, and it is getting easier. I decided I would make Valentines for Tate's class this year. I decided to have a trial run this afternoon. They turned out very cute, easy, and delicious!

Movin' on up!

2009-01-28T12:34:00.000-08:00

...or at least trying to. We have gotten Tate a "potty". She loves it. She sits on it in the bathroom regularly. She also like to move it into the den and sit on it while cartoons are on. Yesterday I was fixing dinner and she came running in the kitchen with the white bowl part on her head saying, "Hat Mommy". Good thing there is nothing in that potty yet. I have no clue how to begin the whole process. I figured it could not hurt to go ahead and let her get familiar with it, right?

I'll let you know when we start making some progress!

Brrr! It is cold outside!

2009-01-19T13:44:00.000-08:00

It has been very cold the last few weeks in Birmingham. Yesterday it was actually warm enough to enjoy the afternoon outside. All the other days we have been bundled up and enjoyed alot of time playing inside! We are ready for you to get here spring!

Disney World

2009-01-13T12:36:00.000-08:00

We are back from our Disney World trip. We had a great time, but came back thinking the zoo, a little Chucky Cheese, and Six Flags will hit the spot until there are no naps and strollers! The airplane ride went surprisingly well. Thank goodness for travel DVD players. Life is so nice with them. Luckily our plane was not full and we had a seat for Tate. We all had fun at the Magic Kingdom on the classic rides: dumbo, the teacups, it's a small world. It was funny going through It's a Small World as an adult. It is a little creepy with thousands of dolls staring at you and dancing and singing.

Robert, Kassie, and Seth all completed the half marathon. It was Robert and Seth's first. We were not able to go to the finsh line, because the race started very early in the morning. So...no pictures to show of that, but Tate wears the Donald Duck metal proudly while playing dress up.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-06T13:46:00.001-08:00

It has been a while. We had a great Christmas. I did not get many pictures though. The week before I was pretty sick with a nasty cold/fluish stuff. So, the week of Christmas I was not feeling 100%. Tate had a wonderful time during the holidays with all the decorations, family, friends, and gifts. One of her favorite things she got for Christmas was a fuzzy blue dress-up hat. She got all the goods to go along with it as well: feather boa, beads, bracelet, tutu, etc. She put everything on immediately and wore it all morning long.

For Christmas my parents gave her a "Bitty Baby" by American Girl. Christmas morning she really didn't show much interest in it. Sh has several other dolls at home so I just assumed this one would hang out with those until she got a little older. Once we got home she became obsessed with this baby and her "mo" monkey. She has to sleep with them get them out of bed in the morning, have them around all day. She also loves to put them to sleep and tell you to "SHHH" because they are sleeping. I guess I find this so interesting because she has never been attached to a lovie or blankie.

Well, we are off to Disney World Thursday! Keep your fingers crossed for us. I am a little nervous about the plane ride because Tate does not have her own seat. Hopefully some "Little Einsteins" will do the trick! I will be better about updating once we get back!

I'm going to be a.........

2008-12-09T11:52:00.001-08:00

Who doesn't love to paint!

2008-12-01T18:32:00.000-08:00

I didn't take many picutes over Thanksgiving, but I did get a few at the pottery shop. We gave Robert's mom a platter for Christmas that all the girls helped with. To keep the little ones occupied, we decided to let them each paint their own ornaments. Too bad the ornaments were about 2 inches big. Tate painted her ornament in two seconds, then painted her shirt, the table, and her tongue. Thankfully the boys took the little girls home after their part on the platter was complete. Kassie, Lydia, and I stayed to peacefully wrap things up.

Where shopping is a pleasure (really!!!)

2008-11-23T17:56:00.000-08:00

I LOVE Publix. Some people (my husband) say that it is more expensive than other stores. It does not matter to me.....it is so pleasant to shop there. About two weeks ago I had taken Max to the vet for another nauseatingly expensive trip. After the vet, I had to go to Publix to get a medicine for him. When I got there, the pharmacist asked me if the medicine I was getting was for my dog. I said yes. She sort of looked at me funny and asked me for $95. I about passed out. After a fat bill at the vet I refused to pay $95 at a human pharmacy for my dog! She was so sweet...she noticed I was not happy (I am not sure how you couldn't). She asked me to call my vet and let her talk to him. She gave him a list of several medicines that they provide for free. And guess what, one of them could do the same job as the $95 medicine. So... I left with a free Medicine from Publix for my dog.

Yesterday, we had to have something filled at the pharmacy for Tate. While we sat there waiting Tate was admiring the Thanksgiving balloons. The sweet lady that was putting out flowers noticed Tate was fascinated by the balloons. She walked over, filled up a balloon for Tate, and gave it to her. I picked up my (once again free) antibiotic, and out we went. A balloon and some ear infection medicine-ALL FOR FREE. That is hard to come by these days. Tate said "Wow" the entire way home. That sweet lady at Publix made her day!

Trip to Montgomery!

2008-11-11T14:44:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we went to Montgomery to meet Baby Wyn Brown. He is so cute and such a good baby. Tate and Anna Belle had a great time playing! Here are some pictures from our trip:

The Best Entertainment!

2008-11-06T19:37:00.000-08:00

I know I complain about stinky dogs and dog hair all the time, but these two guys have been the best entertainment and company for Tate lately. She loves to pile all sorts of things (toys, shoes, hairbrushes) around them. Lately she has been really into pointing out their facial features...eyes, mouth, ear.

"Lennie's Ear"

My Little Secret

2008-11-06T05:45:00.000-08:00

This morning I was fixing breakfast (yummy Better Batter pancakes) and I heard Tate whining for something. I peaked around the corner and saw this:

She is into EVERYTHING so I really didn't think much about her pulling the filing cabinet drawer open. I went to close it because I didn't want it to tumble over on her. When I got over there I discovered she has been leaving a small stash in it:

Four pacifiers and a disgustingly old sippy cup of milk. UHHH! What if she had been able to reach that "chunky" cup of milk. She would be one sick cookie. The pacifiers are now in the dishwasher and I couldn't stand the thought of opening that sippy cup, so it is in the trash!

Halloween

2008-11-02T12:15:00.000-08:00

Friday night we went Trick or Treating with a group from our neighborhood. Tate had a great time getting candy from all the houses. Once we finished with our neighborhood, we went to Jon and Britt's rental house to pass out candy. All the kids crashed inside. It was a fun night!

Ready for the Cold!

2008-10-28T19:23:00.000-07:00

It has quickly turned towards colder weather here in Birmingham! Last year Tate was definitely a hat baby!

This year she won't even think about a hat! We discovered today when she went outside to play with her Mimi (on this freezing cold October day), she could not pull her hood off.

We had our 2nd Annual Halloween playgroup today. Last year it was much easier to have them keep on their costumes b/c most of them were too small to fight it!

This year was very different-toddlers running all over the place....(some younger siblings joined our group as well!)

One Good Reason to have a Washing Machine in the Kitchen:

2008-10-20T19:14:00.000-07:00

It is the perfect spot for "hide n seek." It was great entertainment while I was trying to fix Tate's dinner. Lennie even got to play!

Vulcan After Tunes!

2008-10-13T19:04:00.001-07:00

This past Sunday we spent the afternoon at the "Vulcan". They have an event called "Vulcan After Tunes" in the Fall. They have music, drinks, and food. It was a great time. I am not sure why we have not gone before. You just take a blanket and enjoy the music. Tate had a blast dancing and rolling all around in the grass. If you are in Birmingham...there is one more left this Fall. We hope to be there!

My 91 year old grandfather is in the hospital. Some members of my family seem to think that he might be falling mentally. I think he is just 91 and set in his ways. I am sure if I am lucky enough to make it to 91 I will be the same way!!
The situation isn't easy for anyone involved. Please keep him in your prayer!

Boo at the Zoo!

2008-10-12T11:25:00.001-07:00

We made plans this year to go to the Ole Miss/Auburn game. Everything is set: Rv, tickets, babysitter. The game is Nov. 1st. I guess you can say I was a little slow about this, but i just realized that Oct. 31st is the Firday night before the game. Uhh...I am supposed to be here taking Tate trick or treating. Robert's mom will be here and said she would take her...but I still feel really guilty about this. To make it up to her I have located just about every fall festival in town. We will be at them all! Friday night began the fun. We went to "Boo at the Zoo". We went with some friends. Tate is a duck this year. The hat makes the costume, but she isn't very fond of it. Besides burning up in her costume, she had a really great time! Hope the rest of them are just as fun!

Santa just got a little crafty!

2008-10-08T12:44:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I went to Montgomery to celebrate the soon to be arrival of Baby Brown #2. As I was waiting on the girls for lunch I picked up a Montgomery Parents magazine that was in the restaurant. There was a picture of a "homemade ugly doll" and it had directions. Well, I attempted it and it actually turned out pretty cute. It is being shipped off to Santa and if Tate can be "nice" (not naughty) she will see it on Dec. 25th.

A Little Fall Yard Work!

2008-10-05T06:56:00.000-07:00

It is feeling great here in Birmingham. This weekend we got a few fall flowers and planted them. Tate enjoyed helping out!

Run, Run Forrest!

2008-10-01T19:08:00.000-07:00

Right now I wish I was Forrest Gump and could just "run".

Yes, we just got back from a great week long beach trip, but before that and after that my husband has been out of town. Uh.....it is outrageously frustrating (he is probably going to kill me for writing this). I have a HUGE respect for single parents and military wives (leslie) b/c it is tough stuff being at home all day and night with a baby and two dog.

Tate has an extremely strong personality and has learned to master a "temper tantrum". She is very "clingy" to me right now too. Well, we attempted to go to Supper Club tonight and it wasn't a great idea. Usually she does good. We set up a "pack n play" and she snoozes off about time for dinner. Well, tonight, of course, she chooses to be quite unpleasant. I try to put her down, but she would not have it.....so I just think....she can play a little while I eat real quick and then we will leave. Keep in mind there are 3 other babies there, ranging from 7 months to 18months....all acting like angels. As I fix my plate and sit (with her in my lap-and the whole group seated and eating) she just starts screaming. I decide it would be best if we just leave. The sweet host helps me to the car (probably thrilled I finally decided to take her home). My "to go" plate was delicious, but the much wanted company ended up being my TV and not the people I was looking forward to hanging out with (I know this is just a pity party for myself). My mom would probably say it is "cruel" for me to take her to a gathering like that. I think for my sanity the attempt was ok.

When I get home...my sweet dog Max(the lab):

...is shaking his head. Well, if you don't know the story Max has had a "bad" ear since he was a puppy. He was bitten by one of his litter mates in the ear and it grew almost closed up. He had surgury for this (which cost a pretty penny) and he still has chronic ear infections (my next pet will have pet insurance). So the shaking head tonight tells me another ear issue. His ear will probably cause Tate to be a high school graduate only because we have had to "shovel" money into this stinking ear for five years. MAybe she can sell lemonade to get to college. Well, the latest vet told us to get him to Auburn's vet clinic to have them check it out. So tonight on the phone Robert and I are trying to discuss this issue while he is thousands of miles away...and as you can probably guess....it ended on not the best terms. I refuse to keep jumping vets with this ear....but to travel back and forth to AU with my sassy Tate and a part time job (which I do love)...not happening any time soon.

Enough on my pity party. Things just didn't roll my way today...that happens..my day could have been alot worse. At least Robert has a job to send him places. And thank goodness I have a little girl to be as sassy as she is!

Beach in September!

2008-09-29T13:38:00.001-07:00

Deleted the pictures off this post to get rid of that music....

For some reason I cannot get these pictures to cooporate. So, I will just give you all the info. down here.

Robert's grandmother, Mae, turned 80 two weekends ago. We headed to Clayton to celebrate. She had a party at her house, and the whole town of Clayton and probably every surronding area was there. It was really fun. Mae had a great birthday!

Robert's mom packed a toy box for the girls (Lydia, Ellison, and Tate). Tate quickly found the belly dancer skirt and was determined to wear it everywhere. It was so funny. I guess it is time to pull out all those old dancing costumes my mom has been saving for years. We will be writing a letter to Santa asking for some dress up clothes!

From Clayton we headed to the beach. It was amazing how different this trip was from our July trip. Tate LOVED the beach. She picked up shells in her bucket, loved the sand (which she wasn't very fond of in July), and had to be in the water. She wasn't scared at all. She would just run straight into the ocean. She had a "love-hate" relationship with the raft. She would want to be in it..then out...then in, etc.

While we were at the beach we discovered that Tate has a thing for apples. She found and apple at the beach at sat down and at the entire thing. It was hilarious! I have never seen anything like it. The next day Robert's sister, Kassie, had one in her beach bag. Again, tate found it and and it was gone in no time at all. She looks like a horse eating those big apples!

The rocking horse picture has nothing to do with the beach. My knitting group gave it to me before I had Tate and it is her new best friend. She rocks on it all the time. She also likes to drag it all over the house. It is great for knocking things over!

Robert's mom had a photographer come down to the beach one evening to get pictures. It was pretty funny watching himtrying to get pictures of the three girls together. I am sure six adults singing "Old McDonald" behind a little round man with a camera was a pretty funny sight. Lydia had to pretty much keep Tate in a "head lock" so she wouldn't run into the ocean.

First Day of School!

2008-09-08T11:56:00.000-07:00

Looks like she is ready for a great first day of school, right?

Well, last week was our first week of school. It was a rough one for Tate. She had a pretty horrible first day. She was so upset the whole time (8:30-1:30) that she created a horrid diaper that got from head to toe, and she ended up in the "rag doll" clothes I put in her bag for back up. I assumed those clothes would just stay in her bag all year. Wrong! They got used the first day of school. She was a pretty pitiful sight when I picked her up. Today started our second week. They said she is still fussy, but they are seeing progress. Any little bit counts I guess.

Last weekend we were at my parent's house for Labor Day. The boys always love to go to the creek. Tate got to have her first creek experience as well. She loved it, but wanted to be free to play.

My, What Manners You Have!

2008-08-27T10:26:00.001-07:00

Leslie, this is for you...Did Tate call Andrew to get the details of spitting? We just finished lunch and Tate was running around with her sippy cup. The next thing I know... there is milk all over the floor, and all over her. She was spitting it outeverywhere. Lovely! Such nice manners. As you can tell by the picture she thought it was great fun!

School, Molars, Owls, Dogs, and Houses!!

2008-08-21T17:29:00.000-07:00

School-Tate and I are both getting ready to start school. This week we have had "work week". I am very excited about being back at school. I think Covenant is going to be a great place to work with a "little one." Tate has been going to the nursury at church. She, on the other hand, is NOT a big fan. Hopefully once school starts, and she is in her actual classroom she will do better.

Molars-She is also getting her molars. My goodness, I had no idea teeth could hurt so bad. We went to the dr. the other day to make sure it was just her teeth. She has been just walking around crying. The dr. said all four molars are coming in, and her gums are really swollen. I guess it is a good thing we are getting them all at once!

Owls-The other day while Tate was napping, I was looking on some other people's blog. "Blog Stalking" I guess you could call it. Anyway, several Chi-O's had blogged about the cutest owl pj's I have ever seen. And wouldn't you know...they came from Target. Well, when Tate woke up from her nap we headed to Target, and they had one pair left.

Dogs-Tate has always been a big fan of Max and Lennie, but lately she has really been lovin' on Max. They "share" toys, and she tries to give him her milk from her cup. It is actually pretty gross and sweet all at the same time. She has also become obsessed with the book, Good Boy Fergus. She brings it to me several time a day wanting to read it. It is a really cute book. It is by David Shannon. If you have dogs...you should pick it up. Our copy is now missing two pages because it is so loved.

Houses-My neighbors are adding up on their house. They moved out about a month ago. The work on their house is really coming along. It is making me really want to get out of our "little bitty-home sweet home." Robert tells me to stop lusting....I say I am dreaming....it doesn't hurt to dream does it. We have no reason to move right now, but looking never hurts anything. How can I not get this feeling when I looking out my windows and see this all day long:

One day it will be my turn I guess!

I found it!

2008-08-07T12:53:00.001-07:00

So, I finally found a mirror and the bathroom is FINALLY complete. Although the wait seemed like forever, it was worth it! The mirror was very much in my budget, so we were thrilled about that. I guess a little patience does some good, although, I am not sure if it was patience or just nothing out there that kept me from getting anything earlier. Tate thinks that someone lives in our bathroom. Everytime she comes in our room, she runs in there looking for someone. Glad to have that done.......on to the bookcases I have been waiting on since November. We'll see if that happens????

Who Ever Knew It Could Be So Hard??????

2008-07-30T12:39:00.001-07:00

We have been having our master bathroom worked on for about a month now. When I say master bath , it is just a little bathroom with a stand up shower. So, quick job right. Yeah right!! I guess the joys of an old house come out when you start tearing stuff down. Needless to say, we are a month in and finally on the final stretch.

This weekend we are heading to Highland. I had this wild dream my house would be totally put back together, and when we got back Sunday I could live a normal life. Not going to happen.

Well, I have spent about the last 2 weeks looking for a mirror. Couldn't be that hard could it??? I have looked a million places and cannot find one.

Here is when I have been:
Pottery Barn
At Home
Atmosphere
Three Sheets
Tricia's Treasures
Home Goods
TJ Max
Tuesday Morning
Hobby Lobby
Antique Market
Hannah's Antiques

(It has been a real blast "lugging" Tate around to all the places mirror hunting let me tell you!)

I am not willing to spend a fortune on a mirror for my little master bath, so I have realized there isn't anything out there. I am not being that much of a penny pincher either. PLEASE HELP! If you have another suggestion on a place I could look, let me know. I will post pictures when it is complete (if it ever is).

Weekend in Atlanta!

2008-07-22T18:55:00.001-07:00

This weekend we went to Atlanta with Robert's family. Saturday we went to the aquarium. It was really neat. Saturdays are extremely crowded though. The girls all had a really good time. The rest of the weekend we stayed at Stone Mountain. We always had an interesting time at dinner with everyone. I think each waiter we had deserved a large tip! We only had three kids and that isn't too many??? Dinner always seemed more like a circus....a fun one though.

McWane Center!

2008-07-17T19:27:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we went to the McWane Center with Ana and Campbell. It was a blast. Right now they have two exhibits for young children, "Itty Bitty Magic City" and "Just Mice Size" It was all so cute. When we went left, neither one of them were too thrilled. I think they could have stayed there all day. We will definitely go back!

Beach Week!

2008-07-17T19:02:00.000-07:00

Last week we were at the beach with my family. We had a great time. The weather could not have been better. Here are some pictures from our trip.

Andrew's Birthday Party

2008-06-30T07:37:00.000-07:00

Andrew and Tate
A little late on this post, but two weekends ago we had Andrew's birthday party. It was in Montgomery. It was great to see Leslie and Andrew. Wish they were closer. Andrew had a Mickey Mouse cake. He was a champ and "went to town" on that cake. He had to get a bath after eating it because he was covered in black icing. Check out their blog for pictures!

Pool and Zoo

2008-06-16T11:40:00.001-07:00

Last Friday we went to the pool with Chris and Harrison.

Today we went to the zoo with Ana and Campbell. Campbell as the Lion.

Tate as the lion.

Campbell looking at the sheep.

Tate playing in the splash park at the zoo.

Fun at the "Friendly"!

2008-06-09T12:45:00.001-07:00

*My computer is bogged down with pictures. I had to post the pictures 4 differnt times. So look below this post for others. To see the pictures for this post: press "View All Images". Not sure what I did wrong??

This past weekend we went to Stephanie's family's bay house-The Friendly Tavern. We went knowing the Brown family had just gotten over the stomach bug. Anna Belle and Tate both had a little middle of the night sickness, but other than that they were both fine. Besides that, we had a great time there. We had a baby pool for the girls on the deck. They had a blast in it. They also loved floating around in the bay in their rafts and playing in the sand.

Water Babies!

2008-06-09T12:42:00.001-07:00

Beach Bums!

2008-06-09T12:37:00.001-07:00

Fun at the Bay!

2008-06-09T12:34:00.001-07:00

Yum...Did I cook that?

2008-06-02T19:07:00.000-07:00

Ok, for those of you who don't know, I do not like to cook. I like to blame it on the size and shape of my kitchen. I find it stressful, extremely time consuming, and very difficult. I would much rather eat a bowl of cereal and be done with it. I cannot look in a cabinet or the fridge and just "see" what I can make for dinner. I have to ponder over a cookbook, find a recipe, go to the grocery, and follow the recipe to the last detail. If I cook usually we end up with some sort of casserole and some boiled vegetables. Yum! Doesn't that sounds great!

Well, Robert doesn't work this way. He can just start pulling stuff out (when I see that we have nothing), and make a great dinner without a cookbook or recipe! It has always amazed me. I did not get this gift (AT ALL)!

Today Ashley L. and I went to the Big Farmer's Market. For those of you who don't know, Ashley, is a culinary school graduate. The farmer's market was great! If you haven't been...go! I was really just planning to get some fruit. Tate and I LOVE fruit. Well, Ashley looks at me and ask if I would like to split a basket of green and red peppers (Bell Peppers). I told her I had no idea what I would do with them. She gave me a little laugh, said I will help you fix dinner, and we will use these. Then she asked if I would like some cauliflower. I don't even know if I have ever eaten anything that contains cauliflower. Again, I tell her I don't know what to do with it (keep in mind I don't have a cookbook with me). She again tells me she will help me. About 30 minutes later we head home with tons of fruit and vegs. Once we get to my house, Ashley tells me how to make Cauliflower mash (like mashed potatoes). Not hard and very good! She also tells me I should roast the peppers and squash and tells me how to do this. I know this all sounds ridiculous, but I have such tunnel vision when it comes to cooking. Before we left I had already pulled out the recipe for cucumber and tomato salad, so I was planning on fixing that.

So tonight my dinner was easy to cook, not very stressful, done without a cookbook (just a little help from a friend), and delicious!

The Menu:
Cajun pork chops (from Mark's Mart in Selma-SO GOOD!)
Roasted Peppers and Squash
Cauliflower Mash
Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Cheers Ashley! Thanks for a great dinner!

Happy First Birthday Tatie!

2008-05-29T11:36:00.000-07:00

This is a picture from Tate's birthday cake in Highlands. She definitely loves cake.

Today is Tate's birthday. It is hard to believe that she is really one. She got this little car for her birthday and really loves it. We took her on a walk in it first thing this morning.

Just driving my car!

We attempted to go to the zoo. The rain ran us out. We made it to see the monkeys and kangaroos. Tate loved the animals she did get to see. She was calling them all "baby". The good thing is that we got a year pass, so me will be back alot.

Memorial Day in Highlands!

2008-05-24T17:47:00.001-07:00

We are in Highlands and having a very fun time. There is an old playpen here we put outside for Tate to play in, and she is crazy about it. I think she likes it because she can walk around easily in it, and she has started to climb (this should be fun)!

Today there was an Art Fesival. They had BBQ and Wagon rides. "Bull" also found a bull to pose by!

This afternoon we walked the dogs down to the lake to go for a swim. On the way we passed a favorite, "The Magic Bunny". She is always has on a fun outfit! You are supposed to take a stone from her and it will bring you good luck!

The magic bunny

The wagon ride

"Bull" and the bull!

Tate, Lydia, and Ellison

Birthday Party Weekend!

2008-05-19T06:43:00.001-07:00

This weekend we had Tate's birthday party. The weather could not have been better. We all had a really good time. Thanks to everyone for making it so great! Tate had her own little cake. She loved it. We ended up taking it away from her because we didn't want her to get a stomach ache.

This picture is a little adventure she and Lennie share daily. Lennie loves to act like a "Big Dog" and bark at anything that goes by out front. Tate crawls over anytime he is there and barks with him. It is a pretty funny sight!

Visit from the Big Girl Cousins

2008-05-14T19:47:00.001-07:00

We had a fun visit last night from Robert's sister's family. They were traveling back to Charlotte from Mississippi and stayed the night with us. We had a great time. We haven't seen them since Christmas (that is too long)! We went and had dinner at Dave's and the made a late night stop at Edgewood Creamery. All the girls loved the ice cream! It was Tate's first experience. After seeing her "chow down" on her ice cream I have no doubt that she is going to love her birthday cake. She is a bit of a piglet.

Last Swimming Lesson!

2008-05-07T18:59:00.001-07:00

We had our last swimming lesson today. I can't say I am sad to see them go. It was fun, and I am so glad we took them, but it was it was too COLD to be in the pool! I always think Tate is going to be worn out after the lessons, but it seems that she is "still going strong" and I can barely keep up. How is that???

Last night we had supper club with a group of friend. We were laughing at how things have changed so much since it started. We used to get at the host house around 8:00, eat about 9:00, and be gone by 10:30 or 11:00. Well, last night we bumped it up to 6:00, and we were out by 7:30. Not because we were ready to leave, but b/Tate was telling everyone know it was getting close to her bedtime. Oh, how things have changed so. There are now 4 babies in our supper club. Campbell the oldest wasn't there, but this picture is of Ellison, Baby Thomas, and Tate.

Grand Finale in NYC

2008-05-03T19:43:00.000-07:00

Robert had a training in NYC this past week. Sharon, Bill, and I flew up Thurs. for the weekend. We have had a great time eating, shopping, etc. Last night we went to see Wicked, which was very good. Tonight we had dinner at an Italian restaurant called "Scalinatella". It was GREAT!! It was recommended by a friend of Robert's mom, and we read in a review that certain "stars" ate there. Well... as we were finishing our dinner, in walks Rosanne's TV husband, John Goodman (Robert made fun of me, b/c that is how I pointed him out). Anyway, it was a pretty exciting way to end our trip. I really wanted to get a quick snapshot of him, but I was scared we would get kicked out b/c it was a pretty small place. Good thing it wasn't George Clooney or another cute star....I just might have passed out. I was pretty "star struck" by John!

TAG!

2008-04-29T13:06:00.000-07:00

Here we go:

Five Things on My To Do List:

1. Get dog food
2. Pack for NYC
3. Pack Tate for Mel-Mel and Bullet's
4. Go by King Cotton
5. Finish painting chairs

Favorite Snacks:

1. CANDY!!!!
2. Starbucks
3. Fruit
4. Chips
5. Cheese

Five thing I would do if I were a Billionaire:

1. Buy a new car since mine is in the shop more than in my carport
2. Give
3. Save for Tate and any others to come
4. Buy a lake house-lake martin
5. Have my dogs groomed weekly-maybe there wouldn't be so much dog hair in my house!

Five Bad Habits:

1. Playing on the computer!!!
2. Starting too many home projects at one time
3. Getting stressed out over tiny little things!
4. Being addicted to People magazine
5. Staying up too late (doing nothing of importance)

Five Places I have lived:
1. Selma, actually p.hill
2. Auburn
3. Boulder, Co
4. Birmingham
5. next???

Five Jobs I've Had:
1. Calico Cottage
2. Dance Teacher Assistant
3. First Grade Teacher
4. Kindergarten Teacher
5. Mom

I want to know more about: (This means you are tagged)

1. Leslie W
2. Stephanie-this could be your first post!
3. Lindsey S.-You need a new post
4. Katie-your 2nd tag!

First Shiner!

2008-04-26T20:28:00.001-07:00

See the bottom of this post to get the rest of the story....

We had another swimming lesson Wednesday. Here is a picture of Tate and Campbell checking out all the swimmwers already in the pool.

These are some more swimming buddies, Christian and Cooper.

Friday morning we went to and "Art Show" that was in the park. Thanks to my sweet friend, Kristen, for picking us up, because the jeep is in the shop once again.

Well, Robert and I look like horrible parents. Tate is sporting a nice "black eye". I just got her a little rubber mat to put at the bottom of the bathtub so she can bathe like a "big girl". Well she loves it, but I guess got a little too confident. She stood up while holding on to the side and slipped (yes-I was right there the whole time)! She handled it well, but looks pitiful! I know everyone that saw us today probably looked and me like..."what did you do to her!!!!!"

Anne's Wedding!

2008-04-21T20:08:00.001-07:00

This past weekend we had Anne's wedding. We all had a really great time! She was a beautiful bride! I loved our bridesmaids dresses! Anne chose the designer and the color and we got to pick our own style!

(I think I am about to blink in this picture)

Playgroup at the Park!

2008-04-21T07:52:00.000-07:00

We had playgroup at the park last week. The kids really enjoy it. Tate and Campbell have become fond of this car there. It is crazy to think in about 15 years they will be cruising around in a real one!

Weekend in Selma!

2008-04-14T18:31:00.001-07:00

We spent the weekend in Selma. Tate and I went down Thurs., because my mom's friends had a birthday lunch for her. We had a great time visiting them, and Tate got a bite of birthday cake. Friday night Elizabeth and I kept Anna Belle, because Stephanie and Curt had Suzanne's rehearsal dinner. Saturday was Suzanne's wedding. She was such a pretty bride. The wedding was great! All the decorations at the reception were hot pink and orange. Tate went to the reception for about a total of five minutes. She was very good about letting us all know she didn't want to be there. I did manage to get a few pictures of she and Anne Belle though. Don't think she will make it to Anne's.

You know you are getting old when.......

2008-04-09T18:36:00.000-07:00

you are "PUMPED UP" about getting a new vacuum cleaner!!! Yes, it is one of those things you hate to put money towards, but I did it!!! It was worth every penny too! We have been using a "hand me down" from Robert's mom and every time I used it it smelled horrible. The bag has to be full of dog hair! UGH!!! Poor Tate has had a lot of dog hair on her clothes lately. After a little trial run with my friend Ashley's vacuum, I bit the bullet and got one. If you have animals, it is great! Sort of gross actually, because it is pulling up so much dog hair. Anyway, the one I got is a Hoover-Mach 5 and I love it. I actually want to vacuum these days. I guess because I can see that the vacuum is actually working!

Well, I am officially losing my mind! Yesterday, I locked my keys in my car for the 3rd time in two week. Thank goodness I have had very sweet friends that have been with me each time. They have toted me all over in order to get my keys out. I think I am going to go to Lowe's and see if the can etch the key into my finger.

Ready for the water!

2008-04-02T19:16:00.000-07:00

Well, we had our first swim lesson today. We are taking lessons at the YMCA with some friends. We have them every Wednesday in April (I can't believe it is really April). They are supposed to last 30 minutes, but I really think today lasted about 45 minutes. I was worn out after, but Tate was still going strong. The instructor was really good. He was creative with the kids. We sang "If your happy and you know it...blow some bubbles." It was pretty cute. We worked on kicking their feet, floating on backs, reaching in the water with their arms, ....and last, going all the way under. Tate looked like her eyes were going to "bug" out of her head when I pulled her up, but she didn't really fuss. Hopefully, we will be ready to hit the Homewood pool when it opens.

We had to have a little swimsuit fashion show before lessons, b/c I was unsure if her suits would fit. Here are some picutes. She has a bikini for the summer to. I will post pictures of it later!

**Mallory has pictures of swim lessons on her blog. Click on "Congleton Family".

Take me swimming!

I love my baby cousin, but please don't hold him!!!!

2008-03-30T19:05:00.001-07:00

Isn't it funny, they both look like their dads. Yes-the moms carry them for nine months and they look NOTHING like us!

We got to keep two week old Baby Henry Saturday night. Leslie and Bill had a going away party for a friend, so they brought Henry. He is so sweet. Tate loved looking at him, but when I went to hold him she lost it. She looked at me like, "Are you kidding....you can't hold him, but we can let Papa hold him and we will look." I continued to hold him and she worked those lungs!! So....Robert got to hold him while I gave Tate a bath and put her to bed. Hard to believe that before long they will be running aroung and playing together.

Easter Pictures

2008-03-25T20:22:00.001-07:00

Easter Weekend

2008-03-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had a Great Easter! We had a fun weekend in Selma. Tate and I left for the "big town" on Thurs., and Robert made it down Sat. night (his profession is great this time of year!!). Tate had a really big weekend. She set a record of "longest naps" in her book.

Elizabeth and I got Tate some finger paint on Saturday and helped her paint an Easter picture. It was pretty funny. I think she was more interested in putting the paint containers in her mouth than anything. The Easter Egg hunt went about the same.....she really wanted to have a taste of those Easter Eggs.

My mom made Tate a cute little bonnet to go with her Easter dress. She wore it for about two minutes and then tried to "rip" (literally) it off. Oh well, it was really cute for the two minutes she had it on. Hopefully she will have the opportunity to wear it again!

Newest Little Cousin!

2008-03-17T19:52:00.000-07:00

Tate has a new little cousin. Baby Henry was born Saturday (Leslie and Bill's baby). We went to visit him Sunday, and he is adorable. It is crazy how quickly you forget how little a newborn baby is!!! Nine months (Tate) and 1 day (Henry) is extremely different. I took my camera to take a few pictures and left it the car.....so hopefully I will have it a more handy next time.

While we were in Montgomery we went to visit Steph, Curt, and Anna Belle. Here are a few pictures of our visit with them!

Anna Belle and Tate just playing!

The girls and their Papas enjoying the great weather outside!

Little Leprechaun

2008-03-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone has a great St. Patrick's Day!

Happy Birthday Mimi!

Kid's Gym

2008-03-14T13:06:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Wendy helping Tate roll!

The "Best Spot"-The Ball Pit

We have been taking a "Gym Babies" class. We have been every Friday since January. Tate has absolutely loved it. They roll, hang from bars, hang from rings......I know it sounds like they are too little for all that stuff, but they really can do it. Both Mel-Mel and Mimi (the grands) got to come to a class and watch. Today was our last class for this session. We aren't taking the class this spring because our spring will be pretty busy, but hopefully we will start back this summer. It is a good outing for both of us.

I'm joining in!

2008-03-11T12:20:00.000-07:00

Ok-So I am am going to join the blogging world. I look at everyone's blogs daily, so I have decided to create my own.

For those of you who don't know, Tate is now 9 months. She started crawling last week. Her favorite thing to do is crawl up to Lennie, pull his tail, and let it curl back up.......poor Lennie....he is such a good sport.

Max loves Tate when she is in her highchair, because he gets about a full meal from all the food that goes on the floor. He is a great vacuum cleaner!