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!

walking, walking, walking.

enjoy this progression of henry's walking ability ... little ones sure change every day.

for auntie deirdre and uncle joe

Henry sends a special message and we can't wait to come and visit this weekend!

happy birthday, savannah.

last saturday was savannah's ninth birthday. where has nine years gone? really.

I remember the day I brought savannah home with me from a farm in west point, ga. it was right before the 4th of july in 2000, which was the summer before my senior year of college. she was one fluffy fuzzball and so darn cute. she cried the entire drive back to auburn. she's seen a lot of life changes in her nine years ... there are times I wonder if she misses the days when it was just she and I, and she slept in the bed with me every night. now she shares her toys, a home, a yard, my love and affection, and a place on the floor with two more two legged family members and three other four legged family members. Through all the changes, she has lived up to the typical Golden Retriever personality and is one special dog. She is/was my first "baby" and will always have a unique place in my heart. But if you've ever had the pleasure (and it truly is a pleasure) of having more than one pet, you know what it means for each of them to be uniquely special. they each capture your love in their own way, and so it is with our other four legged babies.

happy birthday, big one. you are my red dog and I love you.

more little ones ...

from last sunday-some of us threw a baby shower for katherine (due mid July). baby bentley will be here soon and we can't wait to meet him (and find out his name, which is a secret)!

congrats to Lindsay and Adam (friends from college), on the birth of Caroline Claire Draney, 7 pounds 11 ounces.

also, congrats to Stephen, Tina & Jon Tyler on the birth of Savannah Grace Pritchett, 7 pounds 7 ounces. I'm sure Stephen will posting pictures soon if he hasn't already. He is one proud and great Dad!

so far all mothers and babies are doing fine.