In all the countries I've been to , everyone understands a smile Jennifer Age 10

You can't possibly look at this picture and be sad!!! I just love it!!! It makes me laugh out loud every time I look at it. Don't you wish we could go back to being children again? I would love to be amused so easily over life's simple pleasures. I would love to still get excited when I see a bubble float in the air, or when a dog wags his tail, or when something catches my eye on TV! It would be a wonderful world if we were all as happy and innocent as our children! Oh to know then what we know now, but would you really want to? That kind of takes the fun out of it, don't you think? :)

Today is Palmer's 11 month birthday!!! Happy Birthday my sweet, sweet baby boy! Only one more month left until your BIG First Birthday. I love everything about you and each day you become more clever, smart and funny!! Your timing is always impeccable and you can make mommy and daddy laugh at the drop of a hat! You have such a love for life and such a big personality you are going to make a lot of people happy in this world! We are so proud of you and the person you are. I worry about being a good parent and want to have the perfect balance of mother, friend, and disciplinarian... I am sure I will make a lot of mistakes but if I am consistent with one thing it will be my unconditional love for you, that will never waiver.

What A Difference A Year Makes!!

PALMER'S FIRST BIRTHDAY PHOTO SHOOT


THANK YOU Sara!!! I took Palmer to get his first birthday pictures taken this morning! It was a hit. I am going to use a picture for his invitations, I am SO excited.

He was so hilarious! He got pictures taken in his "birthday jumper" first and then we stripped him down, put on the party hat and placed the balloons and handed him his FIRST chocolate cupcake!!! While most children will study it and maybe put their finger in the icing for a second Palmer decided to turn the cupcake over and literally mash the whole thing on the chair in 2.5 seconds! After he did that we proceeded to ever so "gently" re-ice the cupcake with our fingers and off he went. We couldn't have painted the icing on him any better! He had it on his legs, diaper, arms, face, nose and hair! I can hardly wait for his birthday so that everyone can see what an "experienced" cupcake eater can do!

Again thank you to Sara Floyd for being a great friend and wonderful photographer! She is headed to Michigan right now for a weekend visit, so she will post more pictures when she gets back! Go visit her website to see the updates and more pictures! http://sarafloydphotography.blogspot.com/

NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS!

It seems like I haven't written in forever! I really haven't had too much to "blog" about which is actually a good thing! Like I said No news is good news for the Templeton's! With everything that has happened in the last year we are just glad for a normal few weeks!!!

Everyone is happy and healthy and doing well! A few things to note:
* Palmer is getting his pictures taken by Sara tomorrow! I can hardly wait. We are going to do some shots in his birthday outfit and then a few with just a diaper, party hat, balloons and a cupcake. I had to ask Whit (all knowing mom:) if Palmer would get sick off the icing but she assured me that Ava survived and we too would survive the sugar high! I will post some pics when I get a chance. Sara always does amazing and I can't wait to see what she does with these! Let's hope Palmer cooperates! Oh, I cut his hair again. Oops :) If you don't look close or get it wet, I think it looks fabulous! haha

** Tatum Lindsey Cart was born yesterday! She added to Palmer's ever growing circle of friends, we are so excited for Eric and Leslie and can't wait to meet her!!

*** I rented Juno last night and I am dying to see it! I have heard so many good things about it, I will post and let you all know how it was!

****Finished my book club book of the month ironically titled "the book club" and it was an easy read. Still trying to figure out how we will discuss this one?

****** Tex and I had a blast with the Prather's in Brown Co aka mini Gatlinburg! It rained the whole time and we filled out time with eating and relaxing, it was great! Palmer had a great time with Mamaw and Papaw and got some new clothes to boot!!!

Everyone have a wonderful day! This weather definitely is a spirit lifter!

"He Who Has Hope Has Everything!"

I am SO thankful for Today!

This picture is priceless!! It makes me hopeful just looking at it!

Superman's not brave. You can't be brave if you're indestructible. It's every day people, like you and me, that are brave knowing we could easily be defeated but still continue forward.- unknown

Forget past mistakes. Forget failures. Forget about everything except what you're going to do now - and do it. - William Durant

You don't have to control your thoughts; you just have to stop letting them control you.- Dan Millman

I love these quotes!!! It is so inspiring to remember we are all human and we all make mistakes and we can't dwell on those mistakes forever! As I go thru some major life changes I am reminded every day of how precious life is and how easy it is to take for granted. I am starting to enjoy things in new ways and make the most of every day! I thought I would make a list of just a few things that I am thankful for! It is easy to complain about the bad things but some times we forget to praise the good things in life!

I am so thankful for today! For the first time in a long time the fog has lifted and I can see a bright future a head of me! I am thankful that I have such an amazing group of friends and family that are so supportive of me! I am thankful that my husband stands beside me 100% without questioning anything! I am thankful that I have a son that loves me and that smiles at me every morning as I go to get him out of his crib! I am thankful that I am getting a second chance at life. I am thankful that people are so forgiving. I am thankful that the weather has been nice for 2 days in a row!! I am thankful to have a mom that can read my thoughts and I can read hers! I am thankful for a great job that I love and that is flexible. I am thankful for my house that we have made a home. I am thankful for God and for letting us feel so comfortable at Northeast. I am thankful for my health and for the health of my family and friends. I am thankful that I can find humour in myself. I am thankful that people accept me for me. I am thankful for another day and another chance and another opportunity!

Life can sometimes get us down and I don't know about you, but I get tired of worrying and being mad, and thinking of all the stuff that isn't going my way! :) So, for today I am just going to be thankful and not worry about the things that I can't change and embrace the things I can!

Again, THANK YOU to everyone that has been there for me! You all are the best friends and family a girl could ask for! I love you all!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

1st Annual Mom/Daughter/Aunts/Cousins Weekend

Nashville, TN

03/28/08-03/30/08

Mom, Ashley and I

Mom and Aunt Janet

Mom and I

Kelly and I

The Cousins

From Left to Right:

Julie, Blake, Kelly and Ashley

Sorry it has been so long since my last blog! My oh my a lot has happened since Easter :) Could it be that Easter was only two weeks ago??

Well, I ventured off on my first "girls" trip for two whole nights away from my boys! This was my first real trip since Palmer was born! My Aunt Janet and cousins Kelly, Julie, my mom and Ashley all headed for a weekend in the capital of Country Music, Nashville, TN!!!!

Let's just say that the trip started off a little rocky! Mom's flight got canceled into Louisville on Thursday night so she rode up with my aunt and cousins from Florida on Friday. Ashley and I met them there where we stayed at the posh Lowe's at Vanderbilt Hotel!

We had a wonderful weekend of catching up that included many tears and a lot of laughs! It is so nice to have a close family! Every time we see each other it is has if no time has passed! We really didn't get to experience true Nashville sights due to poor weather, but we didn't care. We shopped, ate, talked and relaxed it was great!!

What wasn't great was the fact that my precious little "angel" was the carrier of the stomach virus!!! Tex took Palmer unknowingly infected to Owensboro to visit the Clark's and the Carts and then on Sunday to the Prather's (that graciously volunteered to watch him in the morning while Tex worked until my mom and I got home). Unfortunately Sunday the virus attacked first with Eric and Cannon then on to Lindsey and proceeded to catch up to Palmer, myself and now my poor mom who spent her whole trip in KY cleaning up after people with the stomach flu and or laying in bed with it herself! What a disaster! My deepest apologies to the trail of sickness that Palmer carried throughout different cities and into different households :) If you want to blame someone it was his best friend Max that started it!

So.... after 4 days of constant sickness we have stripped the sheets, lysoled the bathrooms, scrubbed the floors, and are ready for a fresh start for the weekend!!! Don't they say the first year in daycare is the worse? I am praying for that! We are almost done and I hoping that Palmer has the immune system of steel by the time all is said and done!!!

*** I have to give a shout out to my husband!!! He not only watched Palmer for 2 nights while I had a get away out of tow, which by the way he did a fantastic job!... but he has stayed up with Palmer and I for 3 nights of sickness helping along the way and in the morning drudging to work only to come home and do it all over again! He definitely deserves the husband/father of the month award! Thanks Tex for everything you always do for us with no complaints and the only thing you want in return is Ice Cream!

Easter Came and Went in the Blink of an Eye!

Nana with Palmer!

Nana, Papaw, Grandchildren, and Great-Grandchildren

Joe, Ash, Tex, Palmer and I

This pretty much "sums up" Palmers Easter Mood!

Palmer's 1st set of clubs and Easter basket

Palmer's Easter Outfit!

Well, Easter came and went So fast!!! All of the excitement and build up and then it was all over! Palmer had a double ear infection that caused his other wise happy mood to deteriorate for most of the weekend! He did show some slight signs of delight over Easter and gave me an occasional half smile here and there :) His Easter basket was filled with fun stuff and the one thing he picked out was the 99 cent plastic Easter egg! I should have known it!

We had a great time in Georgetown with the family, it was and is always so nice to be around family!!! It was great seeing Ashley and Joe for the first time since the big engagement! Her ring is gorgeous!

While Nana looked beautiful you could tell she was putting on a brave face for everyone! Her usually talkative self seemed much more demure this visit and she was just kind of taking all of the commotion in. It was the first time she didn't say "Why is everyone leaving already?" as the commotion probably wore her and Papaw out! I just cherish every minute that I get to see the joy on her face when she sees Palmer, it is priceless!!!

We had our family tradition of KFC! Yes, that is right Kentucky Fried Chicken for Easter dinner! You can't get more Kentucky than that! :) haha

ON A SIDE NOTE TO ALL MOTHERS:

Do you ever sense that your children know when a big Event or holiday is going on? I swear Palmer has this innate sense that causes him to turn into a different child whenever there is something big going on! At home he is my "little angel" that plays and entertains himself, Mr. Independent, happy go lucky, the whole 9 yards... and then lately anytime there is too much commotion or something big is happening outside of his surroundings he just kind of frazzles and turns into the child who won't let me leave his side and can't be left alone to play, and doesn't go to other people. I would hope that most moms would tell me that this is just a phase and that this is exactly what happens when our little ones turn this age and he will adapt soon enough!

Obviously I love that fact that he wants "me" his mom! But I also don't want to have "that kid" that is tugging on my pants for me to pick him up constantly! I want him to be happy in his Aunt Ashley's arms and play with his great nana. I want him to be well rounded and I know he will be, I guess this age is hard when they are away from their familar territory. Two things that moms used to say before I was a mom that used to irritate me :) 1. He is "over stimulated" and 2. He just isn't the same when he is "out of his surroundings" I used to roll my eyes and give a under the breath chuckle to myself and think what a load of... well you know! But now as a mom of an almost 1 year old! I hear myself saying these things exactly, and I say the ever popular "I promise he doesn't act like this at home" or "I don't know what has gotten into him"!

If any moms out there would like to leave me a comment and assure me that my child is the norm I would greatly appreciate it!haha I love talking to other mom's, more experienced moms that just seem to pour out a wealth of knowledge on every subject from ear infections to what not to feed your child before their first birthday! I hope that I can be that "all knowing" to some newer, naive mom one day. :) I can't thank the moms I do know enough for the advice they have given me throughout these 10 months!

Glad to have gotten this off of my chest!!!

Cousins, Cousins, Cousins....

Palmer has been a busy, busy boy this weekend!!! We started with a road trip to Owensboro to visit Mamaw, Papaw, Uncle Johnny, Aunt Tricia and Cousins Ethan and Katelyn! Boy, was that exciting as always :) Katelyn and Ethan LOVE "baby Palmer"! Since Palmer has started crawling and walking around things he can hold his own a little better which is a relief to me since I am constantly wondering where he is and if he is going to hurt himself :) They had a great time playing together and seeing each other. Ethan still has some "uncrontrollable" love for Palmer where he feels the need to grab his face or hug him in what resembles more of a choke hold :) but at the end of the weekend everyone has survived and had a great time!!!

This is the start of bath time. Everyone seems to be in order and having a good time!
This is when Palmer realizes that his cousins might be crazy and he is ready to exit the tub! The following pictures are too much to show! Palmer had a mini meltdown! haha


Well, after the weekend in Owensboro Aunt Kiki, Cousin Jillian and Cousin Mia made a very special trip up to Louisville to visit! We always love when they come, we miss them so much! Our first stop was the Mall where I have found that Pottery Barn Kids is not only a store but a source of amusement for many kids of all ages! After PBK we were off to see the Easter Bunny! I was SO excited, I thought since the whole Santa thing went over so well that the Easter Bunny would be a breeze! Boy, was I wrong! I guess the whole costume was a little overwhelming! It didn't seem to faze Jillian though! After recouping from the trauma of the Easter bunny we rounded all 3 kids and headed to Panera to get some food to go! We went back to our house and after hours of eating, playing, making rice krispie treats, singing and dancing to Hannah Montana we had to sadly call it a night!
It is always fun hanging out with family!! Kylena thanks for always coming up to visit, we love when you all do!! Palmer is still exhausted!

Palmer and Jillian with the Easter Bunny!

Jillian and Mia with thier "bunny ears" on! (Palmer is still crying from the Easter Bunny)

Thanks to Aunt Kiki, Uncle Mark, Jillian and Mia, Palmer now has his first PBK's Anywhere Chair and he LOVES it!!! He has been sitting in it since it arrived :)

EASTER is only 5 more days away!!!