Pickin' Blueberries!

Yesterday morning Maddox and I went blueberry picking. We left Mason at Nana's house and headed out. Maddox was not sure what to think about it when I told him what we were going to do, but when we got there he seemed to have a good time. This time of year the whole crop is not ripe yet, so we had to pick around the red ones and hunt down the blue ones. Maddox could have cared less what color they were, he just started picking! This turned out to be much harder and time consuming work then I had imagined. After an hour and 15 minutes we had just shy of a gallon and called it quits. Maddox had given up on the blueberries and had started picking wildflowers. I would have not traded the one on one time I had with him for anything. And, when daddy got home and asked him what he did during the day his immediate answer was "I picked blueberries daddy." Priceless! At least he will remember for a little while.


And he's off!


Get 'em Maddox!


Maddox checking out his stash.


Still smiling after a hard mornings work!

Happy Birthday USA!!

Jerrod, Maddox, Mason and I had a great 4th of July weekend. It was busy, but lots of fun. Saturday consisted of running the Peachtree Road Race, coming home to my husband and 2 wonderful boys, Jerrod and Maddox mastering the slip and slide and then heading to the Schulze's house for grilling out and some laid back socializing! We decided that fireworks that evening were very unnecessary since we had just seen really great ones at the Braves game Thursday night. Food, Fun and Friends made a great day!

Many of you would be shocked to know that me, of all people, do not have a lot of pictures from Saturday. But, the ones I do have are priceless. Watching Maddox go down the slip and slide over and over was a lot of fun. He had the look of pure excitement as if it was something new each and every time. Can't wait until next summer when both boys are enjoying this simple, but fun time outside!


Ready, Set . . .


GO!!!!


It came with the little raft to go down on. Maddox did it with and without, but preferred the raft because he went faster!


Just before a wipeout! He was loving this!


Jerrod had him try it on his back too. He was more than willing, but liked seeing where he was going better.

The All American Game - Go Braves!

Thursday night we decided to head to the Braves game with my parents. Maddox went to a handful of games last year, but we wanted to make a second attempt at taking both boys this season. We tried in April and got there not realizing that the wind chill factor was FREEZING! I never even let Mason out from under the blankets to see where he was and by the 4th inning Maddox was a popsicle. Needless to say, we left. So, with the temperature in the 90's, most likely not to get under 80 before the game was over, I figured we were safe!

It was a blast! Maddox loved it, as he does any event where he can run around and be around as many people as possible, and Mason was perfect! We started out in section 229 and ended up in section 129 before the night was over. Got us even closer to the field where we could all see a little bit better. The bonus was the fireworks display after the game . . . not to mention the fact that the Braves won and swept the series.

GO BRAVES!!


Maddox and Daddy headed into Turner Field.


Mason seeing his first game, but at his second!


A nice young guy gave Maddox this tomahawk . . . he loved it!


The family


Maddox hanging out with Nana and PeePaw


The life . . . eating and watching the ballgame.


There is that tomahawk again!


Maddox and Daddy taking a break for a picture from dancing in the aisle to "Thank God I'm a Country Boy."


Mason slept through the fireworks.


Maddox was unsure of the fireworks when they first started, but loved them by the end.

Daddy Brought us Gifts!

I cannot believe all of the things Jerrod was able to fit in his luggage to bring home! He thought of everyone while he was in Africa. 90% of what was bought was for people other than himself. Of course he had to come with gifts for the wife and kids! It was all cool stuff.

Jerrod had made a shirt that in Africa they call a Booboo (may have misspelled). It reminds me of a scrub shirt, but in cool African fabric. In the same fabric he had a skirt made for me. We wore them to church on Sunday! He also brought me a gorgeous cross necklace and a jewelry box.

Maddox and Mason cleaned house! For now the gifts are more for Maddox, but he will have to share with little brother when he gets old enough to care. They got a really cool hand carved wooden chair, an African drum and a homemade sling shot!


Jerrod in his African shirt called a Booboo.


Me in my matching African skirt


The African Drum


The hand carved wooden chair with a giraffe on it.


Mason sitting in the chair.


Maddox sitting in the chair while playing the drum. After Jerrod showed him he now gets the drum and takes it to the chair himself and will hit it. So cute!

Daddy Came Home!

Jerrod is home! Friday was an exciting day. It was the day that Jerrod came home from being in Africa for 12 days. That morning I told Maddox that we were going to the airport to pick up daddy and he was ecstatic! We spent the morning hanging out at Nana and PeePaw's house and after lunch it was off to the airport. But, before we left, Maddox and Mason had to change into their special t-shirts. Maddox and Mason helped me make special t-shirts for daddy that they could wear to the airport. On the front of the shirts was their hand print and it said "Welcome Home" and on the back was their footprint and it said "Missed You Daddy." So cute!







So, we arrived at the airport at 2:45pm, his plane laded at 2pm, and still ended up having to wait an hour because the customs line was long. Mason slept and Maddox was very well behaved. He sat in his stroller and ate teddy grahams until I got a text that said Jerrod was headed up the escalator . . . we were waiting at the top. I let Maddox out and got Mason out (he had just woke up). Maddox spotted daddy and ran right to him. The next thing I heard was Maddox saying "I missed you Daddy!" Priceless! So sweet! He just hung onto Jerrod and kept hugging and kissing him and saying "I missed you." We are all very glad to have daddy back home!


Maddox patiently waiting.


Mason knew what to do to pass the time!


Loving on daddy!

Fun in the Sun!

Since Jerrod was away on Father's Day, after nap time me and the boys went to my parents to spend the afternoon with my dad. Kara and her kids were there as well. We all went to the pool to swim. Maddox has always liked water and loved the pool and ocean last year, but I was anxious to see how he would act. Also, Mason loves baths, but I was not sure about the pool. Wow, what fun we had. Mason loved the water and just relaxed and hung out. Maddox became a little fish. He was hanging out in the water, jumping off the side and begging me to throw him in the air. I am sad I did not get them in the water sooner this summer. It has just been a crazy summer. I look forward to many more afternoons in the pool in the hot Georgia heat.


Me and my boys!


Mason is taking it all in!


"Here I come PeePaw!" says Maddox


Maddox loves his PeePaw


Maddox, PeePaw (Grandpa), Emma, Aaron, Mason and me


He is SO grown up!


If you look close or click on the picture to enlarge, you will see I have just thrown Maddox in the air. He loved it!

Say Cheese!

I cannot believe that I am sitting here writing about Maddox being almost 2 years old and Mason already 3 months old. Where has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday Jerrod and I were bringing Maddox home from the hospital. I blinked and Mason was here . . . now it is 3 months later!

So, as many of you know I am crazy about pictures of my boys. I don't want to miss a single thing and during the 1st year am determined to take pictures at birth, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 1 year. So, Mason's 3 month pictures are upon us. I decided that now would be a great time to get Maddox's 2 year old pictures as well (he is almost there). So, yesterday me, the boys and my mom, Nana (and my crutch when trying to get 2 kids to smile and work with the photographer), headed to Portrait Innovations. What cute pictures they took. Of course they always take too many and I have a hard time narrowing it down and picking the ones I want. But, after much deliberation the task was complete.

Below are a few of my favorites. They took 70, so believe me when I say I have many more favorites! I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. I just love these little boys!!!


So sweet!


Little charmer!


Look at that smile!


Getting ready for our beach trip next month!