Aunt Nita's 86th birthday celebration

The women on the Gaines side have a family tradition to get together for our birthdays and tonight we celebrated my Great-Aunt's 86th birthday. I am so thankful that my boys get to have a relationship with the only real aunt I have had. Aunt Nita was always at everything special in my life birthdays, graduations, holidays and she is doing the same for my boys. She is 86 and look just like I remember her 25 years ago. She is as with it as ever!

1980
My favorite pic of Aunt Nita
Connie Hughey, DeeAnn Hughey, Me, Aunt Nita, Rusty, & Mom

1979
Baby Shower Aunt Nita hosted for Mom when she was pregnan

the boys and their Great-Great Aunt Nita
They act like she is 25!

Gaines cheesing it with "Aunt Judy" - technically 3rd cousin I think.

Nonni, Mimi, Aunt Nita, Judy & Christy

Garrick's 35th Birthday Family Dinner

We celebrated Garrick's birthday today at Nonni & Poppy's house. The big 3-5. Garrick is thrilled he is turning 35 because he thought he was turning 36 until he actually counted it up! Mom made one of Garrick's favorite meals meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and chocolate pie.

Mom's Chocolate Pie - Delicious

Garrick and his boys

Another gift that Garrick did not request from my family - do you ever think he will appreciate our humor?

Nonni bought this police car after Christmas and it has been burning a hole in her pocket to give it to them. i made her wait because they are spoilt and have been acting so bratty and because Will had a huge Gator he was getting for his birthday. She held off for about 3 months and today was the day.

We learned rather quickly that Will should drive and Gaines should navigate.

Songbirds

The entire fam came out to see Gaines's Songbird performance at church this morning and he did so much better than Christmas! He actually sang both songs and even waved once. Will thought he was big stuff sitting in big church watching his brother. He sang to the songs too while eating whatever Nonni has stuffed into her purse. I told Gaines to take care of Lucy in his Sunday School class. After class LK told Uncle Garrick that "Gaines was playing with his friends and wouldn't introduce me and I didn't get a snack. I kept telling Gaines I didn't get a snack and he wouldn't do anything." 

Gaines and Saylor
We always take Saylor with us to practice on Sunday nights since Ms. Sheree has to work.

Gaines's Fan Club

Lucy Kate and Mamaw's Visit

Mamaw has brought Lucy Kate a few times to visit with her and the boys love it! I am pretty sure LK does too. Will followed his big cousin around everywhere. I think they probably played more together this visit than her and Gaines. It literally rained the entire day so we played at home and ventured out that night for some ice cream. I am so thankful Mamaw makes this effort, these memories are forever. Now we just need to get Josh here!

LK slept in Will's room for naptime and Gaines's for bedtime.

4 weeks and a day a part

LK and Will performing. Trying to continue the Odom-Stegall cousin tradition of preparing for their big break on Star Search.

Love! Cousin hug

Utilizing the van

This picture cracks me up - Lucy looks like a giant and Gaines and Will look so short.

Mamaw and some of her grandchildren

After ice cream!

LK would try to tell Gaines something and would change her subject every time.

Bedtime show

Will said, "Mom, Mom, look." This is what he was showing me. Sweet cousin love.

ready for church to see Gaines sing in the children's choir.

Zoo with Ezra

I had an emotional parent moment when you hurt for your child and your child does not even realize it is going to hurt. Ezra's dad told me that they had decided to put Ezra in another school next year and I thought I was going to loose it. I mean seriously boo-hooing (not in front of him but as soon as I got in the car). Gaines and Ezra have been together since they were 20 months old and truly he was the only child Gaines would play with for 2 years. I have gotten to know his parents and they are great people and it breaks my heart that they will not be together next year. I know that I have to put my big girl pants on but Gaines will not even realize it until the first day of school. He keeps saying, "It is not true. That he is just going in the Fall." 

With all that being said Ezra's mom and I are trying to make an extra special effort to get the boys together so we headed to the zoo today. 

I l ove to hear them call each other by name and what they talk about.

Will just hangs right in there!

Whip Crackin' Rodeo

We took the boys to the rodeo in Lebanon. it was perfect! They were so excited and could not wait to wear their cowboy outfits. Gaines as usual was very serious about his attire. I read all the activities to the boys off the website and Gaines decided before we even arrived that he had won the Children's Best Cowboy Outfit Contest and Will kept saying, "I want to ride a bull." This statement is funny in itself since he is now petrified of animals. I had bought these shirts at a consignment sale a year ago and finally got to wear them even if we did have to paint them on! We will definitely do this every year.

Running to the rodeo

Gaines loved showing off his outfit and getting into character. He would say "Howdy" and tip his hat. He got on this huge mechanical horse and starting swinging his hat saying, "YeeeeeHaaaaw!" Gathering free stuff and "flair" from all the booths. Posing for pictures - he really could have cared less about the actual show.

Will wanted to stay on the bleachers and wait for it to begin. He would not budge and kept asking over and over when rodeo would start. "Where are the bulls?" Once the show actually started he was scared to death but would not take his eyes off of all the action. He was sitting in my lap with his legs wrapped around mine where I could not out him down.

Gaines throwing off his hat again!

Love this! Will had a little bounce in his step.

By the way, we missed the contest because Gaines had to potty! Next year, we are going all out and for sure getting chaps.