Garrett News

Cute Little Indian

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:29:00 +0000

Jack's preschool hosted their annual Thanksgiving program today at school. All the parents came to watch the kids sing songs, and everyone enjoyed a meal together. I managed to snap a few shots of Jack grinning ear to ear and also shushing a crying classmate. He seemed so proud of his headress.

Once he realized the buggy had passed his mama and he wasn't permitted to get out, it was full blown misery. Here he is wailing in agony to get down and crying for his mommy. It was a bit comical. As soon as he was safe in my arms he was all smiles again...clapping and dancing along to the music. Can't believe this baby of mine will be two in just about 9 days now!!

Scenes from the week

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:27:00 +0000

We spent last Monday at the park with Gus, Mack, Davis & Carson. Oh, and their mommies too! It was a great day to be outside. We have been having such wonderful weather these last couple of weeks. Our time at the park was full of play, picnics and laughter. I wanted to pick up a few things at the grocery store while we were out. As you can see, despite the fact that Jack got his standard free cookie from the bakery...it was just too much to stay awake!

We're staying busy getting ready for the holidays, and Jack has a birthday coming up. So, we are gearing up for a Choo Choo Train party.

Showing off the lungs

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:09:00 +0000

So, as I previously mentioned we spent the day in Athens on Saturday. After the game we had dinner at my parents' house and sat around and enjoyed some more football. Jack has finally gotten to the point where he can say "Go Dawgs" pretty clearly. So, Saturday night he had an audience and some of Pop's sweet tea and was feeling it. Here's the result...notice the passion in the last one (or at least the last one I recorded...I was giggling so hard at the fact that he had spit on himself!)

Nevermind, the dawgs weren't even playing in the game he was yelling at!

Family Times

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:41:00 +0000

What a beautiful weekend it was...in more ways than one. The weather was wonderful, and we had the opportunity to spend it with family. Josh's family journeyed over from Rome on Friday evening, and we all traveled to Athens for the game on Saturday. Jack enjoyed some time with Memaw and my sister joined us at the game.

Afterwards, we grilled out at my parent's house. It was a great chance for Jack to chase his cousin Sean around the yard. It was so nice to be able to relax and enjoy the company of those so close to us. Here are some snapshots from the weekend.

Enjoying a game of football with cousin Sean

Getting a photography lesson from Aunt Kristy

Peek a boo!

Here I am!

Boo!

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:27:00 +0000

It's been a week full of costumes, unpacking, packing, flying and so much more. Thursday was costume day at Jack's preschool. He dressed as a turtle. At first, he wasn't a huge fan of the costume, but he warmed up to it. He wore it again on Saturday to the fall festival at my sister's school where I hear he enjoyed some fun games. According to his grandparents, he was a busy boy all day long barely stopping to nap.

Josh and I flew down to Jacksonville to catch up with old friends and catch a football game. Other than our already late night flight being delayed about an hour, the trip was pretty smooth. We had a blast seeing Mike & Liz, some friends who live in Charleston that we don't get to see enough. The Walshs are expecting their first child in December. Ironically, Liz & I had on the same UGA maternity shirt! We were quite the pair. We also joined up with my cousins Paul & Tammy before heading into the game. The tailgating was fun; the game not so much...but I had pretty low expectations. Overall, we were still glad we made the trip since we had such a good time seeing friends, and it's always nice to getaway. The last time UGA won (in 2007), I was pregnant...so actually it was kind of a relief that we didn't win (lol!) So, in case you are taking notes me being pregnant does not automatically mean Georgia will beat UF.

Tonight Jack helped me with dinner. Last week, I was looking for a way to get him involved with dinner and thought he could help mash the potatoes. He had such a good time that I made them again tonight. He is great at putting in the butter, sour cream and pouring in the milk. His absolute favorite part though is the salt and pepper. Here he is in action (and just in case you were wondering we didn't put NesQuik powder in the potatoes.)

Also, I just finished catching up on some of my photo uploads. There are new photos for the month of September (warning: I didn't take many pics in September), the month of October & even Project 365 (captions to come).

By the numbers...

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:01:00 +0000

I thought I'd try one of those fun by the numbers posts to fill you in on the last week, but I must confess most of the numbers will be completely made up in the event that I can't actually recall how much of something took place.

7 - loads of laundry completed; this one may actually be a conservative estimate(beach laundry, linens, clothes and more)

3 - trips to the grocery store in the last week; I rarely remember or think to make a list until I'm walking in the store, so I usually end up returning a few days later, but I'm okay with it. I only had to take Jack with me once so that means two more bakery cookies hopefully found another home.

5 - the number of meals and or dishes prepared for people other than my immediate family. Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons were spent helping prepare this week's Wednesday Night Supper at church. On Thursday, I took dinner to a friend who had a baby a couple of weeks ago. Friday & Saturday mornings I made dishes for MOPS and a baby shower, respectively. Sunday afternoon, I prepared and delivered dinner to another friend who had just had a baby. (Yes, I know a lot of pregnant people.)

2 - doctor's appointments I had this week. One to have my eyes and vision checked, the other a prenatal visit.

1 - doctor's appointments that I arrived at the appropriate time for. Yes, I'm blaming it on the pregnancy brain and my multiple trips to the grocery store.

5 - number of sweet friends that we accompanied to Goldbrook pumpkin farm on Wednesday. Jack loved the train ride and hayride with Andrew, Carson and Davis. Mrs. Andrea & Mrs. Jenn were pretty fun too!

2 - photo shoots I participated in. The first on Tuesday for Initials, INC's Spring & Summer catalog; and the second with the Garrett clan in Dillard on Saturday.

732 - photos I've taken during the month of October. At some point I promise to sort through them and post a folder. When? If I could quantify I would certainly include it in this list.

20 - dollars I won Thursday evening in our monthly Bunco gathering. I also snagged one of Kim's super cute homemade door prizes.

14 - hours (give or take 3) spent cleaning, moving furniture and basically readying our basement for occupancy. With some much appreciated help from my mom & brother, as well as Josh's dad who helped get the cornices in place. It's starting to take shape down there.

Back home

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:33:00 +0000

We are back from the beach and had such a wonderful trip. There is so much to share, but I will most likely recall it in bits and pieces and share a lot of photos. We returned home to very chilly temperatures and a basement that is practically complete. Since we have been waiting so long, Josh & I were eager to get some furniture (that had been sitting wrapped up) into its proper place. Before that, some cleaning had to be done. We got one room sort of in place Saturday night and another Sunday night. There is still much to be done, but I'm sort of seeing a light and thinking we may actually enjoy a football game or two down there soon.

The beach was so much fun; and the weather was fabulous. I had my doubts about whether we would be able to set foot in the ocean or the pool outback, but we couldn't have asked for better weather. It was overcast a couple of days, which translates to longer beach time with little ones. We rented a house with some great friends, the Shaws and Yorks and our boys had a grand time swimming, running, jumping, singing and just being boys! When Jack and Andrew weren't plunging into the pool they were in the shadow of the "big boys" Tate & Brit. I took so many pictures, which I will eventually upload, but there is still so much catching up to do they will have to wait. So, here are just a few to wet your appetite!

For all my locals...

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:01:00 +0000

Okay, for all my local readers (I know there are about 4 of you...lol!), I wanted to give you a heads up about a wonderful opportunity coming up in a couple of weeks. If you do indeed read my blog, you've read about Sue Ann Holland, a friend of mine from childhood who takes wonderful photos. Well, as you all know...we live in one of the most beautiful parts of the country (the North Georgia mountains or at least the foothills of said mountains). Well, Sue Ann knows a good setting when she sees one and will be taking portraits in nearby Dillard on Saturday, October 24. The sitting fee is very reasonable and you get so much more than an online proof gallery...think matted print, Christmas cards & VIP pricing! Take a look at her blog for more info and samples of her work. You won't be disappointed.

It's a brother...

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:24:00 +0000

Yesterday was the big day. We took Jack along to see "pictures of the baby on tv." He seemed to enjoy watching the big screen and even pointed out the baby's nose, ears, mouth and eyes (with a little help from Daddy). The technician asked us if we wanted to know the sex and we said we did. She immediately got a clear shot and said, "can you tell?" I said, "looks like a boy to me!"

So, we told Jack he was getting a brother. He practiced saying brother some of the afternoon. We made calls, sent texts and emails...unfortunately, I'm just now getting around to updating the blog! Anyway, hope you enjoy this shot of little brother. We're in the process of thinking of names and have enjoyed several interesting suggestions! Thanks for sharing this excitement with us.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:45:00 +0000

Okay so they weren't in the pennant race and had no chance of reaching the playoffs, but we had tickets to the final Braves game of the season on Sunday. It was a great day to be at the ballpark. It was a bit overcast, not too cool, not hot at all (unlike the HOT day of football the day before). We did endure a couple of sprinkles of rain a few times, but nothing a baseball hat didn't take care of. Jack seemed to enjoy himself. There was plenty of room around us (not as crowded as the Braves v. Yankees game we took in earlier this year). He got his first Braves hat (big enough to grow with him) and loved the peanuts and cracker jacks. We stayed for 9 innings of fun, but left before the "free baseball" began. Jack had grown a little weary of the game by then.

In order to make it in time for the game, we left church early and hurried home to change clothes. For some reason, Jack decided to grab his burger king crown on the way out to the car and wore it all the way to the stadium. He even managed a one-hour nap with his crown perfectly in place. In fact, he was a little miffed when we made him leave it in the car to head into the game.

Tomorrow afternoon is my 20-week ultrasound. If all goes well, we should be able to tell if Jack is welcoming a little brother or sister. We'll share the news as quickly as we can; after calling all the VIPs...lol!

A day at the farm

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:53:00 +0000

Jack & I spent yesterday morning with our sweet friends Erin, Gus & Mack (or "Dus" & "Ack" as Jack calls his friends) at Jaemor Farms. We roamed the pumpkin patch, the farmer's market, a small corn maze and even received a tour on the tractor. Of all the exciting parts, I think Jack's favorite was just running around with Gus. They chased each other through the kid's corn maze and then up and down the porch of the farmer's market. We came home with some yummy apples and beautiful pumpkins.

Here's what you get

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 01:18:00 +0000

So, I've completely neglected by 365 project. It's become a sad and pitiful album of photos longing to be joined by others, but I just haven't been that diligent with my camera lately.

As far as things around here go, we are getting so close to completing the finishing of our basement. I'm actually starting to think we may actually may be able to sit on a piece of furniture down there in the next couple of weeks. Most of the loose ends should be tied up this week (carpet, touch up paint, hardware, etc.) Here are a few pictures of the progress:

Also, we are gearing up for a trip to the beach. We didn't take a family vacation this summer. Instead we opted to join a couple of friends on an October trip. I hope we will have good weather and a safe trip. Who knows...maybe I'll actually take some pictures of us while we are there!

Everything deserves a proper "Goodbye"

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:55:00 +0000

I've noticed over the past couple of days that Jack has taken to saying "bye-bye" to anything and everything. At church he points out the "teeple" & then says "bye-bye" as we drive away. Yesterday he was drawing a picture with a pencil & paper when it was time to leave. I told him it was time to go to church and we needed to put our things away. He gave me his supplies and promptly said "bye bye" to the pencil and the paper.

We pass the high school & the construction site for the new high school almost daily. He loves to point out the "ba-ball" (football) stadium and the "tra-tors." Of course, they both merit a daily "bye-bye" as we move along on our journey.

Here's a picture of him saying bye bye to some rice as he inhales it. What? You didn't know that it tastes better if you put your whole hand in your mouth? Well, now you do!

Jump, jump, jump!

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:56:00 +0000

Jack is officially a jumper! Yes, he can get both feet off the ground and is airborne. I tried to get some video, but he wasn't ready to share his talent apparently.

Here is a photo of Jack & Josh playing RockBand at Best Buy on Labor Day. I think he's ready for a set of drums...JUST KIDDING, grandparents! Don't buy him any drums!

Oklahoma!

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 02:02:00 +0000

No, not the musical...the actual state of Oklahoma. It's where Josh & I spent our Labor Day weekend. We flew into Oklahoma City and drove over to Stillwater for the Georgia v. Oklahoma State game. Although the dawgs lost, we had a good time on our getaway. Josh's folks came over to watch Jack for the weekend, which Jack of course enjoyed.

I wasn't sure what to expect from Oklahoma, but figured it would be pretty flat and corny, but the region which we had the pleasure of driving through was much more hilly than I imagined and a lot of beautiful pastures. We saw a lot of livestock and oil derricks. It wasn't as mountainous and tree-filled as our North Georgia home, but it was a pleasant trip. We also had the opportunity to catch up with some old friends who were up from their home in Texas. The best part of the weekend was still probably our hugs and kisses from Jack on Sunday.

Trains, Planes & Inflatable Slides

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 01:54:00 +0000

Saturday afternoon Jack and I joined several friends and their sons at the Family Fun Fest hosted by the local United Way. I must admit I expected to leave having forked out at least $20 for food, games and whatever else they dangled in front of Jack. I left having only spent $6 and with a child who had a blast. This was a first-time event and it was so well planned and executed. Tickets, games and rides were very affordable. They didn't gouge us on the necessities either...food was a steal. Jack had a grand time with Gus, Mack, Brit, Tate & Andrew. These boys were full speed the entire time...well, except for little Mack who just grinned at all the excitement!

I hope the event raised a good bit of money and the organizers will do it again. It was fantastic. Jack loved all the inflatables (although an older boy had to help him climb to the top of the big slide). He was a big fan of the train ride and the helicopter too. There are many more pictures in our August album, which is rapidly expanding.

After church on Sunday, we headed to Athens for a shower for my sister. It was great getting to see my grandparents and catch up with cousins. One of my cousins, Jenna, was a sweetie to entertain Jack. He even talked her into reading him a book. I think we have a great babysitter in training here!

Fun weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:49:00 +0000

We had a busy, exhausting and fun weekend. I'm trying to figure out if I'm still recovering from it or I just feel tired because I'm pregnant. Either way, we packed a lot into our Saturday & Sunday. We ran several errands Sat morning, and around mid-afternoon we headed over to the Bluster's cabin for our Sunday School party. Technically, we were the planners/hosts, but when Don & Denise offered the cabin...we jumped at the opportunity to have a family gathering with lots of space and activities for the kids. It was a perfect evening. We grilled hotdogs and had lots of great food...including homemade ice cream. I'm sort of ashamed to admit it was our first churn of the summer. I realized what we had been missing! Homemade ice cream is one of my favorite summer delights.

The kids (and adults) enjoyed roaming in the river. Most of the kids were thoroughly soaked. We got up close and personal with the neighboring horses, roasted marshmallows and did some fishing. Our little one was definitely worn out after the evening was over.

After Sunday School, we left town to meet Josh's family in Canton for lunch to celebrate his dad's birthday (which was Saturday). We met at Williamson Brothers, a barbeque joint that everyone loves. After lunch we moved our party outside and Sean & Jack goofed around with each other in and around the cars...until everyone was exhausted. It was great to spend time with everyone, and Jack really enjoyed horsing around with cousin Sean.

There are more pictures in our August album.

It's not much, but...

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:20:00 +0000

I've finally updated our Project 365 album a bit. At least now it has pictures from July & some of August. I'm not totally caught up, but I didn't want any of you to pass out from shock, so I'll add some more once you've had time to sort through all these. As you can see I missed a few days. Oops! Let's just hope I remembered to feed Jack on those days!

A Rockin' Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:16:00 +0000

Along with about 40,000 other people, Josh and I rocked with Paul McCartney at Piedmont Park in Atlanta this weekend. It was a terrific show. James & Andrea joined us for the fun. We passed the time before hand playing cards and scarfing plenty of food. I realize that I didn't really know what to expect from a 67-year-old performer, but Sir Paul was simply phenomenal. It seemed as though he gave each song his all, but made it all look quite effortless. His banter between songs was engaging and really made you feel like he cared you were there. I have to admit I haven't been to a lot of concerts lately, but I can't remember one where an artist seems to so deeply thank his audience for listening to each song. It was if he realized any concert might be his last, and was humbly drinking in every moment of the affection paid toward him, including a rain-soaked bra!

We made a weekend of it and stayed at a hotel nearby. We headed down to the park about an hour before the doors were set to open to find that about 5-6,000 other people had already had the same idea. Waiting in line was pretty hot and boring, but we hadn't planned on stampeding to the stage once we entered anyway. We found a nice spot on an incline that would allow us to see pretty well and was also in the shade since we had about 4 hours to kill before Paul took the stage. I expected we would encounter a pretty foul smell. But, I didn't notice anything, which was good. Once it got dark and soon after McCartney reminded everyone this was the 40th anniversary of Woodstock we began to notice another type of smell, which made Josh hungry. Coincidentally, McCartney also said it was the 45th anniversary of the Beatles first show at Shea Stadium. The fact that no one budged during the 25-minute torrential downpour (not just a summer shower), was evidence that this was a greatful crowd represented by folks from so many generations that realized they were witnessing history.

The concert was advertised as a "Green Concert" and everyone was encourage to walk or bike to the park. They also had very strict guidelines about what you could bring in the gates and cameras were prohibited. I assumed we'd have to walk through some metal detector or something. Unfortunately, everyone around us had simply placed their cameras in their pockets and were snapping away. So, these pictures are courtesy of the AJC. Oh, well.

BIG Post

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:46:00 +0000

Where to start...I have no idea! Yesterday was my birthday, but I guess it wasn't just any birthday. It was a BIG one: THIRTY. That looks weird in type. I'm so used to that "tw" that started my age for the last decade and now I'm a "th"? Can it be? Several of my friends have turned thirty in the last year and I was always quick to remind them I was still in my twenties. Needless to say, I expected some tiny bit of hoopla to accompany this milestone, (if for nothing else) as my payback for having been so coy about my youth on my many friends' big days!

But, I was a little surprised by the sheer magnitude of the display. Sometime after 6, Josh & I were hanging around (I assumed we be going to get some dinner soon) when a barrage of horns were heard from outside. I opened the front door to a parade of friends honking their horns and streaming balloons from their cars. But it gets better, they weren't just there to inform the neighborhood that it was my birthday, but they also brought dinner. Not a bad deal, huh? So, my sweet friends poured inside with balloons, dinner, cake, ice cream and birthday gifts. It was one to remember for sure.

If you are wondering how I feel, the answer is mostly tired. I'm hoping it's not all to blame on my birthday though. We had a busy weekend celebrating my sister's wedding. It was a lot of fun. The weekend was full of laughter and lots of dancing, even Jack joined in on the fun. There are lots of pictures from the weekend here. I'm hoping my other excuse for being so slack with my blog, project 365 and a lot of other things is pretty valid too. Josh & I are expecting again. That's right...Jack is going to be a big brother. I haven't been too sick, a lot of nausea, but more than anything I've just been incredibly tired. The worst part is feeling like I'm not doing enough for Jack because mommy would really rather lay on the couch than play outside in the 90 degree heat! I remember being tired last time around and taking naps during my lunch break, but I can't remember when it passed. I'm sure Jack & Josh are ready for it to pass though. I'm doing my best to be my normal self, but some days are harder than others. Here's to hoping I'm over the hump soon.

Our due date is February 24, 2010.

Summer Nights...

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 01:52:00 +0000

I was looking at my pictures from the weekend and thinking about what to write about tonight. I settled on a combination of Summer Nights & Jack's favorite things. We had a great weekend pretty much spending time as a family, which was a perfect way to gear up for the busy month ahead...also leading into the craziness that is football season. The fun began Friday night when I served English peas* with dinner. Jack is a fanatic for peas. He loves them and will sit and eat them one by one or two by two until he is completely covered in green pea goo (pretty sure that's the technical term).

After dinner I thought it would be fun for the 3 of us to go to Sonic. I know...small town life is thrilling! But, Josh and I agreed that summer nights basically boil down to a few things: Sonic/DQ (they can be substituted interchangeably); Braves baseball on tv; catching/watching fireflies; and of course a cute little dance number featuring Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta. Anyway, Jack was thrilled to have his very own Cherry Limeade*. (Also of note, you can see his new haircut pretty well in this photo.)

Jack is also a big fan of bathtime*, especially if it involves bubbles! He'd probably stay in long enough to get pruney ears if we'd let him. Finally, each night when we're out playing in the yard or on our way home from wherever (most likely Sonic or DQ)...we must find the moon*. Jack is currently obsessed with the moon. He loves following it all the way home, waving to it, finding it in books, and pointing out things crescent shaped and calling them moons.

These are certainly sweet times and we are enjoying every minute of these long summer days with our pea-grubbing, moon-hugging, cherry limeade-slurpin', bubble bath-loving boy. Hope your summer nights are just as much fun as ours.

*denotes a favorite thing

Big Boy Haircut

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:33:00 +0000

Okay, so Wednesday Jack got his first real haircut, and by real I mean he wasn't sitting on our bathroom counter in a diaper. Yes, for his entire life (20 months...can you believe it?) he's been receiving complimentary trims courtesy of dad with a little head holding and help from mom. He's been in need of a trim, and for a free haircut I think we do a pretty good job. I thought it would be a good idea to take him to a professional since my sister's wedding is next week.

He was not real happy about sitting in this weird chair and didn't want to wear the smock, but a lollipop soon convinced him that all would be okay. He was pretty well behaved other than constantly turning his head left and right as if he was deliberately trying to make the stylist work harder. His long hair on top is officially gone, which is sad. I'm not sure what they hear when you say "don't make the top too short; I like it to comb over to the side," but it must sound like "just keep cutting away until it's all gone." It's not that bad and it will hopefully grow out a little to a length I will appreciate.

I still haven't gotten a good after photo...I'll have to post again soon. Here are some other things we've been up to since Josh has been home.

Enjoying corn on the cob.

A visit from Grandmommy last week.

Celebrating Uncle John's birthday with sweet kisses from Sadie (and Molly too!)

Daddy's Home

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:38:00 +0000

So, Josh is back and I've neglected to blog about his return. The pick-up on Sunday was very smooth. His flight was a little early and Jack & I ran into a bit of traffic in Atlanta, so I knew we'd be late and Josh would be standing around on the curb with his bag. But with his journey through customs balanced it all out and the timing was great. In fact if we hadn't been delayed we probably would have been sitting around at the airport instead, so I'll take the traffic instead of trying to keep Jack corraled at the airport. Hopefully, once he's caught up he'll blog about his trip. Afterall, I told you every detail of what we did while he was away!

Home, sweet, home?

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 01:10:00 +0000

Well, we arrived back home yesterday afternoon. There has been a decent bit of progress down in the basement while we were gone, electical, plumbing and hvac work. I'm not sure about Jack, but I was exhausted from our trip and was eager for bedtime to arrive. It's great to be home, but it's just not as sweet without someone to greet you when you pull in from your trip. Jack and I are on our own for just a wee bit longer now. I'm eagerly anticipating picking Josh up on Sunday evening...it's been a long week. I just don't know how people that travel all the time do it. Consider us thankful that Josh's travels are a rare occasion.

On Wednesday we enjoyed lunch with Shelby, a friend and fellow dawg fan I used to work with in Greenwood. Poor Shelby was having a terrible day, but insisted on keeping our lunch plans. I hope we were able to brighten her day just a bit with our company. I enjoyed catching up and hearing all about what's going on with her and of course the old work place.

After lunch, we returned to Cissy's for a swim. Jack was a little timid at first, but eventually warmed up to the water. He walked around the shallow area forever tossing balls for me to fetch. I wish I could have gotten some pictures, but I was on lifeguard duty. Lifeguard duty and expensive camera do not mix. I did get this shot of him relaxing with his drink poolside. We sat in the shade and dried off for a while before heading inside to cool off. It wasn't long before Jack was ready for a nap and I was happy to rest on the couch until Cissy got home.

Cissy made the yummiest dinner with lots of fresh vegetables. Jack loved the corn (or "cone" as Jack says), nibbled at the green beans and began to show some interest in a hot dog, too. Of course, he made a huge mess too. I thought his nap would have rejuvenated him, but by 8:45 he was pretty much asking to go to bed and even elected to skip his bath...which never happens! He loves bathtime!

On Thursday morning, we caught up with the Wiles family...which recently expanded to five. It was a pleasure to meet 3-month-old Gabby. Jack absolutely adored Hannah Grace & Austin and eagerly chased them around the house. He did not want to leave them or their fun toys behind! Our final stop was my old workplace, PTC. Things have changed quite a bit since I left just over two years ago. Of the 5 staff members I left behind only one is still in that area. One has retired, another quit and two others moved to different departments. It certainly makes going back feel really strange.

After our busy morning of visiting, Jack was exhausted. He quickly fell asleep. About 20 minutes into our journey home, he awoke. He was mostly pleasant the rest of the almost two hour drive. I would have loved nothing more than laying around and doing nothing today, but we were up and out of the house for a MOPS steering team meeting at the church. The meeting went pretty well and we got some things accomplished. Afterwards, we enjoyed lunch with Erin, Gus & Mack at Blimpie. Jack especially enjoyed the part when Gus shared his cookie with him! Thanks, guys!

Things are pretty much back to normal except for the fact that Josh isn't here which is very abnormal!! I obviously know that I'm closer to Sunday than I have been all week, but it still seems so far away. We are eager for his return. We got to meet him at the airport around 5:45. I hope his flight is on time...or even early. Is that too much to ask?

In Carolina

noreply@blogger.com (Garretts) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:40:00 +0000

While Josh is away Jack and I decided to come and catch up with some friends in South Carolina. After a fun morning at Monkey Joe's with several fun friends from MOPS, we hit the road. Our first stop was to see Sara & Noah. Sara and her husband Chandler lived two doors down from us in residency, and Chandler was co-chief with Josh. Chandler is also in Honduras this week. Their son, Noah, was born about 6 weeks before Jack. They have a lot of fun together and it's too bad they can't see each other more often. Jack & Noah had a blast playing ball together. Later we had dinner together at McAllister's. The boys had so much fun pushing their cars back and forth across the table.

After dinner we arrived at our home away from home...Cissy's! It wasn't long before Jack was chasing poor Baby Cat around the yard. He also soon found his way over to the play area with swings, slides and more. He had a great time. He played so hard that not long after his bath, he was exhausted.

This morning we headed over to see Gretchen, Tripp and new baby Shane. Gretchen & her husband Marty were also friends from residency. Tripp was born about 2 weeks after Noah and a month before Jack. They also just welcomed a new baby, Shane, on Saturday. It was a treat to see the new baby although I forgot to take a picture. Gretchen looked great, and we had a wonderful time catching up about all that's been happening.

We're looking forward to lunch with another friend and some swim time at Cissy's this afternoon. I'll post pictures when we return. I also got another email from Josh and their second day of seeing patients went really well. They haven't encountered any problems. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.