Soccer Season

This year, for the first time, we signed Jake up to play soccer. He had a good time running around with his teammates and I had a good time chasing Reid all over the fields!

Playing Center (or any other position) for the "Black Widows",

number 1, Jaaaaaaake Vine-Yard!

Coach Morgan giving Jake a pregame pep-talk.

Jake has cheering for the team down pat.


We had wonderful coaches that really knew their stuff. Coach Nick Morgan had played in college and Semi Pro. Here is Coach Cade giving final instruction before the game.

Jake throwing in.

Good game....good game

That's my baby!

Jake, Charlie, and John Quitman

When Reid was where he was supposed to be, you would find him throwing dirt on himself and any child around him. This was where all the siblings would congregate during games. Though sometimes, when I would dare watch the game, I would turn back to check on Reid and he would be gone! Keeping tabs on him and watching Jake's games was a challenge all season.

Kick that ball..

Reidy and Ellen

Quick story about Reid and what happens when you take your eyes off of him for two seconds. While I was watching Jake, Reid somehow got into an old Papa John's pizza box and found an unused tub of garlic butter (why someone would order Papa John's and not use their garlic butter is beyond my understanding). Not only did he bust it open on his shirt, but he then started eating it off his shirt!

Here he is, realizing it is all over him, that it smells, and that now he is wet.

He's checking it out and at some point in his mind he decides to taste it.

He decides that he likes it (who wouldn't..it's the whole reason to order Papa John's-always has been) and now he realizes we are on to him! Yes Reid---we see you licking garlic sauce off your shirt! Your Daddy will be horrified by both of us. By Reid actually doing it and by me thinking it's funny enough to not stop him and take pictures of him doing it!

Jake says..."Watch me do my thang, ladies!"

Good game....good game!

The "Black Widows"

Coach Cade, Jake and Coach Morgan

Goooooo Black Widows!!!

And in the end, it's all about getting the trophy. This one even had Jake's name on it! Good job Jake, we're proud of you!! Next up, Baseball season!

Fort Morgan with the Morgans

This Spring Break we had the wonderful pleasure of being invited to our dear friend's, The Morgans, beach house. It was one of the most relaxing trips I have had in a long time! I don't think I ever applied my make-up. Now that's what I call a vacation!!

Jake-taking it easy.

Reidy was ready to go catch something!

Look at Miss Ellen's Tutu Bathing suit. It was "Tutu" cute!!

Poor Ellen, always the only girl!

The weather was perfect!! Though, for me, the water was still too cold. Didn't seem to bother Reid.

John Quitman was on a mission to build him a sandcastle!

Jake looking for Jelly fish. They did eventually catch one!

Reid and Ellen stuck pretty close to one another throughout the trip.

(Building a foundation for their inevitable marriage!)

This was dinner on the second night!! Oh my it was fabulous!! You know you're jealous! And look at that shell bowl!! I must find one for myself!

Salad and bread.

And yes, Laura and I attacked that French Loaf much like those children did in Jake's class. If you look just a bit beyond the bowl of salad, you can see the stick of butter we sopped up with the bread!!

The next day the Carters were in town and we all went "Crabbing". Here are Buddy and Reid casting their turkey necks hoping to reel in a crab.

Jake and Ellen looking out for Alligators!

Since no crabs were biting, we moved on to searching for Hermit Crabs.

Reidy just wanted to dig around and get dirty.

All our babies together! It was so very good to see the Carters and to have all the children together-even if it was only for a short time. Jake and Reid sure do miss having Bo and Buddy around!!

Why bother to get dressed! The boys would head out to the beach in their pajamas.

When the boys and Ellen weren't on the beach-they were inside playing with their Leapsters. (Ellen's was pink!!)

Our "Farewell Feast"!

On the last night we decided to fire up the Green Egg and grill us some fish. Well, we learned that from now on, if we plan to grill out at night, we will fire up the "Egg" in the morning! But it was well worth the wait. And just so you know, we consumed another stick of butter on our French Loaf that night, too.

On the way home that Thursday, we took the ferry from Fort Morgan over to Dolphin Island.

I wish I could tell you what Ellen was saying. I am sure it was good!

My boys!

Once we got over to Dolphin Island, we visited the Estuarium otherwise known as the Dolphin Island Sea Lab. Very neat museum with lots of sea creatures indigenous to the Gulf Coast.

Ellen and Reid and a baby Alligator.

This lady had a soft shell crab. We all touched it!

The next Jacque Cousteau, perhaps?!

You just gotta love Jake!

Leaving the Sea Lab and heading home from a wonderful and much needed vacation! I will never be able to thank Laura enough for opening up her beach house to us. It was one of the best times the boys and I have had and I know we will always remember this trip!! Thank you, thank you, thank you, sweet Laura!!

Just so you know, once we left here we went to Steak and Shake where I had the "Wisconsin Butter Burger"!!! It was no Shrimp Boil or Mahi Mahi, but it was delicious just the same!!