Category: Family

Posted on

Supporting Our Troops . . .

. . . in our own special way. Due the military history in my family, I felt it necessary to in someway show recognition for the sacrifice our military men and women make for us everyday. There are so many ways- yellow ribbons, magnetic car ribbons, sending messages to our troops through various websites. But none of these really expressed my appreciation quite right. I thought and I thought and I thought. And finally I came up with the perfect way of showing our families appreciation. We gave our Christmas tree a flat top. Now every time we walk through our den and see the beautifully adorned tree with it’s missing point our minds are immediately taken to our soldiers, their families, and of course their iconic hairstyle.

That sounded pretty good didn’t it. I even began to believe it for a minute. Phil and I are secretly hoping that the first part of this post will sweep the nation and that we will have started the greatest holiday trend ever.
Actually, I hosted a Christmas party for my Bible Study here last week. I ran to Lowe’s to get a tree and had to purchase the last tree there (and the last tree that was going to be there- on Dec. the 4th!). The truth of the matter is that this poor tree had, I’m sure, been on the bottom of the pile in the truck getting here and the top was ruthlessly broken out as it bumped along our MS highways. However, it was 24 hours and counting until my party and this lovely member of the fir family had the meager price tag of $18, so it came home with me to celebrate the holidays with us.
I had hoped to have a picture of Wilson with Santa to add to the post, but he couldn’t be less interested. Every time I ask if he wants to go see Santa I get the ultimate 2 year old response- no, no, no, NOOOOOO. He then will add that he would like to go see the car. This would be the Subaru Outback that is being displayed a few yards up from Santa at Northpark. If you get a picture of Wilson with a station wagon in a Christmas card this year, you’ll know that I finally gave in.

Hope everyone is having a very blessed season and that the joy of Christ’s birth is surrounding all of your busy days. Merry Christmas!
Posted on

Okay, Now They’re Just Mocking ME!

Those of you who have been with us since we brought the first of our sweet dogs home four years ago this week will also remember the beautiful bungalow inspired dog house we labored over for them. For those of you who weren’t in our lives yet let’s just say, front porch and working shutters. Tate showed us how much he appreciated it by teething on the columns of the porch before we even got the roof on and the structured moved to it’s permanent place in the yard!

I have now been shown equal thanks for my latest undertaking- the jeep bed. All I can say is thank goodness Pat Pat surprised us with the rug for Wilson’s room, or the poor child would have nowhere to sleep!!

This is where he now sleeps. I’ve already gone in and made the dogs come out and put him back in his bed once tonight (this photo is from nap time today). We found him like this this morning and assumed he’d fallen out, but apparently he just prefers to sleep on the rug. At least Tate’s finally got a place to lay his head!

Posted on

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Following is a video of Wilson helping Phil open his birthday presents. Wilson has definitely gotten the concept of presents. He cried all day whenever he say a gift for Daddy and I wouldn’t let him open it!

(PS- this one’s for you, Pat Pat- I have captured the new “accent” on audio- “what’s thiuuus?”)
(PPS- sorry the video’s a bit squashy. Yours truly can’t quite grasp the idea that you can’t video in “portrait”. I’ve learned how to rotate the video when I make this goof, but it just makes the subject matter look as though it’s gained about 50lbs. Coincidence that I’m never in the videos? I think not!!)

Watch the Video

Posted on

A few more pics of the new room

I thought I’d post of few more pictures of Wilson’s new room. He is so proud of it and wants everyone who comes over to see it. I was hoping to also include pictures of our recently updated kitchen, but lord help us, I just can’t seem to get it straightened up enough for a photo op. I’m hosting a Christmas party the first week of Dec., so maybe that will give me the motivation to get this place cleaned up. And, after all, everything looks better in the glow of Christmas lights. (right?!)


Posted on

Good Night From the Ethridges

I just went in to check on Wilson before going to bed- we are on night two of the “big boy” bed & room. Pictured below is what I found. If only I’d known how many lives I’d touch by creating the Jeep bed. I’ll post more pics of the new room in the morning. Nighty-night!

Posted on

One More For the Road


Okay, one more post before I go to bed. This picture just popped up on my Google Desktop. It is one of our favorites of the dogs (taken on our old digital camera- sorry if it turns out a little “pixelly”). It was taken the day we brought Tate home. Look how proud Jack is! Shortly after this, Tate hopped on Jack’s blanket and Jack was pulling him around the house, it was too cute! It’s hard to believe that that cute, little, innocent, white fluff ball turned into Tate- boy, oh boy, if we’d only know then!!

Posted on

The Greatest Movie

We just finished the best movie. And, no, I’m not talking about Cars (although I have seen it three times today plus all the bonus features and I still think it’s pretty darn cute). Phil and I just finished Little Manhattan. It is the cutest- I highly recommend it. It’s a very happy little story told by a fifth grader in New York. It’s on HBO on Demand right now, if you have that. If you don’t, put it in your queue or rent it. I promise it’ll put a smile on your face!

Posted on

Costume Party

Tonight our friends John & Kendy had a costume party at their house. It was lots of fun and everyone had great costumes. Below are a few pictures of all the cute little goblins and their mammas & daddies (click on them to enlarge!)

Going around the island from left to right: A true Super Woman Ginny (she has a two year old and twins!) Jonathan (also known as Nathan’s dad is dressed as Kevin- not pictured is his wife (due any day now) as Britney), John, Eliza Kate, & Kendy (the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe- the wardrobe had to be removed so John could do some Daddy duty), and Ashley & baby Bradley- arrrrr- what great pirate costumes!

The Twins- Ford, a duck & Virginia, a bunny

The twin’s brother, Ben and their dad, Matt

John & Eliza Kate- you can see the Wardrobe to the left

Phil- dressed as our host John (an orthopedic resident)- helping Wilson pull Nathan in the wagon

What a cute pair of frogs- Nathan and Wilson taking a wagon ride

Ashley & Bradley

Posted on

A WEE Little Frog


Click To Play

Given the constant emmotional roller coaster that we live on in toddler hood, who knows if Wilson will actually put his costume back on ON HALLOWEEN. But last night it was quite chilly and he really wanted to play on the front porch, so I thought, what better use of a fuzzy, stuffed, frog suit. Above is a video of him demonstrating his froggy skills and below are just some cute photos. Enjoy!

From our Costume Playgroup Friday morning

Mamma, I see the moon

And, of course, no frog suit is complete with out cars. I should start a “Where’s Waldo” type game with that yellow bug- he’s in most of our pictures!