Christmas Came Early

Grandma B & Grandpa Art sent our Christmas gift via mail this year. We wish we could have done this in person, but thank god for the Internet!

This year Jackson actually opened his first Christmas gift on his own. It's kind of nice to sit and watch all the expressions on his little face as he was opening it.

That's was a good one!
It's Melmo!
That is how Jackson says it at least!

Kisses for Melmo!

He jumped a couple of times when Elmo would start talking, but is liking it a lot more now!

Thank you Grandma B & Grandpa Art, I love my Christmas gift. See you soon!

Jackson

Cookie Monster Part II

Yummy Little Almond Cookies

This time we were in our high chair making a mess instead of on the couch.

Happy Birthday Jeff

Happy Birthday to my brother Jeff! Wish we were their with you, Love you!

Cookie Monster

Today I baked sugar cookies for Jeff's squadron and this is how they turned out! I had 2 cooling racks and one large piece of tin foil on the counter with all these cookies. They were mainly sitting out so the frosting would harden. Well, Jackson took it upon himself to steal one while I was on the phone! Luckily we have leather couches and not fabric, I would have been one unhappy camper.

This is what I found! One cookie and a huge mess! It was a lot worse then it looks, but he was covered in frosting. Both hands, face, shirt and couch!
I caught you Mr.
Can you see his devilish ways now? I tell you this kid is to smart for his britches!
Mommy's little cookie monster!

Sleep, part II!!!!!!

Last night was the best night ever! Jackson actually slept all night without waking up!!!! Yeah for Jackson & Yeah for Jeff and I! I can't remember the last time Jackson slept all night. Well, actually I am lying, I can just look back at a previous blog and check! But, that was probably in July or August. (August 12th was the last time he slept all night)

I hope we have more good nights in the future!

Here is a picture I never posted, it's of Jackson's new bed! We bought this for him in September thinking that it would help him get a better night sleep. The only thing it helped with is that I was in the other room and Jeff was fast asleep in ours. So not fair! So needless to say that Jeff and I have pretty much been sleeping apart for months now.

This was something I have always said "no kids will ever sleep with us." Well, I am only doing it so Jeff can get some sleep and being that he's flying, I would rather keep the peace at the moment!

Formation Phase

Finger tip formation, 10 feet away

Extended trail formation, it's like dog fighting

Past, Present & Future

Here is Jackson last year (2007)

He was a little lamb, and the cutest little lamb if I say so!

Halloween (2008)

My little skeleton

I wonder what he'll be next year!

What a difference in just a year! I sometime wonder when I had Jackson, when he started to walk, when I stopped nursing and when did all these words start flowing out of his mouth. I ask myself this all the time. It seems like I just had him and I should still be 6 weeks postpartum. when I finally wake up he'll probably be getting married! I hope not, but they do grow so fast!

I wish they stayed this small!

Halloween 2008

Here is Mr. Blaufuss & the fortune teller! He really didn't get much of a response from her, but at least he tried! I tell you this kid has no shame and isn't afraid of anything. He just walked right up and stood there with interest.

Here was another that he found just as interesting at the first, but this one made him laugh!
Here is Owen & Jackson
Owen is Farmer John/Fireman
Jackson is a Skeleton
Jackson & I attended Jeff's Squadron's Halloween deal. They had candy at each door for the kids and a Halloween party for the families.
I attempted to put makeup and Jackson but he wouldn't sit still and as you can see, the makeup around his mouth came off from all the treats he had.

Pumpkin Patch

While my Mom and Step dad were visiting we took Jackson to a local pumpkin patch. I have to say that this pumpkin patch was by far the best one I have ever been to. It was cheep for one and they had a ton of activities for kids. The only thing we didn't do was play in the cotton:( We did take Jackson on his first pony ride, he loved it! I didn't think it was going to go over very well, but he kept the helmet on and enjoyed the ride.

We went on a hay ride around the pumpkin patch! Jackson was having a ball playing in the hay. It was in every imaginable place when we got home!
Jackson & I
Picking out his pumpkin

Instead of a sand box, it was a corn box. It was really cool and actually felt just as nice as sand. The best part was Jackson loved it!

More Graceland

One of his many costumes

A case full of Grammy Awards
Down stairs living rooms
Dinning Room
Main living room right when you walk in to the house

Graceland

Elvis Presley's House

I do have to say that this is way past my era, but I do know that I am grateful to experience and get the chance to see a legends home.

This is the front on the house:

I did not know that Elvis and his family were buried on the grounds, the only one who was left in their original burial place was his twin brother:
This is Elvis & Priscilla wedding attire:
This is part of his gym (racquetball room) that has been converted to a shrine! There were so many awards, golden albums, etc.

Racquetball room

The Peabody Hotel, Memphis

The Legend of the Ducks

(Yes, I am copying this information.)

Back in the 1930's Frank Schutt, General Manager of the Peabody, and a friend, Chip Barwick, returned from a weekend hunting trip to Arkansas. The men had a little too much Tennessee sippin' whiskey, and thought it would be funny to place some of their duck decoys (it was legal then for hunters to use live decoys) in the beautiful Peabody fountain.

Three small English call ducks were selected as "guinea pigs," and the reaction was nothing short of enthusiastic. Thus began a Peabody tradition which was to become internationally famous.

The original ducks have long since gone, but after more than 76 years, the marble fountain in the hotel lobby is still graced with ducks. Today, the Mallards are raised by a local farmer and friend of the hotel. The ducks live in the fountain until they are full grown and, on retirement from their Peabody duties, are returned to the wild.

The Peabody ducks march at 11:00 am and 5:00 pm daily

http://www.peabodymemphis.com/

Here are the ducks being escorted from the roof to the lobby through the elevator.

They march down the red carpet

And into the fountain!

It was really cool to listen to the history and hear everyone gathered around laugh with excitement. Definitely something worth seeing. In the information above, it says that the ducks live in the fountain until they are full grown. Well, that is only 3 months and then they get new ones. I didn't know that duck grew that fast! You learn something new everyday!

Miss Mary BOBO'S

Miss Mary BOBO'S was a boarding and was ran until her death in 1983, one month shy of her 102nd birthday. (Yes, I did my research!) Now it stands as a Restaurant, welcoming visitors for home-cooked midday meals. They have a host sit with you through out the meal and she tells you the history of the place as well as making it as old fashion as possible. You have to sit with strangers and pass the food as if at a holiday dinner. "Excuse me, can you please pass the chicken!"

It started out as a travelers hotel in 1867, where Jack Daniels took many noonday meals.
Miss Mary is also the oldest woman ever to appear on the pages of Playboy Magazine and it's also in an add for Jack Daniels.

This is everyone we sat with, Jackson didn't want to have anything to do with it. So again, I missed all the information our host had to say.

Front on the Restaurant

Each room in the house is set as a dinning room that seats 8 or more. Reservation Required!

Jack Daniel's Distillery Continued........

My Mom & Jackson walking around. Giving me a break!

Bottling and packaging room

This is why the Distillery is where it's at. This is a iron free cave with natural spring water. I think they said it move 800 gallons through a day.

Jackson & I before going on the tour

Jack Daniel's Distillery (10/23/08)

While my Mom and Step dad were visiting we visited a couple places in Tennessee. We started out in Lynchburg where the Distillery is located and went on to Memphis to see Graceland and The Peabody Hotel. While at the Distillery we ate at Miss Mary BOBO's. I will do another blog for that!

The day started out pretty good, but as we went on the tour Jackson didn't want to cooperate, so my information on the Distillery isn't that great. However, I did manage to do some research on the pictures I added to the blog.

The Distillery was Licensed in 1866, making it the oldest registered distillery in the United States and a National Historic Site.

Mellowing

Entering to Bottling Factory

Mixing tank (Empty)

Mixing Tank Room

Entering The Tour where the Mixing Tanks are.

Like I said, I really didn't get to follow the tour very much. I was so busy running Jackson's tour that I missed a lot of information. I am including the link in my blog, feel free to look up some of the stuff I may have forgotten. But, I do have few more pictures I am going to add!

http://www.jackdaniels.com/thedistillery/Default.aspx