Iron Pigs

Our spring is just flying by, and whaddayouknow, its almost the end of the school year.  Just over one week to go!  We've been going from baseball game to party to picnic to swim practice, which started this week.  We also took a big camping trip which I'll dedicate another post. 

At the beginning of May, Grandma Bobbie and Grandpa Joe came for a visit and got to see Logan play two baseball games.  The passion Logan has for baseball is so much fun to watch.  He really has some great skills, and he's scored some doubles and lots of runs this season.  He has two more games this week to close out the season.  Its been great fun getting to know some of the other families.  I think we're going to have him play again this fall!

 

Logan also started collecting baseball cards this spring and already has quite a large binder full of them, all categorized by team, league, etc.  He's excited to get to attend little league day at the Washington Nationals stadium next weekend and parade around the field before the game!  Here he is showing off his card collection.

 

 

shootin' turkeys

No, we didn't shoot our own turkeys for Thanksgiving but we could have.  Any visit to Grandpa Joe's these days is all about the main event for the boys - shooting guns.  See, Grandpa has a whole safe full of weaponry and we have absolutely none at our house.  Last summer, Grandpa gave the boys a lesson in Gun Safety 101.

I don't know how two boys born of my gun-hating flesh and blood can love guns so much, but at least if they are going to love them, let them learn safety from someone who is practically an expert.

We pulled up last Wednesday around lunch time and I don't think I had the car in park before the boys were already in the backyard checking out the pellet gun shooting range Grandpa had set up.

 

He had all sorts of containers filled with water, and as the boys shot and made contact, they shouted with excitement.  Dylan is actually a very good shot.  He and Andrew went with Grandpa and Uncle Chris to the real shooting range on Saturday to shoot real guns.  I stayed behind, but I heard he had a lot of fun.

 

 

My Dad had driven to Ohio and picked up Grandma Williams from her assisted living facility so she could spend the holiday with all of us.  I think it really did her well to be around all the great grandkids, although I'm sure she turned down her hearing aid more than once.

 

 

My Dad and Josh carved up one of the turkeys.

 

 

While Uncle Chris made his famous cranberry orange relish.

 

 

I whipped up my sweet potato souffle.

 

 

Grandma Bobbie sat down once the entire time we were there, I think. She has endless energy!

 

 

Another favorite for the boys each trip is helping Grandpa make chocolate chip pancakes.

 

 

 

Friday was a beautiful day, and I got Grandma Williams to sit outside with me for a bit.

 

 

And it must have worked up her appetite because later she had two pieces of pie!

 

 

Josh and Logan colored.

 

 

And we all did what we're so lucky to do ... spend time together, drinking a lot, laughing a lot and making memories.

 

 

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving too!

 

 

 

 

my little plant is growing

The cutest ever kindergarten show last night!  Logan has been keeping the songs a secret and all the kids have been working really hard to memorize songs about gardening, planting and growing.   A fitting theme for the final month of their kindergarten journey.

Its just so amazing to watch your childs' journey as they develop and grow.   I'm so proud of you, buddy!

Thanks for coming to my special show last night, Grandma and Grandpa!  It was even better with you guys there!

cousin lunch

I know, I'm totally slacking on the blogging lately.  Due to my new addiction to Pinterest, all my time online seems to be perusing home decorating ideas, dreaming of swimming pool designs, trying to find the perfect recipe, and drooling over things I can't afford.

So anyway, let me attempt to catch up, at least in photos. 

Monday was of course Presidents Day, no school for the kids.  We spent the day at Grandma Lynn's, meeting up with Jessica and cousins Josh and Maya for pizza, Just Dance 3, and s'mores.  Fun stuff!

blue belt!

After a little break from Dylan's swim meet, it was time to head over to Top Kick for Logan's belt test.  He was testing up to his Tiger Blue Belt, which is the last 'little kid' level.  He will now start going to the big boy classes (for 6 and up, even though he just turned 5) once a week, or perhaps twice if it goes really well.

He was very focused today, and showed off his skills. There were 8 kids graduating, and they all had a chance to show their various blocking and sparring skills, kicks and punches.

A special day was made even more special having Grandma and Grandpa there!

boatin', crabbin', swimmin'

Just returning from a lovely weekend visit with my Dad and Stepmom, at their rural waterfront home on the SE shore of Virginia.  They moved in late last summer, but their big boat didn't arrive until later in the fall.  So this summer is the first time we've really been able to get some serious boat time in on the Chesapeake Bay.  And what a perfect weather weekend for it!

Both days we were there were spent entirely on the boat, navigating to little islands in the Bay where we set up a canopy, picnicked, fished, swam, dug, explored and watched the boys innertube behind the boat.



My beach boys

crabs from their crab pots

Logan tubes

Sunday night we had a little birthday celebration for Logan with my Dad and Bobbie, who can't make it up for his party next weekend.

Grandma let Logan decorate the cake himself.