wonderful weekend.

We just got home from a great weekend at the lake. My parents came down to spend some quality time with their favorite (and only) grandson. Unbeknownst to them, they also got roped into helping us with some yard work. (Thanks mom and dad!) After working up a little sweat laying pine straw, we took the boat out for a cruise.

Here's P before sunblock....


And here he is after....


Nice do, huh? I'm just trying to make sure my kid doesn't get burnt. Poor boy got his momma's fair complexion.

Here's Taylor wakeboarding, looking like a pro.


Jump....


Crash and burn.


Ouch! Taylor is getting better and better at wakeboarding. He makes it look too easy. I'll stick with swimming in the shallow end with P.



We worked too hard, ate too much, and played too little, but it was a wonderful weekend nonetheless. (Thanks dad for sharing your pictures. I, again, was a slacker and only took a couple.)

14 months.

But he thinks he is a college student. He stays up late. Sleeps in late. Snacks constantly. Plays all day. Laughs a lot. Stays in his pajamas until lunchtime. Drinks too much (milk). No responsibilities. Not a care in the world. That's my P. He has a nice life. And he makes my life pretty nice, too. Fourteen months going on twenty-one years. He's already drinking from a straw! What's next? Dating?


Time keeps on slippin'. I better soak it all in before he's all grown up.

geocaching: part one.

As promised, I am finally getting around to posting about our Mother's Day geocaching adventure with my mom and family at Sweetwater Creek State Park in Lithia Springs. Now, I will have to admit, I had to do a little bit of research for this post. I, for sure, do not want to mislead anyone or give false information regarding geocaching and its sporting significance. I am definitely here to do it justice. (Because I, for one, had a lot of fun. So did my mom. But we may be the only ones.)

Here's the definition of geocaching straight from Wikipedia: Geocaching is an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers (called "geocaches" or "caches") anywhere in the world. A typical cache is a small waterproof container (usually a tupperware or ammo box) containing a logbook and "treasure," usually toys or trinkets of little value. So in other words, it's an adult-version of a treasure hunt. You can find geocaches online at its official website www.geocaching.com, which is where my mom found the cache at Sweetwater. This particular cache is a multi-cache, which consists of three clues in which you must record what you find at each of the three checkpoints, and then combine the information to form the combination that is used to open the padlock on the cache at the final checkpoint. Sounds kind of dorky, huh? (Sorry, mom.) But it sure is dorky fun. I found myself feeling like a 9-year old kid again.

We geared up for our adventure by filling up on a good ole' KFC picnic by the lake, then we packed P in his off-road "geo-buggy" and set off into the woods in search of our hidden treasure.


Here's my wonderful husband sporting his "professional dad" shirt, complete with a paci keeper and toy pockets. He is a boy scout at heart. Always prepared.


The "geo-buggy" handled the terrain fairly well....


Up to a point....


Who would have known that the trail was this difficult? The geocaching website was fairly misleading. "You will walk about 2.5 miles on mostly level ground." Does "level" equal 20 flights of stairs and rocky ascents on the edge of a river? Hmmmm....I guess I don't quite understand the definition of "level". The boys, P and grampa stayed behind, while me, mom, and Jenny pushed forward to find the first clue.


We finally found it! Here's Jen and my mom (and Reilly) proudly posted up at our first checkpoint. Having fun yet?


Here's a picture of the mill ruins along the trail.


And here's my worst nightmare. Literally....


And Checkpoint #2. If you look very closely, the answer to Clue #2 was the last number in the length of the millrace.


And that's all folks. For now. We searched and searched for the third checkpoint, but to no avail. We were a little "geo-lost" and found ourselves "geo-loitering" on the grounds of a nearby police firing range. Not cool. And a rain shower moved in. So we decided to make this a two part, multi-cache (if there is such a thing) and call it quits for the day.

All in all, we had a great time on our treasure hunt and mom was just thrilled beyond words that we came along on her little Mother's Day adventure. Stay tuned for a part two post, because I promised mom that I would go back out there to find the last clue and the final cache jackpot. But next time, I will take baby P in the hiking pack. The geo-buggy just didn't quite cut it.

memorial day weekend.

We had a great weekend at the lake and are pooped out from all of the fun and festivities. The weather was the only downer....rain, then sun, then clouds, then rain. Very unpredictable, but we did get to soak in a little bit of sweet sunshine. Taylor's cousins, aunts, and uncles, and parents were down for the day today, so we took the boat out for a spin, and Taylor got to test out his new board. He had loads of fun, but I have a feeling he's going to be a tad bit stiff in the morning. In between thunderstorms, we had a chance to let P get a feel for the lake water. He wasn't so sure at first.


But then he was sure. For sure.



He loved it!


He didn't mind chillin' in the raft either. He just talked and talked to it. Yes, it. The raft. He makes friends with his toys.


Our swim was cut short due to another rain shower. We stripped him of his clothes and his 10-pound, lake water filled diaper before we took him inside. But P was not going in. He was not finished with the lake yet. Mama Croc and baby Croc would save the day. (He tries to give us our shoes to entice us to cooperate with his plan.)



We finally lured him inside with a cookie. No, not really. I would never, ever bribe my child with food ;-)

It was a great weekend. The swimming and boating were great, but I think that my favorite part of the weekend was the conversation I had with my husband about the true meaning of Memorial Day. To remember those that have sacrificed their lives for us so that we may have freedom. We are truly thankful to those that have served our country. And we are thankful to their families for allowing them to serve.

big boy.

P has had this truck since Christmas and daddy finally taught him how to drive it. Indoors. Standing up. Without a seat belt. While mom's at work. Hmmmm....



(This is my first time posting a video. Hope it works. Also, clarity may be poor. It's a Blackberry video. Of course it is. Taylor and Mr. Blackberry are attached at the hip. But, isn't he such a good dad?)

four wonderful years.

Taylor and I celebrated our four year anniversary today. Wow. Four years already? It seems like just yesterday I was walking down the aisle. They have been the greatest four years. He is my rock. My best friend. My soul mate. And now, he is the wonderful father to our precious son. He means everything to me. I cannot imagine my life without him. He makes my life complete. I love you, Taylor.

catching the wake.

The best UPS man in the world delivered Taylor's shiny new wakeboard to the house this afternoon while I was at work. (Don't you just love seeing the big brown truck stop in front of your house?) Taylor and P couldn't wait 'til the weekend to try out the new board, so they set up shop in our empty formal living room to practice their tricks. Apparently, P's wakeskating abilities are pretty darn good. He has already mastered a 50/50 double up fakie with a backside rotation that puts Taylor's tricks to shame. Gnarly, little dude.


The thing's these boys do while mom's at work. They are so much fun!

peekaboo.

P's new favorite game. At almost 14 months, he finally finds peekaboo to be quite hilarious. Thanks to a very thoughtful neighbor, we have a new playhouse in which to play our new favorite game.





We had a blast playing outside all afternoon. It was great to have a tiny dose of cool weather before we start having those Georgia scorching hot days.

slacker.

That I am. And I apologize. Six days without a post. I should be ashamed of myself. But, I have some good excuses. Let's see. Wednesday: work, kidney stones. Thursday: kidney stones. Friday: Off to Milledgeville to work an extra shift. Saturday, Sunday: Relaxing at the lake with no access to the outside world. (Kind of refreshing, actually.) Monday: Work. No other excuses. Busy, busy. I promise I'll be better.

It was a wonderfully long and peaceful weekend at the lake with the family. Nothing too exciting to share. But I'll leave you with one of the three pictures that I took of P at the lake. (Something must be wrong with me, right?)

Never too young to learn the importance of SPF....

And while we're on the subject of sunscreen, does anyone have any good suggestions for baby sunscreen. P's skin is super sensitive, and most of the stuff I've tried seems super greasy or it makes his eyes water. (And I don't even get it in his eyes.) Anyone tried Mustela sunscreen?
Well, back to the grindstone. Hope everyone has a great week!

famous.

Every mom believes that their child is beautiful. Right? That's why we have far too many young models out there looking for their big break. Because their moms believe that they are beautiful. Now, I would never ever go that far, but I did put my child's precious face on a billboard. Or two. For the purpose of this blog ONLY. Just for kicks. (Do I have too much time on my hands?) Personally, I think that these are the best billboards I have ever seen.



Of course, I believe that they are great. Because he's my own. And I am looking through a mother's eyes. I am not bragging. I am just a mom. I am amazed by this little boy. And I think that he is perfect in every way.

P.S. Check out PhotoFunia to create your own billboards. Fun, fun!

mother's day.

My two boys are the greatest. They went above and beyond to make my Mother's Day extra special. I am one lucky girl. My special treatment began Saturday night when Taylor cooked me a yummy dinner. He even remembered the desert. (My favorite part.) Sunday was jam-packed with Mother's Day festivities with each of our moms. We took my mom on a picnic and geocache adventure. (If you are not aware of this modern-day, adult version of a treasure hunt, be sure to stay tuned to my blog this week. More details are coming soon.) We also celebrated Mom's Day with Rita at Chili's. It was a great day spent with family and I was sure to count my blessings on my second Mother's Day. Being a mom is the toughest job in the world, but it is oh so rewarding.

Check out my fabulous Mother's Day gift from my two boys.

Isn't it great?

According to my sweet card, Phoenix searched tirelessly, "foregoing naps, snack, and fish", until he found the perfect gift.

What do you think?

Have you figured it out yet?

No, it's not a new firetruck....

I got a new CAMERA LENS! I am super excited and super clueless on how to use it. But, I LOVE it! And I can't wait until I have more time to play. Like I said, I have the two best boys in the world.

outdoorsman.

Our little man loves the outdoors. He cannot get enough. He stands at the front door and begs to go outside. If that doesn't work, he hunts down my shoes, brings them to me, then goes back to the door and does a little more begging. If that still doesn't do the trick, he will throw a screaming fit, kicking and hollering, the entire works, then he throws himself at the front door, then gives begging one more shot. Thank goodness Taylor and I are outdoor enthusiasts ourselves.

Saturday was such a beautiful day, so we spent most of the afternoon and evening outside. Dinnertime rolled around. We didn't try, but I don't think P would have come inside. At least not without a fight. So we brought his dinner to him. We had surf and turf. P had fruit and turf, i.e. bananas on the front lawn.




We had a great time dining in the yard. Although, I'm certain that our neighbors think we're NUTS!

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms that read this blog. We spent a great day with my mom and Taylor's mom and my boys made my second Mother's Day extra special. I'll be sure to post more details later.

grandparents are grrrreat!

Baby P has the best two sets of grandparents ever. They are incredibly entertaining, remarkably patient, and extremely loving. What more could we ask for? They are always willing to babysit at the drop of a hat. And they never, ever complain about it. I think I can safely say that they really and truly enjoy their role of being grandparents. Taylor and I are tickled that P has such a wonderful relationship with them. We will never be able to express our appreciation enough.

Taylor and I both had to work this morning, (this is the crappy part of being a pharmacist), so P got to spend a fun-filled day with granny and grandpa. They took P in the bike buggy on an excursion to the neighborhood park, where I'm told he had an absolute blast. He had such a blast that he conked out on the ride home.

Here are some pictures that my dad took of their day at the park.





But the fun doesn't stop there. Granny also took P on a wagon adventure and a stroll in the firetruck. I'm exhausted just typing about their day. And P's current log-sawing must mean that he is pretty pooped, too.

green thumb.

Today, we headed to Lowe's to buy some flowers to replace the dying annuals in the bed in our front yard. I love to plant flowers, and P loves to lend a hand. Or two. Granny went with us to offer her assistance, because it is nearly impossible to make this type of shopping trip alone. Have you ever tried? I have. And it's a little difficult.

P felt really special when we let him ride in the flower cart.





P decided to cut the grass while my mom and I finished up the flower bed. Check out the finished product.


We had a great time playing in the dirt and giving the front yard a mini-makeover. Baby P has already learned how to water the flowers and deadhead the not-so-pretty blooms. Good thing I have a helper this year. I'm thinking we'll have a good chance at winning Yard of the Month. If only my neighborhood had such a thing. Maybe I should suggest that they make me the inaugural winner.

welcome to the world, baby boy.

Yesterday was a good day for my family. First of all, my cousin, Amy, gave birth to a precious baby boy, Thomas James, at 1:17 pm yesterday afternoon. He weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces and was 20 inches long. My mom, Phoenix, and I headed up to Northside Hospital to pay them a visit.

WARNING: This precious baby boy will give you baby fever. Proceed with caution!

The beautiful mama and her precious baby boy

Perfection...

Is he not the most beautiful baby you have ever seen?

P was not sure what to think.

He was a little more interested in what was going on outside in the hallway.

Congratulations, Amy and Nick! Tommy is a doll!

On another note, yesterday was also a great day for my cousin, Rachel, who has been battling stage 4 cervical cancer. She completed her third and final cycle of this round of chemotherapy. We are praying that this round of chemo really kicked butt and knocked the cancer down. Please keep her in your prayers.