Summer Birthday Celebration

                                     crowned Queen for the day

                                                summer birthdays

    yummy cupcakes made with love by Mary Scott and me

Catherine received her 1st "love note" this year from this cute little guy, Kevon

                          Catherine and her teacher, Mrs. Mobley

Since Catherine's birthday falls during the summer, I brought cupcakes on her last day of school so we could celebrate a little early.  She, along with several of her classmates, have summer birthdays.  Crown and all, I love my little princess and can't believe she'll be turning 7 in a few short weeks.  Stay tuned for details from her birthday celebration set for June 27th... we're sure to make some really special memories!

Baseball Season comes to an end

Benjamin finished out another good season of baseball.  And he was so excited to add to his trophy collection.  Next season will likely bring on a new adventure as it's probably time to move to the city league which will offer more competition and a truer representation of all the aspects of baseball.  The league Benjamin has been playing with has some positive aspects, and we feel has been good while he was younger.  But we feel strongly that at some point, it's a life lesson to learn that there is a winner and a loser, and that 3 strikes is an out, and 3 outs means the other team gets to bat.  So we will have to wait and see what next season holds, but this season is a wrap... and it was a good one.  Way to go Benjamin!

Ebinport Field Day 2009

The end of the school year brought another fun field day for Benjamin and Catherine.  I enjoyed watching them have so much fun with their classmates.  It was a beautiful day, sunny and warm, but with all the water activities plus a popsicle treat... the kids kept cool.  Of course, Mary Scott and Anna came along to watch, too.  And what a treat that Nana and Popa got to stop by as well.  Definitely a day that goes down in the books as a highlight of the school year.

Our Mighty Giant Gymnast

those sweet little freckles across Catherine's nose... I've heard 'em called "angel kisses"

            Lydia, Catherine & Halle - such special friends

                 Catherine's whole team - the Mighty Giants

                           awarded their medals

                              our "gold medalist"

 a proud Mommy & Daddy with their gymnastics star

                           Meme and Catherine

                            Nana, Popa & Catherine

Last week was much anticipated around our house... it was a week full of gymnastics shows.  Every afternoon, Tuesday through Friday, Catherine and her gymnastics team performed their routines.  It made for a busy week, and Catherine enjoyed every minute of it.  I think she would live at the gym if I'd let her... she still loves it just as much as when she first started in the fall... she may even love it more.  All of the girls worked so hard each day at the show, and they did a terrific job and looked so beautiful in their shiny blue and silver leotards.  It just fills my heart with pride every time I watch them.  And I have to make a note that this past weekend following the shows, Catherine seems to have mastered doing a back handspring by herself on the regular ground... no bouncy mat or incline.  Oh how excited she is to share her news with her coach at practice today.

A week with Grandparents

Mary Scott strolling along while visiting the Billy Graham Library... so girly how she's holding her dress

        panties and all, I love Mary Scott's smile

My mom, aka MeMe, with Mary Scott and Anna

how I love my little girls (we just needed Catherine in the picture)

Mary Scott sharing with Anna about the pretty green grass... the grounds were gorgeous at the BG Library

             shortly before Meme headed home

Scott, known around here as Popa, hanging out on his favorite spot at our house... the bench on our front porch
             Catherine showing out for Nana and Popa

             now she's got Nana and Popa joining in the fun

            having fun at Field Day... we all came to watch

            and Catherine was enjoying Field Day, too

One thing's for sure, our children don't spend near enough time with their grandparents!  We all celebrate the chance to be with them but due to distance and every one's involvement with various commitments and activities like church, sports, jobs... it just makes our visits come way less frequent than we'd prefer.  But this past week was not one of those weeks.  We enjoyed a visit from my mom for nearly the whole week and then Brian's parents, Scott and Cathy, came up for a couple nights, too.  It was a really busy week as Catherine had her gymnastics performances (will post separately) plus all our other normal happenings.  Brian and I squeezed in a couple little date nights while mom was here, too, which was a real treat.  Mom and I visited the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte - definitely somewhere I'd like to visit again.  And Scott & Cathy joined me for lunch at school with Benjamin and Catherine as well as visiting their Field Day.  We packed so much into the week... that's just what you do when the visits aren't very frequent.  It was a wonderful week together. 

Strawberry Nut Bread

Mary Scott has a new found love for baking and cooking.  The other day, we made strawberry nut bread together.  And she did most of it quite independently.  She sure looked cute in her little chick apron - it was mine when I was a little girl.  We all enjoyed gobbling it up... it was oh so yummy.

Off to the Zoo

                                     Our occasional family photo

                                                                the Brewers

                                                               the Hanrions 

                                    Isabelle & Mary Scott - special friends

                               that is one fat lip on Mr. Gorilla

                    the giraffes are definitely one of my favorites

                                enjoying my sweet children

                                            elephants sure are huge...

                                                          ROAR

                                    Abigail feeding the beautiful birds

Brian and Mary Scott enjoying the carousal - it was Brian's 1st trip to this zoo

                                     Digging around for earth worms

This earth worm was Lily's favorite "animal" at the zoo

Catherine found a lady bug friend, better known as "Spotty"

Last Sunday, we took a little road trip down to the Riverbanks Zoo in Colombia, SC.  We met the Brewers and the Hanrions, a couple of families from our Home Fellowship group, for a picnic then strolled through the zoo together.  It was an enjoyable afternoon for sure.  We saw so many neat animals.  And riding the carousal was one of the last things we did before heading home.  We had a wonderful day.

SWIM... BIKE... RUN...

Put all those together... swim... bike... run... and you have a triathlon.  And still to my amazement, Benjamin and Catherine did one this past weekend.  I have to say I've done my share of cheering them on at their different sporting events but never have I cheered so hard or been so proud of them.  Let me start by saying that not once in my life have I done such a race and here at the mere ages of 6 and 9, they can both add such an event to their resume.  

We got the form sent home in their folders from school inviting them to participate and much to my surprise... they were both begging to join in.  Kind of puts me to shame being I'm not even consistent about walking a few days a week, let alone being excited about doing something like a triathlon.  So we signed 'em up.  Keep in mind this was only a week or so before the race so there wasn't a whole lot of time for training.  And let me also remind you that my kids haven't been in a big pool sense August of last year, and I don't recall they've ever swam laps in an Olympic size pool.  So sum our preparation up to going for a couple of 1 mile runs through our neighborhood.

Saturday morning, excitement running through our house, we loaded their bikes with all the other needed gear for the race and headed to the starting point.  Benjamin and Catherine got registered and "numbered" on their arms and legs, we got their bikes ready and then headed down to the pool where the first leg of the race would take place.  As we approached the pool and I took one good look at it, I began doubting either of them would even make it from one end to the other.  Of course I never let them know I had an inkling of uncertainty but continued encouraging both of them.

Catherine was the first to swim... one length of the pool, followed by a 1 mile bike ride and a 1 mile run.  She really surprised me.  Her swimming wasn't perfect in form, but she kept herself moving until she made it to the other end.  She pulled herself out of the pool and took off running to where her bike was stationed.  I was allowed to assist her with getting her shoes and bike helmet on.  As we were getting her settled to get on her bike, and I was telling her what an awesome job she did swimming, she looked up at me and said it was so hard, she didn't even feel like she could breathe.  But she jumped up on her bike and off she went....

So I took off back to the pool to watch Benjamin finish up his swim, and when I got there, I was taken a little off guard.  I finally put my eyes on him to realize he was the very last one in the pool, and he was struggling.  Every ounce of my being wanted to jump in there and rescue him, but something deep inside me just believed in him and kept cheering for him.  He had to swim 2 lengths of the pool, and it was clearly almost more than he could handle.  But he made it.  After a little help getting up out of the pool, he took off for his bike.  When he ran by me, I gave him 5 and reminded him he could do it.  The only response I got... "That was terrible!" in reference to his swim.  As worn out as he was, he got himself ready for the bike ride which was 2 miles long... and he took off like a dart.  He knew he needed to make up some time to stay in the race.

Soon after, we got to cheer for Catherine as she came in with her bike.  She was walking it, but she didn't stop.  She even had a little grin on her face.  As soon as she parked her bike, she sprinted off for the last leg of her race, a 1 mile run.  She looked so natural as she ran off from us.  In fact, Brian looked at me and said, "She looks like a runner."

Next in was Benjamin, jogging his bike in for the last little bit.  Brian and I were cheering like crazy, for him and all the other kids.  He quickly put his bike aside then took off for his run, also 1 mile.  

Catherine was the first to cross the finish line, as her swim and bike ride where shorter than Benjamin's.  Her time for the whole race was 21.09 minutes.  A few minutes later, Benjamin came in for his finish.  He had slowed down on the last little leg until he realized another racer was coming up behind him, then he took off to get over the finish line first.  His time for the whole race was 27.9 minutes.  My heart still wells up with pride every time I think about their accomplishment... that they finished the race... didn't quit because it was tough and they weren't in the lead... but they finished because it was what they set out to do.  I'm one proud Mama with a proud Daddy right beside me.  Way to go Benjamin and Catherine!  Y'all were AWESOME!!!