Changing the view

If you're reading this, thank you for checking in on us. I realize I've taken a long hiatus from blogging, but I have been preoccupied with helping clients set up their own blogs.

I've been playing around with headers and templates. It's fun to freshen up the look and re-amp efforts to communicate a new message.

About the family...we've been pretty busy, but life is good. Halloween was a blast (although we're still drowning in candy!) and we're getting ready for a trip to NC for Thanksgiving.

Avery and Stuart are loving school at Crieve Hall. Avery is writing her name (and everything else she can find to copy) and Stuart has mastered the art of making funny faces on command.

I'll leave you with a few pictures...

Stuart checking out his studly reflection in his Bama jersey.

Avery and her ballet buddies

Me and my cutie at Alabama's homecoming game. Eli brought us into the booth with him during the broadcast!!!

Avery's Halloween party at school

The pink poodle's last showing (we hope) and Stuart as a lollipop-loving vampire

Taking a break

Obviously, I haven't posted in a while. I plan to return to my blog when I find a little time. Keep checking back. Thanks!

The Return

My days are quite different now. I had spent the last 5 months on contract with a publisher working on book promotions with some very talented publicists in an office setting. My contract was up June 30, so now I'm back home on contracts with various publishers and clients. Working from home is a blessing. I was thrilled to be full-time there for the last few months, but I sure did miss my double life as a mommy/promotions consultant. The kids have been great! I love being back home with them. Some days are challenging, but I'm able to get my work done and I'm getting used to balancing it all.

As an extra added bonus, I'm relearning how to do laundry and dishes and cook for my family again! The things you take for granted...

Chad and I had a date last night. Tori came over to put the kids in bed for us and hang out while we were gone. (It's so frustrating to have to pay a babysitter to literally just sit in your house while your children sleep. At least we love her!) We grabbed dinner and headed to The Basement on 8th Avenue to see FLOREZ. We got there at 9, but the guys didn't go on until after 11. We're almost too old for that! Regardless, we got to see a great show. Alex Florez is an incredibly gifted guitarist. He, Erik and Justin blew us away. They'll probably have another show there next month, so PLEASE plan to be there with us. We promise a great night!

Here's hoping my life becomes blogworthy again. Hang in there with me! Much love...

I'm hoping that this little life will become blogworthy again!

Finally -- an update (especially for Mary Alice)

So the slacker finally got around to posting an update. We've been busy! Once we survived tax season, we zipped off to Chattanooga to welcome our friends Za and Krishon. Za, Chad's best friend, and his wife Krishon moved to Chattanooga from Los Angeles. We're SO EXCITED that we don't have to hop a flight across the country to see them any more! Hooray!

We settled into our hotel, grabbed coffee with Za and Krissy, and crashed for the first night, but we were up bright and early for a huge breakfast at The City Diner Cafe Restaurant (no kidding, that's the whole name!) Stuart really loved eating anything within reach.

We had an awesome Saturday trotting around at Lookout Mountain, Ruby Falls, and an awesome water park downtown. Here's Michael Jackson, I mean Chad, dangling the children over a waterfall. (Just kidding. It's a decorative fountain.)

This is proof that I was actually there. Avery and I were staring directly into the blinding sun, but at least we captured the moment.

Avery and Stuart couldn't get enough of these huge wooden chairs. Unlike Cracker Barrel (or Barrel Cracker, as Avery calls it), these aren't for sale.

BEAUTIFUL view!!!

You can see 47 states from this viewfinder! (Okay, not really--but maybe 7, I think.)

Avery didn't care how cold the water was. She was in the middle of it.

Stuart, on the other hand, screamed like a girl.

Stuart loved the back of Za's car. There's so much fun to be had with a bag of softballs.

Stuart is pretty infatuated with Krissy.

Avery, too.

Aren't they handsome!

I've tried to forget the rest of the weekend because it was spent hovering over a toilet. The stomach bug got me. It only lasted a few hours, but it took 2 more days to recover. Let's erase that from memory. Delete!

A bunch of my college girlfriends came to town the following weekend to catch up before Lindsey and her family move to Portland. It's quite a task to wrangle all the children, much less photograph them, but we did it. Sort of.

These two are my favorite. .I'm a little biased, I know.

Papa stayed a night with us when he was in town for a funeral. We were just glad to have a little time with him and shower him with attention.

And in the latest news....We went to the beach. No, not all of us. Just Chad and me! It was the best ever! We were a tad bit crispy by the end of the weekend. It was the first time we'd been away from the kids for more than a day since before they were born. Hooray for vacations.

Dear readers (all 2 of you), if you're still hanging with me, I sincerely appreciate it. Till next time...

Mercy!

Please, please, please extend mercy to this woman! I'm so sorry to have gone so long between posts. I definitely haven't lacked things to post about. We have so much going on in our lives right now that I'd like to share. I've just been focused on work and Chad's been dominating the computer (we just survived tax season, so he gets forgiveness.)

Stuart has started taking steps. That's the biggest news in our house. He's also mastered several words. Fun kid. We are so lucky to have such laid-back, easy-going children.

Pictures and videos to come. Hang with me.

Stuart's Birthday (aka "The one with all the pictures"

On Stuart's actual birthday, we let him open a few presents. He was thrilled to add a few more bouncy balls to his collection.

He just looks so big!

He got his first taste of a cupcake, too.

At the actual party, the kids were content to scoot around on riding toys and play with balloons and balls.

I don't think he was even reaching for anyone in this picture. I'm pretty sure he was just celebrating.

Stuart loves his Uncle Shawn.

Can't tell by his expression, but Stuart was thrilled to get to eat pizza. We couldn't keep him from shoving more in his mouth before chewing and swallowing.

He got one good look at his cake and then...

He started digging in.

He had an audience, too.

He decided not to use a fork.

Stuart wasn't taking a break from eating just to get his picture taken.

These kids are up to no good!

Can you tell it used to be a cake?

We had to drag Stuart away from the cake. He would have eaten the whole thing if we'd let him. But he thought it was hilarious that Daddy was showing off his mess.

Had to throw the poor child in the bathroom sink to clean him up.

Stuart is 1!

My precious baby Stuart is a year old. I can hardly believe it. This last year has been a wild ride, but we've been so blessed by his addition to our little family. We've come a long way.

Stuart crawls around this house like he owns the place. He's FAST! (as was his labor!) He is such a laid-back, go-with-the-flow child. He takes life in stride and thinks just about anything is hilarious. I doubt he'll walk any time soon, but he's quite content to get around at his own leisure.

Stuart loves his big sister, even though she sometimes pesters him. One day (not too far from now) he'll be bigger than her and put her in her place.

We're a lucky family and can't wait to see what the next year brings for our sweet one.

Happy Birthday Big Boy!