A night out!!!

Very seldom do we (all parents) get a night out kidless :) This past Saturday night was mine a Casey's first "date night" since our anniversary last year.... I know we should get out more by ourselves but for some odd reason, we just love our kids going everywhere we go!! We talk about "dates" all the time but thats as far as it goes. We went to Heads or Tails this past Saturday night to celebrate one of my best friends 30th birthday. It was a surprise party and let me just tell you she was definitely surprised to see 15 of her closest family and friends all at the same place just for her!!

We love you Lauren!!

Nothing beats a Sugarbaker's cake!!!

It was a great nite with friends and hopefully we can do it again SOON!!!

Have a great holiday week and I will be back with LOTS of family pictures from our 3 different Thanksgivings!!! We are truly blessed!!

The Perfect Tree!!

For the first time in my life, we will be getting a REAL Christmas Tree!!! I am excited and nervous all at the same time.... I mean what if I kill it the week after I put it up.... What will I do then??? I have received great advise on how to keep it alive sooooo we will soon see!!

We went down past Moselle to Smith Tree Farm this past Sunday and "tagged" our perfect tree. Believe me, we rode around forever and looked at alot of trees but we finally found the one!!

 So many to choose from!!!

 All 4 of us were excited about our new adventure... but i have to say, I seemed to be the MOST excited!!!

I LOVE Christmas time!! We are decorating the inside of our house this weekend so that when we pick our tree up Thanksgiving Day, all we will have to do it decorate the tree!!!

Today was East Jones "Thanksgiving Lunch". Me and Casey are very thankful that we both have jobs that allow us to take a long lunch and enjoy this time with Anna... The dressing was actual VERY good!!!

Have a blessed weekend!!!!



Wrapping up October....

Here are a few photos of our family outings and festivities during the end of October. It is officially "holiday season" so LOTS of activities, family functions and pictures will be coming over the next few months!!!

Our Family Pumpkins.... (left) Anna & Casey's, (right) Mine and Cayson's

 Making Strides Breast Cancer Walk in Hattiesburg

These have become some of my BEST friends over the past few years!!!

Fall Festival at Journey Church (this is my trunk or treat)

 The winners of best decorated booth!!!

 After our fall festival at Journey, we traveled down the road to Bethlehem's festival (which is where both the kids go to daycare). Needless to say we were all pooped when we got home!!!

 The MooChoo.... Best invention!!!

 Anna's NeNe (Denisea Marengo) had a very rare surgery last week to remove a malignant tumor from her tongue. The word "cancer" and "nene" in the same sentence has terrified Anna. She had the surgery last Thursday and is doing very well!! We went to see her before she had to leave for Jackson and to get the kids Halloween treats!!

 Even though this is Anna's aunt on her mom's side, NeNe still treats Cayson just like one of her own which means alot to me.... and he loves it!!! When Anna gets a happy from NeNe, Cayson gets one too!!!

Trick or Treating

(not sure what is up with Anna's eyes :) )

 What a cute Dragon (Zachary Parnell)

 My little Green Lantern

 He's done!!

 My sweet grandad!!

My litte witch was somewhat prissy that night!!

Her Nana had her pose when we got to her house... but this wasn't the first one of the night!!

Have a great week!!! Be back soon!!!



Crazy HAIR Day!!!

Today was "crazy hair day" at EJE for their Red Ribbon Week. Its so much fun getting to do silly things with Anna that make her day!! She thought I was pretty awesome when she looked in the mirror this morning. She said "Mel Mel, do I really get to go to school like this?". LOL!! She knows how I am about her hair being fixed every morning so it was actually a break for me to not have to flat iron her hair today!!

I love being a mommy and being able to enjoy crazy days like this!!!

Happy Hump Day!!!

PINK!!

This past Saturday was my little girl's 9th birthday and we celebrated it with a few family and friends at Pizza Hut on Thursday night. Disney World was their big birthday present for the year but it was a fun gathering for pizza, cake, and presents.

My Birthday Girl!!!

Daddy's little girl

  Anna and Brooke Robinson

 Presents and Presents!!!

 We (Anna and Casey) are huge Harry Potter fans so Anna wouldn't have it any other way than this!!!

Being a volunteer for the American Cancer Society has become a very big hobby of mine. I am the Co-Chair for the Jones County Relay for Life and have dedicated alot of my time to that one event. Over the past 3 years, I have taken on another part of the ACS which is alot of fun. October is Breast Cancer awareness month and it has given me great joy being a part of some great fundraisers and activities with our great staff partner (and friend) Paige McCardle!!!

This past Friday, NEJ (my favorite Jones Co. school) had their "Pink Night" at their football game. The football players wore pink wrist bands, the coaches wore pink pins, and we released 10 pink lanters at halftime. For the first time since I graduated high school, I attented the peprally Friday morning. Let me just say, it was GREAT being back in the Jungle!!!!

 Daddy Rah Rah still puts on a Great show!!!

 Paige, me, Heather, and Amy at "Pink Night".

 Just some of Daddy Rah Rah's work of art!!!



Thank you so much to Coach Braddock, Mrs. Cindy Rice, and the NEJ Annual Staff for all their help!! It was a great night!!!

If you are wanting to be involved with Relay for Life, please let me know. I can definitely get you plugged in somewhere so you can help in finding a cure for this terrible disease!!!

mpickering33@gmail.com

Friends and Birthdays!!!

Getting together with friends from high school is usually very hard to accomadate when everyone's lives are going 100 mph. This past Tuesday me and 2 of my best friends from as far back as elementary school, Brandi and Krissy, got together for about an hour or so to let the kids play. We went to Krissy's in-laws farm so the kids could run wild!!!

Tripp (Brandi's), Cayson, Brandon (Krissy's)

 Anna is use to being with a bunch of boys since she is the only girl grandchild in mine and Casey's family!!

My sweet baby girl will be turning "9" on Saturday the 22nd so we let her have a few girlfriends over this past Friday night for her birthday slumber party. I use to love slumber parties when I was little so being able to do the same thing for my little girl makes me just as happy as it does her. They had a blast and so did I!!!

Some of the pictures that are pretty terrible where taken by one of the girls.... They stole my camera when their "fashion show" began!!! I love it!!!

Our magnolia tree that is the perfect "climbing tree"

 Anna and Raine

 Paige

 Lindsie (LuLu) and Raine

FASHION SHOW!!!!

Cake and Presents Time!!!

I tried to calm them down about 10 but when I woke up at 12:55 from a noise, it was 3 of the 4 giggly girls still up watching tv and playing board games. Poor Paige passed out, but the other 3 weren't giving up just yet. I have no clue what time they finally passed out but I had to wake them up at 9 the next morning!!!

I love being able to enjoy stuff like this with my kids. I had a cool mom that all my friends loved so I hope my kids will say the same thing about me!!! It makes life a whole lot more enjoyable when you can act like kids again!!!!

Have a great Monday!!!