Easter 2008

Happy Easter 2008!! On Friday, Rebekah & Avery and my boys headed to Charlotte for a family weekend of fun with Mark's older brother's family. Mark & Paul headed down a couple hours later. This is our 2nd Easter in Charlotte - it's a full house, but a good time was had by all. Anderson just ADORES his cousins. It was 75 degrees in Charlotte on Saturday - PERFECTION!!!

Mark & Paul with their babes!

all the cousins prepping for the big Easter egg hunt!! (Saturday afternoon)

I found one!!

Poppa teaching Carter how to drink from a glass! (yes, he's still in his PJs!)

Nana and her youngest grandbabies (she's got 6 and 1 on the way!)

Mary Scott (2) hunting for eggs!

Aunt KatieBeth & Carter

Anderson wouldn't oblige for the Easter pic, so here's the other Judds

the hosting Judds - they are pregnant with their 4th!!! Aren't they good lookin'!!!

Roses are Red, and Pink & Yellow

Happy Valentines Day ( a few days belated).

Mark & I celebrated a day early to beat the crowds & Uncle Paul & Aunt Rebekah watched the boys. I've been known to snub Olive Garden in the past (we had an amazing local italian eatery in ATL that put OG to shame), but I have to apologize to the OG for my snub. We went there for our Valentine's dinner and boy was it AMAZING!!! Both our meals were fantastic and we enjoyed a fantastic tiramisu & coffee. I can't wait til the next time I can go back to the OG!! Oh, check out the awesome blossoms my sweet hubby bought me!!

On Thursday we watched my niece Avery (4mo) - we got her doing some 'prop sitting'. Look at my little ham Carter cheesin' it up for the camera!

2nd Annual Valentine's Social

The Ratz hosted our 2nd annual Valentines Social with their small group & our Maggiore small group. We have such a great time - it's nice to spend time with just the adults!!! Already looking forward to next year!!! See the Ratz blog for more details & pics. I think next year we'll let someone else play the newlywed game - YIKES!!! Thanks Ratz family!!!

New Years a little early with the O'Neills

For the last 7 years Mark & I have spent New Years with our friends Brian & Jill who still live in GA. They got married nearly a year before us and have 2 precious boys - Evan & Drew. Evan is 5 months older than Anderson & Drew is 6 weeks older than Carter, so needless to say, we have lots in common! Mark met Brian & Jill @ Sears where he worked in college -they are both bulldawgs too! This year we bailed on our friends for New Years as we longed to get back home to VA; therefore we celebrated with them a few days early. Til next year O'Neills!! Thanks for another good time!!!!

my Lightening McQueen is faster than yours!

Evan & Anderson, best buds!

Brian & the babes

pajama time!

look at us sitting up!!!

me & the black Spiderman Evan

soaring thru the air

can we get one of these swingsets daddy?

Christmas 2007

Where do I start? Our Christmas 2007 had both bad & wonderful moments....

Let's start with the bad....
apparently Anderson and Prednisone do not mix, for some reason it was prescribed to him for his cough (later learned he should NOT have had) ... at any rate, he ending up going thru some sort of psychosis. Needless to say, I have a brand new understanding for the term 'roid rage'. After going to the dr. 3 times in 3 days (including a trip to the CHKD ER), we departed for GA a couple days late. We drove straight thru making 4 stops and got there in 10 hours (which was amazing). The boys did great on the drive.

We arrived at my parents (Mimi & Poppi's)on Sunday nite and spent time with them thru Christmas afternoon. My brother Ryan and his wife Bree were there as well. Ryan has a Wii, so we all had fun playing with that....


this was my wii character - yes, some call me H-bomb


this was Mark's character - aka 'm-dawg'

Carter meets my baby brother Ryan

Carter meets Aunt Bree

Anderson's wii character - doesn't it look like him!!!


Carter w/ Mimi & Poppi


Anderson with cookies for Santa!!!

Opening a present from Santa!!!

my Georgia bulldawg

our newest happiest baby bulldawg!

new pajamas.... ka chow!!!

After Christmas morning we headed to Mark's parents home in Macon. Cathy (Nana) made Carter the most precious quilt & sham from some 'hippopotamus' pottery barn fabric..... I love it !!!!! Carter of course loved the tissue paper!

Aunt Katie Beth, love this girl!!!

Paul's been laid up since having ACL surgery, so he spent much of the holiday 'laying down'. Here is Mark cuddling up to his twin.... how sweet ; )

When we are with cousins, Anderson gets to sleep with them. Here they are all snug in the bed! They are soooo good to Anderson.

The camera loves Carter!!!

go dawgs! sic 'em!

Our attempt at getting all the grandbabies together... Anderson not obliging...

the grandparents watched all the kids for us grown-up kids to enjoy a brief date-night together -it is so nice spending time with them without having every other word interupted!!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

As many friends have already blogged, we had a great time at a Birthday Party for Jesus last week, hosted by Katy. I re-arranged my work schedule to allow me to take the boys. I figured this is one bday party we just can't miss. It was a crowded house at the Schrodts! So many kids, so many moms - such a good time.



Katy reading the kids a story by the Christmas tree....


Anderson showing off his newly decorated Christmas tree ornament... (thanks Heidi!!)


Carter & Anna - can't wait to see you guys next Christmas, somehow I have a feeling we won't be able to capture a photo of you kids on the floor!!!


PLEASE NO ONE TOUCH THE CANDLES!!!!


WOW, ALMOST ALL OF THE KIDS LINED UP (I think Anderson & Erin were trying to make a statement!)

Dinner & Cards

Friday nite we had our annual Christmas dinner with the Maggiores & Saunders. Great fun - we are so thankful for these wonderful friends. Apparently I'm the mom who doesn't wipe her son's mouth after dinner (oh well). Also, I'm the mom who doesn't feel like fighting about the red Georgia shirt & shorts that he wears day in, day out.

As you can probably tell, I was TRYING to get Christmas card picture done. UGH! So many 'almost' pictures! Anderson has recently learned the 'fake' smile. Oh brother!!

anyway, see if you can check out my slideshow:

Williamsburg Grand Illumination

Sunday we had a long, but fun day. Our day started at church, then we went to Cracker Barrell with friends for lunch (can you say table for 21) then headed to Williamsburg for their Grand Illumination in Colonial Williamsburg. The boys napped in the car (thank goodness) and we were ready to go! We joined many friends for fun & fellowship - the Schrodts, the Ratz, the Maggiores & the Jacksons. The kids had a blast together and we all bundled up awaiting the amazing fireworks display. All of the homes in the Colonial section turn on the lights in their homes. It's a beautiful place. We had a great time, but were glad to climb into our warm cozy beds last nite!!!

something about boys & trees (Jacob, Josiah, Alexander & Anderson)

family pic

one of the best fireworks displays I've ever seen

Carter, such the little trooper, we left the house @ 9:00 am and didn't get back til after 8 pm! He was so good!