celebrations, 17 months and guess who is back?!?

we have been crazy busy around the Vaughan household, but good busy. this weekend and coming week marks the first time since april 17th where we are all home as family, without weeknight meetings and a weekend full of set plans or travel. it has been fun but we are excited for some "down time" if you will. we've been celebrating lots of birthdays in our family this month too ... gary's mom, my nephew Jake (turned 9, can you believe it?), our brother in law Joe, and my nephew Trip (turning 6-wow!). (we weren't able celebrate Joe and Trip's birthdays in person, just in spirit). we also found out some FANTASTIC news this past weekend that some of our dear friends, after a long road and much fervent prayer, are expecting their first baby! it is a miracle and they are going to be such phenomenal parents, no exaggeration. God is good!

guess who is back this summer? jordan lee! she is babysitting henry again this summer. she and henry have been having a blast! henry is trying to say her name, which comes out either "j" or "lee lee."

Henry turned the big 17 this past weekend, 17 months that is. he took it in stride.

worn out after swimming at the pool ...

this past weekend we also celebrated the coming arrival of Meredith's baby girl, Claire, by hosting a baby shower with several of our co-workers. Pictured here are the ladies of FFG Auburn, Meredith (center) and Jeanice.

tech park fun

these are from early last week when we went to the tech park.

this was the last photo taken-henry likes to push the stroller sometimes.

he is a walking machine now!

very intrigued by the ducks

summer 5k series, driving range and a reunion

last wednesday night kicked off the 11th annual summer 5 series - where folks in this area gather to run or walk a 5k every wednesday night for 9 weeks during the summer. this is our sixth year to participate and we look forward to it each year. its great to see friends and family and vary your normal running/workout routine. needless to say my time wasn't my best pushing a 27 pound little boy ... but we both enjoyed the exercise and time together.

at the driving range this past weekend - thanks to auntie melinda for my blame the dog shirt. what a great notion!

chad and melanie tied the knot in demopolis this past weekend. it was a reunion of sorts with good friends from college that live in various parts of the US that we don't get to see all that much ... the wedding was really nice and the company even better.

we are excited chad and mel have chosen to stay in auburn-they are good folks.

peggy sue (chad) after the ceremony

the reunion group ... these are most of gary's close group of buds from college.

the owens and the bushes ... its great to have a close group where the parents of our friends enjoy hanging out together too. for those that couldn't make it we missed you! come down this fall for a game. we'll make room at Chez Vaughan Vaughan.

visit to maryland

last weekend we went to visit aunt deirdre and uncle joe in maryland. what a great place! so much to see and do. I had a marvelous time if I do say so myself.

on the way to the airport ... I didn't realize at the time that I would be stuck in a carseat or a lap for the next several hours. my parents kept saying they were nervous about how I would behave on the plane ... well, I showed them that this flying stuff is a piece of cake. luckily for them they brought one of my praise/worship videos for me to watch, so no screaming was involved. I really liked looking out the window and watching the planes and golf carts.
we arrived Thursday night. on friday we toured the picturesque (big word for me eh?) countryside where my auntie and uncle live. I walked around their veggie garden, backyard, vet clinic, and I don't remember where else. that night we went to dinner at uncle joe's parent's, who were extremely nice, and I was able to meet two miniature donkeys, two large dogs (an Irish wolfhound and a Bouvier) and a few horses. I was a little scared at first, but curious after the initial meeting.

on saturday my uncle had arranged a "behind the scenes tour" of the maryland zoo in baltimore. above is one of the polar bears. I was more interested in the fish the bears were eating than the bears themselves.

then we met stubby the rhino. he was enormous!

next we met the zebras (not pictured) and then it was on to the giraffes. here I am helping dad feed caesar the giraffe. I thought these guys were really quite fascinating!

above is a relative of the giraffe, an okapi.

the behind the scenes tour ended there and it was on to view the rest of the zoo.

I really liked the elephants too (I hope daddy jim isn't reading this).

I turned my mum into crested something or other bird specie.

cheese!

my first trip to the the zoo was delightful.

however, better than the zoo was the ride in the golf cart with uncle joe at the end of the tour. oh how I love to drive things!

that night we ate fresh crabs - first time I've tried these critters. pretty tasty.

sunday we had a delicious brunch (croque madames) prepared by auntie d. I gobbled it up! the food in MD is yummy.

I loved getting to play with the dogs and especially the cats. cats are really interesting. and, they don't knock me over with their tails every time they walk by. and, they don't wait underneath my highchair for scraps.

I had such a good time I zonked out riding from the airport home. with my hand open. sometimes you just gotta sleep with your hand open.

hope to see you soon, Bernsteins!

brua-bra and the junior pirate

me and brother bricks, or "brua-bra" as I like to call him

yes, I am the junior pirate. says so right on my pajama shirt. this goes out to my pirate loving buddy, Will, in Washington state. Arrrgggh!

memorial day

lake fun with the whole Edmondson family! there are 15 folks in our immediate family, so that alone is a crowd, but definitely an entertaining crowd.

aunt stacy playing "ride the horsey"

cousin molly LOVES henry! and, henry loves her.

anything with a steering wheel makes H smile

sweet Ya Ya. henry kept calling her name at random times all weekend. it was funny!