Baseball

I might be getting things a little out of order here, but oh well...I'm so behind on blog posts right now. After I get everything documented, I'll go back and correct the dates!

We've enjoyed going out to baseball games each spring that we've lived in Starkville. This season it seems we've missed more games than we've been able to attend, but we've had fun when we've been able to go. During some of the mid-week games, we've joined our friends the Adkersons and the Prathers and their daughters, Emily and Addie.

Addie & Jack

Addie, Jack & Em

During the 5th inning, they always play the "Chicken Dance" and allow children from the crowd to climb onto the top of the dugout and "perform." A friend of ours captured a clip of this...

http://picasaweb.google.com/msulsu/JackRaymondFountain?authkey=Gv1sRgCLSm3LDPsMPVvAE#5334307909521387874
(Jack is the one in the red shirt with his back to the camera. He turns around about halfway through the song.)

Easter morning

At first Jack was more interested in reading his new books than hunting eggs.

JACK TURNS THREE!!

On April 3rd, Jack's birthday, we took treats to school for a little party. I made a cookie cake and cut it in the shape of a baseball bat and made sugar cookies to look like baseballs to go with it. (Naturally, my camera battery died after I took just one picture at school, so I didn't get pictures of Jack blowing out his candles or eating with his friends.)

My "masterpiece"

When we were in NYC a few weeks earlier, one of the sales associates at the Disney Store gave Jack an "It's my birthday!" button. He was excited to be able to wear on April 3rd!

Constructing the Gift

Jack's grandparents bought him a playset for his birthday. Gramps, Grumps, and Brent started putting it together at around 9 a.m. on Friday in the hopes that it would be completed in time for the birthday party at 3:00 on Saturday. The weather cooperated, and they did it! It took a full day of work on Friday and most of Saturday morning with all three of them working hard the whole time. But, they made it look smooth and easy! (I'm not sure the pictures really do the project justice!!)

Sorting the lumber, then the hardware was an important step that had to be completed before construction could actually begin.

Jack did some sorting of his own tools. Doesn't everyone keep their tools in their cowboy boots?

Jack also tested the construction at various points along the way.

Attaching the last piece...the slide!

The post-construction nap; we had to wake them both from this great sleep for the birthday party!

The Party

We had a birthday party at our house for Jack on the Saturday of Easter weekend when his grandparents could be there. The theme was Imagination Movers. (Not many of the guests were familiar with "the Movers," but Jack is a big fan of the music group and TV show out of New Orleans.) We made Movers t-shirts and placemats for souvenirs. After having a delicious tasting and adorably decorated cake at Riley Walton's birthday party, I had Laura's "cake girl" do Jack's cake. (The girl is a high school student who is in Jeff Walton's youth group.) I sent her a picture of a drum with the Imagination Movers' logo on it. She made a precious cake that was HUGE. The pictures just don't do it justice; this cake was large enough to feed 100 people, easily! (But, it sure did taste good!)

It was a beautiful day to play outside on the new playset and in the jumper!

I guess he didn't know what to do after blowing out the candle...I'm not sure what happened to his typical reaction of cheering for himself.

My Dad, Grumps, thought it would be fun to get a picture of each of the kids eating cake.

Emily Adkerson

Riley Walton

Max Phillips...I think he passed on the cake.

Kayleigh Edelblute

Caleb Edelblute

After Jack opened his presents, we attempted to get a group picture of the kids...

We also hoped to get a pictures with the adults...someone had the bright idea to "stack" the kiddos on the slide for the group picture...here's a glimpse of how that went...

After opening his presents, Jack just wanted to sit and read his new Disney book. Everyone else headed back outside, but Jack was more interested in reading....

Emily did not understand this; here she is trying to tell us to "Tell Jack to come outside and play!"

We did our best to get rid of the cake. We served large pieces and sent everyone home with some.

Dying and Hunting Eggs

On Monday, April 6, Emily and Avi Grace came over to dye Easter eggs.

Waiting for the color to take was a true test of patience. Jack and Emily kept a close eye on them!

The Greek Organizations host an egg hunt at the university president's house every year. This year it was on Tuesday, April 7.

For several days leading up to the Easter Egg Hunt, Jack told us that he wanted to take a picture with the Easter Bunny. He kept up the tough talk while we waited in line for our turn to take a picture. As soon as it was his turn, he promptly changed his mind. I grabbed his friend, Madeline, and asked if she would get in the picture with him, thinking that might make him more brave...it didn't help. Here he is clinging tightly to Brent and screaming while Madeline jumps right into the bunny's arms.

Several of Jack's friends from school were there. This is Jack and his friend, Madeline Montgomery.

Jack is off to hunt eggs

Addie, Emily & Jack