Summer begins

Hopefully, this will sum up a little of the early summer events. The video is a little long; maybe one only grands will love. Kids are doing great! Enjoy.

Spring Bunnies

This Easter, the kids and I flew to Glasgow to visit family and friends. I'll skip the details of flying solo with two young children. Let's just say I was begging gj and Pappy to pack a cooler of beer in the car!

The weekend started out with numerous Easter egg hunts, many of which were in gj's backyard. Every morning both of the kids headed for the backdoor to hangout on the patio or the swing. The neighbor cat, Charlie, was a great source of amusement for the kids. He even let Sam put him in a choke-hold. "Gentle, Sam!" The weather, warm and beautiful. The spring flowers, stunning-- especially the purple redbuds, forsythia, weeping cherries and dogwoods. Purple, white, yellow and pink poised on Kentucky hillsides.

Corinne and Maren split their attention between serving up soup in the sandbox...

"Do you want chicken noodle or black bean, Mom?"

and bouncing around to Ring-a-round the rosies...

Queens of the Trampoline. Eat your heart out Olivia!

Sam jams at the music table.

You have to go to 'the farm' when you visit Glasgow. Spencer and Carrie have a stunning view of the countryside while home to many horses. The kids got to see several foals, one as early as four or five hours old.

Spencer and Sam share the tractor. What contentment.

Austin plays the drums nowadays in addition to hosting their exchange student from Spain, reading, and swimming on the swim team. He was kind enough to treat the kids to a private jam. Corinne said it was too loud.

Sam said bring it on!

Seeing friends on the visit home is always a plus! I was able to hook up with Britney and Ryan at Cave City's own Dinosaur World. The dinos were actually pretty cool. Ryan was so attentive to Sam and very grown-up! Lesson of the day--the colored belts of karate! He had some cool moves, too!

This is so scary, kids can't resist. Corinne watched awhile to make sure T-rex didn't spit anyone out like so much spinach.


Pappy was swamped with tax season, but caught up with us in the evenings.

Always refreshing to introduce your children to new situations and make new family memories with everyone. Thanks for a great spring break!

He's ONE!

That's right, he really is. And, yes, this year went by even faster than our first year with Corinne. Sam is such a happy little boy and can always be seen smiling. Or eating. :-) Sam loves to snack all day if you'd let him. Which is why I was surprised that he was less than excited at his first cupcake. He was concerned about the icing on his fingers and kept trying to flick it off!

I want YOU! (To bring me more cake ;-)

Happy Birthday, sweet Sam!

The Circus

Our lives could definitely be defined as a circus right now. By the time we juggle sick children, jobs, and faulty plumbing, we find ourselves walking tightropes and jumping through hoops to get everything accomplished.

Corinne's class at school held their annual Circus last week even though a nasty fever and virus seemed to keep many students out of school off and on all week including our own. Corinne was out Tuesday and Wednesday before the Circus on Thursday. While at the performance, we had to take Sam out for a high temperature, too. Ah! Thankfully, it seems to only be a low grade fever and the sniffles.

So, maybe it was her mood that kept her from performing Thursday. Corinne was the only one who contracted stage fright and refused to come out with the others. I managed to grab a few photos of her, though, backstage. Side note, gj made the clown costume over 30 years ago! I think Derek may have worn it also.

Lady and the Tramp

Have a great week.

Let it snow, let it snow!

It doesn't happen very often. Snow in the South. Friday evening, Feb. 12, Charleston was blanketed with roughly 2-3" of snow. The town shut down Friday afternoon. I almost woke Corinne up to have her watch it. Looking back, I wish I had. But she got to enjoy it! Yes, the picture here is dark because it's morning at our house.

Roman let me sleep in Saturday morning until 7am. When I came out for a cup of Joe, this image greeted me.

Now, I know that Charleston winters aren't arctic by any stretch, but we've really had a cold winter here. The weatherman spouted trivia that from January 1st to Feb. 16th last year, Charleston had about 11 days around 70 degrees. The year before it was 6 days. This year: none. The thin-bloods down here have really been whining. I have to say that I love it. I love the cool to balance the sultry summers that usually cling to the fall and winter months.

Lame excuse for a snowman, but I wanted to hurry up and sit inside enjoying the snow while sipping my coffee.
Brrrrrrr!

First Steps

He did it. Sam is now taking first steps on his own. I love the pride in his face when he realizes what he's done. Don't you know that babies must just love it when they can finally do what the big folks are doing everyday?!

Sam is in his own little world right now. I call him my little Cave Man because he's favorite form of communication is loud grunts and growls. Luckily, he's becoming adept at sign language, so there's hope for a gentleman someday. :-)

Here he is in action.

Old friend, new friend

After the birthday bash, we were excited to get out of town for the MLK weekend in the mountains. Mike and Jane Ann are proud parents of little Emma Rose who's close to 5 months now. What a darling little girl! She watched the craziness with good humor.


Our friends Carla and Preston brought their new bundle of joy, Reece, over for dinner. It was so good to see them. Reece is a few months younger than Sam.

Couldn't you get lost in those eyes?

Boys and their blocks.

"You be the whale, and I'll be the boat."

Thanks for a great time!