Olivemylove

George Banyan McClure

2010-02-08T19:36:00.000-08:00

Meet our son!

This was the last day in the Ante-partem wing of Sarasota Memorial...

...and our first day with George!

His first visitors included...

Grandmothe r

Ta-Ta

Grandmommy

The Crouses

What's sweeter than George?

George with a cherry on top!

One of our first days at home as a family...finally.

Getting rid of Mr. Biliruben!

little party girl

2009-10-10T14:12:00.000-07:00

Hazel recently attended two of her first birthdays as a guest!

They were each very different...Molly's was an all girl extravaganza!

Tea party, complete with finger sandwiches, fruit, and tea in little cups that the girls took home with them. (no photos of this yet)

The second, Blake's, was a bit different. His parents had gotten a fire truck party at a charity auction. The crew of firefighters came with their fire truck, little uniforms for the kids to try on, and did all of the grilling for the guests! It was such a great, simple party and little Blake loved wearing the little uniform so much that he had to be coaxed out of it for fear he would pass out from the heat!

Hazel was a little overwhelmed by it all and wasn't too thrilled when I tried putting the gear on her!

grubby little knees & toes!

I can't wait to look back on this photo 20 years from now and see what types of people each of these little ones grow up to be!

The Tropics are Depressed

2009-08-16T20:39:00.001-07:00

This was the view we were greeted with this morning...

Note the 2 rivers divided by a seawall...

Apparently there was a tropical depression forming off our coast which caused a little bit of water to make its way towards our house.

We're pretty fortunate that our driveway is on a side street...our neighbors are not so fortunate.

This tends to happen pretty regularly on this street, something we knew before moving, but this morning was particularly severe.

Hazel was unfazed and made a b-line for the street/river. I think she would dive right in if allowed!

The Old Digs

2009-08-16T19:53:00.000-07:00

We moved into a great new place a couple of weeks ago.

All went well with the move itself...although Jack's answer to my question, "Should we keep the boxes for the next move?" was an emphatic, "We are never moving again.".

We are still hunting for things and digging through boxes, but we are slowly settling in and enjoying the change of scenery...a full 6 blocks from our old house.

I was a little sad to leave our old house. It was where Jack and I first moved after we got married, where we brought Hazel home that first day (almost the sight of her birth!), where sweet little Olive spent her last days, and the site of so many great gatherings with family and friends. Although, the new place is prime for creating many more of these great memories...and the windows open!

I was planning on posting photos of the new place, but after thinking about the old house I thought I'd show an assortment from the past...

Olive guarding the door.

Daddy hanging curtains for baby Hazel's arrival. (although at this point we didn't know she was a she!)

The room was freshly painted by Tata!

Olive in her more mobile days.

Halloween!

Punkin' carving party.

Christmas 'round the tree & train with Jeff...friend & neighbor.

Christmas with the McClures...and a Jemmoua!

Photos to come of the new place...

One

2009-07-24T18:31:00.000-07:00

I can't believe this little peanut is now one...

I can't remember where I saw it, but at some point I came across a series of photos that a woman had taken of her daughter. The mother would take a photograph of her daughter first thing each birthday morning. It was such a hilarious series (especially the teen years), so this is the first of Hazel's. I cheated a bit...this is actually after her morning nap...

I think she knows there are cupcakes upstairs!

Grand-daddy Niel, Grand-mommy Linda, Grandmother, Cousin Warren, Tata, Great-grandmommy Ruth, Jack, and the birthday girl.

I had my doubts that Hazel would keep her crown on for any length of time. She will usually rip off anything placed on her head that can't be secured under her chin. Thankfully I was proven wrong, she kept the sucker on for the entire party!

Quintessential frosting on face shot.

She was actually quite the little lady when eating her cupcake (her first!). Daddy had to coax her into it...imagine, MY daughter hesitant over a baked good. They were pretty delicious, and nutritious! Almond with cream cheese/honey frosting...no butter or sugar, yum.

My favorite shot of the whole day...cousins.

The Virginias, together again!

What could possibly follow this image...?

That's right...you give a boy a stick and he'll chase you up a hill, poking you with it and asking, "Did you feel that?! How about that?!".

The stick went home with him too...sorry Ivan, Andria & baby Grace.

April in Georgia, Part 4:

2009-06-02T05:21:00.000-07:00

...this trip never ends...

Following our time with Aunt Ginny, we headed into the city (Atlanta) for a quick overnight stop with my brother & sister-in-law, Ivan & Andria. It was so strange to stay with them without their son Warren around. Warren was off for a visit with Grandmother & Grandfather Kozak, so we got to see him once back home.

Andria was the picture of what a pregnant woman should be...lounging on the sofa, embroidering onesies for their new little girl and enjoying a biscoff biscuit. (I know this image of leisure is only due to Warren's absence!)

The next morning we headed deeper into the city for church and brunch with the Fogarty gang.

It was so great to see everyone and we can't wait to meet little Maria next month! I guess we experienced the "calm" before the storm of numero 4's arrival.

The little kiddos all had naps and Angelica and the rest stuffed ourselves with amazing pancakes and side dishes. The weather held out...just a little pollen on the plates!

This was the perfect send off for our long drive home.

We can't wait to come up for a bit longer this summer.

And now it ends...there is no Part 5!

Thanks to everyone for being so gracious!

Angelica...aka, "Charo"

Nicholas, Brady & Angelica

brunch on the deck...decadent...

Angelica y Padrino

2009-05-26T08:51:00.000-07:00

I'm back into the swing of things!

Up next...

- Disney with Grace, Liz, Ruthie & Grand-mommy

- Hazel's 1st day at the beach & the Clendenon baptisms

- The last market of the year for "sweet."

- Our big move to the east!

April in Georgia, Part 3:

2009-05-26T08:42:00.000-07:00

As promised, some photos from Ginny's new gallery space in Lakemont when we visited in April.

There is a lot of history surrounding the building which you can checkout on the website here: Lakemont Gallery

The gallery is now filled and open for business, we can't wait to see it in July!

What a great way to spend Hazel's 1st birthday!

April in Georgia, Part 2:

2009-05-25T17:37:00.000-07:00

While in GA we took a little trip up to Lakemont to see Jack's Aunt Ginny...also Hazel's namesake (Virgina Hazel). It was so nice to see her new house overlooking beautiful Lake Rabun and her wonderful studio space. After a nice visit at the house, Ginny gave us a tour of her new project, a great gallery space at the foot of the mountain. It's a wonderful structure...all the stone and wood! I can't wait to see it filled with art! I'll include photos from that in the next post.

The two Virginias.

Out on Ginny's beautiful balcony...

Ginny patting Hazel's head... "So soft!"

Hazel admiring Ginny's beautiful work... see you again in July!

The Long Overdue Post...

2009-05-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

I have been so good about keeping up with all of the many blogs I follow but SO terrible at keeping up with my own!

So here is what we've been up to for the last few months...

I'll start with our journey to Atlanta in April...

We visited with all the usual suspects...family and friends from all sides.

Grand-daddy Niel took us on a great off road adventure through their farm.

Hazel got to see horses, dogs, cows, and at one point we passed a cow then passed her on the way back and there were suddenly 2! The mommy cow had been giving birth the 1st time we drove by! Hazel was a little intimidated by the horses, especially when her interaction involved me holding her up to the horse as we drove by in the golf cart...sorry Hazel, mummy was excited.

Great-Grand mommy Ruth & Hazel

Grand-daddy Niel & Hazel

Off for a little walk around the farm...

A stop by the river...on the way back we saw the newborn calf only moments old!

Hazel & her new friend...Shiloh?

The Mother of Invention...

2009-03-18T19:53:00.000-07:00

I've been getting tired of the usual places I set Hazel while working in the kitchen. The chair I used for her little photo shoot the other day was not yet put away (I knew there was a method to my madness!) so up against the door it went. I think it's a perfect little perch for a nature loving girl!

Old Friends

2009-03-11T19:51:00.000-07:00

I wasn't feeling particularly productive today, so why not have a photo shoot in the yard?

On our way out a giant grapefruit fell from our tree right in front of us! The yard is a dangerous place for a wee one. It's a good thing she had Teddy and 239 with her. What's that? No, I don't think that's a strange name for a teddy bear...oh, 239! Yes, that was the sweet name I bestowed on this little doll when I was a girl. I think it sounds a little dark & ominous. I don't know if you can see it, but she is sporting a lovely little swimsuit that my mom made her. 239 and Baby Tender Love were the two dolls my parents gave my brother and me when we started potty training. They were each anatomically correct (apparently a difficult task to find a little boy doll with this requirement in the early 70's) and in working order, if you know what I mean...and I think you do. Teddy was Jack's childhood friend. He is missing an eye as all good teddies do and he plays Brahms' Lullaby (classy, like Jack).

When you don't have teeth...

2009-03-08T21:59:00.000-07:00

...you can make some beautiful faces...

sweet.

2009-03-08T21:33:00.000-07:00

Our debut!

What a great weekend...

sweet. by anna, cristina & company, opened shop this past Friday evening at the Moonlight Market in the Village of the Arts, Bradenton.

It was a beautiful evening and we had such a wonderful response to all of our wares.

It was exactly the kind of response we needed considering we would be setting up the next morning at the Farmers' Market on Historic Main Street. I need to thank Cristina, her sister, Molly, and Molly's daughter, Liliana for filling in for me on Saturday morning. I'm so glad Molly and Lily were in town...it was wonderful to see them both and I'm so grateful for their help.

For those of you in town please stop by and see us!

As of now, we plan to be at the Farmers' Market in Bradenton each Saturday morning (9am - 1pm), and the Moonlight Market in the Village of the Arts (1st Fridays, 6-9pm).

We have a wide assortment of items including...

pizzelles, biscotti, granola, baby shoes, onesies, pin cushions, wine bags, market bags, yoga mat bags, stationary items, hair accessories & lavender sachets.

Both venues are fun to attend even if you don't need anything "sweet."!

Projects 4 & 5 - Baby Shoes

2009-02-09T07:56:00.000-08:00

Two new additions to the Farmer's Market line-up...

Project 3 - Mary Janes & Farmer's Market

2009-02-09T07:44:00.000-08:00

Last post Jan. 26th?!

Where has the time gone?

Well, since my last post I have been busy planning an exciting endeavor with my neighbor and friend, Cristina. Our town has a Farmer's Market each Saturday and we have decided that the greater B-town needs to see and buy our handiwork. We don't have a name as of yet, but our line-up of goods will include handmade items ranging from sewn bags & booties to stationary and baked goods. This is completely new to both of us, so any advice you might have...we'll take it.

The first pair of booties rapidly became Hazel's (Project 3)...I don't want you to think that we're just pawning off our kids' hand-me-downs!

5 years ago...

2009-01-26T20:17:00.000-08:00

January 23rd, last Friday night, my husband surprised me with a night out.

I didn't suspect a thing when he told me he had plans for us...the date didn't even cross my mind.

It happened to be an anniversary for us, five years since our very first date.

What a wonderful husband.

Our first date was of the blind variety. Our friend, Lyle, gave Jack my number and Jack didn't have anyone to take to the opening night of the Sarasota Film Festival, so he called me. At first I said no, "I have to baby-sit"...what am I 12?! But then he told me that he had tickets to the Film Fest! It was a wonderful first date and 5 years later wasn't too shabby either!

I haven't even told you what we did! Well, for our first date we went to the Van Wezel for the Film Fest, which is also where our wedding reception took place, and now it is where we spent the 5th anniversary. But David Copperfield wasn't at the first 2 events! Jack sure can pick 'em.

This was one of the best parts of the show...(sorry the video quality isn't the best).

It was such a great night. I love my husband.

Project 2 - Baby Shower Cake

2009-01-26T19:57:00.000-08:00

My friend, Susan, is about to pop!

She is absolutely glowing too! What a beautiful mummy-to-be.

I volunteered to make the cake for her baby shower that took place this afternoon. I have been wanting to try my hand at baking and decorating a cake and thought this would be a good opportunity. I baked the 4 single cakes on Saturday as Jack and I watched "The Dark Knight", as well as the little starfish cookies. My parents came over Sunday evening and helped with the little boats on top (thank-you pop!) and my mom helped with the frosting for the cake and decorating the little starfish cookies. We had a minor disaster with the frosting liquefying before our eyes! I don't know what went wrong, but I'm glad there's always a back-up minutes away at Publix! Other than the frosting not being what I wanted I think they turned out pretty cute. Thanks for the excuse Susan! We can't wait to meet little Saylor!

And congratulations to your sister, Amy (another mother-to-be!), for finding the little hidden baby in the cake! Her prize will be delivered in a few months...

What color slippers?

2009-01-20T20:54:00.000-08:00

Oops!

I forgot to tell you the answer to my question regarding Dorothy's original shoe color...

silver

There you are.

I know, I haven't posted "Project 2", I think it will most likely be combined with #3...sorry, I was a bit of a failure this week.

Hazel & Obama

2009-01-20T09:18:00.000-08:00

Hazel and her 2nd President.

2009-01-18T18:01:00.000-08:00

Hazel has such great taste, she really loves watching the band Weezer AND the Muppetts together in the video for "Keep Fishin' "...especially Miss Piggy. I was holding her up to the computer and she kept leaning in to the screen with this look of glee. I can't blame her.

Project 1 - Ruby "Slippers"

2009-01-13T21:56:00.000-08:00

I have to apologize for how long it has taken me to make another post, but I was concentrating on not falling behind on my project-a-week resolution. I just knew if I used any time to make a post other than a completed project I would never get these little guys finished.

So, here they are...ruby "slippers" for my friend Kimberly's new baby girl, Dorothea...get it?

Ever since she told me she was having a girl and planning on naming her Dorothea I wanted to knit her these little booties. That gives you a little insight on how long it takes me to go from idea to completion (Dorothea is about 4 months old now). I think it might be difficult to see in the photo, but the yarn I used is sparkly so they would look just like Judy Garland's slippers.

Oh, and here's a little trivia for you...

What color were Dorothy's shoes in the original book?

I'll reveal the answer in my next post.

Stay tuned, the deadline for Project 2 is fast approaching!

2009-01-01T05:47:00.000-08:00

Each new year I come up with a few resolutions that I tell myself, and sometimes Jack, but never anyone else. Last year my resolution was to be more resolute...it didn't go too well. Yesterday my resolution came to me where many of my ideas pop into my head, the shower. It's not earth shattering, or even very exciting for other people, but I'm eager to make it a reality. I was also excited about putting it in writing for friends & family to see and keep me somewhat accountable! You see, I have so MANY projects around the house in little piles, a sketchbook full of ideas for MORE projects, and not very many of them that reach completion. I originally thought my resolution will be to work every day on a project, but Jack reminded me that my issue isn't with the working, but rather that ever elusive finishing.

So, I resolve to work everyday on a project AND complete one project every week.

I may not post my progress every day, but I'm hoping to do so each week. It makes me nervous just writing this down with the thought that other people will know when I succeed or fail! As if you will be so disappointed in me and leave nasty comments about how lazy I am...as if. I'm still working out what my "end of week" will be...Saturday/Sunday? But by next week you can expect to see something finished. That's that.

I hope you had a beautiful New Year's Eve...I was ringing in the new year in a dark room with a baby attached to me. Hazel woke up just before midnight so I heard yelling and fireworks from her quiet little room. At first I was a little disappointed. In years past I had loved spending the evening with friends in different locations...St.Augustine, NYC, B-town! I always loved that it was the holiday to spend with friends after spending Thanksgiving and Christmas with family. This year Jack was snoring away in our room by 11pm and I had been flipping through the channels avoiding the parties on TV and watching reruns of Seinfeld when Hazel awoke. But what a perfect little New Year's celebration...me and my sweet baby girl cozy in her room. She had had quite a day of visiting with friends, cooking, and an early dinner/celebration with family and was floppy exhausted. I have to remind myself of how special these days and nights are with her. They are unique and never to be experienced again. It's amazing how she is able to snap me back into reality.

Welcome to 2009.

On a sad note...this will be the last year you can wear the year as glasses.

Enjoy it while you can.

now that's comedy...

2008-12-31T06:57:00.000-08:00

I had Hazel in the kitchen with me this morning and was refilling our soap dispenser when I reached the end of the bottle. It started making the farting noise that happens in these cases and, without prompting, Hazel began busting a gut. I hadn't even noticed how intent she was on what I was doing! This girl is hilarious.

Christmas Eve 2008

2008-12-30T21:33:00.000-08:00

We started Christmas Eve 2008 with my parents and attended the service that their church holds at the historical park. It felt like an authentic Florida Christmas...ceiling fans flying and women passing out woven fans for people to use. We had the special (and unexpected) honor of lighting the Christ candle on the Advent wreath during the service. It was such a wonderful way to remember Hazel's first Christmas.

After the service we headed over to Jack's mother's house for a delicious dinner! Hazel had some fun with her "Uncles" Pepper and Scout and Granmommy too.

(Hazel is giggling as Scout, the kitty, tickles her with his tail...I think this was her first interaction with a cat, it was pretty adorable.)

More to come of Christmas day...

Pizzelles

2008-12-22T22:01:00.000-08:00

Among the many items I acquired this month from my Aunt Mary was a pizzelle iron. I decided this would be my signature cookie for Christmas '08. I was first introduced to pizzelles while visiting the North End of Boston with Nicole. It was such a great day...a tour of the North End (with Nicole!) but not a tour of historical markers or architectural marvels, it was a tour of food! We visited bakeries, restaurants, wine shops, cheese shops...etc. It was really a wonderful day. When I saw the pizzelles I thought they were so beautiful and delicate. They also have a great texture and flavor...I'm partial to the anise variety. Perfect with a cup of tea...a stack of them that is. So, this was my first venture into the pizzelle making and it went extremely well! What a satisfying cookie to make. By the end of the batter I had made 8 beautiful stacks of a dozen cookies...I love stacks of cookies. If you find comfort in repetitive tasks you will love making these little guys. I didn't use my Aunt Mary's recipe, and looking back I think I really probably should have for the sentiment. But, the recipe I found used the batter in ball form instead of pouring it into the iron. I tend to have little disasters when it comes to things like waffles and pancakes so I thought this would be better. I thank "Food Blogga " (and her father) for their perfect recipe. Now I just need to figure out how to package these suckers...any ideas??

Wonder Shell Flower

2008-12-22T07:41:00.000-08:00

The Wonder Shell Flower came to me from my friend Heather. I was so excited that I decided to save it for a day when I needed something fun. You see, the Wonder Shell Flower comes as you see it...a beautiful little shell sealed with a strip of paper and the promise of something spectacular inside. Needless to say, I'm glad I wasn't needing a pick-me-up the day I decided to unleash its wonder. I took little Hazel out on the porch with me, a bowl of warm water, my camera and the Wonder Shell Flower. I placed it in a sunny spot so I would have some lovely light to document the amazing event that was about to happen, took a few pictures of the "before" and slid it gently into the water. A few seconds went by, minutes...then we started getting cold, so Hazel and I went back inside (you see it's winter here, and the temp has been dipping into the 60's F...brrrr). Hours turned into days, the little bowl came inside and my husband began asking "What's going on with this shell?". Finally, I couldn't take it and ripped the seal off to reveal...the most depressing little...flower? Later, Jack saw the now opened shell and its contents and came looking for the flower, thinking I had ripped it off and had it with me.

No Jack, that's it.

Heather, I hope this shell isn't some sort of metaphor for your time in Korea.

schneken!

2008-12-20T21:13:00.000-08:00

As I write, there are little snails baking in my oven...little gooey, sweet, doughy snails.

I am not really a fan of cinnamon buns/sticky buns, but my husband is, and I love to bake for other people. This way I can do the creating and won't be tempted to do the eating.

These little snails are from the wonderful cookbook my equally wonderful friend, Nicole, gave me for my first birthday after being married. (Nicole was also my maid-of-honor) "How To Be a Domestic Goddess" by Nigella Lawson. I'm still waiting to become the raven-haired domestic goddess with a deliciously deep, rich British accent that she promises on the back cover. But, her book is full of great recipes from breads and savory items to delicious cakes and desserts that all have a balance of ease and uniqueness. I also find her extremely funny. In one of her recipes the final step is "apply to face".

Well, the schneken are done!

Aunt Mary

2008-12-16T20:27:00.000-08:00

I was going through some early photos of little Hazel and came across this photo of my Aunt Mary meeting her for the first time. Mary passed away this November. In this meeting, Mary gave Hazel a dime (you can see it on Hazel's lap) so that she would "never be poor". You will soon be seeing another gift from Mary being put to use this Christmas, her pizzelle maker! She was a wonderful cook and such an interesting woman. She was married to my Uncle John and were both very successful architects. Growing up I always thought Mary reminded me of Jacquelyn Kennedy...so fashionable.

Can you believe how small the dime makes Hazel look?! She was such a tiny one!

Olive

2008-12-14T12:33:00.000-08:00

I thought I would take a moment to share why this blog is called Olivemylove.

After college I set out for an adventure in big bad Texas. I was headed to live with my cousin Kindra and her two dogs, Graycie & Beau in Houston. I made so many great friends there, especially those I worked with at the Montrose neighborhood fixture "Barnaby's"(the Original). I could literally run from Kindra's to work in less than a minute...and if you know my running skills you know it was just REALLY close to the house. One of my friends, Rene, had an amazing little pug, Barkley. Rene and Barkley would go everywhere together...and usually find a number of stray dogs along the way. Rene made it her mission to either return these wayward pups to their homes (and give the owners a lecture) or find a new home for the homeless. She and Barkley were very well know in the neighborhood, so when a neighbor came across a lost little pug she took her to Rene thinking the pug was Barkley. Immediately Rene thought of the one person she knew who would love this little pug...me.

I still remember walking in the door of the woman's house and seeing little Olive for the first time. The woman wanted to keep her but she already had a Yorkie who was petrified of the new dog in the house. Olive was sitting in the doorway of the kitchen and the Yorkie was clear across the room shaking on the couch! I fell in love. Olive crawled right into my lap and immediately began nuzzling. She did this wonderful thing that I can only equate to something I saw on a documentary about bears. Apparently bears will gently gnaw on their mothers with their front teeth as a sort of soothing measure. This actually almost influenced her name...Bear, Sweet-Pea, Poppy...all possible names, but then I thought of Olive. Perfect. I called Kindra with the news and she agreed to add another to the pack.

My first dog.

I had waited 22 years for this. Olive was with me for so many firsts...my first apartment (or hovel), my first teaching position, my wedding, my first baby. She was such a special little dog. Everyone loved her...it took my husband a little while to warm up to her when we were first dating but they eventually formed a beautiful bond. Olive was blind, deaf, and didn't have too many teeth. When I brought her home and removed her little sweater (she was found in a sweater!) she was mangy, and had heart worms. But this little dog was strong. She slept with me every night and on the move from Houston to Florida she insisted on sitting in my lap the ENTIRE way.

It was a difficult decision to put her to sleep, but I know it was the right decision. God ushered her into my life and I know she is with Him now, jumping through a field of daisies, eating meaty things (that I would never give her!), and feeling good again.

One last memory (for now)...she had the most perfect little ears. They call them rose petal ears and that is exactly what they looked like...black velvet rose petals.

I miss my little pup.

Heading Home

2008-12-14T12:17:00.000-08:00

This concludes the grand Hazel Fest 2008. Six states and DC! Thanks to everyone who opened their homes to this little band of vagabonds.

See you again in '09!

Thanksgiving Evening

2008-12-14T12:06:00.000-08:00

Cousins Jason & Gina (I think Hazel had a little hair envy)

Gina, Baby Jack and Cousin Kindra

The Krazy Kirkeby family, Kindra, Karl, Henry & Jack

After a day in the District we headed out to Alexandria to visit with my cousins & aunt. It was great to see everyone, but too quick!

Thanksgiving Day 2008

2008-12-12T07:39:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving day was spent eating and a little sightseeing in DC. Grace came with us to the Botanic Garden, a great place to be on a cold day. When I took care of Grace for a summer we came here a lot, it was so fun to come back with her, Jack and little Hazel. They had a special display of all the monuments made of plant material and a gigantic model train room. There were at least 5 different trains that wound their way through a fairy land of moss and gourd houses. Grace LOVED it. She couldn't stop laughing at the "Bug" train.

Ruth Julianne Kelley

2008-12-12T07:24:00.000-08:00

2008-12-12T07:03:00.000-08:00

While we were visiting Liz, Bill & Grace the newest Kelley arrived, just in time for Thanksgiving.

Grace is such a wonderful big sister, helping her mother and loving on little Ruthie. We were so excited to be a part of the first days of this little one's life. Liz is amazing. Delivered on Tuesday, home on Wednesday, cooking green beans on Thursday! Ruthie arrived with a cute little nose and rosebud lips just like her big sister and a mop of dark hair...if the hair stays we may have a blonde, brunette and red head among the cousins!

2008-12-12T06:26:00.000-08:00

Aunt Lizzie just before cousin Ruthie arrived and cousin Grace aka "Kit".

This was the little hat I made Hazel for our big trip to the semi-north. I thought it looked like a football player from the 1930's or Amelia Earhart...Jack thought she looked like a little medieval peasant. I'm using past tense because the little hat is now somewhere in the bowels of the National Archives. I was a little sad but it was already a little tight and this won't be the last homemade item I make this poor little girl wear!

We were so excited to spend a little time with cousins Susie & Jim! Hazel was happy to provide some practice for the Grand-parents-to-be!

...a little time in Atlanta with Uncle Ivan, Aunt Andria (+2!) and cousin Warren. Doesn't Warren have the most natural smile?

...some love from grandma Linda

2008-12-11T21:22:00.000-08:00

Two pretty ladies in purple.

Aunt Ginny, Hazel, Cole & Amber

Cheers!

2008-12-11T18:27:00.000-08:00

Day one of Hazel's first road trip. Headed for Atlanta to visit with the Fogartys, McClures and Chathams.

Hazel & Cousin Cole

Virginia, meet Virginia (Hazel).

Great-grand-mommy Ruth.

Grandpa Niel wrangling Hazel and Cousin Cole.

A little photo shoot while visiting Aunt Liz, Uncle Bill, & cousins Grace & Ruthie.

my love...olive

2007-03-03T11:48:00.000-08:00