War Eagle!!

Today Tim, Carter, Hudson and I drove to Auburn for the A-Day Game. Tim has been counting down the days until he could see the new recruits in action. Uncle Spencer rode with us to the game and the kids were really excited to see him. Hudson didn't actually make it to the game. He blew bubbles and played in the yard with our cousin, Peyton, who has recently moved to Auburn. The Auburn Tigers look to be much improved over last year and we enjoyed being outside on this beautiful (though very hot) day!

Growing Up

Hudson is becoming such a big boy. He has started saying so many words this week......."bubbles" and "baff", also known as "bath" being his favorites. He has also decided that he is old enough to eat at the picnic table and now chooses to eat most of his snacks there. Here is a picture of one of his first morning snacks at the "big kid" table. He was very proud of himself.

First Swim

The first jump off the diving board!

Since April is a little early for a swim, we had to borrow Caroline's pink goggles.

Carter, Will, Caroline and Emme before they jumped in.

Against my better judgment, Tim declared Amy and Drew's pool "opened" on Friday afternoon. Caroline, Will, Carter and Emme all got there swimsuits on and eventually got in the pool. Though it had been heated a little bit, it will still be a while before I do any swimming. Tim and Uncle Drew got in with the kids and had a good time. Everyone still remembers how to swim and there were many funny dives and tricks off of the diving board to entertain us. It feels like we have just picked up where we left off with summer fun. Now I am looking forward to taking Hudson for a swim. I hope he enjoys the water as much as Carter does.

Easter

Easter Egg Hunt at Big Mama and Big Daddy's - The Big Cousins.

Checking out all of the candy!!

A family picture - finally. Too bad we can't ever get everyone to smile at the same time!

The little cousins at the Easter Egg Hunt

This year the Easter Bunny left all of Carter and Hudson's goodies outside on the front porch. Carter was terrified that the Bunny forgot him until we happened to look out the front door and see the baskets. Carter got an art easel and a basket full of art supplies (and candy, of course). Hudson got a new sandbox and lots of sand toys in his basket. They have had a blast with both. Then it was off to church. Tim and I had child care duty, so we didn't get to attend the service, but it was a blessing to see so many kids there for Easter Sunday! Hudson's outfit was really special. It was made out of fabric that my grandmother used to make outfits for my dad when he was a baby. We finished the day with a family egghunt and meal. Everyone was exhausted when we got home.

Easter Fun!

Sticky Fingers!!

All of the big kids at Ward and Kate's Easter Egg Hunt.

Playing on the playground at Carter's Party.

Happy Birthday Little Carter!

Carter and Hudson at the Birthday Party. Carter really wants to hold on to Hudson, but he will have no part of it!!

We had an exciting Good Friday. Carter and Hudson were out of school so we helped our friend "Little Carter" celebrate his second birthday at the park. It was a beautiful day and we got to see many of our friends. Friday afternoon Kate and Ward invited the boys to their Easter Egg Hunt. There were tons of kids there and everyone had a great time running around, hunting eggs and yes, eating lots of chocolate. Unfortunately, Hudson didn't feel the need to unwrap the candy. A little aluminum with his chocolate was ok with him! Carter was a competitive egg hunter. Hudson collected just enough to make a big mess as he dumped his basket. All in all, it was a fun and messy day!

Atlanta Half Marathon

Many of you know that I have been training for a half marathon for almost six months. Well, the big race day finally arrived and my friend Ashley and I both finished! This is very exciting since I could not run to the mailbox when I started this journey. Thanks to Sundra, Krista, Sally and all of those who encouraged (and sometimes drug) me through Bluff Park in the wee hours of the morning. I had a blast and think I will enjoy running for a long time to come.


Ashley and I decided to take our husbands and kids to Atlanta with us for a day of fun before the race. We went to the Atlanta Children's Museum and let the kids run wild. There were so many fun things to do! After, we went across the street to Centennial Park. Carter and Charlie especially enjoyed running through the sprinklers and trying not to get wet. Believe it or not, we actually all stayed dry. Hudson missed most of the fun napping in his stroller.


This was our first time sleeping as a family of four in a hotel room. All I can say is that it was better than I expected. Carter thinks there is nothing more fun than sleeping in a hotel. While I know we must have stayed in one at some point in his life, he cannot remember it and thought the idea of lots of people who don't know each other sleeping in one big "house" was wonderful. Since we were "roommates" with all of these strangers, he felt the need to speak to everyone. Both boys slept like logs.


On race day, Ashley and I were up and out early. We made it to the start line in plenty of time and it could not have been a prettier day for a run. I will say that Atlanta is much more "hilly" than I had noticed in previous visits. Unfortunately, the boys did not make it to see us cross the finish line. Evidently the traffic and hassle of getting all of the boys dressed was a little much for the daddies. They arrived forty-five minutes late.


Over all, the trip was a success and we all had a lot of fun. Below are some pictures.

Hudson's Birthday

Hudson turned 1 this week. We invited family over for his duck themed birthday party. As would be expected, Hudson most enjoyed the birthday cake and playing with the wrapping paper. We had eggless birthday cake (which was actually pretty good) since we have recently learned that Hudson is allergic to egg whites. With the help of our friend Julie, I made the birthday cake and cupcakes. I also made his outfit. I wish I could say that the beautifully pressed outfit it is now safely stored in his memory box for him to admire for years to come. Unforturnately, it disentegrated in the washing machine! I am pretty sure that I will not be a seamstress in my next life! At least we have pictures. Thanks to everyone who helped us celebrate this special day.

Hudson has had an exciting first year for sure. He is walking/running all over the place and is having so much fun exploring (making messes) and learning new things. We are so blessed to have him in our lives. I can't wait to see what excitement this next year brings.