Vacation at Bent Tree

We had a wonderful week up in the North Georgia Mountains with the extended Zook Family. Oma and Popi drove down and Andre and Susanna flew in from Houston. We stayed at Bent Tree, which is similar to Big Canoe where we got married. It was beautiful. There was a huge lake for swimming and fishing, and a pool. We hiked some of the trails in the community. There was a beautiful swimming hole with a waterfall that was a favorite of Ash's and Scrapple. Oh yes, Scrapple was able to come on this adventure. He was quite depressed when we returned home.


John Mark wasn't very fond of the winding mountain roads, but he found time for some fun.
Popi enjoyed soothing John Mark to sleep during the trip. It was wonderful to have so many hands around to hold him



Katie enjoyed wrestling with her Uncle Andre. I am pretty sure she is considering marrying him one day.


Katie is a little water bug. She swam in the pool and in the lake almost everyday. Since we've been home she has asked to go swimming everyday. Too bad the pool is closed already!

I will get some more pics from vacation up soon. These are a just a few to start with.

John Mark Playing

John Mark is a happy little guy, especially now that we got his reflux issues worked out. He just started to grab his feet.
Here is a beautiful smile after his first bath in the tub. Subsequent bath times have not yielded the same smiles, unfortunately!
Play time!!

Saturday Work

Ash and Katie added a new flower bed to the front path. We also had new sod laid in the front yard. The house looks great! Katie loves to spend time outside with her Papa (which is good, since Mama isn't the most enthusiastic gardener.)

Pizza Night

June...

started off with a bang! "Uncle Mark" came to visit us from Nashville. John Mark and Katie are both Miller fans. And Katie, John Mark and Carrie had a great day at the Renaissance fair with Mimi and Big Daddy. Katie was dressed as a Princess.

Settling in

Things are moving along here with the Zook Family. We have been trying to keep Katie nice and busy (translate: out of trouble!) Here are a few pictures from our afternoon down at Centennial Olympic Park.

It took Katie a few minutes to make up her mind about the fountain, but once Big Daddy hopped in with her, she was ready to go!

When Katie saw the torch from across the field she stopped dead in her tracks and screamed, " I see something amazing!!"

John Mark hung out in the stroller most of the day, relaxed and quiet.

Mornings are snuggle time around here. Katie has her pink blanket...a well loved treasure. And John Mark has his beautiful blanket crocheted for him by Ash's Aunt Mary.

Visit from Oma and Poppy

Oma and Poppy came down for a visit and to help out some too. These are some pictures from Mother's Day and from the Atlanta Zoo. Katie thinks the Willie B. statue is just as cool as the live animals.

PHOTO CREDIT: FEZ (thanks dad)

Let's get some sleep!

Ok...pacifier in, bassinet vibration operating, mobile spinning, clean diaper, full tummy, sufficiently burped, clean onesie, temp 76 F.

Lets see how we do!

Camera phone photos from the circus

I left the camera in the car, but took a couple photos with my phone. Katie and Zion McCray had a great time watching the animals and riding the merri-go-round.

More pictures of the boy

Yesterday we brought Carrie and the baby home to introduce him to everyone back in Egan Park. The introductions went well.

He had a bit of a rough night last night and so did the rest of us. He is still a little conjested and so its hard for him to eat. He and Carrie were up for most of the night.

Katie and Ash went to the Shriner's Circus and didn't get home until 10:30pm. Getting to see tigers jump through rings of fire, brown bears ride motorcycles in funny hats and elephants walking in a chain (and eating gobs of cotton candy and peanuts) left her a little wound up.

Ash started out sleeping with Carrie and the baby, then moved to the futon in the office, then to the bunk-bed with Katie, and then finally back to the office.

First Photos of John Mark

This is Ash posting by the way. A couple months ago Carrie hijacked my Scrapple blog but I'm sneaking a post in here (Carrie's sleeping). There are more photos coming but here is what the little man looked like mere moments after birth (and a quick hosing off).

Oh, and for all you women, the vitals are 7lbs 9oz and 19.5 in. The pediatrician declared him perfect this afternoon but I already knew that.

A dog and his family

Living in a small house with a large animal that sheds year round can be very frustrating for someone whose natural strengths do not include 'housekeeping.' So on many occasions over the last three years I have found myself threatening to banish all 112 lbs of Scrapple the yellow lab to the back yard. In fact, I have actually threatened to banish him to someone else's backyard. There were times that I truly believed that I had had enough, and Scrapple had to go. In those moments of frustration, as I cleaned gobs of dog hair out of the vacuum hose, I actually believed that I could find a nice family who lived on a farm and drop Scrapple off with a wave of my hand and a sincere thank you to the new family. I thought I might feel guilty for a few days, but I would get over it. I now know that is not true. I have discovered that Scrapple is here to stay. He is a part of this family, dirty paws and all.

A few weeks ago Ash came in from the deck to tell me that Scrapple was having a seizure. It isn't his first, but it was definately the worst we have seen. It lasted about 30 minutes, maybe a little bit more. It ended with a trip to the emergency vet. As I waited by the phone for a call from Ash, my mind couldn't stay away from the looming question: What will we tell Katie if Scrapple doesn't make it?" And I began to realize what a significant part of this family that big dog really is.

Scrapple and Katie have grown up together. Scrapple sniffed around at boxes of diapers and baby wipes before Katie was even born. He learned to take walks next to her stroller. He took naps on the floor while Katie played with her baby toys. And now that Katie is growing more independent, there relationship has grown, as well. Most afternoons you will find Katie dragging Scrapple around the back yard by his collar. Scrapple will chase a ball thrown 10 feet by Katie as if it had been lofted into the air 100 feet. Scrapple lays on his side so Katie can snuggle up next to him and rest. He sits patiently as Katie checks his ears and listens to his heart beat with her Fisher Price Doctor's kit. He sleeps outside her bedroom door at night, just to be sure things are ok. And Katie loves him to pieces. She talks to him about her friends, her family, her favorite movies. She looks out for him, feeding him and letting him out. She proudly tells strangers in the grocery store that her dog is three years old. They are best friends.

The day after Scrapple's seizure, Katie and I watched him walk back to the exam room with his vet. He would have a day of observation and testing. I turned to walk to the car as Katie burst into tears, panicked over her dog's fate. It was her best friend and playmate walking off all alone. Katie could hardly take it. After a trip back to the kennels to say goodbye and a promise that we would return for Scrapple after nap time we headed home. Both of us waiting for four o'clock to come quickly

The 13th Dancing Princess

Katie has been watching her new favorite Video "Barbie and The 12 Dancing Princesses" lately. She is dancing around the house in her dress up clothes asking to be called Barbie (much to our dismay.) Ash says he is ready to go back to the days of Veggie Tales.

Katie has been picking up some interesting dance moves from her new video. We thought you might enjoy them.

Easter in Atlanta

Easter Sunday was cold, cold, cold, but we managed to do all the Easter-type activities: finding an Easter Basket, hunting for eggs and even meeting the Easter Bunny. Katie thoroughly enjoyed dressing up in her fancy, frilly dress and wearing her Easter Bonnet. These are just a few pictures of our Easter.

Supermom?

Super Mom...It is what all moms (at least me...) want to be. Katie seems to want a supermom, as well.

The weather in Atlanta has been beautiful lately. No need for heavy coats and sweaters. As Katie and I prepared for yet another Target run, I grabbed a black fleece wrap, threw it over my shoulders and headed for the front door. Katie stopped me with "Momma, what's that?" "It's a cape." I replied, explaining that it isn't winter anymore and we don't need our jackets. Katie gave her silent nod, indicating that she understood and we headed out the door. As we neared the car, Katie stopped me with another question, "Momma, why you have your keys?" I told her we were going to Target and needed to drive. Katie's reply was quick. "But Momma, You have your cape. We just fly."

After making my best attempt not to burst out laughing, I explained the unfortunate truth about capes. Alas, I am not Superman. I waited for Katie's tears or cries of protest, but none came. If she was disappointed in her mother's clear lack of superpowers it did not show. She simply nodded and headed for the car, her mind already moving to the next life lesson she would discover.

But I am still thinking about that brief moment when my daughter thought I was a super hero, able to leap tall buildings and fly with ease. It took no effort for her to believe her mother had this previously unknown power. And why wouldn't she believe? To her I am able to banish monsters from closets, heal skinned knees and broken hearts with a simple kiss and make the most exciting objects appear from my purse on a moments notice. Maybe I really am supermom. Or maybe it is our children who truly understand what powers really are extraordinary.

Either way, It is nice to think that for at least a little while longer, my daughter believes I can do anything.