Saturday, June 30, 2007

I miss chill'n with the girls!


Today has been one of those miss-my-buddies days. I got to catch up with a few friends the other day and it just left me wondering why we all have to grow up?!
I just know if we asked Sarah she would have some brilliant way of creating our own Neverland and then we could all stay poor (but super happy) little families on Copley Road forever.
Then we'd be able to stay in C'ville to enjoy things like:

1. 3 different roads that are all be named the same thing.

2. Living in a cul-de-sac (with it's mud pits, speedy drivers and Master).

3. Learning where to shop: Don't buy your cold cuts at Food Lion, go to Harris Teeter instead...but get your canned goods at Kroger and wait to get your produce at the C'ville market unless there's something in season at Carter Mountain in which case you'd take your kids and pick your own.

4. The milk is just too expensive no matter where you go. Except for maybe Sam's club, right Haley?

5. You can learn more at the park in 30 minutes than reading 2 parent help books a day.

6. Seeing a Lactation specialist (it's the way to go).

7. Sarah Sanchez (she always have the answer to how to get out of a creative rut, or any rut for that matter).

8. Working out together (even once) bonds you for life.

9. Thursday picnics.

10. Turning the most mundane activities into group events!

However, since this would mean never having a pay check, I shall return to reality, buy a book of stamps and continue my search for Megan's twin-- I have no one to make cards with and I'm running out... Man I miss you gals!

I am finding new friends and loving all the new adventures (this is not a pity party). I'm just feeling a bit nostalgic and wanted to tell you all how much I love you and feel like I took a bit of everyone with me. My life has be truly enriched, and I am so incredibly thankful for you all.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

6 YEARS TOGETHER SHOW - this may take an eternity...

Look Haley, we got a storm too...



...and hail the size of dimes!! THEN came the lightning and THUNDER!!! After explaining how the lightning asks a question and the thunder answers back (and singing "A Few of My Favorite Things" a dozen times), we cozied up to a bowl of sprinkles with a side of ice cream.



Sunday, June 24, 2007

Go BRAVES!!












Go Brave!! We came to Atlanta to see Nick's favorite team (get beat). Lucky for us, our nose-bleed seats were in the shade! It was 95 and not a cloud in the sky! We all got free hats and blue shaved ice. Season tickets may be in our future...very distant future.



Tenn. Aquarium

Mommy look at that! Daddy come see this! Such wonder and awe. We loved the sharks and the underwater cave but the butterfly farm was our favorite...or was it the ray tank...or the chocolate shake at dinner?








We got to watch the penguins get fed and do tricks. Savannah wanted to hang out at the picture spot the whole time and talk to her new little statue friend. They got to see the penguins poop too, what a fun let's-relive-the-moment all day long conversation.













Playing in the Tenn. River (or close to it anyway).






We arrived at the hotel just after dinner. So much for the swimming pool!






Ruby Falls, Chattanooga, TN











We toured the caves and danced around the 140' waterfall at the end...what a site! Then we all ate our picnic lunch at Look Out Point and enjoyed the beautiful hills of Chattanooga.

My "Bacon" bear eats yogurt!


Look mom, "Bacon" (pronounced pecan) eats yogurt... with a little bit of help from Savannah!

Return of the Bitty "Buddy" Baby



Nana bought Lauren this American Girl's Bitty Baby almost 2 years ago. Lauren resurrected "buddy baby" after the move and hasn't put it down in 3 weeks. We dress, undress, diaper and feed this poor baby until even Savannah has had enough. I have to admit I do like the velcro much better than tiny plastic Polly apparel. Buddy baby is Lauren's version of my Malaria-Mary that I carried around at her age. Like mother like daughter!

Sunday, June 17, 2007

A Tribute to Nana


Savannah is into EVERY THING!! We'd like to thank Nana again for taking the girls while we moved all our stuff from Virginia to Tennessee. We couldn't have done it with out every single one of you!
Savannah found my mascara...and says "mine mommy".

Happy Father's Day!!



...or maybe not so happy. Savannah did not want to share daddy's lap! We manage to work things out after passing out M&M's, yumm!

Wave Park (kids get in FREE!)




In an effort to even out our farmer's tans (from painting) we dragged the family out to the WAVE POOL! Savannah wasn't too interested in swimming but managed to engage a few life guards with her charming over hand...tossing rocks in the pool is apparently prohibited.


Lauren can hold her breath for 12 seconds under water. She loved riding the waves and fearlessly climbed the 80 steps up to the water slide where we found 12 year olds' crying apprehensively. This is the I-conquered-BOTH-slids picture.

Home Improvement - a Stowell sitcom















































We painted the outside trim white, which took several days and multiple paint brushes, rollers and "Big Gulps". Savannah helped of course... Nick ripped out the master bedroom's carpet and replaced it with wood (another 2 day project). And Lauren finally got her purple room!! The color is something out of an old Care Bear flick, it really takes me back. We still have quite a few yard projects so now would be a good time for everyone to come visit.
(And I worked the hardest...did you see the size of that blister? I informed Guinness.)








Monday, June 11, 2007

The Natural Bridge our last Virginian Adventure
















We couldn't resist stopping by the Safari Zoo on the way to Natural Bridge! The girls fed the giraffe barley biscuits (only after Savannah relinquished her claim, yuck)! After the zoo, we went to squish tadpoles in the shadow of one of the seven natural wonders of the world...we're simple folk.

Jamestown's 400th Anniversary





Family Trip
to Jamestown
We came, we saw, we conquered...the funnel cake that is.

Mischievous Sprites



These little pixies thought it would be fun to have art time with mommy's make-up...luckily most of it did end up on them and not the upholstery.

The Unruly Cousin