Glory to old Georgia

Last weekend we were ever so lucky to come across 4 tickets to the UGA v South Carolina football game in Athens. Thanks to Todd and all of his connections, we had great seats in the shade and got to tailgate a bit with Marshall Morgan's family. The boys were super stoked to walk around campus, buy stuff in the bookstore, and sing 'glory to ole Georgia'. I think they liked the last part so much because they could get away with saying, no, screaming the word 'heck' in my ears and get away with it! It was an incredible high scoring game for the dawgs and it always feels good to rip Steve Spurrier a new one...especially between the hedges! Go dawgs!

Apple 'pickin'

Last weekend we actually had a free minute so we headed up to Ellijay to do some apple picking...um, well, one apple was picked! The boys have so much fun at Hillcrest a orchards that the apple picking portion was only for a second. Other than that, they jump on the bouncy pillow, take tractor rides, play putt-putt, bungee jump, and go down the slides over and over and over. Their buddy, Grant, was at their side so they had a blast. We got our Apple cider donuts (the main reason we go to this orchard in particular) and plenty of apples!  But, they were picked from the inside bins instead of off the trees. Meh, it's all the same to me!

Team mascot: Polły

The boys have soccer practice 3 nights a week. Todd usually takes them to all 3 but on Wednesdays I go to pick them up and have been taking Polły to walk the track while they practice. She usually gets big hugs from the siblings of the boys teammates (something I remember too well from times when we had to follow Sean around for 36 holes...in the summer...at the beach, but not really, we were on the golf course! I'm not harboring any ill feelings, though, I swear!)

Anyhow, tonight she was uber popular and didn't seem to mind all the belly rubs!

Labor Day weekend 2015

Last weekend was one of the last 'free' weekends of the year. The boys didn't have a soccer game, I didn't have tennis, and Todd was only one toe into the football season. We watched the first UGA game, or, up until they had a lightening delay and then dinner with the Martins. I should have taken a pic but as you can imagine, the boys were playing nerf gun war so there would have only been a blur. Todd took Reed to meet up with Jammy, Grandy, the Halloran's and the Goodloe's to the Gwinette Braves game. Nolan and I hung back at the house because his ear hurt. After I gave him a dose of Advil, he was jumping all over me the rest of the day wanting me to play more nerf gun war with him. Pffft, sick kid, my left foot!

Reed got to have a sleepover with Jammy and Grandy, just like Nolan did a few months ago. They loved having the time with him alone and even though Todd was 'there', he made himself scarce.

Sick boy. 

Harvard Bound

Well, that may be a little presumptuous, but one can hope! This is the first year the boys have been given actual, measurable, numerical grades. No more of this "O" & "S" nonsense that 1st and 2nd grade had me confused with. 

Upon the first progress report, it looks like we are well on our way to greatness! All A's for Nolan and all A's and one B for Reed.  Reed got grounded for the B and will only be let out of the dungeon when he pulls it up a point! Haha, healthy pressure is good, right!?! Keep up the good work, chaps, pretty soon we can start fitting you for your blue Harvard Blazers!!

More bday fun

After the Todd/Nolan and Lindsay/Reed day, we went to Dawn's house for family dinner and bday celebrations. Keely's bday is the 29th and the boys are the 30th so we usually celebrate them together with Nana's special sketts! Happy 13th bday, Keeks, we love you!

8 is great!

Really? We have 8-year-olds? That's crazy to think about, ponder on, and even remember my life without these two. It sure wasn't as fun as it has been these past 2,920 days. They decided they wanted to do different things on their actual birthday, which was Sunday. 

Nolan loves everything sport. Sports, sports, sports. If you ask him if he'd rather go to a sporting event or anything else possible in the entire world, inevitably,  he would pick whatever game was on tap.  Lucky for him, Todd had his NFL draft on Sunday afternoon and he was all about it. He texted me when it was over talking me how he helped daddy pick Demarco Murray, Deandre Hopkins, and Jonathan Stewart, just to name a few. He put the picks on the board, ate candy, and hung out with a bunch of old dudes (old to him) at a sports bar. He loved it!

Reed and I had a bit of a different day. For those that don't know me very well, I like deals. Groupon is my favorite site for said deals and I had 2 of them in my back pocket. Reed definitely wanted to go to the Coca-Cola museum downtown so it was perfect that the other activities were nearby. 

First, we went to Doc Chey's for lunch (I must admit, this was my idea and my favorite noodle house in Atlanta) thankfully, Reed shared in my brilliant plan to start there. 

Then, with happy bellies, we walked through Centennial Park on our way to the Coke museum. It was fun to see the statues and share with him a time in my life that holds great memories with the Atlanta Olympics. 

The coke museum was all Reed could have wanted. A ton of coke. This kid has had enough coke for the next few years and the only two things he wants to do was the 4-D theater and the tasting room. 

After we filled our bellies with high fructose corn syrup and sugar and calories galore, we headed up the street to the Ferris Wheel. Upon entering the ticket booth, Reed got swindled into a street performer doing magic tricks and we watched him do his thing. Reed was quite impressed!

And then it was up, up, up and away! The Atlanta Ferris Wheel isn't that tall but it's still cool to get a different vantage point of the city. We were both excited that our groupon came with a big box of chocolates!

Next on our groupon list was the Atlanta Zoo! The fully we had about 2.5 hours to see everything there that we could. Phew! My legs were tired after the day we had. Reed said he had a great time but was ready to go home and see everyone. Happy bday, boys!!

War of the twins-es

Saturday, the boys had their 8the bday party. I will say this has been the least planned, least thought about, least executed party we have had for them to date. They chose the theme, the invitees, and just about everything else that had to do with it. I didn't intervene the way I have in years past and I'm still not sure what to think of the party. There were nerf bulletts flying left and right, here and there. The boys were laughing at times, screaming at each other at other times, and I would be crazy to not admit that there were some tears shed. But, all in all, I think the boys had fun and that is all that really matters!

I took several pictures on the regular camera that I will post later but for now, enjoy this doozie...

A few hours after the party and after presents were opened, we took the boys to their favorite jousting/knighting/eating with your hands/horse poop flying/dinner and show at Medival Times. They loved it. Their eyes were glued to the center of the arena for the entire show. I don't think Reed took his eyes off of it for anything. He kept poking me, pointing to his chicken and saying, "I need you to pull some more off! I'm too busy watching them!"  Oye...

Lastly, Reed asked me to take a picture of the horses butts. Really? Ok. I did. 

Happy pre-birthday, boys!!!!