Little May Snippets......

Jerrett getting ready to go into preschool on Silly Hat Day.

 Grady is really hard to get to sleep at night if he has a good nap so I don't lay him down anymore.  However, he does occasionally doze off while he watches Mickey Mouse Clubhouse or Little Einsteins. 

 Saturday night picnic at Hooper park.  Happy swinging little boy feet.....in yo face!

 Hallie and Grady begging to be pushed.  I love these chair swings for little kidlets.

 Even the grownups had some fun playing....Jason and Ryan

Steph and I decided to show the kids our "pumping" skills!  You know you're old when you feel kinda like puking after swinging! :)  Here is Maddie, Steph, Austin, Jerrett, and Ryan.

 One of our lovely Lagoon days....cute little cousin Camden.

 Grady and Camden riding bulgy together.

 Instagram is SOOO fun......you look at this picture and assume we played in the fountain in 1970. :)

 I decided that we are not quite done with the stroller yet.  This decision was made after I had to carry a heavy little snoozer for almost an hour around an amusement part!

 Grady and Cam love studying the map.

 WHOA! Reacting to watching the Log Ride splash down.

thirty-two

I turned 32 recently and I loved it.  I have liked my last few birthday's so much more than I ever thought I would at this stage.  I like how much I learn every year.  I do feel like I get a little bit better and maybe a little bit wiser every year and that feels good.

My hatred of laundry has shrunken a tiny smidge.  

I found even more to love about my husband.

I had more "I-love-this-moment-so-much" moments with my kids.

I learned to do a calling that I never thought I would do.

I got a little more comfortable being who I am and feeling how I feel.....and cared what other people thought a little bit less.

I felt a little less guilt for what I perceive are my short-comings.

All in all.....I'm a little bit more comfortable and happy than I was before.  What more can you ask for on a birthday but to have a realization like that?!?!

 Me on my 32nd birthday.....budding wrinkles and all.

 It was such a good day and I felt great.  My family made me feel wonderful but my little Jerrett.....he showered me with love, big time!  I doubt there is a bigger heart than his anywhere.  I got this AWESOME lamp that I've had my eye on for a while.  I don't think I'd have ever bought it myself because I have these little battles with myself about how much something like a LAMP should be allowed to cost.  :)  My awesome husband surprised me with it and I was thrilled.  Jerrett cried that night because he thought I should have more than one present.  That made me cry.  He's so stinkin sweet!  I explained to him how much I wanted this lamp and how happy I was but he still wished for me to have bundles of gifts wrapped with cartoon wrapping paper, helium balloons, and candles. :)

Jason got me a really good carrot cake and the boys happily chowed down.  That's another awesome thing that happened this year.  I learned that I love carrot cake. Crazy but true. And fabulous.

Ballgames and Geekah

Austin's baseball season is underway and the first couple games have been pretty interesting.  It's the first year of kid pitch and there are lots of wild pitches, lots of batters getting hit by pitches, and lots of walks.   This is the first year that Austin has been on a team that really practices a lot and it's great.  Baseball season is so short, may as well get down to it and be immersed in baseball for six weeks!  Austin is on the Braves this year and in addition to two games a week they are practicing twice a week too.....I can already see that all the experience is good for all of them, they are really getting into it.  

Some fun vintage instagram photos from the Braves victory against the Rockies.....

 Coach Gard sends Austin (#9) to second base.

 Grady thinks he is on a really important phone call as he's sitting in the bleachers.  Talking loudly for all to hear to Geekah.  We don't know who or what Geekah is but Geekah is a big part of our lives EVERY DAY!  

"Grady, who are you talking to?"......"Talking to Geekah".

"Grady what do you want to watch?"......"Little Geekah Einsteins"

"Grady, dinner is ready!"........"Mmmmm! I love this Geekah dinner"

"Grady, let's get you dressed"........"Ok! I need my Geekah shirt!"

"Grady, it's time to go inside".........."UGGG!! GEEKAH!!"

Geekah is an all-encompassing word that applies to every situation, covers every emotion.

Well then.........Geekah.

Jerrett says he wants to play baseball too......so he can get a treat after the games are over. :)

Yep. He's actually watching and he's ready for the ball should it come his way! We've come a long way in two years! :)  The kids are still rotating positions so he plays all over the field. 

On Deck.  He got walked in the first game.  The second game he got hit by a wild pitch and walked but he also had an AWESOME hit down the third base line.  Jason's been working with him a lot and he is swinging hard and fast......starting to have fun hitting.

The Braves in the dugout.

A kid up to bat.  His fathers shaved-head shadow carefully watching. :)

Nice Score, Kid!

May Days

 There is nothing like running through grandpa's pasture with a pom-pom and a dandelion seed pod! I love pictures that capture the perfect random childhood moments!

 It's a requirement for my kids to run in the pasture....there is far too much excitement there for walking.  Jerrett running past the corrals and miss Foxy.  

 The kids playing on the same old swingset that I used to play on when I was little.

 The school asked me to create a poster about one of Austin's teachers for teacher appreciation week and it was a fun project and turned out great.  Austin had two teachers this year.  Mrs Eddy taught M and T; Mrs. Denning taught Th and F; they alternated Wed.  They both have young kids they want to be with at home and it seemed to work out just fine.  I really have loved them both.  A couple of weeks ago on a Friday morning Mrs. Denning had to leave suddenly and the principal told the kids she had a family emergency.  We found out the next Monday that Mrs. Dennings husband had died in his sleep that morning she left.  Her husband was 36.  Not sure of all the details but he died of natural causes and Austin heard that he had a seizure.  They have three young children, the oldest of whom is in FIRST GRADE.  It was such a shock and my heart is absolutely broken for her.  The kids sent flowers and made cards.  Mrs. Denning most likely won't be back and Mrs. Eddy will finish full time.  My heart and prayers are with her and I'm reminded to cherish every blessed day with my family.

 Grandma is all smiles after enduring a total knee replacement.  Both of our moms have had one recently and the boys pray for both of their Grandma and Granny every day that their knees will feel better.

 Austin playing third base during baseball practice.  He's been so much more focused this year and this practice was SOOO much fun to watch....Austin played better than I've ever seen him play!

 The kids did surgery on my blackberry.  It was just a backup phone but I still kinda loved it.  The real kicker is that I gave them permission to do it!  I got home on Saturday morning and went to sleep after work.  Sometime that morning I told them they could have it and take it apart!?!? hahaha! The new rule is that they have to ask Jason if I'm asleep!

 An early morning face that I LOVE to wake up to on Sunday mornings.

 Haircut time! Love these cute boys and how anxious they are to get a sucker after their haircuts.

 Trying to cut Grady's hair at home is a bit of a wiggly nightmare.  He held still like a statue for this girl and I was shocked! Maybe it was the tattoos? :)

I see them every year and yet I still just love how a tree full of blossoms make me feel like taking a deep breath and breathing in pure and blissful SPRING!

Raingutter Regatta

We had a fabulous time at our pack's Raingutter Regatta in April.  I love this event....the boats are way easier than derby cars and the whole event was just fun and relaxed.  Our boats were super simple and easy....just our style!

 Jason and I had the lovely blue "Wilderness" that Jerrett had fun racing. 

 When I'm in charge of embellishing our boat, it may or may not end up with a blue bubbly letter mod podged onto the sail! haha

 Jason had this cool Gears of War sticker that Austin loved on his sail.

 Austin's boat was called "Mountain Man".  Austin had baseball practice and had to miss a lot of the racing but his friend David raced it for him and got several victories with Mountain Man.

Austin arrived after practice and got to get in a few races with his friends and Jerrett.  I wish all pack activities were as simple and perfect as the Regatta turned out to be!

(In case you can't tell I have been having lots of fun with Instagram App! Love it!)