Nutcracker Sweet

Rosebud Eden 

 A chance to get in and get photos before showtime

Night 1 post-performance

Getting ready for their big performances, 2nd day...dancing cousins

Her new Nutcracker

Cousins-Eden, Iris and Lily

Another Nutcracker season has come and gone. Nutcracker 2011 has proven success for Eden and her cast mates  This year Eden was a Rosebud and shared the stage with the Dew Drop and her Spring Flowers. She is such a big girl and did such a wonderful job! We are so proud of her and all the growth as a dancer she has shown. Next month Eden moves in to Toe-shoes...she is so excited and cannot wait to learn the new technique that all the "big girls" get to do. In next year's show she will grace the stage in her toe-shoe's debut as a Big Angel. My baby is growing up and it is so bitter sweet to watch yet so much fun and exciting. We are eager to see all that she is to accomplish but then catch ourselves holding on to every moment that we can to keep our little girl little. Here's to many more years.

Click here to see Eden's first Nutcracker, second, third, and fourth...

School Activities

 

Eden's Music Group's visit to Rock City's Enchanted Garden of Lights

Warming up with hot chocolate and latte

My sweet boy

Ready to sing some Christmas carols

Hank making a gingerbread man

Touring the gardens....so pretty

Enjoying the view and having a great time

 Hank's First grade field trip to the Tennessee Aquarium

The four boys that I "chaperoned"

Penguin exhibit

Shark cage

Ten Years and Counting

Nothing like a trip to Tuscaloosa to say Happy Anniversary...it was fun, AL played GSU, Kelly's alma mater. We had a blast catching up with his Pi Kappa Phi buddies.

 GSU tailgate party

 Finally walking UP to our seats:)

 pretty good view from the top

And then off to Gulf Shores...

 Sun rising on the Gulf of Alabama...

Not many more pics for there was noone to take them:)

and finally home to ATL to Thanksgiving with our family

Thank you, Kelly for my surprise "2nd Honeymoon" I loved it. WOW, it is so hard to believe we are celebrating 10 years of marriage. It feels like a lifetime with all that we have accomplished and the blessing of two beautiful and healthy children, yet feels like a blink in our short lives with the anticipation of many more to come. Kelly truly is my best friend and love of my life. Our trip was such a great time of relaxing beach side (with 80 degree weather), walking, talking, dinning, and just reconnecting. A whole week at the beach is a long time for a couple that has spent all of their marriage with children in the mix. We thoroughly needed this and completely enjoyed ourselves. The hardest part was missing "our babies"...although we had fun, it was hard to sit on the beach and watch other families enjoying themselves. What a blessing this trip was; a true reminder that our relationship is important and to keep it in the forefront of our family. We believe strongly in our marriage and the importance of a "complete family" for our children and for each other-we value each other. Here's to our 20 year trip (hopefully somewhere tropical)...it will be the next time we'll have a chance for a getaway.

Fun Fall

What a busy fall we have had; soccer, cheering, half marathons, Halloween and lots of football! Here is just a small caption into our lives-we've been busy, almost too busy to even catch it on film!

Church water station at mile 10!

 Our Run for God group that completed the half marathon!

Hank was so proud of his daddy and extremely excited to sport his medal!

 My first U8 soccer team. Hank had such an awesome season and has really improved; catching on to the purpose of the game and developing a real love of the sport.

Haunted trails and corn mazes.

Annual family trip to Fort Mountain...featured here; all the great-grands!

Family trip to Helen Georgia...

and we brought Ganny along

 Happenings in the streets of Helen

 ...and a trip to Burt's Pumpkin Patch

Halloween

Day at Point Park

What a fun Fall we have had. I always love this time of year. It has been so relaxing this time around being finished with school and the ability to spend so much time with the kids and Kelly-it is so breathtaking. I am now looking on to the winter holidays and all that it brings!

First Day of School...for us ALL

All of us anxious and ready to start a new adventure: Me, first day as teacher at CAPS (children's assessment and preschool services) as the new co-teacher; Eden, on her first day of 4th grade; and Hank, on his first day of 1st grade! What a day for us all:) I am so excited to be starting my first year of teaching and I could not be more thankful for the opportunity. Stay tuned for the fun and all of the stories!

Summer Fun

Afternoon 4th of July lunch at Jefferson's

 Summer lovin' from my Hankie boy before the Rome Braves baseball game

 Ready for the fireworks

 Camp Glisson fun for Eden

 Welcoming new babies into our brood of friends

 Hessenbruch family mini-reunion

 Graduation dinner at Food Works

 Post-graduation dinner fun at the Riverfront Park

A trip to ATL and White Water-what a fun day!

And of course a one last trip to the lake...

Despite the fact I was finishing up my final courses of my Master's degree we still found plenty of time for FUN. From parties, to camping and baseball games, our summer was jammed packed! I would not have had it any other way. I am so looking forward to all the summer adventures that are sure to come of the life of a school teacher....we always have our summers off!