Museum Tour and a Purse

the Science Museum

The Ag museum

The big saw was "cool"

cotton picker

mesmerized by the trains

the jellies

the purse

This is how she carries it around!

I call myself a stay-at-home mom, but I rarely stay at home. I like to plan "adventures" for my kids. They are now at the age where staying at the house all day doesn't cut it. We don't have a great yard for the summer heat - no shade! So I find things we can do to help them release all their energy! Yesterday, we went to the Mississippi Ag Museum. If you are looking for a fun day with little cost, this was great! They have an awesome train exhibit. My boys wanted to sit and look at the trains the whole time! I only wish Pap could have been there to answer all the questions the boys had about the farm equipment!! I have also included pics from two weeks ago when I took the kids to the Natural Science Museum. They had a fun exhibit about recycling and camping. It was fun!!

Now to the purse part. Lately, Ann Phelps has been obsessed with purses. She will turn anything into a purse. Her "first" purse was a gift bag. She LOVES carrying it around and putting things in it. I bought her a real purse for her to use. I took her on a grocery store run last night and she cried when I tried to leave her purse in the car! She put it on her arm just like me and carried it in the store! I couldn't get great pics of her with the purse, but you get the picture. Also, notice her shoes - jellies!!! This reminds me of my childhood!!

One week down, 12 to go!

playing choo-choo


Will's invention


We have come to the end of our first week of summer! I tried to keep the kids busy and just when I thought they were worn out, they would catch a 4th wind!!! It is such a blessing for me to be able to stay home and make these memories with my kids (thanks, Rhyne)! Some of our events this week included: playing at the park, playing in the fountain at the yogurt place, visiting friends, pump-it-up, eating at Chick-fil-a twice, playing with the water hose outside, and going to Target 3 times!! I only got a few pictures - I haven't mastered taking pictures and controlling the crowd yet.

Some funny things that happened:

*Ben crying for 30 mins. in Target because I wouldn't buy him a woman's purple swim suit - he kept saying, "I want the purple one!" He does this in every store- he picks one thing to cry about.


*We are eating at Chick-fil-a and this older lady comes up to Ann Phelps and says, "Look at you, little piggy." Will then yells, "She is NOT a pig!!"


*Twice this week someone has asked me if Will and Ben are twins



*Ben - the thief - Hooks. This week he has "stolen" a butter knife, scissors, $100 bill, Rhyne's debit card, toothpaste, and my chap stick. He takes these things and hides them - very sneaky!



*Ben and Ann Phelps playing choo-choo in the laundry basket. It is so sweet to see Ben take such sweet care of "him" - Ben calls Ann Phelps him??



*Ann Phelps eating guacamole because it is on her moms's plate - she will try anything if it comes from my plate.



*Will making some pretty incredible inventions (see picture)







*Me being totally exhausted at 9:00pm and looking back at a memory filled day - priceless!!

Fire Station and TOT Celebration

Sassy got in on the fun

Last Friday, my parents came to take the boys to a REAL fire station. My Dad has connections and we got a private tour of the Reservoir Fire Station! If you know my boys, you know they need time to "warm up" to a new situation. Well, the fireman cranked up the fire truck right off and my Dad grabbed the boys to put them on the firetruck - this did not go well. The boys were crying and screaming for their MAMA!!! After the shock, the boys were able to warm up a little bit. The fireman was so patient and sweet. He hooked a real fire hose to the fire hydrant and the boys got to spray the trees. Will was especially excited to see the real jaws of life!! It was such a treat.

On Saturday, Will had his final TOT performance. I mentioned in an earlier post that Will has participated in TOT at school. It is a wonderful program, I highly recommend it!! The highlight was he got a trophy for completing the course - he was so proud!! (As were his parents and grandparents!)

AP 15months

My little diva is 15 months old. I call her a diva because the name fits her perfectly! Out of my three kids, she is the most high maintenance. If she doesn't get her way, there will be screaming, head-banging, and hitting involved!! I would post her check-up stats, but we weren't able to get her correct stats due to all the screaming and fit-throwing that went on at the doctor's office! There was even a nurse who came in to see if we needed help holding her down!! WOW! I am not used to this! But, despite her diva ways, I am so in love with this little girl!! Praise the Lord she checked out healthy at her appointment - or maybe the doctor just said that to get us out of the office ;)!!

Silly Ben take 2

I posted yesterday how Ben is my silly child....well I have a new story! Mornings around our house are wild - that is an understatement! I got both boys dressed for school and began shuffling them in the bathroom to brush their teeth. We finished (or so I thought) and began to load up in the car. I noticed Ben was carrying his toothbrush which isn't odd because he usually gets attached to one thing and has to take it in the car. I have learned to pick my battles so off we went to school with the toothbrush. I got Ben out of the car and took him to his classroom. As I am kissing him goodbye, I notice he has blue toothpaste all in his hair!! Yep, he not only brushed his teeth with the toothbrush, but put more toothpaste on it and brushed his hair!!! Then after that I was in Target with AP and noticed the toothpaste somehow got all over my gym shorts!! Wow, nothing phases me anymore!! But I love it all!!

Silly Ben

Ben is my different child. He marches to the beat of his own drum for sure. Sometimes I just sit and watch him and wonder what is going on inside his mind! He is so sweet and sensitive, but is also very funny. I walked in the living room just now and found him with a sock on his hand and a t-shirt around his neck - he was walking around like it was normal!!

Graduation 2010

Mary Claire (Rhyne's sis) graduated from Carroll Academy last night. Thankfully, Rhyne and I were able to be there (thanks Mar-Moo and Mr. Craig). It made me feel so old sitting there watching her receive her diploma - she was only 2 when Rhyne and I started dating!!!!! WOW! We are so proud of her!

Wow - what a week!

Will walking in

AP at Lola's party

Lola, the birthday girl!

The last week in April was a very eventful one for the Hooks Family! My sister, Marcie, FINALLY got engaged!! (Just kidding about the finally part) She has been blessed to find the only person I know of who truly completes her!! Craig and Marcie were so made for each other! The wedding planning has begun with full force!

Next, we had Will's end-of-school program at Covenant. I didn't get great pictures because I was a "single mom" that day. I had to corral Ben and AP and try to take pics. Where was my husband??? He was getting to do something he only dreamed about until our good friend Timmy made it happen.......He got to go to the FCA luncheon at First Baptist Jackson and meet Bobby Bowden!!! As many of you know, Rhyne has been a Florida State University football fan since he was in 4th grade. He has been to games and toured the campus many times, but meeting Bobby was just a dream! Thanks, Timmy, for making it happen!

We left Will's program headed to the Delta for Matt and Carly's wedding. Then we had Lola's birthday party on Sunday!

Just one of the boys

Ann Phelps is already showing us she has no intentions of being a meek 3rd child! She fake cries if the boys touch her because she has learned it will get them into trouble! She is the only child I have who will lay on the floor and throw a fit - kicking, crying, and screaming included! She has also refused to drink out of her own sippy cups! She will sometimes drink from the cute Disney princess cups or Minnie Mouse cups I have bought her, but more times she prefers Ben's cups. If you put a Thomas the Train cup down and a Cinderella cup down at the same time, she will pick the Thomas cup! I have now started giving her the Thomas cups and Lightening McQueen cups - she is so happy! She really thinks she is "one of the boys."