August Update!

Update for Miles: He is EVERYWHERE and into EVERYTHING! Last Saturday, Jared and I were standing in the kitchen evaluating his painting job (I mean, 3 feet away, for less than a minute), and it got very quiet in the dining room/Miles' playroom. He has been checking the stairs out, but hadn't figured out how to get around to the front of them. Well, he figured it out! He took off- and by the time Jared got to him, he was on the eighth stair up! AH! So this "feat" prompted a trip to Target (the nice new one in Olive Branch!) to buy a gate. Well I am not entirely pleased with this gate because it doesn't fit our stairs very well. But it is keeping him off of them for the time being! Those stinkin' gates are soo expensive! Who would have thought?! But I guess the baby business people are getting theirs! I think "they" know "they" can charge whatever "they" want because "they" know new moms are going to buy anything "they" say is necessary. What a business...kinda like the wedding business?! I just wish I could have made my millions with one of these "necessary" items! =) Well, I feel a little bit like I'm making my own way and sticking it to the man...I've been trying my hand at making my own baby food for Miles after hearing a friend, Jessica Haines, talk about how much money she is saving doing this! We'll see how long this streak lasts!

He is cutting a top tooth now. He's starting to stand for a second or so on his own, but once he realizes that's what he's doing, he plops down! We've got all types of bumps and bruises, which is so hard for me to handle, but I've been told they just get worse! Ah! He loves to walk around with the help of someone- he'd rather do that sometimes than crawl! Good for him, bad for lower back. He already loves to read. (And I am convinced that he is reading already!) I'll find him in his room pulling books off the shelf, or sitting in our room with a book. His favorites right now are "10 Little Lady Bugs" and "Goodnight Moon". Hopefully this is the beginning of a lifelong desire to read and learn?! Well, at least when he's in those pre-teen years and refusing to do his summer reading, I can show him pictures of him as a 9 month old reading on his own, with no pressure from mom and dad!

Update for LG: I've got a job at Horn Lake Intermediate, where I taught third grade last year. I will be a TST coach, working with students in the TST program who have failed a grade or who need some extra intervention. I will work 1 day a week right now, but hopefully 2 days will open up, which would be ideal! I'm hosting Bunko here this weekend for ladies in our SS/BFG class, which is why Jared has been painting the kitchen. It is a lovely olive green color and he has done a fabulous job! We have a rather large kitchen and breakfast room, so it has taken him all week to get it finished. Mom's helping me get the window treatments done, so it is all coming together! I think I'm doing a pretty good job of being patient and taking my time picking things out for our home. It's hard, but I'm doing it!

Update for Jared: He is staying super busy at work. And after work. If he's not on the soccer field coaching, he's out in the yard working on landscaping. It has been so hot outside that he could only work an hour or so at a time! But it has cooled off, so hopefully he'll be able to wrap that little project up soon! Soccer season is underway. His team, the Olive Branch Rage, is U13, so he is coaching a few of the kids who moved up from the U11 team last year. They start their games up in a few weeks. I'll try to get some action pics of Jared coaching!

I'll post some pics later! Can't find the camera at the moment!

It's Been a Busy Few Weeks...I Think!

It seems as though lots of things have happened since I last blogged, but not really...but here's a little update anyway!

Miles is cutting 2 teeth---it looks like such a small headline, what, with only a few words, but it's been a HUGE deal! If you have children you understand! So we have been a little fussy (and yes, I said we...), but when he isn't fussing over the teeth, he is workin' his tongue over them exploring this new feeling on his tongue! He is growing so fast! He is about 20 pounds now and he is crawling everywhere and pulling up on everything he can!

"Miles...let me snap this cute picture real quick before you start fussing!"

Miles crawling away from the camera! He moved a little quicker than I thought he would before I could take the pic!

Just a good pic of Jared and me before Steph's wedding! Jared thinks we look very Republican! He's so funny!

Dianne, Jared's mom, has been here for several days and we have so enjoyed having her here!Uncle Clif also came home for a visit after his guitar competition at East Carolina University. Miles is beginning to smell a little bit more...with all the spoiling going on around here!!! However, he is making friends at Sunday School! We had a good friend keeping nursery this morning who has a son who was born just a few weeks after Miles; she said that the boys were "wrestling" this morning during church! We'll have to get these two together more often! It's so neat to watch their personalities shine and mature!

Jared has also received a great honor at work! He has been selected to the Land Use Committee for the State Legislative Branch. Jared is the youngest planner (by profession) in Mississippi. This new appointment will require him to be in Jackson some while the State Senate is in session beginning in August. This was such an honor and a bit of a surprise! Yay Jared!

Congratulations are in order....I had two dear friends get married yesterday! Congratulations Blaire and Kevin Jett! They were married yesterday at 5:30 in Spartanburg, SC. I am so happy for you both! Have a blast in Aruba! Also, congrats to Stephanie and Adam Donyes! I didn't get to meet Adam, but I better the next time ya'll are in town! I love you both (couples) dearly and wish you all the best!

Kevin and Blaire Jett

Adam and Stephanie Donyes

After a fabulous weekend at the Tomato Festival

Yes, that's right, we went to the 150th annual Tomato Festival in Crystal Springs, Mississippi, this weekend! It was everything I hoped it would be...hot, fried food, and booths set up with things I absolutely did not need down the main street of Crystal Springs! Clif's best friend from college is now the youth minister at the presbyterian church there, so Clif and Aaron were set to run in the 5K there that morning. So Mom, Dad, Miles, Jared, Molly (Clif's friend), and I woke up early Saturday morning and drove from Madison to Crystal Springs to join Clif and Aaron and my cousin Ashley at the Tomato Festival. Miles did really well...until about noon. It was nap time and eating time. (I wouldn't let him have any of my chicken on a stick!) So Jared and Miles went back to the church and took a nap in the nursery (yes, both of them) while Mom and I continued to look and wait for things to be monogrammed!

I was definitely reminded of the Mullet Festival that my roommates and I attended in the fall of 2003...wow that sounds so long ago! We were on our way to the beach for fall break and saw the sign for the Mullet Festival...so of course we had to attend. Now, mind you, a mullet is a type of fish. But of course there were mullets for miles! We bought t-shirts and had a great time! I love looking back at pictures from that weekend! Oh, the fun times Patton 4 had!

This was definitely a classic summertime weekend. We visited family all over the Jackson area. Grandmama (Great Mama to Miles) in Madison, Clif came up from Hattiesburg, Mamawcharlotte, Pop, and lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins! From grilling shish kabobs and hamburgers, to eating watermelon in the house my grandfather was raised in- it was definitely the type of weekend I remember from growing up and visiting family in Canton!

We came home a day early, however, so Miles could get back on his little schedule! He slept okay the first couple nights, but as the weekend went on, he got more and more out of sorts! But it was definitely a fabulous weekend. I so look forward to more of those as he gets older and we have more children to share our heritage with!

Pictures from the weekend:

Miles with Granddaddy, Mom's dad.
Miles, me, and Pop, Dad's dad.
Miles and Uncle Clif at the Tomato Festival.
Miles and Jared sacked out at First Presbyterian, Crystal Springs, MS.
Oh yeah, Miles took his first dip in the pool at the hotel where my parents were staying!

He loved it!

An explanation of the music you hear...

So I was looking at friends blogs this morning after I put Miles down for a nap and wanted music on my blog like they had! So after sitting here trying to figure out what songs I should add, let me explain my choices.

"Back in Black", ACDC- Jared's "go to" song. Anytime there is an awkward pause or he just needs a little attention, Jared busts out with his air guitar and his rendition of "Back in Black"

"Cello Suite" Bach/Yo Yo Ma- Clif played this beautiful song at my wedding! It's also on a dog food commercial... =)

"Fly Me to the Moon", Frank Sinatra- I have loved listening to "Siriusly Sinatra" on my Sirius radio since we got the Edge...channel 75

"What a Wonderful World", Louis Armstrong- just a favorite!

"Summertime", Miles Davis- I just love listening to Miles Davis and what's more appropriate than his song "Summertime"?

and finally...(for now)

"Last Name", Carrie Underwood- I just thought this would be a fun song to add!! Promise...no other reason behind it! I love Carrie Underwood...I'm definitely a country-music-listening gal!