A Few of My Favorite Things

WATER PLAY

Mary-Evelyn loves to stand in a chair and play in the water at the kitchen sink. It is such a great pastime. All I have to do is pull up a chair, put a few things in the sink for her to play with, turn on the water, and she is pacified for the longest.

SIDEWALK CHALK

All one-year-olds love to have something to scribble with. I have found that the best thing to do is take Mary-Evelyn outside with chalk and let her go to town with the scribbling! She loves it and we don't have to worry about what she's writing on.

BUBBLES

She has loved bubbles for a while but has just gotten to the point to where she wants to do it herself. She has so much fun until she gets it all over her and gets sticky. Then, she freaks out and we have to go take a bath!

CORN ON THE COB

Mary-Evelyn has always eaten vegetables really well. MiMi steams her fresh veggies everyday for lunch and we have them with supper, too. One of her favorites is corn on the cob. Not only does she love the taste, but it's fun to eat, too - especially with the little handles that MiMi puts on the ends!

August - The Birthday Month

Yes, that is my child!! Look at that face!! I was terrified, but she loved it and kept asking for more!!!
August is a month full of birthdays for the Wood/Maynard family! Those with birthdays include Evan and Emma (our niece and nephew), Caroline (our niece), Thomas (my cousin's little boy), Anna Claire (my cousin), Mary Beth (my cousin), Stephanie (my sis-in-law), and T (my uncle and boss). We've been busy celebrating, and, as you will see, enjoyed every minute of it!

THE FOLLOWING 10 PICTURES ARE FROM EVAN AND EMMA'S 6TH BIRTHDAY PARTY! RYAN AND STEPH RENTED THIS HUGE WATER-SLIDE FROM 10AM-7:30PM AND SET IT UP IN THEIR BACK YARD. WE WERE THERE LITERALLY ALL DAY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LEAVING FOR A WEDDING. I CANNOT EXPRESS HOW MUCH FUN WE HAD! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND RENTING ONE OF THESE AT LEAST ONCE IN YOUR LIFE!

Your's truly!

Mary-Evelyn absolutey loved it! She was begging to get back in the water in this picture. Check out those buns! (she has her mama's legs and behind!)

Jon with Evan and Josephine. Jon stayed on the slide practically all day. All the kids would pile on top of him for him to take them down the slide.

Mary-Evie was soooo tired at the end of this day!

Courtney Gregory (and baby Clay) and me

Here's the birthday girl and boy!

Liza Kate, Emma, Evan, and Mia Katherine

THE NEXT 5 PICTURES WERE AT CAROLINE'S BIRTHDAY PARTY. SHE WANTED IT TO BE A HANNAH MONTANA PARTY SO BADLY, BUT SOMEHOW MY SISTER PERSUADED HER TO HAVE A STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE THEME!

Family picture

We color-coordinated that day. Jon doesn't know it, but I did that on purpose!

Caroline with her best friends, Kaylee and Elia

Sweet Georgia Caroline is 5 this year!! I can't believe it!

Caroline and her sweet friends.

THE NEXT 3 PICTURES WERE AT MARY BETH'S 20TH BIRTHDAY PARTY. THE PARTY GIRL HID FROM THE CAMERA ALL NIGHT!

My uncle Tommy (aka, Mi) and Jon gave Thomas and Mary-Evelyn a ride in the golf cart.

Mary-Evie and Thomas playing

Anna Claire and Thomas with Mary-Evie and me

THE NEXT 3 PICTURES ARE FROM SWEET THOMAS'S PARTY. HE WAS A YEAR OLD ON THE 14TH. HE AND MARY-EVELYN ARE 6 MONTHS TO THE DAY APART, SO THEY'LL BE CLOSE!

Mary-Evelyn held on to that ball the entire night!

Here's the birthday boy, Thomas!

Emma Carroll and Mary-Evelyn - sweet girls (little Nick and Jon)!

Sunday afternoon play-time!

Every Sunday after church, we go to my grandparents' house to eat lunch with my family. My grandmother cooks a huge spread, and we have a feast! We have done this all my life, and it's just so great to live back home again to pick the tradition back up now along with my little family! We eat and then play outside as long as Mary-Evelyn will last. Sunday school and church wear her out, but we try to hold her off from sleep so she can play with her cousins, Caroline and Parker. We either play ball, ride bikes, swing, go see the ducks in the lake across the street, or just sit outside and enjoy the time together. My grandparents are wonderful! They keep Mary-Evelyn 2 days a week (my mom keeps her the other 2 days that I work), and they call her their baby! They are absolutely head over heels for this child!

Mary-Evelyn and Caroline

Grandad, MiMi, and their babies



MiMi and Parker

In deep thought

Let's pile on Grandad!!

10-Year Reunion, Class of 1999

This past weekend, we went to my 10-year high school reunion! I really can't believe that it has been 10 years - it certainly doesn't feel like it. They say that time goes even faster the older you get! That makes me sad, because I don't want my baby to grow up!! Anyway, we had a lot of fun at the reunion and it was so good to see some folks that I haven't seen in a long while. It was like we all picked up right where we left off. Most people had not changed much - looked the same and acted the same - maybe a little more mature! Mary-Evelyn was ill at the picnic because it was during her naptime, so I spent most of my time battling with her. When we got home from that, she slept for like 3 1/2 hours, bless her heart! That night, Jon's sister and her family were gracious enough to take on another child so that we could go. My family was gone to the beach and Jon's parents are headed to Alaska (yes, driving in their motor home). We were out pretty late and I felt so bad, but Aunt Steph said that she went to sleep around 9:15. I was so thankful that ME didn't interfere with her kids getting their sleep. We danced the night away and had so much fun being with all my high-school buddies! Golly, it brought back so many memories! Those truly were the days! Hope you enjoy the pics!

Songs

I just had to share this with you all. I have always felt closest to God when I sing or hear music. Two of my favorite songs right now are "What do I Know of Holy" by Addison Road and "How You Live" by Point of Grace. Both of these songs really make you think, in different ways. Find them somewhere on the internet and listen. I think you will be blessed.

Girls' Night Out

Last week, we had a girls night out that was long overdue!! We went to celebrate Jenny Ruth's birthday at Harveys! For those of you that don't know, she is one of my best friends and also one of my college roommates! Thinking back to our days at MSU makes me miss my roomies (you too, Kelly and Michelle)! We had such a good time while we were at State! I had so much fun getting to visit with Jenny Ruth and see some girls I haven't seen in a while! Happy b'day, JR!!

Water-Baby

On the afternoon of the 4th of July, we swam over at Aunt Lisa and Uncle Steve's house. We are amazed at how comfortable Mary-Evelyn is in the water! Jon would throw her in the air and then let her come down under the water, and she would come up with a smile on her face like it didn't even phase her! She also swam back and forth from me to him with her face in the water.I just love these pictures because they show the little baby fat that she still has. I absolutely love it! I'll be so sad when that leaves! She just drinks SO much milk and that's why it's hanging around. Some new things that she is doing these days...you can point to something round and say, "what shape is this." She responds with "circle." She does the same with star. She loves looking at the moon at night and going to get the mail when we get home everyday. All I have to say is, "you wanna go get the mail," and she heads that way. She's got a whole lot of rhythm. Any time she hears and beat (a song or just a rhythm), she dances...every time! It's so cute! My mom told me on Friday..."I've never seen a baby that's so much like a doll." I asked her what she meant, and she said she's just like a doll - the way she looks, the way she acts. If you ask her to do something, she does it. She obeys very well at this point, and we pray that this continues! It made me feel good that my mom said that since she keeps her the 4 days that I work. Anyway, I rambled, but I hope you enjoy these pictures of our water-baby!!