Eight Years Later

Scott & I have been married 8 years today. Some days it seems like longer and others I wonder how time can pass so quickly. When we were in Charleston for the Azalea Festival a few weeks ago, my Dad, Jackie and I went to get barbeque at Shemwell's in Cairo for the after-race party. We took a scenic drive and ended up at the Riverlore Mansion, the site of our wedding reception. The house and gardens are still magnificent, although they have not allowed a wedding reception to take place there since April 28, 2001. True, true. So much history in this house and I'm glad it is part of our story. Here's to another 8 years!

Spirits

Don't you wish you could bottle sunshine?? Sun is sure good for the spirits. Sun makes me feel like I can do anything and we all get along a lot better when the sun in shining...maybe that's because we all don't have to be in the house at the same time...mmmm...?

We started off our weekend with a trip to the park with the Griggs. Nate has been asking to go here since the weather started getting nicer, so I was glad to make good on that deal.

Playing with Charlie on the disc swings - I love Nate's determined look!

I got a smile, I can't believe it.

On Friday afternoon, Nate and I drug out the pool and hosed it off. Despite our amazing cleaning skills, its looking like a new pool from Wal-Mart is in our future. After swimming and sunning for a bit, Nate asked if he could have a popsicle. Unfortunately, we did not have any in the freezer, but fortunately, Shop-N-Save is within walking distance. So we packed up in the stroller and headed to the store. Popsicles for Nate, Chardonnay for Mom. Sweet.

Nate & Scott planted flowers and worked on the garden just about all day yesterday. Pictures to come soon. They trekked to the zoo and Forest Park for Earth Day today and left me 3 blissful hours to clean...the sun really does bring out the best in me. Heck, I can't lie, I love me some cleaning, especially when I can do it while alone in the house. There is just something about Lifetime TV and mopping the floor. Yes, I'm weird.

Favorite frog at the zoo - won't it be fun to put all the pictures we have taken here in a collage one day when he is older.

Before they left, I asked him what animal he wanted to see first. He replied, "The smelly, dirty penguins, Mom." He knows that I refuse to go in the penguin house so he only gets to visit when Scott is along.

Best Friend

My heart melts when Nate says "I just love you, Mom" but today on the way home from school he said "You know what Mom? You are my best friend." I think I had a tear in my eye! I told him I was very lucky to be his mom and during the tumultuous age 3, I cherish the days when we are each other's "best" friends.

Today at the park - beautiful spring day in St. Louis and the promise for above 80 temperatures this weekend. Zoo and Grant's Farm here we come!

Dogwood Azalea Festival 2009

WOW...what an amazing weekend! Full of surprises! Mimi & Grandpa were planning to make the trip to Charleston to meet up with us for the Azalea Festival...but on Thursday, we got a call from Amanda saying they were coming too! I can't put into words how excited I was to get to see my too cute for words nephew Noah and his new baby brother, Gavin. It was a great family weekend and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Here is Noah playing outside. I happen to love his hair! :)


The newest Odom...Gavin Nicholas. He is a cutie!

I love this picture of Sarah and Nate - he is actually smiling, which is not the case in most pictures these days! Sarah can actually get Nate to do things that are hard to tackle if I ask him. Have I said lately how much I LOVE when she is around!

Couldn't get enough pictures of baby Gavin!

I love this picture of Nate and Noah before the parade on Saturday. Mimi, Gavin and Amanda are innocent bystanders - sorry!

Waiting for the parade to start - the only time of the year when getting in the street is okay. Very hard lesson to teach!

Nate and Debbie...although Nate loves parades, he is always a little timid with the loud noises.

My good friend Jackie drove all the way from Jeff City to attend the parade and run the 5K on Sunday. I really appreciated her coming to support the race and it was GREAT to see her and spend some quality time catching up. Thanks again Jackie for making the trip!

This is a keeper! Nate caught a toad on Saturday night. He was so funny when it jumped out of his hand and he had to re-catch it. Love it!

Gavin's smile! Nate loved to try to make him smile.

The cousins - I love Nate's proud and protective arm over Noah. They really do enjoy each other's company and it makes me happy to hear Nate call them his cousins.

Jackie and I on Sunday before the race. It rained all Saturday night and Sunday morning - we thought the race was doomed. But by race time, it was a sunny 75 degree day! We really lucked out.

Because of my duties at the registration desk for the race, I was not able to get any pictures of Nate & Noah running the toddler race. It was so cute! Nate tried very hard (yet tripped and fell at the end - it was like slow-mo mom cam watching it!) and finished the race with no cuts or scrapes. I will have to get pictures from Mary & Amanda.

All the other runners - Scott, Wayne, Hamil, Jackie & Kevin - did well and it was a successful 31st annual Dogwood Azalea Race!

Easter 2009

Easter weekend was fabulous this year...it could've been a little warmer, but it wasn't in the 20s or 30s, so we aren't complaining!

Nate dyeing Easter eggs on Saturday morning. We had multi-color eggs because he wanted to use one spoon in all the colors. Oh well, they were truly a Nate creation, so that makes them special. Scott loves hard-boiled eggs and we are having a hard time getting Nate to give them up. I tried to explain that our fridge would smell really bad if we kept them for too long, but that didn't seem to bother him...of course not.

Scott & Nate went to the park to soak up some of the spring sun. The park reminds us that Nate is so big and independent.

Walking up the slide...a big no-no when I am around...forgot to clue my co-parent in on that rule as you can see.

Sarah was nice enough to watch Nate on Saturday afternoon so that Scott & I could go to the Cardinals game. We had a great time - the Cardinals won big and Albert Pujols hit a grand slam. St. Louis does have the best fans! The excitement in the park is contagious!

Nate hunting Easter eggs this morning. We had a practice run last night and he would do the hunt over and over again if you let him. I can see us hunting the plastic eggs for a while.

A short video of Nate hunting eggs...I didn't intend for it to be eventful, but as you can see, it almost was...As I am contemplating the "re-work" of my church outfit due to weather, Nature called Nate.



Nate was not into photography this morning so we have no family shot before church. But I did steal this one which I thought was cute.

Nate's Family Tree

I've been a little on my proud mom soapbox lately, as Nate has been doing so many "big kid" things. Yet another moment struck me today to be proud.

Some may not think this is as interesting as I do, but Nate's class is talking about families this week. As one of the exercises, they asked the children to make family trees out of pretzels. I'm sure they had some explanation of what a family tree was, but how much sense does that make to a 3 year old?

The projects were drying when I got there today, so I got to see how all of the children interpreted this assignment. Most of the children glued pretzels all over the sheet, some of them made lines, etc...but my child made a tree. The only tree in his class. He took the assignment literally and I guess that's not too shabby for a 3 year old.

Maplewood Post Office & Strollers

I used to dread going to the post office. I have memories of long lines and postal employees with pursed lips and blue shirts going through the motions behind the counter. If you don't say or do the right thing at the right moment, they get frustrated. And watch out if you don't have all of your stuff together when you get up to the counter.

Well not at my Maplewood Post Office. In the last few weeks, we have had several ocassions that have taken us to the post office. Since it is only about 7 blocks from our house, Nate and I stroll there with our packages or letters in tow admiring the pretty spring flowers along the way. I think yesterday was our 3rd recent trip. We stroll right into the post office and are greeted by a lovely woman behind the counter. Because we have been there recently, she recognizes us and immediately greets us. Yesterday, we had a discussion about keeping kids in strollers as long as possible. Good point. She is always quick to acknowledge Nate and ask him how he likes his ride. We love going to the post office. Not only is the post office in itself a good experience, but I love that we are able to leave our car parked at home and use our feet to get things done.

Maplewood is truly lovely in the spring. On our way home from the post office, we have made a habit of stopping at the park. This is our 3rd season at the Junior High Park in Maplewood and I remember when Nate could hardly do anything by himself there. Now he is everywhere. Up the stairs, down the slide, up the scary-for-Mom handle bars, down the slide, up the really-scary-for-Mom rock wall, down the slide. He can do it all.

Yesterday, he wanted to push the stroller home instead of riding in it. I remembered the conversation with the post office lady, but gave in anyway. He pushed for about a block and then decided riding and eating his colored Goldfish was better for him. So the moral of the story is for me to keep plenty of colored Goldfish on hand and maybe I can hang on to my stroller baby a little while longer.

Happy Spring!

Sam A. Baker 2009

We went to Sam A. Baker this past weekend. It is my family's 27th trip - we go on the first weekend in April every year. I have only missed 2 trips when I was living in Atlanta and even though I have thought "I am too busy to go away" many times when the weekend arrives - I feel refreshed every time I get back.

Since Sam A. Baker is usually the only trip that I canoe on each year (I just say no to those overnight, on the gravel bar, no shower trips, now that I can), I go all out and canoe with my Dad by choice. We have been partners the last 3 years and it is such a special time for us. We are usually on opposite ends of every argument, but on this day, we appreciate each other, work together and get along famously. I call it our yearly "renewal" and look forward to it. Not to undermine the "specialness" of this day, but I also go with him because I am not a fan of getting wet - that means everything down to my feet. I am the only one who usually gets off the river with dry feet - Thanks Dad!

Because I was having so much fun on Saturday, I got ZERO pictures of Scott & Nate canoeing. But they had a great time and Nate is very much at home in the canoe and on the gravel bar. I am so happy that he can have canoe trip memories as they are what I spent the majority of my childhood doing (even though I didn't really like it most of the time!) It is great to see him have fun and enjoy the outdoors.

Many extended family and friends have joined us througout the years. I am ecstatic that it has become a reunion for my Mizzou girlfriends and their families. This trip would not be the same without them!

Tasha (with baby #3), Robyn and me before canoeing on Saturday. I quickly abandoned the shorts for pants once we got on the river - the wind was brutal!


Another great part of this trip was getting to finally see the property that my parents purchased close to the park. We took a drive all over Brunot Farm on Friday and the views are gorgeous!

There was a community situated in the middle of the property many years ago. There is still an old cemetary there and I had lots of fun looking at all the headstones, trying to make out the names and dates. There are many from the 1800s and the newest one I could find was 1928.

I thought this headstone was so unique. It had fallen apart, but my Dad stacked it back up so that I could get a picture.

This is the view from the highest point on the property.

Looking down one of the unnamed creeks on the farm.

Looking up the same creek...

I think this is Patterson Creek or possibly Crane Pond Creek - they are close together in this spot and the water is so clear.

Dad, Hamil and Joe looking at Big Creek in the distance.

Finally, Crane Pond Creek where it flows into Big Creek. I have seen this spot from the other side (on Big Creek while floating) many times in my life. It was very neat to get to see it from the other side.