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Stories
April 2011 - Easter WEEK!
On Palm Sunday, we loved participating in the church egg hunt and lunch. Coco was in town and got to attend with us!
That Tuesday was Cord's Easter Party at preschool...
On that Thursday, we had Cannon's preschool party, an egg hunt at our Bible study AND Connor's school party!
here they are, in between parties, going through their loot!
On Good Friday, we enjoyed a day off of school and Daddy home from work. We had lunch at Chick-fil-A and then also commemorated Earth Day before a baseball game that night...
On Saturday, we headed out for Clarksville, where we celebrated with the Piggs & Dowdys. We love the HUGE egg hunt that Grandma puts together and we enjoyed grilled hamburgers & hot dogs & play time with the cousins. We got to worship Easter Sunday at our home church, Grace Community, and loved every minute of that hour, praising our risen Savior! After church, we headed to our aunt Kimmie & uncle Brad's house, where they had prepared a wonderful day for us Clines! I'll let these pictures share the rest of the story...
April 17, 2011 - Baseball season has begun!!!
And we are so GLAD!!! We have practiced and practiced some more...Connor's team logged probably 30 hours prior to the first game, which we hoped would prepare us for our opening season tourney. Coco came in town to get a good dose of baseball too!
It was a chilly Saturday, but we played four games between Connor & Cannon's teams. Cannon played pitcher in this first morning game & did GREAT!! We were so surprised to see our whimsical, grass-pulling, dirt-playing boy come out this year, SERIOUS & ready to PLAY BALL!
Cannon's age group does not keep score but we like to say he won "10-7". ;) Everybody gets to bat and they even let them stay on base after they're called out, but Cannon still hustles after EVERY ball, no matter what position he's playing! He was quite proud of his tournament medal.
Some pics with our little ball players...
Connor's team won both their Saturday games & we were so excited! He played great and did well at second base...
Love this pic of Daddy & the boys heading out...just had to capture all the gear we haul everytime at the ballpark! The chairs for us, and supplies for the boys - I told Russell I want to bring a beach cart on wheels to lug the stuff around! (to think, next year we'll have THREE out there!?)
On Sunday we came out for the tournament championship game and it was a beautiful day to play ball! Look at little brother...loves the ballpark life...
We won that game & love a trophy!!
Let the games begin!!!!
April 13, 2011 - Cord had impromptu surgery today...nothing of an emergency nature, but it was TIME. After six months of fluid & more fluid in his left ear (and sometimes trouble in the right), we consulted our pediatrician, an audiologist, and our ENT. We hoped he would grow out of it, as he was turning three, and that with warmer weather, his congestion would clear up. But enough was enough and after the audiologist determined that he did have a mild hearing loss, and our ENT saw the reocurrence of fluid for himself, he said "let's do this. THIS week!" We also decided to go ahead and remove his adenoids, since he was snoring and having such issues, hoping that would help clear it all up.
So with 24 hours notice, we pulled pre-op paperwork, bloodwork (for the adenoidectomy) and childcare for my other boy at home, and off we went to "Daddy's work" early in the morning.
Here are we are, all suited up & waiting on our sweet doctor...
Mommy even got prepped for surgery!
Cord did great in surgery, but when they brought him back to me, I noticed he was definitely not himself. Bless his heart, he was coming out of anesthesia and dealing with that anxiety & itchiness, but his face kept swelling more & more. The nurses got our anesthesiologist and back to recovery we went for observation and Benadryl. Thankfully his tongue never swelled and it all stopped, but it was a little concerning for a bit. Here we are afterwards, as we watched Mickey & waited it out...
Cord slept and came around so we went home & found great surprises from our friends Brinkley & Eliza!! What sweet little friends we have...
Here's my boy, later that night, resting & watching "American Idol" in Mommy & Daddy's bed!! Back to smiling!
March 28, 2011 - the wedding weekend of my cousin Patrick & his bride, Mikka...
On Saturday, March 26th, we witnessed the sweet joining of their new family at Madison Church of Christ.
We had lots of kiddos in attendance (and were a little concerned how they would do during the nuptials) but they did great! Cord didn't seem to care that Coco was busy directing the wedding...he joined Marti & Daycen in the back.
Connor was so excited to see Kimmie & she looked soooo pretty, in her mother of the groom beauty.
They had a great kids' area set up at the wedding reception, where they colored and even got to slide a little & push trains! Here's Connor hanging with his new cousin, Joesea. :)
Sweet Samantha even captured a pic of my man & me!
It was a nice weekend with family. We enjoyed a Sunday in Clarksville, before we headed back, at our home church & afterwards, lunch with the Pigg crew!
March 2011 - SPRING BREAK! - Recapping our great little break we had from Kindergarten & preschool...Cannon & Cord had two weeks off (as they follow the city school calendar) and Connor enjoyed the latter week of their break as well.
With all the birthday & race excitement the previous weekend, we decided to have a stay-cation and enjoy a week in Dyersburg.
On Monday, we enjoyed McDonald's to go & playing at the park with several friends.
On Tuesday, we went to see "Mars Needs Moms" with the McDonald girls and it was Cord's first trip to the "big movie store" as he calls it. Not the best movie for our ages, but they enjoyed the outing & the popcorn.
On Wednesday, they went to the Y with me & ran errands (snore!) but that night, Daddy & I got to have a mid-week date to dinner & a movie!! (since I didn't have to teach at church & that was such a treat to have that time together)
On Thursday, the boys & I went shopping in Jackson to buy some wedding attire/shoes (see upcoming post). This was also Cord's ACTUAL birthday so we of course had to make a stop at the cupcake shop.
On Friday, Daddy worked a half day and we headed to Nashville!
We can take regular days & do regular things at home, but it was fun to just have a break from the routine.
March 25, 2011 - Our house was full of family on the night of Cord's party. It was a BEAUTIFUL spring day and we had kids everywhere! Guys watching March Madness on TV, girls in the kitchen...my heart was full... (check out the pics over on the pictures tab!)
The next morning, we set out for Russell's 1st Duathlon on the Natchez Trace!
(Here was his gear the night before...he departed at 6am!)
The boys & I picked up my friend, Katie, and her daughter, Maclyn...her husband, Kyle, has been a great friend/biking cohort during Russell's training. We arrived at the race site, on another beautiful WARM spring day...the boys couldn't quite figure it all out.
Daddy seemed happy to see us! (and our sign! ;))
Here are Russell, Kyle & another new biking friend, Chris, before the race...
Russell was off & ran the first two miles...
He hopped on his bike & set off for another 20...
I've never been so happy to see him, as I was when he came riding down this hill!! It was a SUPER HILLY course and of course, my mind wanders & I prayed he had not gotten a flat tire or injured himself!? His bike did give him trouble, but he came flying down that hill, ready to take on the third segment...
Taking off for another 3 miles...little did he know, it would be a trail run!!
Our boys anxiously awaited their Daddy...
And he came running back, in 1 hour & 56 minutes total!! Not too shabby for his first race!! We were soooo proud of him, as we are pretty much every day. 
Our friends, the Penlands, after the race...
Our crew, less Cord, after the race... (Cord was ready for our trip to Cracker Barrel at this point!)
March 24, 2011 -
Happy 3rd Birthday, Cord!!
Our surprise blessing, & we cannot imagine our lives without you. God sure knew what he was doing when he gave you to all four of us...Your spunk, your hilarious ways,
your amazing way of making everyone feel like they are your best friend...
You are THE perfect completion to our family. We love you, Cord Ramsey, & celebrate you today, little!!!
March 22, 2011 - Celebrating Cord's 3rd Birthday!!
We were so happy to give a little tribute to our third boy's third birthday. I LOVE THIRD BIRTHDAYS. They just get it! They get excited about the theme, about the party being for them, and just have fun with their friends & family. We chose Cord's theme several weeks ago...Cord LOVES Elmo, in fact he's sleeping with two Elmos at this very moment. So it was a no-brainer that we would incorporate the fuzzy red lovable guy. (although I have to note that as much as I thought he got it, when asked at the party who's day it was, he said "Brinkley's!!" :/)
Cord got into it and of course, Mommy did too. I even thought that I could be ambitious enough to bake & pull off the new hip fancy party treat...cake pops. I worked hours on the Elmo cake pops and was feeling pretty good about my work.
& so I made more!
Then I tried moving them to the refrigerator...and my red fuzzy friends collapsed. I cried, Cord stood there and said, "My PARTY!! MY PARTY!!" This was one of the victims...some I was able to salvage and then I made more that were simply sprinkled cake pops.
A funny memory from the occasion!
Saturday rolled around and we were SO BLESSED to have our loved ones surrounding us. We had grandparents, a great grandmother, aunts, uncles, & cousins travel in! We had our closest little friends and their families there...it was truly a sweet afternoon for us all.
Not knowing what the weather would be like in March, I purposely chose the church for our party site and it worked out great. We had small inflatables, a couple of games & crafts and a sugar-filled dessert table for everyone. I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story...suffice it to say, Cord Ramsey is THREE & we celebrated our sweet boy! Once again, I say, we are BLESSED beyond what we deserve and we are so eternally grateful for it all...
March 20, 2011 - a BIG weekend for the Piggs!!!
We have celebrated Cordie's 3rd birthday, enjoyed a host of family in Dyersburg & Daddy's accomplishment of completing his first Duathlon. LOTS to savor & remember, but for now, I'll share some initial birthday boy pics...
On the eve of Cord's birthday party, he asked if he could have a cupcake. My initial response was "wait for the party." Fun Daddy encouraged me to let the birthday boy eat CAKE!!
We've had such a good time, celebrating Cord...loving my baby boy turning THREE!!!
March 7, 2011 - Some fun events, as of late...
We enjoyed celebrating the 2nd birthday of our sweet friend, Thomas. What a CUTIE PIE he was in his blue jeans & tractor gear!!
Thomas' grandparents own the John Deere dealership here & his mommy (my sweet friend, Kasey) put together an AMAZING party, amidst all the tractors!! Every little boy's dream!!!
We also loved participating (or rather, listening) to the Read Across America event here in Dyersburg! This was our second year to attend and we met up with the Walkers, and hoped that the boys could sit & hear stories in the various downtown locales. Connor's Kindergarten teacher was even one of the featured readers!! We felt like we knew a celebrity. ;)
We enjoyed popcorn, cookies...
& got our faces painted...
A fun community outing...we love those!!!
Then, I have to share pictures of my friend, Vicki, who is expecting her third baby next month. We threw her a baby shower (against her wishes) this past weekend, and loved showering her with love & some attention & gifts!! (even though we do not know the sex of the baby and that is KILLING ME! ;) Vicki looks fantastic & we eagerly anticipate this new baby's arrival!!
February 21, 2011 - No more pacis in our house.
We've known for some time it was time for Cord to kick the habit. Connor was 3 when he begrudingly gave his up. Cannon was 2 1/2 when he pretty easily gave up his. So by those calculations, Cord would be 2?
Not so much.
The child loved his pacifier and only had it at bedtime and naptime and c'mon, he's the baby of the family. We totally baby him! You better believe I love holding him in his dark room, listening to his music & cuddling his Blue, & watching him so sweetly calm & settle in to bedtime. You know you might be too old for a paci when in his nightime prayer, he says, "Thank you, God, for my paci!"
Lately, we're down to one very favorite pacifier and it was becoming just nasty...no other word for it but nasty. It was borderline dangerous with the holes that had been chewed, to be quite honest. It was time for the TRASH.
So Friday night was the first night without and he cried and cried and even said, "Mommy, I just want to go to sleep!!!!" He couldn't figure out how to get there. :( He did great at naptime Saturday, fine at bedtime Saturday (with a sitter, no less) and has not looked back since. Here he is, with the prize he chose today at Target...
Isn't a Tea Set a great BIG BOY prize?!?!
February 20, 2011 - Upward's over!! And it was such a wonderful 2 months of basketball. From the first evaluation to the year-end celebration, we were so very impressed with the entire program. We are so grateful to the team at the Methodist church for providing the curriculum and the encouragement to not only develop our son's basketball skills, but really to further his spirtual walk.
Russell enjoyed coaching his little team of 1st graders (and Connor, kindergartner) and really brought them along, as the season progressed, if I do say so myself. I was proud of both of them out on that court...
They put on a great celebration yesterday for the whole family to enjoy, with amazing entertainment (Cord sat in my lap, glued to the guy juggling and eating fire - that tells you how good it was!), fun prizes and a great duffle bag for Connor to keep. He had a fun season with friends & his father.
February 19, 2011 - Grandma & Grandpa came to visit!! They came Friday after work and got to stay one night with us! You can see how excited Cord was to see Grandma...he stayed attached to her the whole time.
They loved playing with their dog, Babette. Poor puppy got a little tortured but kept coming back for more...
We were so glad they could see our last basketball game of the season!
I think they were proud of their son, the coach, and their grandson...
Grandpa even joined Russell at the Y for a little workout. Grandma was sweet to stay with the boys while I got a little run in! Then we treated them to Russell's new fastfood fav, Popeye's (??...he loves some spicy chicken) and a heated game of Spades. It was a fun visit on a winter weekend!!
February 15, 2011 - recapping our Valentine's Day fun & frivolity!!
I got up at 6am to start their day off to a sweet start.
This shows their excitement about my breakfast of heart-shaped blueberry muffins & sliced strawberries. Apparently baking muffins isn't their love language...
Here's Cannon, all ready for his preschool party! (he got happier...)
We dropped Cannon off at school and Cord & I headed to the Y. I taught a Valetine-themed class for my strength training friends and had chocolate-covered strawberries for their post-workout treat. Cord & I got back in the car and zoomed down the hill to join Cannon's party, already in progress...
Who would have thought we'd be missing school one week for snow, and then celebrating Valentine's the next OUTSIDE?! BEAUTIFUL WEATHER!!!
We went home for a little more fun take on our regular lunch of PBJ & "cheese chips"...
At 2:00 that afternoon, we joined Connor for his party at school. I'm sorry that Connor can't have a nice civilized party without his siblings getting rowdy...
Here's Connor, distributing treats to friends...
He had gymnastics during school that day (hence the sweatpants)...that, with outside recess, and a party makes for a FUN day!!
For dinner, they had red-sprinkled pancakes & LOVE-d them! ha! Mommy & Daddy had BLT's & then we had basketball practice! A fun & festive 14th for sure...
Comments
So precious! AND I'm LOOOvin' that you blogged two days in a row!! I love reading your words.
- KASEY
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February 14, 2011 - Happy Valentine's Day to you!! Ours has been SWEET so far!!
Russell surprised me with a wonderful get-away and it's all made possible by Coco, for coming and celebrating the weekend with the boys. You can see pics from their Valentine scavenger hunt...their 3rd annual hunt that I've arranged for them. I love how they love traditions & they soak up every detail, big or small.
1st stop: New RED Crocs!
2nd clue led them to Mommy & Daddy's room where they found Confetti Pancake mix *which we'll enjoy for dinner tonight* and some Gummy Hearts...
3rd stop: led them to the pots & pans, where they found 3 new books...
(I love this one of Cord carrying his prizes from location to location. He's very territorial, that Cord...)
stop #4: led them to the upstairs linen closet, where they found MORE CANDY!!!
stop #5 took them to their hide-out under our stairs...and the Wii Sports Resort game!!
clue #6: out to the garage, where they found 2 new DVDs! shows we watch all the time - Higglytown Heroes (vintage) and Busytown Mysteries...
clue #7, the last one, led them back to the family room, where they found a coloring book, some rockin' alphabet flashcards (that were apparently the hot commodity?) & the Wii Just Dance for Kids game.
It appears they enjoyed their hunt...many thanks to Coco for capturing the memories along the way!!
Russell & I enjoyed a wonderful weekend in St. Louis. He surprised me on Thursday night with a sweet *& hilarious* poem that he wrote & produced himself (on PowerPoint). He had made hotel & dinner reservations, massage appointments & most importantly, coordinated Coco's childcare...and we were to leave in 18 hours!! It all came together perfectly and we did enjoy the great weekend he planned. Great meals, great work-outs (we love to go to the gym together, we're dorks like that), great shopping, great movie, GREAT time together.
Coco provided a wonderful weekend here with the boys, doing whatever they wanted to do, it seems! She managed to successfully get them all to Connor's 8am basketball game...no small feat! Then they made valentines for us...
They got to eat at their favorite deli, followed by cookies in the mall. She even got them all ready & cute for church on Sunday morning!
Then, to top off a fabulous weekend, she picked up McDonald's & took them to the park on a beautiful day...
Soooo...Valentine's Day has already been a SWEET one for us!! More parties to come, but for now, we wish you a special day with your loved ones...
February 2, 2011 - Well you can see we have had some winter weather!! Nothing like our big *by TN standards "big"* snows we had last year, but we've had several little snows, that are just enough to cancel a day of school here and there. I think this is our first week to go all week since we returned for the new semester.
We've had some fun & did the sledding, the snowball fights, etc...Daddy even took off way early for a Friday and got to come home and play! Ever since our first year of marriage, Russell & I called these days "joyfulness days." They are those unplanned, unexpected middle-of-the-week days where you just take off, be together and raise your joyfulness meter. That Friday was a family-sized Joyfulness Day! After our playtime, the snow was starting to melt and so we headed to Jackson to shop & eat dinner. It is SO the little things, I tell ya...
This past weekend we enjoyed a little spring sneak peek and played outside three afternoons straight! We need some activity, an outlet...I'm wishing we could just put a gymnasium annex on the back of our house (see the basketball pictures, thus the desire to continually improve our jumpshot on the Nerf goal, located downstairs in the family room, where every missed shot hits my blinds! AHHH!!) Life is good, we're still blessed in the winter time, but oh, how it makes us appreciate the spring time. :)
January 11, 2011 - A new year is here!! We celebrated in a fun way with our friends, the Walkers, here for dinner & an early 10:30 countdown. We supported Daddy in his Michigan bowl game on New Year's Day but were disappointed with a loss. Connor has even been heard saying to others, "We're terrible and we need a new coach!" (wonder who he's heard that from?!)
Our year has started off with a bang...
- Cord has a ruptured ear drum (and thus, ear infection) so we will be awaiting treatment in a few weeks.
- Connor is up & running on his new Upward Basketball team, getting to practice one night a week and play games on Saturday mornings.
- Daddy is up & running as a new Upward Basketball coach!
- Mommy planned a new year's event at the Y with her friend, Katie, and had a great turn-out and fun morning with our Y members.
- Cannon has been not so blessed with Mommy's teeth and has undergone one crown & has another one coming up in February. Our sweet, tough kid climbed up in that chair and put on the "happy nose" as if it were no big deal at all. :)
More pics & stories to come for 2011!!
December 29, 2010 - another Christmas has come & gone!! It was a wonderful week, full of merriment, memories, a little madness & lots of medicine. :) Let me recount it...
Our family of five departed for Clarksville on Wednesday, the 22nd, for a great day at Grandma & Grandpa's. We loved playing ALL DAY with the cousins & just hanging out. We are so blessed with these six precious children, and their health & happiness, and the bonds we all share...I am reminded of that every time we are together.
On Thursday, the 23rd, we moved towards middle Tennessee, where we got to enjoy lunch & time spent with Poppy. We met at Chick-fil-A, which is a HUGE treat to us (although our Dyersburg location is opening soon! yay!) and I know I loved getting caught up with Poppy. We should have known something was a little "off" with Cannon that day, when he didn't down the nuggets & "yellow dip", nor did he want to play in the playplace? We just thought he was tired from the previous day...
That night, we got to attend the annual Cline family Christmas Party at my aunt Nita & Uncle Ray's (now known as "DD & G"). They had gone to so much trouble to open their home to the masses, now known as our family. We enjoyed a fabulous meal, the kids loved playing together, hearing Mimi read "Twas the Night before Christmas" where they passed the present on the words "a", "an" & "the". Mimi even blessed us moms with the audio books, read by her, as you turn the pages. We PJ'd the boys and packed up the car and ventured back to Dyersburg.
Christmas Eve & Christmas Day were wonderful days here AT HOME!! I even taught my aerobics class on Eve morning and we got to go church that night! Coco & Papa came up in the afternoon and we all went to the kid-friendly service at church together. The boys were supposed to be shepherds...we got a picture of them and then Cord shed his attire. It was a nice, sweet service...that is until Cord decided he wanted a wiseman's crown. Mommy had to encourage Cord to join us on our pew at that point. We came home & enjoyed a traditional Christmas dinner at a nice table, with sweet placecards made by Connor. The boys opened a gift each from Mommy & Daddy and then made preparations for Santa.
Russell & I have been napping sleeping with the boys in their bunkbeds on Christmas Eve for a few years now. I noticed Cannon's breathing was extremely rapid & just plain scared me, along with his cough. We woke up to a beautiful array of fun things on Christmas Morning & took our time, checking out the toys, trying on a few things, exchanging with Coco & Papa, etc. After the fun, Russell took Cannon to the Emergency Room, to then learn that the poor baby had Strep, an ear infection and pneumonia!!! Cord also had a fever of 101, so they prescribed him with an antiboitic for what was most likely strep, as well. Poor sick boys!!! Through it all, they kept playing and enjoying this special day.
Connor left on the 26th to spend some quality time with Coco & Papa, while they were off of work. We thought we were sending our well child, but his strep symptoms (from two weeks prior) resurfaced and he went back on a prescription too!! AGH!!!!!!! Thankfully, they still managed to have fun and he loved the few days he also got to spend with his cousin, Jackson.
All in all, a very MERRY and BLESSED Christmas...because of Jesus, we are here, we are saved and we have joy beyond measure.
December 20, 2010 - Since so many of you are across the miles, we'll have a "virtual" Christmas open house!! Wish I could host every one of you here in our home!
Come in our front door...
To the left is our lime green & red tree... and this cocktail table...
To the right is the dining room... sorry I failed to get a picture of the table!?
 Criddle, our elf, was perched there above the door when you came in...
Some centerpieces in the kitchen...
Ornaments hung sweetly by Russell; neck almost broken by Leslie, as the greenery was displayed
Making our way through the kitchen to the family room, & our family tree... & stockings...
Back around the circle, one of my favorite things is displaying my Christmas cards from you all!
Just a few unimportant highlights of the holidays but they're ours!! Merry! Merry!!
Comments
Thank you for the tour of your home. I loved seeing how you decorated and, as usual, it is just beautiful.
- Mimi
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December 19, 2010 - some of my favorite quotes I've heard lately:
Connor: "I know Santa's real & he's gonna get my drum set down that chimney."
Cannon: "You're the bestest mommy I've ever seen. I love you just a little bit more than Daddy...but don't tell him."
Cord: (when annoyed by his brother, playing with his new nativity scene given to him by HIS Bible study teachers) "that's CORD's baby Jesus!!!!!!!"
Comments
Oh, I love these!
That't right Cord, It is Cord's baby Jesus. Precious.
- KASEY
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