Odds and ends

I've been a bad blogger and have failed to post some pictures from the last couple of months.  I also haven't taken any pictures in the last month, but that's another story.

Jackson was the ring bearer in Clint's cousin Andy's wedding.  At the rehearsal, Jackson was perfect.  He even held the flower girl's hand and talked to her while they walked down the aisle.  By the third run-thru, he'd had enough.  At the wedding, he wasn't so perfect, but he did come down the aisle and he gave some comic relief.  I also managed to get the pillow flung in my direction when he reached my pew.  A true Cook!  Like his daddy, he performs the first time he's ask, but once is enough.  Some of the pictures are blurry because I was laughing and couldn't hold the camera straight.  Also, I borrowed some of them from Alison's Facebook page.

Clint and his dad took Jackson to Farm/Ag Day a while back.  It's at the Snead Ag Supply and they have a bunch of tractors to climb in.  Jackson was in heaven!  I sent my camera with Clint so he could take pictures. 

Okay, I think that's all the pictures that I had not posted.  Except these from earlier this year of Ms. Addison.  Makenzi, Anna and I were trying to get a picture of the great-grandkids with Daddy Jack.  It was near impossible.  I don't know if any of us ever got a picture with all of them looking in one direction!

I just saw these pictures too!  Whew, I'm totally behind.  Clint built me a sidewalk and I am thrilled!  No more walking through the grass to my car.  I was ruining my shoes.  Jackson loved playing in the new gravel and "helping" until he retreated to the garden to dig.

Now I'm done.  Hopefully, it won't take me a month to post again!

Chattanooga

***LOTS OF PICTURES***

This past weekend we took Jackson to Chattanooga to "meet" and ride Thomas and visit the Chattanooga Zoo and Tennessee Aquarium.  We were worried that the weather wasn't going to cooperate and that we'd end up drenched before it was all over.  Thankfully, it barely even sprinkled on us the whole weekend.  Not so good for those in Nashville.  I can't believe how close we were yet it never rained and they got hit hard.  Please remember this city in your prayers.  My friend Tara lives there and has posted on Facebook some of the devastation and how we can help, mainly by donating to Red Cross.

When we got there Friday evening, we ate at Sticky Fingers, a BBQ joint.  It was good, but my husband is the best grill wizard I know.  Nobody can beat his ribs.  After dinner, we ventured down to the river to get ice cream at Coldstone and walk around.  Jackson had his water seeking senses on and he ended up soaking wet.

Saturday morning we had to be up bright and early to get to Thomas.  I had not thought about my phone converting to eastern time and set it to get up at 5 CST.  Ha!  I was up by 5 all right...eastern time.  UGH!  We didn't have to be there until 8 so we definitely weren't late.  I don't think Jackson slept well with me up moving around and he was grouchy.  He didn't seem all that excited to see Thomas or ride the train.  We ended up not staying that long after our ride, just long enough to pet some very stinky animals and see Sir Topham Hatt.

After Thomas, we decided to head on to the zoo for fear that the rain was about to set in.  Jackson dozed on the way there (9:30 CST), so I know he was sleepy.  He enjoyed the zoo, but we will have to take him to a bigger one.  He kept asking about tigers, lions, bears and giraffes.  None of which were there.  We did see jaguars, which he thought were tigers.  My camera battery died at the cougar exhibit so I all I have from the rest of our trip are on my phone. 

Do you see that jaguar in the corner staring out of the fence?  He was watching the t-ball game that was going on right on the other side!!!  Creepy thought.

Last camera picture

We came back to downtown for lunch at Mellow Mushroom and then went back to the hotel for a nap.  Ha!  Jackson never went down.  So, we decided to head on over to the aquarium.  Jackson loved the aquarium.  He was geared up to see sharks, so any long, skinny looking thing that moved was considered fair game.  Luckily, he was completely entertained until he actually got to see sharks.  I didn't think we'd ever get away from that tank and he cried when we left for good.  I have one picture from the aquarium and one from dinner.  With no nap, Jackson was pooped out.

That's it!  We came home Sunday exhausted and ready to sleep in our own beds, but we had a blast.  It was good to get away just the three of us and have time to ourselves.