Ruth Ann's Wardrobe

You may think you are viewing a rack of clothes in a children's clothing store, but you would be wrong. What you are actually looking at is Ruth Ann's ever expanding wardrobe and Ruth Ann's mother's newest obsession. Keep in mind that I have not had the first baby shower and Ruth Ann's Grammy (my mom) has not added her purchases to the closest yet. What started out as innocently buying a sweet dress or cute bubble outfit on a summer sale has developed into a serious purchasing problem. As many of you know...I can very easily justify a purchase. I just kept telling myself that since I will be having showers in the fall, then I will not be receiving any clothes for the spring and summer. I have visited children's clothing stores throughout Columbia and the surrounding area. However, after finding a 75% sale today at Doodlebugs in Lexington and hanging up her clothes this afternoon I stood back and really looked at her closet...yikes, I'm really out of control! I really don't consider this all my fault...I blame the clothing designers...they make it way too hard to pass up little girl clothes!

Arch's Dream Come True

For those that have worked with or know Arch well...you may remember he had a reputation at his previous job for stealing...stealing ice that is. Arch always has a cooler with cold drinks in the back of his truck ready and waiting for any one of his friends or family to help themselves. During his years at his previous job at Blue Cross he filled his cooler countless times using the ice from the industrial ice maker in his building. This developed a love and appreciation for ice that is unmatched. His favorite means of filling the cooler...filling & hauling leftover plastic grocery store bags filled to the top with ice. This may have required more than one trip, or enlisting the help of a fellow employee. After he changed jobs with Blue Cross he moved to a different location in Columbia and didn't have the same access to the ice machine...this was a very sad day for Arch. He resorted to making ice in our freezer at home using any and everything that can hold & freeze water. Currently we have a variety of plastic containers including tennis ball cans, modified water bottles and modified cat litter containers filled with frozen water in our freezer. The freezer has so many of these items that it has becomes difficult to put frozen food in the freezer...this has become a running joke with our friends, but it's been driving me nuts for the last year!

Today, Arch's dream of owning his own personal ice maker came true...thanks to my daddy. Here's Arch with my dad after he dropped the ice maker off at our house today.



Pass your congratulations onto Arch the next time you see him!

Ruth Ann's latest pictures

I had an another ultrasound today...as a reminder, Ruth Ann was not cooperative at the last ultrasound and they could not see all the parts of her heart so they scheduled a follow-up ultrasound. Today she was still a little wiggle worm, but the ultrasound technician got some great pictures of what she was looking for. When she started the ultrasound Ruth Ann was facing outward...this is what greeted us...

I love how you can make out a chin line in this picture. It looks like she is going to have a heart shaped face, which isn't typically in my family tree...we usually have oval faces. Maybe the combination of Arch's square jaw line and my oval face has created a sweet little heart shaped face. We'll see in December!

The next shot is always my favorite...the profile. I love seeing her little nose and lips!

I am planning on scheduling a 3D ultrasound at 32 weeks, so we'll see one more shot of her before she makes her arrival in December.

The Tait's last days in South Carolina

Three years ago while I was on my family vacation, my roommate from college (Candi Collier Tait) called to tell me her husband was being transferred from Paris, Texas to Aiken, South Carolina. For those of you unfamiliar with South Carolina geography, Aiken is only about a 45 minute drive from Lexington. I was trilled!

This past summer while I was on my family vacation Candi called me again...this time to tell me her husband had taken a job in Houston, Texas. For those of you unfamiliar with South Eastern United States geography, Houston is about a 14 hour drive or a 2 1/2 hour flight from Lexington. I was less than trilled.

While Chuck (Candi's husband) made the long drive in their vechile to Houston on Saturday, she and their kids (Reagan and Landon) spent the weekend with the McCarty family. Here are some pictures from our weekend.


Here's me, Candi, Landon (held by Candi) & Reagan at the airport.


Landon loved Shelby & Shelby loved Landon...especially when Landon left food on his hands and face. Shelby showed Landon a lot of love. It's hard to decide which one is cuter in this picture.


Reagan is not a big fan of animals, but she warmed up to both the cats and to Shelby. Although Landon looks somewhat afraid of Fluffy in this picture, he loved the cats and petted them frequently. I think I may have just caught him at a bad moment when I took this picure.


Here are Spencer and Landon spending some time together. As always, Spencer was great with my friends children.

Like most people, our fridge is covered with pictures of friends and family. Last year while tailgating at an Auburn football game I took a picture with Landon that is hands down one of the best pictures I've ever taken. This photo will remain on our fridge forever! However, I don't have a picture with me and Reagan. I wanted to make sure Reagan and I got a picture before they left South Carolina so she would also have a place on our fridge.

Good bye Chuck, Candi, Reagan & Landon! We'll miss you! Spencer is already talking about taking a trip to visit Houston. With a soon-to-be family of 4 we'll need to start saving our pennies now!

First Monthly Supper Club

So I had previously mentioned the McCartys and Friends were rapidly expanding in number. Dining out has been a favorite way to spend friday evenings, but is becoming increasingly difficult due to our large ( & growing larger) number. Who wants to wait 1 hour for a table for 8 adults, 1 teenager, 1 toddler, 2 babies & we have 2 more babies on the way??!! Our solution...Friday Night Supper Club. Once a month we'll rotate homes and menu responsiblities to allow for fun fellowship and a kid friendly environment. I'll admit, the McCarty house has not always been the most kid friendly home since Spencer has long outgrown kid toys and Ruth Ann has yet to receive any toys...but we're hoping to be a more kid friendly home in the months to come.


Here are the hostesses (Me, Auralee, Sally & Brantley). The first supper club met at Chez McCarty and I think it was a lot of fun. On the menu...chicken or shark (previous photographed with Spencer), squash casserole, extra fluffy potatoes, salad and various desserts including banana pudding, strawberry cake and chocolate cake. Are all your mouths watering or what?!


In cleaning out the closets in Ruth Ann's room I found a box of some of Spencer's old toys. Jay (Sally's oldest child) put on a head lamp he found in the box. We thought he looked like he was either ready to enter the coal mines or the operating room. Spencer added the clip on tie...now he's definitly a doctor in the making! Although I would not like to see my doctor enter the OR with a sword in his hand!

Here's Mason (he belongs to Brantley) checking out the surround sound speakers by the TV. Mason is very quick on all 4s and he's pulling up on anything that will stay stationary. He'll be walking any day now.

Spencer's new adventure

So, there comes a time in most of our lives when we have to give up our favorite sticky, crunchy, and yummy treats because we are forced to spend our teen years with BRACES!!! Today begins Spencer's life with braces. He's trying to stay ahead of the pain with Tylenol...but as we all know (if you're one of the many who lived with braces)...the pain comes anyway. I've assured him it's only go to last a few days...however, it starts all over when you get them tightened in 6 weeks!