Take Me Out to the Ballgame...

so we spent half the day at the ballfields. Dixie Youth Baseball had their opening day today! Banks and the rest of the Texas Tech Red Raiders team started off the day with a parade into the ball park! It was so fun watching teams parade in by leagues throwing candy and cheering! Banks was real nervous he wouldn't be able to walk the entire way but afterwards said "It wasn't that far!" After the parade they had an opening ceremony where they introduced all the teams and coaches and then sang the National Anthem. All the teams in all the leagues were scheduled to play today - ours was the opening game for the TBall league against the Florida Gators. Banks played outfield and got to bat three times. The first time he made a run, the second time he got tagged out at third base and the last time, he was the ninth batter (he didn't make it home before they tagged home plate to signify the end of the inning). They ended up winning 26 - 9. Afterwards Banks and Mary Reese ate nachos and slushes and played in all the bouncies!!! Thanks to all of our family and friends that came out to cheer him on!

First Dental Appointment

Mary Reese had her first dental appointment this afternoon and it was not even scheduled! While Banks was having his regular 6 month cleaning, we were talking to Mary Reese about getting hers done one day soon. She was refusing and very persistent that she was not getting her teeth cleaned today or any day! I was laughing with everyone in the office because she was so brave the last time she was in "the dental chair" getting stitches! Then all of a sudden she found her courage and jumped up into the chair! Thank goodness I had my camera in the car so I could document the big day. Kim used the tickle toothbrush to clean the sugar bugs off her teeth, flossed in between them and then “painted” on some fluoride. Notice who the assistant was…he was trilled about spraying the water and using the suction tool! Also notice that everything is PINK…the suction straw, the sunglass to block the light and the strawberry toothpaste. Popsy did a final check and then counted all her teeth. She also got x-rays of her teeth by riding in the rocket ship. Banks was so into the rocket ship…he got to ride too. After the appointments…they both got a trip to the treasure tower!!!

Thank you John B and Popsy!!!

Last night John B and Popsy re-assembled our swing set from the move. Mary Reese was so excited to have her swings back! Banks could hardly concentrate at TBall practice because he was too worried that they would be done before he got home. The first words out of Mary Reese’s mouth this morning was “Can I go outside and play?” When Banks got up they both wanted to sit in the window and look at it! This swing set will always be very special to us because John B and Popsy spent several long nights building this custom swing set for their Christmas present in 2005. Thank you for putting it back together for us! We can’t wait to make so many more memories playing on it!

The finished project - December 2005

"Sick" Day

I left the house this morning before the kids were even up. Jody and Banks called me on their way to school to tell me that Banks wanted me to stay home “sick” with him today so he could watch them repave the street that runs beside our house. I assured them they would still be working long after his day at school was over. Nice try Banks…but I am not going to waste a “sick” day watching asphalt dry!

Happy Easter

We had a wonderful Easter with lots of wonderful food and family! The Easter Bunny did hop through our house and brought lots of fun things for Spring! Banks got a new bathing suit, High School Musical beach towel, Spiderman sunglasses, new Bob the Builder trucks, sidewalk chalk, bubbles and some candy. Mary Reese also got a bathing suit, Hello Kitty beach towel and sunglasses, a Princess doll set, sidewalk chalk, bubbles and candy. She said that since she had a new bathing suit, towel and sunglasses that she was ready to go stay and swim with Aunt Stacey in Birmingham!

Before they dug into the loot!

Banks immediately dumped his all out and wanted everything open.

Mary Reese took hers out of the basket and neatly put everything right back in (and yes...she is wearing her Christmas PJs)!

We had all the grandparents, LuLu, Aunt Sue and Uncle David over for a traditional Easter lunch! We had ham, pork tenderloin, scalloped potatoes, squash dressing, asparagus, sauteed carrots and a fabulous Spring Salad (greens with blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries) tossed with a Poppy Seed vinaigrette. Then we topped it all off with strawberry shortcake and carrot cake cupcakes for dessert! It was all very yummy! After lunch, Banks and Mary Reese had an egg hunt in the front yard.

And yes...I did start my day off with...

TBall and an Easter Egg Hunt

Wow, what a event packed day the Murphree Family had today!!! We started off the morning with a TBall practice. Today Banks asked if Mary Reese and I would come watch his TBall practice on the real field...so we did! I can already tell that I am going to have to take out a small loan to cover our expenses at the consession stand! Yes...today it was open even though opening day is not until next Saturday! Mary Reese and I braved the grocery store after watching practice. It was not as bad as I thought it might be but Publix was already out of coconut and powdered sugar by noon today! Banks and Jody headed off for their afternoon at the golf course while Mary Reese and I got some of our Easter Lunch meal together.

We all met up at the club for an afternoon Easter Egg Hunt. There were tons of kids there and I think everyone had a ball hunting! Mary Reese's age group was on the back, so I stayed with her while Jody and Banks hunted in the front of the club.

Getting ready for the hunt!

Finding the "Golden" Egg!

Finding the "Golden" Egg a split second before Mary Bradford (about 6 feet high in a Holly tree)

but still sharing all the candy inside because that was "the deal"!

Mary Reese and Gray having a BIG discussion!

One last picture so you can admire an angle of the handy work Mary Reese did with the scissors on Monday! Beauty School her she comes!!!

The Other Mommy

Two summers ago during our annual family vacation to the beach, Banks was calling for his "mommy" while we were all trying to get dressed for dinner. When I asked him what he needed and he said "I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to my other mommy." He was talking to Aunt Stacey aka My Other Mommy!!!

Aunt Stacey was sweet enough to come keep them the last two days since they are all out on Spring Break! I think they had 2 packed-full-of-fun days! Yesterday I met them at The Brick for lunch and they went onto the park, by Popsy's office and to get ice cream! They stayed close to home this morning because of the rain, but did run by the grocery store to grab some ingredients to make Tri-Level Brownies! Yummy! Since Aunt Stacey is a kindergarten teacher, she introduced them to a fun and educational website while she was here! Thank you Aunt Stacey for spending 2 days of your Spring Break with us! We love you and can't wait to spend a week with you at the beach in a few months!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Jody at the office! Hope everyone else is sporting their green today...we wouldn't want you to get pinched!

A Weekend in the Life of Mary Reese

Mary Reese is doing us in at the moment and we are all hoping it is a short lived phase. Let me just do a brief recap of her weekend activities.

On Friday night, she sprayed the tv in our bedroom with Clorox Hard Surface Cleaner so much that it seeped into the speaker holes and temporarily “shorted out” the control buttons. The tv could not be turned off; the channels could not be changed to the proper channel so the satellite feed would come through so all you got was snow; and the volume would shoot all the way up and when you tried to turn it down…it went right back up to the loudest setting. We tried to dry it out with the hairdryer and that helped a little bit, at least we could get it back on channel 73 to watch tv but the volume was still blaring! It finally dried out enough so we could get it to turn off. We let it sit a few hours and thankfully everything started working properly. She sat in “time out” for over an hour that night. I know it is suppose to be 1 minute for their age…but I decided her behavior warranted more that just 3 minutes!!! She also got her princess tv and dvd player taken out of her room for the night which totally devastated her.

Friday night she was suppose to be in her bed going to sleep, instead she taking revenge! She pulled a chair over to the china cabinet in her room and took out all my Little Women Madame Alexander dolls, completely undressed them, decapitated them, made them amputees and then shoved all the pieces under her bed. It took me an hour to figure out which dress, pantaloons, socks and shoes went to which doll! My only saving grace was they still have the tags with a picture of all the dolls on the front. She now has a rubber band securing the doors on the cabinet…we will see if that deters her.

Sunday, Debbie and I took her to Target while Banks and Jody took Camp on a swim. Debbie bought her some new pink glittery Hello Kitty sandals similar to her friend Gray’s. She was so proud of her new shoes that she wore them out the store and then onto the grocery store. Since the weather was gorgeous, I also bought some Crayola Side Walk Paint and Chalk at Target for an afternoon activity (I highly recommend). It kept them entertained for a good hour or so while I got the garage swept out. Mary Reese got mud on her new shoes, so she went to wash them off in the kitchen sink. I know, I should have gone with her and supervised, but didn’t. When I walked into the kitchen there was a small flood on the kitchen floor. I got that all mopped up with towels and headed down to the basement to put them in the washing machine where I realized that some of the water had seeped through the hardwood floors in the kitchen to the basement. Lovely, yet another mess to clean up.

Jody is home with them this morning and has called to inform me that Mary Reese has cut her hair! She is now sporting BANGS just in time for Easter! He has left me the pile of hair to witness and is trying to get her in with the hairdresser who doesn’t work until Wednesday! Here is the picture I received from his camera phone:

Whoever swapped our sweet little girl for this one…please return ours QUICKLY!!!

Easter Eggs

Banks and Jody spent the afternoon on the golf course while Mary Reese and I got pedicures. Can you guess what her polish color was named? Princesses Rule...a bright sparkly pink that's tiara worthy!!! On our way home from getting our toes ready for Spring, we stopped by Lucky's and stocked up on eggs for our annual Easter Egg dying session. Banks was so excited to see the colander full of freshly boiled eggs when he got home!

Like always, they really got into the project. This year I bought a "traditional" kit and a tie-dye kit. Banks was really into the tie-dying and had his tongue out in pure Banks fashion the entire time. Mary Reese put all of her eggs in the pink dye, of course! Hopefully they will last a week until the Easter Bunny can hop through and hide them on his way out the door!

The finished product!

T-Ball Jerseys and Photo Shoots

Banks had another T-Ball practice tonight. He was so excited to come home and show me his new Texas Tech Red Raiders jersey. Apparently Coach Brad told them they could not wear their jerseys until opening day when they get their pictures made, then they can "run around and act like pigs!" I guess he wants them to look nice and clean for their pictures and you know the reporter in the family doesn't forget a thing and is going to repeat everything he hears! He did let me slip it on for a few seconds for a quick picture. Opening day is March 29th!

While Banks and Jody were at T-Ball practice, Mary Reese and I were at an "Easter Parade" Photo Shoot for my friend Stephanie's store (Eloise and Henry). All the kids were really good and Stephanie was so sweet to have them cupcakes for a treat afterwards!

Jack, Vivi, Gray and Mary Reese

Banks also got his 3rd report card today. He has turned most of his P's (Progressing toward completion of skill) to S's (Meets or exceeds expectations). The biggest thing he needs to work with not writing the "s" in his name backwards! Ms. Davis and Ms. Byrd's comment this time was "Banks is doing very good in class!" Tomorrow the entire school is taking a field trip to watch Horton Hears A Who at the movie theater! I can't wait to hear all about it!

Winter Wonderland

We did get some snow last night like the weather man predicted! It wasn't anywhere near the 2 -3" inches predicted but it did look pretty! The kids got all bundled up to play in the snow that lasted about 10 minutes before they were ready to go inside for pancakes, bacon and hot chocolate! Mary Reese started out with flip flops on but quickly changed to her fur lined FUGGS! Maybe on year we will actually get a good snow! The good news...it is suppose to be back up into the 60s by Tuesday!

Extreme Makeover - Debbie Edition

Uncle Topher cooked a delicious and delightful meal of Savannah Jambalaya, cornbread and homemade Rocky Road Ice Cream. While the dinner was cooking, Debbie and Mary Reese disappeared and were very quiet. Jody found them shut up in Debbie's bathroom with Mary Reese giving her a makeover! The results were quite extreme!!!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Jody/Daddy/Big Stack/Jody Cell! We hope you have a wonderful day! We love you!

First T-Ball Practice

Banks had his first T-Ball practice today at 5:00! He is on the Texas Tech Red Raiders (for some reason they are all college teams now instead of major leagues). I met Jody at the practice field to pick up Mary Reese and to watch Banks for a few minutes. I watched him throw a ball and his tongue was sticking out in pure Banks fashion! In the picture above, he is the one with his hands on his hips. Wonder who he gets that from?

“The River”

Another low key weekend at the Murphree house!!! Jody played golf on Saturday morning and then Banks joined him in the afternoon for a little round. Mary Reese, Debbie and I hit Costco and Old Navy. Mary Reese bought herself a total of 4 new pairs of flip flops this weekend! If you have been reading the blog for any length of time…you know flip flops is her shoe of choice so she was thrilled! She was very into picking them out and trying them on. Sunday afternoon was BEAUTIFUL so we decided to take Camp on a swim. We were headed to the boat ramp at Hickory Hills but then decided “The River” would be more private. If you are from Decatur and attended high school in the early nineties, you know about “The River.” It is a spot on the wildlife refuge we use to hang out until the police found us and would run us off. Camp had the best time fetching his “duck” and the kids loved watching him romp in the water! We spent the rest of the afternoon outside enjoying the wonderful weather!