Christmas 2005

these are some various jumbled pictures from Christmas. Here is her expression when she came down the steps and saw all the gifts that Santa brought her.

She learned the word "Wow" just in time for Christmas.

Christmas is best enjoyed with children around. I think that brings enjoyment to God too.

Here is the play house that Ash (with a little help from Bruce) put together with no instructions!

Over the past few weeks, as trees and lights have gone up (along with plastic Santas), I have seen awe and wonder in Katie's eyes.

And that is the natural response to Christmas.

Siesta Key 11/06

I hope to get more pictures of this trip from Floyd, but here are a couple from our trip last month. It was chilly but we braved the cold weather like good yankees.

Don't Worry Mom.....

This is not a regular thing...just a fun pose at a party.










(it really is cool if you click on it twice to make it big.)

Christmas Card Preview

Amanda down the street took this picture which will be our Christmas Card.... I think she's wondering if she's going to get a pony.

Brushing Those Teeth

Katie has a new favorite thing... Brushing her teeth. And seeing how she wants to do it 5 times a day, those are some clean teeth (despite putting everthing that Scrapple has licked in her mouth).

In reality we try to only let her brush her teeth 2-3 times a day.

Ash and Carrie are getting ready for the Mexico trip next month and we know that Katie's Oma is looking forward to coming down to be with Katie. However, the triple combo of Katie, loads of candy and 2 grandmothers does give me pause...

Well I guess there is nothing I can do about that from another country.

One more story. Yesterday, while Carrie was cooking dinner, Katie was begging to go in her new new inflatable swimming pool. Carrie said 'no' about 2o times and then let Katie out on the deck to play. Ten seconds later, Carrie looked out of the window and saw Katie with both feet in Scrapple's water bowl jumping up-and-down. There's nothing like a little imagination to turn a dog's water bowl into a swimming pool!

Nature Preserve

Last Saturday the three of us went to the Cochran Mill Nature Preserve with Zellyn and Bevin. It's fun to know that there are still some unexplored corners of South Atlanta that we haven't dicovered yet, and some of them are actually beautiful.

After our mini hike and trounce in the waterfalls we had lunch at the bakery at Serenbe http://www.serebe.com, a new community centered around an organic farm.

This weekend will unfortunately be as busy as last weekend was leisurely. The Grace Connections Internship is meeting all day Saturday, Ash is teaching at Midtown Sunday and then we are having dinner Sunday evening at the Rivenbark's house with Barry and Sandi Grecu. You may remember that Barry married Ash and Carrie almost three whole years ago.

The Big '0-1'

Last Saturday Katie turned the big '0-1'. We had a great party over at Bruce and Joyce's place. By the way, the expression on her face is one that I expect to often when she turns 15.

The poncho was knitted by Aunt Mary (apparently the new RV has a room for a lot of yarn!).




photo courtesy of FEZ

Birthday Cake

Aunt Mary and Uncle Frank in USA Today

"Happy travelers:
Frank and
Mary Banker
work the
vending carts
at Adventureland
Amusement Park
in Altoona, Iowa. "

Charlie Neibergall, AP


Katie's great aunt and uncle, Frank and Mary Banker, were featured in an Associated Press article on living the RV life. Here is part of the article from USA Today.

Americans living life partly on the road
By Adam Geller, AP Business Writer
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. —

Frank and Mary Banker have embarked on a similar route. The couple, originally from Pottstown, Pa., began traveling after Frank Banker retired from a career researching viruses at a pharmaceutical firm. They've since worked at amusement parks in Tennessee and Florida and are back for their fifth season at the Iowa park. He's manning a frozen lemonade cart. She sells ice cream.

"It helped us so we don't have to take as much out of retirement, but this is also play money," said Frank Banker, who's 65. "People ask us when we're going to retire and go back to a house....and right now, there doesn't seem to be an end in sight because this is such a great lifestyle."

Katie is particularly fond of the Bambi purse that Frank and Mary gave her for Christmas!

Great Grandparents

I want to take a moment to honor Katie's great-grandparents Charles and Kathryn Genter. Kay sent a cute outfit she made for Katie last week and we will have a picture up on this site pretty soon of the outfit. Katie has been blessed to be born in a strong extended family with loving grandparents and great-grandparents. Its more than we could ask.

Grandma Kay says: "Go Eagles!!!" 

Cronkhite Family Visit

Jonathan, Carrie, Gabrielle, Sophie, Caleb and the new unborn Cronkhite babe came to visit a couple weeks ago. Gabrielle became totally smitten with Katie. Here are a couple pictures of all the kids together. Never thought that Jonathan and I would be getting together in our mid-30's with our wives and kids!

Love that smile! 

Our Katie loves other kids. 

Wow - hard to believe... 

The Latest on Health

Ash, Carrie and Katie have all been diagnosed with whooping cough. And Scrapple has fleas. All you hear around here is coughing and scratching. Scrapple's getting a flea collar tomorrow. The rest of us will get by.

She's a crawling Machine! 

with Daddy after work 

Katie needed a timeout 

Oma's Flowers

When Oma was down in March she bought these flowers.

Here is the Gerbera 

Here are the Sunflowers 

Here's the Dahlia 

Poppy's MS150

Maybe he's 60 now, but Poppy is still in the best shape of any 'non-yellow lab' in the family. Last weekend while The Papa was facing the waves, Poppy cycled 75 miles on Saturday and 75 miles on Sunday. I forgot to ask him which church he went to on Sunday morning...

strong finish 

nice cows. 

Poppy cycling 

Midtown Church Men

Last weekend The Papa and other guys from Midtown Church went to North Georgia to do manly things with Tom Grady, the founder of SAR Adventures. You can see the SAR weblink on the left side of this webpage. Tom founded Grace Ministries in 1981 and is currently on the board of John Eldridge's ministry, Ransomed Heart. In the raft below (clockwise from top right: our guide, Tom Grady, Roger Balco, Richard Harris, The Papa, Tim Royal.

Boooya! 

Rafting the Middle Ocoee 

New Tricks

I haven't learned any new tricks recently, but Katie is learning all kinds of stuff. She even stands up sometimes for a few seconds (until she realizes that she's supposed to fall!).

first time on the rocking chair 

And they say yellow labs beg??? Please!!!