The Dean and Beau Blog

Remembering Helen

2012-01-26T11:15:00.000-08:00

It is with a heavy heart to share that my Grammy, Helen, passed away just three days after Beau was born. She never got a chance to meet the little guy. If she had been in better health, she would have been in Georgia to greet him, just days after his birth, like she did with Dean. It was such a bittersweet time for our family to welcome a life and to witness a passing. I was unable to attend the memorial service because it was in Pittsburgh. My brother, Josh, read something for me at the service at my request.

Here is a copy:

Helen___ was a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a great-grandmother and a friend to all who knew her. She lived eighty precious years on this earth, but as her granddaughter, I wish she had lived at least eighty more. Her legacy is one of love and laughter. My fondest memories are of our family gathered around the dinner table after one of her excellent meals, laughing and talking for hours.

Although she was kind and gentle, she was no pushover. There is a Chinese proverb that was popularized by the 2002 movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The movie quote is as follows: “It is said that husband is the head of the family, but remember that wife is the neck of the family and the neck can turn the head exactly the way she wants.” Although she may have appeared behind the scenes, my Grammy had a hand in every pot on the proverbial stove. My grandfather would agree with this statement every time we talked about it. It was usually said in a joking manner, but I don’t think he minded because he knew his sweet, levelheaded wife was truly a gem. She helped point all of us in the right direction at one time or another.

On Wednesday, January 4, I gave birth to my second son, Helen’s second great-grandson. The day before, God pressed two things upon my heart. The first was a bible verse, which I sent to my Grammy in a card. She received it Friday and passed away on Saturday. The verse was from Hebrews 10:36, “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.” The verse comforted me as much as I hope it was able to comfort her. I know that on Saturday, when her spirit left her body, she was greeted warmly at the gates of Heaven as a true and faithful servant of Christ.

The second was a poem. It is called “Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep,” by Mary Frye.

Do not stand at my grave and weep,

I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glint on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you wake in the morning hush,
I am the swift, uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft starlight at night.

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there, I did not die!

It was an honor for me to know such a beautiful person. I am comforted to know that she did not die. Her earthly body may remain, but her spirit is in heaven. God had better stand aside and let her whip that place into shape. I’m pretty sure if there is any dust up there, she’ll find it.

Grammy, you are so missed on this earth. Words cannot express the sadness and the void that I feel now that you are in heaven. I hope my life, my actions and words will make you proud of me as you watch upon us from above.

He's a Keeper!

2012-01-25T15:43:00.000-08:00

Dean: You know, Mommy, I really like Baby Beau.
Katie: Me too.
Dean: Let's keep him forever.
Katie Okay. I would like that.

Welcome To The World, Baby Beau!

2012-01-13T17:25:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, January 4, 2012, we welcomed our second son into this world. Katie had a doctor's appointment the day before, which was her due date. Katie was enormously pregnant and uncomfortable. The ob/gyn was concerned about the baby's size and they both agreed to induce the very next day. So, Katie and Chad went home to pack up and prepare to meet the little fellow.

Here we are, on our way to the hospital the next morning. Yes, this is what 5 am looks like!

After six hours of labor, we welcomed Beau Fisher. This photo was taken just seconds after he was born. As soon as he saw his mama, he stopped crying. Dean was still wailing like a banshee at this point.

During the labor and delivery, Katie and Chad had music playing on their ipod. One funny moment was when the anesthesiologist came in to give her the epidural, he remarked that it was perfect timing....Margaritaville, by Jimmy Buffett was playing. He was Katie's new best friend. She laughed at all of his jokes. He was the best, funniest, most handsome anesthesiologist there ever was. God Bless epidurals, the people who make them and the people who administer them.

Beau Fisher

9 lbs, 5.7 oz

21.5 inches long

For those curious, these stats are in the 95th percentile. Meaning, Beau is larger than 95% of all babies born in the US. How on earth did we have such a big baby?? Katie is blaming it all on Chad's side of the family.

Here is Beau getting his first bath. He didn't like it.

Finally, Katie got to hold him again. He snuggled right in after feeding. Look at those cheeks!

Since it was still early in the day, a few short hours later, Dean came over after school to meet his little brother. He wore his "Big Brother" t-shirt for the occasion.

It was love at first sight.

Katie and her sweet boys

The baby had "bought" Dean a present for the first time they met. This was one smart baby, because Dean LOVES transformers. He thought this baby was the COOLEST BABY EVER after that!

One last peek before leaving

Daddy's little bulldog

Finally, it was time to head home. Beau bundled up in the outfit his Nana made for him.

Then we rolled on home to begin our new happily ever after.

Christmas Day 2011

2012-01-02T15:10:00.000-08:00

Coming down the stairs!

Walking in the living room!

Santa came and brought WALL TRACKS!!

Awesome!

Uncle Josh demonstrating the glasses straw.

more cool stuff

Present opening took almost all day, because Dean would open a gift, then play, then open another gift, then play with that one. When his aunt and uncle and cousins came over later in the afternoon, they told him they had MORE Christmas presents for him, to which he replied "but I already got everything I wanted!"

We hope you had a Merry Christmas, too!

Christmas Eve 2011

2011-12-27T15:44:00.000-08:00

Ah, yes, the annual gingerbread house was constructed this year on Christmas Eve.

There was mostly eating, and a little decorating...

One for the house, two for his mouth!

This was a gingerbread village, so it had little people you could decorate and place in front of the house.

or just look at while you are eating...

and snacking on candy...

Voila! As soon as he finished, Dean asked if he could eat the candy off the house. You know, because he was holding back while he was decorating...

Later that day, after dinner and a bath, we set out cookies for Santa and his crew.

We had chocolate chip and peppermint sugar cookies (that Dean helped make that afternoon), elf food (chocolate morsels, mini marsh-mellows and raisins) and carrots (for the reindeer).

Dean went off to bed easily with visions of sugarplums dancing in his head. Why? Because after all that sugar, he was probably hallucinating. Kinda explains the Nutcracker Story a little better, doesn't it??

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T05:00:00.000-08:00

Ho, Ho Ho!

Santa Visit 2011

2011-12-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of Dean's Santa Claus visit. Santa knew all about the gift Dean wanted.

Santa and Mrs. Claus were so happy to see Dean. Dean was super pumped about sitting in Santa's sleigh.

Afterwards, we took a lovely horse drawn carriage ride together. It was a fun visit with the jolly old soul and his old ball and chain!

Also, it's Carter's last night with us! Tomorrow, Carter, the elf, will go back to the North Pole to stay with Santa until next Christmas. We'll find out tomorrow morning if Santa will bring those Hot Wheels Wall Tracks that Dean has been dreaming about! We hope you are on the nice (or at least the not-too-naughty) list this year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!

Daycare Christmas Party 2011

2011-12-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

Last week was Dean's daycare Christmas Party for the kids and their families. All the kids were so excited to perform some songs for their parents. Dean had been practicing at home to make sure he was well prepared for the big day. All the kids did a great job!

After the singing, there were refreshments and arts and crafts.

Dean's newest ornament looks great on our Christmas tree!

Sneaky Elf!

2011-12-20T16:00:00.000-08:00

Meet Carter the Elf

2011-12-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

The first Sunday in December, Dean went to see Santa Claus and tell him that A. He's been a very good boy this year and B. He really wants some Hot Wheels Wall Tracks for Christmas. Katie promptly sat on Santa's lap and said A. Yes, Dean has been a good boy this year, but so has his Mommy and B. If Santa is bringing Wall Tracks, then what she wants for Christmas is a fleet of elf painters to paint over all the scuff marks that will develop on the walls. It is perfectly okay for them to come in a few months when things are slow at the North Pole. (Okay, so part one really happened, but part 2 just happened in Katie's head.)

The next morning, The Elf on the Shelf showed up at our house! Dean named him Carter. Carter heads back to the North Pole each night to give Santa a report on Dean's behavior. Each morning, he shows up in a new place. Dean is having a blast finding him when he wakes up. He's only around until Christmas Eve, so Dean has promised to be on his best behavior and make good choices because he knows how Santa gets his intel now.

Big Boy Bike!

2011-12-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

On the day of Dean's actual birthday, we celebrated by letting him pick out what he wanted for lunch. We went to his favoritest place, Moe's! He loves his queso!

After a busy morning and a full belly from lunch, he took a LONG nap. Dean doesn't really nap anymore, but since it was his birthday, he was entitled to a leisurely siesta. When he awoke, his present from Mommy and Daddy was waiting: a Ligh.tning Mc.Queen big boy bike!!

He was a little disoriented about the whole thing, having just woken from a nap. He was so surprised.

He quickly recovered and hopped right on...

Not only is she a faster than fast bike, but also...

this baby's got a horn AND a bell!

He was super excited and we rode his new bike all around the neighborhood. Dean ALREADY thinks the training wheels need to come off, but Mommy isn't quite ready for that. We'll probably duct tape toilet paper rolls all over him the day we do!

Zoo Date 2011

2011-12-04T10:43:00.000-08:00

In October, Dean and the lovely M had their annual zoo date. It's hard to believe how big they are now, especially if you look at their past zoo dates here, here.

This time, we looked at the map and made a plan of all the things we wanted to do...

Dean and M shared some binoculars to get some extreme zoo views. Here they are looking at the warthogs. They were all curled up and sleeping.

Meercats.

We built in some time to monkey around, too.

We also did some new stuff, like the petting zoo and the playground.

The train and merry-go-round were definite musts, too.

After a long, fun day, he snoozed all the way home!

Daycare Thanksgiving Party 2011

2011-11-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

From the eyes of a four year old...

Katie: Dean, Thanksgiving is coming. Do you know what we celebrate at Thanksgiving?

Dean: Yes. The angels came to America.

Katie: You mean the pilgrims?

Dean: Yeah, the pilgrims and the angels.

Katie: What did they do?

Dean: They had a big dinner.

Katie: What did they eat?

Dean: They ate deer...but deer is an animal. It's not food. They were silly .

Katie: They were thankful for the new place to live and their families and friends. What are you thankful for?

Dean: I'm thankful for Mommy, Daddy, Phoebe, my friends and construction vehicles.

Thursday was Dean's Daycare Thanksgiving Party. The first picture above was part of the invitation that went home to the parents. The second one above was hanging outside the classroom for all the parents to see as they walked up. Here's a closeup of Dean's hand:

My personal favorite is "I'm thankful for princesses" from Dean's bestie, E. Hilarious!

Here is a copy of his placemat he made for the Thankful Lunch. The poem says:

"I think of sunshine clear and bright
I think of stars, twinkling at night

I think of friends, family and more-

I have so much to be thankful for!

I'm especially thankful for Mommy and Daddy."

Does this kid know Christmas is around the corner or what? He's buttering up his parents so they'll put in a good word to Santa. It's working...he's on the nice list for now!!

Dean and his Mommy had a blast at the special school party. We hope you have a nice Thanksgiving and take the time to remember all you have to be thankful for!

A Baby Shower!

2011-11-16T17:14:00.000-08:00

As some of you may know, Katie's work has two offices. She normally works at only one of them. On Wednesday, she was lured to the other office with the promise of an ALL AFTERNOON MANDATORY meeting on electronic medical records. She was quite prepared for a boring afternoon.

When she got there, she was WAY SURPRISED by a luncheon and office baby shower for the new baby.

Since this is her second baby boy and she already has a lot of boy clothes, everyone coordinated to buy lots of diapers and wipes. The diapers came in all sizes, so the new baby will have lots of fresh diapers to create his masterpieces. If he is anything like Dean, he prefers a nice, clean diaper to perform his best work!

Later that evening, Dean even enjoyed a piece of cake from the shower. He declared it "Very Yummy!" It was such a fun, creative way to celebrate the new baby and "pamper" the mommy-to-be!

Trunk-or-Treat!

2011-11-09T16:34:00.000-08:00

The week before Halloween, Dean was invited to Trunk-or-Treat at his bestie, E's, church. His little friend, M, was there, too. E was Princess Barbie and M was Pink Batgirl. M's little infant brother was Robin. For those of you who don't know, Trunk-or-Treat is where everyone parks their car in the parking lot in a roped off area, creating a safe place for the little ones to trick-or-treat. No cars are driving around in the area and everyone decorates their trunks and cars for Halloween. The kids trick-or-treat from car trunk to car trunk. There was even a DJ playing music during the event.

Jake the Neverland Pirate did a great job practicing his Jagger Swagger for Halloween. He had a blast with his little buddies and came home with a LOT of loot...which Katie then donated to the hips and thighs of Chad's co-workers.

Relaxing

2011-11-04T15:08:00.000-07:00

We hope you have a relaxing weekend!

Pumpkin Picking and Decorating 2011

2011-11-02T15:52:00.000-07:00

This year, we didn't venture far from home to go pumpkin picking. We have had a busy October, so we went to our local Tr.ader J.oes on the afternoon of Dean's birthday party. They were having a little pumpkin shindig outside. It included photo opportunities, a bounce house, pumpkin picking patch, pumpkin coloring station and of course, Halloween Joe-Joes (cookies).

Our hero was feeling a little tired after his morning birthday party and NO NAP. That's right. He doesn't nap anymore.

He still gave the activities the old college try, though.

but alas, it was all too much for the little guy and sleep won out.

The pumpkin carving happened a few weeks later, on the Friday night before Halloween. Dean and Chad got to it as soon as Chad got home from work.

Dean helped pick out the pumpkin design. First, he wanted a spider, then he wanted bats AND a spider.

Voila!

Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T20:08:00.000-07:00

Halloween 2011 was a busy day! Dean had a Halloween Parade at his daycare, where all the kids strutted in their costumes for the parents. Katie BARELY made it for a few pictures. Poor Chad missed the parade because he was stuck in traffic. FYI: Halloween in the Atlanta area is one of the worst traffic days of the year.

You can play Where's Waldo with Dean, but here is a closeup of our sweet little pirate. He was looking for his parents, who he never saw until the parade was over. He was sad he couldn't find them. :(

After pizza and cookies with his school buddies, he headed home to relax until the main event. His mommy had made plans to trick-or-treat with his buddy across the cul-de-sac, A. This was A's first year trick-or-treating. She was a little unsure about the whole thing, but totally loved getting candy and riding around with Dean.

Locked and Loaded!

Our first house, at Dean's request, was another buddy across the street. His buddy, T, was already out, but T's dad was manning the door. Dean waited like a gentleman for A to walk up to the front door...

Dean...remember A???

A is a little shy, so Dean went first. After that, it was all a big candy blur...

Once the sun went down, it got a little chilly, so D and A bundled up and rested between abodes.

These two cutie patooties got some serious loot!

Happy Halloween!

Four Year Old Check Up

2011-10-24T16:34:00.000-07:00

Dean had his four year old check up today. Here are his stats:

Height: 39 inches

Weight: 35 lbs

The good news: He is right on track for his developmental milestones.

The bad news: He got four shots, plus the flu mist.

(He was not a happy camper.)

Luckily, it was nothing a lollipop and some TLC couldn't fix.

Where's Dean?

2011-10-19T08:21:00.000-07:00

Here I Am!

Four Years Old!

2011-10-16T18:38:00.000-07:00

Dean's Four Year-Old Birthday Party was this weekend. Although his birthday was on Sunday, we held the party on Saturday. Lots of his friends came to help him celebrate the big day! He had requested a pirate cookie cake, so Katie did her best to accommodate the young buccaneer. His favorite part was the "treasure."

His party was at his favorite place...Mon.key J.oes!

He made himself right at home in the special birthday chair.

Singing to the birthday boy!

Making a wish!

Ahh, yes, the Hurricane Simulator was busy, busy, busy!

Loving Life!

On the way home, he got to ride with his cousins. After all that playing and eating, we headed home to open presents. What a great day!!

Pajama Day!

2011-10-14T04:49:00.000-07:00

Thursday was Pajama Day at Dean's school. It was also Bring-Your-Favorite-Stuffed-Animal Day, Pla.yBall Day AND Movie Day. Guess who had a great day??

Football Season

2011-10-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like a Saturday afternoon in Athens, GA.

Go Dawgs!

Fall Soccer 2011

2011-10-09T17:19:00.000-07:00

Friday Fun At The Playground!

2011-09-30T18:32:00.000-07:00

We tried out a new playground last week. It went over so well, we went again this week!

Grocery Cart Jackpot!

2011-09-26T17:06:00.001-07:00

Guess who hit the grocery store jackpot this evening? Dean and his mommy hit the grocery store after work today and got the holy grail of shopping carts. It has a TELEVISION inside that plays Disney Junior shows. So, Katie shopped and Dean watched his new favorite show, Jake and the Ne.verl.and Pirates!

The Hurricane Simulator!

2011-09-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

Dean went to a birthday party over the weekend for his friend, E. At the birthday party place, there was a new attraction, called the Hurricane Simulator. There was nothing funnier than watching all of his friends from school cram in there and scream while their hair was blowing all around. The screaming was equal parts of happiness and terror.

Dean and his friend, C, went in the first time with their daddies.

As, you can see, at first, Dean was not loving the high winds.

In fact, he was a little grumpy.

Then, the birthday girl, E, joined him and it was totally fun.

He was digging the high winds and his hair was blowing all around.

Cool-tastic!

New Word

2011-09-19T16:08:00.000-07:00

Katie: Dean, there's a new episode of Ja.ke and the Neve.rland Pir.ates on tv. You can watch it if you eat a good dinner.
Dean: Great! It's gonna be cool-tastic!

It's a....

2011-09-15T16:17:00.000-07:00

BOY!

The Dean Dawg will be getting a baby brother around New Years!

Above are the first 3D pictures of the little fella. There have been a few hiccups along the way, but he is doing well and being monitored by some excellent perinatologists. We have had lots of opportunities to see him via ultrasound, but yesterday, they switched to 3/4D and let us have some snapshots.

Dean is super excited and can't wait to meet his new wrestling partner.

Everyone Loves A...

2011-09-10T06:12:00.000-07:00

Pink Flamingo!

Community Helpers

2011-09-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

This week at Dean's school, they are learning all about our community helpers. That includes policepersons, mailpersons, emergency medical technicians, firefighters, doctor and nurses, oh my! Dean's fave is still...you guessed it: Firefighters!

Remember Saturday Mornings?

2011-09-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

The cartoons may have changed over the years, but one thing sure hasn't...

Kids still love their Saturday morning cartoons! Viva la cartoons!

Pirate and Princess Night!

2011-08-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

Last week at our favorite Chick-fil-a, they had "Pirate and Princess Night" during their usual family night. They encouraged the kids to dress up like their favorite pirates and princesses. The had some special guests there to greet the kids. Dean made a date with his best buddy from school, E, to go.

Here they are with Sleeping Beauty!

...and the villain you can't help but like, Captain Hook! Here, D and CH are saying "Arrgh!" with their hooks. Dean's hook actually came from his Cars slippers. D was a little scared of CH, but Hook assured him that he brought his "safe" hook and it wouldn't hurt anyone. Once D checked for himself, he and CH were besties.

All together!

On a down note, someone's (not D or E, thank goodness) little one pooped on the playground and they had to close and evacuate it for sanitizing. The upside was that D and E didn't mind eating their ice cream inside and had a blast hanging out together. What an adventure on the high seas!

Another Camping Trip To the Beach, Part 3

2011-08-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

The last full day, we awoke and got ready for the beach. In case you are wondering, the bathrooms (yes, there were bathrooms and showers) were exactly this far from our campsite. See the red canopy at our site? In the wee hours the next morning, a squall blew through and forced so much water on the canopy, it bent and finally broke the frame. May she rest in peace.

We spent the morning at the beach, then came back for some lunch. Afterwards, we hit the playground for some slidin'.

Then, we decided to go wading in the marshes to look for bait. The boys were going surf fishing later.

Kyle caught all kids of fun stuff in his net.

Of course, Dean had to touch all the sea life.

Finally, we headed back to camp for naps and dinner.

The next day, we had another boat ride, packed up and headed home. Bye Beach!

Another Camping Trip To the Beach, Part 2

2011-08-27T05:58:00.000-07:00

The next morning, we had a quick breakfast. Katie thought this was a cute picture of all the brothers cooking breakfast for everyone with their glasses on. Obviously, Chad did not think it was cute, but he still obliged.

Dean and the girls enjoyed the five star pancakes, bacon and fruit. Nothing but the best when we're camping!

Next, we all got ready to go out on the boats for some scalloping.

Dean LOVED his new snorkel gear and wore it the whole time we were getting ready.

Family Picture Time!!

Dean and Kyle thought it was hilarious that they had the same swimsuits and swim shirts. Good taste runs in the family!

Kyle later showed Dean how to dig for sand dollars, which was the highlight of Dean's day. We found the perfect sandy spot where Dean could stand up and dig. He must have found twenty of them! We also saw a variety of sea animals while we were swimming, snorkeling and spearfishing. We looked at different kinds of starfish, hermit crabs, puffer fish, blue crabs and of course, lots of scallops! What a fun day!

Annual Camping Trip at the Beach (Part One)

2011-08-20T12:56:00.000-07:00

We went on our annual camping trip at the beach in August this year. Dean was super pumped. Here we are stopping at the Crack.er Barrel for a quick breakfast on our way to Florida!

As soon as we got to town, we met up with Chad's brother and his family. Dean and the girls had lunch together. While we were there, a man walked in with his pet cockatoo, Tango. Tango thought A was cute.

So, Tango decided to get to know her better. He crawled up her arm, sampled her hair...

and munched on her glasses!!

Tango's owner said she (or he?) was a Moluccan Cockatoo, which are fairly rare. According to wikipedia, they can sometimes have anemia, so maybe Tango was just trying to add a little iron into his diet!

All About Dean

2011-08-19T06:05:00.000-07:00

Guess Who Has New....

2011-08-13T08:31:00.000-07:00

SLIPPERS???

Mr. Faster-Than-Fast, that's who.

Hard Hat Area

2011-08-11T18:09:00.001-07:00

Some of you may know that Katie and Chad recently replaced their downstairs flooring in June and July. Dean, ever the helper, wasn't about to sit idly by. So, we gave him some gear and he helped.

He was quite proud of his efforts.

Alas, his toddler career in construction was short-lived.
Soon after these pictures were taken, he was playing in his sandbox.

Where is my...

2011-07-29T15:13:00.000-07:00

Dean: Mommy, where is my art stool?

Katie: It's sitting at your art desk.

Dean: Okay

Katie: What do you need it for?

Dean: To look at your engine.

Dean: Mommy, I'm going to fix your engine.

Katie: My engine isn't broken. I just need a new battery.

Dean: Don't worry. I'm very good at fixing engines.

Dean: It will be ready in five weeks, okay?

Katie: You mean five more minutes??

Dean: Sure.

Mommy's Little Helper

2011-07-24T07:26:00.001-07:00

Hey, Dean, let's play a new fun game! It's called vacuuming.

Puppy Love

2011-07-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

Evie, the dalmation, recently had puppies. We took a trip to see them in all their spotted cuteness. Evie was a stray dog that was pregnant when she was taken in and she had eight adorable puppies. They are four weeks old in the pictures. Dean's favorites were the black ones. There's nothing cuter than puppies!

Dean took the above picture to school to show all his friends the fun weekend he had.

2011-07-14T11:44:00.000-07:00

Dean-Elvis

He met Elvis at school, heard the King play "the dog song" and fashioned his own cape after the Rock Star.

Ahoy, Matey!

2011-07-06T08:48:00.000-07:00

What do pirates eat for breakfast?

Nutri-grain bars and milk, of course!

Who's going to walk the plank??
You!!

Who was the cutest pirate at the Annual Pirate and Princess Party at Dean's school today??

It's Pirate "Ironman" Dean!

Note: The Ironman is all his idea.

Have a piratey good day! Arrrgh.

Another Birthday Party!

2011-07-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

One weekend in June, Dean went to a super fun birthday party for one of his school buddies. It was like a cross between Mon.key Joe.s and Gym.bo.ree. They had a whole area set up like a real gym. Dean tried out the rowing machine, the gazelle, the treadmill and even did some bench presses. It was hilarious!

(In case you are wondering, the periods in the middle of the word keep Googlers from bringing up the blog if they are actually searching for those places or things.)
After "working out," and playing on the various bouncy things, slides and ball pits, they called everyone up to the front for a dance party. You can see that they turned off the lights and had laser lights and a video of the birthday boy and girl played on the big screen. In case you were wondering, Dean's classmate is a boy, but his buddy's big sister had a joint party with him, since their birthdays are only three days apart.

He.llo Kit.ty was a special guest. Dean is right in front of her, giving her a high five. Bu.zz Light.year was also there, helping out at another party. Dean thought it was super awesome that they were there.

The Party Crew

Imagine for a moment the hilarity of getting all these kids on a banana looking at the camera at the same time. Then, multiply it by 100. It was quite a spectacle.

After pizza and cake, each child got an adorable goody bag: princess stuff for the girls and pirate stuff for the boys. Dean's been rockin' out some pirate tatoos on his hands this week.

Alaska Week!

2011-07-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

Last week was Alaska week at Dean's school. They learned all about the wildlife in Alaska. Each kid got to take their picture with a "moose." I like the casual pose Dean has around such a wild animal. Maybe he's a moose whisperer.

Someone at Dean's school was actually from Alaska. Their dad brought in a real wooden sled and all this kids took turns riding the Daycare Idit.arod.

If you look closely, you can see that they each have doggie ears and hooks on their back to "hook" them to the sled. Needless to say, Dean has been pretending to be a puppy ever since!

California Week!

2011-06-30T12:38:00.000-07:00

This week is Cali week at Dean's daycare. They have had a blast learning all about our counterparts on the left coast.

Each kid received their very own star on "Hollywood Boulevard."

They made a "Hollywood Movie."

They went to a "premiere,"

and everyone received and Oscar.

Here is Dean dedicating his to God and, of course, thanking The Academy.

Finally, they sampled some food from CA. Here's Dean trying a grapefruit. One bite and he said "No, thank-you," while handing it right back. I guess he'll have to get his Vitamin C somewhere else!!

Name This Post Game!

2011-06-21T17:07:00.001-07:00

It's Texas week at Dean's daycare and the toddlers are having a honkey tonkin' good time. In honor of summer, Katie is resurrecting the Name This Post Game. Post your caption in the comments.

Katie will judge the winner. No. You don't win anything. Happy posting anyway!

A New Park!!

2011-06-16T11:33:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, Dean and Katie ventured to a new park. This park had water jets that you can keep cool in. It was a huge hit!
Dean discovered you can "float" the cone on the water stream, but you have to place it just right...

or it will fall over!

Then, you can run around and jump when you get bored with that!

(rinsing off his hands)

Afterwards, we went to dinner together since Daddy had to work late. What a fun Friday date!

Mommy's Sweet Angel

One Busy Weekend!

2011-06-06T13:36:00.000-07:00

On Friday, Katie picked up Dean early. Her office hours are changing for the summer, so she finishes at 2 o'clock. Since it was already pretty hot out, we decided to cool down with some ice cream!!

Over the weekend, we all worked hard, helping to put in our new hardwood floors! On Sunday afternoon, MacGuyver Chad rigged up a t-ball stand using a garden spade and an empty wrapping paper roll. Dean had a blast hitting the balls and aiming for targets. Phoebe was playing ~~Hoover~~ Short Stop.

Wacky Tacky Day!

2011-06-01T05:58:00.001-07:00

Today is Wacky Tacky Day at Dean's school. He had the best time getting dressed in such silly clothes. He helped pick out one wild, wacky tacky outfit!!

Spring Soccer 2011

2011-05-20T13:55:00.000-07:00

Another busy soccer season has come to an end. Dean improved so much over the course of the year. He started doing something called Playball at school, which has really helped his motor skills right along.

He's starting to get a lot of power in his kicks!

Warm ups and stretching...Practicing his headers

Lining up for some dribbling
Passing

Team photo

For some reason, Dean was really grumpy when they took the team photo. The more we asked him to smile, the more he would frown! I think he just wanted to keep playing.

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-08T18:21:00.001-07:00

Here is my Mother's Day Card that came home from the daycare with Dean. I think it's my favorite!

Easter Morning and Another Egg Hunt

2011-04-24T14:53:00.001-07:00

Easter morning, Dean awoke to see BUNNY FOOTPRINTS in the living room! They led right to his presents from the Easter Bunny!

He saw the scooter first, but the basket was hiding behind the pillow.

One quick ride (scoot), then we were off to church.

After church, there was a luncheon and the much anticipated (third) egg hunt. Dean went in with the under 3 group, which was totally to his advantage. He was fast on his feet, next to those crawling droolers. Better luck next year, babies!

Very soon, the basket was full and Dean was finished with his diaper-whippin'.

Victorious!

Next, we spent a little QT with EB, to say thank-you for all the awesome presents.

After a well-deserved victory "nap," we were off into the wild frontiers of the cul-de-sac, ready to take on the world.

Happy Easter!

Go Braves

2011-04-21T19:42:00.001-07:00

Opening Night

Neighborhood Egg Hunt

2011-04-19T15:28:00.001-07:00

Can we start??

Takin' Care of Business

Victory!

Watching the potato sack race with his friend, A

Sad to head home :(

A good time was had by all, despite the long faces!
Dean is looking forward to ANOTHER egg hunt on Easter Sunday at church.

Cousin Love

2011-04-14T18:11:00.000-07:00

Cute? Yes.
Adorable? Yes.
Cousins? Yes.
Ready for bed? No!

Young Love

2011-04-14T18:07:00.000-07:00

Dean and his friend, C...She's all grown up!
C's dad has said he'll consider letting her date Dean, after she turns 30.

First B-ball game!

2011-03-29T17:25:00.001-07:00

Uncle Josh gave us some rock-star Hawks tickets that he got from his work back in February. It was Dean's first official sporting event. He loved every minute of his time at the Highlight Factory. He even stayed awake the whole way home.

Gooo

Hawks!

See how close we are?

As an added bonus, the Hawks won! Dean must be a good luck charm. We're going to try our luck at opening day in a few weeks.

You're supposed to be sleeping

2011-03-23T21:44:00.000-07:00

Last night around 10:30 we hear a little munchkin outside our door:

Daddy - "Dean, what's wrong?"
Dean - "I can't fit all the lizards in my police car."

Soccer 2011

2011-03-16T13:37:00.001-07:00

Spring soccer has begun. Deaner is all fired up and ready to take these babies to school.

Snow!

2011-03-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

We had a snowstorm in January that snowed us in for three days. The local schools were closed all week! Luckily, our offices and daycare were open Thursday and Friday for limited hours, so the whole week wasn't a waste.

Christmas Day 2010

2011-03-05T16:35:00.000-08:00

Although it is a little late in coming, better late than never...
Enjoy.

What are they doing?

2011-02-11T05:53:00.001-08:00

Katie: Dean, what are all the dinosaurs doing with the car?

Dean: They're telling a secret.

More Dean-isms...

2011-02-02T16:11:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd give you a glimpse of our conversations today...

This morning on our way to school...
Dean: Mommy? Can we go to the store and buy more animals? We need a rhinoceros.

On the way home from school...
Dean: Mommy, you have a very nice car. It goes very fast and you don't bump into anyone.

At dinner...
Katie: Let's bless our food, okay?
Dean: I want to eat.
Katie: After we bless our food. Who do we ask to bless our food?
Dean: God.
Katie: What do we say?
Dean: We say thank-you for our food and our blessings.
Katie (after recovering from total shock at Dean's last statement): That's right.
Dean: God is very good. He does nice things like Santa Claus and stuff and he drinks all of his milk.
Katie: I think he eats all of his veggies, too.
Dean: Yeah.

While the Mommies are away...

2011-01-26T07:01:00.000-08:00

Recently, Katie took a weekend trip to Arizona for a girls weekend with all the women in Chad's family. Not to be outdone, Chad and his brother had a sleepover with the kids at Katie and Chad's house. Above are three adorable peas in a pod. Love those jammies!!

Here is a picture Katie took with her camera phone during a sunset hike on the girls weekend. The white spot at the very top is the gorgeous moon. We were supposed to be on the lookout for mountain lions, but we didn't see one. We're pretty sure they saw us, though!

Redneck Sledding

2011-01-14T09:08:00.000-08:00

This week, we had three to five inches of snow in Atlanta. Since the city of Atlanta only has 10 snow trucks, we were snowed in for three days, waiting for it to melt. We have had a blast, staying home, playing in the snow and drinking hot chocolate. This is the second snowfall this year...we even had snow on Christmas Day, making it Dean's very first White Christmas!

Christmas Day pics are coming soon.

Spring is just around the corner, RIGHT??

Christmas Eve 2010

2011-01-13T05:00:00.000-08:00

Excited!

Getting ready for Santa

Setting out cookies

First, we have Christmas tree cookies and milk for Santa,

carrots for the reindeer,

and elf food for the elves.

After reading The Night Before Christmas, it's time for good little boys to go bed!

Gingerbread Train

2011-01-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

After last year's Gingerbread House experiment, we decided to start the sugar affair right after a nap (to allow an adequate sugar crash just in time for bedtime). He was already bouncing off the walls. Also, he spent Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the day after dressed as a reindeer. Dean's grandmother, Gigi, brought it for him. Who knew it would be such a hit?

Ready to start!!!
At first, it was serious work...
Then, he got a little taste...
Then, it was a sugar bonanza!!

Hipstamatic

Those of you who know Uncle Josh know that he is hip-happening. He (of course) has an iphone and has the hipstamatic photo app. It makes for some really cool photos! This photo says it all.

Happy Birthday, Baby Jesus!

2011-01-11T08:23:00.000-08:00

Cute cupcake cake at our church Christmas party...

Cute cupcake monster...

All Work....

2010-12-29T14:00:00.000-08:00

Katie and Chad got an ipad for Christmas, but Dean has really been enjoying the multitasking it offers.

He's a well-rounded guy, so he's also made time for a little fun, too.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T05:00:00.000-08:00

Going to See Santa!

2010-12-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

Waiting patiently!

We took Dean to see Santa on a Friday night in an attempt to avoid the huge Atlanta crowds. When we pulled up to the mall, we had parked on the side and there weren't a lot of cars there. Dean turned to Katie and asked "Is this the North Pole?" Then, Katie had to explain that, yes, Santa lives the North Pole and he comes down to visit with the kids and find out what they want for Christmas. Also, yes, he and the elves are making toys for the kids, but he has enough time to come visit with the kids (as her nose is growing to Pinnochio proportions). "How does he get here from the North Pole?" Ummm, he takes the Polar Express, since the reindeer are resting for Christmas Eve. "But, I thought we were going to the North Pole." Hmmm. No, just the mall this time. Sorry, kid.

He was super excited when we were in line. Friday night is not a busy Santa time, so there was only ONE family in front of us. Not to worry, though, because if the line was longer then 15 minutes, they give out pagers (like in restaurants) so you can shop and come back when it's your turn.
Dean hopped right up on Old Saint Nick's lap and the two of them proceeded to discuss the current economic credit problems. Actually, we have no idea what they talked about. They DID have a serious discussion that involved lots of nodding and a little talking. Katie and Chad weren't close enough to hear, so truly, only Santa knows what Dean asked for this Christmas!

More Christmas Cuteness

2010-12-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

We took this picture at the outdoor shopping mall near our house. They have a big tree in the center (that is a water fountain the rest of the year). Dean is just fascinated with all the planets and bows on it.

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas Art

2010-12-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

Dean has been a busy beaver in his Sunday School class. Each week, he comes home with some adorable masterpieces. This one came home last week. In case you can't read the text, it says:

MY LITTLE HANDS MADE THIS TREE.
MY LITTLE THUMBS MADE EACH BERRY.
I HOPE YOU HAVE A CHRISTMAS THAT'S MERRY.

Trimming the Tree

2010-12-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

We have a little artificial Christmas tree we put up each year. It's the same one Katie has had since she was in college. Katie vows to buy a big, gorgeous pre-lit tree after the holidays are over each year, but always forgets. Plus, when Dean is a little bigger, we'll go pick out a real one one year.

This year, Dean took an active role in decorating the tree. He gave some clear instructions on the order of decorating. He said "First, we put up the tree, then the lights, then the planets." Once it was set up, he worked his magic and declared "It's perfick."

How could anyone disagree? He's got some real flair!

St. Lucia's Day

2010-12-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, we had the following conversation:
Katie: How was school today?
Dean: Good. We played dress-up.
(Chad frowns.)
Katie: What did you dress up like?
Dean: Queens.
Chad: I really didn't want to know that.

Then, Katie saw this posted outside Dean's class the next day with a note about St. Lucia's Day. All the kids in his class got dressed up and delivered breakfast to the other classes to celebrate the Swedish holiday. We're not sure about the "Queens" part of it, but Chad was relieved.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-12-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

Dean's Thanksgiving party at school this year was a lot of fun. We shared some lunch together and talked about the things we are thankful for. Some of Katie's favorites from the kids were: elephants, a boat, chicken nuggets, chocolate milk, a baby giraffe, mommies and daddies and grandparents.

The highlight of the meal was being allowed to hold a plastic knife.

Shortly after this picture Dean lost the knife. Scalping is still out of fashion.

Dean and his Mommy

His Native American name was "Crawls with Animals" because he is always crawling around pretending to be a vegetable. Just kidding. Usually, it's a lion, tiger, or dinosaur, oh my.

Cute Artwork

Thankful Wreath

Halloween 2010

2010-12-13T18:15:00.001-08:00

Halloween was a great time this year. Dean totally had the hang of it from last year. In fact, he's been asking if it was Halloween yet since last Halloween. Imagine his extreme happiness when Katie finally said YES!

Our first trick-or-treater was the kid across the street who rides the school bus. He's kind of a rock star at our house. School buses are way cool.

Then, they went to a few houses together.

It was a little chilly, so he bundled up between houses. Here he asked his Mommy to wake him up when we got to the next house. What a life!

Finally, after hitting up all the neighbors and showing off infinite cuteness, we were home. He chose candy corn as his evening snack. Yes. Right. Before. Bed. You can imagine how that went.

Neighborhood Walks

2010-12-02T12:49:00.001-08:00

We like to start out in the wagon when we go for walks. There's usually a snack and juice involved...

but then, the Deaner likes to get up and get moving.

He Ain't Heavy...

2010-12-02T12:39:00.000-08:00

He's my...COUSIN!

Happy Turkey Day!

2010-11-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving from our rafter to yours!

Preschool Zoo

2010-11-18T19:20:00.001-08:00

Our church had a fall festival in October for the preschool aged kids. The theme was "preschool zoo." There was a hayride, a petting zoo and little activity booths for the kids to win prizes like bubbles, stuffed animals and candy. Dean's favorite part was playing on the four-wheeler.
The hayride was pretty fun, too. If you look closely in the above pictures, you can see stowaway animals from the "zoo."

He also loved seeing all the animals in the petting zoo. There were ducks and bunnies. Really, is there anything cuter than toddlers and bunnies?
There aren't pictures of all the booths, but this was a fun one: Decorate your own mini-pumpkin...or, as Dean calls it "making one of my own's."
It was a really cute event and Dean loved every minute of it. Don't you just love fall festivals?

Pumpkin Patch 2010

2010-11-10T17:46:00.001-08:00

Before Halloween, we went to a local pumpkin patch to pick out the perfect pumpkin. We went back to the same place we went to in 2008, Burt's. You may remember last year's adventure here.

There were a lot of pepo's to choose from.

We searched high and low for one good gourd...

How about this one?

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

We had some special visitors this year, Katie's grandparents, mother and aunts were all there for the fall festivities.
Grammy and Pap-pap

They rested while Dean checked out the farm gear.
He was really trying to reach the pedals because he knows the magic happens there on some level. The wheel and gear shift kept him occupied well enough, though.

Family picture time!

Finally, we paid for our super squash and headed home. See you next year, pumpkin patch!

Boo!

2010-10-31T15:05:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would share this adorable artwork we got on the invitation to Dean's Halloween Party at his daycare.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

We're all ready for Halloween around here! We carved our pumpkin together this week. You may remember our past pumpkins from here and her e.

Dean had a strong opinion about the design this year.
Dora and Boots, of course!

Great job, guys!

Have a Happy Halloween! Trick-or-treating pictures will be coming soon.

Fast Asleep in the Quillow

2010-10-27T19:30:00.000-07:00

He actually had TWO Three birthdays!

2010-10-27T19:13:00.001-07:00

Katie's mother, grandparents and aunts all came to visit the weekend before Dean's birthday, and we had a birthday party then, too!

He's totally got this blowing the candle thing down.

"Can we have cake now, pwease?"

Delicious!

His favoritest gift was a quillow that his grandmother and great-aunts made for him. He jumped right in and fell fast asleep.

Video to come...

Nana Grace

2010-10-24T18:47:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, we will lay to rest Dean's Nana Grace. She passed away on Friday unexpectedly. She was a sweet, gentle soul and had a special way with babies. Dean settled right down every time he was in her arms when he was an infant.

[For those of you wondering, Nana Grace is Papa Paul's mother, or Dean's step-great-grandmother.]

Rest in peace, Nana Grace. We take comfort knowing you are with God.

3 Year Old Check up

2010-10-21T19:15:00.000-07:00

Dean had his three year old check up this week. Besides talking up a storm, he is growing up a storm.

Height: 37 inches
Weight: 32 lbs

Developmentally, he is right on track and is the apple of his mommy and daddy's eyes. Of course, we think he's perfect, but who wouldn't after seeing these adorable pictures?

Happy 3rd Birthday!

2010-10-17T18:27:00.001-07:00

Here is the birthday boy on the morning of his third birthday. The last two years, we took a picture as soon as we went in, but now that Dean is in a big boy bed, he came in to see us! He had just finished a birthday breakfast of pancakes and fruit.

To celebrate, we went to Mo.nkey J.oe's, then out for pizza.

We came home for cake and presents. Dean had requested a soccer ball cake this year.

Dean's big present this year was a REAL train table. He LOVES it!!

He got a lot of other great stuff from our families, too.

It was a great day.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Dean!

Let's Get Crackin'!

2010-10-04T17:58:00.000-07:00

Word of the Day

2010-09-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

Shin-gardens: They help you play soccer like Daddy.

Fan Club

2010-09-22T18:19:00.001-07:00

I'm not just the president of the Uncle Josh fan club, I'm also a member.

A Mommy Date

2010-09-16T17:00:00.001-07:00

One Friday in August, Dean's daycare was closed for staff training. Since we have no backup plan, Katie stayed home with Dean for a Mommy Playdate. We started off riding his tricycle at the park.

Of course, he needed his wonderpets riding gloves.

"Mommy, I ready to roll!"

We spent some time playing around on the nearby playground, too.

We made time for a few snacks in the back of the car. Dean really likes hanging out back there.

We had lunch at one of his favorite places.

(which also has an outdoor playground)

After his nap, we splashed around in the pool and played in the sandbox in the backyard, while we waited for Daddy to come home from work. What a fun day!

A Birthday Party!

2010-09-08T19:20:00.001-07:00

Over Labor Day weekend, we went to a birthday party. As soon as we got there, Katie asked Dean if this would be a fun party and he said "Fun Party Ever." He had already decided it was the funnest party ever BEFORE it even started. All the pictures were taken via camera phone, but you can see it was a great place. The party was our first time at Gym.bor.ee. It's safe to say that the Deaner loved it.

Here's where they were all riding along, bouncing and singing....

Then, they all fell off! Repeatedly!

All Dean heard here was climb in, then you get pushed down the hill...and he was climbing in before she had even finished explaining!

He did this one repeatedly, too!

Next was parachute and music time.

Crazy maraca ears!

Bubble time!

Trying to pop all the bubbles!

The cupcake cake was Toy Story, one of Dean's favorites.

After pizza and capri suns for lunch, they brought out the cake. No wonder it was the funnest party ever: There were NO VEGGIES! Dean told Katie to eat some pizza because "Pizza is good for you."
The birthday boy is on the far left. You may remember W from his first birthday party here. Dean ALMOST blew out the birthday candle before the birthday boy, but Katie intercepted the little linebacker. Crisis averted! Whew!

Despite all that fun and all that sugar, guess who slept all the way home?

Monkeys Jumping

2010-09-08T17:51:00.000-07:00

Mommy: Five little monkeys, jumping on the bed. One fell off and bumped his head. Mama called the doctor and the doctor said...

Dean: If you bump your head, you have to go to hospital.

Dean's Book of Emotions

2010-09-03T18:30:00.001-07:00

Today, when Katie picked Dean up from daycare, she received this adorable book. It was too cute not to pass along. Notice the range of emotions Dean displays at such a tender age. What a fun Friday surprise. Enjoy!

Camping Trip to the Beach, Part 3

2010-08-22T17:47:00.001-07:00

On the last day, we packed up camp to head home. It was so fun, we decided to try to go again next year and stay for a longer time. On our way out of the state park, we stopped at the playground for some sliding and slide racing.

Clearly, Chad needs to bring his "A" game from now on. Dean is highly competitive.

A pretty view from the playground

We walked down to the marshy area to look for "fiddle" crabs.

Here's one that we found.

They we found another little crab. Here is Dean telling him,
"Come get in my hands. Come here."

Daddy had to help him along, but he did crawl into Dean's hand. He was mesmerized by the little guy. All too soon, we were on our way home. We hope you had a great Fourth of July, too!