"scooter" is one

today is olivia's birthday (i call her scooter now that she walks). she is one year old. frankie was here and nick and liz came down. we had barbaque and homemade "chunky monkey" ice cream. olivia is such a sweet baby.
happy birthday scooter!!
happy birthday to you too duncan!!

the "official" zoo!

okay, i am playing catch-up. on labor day we went to the "official" zoo here in asheboro (we have to reassure ourselves that there are animals wilder than our children). when you turn onto the street that leads to the zoo there is a pack of elephants (a metal sculpture). we stopped to let the kids play on them. they were apprehensive at first. madelaine was worried that the elephants would come to life (you may remember the blood sucking mammoth mosquitoes, dragonflies). they finally warmed up to them, our kids are so paranoid. they had a blast playing on them. when we got back into the car to actually go to the zoo, maizie and i decided, okay we can go home now.

if everyone else is doing it. why can we.

i have enjoyed seeing all the nieces and nephews on their first days of school. maizie took the pictures of harrison and madelaine but i just haven't posted them. so if i am not too late. here are madelaine (3rd grade) and harrison (1st grade) on there first day of school.


look out!aaaahhh!

from under the shade of the tall southern pines

maizie and i are finally back home. we moved back to charlotte in mid august. we really enjoyed utah and find we miss it a lot. we had planned to sell our house here while we were in utah but that did not work out (its the economy, stupid!). we are really glad to be back in north carolina, we love our house and love being in it. by chance i got in contact with a classmate from school and through her found a great job in salisbury, nc. we are very blessed. so, from now on, our blog will be coming to you from under the shade of the tall southern pines.