Southern Belle Sunday

This is officially my favorite outfit of Mary Frances'.  I bought it for $9.99 at Janie and Jack (one of the most expensive children's clothing stores on the planet) Labor Day weekend.  I knew she would only get to wear it about 5 times, but that's only $2 a day :)!  Not too shabby for the cutest little girl on the planet!

 And can we also discuss the fact that she loves shoes and purses!  It makes me so happy!  She especially loves heels.  As you can tell by this picture her Daddy's shoes are sitting out and she goes for the heels.  That's my girl!!

 Look at those ruffles on her bottom!!  And please note her method of crawling is JUST like her brother's.

She is all over the place and into everything!  I LOVE it!  This stage to 1 year is so sweet and special.  She loves for Matt and I go hold her while the other one tries to tickle her.  She just laughs and laughs.  It's so sweet! 

What can I say, she's just my little Southern Belle!

Fratty Friday

The older he get the less cooperative he gets at home and at school.  Everyone keeps telling me he will get better.  I sure hope so because if not, forget KA, he is going to The W (MS School for Women).  That's what my mom always threatened me with.  The fear of having to live at home and go to school was more than I could handle!  Hopefully it will be for him too.

 He has gotten in trouble the last two days in a row at school and been a terror at home.  We talk to him, spank him, put him in time out, and try to take Mickey Mouse Clubhouse away.  But when Mama left last night to go to dinner with some friends Daddy caved and let him watch it.  I'm sure it's no surprise Daddy is the soft one.

 So taking pictures in the morning are no longer fun to him.  I am interrupting his Mickey Mouse Clubhouse! And just getting on his nerves in general.

 His teachers tell me how smart he is and how sweet he can be, but then some days he doesn't listen and pushes people down.  Lord help me.  I can't blame it on Matt not being around b/c he was home EVERY night and weekend this month so J-Man has gotten plenty of Daddy time!

Other mothers of boys are quick to encourage me and tell me things will get better.  I sure hope so b/c I don't want him living at home going to The W.  I want him out of the house and at Ole Miss.  After all, who will set-up our Grove tent if he's not there?  I'm not paying for college AND a Grove tent service.

Happy Friday everyone!

Ole Miss vs. Texas

The day started out with so much excitement and anticipation.  We drove up to Oxford the day of the game since Matt had to work a high school football game the night before and the Ole Miss game didn't start until 8:15 PM!!  The kids took a much needed nap in the car on our way there and were little troopers in The Grove.  

Franny Bean and I made a trip to the Phi Mu house!  Her first of many and ran into Austin and Aunt Shay.

Franny and Austin were able to get down and play!  I tied up her dress so she could crawl, but explained that was not going to be acceptable when she got to college.

 They had the best time playing with a paper plate from The Grove.  It's the simple things in life.

 Then it was time for a nap.  It was hot and there was SO much going on she was not wanting a nap at all.

But thanks to super Dad he got her down for a nice little nap!  The one below is a framer!

 J-Man could have stood a nap, but we had no such luck!!  He rallied for the 8:15 kick-off like a champ though!

  Look at this sleeping beauty!!  Couldn't you just eat her up!

After a nap it was party time in the play-pen!  They had the best time playing in there!

 Around 7:30 it was off to the game while Gaga stayed at the tent with Mary Frances.  Thanks Gaga!!

This is one of my favorite pictures!!  We showed him how to put his hand over his heart while they sang the national anthem!

 Then we sent Gaga a picture thanking her for staying with Franny so we could take J-Man into the game!

And before I took Jackson back to the tent at half time I took him down to the sidelines to see Bevo or Bebo and Jackson calls him.  He kept saying "big cow, moo."  He loved being in the game and all of the sights and sounds that went along with it.  We are hoping he starts requesting to watch football rather than Mickey Mouse before too long.  

I hate our Rebels lost, but our offense was a bright spot and we knew this season would be a rebuilding year.  It's tough being a Rebel, but I love every minute of it!  Our kids don't stand a chance.  They bleed red and blue already!  Hotty Toddy!

Keeping It Real Wednesday - Yea, I'm a Libertarian

So, if you have been around me for any length of time you know I am a little conservative.  Ok, ok, a LOT conservative.  Laura Miller - Child of God. Wife to Moo. Mommy to J-Man and Baby Sister. Hard worker for undisclosed. Libertarian. Ole Miss Rebel. And Blessed to be Southern y'all!

And it is my goal in life to populate the earth with more conservatives.  I know some parents may not agree with this stance, but the good news is we live in America and not only can you have your own ideas, but also express them, freely.  I know I run the risk of one of my children growing up and canceling out my vote once that curtain is drawn, but I am doing all I can to mitigate the risk.  And if I ever find out that one of my kids does cancel my vote out, they will immediately be cut off.  Monetarily of course.  Not because I don't want them to be democrats, but because if they do feel that way I want them to be on their own for a while and see how it feels to work hard day in and day out to pay for those without personal responsibility.  Our country has lost that virtue in many instances and I believe it is the main reason we are in the mess we are in today.  I very much believe in helping people when they are down.  I also agree that is SOME instances the government can help, but it's mainly our PERSONAL responsibility as human beings to help each other.  And let's face it, our government has a hard time doing anything correctly no matter the party.  And the bigger they get the worse we'll be.  I'm telling you, if Ron Paul HAD a foreign policy he would be our nominee right now.  I am not ashamed to say I voted for him in the primary.  So I say all of that to show you this - me brain washing my child......

Fratty Friday

Of course it's the football edition!

Jackson is so excited about the game this weekend he is practicing his pom-pom moves for the student section!!  He is ready to grill some Bevo steaks in The Grove!!  If you are on twitter and have time today please checkout #TexasGameRumors.  They will keep you rolling.  The last time I checked George W and Matthew McConaughey had bought all the south end zone tickets.  People are going crazy!

Who cares that it's an 8:15 game and who cares that we will be in The Grove for 8 hours with 2 small children, Matt and I are taking Jackson into the game.  I want him to see it and experience it.  The only game he has been in to was the Vandy game in Nashville.  So this will be his first trip to Vaught Hemmingway.  Not his first trip to The Grove of course.  Hotty Toddy Y'all!

And to get pumped up watch the video at the link below.  If it doesn't give you chills you need to check your pulse.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXY4_zHk9vE&feature=youtu.be&hd=1

Swimming Lessons

I have not posted about swimming lessons in a while, but Mary Frances just started this month and Jackson moved to the big boy pool by himself.  I had originally planned for my mom and Gran to be here on Jackson's first day in the pool by himself, but hurricane Issac decided to hit the next day and they didn't want to get stuck in Jackson.  Any way, Jackson did GREAT his first day even without anyone there to watch.  Aunt Anna and Uncle Barry came towards the end of lessons, but it didn't phase him.

Flash forward one week later and he had a melt down.  Matt was even there watching and he still cried.  So we thought we would try a different approach.  I would watch him and Matt would get it with Mary Frances.  Still no luck.  The teacher told me to hide where he couldn't see me and that seemed to help some.  So that's why my videos of him are really far away.

I've had him in swimming since he was 7 months old to avoid the screaming.  So much for that.  He loves to swim and is really good at it, but he just wants me in the pool with him  It doesn't help matters that someone is in with Mary Frances and not with him either. 

Keeping It Real Wednesday

So this is the Keeping It Real Wednesday phone dump and Happy Birthday Sheshe edition!!!

 Enjoying a blue icing cupcake.  Thanks to Mrs. Karen.

 My Friday night after the kids are asleep and Matt is on call.  Man, I lead a glamours life.

 After an impromptu splash park visit.

 Big R, enough said.

 Potential Halloween costumes for the kiddos.

 A walk down memory lane in Oxford.

 A sign my friends and I have a problem.

 Chatting it up on the toy cell phone.

 Telling me all about his "pull-up."  We're currently potty training. And he is doing GREAT by the way.

 And finally hurricane preparedness.  Obviously the grocery store was out of water so I settled for the other two essentials.  Snack cakes and ice cream!  Issac didn't leave us hungry.

And that wraps up our Keeping It Real Wednesday!!  Happy Hump Day!

Southern Belle Sunday

What has this southern belle been up to these days these last couple of months?

Helping Daddy pay the bills.  Mama has since taken over this chore.  Future post to come.

 Meeting one of her future boyfriends Austin

 Being adorable in PJ's.

 And in bows.

 I used to be able to keep her in this rocker while I showered.  Yea, those days are gone.  This girl is mobile!!

 Modeling her new kicks from Shehse.

 More adorableness.

 Hotty Toddy!

 Country Clubbing

 First swimming lessons.

 Playing with her Bubba.

 Holding her own bottle.

 She has already discovered the finer things in life.  Look how happy she is.  LV makes me that happy too Baby Sister.

 And finally being a little rebel (some more)!!