Politically Active

It's no secret to anyone that this presidential election process has been a long one. As lengthy as it has been Sam and I have mostly just tried to ignore it (after Romney dropped out that is.) We don't watch politics and we don't talk politics.

However, despite our disregard for the happenings leading up to this election, Reed has been very aware and by far the most politically active member of our family. I guess he's heard enough radio ads (even though I turn them as fast as I can) and been counting yard signs long enough to feel like he needed to take a stand. About a month ago he wanted to know why we didn't have a yard sign and decided to take matters into his own hands (see below).

The election has even become part of his favorite game---role playing. A couple days ago he said, "OK mom I'll be be McCain, you be Sarah Palin and Max will be Obama. As soon as he "became" McCain he got a worried look on his face and said, "I'm concerned....I'm concerned that people are not going to vote for me." He's a very observant and in-tune boy. The other day I slammed on my brakes when he shouted "STOP"! I was alarmed until he told me to turn around because he thought he saw Obama pushing a cart into the grocery store. (maybe he's not that observant after all).

No matter what happens tomorrow I'm glad I have this boy to keep me laughing.

Happy Halloween

We had a great Halloween. The weather was just right...not too cold, not too hot. (We've experienced both here in NC) Our boys enjoyed their trick-or-treating together and almost made it around the whole block before they were ready to come home and devour their treats.

Reed would not smile for me. He said knights don't smile...so here he is not smiling.


Our brave knight and lolly pop licking dragon. Few kids start their trick-or-treating with candy in their mouth, but this sucker is the ONLY reason Max has his headpiece on in this picture.


My mom made this great costume for Reed at the last minute. Reed had been talking about being a knight for months, but a week before Halloween we still didn't have anything. Thankfully my mom pulled it together for us and we received it in the mail with only a day to spare! Thanks mom!




The sneak attack.


This is how Max really felt about his costume. He SO wanted to be a knight instead. Poor boy. Maybe next year!

Weekend Drive

This past weekend we went with my mom and grandmother on a drive see the beautiful fall colors that are at their peak right now in the North Carolina mountains. I had always heard good things, but I was still surprised at just how gorgeous it was.

Our first stop was at Mt. Airy (Andy Griffith's hometown, which Mayberry was modeled after.) I am a big Andy Griffith fan--more from Matlock than from the Andy Griffith Show-- but it was still fun to stroll through the cute town. We even stopped by Floyd's Barbershop and met and took a picture with the barber that used to cut Andy Griffith's hair!




Waiting patiently outside Opies Candy Shop (Reed's favorite part of Mayberry!).


Sam--apparently telling a joke to Max.


This is what happens to your kids after you've taken a 100 pictures of them walking down a street. (They turn into posers.)


The drive was long with many wrong turns. In an effort to reach to Grandfather Mountain we stopped to check our directions about 5 times after wrong turns only to discover each and every time that we were "about 45 minutes away." No matter which way we went or for how long...we were always "45 minutes away". Thankfully we were surrounded in beauty even when traveling in the wrong direction. Here is some of what we saw along the way.


Around 5:00 p.m. we finally escaped the "45 minute" vortex that we had been held captive in and arrived at Grandfather Mountain. It was amazingly beautiful and windy---equally. I don't know if I've been in such cold wind in my life!

Apparently Reed's reaction to cold wind is laughter. He could not stop laughing at the big gusts that nearly blew him over.



At the top of the mountain they have a swinging suspension bridge called "Mile High Bridge". I didn't want to go across at first because it was SO cold and windy, but we had been talking about it for a week and Reed was determined to make it across.

In case you needed any further evidence of the wind factor...




My handsome husband.


The bridge.



The view.

New York Blessing

I spent this last weekend in New York attending the blessing of my little sister's baby, Olivia Alice Lambert. It was a quick trip and I missed my boys like crazy, but I was so happy to be there for her special day.



We had only made it a few steps from their apartment on our way to dinner before Olivia shared her meal with me. Lucky for me it was the only shirt I brought. At least I had something to remember her by all evening.


It was fun to be with my both my sisters again. It's been a whole year since I've been with both of them at the same time!!!


Olivia and her favorite aunt.

Per Request...

A week ago I really needed to wash down the porch, but Reed was not too excited about losing his chalk art. He told me the only way he'd be OK with me washing it away was if I took a picture of it and put it on our blog. What does he know about blogs??? So, here is Reed's bumble bee. Later he called me out to see how enormous his shadow was and requested that be added to the blog as well. What a different world these kids live in. To think that I was in college before I really used the Internet and now my 4-year-old thinks of things every day that he "needs" to do online!




Today we chased a HUGE bumble bee around our flower garden.




Admittedly...my last post was poorly titled. Here is the REAL MR. HYDE!!

Dr. Jekyll--Mr Hyde

These pictures, taken only a few seconds apart, are pretty accurate in depicting Max's temperament. Thankfully we get much more Dr. Jekyll than Mr. Hyde.

Happy 4th of AUGUST

Well, it looks like we signed up for the monthly plan here. Our last blog post was for 4th of July so I thought the 4th of August would be just about the right time to post again. Actually I have found that despite the fact that I think my kids are cute and I like to take lots of pictures I am a pretty bad blogger. I think the combination of my procrastination and feeling like I don't have anything important enough to share with the world---or the three people who regularly check our blog-- (Hi mom!) make me a pretty weak member of the blogging world.

However, as I was thinking about this past month and seeing that I had not recorded anything to look back on and enjoy when my kids are all grown up and gone, I decided to try to be a better poster even if it's just for me to have something to look back on. Forgive me in advance for the unblogworthy posts that may soon follow.