a bunch of buchanans

The Princess and the Dog

2011-11-11T15:21:00.000-06:00

The princess didn't want the dog to be in her royal picture.

If Mollie is the princess, then this must be the King holding the dog.

And then Trippy was "dog-tired" after all that

trick-or-treating!

Bop and Gangi

2011-11-11T12:02:00.000-06:00

The kids rode with me to the cemetery the other day, and we visited the marker for my precious grandparents, Mark and Francis Thomas, aka "Bop and Gangi". They both died in 1987, only a few months apart. I still miss them today and wish my kids could have met them. And by the way, I explained a cemetery to the children as a place we go to remember our friends and family that have already gone to Heaven to be with Jesus. They're not ready to know that there is a casket under that marker. :)

Every kid needs a Kaye-Kaye!

2011-11-11T11:49:00.000-06:00

Mollie: "I wish all my priends had a

Kaye-Kaye because Kaye-Kaye's help you

go to the potty and read you

lots of books after you eat".

We love our Kaye-Kaye!

riding with training wheels

2011-11-10T12:17:00.000-06:00

Guess who is riding her Barbie bike with training wheels?

This is a big step for her because she's been a little scared of her big girl bike. Mollie would have been happy to ride her tricycle for a little longer, but we knew she would love her bike once she got the hang of it!

Beauty and the Beast at the Children's Museum

2011-10-31T10:58:00.000-05:00

The characters from the Beauty and the Beast were coming to our Children's Museum so we got all dolled up to see Belle, on of our favorite Disney princesses! But first we had to do a little dancing while we waited for them to arrive.....

Well, they arrived and we were surprised they weren't dressed in costume...this is them, Mrs. Potts, Chip, and Belle. They had just flown in and were able to read to the children before their evening performance. Mollie didn't think Belle looked the same in a black tshirt but she went along with it anyway. Mollie is seated in the crowd, blending in with others, but where is Tripp? Is he seated with the others listening to the story?

Of course not, he's outside acting like a wild man! haha. He thought it was more fun to run and climb on stuff. After all, he didn't see Mrs. Potts or Chip anywhere! I kept easing into the room, and motioning quietly for Mollie to please come out with us because I was having trouble keeping Tripp in this area. She was not ABOUT to leave storytime....she kept cutting her eyes at me, and motioning for me to stop distracting her. haha.

And THEN, I remembered the WIGGLES.....I quickly pulled out my phone, and handed it over. Problem solved. He sat still as a mouse while we waited for his sister to come out of storytime! What a relief. Notice how he holds it carefully so that he doesn't touch the screen. Look at that tongue licking his upper lip. Hilarious!

Now, he's scrolling through his other Wiggles choices on YouTube. What did parents do before we had smartphones? (I say this with sarcasm because I know it's ridiculous to hand my phone over to my toddler.)

And here's Mollie with the actress who played Belle. Mollie doesn't understand but she's being a good sport anyway! haha.

picnicking and playing with our cousins

2011-10-30T11:26:00.002-05:00

We took the kids out to a park for a late afternoon picnic last weekend when Carson and Kelli visited.

The kids ran and played and loved kicking the soccer ball!

"Everybody make a silly face".

"Everybody ROAR like a tiger"!

They LOVED to make scary noises. Such fun!

"Cat" the horse

2011-10-30T11:09:00.000-05:00

Yep, they loved it! Those kiddos LOVED riding that sweet horse. We have to do this again soon!

Lee left us gorgeous beach weather.

2011-09-10T19:59:00.000-05:00

Tropical Storm Lee came through our area right before Curt was planning to spend the week working in Pensacola but we decided to go with him anyway, and we were so glad we did because Lee left behind beautiful weather and gorgeous beaches. The kids and I spent the afternoons playing in the sand and soaking up the Vitamin D.

The kids really enjoy the beach. Tripp does a big belly-laugh every time a big wave hits him, and was even seen applauding a few times when he was really excited about a big wave. Mollie loved making ice cream cones for us out of sand, and was way too busy to spend her time in the waves. I could have stayed for many more hours, and am sure my beach misses me now that we are gone. This was truly my happy place, and I can't wait to return.

the office (starring Curtis)

2011-08-22T19:54:00.001-05:00

Curt recently was promoted to a Wrigley Manager, leading a team of twelve sales reps. This position allows him to work from home two days a week, and work with his team throughout the Southeast during the rest of the week. Curt regularly leads and participates in video conferencing with his team, and with the National Wrigley team, and needs a quiet area for these calls. We were really excited but knew that our home provided working conditions not conducive to silence,nor productivity. We had to make some changes quickly! And right on cue as always, there was Curtis to the rescue! Curt's dad kindly volunteered to build an office in the garage, and we were so pleased with how it turned out.

This is the before picture.... (notice Kaye-Kaye leaning so that she wouldn't be in the picture, haha!)

And this is the after shot! The office is fully insulated, has a window looking out at the front yard, is carpeted, and has an a/c unit that Curt has to surprisingly keep on the lowest setting because he gets too cold. And we still can park our SUV inside the garage as always. We appreciate Curtis building this office because Curt really could not have worked inside with all of our noise.

And this was our contractor....we might hire him again because he offers really good rates!

mollie goes to preschool

2011-08-19T09:07:00.003-05:00

And here it is, she's started preschool. This is Mollie posing with her teacher,

Mrs. Laura, in their classroom.

I felt like the paparazzi shooting this picture out of my car window, but I had to get a shot of her walking into school with her teacher. Her teacher is handing off the yummy sugar cookies that Kaye-Kaye made for the teacher and the director.

I'm really happy with our preschool. I heard about it from each of Tripp's fabulous therapists, and they all mentioned this one as the best in our area. The therapists visit all the centers and are in and out of the classrooms, and they know what is really going on in a center that sometimes a director doesn't always see. I trust their recommendations. So I toured about 8 centers in the area, and agreed that Mollie belonged at this preschool. It took us many months to get an enrollment spot, and even had to be put on a waiting list at open registration, but a spot opened up and here we are! Mom and Dad are happy and she's all smiles when she's off to school!

under the table

2011-06-08T18:38:00.002-05:00

Tripp won't stay in his crib anymore at naptime. He IS a three year old now, so I guess that's understandable, but today this is where I found him when I peeked in during naptime. I HAD to grab the camera for this one! Guess he liked his little cozy spot under his changing table and it looks like he tried to bring Barney and his pillow with him. So precious (when he sleeps).

he pushed her in.

2011-05-19T21:23:00.002-05:00

We knew the day would come when Tripp would get her back. Mollie has been torturing her little brother since birth, and he just usually lets her smother him, wrestle him to the ground, whatever. But not tonight. Superdaddy took the kids to the reservoir tonight by himself while I met with a bride. They were having a relaxing time sitting on the pier watching the sunset, until Tripp pushed Mollie INTO THE RESERVOIR! and then kept walking like nothing ever happened. Mollie went under, and came up scared to death. Curt pulled her out of the water, comforted her, and gave her his shirt so she could warm up on the ride home. back to safety. My poor baby girl. :(

a big day for trippy

2011-05-17T07:23:00.005-05:00

This little guy has some important appointments today. Please say a little prayer for him, and his mommy too!

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them." Psalm 139:13-16

i miss her

2011-05-16T20:52:00.001-05:00

missing this little girl tonight....

the therapy dogs

2011-05-16T14:07:00.001-05:00

We visited the library preschool story hour a few weeks ago to see the Therapy Dogs with our Mrs. Freda, and we just realized our picture is on the library blog site. Pretty cool! Click on the link and check us out.

The Spill Grill

2011-05-15T20:46:00.000-05:00

We took the kids to the Spill Grill on Mollie's birthday, and had a nice time eating outside on the picnic tables. I took a picture of the kids in their new matchy-matchy outfits that their LiLi gave them for their birthdays. Precious. Thanks Kelli!

Tripp, the technician.

2011-04-28T09:33:00.001-05:00

This makes Tripp really happy. He loves to push buttons on televisions, remote controls, telephones.....pretty much anything with a button. And then he gets REALLY excited if he sneaks the chance to insert VCR tapes/DVD's! We'd been stopping him from all his fun, until the day we realized he actually knows what he is doing. Our little Trippy really knows how to work the machines. He knows which buttons are for on/off, volume, channels, etc.... Now we are amazed, instead of annoyed. Yeah for Tripp!

The Bunny Weekend

2011-04-27T16:19:00.000-05:00

The Easter Bunny was hopping all weekend around us. We were glad we remembered to take some pictures of all the fun festivities. This is Mollie and Uncle Andy at lunch in Starkville. Andy is moving to Murphy, NC to be the archeologist in the Nantahala Forest, so we went to Starkville to spend a little time with him before he moves. (And Curt and I are really excited to go visit him and explore that area!)

Mrs. Freda invited us to the Easter Party at the library, and we thought this scary bunny was hysterical. Tripp was not as amused as the rest of us, and couldn't wait to dart away. The kids enjoyed the egg hunt on the shelves of the childen's section. Mollie found eggs. Tripp found Barney movies, of course. haha.

Laurie Hamilton Smith painted our wooden eggs this year. I think they are our best ones yet! Carson got a basketball bunny, William wanted a surfer bunny, Mollie got an Ariel mermaid bunny, and Tripp got a puppy egg. So cute!

We woke up on Easter morning to a backyard full of eggs that the Easter Bunny had hidden for the children. We let them hunt them before church, and realized Tripp cared more about running and sliding than finding Easter eggs, which was good for Mollie, since she won the contest! :) Then we got all spiffied up, and headed off for church. Curt and I had the pleasure of teaching Tripp's Sunday School class, and enjoyed playing with all of Tripp's little friends. Afterwards, we stopped and did a little posing outside before we headed home.

We changed our clothes and headed over to John and Courtney's to join their family for Easter lunch. We had a little incident with Tripp harassing their dog, Rocky, so this is the only shot we were able to get, but this is Drew, Camille, and Mollie playing in the backyard. All the children were so sweet and precious. Just wish I could have taken a few more pictures to remember the afternoon. Happy Easter!

Mississippi Children's Museum

2011-04-12T21:44:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to share a few quick shots from our eighteen-hundredth visit to the fabulous and always-fun Children's Museum. We love this place, and were so glad we got the chance to play there with our buddies, Shelia and Courtney.

Happy Birthday to my big, tall, (and FINE!) drink of water!

2011-03-09T16:18:00.012-06:00

Today is my man's birthday, and I have to celebrate by bragging on him. Curt is an unbelievable husband and father. There are just not many men like Curt out there anymore. I knew that when we were dating, so I hung on to Curt Buchanan for dear life! He had to be mine.

And after we married, I realized this man was even better than I thought. He loves me, no matter what, and I love him the same. But I really fall for him when I see the way he loves our children. Curt literally lights up at the sight of these little ones. I melt when I see him reach down and take the hand of his little girl, or wrap her in his arms of forgiveness after disciplining her. It's fun to watch him teach Tripp how to kick the ball, or throw it in the basket. I'm so blessed that he is my partner in parenting, and I trust him completely.

Happy birthday Curt! We love you!

Mary, Mollie, and Tripp

Kathy Roche' Buchanan, gifted beyond belief.

2011-03-08T16:29:00.005-06:00

I knew when I met Kathy that she was a talented artist. Curt told me that Aunt Kathy portraits' were really beautiful and that she was commissioned to paint portraits of people all across the nation. I knew she had paintings displayed in the Mississipi Old Capitol Museum, paintings of famous people like the Choctaw warrior, Pushmataha, and the eccentric Mad Potter of Biloxi, George Ohr. I knew she had been recently commissioned to paint a Federal District Court Judge for the new Federal Court Building, and had last weekend just unveiled a painting of Natchez native and Author, Richard Wright. I've even been lucky enough to visit her studio, where I just stood in wonder gazing at her latest work in progress. You know, peering at a piece of art with that feeling that you're in a special place, and you stand still and whisper in hopes you won't have to leave.

So you can imagine our delight when Kathy asked our daughter, Mollie, to pose for a painting. Kathy had a specific image in her mind of a little girl in a winter coat and we were so honored that she thought of Mollie. Kathy and I began searching for the perfect coat and bonnet, and finally found the perfect one online at a boutique in the United Kingdom, and the payment was made to a bank in Paris. What an exciting story to tell Mollie one day about the coat she is wearing in the painting, so I was saved the reciept for her baby book.

Later we learned that the portrait would be on display in an exhibit, "People and Places: Oil Portaits and Landscapes by Kathy Roche' Buchanan", presented by the Greenville Arts Council. So we loaded up the children and headed off to the Delta, in hopes of gathering with family to support Kathy and seeing her gallery collection. Wow. I was stunned at her collection of paintings that hung on the walls. Kathy is simply gifted beyond belief.

Frankly, I don't know enough about art to comment on all her techniques, I can only write about what I felt as I looked at her work. I was amazed as I looked around the room, and understood how Kathy pours herself into her paintings. Each portrait was such a jewel beyond value. I looked into the faces and imagined these paintings as they are hung in homes across the nation. Some were of people I recognized, paintings of family members throughout the years. Paintings that would be treasured and handed down in families throughout generations. I understand this pride the Buchanan family feels towards Kathy and her talent. I feel it myself. She is so beautiful inside and out, but even more, she has such a pure beauty that flows from her hands as she paints. What a gift she has, the ability to capture certain attributes and qualities of a person that might not have shown in just a simple photograph! Kathy deserves this tribute, and based on the public reaction she recieved from gallery guests that night and since, this recognition goes far beyond just our family.

Click to see website for Kathy Buchanan, Portrait Painter

Our first dentist visit

2011-03-04T11:22:00.002-06:00

Our first dental appointment with Dr. Tiffany Green at Southern Smiles.
Don't our teeth look so white and pretty now?

"Now I Know My ABC's"

2011-03-04T09:15:00.000-06:00

Please click on the arrow to join Mollie for her singing debut from two summers ago. Notice that little brother Tripp bumps to the music too! So precious.

Marky Thomas Triplett

2011-02-17T07:33:00.006-06:00

“The Lord is near to those who are broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18

What a comfort to know that the Lord is near those who are suffering! Today is a hard day for me. I'm not quite suffering, but still a little broken-hearted. Today is the day my mom, Marky Triplett, passed away eight years ago from AML. Leukemia. She passed away exactly three weeks after her diagnosis, and her funeral was on her actual 60th birthday. I still can't believe she's really gone. I almost picked up the phone to call her last Sunday. After all this time, I still have the urge to call her and then get that punched-in-the-gut feeling when I remember she's gone.

I don't talk about it a lot because it hurts but I still think about her everyday. I think about her as I watch my children laugh, thinking how much she would have loved them. I think about her when I have to run around the house chasing a ringing phone. I remember how funny I thought it was that she would carry her cordless phone in her front robe pocket so she never missed our calls. I wish I had a robe with front pockets now! I think about her when I drive down State Street. To this day I take High Street exit to avoid driving past Baptist Hospital, and remembering the night she passed away. I think about her when I see queso dip at a Mexican restaurant because that was what I was eating on my lunch break with Julie Jackson when my Dad called to tell me I needed to come to the hospital soon. She's always on my mind, and always in that special place in your heart reserved for your mom.

My mom meant so much to me. She loved us all unconditionally, and was always on our side. If I had a bad attitude or was disrespectful, she always blamed it on whoever I had been around. Someone MUST have been a bad influence on me because she KNEW I could never be so disobedient on my own. She was always there when I needed her, such a good listener. I remember her hilarious sense of humor, and the funny things she would say. She was just entertaining to be around, and I hope my children will love me like I loved my mom.

You're told that time heals the pain, and it does get so easier, but I can't help but feel cheated sometimes. My first birthday after she passed away was especially hard. It was the day I realized that nobody celebrates your birthday with you quite like your mom does. She and my Dad sang to me every birthday morning for 32 years, and it just wasn't the same with just his voice alone. Dads voice was comforting, but I wanted my mom to tell me the story again of the day I was born. How she watched the Kentucky Derby from her hospital room because she was hospitalized for a few days before, how my Dad wore a suit to the hospital on the day I was born, how they couldn't believe they finally had a girl,.... you know, the things your mom reminds you of every birthday! I miss that.

We never fully understand Gods plan or his timing, but I really wish Tripp and Mollie could have known the love of BOTH of their precious grandmothers. My mom couldn't wait to have grandchildren, and would have been so proud of these two little ones. Curt and I laugh about it sometimes when we realize that God knew when he gave our children their Kaye-Kaye, that her heart is so big that she's able to love them enough for TWO grandmothers. I'm so thankful we have her!

I especially missed my mom on the day Mollie was born. I was sedated during an emergency c-section, and do not remember Mollie's delivery, but I remember waking up in a recovery room with Mollie for the first time. I looked at those little alert eyes, and for the first time realized that she was here, and was a baby girl! I reached for the phone to call my mom to tell her that I had a baby girl, but then remembered she was gone. But it was okay, because I knew that I was beginning a new chapter, and that I could love this little baby girl like my mom had loved me.

I wish my mom could have gotten to know Curt. She would have been so proud that he was her son-in-law. We first knew Curt was a special guy when he sent my mother flowers in her hospital room on Valentine's Day. She called me at work when they were delivered, and we were both so touched by such a thoughtful gesture. I think she knew Curt and I would marry. She met him once during her last week. He came to the hospital to see her, and she was sitting on the side of her bed. I remember when we walked in that she glowed when she met Curt, and asked him to sit beside her. She told him that she was going to make him some sour cream enchiladas when she got out of the hospital. He's still disappointed he never got those enchiladas! Just a few days before my mom passed away, she insisted that I go home with Curt to Greenville for the first time. Curtis was being named "King of Greenville" at a Junior League Ball, and my mom was really happy that I was able to go with Curt. Here we are on that wonderful weekend.

It was a really special Valentine's weekend, and I'll always be glad she encouraged me to go, but I remember noticing that her legs had gotten really swollen when I came back on that Sunday afternoon. She died the next day from renal edema. Her body just couldn't take all the chemo. The leukemia had just taken over.

I didn't know she was going to die. Even on the morning of her death, I didn't know. I stopped by to check on her on my way to work. My dad was with her. He didn't leave her that morning. He never went to work that day. I guess he knew she wasn't doing well. I knew she was really sick, but I thought she would survive. She always did, so I had no reason to think otherwise. But I returned after his call at lunch, and my mom gifted me with a beautiful smile as I walked into her hospital room. She must have known this was the end, and wanted to comfort me with that beautiful smile. She closed her eyes soon after, and then it all began. But it was still a total shock to me when the doctor called us out to the hallway that afternoon to tell us that my mothers chart instructs DNR. I remember asking the doctor if she needed to be resuscitated? She said yes, that my mother was going to die in the next few hours. I wanted to wail like the people I had read about in the Old Testament. And rip my clothes like them. It was the hardest thing I have ever been through, to watch the person that you love so much take her last breaths.

We were all there with her, and I believe she felt our love surrounding her. We gathered up all her belongings and pushed them on a cart through the hospital. And we left without her. It was a very dark time for us. My Dad slept on my couch for a few nights because her couldn't bear to go home without her. But we were comforted by knowing that we would see her again.

We selfishly missed her but we knew that in Heaven her little body was not sick anymore. And that she was happy to be reunited with her second child Mark that had died of SIDS in 1965, and that she was rejoicing with her Saviour forever! She would want us to be happy with her. How much heavier grief must be for a non-beliver, who does not believe in Heaven and the beautiful promise of seeing their loved ones again!

Here's a few pictures of my mom and dad on their wedding day, April 28, 1962, at First Baptist Church, Gulfport, MS. She looks so beautiful!

Thank you for joining me as I remember my mom and all that she meant to our family. She will forever be missed and I look forward to the day when I can see her again.

Dixie National Rodeo

2011-02-15T12:41:00.002-06:00

Saturday morning we headed down to the Mississippi Fairgrounds to take a look around at the Dixie National Rodeo. Much to our surprise, we got out of the car just in time to see a parade of horses and wagons riding right by our path, and were even able to touch a horse upclose. Real upclose, if you know what I mean. The children loved seeing the parade and we had a great time. What a great way to start off our morning!

Mollie was tickled at the baby calf behind her, especially when she realized the baby calf drinks her milk from the baby bottles hanging from her mommy's tummy!

And below, she wasn't sure this pig was still alive at first, but she was real tickled when she found out he lies down to sleep, just like she and her brother Tripp!

So, which is better? The sleeping pig or this pig that is awake and grunting loudly at you? Notice that little Mollie is smiling for the camera as she neeevvveeerr takes her eye off this pink pig! She wanted to make sure he didn't come one. step. closer! And Tripp was not sure what to think about all this animal business. He just wanted to make the animal sounds from off at a distance. :)

Just another fun adventure for this little bunch of buchanans!