Happy Halloween 2010

Our trick or treating was tonight. I dressed the kids up & we made our rounds to granny's, grams, mamaw & papaw's, & pa & Rhonda's. That is a LOT of getting in & out of car seats within a half hour span. I then met my father in law about an hour away & he took the kids with him. They are having a Halloween party at grandma & grandpa's & they are keeping them until Monday. Woohoo!

Here they are with granny

And at home before we left
Obi Wan Kenobi (Jonah), Butterfly princess (Isabel, obviously), Frankenstein (Jasper)

With Pa & Rhonda

With Grams

With mamaw & papaw

Jasper checking out his look a like

There's No Place Like Home

Every once in a while, Ashley & I will jet up to Kohls after the kids go to school. Our nearest one is about 1/2 hour or so away. We have to be back at 10:30 am because my kids get home from school between 10:35-10:40. Needless to say, its a quick trip, but a fun one.

This morning was no different, except for the fact we had about 50-60 mph winds. And tornado watches that turned in to warnings. Ash & I shopped & began our trip home. About 10 minutes from home, our brother called. This was our conversation:

Lee: I just wanted to make sure you guys were okay.

Me: Yea, we're fine. Why? Because of the winds?

Lee: Son of a b&^$@, Shan! Do you ever watch or listen to the news? I swear, Obama could be assassinated & you wouldn't know about it for 3 days! But you would know if Britney Spears was pregnant again. (First off, No..I don't watch the news. I don't get to watch TV. Usually it is on Nick or the kids are watching a kid movie. Secondly, okay...so maybe my priorities are a little screwed up. My mind is fried from having three 4 year olds. Looking at trash gossip is the highlight of my day.)

So after I got off the phone with him, I called him back because the sirens went off. He said, "You guys were probably thinking, Oh, is it noon...is that why the sirens are going off. Let's go get a fountain pop. You want to?" I swear, that boy cracks me up.

Ash dropped me off & I got my camera out. The bus didn't come. The aide sent me a message to tell me that they were keeping the kids until it calmed down outside. They eventually got home about 1/2 hour later than normal.

Can you tell how hard the trees are blowing?

The wind was insane

Then it began to rain...

Remember this post?

http://thewrighttrips.blogspot.com/2010/09/shannon-wright-executive-director.html
The one where I talked about my mom & sister both being executive director's of 2 different organizations? And my brother owning a business? And me being cool with the fact that I am known as Beverly's other daughter; the one with triplets?

Well, I'm going through some pictures to give to my sister. I took these for her annual benefit dinner for Big Brothers Big Sisters. I love the fact that Ashley doesn't usually care that I tag along to all these events. I honestly think people are use to it. It gets me out of the house & part of me feels somewhat important. I wonder if people think, "Here's Ashley's sister again. Does she do anything to contribute or does she just act like this?"

-->Hee, hee (photo bombing mom's picture while she was probably talking to someone important at the BBBS event) And this is why I am only executive director of the triplets. If I were over any other organization, I'd get fired for sure!

The things we do

I can't wait until my kids see and actually understand this blog someday. My boys have (had) an attachment to their pacis. I couldn't believe it, but Jonah gave his up about a month ago. I don't know why I thought it would be the hardest for him. Jasper is obviously the most stubborn of the two. And he has proved me right. They have only taken paci's at nap & bed time. However, they turned 4 in July! I swore when their birthday rolled around that paci's would be gone! Swore it, I tell you! And as usual, I caved.

Then about a month ago, Jonah lost his before school. When it was time for nap that day, he asked where it was. I told him I didn't know, that he lost it. He asked about it a couple of times after that, but that was it. He never cried. I will admit, I MUST find that paci. I know one day it will show up & I'm praying he wont be the one to find it.

This morning when I went to get the boys up, Jasper said, "I don't have my paci, mama. The babies must have took it during the night." (This is what I told them leading up to their birthday; that we were going to send the paci's to babies who needed them) I made a big deal about it. I said, "That is awesome, Jasper! That baby needed it. And you were such a big boy to let the baby take it!" He seemed excited & happy and told me he didn't need it. Please note, I did not take that paci. I know it must have fallen down the crack of his bed during the night.

Then nap time came. He reached under his pillow (where he usually keeps it) & remembered it wasn't there. He cried, he whined, he pouted, he screamed. I kept calm & told him to remember that he said the baby came & got it last night. And then, I said, "I think it was a baby goblin that took it." We've been reading a book I checked out from the library. It is called, "Goodnight Baby Monster." They LOVE it! One page says, "Goodnight baby Goblin..." and has a picture of a goblin & his daddy. The kids just laugh & laugh & think he's the cutest thing ever.

So, I took a picture of that page & photo shopped a hand drawn paci in his mouth. Do you know how much time I spent this afternoon on that? Instead of taking my nap? Darn it, I do love these kids. I kept erasing the paci because lets face it, I'm not an artist. And Jasper isn't stupid. He will be the first one to call me out & say, "That isn't my paci!" Please God, let him look past that. I tried to make it look like his. I wrote a letter in crayon that says, "Dear Jasper, Thank you so much for the paci. I love you, Gary the Goblin." Yea, I just made up the name Gary.

We'll see how it goes. It the meantime, I'm gonna be so mad if he found his paci during nap time.

UPDATE: Guess who found their paci during nap time?!! He woke up & I said, "Jasper, you got a letter in the mail." And then I asked, "Did your paci show up at nap time?" He says, "Yea, it is under my pillow now." CRIPES!

Similar?

Nate found this picture of my brother, Lee, when he was a tot. Everyone thinks Kisen looks like Amber...me included. However, I think we've found a picture where Mr. Kisen does have some of his daddy's similarities.

Country Road, Take Me Home: Tennessee Reunion

We had our annual reunion down in Byrdstown during Labor Day weekend. It was an awesome

time, as the majority of our family was there. Some still live down there, others came from Florida, Indiana & other parts of Tennessee. It was great to see my cousins that I don't get to see often. We all have wonderful memories from good ol' Byrdstown.



I know I've posted on TN before, but I'll let you in on a few of my memories. If, I've posted them before, ignore me & just go with it. I've only been uploading photos & working on this dag blasted post for the last 2 weeks.



For so many years, we stayed in my Grandma's house that she had down there. I have memories of moths flying around our light switch. I don't think anyone has air conditioning down there, so our windows were always open. I remember my sister, my cousin Caroline, and I sleeping in the back bedroom. There were only 2 bedrooms. Actually, none of the bedrooms had doors. Guess that's how they did things back in the day. You had to walk thru my grandma's bedroom to get to the kitchen or bathroom. I remember sunbathing on the large back deck.



Us three girls actually got to where we started staying at our great aunt, Aud's, house. Aud was married to Amon & they lived up the road from where granny's house was. Our cousin, Jean, who lived behind Aud, would come stay the night with us. We had so much fun playing games. Our famous dance routine was founded there. That would be, "Pour Some Sugar On Me" by Def Leppard. We can still rock most of that dance out.



As we got older, we wanted to come home early. We had to see our boyfriends. We would often times beg our parents to leave a day or two early. Stupid boys. I do believe we talked my uncle Donnie (Caroline's dad) into leaving early so we could come home. What a trip! On the way to TN, our big caddy that uncle D was driving broke down. We had to walk to a trailer park to call a tow truck. THEN, we rode in the caddy, on top of the tow truck, the rest of the way down. On the way home, I believe it broke down again. We were in KY somewhere. We called Caroline's brother (Andy) & he came & got us.



The point is, I hope my kids have great memories of our times down south.



Jasper, at the house we rented. It was right on the way to the boat dock where we launched, so that made it nice.



Cute girl, Izzy

Jonah & the fans. You know, I just thought of something. Instead of Jonah & The Whale, I think I'm going to write a book titled, "Jonah And The Fans." I was nervous there would be fans & I

didn't want our weekend to revolve around that. Oh, there ended up only being SIX fans in this 2 bedroom home. SIX!

I'm pleased to announce that Jonah no longer takes that white paci!

Early morning. I'm not sure what kind of bird this was, but I got some shots of it.

Trevor before day one of boating

Kayla

Caroline's kiddos (Isaiah & Alyssa) on their boat

The coolest cat on the lake that day...Nate

Mom & Kisen

These next series of pics are entitled "WIND"

Aaron & Nick

Lee (my brother) & Kisen boy

Nate & Kayla on the jet ski

Will

Papaw & Iz

Mom & Kisen

Jasper & Nate

Check out Nate's neon green band that is holding his glasses on (hello! 1986 called & wants their band back) ;)

Ella (Caroline's baby)

Check out that rack! This is what happens when I squeeze in to a life jacket that is obviously too tight. My boobs never look like that!

Isabel & I

The other boat with Caroline & Tim & their kids, uncle Donnie & Suzy & Andy & Carter

Captain Duane

How cute! Isabel, Ella & Jasper

Caroline & Carter

Jonah & Nate

That's how we roll! Pirates!

Ashley, how do you resist that look?!

Fashionista, Alyssa

Time pulling Andy on the tube

What do ya got cookin? Duane & my cousin, Jeff

Cousin Lori & her grandson, Landon

I went to see what the youngins were doing, only to find them putting their arms down SNAKE HOLES! Holy cripes! As my mom says, "There are copperheads down here & they can kill you."

Carter showing his daddy the fun snake hole

The boys in our family just whip our their junk, anytime, anywhere

Chasing Roxy dog

My cousin, Kasey's, dog...Lucy

My great aunt, Virgie. My kids ADORE her, as do I

My aunt Cathy, cousin Nicole & mom

Olivia, Nicole's daughter