Yates Lovin

Again We Love, LOVE these people.

Just can't wait until they move to the mountains!

Favorite Shot of the Weekend:

Gabe and Kensley investigating a Friendly Toad.

Down by the lake

Gabe and Kensley watching the airplane go by.

Gabe and Kensley and a mid day twirl

Kensley thinking Mommy is so silly


Gabe's attack on Love


So not the best picture of us in the least, sorry Jewels, Gabe captured this shot
sadly it's the only photo we took. Where was the camera during drunken Melbourn??

Beautiful Baby Ella Bella

(who know you had two kids already?)

Strawberry Patch!

We love family traditions and this was a great one to start. Traveling to Raleigh to visit true and dear friends we only wish we could see more often. It's great to see our children grow and play together and to share experience they will not forget and look forward to every year. The spring is our annual strawberry picking followed by homemade ice-cream making. In the fall when we visited, our Apple Orchard day is always tasty too.

How Many Can One Boy Hold??
Andy wasn't really very selective, he would just take them ALL from one plant. Ripeness not much of a priority.

Cute Little Kensley!

Who has red tongues?? Gabe wins!!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE 'EM

When was Easter???

We got to dye eggs with our cousins this year....a bit stressful to attempt with so many kiddos, but if you don't mind some cracked ones it's not so bad.

Gabe very proud of the painted egg...note the dyed fingers a direct result from reaching into the cup containing the egg without using the package provided metal gripping ring thingy.

The more aggressive egg hunter

My delicate egg hunter

Once this kid gets a large piece of chocolate, there is no turning back or removing from the grip....see Christmas post.

To Play T-Ball...

Or not to play, that is the Question.

What to do when a kid BEGS to play a sport they have never seen and therefore don't understand. We decided to let Gabe try his hand a T-Ball this year. Although it has changed a lot since we were kids, the simple fact that it is coach pitch now, some things never change. We had a game last night for example, where I kid you not, a parent challenged the umpire's call on two separate outs! IT'S T-BALL people! Despite the two hour long practice's that started in March were Gabe would sit on his glove and say "I want to play soccer now, HE is really LOVING the games. I am still not sure why we had sooo many practices for only a 9 game season. But I am glad he is enjoying himself now.

Gabe before the first big Game.

Ready to run home, sadly the other team made the third out ending the game, before Gabe could score.

Practice Swings!

Andy needs GLASSES!

Well, at least He thinks he does!

Maybe one of my favorite stories from the past couple of weeks, but Andy insists on wearing the green and yes sometimes the yellow pair of Mr. Potato Head glasses. He pretty much wears them all the time. Last Saturday he wore them to O'Charley's and kept them on through dinner and the Lowe's trip that followed. So who knows but I hope this lasts awhile...well I could do without the crying at bed time when they have to sit on the bed side table. Most nights when I go to check on them he has gotten up and retrieved them as they are clutched in his hands while he sleeps!

The bad news that comes with turning 5

Going to Kindergarten also means getting your 5 year Booster SHOTS!

Gabe was brave. He didn't cry although you could see the pain and stress in his face. The big thumbs down was after I asked him if he wanted any more since his first reply was, "they didn't even hurt." I believe this line was spoken ONLY because I told him that was Emily's reaction to her shots. So thank you Griffin family for the fearless, painless visit.

Assume the position of hands tightly grasped so the shots hurt less, I guess? This is a reenactment of the hand griping action. During the actual shots he chose to just watch and wait for the pain.
Unknowingly Heather and had booked appointments 30 minutes apart...so yes even the shots got to be a shared cousin experience. Gabe and Alex both seem unharmed after the event. My favorite was right when Alex ran through the door, Gabe started pulling down his pants (to expose the upper thigh) and said,"Hey Alex, where did they give you yours?"

THE REWARD!!!

Gabe got to pick either, go to the toy box (a toy store in N. Ashe. with rare finds) to pick out a something small or go jumping at the mall...something only done on true special occasions. The the choice was obvious to Gabe. Now after running into Alex who had similar plans of heading to Build-A-Bear, I thought he might change his mind. But, even with B-A-B right beside the jumping in the mall, Gabe waved bye to Alex and ran on down to jump!

Andy took part in his first jump too! We have tried before and failed, but today he did it! Now the excitement on his face faded to a dull look which he kept through out the jumping...he was not wanting to wear the gear needed. And the stranger who had to touch him to put it on, worried him so. But he made it without crying so I say success!

Happy 5th Birthday!

Ships Ahoy! Pirate Gabe is 5 today!

Gabe loved my poor attempt at his choice of a pirate themed cake.

He would come into the kitchen and look at it often he would say,

"I just LOVE to come up and look at it."

Alex found the X that marked the spot of where the Pirates came and buried treasure around the house. We had a great map and clues made by a (Papa) Pirate. The boys had so much fun!