The End of a Season

The basketball season has now finally come to an end! We had a great season, and our JV team ending up winning the state championship. They were playing the only team that had beat them and that team was undefeated. Our boys played well and they won 36-30. It was a great game and completely worth the trip to Clearwater.

After three years of coaching cheerleading, the squad I had this year was head and shoulders above the other ones. While I won't argue that cheerleading is a sport, it is HARD WORK and all too often these girls and their effort are overlooked . Keeping a crowd alive when the team is losing can be a difficult task, but these girls did a great job through all of the different circumstances. At the end of last year I was thinking, "I just don't think I'm going to do this next year." and at the end of this year I am already excited about next year! We are going to have a camp this summer and I want to do more stuff with the girls when we have a house and a yard.

These are my girls. Dede, the girl on the top row 2nd from the right, was my captain. She is a senior this year and will be so very missed. Katie who is to the right of Dede, is a Sophomore (woo-hoo!) and I call her my "4th quarter beast." I have no idea where it came from, but at the end of every game this wonderful monster would come out and keep everything moving (and LOUD!).

The girls after cheering for the JV championship.

Billy, the girl in the air, was so wonderful to let us just throw her around any way we wanted to! This was our favorite stunt. She would twist and fall and the girls in front would catch her. Pretty neato.

The girls keeping the crowd alive.

The FCC JV Boys Basketball Champions!

After the championship game we drove to the beach in Clearwater. Rain was forecasted so we weren't prepared to go to the beach. So I just took Rusty's shirt off and rolled up his pantslegs. Turned out pretty cute. Like Tom Sawyer on the beach.

This was Sunday afternoon outside. His knot looks better every day. Just going down on its own.

Hope everyone has a good week!

Post to Catch Up

I know everyone is busy. Almost no one can use the excuse of being busy anymore because EVERYBODY is BUSY. However, basketball season is winding down and that will be a bit of a break for us. Our Junior Varsity boys have only had one loss this season and it was in a non-conference game. We are going to the state championship this Saturday at Clearwater Christian College.

Well, we got the house!! I'll post a slideshow of the house later. I don't want those pictures to take up my whole blog when I have so many cute pictures of Rusty.:o)

We had a wonderful weekend in Alabama, but I caught the flu and I still feel a little yucky. Almost all of our families were there to celebrate Rusty's birthday and we are so thankful to everyone for making it special. Rusty had a great time. He especially loved seeing Beau and Max (the dogs) and he says his new favorite phrase -- "Git dog!"--over and over and over.

The house!

Rusty loves to watch the games with Mrs. Twigg through this window from the second-floor hospitality room. It is scarey to see him up there, but maybe he won't have a fear of heights. That's good, right?

Rusty is enthralled in the game--actually they were just warming up or he wouldn't be that close. It's still cute, though.

Getting lovin' from the Grannies.
Mmmm....cake!

My sis and brothers. Everyone is looking pretty good I must say. I love you guys!

Madison Faith

My future is so bright I gotta wear shades!


Rusty got his momma's country feet!

My Alabama boys at home in the country.

The First 1st Birthday Party

We are currently watching the Super Bowl. Last year we watched the Super Bowl from the hospital room after Rusty was born at 3:22. That was a day never to be forgotten...



Tomorrow is Rusty's birthday. We are also going to hear something back on if we got the house or not. (We are in a bidding war with another buyer.) Since we have a basketball game tomorrow night we had a small party today at Mimi's and Papa Dale's house. President's Day weekend we are heading up to Alabama for a great big birthday bash with all of the family.



Here are some pics of the day and a super short clip of Rusty taking a few steps.

We were having one of our special "tickle hugs."

Good thing Momma learned how to make sugar-free cupcakes!

I think this must be why they call it a "birthday suit."

Well, I didn't get to post last weekend and I don't have much time tonight, but Papa and Granny Jones are expecting some pictures, so I thought I would put up a few.

We are in revival this week and we hardly have time to breathe! We have had wonderful, challenging services and we have enjoyed them thoroughly.

In the midst of the business, Rusty started taking steps, Russ got Laryngitis, and we put an offer in on a house! (We should know something on that by Friday.)

I promise to get a video of Rusty walking up soon and maybe some pictures of the house as well. Until then, enjoy these...

Taking the tractor for a stroll around the block.

Getting ready for church and of course getting milk all over himself.

No caption necessary. Love this face, though.
Might as well enjoy :o)

Standing and Talking

Happy Weekend to everyone! We are in the middle of a three day weekend and that is a nice treat. My piano student said with a puzzled look on Friday, "Aren't we out for Martial Arts (slight pause) Arthur Day??" I thought that was cute. As my dad will be quick to point out it is, "King-Lee" Day (For Robert E. Lee, too). I did some reading on that and it is only in some states that it is actually for both of them. In fact, I think it was Virginia where it is actually, "King-Lee-Jackson" Day (For Stonewall Jackson). Anyhow, I'm glad for the day off to catch up on some things.

We had Rusty's Dr's appointment Thursday and they sent us to have an ultrasound done on his head on Friday. Thankfully, they were able to get a good look at the knot and he won't have to have a CAT scan. (That would have involved putting him to sleep.) We haven't heard an official word from the doctor, but the girl who did the ultrasound said it looked cystic. We will probably go to a surgeon next to have it removed. It would be an outpatient procedure, but they would still have to put him to sleep. So just pray that all goes well and that the timing would be right. I know it's not that unusual, but I still don't like it.

Rusty is standing on his own now and talking, well jabbering I guess. His favorite word is "throw!" After he says it he will raise whatever is in his hand and do just that. Pretty cute. He's getting so big and boyish. He still eats and eats. I used to feed him before we ate, but now I feed him before and he still wants whatever we're eating, too! Comes by it honestly I'm afraid...

Well, we love you all! (I think :o)

Rusty watching out the window. He was like this when I came home yesterday from a baby shower. I just laughed and ran for the camera!

Playing with his car down the hallway.

How we all feel on Saturday mornings!

Back on Track

So here we are back into the routine of everything. What a week we had, too! Busy as always, but a good week. Rusty was happy to see Mrs. Dawn again and he slept very well. He is still eating everything he can! We have an appointment this coming week to get this knot seen about on his head. They have told us not to worry about it, but he is coming up on his first birthday and it is still there so we are going to just see about having it removed. Pray for us. I don't like to think about it very much :o(.
We've had a restful weekend. We took Rusty outside yesterday and played with him for awhile. He enjoyed it, but he still doesn't know what to do when we put him on the grass. It was beautiful yesterday! Temperature was in the mid 70's with a nice breeeze. I would love to see snow, but I will settle for this I guess :o)

Rusty's favorite time --meal time! He eats his green beans, then very secretly starts throwing them on the floor. I never notice until at least 10 are on the floor. :o)

Rusty wouldn't move in the grass at first, but he seemed to like it still.

Standing ever so briefly.

Already climbing trees!

Now What Do We Do?

So it's Saturday and I think I woke up just a little sad this morning. Our beautiful week of vacation is past and we need to start thinking about the upcoming week. Monday starts another school week filled with yearbook deadlines, spelling lists, and 2 basketball games (Not to mention two cheerleading practices.) We have enjoyed this week of staying up too late and doing whatever we want, but I will appreciate being on a schedule again.

Rusty has come off his bottle completely now, and he is doing great with his cup. He still isn't standing by himself, but he gets closer all the time. He does dance and clap constantly!

I have decided to try my hand at selling Avon. I did some online training and such with that this week and I set up a website where customers can shop online. Take a look if you want at www.youravon.com/rachelmcdonald.

Russ has enjoyed doing some reading and cleaning. He has been tearing out tests, too and getting ready with a little reluctancy I think. We hope you all have a wonderful week!
Rusty's new favorite place is his baby bed! He loves to listen to his turtle.

Riding his little rocking horse. At least we can push him on this and stay in one place. It takes a little more effort to push him on his tractor.

This was the armoire that Russ and I got for Christmas. It has knobs that go on the bottom, too, but we left them off for now, for Rusty's sake.


The armoire with the doors open. (Obviously :o)
Rusty can't get these off his feet!!

The empty cheerio bowl.
Rusty with his turtle. Fun times.