My Apologies

Although the below post doesn't make up for it, I do apologize for being slack on the blog. I have been looking for the motivation, but couldn't find it anywhere. The post below is one that I had been working on and didn't finish until recently. Sometimes I just wish I had some balance!! All I have been doing lately is sewing (aren't those turkey outfits just precious??), especially with the holidays coming. I am having a lot of fun with it! Other than that, the Joneses are finally on the mend...we are all healthy, happy and busy. Soccer is finished for the season and now we are gearing up for a big trip to the mountains for Thanksgiving with the other Joneses. Here are a couple of pictures that will hopefully bring you some Thanksgiving cheer! We hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday and know that even as tough as times are for so many, remember that it can always be worse. There is so much to be thankful for!!

And the beat goes on....

So...it has been yet another eventful week in our house. Shall I recap???
MONDAY
Mac's four year checkup. For those of you with older kids (lest you forget) or none at all, this particular doctor visit means shots...four to be exact. Everybody say it with me, TRAUMA. I prepared him for it. Told him it was going to happen and that I knew he could be brave. Even told him if afterward we would get a special treat. Cool as a cucumber was he. Ignorance truly is bliss. He howled, kicked, screamed so many tears..Mommy too. A second nurse had to come in to hold him down after the third shot. After the tears had been wiped dry and we were leaving the office he looked over at the nurse who held his legs down and said, "I'm sorry that you hurt me with the shot." Bless him...at least he has manners!
TUESDAY
The funk returns as Mac has a horrible, horrible cough. It drove him crazy because he couldn't even stop long enough to eat his food. We soldier on through the day as I really think it is just the beginning of a cold.
WEDNESDAY
PJ day at our house...Mac needs the rest anyway. Mommy gets to finish a sewing project she has been working on..a new purse!

THURSDAY
Mac's first field trip with school! Mommy went along with the class to the pumpkin patch and Daddy met us there. There was a hay ride, crafts, story time and we still have that horrible, horrible cough. I probably shouldn't have let him go, but he has literally been talking about it every single day for three weeks.




FRIDAY
Halloween...Mac completely gets it this year and they are both so cute! Papa and Ganny suited us up well with Halloween bags and lights for trick or treating, along with lots of other goodies! Michael took them out while Mommy handed out candy. Mac was Mr. Incredible and Lily Kate was a bumble bee. Happy Halloween all!!!

SATURDAY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!! While our day was busy with errands and activities, Daddy liked that he wasn't the center of attention. Sunday we celebrated with a cake and dinner. WE LOVE YOU DADDY!!!!!! Mac did make a trip to the doctor today because he began complaining of his ear hurting..sure enough...ear infection. Well, at least he will now be on the mend! Maybe the funk will decide to go somewhere else this week.

Busy Weekend...

I swear, our kids social schedules are killing us. I cannot complain...we have the best friends ever, but I do know that it will only get worse!
Last night I trekked with the girlies to Columbia for a birthday dinner for Sugar..so much fun. I miss her so much and wish I could kidnap her to bring her back to the ville' for selfish reasons. I know I am not the only one who feels this way and thus wouldn't even have to ask for help in committing the crime. Plus, she would so meet us at the end of her driveway! It was great...I just can't say enough. We did miss our Clairee..it wasn't an outing with out her.

Next we had two birthday parties and soccer practice all back to back. Luckily, the practice was cancelled so it did give us some reprieve. The birthday parties were super fun; a rockstar party and then a monster party, ROAR! Mac had a blast at both and I was caked out!! On top of all of that, there was football on TV, company over for dinner, etc. It did turn fall sometime during the day and I luckily had dusted off my jacket. Maybe the cool weather will stick around.


Lastly Sunday brought church where Mac sang during the offering. I love it...I have been so excited about this. Wish I could have taken pictures during, but I didn't want to be the Mom who embarasses the kid, yet anyway. I spent the rest of the day at the sewing machine...what I had been pining for all along. We hope you all had a fantastic weekend and that all of your teams you were rooting for won!

The house of funk

We are so funkalicious over here it isn't even funny. I get a letter; A LETTER in the mail from the Health Department which states "please contact me immediately regarding Lily Kate's latest lab tests". Seriously??? I mean the heart beat DID stop. After nervously waiting by the phone for the nurse who sent me the letter to return my call (apparently they aren't at work at 7 AM in the morning), she finally called back. Three weeks ago Lily Kate had a horrible stomach virus. However, we now find out it was not a virus, it was salmonella. Oh, it doesn't stop there. She and I both went to the doctor on Monday for some kind of funky rash stuff we had. They were totally different from each other. Turns out hers is related to the salmonella, mine is shingles. Shingles. Really? Don't you have to be like 60 to get that??? Like I said, welcome to the house of funk, enter at your own risk. Oh, and keep us in your prayers!

Here it is....

my first smocked dress for Lily Kate!!! I am excited...and proud since I did it from start to finish..every bit. I won't say how long it took. I will say that I couldn't have done it without Leslie. Thank you sweet friend for holding my hand through this whole process!!! Here's to more!

Rain, rain we don't care if you stay...

We're having fun anyway!!!! So it rained...non-stop...the whole weekend. But who cares??!! We had fun just breathing different air, being in a different house and I mean really, it was the beach. Good friends, good times..I hated to see it end!

Fun Time in the Fall

This weekend we had a wonderful visit from Nanna and Paw Paw. They brought lots of surcies for Mac since it was his birthday "week" and some Cinderella gear for Lily Kate. The kids loved the presents!!! On Saturday they got to see Mac in action at soccer practice and then we all headed over to Mount Pleasant to the Scarecrow festival at Boone Hall Plantation. There was lots of fun things for the kids like jump castles and slides, a pumpkin patch and a corn maze, goats and bunnies to feed, etc. The best part (we all agreed) was the hay ride. They took you through the woods on the plantation and had gone to great lenghths to decorate it with lots of scarecrows, cobwebs and lots of other halloween stuff! The kids loved looking out for the spiders and ghosts! We had a great time!

One long week.....

to say the least!! I thought that the easiest way to play catch up would be to make one huge post with several slideshows. So, sorry ahead of time for the overabundance of our lives!!! However, there is lots of good stuff here!!!!

I will first start by stating that my sweet little Lily Kate was sick four days last week with a horrible tummy bug. She was so pitiful! However, when she did feel like eating again, she helped herself....




So, let's start with Soccer. Mac started last week and it is his first time ever playing a sport. Needless to say, we are thrilled!!! He is loving it; having loads of fun (not to mention that he is so stinkin' cute in those shin guards)!

Next was a birthday party for one of our greatest friends; Harper!! She had a super cool party with face painting, popcorn, sno-cones and a jump castle! We had such a good time and the kids loved getting painted up!

After Harper's party, it was time to get ready for Mac's.....

Mac's birthday was Friday and since Lily Kate was still recovering from her tummy catastrophe, I opted not to venture out during the day. However, I was convinced that by dinner time she could handle an outing. So, we celebrated the actual birthday with a special dinner at Chili's. I thought for sure they would sing to him, but no. Oh well, he didn't know the difference. We sang to him but I don't think he heard us because he was way too in to the dessert...can't blame him! Lily Kate just didn't understand why it wasn't her birthday...too cute.



It was the perfect day!!!! Mac's party was wonderful: perfect weather, cute costumes, wonderful friends...need I go on? The best thing about it was that this year, Daddy was here for it!!! So, we really outdid ourselves. Spiderman jumpcastle, ice cream sundaes, spiderman action cake, and a spiderman bicycle!!!! We had so much fun and cannot believe our little pumpkin is four! Oh, and I have to give a special "THANK YOU" to Leslie...she was such a great help that one of the children told her "thank you for having me!" before he left!

Lastly, the morning after was filled with party hangover in the air. Mommy's eyes were swollen she was so tired..no picture of that. So, to lighten the mood, Mimi broke out her surcies for the kids. As you can see, they had no complaints!!!!




So, that's it in a nutshell. Hope it was worth your hour to browse through our week!!!

A royal affair...

Saturday was our good friend Abby's 4th birthday. A prince and princess party. Luckily, I was able to find a knight costume and as most people are aware, princess outfits are available anywhere all year long. The kids were thrilled to be dressing up and had a great, great time!! Cotton candy, cookie making station, jump castle, yah!!! Oh, and don't forget the cupcakes and princess cake! Happy, happy birthday princess Abby!!!

May we NEVER EVER forget....

No matter how hard we try words simply cannot express the horror, the shock, and the revulsion we all feel over what took place in this nation on Tuesday morning. September 11 will go down in our history as a day to remember.
Today we say to those who masterminded this cruel plot, and to those who carried it out, that the spirit of this nation will not be defeated by their twisted and diabolical schemes. Some day those responsible will be brought to justice, as President Bush and our Congress have so forcefully stated.
-Rev. Billy Graham




I am SO proud of my country. I will never forget what happened and hope that no one else does either.

Wordless Wednesday

Told you he was obsessed...

A funny from Mac...

Setting: About 3 miles from our house a Chili's is being built. Michael and I love Chili's and have been talking to each other about how we can't wait for it to open because we don't have one near us and never get to go (i.e., the kids have maybe eaten there once). Mac is currently obsessed with ANY and all superheroes. He has spiderman, batman and superman pajamas and one batman costume complete with mask. While Mimi was visiting this weekend he bounds downstairs in his batman costume and walks up to Mimi.

Mimi: "Hi Darlin!"
Mac: "No. I'm batman"
Mimi: "(with hands on her cheeks and a scared look; playing along perfectly) Oh my! Batman, are you here to save me?"
Mac: "No. I am here to take you to Chili's."

First day of school

Yah!!! School has begun and no one could be happier than Mommy!! The kids had no problem; they went right in and began to play with toys. I did however keep Lily Kate home with me due to a nasty all over rash. We "acted as if" and took pictures just the same, but maybe she will get to go on Thursday. Either way, I am just glad to be back to a schedule!

A very unlaborious labor day

We hope you had a great Labor day too!!!