One Round Trip Ticket Please

Last night our little slugger got his first home run. No, he did not hit it over the 300ft. fence in center field, but he did hit it past the center fielder, and it rolled almost to the fence. As that was happening Aidan was sprinting around the bases so fast that Hermes himself would have been proud. Aidan slid into home just as the ball got back to the infield.

Wow, a two run inside the park tater. Great job son!



William

Happy Birthday Lori

How's it feel to be old?

(click link - listen - then hit you back button)
http://www.kakofonia.pl/ENG/ENGmonty/imnotold.wav

Wow Lori, you sounded like a man.

OK, I kid, you're not old. You are my young beautiful bride, and I hope you have a great day.

I love you,

William

Spring...No Winter...No Wait...Spring....

Ahh.......Spring is in the Air

Wow, Spring "already". Well, after this winter we've had, it's really hard to say "already". In reality, it seemes like it took forever to get here. If it's spring, that can only mean one thing......SPRING BREAK BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOUD WILD PARTIES - TRIPS TO THE BEACH - NO RULES.........oh wait....never mind.....I was thinking of the old meaning of "Spring Break". Please excuse me, for I lost my train of thought for a minute. What I meant to say was "kids out of school for a week" Spring Break. Alright!!!WooHoo!!!!Yeah!!!! See, I am just as enthused.

We decided that we would take a trip to East Tennessee to see Nana and PawPaw for this spring break, so we packed our bags and set off for the airport bright and early last Monday morning. As you know from past trips, Christopher can be quite the handful on an enclosed plane. So much a handful in fact, that for a while I simple refused to fly with that little monkey. I was hoping that this time would be the beginning of a new and improved Christopher, and lucky for all of us (especially me) I was correct. Our smallest monkey did very well on the two hour flight, and my stress level stayed around defcon 2. (It's never defcon 1 when you have kids....it simply can't happen).

After landing in Knoxville and making the 1 1/2 hour drive to the farm, we were ready for some serious country life. When you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, it's not very hard to find "the country life". Soon after we arrived at the farm, Christopher and Aidan and Lori were ready to feed the chickens and gather the eggs.


Me, nope no chickens for me, just relaxing at the piano.


We spent the next day indoors due to the rainy weather. Of course, the boys still had chicken and cow duty, for rain does not stop those farm time activities. Nope, but it does stop the photographer from getting his camera wet, so no pictures from Tuesday.

Wednesday we got up early, took care of the chores, and drove to Sevierville to visit the local Bass Pro Shops. Aidan loves going here, and Christopher also got a kick out of all of the fish and animals they saw. Here is a picture of the bears.


Here is Aidan and Christopher ready for some mischief.


We made the journey home mid afternoon, and settled in for some R&R. They don't call them the Great Smokey Mountains for nothing.


We all sat around relaxing except Christopher who was feeling a little standoffish.


While he was feeling froggy, I sat in one of the comfy chairs, and snapped this photo of the fireplace.


Doesn't that look cozy and inviting?

We finally did get out and about on the farm, and Lori snapped a picture of one of the last trees still showing the signs of fall/winter.

Me, well I concentrated more on the beautiful views,


and one powerful majestic sunset.


One thing we found out while we were there: Christopher is a natural with the chickens, showing absolutely no fear.


The horses in the pasture wandered over to see what was going on.

Nana and Aidan made the horses' day when they both climbed in the hay loft and got the horses some vittles.


Later that day, Aidan and dad decided to go "cruzin",


while Christopher did his own "cruzing" low and slow.


We had a wonderful time while we were there, and Friday came around too soon. Christopher made the defcon meter rise to 3 on the way home, but all in all I was very happy with his behavior. Nana and PawPaw were great host, and we were all sad to go. We made it home just in time to pick up Mystic from Doggie Day Care, and after getting home, we all made it to bed pretty early.

When we woke up the next morning, we were greeted with this.


Are you kidding me? Snow? Snow on the first official day of spring? Come on.......give us a little break here. Have some compassion Mother Nature. Quit messing around and bring on the flowers and the 70-80 degree temperatures. It's time......let's get it on.

William

P.S. Today it's 75 and beautiful. Maybe she was listening after all.

Confessions of a Lucky Man

12 years? 12 years? How is that even possible? It just seems like yesterday that we were exchanging our "I Do's" and starting our wonderful journey together. The years are sailing past so quickly, and the water is more calm and smooth on our journey than I could have ever wished for.

Very few people in this world actually find their soulmate, and I am truly blessed have found mine wrapped in such a beautiful package. I still pinch myself every day, and will continue to do so throughout or lives together.

Thanks Lori for being a great wife, a wonderful mom, and my best friend. I can't wait for lucky 13 to roll around next.

Happy Anniversary

Love,

William

An Assorted Dozen Memories

On a rainy day 12 years ago today we were preparing for the night's festivities with our families and friends at the Dallas Arboretum. What was going to be a picturesque outdoor wedding became a quaint indoor ceremony with the threat of rain from El Nino much to my Mom's chagrin. We did not know or imagine what our lives together would hold at that moment but we were married and ready for our adventure together. It is hard to fathom that we were married 12 years ago today, and yet sometimes it seems a lifetime away from our current life with our two monkeys! I know that every day is not always as romantic and exciting as it could be, but I treasure every day that we spend together. We have grown up in so many ways and reinvented ourselves a few times along the way.

Thank you for always giving so much of yourself to make sure that the boys and I are happy. Thank you William for being my best friend and wonderful husband. You always know how to make me laugh when I need it most and you always support me with all of my dreams and endeavors no matter how crazy they might seem. Thank you for giving me the freedom to run (literally) even though it means that you will be flying solo with Aidan and Christopher while I am gone. Thank you especially for letting me race today, the morning of our Anniversary (since it is a special race), even though it would have been easy to suggest that I stay home for a family morning.

We have had an assortment of wonderful memories, craziness, and love most of all over the last 12 years and I wouldn't trade a moment. I am blessed to have you as my husband and best friend. I love you very much! I will celebrate you and our marriage by running a mile for every year that we have been married plus that additional 1.1 mileage thinking about our wonderful life together!

Happy 12th Anniversary William!

Love,

Lori

HOO-RAY!!!!!

My beautiful wife ran a 5K this morning, and walked away with this little piece of hardware.


Alright Momma! You go girl. We are so very proud of you.

William

Sands Through the Hourglass

You know, when Christopher is not being a terrorizing little menace, he is actually pretty sweet. Now, these "sweet" times are currently few and far between (Thanks a bunch terrible 2s), but when they do happen, all is right with the world. Here is a snapshot of Christopher taken just before we left for school yesterday morning.


Notice the fresh haircut? People were starting to say the he was looking like Christopher Atkins from the Blue Lagoon, so we figured it was time to get his ears lowered. He sure looks handsome, and......ummm.......older. What happen to our little baby boy? They transform so fast.

Aidan is doing really well in school, and we are very proud of him. His homework for this week, was to create a timeline of his life, and chronicle each year. We had to go back and find a picture of him at each year of age, and include them with the assignment. It was really cool going through all of the old photographs of the family, and seeing how Aidan has matured. (It was not nearly as cool to see how I have "matured" during this same time.....grrrrrrr) This trip down memory lane also allowed me to see my favorite picture I took of Aidan when he was a little baby. (Well technically speaking, Aidan was never a little baby...having entered this world at 8 lbs 12 ozs, but you know what I mean,) Here he is a 5 months old, fresh out of the tub, sporting a very cool curly blond mohawk.


Wow it's hard to believe its already been 7 years since that was taken. That just doesn't seem possible. They grow up too fast.................... :-(

Hug them every chance you get.


William