Two Grandad's

Ok, let me preface this with the statement that it was "All Amber's idea."
Sunday night we had our fall festival at church. Amber had heard of another little guy dressing up as his grandfather last year and thought it would be cute. It sure did make Granddad's day! Amber did a pretty good job too...except for that wig! Ha! Matching watches, mustaches, and even bellys! They were quite a hit at the festival.

Tomorrow is Mason's party at school and he is going as a piece of candy corn, so look for that picture soon!

I don't know how many of you know who Groucho Marx is, but Mason must put on this mask every time he is at Gigi and Granddad's and run around saying, "Ahhh Chaa Chaa Chaa!" It is really too funny...especially since he has no idea what he is doing or saying!

Amber wears it sometimes also...I just don't know about her at times?!?!?! The neat thing about this picture is that Mason took it. He is quite handy with the camera if you leave him alone with it. You must remind him which button does what, but he does pretty darn good as you can see for yourself.

Finally, for those of you that haven't heard, we are expecting. The good doctor said June 28th. I just pray it actually comes in June and not April! Haha! Bad joke...I know...Alison will ream me for that one! Anyway, Amber is really tired and a little nauseous, but doing well. We'll keep you posted with all the details.

2nd Annual Campout!

What a crew? As we did last year, Friday we packed up all our camping stuff and went to Tyler State Park with Greg and Elizabeth Wade. Mason has been looking forward to our camping trip for several weeks. Greg's mom and dad bought Mason a book entitled, "Me and My Dad," in which they go camping and "pitch" a tent and "lite" the campfire. Mason told me repeatedly that he wanted me to pitch the tent while he started the fire...little pyro!

I think you all know where this is going?! I told him over and over that his new Lightning McQueen camping chair was not a rocking chair. Other than all the excitement and not being able to calm down at times, Mason did great. I bought him his own camo sleeping bag, in which he slept all night. He was very proud of it.

Saturday we woke up, ate breakfast and went for a walk to the play ground. Mason enjoyed that. Afterward, we ate lunch and then went for a ride on the paddle boats...Amber and Liz paddled the five of us around the whole lake. They acted like it was no big deal, but I know they were at least a little bit tired!!! As you can see, Mason didn't have to paddle one bit and he was zonked out!

We came home and crashed Saturday afternoon. I think we all took a short nap. Sunday was church and Mason got to go to Gigi and Granddad's Sunday evening. He and his Gigi made cookies for paint class.

Also, earlier in the week, Mason's Aunt Lorna sent him a package in the mail and he was so excited to have received a package. He was beside himself trying to get into it and had to have a little help. Inside he found a John Deere coin bank and two new tractors...he was so excited. He said he wanted to ride in Aunt Lorna's convertible again, so I guess you'll have to bring it back up again Aunt Lorna and take him for a ride!

We have more stories from camping and more pictures for Aunt Lorna, so I'll be including those in a later post!

We should have stock in Chili's!!!

The Chili's logo should be the banner on our blog here at Mason's house. Pretty much that is the only place to have a somewhat nice sit down meal in Jacksonville. Sad to say. So, Friday night Amber had a jewelry party here at the house and Mason and I got the boot!

We decided to head to the newest hardware store in town...Atwoods. It is in the old Winn-Dixie shopping center for you out of towners. We made our way around looking at all the tools, clothes, and four...FOUR rows of toys. More toy tractors in one place than you can shake a stick at! Mason was in heaven. After all the shopping we could take, we went to Chili's for a corn dog, oranges and molten chocolate cake. Whew! We were stuffed.

Back home around 8ish and to bed around 10ish...too much chocolate cake!!! We were comatose after all that!

Saturday morning, he decides to wake up at 6:30. Always great to wake up early on a Saturday! It didn't effect me so much because I was off to the Texas/OU game in Dallas, which was a barn burner! Mason got to spend the day with his mama, aunt Jaime, Gigi and Granddad.

They played outside riding the Gator and checking the "fall" garden.

After all this they took a bath and it was back to Chili's, thus the stock comment! And the vicious cycle continues...chocolate cake = late night and early morning. UGH!

Mason had a blast with them this weekend. Sunday we had church and played! His new saying for the past week is, "Daddy...sometimes things break." Don't ask me where he got that one. Anyway, I'll have to include a cake and ice cream picture next week!

Pumpkin Patch '08

Yes, yes, back to the pumpkin patch Mason went this past Thursday. I was sad not to get to go, but Amber was able to take off work and go with our big boy. His whole school went...how would you like to be the one keeping up with all those kids??? Not me.

He and Amber had a blast. He is such a ham bone. Amber said he was not on his best behavior while they were there. She wondered if it was just because she was there and he was not afraid to do his own thing. As you will see in the next picture, he was much more interested in the tractor that pulls the hay ride than the story being told right in front of him.

This is his buddy Sam whose mama kept Mason for the past two years. They go to the same school, but are in separate classes since Sam is one year older. Mason loves getting to see him.

After the pumpkin patch, the went to the park for lunch, then home with mama. He had a great time.

Saturday, First Baptist Jacksonville, mom and dad's church, had an outdoor expo. We took Mason around ten that morning to see all the tractors and what not. He really enjoyed getting to see the Jacksonville Fire Department's new ladder truck extend it's ladder all the way out. He didn't know what to think of these two clowns though?

We had a good day Saturday, all of us together. Mason's favorite thing from the expo was his "duck" call. I don't know how well it would work while hunting, but he sure is good at blowing on it.

Obviously we have tons of pictures from the weekend, I'll have to show more later. Mason is learning more and more each day. We were so proud that yesterday he brought home a picture he drew of a tractor. I will have to use the camera and see if it will take a picture of it. It is very light because he doesn't push hard with his crayon, but he will tell you that there are two front wheels, a big back wheel, the hood, the cab, and the smoke stack. I was amazed. He is growing up so fast. I want to remember it all, but I can hardly remember my password to blog, so good thing I am writing it down!!! Haha!

Pumps, pumpkins, and a rock climber!

Well, it has been one of those weeks. For daddy, the hurricane has played havoc on the work schedule. There is no less than 800 trillion people with a hole in their roof from a tree or limb and want Prewitt Construction to fix it...TOMORROW! I'm not complaining, just venting! Ha!

Amber has been swamped at school with six weeks tests and the ususal. Mason is just chill'in like a vill'in, oblivious to it all, like any child should be!!!

This is our corny son in a pair of his mothers shoes. She laughs at him histarically...I somewhat frown on the whole hoopla. These kind of pictures always come back to haunt you when you are twenty-something!

Mason is so very excited that it is October/Halloween time. He is all about the fall things, hay, pumpkins, leaves on the ground. He and Amber are going to a pumpkin patch with his school tomorrow. We took him last year and he really enjoyed it. I'm sure we will have some pumpkin pictures next week. He is constantly talking these days. To us if we will listen and then to himself when we are not. He has been singing this song that my mom taught him:

One little, two little, three little witches,

Flying over haystacks, flying over ditches.

Sliding down the moon with out any britches,

High. Ho. Halloween's here.

It's comical the first 5-10 times...the 30th or so it gets pretty obnoxious. We try other songs, playing the quiet game...nothing works. I'm just glad he's happy!

Finally this week, Mason has been all about his "stool." It is not actually a stool per se, rather a starter toilet that he never used. Now he thinks he is invincible that he has a little boost! As you can plainly see, this is ONE way to get a drink, but probably not the best. We are having to keep a little closer eye due to Mason's new super powers! He may be flying by next week, stay tuned!!!

Our weekend was pretty laid back. We woke up Saturday and decided to get a hair cut and go to the zoo. When we arrived at the barber, our barber was not there, plus there was a 5-6 person wait, thus no hair cut. Then we traveled on to Tyler to the zoo. That was a long drive to follow my son around while he picked up acorns, sticks and pine straw. Had nothing to do with the animals this time. I told Amber we should wait a while before we return.


That afternoon after a long nap, both Mason and daddy, we went to Gigi and Granddad's house to let him play for a while. That turned into a dinner outing which we had a good meal in the small town of Gallatin, TX. at the Olde Country Store.


Sunday was church. After services, Amber said Mason felt hot so we took his temp. when we got home and sure enough, he had a slight fever. Four hour nap...wow. I'm sorry he felt bad, but he must have needed some sleep! They went to the doctor yesterday and she said it was just some virus that had to pass...not even any good antibiotics to take. Maybe next time. Ha!


Pretty low key around here. We are working on minding mama and daddy the "first" time and not the 10'th time! He is doing well. After a few warnings, we take a toy away...the day's favorite, and that seems to have a direct effect on behavior. We return it the following day if he is good until then. He has caught on pretty well.


Sorry for the lack of pictures. The camera was forgotten on the trip to the zoo and low on battery upon return, so probably wouldn't have done us any good anyway. We will try to have more pics next week!!!

Ike, I'm busy. I'll be with you in one sec.

Ike didn't even phase Mason. Other than the occasional question about why we were watching the weather on tv or why the generator was so loud...he was oblivious.

Aunt Jaime was in from Dallas and we went over to mom and dad's before the festivities started with Ike. We saw all her fantastic pictures from Ireland. She had a blast it looked like. Except for the food. Sorry Al. She was sure tired of fish and chips when she got home. I think she headed straight for a Chick-fil-a and a Dr. Pepper. I really can't tell how we are faimily...Jaime and I?!?!

Anyway, Mason enjoyed playing with her and Gigi and Grandad most of the morning Saturay until the lights went out. Ugh. Monday afternoon, the glorious Oncor electric service had us up and running again. Thank you Lord for the cool weather. It would have been miserable if it was still 90 degrees and humid.

Excuse my son's attire. He looks like a professional athelete just off the bus and preparing for game time. Actually, last week, Mason drew his first smiley face all by himself! We were so proud. The next day he drew a stick man not too dissimilar to the one shown here on the magna doodle. He and we are very proud of his artistic accomplishment and tell him each time. I don't know who he is drawing, but they sure are fat with really skinny arms and legs! Haha!

He is growing up so fast. Just tonight, Amber had "Meet the Teacher," and it was just Mason and I here at home. (I don't know which teacher Amber went to meet, but anyway.) We had to take a trailer to mom and dad's and on the way out in the truck, he said, "Daddy, today I saw Sam (his buddy) in the hallway when I left the kitchen (at daycare) and I said 'Hi Sam.'" That was all. He just wanted to share with me that he had seen his buddy. It made me smile that he is able to communicate so well and a little sad that he is growing up so fast.

I will leave you all with this picture and explaination. As we all know, daddy likes NASCAR. If I'm privileged enough to sit around the house on Sunday afternoon, it is on the television. I suppose it could have rubbed off a bit. I was making an invoice out on the computer a few weeks ago on Sunday afternoon while listening to the NASCAR race from the living room...and in comes my son exactly as the above picture illustrates, banging into the wall and zooming around. I tried to calm him down and say, "HEY, hey, what are you doing...be easy." To this he responds, "I'm a race car driver!" I tried to hold a straight face and asked, "What's that on your head?" He said, "My helmet!" Out smarted once again...3 yr. old vs. a 32 yr. old and he wins every time!!!