It was a pleasant fall day today so we all decided to go for a walk together around town. Fortunately, we live within range of interesting things to walk to. We headed to lunch at a Mexican restaurant where we had a coupon. This was by way of the farmer's market wo we dropped in. Next, we walked on a city green way where Amelia could do some running. She loves to run. Finally, we wound up at a playground where both kids got do do some serious playing. Click on the picture below for a link to the set of photos.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Click for more pictures...
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Florida
We took a week to head down to Bradenton to visit with Leslie's mom, Judy, and step-dad, Jerry. They were itching to see the grandkids and Amelia especially was looking forward to seeing them again too.
Day One - Wednesday
Having learned from past travel experiences, we scheduled our departing flight later in the morning at around 11am. That gave us the chance to have the kids wake up and eat and for us to eat as well. This was a good plan because, believe me, its no fun to get up at 5am for a flight with two small kids. We connected in Atlanta for the last leg. Fortunately, our flight down was uneventful which had been an answer to our simple travel prayer.
Judy picked us up from the Sarasota-Bradenton airport. On the way back, we wanted to stop for groceries but didn't have quite enough room in the car so we settled for buying vegetables from a woman in a van in a parking lot. They were a great deal and were delicious. That just goes to show you not to be too particular about buying from vans in a parking lot. :-)
Day Two - Thursday
Judy took the day off from work and accompanied us to our trip to the South Florida Museum in Bradenton. It was a really nice display of Florida natural history. Amelia and Thomas did pretty well. The main attraction for us, however, was to see Snooty the Manatee in the tank next door. Manatees are pretty interesting although it couldn't totally keep Amelia's attention. She's only 2 and Snooty is a 60 year old Manatee, after all.
The next stop was the Sarasota City Island Park. It's on peninsula that juts into Sarasota Bay downtown. In the middle of it is a great little water attraction for the kids. We had our picnic lunch there and then took Thomas and Amelia down to the water. They had a great time and so did we.
After the kids were dried off, we headed across the bridge to the Mote Marine Laboratory. (Next to that was the Ski-a-Rees water ski club where Leslie was once a participant for a day.)
Finally, it was time to head home and eat dinner. Oh, on the way home, Amelia and Thomas slept hard in the car. We took advantage of this to drive over to Anna Maria Island to visit The Sterling Anvil jewelry shop. After the kids were in bed for the night, Leslie and I went to the Jagoshes (Tammy is Leslie's step-sister) to play pool and Wii.
The Jagoshes were so gracious that they allowed Leslie to trim Michael's neck hair in their dining room.
Day Three - Friday
We got out of the house on the early side so that we could visit Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo. It was a nicely done zoo that wasn't too big for Amelia to walk (or run) most of it. They had all of the animals that you'd expect and, since we were there when they opened at 10am, most of the animals were pretty lively.
After a picnic lunch at the zoo, we headed over to Great Explorations childrens' museum in St. Petersburg. It was a fun place for both Thomas and Amelia to play. The museum didn't have too many kids there at the time that we were there but they came by the bus load on our way out.
After dinner at home and after the kids were put to bed, Leslie and I went to Manatee High's Homecoming football game. We had the opportunity to visit the Grahams up in the press box. Davis works as a spotter alongside the game announcer. After helping Trish and her 3 (almost 4) kids leave for home, we went over to the area where the class of '88 was sitting and met up with a few of Leslie's friends. FWIW, the Manatee Hurricanes defeated the Sarasota Sailors 27-7.
Day Four - Saturday
Early on Saturday, Leslie took the opportunity to hit some yard sales looking for clothing and toy bargains while I took care of the kids with Judy and Jerry's help.
Later, when Leslie got back, she and I went to Robinson Preserve to rent kayaks and paddle among the mangrove trees and in the tunnels that they form. There was a lot of wildlife, so much so, that a fish nearly jumped into Michael's kayak!
After kayaking Leslie cleaned up, ate lunch, and headed out to her friend Trish's baby shower. In the meantime, Grandmama helped Michael feed the kids lunch. Then, while Grandmama watched over Thomas inside, Michael and Amelia went swimming outside. It was a big day for Amelia as she swam all by herself (with the aid of arm floaties).
That night we went to Leslie's 20th high school reunion. She moved to Anna Maria Island the summer before 10th grade started. It was a big crowd at the reunion and we had a great time.
Day Five - Sunday
On Sunday we went to church in the morning and then to the Ellenton Outlet Center in the afternoon. We wanted to keep out of the way while Jerry and Judy got ready for company that night. In the evening, we celebrated Jason's 17th birthday with bar-b-cued ribs and chicken. Amelia and Thomas had a lot of fun with Jason and Justin. We always enjoy watching Amelia's face whenever we sing happy birthday to someone else. She ALWAYS gets a funny look on her face and thinks we are singing to her.
Day Six - Monday
Michael stayed in to work on Monday since both Jerry and Judy took the day off from work. With all of that help, Leslie took everyone to Anna Maria Island and to lunch at the SandBar.
Day Seven - Tuesday
Leslie and the kids went to the Grahams house for a playdate with them and the Eriksens. The girls were Amelia Grace, Mary Grace, and Ella Grace. They boys were Thomas and Andrew, and we'll get to meet the Grahams' and Eriksens' new babies next visit. They all got along gracefully, of course. Michael worked a little bit too. In the afternoon, we used the GPS in Judy's car to find thrift stores for kids clothes. We also made it a point to visit Jamba Juice for their delicious smoothies. This was absolutely mandatory!
In the evening, Michael and Leslie had a date while Grandmama and Grandaddy watched babysat. We drove over to Anna Maria Island and had an appetizer and desert at the BeachHouse restaurant.
Day Eight - Wednesday
This was entirely a travel day but here is a set of miscellaneous pictures from our trip.
Day One - Wednesday
Having learned from past travel experiences, we scheduled our departing flight later in the morning at around 11am. That gave us the chance to have the kids wake up and eat and for us to eat as well. This was a good plan because, believe me, its no fun to get up at 5am for a flight with two small kids. We connected in Atlanta for the last leg. Fortunately, our flight down was uneventful which had been an answer to our simple travel prayer.
Judy picked us up from the Sarasota-Bradenton airport. On the way back, we wanted to stop for groceries but didn't have quite enough room in the car so we settled for buying vegetables from a woman in a van in a parking lot. They were a great deal and were delicious. That just goes to show you not to be too particular about buying from vans in a parking lot. :-)
Day Two - Thursday
Judy took the day off from work and accompanied us to our trip to the South Florida Museum in Bradenton. It was a really nice display of Florida natural history. Amelia and Thomas did pretty well. The main attraction for us, however, was to see Snooty the Manatee in the tank next door. Manatees are pretty interesting although it couldn't totally keep Amelia's attention. She's only 2 and Snooty is a 60 year old Manatee, after all.
Click for more pictures...The next stop was the Sarasota City Island Park. It's on peninsula that juts into Sarasota Bay downtown. In the middle of it is a great little water attraction for the kids. We had our picnic lunch there and then took Thomas and Amelia down to the water. They had a great time and so did we.
Click for more pictures...After the kids were dried off, we headed across the bridge to the Mote Marine Laboratory. (Next to that was the Ski-a-Rees water ski club where Leslie was once a participant for a day.)
Click for more pictures...Finally, it was time to head home and eat dinner. Oh, on the way home, Amelia and Thomas slept hard in the car. We took advantage of this to drive over to Anna Maria Island to visit The Sterling Anvil jewelry shop. After the kids were in bed for the night, Leslie and I went to the Jagoshes (Tammy is Leslie's step-sister) to play pool and Wii.
The Jagoshes were so gracious that they allowed Leslie to trim Michael's neck hair in their dining room.
Day Three - Friday
We got out of the house on the early side so that we could visit Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo. It was a nicely done zoo that wasn't too big for Amelia to walk (or run) most of it. They had all of the animals that you'd expect and, since we were there when they opened at 10am, most of the animals were pretty lively.
Click for more pictures...After a picnic lunch at the zoo, we headed over to Great Explorations childrens' museum in St. Petersburg. It was a fun place for both Thomas and Amelia to play. The museum didn't have too many kids there at the time that we were there but they came by the bus load on our way out.
Click for more pictures...After dinner at home and after the kids were put to bed, Leslie and I went to Manatee High's Homecoming football game. We had the opportunity to visit the Grahams up in the press box. Davis works as a spotter alongside the game announcer. After helping Trish and her 3 (almost 4) kids leave for home, we went over to the area where the class of '88 was sitting and met up with a few of Leslie's friends. FWIW, the Manatee Hurricanes defeated the Sarasota Sailors 27-7.
Click for more pictures...Day Four - Saturday
Early on Saturday, Leslie took the opportunity to hit some yard sales looking for clothing and toy bargains while I took care of the kids with Judy and Jerry's help.
Later, when Leslie got back, she and I went to Robinson Preserve to rent kayaks and paddle among the mangrove trees and in the tunnels that they form. There was a lot of wildlife, so much so, that a fish nearly jumped into Michael's kayak!
Click for more pictures...After kayaking Leslie cleaned up, ate lunch, and headed out to her friend Trish's baby shower. In the meantime, Grandmama helped Michael feed the kids lunch. Then, while Grandmama watched over Thomas inside, Michael and Amelia went swimming outside. It was a big day for Amelia as she swam all by herself (with the aid of arm floaties).
That night we went to Leslie's 20th high school reunion. She moved to Anna Maria Island the summer before 10th grade started. It was a big crowd at the reunion and we had a great time.
Click for more pictures...Day Five - Sunday
On Sunday we went to church in the morning and then to the Ellenton Outlet Center in the afternoon. We wanted to keep out of the way while Jerry and Judy got ready for company that night. In the evening, we celebrated Jason's 17th birthday with bar-b-cued ribs and chicken. Amelia and Thomas had a lot of fun with Jason and Justin. We always enjoy watching Amelia's face whenever we sing happy birthday to someone else. She ALWAYS gets a funny look on her face and thinks we are singing to her.
Click for more pictures...Day Six - Monday
Michael stayed in to work on Monday since both Jerry and Judy took the day off from work. With all of that help, Leslie took everyone to Anna Maria Island and to lunch at the SandBar.
Click for more pictures...Day Seven - Tuesday
Leslie and the kids went to the Grahams house for a playdate with them and the Eriksens. The girls were Amelia Grace, Mary Grace, and Ella Grace. They boys were Thomas and Andrew, and we'll get to meet the Grahams' and Eriksens' new babies next visit. They all got along gracefully, of course. Michael worked a little bit too. In the afternoon, we used the GPS in Judy's car to find thrift stores for kids clothes. We also made it a point to visit Jamba Juice for their delicious smoothies. This was absolutely mandatory!
In the evening, Michael and Leslie had a date while Grandmama and Grandaddy watched babysat. We drove over to Anna Maria Island and had an appetizer and desert at the BeachHouse restaurant.
Day Eight - Wednesday
This was entirely a travel day but here is a set of miscellaneous pictures from our trip.
Click for more pictures...Monday, September 22, 2008
Thomas weighs in
Leslie used the doctor's office scale to do a weight check on Thomas.
18 lb. 1 oz. (7th percentile)
30 in. (82nd percentile)
Here's his data from a month ago:
17 lb. 1 oz. (5th percentile)
28.5 in. (65th percentile)
18 lb. 1 oz. (7th percentile)
30 in. (82nd percentile)
Here's his data from a month ago:
17 lb. 1 oz. (5th percentile)
28.5 in. (65th percentile)
Monday, September 15, 2008
The Fwimmin Pool
Amelia started her first swimming class tonight at 5:30 at our gym. She was SO excited to go. I think Mondays and Wednesdays for are going to be fun for the next month because I can use the pool as an incentive for good behavior. There were 3 kids (and moms) in the class tonight. It was the first time they've offered a "toddler" class that didn't also have infants involved. "Real" lessons and classes are for 3 year olds.
The swim instructor, Jenny, has just returned to Chapel Hill and the Wellness Center after moving back to Gainesville, FL for a couple years. She was a swimmer at UF(I went there too) and her husband played football at UF, coached at UNC, and now does something with the Denver Broncos, I think. My friend Brandy took her adult swimming class a couple years ago. She encouraged me to do the same, but it was not for the faint of heart. Hopefully the toddler class won't be so rigorous. The funny thing about Jenny is that she's a reality TV star. Do you remember The Bachelor with Jesse, the football player? Well, Jenny was the spy... http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,630299,00.html I remember seeing the episode, then going to swim laps and doing a double take. She's really nice and Amelia actually listens to what she's saying in the pool. Splish, Splash!
The swim instructor, Jenny, has just returned to Chapel Hill and the Wellness Center after moving back to Gainesville, FL for a couple years. She was a swimmer at UF(I went there too) and her husband played football at UF, coached at UNC, and now does something with the Denver Broncos, I think. My friend Brandy took her adult swimming class a couple years ago. She encouraged me to do the same, but it was not for the faint of heart. Hopefully the toddler class won't be so rigorous. The funny thing about Jenny is that she's a reality TV star. Do you remember The Bachelor with Jesse, the football player? Well, Jenny was the spy... http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,630299,00.html I remember seeing the episode, then going to swim laps and doing a double take. She's really nice and Amelia actually listens to what she's saying in the pool. Splish, Splash!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Our Family Triathlon
On Saturday we finally got a chance to play together at home. First, we ran. Well, Thomas held the wall and made his way down the hallway for the very first time. Amelia ONLY runs in the house, so this event was nothing new for her.
After getting geared up, we went for our first family bike ride of 5.4 miles. The midpoint of our trip was the Chapel Hill Country Club, where our wedding reception was held. The building was destroyed by fire last year, so we wanted to check out the construction. With 2 kids in tow and a new building going up, it made me feel like we'd been married way longer than 3 years.
Our final event was held at the backyard pool. I forgot (for the 3rd time!!!) the Wellness Center closes early on Saturdays, so we let the athletes finish the race at the home pool. We had such a fun day that we were nearly sad to see the little ones get into bed.
After getting geared up, we went for our first family bike ride of 5.4 miles. The midpoint of our trip was the Chapel Hill Country Club, where our wedding reception was held. The building was destroyed by fire last year, so we wanted to check out the construction. With 2 kids in tow and a new building going up, it made me feel like we'd been married way longer than 3 years.
Our final event was held at the backyard pool. I forgot (for the 3rd time!!!) the Wellness Center closes early on Saturdays, so we let the athletes finish the race at the home pool. We had such a fun day that we were nearly sad to see the little ones get into bed.
Click for more pictures...Monday, September 8, 2008
Conniving Amelia
Here's an email that Leslie just sent to me which I thought was funny enough to share.
"amelia dumped her plate of green beans and dip on the floor. when i told her she had to clean it up, she started saying it was her naptime and she had to goto time out. she did clean them up, though.
thomas has a great ability to detect carrots with his tongue. cheerios, cheese, nectarine and carrot pieces all go in. carrots come out every time."
"amelia dumped her plate of green beans and dip on the floor. when i told her she had to clean it up, she started saying it was her naptime and she had to goto time out. she did clean them up, though.
thomas has a great ability to detect carrots with his tongue. cheerios, cheese, nectarine and carrot pieces all go in. carrots come out every time."
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