Friday, July 23, 2010

The Waterpark

So the other day Allister and I joined a group of friends and went to a waterpark here in town. We had a ball!! I knew this would be something Allister would like, seeing as he is fearless in water, but I had no idea I would be so entertained by my son's enjoyment.

Just want to give you the full effect by sharing with you the shots I snapped while he raced through!


Oh, to be a kid again and so innocently enjoy the way that my son does!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Friday, July 16, 2010

Summer

Let's just say our summer has been a "splash"!!

Something I have learned about my son this summer is that he LOVES water. He is fearless when it comes to water, so we decided to get a little backyard pool...and we have not regretted it!

He loves to play in the water!

He loves to drink the water

He loves to try and walk all by himself, which less and less is resulting in him going underneath, me pulling him up and him coughing out the gallon he drank while under. And off he goes again!

I suppose he takes after his momma. I have a vague memory of taking off my floaties as a child and the next thing I know I'm underneath the water, watching my mom walk over to the a pole, lower it down for me to grab and pull me up to the surface. (Yes, my mom lowered a pole and didn't jump in after me, because by the time I was that age, not knowing how to swim, it was just routine that I would jump into the deep end, while my parents' backs were turned, and would have to be pulled to the surface.) I'm just hoping that my son either has a little more common sense than I did at that age or he learns how to swim REALLY early!!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

LOVE!

Almost 5 years with this man, so far!! Man, oh man, do I love this man!!


Thanks R for the photos!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Happy Independence Day, by the way!

The 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holidays, primarily because, to me, it seems to capture the essence of summer. I love summer! Grilling, hanging out late with friends, outdoor parties, summer nights...so much fun!
This year it was super special for me. We started the day with church. After church went and grilled at my parent's house and played cards while the kiddos napped. Went to friends for a summer night barbeque and hang out. We then lit off a few fireworks, in which Allister was amazed (last year on the 4th he slept inside while we enjoyed fireworks outside)! We then drove out to a deserted area, where we could see the entire city, and sat up until about 10 pm (WAY after Allister's bedtime) and sat on the trunk of our car watching the entire city set off fireworks! Awesome!! Best part about it...Allister cuddled on my lap and laid his little head on my shoulder and sat amazed (and even clapped) at all the color!!
Pardon the fuzzines of the picture, but this is certainly one memory that will stay clear for some time!!

Monday, July 12, 2010

A Time to Think

At the end of June, Peter, myself and some close friends went on a vacation, of sorts...if you can call a seminar a vacation, which I can, and do. I think back to that time, and recognize the unique opportunity to create more lasting memories with lasting friends and on an equally wonderful level, feed my brain. I recognize that the inner-nerd has burst forth when I think back fondly on three days of lectures, but I feel like for the first time, in what seems like far too long, I was able to sit and soak in thoughts from those FAR more learned than myself. I find when I am in that type of situation (which I hope to be more often than I am) my brain clicks on; I can think through any argument, think outside the box on many issues and come up with some stinkin' good stuff :)
I can't sit here and sum up everything, both for your sanity and because it will probably take me quite a bit more time to really soak up all the knowledge, but I'll share just a piece. During this seminar, I became much more aware of the nature of education within the United States and how the mentality of our nation is and has been, for many generations now, affecting the ways in which we pursue educating the next generations. And how that education has formed my own mind and is continuing to form the minds of our children.
What a task...educating our children! Teaching them rightly, guiding them, training them...my heart is heavy with the task at hand! It has been encouraged with this time to think!

And now for some pictures to lighten the mood ...we really did have a wonderful time and as I attended the seminar with our friends (Peter stayed in the hotel and worked) we were able to really talk through the different dynamics and viewpoints we each took away from the lectures. The four of us also had a chance to spend time at Colonial Williamsburg, the beach, a movie tavern, trying to find a sushi place...for 4 HOURS, and finally, enjoying sushi and great conversation.

Colonial Williamsburg...it's because Peter's not American.


The Beach

SOYA...we finally found it,
the boys had to help us spell because otherwise it would've looked something like this
(We're both trying to do the 's'...yes, yes, I realize I am the one doing a backwards 's'.
Why we were trying to spell "SOYA" in the first place...I don't really remember)

And Captain Groovy's!

Thanks R for sending me some of the pics!