The Odom Family

The Odom Family

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Easter Sunday

We made it to the 9am service at church and it was a wonderful service. Mom and Mamaw joined us and the boys loved all the attention especially in their sport coats. Before heading to Mom's house for Easter Brunch we set up the self-timer for some family pics.







We headed over to Nonni's house around 12:30pm for Brunch. Nonni's blood pressure has been dangerously high lately so I was interested to see how Easter would go since she refused to let me do it for her. The table looked beautiful and the food was great. I love Brunch! If I picked the menu out every year that would be my choice. It was a fun day - I just needed some silence after listening to Gaines and Rusty talk non-stop for 5 hours!!!

My Easter Cake I made for the Easter Table.
Our ridiculous amounts of Easter baskets. our tradition is that we exchange names and have a $25 limit for each basket.
YUM! Breakfast and French Toast Casserole, Hot Cross Buns (Mom's favorite), Cinnamon Rolls (for the boys), scrambled eggs, bacon, biscuits and fruit salad.
Mom's pretty table. It is all about the table for our Holiday tradition. I am sure this is one thing my boys will carry on for sure. Another reason they need a little sister!
Grant kicked off the basket exchange. Mom had his name and must have found every style titans hat at a yard sale. 
Mimi had Garrick's name and once again gave a gift that will be remembered for years to come - everyone wishes for a opossum in their Easter basket. Garrick and Daphne had a bad experience with opossum so the site of one gives them both chills!

One of Mimi's other gifts for Garrick - our First Christmas together 2002. It wasn't even as if she tossed it in there, she actually ordered it in September for Garrick and Grant.
We also celebrated Papa, Rusty, and Trish's birthdays. Papa Jim was thrilled with his cash. The men in our family are easy to please with a little green.
Green and Chocolate that is.

The boys and their Great-Grandparents.

The boys with their great-Uncle Rusty

The boys with Uncle Grant.

Trying to get a picture of these 4 is pretty impossible - none of them listen or follow directions.


We crashed after we left the festivities!!!

Easter Bunny

We really did not build up the "Bunny" too much this year, really Easter snuck up on us period. Let's put it this way, I only threatened that the Easter Bunny would not come 3 times and it is not because the boys were being good! 

Will's basket - His loves right now Power Rangers, The Wiggles, and Play-Do.
Gaines's Basket - His loves right now anything office so he has been wanting colored pencils like his big cousins. His basket faves: colored pencils, a notebook, and a folder.
Coming down for the Easter Bunny
"Look Will and what all you got."

Power Ranger Mask for Will and WIGGLES!!!!

Gaines's Favorite was his Rescue Bot DVD and toy.
Will was much more interested in the candy and chocolate. He put all of his basket goodies into his basket and sat down to eat.


Easter Morning



Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Adventures in Babysitting

Mom got off work early and called and I think she was a little worried Gaines was not going to survive the afternoon so she offered to come and get the boys. Here is her story...



Nonni picked up the boy’s as promised this week to go and shop at Target for our Easter Egg contest.  This trip was to purchase candy to fill the eggs, and hope to get the boy’s to fill them before Sunday.  Anyway, this started out as a pleasant and enjoyable trip and before it was over it turned into something like this:

“Nonni’s Boys Gone Wild @ Target”

First we pull up to Target and they immediately asked if they could walk.  Nonni, being the smart Grandmother she is…said, “No, let’s use the cart so I don’t have to lift with my hurt arm.”  Little did I know they had already picked out the large train of a cart where you sit in front of the HUGE cart.  I’m sure I bruised everyone in the store before we left in an hour, which seemed to last 4.  But Gaines kept saying, “THIS IS SO MUCH FUN, NONNI!”

First stop was STARBUCKS, what child knows about that place at age 4 and 2 ½.  We pick up our usual Lemon Loaf and no they get their own slice, as Gaines informs me.  There is no sharing here…... Again, “THIS IS SO MUCH FUN, NONNI!”  As, Will is scoping out the room.

And the adventure begins, off to the candy isle.  Will stops and looks at Batman DVDs, and wants them.  We move right along to the candy isle, and since I couldn’t maneuver the cart very well at all.  I gave in and let them out (BIG MISTAKE)  and don’t tell their Mommy.  They unbuckled their seatbelts and took off down the aisle and started throwing bags of candy into the cart (that was parked at the end of the row).  So, by the time I went to check out what they had in their hands…it was way too late!  Within 5 minutes, my head was in a tailspin and my cart was full.  Now for negotiating time on what to keep.  I thought, “well, that went over well!” 

Gaines and Will take off to the Easter section and started throwing more candy with egg shapes into the basket, now the basket is getting tired and I don’t know what the heck I’m doing.  In the meantime, everyone that comes by Gaines reminds that the cart is like a “BIG OLD TRAIN”.  I guess he was tired of hearing me complain about the train I’m having to push around.   Nonni thinks she has a great idea, “Boy’s, pick out a basket that you can keep at Nonni’s!”  Off they went, Gaines decided he wanted this UGLY old treasure chest that will not hold anything for Easter and Will wanted Batman.  I tried to talk Gaines out of it, but that wasn’t going to happen.  Needless to say, I had to purchase the 10.00 treasure chest before the negotiations were over.  Another bright idea as we move onto the toy section.

Nonni, can we get a toy?  You can pick out one toy to go in your Easter basket, and you will get it on Sunday after church and not before then.  Okay, Nonni…I love you, Nonni!  SUCKER!!!!!  We started with fishing poles, tool chest, balls, metal baseball bat and helmet and we ended up with a football player for Will and a Jake the Never land treasure chest, that they just had to have.  I’m sure it was 500.00.  Back into the overfilled cart that I was going to have to unload without them seeing me.  That was a success, but before we left I was 70.00 poorer, if you include STARBUCKS for toddlers.

Now, Gaines said, “THIS IS SO MUCH FUN, NONNI!”  And, he tells the cashier we are shopping with our grandmother for Easter and he said, a the cashier said alot of grandmother’s shopping today for their grandchildren. Gaines say’s; “ We get a toy for our basket, and get it on EASTER!!!!”   Famous last words.  Just like his Mommy, full of it!!!!!  Will is taking it all in and he’s not leaving without his football man in hand.  Negotiations once again, I won…but not without a few tears.  Okay, we’re off to the car.  Hold hands, and let Nonni lead.  All I heard to the car, was Will telling Gaines, “hold hands Gaines!” 

In the car, Will is crying because Gaines is in his seat.  Negotiation once again.  And, I remember Grant and Christy fighting over the front and back seat.

Gaines has already asked if we could eat at Taco Bell, and can we go inside too?  Well, Poppy called and he is going to meet us…they we’re excited about that and will couldn’t wait.  They had a great time running free in Taco Bell, I don’t think Mommy and Daddy allow them to get their own straw, eat cinnamon sticks before the taco.  And, to open the door for people coming in.  And, throwing trash in the nasty trash can.  They we’re in heaven……..

Off to Mom’s, and here we go!  Can we hold our gifts Nonni?  I said, that get’s me in trouble everytime. No, we just want to hold.  All I can say is they left the car with their Easter toy’s and basically ran in the house so I wouldn’t get them.  Next I know they are telling me Happy Easter Nonni!  And, Will basically looked at me and held his football player and went “Nana, Nana, Boo Boo!  Gaines suggested we try my idea next year.  I later receive a picture with them and their new toys, that they didn’t wait for Easter. HMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

Love those boy’s!

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Easter Egg Hunt

Our church held their Community Easter Egg Hunt this morning and the boys had a ball. I laid out all the baskets I had at home and the boys picked which one they wanted to use. Gaines of course claimed the huge white one first. Jen, Garrick's cousin, dropped Silas off with us so we got to experience what it would be like for a family of 5...I may need to practice a little more! Since I have been home with boys, we have gotten very involved with our community, church, and school and the best part about all of it is to see the boys play with their friends. I love when I hear one of them yell for another friend by name - that seems so "big" to me.

Gaines loves the Easter Bunny! Will is still petrified.

Silas enjoyed "hopping" around the field more than the actual hunt.
Helping cousin Silas

Waiting for the hunt to begin

Will was racing a long until he thought the Easter Bunny was near and then he stopped dead in his tracks until I could convince him that the bunny was no where around him.

Comparing eggs with our friend Anniston from church

Serious business

Gaines could barely carry his basket it was so heavy.

Hallee and Will

I love these two babies!
Gaines looks so tall
Easter 2013
Train Ride 
Ms. Christy just loves the train


Silas finally got settled on the train. I told Garrick I would ride this train until Jen got there!

Love this! We are so lucky to get to make memories with our families!

Waiting for their cotton candy
Love this picture with our favorite friends Hallee and Saylor.
None of the kids liked the cotton candy except Will - I think he ate all their bags.

Gaines picked a notepad for his prize for the pin the tail on the bunny game.

Mr. Greg (Saylor and Hallee's Dad) and Garrick
Dads Gone Wild Easter Egg 2K13