Owen's 4th Birthday

They are all coming up in the ranks...LOL. Everyone is turning 4. It is so hard to believe. This time it was Owen. He decided he too wanted his party at Monkey Joe's. Thankfully - it wasn't as packed as it has been for other parties. The theme was pirates - so everyone got these foam swords. The kids had a blast - and so did the parents watching them.
Happy Birthday Owen!

Staying Busy - as always :)

Catching up with the Riley Family
We have been so busy - I say that a lot don't I? But we finally cornered our neighbors at the end of last month to come over for dinner. (Their schedules remain more packed than ours!) It seems like months since we have had dinner with the Riley family, but we all managed to squeeze it in. The kids had such a great time and the adults got to catch up. Carter has grown up so much and will be 2 in a few weeks. Madison is a whole head taller than Hatcher and the two of them ran around like crazy with Aidan and Carter following behind. Good times...good dinner. Maybe again soon! These were my favorite pics - the kids LOVED eating fudgesicles - especially Carter.





A trip to Home Depot
on a recent trip to the Home Depot, one of the staff was nice enough to entertain the kids and give them their very own apron. The picture was too cute not to share.



A familiar name...Hatcher
Derek was lucky enough to get some great seats at a recent Braves game and jumped at the chance to have a "boy's night." The kids and I got a call while he was out that we should look at email for a picture he sent us. It was great - one of the players for the Cincinnati Reds is named "Hatcher."

First trip at "our beach" (at Berkeley Lake) with the water low

I miss the water at our lake. Many of you probably know the story of our lake - it is built around one of the state's largest earthen damns. The damn was damaged/weakened during the fall when we had days of flooding and rain. The lake was several feet over its fullest and although the damn held back, the pressure that was put on it during the rains took a toll on its structural soundness. It is need of repair, and until money is secured, the lake was merely lowered to a safe level - almost 15 ft down from normal pool. So, where water used to lap our feet at the beach...sand still stretches for many more yards until you reach the water's edge. And, because the sand only now reaches the water's edge, to get wet means you have to get in the sinking mud. It surely isn't as much fun as it usually is, but the boys and I made the best of it. I wish we had taken advantage of the beach more last summer...if we only knew that we would soon be without the wonderful beach. And now the repairs will likely push into the summer of 2013. What's worse - is that this fall the lake will be completely drained for the next 2 years...no water for us next summer - at least not in our "backyard." So for now, we will enjoy what we can. Pictures of us all alone at BL Beach on a HOT summer day. (We would usually be surrounded by people with chairs and coolers and folks grilling or playing volleyball. Hopefully again soon.)


The poles you see in the picture above and below behind Hatcher's head are the poles that used help rope off the "safe area" for swimmers at the beach. The water was almost 12ft deep at those poles.

Summer's almost here

My action and water loving kids are already begging for us to go fishing or go to the lake or play outside every single day. Summer is clearly almost here. Even though the lake is so low and will likely be drained by year's end, Derek makes the most of trying to get home timely to allow for dinner and a little fishing or something outside. We are back on our summer tradition of eating a treat on the front porch after dinner. The boys are usually interested in a Popsicle or fudgesicle. So we kick the outdoor ceiling fans on and sit on the front porch and watch the neighbors walk or run by. Aidan is always the first to yell out across the way at strangers to say "hello"! It is too sweet. Some more photos - again I have so many as I get "homework assignments" for my class.

Taking a photography class...and loving it

Many of you may know that I LOVE taking pictures. I got my first camera when I was 10. I begged my parents for one. And to look back now at the cost of all the film and processing for my habit...dear lord! And Derek can tell you about my loads pictures and photo albums from the past - as can my good friends who have helped me/us move in the past and have had to pack those bad boys up. So, after many years and several "fancy" cameras later, I figured it was time to learn what all these buttons and dials on my camera meant. Based on a tip from my neighbor Mandy, who recently launched her photography business, I finally bit the bullet and signed up for a class. I have been enjoying every minute of it. Turns out several ladies I know who are also "photo lovers" have taken the class. Not sure why I didn't take some of these classes in college...but I didn't. So I am seizing the opportunity now. I am sure the kids are even MORE sick of me taking their pictures...but here are a few of my early favorites.

A wonderful Mother's Day

It seems so long ago now, but what a nice and quiet Mother's Day I enjoyed this year. The day before - on Saturday - Hatcher had his gymnastics celebration so we took the opportunity and invited the local grandparents to the "show" and back to our house for a "mother's day brunch." Derek and I made chicken salad and tuna salad sandwiches with pasta and such for side dishes. We had fruit and cupcakes for dessert. The weather was perfect and we all enjoyed lunch outside. I planted a ton of plants that weekend. I have the bug...I love digging in the dirt. On Sunday Derek and boys took me to breakfast at J. Christopher's. It was just a great weekend with beautiful weather.




On a more personal note, I can't tell you how much I love being a mother. Hatcher and Aidan are so inspirational...they inspire me to be a better person; they inspire me to find more patience; they inspire me to laugh more; but most of all they remind me what is most precious in life. Derek is an amazing father and husband and without him - his love and support, this family unit wouldn't be what it is today. Thank you Derek for a great weekend. Thank you Aidan and Hatcher for all your hugs and kisses...I can always use more!

Catching up on April and May events...so behind

Gymnastics Spring Show - May 8
A whole year passed in a flash. We signed up for gymnastics in the fall of last year and we ended it last week - the classes follow the school year...we opted to break for the summer. Hatcher loves gymnastics and takes the class with his friends Ava Mei and Haley. Aidan will join in next year and loves going to watch - and cheer! - Hatcher on. We go and sit in the stands and watch the kids learn to hang and swing on the monkey bars, do somersaults on a balance beam (on the ground), do cartwheels and jump down a long trampoline and into a foam pit. That is Hatcher's favorite part. Here are some pictures from the spring - "year-end" event. We invited Marma and P'Bo, Uncle Ben, Grandma and Grandpa Tom to the show. Hatcher was so excited to have his family there to watch him perform...and play!







Hatcher's bigger-boy bike
Derek and I have been trying to get Aidan more comfortable riding the bicycle in preparation for our beach trip this fall, and in doing so realized that Hatcher needed a slightly bigger bike. So a big transitional moment in the house - two boys on bicycles. Hatcher even wanted to try riding his new bike without training wheels. He is ever so close and will likely nail it while we are at the beach on flat ground. Some of the photos...





Tom's Birthday Celebration
For Grandpa Tom's birthday, which was in April, we hosted him, Grandma and Tom's daughter for dinner. We cooked out and all enjoyed dinner and dessert on the deck. The kids had so much fun helping me decorate the cake. I even found these cute shirts that said "Ruff Day" in honor of his birthday. Too cute. It was a nice dinner outside.

Cinco de Mayo...and more

What a busy month May has been already. I am so behind in posting - it is almost hard to recall what all we have been up to. Thank god for all the many photos I take. They are such a vivid reminder of days gone by. We spent Cinco de Mayo with the "goddard gang" and Amy and Greg's house. Everyone had a great time and the kids all had a blast of course. Amy even purchased a pinata for the kids to all take turns beating in the hopes that they would find candy. They took turns - each made good contact and in the end the candy made its way to the ground. We always have such a good time with the group and Hatcher and Aidan love hanging out with Haley, Tomy, Ava Mei and Owen. Here are some of my favorite pictures.