John is an LSU Tiger!

This is Paula. Sad, sad, sad Paula! Why is she sad you ask?!

She is sad because last night was the last night her son, John will EVER spend the night in his own bed at home as her "little boy". He is LSU bound! Her first born. Fruit of her loin!

So,, with that, there was, naturally, a party planned in his honor. Havent' you all n0ticed we just LOOK for excuses to have a party?!


So, Taylor, (Tashia's 16 year old daughter) was put in charge of texting a "few" of John's friends to come over for his send off.

You DON'T ask a teenager to text a "Few" friends... EVER!!

I think there were about 50 who showed up! But in true, Todd-master-of-the-grill style, there was plenty for everyone!

This is a super sweet note to John from Emma about his going away. I wish you could read it up close. It is all sweet and mushy and adorable, and then she says, "But I will be glad when I get your old closet"!

That purple mark on Ellie's chest is the "L" of "LSU" which Emma "tattooed" down the front of her when she chose this lovely ensemble instead of something purple and gold as instructed.

Here's a group of girlies... Taylor is brunette in front. Mary Allison, rear right.

The daddies hung outside as usual. It is only about 105 degrees down here right now. I am NOT even kidding. You know how in summer, when you get in your car and the air conditioner is blowing on you and it is hot because the car hasn't warmed up yet?! Well, that is how it feels when we are riding in the golf cart. No kidding! It is sweltering!

I had MY Tiger spirit!!

Then, Miss Linda showed up with her newly casted/ splinted foot due to recent toe surgery. Johnnye checked on his mama, but Ellie never left her side!

MA and I hung out inside with the party peeps.

Here's Todd the Bod doing his thang!

Nope. Ellie ain't goin NOWHERE! She is standing by her dance teacher's side!!

By the way, I KNOW that's incorrect grammar. It's a secret fear of mine that people think I am ignorant!! I often write the way I speak, and I speak with more inflection and drawl when I am being fascetious. (Now I AM being ignorant, cause I am not sure of that spelling and am NOT looking it up!)

Anyway, sometimes it comes across as just plain uneducated when you type it out. Ok. Moving on...

Ellie went home and got some cardstock and drew Miss Linda a picture of the two of them and Ellie's extended family. This was Miss LInda's Get Well card.

The child is very in to drawing these days. And I agree with someone who commented that I would NEVER want to suppress her creativity, so I give a little whereas, judging by many comments, some would not. Oh well. Different strokes, I assume. I like it that she is so expressive.

We'll be having another one of these going away parties for Taylor next year when Tashia sends her baby off to Baton Rouge too! ANd then, they'll come give ME a party when mine starts kindergarten next August! Ha.

Todd brought in some ahi tuna and it was to die for. That boy can COOK! To those of you coming to the retreat, you will find out. I have reserved his services for Friday night's dinner!

Paula went all out with the Goodbye forever cake! (just kidding.) Look at John. He is PUMPED about blowing out the "we'll never see you again" candles! Ha.

Sorry, paula. I am just messing with you. Remind me of this when I am crying when Gabbi starts Pre K. Ok?!

I suppose we are gonna miss all these teenagers hanging out at our get togethers all the time. THey keep us in the know.

John kinda has two other mamas who will miss him as well. John is the kid who comes home from a party and admits to everything he did "bad" and tells us about the whole thing. He is an open book! Unlike his brother, Clayton, who won't tell us a thing! "Hey, Clayton. How was the dance?" "Good". "Clayton, who is Jim dating?" "I don't know." "Are you having fun on your field trip to New York?" "yes".

Sigh. We're gonna miss you, John!

And then, I noticed THIS happening in the den!

Ellie was doing some sort of deal similar to "eenie meenie miney mo" to the big girls' feet. She would ask each of them their favorite color when she landed on them. One of them said, "So your favorite color is blue?" Ellie said, "No not blue. It's turquoise, actuallly." Lawd!

Ellie loves herself an audience!

See?! She was making some sort of announcement and demanded they all look at her. I kept telling them, "Now y'all know you don't have to listen to her".

This is her most recent thing.... pretending she is texting. And she takes pics with cellphones all the time. She is very cellphone savvy.

I took over the photo taking so she could go jump in. She is sooooo in her element here. As is Emma Lou. These little girls are gonna sure miss these big girls!!

But, life moves on. And John is about to transition from boy to man. And Paula will be entering the next phase of her life too. I'm glad I'll be there, right next door, to help her "cross over".

Wish I could be there for her today as she takes John down to his new apartment. Sorry, PauPau. More on why I couldn't be there in the coming days on the B.L.O.G.

I'll miss you, JuhnJuhn!!

MO