Out of School Blues

OK, the kids have been out of school for a week and the fighting has begun!! Yesterday I cleaned out the pantry and put all of the kids games on a lower shelf so they could reach them without destroying everything else on the rest of the shelves. We woke up this morning to Tiffany and Tyler playing Spongebob Monopoly. You would think this would be a harmless and adorable moment.... Well let me explain!

Tyler is yelling "Tiffany you only gave me $1500" and Tiffany screams back "No No Tyler... I gave you $500, $500, and $500!" It was cute and I would have liked to have gotten a picture, but not at 7am!!

Christmas Pictures

TJ is fourteen now and believe me we have been dealing with his "teenage" "smart alleck mouth" Well mom and dad got a little payback!! We played a trick on TJ this year. For Christmas he REALLY wanted an electric guitar. We weren't completely terrible in the fact that we did get him one but we put a toy "electric guitar" in the real box. Timmy and I thought it was hysterical, TJ didn't think it was that funny.

After about 5 minutes, Timmy asked TJ to go get something and while he was gone Timmy put out three more presents. Here is TJ opening the amp. He has that silly look because, still teasing him we were asking him to plug the "electric toy guitar into the amp"

By the time he opened the guitar tuner he knew the guitar was coming!! Look at his smug expression!

Tiffany was fine with the whole thing, because it meant an extra present for her!!

Tyler was especially happy that he got his telescope!

Christmas Cookies

On Christmas Eve, Tiffany and Tyler made cookies for Santa.

Tiffany's Christmas Party

Tiffany's class had a christmas party today, the teacher gave each of the kids a book.

Each girl brought a gift for a girl, Tiffany got a Hannah Montana barbie doll.

Tiffany was so excited to give her teacher the present she picked out.

Tyler's Birthday

Yesterday was Tyler's 10th Birthday since Timmy had to work we celebrated his birthday today. Timmy decorated the kitchen table with a variety of leftover party stuff. Tyler was so surprised when he came in from school.


































While we were singing "Happy Birthday" Ty Ty was worried about the wax dripping on this cake!!









He was very happy to see the Blendy Pens that he got from Gramma Gramma
















As he opened the RC helicopter, now as I am putting pictures on blog I have to keep dodging it.

Tyler's Birthday Cake

Tyler wanted to make his own birthday cake.

He did the entire thing including the measuring and egg breaking by himself.

Making Ice Cream

This past quarter in my chemistry lab we made ice cream in a bag. I told the kids about it and they wanted to make it too.

In a large gallon size ziplock bag put ice and 6 tbs of salt

In a small ziplock bag put 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 tsp of vanilla, 2tbs sugar

close small bag and place inside large bag

close large bag and shake for 8-10 mins

Preparing for Christmas

Today was my last day of school for this quarter!! Since we were all home together tonight we decorated for Christmas. Honestly Timmy and the kids did the decorating I spent my time setting up the Christmas Card. Here is the picture I am using for the card and a couple of other pictures.

Breakfast with Santa

Today was a real problem of needing to be in two places at the same time!! It was breakfast with Santa at Pellissippi which the kids loved last year and a tutoring session with my Chemistry teacher for Tuesday's Final Exam!! I really wanted to go to the Santa breakfast but NEEDED to go to Chemistry tutoring.... Yesterday I talked to mom and she agreed to come in and take the kids to the breakfast so I could go to tutoring!! MOM SAVES THE DAY!!!

Monday was the first "snow day" of this winter. We woke up to find that Grainger County schools were on a two hour delay. I had to be in Math class at 8:30 so I got Tiffany ready for school and told the boys to get dressed that the bus would be there at 9:15. On my way to school TJ called to tell me that he thought school would be canceled because it was pouring snow. I assured him that no it wouldn't be and to finish getting dressed. WELL 5 MINUTES LATER.... the radio announced that Grainger County Schools would be closed!! I took this picture when I got back home.

Today we wake up to find AGAIN the schools were on a two hour delay but at least they didn't cancel again! Thankfully next quarter I do not have any morning classes since I anticipate many delayed starts and snow days this coming winter.

A Great Loss

I have been debating for over a week or so about whether or not to write about Sonny's death on my blog. It has been a very difficult decision mainly because I am afraid that anything I write would not be sufficient to express my feelings. I discussed it with Timmy and decided I would paste the obituary and a couple of my own pictures.



Newell Sonny Baggett
Born: July 27, 1946
Died: November 16, 2008
Services: 7:00 PM Wednesday, November 19, 2008, at Bridges Funeral Home
Visitation: 5:00-7:00 PM Wednesday, November 19, 2008, at Bridges Funeral Home
Baggett, Newell “Sonny” – age 62 of Rutledge was called home to be with Jesus on Sunday morning, November 16, 2008, at home with his family. He was a member of Stedfast Baptist Church. Sonny served in the United States Army and retired from Pan American Airlines. He was originally from Miami, FL. Survived by loving wife, Sandi Baggett; son and daughter-in-law, Tim and Denise Baggett; granddaughter, Tiffany Baggett; grandsons, T.J. and Tyler Baggett; parents, O.V. and Marilyn Baggett; sister and brother-in-law, Gwen and Glen Cook of Florida; and several other loving family members and friends. Funeral services will be 7:00 PM Wednesday, November 19, 2008, in the chapel at Bridges Funeral Home with Rev. Walter Hill officiating. Family and friends will meet 11:15 AM Thursday at the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery for an 11:30 AM interment with Rev. Scott Howerton officiating. Military honors will be provided by the East Tennessee Veteran Honor Guard. Pallbearers: T.J. Baggett, Scott McDaniel, Cody McDaniel, Micah McDaniel, Donnie Earls, Eddie Quinn, Charlie Allen, Dustin Hayes, and Scott Blair. The family will receive friends 5:00-7:00 PM Wednesday at Bridges Funeral Home, 5430 Rutledge Pike, 523-4999.





This is posted on at the Bridges Funeral Home website. There is a guest book and there is space for people to write. I just read some of the comments and they are very heartfelt especially Charles' note, Timmy and I both started crying.

Learning how to fly plane

Timmy taught TJ how to fly his remote control plane. TJ did a great job.

The angle is a little crazy because I was standing on the deck taking the pictures.

Tiffany's 7th Birthday

We celebrated Tiffany's birthday today. She decorated her own cake with Little Pets.

Saving Kitty

Tj found a little kitten outside today. Since it is going to be very cold tonight we brought him inside. I told the kids we would let him stay in the bathroom until it warms up and then he will be an OUTSIDE cat!! HE IS SOOO CUTE!!!

The kids each could hold the kitty for 5 minutes. Here is Tiffany watching the clock for her turn.

Election Day

Waiting time to vote was 17 minutes!!!
"One of the joys of living in small town!"
The civic lesson below is the true reason!!

A couple of weeks ago Mr. Watson, the man who owns the local firework stand in our town, was at a neighbors house. Mr. Watson asked me if I was registered to vote because he was running for Mayor of Blaine (our town).

I assured him that I was registered and the kids and I would be going to vote. Mr. Watson told us that if he was elected he would fix the roads and slow the cars down on our street. (This is very important because the kids aren't allowed to ride bikes on the street since cars go too fast, drivers think since it is an isolated back road it is ok to go so fast)

Well today we went to vote. As we walked in a bunch of people running for different positions were outside asking for our vote. We said hello to Mr. Watson and went inside.

After we voted, we stopped to say hello and get a soda. As we walked away Tyler told me "I hope he (Mr. Watson) wins because he is going to slow the cars down on our street" I was so impressed that he remembered since we hadn't talked about it since that day.

I decided that Mr. Watson needed to know what was important to his public. So we turned around and went back. I told Mr. Watson "you need to hear what Tyler just said" Mr. Watson leaned down to Tyler and assured him that yes he did promise and that he would take care of it if he wins!!

When we got back to the car I told Tyler now if he wins he will remember how important that issue is to you. If he doesn't do it and asks for our vote in the future we will tell him why we won't vote for him again. We will wait to see who wins!!

Halloween 2008

Timmy really decorated the house this year!! It looked really spooky... All night long kids kept coming up to the house saying how cool it looked! He had a strobe light blinking, fog machine going off, and scary music playing in the background.













Here is Timmy!!