LOVE THEM. Live in the present. Remember grace abounds. Feed them real food. Let them see you struggle. PRAY LOTS. don't be afraid to let them fail. Ask for forgiveness. BE STILL. LOVE THEM.

Monday, May 31, 2010

Our Memorial Weekend

Memorial day with the weekend combined  is now known as a holiday weekend, a vacation weekend and it feels like the start to summer.  Family and barbecues and the summer sun rolled in with fun is what we did this weekend too but I don’t want to go without mentioning what Memorial Day really is all about.   A brief history lesson (my brother would be so proud).  Memorial Day started shortly after the civil war and was called “Decoration Day”  then because southern woman were found laying spring flowers on the graves of confederate and union soldiers, decorating their graves.  Then, by the urging of General Logan it became a national day of commemoration by all the states.  Then it wasn’t until 1971 where Congress officially passed this day renaming it “Memorial Day” and they added in the 3 day weekend which has started the trend of setting off to the beach and all the sales and all the traffic! I cant say I mind these traditions, the traffic excluded, but I don't want to forget the history of the day and what it means to our family today.  It is exactly what the name says it is.  Honoring the memory of those who have put their lives on the line for our freedom.  Those gone and those who are still fighting.  We do this today and on Veterans Day.  So, I just wanted to say I honor all of our fallen soldiers and I honor my husband for his amazing service and sacrifices for our country.  You totally Rock Babe! Our true and real Hero!  In the midst of all your fun today take a moment and say a prayer because doing that honors our military.  So, back to the later created traditions of this holiday, this is what we got ourselves into this weekend…..

 

Grammy arrived late Thursday night.  Here is her chasing Bradley and catching him for some Sugar!

086

Then Bradley and Grammy ran around in the sprinkler Friday and played in mud puddles they made with the bucket of water.

053 065

Saturday evening we drove to Uncle Bubba, Aunt Joanie’s and Jacksons house.  My cousin Jenn and her family were visiting from Maryland too.  Here is Katelyn, Bradley, Allison, Jackson and Gavin up and waiting for the sun to come out to go to the pool.

004

Allison and Jackson all dressed up.  Redskins and mullet fans!

006

Who knows what Bradley was? or what weapon that is?

009

We made it to the pool Sunday and stayed all day!  Gavin was so good and happy the whole time. 

022

He loves to stand in your lap and just jump and move his little legs as fast as they can go.

034

Gavin and Grammy

029

Popsicles at the Pool.  You cant beat that as a kid on a hot day. 

035

Bradley driving this car “baby” float I had bought for Gavin.  Gavin never got to use it because Bradley loved it and wouldn’t give it up.  Unfortunately this is the only picture I got of the three of us.

049

At least I got pictures with each of them separately.  He loved the water and loves to splash and kick!

057

I had to bribe Bradley with this picture and it worked!  Pictures are not part of his three year old agenda!

059

Mom took my camera and was acting like a photographer so Joanie and I “worked it!” A big HA!

077

Lastly, I just love this picture of my Bubba and Jackson.  Its hilarious because you can see Jacksons little tush but I have fond memories of my brothers throwing me like this into the pool or ocean when I was younger.   This is what being a kid is all about!

093

We drove home Sunday night after dinner with the family and my mom is driving home now so we are getting ready for the start of the week tomorrow and back to the reality of schedules and no help for me!

 

Happy Memorial Day!

Friday, May 28, 2010

Ketchup

Lets go back a few days for some pictures.   These are all from earlier this week. 

 

001

Gavin pinning Bradley.  I always warn him one day he’s going to be able to get back at him.   This day was just the beginning. 

003

but even though he can hold his own, this is not a tough face.  Its my little sweet man face!

009

This was on Tuesday he got this lollipop for his great job at a BIG doctors appointment on Monday.  I hope you don't mind the color ORANGE!

012

Orange hair, orange shirt and orange lollipop.  Orange isn’t even his favorite color. 

016

He was in a sugar coma at this point. 

023

For a health food change.  This was Bradley’s breakfast that he was trying to make Gavin eat.  He was being very mischievous and he told me he ate his banana all gone but I found THIS!

025

He's eaten baby food bananas before, I don't know why his face is so disgusted but he will be getting this in his high chair from now on so I can control the mess.   Thanks again Bradley Bear!

028

On Wednesday we helped at the last day of Gavin’s Mothers Morning Out and there was this little girl in there that is bad as all get out and she put all these scratch marks on Bradley’s face.  Here is after MMO his story time play date at the library with Sophia.  He is very engrossed with the readings. 

029

Then it just gets better.  Elephant Ear! Wednesday night he got a bug bite in the oddest of places, had a reaction and he got a big red ear.  Luckily, as in the previous Daddy’s Boots post it is already much better.  I just want one day of no boo-boos!

Daddy’s Boots!

Here’s your boots Daddy! So glad you picked out your own early fathers day gift.  Bradley loves the stickers as usual but I managed to hide one of them for you so he thought he got them all.  He said “I get to get in Daddy’s boots for his big vroom-vroom!”  We hope there all you dreamed of and more.  Happy Riding is waiting for you when you get home, if Bradley will let you have them back, ha!  You can always bribe him with more stickers!

 

069

uhhhhh….they’re kind of big on me!

070 

but I love my stickers!

 077 

Do you like them too Daddy?

081

They’re kind of hard to walk in and wobbly….you can have them back now!

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Cute Company

This past weekend a long time friend Brandy and her little boy, Ryder, came to visit us.  I was so fortunate to see her and to meet this little man who is soooo CUTE!   He is very popular so most people who read my blog know them.  They arrived on friday night with Nicki and Mikayla who visited with Liz.  We had take out at my house when they got here and then on Saturday we started off at the park….. 

065

063

077

070

Bradley and Ryder were both having fun separately.

067

I could just eat this little face up!

069

Showing his Daddy all the NC nature…Pine Straw!

075   074

Time to get down and dirty at the Sandy Park.  After the park we sampled some yummy food at the farmers market, painted and then had lunch outside.  It was such a beautiful day! We headed home so they could all take naps before dinner. 

087

Then they needed freeze pops after all that outdoor exercise!

086

Bradley has not eaten these as much as Ryder.  He was looking confused listening to Brandy explain how to eat them.  Next, on Saturday night we went to Liz’s house for dinner with the four of us and our 6 kids combined.  It was a little CRAZY but a lot of fun!

093

We stopped the playing to take a picture for Daddy.

094 

Then this was Sunday before Ryder and his Mommy headed home.  After being in the house together morning and night I finally got a picture of the three boys together.  If Alan and Brad only knew when they were friends in high school that there boys would play together one day.  They are both such PROUD daddy’s!

101

We miss you already Brandy and Ryder!  Thanks for coming to stay with us!

3 messes

Here’s just some pictures to catch up on. We had company this weekend but these pictures are from before they arrived.  I was cleaning the house.  Mess 1.  Meanwhile Bradley and Gavin are always messy.  Mess 2 and 3.  So here is the transformation.  The house and boys eventually got clean for our company and there is more to come on that soon…..

                                                         MESSY

003 007

009

Veggie baby food and PUFFS

011

Feeding him his first PUFFS

047

Always Drooling and Spitting UP

051 058 060

Very upset after a long day of trying to crawl.

 

                                                  CLEAN 

020 021 028

033