Homecoming Parade

Before the parade


Mary Conlee and Dalton


Parkway Pandas



Everyone loves a parade


Line up!


Carrying the banner


Hey, Mr. Tommy!


Must be "Calvary Corner"- We see you, Daddy!


Anna Kathryn and Maria- our favorite seniors!


This is Homecoming week at Tupelo High. We love all the festivities- the parade, the pep rally, and the game! Cole and Mary Conlee were proud to march as Parkway Pandas in the parade, and they even let their Mom walk with them! We had fun finding Daddy and spotting other friends along the parade route. Go Golden Wave!

The Japanese Girl and The Ninja

I absolutely love this time of year. The leaves are beautiful and the colder weather is a welcomed friend. MC celebrates her birthday, and Cole gets to celebrate his favorite holiday- Halloween! He has always loved dressing up, trick or treating, and being spooked! We enjoy all of the parties and carnivals associated with Halloween.

Tonight, we had our fall carnival at church. We had so much fun at "Slime Time." Each booth and activity were scientifically themed! After digging our hands in slime for some loot, we played games with balloons, balls, and much more. C and MC even ended up INSIDE a bubble! We munched on hot dogs, nachos, and cotton candy. Judd played the part of Professor Gizmo, a wacky scientist, who taught the kids about Jesus while performing scientific experiments. You can imagine how thrilled Cole and Mary Conlee were to see Daddy in action! They were so excited to don their new Halloween costumes. MC's came straight from Japan (via Epcot) and Cole chose the Party Works variety of Ninjas for his costume. I remember our Halloweens of old when their costumes matched. I was so excited that they did this year, too...sort of!

We have been so busy with life that we just haven't found time to carve our pumpkins. Judd doesn't believe in carving them too soon or we'll end up with rotten pumpkins before the big day. So after the carnival, we came home and created our masterpieces! Cole, our little artist, designed his own pumpkin. MC opted for the traditional jack-o-lantern face, and I used a template and mini saws for mine (thanks for the spider, Tina!) I think it's easy to match each pumpkin with it's creator.

Halloween costumes 2008


We love slime!


Professor Gizmo (aka Dad)


The Ninja


The Professor's lab- quite smoky!


Inside the bubble


An edible atomic particle


A tale of 3 faces

The Pumpkin Patch

On Wednesday, I went with Mary Conlee to the Pumpkin Patch in Blue Mountain. This is the same place I went with my Kindergartners when I taught at Rankin. And, I love that my own children have had a chance to go there, as well.

Luckily, I didn't have ride the school bus like I did when I was the teacher! Several moms and I rode together and we had just as much fun (or more) than the kids did.

MC had fun jumping on the bouncy slide, riding the train, feeding the animals, and riding the tractor to the patch. Her favorite part was picking her own pumpkin. She took the longest time trying to find the perfect one. Finally, she found hers and helped me pick out one for Cole. He was so disappointed that 2nd graders are too big to go to the pumpkin patch these days!

It has been a little sad this year to have my little girl gone all day long. I have been accustomed to having her home each day for lunch. Now that she is in "big school," it has been an adjustment for both of us. I enjoyed spending the day with her again! My favorite part of the field trip was watching MC with her friends. She loves each and every one in her class. What sweet memories she is making!

Boarding the bus


Feeding the goats


Mary Conlee and Katelyn


My pumpkin


Mary Conlee, Katelyn, and Tatiana


Katelyn, Tanner, and Mary Conlee- sweet friends


Tired from too much fun!

Wicked Weekend

Makin' ourselves right at home at the hotel!


An old tyme Coke machine from MY generation!


Trying the good stuff


Bibo is the best!


Poster children for Coca Cola!


After we left the Bama game, we traveled to Atlanta for the remainder of the weekend. We didn't arrive to our hotel until Saturday night. The kids absolutely love staying in a hotel! They think it is the coolest place to stay, and it reminds them of their favorite tv stars- Zach and Cody on Suite Life! As soon as Cole walked in to our room, he ran to the couch and put up his feet. MC tattled on him for putting his feet on the coffee table until she decided it was a good plan for her as well! This was our third time to stay at the Embassy Suites. It is located at Centennial Park (place of the Olympic bombing in 1996) and it is right across from the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coke Museum. The past two spring breaks have been spent in this very spot. We always enjoy coming back!

The reason for the weekend trip was to see the Broadway musical Wicked. Cole spent a week this summer at TCT youth camp learning music from The Wizard of Oz, Wicked, and The Wiz. We all loved it and have been listening to the soundtrack of Wicked ever since. We bought our tickets as soon as we learned it was coming to Atlanta!

After our most recent trip to Atlanta, the kids have been talking about the fun they had at the World of Coke museum. So we surprised them this morning by going again. The kids loved seeing how they make, bottle, and distribute Coca Cola. They enjoyed the 4-D movie of the secret ingredient in Coke, and their most favorite part- the tasting room! I never realized how many beverages all over the world that are made by Coca Cola and we have never heard of most of them. Our favorite was Bibo- from Africa. MC loves the pineapple variety, while Cole's favorite is the Kiwi-Apple. After lots of sips (and burps), we headed back to the hotel to pack.

It was a short drive to the Fox Theatre. What a beautiful place! While waiting for the musical to begin, we enjoyed a concert by the infamous Mighty Mo, Fox Theatre's pipe organ. I called Momma to let her hear it's beauty and tell her it reminded me of the Wurlitzer at the old Alabama Theatre in downtown Birmingham. It brought back great memories of mine and hers!

All I can say about the production is WOW!!!! It was everything I had hoped for...and more! I had already fallen in love with the music and thought I knew most of the story. I was wrong! There were so many surprises and things I could never have imagined. I laughed and I cried. At one point I looked over at Judd to see tears rolling down his cheeks, too. He didn't even try to pretend that he had "something in his eye" like he usually does when we see a tear jerker! I will never be able to watch the original Wizard of Oz the same way again. I have been changed "For Good!" I can't wait to see it again when it comes to Birmingham!

On our way to Wicked


Fox Theatre

We Bleed Crimson and White!

We were so excited on Game Day as we drove to Tuscaloosa. This was a big day for the Wilson family! Not only were we going to watch the Crimson Tide play football, we were playing our rival, Ole Miss. We have two tickets to each game. Now that the kids are older, Judd takes either C or MC with him. Every once in awhile, I get to go with him! Thanks to our FAVORITE Bama fan and fellow Tupeloan, Jo Mark, for giving us two extra tickets!

Growing up in Birmingham, I thought the biggest game of the year was the Iron Bowl- Bama versus Auburn. Now that we live in Tupelo, our focus has changed and it means so much more to us that we beat the Rebels and the Bulldogs. It sure makes going to church a lot easier on Sunday when we win!

We arrived pretty early so we could be there for the pep rally and to see the Million Dollar Band march into the stadium. We also saw Big Al, the cheerleaders, and the majorettes. We got to spend a minute with our cousin, Chelsea, who is one of the Crimsonettes. We also met a cheerleader before the parade. MC can't decide which one she wants to be, so she's keeping her options open! We grabbed Big Al, who was on the move in his car. I think we could have gone home at this point and the kids would have been happy! The game was more of a nail-biter than we had hoped it would be, but Judd reminded me that a W is still a win! We'll take it- Roll Tide!

Mary Conlee and Chelsea


Present and future Bama cheerleaders


Big Al and the kids


Ready to roll over the Rebels


Paying homage to legendary Coach Bear Bryant


Who could eat at a time like this?

The Sun and the Rain

Tonight amidst the rain and cool weather, Cole received his yellow belt rank (the sun) in Tae kwon do. We gathered at a pavilion at Ballard Park. The weather may have been gloomy, but the faces on these kids were far from sad! This was Cole's first belt ceremony and he was so proud. Judd even commented, "We did it. We got our belt!" This is the truth. Cole and Judd work on their moves together and Judd has been instrumental in getting him there- dressed in his appropriate uniform. I can never get the belt to stay the right way when I attempt it! This has been such a great bonding experience for the Wilson boys! Judd is convinced he could protect himself in any dangerous situation- all learned from simply being a spectator! Cole decided to try tae kwon do instead of soccer or baseball. He participated in both, but never loved either one. This has simply become his passion. He loves going to class as many times as we let him go each week. His instructor, Noel McMichael is such a positive role model for the students. Tonight as we began the ceremony, he led us in prayer. Not only is he teaching the kids to defend themselves, but he is also teaching them about discipline of the mind, while instilling core values into each class. Cole and his pal, Woody, have enjoyed doing this together. And it's not just a sport for boys, as seen by Caroline and Sydney! I hope these friends will continue on their journey to black belt together!

Cole receiving his belt and certificate from Mr. McMichael


The Parkway Gang- Woody, Cole, Sydney, and Caroline


The newest Dan-Guns (yellow belt)

Digging up Bones and Firing Off Rockets

On our way to find fossils


The bottom of the ocean- 80 million years ago


Mary Conlee Wilson, paleontologist


A closer look


Cow bones (from the 21st century)


Shark's tooth


A shell from the Cretaceous period


Worm burrows


Shrimp burrows


Fish vertebra



On Saturday, we went to Judd's family farm in Panola, Alabama. The entire Wilson family was gathered at Mama Dee and Daddy Earl Inmon's homeplace for the annual Homecoming at their church. Although Mama Dee and Daddy Earl have gone on to meet Jesus, this is something that the family continues to do the first weekend of October.

As soon as we arrived, Judd and Cole hopped on the four wheeler for a ride through the cow pasture. When they returned, I hopped on for my turn- as the driver, of course. Judd made sure I remembered how to drive it, so he was my first passenger. After passing the test, he let Cole climb on the back. We went through the pasture and found some cow bones- a vertibrae and a clavical bone, to be exact! Cole insisted that we bring them home, which we did! Everyone was thrilled with our collection! This caused the other cousins to want some bones, too. Some of the girls found a pelvic bone and placed it in the flower beds. What fancy lawn decorations, let me tell you!

After eating lunch, we went on a fossil dig. This area is not a far walk from the house and is part of the Inmon Estate. Some of this info, I'm borrowing from Cousin Cheryl (CheChe), who is the family archaeology expert. Well before 1988, archaeologists have been digging on the Inmon family property. They have discovered many fossils, including a turtle that is now on display at the McWane Science Center in Birmingham. Dr. James Lamb is the Curator of Paleontology at McWane. He said that Alabama is the best place in the southeast for fossil hunting. He recently brought a crew to do some more digging on the property. It is amazing to know that this area used to be the ocean and that the fossils we found date back to the Cretaceous period- over 80 million years ago. This area reminds me of the dinosaur graveyard from The Lion King movie. Judd remembers walking around this area as a child, but he had no idea of the treasures it beheld. Thankfully for us, our children now know what is there and can appreciate the vast history it represents. In order to find our fossils, we didn't have to dig. Kemp, Judd's oldest brother and fossil afficionado, taught us how to excavate using a screwdriver on the surface of the ground. Without much digging, we found shells, fish vertebrae, fish teeth, and even a shark's tooth. Besides bones, you can find shrimp and worm burrows. These are fossilized "caves" or homes where the worms and the shrimp once lived. Everything from this time period has fossilized, not just the animals. I look forward to our next dig. On another note, Cole's Challenge class at Parkway is studying archaeology this semester. Their culminating activity will be a field trip to the McWane Center. We look forward to going and seeing "our turtle" among the Alabama Dinosaurs exhibit!

One of our newest traditions at the farm is to set off our rocket. Cole got a rocket for his 6th birthday from one of his friends. This is no simple backyard rocket. It launches over 600 feet into the air. There is no place in Tupelo where we can do this, so we love taking it to the farm and launching it there. We did it for the first time in January of 2007, when all the family gathered for Bob Bob and Mama Charlie's 50th wedding anniversary. Our family didn't make it to Homecoming last year because of my trip to Greece. So when we went back this time, Judd and Cole made sure the rocket came, too! After the rocket is launched, the parachute deploys and if it is the least bit windy, the rocket is carried off. This happened during the first launch in '07. Luckily Judd and Cousin Chris were able to retrieve it. This time, Judd brought 3 "engines" or gun powder packs (as I call them) so we could do it several times. The entire family gathered in the pasture for the rocket launch. As soon as it took off, we spotted it in the sky and watched as the rocket was carried off in the distance. Over the wire fence in another pasture, to be exact. Someone took off on the four wheeler to retrieve it, but so did our nephew, Kemper, in his truck. Kemper has just gotten his driver's license, so he was proud to drive his truck with it's new mag tires from Pensacola. As soon as Kemper took off into the field to help us find the rocket, a stick went straight through his tire. I could feel his pain. I was afraid we would all feel his dad's (Kemp) pain, too! We waited awhile before firing the last two shots. It felt irreverent to shoot the rocket while they were changing the torn up tire. The next launch also resulted in a search and rescue mission. Again, someone went out on the four wheeler to bring it back. But the last time, we let our little princess press the button to ignite the charge. MC sent that rocket high into the sky, and it came down near the initial launch pad. Girls can always do it better! We had a wonderful day. It was a great time of fun, food, fellowship, and togetherness.

Rocket Man


Our rocket


The best shot


Wilson cousins


Our stairsteps