The Oliphant Family

My Baby Boy Turned 4

2011-10-30T10:16:00.000-07:00

The unthinkable happened, and my baby is now four years old. It's hard to believe, and I'm actually still in denial. Nonetheless, we celebrated with a "boys" only birthday party - transformers-style, at Pump-it-Up. And his actual birthday was spent driving to Auburn and watching his sister swim in a meet...he was a complete trooper. He is still continuing to promise me that he will always be my baby boy; in fact, he told me he just wished he was still three. I'm just cherishing these moments as they fly right on by...

Another Swimming Feat

2011-10-30T09:57:00.001-07:00

It seems like all I do is write about Caroline's swimming accomplishments, but I have to mention the latest few...

She recently swam for her school's swim team and placed 3rd overall in the 25 yard backstroke and 5th overall in the 25 yard freestyle...both events were among 1st-3rd grades and had anywhere between 45 to 55 swimmers.

Caroline was marked up before swimming for her school in the State swim meet - against other private schools...."EAT MY BUBBLES!"

Then we went to swim at Auburn with her Sunkist swim team, and she qualified for State times in both the 50 yard and 100 yard backstrokes. The Auburn pool was an awesome facility! To qualify as a seven year old for a ten and under state time is a BIG deal! We are super proud.

Just before taking off for the 100 yard backstroke...

100 yard backstroke final results - state time!

Our New Furry Child

2011-10-30T09:50:00.000-07:00

I should mention that we adopted a third furry baby - doxie, of course - who needed a better home. Her name is Char - which stood for "charbroiled weenie," but I've since nicknamed her Char-Char, Char-Baby, Fatty Patty, etc. She is a sweet pup, although not quite house broken. We're not sure exactly how old she is, but we can't put her over one year. We'll have to make her birthday September 12, since that's the day we got her. Now we're up to four pets, two children and two tired and CRAZY parents! (By the way, our other older pups aren't quite sold on her yet. She likes to bite their legs and take their spot on our bed at night! The NERVE!)

My Second Furry Child Turns 10

2011-08-17T13:18:00.000-07:00

Sweet Mabel turns ten years old today...August 17th. Yes, I know it's a little crazy that I know when my dogs' birthdays are, but they were my first children, long before my human babies were born. We broke out the Party Pooch handkerchief first thing this morning, and she's been wearing it all day...this is a tradition for the pups in our household. It's so funny how they know it's their birthday when we get this little yellow cloth out of their toy/doggie box. She also had a special canned food meal of chicken and vegetables, which is yet another tradition when a furry child celebrates a birthday. So Happy Birthday, Mewzers! May you have many more!

By the way, just as I made up a song for Murphy, my little Mabel has a song of her own as well. It goes like this...

"She's so pretty and sweet, pretty and sweet, pretty and sweet Mabel!" (I also ad-lib lots of different things about her, but that was the chorus. Silly, I know.)

Moments of Silliness

2011-08-17T07:00:00.001-07:00

JM loves this attention from his Sissy

The look of relaxation...

This is just a glimpse of the fun we have in the Oliphant household. I always know the kids are up to something "interesting" when the house is quiet, i.e. no arguing.

One time this summer, Caroline decided to set up a spa in our home, and John Michael was her client. She soaked his feet in warm, soapy water; she massaged his back as he laid face down on the ottoman; then she had him lay down on the floor with a pillow under his head, a blanket wrapped around his hair, and two teacup saucers over his eyes...those were meant to be cucumbers. She also slathered some sort of "mask" on his face...don't ask, because I have no idea. Plus, she sprayed him with her perfume and glossed up his lips. AHHH! Relaxing! (After her relentless begging, I finally agreed to be her client as well, but refusing the mask and perfume. The lip gloss, I could handle. The spa experience actually wasn't that bad...other than the fact my big feet didn't fit in the soapy water bucket.)

Another time that the kids were quiet in the back of the house, I discovered that Caroline had used magic markers to color on both of their faces. She made herself into a pirate and John Michael into a tiger. Who knows? We might have a potential tattoo or makeup artist on our hands.

Here she is, face full of magic marker artistry

The Pirate and Tiger - Magic Marker Style

Here We Go Again...

2011-08-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

August 10, 2011...a first occurred. Both of my children got dressed for school. Caroline started second grade at Pinelake Christian School, and John Michael started K-3 preschool at Pinelake as well. I must say that I was ready for Caroline to get back to the classroom, just as much as she was. That girl thrives on social interaction, and I was out of all options and energy to give that to her on my own. John Michael, on the other hand, would have been completely fine staying home with me. Although, he was initially thrilled to be going to school like a "big kid," as soon as we pulled into the parking lot and exited the car, he said: "Mommy, I'm tired of school." BUT YOU HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED!

All was great with the first day, though. I'm sure I'll be an emotional mess when my baby boy heads to kindergarten, but at least I have another couple of years before I have to worry about that...

Whirlwind Summer

2011-07-29T15:40:00.001-07:00

Disney World 2011

I can't believe that the entire summer has practically vanished before my eyes. Here we are, about to embark on a new school year, when it feels as if we barely finished the last one. I've never spent a summer "break" being as busy as I have these last couple of months.

We started our summer adventure with John Michael's first swim lessons, which he ROCKED. I was very skeptical going into these lessons, simply because he has shown absolutely no interest in the water, and he has been adamant about not wanting to learn to swim in the past. However, he amazed us all and took the instruction extremely well. He turned out to be quite the little fish, and it wouldn't surprise me if he gives his Sissy a run for her money in the pool within a few years.

Shawn and I had the rare opportunity to spend a few days alone on the beach while he worked a pharmacy convention. Our "alone-time" vacation was extended as my in-laws kept the kids for another week while I worked my Junior League project.

Junior League Arts Explosion Camp - me and one of my sweet campers

By about the fifth or sixth day of it being just me and Shawn in the house, I started wondering how in the world are we going to re-adjust to hanging around just each other again once the kids leave the nest for good?? Whew!! (Shawn, if you're reading this, you know I'm just teasing. :-))

Our weekend in Destin - pharmacy convention

One of the highlights of the summer was our family going on the Sunkist swim team trip to Florida...

Wakulla Springs, FL - NO FEAR!!

We took a chartered bus to Wakulla Springs, then onto St. Petersburg, where the team competed in a swim meet. We also spent a lot of time at the beach and spent our Fourth of July at Disney World.

Sweet Sunkist Friends - Caroline and AG

On our way home, we stopped at the University of Florida, where the team had swim practice at the same facility where several Olympic swimmers had just been earlier that morning - including Ryan Lochte!

More of Wakulla Springs swimming...very cold water!

By the way, Caroline qualified for the age 10 and Under State time in the 50 yard backstroke at the St. Pete meet...BIG deal for a 7-year old! She also swam personal best times in all events, and we were fortunate that my Uncle Dick and Aunt Karen came over from Tampa to watch.

Shortly after she swam the 50 yard backstroke and qualified for State

Needless to say, everyone was exhausted when we pulled back into the YMCA parking lot at 2:00 a.m. on the day we returned. Poor Shawn even got up later that morning and worked. I didn't get enough time to recover before Caroline and I headed to Camp Bratton Green, just a couple of days later....YIPPEE!!

Sweating it out at Camp Bratton Green

The camp itself was actually very nice, and for people that dig camp life, it would've been top-notch. However, this chick (ME) does not dig camp life. (Plus, I'd just come off a very long bus trip, where the itinerary was packed day to day, and sleep was scant.) I slept in a cabin with no air conditioning after nearly fighting another woman for her cabin that had air. We exchanged strong words. I was entitled to the cabin because I was the first to sign up for it, but I failed to get my stuff there in time to "claim" it. In the end, I chose to walk away without connecting my fist with her face. That would have been very un-Christian- like. And that was just the beginning of the weekend.

Face painted with her cabin's team

Lake tour with the staff counselor paddling Caroline around in the kayak!

Just finished riding the zip line

Caroline, on the other hand, had an absolute blast. As we pulled out of the camp's driveway, she was already talking about next year, and I instantly informed her that her daddy will be accompanying her next time.

Soapy slide was a HIT!

We capped off the summer with our annual trip with Dad and Betsy to Destin for the MAFP convention. We enjoyed our week thoroughly, especially having the opportunity to visit with my Uncle Al from California.

JM assisted with the Pirate Show!

Check out his octopus tattoo

I don't think the plaid shorts were planned for all the "boys" in the family, but they were cute, nonetheless.

Gotta love the dude in the background.

As the summer is coming to an end, my calendar is still full! Back to school shopping, parties, orientations, etc. My grandmother is turning 90 years old next week, and we're having a big celebration for her...not to mention Shawn's 35th birthday will be next week as well. Before I know it, my babies will be turning 8 and 4, and I am simply not ready!

Where is the PAUSE button...or just the SLOW MOTION?

Caroline's first oyster! Just kidding...she didn't go through with it.

Straight "A" Swimmer...I Mean, Student

2011-05-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

After the PCS Awards Day and holding certificates for Honor Roll all year, memorizing weekly Bible verses, and her final report card.

Well, she's both a straight "A" swimmer and student, in a sense...Caroline finished up her first grade school year officially with all A's. Also, she swam for Sunkist in their annual team fundraiser last week, and within the two hour time limit, she swam 101 laps! We are so appreciative to our family for their donations to help make her swim-a-thon a success. This girl is in the pool four days a week, and she stays on top of her grades all the while! I just hope that the values she is learning through her hard work and commitment will always be a part of the person that she is and is growing into. As a parent, I couldn't be prouder.

Just finished up swimming 101 laps for Sunkist swim-a-thon! The pin she's holding goes on her swim bag and says Swim-a-Thon 100 laps.

JM's Signature Trademark

2011-05-20T06:42:00.000-07:00

This is just inside our back door, where JM instantly took off his Crocs, then his shorts. This is a common sight in our household - he literally walks in the door and sheds his clothes.

John Michael is quite the funny little man, and he has many quirks about him. This particular one happens to be one of the funniest...

As soon as we walk into the house, within the first 60 seconds, he sheds his pants and shoes. Most of the time, he wants his sippy cup of chocolate milk. Regardless of the milk, he never wears pants or shoes in the house. When drinking his chocolate milk - which is his major food group - he has to be pant-less and rubbing the shiny/smooth side of his blanket, "bankie."

The first words out of his mouth every morning...not "Good morning!" Not "Hi mom and dad!" It's always, "I want some chocolate milk." He easily drinks close to two gallons of milk per week, and we just buy those two jugs at a time. What in the world would we ever do without that brown (not white) chocolate milk and blanket??

1st Long Course Meet

2011-05-18T07:13:00.000-07:00

Our family traveled to Memphis last weekend for Caroline to compete in the Olympic Swimmer Gil Stovall's Long Course Swim Meet at the University of Memphis facility. This pool was the olympic regulation size, and it was SO incredibly long! We have been accustomed to the short course meets and the 25 meter pools, so when we walked into the natatorium and saw this pool, it nearly took our breath away. I couldn't even fit the entire pool into my camera lens.

Caroline competed in four events each day. Saturday, she swam in the 50 meter freestyle, 50 m butterfly, 100 m backstroke, and the 50 m backstroke leg of the medley relay. She was competing in the 10 and under age group, so most of the girls were older than her; however, Caroline held her own against those big swimmers! I was very impressed with how her butterfly looked - her back and shoulders are SO muscular and strong, and she is really starting to get the rhythm of the stroke. Unfortunately, after all the hard work of making to the end of the 50 meters, she got there, and touched the wall with only one hand instead of the required two hand touch. After all of that great work on the butterfly, she was disqualified at the very end. She ended up getting a ribbon for her 100 m backstroke for placing 4th, which was awesome! She swam the two laps in about 2 minutes, 3 seconds.

On Sunday, Caroline swam the 100 m freestyle, 50 m breaststroke, 50 m backstroke, and the second leg of a 200 m freestyle relay. She finally made the breaststroke all the way without getting disqualified! That was a first for her, as the stroke and kick has always been very difficult for her to perfect, yet she did it for an entire 50 meters! When she swam the 50 m backstroke, she did incredible! She was actually in the lead for about halfway, and it was SO close all the way to the end. She came second in her heat, again with kids her age and mostly older. The coolest part is that she was only one second away from qualifying for the State time in that stroke. That is actually a huge deal for a 7-year-old to achieve for a 10 and under age group. We are SO proud of our little backstroker!

Toothless grin just after finishing her fabulous 50 meter backstroke

My First 10K

2011-04-30T16:24:00.000-07:00

Pre-race...it's early, and I'm nervous!

Well, I've gone and done the unthinkable...for me anyway. I ran a 10K this morning! I actually made it all the way through the race without stopping to walk. I've never been able to do that, even with my training runs. The race started at 6:00 a.m., so I had to be there at 5:00 a.m.! Way too early for me! It was a beautiful day, though, and I kept a nice, slow and steady jog. I finished the @ 6.2 mile race in 1:06:20. I finished 20th in my age group, 61st within the female division, and 107th overall. There were about 455+ runners.

Post-race and headed home

Spirit Week

2011-04-30T16:18:00.000-07:00

Caroline's school celebrated its Spring Fever Spirit Week, and the kids dressed up each day. We had fun getting to be without the uniform for a little while. The pictures here include Caroline's Hawaiian Day and Blast from the Past Day, (we chose the 80's). She also had a Crazy Hair day and Favorite Sport Day, which she wore her basketball uniform...couldn't get her to wear her swimsuit!

The 80's look, complete with tight rolled jeans and side ponytail

He is Risen!

2011-04-30T12:35:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful Holy Week leading up to Easter. Whereas in the past, Easter has revolved a lot around the big bunny, this year we barely mentioned the Easter bunny, because all of our focus was on the real reason for the season, so to speak. It made my heart sing when Caroline and John Michael were just as excited to go through the Resurrection Eggs and watch a video about Christ's crucifixion and sacrifice, as they were about the bunny coming to see them.

Found a camouflage egg!

JM and his best buddy, Tanner

As the kids were hunting eggs around the house bright and early Sunday morning, Caroline stopped and said, "Praise the Lord, Jesus is alive!" While saying this, she lifted her arms in a "raise the roof" type of motion!

Our church service was great, and afterward, we hosted my mom, sister and her family for a big lunch and an even bigger egg hunt. The kids racked up on coins for their piggy banks! (Earlier in the week, John Michael had two other Easter parties/hunts, and Caroline had one at school.)

School party

Citizen of the Month

2011-04-30T12:29:00.001-07:00

Caroline was Citizen of the Month at her school in March. Each month, students have the opportunity to display the fruits of the Spirit. Caroline was chosen by her teacher to represent Faithfulness. She was honored with a special breakfast where Shawn, John Michael and I were able to attend. Sweet girl. :-)

Time for T-Ball

2011-04-04T17:31:00.001-07:00

John Michael played in his first t-ball game this morning. As usual, it was a fight to get him dressed - he always likes to have a lazy morning on the couch, drinking his chocolate milk, while rubbing his "blankie" and watching cartoons. So, this morning was no exception. He really didn't care that he had a t-ball game. But once he got to the field, he ended up getting into the groove a bit.

Shawn helped coach the team, and all of those three and four year old kids were precious out there on the field. John Michael reminded me of the Darth Vader/Darth Helmet character in the movie, "Space Balls," because his head with the helmet on it was HUGE! When he was running around those bases with that big noggin, I couldn't help but laugh. Too cute.

JM batted left handed and hit the ball off the tee twice. He also fielded a ground ball and threw it towards first base. By the middle of the game, he was losing focus, as would be expected, and as the other team was batting, he seemed to be in his own little world. At one point, he walked over to the fence and asked me when we were going to his cousin Molly's birthday party, because he was ready to go. All the while, the other team was batting and running bases.

It was fun to watch, and I'm so glad this is something that JM and Shawn can share together. Later that night, when Shawn was rocking JM and putting him to bed, JM asked Shawn:

"Daddy, does it make you happy that I play baseball?"

"Well...yes," Shawn replied. "Do you like playing baseball, John Michael?"

"No."

Well, he's only three...we'll get through this season, then see what happens. He sure does look sweet in that uniform. :-)

Diving and Dribbling

2011-02-17T08:58:00.001-08:00

Posing with some Sunkist friends at the blocks before a swim event...Caroline is the one on the far right, missing the tooth.

Wow! These last couple of months have been a whirlwind! I've been learning what it's like to have a child in many activities, as well as to be a coach in one of them. And I've been loving every minute of it!

Sunkist 8 and Under Relay Team

Caroline has continued on the swim team, and she has steadily improved throughout the season. She just competed in the 8 and Under Developmental State Swim Meet, and all of her hard work paid off - she won first place in the 25 yard and 50 yard backstroke in the 7 year old age division, making her the fastest 7-year old backstroker currently in the state of MS! Can I get a WHOOP WHOOP!?! She had a time of 49.72 seconds in the 50 backstroke, which cut 3 seconds off her fastest time yet. We're obviously very proud of her! She also did her first FLIP turn in the 50 free style! All sorts of first's for the little one...

She just finished the 50 yard backstroke in first place at the State Meet!

We're also playing basketball this year, and I'm coaching Caroline's team of first and second grade girls. I asked Shawn the other day if he thought I looked like I was being too hard on them during the game, and he said I just looked "really intense." Haha! Most of the other coaches just stand there during the game and don't say much...well, I coach them, for heavens sake! I almost made them run suicides at practice this week because they weren't paying attention and kept goofing off. (Okay, that might have been a little much, but I expect each one to give 100% and nothing less.) They are a great group of girls and very talented...I have one player that scored 26 points during one game! Caroline has developed a real love for the sport and will even be outside after dark shooting baskets...reminds me of someone else I know. :) She has come a long way since her first game as well, with her highest score being 6 points. It's amazing to me how fast she learns and adapts to sports. I love it!!

Team Lady Lightening

Caroline and "Coach Mommy"

I can't close out this post without mentioning the little man! John Michael is signed up to play t-ball this spring, so I'm looking forward to seeing what he looks like in that sweet uniform. Shawn is excited about playing ball with him too, so I'll be sure to get some pictures up here as soon as I take them. Right now, JM is happy playing Transformers and Spiderman, running back and forth in the living room. He's perfectly content entertaining himself and has quite an imagination.

Helping Daddy fix the washer.

All I Want for Christmas...

2010-12-17T17:16:00.001-08:00

We spent Thanksgiving in Destin this year with Dad and Betsy, and the Village was filled with all sorts of fun holiday activities for the kids. Santa Claus stopped by one night, and we let the kids visit with him and tell them what they wanted to see under our tree this year.

Caroline's list was quite long this year and included a chemistry set, geodes, a clock, a doll, a stuffed animal, a perfume making kit, a mega-bubble blowing set, etc., etc. She wrote all of her gift requests on a list and gave it to Santa as she sat on his lap.

John Michael's list was very succinct. The only item he'd requested up to this point was "Batman Wegos," meaning Batman legos, which truly meant the Imaginext Batman Cave. However, when the time came to actually tell Santa what he wanted, John Michael was obviously re-thinking his game plan...he said: "Wait, wait, wait. Actually, I want Batman Wegos and Toy Story 3! And that's all."

Sounds easy enough to me.

If you know my children well, you'd know that they don't like each other very much, and they usually argue more than they get along. Well, Santa Claus really brought them together, because the rest of the night, Caroline and John Michael were so happy and loving. As you can see in the photo below, they actually touched each other and smiled! We enjoy these rare moments when we get them!

Don't they look sweet?!

Birmingham Swim Meet

2010-11-22T13:05:00.000-08:00

We took our first Sunkist road trip, and we had a blast! Caroline swam her best events yet, and we had a lot of fun spending time with the team and getting to know everyone better. We visited the Birmingham Zoo after the first morning of events, then ate dinner with the team that night.

Waiting for one of the relays

Ready to dive off the block

This was Caroline's first time to swim in the all 8 and under category, so we really weren't expecting her to do as well as she did when swimming in the age 6 and under. But she ended up winning three of her heats - 25 backstroke, 25 freestyle, and 50 backstroke. She also cut her time in all individual events, the most in 50 back and 50 free, by nearly seven seconds in each! It's so much fun to see how she is developing and improving along the way, and to watch her hard work pay off.

Painted nails - BLUE and ORANGE!

Go Sunkist!

She's Turning 7!

2010-11-08T12:37:00.001-08:00

The Divas

We celebrated Caroline's 7th birthday at The Pampered Princess with seven of her best little friends. She had a "Hollywood Diva Party," and all of the girls had their fingernails painted, their makeup done, and their hair styled. Then, they all had a chance to walk the red carpet with their best "diva" strut and pose. It was all very cute, and everyone had a great time...well, John Michael and Shawn felt a little left out, since they were the only guys in the whole building, but they survived!

The birthday girl

My nieces, Molly and Grace

JM wanted to walk the red carpet too, so we let him do it after the girls were finished...poor guy felt so left out!

Trick or Treat 2010

2010-11-02T08:39:00.001-07:00

John Michael, Caroline, Grace, and Molly

We had Iron Man, a werewolf, a zombie cheerleader, and a witch on our trick-or-treat crew this year. No one could recognize Caroline beneath all of the werewolf fur, and she was even able to scare away many of the ghosts and goblins that came to spook our path! BOO!

He is Three!

2010-10-26T14:50:00.001-07:00

Even though JM is getting to be a big boy, he comforts me when he says:

"I'm your baby boy, Mommy."

"Yes, you are," I reply.

"Yes, I am."

Happy birthday, Baby Boy.

Worn Slap Out!

2010-10-26T14:46:00.000-07:00

After spending the weekend at their MawMaw and PawPaw's house in Richton, Caroline and John Michael gave into their exhaustion on the ride back home.

Sunkist vs. Makos

2010-10-26T14:35:00.000-07:00

Caroline swam in her second meet a few weeks ago. This meet was much bigger than the first, and she did great! She'd improved so much since the first meet...her times in backstroke and freestyle improved, and she started diving off the block. There were some very fast swimmers competing against her this time around, and she held her own, bringing home six ribbons!

We're taking it on the road for our next swim meet. We'll head to Birmingham and stay in a "holetel," as Caroline calls it. :-) She is very excited, and this will be her first time to compete in the 8 and under age division, seeing as she's turning seven years old in a couple of weeks! (This means that we'll be focusing a lot more on swimming faster than her previous times than on swimming faster than the person in the next lane!)

Need More Cowbell!

2010-10-15T11:50:00.000-07:00

MSU vs. Alcorn State

Our Superhero

2010-10-15T11:43:00.000-07:00

This day, he was Spiderman. He's also chosen an Ironman and a Superman costume, so we think he's having a superhero identity crisis. We really don't care who he chooses dress up like, or that he wears a costume to a public place on occasion. We are just relieved he's not choosing to wear his sister's dresses and cheerleading outfits. It's taken us way too long to give him some boy dress-up options!

First Swim Meet

2010-09-24T14:27:00.000-07:00

Caroline has proven herself to be quite the swimmer! She competed in her first swim meet a couple of weeks ago, and ended up capturing the title of Top Swimmer (High Score) in her age division.

Waiting for her first race

We had no idea what to expect going into the first meet. Caroline had been practicing with Sunkist since June, and we knew she could swim, but did she know how to handle herself during an actual race? Shawn and I read everything we could on the Sunkist website, and we tried to prepare her...

"Be sure to swim your hardest all the way to the wall - don't slack up before you get to the end - hit the wall with BOTH hands!"

"Put your toes all the way to the end of the block, and don't jump in until you hear the horn blow! When you hear the horn blow, GO!!"

"This isn't practice. You actually want to beat the person in the lane next to you. Move your arms fast! Kick your legs fast!"

We tried to explain to her what a "DQ" (disqualification) was, even though we weren't entirely sure of what all constituted a DQ, ourselves. (And yes, she did get "DQ-ed" in the breaststroke due to improper kicking. The other swimmers were disqualified as well.)

All of this being said, when it came down to it, Caroline swam her heart out and performed beyond our expectations! She won two of her heats - the 50 yard freestyle and 100 yard freestyle relay. She had awesome times in all of her strokes, i.e. swimming the 25 yard backstroke in 29.52 seconds, and the 25 yard freestyle in 25.63 seconds! (25 yard = one lap; 50 yard = two laps)

When she swam in the 100 yard medley relay, they put all of the age groups in the pool at one time. Caroline swam the first leg, which was backstroke. Shawn and I were amazed when we saw her swimming as fast as the 10-11 year old girls and boys!

We had so much fun watching our baby girl! While it sure was fun playing sports when we were kids, it's a totally different feeling to see our child practice something, enjoy it, and succeed at it. We are so proud of her! The next meet is in a couple of weeks...

Tired, after winning first place in the 50 yard freestyle

SHARK!!

2010-08-26T14:11:00.000-07:00

I'm sure my son will kill me one day for sharing this story, but I can't resist, especially after the long months it has taken him to do #2 in the potty. As he did "his business" today, he described his excrement with enthusiasm as it exited his body: "Mommy, it's a snake! It's a snake!"

He dethroned and surveyed his work. I must say, it was very impressive - sorry for the graphic description, but it even came out of the water just a bit.

"Mommy! It's not a snake! It's a SHARK! It's a SHARK!"

I have no idea what goes through that boy's mind sometimes, or how he comes up with the things he does, but that was my entertainment for the day.

Summer Came and Went...

2010-08-21T16:35:00.000-07:00

Well, I must say, I've been a terrible blogger. So much has transpired since my last entry, so I'll just hit the highlights...

We've spent all summer potty training John Michael. As of the last couple of days - literally - he is finally trained. I haven't changed a dirty diaper in two or three days now. WOOHOO!!

We had a whirlwind summer. We made a couple of fun trips to my dad and Betsy's new house in San Destin, and Caroline spent a week going to basketball camp at East Central Community College.

Turns out, Caroline is quite the little athlete. Not only did she prove herself to be a quick study at basketball, but she picked up tennis quickly, and also joined the Sunkist swim team, where she is naturally strong and fast. She seems to have grown about two feet in height, and she is pure muscle!! The girl doesn't even realize the potential she has, and Shawn and I are chomping at the bit for her to be just half as competitive as we are! I know, I know...she is only six.
John Michael is talking and growing - no longer is he a baby. Although I've made him promise me to always be my baby boy. He truly is a joy, and I'll have to post more later about all the hilarious things he is saying and doing right now.
Caroline decided to give herself a haircut while she was staying with my in-laws over the summer. She wanted bangs and took matters into her own hands. Surprisingly, she did a pretty good job. She cut fairly straight across, but she started too far back, so she ventured too far into the "mullet" category. I was heartbroken because her hair was all one length! But she was so proud of herself, and we've made it work.
Caroline started first grade a couple of weeks ago, and she loves it. She acts like a miniature adult, and we are constantly having to remind her that she is NOT. One funny thing that happened this week, was a boy in her class told her that she was "hot," and that he wanted to marry her. She was completely nonchalant about it - "I mean, I don't even really like him, Mom. But I guess I'm his girlfriend," she said. "Caroline, what does HOT even mean? Were you sweating or something?" I asked. "UH!! No, Mom, it means I'm PRETTY." Come on...since when should a six-year-old know that?? We've only just begun.....

My Birthday

2010-04-17T12:54:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure of having a girl's night after a tennis match to celebrate my 33rd birthday. What could be better than some Mexican food after kicking some tail on the tennis court?! It was a great way to spend some time with some great friends!

Easter 2010

2010-04-17T12:50:00.000-07:00

We really enjoyed spending our Easter with each other at home, going to church at Pinelake, and letting the kids hunt their Eggs and explore their baskets. It was a nice quiet Easter Sunday, celebrating our risen Savior.

First Egg Hunt

2010-03-31T14:13:00.000-07:00

John Michael has really gotten the hang of hunting Easter eggs this year. His first hunt was with my Bible study class, and the weather was beautiful! I had to pry him away from the playground when it was time to start hunting the eggs, but once he got the hang of it, he caught on quick! At one point, he walked up to an opened, empty egg. He picked it up, shook it, inspected its empty contents, and threw it back down on the ground. This kid knew what he was doing!

Gathering the eggs, making sure the contents were worthy for collecting.

A boy and his basket full of eggs.

My Favorite Words to Hear

2010-03-26T17:59:00.000-07:00

"I wu-jew, Mama."

Translation: "I love you, Mama."

John Michael now says these words unprompted and without solicitation. He doesn't even have to hear me say it first. Isn't this what every Mama waits months and months for their baby to finally verbalize? Yes, he totally has me wrapped around his little finger.

Let It Snow!

2010-03-02T14:37:00.000-08:00

I've been delinquent in my blogging...not that I think many people really read this anyway...but several weeks ago, we enjoyed snow that Mississippi rarely sees. It's sad that this former Montana girl doesn't even own rain boots, so I had Walmart bags tied around my tennis shoes while I watched Shawn and the kids play in the snow. Much fun was had by all.

My Little Cheerleader

2010-01-09T12:36:00.000-08:00

Caroline cheered for the first time today at an Upward basketball game. She's been so excited about "cheering for the boys," even though there were some girls on the team too. It broke my heart just a little that she didn't want to play basketball, but she promised me that she would try it next year!

After I watched her cheer today and saw how much she enjoyed it, I might just have to accept the fact that I really do have a little cheerleader on my hands and leave the basketball playing to John Michael...

My "First Child's" Birthday

2009-11-30T15:37:00.000-08:00

Murphy was our firstborn...yes, I know he's a dog, but he means much more than that to me. He turned 10 years old on Sunday, and we had a big celebration for him. Well, it was a celebration until he unwrapped his gift and found the first ball. Then it was all about PLAY, PLAY, PLAY. Poor fellow never gets to play with any of these fun kids' toys that are strewn around the house!

He also received a Doggie Snuggie - yes, they make those for pets - another type of ball, a jar of special treats, and a special dinner of gourmet dog food filet. (His little sister, Mabel had her own bowl, of course.)

Happy Birthday to my Murph-Man! In honor of The Murph, I'll sing the little jingle that I made up just for him...

"He's the fastest in the East; he's a long and crazy beast; he's the Murph-Man.

He's the loudest in the South; he's got a long and furry snout; he's the Murph-Man.

He's the meanest in the west; he's got a big ol' furry chest; he's the MUUURRRPH-MAN...

Uh-huh, that's right."

Getting Ready For Christmas...

2009-11-28T17:56:00.000-08:00

I don't think that I've ever decorated for Christmas before the first of December in my entire life...until now. We began our day with the supreme enjoyment of watching Mississippi State beat that school from up north in the annual Egg Bowl, and then we proceeded to venture out to find the perfect family Christmas tree and set up all of the decorations.

Usually, it's well into December before I get my tree into place, but since my surgery is scheduled for the third of the month, I thought I should get as much done as possible beforehand.

As we decorated the house, Caroline kept saying, "This is gonna be the BEST Christmas EVER!!"

Our next task on the to-do list is to write our letters to Santa...but Mommy's already informed him of most of the gifts, so hopefully, that's taken care of too. (Got to love that online shopping.)

P.S. Go Bulldogs! Hotty Toddy, WHO?!? ;o)

Caroline's Sixth Birthday Party

2009-11-12T10:42:00.001-08:00

We celebrated Caroline's sixth birthday - and I can't believe my baby girl is already six years old - at Silver Lining Horse Stables, and everyone was treated to horseback riding, cake, presents, and a hayride at the end. We also had the opportunity to watch one of the riders jump one of the horses, which was really cool - the horse she rode is the one Caroline is riding in the picture below. (I think his name is Honey Bar?)

Caroline has been in love with horses for quite a while now, so as her birthday gift, Shawn and I are giving her a set of riding lessons. We'll keep you posted on how that goes, and if horses truly become a passion for her.

This was her second or third time around on a different horse. The first horse she chose to ride was solid white and named "Silver."

JM refused to wear his helmet, but seemed like a natural on horseback.

Lighting the candles...

Happy Birthday, my love! You're growing up WAY too fast!

Trick or Treat 2009

2009-11-03T17:34:00.000-08:00

All of the kids, except for Molly, who refused to have her picture taken with the group.

We had our halloween tradition in the Oliphant household this year. My sister and her family came to our house for pizza and trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. My mom and grandmother were even able to come this year and enjoy in our festivities for a little while, which was nice. All it took was one full walk around the entire circle of our neighborhood, and the kids were tired, cold, and ready to go home and sort through all of their candy. My sister and I had almost as much fun digging through their treats as they did! :)

Caroline - the Spider Princess and her cousin Grace - Pocahontas

JM as a lion

All the kids posing in front of some cool yard decor

Sorting through their loot!

John Michael's 2nd Birthday

2009-10-30T06:28:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my baby boy has turned two years old! We celebrated on the day of his actual birthday by serving him a homemade iced airplane cookie for breakfast, complete with the whole family serenading him with "Happy Birthday!" I sent airplane cookies with him to his mother's morning out class, and we gave him his gift that night - a Handy Manny singing tool set.

We had his party on the following Saturday, and thankfully it wasn't raining because we had the party outside at the Castlewoods park. However, there was a little October chill in the air. We celebrated with the theme of J.M. Airlines, so everything was done with planes in mind, including the obviously handmade posters, and once again, cookie party favors. John Michael had a blast in the bounce castle, and jumped himself slap out! We are so grateful for all of our friends and family that shared in this sweet moment with us.

Here are some pictures from the event...

Our cake was made by Melissa Wright - it tasted as wonderful as it looks!

The blustery day made my poster less than perfect, but I thought my "balloon clouds" were pretty cute.

Favorite Cousins :)

Still hasn't quite figured out what this fork thing is...

"How about I just take me a nap right here?"

Dad, Mom, and one tired Little Man

How We Celebrated...

2009-10-17T11:18:00.000-07:00

I wrote him one of my "epic" letters, chronicling our last ten years, from the beginning of our relationship, and I repeated the vows I spoke to him all those years ago. I'd dug up some old mementos of our engagement and wedding, and we had fun looking through all of that. He took me to dinner to one of our favorite restaurants - and man, was it nice to have a fancy meal without kids screaming and throwing food everywhere!? When we got home, he'd written me a song, and to my surprise, he'd been learning to play the guitar for the last several months. So, he performed the sweet song to me, and I was just beside myself. I gave him that guitar many anniversaries ago, because one of my dreams was that he'd play the guitar for me and our kids one day, yet he'd never really pursued it. Well, he'd not only pursued the guitar, but he wrote me such a sweet song, and he sang it to me. (Shawn, don't kill me for publishing this for the world to see, but I think that was the most awesome gift EVER!) As usual, we were asleep by ten o'clock, but that's okay - we've just made it to this next chapter of our lives. :)

Ten Years Together...

2009-10-16T08:39:00.000-07:00

On this day ten years ago, October 16th, 1999, Shawn and I were married at St. Andrew's Cathedral, in Jackson. It's hard to believe that ten years have passed, yet as I've reflected back on our years of marriage and all of the life events we've shared, I feel immensely blessed. I cherish my life with my husband, and as this chapter of our lives is closing, I'm looking forward to the adventure that awaits us. In honor of our ten year anniversary, I'm listing the top ten reasons, among many, why I'm so grateful for my husband...

1. He is my rock. . . my shield. . . my protector.

2. He is the most selfless person I know.

3. He is an amazing father to our precious children.

4. He makes me feel safe, no matter what's going on in our lives.

5. He has an unbelievable and unmatched talent of recalling movie lines.

6. He is my total opposite, which completely covers my weaknesses.

7. He is hot, handsome, sexy, and everything in between. . .and yes, I love his gray hair, and the way he looked in his Phelps costume!

8. He has become an awesome spiritual leader for our family.

9. He makes me feel beautiful, even when I'm not :)

10. He is, without a doubt, my angel on earth.

I love you, Shawn. Happy Anniversary.

First Missing Tooth!

2009-09-10T11:58:00.000-07:00

Caroline lost her first tooth last Saturday. After several days of struggling with me and Shawn over trying to pull it, and over fifteen minutes of video footage witnessing this fight, we still had no tooth. The little thing was hanging by a thread! My mom came to the rescue when she visited - "Sure! Grandma can pull it!"

I didn't even have time to open my video camera before Mom pulled the tooth. No whining and crying from Caroline. . . only BIG smiles and a lot of bragging about losing her first tooth.

1st Day of Kindergarten

2009-08-13T15:30:00.000-07:00

Caroline started her first day of kindergarten today. We've both been very excited about her going to "big girl" school. (Maybe I'm hoping to re-live my student days through her?!) There were many mothers there that were shedding tears when dropping off their children, so maybe I should feel a little guilty for being so excited... I mean I laid out her clothes in a perfect arrangement the night before, for crying out loud!! The only problem we had was when she noticed that most of the other kids brought their nap mats with them - the instructions from the teacher clearly stated that they wouldn't need the mats until next week, so I didn't send hers. She freaked out a little but was easily calmed down when the teacher reassured her that she wouldn't need it. It's scary how much that little girl's personality is like mine...poor thing. Here are some photos from the big day...

Getting her bag situated in her new room

Proof of my OCD/excitement - Caroline was all for this too!

Ready to go!

Outside of her classroom, just before entering the first time:)

Her first day of school was "awesome," and she had "the best time ever." She loves her teacher and she loves being in kindergarten! I'm happy that she's happy! Now, bring on the homework!

Kindergarten Haircut

2009-08-07T17:36:00.001-07:00

Caroline got her hair chopped off for her new "big girl" school, which starts next Thursday. I took her to my hairstylist, and I must say, that with her unruly hair, he did quite a great job. She loves it, and so do I. She and I are both quite excited about her starting kindergarten this year!

JM's Makeover

2009-08-07T17:22:00.000-07:00

Complete with Barbie makeup, headband, and barrette

She is so proud of herself!!

JM's thoughts: "What in the WORLD have you done to me, Sissy?"

Courtesy of Caroline, she gave JM a nice little makeover when I asked her to "babysit" while I got some work done the other day. This is what they were up to in their bathroom. He didn't seem to mind except he looked at her like she was crazy at times...

Lion Twins

2009-07-31T13:21:00.001-07:00

For Caroline's second Halloween, she dressed up as this adorable lion. She wasn't so much of a girlie girl at the time and loved animals. This was my all-time favorite costume of all her costumes by far, even though all of the people we trick-or-treated with thought she was a boy amongst all the princess girls that night. :) Anyway, I took out this costume and let John Michael try it on yesterday to see if it would fit him for this Halloween. I've posted the old pictures of Caroline to compare hers with JM's in the lion outfit...

Caroline - Age 2

John Michael - Age 21 months

He was so proud of himself in this costume. He just strutted around the house and roared for the longest time. I guess we know what he'll be dressing up as this Halloween!

Underwear Raid

2009-07-31T13:09:00.000-07:00

JM decided to raid Shawn's underwear drawer the other day. His daddy has been out of town, so I guess he's missed him...at least the boxers were clean!

Neshoba County Fair

2009-07-27T10:09:00.001-07:00

We just returned from spending the opening weekend at the Neshoba County Fair. It's become a tradition to spend some time in Philadelphia for this event ever since 2000, when my dad and Betsy got their cabin. Times have certainly changed since then, especially after having children! We don't stay out as late or do all the things like we used to, but the kids sure have a lot of fun. JM has already hit his terrible two's, so we headed back home a little early. Here are some photos from our weekend...

The midway in the middle of the hot July day = not such a great idea!

Obviously, Caroline picked out the pink car, but JM loved it regardless!

Caroline's favorite part of the petting zoo - she loves ponies and horses.

I must say that I probably liked the petting zoo more than the kids - plus, I treated the animals SO much better!

JM kept saying, "AWWWW!"

Sweet little bitty chicks.

Chillin' at Dad's cabin.

Are we done yet?

My guys:)

MAFP Convention Sandestin

2009-07-26T18:38:00.000-07:00

Last week we spent some time in Sandestin with my dad and Betsy at the MS Academy of Family Practice Convention. Everyone had a lot of fun, as can be seen by the photos. . .

Caroline's mermaid tattoo

This one didn't hurt, but Shawn and I threatened her life if she EVER gets a real one!

Bungee Jump

The after effects of eating rainbow ice cream.

Sibling love?

Papa, Caroline, JM, and Bee on our way to have our beach pictures made.

Our little family :)

I had to capture the moments when they were being sweet to each other...

Concentrating hard at the children's mosaic workshop, where she created a beautiful horse.

Beach time!

This one LOVES the beach!

He had a pretty good time too!

Feeding the fish at Baytowne

Caroline on the zip line - she's a thrill seeker.

The statue is only holding her hand because she gave it a dollar!

Waiting for Sissy to ride the zip line...

He's my man:)

My baby girl

JM loved this zero-entry pool. He just skipped back and forth constantly.

Bug Bite to the Eye

2009-07-26T18:33:00.000-07:00

Poor little man got into a fight with a mosquito while he was mowing the grass with his daddy last week, and unfortunately, JM lost. The swelling lasted most of the week, even after being treated with round the clock Benadryl and as much ice as he would tolerate. Pitiful fella. :(

Surprise!

2009-07-07T08:35:00.000-07:00

We celebrated our Fourth of July by surprising my dad with a birthday party. I'd hate to publish his age on this blog, but let's just say it was a milestone birthday. Betsy had invited a lot of his friends and family, and there must have been about forty people waiting for him out at the fair cabin at the Neshoba fairgrounds. None of us were convinced beforehand that Dad was going to be surprised, but once he and Betsy drove up to the cabin, we knew that he was shocked. Apparently, he was even complaining to Betsy as they drove up that someone was parked in his spot, and he was wondering who in the h#@* were all those people on his porch!? Classic Dad! The surprise was a success.

Me and Dad

This pose was painful for Dad - he hates W. :)

"SURPRISE!"

Our Little Getaway

2009-07-07T08:21:00.001-07:00

Shawn worked the Young Physicians convention in San Destin a few weeks ago, and we headed to Florida sans kids for a few days. This was the first time since before John Michael was born that Shawn and I had gone anywhere alone...sad, I know. (It was much easier farming out one child to go somewhere - not so much two!)

The kids stayed with my dad and Betsy, and when we returned, JM was broken of his pacifier habit! Shawn and I had a nice, quiet time at the beach and hope we won't have to wait another two years to do it again. :)

Disney World

2009-06-16T07:05:00.000-07:00

American Idol Experience

Caroline dressed as her favorite princess - Sleeping Beauty - and Fairy Godmother

The Family

It's a Bug's Life

Starting the day at Animal Kingdom

The past two weeks have been a total whirlwind! I spent the first week of June at the Mayo Clinic trying to discover the cause of all of the mysterious symptoms I've been having. Thankfully, all of that turned out okay, and I'm not dying of some weird neurological illness. I just have to adjust to living with a "new normal" of numbness, difficulty swallowing, and neck pain. Oh well, I guess it could be worse.

Last week, Shawn and I took the kids to Disney World. We met up with Shawn's family, and spent some time with them at the parks as well. They treated us to a day at Sea World, and the kids had a blast all week long. Caroline was very brave and wanted to ride every roller coaster, however immediately after each ride, she'd say that she never wanted to ride it again! :) Her favorite ride was Peter Pan, and JM seemed to be enthralled by everything. (He wasn't too fond of the Pirates of the Caribbean though!)

Upon leaving, Caroline talked about how she wanted to live at Disney World, but she'll be lucky if we'll get to go back anytime soon! Disney LOVES its magic, and I suppose it's worth the price after seeing our kids' faces.

Tiny Dancer

2009-05-18T16:35:00.000-07:00

Always posing....

Ready to perform!

On our way to the recital

Caroline danced in her third recital on Sunday. I can't believe she's been dancing for three years! She and I had a lot of fun this year getting her ready for the stage. We pretended she was at a beauty parlor. I put her hair in rollers and even let her choose the colors of her makeup. It was a blast! But she looked like she was about sixteen...it was nice to take the makeup back off and to see my little girl again. There will be enough of that in the years to come!

This year, she tap danced to a song entitled "Personality." She did great, of course! We were happy to be joined by all of the grandparents and even happier that she got to dance at the beginning of the recital this year, so we didn't have to hang around for two and a half hours! John Michael was enjoying watching all the pretty girls so much that he was highly upset when we left early. He didn't want to take his eyes off the stage! :)

Two Peas

2009-04-18T18:09:00.000-07:00

This was the first time I dressed the kids alike. I must admit, I thought they looked pretty cute. JM wasn't too fond of getting a kiss from his Sissy though....

Dirt and Strings

2009-04-18T14:51:00.000-07:00

"What are girls made of, Mommy?" Caroline asked.

I'd heard this before, so I replied with the standard, "Sugar and spice and everything nice, of course!"

"No, no, no!" she reprimanded. "God made boys from the dirt, and He made girls from strings."

HUH?? I couldn't help but laugh in response, and so did she.

"Where in the world did you learn that, Caroline?"

"Daddy taught me," she said.

Later on that day, I asked Shawn about his Biblical teachings, and apparently Caroline got her story a little mixed up. . . she understood God making Adam from the dirt, but I guess she didn't quite comprehend Eve being made from Adam's rib - ribs. . .strings. . . no difference, right?

Out of the mouths of babes. . .

Easter

2009-04-17T09:07:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time celebrating Easter this year at home. My mom, grandmother, sister, brother-in-law, and nieces came over to share in the celebration by going to church with us and coming to our house for lunch afterward.

The children hunted Easter eggs filled with coins, and probably collected enough money to completely fill up their entire piggy banks!

It was definitely a memorable day, and such a special time to be thankful for the life we've been given by Christ our Savior.

My Little Helper

2009-04-04T09:43:00.000-07:00

John Michael loves to help me clean. Whenever I pull out the Swiffer, he insists on using it himself to sweep the entire house, including all the hard-to-reach places, like under the couch and tables. He'll bring me even the tiniest pieces of trash that he finds on the floor and says, "Bye bye," which is his cue for me to throw it in the garbage. There was a huge mess of his toys on the floor the other night and I asked him if he was going to clean it all up, and he walked over to the pile of toys and nodded his head...okay, so he didn't really clean it up, but at least he had good intentions.

So yesterday, while I was conducting a little Arbonne business on the phone, JM decided he was going to take it upon himself to do some cleaning in the bathroom...of the toilets...with his bottle brush. I first discovered him in the half bath before he actually touched the water. He was highly upset with me for putting a halt to his effort. So, I returned to my conversation on the telephone, and he sought out another vulnerable toilet. This time, he was successful...and thorough. I think that half of the toilet water ended up on my bathroom floor. But JM seem satisfied that he'd completed the job.

I suppose it's time to childproof the toilet lids.

Too Pooped to Play

2009-03-20T15:01:00.000-07:00

This was Caroline's definition of "playing outside" the other day... and it's coming from a little girl who virtually never takes a nap! I guess the daylight savings time change is affecting all of us. Plus, check out how long and grown up she looks! She's not my little baby anymore... :(

Ahoy Thar, Matey!

2009-03-20T14:53:00.000-07:00

John Michael got this pirate hat while he was spending the weekend with his MawMaw and PawPaw in Richton. He loves wearing it around the house, and I think he looks adorable... makes me want to say, "Aaaarrgh!!"

A Season for Change

2009-03-17T12:01:00.000-07:00

Notice her face is covered with pollen - she'd been sticking her nose in the flowers all afternoon!

JM was talking to the geese through the fence

Caroline and JM flying their kites

Me and my baby girl

Change is in the air in the Oliphant household... Thankfully, we did find out that Shawn survived another company lay-off, but his territory changed quite dramatically. He's been in transition with that for the last several weeks, and he's also been training on the new medicines that he'll be promoting.

I've also decided to start a business from home selling Arbonne. This has been a long and thoughtful process for me that actually started over a year ago when I began using the skin care products. Over the last month or so, several opportunities have presented themselves to me, and Shawn and I have decided that this might be a nice fit for me, seeing that I can still be at home with my kids while earning money for some of the "extras" that we can't really afford with one income alone.

Last weekend, we went to the reservoir for a picnic and to enjoy the brief glimpse of spring weather. Caroline and John Michael each flew their own kite, we threw a frisbee, and ate KFC. Bring on the spring... change and all!!

John Michael's Baby Dedication

2009-02-06T07:28:00.000-08:00

Last night was very special for our family because we presented John Michael to God and our church, and Shawn and I pledged ourselves, as parents to raise him according to God's Word. It was such a sweet ceremony. The babies were presented alphabetically, so it took a little while to reach the "O's." Thankfully, a sippy cup and some nilla wafers kept JM occupied, while Caroline was entertained by Grandma, Papa, Bee, and Aunt Tracy in a separate seating section.

When it came time for our turn, Caroline joined Shawn, John Michael, and myself, and the Oliphant family of four walked to the front of the congregation. The image above appeared on both big screens - JM's picture, along with our chosen Bible verse for him, (Psalm 73:24-26). We had our picture taken with our Pastor Chip Henderson, then he spoke a private prayer over our family. (Before he prayed, he joked about how big of a boy JM is!)
After the ceremony, there was a short reception, where my kids thoroughly enjoyed the cake and punch, and they had fun opening some dedication gifts. We also received a gift from the church, which included John Michael's first Bible, a special letter from Pastor Chip for JM, and the book, "The Five Love Languages of Children," which I've been really wanting to read! What a blessed time in our lives!

You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and

my portion forever. Psalm 73 : 24-26

JM's First Haircut

2009-01-30T16:39:00.000-08:00

I'd let John Michael's curls grow out long enough. When Caroline told me she wanted to put a ponytail in his hair, I knew it was time for a cut! He behaved really well! He sat very still and didn't cry at all until the hairdresser took her electric trimmer to his head. At that point, he still didn't move, but tears started streaming down his face...he was definitely freaked out by the buzzing around his ears and neck! Thank goodness for the pacifier, or the "bah," as JM calls it. If it weren't for his "bah," he would've probably screamed the entire time!

Spontaneous Zoo Trip

2009-01-25T12:24:00.000-08:00

I've always said I was a flamingo in a past life....haha!

I don't think I'd be sneaking up on that if I were you, Caroline.

Shawn decided to take a last minute "holiday" on Friday, and we took the kids to the zoo after picking Caroline up from school. (Shawn finds out next month if he will survive yet another company lay-off, and he has a limited number of floating holidays. If he loses his job, he loses his floating holidays...use 'em or lose 'em, baby!)

It was a beautiful day! You would've thought it was springtime in Mississippi! And we practically had the entire zoo all to ourselves. What a treat! It was John Michael's first visit to the zoo, and he was thoroughly impressed with all of the sights. He didn't seem to mind a bit that he was missing his treasured afternoon nap. And Caroline ran around like she was hyped up on some sort of energy-infused drug...can I have what she's having?

So, it was definitely worth Shawn taking the day off of work to hang out with us. Who knows what next month will bring, but I do know this....I sure do love my husband and kids.

YES, HE CAN WALK!

2009-01-19T13:11:00.000-08:00

John Michael finally walked last week! When I saw him take those precious four to five steps across the house, I could almost hear angels sing, "Hallelujah!" (Okay, maybe that was just my own voice rejoicing in my head.)

I've been waiting for this moment for a few months now. JM is nearing the sixteen month old mark, and he weighs about thirty pounds. Needless to say, the child is getting hard to haul around everywhere! He really hasn't walked all that much since those first few steps, and he still prefers the crawling method of transportation. But at least I've seen with my own eyes that he CAN do it! Maybe I won't have to walk around with an ice pack on my neck for too much longer???

Christmas Festivities 2008

2009-01-08T15:31:00.000-08:00

The holidays swept through the Oliphant household in a blur this year! Unfortunately, everyone in the house ended up with a nasty cold at some point during our Christmas celebration, which made our travels a little more complicated than usual. Nonetheless, Caroline and John Michael enjoyed tearing through their presents and playing with their cousins. One high point of our holiday was when Shawn won $100 by playing a game my mom concocted, involving oven mitts and several tightly wrapped gift boxes. Can you say, DATE MONEY?!

Santa was good to us this year. . . probably better than he should have been. Caroline loved her horses and stable. John Michael has been enjoying his little piano. We've been truly blessed all around. Here's to a happy and healthy 2009!!

Snow Day!!

2008-12-20T12:06:00.000-08:00

We only see snow in Mississippi once in every few years, so we definitely celebrate when it comes! After spending some of my life in Montana, it amuses me to see how everything virtually shuts down in the South when it snows... but I'm certainly not complaining - we had fun!

Christmas Program

2008-12-16T17:47:00.000-08:00

Caroline played an angel this year in her school's Christmas program, Someone Has a Birthday. A few weeks before the big day, she excitedly announced after carpool that she was going to play the part of Mary. She informed me, quite smugly, that "Anna Leigh thought that she was going to be Mary, but Caroline was actually going to be Mary, so couldn't I just tell her that??" Come to find out, neither girl played the part of Mary.... and it took me several days to convince Caroline that being an angel was a very important job.

Anyway, she was a beautiful little angel, and she sang all her words perfectly. On our way home, after I bragged on how great of a job she did, her response was, "Next year, I'm going to be Mary."

Sometimes there's just no point in arguing with this child.... at least I have another 365 days to fight this battle......

Dear Santa....

2008-12-09T13:00:00.000-08:00

Caroline wrote her own letter to Santa this year. Her list included:

1. Horses and stable

2. Barbie Care and Cure Bear

3. Leapfrog Leapster

4. Shrek Wii game

5. Kung Fu Panda movie

She wrote every bit of the note by herself - transcribing each letter as I spelled the words for her. But when it came time to write the part for John Michael, she decided to pass the letter-writing duties off to me, claiming she was tired. Oh well.

For the record, JM is asking for:

1. Football

2. Toddler piano

3. Elmo movie

Caroline addressed and stamped the letter, then we mailed it straight to the North Pole. I can't wait to see what he brings......

Solitude

2008-11-24T15:35:00.000-08:00

Was it so wrong to have really enjoyed myself last weekend? Shawn did me a HUGE favor and took the kids to his parents' house, giving me some time all to myself for a couple of days. (Yes, I have a good husband.) I've never spent a night away from John Michael, so that also means I've never had night of totally uninterrupted sleep in at least thirteen months.

So how did I spend my time alone? Well, I slept until 8:30. . . that's when my dogs woke me up to let them outside. I took an undisturbed bath in the middle of the day. I went to the movies and devoured nearly an entire bag of popcorn all by myself. I laid in the bed and watched television without any feelings of guilt. I didn't have to pick up the first toy, or clean one dish the entire weekend. Basically, I was a total bum.

But it can't go without saying that I did miss my husband and children. I called them several times throughout the forty-eight hours I had to myself. When I woke up Sunday morning, I felt that twinge of emptiness that's only felt when I'm missing my loved ones - like a subtle aching in my chest that throbs less subtly the longer they've been away. So, I welcomed them home with open arms and a clear head - the latter of which did not last very long upon their return! :)

My Little Musical Prodigy?

2008-11-15T08:49:00.000-08:00

I can't seem to keep John Michael away from my piano. In fact, as long as any type of music is playing, the little man is gyrating his hips and clapping his hands with a big grin on his face. This morning, I finally gave into his demands and sat him on the piano bench, giving him full control of the ivories. He looked right at home, but just way to tiny to be there! Who knows? Maybe I have the next Chopin or Beethoven on my hands?

Caroline's Fifth Birthday Party

2008-11-11T10:53:00.000-08:00

On November 9th, my baby girl turned five years old! We celebrated her birthday at Pump It Up, or as Caroline refers to it, "The Big Jump Place." It was such a blessing to see how loved this little girl is with all of the children and families in attendance. . . her classmates, friends from our Bible study group, neighborhood kids, and of course her beloved cousins were all there to help Caroline celebrate another year! I was honestly amazed at how many people came, and I'm very grateful to everyone's thoughtfulness.

Thanks also to our family who celebrated with Caroline at other times during the birthday weekend!

Trick or Treat

2008-11-07T16:30:00.000-08:00

Caroline and John Michael had a great time trick or treating with their cousins, Grace and Molly this year for Halloween. We began a tradition a few years ago with my sister Tracy's family, where they come to our house, we order pizza, then we stroll around the neighborhood while the kids go door to door, collecting as much candy as their little buckets can hold. After everyone is worn out or too cold - whichever comes first - we head back to the house and sprawl out on the living room floor, digging into our favorite candy. This trick-or-treat night was like all the others we've shared. . . quite a blast!!

Mishap on a Trampoline

2008-11-05T11:44:00.000-08:00

Caroline ended up with her first set of stitches the other day when playtime went awry at a friend's house. Apparently, a group of kids were jumping on the trampoline together when Caroline's chin landed squarely on top of a little boy's head. The result was a rather large, bloody gash on the bottom of her chin.

Since it was late in the day, all "regular" pediatric clinics were closed, of course, so Shawn took her to the MEA, and three hours later, they emerged with four stitches, a weepy little girl, and an exhausted daddy. (I stayed home with the baby because the last thing he needed us to do was to expose him to a germ-infested waiting room with as sick as he's been lately!) Shawn said that Caroline was SO brave. The only time she cried was when they gave her the "stinging" medicine, as she called it.

After all of the medical mishaps in our family this year, I've learned that children are a lot more resilient than we give them credit for!

Phelps Impersonator

2008-11-04T10:46:00.000-08:00

It's been many years since Shawn and I have been to a "grown-up" Halloween party, and this year we had the opportunity to go to one at the Fairburn's house. We spent weeks in advance deliberating about what our costumes would be. We wanted to be fun and creative. . . something fresh and current. Finally, after a lot of brainstorming and collaboration with friends and family members, we decided Shawn would make a great Michael Phelps (10 years later), and I could go as his #1 fan.

So Shawn donned a pair of long speedo pants, a swim cap with Phelps' name and American flag, goggles, and eight gold medals. I just wore a lot of makeup, an I Love Phelps shirt, and a feather boa, and stood by him all night. Needless to say, he won first place in the costume contest, and we had a blast!

John Michael's First Birthday Party

2008-11-04T07:50:00.000-08:00

We celebrated John Michael's first birthday at our house on October 18. It was a very small gathering of family to this fete - nothing too elaborate, seeing as he won't remember any of it years down the road! The house was decorated in light blue and brown colors, and the dining room table had a centerpiece chronicling JM's first year, month by month in photos, with all of his "firsts" listed on place cards for the guests to view. JM dug into his first chocolate birthday cake with no hesitation, and he seemed to savor every bite! When it was time to open presents, he actually paid more attention to each gift than I really expected him to. . . he just calmly sat there and watched as each gift was opened and smiled at each one!

Once the first birthday formalities were out of the way, the adults broke out the Rock Band Wii game, and the "real" party started. (Thanks to Shawn's brothers, Stephen and Jason, everyone took turns at the drums, guitar, and microphone!) So, fun was had by all at John Michael's first birthday celebration.

New to the Blogging World

2008-10-30T13:15:00.000-07:00

Playing in the Waves

JM's First Time in the Sand

My Lookalike Babies

Storytime in the Hospital Bed

Sweet Baby Boy in the Croup Tent

Shawn, Me, and Mabel in Moss Point

The Kids at MSU Extravaganza

Neshoba County Fair 2008

Caroline's First Day of K-4 Preschool

Go Bulldogs!!

John Michael's First Set of Stitches

JM and Papa on a Lazy Summer Afternoon

Pepsi Pops on the Reservoir

I've finally broken down and joined the world of blogging. There are so many friends that I've enjoyed keeping up with on the blogs, so I thought I'd create one of my own!

The Oliphant family had a fun summer 2008. Caroline finished her first year of preschool at Pinelake, while dance and soccer also came to an end. We started out the summer watching the Mississippi symphony play at Pepsi Pops on the reservoir - there's nothing like eating fried chicken on a picnic blanket, listening to a live orchestra, then watching a spectacular fireworks finale with your family!

We spent most of the summer visiting relatives - Papa and Bee in Philadephia, MawMaw and PawPaw in Richton, and Great PawPaw in Moss Point. The kids got a small taste of the Bulldogs when we attended the MSU Summer Extravaganza. JM wasn't too thrilled when Bully got a hold of him, but Caroline was thrilled to get her picture made with the cheerleaders! The Neshoba County Fair was a welcome tradition at the end of July, and the kids and I stayed the entire week. My Uncle Al, from San Diego, was in town for the week as well, and it's always nice to spend some time with him.

School started again before we knew it, and Caroline began Pre-K 4 this year. She got her long hair cut off right before school started - about 8 inches! In September, Shawn, Caroline, John Michael, and I went to Orange Beach for a long weekend - JM's first trip to the beach! We had a blast, but it just wasn't long enough. We promised Caroline a longer beach trip next summer.

We capped the summer off with the start of MSU football season, of course, and a round of bad luck with John Michael. First, he bumped his forehead on some steps, and got four stitches. Then, just a few weeks later, he ended up in the hospital with a bad respiratory infection. Poor little man! But he's made it through, and we've been enjoying a busy fall, and we've been gearing up for a fun-filled holiday season.