The Snowy Day {2018}

We definitely don't get snow very often here in South Georgia.  The last time this area got a good snowfall was in 1989 so this was a "30 year snow."  Our boys were very happy since they had been told not to expect to ever see snow here.  We did "take credit" for bringing snow here with us from up north since it arrived our first winter here.  We are very good luck when it comes to snow! Here is a special story of our snow day:  

[the words of this story are from the famous children's classic, The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats]

One winter morning, [Grayson] woke up and looked out the window.  Snow had fallen during the night.  It covered everything as far as he could see. 

After breakfast, he put on his snowsuit and ran outside.  The snow was piled up very high along the street to make a path for walking. 

Well, we only got about an inch, but it was still pretty. 

The house looked pretty in the snow with the Christmas decorations still up.  We almost got a Christmas snow...just one week late. 

These boys were all dressed for a day in the snow. 

It wasn't technically his first snow, but it was more epic. 

Always more fun to share it with brothers. 

Crunch, crunch, crunch, his feet sank into the snow.  He walked with his toes pointing out, like this. He walked with his toes pointing in, like that.  Then he dragged his feet s-l-o-w-l-y to make tracks.  

And he found something sticking out of the snow that made a new track.  It was a stick.  

Or some icicles.

Brody liked collecting icicles.  The creek that separates our backyard from the woods was almost completely frozen.

Yep, making tracks in his BMW. 

 --a stick that was just right for smacking a snow covered tree.

And with his shovel.  Grayson just enjoyed sitting on his snow covered trampoline.

Palm trees and moss draped trees and flowers covered with snow and icicles. 

And poor little trees that succumbed to the heavy ice. 

Down fell the snow - plop!  on top of [Grayson's] head. 

Big brother Evan caused the plopping.

Mommy and her snow baby. 

Our family loves the snow!  

He thought it would be fun to join the big boys in their snowball fight, but he knew he wasn't old enough -- not yet. 

Snowball fight! 

So he made a smiling snowman, 

Our very tiny little snowman with Mr. Potatohead parts. 

and he made angels.  

Evan made his perfect snow angel.  

And just enjoyed rolling around on the snow. 

I attempted to make a snow angel but needed help getting up.  Haha! 

He pretended he was a mountain-climber.  He climbed up a great big tall heaping mountain of snow -- 

and slid all the way down.  

Evan slid down the snow covered slide.  

And Grayson used the sled.

Beautiful sledding baby. 

He picked up a handful of snow -- and another, and still another.  He packed it round and firm and put the snowball in his pocket for tomorrow.  

Brody just wanted to eat it.

Then he went into his warm house.  

We enjoyed our snowcream inside our warm house.  I did manage to fill up a couple of large bowls with the clean snow from on top of Eddie's car and the playhouse since there was a nice layer of ice between the snow and the surfaces. 

He told his mother all about his adventures while she took off his wet socks.  

And he thought and thought and thought about them.  Before he got into bed, he looked in his pocket.  His pocket was empty.  The snowball wasn't there.  He felt very sad.  While he slept, he dreamed that the sun had melted all the snow away.  

The bright sun was beginning to do the job of melting. 

Sadly our tale did not quite end like this:  

But when he woke up his dream was gone.  

The snow was still everywhere.  

New snow was falling! 

Celebrating Eddie's 40th!

The beginning of our year always starts with celebrations, and I love it!  First, we celebrate the New Year and then we celebrate our favorite dad/husband's birthday.  This year was definitely a big birthday, and I really wanted it to be special for him.  Having a birthday so close to Christmas and in the middle of winter is not always easy.  I wished we could have gotten away and gone somewhere special for his big day, but we were glad to have some family visiting to share the celebration.  We celebrated first on New Year's Day with Eddie's family before they had to go home.  I picked up a yummy Dairy Queen ice cream cake for him.  Later, on Eddie's actual birthday, he requested doughnuts so he had a doughnut cake.  We all just love this man so much and hope he knows how special and important he is! 

The handsome birthday boy. 

He had some special helpers blowing out his candles. Cousin Grady took Mattox's place. 

Making his wish. 

I think it came true. 

I hope this family makes the last 40 years worth it. 

Best Daddy in the world!

A yummy doughnut cake and a new smart watch for tracking his fitness.  He has been doing well keeping up his exercise routine since getting this present.  I think it is excellent motivation. 

Yay for 40! 

I just love "blurry Evan" cheering for Daddy blowing out his candles.  

40 Pics for 40 Years {1978 - 2018}

Wow!  My husband is 40!  A few years ago that really seemed OLD.  Haha!  Now...not so much.  But I am really honored to be this man's wife.  He has accomplished so much in pursuing his dreams with honesty, integrity, loyalty to his family and friends, and a whole lot of humor and fun.  We all just adore this man and are so very thankful for him.  In honor of the last 40 wonderful years, here are 40 pictures to summarize Eddie's life and legacy:

1.  He made his grand entrance into the world on January 7, 1978.  Wasn't he adorable?

2.  Right from the start, he was breaking hearts with that adorable smile!

3.  And he was also pretty cute naked.  Haha!

4.  And he grew into an adorable toddler.

5.  He became the cutest cowboy until his own little boy stole his title.

6. Occasionally, he did look a little like a "Problem Child," but he was always a sweetheart.

7.  He was always a sports enthusiast, but he later decided he would rather watch than play.  Football is more his jive though.

8.  He also aspired to serve in the military and enjoyed his time as an ROTC officer, but he found his calling as a forester so the rest is history. 

9.  He was an adept hunter from a young age and just enjoyed being in the woods with his best buddy, Lewis, and his dogs.

10.  Always a smarty pants, he graduated with honors from high school in 1996.

11.  He loved his big family and especially his Grandmother Mattie who passed away shortly after this picture was taken.

12.  He was an aspiring world traveler and began his journey in college with a trip to London with his best buddies, Titus and Josh.

13.  Seeing Big Ben was a dream come true.

14.  Eddie and his pal Titus hung out on London Bridge overlooking the Tower Bridge.

15.  After what seemed like forever, he finally fell in love in 2000.

16.  Sealed with a kiss.  He was the best boyfriend ever.

17.  After much hardwork, he graduated from his favorite alma mater, NC State University, to pursue his career as a forester.

18.  He began his career as a forester with the NC Forest Service where he fought wildfires in the state and all over the country as well as promoting responsible forest management practices. He received numerous awards during his tenure with the NC Forest Service for Stewardship Forestry because he wrote so many forest management plans and planted so many acres of trees.

19.  He never missed an opportunity to have fun!

20.  Yep, he "put a ring on it."  Haha!  In 2002, he popped the question, and of course, she  said Yes!  It really was the sweetest proposal when he gave her a special Valentine's present of a charm for her charm bracelet with her "new" monogram on the front and "Will you marry me?" on the back.

21.  We said "I do" and began our happily ever after in June 2003.

22.  We continued our traveling aspirations with a honeymoon in Maui, Hawaii.

23.  And we made our first trip to the Big Apple in a very cold January to see a Broadway show and take in the sights.

24.  We celebrated our first year of marriage in our first little house together.

25.  We decided to become responsible adults and buy our first little house together in 2005.

26.  In 2007, we began the journey of parenthood.

27.  First, our precious son Evan was born.

28.  What a fun Daddy!

29.   Eddie could not be happier to have another little sports enthusiast.  Evan was a ball lover from the earliest age.

30.  He wanted to continue his travels with his young son, so he took him to visit the Giant Sequoias and Redwoods in California among many other adventures.  We still remember not quite 3 year old Evan's sweet request for "shoulder time, Daddy" when he was tired of walking in the snow in Yosemite.

31.  We became a family of four in 2011 when our little Brody joined the family.

32.   We attended a fancy masquerade ball in 2012 for Sherry's law school formal.

33.  And we took our two young children to Disney World for the first time.

34.  With much support and love, he encouraged his wife to pursue and graduate from law school in 2013.

35.  We celebrated our 10 year anniversary in June 2013 with the pending arrival of our precious daughter Mattie.  Eddie was so excited to meet his little princess.

36.  We met our little angel on June 30, 2013, but she got her wings to fly to heaven.

37.  After a hard couple of years, we joyfully welcomed our beautiful third son, Mattox, into our family in 2015.

38.  And we were doubly blessed with a second surprise rainbow in late 2016 when our precious Grayson arrived.

39.  The Happily Ever After is just beginning, and we cannot wait to see what the next 40 years will bring!

40.  Happy Birthday to my dearest love!   May all your dreams come true!