easter

Eli with his adorable Easter outfit on at Mere's church

This year we spent Easter morning at Apostles with Meredith. Since she works at a church, she can rarely come home for a Sunday. It was such a blessing being there. I cry every time I here her sing. After church we headed to eat with family in Lawrenceville/Duluth. Eli enjoyed his time being passed around and loved on. As a new mother, I am really contemplating how to make sure Eli understands the importance of this holiday. Even more so than Christmas, this is a holiday that means everything to the Christian faith. Without Easter, we have no hope as believers for without Easter, death still has a sting. But now that Christ died for our sins, death no longer has a hold on us! Praise God for that if you to believe in Him. I want to make sure Jesus is the center of Easter for our family and that Eli understands what Easter is all about. Here are some pics from the day.

Eli posing with his Easter egg.

Eli's great uncle Don and his cousins showing him how to play ball. I can't wait for him to be able to play with his cousins.

Easter pic of us. I love Eli's face.

Eli with his great uncle Johnny.

Nana getting Eli to sleep after a LONG day of being loved on.

Still asleep.

Papa, Boo, and Eli by Papa's beautiful Cherry trees.

My favorite pic from the day.

what'll ya have!

Eli made his first trip of many to the Varisty in Athens this past week. Chris had a game in Athens, so Mom and I ventured east to have a wonderful spring day in Athens. We ate lunch outside at Marti's at Midday (is there any better place than Athens on a beautiful spring day?) and then checked out some local shops. Right before the game we decided to go for some ice cream at an old pharmacy, Hodgson's Pharmacy, in town only to find the place closed down. What a bummer! The pharmacy dates back to Mom's days in Athens as a beautiful ZTA in her hip-hugger jeans with long, Farrah Fawcett hair. Who knows when they truly closed. I haven't been on that side of town in at least a year.

After the close game, which we lost in the bottom of the 7th, we decided to drown our sorrows in some grease. What better way to mend a broken heart than eat some chili dogs, onion rings, and fries? (I'm sure many sad Dawgs fans have done this after a bad game.) As soon as we sat down, Eli reached for the chili dog and stuck his fingers right in. Yuck! I'm just glad we caught him before he stuck his fingers in his mouth. He loved the Varsity and we took some pictures of him with his hat on. I'm pretty sure I even saw a sad coach crack a smile when he saw this cute kid with his hat on.

What'll ya have?

Eli drooling over a chili dog and some fries.

in the blink of an eye...

i cannot tell you just how fast the past six months have flown by. i feel like just yesterday Eli was a little baby that couldn't do anything for himself. just today while trying to rock him to sleep he dropped his pacifier, reached down, grabbed it, and shoved it back into his mouth. i thought to myself, "who taught him how to do that and when did he really start doing that?"

also, the other day i sat him down sitting up and let go and he just chilled out sitting up! that totally caught me off guard. there are times when the past six months feel like an eternity (usually around 3:30 am) and other times when i think, "how can eli be 6 months already?"

the most common quotes i get from people are: "wow, he has such BIG eyes?", "look at his feet! they never stop moving.", and "bless him, he looks just like his daddy." (which i think is a compliment) and a couple of new things he is doing are: reaching for people, laughing out loud, napping in his jogging stroller the minute i start walking, singing and talking while riding in the car, holding his juice cup, and screaming if he doesn't like something. he has also become quite the mommy's boy, which is adorable and hard all at the same time.

yes, that is his big toe he is sucking. gross!

he fell asleep while holding his baseball.

sitting up. this smile looks like my sister emily to me but i also see chris's sister, kate, as well.

playing with his feet and drinking his juice.

no matter how many times i move him, this is the way he ends up while taking a nap. then he wakes up with red prints of his fingers on his forehead.

my little bird's perch

Thought these pics were too cute not to post. This is Eli's view at the baseball games. He loves to watch his daddy from up here as he coaches. It has been too cold to sit in the stands so we watch the game from the press box where there is heat and I can nurse. This child is truly being raised at the ballpark.

Season Opener

This past Tuesday Chris opened his first season as a varsity head coach. I was so excited to see him take the field for the first time as a head coach. I know this day is something he has been looking forward to for the past 10 years. These are some pics from the game. Eli and I sat in the car because it was SO cold. I am learning that watching Chris's games are going to be a lot harder with a little one to take care of.

Pregame talks

Eli watching from the car. He liked eating the steering wheel and honking the horn on accident.

I didn't take any pics during the game because I didn't want to flash the camera and get in trouble.

First Trip to the Cabin

For the first time since Eli was born, the weather has been warm enough to take him outside for a long walk. He has been outside before but not for an extended period of time. Saturday was beautiful so when Chris got finished with baseball we headed to the cabin. When we got out of the car and put him in his carrier, Chris leaned over to him and said, "Eli, this is warm weather. You haven't felt this before." He loved being outside. He especially loved the waterfalls. I think the sound of the whitewater rushing over the falls captivated him. He was so funny because he just stared at it. Maybe he does have a little of his mommy in him! (I love waterfalls. If I hike, the hike must lead to a waterfall.) These are a few pics of our wild man enjoying his first trip outside. I'm almost positive there are MANY more to come.

E

10 things I love/hate:

Some friends of mine have been posting the 10 things they love. I thought I would join them in this and also include 10 things I hate. I'm not going to write about the obvious things I love like Chris, Eli, my family, hanging with my sisters, etc. I thought I'd share new insight into my life other than those you already know.

1. Eating - This involves almost ALL foods minus Captain D's/Long John Silver and coconut. The foods I love the most are veggies, mexican, and soups. Every time my family goes anywhere without me, my first question to them is, "Where are you guys eating?"

2. Summer - I love summer because I love being warm. I love to sit out in the sun and get toasty. This includes going to the beach with my family and hanging out at Lake Burton with the Barrys, Hills, and Kafskys... "AkBluBarSky" weekends.

3.Chacos - There is no better feeling in the world to my feet than putting on my Chacos. I long for that first spring day when its warm enough to wear them. Its almost like my feet thank me every time I slip them on.

4. Fires - If there is a fire in any fireplace, I need to be near it. Whether its at home, at someone else's home, or even at Cracker Barrell, my body gravitates to it. My favorite fire is at my parents' house. There is just something about it that I love.

5. Trivia - Of any kind...I love watching shows that have trivia. (Jeopardy, Cash Cab, even the cheesy Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?) I wish there was a restaurant in Hab that had a place to play trivia. I would be there every week, no doubt.

6.Laughing - I love to laugh. I often get this laugh that makes me cry. And not just a little cry, I actually can't breathe and I can't stop crying. I love like an idiot but I truly can't control it. The place I get this cry most when I'm with my family. Don't ask me why, I just do.

7.Coke - And not just any coke, a coke that is so strong it burns your throat going down. McDonalds used to be the place to get this kind of coke but i've been disappointed the past few times I've tried it there.

8. Giving my life away - I know this sounds a little "super spiritual" but I love it! I love sharing my life with high school and college age girls especially. I enjoy pouring my life into them and teaching them how to walk with the Lord with hopes that they won't make the same stupid mistakes I made in high school and college! I have made several special friendships over the past 6 years while doing this. There is just something about watching the Lord mold a young girl into a Godly woman who seeks after Him. I am so glad the Lord chose to use us to further His Kingdom. And I am so blessed to have had other women pour their lives into me and teach me. I can't wait to see where God takes these beautiful girls for His Kingdom.

9. Sports - Mainly college football and baseball. I take great pleasure in waking up on fall mornings and turning on College GameDay. In my opinion, there is no better way to start a Saturday morning in the fall. I also enjoy going to baseball games in the spring and summer. College baseball games are so much fun and the College World Series is one of my favorite times of the year. I'm glad the Lord gave me this love for sports because I'd be miserable with Chris's job if I didn't!

10. Being comfortable - I love clothes that feel comfy. Whether it be sweats, t-shirts, flowy skirts, etc. I love being comfortable. I even secretly desire to own the outfits that NFL refs where when they are calling a game that is outside. I'm weird, I know.

i have to add just one more...
11. I love that Chris could have written this post for me. He really does a great job at studying me and taking time to know what things I love. I couldn't have hand picked a better person to spend the rest of my life with. I'm so glad the Lord didn't give up on me through all my failed attempts at finding a husband. It is only by His grace that the Lord brought Chris into my life. I always like to say that I won the marriage lottery. And I did! I love you Chris.

10 things I hate...
1. losing
2. when people don't call you back or will only answer your texts
3. winter
4. the feeling in your stomach after eating fast food(a couple days in a row)
5. sweet tea that isn't sweet
6. bad drivers
7. college team with orange (esp in the SEC)
8. ignorant people
9. being out of shape
10. trying to figure out blogs (putting pics where I want them to go, adding links, getting cute backgrounds, etc!)