Four Years and Ten Months

Monthly update:

1) Rocco is really into Monster Trucks. He has about 15 of them, and he loves to race them. He'll ask Jason and me which one we think is going to win. After we tell him, he'll run them all over the floor and announce a winner. Usually it's the one that mommy wanted to win. ;) The other day I took his power wheels to church so he could ride it around in the parking lot. Evidently he learned something from watching Monster Trucks because he went around and around in circles exclaiming, "Look, Mommy! I'm doing donuts!"

2) He no longer calls the refrigerator a fidge-uh-fator.

3) This month he started going to children's choir on Sunday night. He is the youngest and smallest member, but he is not the quietest. He sings his heart out. I love to watch him because he constantly jumps up and down when he sings. Reminds me of Tigger. In the car, he continually asks to sing the same songs that he knows from choir - Your Grace is Enough and Our God is an Awesome God.

4) At night he loves for his mommy to put him to sleep. I lay down beside him. If I'm not right up next to him, he'll say, "Snuggle and cuddle me." He continues to rub the mole on my face, too.

5) Rocco continues to be a sweetheart. I asked him the other night to pray for my heart because I was having a test the next day. He bowed his head and said, "Jesus, help mommy's heart to beat in the right place." After a little unsettling news a week prior at my cardiologist's office, I had to have a trans esophageal echo cardiogram. Thankfully, the news came back great. God continues to give me a strong pump and function after my heart surgery that was almost 11 years ago. The night after I had come home from the test, Rocco asked me, "Mommy, is your heart beating in the right place?" I assured him that it was and that Jesus has answered his prayers.

6) Little man is up to about 45 sight words now...and he's reading books! We are super excited!

Monster Jam Weekend

Jason found out that you could ride a Monster truck in the TN mountains. He asked if I'd like us to go this weekend. Love my husband. He's cool like that. Spur of the moment and here we go on a weekend family get-away. Friday after school we headed up to Pigeon Forge, TN.

This was our first night staying in a Motel Six. We've been so blessed to stay in condo's on most of our vacations, but this simple place was clean, and I felt safe. For a little over $30 we found it to be quiet cozy. Saturday morning we woke up and headed out for an Apple Barn breakfast. I love Apple Barn! Aftwards we did a little shopping - my favorite? The Scrapbook Superstore!

Right down the road was a place where you could ride Monster Trucks. This is what we came for... the ultimate ride in a Monster Truck. We rode in Big Jim.

The driver took us over the dirt hill and around the loop 5 times. Boy was I glad when it was over. I screamed my head off, while Rocco and Jason just laughed. Little man loved it! We rode in the back of the truck - thankfully we didn't go full speed. The big hill was enough to scare me. Here I am trying to look calm. Oh the things you'll do for your kids!

It was really neat how it all worked out because we found out the real Monster Jam show was in town in Knoxville that night. We got on the phone and ordered our tickets right away. We even ended up with "Pit Party" passes, and Rocco was able to get some autographs from the drivers.

We couldn't have had any better seats. Six rows from the front - up close and personal to the biggest, baddest trucks! We had our "headphones" (as Rocco calls them), and were prepared though!

The show was loud! This was my first time at an event like this, and I had an absolute blast. Some of the kids around were just staring at me when I stood to my feet and started screaming with excitement. The highlights of the night were Spiderman's crash following his wheelie

and Predator's donut win. Even though we were inside a basketball stadium, the trucks found a way to race, crash, and spin out. Totally cool! I can't wait to go back - neither can Rocco.

Snowy, Wintry Weather

At 9 o'clock last night it began to snow...just a little. When we woke up the this morning, we found that what the weathermen had been predicting had actually come true. It was a winter wonderland. Four inches! That's the most snow Rocco has ever seen, and it's certainly the most we've ever seen here at our home.

It wasn't just a special day because school was called off. Today was also Jason's 36th birthday. What a time we've had today. Thankfully Jason didn't have to go in to work; the roads were just too icy and snowy. The three of us were home together for the day, and living out in the country meant that we had lots of outside places to explore.

We started out around the front yard by pulling each other behind the four wheeler. Jason hooked up our brand new inner tube which I actually bought this summer to be used behind our boat. It served as a great snow tube though.

We even tried out a few hills with it. It worked...but not that good without the four wheeler pulling it.

So we spent the afternoon trying out all sorts of things as a make-shift sled. We just knew the slick kiddie swimming pool would work. It didn't. I tried some old piece of plastic, but it crumbled to pieces. The next one was the funniest. Jason crashed and burned on the flat stretcher. Later in the afternoon we finally realized what would work best. Jason took off the cover of the tube we'd been using and it flew down Elton's hill. That's me in the red!

I guess we rode around on the four wheeler for over an hour. We explored all the back trails of the flat woods. That's one of the perks of living out in the country. Our tracks were the only ones there...except for the few coyote and deer tracks/ scat that had beat us there. Jason tried to take us to nana and granddaddy's house, but the trail eventually came to a stop, so we had to turn around. When we got home, Rocco's feet were so cold. Believe me though when I say he was bundled up. He looked like a little muscle man with his overhauls all puckered out.
Jason built a snowman while Rocco and I warmed up inside. Since school is called off again tomorrow, I guess we will try to decorate him then. And you know who's going to be on Elton's hill again!