Shelby Park, Memphis, TN

We finished off our visit to Memphis at one of the largest national parks- Shelby Park.  The boys are still asking to go back to this park.  I wish it was a little closer to Madison.
It was constructed last year.  The play areas are surrounded by wire mesh tunnels which has trees and shrubs growing on them.  After a few years, once it has all grown in, each play area will look like a nest.  Pretty cool & I hope were around to see it!

Venturing Out

We decided to make a trip to Memphis, TN.  It is about 2 1/2-3 hours away.  We decided to do this since DJ wanted to visit the place where MLK Jr. was before he was assassinated.  Once we got there, our first stop was the Lorraine Hotel/Civil Rights Museum.  It was a really good representation of past inequalities & injustices.  I think it was even a little too much for DJ to comprehend, but there was still quite a bit that he did get & recall from what he had learned. 

The infamous bus where Rosa Parks wouldn't get up.  

Rosa Parks

On a lighter note, the zoo was our next stop.  The boys had a wonderful time & it was a beautiful day.

Dad wanted a picture of the boys in front of the elephant- go figure

Love these guys- evidently they come as a pair

Last time for DJ on Dad's shoulders- getting way too heavy

What a great day & we finished it off with dinner at the Germantown Commissary- Great BBQ & time with an old friend- Margo Sandler MacPhee & her family

Christmas 2011

Cooper, Jack, Emma, DJ & Maggie in front of fireplace, Mobile AL

Madison, Mississippi

We are finally getting settled into a new home, school & area. Keep in mind, it was only 15 mos. ago that we did this once before. I do have to say, I love this area. It is definitely more reminiscent of Harrisburg. We live in a subdivision- Belle Terre, which is only 5 minutes off of highway 55. I canget to some of my favorite shopping spots in 10-15 minutes. I even read in the paper Jackson is going to be getting a Whole Foods grocery store in 2013. I have never lived near a Whole Foods. Now, my only request is a Costco’s.
I do believe the cost of living is higher, but I have decided it is worth it for the wonderful school & the beautiful surroundings. There is something to be said about a planned community.
The boys seem to have adjusted. Even though DJ has said he never wants to move again, I think he is just feeling overwhelmed like the rest of us. He has said that this school seems a little tougher academically & that the kids are a little more competitive. He said that most of his classmates get A’s & B’s. I think he is up for the challenge. He did his testing last week, somewhat like IQ, and we will get the results in a few months. It will deteremine if he is going to get into any of the gifted classes. I am hopeful for him. I know he does so much better when he is kept challenged.
He was given an assignment where he had to choose a famous american & write five important facts that he will have to recite to his class. He will also have to dress in character. He has chosen Martin Luther King Jr. I was able to find him a shirt & tie. He will also carry a bible in with him. He looks so grown in his shirt & tie. His dad took his picture. I think he is ready!

DJ & Jack's 1st Soccer Game

Since the boys’ games got rained out last Saturday, due to Hurricane Lee, our first soccer games were today. The boys played great. Jack’s team & DJ’s teams both won even though we are not allowed to officially keep score. Secretly, we all keep score, especially the players! This was my first year of coaching & I have the privilege of working with both 1st and 2nd graders. I have to say DJ has really come along way with his soccer abilities since he first started about 3 years ago. My kid was a superstar today. He scored 7 goals & did he ever work the field! We still have our work cut out for us.
We have been blessed with a beautiful weather this week, however, we have much warmer weather coming our way next week. Our pool temperature is 82. That is still a little cool for our newly aquired thin Alabama blood, but with our pool solar cover coming & the higher temperatures coming, we will hopefully push it up around 88! No worries, we are still making good use of our new waterhole. Landscaping kicks off this week & then I can put together the pool pictures from start to finish.

School has Begun

I can’t believe the boys almost have their first week of school completed. Jack started Kindergarten with Mrs. Deese and was lucky enough to know one of his classmates. He and Emily went from preschool to kindergarten together. He is doing great with the transition. I am so proud of him.
DJ started 2nd grade and he got Ms. Moberg. He didn’t seem really excited at first, but once she started giving them math quizzes, he was very excited. He came home asking me to time him while he worked on 100 addition problems. He completed 72 in 5 minutes.
Most importantly, my life got a whole lot easier. Both boys go to Hutchens Elementary and it is less than a mile from our house. It has certainly quieted down since this summer. I have gone from pulling two boys off of one another to monitoring the school cafeteria during lunch and starting my classroom mom duties. I will also be coaching DJ’s soccer team. Our first practice is tomorrow. I am very excited for this school year!!

Family Movie Night

We decided to have our first movie night… Pizza, popcorn, the big screen. We even had our movie picked out earlier in the week. A friend recommended Secretariat. The pizza happened, but since it didn’t come out until later than expected, we ended up just watching it downstairs. The movie was a hit for both kids & adults. My soon-to-be 7 year old now knows that you need to win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Beltmont in order to win the Triple Crown. He also learned that the last time it was done was before Uncle Mike was born- June 1973. His comment was- “that sure was a long time ago!”
After the pool today, they wanted to watch it again. They spent the next hour taking turns being Secretariat & racing around the house winning. It was fun until Maggie joined in & started chasing too!