New York, New York 2011

Let's Take on the Big Apple Shall We!!! WE want to Be a part of IT and we certainly did...NEW YORK, NEW YORK 2011!!
For Anne Craig's birthday, Moms (aka: grandmother- Elizabeth Melton) took me, Anne Craig and Blewett to New York for a little girly getway! We stayed with our cousin, Barbara Butler, who lives in the Hamptons most of the time but also has an apartment in the city. Can you say SWEEEEET! She was such a gracious host who also came into the city to show us the ropes and be our tour guide of sorts. It was wonderful to have her with us to show us how to HAIL down the cabs and zip around on the subways....New York style.
New York City- Here we come!
on the plane ready, set....

and we're off in a NYC cab

In Grand Central Station with Moms, Blewett and Barbara

Times Square

in the biggest Toys R Us store riding the indoor ferris wheel

Lady Liberty at Radio City Music Hall - Fabulousness!!

On top of Rockefellar Center with Empire State Bldg in background

Central Park


at the Stardust Cafe where we met up with our NY/Connecticut cousins, Sarah and Patricia Wilson, who drove in for the day

Sooo much fun!

We HAD to go to The Plaza to soak it all in!!

on the subway ready for Day 2

Museum of Natural History


Love Love Love New York City!!

on the Carousel in Central Park

we became very comfortable riding the subway

It was so great to also be able to catch up for a quick visit with childhood friend, Jay Nix, who at the time was living in NYC for a work project.

dinner and dessert at Serendipity to top off Day 2 in NYC

Natalie, Matt and Anne- the Today Show cast- Day 3 in NCY

John Rich, of Big and Rich, had just won celebrity apprentice the night before we visited the Today Show

on NBC studio tour with our cute tour guides

AHHHHH...American Girl Store at last!!!

gotta get their hair done for sure

hundreds of dollars later....geesh

Could have stayed all day in the coolest Apple Store ever!

New Amsterdam Theater getting ready to see Mary Poppins


It was AMAZING!! and yes...she flew right over us!

on subway home again

on ferry headed out to Ellis Isle

great view of Manhattan and Business District

There she is!!!

on the tour...


Washington Square-where Moms and Grandaddy lived while Grandaddy was at NYU tax school.

What a great trip!

Spring and Summer Shananigans 2011 Part 1

Nothing says you are behind "blogstyle" like finally blogging about summer (and well...maybe late Spring too) during the first fullblown week of school in mid August. Lordy, my kids started 5th and 3rd grade this year. How is that even possible?? Didn't I just birth to them?? Wasn't I just on maternity leave?? Seriously, back to topic please...fooooocus.....(I've developed a mild to moderate to severe case of ADD in my late 30ll's in case you are wondering)

At the end of school came the Dance Recital. This year was pretty special because Anne Craig's class actually performed a mother/daughter number. Yessss, I was in the dance recital. It was a lot of fun and something neat for the ole memories since I have memories of doing the same thing with Annie when we both took dancing from Minne Simpson back in Belzoni. Dancing Queen

with Mary Helen Brown

Me and Anne Craig

Here we are with Annie and Rick

Onward May....
What's next??? "Start Spreading The News.....We left mid May....We were a big big part of it.....NEW YORK blog post coming you way....!! Stay tuned!!

The Portrait Story

Well, it all happened rather quickly. You see, our distant cousin, Equen Rhodes, is a very distinguished artist. He and Big Floyd are like 3rd cousins perhaps so that makes him like our 4th or 5th. Kinda stretching it I guess but still none the less we claim relations. Anyway, he has painted 2 portraits for my friend, Romney Brock, and around here he is just considered one of the best if not THE. One day I was discussing with Romney the idea of maybe wanting to have a portrat done of me with my children. I knew the exact spot in my house where I invisioned it hanging. I also knew at age 38 that this was the best it was gonna get so I best get on it!! Not to mention the kids were not babies anymore (we had plenty of pictures of that era)and the "gawky" years were just arond the corner. The time to strike was now!! Romney encouraged me to go ahead and call Equen because she knew he had some time and was probably ready to take on another project. So I did just that. Equen lives in Starkville so we began commuting over a few Sundays a month starting in September of last year for the few sittings and skin tone match ups. The entire experience was pretty pleasant considering I was picturing my children being very impatient as they sat motionless while someone painted them.

Long story short...AMAZING is how I felf about the entire process and soooo glad that I have such a TREASURE to enjoy for years and years to come. (I guess my children can fight over who will inherit it one day since they are both in it..ha. I didn't think of that predicament. Oh well!)Equen delivered it Christmas Eve of last year where the portrait still sits propped today in my dining room on the sideboard. I love it!! Now if I can only decide on the frame...hmmmmm. I am currently in that decision process now. Wish me luck!

Anne Craig's 2nd Grade Play- "Teach the World to Sing"

"Break A Leg" Class of 2021!!

Papa was able to make it to the show as well. Anne Craig was a little French girl if you were wondering about the beret on her head...ha

It was nice that Blewett was home so she could come view the major entertainment!!

Clayton came to watch too

with Annie and Rick


Madison, Elizabeth and Anne Craig

With Connie Black, the Pillow Academy Elementary music teacher. Thank you for teaching our children to sing and love music!