Tree House Fun!!!!

Jackson has caught Mary Dalton's cold and has not felt good at all! We went to the cabin to cook last with some friends last night and he started with a fever so we ate quick and came home to get him so medicine and get him in the bed! He woke up this morning and seems to be feeling a little better!

After I got everyone medicated this a.m. I made the DREADED trip to WalMart $300 and 2 hours later I was EXHAUSTED and broke!!! It seemed like we were out of EVERYTHING!!!! When we got home the kids went to the tree house and took some of their toys! They have had a blast playing in it today!

It has been a full busy day!!!

Whirlwind Week!!!

Since we didn't have school on Monday this week has REALLY flown by!!! Between dance, church activities, homework, appointments, and the usual house stuff...we have been BUSY!

We left school early today to go to dental appointments, both munchins got a great report, although Jackson did have a filling that came out and had to be replaced...I was soooo thankful he fixed it today and we don't have to go back later!

After the dentist, we went to get some yogurt and then went to the toy store to buy birthday gifts for several upcoming parties! The weather here has been great and in the seventies do the kids spent the afternoon in the yard playing! Rain is on the way so I am thankful they got to get out for awhile! We have some friends coming in town this weekend and we are looking forward to cooking oysters with them and catching up!

It is hard to believe that January is coming to an end! Dalton and I are excited about a trip to Vegasnext week and are so thankful that his sister is coming to help his mom with the kids while we are gone! The kids have social calendars that compete with any junior league member!!! I am busy trying to get everything in order so we can enjoy our trip!!!

Wish me luck!!!

Jackson's BIG Purchase!!!

To say that max is tight with his money would be a HUGE understatement!!! Every penny he gets, he puts right in the bank! He is ALWAYS looking for a way to earn money and he NEVER spends a dime! We were SHOCKED when he told us with his bday money he wanted to buy a TV/DVD combo for his room!!!!

We went to HH GREG and he picked out his TV! I LOVE the pic with Dalton and the Pooh wallet!!! Jax had even counted out exactly $106 for his purchase and put it in his wallet! Now both kids have TVs in their rooms...no cable but they can watch a DVD!

We have enjoyed our four day weekend, but we are ALL ready to go back to school!!! It has rained all four days and the walls are closing in! We have gotten lots of projects done and I even took apart the booster seats and washed them.....a MAJOR pain!!!!

We don't have too much going on this week and are already looking forward to next weekend....sun is in the forecast!!!!

More of Jackson's Birthday!!!

Jackson's REAL birthday was Thursday! Nana and Pawpaw sent him a gift and it arrived right on his special day! He LOVES to get mail, so he was super excited when his Daddy brought a box in with his name on it!

He got a cool Star Wars toy and a 50 dollar bill ~ you would have thought he had a million dollars! He was SO excited!!! He took his birthday money and bought a TV/DVD combo similar to mary dalton's. I have some cute pics I will post of that later on! :)
Nana always does "half" birthdays since the kids' birthdays are almost exactly 6 months apart, they love getting a gift on their "half birthday" ~ Mary Dalton was 7 1/2 and she got some pretty new Barbie clothes! Thanks Nana & Pawpaw!!!

We celebrated his birthday at school with his class. It was also the 100th day of school, so they were wound up!!! His big buddy, Nick, and another student of mine went down to K5 to have cookie cake and celebrate his special day! LOVE how Livi (in black shirt) is smiling at him...she was so happy about his birthday!

He is NOT into having his picture taken! Everytime I try, I get some crazy face!!! Oh well!!!

His friend, Will, came home and spent the night with him. This was jackson's 1st time for a sleepover and he really had a good time! I can't believe he is SIX already!!!

It was a fun end to a week of celebrations!!!

Rodeo Fun!!!!

Last night, we took the kids to the Professional Bull Riding Show in Augusta! It was a lot of fun....and now Jackson wants to learn to ride a bull! fabulous!!!

Mary Dalton talked her Daddy into buying her a pink light up cowgirl hat...plus snow cones and cotton candy!!!

It was a fun night with my sweet family!!!!

It has rained ALL weekend and we are home from church today...Mary dalton is running fever...perfect day for cuddling and movies!!!

Happy 6th Birthday Jackson!!!!

On this day 6 years ago the SWEETEST baby was placed in my arms...

I remember being SO worried HOW on earth I could possibly love, much less take care of TWO babies ~ oh, but when I saw this PRECIOUS perfect face....my heart was his!!!!

Jackson, you have ALWAYS had the best little personality! You never meet a stranger and you LOVE life! You are gonna have a good time no matter where you go or what you are doing!!!

You are so thoughtful ~ you always tell me how much you love me and how pretty you think that I am! You love to wrap little gifts up for me, Daddy and Mary Dalton. If you are outside and there is a flower in a 2 mile radius, you ALWAYS pick it for me!

You LOVE an adventure! Whether it is climbing trees, shooting a BB gun, hunting, finding rocks, or catching frogs ~ you are 110% boy!!! The climbing has landed you three broken bones and 2 casts so far ~ we are hoping your climbing days are coming to an end! ;)

You are very into your "lectronics" as you call them ~ you love to read on your Nook and play games on your ipod. You can work the computer better than we can!

You are really getting close with your Daddy lately. Up until recently, you have always been a Mama's Boy ~ but lately you would rather be with Daddy ~ watching star wars, hunting, riding the 4 wheeler, doing "man stuff" as you call it!

You still call Mary Dalton "Sissy" and I just love that! I love that 99% of the time, you two are best friends and yall laugh and have the best time together!!! You always look out for her and she does the same for you!

That past 6 years have FLOWN by! By far the best moment of this year was when you asked Jesus to come into your heart! I pray everyday that you will grow and become the man that God wants you to be! I am so proud to be the mother of the BEST little boy in the world!!!!

You are my heart sweet boy!

Happy Birthday Jackson David Dowdy!!!

Jackson's SIXTH Birthday Party!

We celebrated Jackson's 6th birthday party yesterday at Adventure Crossing! He was SO excited!!! He wanted a rollercoaster cake and Christa did a great job making his wish come true! How cute is this??? She made their faces out of smarties and even had the man in green looking like he was about to be sick! Too cute! ;)

They had so much fun playing games and earning/winning tickets wish they got to cash in for prizes!
Sweet Mary D.

Happy birthday!!!

After lunch and cake, we headed outside to do some rides ~

Jackson LOVED the go carts! When we were there last time, he had on flipflops and could not ride, so he was SUPER excited about getting to ride this time!

Will & Jackson ~

The day was super fun and I am so thankful for all of his sweet friends who came to help us celebrate his special day!!!!

His actual birthday is not until Thursday, so we will be celebrating ALL week!!! :)

Camo, A Surprise in the Mail & Love Letters ~

whew!!! I am one tired Mama! We have been going nonstop! We have a 4 day weekend next weekend and I can't wait!!! We need to RELAX around here!

Jackson picked his own clothes for school today~

Camo head to toe ~ he put the Carhart sweatshirt over the shirt, but trust me, he looked he was headed to the deer stand and not the woods!

(he is still pretty cute though!)

Little Miss Teacher comes home from school ~ and plays school ~ she just can't understand why I don't want to play after I have taught ALL DAY LONG!
Dalton was at his weekly Supper Club, so we bathed early and had an early dinner...kids were out by 7:45 and I have had one hour of SILENCE ~ ahhhh....it really is golden!

Dalton's Aunt Linda sent the kids a package for Christmas since we did not get a chance to see them! You can't really tell, but these are HOODED KIDS SNUGGIES!!!

They LOVE LOVE LOVE them!!! Mary D. has a princess and JDD has a frog ~

Thanks Aunt Linda & Uncle Carl!!!!

Dalton has had a WEEK to say the least...he had a big trial to prepare for (which went well) and lots of other things going on at work, plus dealing with his rental houses...and still having the 3 of us to deal with! ;) Mary Dalton made him this heart and went to the study and said,

"Daddy, I think someone left something at your door" ...and ran off...

SOOOOOOOOOOO stinking sweet!!! I swear 99% of the time she is an ANGEL!

How sweet is this?!?!

She drew Dalton in the deer stand...notice that the deer is frowning bc he is about to get shot! ha! Pretty creative! :)

We have NOTHING planned for tomorrow after school or tomorrow night ~ I am hoping we can relax and gear up for Jackson's SIXTH party party on Saturday!!!!

Banana Split Party!!!

Mary Dalton was SO excited about her banana split party Tuesday night at dance! A sweet friend was there and took this picture ~ Thanks! :)

Both kids started going back to choir today ~ I am really glad...they enjoyed it so much before! We have stopped art lessons for the time being!

We have had a busy week and are getting excited about Jackson's SIXTH birthday party on Saturday at Adventure Crossing!!!

~*~*~* I think I forgot to mention it earlier, but both kiddos got their report cards and they both are going excellent!!!Jackson is reading like CRAZY and is learning so much with his new teacher although he misses Miss Sharon!!! I am SO proud! Especially of Mary Dalton!!! I do not help her AT ALL ~ I do not even KNOW what her spelling words are ~ I tell her to study them and she is on her own! The phonics they do is BEYOND confusing and she is sailing right through!!!! Her AR level went WAY up...she reads better than some adults I know!!! Woohoo!!! Go Mary D!!!! :D

Dance Lock In!!!

Saturday, Mary dalton had an all day dance lock in!!! She had Whitney Sue over on Friday and then we get to the basketball game....THEN she slept over at Whitney's so this little girl was WORN OUT on Saturday!!! I had to pick her up a little early because she wasn't feeling well....thankfully it was just a bad headache that passed quickly! She is super excited about tomorrow because they are having a banana split party since everyone in the class can do both splits!!! :)

Let the Hunting Begin!!!

Jackson has been wanting to have a friend over for awhile now ~ and shame on me ~ I have been putting it off! We tried to work out a playdate before Christmas and then during Christmas, but between sickness and busy schedules we could not work it out! SOOOO ~ Friday after school, Will came home with Jackson. Jackson's ONLY request was that he bring his BB gun!!!

As soon as they had a snack, the tortured every 4 legged animal within sight, as well as every bird, ant bed and nest!!!
LOVE this picture!!!!
Dalton grew up with Will's mother and hunted a LOT with Will's uncle (who is his mother's twin brother AND whitney sue's Daddy Ben! ~ small town!)

At first, I was VERY nervous! 2 boys with BB guns!!! I just don't "know" what to do with boys sometimes ~ I am a great "girl mama" ( I LOVE pink, dolls, bows, dresses, make up, etc.) but sometimes I feel like I REALLY have to work at being a good "boy mama" (I don't like guns, camo, dead things, talking about bodily functions, etc)! However, Jackson told me last night that he had SO much fun and wants Will to spend the night soon ~ so I didn't feel like a TOTAL failure! ;)

It was SO strange because while they were hunting, they did not say ONE SINGLE WORD!

The pointed and whispered and stalked their prey! ha!

When they did talk ~ it pretty much consisted of talking about pooting, killing stuff, fishing,
and singing songs that they made up that had LOTS of fabulous bathroom words in them!!!

After every animal on our side of the street was scared to death, they moved on over to Big Daddy and Suz's house!!!

Jackson is laying in the leaves ~ at one point they were both COVERED in them "hiding" from the squirrels!!!

When Mary Dalton has friends over they TALK nonstop! I know who likes who, who eats lunch in the lunchroom, who plays sports or dances, EVERYTHING!!! With Will and Jackson ~ notta chance! They had a new teacher start on Friday and when I asked them about it they both said,

"Yeah, we got a new teacher."

That's it!

Not..."Yes! She is so sweet and fun and we learned about the lifecycle of a butterfly, etc., etc...
Men of few words I tell you!!!

Whitney Sue came home with Mary Dalton and that worked out GREAT! Each child had someone to play with and EVERYONE was happy!!! :D

While the boys were out hunting, the girls danced and played karaoke ~ MUCH more my speed! ha!

After the hunt, they all 4 played the wii with Dalton. Then, we went and had supper at Dairy Queen before going to the basketball game! Mary Dalton went home with WS and spent the night since they had dance clinic all day today! Jackson was SO tired from all of his hunting, he was asleep in no time at all!

Will and Jackson had a great time and again, I am beyond thankful for good friends for my children! They are planning a sleepover soon!!! I am not sure about a "boy" sleep over, but I have a feeling it will actually be quieter and easier than a girl sleepover! ;)