The Summers Family

Another Year.....

2010-01-11T15:02:00.002-05:00

Well once again I am way behind posting anything but I have been pretty busy with Brody, who will be 3 tomorrow!!!!!, the yearbook (which I may never finish), My Master's degree (I only have 3 more semesters!!!!), teaching full time, doing a little house work, and just being me! Whew... that makes me tired again just thinking about it!
I am going to post a few pictures from Christmas. We had an incredible time this holiday season. I have told everyone that this was by far the BEST Christmas I have ever had. Brody was at a great age! He understood what was going on and keeps telling me that he's going to miss Ho Ho... He is so funny. I hope that every year is as good as this one was. We are going to have a party Saturday so I will have more pics then.

Here comes Santa Claus.....

2009-12-08T14:54:00.002-05:00

Yesterday Mom and I took Brody to the mall to see Santa. As you can tell from the picture he wouldn't sit on Santa's lap but he would let me sit beside him with Brody on my lap. Anyway, this year's Santa at West Town is awesome!!! He must of heard me talking to Brody and so he already knew his name. He then asked Brody what he wanted and he told Santa that he wanted a Dump Truck... Which is funny b/c he has about a trillion already but I guess he likes what he likes.

Happy Birthday Tabitha

2009-12-01T14:17:00.003-05:00

Today is one of my best friends' birthday. I love you Tab... you are definitely catching up with me!
This picture was taken at Ruby Tuesday's last Tuesday night. From Left to Right: Me, Charissa, Lindsey, Tabitha, J.D., Jessica
We had a great time and laughed so much... I can't wait to do it again really soon!

ARGH, Matey.....

2009-11-04T11:28:00.003-05:00

About a month or so before Halloween we got a costume magazine in the mail. I told Brody to pick out what he wanted to dress up like. He picked a Pirate. I don't think it would have been my first choice but I liked it much better than a vampire or something scary... I know that stuff will come soon enough with this little guy! So I decided that was a great idea. I didn't really like the costume in the book and so I started looking around the house to make him a costume myself. One day I was looking for ideas on the internet and came across this costume. I loved it. I talked myself out of buying it right away and decided I should look to see if I could get a better price. Over Fall Break, mom and I took Brody to Party City and they had it on SALE!!! She bought it and a sword for him. I have to say that even though it was a store bought costume, He looked absolutely adorable. He practiced saying ARGH, Matey for weeks and TRICK OR TREAT... When Saturday night finally got here, He had a BALL We only went to 5 places but he got enough candy to last for A LONG TIME!!! Ha
I can't wait until next year to do it again!

Happy Anniversary

2009-10-09T10:34:00.001-04:00

Adam and I have been married for 5 years today! It has flown by, but then again, I can't remember my life without my best friend! I love you honey thanks for 5 wonderful years I can't wait for the next 50+ years with you!

Catching Up.....

2009-08-18T11:04:00.002-04:00

Well I can say that summer is officially over for our family. I can't believe it but its true. We had a great time. We didn't go on on actual vacation due to my masters classes but we did take a few day trips which were so much fun. I have to say that Tennessee does offer a lot of attractions that really don't cost that much. We went to the Lost Sea, which I had never been to before. Another day we went to the Museum of Appalachia, which I have to say that Brody absolutely loved. And believe it or not, I talked Adam into going with us to Dollywood! We had a blast and all Brody has talked about ever since is riding that carousel.I am taking him back on Saturday with Brooke and Lexi. I am really looking forward to it!
Carrie Helle took our pictures this summer and they turned out Wonderful! The hardest part is picking out my favorites. Let me know what you think!
As for Brody, he is changing and growing so much everyday.
It seems like we can't keep him in clothes or shoes!
He is really a funny kid too.
He will play Adam and I against each other already.(which we are learning to handle)
He is doing really well with the potty training. (as long as he has on underwear, and #2 is taking a little more work... but we are getting there)
He loves sweet stuff and still wants chocolate milk every time he gets something to drink, of course we have to say no sometimes!

Well I guess that's all for now, I will do better updating from now on!

Where have we been?

2009-06-14T19:04:00.002-04:00

I am so sorry for not posting since April. When I looked at that I really couldn't believe it. We have been so busy lately that I haven't even wanted to get on the computer, forget sitting down to post. Here is a rundown of what's been going on with us.
1. The yearbooks came and I think for the most part, they were a success. Of course there were a few gliches but I think it was pretty good.
2. The school year ended, or did it just begin? No teaching is over and now I am off to my new project which has been consuming so much of my time- Going back to school! I am now going back to get my master's degree in Library Science. It's been going really pretty good so far and Amanda is doing this with me (thank God!) We have a (awful) class on Thursday nights and just finished one that met Friday 4-9/ Saturday 8-6. Thank goodness our professor was really laid back so he didn't ever make us stay the whole time. This was just for three weeks and boy am I glad!!!
3. Brody.... well where do I begin. He is so funny; rotten but funny. He is still really into tractors, big trucks, dozers, backhoes, trackhoes, etc.... He has also gotten really good at riding his hot wheels four wheeler. It is so funny to watch him on that thing. It didn't take him long to know exactly how to get it where he wanted. We have been spending a lot of time outside too. We got him a little pool for the back yard and he loves it! He would spend all day out there if I would let him. He is a late sleeper. Most days he sleeps until at least 9:30. But he is also one who wants to stay up really late so we are really working on that.
His new favorite shows are Mister Rogers neighborhood and Jack's big music show. He will stop what ever he is doing when those are on and watch every second. He still loves chocolate milk more than any other thing in the world but Ice cream is probably a close second. I told him that mommy and daddy were going to have to buy stock in Mayfield's if he keeps this up very long. Well I won't promise to post again any time this week but I will try to do better! Sorry about no
pictures for now... i couldn't get them to upload

Gone Fishin'

2009-04-23T09:23:00.002-04:00

Oh, Spring has definitely sprung at our house. Adam has had a little bit of spring fever and been working really hard to get the yard looking good. It definitely looks better than ever! I guess he needed a little down time too so he has been going fishing a lot! I guess it's a little easier to do this when you have a pond that is stocked in the back yard. Brody has really been getting into it too. He will throw the end of his rod into the pond (Adam took a reel off one of the rods and lets Brody carry that one around) and say, "Look Mommy, I got one" It's so sweet. I am enjoying this age so much!!!!!

Easter 2009

2009-04-13T12:36:00.003-04:00

Oh the best laid plans.... don't always work out that way. Amanda and I had planned to have a rather big egg hunt for all the pre-school aged kids that our friends have. We had been planning this for a while and had all of the supplies ready. We had sent out invitations, bought all kinds of plastic eggs, table cloths, plates, napkins, snacks and juice-- not to even mention the candy!!! But wouldn't you know it, This was scheduled for Friday, stormy,ugly, Friday. We had to cancel. It was a bummer. I hadn't even told Brody that much about it so I know I was a lot more disappointed than he was. Oh well, I guess we'll have all of that stuff for next year, the stuff that won't spoil that is.
Bobbie Lyn told us that her sisters and some friends were going to get the kids together to hunt eggs down at the local park on Saturday. She said we were welcome to come. So we got ready and headed out. It was the coldest, fastest easter egg hunt ever. The kids had a great time and Brody did really well hunting eggs. I thought I would have to show him where they all were, but I didn't. He got a lot on his own. He decided about half way through that he would rather swing but I quickly talked him out of that when I saw the 3inch deep mud puddles under them. Yesterday morning I got up rather early and went ahead and got ready. We decided that it was past time for Brody to start going to Sunday school. (Our church doesn't have a nursery so I wanted to wait until he could sit down at the table and not run around like a crazy man). He did really well. You can definitely tell that his Gramma (Adam's mom) works with them doing things at the table. He was pretty good and I know that he is ready to start going all of the time. Mom and Dad, Curt and my Mamaw Clark came to Church with us. We had a great service and then we headed home. Later, we went to my Aunt Evelyn's for dinner and another Egg Hunt. We had a blast and as usual ate way, way too much.
We also went by Gramma and Grandpa's house for another feast and then headed home. We had a great Easter and I really do look forward to many, many more.

Spring Break

2009-03-31T13:48:00.003-04:00

I can't believe that Spring Break has come and gone. I had been looking so forward to the time I was going to get to spend at home with Brody and now here I am, my second day back at work already. I decided not to even get on the computer over break but I had to on Friday night to see what Joe and Nikki were having... Congratulations on the Boy by the way, one of each just seems about perfect! I know that I haven't updated in a while but believe me I have been busy. Brody is definitely enjoying the warmer temperatures and he keeps us outside and going full force until about dark each evening. We did have some good times during my week off. Mostly just laying around the house but we did take a few short trips shopping.
Sunday we headed out to Adam's grandparent's house where his uncle and twin cousins were visiting. The girls, Taylor and Jordan, are twins but are definitely not identical. They look like sisters but they don't even have the same interests! It's kinda funny. Brody had a ball playing with the girls.
When we left his grandparents Sunday afternoon Brody was out like a light. Adam decided that Brody needed some new baby chicks again so he went to get those while I rested with Brody and relished in the last few hours of being off. Here are some pictures during the break and on Sunday.

Brody's first time on a "real" horse

2009-03-10T10:47:00.002-04:00

Adam's cousin Erica, who lives across the road, came over last night and brought her horse, Shorty. Brody was so funny. He just wanted to go right up and pet him. We had to tell him that horses are bigger than he is! Well as soon as he got close enough, with me holding him, he reached over to pet Shorty. Shorty didn't seem to mind this too much so Brody kept petting him. A few minutes went by and Brody said, "Ride Horsey" He wanted to get on the saddle. I rushed inside to grab my camera and then we hoisted Brody up. He loved it so much and kept saying, "go horsey,go" I wasn't so sure about him riding the horsey just yet so I wouldn't let him start going anywhere but I have to say I am very glad that Brody gets to do these kind of things on a regular basis. He just isn't scared of any animal. I am a little worried about that!!!

Saturday

2009-03-10T10:30:00.003-04:00

Emma Rue

Brody Summers

Oh Saturday was a wonderful day! It was beautiful but more than that we got to do a lot. We got up and got ready to meet Tabitha and Emma in Kingston to go to Lindsey's baby shower. It was so much fun to see friends that I hadn't seen in years and Lindsey, or should I say Griffin, got so many nice things. Lindsey of course looked radiant! It was so neat to see everyone that I went to school with in their new roles, most of them as mommies. When we left the shower, Brody and I met mom and went to do a little shopping at Walmart. Its so funny when we pull into the parking lot and I ask Brody where we are and he says Walmart.
When we left WalMart, I just knew Brody would fall asleep on the way home, but I was wrong. He talked my head off and when we pulled into the driveway he started pointing and yelling, "Mommy look daddy on da Tractor" so I took him inside, changed his clothes and took him to Adam to ride on the Tractor. I got to wash the van while they did some tractor work. We stayed outside until almost dark and it was so much fun. Brody and Daisy are really getting to be close these days and I am loving it!!

Can't wait until it warms up!!!

2009-03-05T15:30:00.002-05:00

I think that every year I feel this way but it seems a little worse this year. I cannot wait until it finally warms up and stays that way. There are several reasons for this I guess. One major reason is Brody. He loves to be outside. It doesn't matter to him if it is 20 degrees outside or 70. He just wants to be out there playing with the puppies and Daisy. I guess another reason for me wanting it to warm up is that just means a little while longer until summer vacation. I am longing for that time home with my little man who seems to be changing so much everyday. He will just carry on a conversation with anyone and most of the time we can really tell what he is saying. He is saying so many cute things. Yesterday I asked him if he was okay when he fell down and he said, " Yeah, I fine, No Problem" I just cracked up. I guess I another reason I am looking forward to spring is taking more pictures. I haven't taken many lately. I just can't get into the mood or something. It's probably b/c they turn out so much better outside. Well I thought I would post a couple of pictures of Brody playing outside yesterday. It was cold, but he didn't know it!!!

Big Boy Brody

2009-02-12T15:34:00.003-05:00

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Adam took Brody for his 2 year checkup yesterday. It's a little late but that's just how it was scheduled. This is the first time that I haven't taken him but I had already been off on Monday and Tuesday b/c of my grandpa's arrangements so I let Adam take him since it was his day off. He got two shots and had a little bit of an ear infection but other than that Adam said he did great. He is still a really big boy! He was 35 lb 1/2 oz (97th percentile), 38.5 inches tall (above the 99th percentile) and his head measured 50.3 cm (93rd percentile). The doctor told Adam that Brody was bigger than his 3 1/2 year old little boy!!!
The ear infection explains his lingering runny nose. I am hopeful that the medicine will get rid of that quickly. As you can see from the pictures above he didn't really act like he didn't feel good last night. He was his usually funny self and he kept wanting me to give him a piggy back ride! I am enjoying it while I still can because at the rate this boy is growing, I may not be able to do this much longer!

Harrison "H.R." Richard Boston

2009-02-08T19:23:00.004-05:00

My wonderful Grandpa H.R. Boston passed away on Friday, February 6. He was 72 years old. He was the hardest working, kindest, and most honest person I have ever met. He made a lasting impression on my life and I am so blessed to have been able to call him Grandpa. Please pray for my grandmother, my daddy, my uncles Reece and Richard, and my Aunt Twylla as they struggle through this difficult time.

My grandparents lived in LaFollette. I didn't get to see them as much as I would have liked to but there are two occasions each year that I really looked forward to. One was Christmas. We all went to my Grandparents house and spent the night. Santa would come and we would open presents and then eat the best breakfast ever! The other occasion was summer vacation. My grandparents, Aunt Twylla and Uncle David and their family, Mom, Dad, Bryan, Curt and I would go to the beach, Daytona Beach every July and stay in the same place. We always had a blast and my brothers and I would have it planned out months in advance who would ride with Grandpa and Grandma and stay in their room when we got there. These vacations are the standard for which I will judge every family vacation that I go on for the rest of my life.

My grandpa was a wonderful man, father, grandfather and great-grandfather and he lived a life that I know was pleasing to God. He always had a smile on his face. He loved his family,especially my Grandma. He also loved listening to Hank Williams and Bluegrass music. Thank you so much for being my grandpa! We will all miss you very much, but we know that you have a perfect body now that doesn't have to work so hard!!

Watch out George Strait

2009-02-02T22:02:00.003-05:00

Sorry I just noticed how long it has been since I posted anything on here. I always check other people's blog to see what they have been into but for some reason I haven't updated my own lately.

We had Brody's party on a Saturday but his actual birthday was the a couple days later on Monday. Wouldn't you know that just happened to fall on one of the two nights a year that I have to work late!!! I just couldn't wait to get home. We had ordered him a guitar for his birthday and I got to pick it up that evening. When I got home, I couldn't wait to see my little birthday boy!!! I told him I had a surprise for him and let him open the box. He was so excited. I have to say that I was a little worried about him not playing with it b/c he is too little but I was so WRONG. He absolutely loves it. Anytime any music comes on TV he looks at me funny and runs to find his guitar so he can sing too! He also will put his cowboy hat and boots on.(look out George Strait)

Happy Birthday Brody!!

2009-01-12T11:03:00.004-05:00

Gramma and Grandpa Summers got him a four wheeler just like daddy's
This is what he ended up looking like, all wrapped up in balloons and playing with the broom!
he loved hitting the pinata, he didn't love taking turns!
His new tricycle from Aunt Bobbie Lyn, Uncle Paul, Anna and Joseph
I love the look on his face when he saw this panda bear so cute

Chris, Brooke and Lexi got him a Thomas the train set, they did too much!

Brody was so excited to see Kaitlyn that he took her a balloon, isn't that precious

Here are the finished products

It seems like every time I post anything I am talking about how fast time is going by. Today is no exception! My little boy is 2 years old today. I could really cry writing this! Two years ago we were welcoming the most precious gift we could ever have asked for! He was bound and determined to make his entrance one that we would never forget. We got to Parkwest at 6 a.m. to be induced. My water was broken at 7:30 I got the epidural at 10:30 and began pushing at 3 p.m. We took a little break to rest and started again at 4:30. By 5:45 we decided to do the c-section and at 6:09 p.m Brody Clark Summers was born, life as we knew it changed forever!
I must say that before Brody arrived, I always knew I wanted to be a mommy. I have enjoyed the last 2 years so much and I am looking forward to see what the rest of our lives are going to be like with our little gift from God.
Friday I decided to take a personal day and stay at home with Brody. I have to work late tonight, (open house) and I wanted some extra time off. We made birthday cakes all day, as you can see above. He loved helping me so much. He is such a little helper. I got him to pour the dry mix in and he did so well that I thought I would let him pour the butter in too! Well let's just say that I am still finding little spots of butter all over my counter and floors(ha!) Saturday was the big day so we filled treat bags and the pinata with candy and made sure everything was packed to go to the community building (which is across the road from our house so if I happened to forget anything it's very convenient to run back home) Adam set up tables and chairs for me and I decorated for the big party. Adam and Brody went to get the pizzas (which I didn't order enough of, sorry) while I got everything just how I wanted it. He had a blast, Although I think he liked the balloons better than the gifts.(notice the picture above)
Thanks everyone who came to help us celebrate this day!!

P.S. I also wanted to say Happy Birthday Nikki, it will always be easy for me to remember your big day too!!

The Best Christmas Ever

2008-12-27T21:21:00.004-05:00

I do have to say that this has been the best Christmas of my life! Brody is at the perfect age for enjoying this season. When we asked him this year what do you want Santa to bring you his answer was always the same, "donuts". I know this sounds a little crazy but we thought it was so funny and sweet. So he must have been a pretty good boy b/c he not only got his donuts he also got an easel, Elmo LIVE, and some tractors from Santa or as Brody calls him, "Ho-Ho". He also enjoyed opening each present. He took his time and wanted to play with each one, even some new boots, before going to the next one. I loved it. I only hope that every Christmas can be this great!

I must have been a pretty good girl b/c I had a few gifts from Santa Christmas morning too. I got a new stand mixer, which I have wanted now for over a year, and the complete set of Paula Deen cookware in Red. I loved it! Good Job Santa!!! I hope you all had a great Christmas too! Now for us it is time to plan for Brody's 2nd birthday party. His birthday is January 12th and we are having his party on the 10th. We went to pick out his party stuff tonight and the theme this year is sports. He loves any kind of ball so that's what he wanted!!!

I am enjoying a much needed break from work. It has been one of the craziest times I have ever had in my career. I won't go into any detail but let's just say that the break could not have come at at better time!

What a weekend!!!!

2008-12-08T12:55:00.004-05:00

Wow, I have to say that this has been one of the busiest weekends ever! On Friday night Adam, Brody and I met Harold, Sandy, Paul, Bobbie Lyn, Anna and Joseph at Cheddar's in Cookeville for Harold's birthday dinner. His birthday was Wednesday and he loves that place so we all decided to go there. The food was wonderful and the kids were really well behaved. After dinner, Harold and Sandy, Adam, Brody and I went to do a little Christmas shopping. We didn't get home until 10:30. We were pretty worn out and Brody went on to bed . Saturday morning I got up pretty early to get the house cleaned up for Avary's photo shoot. Brody got up and Mom came to help with Brody while I was taking pictures. CAN I SAY A BIG THANK YOU MOM!!!!!
The pictures turned out pretty good and by the time we were finished with everything the kids were worn out. I have to say that Brody did really well with Avary. He was so sweet sharing his toys, even his precious tractors with her. He would get one out and tell her what it was and then hand it to her. Maybe he will make a good big brother one day!! (Not just yet, though)
Brody then took a little nap while I cleaned up from the morning and made a sweet potato casserole. Then we got ready and headed to Paul and Bobbie Lyn's for our first official Christmas Celebration. We got all the Summers (Harold's brothers, their wives and kids) together early this year so it didn't interfere with any other Christmas plans. We had a great time and Brody got so many nice things! We stayed until 9:30 and we once again were very tired!!!
Yesterday afternoon we went shopping again! Once we got home Brody crashed for two hours and I wrapped presents. We then got him ready and took some Pictures of him for our Christmas cards. I guess the rush of Christmas is officially underway for the Summers family.

Happy Birthday Tabitha!!!

2008-12-01T09:24:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to say Happy Birthday to one of my best friends in the world. I hope you have the best one yet!!! I didn't have a picture on this computer but I still love you!

Tagged

2008-11-18T14:21:00.002-05:00

Okay I have been tagged by JD to go to my fourth picture folder, my fourth picture and write 4 things about it.
1. This picture was taken at my house when Brody was only a few days old.
2. My mother-in-law Sandy is holding Brody and loving on him as she always does.
3.I think my father-in-law Harold was just waiting his turn!
4. If you look closely you can see Brody's swollen head from the vacuum, which didn't work.

Now I tag 1: Amanda Daniels
2. Brooke Barton
3. Melanie Hicks
4. Julia Norris

22 months

2008-11-13T11:25:00.003-05:00

I can hardly believe that in just 2 months Brody will be 2!! Where has time gone? I do have to say that I am really enjoying this age though. (I think I have enjoyed every stage) He is getting in some ways a whole lot easier to handle and in other ways we are definitely in the midst of terrible twos. He loves his tractors, bulldozers, track hoes, back hoes, gators, cars and trucks. Last night he and Adam were in the floor playing for nearly an hour with all of his miniature cars. I just had to get a few pictures and I know you have been wanting to see more of our little man! He still isn't even attempting to potty, which I know will come when he is ready. He likes to be in control. He wants to read books all the time but he really is wanting me to ask him where things are in the book and let him point them out to me. When I start to read he turns the page, I don't know if this is a sign of a Type A personality or what! Brody is still a really good eater and he is still pretty big for his age. I am not sure about his height but he weighs somewhere around 33 pounds. He is in a 3T clothes, size 6 diapers and size 81/2-9 shoe! I can't keep him in clothes, it seems like sometimes. Well that's just a really quick sample of where we are right now. Oh one more thing, When I ask or tell Brody anything right now his automatic reaction is "Huh" like he didn't hear me. It's pretty funny after about four times of repeating something!

I got this forward today and wanted to pass it on

2008-11-07T14:05:00.002-05:00

I got this forward today from Leanne Malicoat and wanted for all of you who read my blog to share it. This is my way of testifying to the LOVE my savior has for all of us, regardless of our beliefs. It amazes me when I think of his love, his promise and His Sacrifice... I hope you are blessed as much as I was when I read this.... My Cup runneth over



> It's a "True/False"
> test.  I'd like for all of us to take it.  Feel free
> to email it on to
> whomever:
>
>  True/False:  The day after the election, regardless
> of who wins, Jesus
> will still be King.
>
> True/False:  The day after the election, regardless
> of who wins, our
> responsibilities as Christians will not have changed
> one iota.
>
> True/False:  The day after the election, regardless
> of who wins, the
> greatest agent for social change in America will
> still be winning the
> hearts and minds of men and women through the
> gospel, not legislation.
>
> True/False:  The day after the election, regardless
> of who wins, my
> primary citizenship will still be in this order -
> (1) the Kingdom of
> God, (2) America, not vice-versa.
>
> True/False:  The day after the election, regardless
> of who wins, the
> tomb will still be empty.
>
> True/False:  The day after the election, regardless
> of who wins, the
> cross, not the government, will still be our
> salvation.
>
> True/False:  The day after the election, regardless
> of who wins, our
> children will still be more concerned with whether
> or not we spend time
> with them than with who is President.
>
>  True/False:  The day after the election, regardless
> of who wins, my
> neighbor will still be my neighbor, and loving
> him/her will still be the
> second greatest commandment.  (Do you know the
> first?)
>
> True/False:  The day after the election, regardless
> of who wins, the
> only way to see abortion ultimately overturned will
> still be winning men
> and women to a high view of life through the gospel
> of Christ.
>
>  True/False:  The day after the election, regardless
> of who wins, the
> only way to see gay marriage ultimately defeated
> will still be winning
> men and women to a biblical view of marriage through
> the gospel of Jesus
> Christ.
>
>  True/False:  The day after the election, regardless
> of who wins, my
> retirement will still not match my treasure in
> Heaven.
>
> True/False:  The day after the election, regardless
> of who wins, "Jesus
> Is Lord" will still be the greatest truth in the
> Universe.
>
> True/False:  The day after the election, regardless
> of who wins, we will
> still know that God is in control.
>
>  How did you score?
>

The Big 5-0

2008-11-05T11:23:00.002-05:00

Mom turned 50 on Sunday! I was going to have a big 50th celebration but decided to keep it simple and small. I cooked a big pot of beef stew, cornbread and an earthquake cake. I even got a few 50... over the hill decorations to surprise her. Adam, Brody and I got Nana (or as he says ANA) a new Rowenta iron. I bought myself one last year and absolutely loved it so much that I got Sandy (Adam's mom) one for her birthday and decided to do the same for mom. If you have never heard of one it is the BEST iron in the world. I threw my starch away when I bought it and haven't used any since.
Anyway I just wanted to say Happy Birthday to mom again and thank her for everything. Especially bringing me up in a Christian home and showing me how to be the best person I can be. Thanks mom and I love you!

Trick or Treat

2008-11-05T10:44:00.003-05:00

Well as most of you know, Brody was a little Cowboy for Halloween. On Friday we had the school's annual Mega Party as a reward for our fund raiser. I knew that it would be a good day to bring Brody to school so Sandy dressed him up and brought him to see me that afternoon. He looked so good in his hat, boots, bandanna, vest and Levi's. I had to show him off a bit.
We had to go to Walmart later and met up with mom. She was so excited to see Brody and decided to come home with us and go trick or treating. We only went to 4 places but he got more candy than I ever got going to several houses! I have to say that I enjoy Halloween so much more now than I ever did before, even when I was the one dressing up!!!! I hope all of you had a safe and happy Halloween.

Week night fun

2008-10-24T15:48:00.003-04:00

This week we have had a lot of fun in the evenings. It has really started to get rather cold so we have been bundling up. Before the sun goes down we have been riding the four wheeler and Adam and Brody have been doing some work on the land below ours on the tractor. Here are a few pictures from this week. Can you believe how big Daisy is getting?!?!

My little Cowboy

2008-10-15T18:45:00.003-04:00

For Halloween this year I decided to dress Brody as a cowboy. He already had most of the outfit but I got him some boots and we borrowed the vest. I wanted to get some pictures before Halloween and I thought this week would be a good time to do that. Here are a few from Monday evening. I think he might be the cutest cowboy I've ever seen, but I may be a little biased!!

4 years ago today...

2008-10-09T09:31:00.002-04:00

I married my best friend 4 years ago today. It seems like we have known each other forever and at the same time, it has flown by. Thank you so much for being the best husband and father that I could have ever asked for!! I love you honey

My little boy

2008-10-08T11:04:00.002-04:00

Well there have been so many things going on in our lives recently that I just haven't taken the time to post a lot. I just wanted to take a few minutes to fill you in our what our little man has been doing lately. Brody will be 21 months old on Sunday. I just can't believe it. It seems next to impossible to me that in just a little over 3 months he will be 2!!!! He is so much fun right now. Don't get me wrong, he has definitely had his share of fits, but all in all I love this age. It is so fun to watch him learn and do new things everyday. He has really taken off on talking lately. He repeats everything you say and can answer yes (Uh huh) and No (NO Way) questions with the most hilarious enthusiasm you have ever seen. He has learned a lot from his cousins and he is even doing pretty good sharing with them. Brody finds a toy, usually a ball or tractor, and wants to play with it for a while. I think this is a good thing! He is getting a really good arm and he loves football and baseball the best. (much to my dismay, he isn't really all that interested in basketball) I know he will grow to love it though!! Brody doesn't really get in much of a hurry. It will drive you crazy when you have to be somewhere b/c he gets pretty easily distracted on the way to the van. He would rather stay home and play (who wouldn't) He takes his time doing almost everything, except eating. He is a great eater and has really taken a liking to milk lately. He used to just want juice all the time but now, especially when he is getting a little tired, he asks for milk. He is has a terrific appetite and lets you know very quickly when he gets finished. He is feeding himself almost all the time now, unless it's soup or something that is hard to pick up. He still would almost rather have a book than anything else right now. I am still so glad of this. He is getting a little harder to handle when he does throw a fit. He has started kicking, screaming no and even throwing himself on the floor. When he does this I try to take a deep breath and get down to his eye level and tell him why we can't do this. He hates time-out but I think it affects him almost more than anything else. He is also getting to the age where he is trying to see how far we will let him go on a specific issue. But most of the time he is really a sweetheart. He says bye mommy, ove you (love you) every time I leave or when he is riding on a toy and pretending like he is going somewhere. I never knew how much I could love someone. I hurt when I see him hurting and worry so much about who he will become. I want to be the best God-fearing mother that I can be and I know the most important thing to teach him is about my Savior. I pray that I can do a good job of this. I have always heard that being a parent is the hardest job a person can have but also the most rewarding. I know exactly what they mean when they say that now. I love being a mommy to this little boy and look forward to all of the adventures that lay ahead for our family. I hope you enjoyed learning about Brody

Who does Brody look like?

2008-09-22T18:15:00.004-04:00

His Daddy? His Mommy?

His Uncle Curt?

His Uncle Bryan?

Everywhere we go I get the same question, " who does he look like?" When he was born he looked exactly like my brother Bryan. I saw it, Adam saw it and everyone else did too. I think it was the little round full face. But the older Brody gets the more like his daddy he looks. As much as I want to say he looks like Adam I have to admit he looks A LOT like my brother Curt. I took these pictures last week. Let me know what you think.

Stomach Virus and Black eyes

2008-09-22T17:41:00.003-04:00

Last week was crazy. Last Saturday we had our annual Pine Orchard Fair. This is one of the only community fairs left in the state of Tennessee. When I met Adam I started going every year. It is a time of good food, music and fellowship. Adam and I set up a booth this year for the first time. I took pictures for little souvenirs and Adam had pumpkins and gourds. We had a great time and we did pretty good too.

We rested all day on Sunday and Monday headed back to work. I called home during my planning period to check on Brody and Sandy told me that Anna had gotten sick. My heart sank. I hated that Anna got sick but I was also a little worried that Brody would get it. I decided to stay home and keep him away from Anna and Joseph on Tuesday. We had a really fun day and I thought we had escaped the "bug". I was wrong! Wednesday morning about 4 Adam and I woke up to hear Brody get sick. He was so pitiful. This was the first time he had ever thrown up before. Everytime before he got sick he would start crying and saying Mommy or Daddy in the most heart-wrenching voice I had ever heard. Adam was off that day so I decided to go on to work and get my stuff ready to be off for the rest of the week. I took Thursday off and Brody felt much better. We had another great day full of rest and play. Friday morning about 3 I woke up and noticed Adam wasn't in the bed. Then I heard him. He had the virus too. Joseph and Bobbie Lyn got sick on Wednesday, Paul got sick on Saturday and Sandy got sick Sunday. Harold and I are the only ones that have escaped the plague so far. I don't know if it is inevitable or if maybe from being around all the students all the time has helped me build up an immunity. (i hope)

Once Brody was over his sickness he was just like new. He loves to hop around all the time. He is a little on the clumsy side ( I don't know where he gets it- ha!). It's kinda an on-going joke with us. Brody falls so much that we are a little used to it now. Most of the time he gets up and just laughs at himself. Lately he has noticed more when he gets a boo-boo. Friday when I got to Sandy's to pick him up I noticed his eye right away. It looked awful and I just knew it was going to be black. Sandy was reading one of her home remedy books on how to treat bruises and it said to put preparation H on it to avoid swelling and minimize healing. We tried it and it worked really well. It still had a little bruising but nothing like we thought. I tried to get a good picture but Brody didn't really want to cooperate.

Introducing Miss Emma Genevieve Rue

2008-09-11T10:57:00.002-04:00

Trampas, Tabitha and Gracie Rue Welcomed Emma Genevieve Rue into the world this morning. Tab had a C-section. I just talked to Trampas and he said everything went great. She weighed a whopping 9 lb and was 21 inches long. I can't wait to see her tomorrow and take lots more pictures!!! I love all 4 of you all very much.

"Sweet" little boy

2008-09-09T13:00:00.003-04:00

Well it is no surprise to me that Brody loves sweets. He has definitely come by it honestly through his daddy. Yesterday when I got there to pick Brody up from his Gramma's house she couldn't wait to tell me a funny story. At about the same time yesterday, Anna and Joseph both had to poo-poo and since they have been using the potty, Sandy rushed them into the bathroom together. This left Brody to play with all the toys by himself. Apparently Brody wanted to play with more than just toys. Anna finished using the potty and went to play with Brody. Sandy said that in just a few minutes Anna came running into the bathroom and said, "Mammy, Mammy, Bobo, Bobo) (Anna and Joseph call Brody Bobo) Sandy said it was like Anna was telling on Brody for doing something bad. She said she went to see what Brody was doing and then she saw him! He had found a Bowl with some freshly made cupcakes for all the kids to share later. Somehow he got the bowl open and licked each one right down the middle while sitting under the kitchen table. Sandy said she started cracking up. When Brody saw her he came out from his hiding place and wanted someone to clean off his hands. She did manage to get this picture and I wanted to share with all of you! He really is my "Sweet" little boy!

Shaving already?

2008-09-05T12:31:00.003-04:00

Well of course Brody isn't shaving but one day this week he was feeling a little puny and it was raining so I wanted something for him to do inside. We let him put his hand prints on a t-shirt and he wanted to paint something else. Because I saw what a mess he made, I decided to do something a little different. I got out the shaving cream. It was so funny to watch him play with that stuff. He looked at me like mom, I am getting this everywhere. He loved it. I am going to have to get some of the cheap cans to have for this winter so he can play with it again. I really suggest letting your children play with it too- it's really a lot easier to clean up than paint!! I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Dirty, Dirty Boy

2008-08-28T19:24:00.002-04:00

When I got home yesterday Brody and Adam were outside. Adam has Wednesdays off and it is so good that they get that time together each week. They are really Tight. Anyway, when I pulled up in the driveway I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. First of all Adam loves to dress Brody. He does a pretty good job most of the time and yesterday he had pulled out a new pair of overalls and some work boots with a grey t-shirt. He looked absolutely adorable and he had the biggest smile on his face when I got home. It was like he wanted me to tell him how good he looked and of course I did. We played outside for a while after we ate some supper and by the end of the evening Brody was soaking wet and covered with sawdust. He just loves to get dirty, thus the title of this post.

I do have a favor to ask of you. As I stated earlier I started back to work about 3 weeks ago. This has been the hardest start to a school year that I have ever experienced. I have been placed on so many committees and somehow found myself as the chairperson for many of these (not by choice, believe me). I would really like for you all to say a little prayer for me. I have found myself really out of sorts. I feel like I don't get to actually do my job (teaching children) for all the paperwork, committees, and other "jobs" that I have been given. God doesn't give us any more than we can handle and I just need to look to Him more! -- Thanks

Brody and Daisy's "new" swingset

2008-08-18T14:18:00.003-04:00

Adam and I have been wanting to get Brody a swing set for quite a while now. As most kids do, he absolutely loves being outside playing with Daisy, any kind of ball or anything with wheels. We wanted to get him a really nice wooden swing set, one of those buy the kit kinds at Lowe's but when we started looking at the prices we decided to either wait a while longer or try something else. One of our neighbors had a tower with a slide that was falling apart and they didn't want it anymore. Adam gladly offered to take it and he re-vamped it. It looks great and Brody loves it!!
We were outside Saturday afternoon playing with Daisy and Brody started sliding, which he calls sween... , and I looked down for a minute and when I looked back up, Daisy had climbed up the ladder and slid down right after Brody. I couldn't believe it and I started cracking up. I didn't even catch it on film but I did get some pretty good shots of them playing on it later. You never know what your kids or dogs are going to do!

Never say never

2008-08-15T15:31:00.002-04:00

Well ever since I can remember I have proudly proclaimed that I would NEVER drive a mini-van. I have had an Explorer now for about 3 years and I loved it until Brody was born. Then I had to ride in the back more and realized that it rode like a logging truck. I had my heart set on a new Tahoe but as you know with the gas prices being the way they are, that was out of the question. I had resigned myself to the fact that I would just drive the car I had until gas prices went down or I found something I liked better. There were many cars that I loved but I just couldn't see myself trading for a smaller car when I wanted more room. So we bit the bullet and have done the unthinkable. We got a van! ( go ahead, you can laugh) I love it though. It rides like a car and has so much room. It is a 2008 Nissan Quest. I guess the old saying is true, never say never.

I will be posting again sometime this weekend and include pictures of Brody. I know that I have been a slacker lately, but let me explain myself. We have grown a garden for the first time this year. I put up 49 quarts of green beans, 4 qts. of pickles,& 12 quarts of tomato juice. School has also started back this week so I have been so busy with that and when I do have a little time at night to post, I find myself glued to the tv to watch the Olympics, they are awesome. So I will try to do better now once I get back in some sort of routine!

A brand new blog

2008-07-22T23:17:00.002-04:00

Well as many of you know I have recently started taking pictures for other people. I absolutely love doing it and I wish that I could do it full time. But for the time being, I take any chance that I have been given to practice. I have been thinking about doing this for a while now and finally have taken the time to do it. I have created a blog just for my photography "business". I hope that you will take the time to visit! www.marandasummersphotography.blogspot.com

A Model Search?

2008-07-11T22:23:00.003-04:00

Well, I know that every mom thinks their child is the cutest kid in the world but I guess I went a little far with the idea. Just outside of Sears at West Town there is a table set up that said, "So you think your child is cute?", it really grabbed my attention. Of course I think my child is cute. Everyone tells me all the time that he is cute and I know I am not at all partial (just kidding) Anyway, I thought I would fill out the little entry form and just see how it went. They called me Monday to set up a full model shoot with our little man. The photographer's name was Victoria and she told me to bring 3 outfits. A casual, a dressy and an outfit that really showed off his personality. I had just taken his pictures in his overalls the night before I got the call but I couldn't resist I had to do it again. She also said to bring some props so we brought lots of farm animals and a couple of tractors and his cowboy hat. Brody did pretty good for an 18 month old. He didn't really want to sit where and when we wanted but she got some really good shots anyway. Who knows if the judges will think he is a "winner" but it was a fun experience anyway. Now I don't want you all to think I am conceited or anything, I just thought I would try something a little different. And yes I do think my child is pretty darn cute!!!

Picture, Picture

2008-07-07T22:07:00.002-04:00

I have been taking so many pictures lately. I really love it so much that I don't even realize how many I have taken until it is time to load them to my computer. I would post more often but it takes my computer so long to upload them that I really get discouraged. Anyway, I started last week with pictures of Avary. On Monday I took the ones outside that I posted earlier. On Thursday, Brody and I went to Amanda's parents house on the lake to take some more of Avary. I really wanted to get some outside by the lake but Avary had other plans. We did get one that turned out really good though. Then we moved inside and Amanda changed Avary's clothes and got her calmed down. Then I took pictures with her first birthday cake. They turned out so good.I had to get mom to meet us there to watch Brody while I was "working" - Thank you mom you are the best! Amanda posted a few of her favorites on her blog so check it out.

I have been wanting Adam to weed-eat around one of the buildings on our farm for a couple of days. He mowed today so after he cleaned up around the building and even made me a little bench for kids to sit on to get some good pictures. I was very inspired and ran inside and grabbed a pair of overalls for Brody. I wanted a pair that was a little too big. I put them on him without a shirt , grabbed my camera and off we went. We had a little photo shoot and some of them turned out really cute. Brody will ignore me a lot and not look at me when I am taking pictures. Then sometimes he will do just perfect. Tonight he didn't really want to look at me but that was okay. I think these pictures turned out just fine without him looking right at the camera.

We had a great 4th of July! We went to my aunt Evelyn's for a cookout at noon and I got to see everyone on mom's side. It was so much fun. Then that evening Harold and Sandy cooked out at their house. It started raining while we were there so we ended up spending most of our time inside but it worked out fine. The kids were able to go outside and play with a new water toy that Paul and Bobbie Lyn brought. They had a blast and anytime Brody has fun I definitely do too! I hope you all had a great 4th too and I hope you are all enjoying your summer as much as I am!!! It is definitely one of the best summers of my life!

A visit with Avary and a Photo Shoot

2008-06-30T16:47:00.005-04:00

Amanda and Avary came to visit us for a little while yesterday. Amanda wanted Avary to see the cows and I thought I would take some pictures for her. They turned out pretty good if I say so myself and I think Amanda was pleased too. I really enjoy taking pictures and I wish I could do it more often. Avary is so cute and such a pleasant young lady.Brody, on the other hand was a little wild. He isn't around kids that are smaller than him often so he really had a hard time being easy with her. I was so afraid that he was going to hit her or something but we ended the visit with no injuries thank goodness!! Well here are a few of my favorites. Please let me know what you think!

A trip to the Zoo and a Birthday Party

2008-06-23T14:35:00.004-04:00

Wow, what a weekend! We started out Friday night with the addition of our new tractor. On Friday nights we always go to Harold and Sandy's for a family dinner. It is so much fun to get together weekly and the food is always awesome. Well this Friday we got everyone to come to our house so we could show the tractor off a little bit. It was a lot of fun but I don't think Brody liked it too much when Paul took Joseph for a ride on his tractor. It was a little funny to see his reaction. Usually he doesn't mind to share, which is mostly due to the fact that Anna and Joseph are so close to his age and they all stay with Sandy while I work.

Saturday morning we got up and got ready a little earlier than what we have been getting used to. We met Brooke and Lexi Barton at their temporary house ( to see their new house visit the Barton's blog) We headed off to the zoo. Adam and I had taken Brody to the zoo in October but I don' t think he really understood what we were doing. Time had definitely changed that! He loved it. Especially the petting zoo. He was in his element for sure. He was grinning all over and would bend down and get in the sheep's face like he was talking to them or something. It was so sweet. After the zoo we headed to Olive Garden, yummy!! Brody and Lexi were getting pretty tired and irritated by this point so we came home and took a very long nap.

Sunday morning we got up and got ready for church. Brody made it through the whole service without me having to take him out. This is a big accomplishment for us. Our church doesn't have a nursery so he stays with us. He is a little distracting sometimes for everyone around us so most Sunday's we have to walk out, at least for a few minutes. After church we came home and grilled some steaks. Brody has a new found love for corn on the cob. It is so funny to watch him eat it. Most of it ends up on his head, face, or clothes but he loves it! After dinner we got ready to go to Gracie's 4th Birthday party. We had such a good time! Well I guess that's pretty much it for our busy weekend. Brody has just kinda wanted to rest today and I am all for that too!!!

New Tractor

2008-06-22T18:39:00.004-04:00

Since Adam and I got married, I have tried to talk him into getting a new tractor. You could really say that he had his heart set on a big John Deere. Well recently he has really gotten "the fever" for a tractor of his own. We knew about what we were willing to spend and what size we needed. We just needed to find the "right" one with the right price tag. We finally found it. Wednesday we headed out with every intention of buying a tractor that day. We started out in Sweetwater at Massey Ferguson. He found what he wanted in a new model right away and talked to the salesman who pointed him in the direction of a tractor that was a few years old but in really good shape. He really liked it and it had just what he needed but we still had to go look at the John Deeres. We looked and found out really quick that they couldn't compete price-wise. So Adam called the salesman back from Sweetwater, they talked and we headed back to sign the papers. We got our "new" tractor Friday evening and Adam played on it all day Saturday. Brody really loves it too. He didn't really want anyone to ride without him. I even drove it!!! Here are a few pictures from our adventures, Don't you think our tractor's sexy???? (ha ha)

RHS Class of 1998 Reunion

2008-06-19T16:07:00.002-04:00

Hey guys, I know that I have talked to several of you who were wondering about our 10-year reunion. Jenny Stepien found my MySpace page and sent me a message telling me that she, Marsha and a few other people had starting the planning process. I told them I would help in any way I could and I know several of you would too. They said something about meeting at the Sept. 26 ballgame and doing our reunion that weekend. The first thing we have to do is get everyone's address, email and other contact information. If you are a member of the Class of 1998 and are interested in going to our reunion or even helping plan it please email me at maranda_summers@yahoo.com even if I have your address so I can send it to Marsha. Thanks so much and I will be keeping you all updated on any progress that is made

Can you say Spur of the Moment

2008-06-15T16:19:00.004-04:00

Well just when I thought I had Adam all figured out he actually surprised me big time. We had been planning a short vacation for the summer to Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. I have never been and Adam said no Beach trip so I had decided that it would be fun and just a short little trip and not a bad drive. On Tuesday evening Sandy came in and said that Harold was ready to take the rest of the week off. So we thought we may go ahead and go to Biltmore. Paul and Bobbie Lyn had taken the kids to the beach in Gulf Shores AL. Harold said he would go with us to Biltmore and then head down to visit with them. Well by 11:00 that night we had reservations for 2 nights in Panama City Beach. I was so easily talked into this. I am a huge beach person and I have really been bugging Adam to take me but he didn't really want to go. I guess his daddy has a lot of influence (thanks Harold). We had a great time. The only thing that I would have changed was the amount of time. I mean I was just getting used to the beach and we had to go home. My parents always took us to the beach growing up. There were very few summers we didn't look forward to a week long trip to Daytona Beach. My Dad used to always say that you needed to leave the beach before you were tired of if so you would want to go back. Needless to say we left this time before I was ready.

Brody has not been much of a water boy like I thought he would be. I am determined not to give up!! He really liked the beach. He didn't really know about the ocean at first. We just kinda made him stick it out. In just a few minutes he really started liking it. We just had to take a soccer ball with us and that was the trick. He even licked the soccer ball with saltwater all over it. I, of course took lots of pictures so I thought I would share a few of my favorites with you. I am really looking forward to our next family vacation!!!

My little man is afraid of nothing

2008-06-08T15:08:00.000-04:00

I am not so sure how I feel about it but Brody is scared of very little at this age. He loves all animals including those that are MUCH bigger than him. When he sees the cows in the field he always tries to get their attention and starts saying, "mere, mere" (come here) it is so cute. Adam recently got some holstein calves that are pretty tame. They usually will let Brody pet them after a while. We went fishing in the pond one evening last week and the cows decided they wanted to watch.I got these pictures while they were watching. I loved them so much I decided to share them with you.
I am sorry that it's been a while since my last post. We have reallly been enjoying the summer so far. Last week Brody went to his first Bible School. He was in Bobbie Lyn's class with Anna and Joseph so I thought we would try it. He amazed me. He changed so much from the beginning to the end of the week. I could actually see him growing up a little each night. I think he really enjoyed it. All of the kids did really well and Bobbie Lyn did a great job!!

Summertime

2008-05-26T17:35:00.000-04:00

Okay as most of you know that read our blog, I am a teacher. I love summer. There were several reasons that I wanted to be a teacher. I have always loved kids. They are remarkable. The way they can learn something new. It is the greatest thrill of my job to actually witness a child "get" something for the first time. I knew the pay would be dismal at best, the "thank-you's" few and far between, and any other credit that I deserve would be given in the form of a day without a parent phone call. All of that aside, I love my job. I guess that is reward enough. I know there are a lot of you reading this that can't say that. I know that God has given me a great job at a wonderful school with awesome co-workers.
Of course my job lends itself well to my #1 position, a mommy. I have summers off, weekends off, most evenings off, and not to mention a week in the fall,spring and two weeks at Christmas. I have always loved the summer. Since I was in school I would count down the days starting at about March 1st. I remember the teachers would say that they were looking forward to summer more than I was. This was very hard for me to believe. Now, of course, I know they were telling the truth! Well guys Summer is here. This week is full of end of the year meetings, cleanings and check-outs. Other than that, we are finished. The end of this week holds a few in-service days and I will officially begin my weeks off with my child. I can honestly say that this summer has been highly anticipated. I have been looking forward to this since August 6, 2007, when I had to go back to work. I was able to take off from January until then after Brody was born. This is the first summer of hopefully many when Brody and I will get to sleep in, go swimming, go shopping, or just do whatever we want. I hope you all enjoy your summer too!!

Side note: Emma Kate is doing great. I saw her Saturday. She looked a little weak but I think that is to be expected. Just keep her family in your prayers. Also, keep Brody in your prayers he is sick again (the down side of summer- allergies)

Update

2008-05-19T12:52:00.000-04:00

Yesterday the gastrointestinal (sp?) doctor came in and told my friends that there was no hope for their little girl. But he doesn't know My Lord apparently. There were two more doctors who came in after that and tried to calm their fears. They told them that Emma Kate would have a long road ahead but that she would get better. After countless prayers and tears another doctor came in this morning to tell them some better news. Apparently the infection was no longer in her esophagus, only in her colon. And that she would probably go home by Wednesday.
There is a song that some women used to sing at my church. The chorus goes " There is Hope, There is Hope, my Jesus still whispers there is hope....." I am a firm believer in the healing power of my Savior and the impact that prayer has on these situations. Keep on Praying that her little body can fight off the remainder of the infection so she can enjoy the rest of her life. She has so much to look forward to, especially her little sister due the end of June. Thank you to all of you for your prayers. They have made a difference in this family's life.

Prayer Request

2008-05-18T21:47:00.000-04:00

I have a huge prayer request that I need for all of you who believe in the power of prayer as much as I do. I have a lifelong friend, Sarah , who I grew up in church with. She has a daughter that will be turning 3 in November, Emma.(the little girl that Brody is hugging in the pic) Emma is very, very sick and in the Hospital. She had a lingering ear infection a few months ago. Sarah took her to the doctor, as any concerned mom would do. She had to see a different pediatrician than usual because hers was out of the office that day. Anyway, the doctor said something like, "we are going to get rid of this" and gave Emma a very large dosage of antibiotic. This got rid of all the bacteria in Emma's body, good and bad. She then went through a few weeks of diarrhea and medication to treat the new problem. They thought they had this problem under control until Emma started experiencing the same symptoms again. This problem includes a lot of blood in her stool ( sorry to be so graphic). Sarah and her husband, Wes, took her back to the doctor and they sent her to the hospital. She has been there since Thursday night or Friday morning. This condition has been fatal if it gets into the stomach. It is now in her esophagus (sp?) and colon. Please pray for Emma, Sarah, Wes, the remainder of their family, the doctors and staff that will be treating Emma. I will keep you updated on her condition.

Mother's Day weekend

2008-05-12T10:57:00.000-04:00

Well as usual this weekend flew by. On Saturday, Brody and I went to give Nana (my mom) her mother's day gift. We got her a gift certificate to get a pedicure. She was so excited and I may just have to go with her when she has it done. That evening we met the whole gang at Portrait Innovations and had a family picture made for Sandy for Mother's Day. They turned out really good, even though the kids were going a little crazy. I really can't believe they got any good ones but they are pretty good to snap the shot just when they need to. After pictures we went to Calhoun's for dinner. Oh my goodness it was sooooo good. It's been a while since we had been.
Yesterday we got up and got ready for church. After the service we went to my Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Steve's for dinner. It was so good to see everyone again. We always have a blast when we get together.
Brody got me a beautiful new Necklace. Adam is pretty good at picking out jewelry. So my mother's day was great!!! The only problem was that I had to come back to work today. I guess that is okay though. We only have about a week and a half left so I guess I can handle that.

What a week

2008-05-08T14:38:00.000-04:00

Well, this week started out on a great note. My 28th birthday. I can't believe that I am almost 30 but I really don't feel any older than I did at 18, well maybe a little older (ha!) Brody got sick on Monday evening and woke us up at about 3:00 a. m. sounding like an 80 year old man with emphysema. I went on to work on Tuesday morning but I called and got him in to see the doctor that afternoon. He told us that Brody had the croup and that's why he sounded so bad the night before. Dr. Blevins gave him an antibiotic and a steroid and he is feeling a lot better today.
Curt hit two home runs this week during the district tournament and they won!!!! On Saturday I took some pictures for Curt and Erica before the prom. I thought they turned out pretty well. Let me know what you think!!! I have been taking a lot more pictures lately. I am even taking wedding photos for a friend at the end of the month. I am extremely nervous about this. I mean your wedding is a big deal and I want to do the best job I can. Say a little prayer for me.
I have recently decided to be the Yearbook adviser for RMS next year. I think I will really enjoy it and have even started already. Wish me luck.

Curt's Senior Night

2008-05-01T12:38:00.000-04:00

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Curt had his Senior night for baseball on Tuesday night. I can't believe how fast this year has flown by it seems like just last week we had senior night for football. Curt has always loved baseball and he has been hitting the ball really well lately. I know that he will miss it when it's over, and so will the rest of the family! Curt has already been trying to show Brody how to hit the ball so hopefully Brody will be as good as Uncle Curt one day!!!!!!

Date night with the Rues

2008-04-27T22:22:00.000-04:00

Last night we were finally able to meet Tabitha, Trampas and Gracie at Texas Roadhouse. We had been planning to meet since Brody's Birthday party in January but could never get it together. We had such a great time. It's so funny to see Adam and Trampas talking to each other like they are the ones that have been friends for 20+ years. I am so thankful for that!! Anyway, Tabitha looked so good. She was glowing and I know she is getting very anxious to find out who has been kicking her. She finds out Tuesday. Gracie says it's a girl but I am not so sure!!!!
Brody and Gracie were so cute together. The first time they actually saw each other they both just grinned ear to ear. Then Gracie reached up and Brody grabbed her hand, Tabitha and I were watching the whole thing it was adorable.
We can't wait to do it again!!

A New Lens

2008-04-26T22:33:00.000-04:00

I got a new lens for my camera this week. It is a telephoto lens so I use it more on things a little farther away. I got to finally use it a little today taking some shots of Brody, Adam and Daisy outside. I think I am really going to like it. Here are a few shots from today.

Curt and Erica

2008-04-24T19:50:00.000-04:00

Curt and Erica came up Sunday after church. They have been dating for almost a year now so I wanted to take some pictures of them together. They are so sweet!! I can't believe that he will graduate next month. It seems like yesterday that he was carrying around that backpack full of power ranger figures to all of my ballgames. I love you Curt!!!

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Fun times

2008-04-18T12:20:00.000-04:00

Here are a few pictures that I have taken this week. I love the one of Brody and Daisy from behind. I think it will look so good in black and white. Brody loves to help daddy mow! Anytime he hears the lawnmower running he gets the biggest grin on his face and looks at Adam like, "Daddy can I ride?" it is so sweet!!

15 month check-up

2008-04-16T10:13:00.000-04:00

We went yesterday for Brody's 15 month check-up. He did really well. He weighed 28 lb 91/2 oz. (92nd percentile) he was 33.5 inches long (97th percentile) and his head was 49cm (92nd percentile). The nurse just laughed and said, "well at least he's big all over." Brody has been going through this phase for a while where he doesn't like men that he doesn't see on a regular basis at all. Poor Dr. Blevins happens to be one of these men. Brody has been crying every time he goes to the see him for a while now. He did do a little better yesterday. It's kinda funny in a way. He loves the nurses and will just smile and laugh at them and they are the ones who gives the shots. Anyway, I was really nervous about these shots. Even more than I had been any others. There is so much hype surrounding the MMR and what bad things it could cause. I had really been praying for a while for God to give me a peace about it and let me know what I should do. I decided to go ahead with the shots. He did really well. Of course he cried, but just for a minute. His little legs got a little red but not too bad. God really does answer prayers because even though I had worried about this for months now, as soon as we got there I was as calm as could be. Thank you Lord!!!
Brody fell asleep on the way home and slept a while. When he got up we took him outside to play. He was so excited. We hadn't let him go out for a couple of days because it was too cold. It really was a lot warmer yesterday. We had a great time playing ball, helping daddy put a gate up and of course playing with Daisy. I took some pictures with my phone but they are so blurry. I will take some more tonight and post them later.
Brody really is growing up. He is so cute and so much fun. He changes and does new things everyday. Just last week he said his first sentence, "Do it again" while we were outside playing baseball. And the other day he said the funniest thing. We were in the middle of Tractor Supply and Adam couldn't find what he wanted so he said something and we cracked up when Brody said "Dad Gummit" I couldn't help but laugh and think about Coach K a little bit!!

Sorry the pictures are so blurry!! I took them with my phone
Brody trying to ride Daisy
"Get over here Daisy"

Brody and Daddy playing ball in the garage

A Wet and Wild Weekend

2008-04-14T09:54:00.000-04:00

Well this weekend was a little different than I had planned. Of course after 15 months, I have realized that plans are made to be altered. On Friday afternoon there were storms moving in to the area. Sandy had just put Brody down for a little afternoon nap when I pulled up and she wanted me to stay for a while until the storms passed and Brody woke up. So I did. My mother-in-law is a wonderful person and such a blessing to me!! She honestly treats me like her daughter and I can't even begin to explain how much she has done for Brody, Anna and Joseph. She keeps them all four days a week, usually. Adam stays home on Wednesdays and sometimes Bobbie Lyn is off on Fridays. She loves it. I really wonder how she does it sometimes. There have been a lot of times I have called and she has all of them asleep. It's amazing!!
Anyway, I stayed and helped her fix dinner. Well really I just chopped some vegetables for the tacos she was doing all the work. The rest of the gang came down in a little while and we all visited for a while.
On Saturday morning we took the kids to a local church to have their pictures made together. We had them all dressed in overalls, white t-shirts, and barefoot. They looked adorable. Brody is such a Ham, he just grinned the whole time. Brody and I went to Wal-mart to get a few things and went back home to play with daddy. Brody and Daddy took a nap while I did a few things around the house and when they got up we went outside to play for a little while. It was cold though, so much to Brody's disapproval, we didn't stay long. Sandy called and said she had a big pot of chili and needed us to help eat it all.
Sunday morning is where both the "wet" and "wild" come in. Brody was playing with my phone while I was doing some dishes and getting ready for church. After church, I was looking for my phone everywhere. I called it and everything and couldn't find it. When I finally found it, it was very wet. He had thrown it into the toilet. I made Adam get it out and we decided that we would have to go to Crossville and get another phone. While we were getting ready to go, Brody was playing. He went over to the end table and grabbed one of our wedding photos . He thought it would be fun to see how far it would go. It didn't go far but the glass in the frame busted everywhere. That is the wild part. Our little man has become somewhat of a wild man lately. It's pretty funny.
We go to the doctor tomorrow afternoon for his 15 month check-up. Pray for us as Brody gets shots. They can be very traumatic and I am a little worried about the MMR. I have prayed about it and feel like I am doing the right thing.

Meet Daisy

2008-04-09T14:36:00.000-04:00

We have a new member of the family. Saturday after Lexi's birthday party, Adam, Brody and I went all the way to Manchester for our new Puppy. She is a 9 week old Border Collie. We had one when I was pregnant but someone stole him. ( Can you believe people would do that?)
We have been saying for a while now that we needed to get another one for Brody but we thought we would wait a little longer. Then we found these puppies so I guess we forgot about waiting! She is so cute and so good with Brody so far!! I am sure that there will be more posts about Miss Daisy in the future!!

E-I-E-I-O

2008-03-31T22:30:00.000-04:00

Adam came home today with 36 baby chicks for Brody. He loves to farm and has always liked dealing with chickens. I, on the other hand, grew up "in town" where chicken farming was something we didn't do. I have to admit there is nothing as sweet as a baby chick, until it makes a mess, that is.
I don't think that Brody gave us quite the reaction we were expecting. He loves animals too and has never been scared of any one of them, not even the cows. We just knew he would love the chickens. Well he did for a few minutes and then he was more interested in squeezing them and throwing them than looking at them or being at all gentle. Adam suggested that we sacrifice one of them for Brody to "play with" and keep the rest safe. I didn't like that idea. I had to snap some pics.Some of them are priceless. I hope you enjoy!!

easter 2008

2008-03-25T15:40:00.000-04:00

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Break time has finally arrived!!

2008-03-25T14:22:00.000-04:00

Well needless to say I am so excited about being on break from school. Thursday was a really hard day for me. Sometimes things happen so fast we have no or little control and as a teacher, I have a really hard time accepting the fact that some kids get caught in a bad situation before they realize what has happened. Anyway, Break could not have had better timing this year for me.
On Friday Brody, Gramma and I met Brooke and Lexi Barton at Chuck E. Cheese's. I am sure this was the first of many trips here. I remember going to Showbiz when I was a kid and I loved it. It seems as though Brody is following in Mommy's footsteps. A lot of the activities were a little too big for him but you would have a hard time convincing him of that. Brody and Lexi were so cute together. We said that it was their first date.

Spring is in the Air

2008-03-12T20:35:00.000-04:00

Well you have got to love this East Tennessee weather lately. I mean we have had temperatures ranging from a little below freezing to about 70 degrees in the last week. I really love the warmer weather and have been looking forward to it's arrival for a while now. My allergies on the other hand have been going a little crazy. Oh well I guess it's the price I have to pay for this beautiful weather.
Spring also means baseball season has started. Brody and I went to watch Uncle Curt play baseball tonight. Well we really didn't get to watch much of the game. There were too many things for him to get into. He loves the weather too, but I think he just loves being outside period. He is all BOY as they say. It's been a while since . Curt did pretty good. He had a really good hit and got hit really good once too. I hate when that happens but he took it like a man.( He turned 18 a couple of weeks ago, I can't believe it).
Spring Break starts next week too. I can't wait!! I think the kids are ready for a break too.It seems. I have been trying to post some new pictures taken at the game but for some reason they are taking too long. I will try againg later

Untitled Album

Using a lot of Sick days

2008-03-05T15:03:00.000-05:00

Well the bugs have definitely hit our family over the past few weeks. It started with me on Feb. 21. Thank the Lord Dr. McGriff had called school off on Monday the 22nd. I went to the Dr and he said I had a sinus infection and probably a touch of the flu. I felt awful. He gave me an antibiotic and I started feeling better in a few days. I had to take Tuesday off because I still didn't feel like working. I went back to work on Wednesday and worked the rest of the week. The next week on Wednesday I woke up with a horrible migraine. So I stayed home again, I had already had a doctor's appointment scheduled for Thursday so I stayed home that day too.Thank goodness I was already off b/c I noticed Brody's eye was a little red and runny. I took him to the doctor and he had conjunctivitis (pink eye). They gave me some drops to use so I went to work Friday and once again school was called off on Monday for illness. I had to end up taking Brody back to the Dr Monday because his eye was no better and in fact it had spread to the other eye. I also noticed he had a runny nose. Well the doctor confirmed what I had expected. He had an ear infection, or should I say a double ear infection. He didn't act like it bothered him too much though and I am so glad that I went ahead and took him back.
Dr. Blevins told me something I didn't know, he said that the same bacteria that caused pink eye also caused ear infections. I had no idea. So I stayed home yesterday to keep him away from Anna and Joseph.
Man I am glad that I didn't have to use all my sick days when I took maternity leave! Well I think we are on the down hill slope hopefully the antibiotic will knock the infection out in a day or two. Keep Brody in your prayers!!

A Glad Reunion Day

2008-02-24T21:21:00.000-05:00

Saturday Brody, Mom and I went to Casey's baby shower for baby Drew. I loved seeing everyone so much! I, of course, forgot to take my camera but from the looks of things several people have already posted some pictures. Casey looks so good. She really is glowing. I must say I was a little jealous. I don't remember looking that good and I know I was a lot bigger than that by this time.
I absolutely loved seeing everyone again. It was so funny to see all of the babies that were all right around the same age. Brody really enjoyed meeting Kiley, Sailor, and Connor. He always loves playing with or should I say flirting with Avary. We got there too late to see Kellye and Cole but I can't wait to see them soon.

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T08:20:00.001-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day from the Summers. We hope you are as blessed as we have been.
Here is a picture of our sweetie taken this weekend. Isn't it adorable. I think he looks like he might be up to something.

Brody's 12 month pictures

2008-02-11T10:20:00.000-05:00

We went this weekend to have Brody's pictures made at Portrait Innovations in Knoxville. They turned out so great. The photographer's name was Kristi and I highly recommend her! I hope you enjoy.

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Sick Little Boy

2008-02-08T10:29:00.000-05:00

Well this week has been a little hectic at our house. Brody has been sick. It really started on Sunday evening I think. He had one bad diaper but I thought maybe he had just eaten something that didn't agree with him, I guess I was wrong. On Monday I came on to work and left him with his Gramma. He acted fine and ate fine all day. He didn't even have diarrhea until around 3:00. From then until about 8:00 he had it 4 times. His little bottom got so red! I was off on Tuesday for Election Day so I stayed at home with him. He was sick a few times but acted as though he felt okay. Wednesday is Adam's day off so he stayed with him. I ended up having to take yesterday off because he still had a few rough diapers and I didn't want him to give whatever this was to Anna and Joseph. I came to work today because he acted as though he's finally feeling better. I hate it when he is sick. He didn't act as though he felt bad at all but I take being sick over him a million times.
We are planning to get some pictures made of Brody on tomorrow. I hope they turn out okay. I haven't had them made in a while b/c since I got my new camera (Nikon D40x), I have been taking them myself. I thought it was time for a "professional job".I will post them if they turn out okay next week.
I hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Our Little Helper

2008-01-31T09:42:00.000-05:00

Brody has become such the helper recently. He loves to walk behind me with an extra vacuum attachment pretending to be vacuuming like mommy. Yesterday Adam took him to Sweetwater to the Cattle Sale. Brody was a good little man according to daddy. He just got a little restless after about an hour or so. Adam said that Brody was the entertainment for the other farmers, especially when they brought the goats out to sale. Brody started Baa-ing like a goat very loudly. He also likes to moo like a cow. When they got home, Brody wanted to go see the cows that Daddy had bought. He loves to be outside and "help" daddy too. These were some very mild calves. One even walked right up to us and let us pet him. Brody really enjoyed that!!
I took Brody back inside after just a few minutes with the cows. He was not happy about this. He has really started wanting to get down while we are outside. He wants to walk by himself. So when I pick him up to go in he almost always starts to cry. I hate that. I can't wait until it warms up so we can play outside longer in the evenings. When we got inside I had to fold a load of laundry. He started pulling the clothes out of the dryer and handing them to me. It was a big help.
I just wanted to give a little update about what Our 1-year old has been up to. I hope everybody has a great weekend!!

My Brody Boy

2008-01-24T10:27:00.000-05:00

Well I have been tagged by Tara to write 8 things about my little boy. I will try my best to share the best things about this wonderful little guy:

1. He loves anything with wheels. He has played so much with tractors, cars, trucks, four wheelers, etc. that he knows that anything with wheels makes a motor sound. It is so cute watching him play with all of his John Deere tractors.

2. He loves chocolate milk. It is a sweet treat for him. He is so funny with his sippy cup when he has choc. milk. He won't even think about laying it down, not even for a minute.

3. He's a little bit of a daddy's boy. He will grin from ear to ear each time he sees his daddy, whether he hasn't seen him all day or for five minutes.

4. He eats whatever we are eating. He will not eat hardly any baby food anymore and even if he has just finished a meal, he wants a "bite- bite" of whatever we have.

5. Brody wants to do anything that his cousins do. I think this is why he is walking and running already.

6. Brody loves books. I think that sometimes he would rather play with a book than anything els. I am so glad!!

7.Brody loves to help. The other night I was vacuuming the house and he got an attachment from the vacuum and began following me all over the house making his motor sound.

8. Brody is the light of my light. I know this one is kinda mushy but I just couldn't help it. I just sit and think sometimes, " What did I do before?" I love this little guy more than I could have ever even dreamed. Sometimes when I think about how much he means to me, I hurt inside. (i don't know if anyone else feels that way) I just once again find myself trying to comprehend how fast time is going .

9. I just had to add one more. Brody loves to give sugar. He hasn't quite got the whole close your mouth thing figured out but he will come right for you, usually a cheek, mouth wide open wanting to land one on you

I hope you all enjoy reading about my Brody boy!

Cell Phone Uses

2008-01-17T15:11:00.000-05:00

I received this email today and thought it was very interesting. I just thought I would share it with the rest of you.

5 THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW YOUR CELL PHONE COULD DO

There are a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies. Your mobile Phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival. Check out the things that you can do with it:

1. First Emergency – The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobiles is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. Try it out.

2. Have You Locked Your Keys In The Car? Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone: If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other ‘remote’ for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk). Editor’ Note: It works fine! We tried it out and it unlocked our car over a cell phone!’

3. Hidden Battery Power – Imagine your cell battery is very low. To activate, press the keys *3370# Your cell will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your cell next time.

4. How to Disable a STOLEN Mobile Phone? To check your Mobile phone’s serial number, key in the following digits on your phone: *#06#A15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. When your phone is stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won’t get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can’t use/sell it either. If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.

And Finally……………………

5. Free Directory Service for Cells – Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 to $1.75 or more for 411 information calls when they don’t have to. Most of us do not carry a telephone directory in our vehicle, which makes this situation even more of a problem. When you need to use the 411 information option, simply dial: (800) FREE 411, or (800) 373-3411 without incurring any charge at all. Program this into your cell phone now.

Birthday Slideshow

2008-01-14T18:15:00.001-05:00

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Brody's Birthday Bash

2008-01-14T09:55:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Brody's 1st birthday party. I think everybody had a great time. Brody got so many nice things!! He enjoyed the party as much as I hoped he would. I have to say that I didn't get to enjoy it quite as much as I would have liked to just because I was running around everywhere trying to make sure that everything was done the way I had planned. I am glad that we decided not to try to do this at our house. I was trying to count it up on the way to work this morning and I think there were 51 people there! I just can't believe that a one year old can get so much. I think we are going to put some of it up for later in the year and bring it out again. It will be a brand new toy that way. Well here are some shots of the action. By the way, I made the cake myself. Can you believe that?? I never would have thought I would be making a cake for a party but it turned out so cute that I may do it again!

Birthday Weekend

2008-01-11T10:26:00.000-05:00

Well I can't believe it but Brody's Birthday is tomorrow!! As much as I have tried to wish it away the time is drawing near. Brody Clark Summers entered this world one year ago. That was a day that changed me forever. The day started very early. I had to get up at 4:00 to call the Hospital to make sure they had a room ready for my induction. They did so I got ready, got Adam up and off we went to Parkwest. We had to be there at 6:00 a.m. At about 7 I got my IV, and started pitocin. This was not fun. I made it until about 10:30 a.m. before I received my epidural. Relief! The day went on without a hitch until about 3:00. They checked me and said that I was ready to start pushing. Talk about nerves!!! Well I started pushing and pushing. Then they told me to take a break until Dr. Cottam could get there. I thought that Brody was just about to arrive. But boy was I wrong. I started pushing again a little after 4:00. I pushed for nearly 2 hours, they even tried the vacuum device ( big mistake) He was stuck!! They rushed me into the OR and Performed an emergency C-section. I cried all the way there . I didn't want to have major surgery but I knew that's what had to be done. Adam was so good. He just comforted me and said that this was how it was supposed to be. Brody was born just 12 minutes later. He was blue and didn't cry or move much. I was so scared. Everybody was reassuring me that it would be Okay. I got so upset that I got sick. Then Brody started to really wail. I was so glad to hear that little cry. They brought him to me and I got to see my little baby. I will never forget that moment. He looked right into my eyes and stopped crying.
They then took him to the nursery to warm him up. There were so many people waiting to see him and they all could through the window. Later when he was warm, they let Adam bring him to me. It was one of the sweetest things I have ever seen, my husband bringing our child to me.
This experience is still pretty fresh in my mind. I just cannot grasp the thought that it has been 365 days. I have enjoyed nearly everyday of the last year. I have found the reason that I was put upon this Earth. To be a mommy to this little guy and try to teach him about Christ.
This weekend will be crazy. Saturday morning Sandy and I will be making and decorating cakes, with Brody's help I'm sure. That afternoon Adam and I are planning to take Brody to get his present from us and maybe his first happy meal. Saturday night will be busy decorating for the party. Sunday morning is church and then party at 2. I am looking so forward to seeing Brody celebrate the BIG 1 and all the other milestones that this year holds. I am just wondering if all the years will pass as quickly as this one or if they will even get faster.
Well wish me luck and say a little prayer that I can get everything done so everyone has a wonderful time. I will post pictures next week!!!
By the way, Happy Birthday Nikki. I will always be able to remember yours now.

Christmas and New Years

2008-01-03T11:29:00.000-05:00

Well I know if you are looking at my blog that you are wanting to see pictures of Brody's First Christmas. So I made a slideshow. We had so many events and dinners to attend that I wanted to put everything together. It's my first attempt at one. Let me know what you think.
Brody got so many nice things that I can't even attempt to mention everything. We started on December 22 with the first Christmas at Nana Jo's. Mom made a great dinner and we all exchanged gifts. They got Brody so many things, as you can see from the pictures. But his favorite was the rocking zebra.
Christmas Eve morning we went to Gramma and Grandpa's. Brody loaded the truck up with everything he got there. It was so much fun watching him open presents. He finally got the hang of it and then wanted to open everybody's presents.
Later that evening we headed to LaFollette for dinner at my grandparents house. They got Brody a collectible horse to play with. Brody was the life of the party once again. We got home about 10:30; just in time for Santa to come.
Brody slept until about 8:30 Christmas morning. When he got up we all went to see what Santa had left. He got a v-tech piano with microphone, a fridge DJ, and a talking storybook. His daddy got him a new gun. I don't think he will even see that one for a while!!! He loved the microphone. I showed him how to use it once and he took off. It was adorable.
We went to my Aunt and Uncle's house that afternoon. We like to play BINGO for gifts. It is so much fun!! We ended up getting several nice things. We had to leave a little early to go to Adam's Grandparents house. We played dirty santa and let the kids open more presents.
This Christmas was so much fun. We started several new traditions that I know will continue. Now it's time to get ready for the Birthday party. I can't believe it's almost here!

Christmas 2007 Slideshow

2008-01-03T11:24:00.000-05:00

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Merry Christmas

2007-12-19T11:19:00.000-05:00

This is my last post for a while because I do most of them at work and I am going to be off for a couple of weeks. I hope that all of you have a wonderful Christmas with your families and remember the true spirit of the season. I will be sure to post pictures of Brody's first Christmas and New Year when I can!

The Christmas Festivities have Begun.....

2007-12-17T10:21:00.000-05:00

I guess you could say that this weekend was the beginning of our family's Christmas activities. Yesterday we went to my great aunt Gloria Henderson's house in Athens for the annual Christmas dinner. The food was wonderful, as usual. And it was so much fun showing Brody off. This was the first time that a lot of my dad's side of the family got to see him. My grandparents were there and I was so excited to see them, and for them to see Brody again. They have been traveling a lot lately so it has been a while since they have seen us. Brody went right to Grandma when we got there. Everybody, especially children, loves my grandma. She is so funny. We finally got a picture of four generations on my Dad's side. I have been wanting one for a while.

Me, Grandpa H.R. Boston, Grandma Iva Jo Boston, Dad, Ally and Brody

On the way home we called our friends Chris and Brooke Barton and told them to come to our house for Pizza and Brody and Lexi, their daughter, could exchange presents. It was so much fun. I love spending time with friends! Lexi and Brody were so funny. I don't think either of them really know how to share yet. I spent most of the time trying to convince Brooke to start a blog herself. Chris wants her to show off their family too!

This tricycle is what they got Brody. It is so cute and he loves riding it and pushing it down the hallway!

They were leaving in these pictures She was giving Brody a hug and blowing him kisses. Kids are so sweet!!!
Well I guess it will get pretty crazy at our house during the next few weeks. But that is what makes Christmas so great and hectic. I am very much looking forward to a few weeks off to spend time with Brody and the family.

Brody With Santa

2007-12-14T10:52:00.001-05:00

We took Brody to the mall one day a few weeks ago to get his picture with Santa. I agree with Nikki Santa could have been more joyful but Brody did so good anyway. I didn't know if he would cry but he just kept looking at him and then at us. I thought the picture turned out great!!

2007-12-12T12:53:00.001-05:00

For those of you who didn't get a Christmas card, this is the picture I used this year. I just thought it said so much. Merry Christmas to all of you and may God Bless your families as He has ours!!
Our Little Farmer at feeding time. He loves the calves and pigs so we had to capture him in the act of feeding them.
This is hilarious. I just thought maybe you could use a good laugh too. He was over having his picture made, as you can tell. Man is that a Summers fit or what!! (Ha, Ha!)

11 months old.....Already?!?!?

2007-12-12T11:20:00.001-05:00

Really somebody wake me up. I can't believe what I am writing. Yes, Brody is 11 months old today. I just can't believe it. I mean in a month he will be 1. Well I just can't think about that now. It seems like everybody says it but really I need to know when time started ticking by so fast. I remember when I was a little girl and those hours of school went by so much slower. It seems like somebody has wound their watch too tight and we are stuck in the middle of it. Well enough complaining, I love being a mom to this little man, that's what he thinks he is.
Yesterday morning when I was about to leave for work Sandy brought him out on the porch, in the warm December weather, to say bye-bye to mommy. He was just about to say it when a random rooster, yes we live in the country I said rooster, walked up in the yard and started crowing. Brody stopped.... Looked around for what was making this wonderful noise and listened as it did it again. This time he looked at me and instead of saying bye he started trying to crow too. It was so funny. Sandy and I were laughing so hard and Brody was smiling at us, but just then the rooster started again and Brody followed suit. I love this child! He really is what makes getting up in the morning so much better than it used to be.
This morning I was trying to get ready for work while Brody and Daddy were catching up on some extra sleep, Adam is off of Wednesdays. I guess I wasn't being as quite as I thought and when I walked in the bedroom to get my belt, Brody sat up and grinned that big toothy grin and laid back down. I mean these are precious times so I need to try to enjoy every waking moment instead of complaining about them flying by. God will have to help me focus on the positive instead of the negative. I will post more pictures later in the week!!

Brody's First Steps

2007-12-04T14:12:00.001-05:00

Well it's official, my little boy has taken his first steps. Last Monday night he took a few steps without holding on to anything but I just thought that was a fluke thing because he didn't do it anymore until now. Last night while mom and dad were visiting, we sat Brody down by the Christmas tree. He loves it. He wants to pull off all of the ornaments so I had to put the breakable ones out of his reach. Anyway when I stood him up by the tree he started taking steps toward it. I couldn't really believe how easy he was making it look! So I did what anyone would do, I clapped, tried not to cry and backed him up again. Well guess what... he did it again and again. He would only really take steps if he was getting closer to the tree but it was so cute. I know by the end of the year he will really take off. We got some of it on video so I will try to post it later. Guys wish me luck as a new adventure is about to start in our lives. I k

2007-11-30T14:52:00.000-05:00

I Love thes e pictures at the old piano

I think Brody likes to show out for the camera. I love these pictures that show him "hamming it up"

Brody's Firsts

2007-11-26T10:09:00.000-05:00

Wow what a week. I didn't have to work Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday but boy did a lot happen. First, on Tuesday when I picked Brody up from Gramma's house we went to get his first haircut. Well for those of you who are mad at me just keep in mind that I am married to a barber. I was ready for this moment, or at least I thought I was. But the closer it got the more knots I had in my stomach. Would this change the way he looked? Well it did but I love the outcome. He did so good, all he needed was a sucker, which was also a first, and he didn't even notice the clippers.
Brody and I took Nana to the grocery store on Wednesday. I knew I should have gone earlier but it seems like time always gets away from me. After the shopping, Brody and I needed a nap. Thank goodness we got one. Later that night I had to make a few things for Turkey Day. On Thursday morning we got up and watched the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade, fixed a few casseroles and got ready to go to Aunt Evelyn's house. Mom's whole family was there. It was nice to see everyone and plan for Friday. We decided to meet Friday morning at 5:15a.m. (am I crazy or what)
Later on Thanksgiving evening we went to Adam's grandparents' house and had a nice visit. Sandy and I finally talked Bobbie Lyn into going shopping with us this year so I told them about the plan and we all went home and got in the bed early. Friday morning I got up at 4 a.m. and Sandy and Bobbie Lyn met at our house at 5. We met up with everyone else at 5:15 at McDonald's. We had a great time. Brody stayed with Adam, I have a wonderful husband.
On Saturday, I put up the tree while Brody took a nap. I set the camera up to catch Brody's reaction when he first saw it . It was one of the sweetest things I have ever seen. He looked at the tree, at us, back at the tree and pointed. Then he went over and of course grabbed an ornament off first thing. I didn't mind though. We got some pictures and laughed at Brody. I know this Christmas is going to be so Special for us. I just know it will go too quickly.

Time Flies

2007-11-16T09:51:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that it is almost Thanksgiving already. Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday because it is so much more relaxed than Christmas. I love getting together with family that I haven't seen in a while and most of all I really enjoy going through the sales papers and mapping out our route for BLACK FRIDAY. My mom, Evelyn, Angie, Lacey, Misty, and I always get together on the day after Thanksgiving and hit the sales. It always really puts me in the Christmas spirit and I can't wait to start buying for Brody's first Christmas!!! He is so cute ( just in case I haven't said that before, Ha Ha!) I am amazed to watch him grow and change. He is getting pretty brave and I am waiting for him to let go and start walking just any time!

A Year ago today

2007-11-09T12:58:00.000-05:00

One year ago today my grandfather, Walter Larkin Clark, passed away. He was exactly 88 1/2 (May 9, 1918-November 9 2006). We all miss him a lot! He was a great man, a wonderful father and husband, a faithful deacon and a shining light to all who knew him. He had such an influence on my life that I named Brody after him. (Brody Clark Summers) I hope to one day tell him what a wonderful man he was named for. Please say a little prayer for my Mamaw, Mom, Evelyn and Charlie this weekend, this may be a difficult time to get through.

Happy Birthday Adam

2007-11-08T10:10:00.000-05:00

Today is Adam's 31st birthday. He is such a wonderful husband and without a doubt one of the best fathers that I have ever been around. God has blessed me with an awesome best friend! I know I am one of the lucky ones. I love you honey.

A Good Weekend

2007-11-05T09:56:00.001-05:00

Let me tell you about our weekend. On Friday nights we always go to my mother-in-law's for a family dinner. This has been a tradition since before Adam and I got married. Now that the kids are all here it is so much fun. Anna and Joseph are 15 months old and are doing so much. Brody watches everything they do and tries to keep up. It is so cute. Sandy fixed a big spread of Biscuits and Gravy with Pork Chops, Bobbie Lyn brought a hashbrown casserole and we finished off dinner with a awesome honey bun cake. Saturday morning Brody and I slept in a little until about 8:30 or so, we got up and did some laundry (he loves to help) and off we went to see Nana Jo. It is so funny watching my parents with my child. Sometimes I sit back and wonder who these people are. Mom and Dad always fight to see who gets Brody first. Dad has been winning lately since mom can't move as fast. After a nice visit with Nana, Poppa, and Uncle Bryan, we met Adam at home and took a short trip to Crossville. Brody fell asleep on the way back home so he and I went to lay down while Adam decided to get the new four wheeler out. He called me a few minutes later to tell me he had just killed a 7-point Buck. He was so excited. I bundled Brody up and we went outside to see what all the fuss was about. I am not really a fan of hunting or anything but it was a pretty big deer. Brody was so funny. He even grabbed the horns. Sunday morning (after an extra hour of sleep) we got up and got ready to go to church. Our church doesn't have a nursery or anything so Brody is with us. He loves the singing but when it came time for prayer he decided it was just too quite. Needless to say I had to take him out to calm down. He fell asleep on the way home and slept for 2 hours. He must have been really tired!
Adam and I fixed dinner and got to eat a Hot meal together it was nice. We later went to Wal-mart to get a few things and then went by to visit Nana and Poppa again. This was a good weekend.

My First post

2007-11-02T12:50:00.000-04:00

Wow I have just found this site. I know, I know, I am Way behind. I was looking at the pictures of Nikki, Joe and Sailor on Halloween and was amazed to see how many people were blogging that I went to school with and have lost touch with.
Well let me start by saying today is Mom's birthday. She had her hip replaced almost 3 weeks ago, but is doing good. It will be a long trip back to her old self but I know she will be so glad she had it done when she is finally out of pain.
Brody had his first Halloween this week and dressed as Smokey. Let me know what you think. I enjoyed it probably more than he did even though we just went to a few places.(you've got to be pretty careful) He finally got his first tooth a last week and he is pulling up everywhere. It won't be long until he is walking!
God had really blessed Adam and I. I think everyday about how lucky I am to be a mom to such a wonderful little man.I am looking forward to hearing from some of you. I am going to try to post some of our latest pictures We had Leanne Malicoat come to our house and take some in front of the new barn for fall but it was so chilly outside that we decided to move inside and take some in front of the hay wall.