Carter is 3!!!!

One huge perk of having a summer baby is the pool party option that automatically opens to you for birthday parties! We didn't have a party for Carter last year - - we were about to move and were in a bit of transition, so I toknew I couldn't skip this year too! We planned a fish themed pool party for Carter since he is, afterall, part fish. Not sure I'll be able to capture him "fishlike" in pictures b/c we can't take our eyes off him for a second. These crazy Judd boys just love to swim! I don't have many great pics of the party - - um, I was a bit busy, but here are a few a friend took for me. I can't believe my little baby Carter is 3! We had his 3 year old well visit yesterday and he is a whopping 34 lbs – probably close to, if not the same as Anderson! He is 100% boy and quite 'rough and tumble'.

Anderson Field Day 2010

Anderson had his field day yesterday and he had an absolute blast. I enjoyed being able to attend and didn't have Carter with me, so I was actually able to enjoy watching him and not running after my wild-child Carter.


Relay Race - - booking it!

Basketball shoot-off- - - I mean look at his face and his hands like "I got this!"

Anderson's class' hula skills needed much improvement- it was hilarious watching them 'shake it'!

Mother's Day fun

We headed out to my parents' home to spend Mother's Day afternoon - - we enjoyed a picnic and lots of fun outside!



Carter mastering each new playset we encounter

getting a little help from Poppi at the rockwall

Anderson learning what real pull-ups are all about - - harder than you think! I think he's ready to start P90X! ;)

Carter trying Honeysuckle for the 1st time! How sweet it is!

The Race!

Our team was called 'Saving Second Base in the ATL'. Don't think about it too hard - - for some reason, I didn't "get" our team's name at first ... but then light bulb moment. A bit risque, but all in good fun! We were on a team with about 6 or 7 other women but I don't have a team shot....


Amy, me, Nancy

The back of our shirts indicated our line-up (us), survivors we were running for (MVPs) and angels who we ran for their memory and their courageous fight!

My goal was to run the entire 5K and I was successful - - not one stop and I felt GREAT after the race. It was quite hot and there were more hills than I expected, but other than that - I'm ready to train for another run!

after the race! YEAH, we did it!!!!

My 1st Bib EVER!

I have forever wanted to be a runner- I was always envious of those who could just 'escape' and get their exercise no matter where they were- - sometimes I have felt really tied down with my loyalty to my classes at the gym. I LOVE my classes - - I love going into my classes and knowing exactly where my "spot" is (in front of course!) and love the comraderie I've established with many of the girls in my classes - - we may not know each others' names, but there is a sense of accountability to these 'faces'. But I have just always desired to enjoy running - I've tried many times over my life to be a runner - but probably never gave it tremendous effort or just 'hated' it from the word go. I think I never 'started' the right way either - ie I'd just go and run as far as I could -which was never really far- and just felt really discouraged.

This time was different - a new friend of mine mentioned in passing that she was running the Susan G Komen 'race for the cure' in Atlanta - - she wasn't a "runner" either, but a bonified 'gym rat' like me. As soon as she mentioned the race, I knew I wanted to do it - - I knew all I needed was a 'goal' and something to work towards. Wow. Knowing the race was coming up in XX weeks made me accountable to training. My goal has been to run the entire 5K. I've been training with my friend - -we started with interval training combining walking and running. It has been unbelievable to see how fast your endurance builds with this method.

Fast forward and now for the last 2 weeks I have joined a 'running club' through the Y. I am really enjoying it and really thrive in the aspect that I am being 'pushed' by runners. I cannot believe that last week I did a 5mile run and just this a.m. I did a 5.5mile run. I have NEVER run that far in my life. I cannot believe it!! It's really hard for me, but I am excited about my new found love. I am NOT however, excited about the notion of running in the sweltering heat of the summer - but we'll cross that bridge when we get there!!!

So if you think of it, say a little prayer for me this Saturday morning - May 8th - that I'll be able to run my 5K in entirety!

And the best part is, I am helping to support an amazing cause for women everywhere!!!!!!

Living on the Edge!

So I have been negligent in posting about this, but Carter graduated from his crib back in January to a big boy bed! For the most part he has done pretty well - - with Anderson we never had issues with him getting out of the bed, but with Carter we've experienced a few more challenges, but overall he has adjusted well. This is how we found him a couple nights ago when we checked on him - yes, that's the footboard of the bed that he is hanging over!

Also what you probably can't tell from this pic is that he has a pair of pajama pants on one of his arms - - some of your kids probably have sweet stuffed animals or precious blankets for their loveys, but not Carter- he loves to cuddle up with a good ole pair of cotton pajama pants. Believe me, we have the stuffed animals and blankets, but Carter just prefers the pants! Oh well!

Caren is having a GIRL!

My of my long-time friends, Caren, is expecting a GIRL very shortly! I'm sooooo excited that I've been 'local' for her pregnancy - - it's been fun watching her 'grow' over the past several months! For her 1st pregnancy I was pregnant with Carter and living in VA so I only saw her thru pics - - this is soooo much better! I was so excited to be able to attend her baby shower today live and in person! she looks beautiful, as usual!


me, Caren & Julie
the 3 french friends!

Atlanta Zoo!

Some friends of ours invited us to the Atlanta Zoo with them for the day - - I hadn't been since I was a kid, and so I was excited to take my boys! We had a great time- the zoo is really nicely shaded so eventhough it was a hot Georgia spring day, we were very comfortable.


Anderson & Carter with their new lizard friend

Carter tackling the ropes course

rock wall champ!

Anderson and his friend Evan

One of our best buddies, Drew, turned 3 and so our friends invited us over to celebrate his special day - it was a Star Wars themed evening - - - so we were fighting off multiple Darth Vaders and light sabers off all evening! My boys were in heaven!


Darth Vader & Darth Vader, um Carter & Drew

Carter is double fisted!

Maggiores in the ATL!

One of my very best friends, Jen, from Va Beach came to visit for the week of Spring Break. It was their 1st visit to our home and we were sooooo excited to have them! We were pregnant at the same time for our 1st two pregnancies but I let Jen 'go it alone' for her third! Such a special bond when you go thru pregnancy and your 1st children together- - a friendship that I will always hold close to my heart! The kids picked up like old times - especially Anderson & Erin who are like an old married couple-- - getting along spendidly most of the time, but having many quarrels in between. On Tuesday of their visit, we just 'hung' out at the house and let the kids play - -we headed to the park for a bit packed with many snacks, and then came back to the house for the littles to nap and let the big kids just play and play and play. It was a wonderful time. The next day, Mr. Joe took Erin and Anderson to Fernbank museum, the Georgia Tech baseball fields (sigh......) and to the Varsity. Later in the evening we met up with them at Stone Mountain park for a ride to the top of the mountain and for the Laser Show. A wonderful time with dear friends - we can't wait for them to come back!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Mark and the boys at Stone Mtn

a rare picture of the usual picture takers!

the Maggiore fam
Anna, Jen, Erin, Megan & Joe

Easter 2010

What a wonderful Easter!! After Anderson got out of school on the Thursday before Easter, we headed out of town to spend Easter in Charlotte with Mark's older brother's family as well as with Nana & Papa. We had a wonderful long weekend - -my boys always have such a blast with their cousins, so it always makes for a good time! On Friday, the ladies head out to the Metrolina Flea Market - a HUGE flea market in Charlotte which hundreds and hundreds of vendors - we really enjoyed the day together and looking for great finds! On Saturday the kids participated in Brian & Monica's neighborhood's egg hunt and we decided to go to the Saturday nite Easter service at church. On Sunday we took it easy as it was also 'departure' day - - we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast, let the kids do an egg hunt, made 'resurrection' rolls which symbolize Jesus being buried and then, when baked representing the empty tomb -- a wonderful visual way to re-tell the Easter story for the children. Definitely a tradition we will continue here on out!



Our family - -Easter 2010
Mark, Heather, Anderson (5) and Carter (2 1/2)

making 'resurrection rolls' on Easter "Resurrection" Sunday

Monica showing the kids the empty tomb! He is risen!

on your mark, get set, GO! The egg hunt is ON!

Anderson the Diamondback

We're full swing into another tball season (which started in mid-February!) and Anderson is thoroughly enjoying it again! It's amazing the difference in the team from fall ball to spring - they are actually making plays and understanding many of the rules and 'strategies' of the game. Of course it doesn't help that 3 of Anderson's best buds are on the team too! Mark is now an assistant coach and I'm serving my first term as 'team mom', and it's been a wonderful experience, thus far, on both accounts- we've been blessed by a great cast of parents who are committed to the tball experience as well. Carter is everywhere, as usual, but he is bit more tame than in the fall where I seriously thought about hiring a babysitter to bring to the games with me. I always have to strategize what Carter will wear to the games, b/c if it's 'light' colored - it will be stained badly. But some battles just aren't worth fighting, so he's a filthy filthy little boy everytime we get home!

Mark & his siblings

Brian, Paul, Katie-Beth, Mark

While we were in the Tennessee mountains, during a photo shoot of all the cousins, Monica also took several pictures of the original Judd siblings. They are all very close and often talk every day - if not multiple times a day. It's really neat to witness their love for each other. I feel so blessed to have married a man where family was so important to him.

It's funny to look at this picture and think that Mark & Paul are 'identical' twins - because in this picture they don't look very identical to me. What do you think?

Pete the Penguin

Assignment: Pete the Penguin to spend the weekend with Anderson and his family.

Anderson had to journal all of their activities - with pictures and paragraphs in a special journal. Anderson had an absolute blast with Pete - he took really good care of him and he literally went everywhere with us - from the gym to the grocery store, to Jason's Deli, to a special trip to the GA Aquarium - Pete was with us every step of the way! Pete especially loved the penguins at the aquarium and felt especially at home during our 'snowy' weekend. Pete fit right in to our routine - from sun-up to sundown, Pete had a full weekend! Hurry back Pete, we miss you!

The obligatory snow post!

the snow covered playset

our snowy home

The snow came fast and furious on Friday afternoon - quickly accumulating and covering everything. It was neat to watch and see how right or wrong our local meterologists were going to be. I'm so glad that Mark enjoys the 'snow activities' with my boys, because I prefer to watch them from the warmth of my home - providing assistance with getting bundled up, drying mittens and pants, making the hot chocolate and providing carrots for snowman building. Part of me feels a bit guilty when I stay inside, but I am just plain miserable when I am freezing - and since we live in GA I don't have proper 'snowgear', so I get wet and therefore cold..... Sigh, I won't win the 'Mother of Year' award in the Best SnowMommy Contest this year.

Happy Valentines Day 2010!