weekend fun!

This past weekend was a blast! My parents watched Luke for us Saturday night while Chad and I went downtown to see a movie (Pirates 3---it was great!) and to the Sunset Symphony with some friends. We all sat on a blanket, talked, sipped some wine and enjoyed spending time with friends without our kids! The Memphis Symphony Orchestra played and there was a firework display over the river. Lots of fun!

We also spent a lot of time with my family over the holiday weekend--always nice! Luke had so much fun as he was re-introduced to the pool for the season. He loved playing in the pool last summer and it was a lot easier last summer too. This year, he has absolutely NO fear and was ready to dive in right away. He squirmed in our arms and thought he could just swim away. BUT, he can't, so it was actually a little scary for me. We would try to sit him on the raft in the pool too and he wanted to swim right off.

Luke was really entertained by Chad and his Aunt Mary doing cannonballs off the diving board. They also took turns shaking their wet hair in the water and making Luke giggle. Grandpa went to walk him to the fountain in their pool, and even then Luke headed straight for the diving board! I think we have a future Olympic star in the making!

Luke looking SO cool in his shades!

Notice how Chad and I are trying to pose calmly for the picture while Luke is of course, ready to dive out of our arms into the water. No fear (for Luke--tons for me)!

Enjoying the water with family!

I carried a watermelon

Okay, so you know the movie Dirty Dancing? Remember the scene where Baby offers to carry a watermelon to get up to the dance room with the resort staff? Once she gets there she blurts out "I carried a watermelon" and then asks herself if she really just made that comment. Remember?

Well today, Luke and I were walking out of Kroger and this strapping, young college-aged guy is walking out at the same time. BUT--I was pushing Luke in a cart with 20 bags of groceries and this guy was pushing a cart with 1 watermelon and that was it. I thought. . .really? Is this guy pushing a grocery cart with a watermelon instead of just carrying it to his car? I thought, maybe he should be saying "I carried a watermelon" instead of I pushed one in a grocery cart. But who knows, maybe he had a broken leg. Oh wait, nope, he walked out on both legs, not crutches! Okay, I'll stop giving him a hard time. Seriously, it just made me laugh when the Dirty Dancing scene came to mind. Do you know how long ago that movie came out? You don't want to. It'll make you feel old!

World Famous Memphis BBQ Contest!

** Quick note--I have changed a setting on our blog that now allows you to comment on our blog even if you are not a member! Just found out I could do that. Who knew?

Every year in May, Memphis holds an International Festival (appropriately named Memphis in May) honoring a different country each year. Key events such as the Beale Street Musical Festival (Corinne Bailey Rae, Daughtry, Counting Crows and more all played this year), the Sunset Symphony and World Famous BBQ Fest bring in thousands of people from all over the world to celebrate down on the river.

So, for the second weekend in a row, we headed downtown for BBQ fest! For those of you who have visited us in Memphis, there is no way we let you leave the city without trying some Memphis BBQ. For those of you who haven't yet been here, you haven't really had BBQ, until you have had Memphis BBQ. Okay, moving on.

We had a great time walking down on the river through the hundreds of booths that people across the world set up to see if their version of BBQ was the best. There are all kinds of contests, from best sauce to best booth, to best ribs, to best costumes (people dress up as pigs believe it or not). We enjoyed people watching and Luke had a blast at the booth across from us, where he spent most of his time kissing the wooden pigs! His favorite thing to do is give kisses (he kisses with his nose--it's precious) and hugs these days. Anyway, as I took him for a walk (or rather, he took me), a CNN reporter stopped me and asked me if he could take a picture of Luke. Of course, I said yes and we took him back to get a picture of Luke kissing the pigs!

Luke and Daddy playing at the BBQ fest!

"I really wish I could reach that pig, so I could give it a kiss!"

"Aha! This one is more on my level!"

Lucky Mommy gets a kiss too!

Seriously???

1. Seriously. . .I can't believe that Melinda was voted off (although I've been a Jordin and Blake fan for a while now)! If you don't know what I'm talking about, then nevermind.

2. Seriously. . .I paid $60.52 to fill up my gas tank yesterday! Not cool.

3. Seriously. . .I'm thinking about giving up Coke. No, not for Lent (that's come and gone for this year). My sister has been on this "Coke is going to kill us all" kick and I'm wondering if I actually have the willpower to quit. . .It makes me so happy though. . .pizza, popcorn, ice cream---some of my favorites, but without Coke?? Nah, maybe I won't.

4. Seriously. . .The Grey's Anatomy finale. . .I'm sure my family isn't caught up (DVR's are lifesavers), so I won't spoil anything, but SERIOUSLY???

a sweet Mother's Day!

Mother's Day was really special this year--as I'm sure it always will be. Last year was my first Mother's Day, so it had special meaning and this year my little boy can actually say Mama (as you all know by now!), so it was sweet! Chad made me breakfast (pancakes and bacon-yum) and we headed off to church. We met our friends Kevin and Dana and their little kids, Parker and Coley for lunch. We really enjoyed visiting with them! Then later that afternoon we headed over to my family's house to celebrate with my mom. We watched golf, played with Luke and enjoyed the delicious meal my dad and sister cooked for us. It was a wonderful Mother's Day! I am so blessed that God has given us little Luke! He's such a treasure!

Luke and Mommy on Mother's Day!

My mom and me celebrating Mother's Day!

Harbor Town fun!

Yesterday, after Chad got off work, we decided to head downtown to walk along the river (Memphis is located on the mighty Mississippi --in case you aren't familiar with TN's geography). It was a beautiful afternoon, not too hot like it had been earlier this week. I packed a dinner for Luke, since we were approaching dinner time and we headed for Harbor Town.

Harbor Town is an adorable upscale neighborhood located on a little island right on the river. There is a greenbelt--walking/jogging path that runs right beside the river, so everyone who lives in the neigborhood can exercise outdoors---it's fabulous!! They also have a grocery store, pizza place (how exciting), a private Montessori grade school, a language immersion childcare center and much more. It's like a resort right in the city of Memphis! We kept asking ourselves why we don't live there??

Anyway, we had a great time. Luke loved the open areas to run around in, he learned what a river was in Spanish, and had a yummy picnic! It was such a fun Friday night!

Luke posing with the Memphis bridge in the background!

Luke and Mommy looking down the river.

Luke had fun running along the hill. These are a sample of the houses on Harbor Town.

Daddy had to bring Luke back down the hill!

A barge heading down the Mississippi River.

bumps and bruises

People always warned me that once Luke started walking, running and was on the move that he would have tons of falls. They were right! In just the past 3 days, Luke has bitten a hole in his tongue (poor little man couldn't eat or sleep he was in so much pain this weekend), split his lip open and banged his head so hard that he had a big purple goose egg right away! That's all on top of the many bruises that run up and down his legs from playing so hard at life!

Fortunately, I am getting better at masking my face of horror that automatically leads to Luke crying when he sees it. It's true that if little ones see you wince in pain, they suddenly realize it hurts! Now, we try and give a quick comfort and tell him to brush it off. He then puts his hands together and proceeds to brush them off and is typically back to normal (of course depending on the fall). He's such a champ!

My sister is a college graduate!!

I am so excited for Mary! She finally graduated and now has a degree in Advertising from the Univ. of Memphis' School of Communications and Fine Arts! WAY TO GO BIFFER!!! Now she's just waiting to hear back from a couple of companies to see if she will land her first job post college! Looks like perhaps we will get lucky and she'll stay around Memphis for a couple of years. Selfishly, I'm thrilled, but we all want her to be happy! Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." I think this verse is so appropriate for Mary right now, but really for all of us as we think about our future with kids, jobs, moving, etc.

Anyway, Mary's graduation was Saturday morning and Luke went to spend some time with his buddies Parker and Coley. Luke helped Parker and his parents plant flowers and they both got really muddy! I'm sure Luke had a blast! Then after graduation, my parents had a big party for Mary back at their house. Since it was also Cinco de Mayo, there was yummy Mexican food, margaritas and other delicious treats. It was a lot of fun to spend time with friends and family all while celebrating with Mary!

My sister and me on her graduation day!!

Aunt Mary and Luke having fun!

There she is! Do you see her? She's the one that's blurry with a black cap and gown on!!

Camp Grandparents (and Aunt too!)

Well, Luke and I survived the past few days of Chad being out of town--with many thanks to my parents and sister! We were both thoroughly entertained! It was wonderful staying over with them. Luke had a nice change of pace and got SOOO much attention! Aunt Mary had Luke performing his "tricks", Mimi entertained him with the power washer, and Grandpa fed Luke waffles with syrup which he ate right up! I even got Chinese food last night (Chad doesn't like Chinese food--so I rarely eat it) and had a partner to sing Bon Jovi with while watching American Idol! It was amazing! I wish I had pictures from our "camp" experience, but shockingly I forgot my camera!

So, now we've left Camp Grandparents and are eagerly awaiting Chad's arrival! While we had lots of fun the past few days, we miss our hubby and Daddy!!

***PS--our new little nephew finally has a name. . .James! He and Kristen are exhausted, but healthy! Praise God!