Family Update...

My friend, Erin, did a family update post this week on her blog and it was motivation to get my act together. So much has happened these last few months and it's time I got back in to my blogging groove. Here's a little of what we have been up to:

Andy

Has signed on to run a service bureau for a former client of his and will now be telecommuting from home when he doesn't have to travel. This should make for a highly interesting summer since we'll have both kids at home. At least during the school year when he worked from home AG was in school during the day. I'm hoping we find a balance over the course of the next few weeks. Regardless, we are grateful for this opportunity and some other things that seem to be coming together. Soccer finished up and Andy had a great time coaching AG in his first soccer season.  Andy has also taken up Crossfit and is loving it. 

Katie

I'm in desperate need of getting my act together when it comes to my blog...I've never been this sporadic with it. In other news I'm doing some stuff on the side with These Southern Roots and am hoping to dedicate some much needed time to it this summer. In addition, I'm also trying to revamp some of our household organization systems for the upcoming school year. My goal is to work on this stuff this summer so that I can get the kinks worked out before AG starts back to school in August. I'm still very involved with hospitality/events at our church and that keeps me busy. Running...I took most of the spring off to let me left leg heal from a stress fracture. I've run a handful of times since February and it looks like I'm healed. (Hooray!) When I have run it is pain free in my leg...granted my endurance isn't what it was but I can handle that if it's pain free. My goal for June is to slowly ease back in to running on a consistent basis. No crazy mileage or fast pacing just easy, consistent runs. Andy and I are looking at a big race goal for the winter season to complete together. (It deserves it's own post.) Training for that will start in July so easing back in to a running schedule is key for this month. Around the house...it's a mess! I've got several projects going on and need to take a few days to get caught up and on top of things. It's currently driving me crazy but I'm slowly tackling it and getting a bunch of stuff reorganized/purged/cleaned out. 

AG

 Getting to be such a big kid. Can't believe he completed his first year of preschool and that we are one year away from having a kindergartner. He had a blast on vacation and enjoyed learning/asking questions about everything. Continues to be a diehard Braves fan and enjoys telling anyone who will talk baseball with him about his team. I'm hoping to work on some special activities with him this summer while he is home. My goal is to get organized so that we can do projects together several times a week while Avi-Kate naps. He's really looking forward to going to the beach with my family in July and Andy's family over Labor Day weekend. Andy and I are tossing around several ideas for his fifth birthday this winter. Ideally, we'd like to do something special at certain milestone birthdays...we are still trying to figure out what this looks like but I like the possibilities.

Avi-Kate

 I really can't believe that in less than 48 hours she'll be two years old. She has changed so much in these last few months. I am so grateful that we had surgery when we did. Her speech and vocabulary is really starting to take off. (And for that I praise the lord.) She is a sweet, independent ball of energy that is always in motion doing something. Girlfriend loves her art supplies and is quite content to color masterpiece after masterpiece. She loves to cook in their play kitchen and take care of her babies. And she absolutely adores her big brother. (The feeling is mutual.) She loves to do whatever he is doing and spends most of the day trying to keep up with him.

Lastly, I love these two photos that I took of AG and our niece, Ronnie, this past week on vacation and had to share them. They've changed so much since the last time we were in Williamsburg. (It had been 2.5+ years since the last time we were there.)

Words for Wednesday...Like Father Like Son...

Growing up Andy's dad was his soccer coach till he was in middle school and now the tradition continues. AG and Andy just completed their first season together this past Friday. Makes my heart happy. 

The tradition continues...

...AG has started playing soccer. I'm not sure who is more excited about this new chapter in our lives...AG or Andy. :) Andy started playing soccer when he was about AG's age and played till college. Since then he's gone on to play in adult leagues and coach on the club level here in town. The last few years he's been too busy to coach and he said he would get back in to it when the kids started playing. Well, a few weeks back he signed AG up for a weekly skills practice. It's just a basic way to begin introducing soccer to kids. He practices once a week and he doesn't play any games. Andy is enjoying being able to help with AG's 'practices' each week and is looking forward to coaching AG the way his dad did when he was little. I believe this spring he'll be on a team and they'll have games...till then AG is having a blast running around with lots of kids his age playing games. Here are some pictures from the last two weeks. The blue and yellow jersey AG is wearing in the first few pictures is actually Andy's jersey from his first soccer team. AG was so excited to wear it to soccer practice. Here's to a new chapter and growing up just a little bit more. 

Ready for College Football...

College football. If you live in the south it's really a way of life and the Edwards household is no exception. Thankfully, I love college football just as much as my husband and look forward to watching football all weekend long in the fall. And now that we are season ticket holders I enjoy spending several Saturdays in the fall on a date with my sweet husband in Athens. Anyways, to kick off the return of college football Chick-fil-A hosted a Father/Son night. Andy took AG and he had an absolute ball. He came home with a football game and a new cow for his collection of 'moo-cows'. He also was not happy about having to take off his 'eye black' for bed. We promised him we'd get him some more for football season with special supers G's on it. Anyways, here's a few pictures after they got home. I'm so grateful for Andy and the relationship he is building with our son. Little things like this matter and have a lasting impression even at this tender age. 

Well, we are off to the farm for the weekend. I'm looking forward to being with family for the weekend at one of our favorite places. On Saturday, Andy and I are going to drive to Athens for the game and leave the kids with Nanny for a half day. Then on Sunday the Hornsbys are driving over from Macon for the day. We are excited to show them the farm and have a day to relax together. Andy's sister, Caroline, and her family will also be driving over from Macon that day. Should be a fun day and I am sure the kids will have a blast swimming and visiting the cows. I know AG will sleep like a rock that night. :) Happy Labor Day Weekend to all. Can't believe August has come and gone...this year is just flying by. 

Father's Day 2012...

This year for Father's Day we didn't do a whole lot because we were busy with lots of company. Avi, Meghan, and Lauren came 'home' for a wedding that we all went to Saturday night. Joy and Abby arrived in Rome for Abby's two week session at camp at Berry. It was a fun low key day and Andy got to do whatever he wanted. Next year he has put in a request for a family day at the Braves game with the kids and I think we can make that happen. AG also enjoyed picking out cards for Andy and G-Daddy at Kroger a few days before. He was quite proud of himself for picking out his cards all by himself. I'm so grateful for Andy and the husband/father that he is. He is an incredible man who works extremely hard all day and comes home every night ready to help with the kids. We are very blessed and very grateful for him. Here are a few pictures of him and Andy practicing their baseball in the backyard a few weeks back. Just another reason why I love him...he loves teaching AG. 

Andy's Dad would have been 70 years old this Father's Day. Hard to believe that he has been gone for six years this August. I know he would be extremely proud of the father that Andy has turned in to and the man that AG is becoming. It's fitting that AG is the first grandson on both sides of the family and he is named after both of his wonderful grandfathers. He truly is an 'AG Austin Gary Edwards' as he likes to call himself. 

Wordless Wednesday...Opening Weekend Date with Dad Edition.

Face-lift on the house...sneak peek.

When you live in an old house it is inevitable that things are going to need to be repaired, fixed, and or restored at some point. In the case of our front steps that has been a need since we moved in but we are finally at point where we can focus on it. I plan to do a complete before/after post when Andy has everything just the way he likes it. Till then here is a sneak peek at some of the work that has taken place...

I've come to the conclusion that there are very few things that my husband and father can not do. The front of the house is a prime example of that and it amazes me! Looking forward to showing you all the details, soon.