Braves Game

We attended the Gwinnett Braves Farm League vs The Braves on Tuesday evening. Mama and Papa joined us which was a real treat! The night was beautiful, just a little chillly. Hotdogs and drinks were devoured as we watched the game. There's something about a ballpark hotdog that just tastes good!

Just before the 7th inning a light rain started coming down. We didn't get wet because we were sitting under a wonderful awning. Most people left their seats and stood up in the back. Play continued for a while until the sky started falling. With pouring rain, thunder and lightning the game was postponed and eventually called. We sat waiting for a little bit hoping the rain would slow.

The put clips from Singing in the Rain, on the autotron during the rainstorm. Pretty fun.

Zoo Atlanta 2012

We haven't been to Zoo Atlanta in a very long time so we decided for one of our Spring Break activities we would make the long trek to downtown and see the hairy beasts! When we arrived at the zoo it took us at least a half hour to find parking because everyone in the Atlanta area had the same idea. There were so many people at the zoo, it was just crazy! The boys were very efficient in getting through the park. We enjoyed the gorillas with their new little ones and the orangatan were quite cool.

The Peep mobile! They were handing out free peeps as we left the zoo.

This is picture in the new parakeet house. It's kind of like a butterfly house where you walk into an enclosed area and walk among the birds. They were everywhere and thankfully we were not pooped on!

Landon and Easton, doing there thing!

Fort Pulaski

While in Savannah we visited the old civil war Fort Pulaski. I've heard of this place in the history books...it was just fascinating to walk around the fort and here the stories of how it was used during the war. It was supposed to be a state of the art fort that was going to be durable. The seven foot thick wall was blown to pieces during it's first battle and was never used again as a fort. A waste of tax payers dollars!!!
This happy little man was a volunteer who demonstrated how to shoot a musket. Fascinating.


Sorry, Grandma...no pictures of you. I know you were there with us!

Savannah

While my parents were visiting us in Georgia we took a side trip down to Savannah because Dallin and Landon were participating in the All-State chorus program for the weekend. We stopped at a great seafood restaurant Friday night and just really enjoyed ourselves.
Oh so cute! My boys!!!!
Saturday morning we drove to the coast to show Mom and Dad the beach scene. This beach was on Tybee Island. It was very cold and windy--not really beach weather!

Like our beach attire?!?
Ahhh, my Mom and Dad
Easton, the cutie had a blast running around the sand looking for treasures. He didn't seem to feel the biting wind.
We are soooooo cold.
Love this picture of my mom and Easton scouring the sand for shells.

Cousins!

Janelle and her cute little girls came to visit us the end February. What a surprise to see Kaitlyn and Kamryn on my doorstep at midnight. They hitched a ride with my Mom and Dad when they stopped through Denver on their way to Georgia. They rode for two days just to surprise us. What fun we had with two fun, energetic girls. Easton had a grand time making them laugh and entertaining them.
Kamryn, Kaitlyn and Easton spending time at the park.

Cake

The annual Cub Scout cake decorating contest rolls around every year, ready or not. This year seemed rushed (what's new?) and stressful. Easton and I decided he would do the treasure chest cake that has been created numerous times with great success! I went to the store early in the morning so I could get the supplies to make the cake before Easton got home from school and then have ample time to freeze it. You all know that it's easier to frost a frozen cake, right? Well, upon getting home I realized that I purchased everything to make the cake except the cake mix. DUH!!! Not wanting to go to the store again I just made one from scratch...crazy, but true. It was a beautiful chocolate cake. Easton had a blast decorating the cake with gooey frosting and bright-colored candies.Competition was incredible among the cub scouters as the cakes were placed on display in the cultural hall. The creativity and orginality was just amazing. Easton took third place. We were proud of him even though he was a little miffed about not placing first. The treasure chest cake has found success again...it has always been a winner, no matter what contest it was entered in. One year it even took $75 at a girls' camp fundraiser auction!

Oh Say Can You Hear......

Dallin sang the Star Spangled Banner at the beginning of one of his school's basketball games back in February. This is just a piece of the song.

The End

Cross Country season in never complete without the obligatory 3.5 hour awards banquet that happens every year in November or December. It is quite the event. It just keeps going and going and going. I love to see the athletes dressed up to hang with their peers and get recognized for their amazing accomplishments of the season.
Dallin received a special award called the "Bulldog Award" that recognized one male athlete on the team and one female athlete for outstanding achievement, character, work ethic, team building, etc. What a surprise when Dallin's name was spoken over the pulpit. Not a surprise that he received it, but that he was chosen out of so many runners who were great guys too. What an honor to be recognized for being an excellent team member and athlete.
Dallin proudly shows off his awards and Varsity letter pin.
Dallin hangs with his running pals. This is quite the crew! Only one senior in the bunch, the top runner, and the rest will be returning next year in place 1, 2, and 3 on the team. These are the guys to watch next fall.

December 2009

First of December

December is full of family traditions, the first one being our December 1 dinner. A lovely event dining together in the dining room, relishing in the thoughts of Christmas for the next 24 days. The meal prepared is better than your average Sunday dinner. Chicken cordon Bleau, fresh green beans, rolls, fresh pineapple, rice and red jello. Yum.....
Dallin and Landon are thrilled with this picture.
There's my happy boy, Easton!
The cook and Christmas-make-it-happen person.
Easton prepares to open our new Christmas book.
We started a new tradition this year with the Elf on the Shelf. We have a new elf named Sparky that watches us during the month of December and reports back to Santa each night. Every morning our elf was found in different places like shelves, lamps, plants, ledges, the piano, the bathroom. Sparky was sneaky this year and Easton had fun trying to find him each morning. Spark helped remind us to be good so that Santa would definitely pay us a visit on the 25th!!!

thanks

Just a few pictures from Thanksgiving at Michael and Jeni Carroll's. I'm never a good picture taker at Thanksgiving, so there!

Just half a Marathon

Going back in time again.....Thanksgiving morning Dallin was up bright and early (Mom too) to head out the door at 5:30 am to run a half marathon in downtown Atlanta with a couple of boys from the ward. AN ADVENTURE! We drove to the downtown Marta station, the transit system in Atlanta and boarded the train that would take us to the starting point of the race. It was a very cold morning, below freezing and dark!
Dallin is waiting with the pack at the beginning of the race. It's so cold in the morning so the racers dress in layers. When the race began clothes started flying everywhere. Racers just dump them on the side of the road when they warm up and continue to peel off the layers throughout the race. Some charity organizations come by with huge garbage bags and collect them.

My friend, Anne and me. It's so cold but we were cool moms that morning!
The boys at the end of the race. They all made it and had fabulous times. Dallin ran 13.1 miles in 1 hour and 36 minutes. He said he had more at the end of the race and could have won it faster. It's the first time doing this and he'll smash his time next year! The high school cross country coach's wife ran it and took first place for the ladies. She's trying out for Olympics this year.
The coldness was ridicules! Dallin didn't have a jacket to wear at the end because it was in the car. I sacrificed my fleece jacket so he could get a little warmth! We'll know better how to dress next year and the logistics of getting from the start of the race and how to handle the end.
Peachtree Roadrace....see you next year!!!!!!!