Take a Walk on The Marshside

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T22:48:00.003-05:00

"For unto us a Child is born; unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" Isaiah 9:6

Turning the Page

2010-11-14T07:24:00.017-05:00

It's the end of another season and I don't mean fall (although some mornings it feels like Old Man Winter might be sticking his foot in the door!). I mean we are transitioning into another stage of 2010, the final stage of 2010.

We are putting the Halloween costumes in the dress up box, packing up the pumpkins and yes, hanging up the football cleats (yes, sadly - our season ended yesterday but truly this deserves a post all its own). In their places, we are planning our Thanksgiving Day menu, pulling out the evergreen garland and brushing the dust off of our basketball high tops.

As my friend Christy says, it always seems that just when we get a little weary of the sights and sounds of daily routine, things change and we get a fresh new set of activities and things to look forward to. That time is surely here and I''m happy to usher it in, I just can't for the life of me believe how quickly the time passes.

Before we completely turn the page, here's a look back at lots of very busy fun...

I asked Lilly's teacher if I could come in and do caramel apples with her class -- her teacher loved the idea so we did it. I had moments of "What was I thinking?" but it turned out to be so much fun. The kids loved it. I had fun too.

Caramel Apple Day with KC -- a picture of Lilly with her first "crush"....Tony.....he is absolutely as sweet as he looks in this picture.

Lilly's turn with her apple....

Beautiful Creations --

Winston's first carry on a kick-off return. He got taken down by a vicious face-mask tackle shortly after this picture was taken but a great effort by #44.

Winston and his buddy Griffin - their teams played each other. On the field, they were formidable opponents but afterwards, friends again!

My Future Foxes at the Swamp....great annual night at the high school we are zoned for...a family night of fun and football. It doesn't get much better than a Friday Night high school football game!

Lilly with our principal, the incomparable Rene Harris. I can't even put into the words the treasure she is to our students and our school. We are so blessed.

Winston flanked by 2 of his best, most prized friends. One is exactly like him, the other is polar opposite....but my goodness how he loves these two boys.

Kindergartners ready to take the field. Love that smile on my girls' face.

I have absolutely NO skills in the area of pastry bags and frosting, but I did manage to make some pig cookies that actually looked like PIGS!! These were for Lilly's farm week at school. Loved them!!

Love our newest addition to the Halloween decoration inventory! Thanks Holly!

Our fall festival at Beech Hill was the best ever, if I do say so myself!! It's always a ton of work but so much fun for our students. I love this picture -- Lilly breaking it down with Miss Maddie and Mrs. Lois -- 2 of our custodial gems at school. This one just might make the yearbook!

Our flapper and Braves baseball player for Halloween 2010. Winston's costumes are always pretty easy to assemble and Lilly won 3rd place in the Costume Contest at the Trunk or Treat at church. It was a super cute costume! This was taken on Storybook Character Day at School.

And sweet Lilly Lou begins her first year with Basketball. She's one of very few girls playing but she isn't the least bit phased by that -- having a big brother helps!! Looking forward to watching her play and have fun!

And in a moment I am very proud of - I managed to plan and execute a successful SURPRISE party for 2 of my good friends with fall birthdays. This was in the works for many weeks and it took much coordination but it came together perfectly. Here's a picture of Kellie as she arrives to see a dining room full of her friends. Shayne was surprised too but I didn't have my camera ready for that one. YAY!! I love it when a plan comes together!

Sack That Quarterback....Sack that Quarterback

2010-11-07T08:49:00.004-05:00

The last 9 weeks have been a blur...a fun blur filled with school, football, PTA and fall happenings. Somethings I wonder if blogging is my thing....I love the notion of having our family life journaled and how helpful this might be someday when I dust off my cropping tools but a post every 6 weeks isn't exactly the point. We'll see...

For now, our wirey #44 has continued to make some great plays this Raider season - several first down runs as Running Back, quite a few forced fumbles and kick off team returns. All great stuff - our final regular season was this past Thursday - it was another stout showing by a pretty good Raider Team. We won pretty handily and head to our first playoff game next Saturday. Things could get dicey from here on out but no doubt, we've had great fun with some great players and great coaches. Win or lose, we coudn't be more proud of #44....he gives it everything he's got.

Great sack by our boy...check it out....

It's not how big you are, it's how big you play

2010-10-03T08:57:00.009-04:00

Truer words have never been spoken about our little Bantam Raider.

That's him in the picture above....an open field tackle on the quarterback by a small but very skilled #44. On this play, Winston broke through the line and chased down the Redskin QB for a sack. If you'll click on the picture for a closer look, you'll see he is completely air-borne....he needed some extra height to get the advantage....so he leaped for it. You better believe this picture's a treasure in our house!

We are 3 games into our 2nd season of tackle football and while Winston would tell you first and foremost, his team is currently undefeated and one win away from a playoff berth, his very proud Mama would tell you that already on more than one occasion he has shown his signature sheer will to "get it done" regardless of his challenges.

The fact is Winston is small in stature. Playing for the 2nd year in this division, he's still one of the 2 smallest players on the team. He weighs 50 pounds on a good day. To give you some perspective, we have a player on the team who weighs in at 172 pounds and this my friends, is NOT an exaggeration. It's on the roster - he was weighed by football "officials" on draft day. That's over 3 times Winston's weight. You can imagine my concern as his Mom, the potential for injury to Winston playing tackle football in a sea of enormous boys. Because Joe is a coach and goes with Winston to practice, I am not up against that "potential" day in and day out at practice but I do see the collisions on game days...and wow, sometimes they are a bit too much for me.

Do you see the size of those brutes coming at my boy?? Thank goodness small also means agile and quick...he can usually outrun the beasts heading straight for him.

Sometimes I watch through my fingers covering my eyes but ALWAYS I say a prayer for his safety on the way to the game and I follow that with a prayer of praise when I am delivering my boy home after a safe night on the football field.

We are a football family through and through - if there is a football game on, it's on our TV and at least three (poor Lilly) of us are watching and discussing. I cheer for those hard hits on the tube.....but I cringe when it's my boy!!!

I cringe allot...as you see - my boy's helmet is the first in the lineup there...that's his nature, he's usually the first in position and the first to cross the line when the play starts...he loves to be in the thick of things and make something happen.

And when he makes it happen, he's the first to run off the field all puffed up and proud about what he and his team accomplished.

So I digress....back to my point....

#44 is small but let me tell you this - he's not small in heart or in confidence or in his ability. He's had some huge plays this year, averaging almost one big play a game - plays that get your attention and everyone else's too....even the referees have commented on Winston's abilities despite his size. He's been carried off the field by his Coach twice after game-clinching saves for his team -- Joe and I have been brought close to tears watching him receive the praise and accolades from his teammates and his Coaches. When people ask if I am #44's Mom, I proudly say "YES, I am"...a few times it's been followed by a comment like "That boy leaves it all on the field" or "He plays with heart".....truth be told, a win is great but I'll take perseverance and will over wins and loses any day.

So you don't think we might be disillusioned....we are definitely not idealistic about Winston's football career -- he's smart, fast and is naturally athletic but we aren't waiting by the phone for football scouts. We are simply enjoying this season in life, watching him have great fun in a sport he loves.

The rewards are great for us all

For Winston - it's the fun on the field and OF COURSE getting a big win

For Joe and I - it's the frequent glimpses of hard work, determination and spirit of our small but oh so BIG boy.

Winston's latest celebration -- he was carried off the field by his Coach....after he forced a fumble on the final play of the game against a very stout Vikings Team. (and if you're keeping track, it's the ONLY time I'll cheer against the boys in purple and gold!)

B for Busy.....

2010-09-29T13:42:00.019-04:00

Busy with all the happenings in our little corner of the world.

What a vicious cycle...I blog regularly and then bam...life takes on a new and faster pace and poof....no time for anything other than "survival mode" as I call it. (I think I just used 2 sound effects in one sentence, that's a first!) There are spans of time when all I can do is make sure we have clean underwear and homework is finished.

Lately we've had piles of PTA Membership cards covering the majority of flat surfaces here at home, we've lived without milk for days at a time and we've reached into the dirty clothes basket more than once to pull out nasty (and I do mean NASTY) football practice clothes for Winston to put back on to head to practice.

I enjoy all the busy but I don't enjoy all the clutter and chaos that ensues when the busy takes over...something always gets pushed to the side and then the piles form and when the piles take over, Mama starts to twitch.

Between PTA, football, school, Sunday School and more PTA (yes it has earned 2 spots on the list these day- I really need to do a PTA blog post just for my own recollection of the madness when I'm 80 years old and can't remember), the month of September was a blur. At one point last week I had 200 emails sitting in my Inbox....and yes if you are still keeping track, I am a stay at home Mom with 200 emails. Crazy.

So..after some effort and planning.....the house is in relative order, our Bantam Raiders are sitting pretty with a 3-0 record (can't say the same for my beloved Vikings),489 PTA cards have been distributed, 200 parents have been trained properly to volunteer at our school, the dining room is not loaded down with stuff and my inbox only has 59 items....slowly, ever so slowly....the twitch...it's starting to subside....

Just in time for the holiday season!

Amidst the twitching...we had some fun too....here's a peak.....

Lilly enjoyed her first 5 girl trip without her Mama - she went to Auntie and Unc Unc's for a few days and had all kinds of fun. She even snuck in a trip to see Grammy and Granddaddy. She had a great time with lots of people who love her to pieces.

Spirit Day at School - I still can't believe our children are both in elementary school!

I love watching my Kindergarten Lilly in her element at school - being Room Mom has its perks!! As for kindergarten, she loves it, loves her teachers and after our first parent/teacher conference, we feel ever so good about how she's doing so far.

Winston has shown his stuff in his college football prognosticating (is that a word?, it is now). He is pretty well versed in all things football and college football might be his specialty. He is lending his expertise each week as he helps his Unc Unc with a College Pick-em Contest at Unc Unc's office. So far so good - Winston has gotten 7 and 8 out of 10 consistently each week so far...not bad for an 8 year old!!

A weekly conference to review his picks.....

We've had some fun with The Sparrows...dinner, sleepovers for the boys and front yard football. They are GA-bound come spring-time so we are taking in as much of them as we can before the moving truck arrives and they start their new adventures in the land of peaches and peanuts. The up side - there are some GA trips planned and some Braves games thrown in for good measure.

Huddling Up for a play against the Daddies...

We spent a lovely Sunday at Cypress Gardens....it was nice way to spend a late summer morning. We arrived before the heat did and snuck in a boat ride before it got too hot. The attempts to get a nice brother/sister picture were futile....what can I say, I am a glutton for punishment...

So peaceful in the swamp.....

Until we had to row past this guy....Winston was freaking out but this gator never opened an eye...he was snoooozing.....but yes, Winston will tell you we were VERY close to this little fellow.

The boys flirted with the Macaw in her cage...she did all sorts of tricks to keep their attention. I love this picture of my favorite boys....

And my goodness, this beauty of mine - she does take my breath away sometimes. That scrunchy face....love it.

We are back in the full swing of pigskin for the boy....season is going very well....a post all his own is coming for sure....

We've had some sleep-in-curlers nights recently and Daddy is always the one with the comb and the foam curlers....he does a much better job than I do. I hope she'll always remember that her Daddy curled her hair.

And Winston....and his House of Cards....baseball cards....we've spent a small fortune on those suckers...or at least HE has....thank goodness for all the Dick's and Target gift cards that arrived for his birthday.

A Good Day to be a Gamecock Fan

2010-08-21T16:55:00.008-04:00

A week ago, Winston got to take a ride with The Plylers to the land of garnet and black. It was Gamecock Fan Appreciation Day in Columbia and as it turned out, Winston and Hampton garnered quite a lot of attention and enjoyed a big day together.

They each chose these crazy garnet wigs as their special treat for the day - they wore them proudly to the event and got the attention of many....including Coach Spurrier! This picture cracks me up - Spurrier is grinning at those two and their crazy hair!

They went as part of an early birthday celebration for Hampton; rumor has it, Cocky had advanced notice on Hamp's birthday and the boys had a private birthday moment with the big ole' rooster. Good Times for sure.

They made the online photo gallery of the State's newspaper with the 2 pictures below...with the wigs, there were several flashbulb moments from USC staffers and news reporters.

They came home from a big day with lots of Gamecock memorabilia including a cool poster with freshly inked autographs of many of the football players and other fall sports athletes.

Even for us fairly "neutral" SC football fans, we might have tipped in the direction of the Cocks after this fun day!

Houston, We Have A Kindergartener.....

2010-08-21T13:18:00.016-04:00

We kicked off what promises to be a milestone school year.

Beginning a new school year is always a study in multi-tasking if you ask me and when you factor in PTA responsibilities, the "To Do" list reaches a length that is daunting for sure.

We had everything times 2....2 sets of forms to complete, 2 Meet the Teacher events, school shoe shopping for 2 pairs of feet, and lunch planning for 2 very different palettes.....we managed our first week just beautifully with only a few tears and those came from Mommy!!

So first, our Kindergartner...

Last Monday, the baby of our house grabbed her lunchbox and backpack and walked into her new school like she owned the place. This is not surprising considering the time she's already spent there over the last few years. More on the comforts of Beech Hill later....

I struggled the first day to let her go...she's used to preschool and all the structure that comes with it but it still seemed a year too soon for all of this with my baby girl.

The tears came when I first saw her name written at her seat...the reality set in...big school was here for her.It seems to me that time takes a different pace when real school starts....first Kindergarten and in the blink of an eye, we'll be shopping for her Senior Prom. I am excited for all that she has to look forward too but it's scary to slowly let go of the tight grip we've had for these first 5 years. She seems much more attached to me that Winston ever was - making my heart a bit more tender this time around. With lots of prayer and faith, every grade will bring both fun and challenges and we'll do our best to navigate things as they come.

So...back to our littlest Beacon....

Lilly is in KC with Mrs. Canty and Mrs. McClain - without any doubt they were my top choice for her. Lilly has very different needs than Winston did as a new Beacon and I think the Canty/McClain combination is perfectly suited for my girl. She already loves them both; she sits next to her neighborhood buddy Sebastian, and frequently talks about how much fun centers and carpet time are each day.

She had a wonderful first week and aside from being a bit tired at night (Mommy too!) she woke up ready to hit the path for school. She got 2 "Caught Being Good" certificates that also came with trips to the coveted Treasure Box. She is going to do GREAT and really there was never any doubt!

I am looking forward to being the Room Mom for KC - a shared responsibility with 2 other Moms, one of which I know very well so we are going to have some big time fun with our KC Class!!

Next up our 2nd grader....even more difficult to believe...he was just 3 years old, wasn't he?

Winston has Mrs. Havens and as much as we know the vast majority of the teachers at BHES, she is one we don't know quite as well.I put 100% trust in the Administrative team to place Winston where he would be successful and their choice for him was clear - Mrs.Havens was the teacher for him.

She is very structured and I've heard from many parents that she is fantastic with her students, has next to ZERO discipline problems and gets her students fully prepared for the rigors of elementary grades (3rd-5th). I love that she has raised 3 boys of her own -- I feel like she must understand the riddles of testosterone in a way that not all teachers can and for my boy...who is ALL boy...this has to be a plus!

She prefers to manage her classroom alone and doesn't need much in the way of parental support IN her classroom. We've never had a teacher like this and I'd be lying if I said this won't be a bit of an adjustment for this Mama who likes to be involved but frankly the hard truth of the matter....this is WINSTON'S 2nd grade year, not mine and I have to "get over myself", focus on him and trust that Winston is exactly where he needs to be. My needs don't really enter into this equation...an important notion that God has been reminding me.

So on Monday, Winston rolled into 2nd grade as if he'd been going all summer. He is learning independence and responsibility as he has also been charged with keeping a protective eye on his little sister too!! He's up for the task...

He came home his first day exclaiming he had the "Best Teacher Ever" and hasn't skipped a beat. Mrs. Havens sent a note home yesterday describing Winston as a very considerate and intelligent young man. Music to his Mama's ears!!

Daddy and his favorite girl

Ready for the walk up the path to start a new year at the Beech...

We had our annual "Back to School" driveway party for all of our neighborhood friends right after school ended on Monday. The heat and humidity were really quite miserable so we cut our cookie cakes, poured cups of Crystal Light and congratulated our friends in record time but it was still fun and it kept the tradition alive and well.

Lining Up for cookies....Ms. Holly couldn't cut and serve fast enough!

Big Girl after her first full day as a Beacon!

Homework was thankfully light our first week - we worked on earlier bedtimes, quiet and calm mornings and what on EARTH I am going to do each day from 7:10 until 2:05.....I'm SURE I'll think of something!!

Meantime, here's to a fantastic first week of school for 2 of Beech Hill's most precious Beacons.

SHINE ON W.E. and Lou Lou!!
Mommy and Daddy couldn't be more proud if we tried!!

Eight is Great

2010-08-21T07:58:00.020-04:00

When Winston started muttering about having a birthday party this year, I had flashblacks of the sweat-fest we staged 2 years ago when Winston requested a Panther Tail-gate Party in our backyard. It was an awesome concept and frankly a super fun party to plan - Joe even painted yardage lines on our back yard for that one. We were set and ready to go and about 5 minutes before the first guest arrived, I looked out my kitchen window at the thermometer and saw 108 degrees. To say it was a hot party would be the understatement of the year!

August birthdays are tricky -- Winston wants sports-themed celebrations which require the element of the outdoors...."the hot and insanely humid in August" outdoors. I was tempted to offer up another set of Panthers football tickets in lieu of a party but I remembered that this was NOT about Mommy....what a concept!!

Winston quickly put my angst at ease when he asked for a pool party -- perfect for offsetting the heat and absolutely NO requirement to have the house spotless and ready for a whole bunch of people!!

The guest list grew by the day as another friend would pop onto Winston's list; we made it a Saturday night gathering by the pool for Winston's friends and their families. It was a great party with some really great friends and some we hadn't seen much over the summer which was an added bonus. Grammy, Grandddaddy, Auntie and Unc Unc made the interstate trek down to celebrate with us which sweetened the deal for sure.

We stocked up on Atlanta Braves party supplies, ordered pizzas and made some giant sub sandwiches and things went off without a hitch. Great times for sure. It was fairly sweaty for those of us running around "doing stuff" but the kids had so much fun and the birthday boy was happy as could be.

We are beyond blessed to have a talented cake baker in our lives, her skills are unbelievable as practically all of her creations are done from scratch - no shaped baking pans used. She simply bakes sheet cakes and sets about carving shapes and designing by hand. She has been so gracious to us over the years with her replica of a Carolina Panther football field and Lilly's life-like princess cupcakes last year. She manages to blow us away every single time. This year was no different- the Braves Tomahawk cake will rank up there pretty high in The Grant Birthday Cake Archives!

We made chocolate baseball lollipops and handed out cracker jacks and could have saved alot of time by just offering Mr. Jason as the party favor. He (the baker's husband!) was the biggest kid in the pool -- the boys absolutely loved roughhousing in the water and getting tossed and splashed by him. GREAT GREAT STUFF...although I feel certain Mr. Jason might have needed a nap the next day!!

The icing on the cake was the long awaited arrival of one of Winston's front teeth -- he lost both in November and we've been sitting watch for those suckers ever since. We were beginning to have some real concerns about the missing teeth but finally, one popped through ON his 8th birthday. One down, one to go!!

A super night spent with awesome friends celebrating the life of a pretty great little boy....we might have perspired just a bit but we were storm-free and surrounded by people we truly love. It really is great to be eight!
Check out the pics....

Hello Mister Tooth! We are really glad you're here!

Let's eat!

Pool Party - Braves Style....

Some hungry boys...Matthew, Hamp and the Man of the Hour

YAY for Grammy and Granddaddy - it was a tough night to sit outside in the heat - THANK YOU FOR COMING!!!

Winston and Hampton - as thick as thieves since the day they met.

Snorkel Girl!! Bless her heart, in the rush to get ready for guests, she put her swimsuit front on backwards...a little lower cut than it was supposed to be!!

Mister Jason was AWESOME!

He was outnumbered most of the night but took it all in stride!

Claire getting some big air thanks to Jason!

I can hear the Braves tomahawk chant right now....unbelievable skills that I do not have!!

Cake #2 (there was a #3 too...square cake with the Atlanta "A")

There she is.....Baker Boomer we sure do love you!!

We successfully staged a group jump into the pool!! No small feat considering the number children and the level of sugar consumed!

You BRETT-CHA!!!

2010-08-18T16:13:00.003-04:00

Looks like I'll bleed Viking purple for another season!!

I am excited and yet apprehensive about what the season holds for that awesome #4. He's back in Minnesota and getting ready for another run at the Super Bowl. Only time will tell....either way, he sure makes football fun!

Time to get my sedative prescription refilled....and maybe a few for my family too!

Go Brett Go!!

Summertime Wrap Up

2010-08-17T05:54:00.018-04:00

It's been a whirlwind for sure - truly, it almost seems impossible that here we are at mid-August and autumn is around the corner. Did I just say "autumn"...clearly the weatherman is not aware of this - we are still sweating profusely here in these parts!

We've been busy with lake fun, cousin fun, and much fun in between. (As is obvious from the state of the blog - not much technology fun!)

Winston turned 8 and Lilly made her debut as an official Beech Hill Beacon. The turning 8 and becoming a Kindergartner are pretty big milestones that will have posts all to themselves but for the other adventures....here's a quick peak at why the blog is a mess and has remained post-free since early July!

This was a favorite spot for sure -- back porch at the Wobbly. Life is just good and easy there. The folks who host us are the very best part.

Homemade popsicles...dockside....summer perfection!

Paddleboat rides - solo....

Pizza Party at the Wobbly - perfect way to end a day in the sun.

Celebrating with a 1st grade buddy - many a play dates were had this summer. Hopefully this will ease the pain of the separation in 2nd grade...they got different teachers but we know they'll continue the fun!

We celebrated Christmas in July when this box of tomato perfection arrived special delivery from the farm in Dry Fork. My goodness they just get better every year. These with Joe's cucumbers made for some awesome sandwiches!!

The annual Cuz Fest made for some great memories -- Kiawah Day with the kids.

A week spent at CSU Baseball Camp was no doubt a highlight of his summer.

Hot and ready for a cold drink and a shower but he had a ball.

A tube ride at the water park. Love those smiles!

Celebrating a special birthday for a most special girl. Happy Birthday Little A!!

A day at the Children's Museum and making a Cupcake run in the torrential rain was a great way to spend a Lowcountry day.

Have many a preschool pictures of these two together - we'll sure miss seeing Parker everyday but there is no doubt we'll stay close.

Easy Saturday nights with great friends and a menu of Chef Yoder's creations is never a bad thing!

Pardon the Mess

2010-07-25T08:39:00.000-04:00

Blog is under construction

Let Freedom Ring

2010-07-09T17:49:00.019-04:00

We spent our Independence Day by the lake with some pretty awesome peeps. What has sort of become our home away from home this summer - the Wobbly Box - was the setting for a spectacular day of sunshine, unexpected but a very welcome LOW humidity, great food and friendship.
We packed up the food, beach towels and sunscreen and headed an hour up the road first thing Sunday morning. We spent the day with The Fulchers, The Baucoms and The Rowlands - all Wobblette Famlies present and accounted for!! SUPER GREAT DAY!!
Here are some pictures.....

Everyone milling about the back porch getting ready to begin the day....first things first - sunscreen!!

First up on the tubes...Brayden, Aubrey and Lilly - GIRL POWER!!

Then a little swimming....Winston
Hanging on the dock...Lilly
The Baucom girls played....

While the Baucom Daddy caught a nap...lake style!!

Joe decided to catch some zzz's too!

A Wobblette meeting in full swing.....no telling what the topic is!!

Mr Keith smoked some ribs and Winston was a fan!!

Patriotic Pops....made with love by the Grants....transporting popsicles across county lines was tricky business but they survived the trip!

Rowland Boys - Tatum, Mills and Sam

Baucom girls - Aubrey and Brayden

Fulcher peeps - Gracie, Sarah and Hayden
July 4th spread.....delish!

And the hottest....Part 3, the conclusion!

2010-07-03T09:16:00.015-04:00

Our last full day in Hotlanta was definitely the highlight for Winston and what he'd been waiting for since school dismissed. Thank the Good Lord it was everything he expected and more...

I think we've pretty much established the level of enthusiasm Winston has for most sports and athletics in general. He loves it all - the energy, the competition, the camaraderie, learning new skills and how to play a game. He loves to participate in and spectate practically anything with a ball, some rules and a final score...we've traded in Disney Channel for ESPN much to Lilly's dismay! He developed some mad math skills at a very early age just by playing "pretend" games and adding up scores - he can count by "sevens" quicker than any adult (i.e. touchdown + extra point = 7!)

We said farewell to football season, started basketball and began working on brackets; after the Final Four we bought a glove and a bat and entered into the world of baseball complete with nightly channel surfing in hopes of finding a Braves game.

When Winston got wind that we were Atlanta-bound, within an hour of hearing our plans he came to Joe and I with a listing of home games, dates and times for the Atlanta Braves....and asked if we could work a Braves game into our trip. Joe and I are big fans of sports too so we were happy to oblige.

After a long wait, we left mid-day on Monday for downtown Atlanta and Turner Field. Lilly and Katie stayed back and hit Chick Fil A with Uncle Jeff so the rest of us could go to the game with Winston.

There's something about being at a live sporting event that just makes this family very happy. While there doesn't seem to be the traditional tail-gating frenzy at a baseball game, the atmosphere was fantastic! The Braves began their 3-games series against the Washington Nationals and their rising superstar pitcher Strasburg. The stadium was packed to watch this guy take on the Braves.

We walked around the stadium smelling the concessions and watching ALL the people who came out to visit Braves Country - Winston was on a mission to find a Heyward jersey and after an "itch" test, he chose a t-shirt and hat instead. It was so great to watch him take it all in -- we could see the excitement and awe in his expressions.

God sure smiled on us that night - the game was FANTASTIC!! Anna and I went for a potty break, returned with a funnel cake to share and 2 foam tomahawks and the place was going wild!! In the 7th inning, Atlanta went on a 5 point run and Turner Field practically exploded with energy, everyone was on their feet and the tomahaw chops were in full swing.Winston absolutely loved it all. We all did -- super great game with a Braves win!!

What a day to remember and a fantastic way to end our time in Hotlanta.

We hit the road for home the next morning and arrived back in SC safe but very tired and with a mountain of laundry to tackle (which has been tackled already).

We're ready to celebrate a very unusual but most welcome "cooler" weekend (temps only in low 90's - that's cool here in the Lowcountry people!!)

Happy 4th everybody - and GO BRAVES!!
Pictures below of our great time at Turner:

I always love the first sights of a stadium...

On our way in...
Winston made a new friend when we arrived...

Our seats were just up from the Braves dugout - he was hoping for a few early arrivals but the players were still inside keeping cool before the start

A quick wardrobe change after we hit the store....

W with cousin Anna - her 1st Braves game too -- we think she's hooked now!

A Jason Heyward sighting -- so happy W got a glimpse - he was pretty disappointed that Heyward didn't play because of an injury

He was pretty awesome - even if he did play for the other team!

Melkie Cabrera - as Winston will tell you, he was a Yankee last year...Welcome to Atlanta #53!

Tim Hudson pitched....

Chipper Jones at Bat....

Yes it was.....

Even Hotter....part 2

2010-07-01T11:10:00.014-04:00

We hit the road Sunday morning for a day at Stone Mountain.

After taking the scenic route, we finally arrived and the cousins were ready for a day of nonstop action.We decided to take the sky tram up to the top before the temps got to the "unbearable" stage. The kids loved the quick trip up to the top and running around checking out the awesome views. The breeze on top was unexpected and really nice as were the smog-free views of downtown Atlanta and Buckhead.

The "big kids" hiked around the top while Lilly got some quality time in with her Aunt Julie. She cracked us up all day wearing her brother's baseball hat.

We went back down, had some lunch and did our first round on the Sky Hike. This was a huge hit -- it's a big ropes course with 3 levels and was a highlight of the day. Lil was too short for the Sky Hike but there was a lovely little creek she could play in and also a "ropes" course for the littlest of people. She loved it -- the zip-line was her favorite for sure!!

Love the happiness on her precious face here!

We took a break from the climbing and headed for "Ride the Ducks" - complete with very loud quackers and a hilarious driver/tour guide. He was really funny and kept us entertained the entire ride. Once we got on the water, our guide offered the driver's seat to several of the passengers and Joe, Aunt Julie and Winston all got a turn behind the wheel. FUN TIME!

Winston at the wheel

After our turn on the duck, we headed back to the Sky Hike for round 2- this time going for broke on the top 2 (very high) levels -- typical Winston never so much as flinched on those tricky, rickety ropes - he loved it! I got some great shots but it's still hard to tell just how HIGH they were. They were above the trees on the third level and while it was super safe with harnesses and such, it still seemed awfully precarious up there for the climbers. They finished all three levels and could have done it again. Definitely the favorite spot of the day.

It was a super fun, very hot and sweaty day and we left with a car full of tired and hungry peeps. Good day....very good day! Here are a few more pictures...

Lilly on her ropes course....

Harnessed and ready to climb...

Anna totally focused

Winston took a turn on the rock climbing wall too
The Grant boys in action in the treetops
This was a tricky section on level 2 - Winston said this was one of the hardest!

Oh It was HOT alright. (part 1)

2010-06-30T15:19:00.015-04:00

We just returned from 5 days in HOTlanta visiting Aunt Julie, Uncle Jeff and our cousins Anna and Katie. It was busy, sweaty and really fun. We packed alot into the five days there and even had a few low-key days to give the adults time to rest!

Our first few days were spent at the pool, playing ping pong and foosball,and planning obstacle courses and dance parties. We had some intense games of Quirkle too!

We ventured out for some glow-in-the-dark mini golf and ice cream and I must say, Mama is quite the putter these days!! I ROCKED some hole-in-ones and long putts....look out Tiger Woods!!

The kids wore out wii Rockband.....Joe even got in on the guitar action! If I don't hear "Eye of the Tiger" anytime soon, that will be just fine too.

Here are a few pictures from our so called "low-key" days....stay tuned for more posts about HOTLANTA!

He is still....this lasted approximately 12 seconds

Having a snack with Daddy and Aunt Julie

Goggle Kids

He tried his hand at singing too....

Cute thing...

Katie and Lil at Glow in the Dark Golf!

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas...

Duct Tape + Plastic + Awesome Teachers = FUN

2010-06-29T18:02:00.008-04:00

Winston returned to Camp Invention a few weeks ago. This was his second year as a camper at this Science and Inventor's Camp held at his school. This is a national camp and we so fortunate to have such a great educational camp literally in our backyard - BHES is one of the host schools.

We were fortunate enough to be the BHES Camp Parents this year - this required some work throughout the school year plus help with registration and clean up but in exchange - FREE CAMP TUITION!! This camp is not cheap so we were happy to accept the job.

Winston spent the week creating a new mechanical pet, building a home for his pet and creating his own avatar. He loved spending the week with friends and learning a whole bunch. He also loves hanging out with the 4th and 5th grade Science Teachers who lead the campers -- he loves to talk about how one day he'll be in their classrooms!!

We were invited to the Inventor's Showcase the Friday afternoon of his camp and this was a great opportunity to see what he'd been working on. The Bell Inventors (Winston's group, named after Alexander Graham Bell) made drums during the week and they began the showcase with a drum concert....a LOUD drum concert. Winston chose a recycled wii box for his drum - perfect choice!

We visited each camp station and Winston showed us his inventions for the week. His pet had quite the digs - the house was solar powered (i.e. red saran wrap in the picture at the top) with a flat screen and a couch for all the sports-watching his pet would enjoy! His avatar was a baseball player and he made an awesome baseball field!

There really are no limits to one's imagination coupled with an unlimited supply of duct tape and cardboard!!

How lucky we are to have this gem of a teacher - Ms Wilde, 4th grade GATE teacher - DD2 Teacher of the Year 2009 - they don't get any better than this one!!

The fantastic Mrs.Ingram - she spends ton of time with the campers aking apart electronics and building new creations!

Ms Whitaker - Camp Director and awesome BHES Teacher! We love her!

We have SWIMMERS...almost

2010-06-24T09:22:00.012-04:00

Still too soon to call it but this just might be our last year of swim lessons....we have Grant children who are swimming...or at least something close to it!!

Winston mastered cannonballs and the pool crazies a few summers ago...we were lacking in the "swim technique" department. This was ever so frustrating for me - I grew up in the water nonstop and swimming came quickly and easily; I also think swimming is simply a LIFE SKILL -- a healthy respect for the water and the ability to swim is essential for safety.

We've been spending some time with Ms. Samantha who is showing the Grant kids how it's done in the pool. She's patient and sweet and the kids love her - after a few years of "swim lessons gone bad" we have had 2 good years in a row of great instruction and that plus general comfort in the water is giving us some great progress!
A relaxed Winston learns to float....MIRACLE!

Kicks and More Kicks
I love those fish lips on our girl....
Arrow to Ms Sam - Go Lilly Go!
She made it and I love Ms Sam's constant positive reinforcement

Gotta go - we've got some swimming to do!

Kiaw....ahhhhhhhhh

2010-06-22T15:34:00.009-04:00

Oh how we had missed it.....the beach that is.....Our first free Saturday finally arrived and we hit the road early for a day at our favorite place...Kiawah. Baseball and lake visits filled up those first few warm months and we were quite late getting a beach day in. She was worth the wait.

Water was warm and the fish were biting (just quicker than we were!). It was nice long day of baseball on the beach, riding the waves and making castles. We hit Stono Market on the way home and filled up on shrimp and fresh vegetables. Shrimp and Grits for dinner with fresh corn followed by a week of cucumber and tomato sandwiches....ahhhh....Welcome Summer!!

An experience of many gifts

2010-06-19T12:20:00.010-04:00

Back in the fall of 2009 my Sunday School teaching partner asked if I would serve on the leadership and planning team for Vacation Bible School at our church. I was hesitant to commit as I had already taken on a monumental role at Winston's school in addition to the weekly Sunday teaching gig at Bethany. I have been a VBS teacher to preschoolers a few times over these past years and frankly the level of exhaustion that comes with that responsibility is never forgotten - I wasn't sure I was up to the task. I prayed about it and after a few weeks of thought and prayer, agreed to take it on.

The planning team began meeting on a weekly basis after the holidays. Our church is rather large and considering our size along with previous year's attendance, we began planning for 400 children to walk through our doors for Galactic Blast at Bethany.

This past week, the endless hours of planning, meeting and planning some more came to fruition as 410 children arrived on Monday morning excited to spend a week on the Starship Galactic Praise. Without any doubt, it was one of greatest things I've ever been a part of. You want to see why?

Since January, we've had many moments of stress, fatigue, chaos and even tense conversations. This past week we had many more moments of the same, plus some tears added in - tears of joy and tears of frustration. I have reached a level of exhaustion that I rarely experience...a mental and physical drain that is hard to describe.

But.....What I'll remember about this past week more than anything are:

The sight of our fellowship hall as it transformed into Mission Control. We were beyond blessed to have an awesome group of decorators.
The gratitude I felt in my heart...deep in my heart...to over 100 volunteers who braved the heat, the noise, the chaos and everything in between to serve in such an enormous way.

Experiencing some of my most special friends in such a different way - I so wish I had gotten pictures of my friend Linda creating the Informational Space Center....or of my girl, Kristi, standing on a ladder hanging black tarps, splattering glow in the dark paint and hanging black lights to get her room ready for her class of Shockwaves. How fun to enjoy my friends in this way.

Listening to my sweet friend Christy, dressed as Aubrey the Astronaut, engage our children each morning during our opening assembly. She was the sweet encouraging voice who helped us start every day.
The sights and sounds of 400 precious little people (including my own) experience and enjoy all the planning and work we put into such an awesome time together.

I went into the Sanctuary on Thursday to hear preschool Music Time and to catch of glimpse of my girl experiencing her VBS. I was unexpectedly overcome with emotion....hearing a choir of tiny and sweet voices singing about God's love for them was a memory I will cherish forever.

The gift of new friends, getting to know "old" friends in a whole new way and being so filled with God's spirit that we were already talking about planning for VBS 2011 before the tear down of this year was complete.

The ability of my fellow leadership team members finding the grace to put up with my extreme Type A personality - they overlooked my faults, celebrated my strengths and loved me all the way through it.

It was a blast of Galactic proportions....and after a nap, I can't wait to know our theme for next year.

Dance Sister Dance

2010-06-11T20:54:00.009-04:00

Still a little behind on the blog....feeling a little more human each and every day, Thank you Lord for augmentin!

The merry merry month of May was quite busy. We said farewell to preschool, celebrated the end of a great 1st Grade Year and watched our blonde beauty stand on the big stage once again and dance her little heart out.

We were so happy to have Grammy, Granddaddy and Auntie all travel in from out of town so they could be here to share in Lilly's big night.

This year was very different than the year before - there were never any Tuesday afternoons with protests about ballet...never heard "it's boring"...Lilly loved her class and her teachers. She began singing her recital song to us months before the show and she would tease us every now and then with a few of her moves. Most of it was still top secret and she couldn't wait for the big night.

We anxiously waited for her number and finally she danced. She was wonderful - she smiled, she knew her moves and she was just the most precious one onstage. Another wonderful dance recital and once again, it took me back to those many years I spent covered in sequins and feathers - so many fond memories of that time.

We were surrounded by so many family members and wonderful friends who came to see Lilly dance. It was so great to have so many supporters for our girl. Lilly had quite the entourage. Our sweet friends Linda, Kristi and Kristi's girls came and Lilly was so happy after the show when she saw all of her "fans". Her sweet little friend from church Jacob and his Mama came bearing flowers too!! She got 6 bouquets of flowers, one VERY fancy tutu skirt and was completely overwhelmed - it was a night I hope she never forgets!

Lilly with her teachers Ms Katherine and Ms Ashley

Lilly and her very special guests

Some sweet sweet friends

Lilly and her entourage (Daddy is behind the lens)

They love each other alot - Thanks to Auntie for making the trip!

A Very Proud Family

Lilly and her stash of beautiful flowers

That's a Wrap

2010-06-08T20:18:00.012-04:00

It's been almost two weeks since the dismissal bell rang at the "Beech"...

Our abode is almost sparkly clean...almost....

I can see my dining room table again...

Laundry is no longer "critically behind"....

The blog is still a little delinquent but we're getting there.

God has once again reminded me the importance of SLOWING DOWN...I've had to by necessity. I went to the Dr today and I have strep, a double ear infection and a sinus infection....excellent. I am hitting some antibiotics hard and praying even harder for a full recovery by first of next week - after 4 months of planning, Vacation Bible School comes to Bethany...and there is still much to do.

For now, we'll take a look back at a wonderful week, just 2 weeks ago. A big and wonderful farewell to a big and wonderful First Grade Year. Winston had an awesome teacher, made some awesome new friends and carried some awesome grades the entire year. The kid is a genius and we can all thank the Good Lord for his Daddy because Winston gets his smarts from the smartest guy I know. It was a wonderful year at a wonderful place -- we do love the "Beech" and while we will savor these days of no alarm clocks, no PTA meetings and no schedules to worry about, we look forward to another year filled with fun for not 1, but 2 Beech Hill Beacons. I'm just glad I have a few months to wrap my brain around that one.

Field Day for First Grade....

Winston with his sidekick, Griffin. Griffin is without any doubt one of Winston's most favorite parts of his first grade year. He's a full of energy, loves a good prank and adores sports -- the Winston Trifecta!

Ring Toss Station

Always a funny relay - Winston skipped the grass skirt and coconut bra as you can see he left those things behind

Grade Level Tug -o-War - a BHES tradition. I snapped this picture standing in our back door and the ability to do that is such a treasure to me - First Grade Tug O War - Winston's class is to the left.

His last morning as a First Grader. Dear Lord where did the time go.....

Buddies for sure. They've already called each other on the phone and have had a play date.

How cool for Winston - his Auntie was in town for his last day of school. She came to school and helped me cook and serve breakfast for his class. I hope he remembers this forever. This was such a great morning!

Chocolate Chip Pancakes for some special Beacons.

Breakfast is served.

Welcome Summer!

Lakeside

2010-06-02T12:01:00.019-04:00

If you read my last post, it's easy to understand why we love our church. Our 4 wonderful years at the CDC only scratches the surface of the blessings we've received from Bethany. I teach 4 year old Sunday School, I have taken on a big role in our Vacation Bible School that is coming up, I attend a weekly Bible Study with some fine women and we have met some extraordinary families during our time as Bethany members. One such family has stolen our hearts this past year.

I had seen her in the halls of the CDC over the years and recognized her in my first Bible Study a few years ago. I remember thinking she was really pretty and from what I could hear in her conversations with other women, she had a big love for Jesus, her family and next on the list, a big love for animals.....all kinds. We didn't really get to know each other very well during that first study....it was one that followed a year or so later...

It took me a few studies before I mustered up the courage to share much about myself....this is probably surprising to those who know me well but my knowledge of the Bible seemed limited and I was intimidated by all the theology that surrounded me so I kept my mouth closed and my ears opened. Finally, one Friday, I spoke up and shared a little bit about myself - most particularly that I was adopted. When I finished, I looked across the table at this woman who had tears welling in her eyes and she spoke....she shared that she was the mother of 2 adopted children and 1 biological. She talked about her compassion for adoptees and the "lack of control" in the circumstances that most often shaped the life of an adoptee.

In an instant I felt a connection with her and I felt her compassion for me. From that point on, she was no longer a Bible Study acquaintance or a fellow church member, she was my friend - a friend who understood as best she could, some of the challenges I had faced as an adopted child.

So....that's the back story....fast forward 12 months...

I have grown quite close to Kristi and I feel a kinship to her that I can't really describe. The icing on the cake is that as wonderful as Kristi is, her children, husband and animals (she has lots!) are just as wonderful. They are truly one of the most generous families we have ever met. They love the Lord, they open their doors to complete strangers and give until they cannot give anymore. I can't believe our good fortune to have become a part of their lives and they ours this past year. Kristi and I have lots in common, one of which is a heavy involvement at our children's schools - she and I both serve on the PTA Boards at our schools and have lots to talk about just on this topic alone!

Because of our crazy schedules and demands at home, we don't get to see alot of each other. That's changed recently as school began winding down and schedules have eased. A few weeks ago, we spent the weekend with them at the lake and it was nonstop fun for all. Winston and Lilly absolutely loved it- playing with their new friends, swimming, tubing, jumping off the dock, fishing, catching frogs...all of it. Kristi's oldest daughter, Sara, has stolen my heart -- she is adopted and I see so much of myself in her....I can't really explain why but I just feel a connection to her. All 3 of their children are wonderful, well behaved and easy to be around. They even put up with wild and whoolly Winston!! It was just a lovely time with some lovely people.

We've sure been counting our blessings these days and are so thankful for a family who has stolen our hearts.

Swimming

Sweet friends

Striking the pose

Loving that lake water

Waiting for a bite

Caught a baby turtle

Awesome...she is....

Boys on the boat

Tubing

Love the expressions...so much fun!

S'mores after dark

Day 2 - jet ski

Not bad for first attempt on the kneeboard -

Daredevil for sure...

Happy Lake Boy

The End of a Very Sweet Chapter

2010-05-30T12:01:00.013-04:00

I remember it clearly, it was our move-in day here in SC.I was very pregnant sitting on the front porch in a beach chair watching the moving company unload our belongings; our new neighbor walked over and introduced herself. She noticed a 2 year old Winston running around, had to have noticed my pregnant belly and at some point asked about our plans for preschools in the area. Preschool was the last thing on my mind at the time but I remember she spoke so highly of the one her children attended as well as the church in which it was affiliated. I made a mental note to investigate at the proper time.

It wasn't long before I made some calls and visits and without any doubt, I knew Bethany CDC was the one for us. During the first phone call, the director asked me my plans for Winston's entrance into Elementary School and urged me to consider waiting that extra year due to his August birthday. She told me it was one of the greatest gifts I could give a boy with an August birthday -- and she was ever so right about that. We were wait listed but by the time registration rolled around, we enrolled without incident and were excited to become a Bethany CDC family.

The welcoming, loving arms of Bethany wrapped around us quickly and haven't let go since. From the beginning of our time at the CDC, I have been amazed at just how much those teachers LOVE the every single one of those children they teach -- it never ever seemed like a job to them, always a privilege. We've had different styles and different personalities in the teachers we've been assigned and all of them were gifts to our children and our family at just the right time.

I have so many fond, sweet memories from Bethany - one of which happened this past year. One morning I got a call from Vicki, the director. Lilly was running a high fever, felt awful and needed to come home early. When I arrived to pick her up, I walked into the office to find my sweet little girl curled up in Vicki's lap. Vicki had stopped what she was doing and was holding Lilly in her arms, rocking her until I could arrive. I could have cried watching the tender loving care my daughter was receiving by someone who could have easily put her down on the rug for a nap until I could get there. This is just one example of what Bethany gave us over these last 4 years.

We made some wonderful friendships that will last far beyond our years at the CDC with children, other Bethany parents and teachers and staff. Both of our children children learned so much while they were there.As parents, Joe and I learned to cherish the innocence and freedom of childhood....many of the gifts will last a lifetime.

Our last days at the CDC were bittersweet - we are sad to be leaving our beloved preschool but so thankful for the gifts of our time there. We'll stay very close to the CDC because of our church and the wonderful Christian people we met along the way but no doubt, we will miss our daily trips to a most special place.

We could not have asked for a more wonderful place to introduce our children to school life than Bethany.We are so grateful.

Field Day Relays- Run Lilly Run

Enjoying a popsicle treat after Field Day events. Lilly and her sweet friend, McCoy.

5 day 4's - Mrs Shabeldeen and Mrs Harris

Last Day as a Preschooler - growing up way too fast

Two sweet girls - Lilly and Hannah

Final Sing a Long at Bethany

Blessing before the Picnic - I love that she knows exactly what to do

They don't get any better than Mrs Walters - we had her for Lunch Bunch. One wonderful lady.

Mrs Harris and Lillly

Mrs Shabeldeen

And All God's People Said......AMEN!

2010-05-28T13:42:00.016-04:00

The crazy train I've been on these last 8 months just pulled into the station and I am knocking people out of the way to get OFF this insane ride for a much needed break. I cannot even fathom how we survived these last few months with the schedule we've been keeping. Endless meetings, PTA responsibilities, Bible School planning, school functions, baseball games or ballet lessons...it's been something every night and literally one thing after another.While much of it was fun and all of it was important - it has left me absolutely worn out and ready to close the calendar and turn off the phone for the summertime.

Our house is an absolute disaster...stuff E-V-ER-EE-WHERE and disorganized....a tired Mama Grant living in a dirty, cluttered, disorganized house is NOT a good combination for this family....especially Mama Grant. It's time to recharge, clean up and enjoy some summer days free of meetings, errands and activities. We'll hit the beach, the pool and all sorts of other stuff but it'll be low-key and worry-free. It'll fly by and we'll be back in school mode in the blink of an eye....so here's a quick summary in pictures of all the fun and hopefully we'll get back on track with some timely blogging. We had a lovely lake trip, Lilly's dance recital and Winston's last big days as a 1st grader that deserve posts all their own....and I'll get to all that...but for now.....this is best we've got until we can find our sanity and praise the Lord for a cloudy, overcast first part of this Memorial Day weekend, I can think of no better way to spend this weekend than cleaning like a mad woman. Pray for the children, I have a sneaking suspicion they will not agree with this plan!

Here's what we've been up to instead of blogging...

Spending time with good people - Courtney's pony party at Middleton Place was a lovely way to spend a Saturday in late April. I love the picture of these sweet children.

Little League night at the RiverDogs...we all had fun at The Joe....

The teams walked the field...

Waiting for the game to start....

Love this picture....
Lilly enjoyed the Dippin' Dots...

A sweet little girls sings at her Mother's Day Tea at Bethany...our last one EVER...sniff sniff

Lilly and her sweet friend sing for the Mommies...

A Mother's Day Dinner fit for a Queen....thanks Daddy, Winston and & Lilly - I loved it!

A Field Trip to Boone Hall for my first grader. Enjoying the bus ride with his favorite classmate...

Switching gears to temporary opponents at the ball field.....it was so cute to see them play against each other and shake hands afterwards.

End of Season Awards....Winston with his coaches. A GREAT first year of baseball. Some of best coaches we've ever had....thanks Coaches!

Great season #2 -- you learned alot, played hard ALWAYS and win or lose, played like a champ.

A Lovely Lowcountry Day

2010-04-17T20:27:00.018-04:00

Today was as busy as it gets for this family - I think it's fair to say we like to stay close to home as much as we can. There is some comfort for all of us in piddling around the house. Perhaps that's why days like today are such a treat for us - unless it's a marathon trip to Kiawah on a hot summer day, we don't typically stay away from home all day long. Today was the exception; and a fun one at that.

We had an early morning start at the baseball field where the Biggby Coffee Tigers put together a great game against a formidable Crowfield team. Great game for everyone, including W who had a few base hits and survived a "grazing" by a baseball bat while playing catcher one inning. This Mama sprang up from her seat in a millisecond as I saw and heard the impact...he was just fine, Thank the Good Lord.

Winston is really fun to watch; he is still learning the strategy and rules of this new sport and every now and again he'll show some football moves of his...and no, he hasn't tackled anyone yet but instead of throwing the ball for an out, he'll sprint after an opposing player and attempt to tag a runner out at the bag. It's pretty funny. We couldn't feel more fortunate to be part of this team - our coaches are exceptional and the team Mom continues to give me the warm and fuzzies with her detailed and frequent email communications. Ahhhh...the sweet, sweet joy of someone as OCD as me!

We came home in time to clean off the red dirt stains from the baseball field and head back out to see the Blue Angels fly in the Charleston harbor. The day was absolutely gorgeous and perfect for spending it outside by the water. We parked ourselves on a blanket in Liberty Square; Winston quickly found some boys to join him in a game of football and Lil began what was a very long afternoon of finding and naming ladybugs. Super sweet that girl...I so enjoyed just watching her walk around peaking in the grass for new friends. She had quite an attachment to two ladybugs and named them Jillie and Chrissy. Winston also got to spend some time with his buddy Hampton which is always a bonus.

The most random surprise of the day.....I morphed into a paparazzi for a few minutes when Lilly and I stumbled upon a pretty familiar political figure while we were waiting to see the Blue Angels too.

Crazy huh? I was super happy about my nifty camera and its ability to zoooom in for some great pictures. Actually we weren't that far away but it was nice to get a close up picture. McCain was there to see the Blue Angels too! If Lilly and I would have hung around, we would probably have gotten a handshake but Lilly was more interested in finding ladybugs than discussing politics....a fine choice if you ask me!

So the Blue Angels....

Crazy unbelievable, those pilots. I will be the first to admit I don't really have an appropriate appreciation for the skills required to maneuver an aircraft, any aircraft for that matter, but these dudes (and dudettes?) are MINDBLOWING with the things they do at such high speeds with such massive aircraft. Powerful....loud....astounding.....I am so glad we braved the crowds/traffic (which neither were bad at all) as it was quite a sight to see GREAT STUFF.

Flying 500 miles an hour, about 50 ft from the water....a walk in the park......GOOD GRIEF! And I was nervous about my 7 year old playing catcher in Little League!! Wonder what the Mama's of these pilots think about all of this!

We lingered for quite a while after the show enjoying the sea breeze and lovely sunshine. More football tossing and ladybug finding before we finally packed up, headed for Daniel Island and enjoyed a lovely dinner outside. The weather was perfect to sit outside and since no cooking/cleaning was involved on my part, I was especially happy about the way we ended our day of adventure.

We are home with squeaky clean children, full tummies and lots of happy moments to think about as we drift off to dreamland after this very wonderful Saturday in the Lowcountry.My guess is we'll hardly leave the house tomorrow except for church - and as fun as today was, a day spent in the comforts of home with my people will be more than enough fun for me!

Close to Home

2010-04-16T21:48:00.010-04:00

Last year about this time, the kids and I spent a Friday evening at our local high school's track with some good friends walking laps in honor of cancer awareness, cancer survivors and for those who have lost their battles to the disease. Little did I know that one year later, we'd be walking that track again...only this time with more purpose, more emotion....more hope.

Winston had some Relay for Life activities at school today - they walked their own laps this morning and he made a "tile" in honor of his Granddaddy. We were excited to find the BHES tent tonight and for Winston to show us his artwork in honor of a special person in Danville, VA.

Thanks to my sweet friend, the kids had special shirts made to show just who they were walking for. We walked the track searching high and low for the luminary bags we had made; it's a pretty powerful experience to read all those names...so many names....fathers, mothers, children, grandparents, friends....all with their own stories to tell.

We spent time with some friends and enjoyed the fellowship of hundreds of others....all in honor of a special Dad and Granddaddy. Keep fighting Dad - We love you!

(almost) Chatter-Free Catch Up

2010-04-15T14:01:00.017-04:00

Lots happening in the tiny Grant corner of the world....

Last Easter Egg Hunt at Bethany

Handbell concert by a precious group of Fantastic First Graders:

Easter Egg Hunt - 1st Grade Style

A Day in Charleston with some VA friends...FINALLY!

Easter Bunny's Loot

A Beautiful Easter Day

A little QT with Grandma in her flower garden

Sleeping in foam curlers.....a first for Lilly

Movie time with Grammy and the curlers

6am trip to the pier to see what's biting.....

First toe-dip of 2010

And a little sneak peak of what's to come in May...

Enjoying some frequent trips to the baseball field, sneezing from all the pollen and cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.....it's Spring after all!!

It Really Is The Little Things

2010-04-02T16:48:00.003-04:00

We've sure had lots of fun this week and there's a fun weekend and Spring Break on the horizon - lots more to post about Easter Egg Hunts, Handbells, House Awards and the Smartest Daddy
on Planet Earth; but for now, I'm still smiling at the moment I had earlier today...

It might take me 15 minutes to get to our favorite grocery store....and we might have to leave 30 minutes ahead of time to get to baseball practice or ballet on time...but being 5 minutes away from what is in my humble opinion the best elementary school in the district makes all of those trips "in to town" worth it. Winston's class got to walk that 5 minutes to our house today for an Easter Egg hunt and picnic lunch in the backyard -- I'm very aware of how lucky we are to have that luxury. But even better than that.....

Washing dishes and looking out my kitchen window to see my 1st grader during his PE time is a gift I hope I never forget. He looked over at our house and saw me watching him and well...it just made me grin from ear to ear. A glimpse into his little life at school....and he even took the time to wave to his Mom!! (He's the one in yellow/blue)

A great moment in this very blessed life of mine.....

Goose & Maverick....Mission(s) Accomplished

2010-03-27T13:45:00.007-04:00

The big day started off chilly, windy and cloudy but that didn't stop Goose and her wingman, Maverick, from a 6 mile "dog fight".

Okay...so here's what really happened...

Joe's alarm buzzed at 4am....grrr.....and he promptly hit the road with our friends, Katie and Linda for a little jog across a bridge this morning. Brian and I headed down several hours later in hopes of seeing them cross the finish line. We arrived in time but in the sea of people, we missed them.

We found them after their finish and enjoyed a celebratory brunch at Hominy Grill. Good Times and a fantastic way to break the Yoder-Grant Restaurant curse (too much to explain here but trust me when I say - EXCELLENT MEAL with most excellent company - the curse is broken!)

Katie and Joe both did great and ended up running together with Katie leading the way and Joe as her wingman (thus the new names Goose and Maverick). Joe said Katie kicked it into overdrive up the bridge and almost left him in the dust!! She was weaving in and out of slower folks blazing quite a trail for Joe.

It was bittersweet for sure as up until 6 days ago, I fully planned to cross that finish line too but I was so very happy I got to experience the Bridge Run a little bit. After this morning's walk to and from the car on the uneven sidewalks, my ankle is not at all happy with me which further proves my decision was the best one. It wasn't how I thought it would be but we saw some funny sites and had a great day. Joe gets the Red Plate tonight -- his first 10K and at 41 years old, I'd say that's not too shabby!!

Goose and her WingMan.....all done!

Mission Accomplished!

Katie and her biggest fan

And Joe with his....

Love you both -- and congratulations to you two and all my other running peeps for a job well done!!

Not My Year

2010-03-26T15:06:00.002-04:00

After months of hard training and many long runs, I officially flew the white flag of surrender last night. This is not my year to conquer the Bridge Run after all.

It was a quiet little project that Joe and I were focused on. We set the goal in January and have been working hard at it ever since -- we were ready for 6 miles of running tomorrow morning bright and early. Our goal had absolutely nothing to do with finish time - it was simply a goal to RUN all the way and to just FINISH the race TOGETHER. It was our little secret for quite a while, we told a few folks but for the most part, it was something we wanted to do as a team, without any fanfare and unnecessary attention. Frankly for things like this, I prefer to work quietly and diligently; the less attention on it, the less likely I freak myself out.

Last Sunday I left for a 3 mile run; my week looked light with a little bit of training but mostly lots of cross-training and rest time - I 'd done a 6 mile run successfully and was confident. I was ready. What I wasn't ready for was the Sporty Black Mustang coming straight for me; to avoid getting hit by the car, I ran up a bank on the golf course and my ankle turned on the uneven terrain and that folks...was all she wrote.

X-rays showed no broken bones but a very severe ankle injury. I stayed completely off of it for almost 2 full days. I've been wearing a gel cast and hobbling on crutches. I have followed Dr's orders and kept it elevated and iced for nearly a week. I have been hoping against hope I would simply wake up one morning (preferably by Tuesday!) to no more swelling, no bruising and no pain. Clearly God had other plans for me. I joined my friend Linda on a trip downtown to pick up our running packets yesterday and felt like maybe, just maybe, I could do it. After a few hours on my feet, I can home to find new swelling, more bruising and a required trip back to the "Land of Lortab" pills to ease the pain. I did too much...way too much...way too soon.

To say I've had a few crying fits and tantrums over this injury would be an understatement. I have worked so hard to get here and in a flash, my little Bridge Run Dream died. Bless the man's heart, Joe knew on Sunday when I hobbled back in the door and my ankle was the size of a grapefruit that my Bridge Run hopes were dashed this year - he has delicately tried to be the voice of reason for many days now but it was only last night after fresh waves of pain and swelling washed over me that I knew it was time to concede. Midway through tantrum #45 I conceded....not my year.

As much as I want to do it, I can't. I can't even walk on it much less run for 6 miles, including up a 4 degree incline and back down again. A full recovery is quite a few weeks away and I have slowly (and bellingerently) come to accept that. Joe snapped some pictures of it yesterday and clearly after 5 days of rehab; it's not even close to where it should be for 6 miles.

So....I get to cheer for my man when he crosses his first finish line and cheer for my friends tomorrow too. Joe and the girls will drive off at the crack of dawn tomorrow and conquer the bridge.

As for me...I get to stop acting like a 2 year old who isn't getting her way, find some grace to be okay with God's plan for me and cheer ever so loud for my man and my sweet friends when they cross that finish line....

while I wait, ever so patiently for my year....

And I couldn't end this without a great big giant THANK YOU for your prayers, email messages, phone calls, help with my children and listening to me kick and scream about the unfairness of life! For the most part I have this in the proper perspective but make no mistake -- I've had some childish, stubborn moments and they were not pretty!!

I saw a sign yesterday at the Bridge Run Expo...it said "Bridge Run - Get Over It".....clearly this year that message means something else for me!!

Put Me In Coach.....I'm Ready to Play

2010-03-20T18:02:00.011-04:00

A gorgeous South Carolina sky...not a cloud to be seen.....temps in the mid 70's...the perfect day to usher in Springtime and begin our first baseball season. It was Opening Day for Little League and what a day it was.

You ask him absolutely anything about football...Winston knows the answer. He's almost as well versed in the sport of basketball. Baseball is a different story ENTIRELY...we don't watch it, we don't talk about it, we just don't know much about "America's Game"...sad really. But I think that's all about the change...

Winston started baseball practice a few weeks ago. Joe's been going with him and coming home with detailed reports on Winston's progress. He seemed to enjoy it and that was the priority but he lacked alot of knowledge and wasn't familiar with the mechanics or the skills for baseball. Our first season showed early signs of promise as we have been so blessed with an awesome set of coaches and a Team Mom that makes my heart skip a beat when I receive her detailed, organized communications with schedules and times and all the things this OCD Mama needs to keep life running smoothly.

Things got a bit stressful for me when talks of a "cup" was needed for Winston to play in this particular division. A cup....for a 7 year old....really??? He doesn't exactly love wearing it either truth be told, he finds it rather...um, well....bothersome and you can imagine the constant rearranging and adjusting going on....goodness, he was just in a diaper wasn't he?? How did we get here I have asked myself!

I digress...

Because of his "late" birthday, Winston is often on the bubble for age-group divisions. He played football with 2nd and 3rd graders and the same holds true for baseball. I am always very hesitant about this stuff -- he's in 1st grade and that was planned due to his late birthday. Frankly I'd like him playing sports with the same approach but coaches and league guidelines don't always see it that way. So we press on and so far, it's all worked out. For baseball, this puts him directly into "coach pitch" and considering he's never so much as played tee ball, I worry he's not ready. He loves to prove me wrong...

We all went to practice last night and I got to watch my boy in action. He did okay catching but the throwing was quite all over the place and bless his heart, he swung and swung at that ball flying past him and just hit wind all night long. He seemed to struggle but thankfully his attitude and drive were unfettered. He was ready for today.

Fast forward to this morning...Opening Ceremonies were cute, all the teams walked the bases and were introduced along with their sponsors. (A big shout out to Biggsby Coffee!!). Charlie and Chelsea from the RiverDogs were there giving high fives and having fun with the kids. Then our first game got underway.....

We heard the coach assign Winston to left field....he proceeded to run straight to RIGHT field and tell the young man already in his correct position that he was in the wrong spot...Winston managed to incorrectly but rather effectively direct the poor boy to LEFT field. Oops....Mama got scared.....oh, I was scared. First inning was rather uneventful and then it was our turn at bat....they announced batting order. Winston was batting clean up....4th batter up....

As luck would have it, the first three batters got a base hit each...and yes, folks -- it happened.

Bases loaded and Winston was up. Pressure was on. First pitch -- swing and a miss. Second pitch....swing and POP....a base hit!! Winston's first hit and it was the team's first RBI of the season!! Unbelievable...well not really -- I call that an answered prayer. I stood behind that fence praying for that bat to connect so Winston could have a positive first day for himself, I knew he was doing his best but for this day, I did ask for a little bit more...and God heard me loud and clear!! Thank You Lord for hearing my prayer!!

Winston got to first....ran through the bases with each batter and made it to home plate before the inning was over. He played 2nd base (and yes, he really was at 2nd base!) and because he was one of the few wearing the dreaded "cup", he got to try his hand at catcher too!! They suited him up and he stood behind that plate like he'd been there before. A GREAT FIRST DAY!!

It was great fun and the icing on the cake -- his teacher, our sweet Miss Luciano, came to watch the big day. Lots of our first grade friends were playing so she was able to enjoy several of her students on opening day.

Who knows what the season will bring but for today, we're flying high and celebrating the efforts of a very determined little boy.

Go Winston and GO TIGERS!!!

Opening Day Ceremonies...Winston is right behind the coach:

A Left Fielder in Right Field...cuz that's how he rolls:

First time at Bat:

Hanging on 1st Base

Running for home

Another run

Suited Up as Catcher

A bit of Madness....before March!

2010-03-20T16:49:00.008-04:00

Oh to be a timely blogger....that's my goal! Well, not really - the fact is there's just too much happening here in my world to blog in a timely manner!!

Long before the nonstop talks of brackets and seeds, we were quietly putting a wrap on a very fun basketball season ourselves. We have lots of pictures and video of our season as a Raptor family and you'll just have to trust me when I say - we all enjoyed watching Winston play some hoops. It was the final day of the season that was the most memorable and frankly, it didn't have a thing to do with slam dunks or dribbling.

After our final game, the league handed out medals to all of the players. The league director took back the microphone and began to talk about a special award he hands out to a handful of players - one from each team to be exact. It's called the PHD award for Perseverance, Hard Work and Dedication. He went on to say that the PHD award had absolutely nothing to do with scores, wins, losses or stats in a game....but everything to do with attitude and commitment and showing skills that are valuable for living.

We were so proud when Winston's name was called and he received the PHD award for his team, chosen by his coach. That crazy little boy of mine is naturally agile, fast and very athletic - he's fast to learn and not afraid to be aggressive in pursuit of a score, any score. All of this is great and it makes it very fun to watch him play sports....it's the intangibles of athletics that are harder to teach him - win with integrity, lose with grace...all that stuff. The PHD recognition meant so much to all of us. We felt like all of our "talks" had not fallen on deaf ears - he was learning good life skills and showing them to others. It was a great way to begin some good conversations between Winston and his Daddy about ALWAYS giving 100% and the payoff of good honest hard work. Let's just hope it sticks. In the meantime, we could not have prouder of that young man. Needless to say, he enjoyed a Red Plate Meal at home that night!

As if the PHD honors wasn't enough of a high note to end our basketball season....we got a bit of round-ball dessert. And oh my goodness, was it great!!

A little back story here -- Winston's school has a SHINE store. It's a bit like the Chuck E Cheese prize counter on wheels. Every 6 weeks, the SHINE carts visit each classroom and students redeem their SHINE tickets for prizes and certificates. This SHINE store is near and dear to my heart because I coordinate the project and get to see first hand how exciting it is for the children to redeem their tickets that are very well earned by good behavior, modeling our school values, etc. on cool toys and really fun certificates. The first round of SHINE store this year, Winston had a whole bunch of SHINE tickets to redeem and couldn't wait to purchase a certificate good for a game a basketball against his P.E. Teacher. That certificiate has been hanging on our fridge for months and he couldn't wait to get a chance to play basketball with Mr Seitz. The big day finally came last Friday.

Winston's entire class went to the gym to cheer him on....he was a little nervous at first about everyone watching him but he loved having the moral support. His buddy from kindergarten, Tyrek, also had a basketball certificate so the boys played a game of one-on-one and then they teamed up and played two-on-one against a VERY good Mr Seitz!!

It was so great to watch. The boys played him hard and had great fun. Mr Seitz cut them NO SLACK and slam dunked a few times and kept the score close in all 3 games. The noise level in that gym was unreal -- the kids were chanting "Winston" and "Tyrek" the whole time and it was just so much fun!! I was so happy I could be there to watch - and to watch a bunch of sweet children cheering for my boy. What a way to end our basketball season....not that it's over around here...in case you haven't heard - the ODU Monarchs made it to the dance and even won in their first round game. The Grant boys are perched in front of the laptop watching the game online....it'll be a tough one this afternoon but they don't call it March Madness for nothing!!!

So now, we are gearing up for some baseball here....first time for The Grants....something tells me we're in for some good times!!

Here are some pics of Winston and Tyrek's game.....

(just a few) Tales from the Wobbly Box

2010-03-07T13:23:00.007-05:00

I am often reminded of how quickly vivid moments in life can slowly start to fade in our memories. I can usually recall many things about an important and profound experience but almost always I can feel the sharper details start to dull a bit and eventually slip away.

While it's still so fresh in my mind, I want to remember some of the details....the little things that enhanced what was a very special time spent with an unlikely set of smiling faces. This won't mean much to the 4 people who read our family blog...but I think it's safe to say....it sure meant alot to a few people and maybe like me, they'd like to hold on to some of the pieces for a little while. I look back on the last few days and feel I've been given a precious gift...the gift of time with some folks that I think have many lessons I can learn from.

It was a much needed weekend away from the realities of raising of busy family. A time to take a deep breath, have a 3rd cup of coffee and only begin to consider taking a shower at 4pm on a Saturday afternoon. A weekend where pajamas were encouraged and makeup was only optional. There was an abundance of cream cheese, avocados and cranberries. There were the first signs of springtime as we enjoyed the view of the rippling water from our deck chairs. There were blankets (and heating pads too!) that warmed us as we cuddled up in a new spot for a whole new topic and a delightful mix of country and 80's tunes that provided the soft background noice.

Had this been the essence of our time together, it would have been most sufficient for a set of hurried, over-scheduled Moms just looking to recharge. The gift though was that it was so much more than these things. The "so much more" brought a kinship that was not there before and hopefully that kinship will sit down and stay a while. Most of the "so much more" is too sacred to share...it wouldn't even make sense to most but it was a time

...filled with laughter and cherry flavored Carmex

...filled with tears

...peppered with jokes about lizards, dog splits and the trials and tribulations of whipped cream creations.

...It was time filled with admissions, confessions and revelations. Filled with apologies and forgiveness. Filled with a sense of sharing one's deepest fears and darkest moments in life. Filled with understanding the perspective of someone else in a whole new way and loving them even more because of it. It was time filled with example after example of the grace and peace that only God can deliver us to.

...It was time filled with gratitude for people who listened with open hearts. It was time made possible by a gracious hostess who opened her doors to suitcases, market baskets and groceries...lots of groceries.

As spring arrives and the summer heat starts to rise, I know the smaller details of our time in the Wobbly Box will begin to fade but I pray that these new and lovely friendships will do anything but that.

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves."

Romans 12:10

SNOW Much Fun

2010-02-13T19:56:00.019-05:00

Thanks for coming Old Man Winter....see you again sometime.....

For the Record

2010-02-12T18:22:00.005-05:00

It's really happening and I just want to chronicle....

Snow is falling in sunny South Carolina. Rumor has it ... it's been 21 years since any measurable snowfall here so this is BIG time here on Marshside. The street is buzzing with excited children including 2 that live here.

I got a feeling.....that tonight's gonna be a good, good night.

More from the frozen tundra tomorrow!

A 1/2 decade in a few pictures

2010-02-07T14:25:00.034-05:00

We are ever so thankful,
ever so happy,
ever so everything that you are our girl.
Happy Birthday Lil Lil!

5 Reasons to Celebrate

2010-02-07T08:28:00.003-05:00

What a milestone for our family today. She came in quietly five years ago on a cold Monday morning and we've been filled with joy and gratitude ever since. So many happy moments and some sad ones too but all of it wonderful. She's a whole lot of sweet and a little bit of sassy and we wouldn't take her any other way.

More pics to post later but we've got some birthdaying to do right now.

Happy Birthday to the sweetest, most precious little lady we know. Have fun being 5!!

We love you beyond anything we could describe!!

Taking Cute to a Whole New Level

2010-02-06T16:21:00.006-05:00

Busy weekend currently underway as we celebrate a certain little lady's 5th birthday. She's officially five tomorrow but we had her birthday party today. It was a tea party for little ladies; lots of fun with some sweet, sweet friends. Here are the cupcakes made by a very special friend who sure loves Lilly alot. These must have taken a sweet forever to make...so many sweet little details. She even made a special version just for the birthday girl with blonde hair and blue eyes. Click on the pics to see them in larger size...it seems everytime I looked at them, I noticed something new.

More about the festivities later. We are enjoying some time with family and friends and celebrating a milestone of a very loved little girl.

Not a Post for The Vegetarian

2010-01-31T09:22:00.017-05:00

They get some frequent billing on this here blog....our great friends the Yoders. It's because we spend lots of time with that wonderful family. We spend alot of time hanging out at our houses and considering they are 8 houses down, it's a nice quick trip for either family. It's usually low key and casual and that's just like we like it!!

Our kids and their kids play beautifully...most of the time (Lilly can get a little bossy with Courtney and we're working on that); most everytime we get together, the 4 bigger kids run off to play for hours and hours and the adults are able to enjoy an evening without alot of refereeing and intervention. Then there's sweet baby Charlie who just smiles, eats and sleeps so all in all, it's a great match. We're also in cahoots with them on a little project that's underway - it's a secret for now, you'll just have to wait and see. Joe and Brian have good fun together as do Katie and I. We have quite alot in common -- we all love to cook and eat so most every plan we make involves a meal and well.....meat!!

Brian is the grill master...he's got every outdoor cooking mechanism imaginable...gas, charcoal, smoker, turkey fryer.....and on many occasions, there have been multiple ones in use on the same night.

So recently Brian and Katie watched Food Inc....and learned alot about cows and chickens and how they are raised and fed before well, you know....they eventually end up in the case at Publix. We'll skip the details there....I think you know.

Last Saturday we got together for a Meat Taste Test...chicken and beef....the details of each were kept top secret so a fair assessment could be made. We rated each on texture and flavor and compared our results. The results were fairly consistent across the board and the verdict is in....

Chicken - Organic, free range versus Mass Produced

The differences were very subtle but they were there for sure, most especially in texture....for free range, there was more of an "organic" feel to it...a difference in textures in the bites we took. The flavor difference wasn't as distinctive but when we considered the amount of chicken "flavoring" that's likely injected into the mass produced, we wondered how much that accounted for the CHICKEN taste. We also wondered how much we are now accustomed to the taste and texture of mass produced.....scary really. We're used to eating highly processed chicken.

Chicken Verdict -- organic had superior texture...not necessarily enough for the increase in price but considering the overall health factors for us and our children.....if money not a consideration....Organic, free range chicken ruled the roost (pun intended)

Beef - Grass Fed versus Dry Aged Grass Fed versus Mass Produced

The differences here were more obvious and much easier to distinguish than the chicken. The cuts were the same but thickness and marbling were different so this muddied the waters a bit. A definite "richness" varied in flavor and texture too.

Beef verdict - hands down grass fed won out over mass produced. For Katie and I, that's where the differences stopped. For Joe and Brian, they could tell a big difference in dry aged versus just grass fed. (Preference being Dry Aged) Not surprising....both Joe and Brian are quite the carnivores and clearly have a more sophisticated pallet than us girls. Price is a HUGE factor with the beef.....and adding the dry aged element raised the price even more of course. A little sad to say b/c we are Publix people and typically enjoy their meat selection but by far, Whole Foods won out in the beef contest.

If you are still awake and reading, the bottom line....you get what you pay for with chicken and beef and the moral of the story -- grass fed, farm raised, mass produced, chicken flavor injections...it's all so much better and more fun when shared and compared with really great friends!!!

If we leave now, we can still make the Pro Bowl

2010-01-31T08:44:00.006-05:00

For those of you who don't know (and likely don't care)..It's been moved to Florida this year and frankly there's not a soul in this house who thinks that was a good idea!! Now make no mistake, we'll be watching it tonight but watching with some trepidation and a whole lot of begging from the 1st grader who will want to stay up WAY past his bedtime to see the game...it starts at 7:20 for crying out loud....REALLY?!?! Thank You Lord for DVR!!

The pro bowl should be in Hawaii for one thing.... and AFTER the Super Bowl for goodness sakes, but clearly we didn't get a vote. If we did, I think we might see a mighty fine player on the field tonight....and he'd be playing for the NFC of course. He's already showing some classic moves....

Well clearly this one isn't so classic but my boy with a #4 jersey....Green Bay no less....yes, I was proud even if only for the 3 seconds he wore it. He borrowed from a friend.Don't tell him I saw this picture -- he wouldn't dare do this in front of me. His favorite hobby is taking the opposite team from anyone I choose. It's a favorite past time for Winston and at times, rather annoying for his Mama!!

Now that's a classic drop-back right there....a little Peyton Manning-esque. And even though he's an AFC dude, we like him alot! A little shout out to our Indy pals -- the Yoders.
Hmmm....perhaps Sidney Rice here...an acrobatic move to catch a #4 stinger??? Maybe more like Steve Smith....he's flexible isn't he?!?!

And this one just reminds me of some side line warm up passes from just about any of those NFC quarterbacks...and just cuz it's my blog and my post....I'm going with a Favre reference again...he IS still wearing that jersey you see.

Happy Pro Bowl Day Ya'll!

A Plethora of Random

2010-01-27T14:28:00.010-05:00

Hard to believe this little one is turning 5 in a few short weeks. I just can't wrap my brain around it. She's grown up so fast....I simply don't know where the time went. Her birthday is Super Bowl Sunday...bless her heart....we'll celebrate with her friends the Saturday before and she can't wait. Should be a fun weekend for Lilly girl.

Special Guest at Winston's basketball game a few weeks ago -- thank you for coming Ms Luciano and Rashad!! What a special treat. It meant so much to Winston.

Make your own Pizza night with the Yoders was super fun. A few Friday nights ago...great way to begin a long weekend. Joe and I have become a bit obsessed with the PERFECT pizza crust. We've made this dough recipe tons of times and it NEVER turns out the same way twice. When it's good...well, it's absolute perfection but when it's bad....it's really bad. The kneading and the punching and the rising....my goodness, it's alot of work but it's fun and usually worth the effort. We got a little crazy with topping selection too....we went for broke and added seared filet mignon, caramelized onions and browned chorizo to our toppings bar. Great fun and as far as I'm concerned, nothing is better than fresh mozzarella, tomato slices and basil shreds. YUM-MY.

B-ball still the sport of the day in our house. Winston loves to play and is learning alot. He's pretty good at it too. Raptor season is in full swing and so far, so good!

a few other notables...

Report Card for Winston -- excellent again. He's doing great, recently passed a very big reading benchmark and amazes me quite often with his mental math skills....the stuff he can solve in his head just blows me away. Clearly a gift from his Daddy!

Speaking of Daddies....my Dad is still hanging in there. Thanks to all of you for your constant prayers and concern. We've had some set backs these last few weeks -- first his counts bottomed out and he had to stop treatment and then most recently a bad case of shingles put things on hold as well. He got the green light this past week to resume so he's back in his regimen and while he feels horrible, we know he's getting the meds he needs to hopefully get back to some quality of life soon. God provided so generously here recently in such a huge financial way...one of his meds costs $7,300 PER MONTH (that is not a typo -- monthly cost for ONE of three drugs). This amount of money is simply staggering for anyone but for a retired family with limited income, this is simply a back-breaker. Insurance covered all but $800 of this but seriously....$800 a MONTH for a medication he will likely need for the rest of his life???....how does one afford to have cancer....and that's WITH insurance?!?!?! The current health care reform bill might not be the BEST solution but you will never EVER convince me that we don't need some kind of health care reform. It's simply the right thing to do. Okay I'm off my soapbox....back to my point....long story short...we've gotten approval from a cancer policy my parents have and they will be covering the extra cost of the meds for at least the short-term. PRAYERS ANSWERED. And really, what else can I say about all that.

Thank you and good night...

Time Heals All Wounds

2010-01-25T06:29:00.002-05:00

Sorry to my 3 blog readers for the bloggy break this past week....busy with school, basketball and well, preparing my nervous system for that game last night!!

Will post some pics and updates this week....right now I'm nursing a broken heart for my Valiant Vikings. Hard to win a game with 5 turnovers but without a shred of doubt, #4 showed again and again why I'm such a fan. What a season it was....not the ending I'd hoped for but can't take anything away from the comeback year it was for a 40 year old Southern boy!!

More later.

Very Exciting Stuff

2010-01-17T15:55:00.005-05:00

It's been a very good day. Thank you Lord for smiling on Minnesota today. It's good to be a Favre fan always but today it's extra sweet!!! To New Orleans we go!!

Because I'll want to remember this....

2010-01-16T12:52:00.002-05:00

I got an email from Winston's teacher this morning. More about her and how AWESOME she is later....cuz really, she deserves a post all her own.

Anyway, she had the class write thank you notes after the Christmas break. She wanted me to see Winston's......

And oh how I loved it!! Here goes....

Dear Mom,

I like my little SEC mini football helmets they are fun. Some times I do 6 on 6 and have a football game. You are the best mom ever. You and me have a lot of fun together we eat ice cream together we go to the store together. You are the best person that ever lived.

Love,
Winston

The sweet is sometimes buried deep in that little boy .....but today, it surfaced and this Mom is so happy it did!!

He Shoots.....HE SCOOOOOOOOOOORES!!!

2010-01-11T11:56:00.003-05:00

Even though the sounds of shoulder pads colliding and helmets crashing are still heard quite often on the big screen here on Marshside; as a family, we've hung up our cleats and pulled out the gym shorts and sleeveless jerseys.

Basketball is in full swing here....Winston is playing in a league for the first time ever and loves it. He's also working the remote pretty good in search of college hoops too.I won't be a bit surprised to find him laboring over some March Madness brackets any day now.

Winston is a Raptor - he is playing with a local church league with his best buddy and loves it. He had his first game this past Saturday and it was really fun. I don't know why I was surprised to see Winston's aggressive, fearless personality so prevalent on the court....but I was. I was kind of thinking he'd never played this game very much and was still learning the rules and skills so he might be a bit more timid...

What WAS I thinking....I thinkl he just might be the kind of kid who is built for sports and competition and I just hope his interest in sports remains strong .I am a firm believer that sports can help keep kids out of trouble as they grow older and teach valuable life lesssons about character, determination, commitment and hard work not to mention the great exercise too.

Okay so back to the first Raptor's game....Winston scored the first points of the game for his team -- who knew the boy could shoot hoops?!?! He was quick, nimble and very aggressive. He loved it....and had big fun. He's on a co-ed team and I think interacting with girls in a sports environment is fantastic for Winston. Lilly and I watched the game and I had to keep an eye on the clock so I could cover her ears when the buzzer buzzed...she's not a fan of loud noises!! She did cheer her brother on and had fun too.

Joe had big fun too --- he has taken quite a liking to the ole Nikon...he has been behind the lens ALOT more than me and got some awesome pics and video too. A video below shows Winston's second successful shot....

I'm sure we'll enjoy our next 8 weeks in the world of little people b-ball....and still keep our eyes close on those NFL playoffs.....cuz pigskin....it ain't over yet folks!!!

My Vikes and the fantastic #4 make their playoff debut next Sunday against quite a stout looking Cowboys team....as for me, I'll need a heavy dose of medication and plenty of room to pace during that one.....a nervous fan I'll be!!

GO RAPTORS!!

GO VIKINGS!!

"I'd Like to Thank the Academy..."

2010-01-08T21:31:00.004-05:00

Winston got a Smithsothian Volcano kit from his Aunt Julie and Uncle Jeff. It's been quite the hit around this house since we got home from our VA holiday.

Last Friday, Lilly and I went with the Yoder girls to see The Princess & The Frog and returned to find quite the project in the making in the garage. Between the volcano kit and our newest Nikon tricks, I'd say this is quite impressive for an afternoon project. Winston researched volcanos on the the internet, came up with the Narration and well, I'd say we might have an Oscar winning movie on our hands....at the very least, an advanced A+ grade on a Science project about volcanos!!

Check it out - it's really HOT....molten lava HOT!!

That's a Wrap on a Merry Merry

2010-01-05T18:58:00.009-05:00

After a lifetime Christmas mornings - all 40 of them in fact, I spent my 41st Christmas day without my parents for the first time ever. Dad was not in any shape to travel this year. It wasn't what I would have wished for but we managed...all of us. In fact, we did more than manage - Christmas was really really great...just different great. A slide show has finally been completed for visual proof but to me it doesn't always tell the full story. Some of my favorite highlights of Christmas 09:

Santa was sure good to me - I was surprised with a new SLR camera on Christmas morning. I am quite the rookie still with that shiny new Nikon d5000 and sporty new lenses but I plan to spend some quality time with the owner's manual and get the full bang for all those bucks in due time. THANK YOU SANTA!! Almost time to dust off the cropping tools and get back to scrapping some beautiful pages!!

We spent Christmas afternoon and evening with our dear dear friends, The Yoders. Katie knew this Christmas wouldn't feel the same for our family and included us in their family plans. Brian donned his Chef's hat and made an outstanding meal. We didn't break our Rib Roast tradition either -- his was fantastic!! A day of laughter, excellent food, many wii matches and celebrating friendships that feel like family - how blessed we are. Thank you Yoders for including us in your family holiday.

We spent 4 days in VA celebrating Christmas over and over....and over. The Great Physician answered many prayers and as a result, Dad enjoyed a week free from chemo and feeling the ill effects. The timing of our trip was perfect as he felt good enough to attend church services with Mom. We enjoyed a family day with Mom, Dad, Janet and Larry.

We celebrated in Dry Fork style too which is always a hoot and full of the unexpected. I'll have to devote a whole blog post to Joe's Mother's Christmas antics....just trust me when I say, that lovely lady must surely begin her gift planning in June....her creative ways to give money continue to amaze the entire family. It's always super fun and NEVER dull.

An added bonus were the remnants of snow still left on the ground in VA. A storm dropped 10 inches the week before Christmas and we were all thrilled to arrive home to find lots of snow still there. Winston doesn't remember the snow fall from our days living in NC and Miss Lilly had never seen the white stuff. While it wasn't a true glimpse of real snow, they did get lots of time in outside playing on snow banks left by the snow plows. Hey, we'll take it anyway we can get it!! Super fun times with the cousins.

So all in all, it was different but so very good. We look ahead to 2010 with hope.....and with thanks for the blessings and lessons of 2009. We wish the very same for all of you.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T19:51:00.008-05:00

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid.

I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you;

he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you:

You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared

with the angel, praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace goodwill towards men."

Luke 2:10-14

A Marshside Tradition Continues

2009-12-23T08:54:00.009-05:00

Every year on Marshside, we get a visit from Santa himself on an Old Fort FD Fire Truck.

It starts the same way every year, we hear a very faint siren....and always assume it's a fire truck, police car or ambulance passing by on the way to an emergency. We tend to forget about it and go on our merry way and then we hear it again and again and FINALLY someone in this house remembers....

the FIRE TRUCK.....WITH SANTA.....IT'S COMING AGAIN THIS YEAR!!

Last year, it was an early discovery and the Grant children spent the better part of a very cold day waiting on the front porch. I have photos of them last year wrapped in blankets drinking hot cocoa and later eating lunch while they waited. We waited ALL DAY LONG last year and finally around 4pm, we got our long awaited visit.

This year was slightly different....this was a good thing. Lilly had a birthday party to attend and we had evening plans so we waited only a short while before the truck arrived at the top of the street. Still the wait required the blanket on the porch -- we are NOT experiencing the balmy and humid temperatures we often do even for this time of year...it's COLD here.

As always, Santa remains behind the reins on the top while our local firemen pass out candy to the neighborhood children. It's always a treat and puts many smiles on the faces of our little ones.

Thank you to the firefighters of Old Fort Fire Dept! We appreciate the job you have each and every day and the tradition you continue at Christmastime!

Tis the Season

2009-12-23T08:05:00.012-05:00

What a fun last week of school before the Christmas break began...

First it was Lilly's turn, Joe and I went to her Christmas program and class party. It was adorable as always and lots of special moments captured on the trusty video camera that will become more and more precious as the years pass.

At the urging of their teachers, in lieu of teacher gifts, the families or our class came together and adopted 3 families very much in need this Christmas season. It was such a wonderful thing to do and a special way to show the spirit of this season to our 4 year olds. I am not at all surprised that Kathy and Perry wanted to think beyond themselves and extend their blessings to others. We purchased gifts and made gift card donations in their honor and it was quite a touching and tear-filled moment in our classroom when we presented the gifts. I love that this was our Christmas finale at Bethany CDC.

Lilly was as sweet as ever on stage singing and she was very excited to present the votive that she made for us. I am thrilled to have a complete matching set -- Winston made the same gift 2 years ago! That has been a very special part of this year for us --- Lilly brings home the same ornaments and decorations that Winston made during his final year there and I love having 2 of the same things.

We arrived home from round 1 in time for me to go to round 2 at BHES. Joe stayed home with Lilly so I could go spend some quality time with those sweet first graders in 1D.

When I arrived at Winston's school, the energy in those hallways was electric....most of the Beacons were sporting their Christmas pajamas and skipping, not walking, everywhere they went.

Ms Luciano had an awesome day of activities planned. She had set up 4 activity stations where the children made different ornaments and Christmas books. The class did this while they waited for the pizza delivery. After pizza, there was an endless sea of sweet treats to eat. We were lucky enough to have a Christmas music "dance off" before they went to P.E. so SOME of their sweet intake was burned off before we took our sugar-laden angels home with us after school!

An exciting day for some very excited Grant kids.

Just a Few of My Favorite Things (Christmas Edition)

2009-12-21T16:02:00.028-05:00

It's never hard to list my favorite things about the season. My lists are usually hard to narrow down. This year is a little different....

It's like a veil is over my eyes and things aren't quite as bright....not as joyful....my mind always returns to my Dad and all that he and Mom are faced with as a new year approaches that will likely be filled with chemo treatments, Dr visits and lots of time recovering and praying.

They certainly don't want it this way for me...they'd want me to enjoy every thing about the season that I always enjoy....and so....even though it will require alot more effort on my part...I am going to try to make this a Christmas full of happy smiles and grateful hearts just like all the years before. And the first step is to change my focus, even if only for a little while, to those things that bring me joy.

And these are just a few things that make me smile with gratitude...

Decorating beautiful sugary creations with friends....because really, is there anything a pile of sprinkles, sugar and butter can't fix??

And how artistic a certain someone's cookie creations get with each passing year....

Time spent in the kitchen with 2 peeps I love so much....it seems our kitchen is always in full swing this time of year....

So we can make plates like this to share with those we love and appreciate all year long...

And gazing at some of my favorite Christmas treasures....most of which came from my favorite store on earth - The Gingerbread House. It's in my hometown and although the name implies simply CHRISTMAS offerings....this wonderful store offers everything from gourmet foods and wine to all things holiday. Their items are very unique and always make me feel we have a little bit of VA here in the Lowcountry.

I'm a sucker for new ornaments....

I love having pictures of Christmas seasons in past years....

Really is there anything else to say here...the greatest gift of all....

This one is new this year -- came from our Autumn Tea Room at church....I do love a cute reindeer this time of year and now no matter where we might find ourselves each Christmas, we'll have a little piece of SC in our home...it's made from a palm tree frond.

This little guy came home from a business trip with Joe from Munich Germany and is a limited edition Nutcracker. We love him...his name is Santa Mac Nic.

A mini version of the beautiful nativity set my Mom has. She bought this for me my first Christmas out of college. I love this so much.

And what's not to love about this beautiful angel right here having some birthday cake in honor of Jesus at Sunday School.

And to repeat something one of my favorite bloggers wrote the other day...if only my mailbox was like this year round!! How fun to see the faces of family and friends this time of year. I've got to put my thinking cap on for a new approach next year....have this ribbon completely full as well as another card holder full....any ideas for a fun creative way to show ALL the pictures??

And yes here she is again but I can't ever forget this...even though her preschool class didn't officially have Pajama/Polar Express day this year. The girl was rather insistent on the PJ's and piggy tails for school this past Thursday. She was very specific as to shoes, ribbons in her hair and the pajama selection. She was one of very few dressed for bed that day but she was definitely the cutest!!

The look in Winston's eyes when Santa gave him an extra candy cane to give to his best friend Hampton. He said "Wow Mommy - he IS Santa!!"....worth every minute spent waiting in line for a visit with the man of the hour.

Here's to a Happy Christmas.....we certainly wish that for all of you.

Another Queen City Weekend

2009-12-17T14:25:00.020-05:00

Weekend before last we gave Winston his very belated and highly anticipated 7th birthday present. A trip to Charlotte to see his beloved Carolina Panthers in action for a regular season game. This was his 2nd trip to BOA Stadium – we took him summer before last for a PRESEASON game; which in my opinion (and his) isn’t technically the same. Something special about being at a game that COUNTS…against a DIVISION Rival …now that’s a football game.

We loaded up the crew on Saturday morning (Hampton too – taking a friend was part of the gift!) and headed to Charlotte for the 2nd weekend in a row. We arrived back to Janet’s house for a steaming bowl of homemade potato soup. Joe ate 3 bowls of this soup and has requested the recipe – I think maybe he liked it just a little!!

We loaded everyone back in the van at dusk and headed to Christmastown USA, aka McAdenville just a few minutes away for some beautiful Christmas lights. It began as a sweet family drive through town until the kids found it hilarious to yell “HOLLA” out the window to each passing car. We laughed at first too then decided it was obnoxious and requested they change their greeting to “Merry Christmas” instead. MUCH BETTER!!

We went by Harris Teeter for Tailgating provisions….and let the boys select their game day fare…..are you ready for this?? LUNCHABLES…..they wanted LUNCHABLES. So lunchables they got.

Sunday morning dawned with cloudy but DRY skies (sigh of relief….a rainy day on Saturday made us nervous). The kicker….low 40’s for temps. ALL THE DAY LONG….the temps hovered around 43 degrees. I think my toes are still thawing out!!

It was a c-c-c-cold day but a super duper fun day for all. There’s just nothing like it if you ask me. Shivering in the stands screaming loudly – warming up with hot chocolate. The Panthers won – clearly they heard all the screaming from the little Grant boy next to me. He screamed DEFENSE until I almost got tired of the word and he banged his seat against the seat back to create the extra noise which clearly was the key to the victory if you ask Winston! We had great seats in an end zone and saw lots of action up close and personal.

It was an exciting game with a great score (Panthers beat the Bucs!). The boys loaded up and headed back to SC while Lilly and I stayed the night so we could travel on to VA the next day for some time with Mom and Dad.

While we were cheering for the boys in blue, Lilly had her own special “YES” day with Auntie and Unc Unc. She got to choose the restaurant for her special YES lunch – clearly after the Lunchable news nugget you won’t be surprised to hear that my other culinary prodigy selected McDonald’s!! (Even funnier if you know that Janet was a vegetarian for many many years and has only recently started eating some chicken again!). After lunch they took Lilly downtown to Imaginon to see a Christmas play. She was also sporting a fluffy pink Hello Kitty doll and matching purse when we got back from the game. Quite a YES day indeed!!

It was a great weekend with lots of shivers but mostly smiles. Happy Birthday Winston…..hope it was worth the wait!!

From Base to Summit, Gay and Bright, There's Only Splendor for the Sight

2009-12-13T13:18:00.015-05:00

No pre-cut frazier fur tree for us this year....the year has ended so differently than we ever thought it would so really, it's only fitting that we took a different approach to the Christmas tree too. And this particular change in plan -- well as it turns out, this was change of the GOOD kind!

We loaded the Grant kids plus our surrogate son Hampton and headed to Tomlinson's Tree Farm the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We were in a bit of a hurry as we had 2 boys anxious to return for some Gamecock football but once we arrived, all thoughts of the game faded as the kids loved running around the tree farm checking them all out in search of "the one". So many choices....lots of varieties including our traditional "go to" Frazier fur but after looking and looking....and looking some more.....we opted for a gorgeous and very large Leyland Cypress.

Joe commenced with the saw - each little person had a turn with Joe....and they sawed....and sawed....and sawed.....even the farm helper with the trailer offered to help finish the cutting job. Joe would have none of it -- he wanted all the satisfaction of a job well done.

So we loaded her up and brought her home and she is absolutely perfect, enormous and gorgeous. I LOVED hanging ALL of our treasured ornaments this year; usually we are choosing which ones have to be re-packed but not this year, the tree is so big and dense, there are still prime spaces for more.

Every year I forget how happy it makes me to start each day by turning on the lights...I love the way our family room looks and feels when the tree is lit. So cozy and happy. One of my favorite things about Christmas -- the warmth a lit tree can bring to a house.

The kids had big fun unpacking the ornaments -- they love looking at each one almost as much as I do. It's great to share stories with them about where the ornaments came from and why they are so special. I do love a Christmas ornament and the most special ones....the ones with glitter and glue overload....handmade by some precious little hands.

It was Winston's year to place the angel on top...he's getting awfully heavy for this job but Joe is no worse for the wear after some VERY heavy lifting!! Beautifully perched, this angel was purchased the 1st year we were married. She's made of cardboard and felt but she's worth her weight in gold. 14 years she's been watching over our Christmas trees and if you ask me, she has the best view in the house.

I'll have to dedicate a post to the children's little tree. They have their own that sits in the kitchen and this year, it was completely their project to decorate. Winston made a cardboard star last year for their tree and I imagine 30 years from now, I'll still sift through paper and packing peanuts to find that sweet creation of his.

And so it goes....it's here....Christmas is around the corner. I have lists a mile long of gifts to buy and wrap, sweet treats to make, and cards to mail but for now, I plan to sit for a minute or two and take in her beauty....cuz she sure is a keeper!!

Holiday Catch Up

2009-12-12T09:42:00.011-05:00

As usual, I'm a holiday behind....here's a recap of Thanksgiving.

We went to Charlotte to my cousin's house (also known as Auntie and Unc Unc to Winston and Lilly). The plan was the meet Mom and Dad there which would cut a car trip down to just 3 hours for them and 3 hours for us.

In a sad and unexpected change in plan, Dad woke up Thanksgiving feeling really bad and was not able to travel. It was a super sad morning and a bit of a reality check for me as to just how much the "C" word had infiltrated our lives. After a breakdown or two,we went about the day preparing a wonderful meal and enjoying time with the kids and Auntie and Unc Unc.

Our meal was made by me and my cooking partner, Janet, and was quite lovely if I do say so myself. In keeping with tradition, Joe carved the turkey, made the gravy and the kids sampled and pulled the wishbone. We had the traditional menu and there was SO MUCH food left....we froze as much as we could to deliver to Mom and Dad so they could enjoy it later.

Much to Winston's delight, the tooth fairy DID find him in Charlotte. He lost another tooth and was very concerned about the fairy's GPS system and if she knew about the missing tooth since it fell out in a different state. He packaged said tooth carefully and tied to the door of his room so as not to risk the tooth getting lost underneath a pillow not his own!!

We headed back to SC on Friday but not before we spent a few glorious hours at a REAL shopping mall finding a few Christmas deals. We had lunch at Cheesecake Factory and for 2 hours, life seemed normal again. It was a much needed diversion for sure.

We arrived back in time to unpack, settle in and begin the cleaning frenzy before the red and green rubbermaids made the annual trek out of the attic and down the stairs. I do love sparkly, clean halls to deck!!!

So we are now in full Christmas swing....more about later, after all - let's put an official wrap on Thanksgiving first!!! All in all, it certainly wasn't the happiest of Thanksgiving days and not at all like we'd planned it to be but you know what, there were still more blessings in front of me than I could even count.

Next Up....a very belated birthday present for the boy in the house and our tree.....our beautiful and perfect Christmas tree....she's a beauty ya'll...wait til you see it!!