Chris and Stacey

Home Sweet Home!

2010-11-21T21:40:00.002-05:00

Well, after 4 months of waiting, we finally found out we are the new owners of this little cottage. We put our initial offer in mid-July and closed on Friday. It was a long, drawn out process but we are so excited about the new pad. It looks small from the outside but we have 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, and a basement. The most exciting thing about the place, other than being across the street from a great little park, is that we have closet space!!!!

Happy 1st Birthday, Big Boy!

2010-11-17T14:31:00.003-05:00

Cautiously approaching the smush cake!

Tasting lessons from Emma

Oh yeah. I think I'm getting the hang of it!

Cake Face

Dear Owen,

You are 1! It's so hard to believe this year has come and gone. You have kept us busy and on our toes. We loved every minute of it.

You have come a long way in this past year. You are now doing what I like to call the Frankenstein shuffle. You're walking skills are well on the way. You look a little like Frankenstein but that's okay. I'm sure you will be running before long.

You have 7 teeth- 4 up top and 3 below. You are trying more foods but still like your old standby- anything with cheese.

You have a developing vocabulary. You have "dog" down pat. When you hear a dog barking or when Carter comes into the room, you say, "Dawwwgg". You can also say hi, dada, tree, and occasionally you say momma. You make the same sound when you point to things, so we are sure that means something to you. Once you can translate that into standard English, we'll get it too.

You are very curious, too. You point to things and say, "day?" looking for a name for the object. Actually, we aren't sure what you say when you point but you have the intonation of a question.

Here are some more highlights:

You like to put things in boxes and take them out.
You like to bang on things.
You are a crazy clapper. When music comes on, you start clapping or swaying. We aren't sure where this comes from- neither mommy or daddy has any rhythm.
You like to play ball, whatever kind it is. You can throw the ball, roll the ball, and chase the ball. The football throws you off because of its shape- you're not so good at anticipating its next move.

There is so much going on with you! You're learning and growing so much right now. You seem to come up with a new trick each day. We can't wait to see where the next year takes us!

Love,

Mom and Dad

Owen's Baptism

2010-11-14T21:14:00.004-05:00

Owen had his baptism this weekend. It was a special day surrounded by our family- Nanny, Baba, Grammy, Aunt Darcy and Uncle Jeremy, and his beautiful cousins Claire and Emma. Owen behaved great. Pastor Jim tried to get the hair to lay down with the water, but popped back up once it dried.

Halloween

2010-10-31T20:57:00.000-04:00

Zee lil' bee

Ridin' in the bye-bye buggy at the day-care party. Ms. LaPrecious, pushing the cart, is his teacher.

The Bee Family- a honeycomb, a beekeeper, and our little bee!

It's Owen's first Halloween! We carried over the Evans' family tradition of sporting the cutest bumblebee in town. Owen had plenty of opportunities to show off his look. He had a fall festival at daycare, a trunk-or-treat at the church, a surprise party, and a party in the park with a playgroup we do things with. He was not so sure about the whole look at first but then warmed up to it. It's only going to get more exciting as the years go on, but this first one was great!

Just 'cuz

2010-10-27T23:01:00.001-04:00

Hi!

A Visit from the Cousins!

2010-10-26T20:02:00.004-04:00

Party at my crib!

The cousins came for a visit this past weekend. We haven't really had the kids together in a while so it was big fun! We scooped out pumpkins, did science experiments, partied in the crib, pushed shopping carts around, and had an all around good time. Owen loves Claire and Emma to pieces and I'm sure they feel the same way!

First Haircut!

2010-10-26T20:00:00.002-04:00

Our Spikey-headed friend was getting a little out of control so we brought him in for his first haircut. He took it like a champ. I am pretty sure that I could have done just as good of a job as Owen's "stylist." After all, the whole point of paying for a cut was so it didn't look like I did it.

Fall Getaway

2010-10-25T20:42:00.007-04:00

Owen and his Sherpa

Tunnel Time!

Babies gone wild! If you could only hear the "conversation" going on here...

Overlooking the canyon

My school had a fall break this year. Chris and I took advantage of the extra days and headed up to North Georgia. On the way up, we stopped at a few of the vineyards in and around Dahlonega. Both of us were quite surprised at the quality of Georgia wine. We hit Wolf Mountain, FrogTown and 3 Sisters wineries. Owen was a trooper and was chatting up all the ladies. We spent a few nights at Lake Winfield Scott, where we had a cabin and had easy access to Blood Mountain, at Slaughter Gap. Very peaceful sounding, I know. (Side note- this is where the Trail of Tears- the Creek and Cherokee relocation- started). We made the 7 mile hike with Owen strapped to Chris' back. He seemed to enjoy it. He was yapping the whole way, which was a nice way to frighten the bears away. We saw a couple of piles of scat along the trail. Put that with a couple of "High Bear Activity" signs, and you've got one nervous mom. Our friends Pat and Amy, and their 2 kids joined us for a night while we were there.

After our Lake Winfield Scott stop, we met up with some friends at Cloudland Canyon. We love to go up there and play disc golf. It was perfect weather- warm in the day and cool at night. Owen continued to have fun and loved rolling around on the hills. An impromptu fall vacation, right out our front door. Love it!

10 Months!

2010-09-19T09:23:00.006-04:00

Dear Baby Owen,

You are so amazing! It's fun watching you grow and learn things each day! We lost your 9 month monkey picture so this letter covers the last 2 months.

You have shown us that you are a boy that's on the move! You are crawling at top speed and you can pull up on just about anything. You can even stand up from sitting without holding on to anything! You want to take your first steps and we can see you thinking about it, however, you just don't trust yourself yet. That's okay with us, buddy. We're not ready to see you running around the house. You are still our little bitty baby and to see you walking would mean you are growing up.

You are becoming very vocal. You have a little friend at school that you like to talk to. One of you will make a sound and the other will mimic it. Your teachers say you 2 can yap it up for a while, going back and forth. You can say mama and dada. I'm convinced that you are learning to use them in context and it melts my heart. I love your voice.

You are still a pretty chill baby. Mommy and Daddy are learning how to schedule our plans around your schedule. If we get it right, you are a ton of fun to take out on the town. You are making your way through the Atlanta festival scene. I think you enjoy seeing all the fun crafts and weird people they have to offer. We like taking you out to dinner, too. We have discovered that Mexican and Italian are your favorite foods. We had to order you your own bowl of guacamole because you were about to eat all ours!

Feeding you has gotten fun too. Mommy isn't making as much baby food for you as she used to. You prefer to eat table food. Pizza, ravioli, cheese, pancakes, cheerios, yogurt, fruit (any kind and lots of it!), avocados, corn, turkey, hummus, and sweet potatoes are the main staples in your diet. We need to work in some more vegetables but we are happy with how you are doing.

You are a great little fella! Please don't grow up too fast.

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

More Late Summer Fun!

2010-09-08T22:28:00.002-04:00

Pool time in the (arid) front yard

Peek-a-Boo!

Real men eat Cheerios out of pink cups

Sweet Nora, wondering who stole her Cheerios

First Day of School!

2010-09-08T22:11:00.004-04:00

Mommy and Owen on the way to school!

Owen and his buddy Jonah in the ball pit!

Seriously Mom! I'm fine!

Owen, June, and Jonah!

Owen and I had our first day of school together. He was starting a new daycare and I was starting a new year. Summer flew by and the real world was calling us both. I'm glad Owen had some buddies in his class to entertain him and keep him company.

The Lost Photos

2010-09-08T21:55:00.007-04:00

Owen's first lake trip

Cousins!

Pre-bedtime wind up with the cousins. Yes, most people wind down before bed, but not these 3.

Emma snuggles or Emma tackles. Not sure!

Bubbles!

Owen and his buddy, Caden

Our first trip to the emergency room- Owen fell and bit the bottom side of his tongue but we couldn't see the cut. His pediatrician was closing so they sent us to the emergency room to be sure he didn't mess up his teeth. Mom learned that the mouth bleeds. A lot.

Story time and rhymes at the Decatur library with his buddies, June and Jonah.

Okay, okay. I admit it. I've slacked off on the blog updates. I'm going to play the working mom card, though! Here are some photos from the end of the summer!

Busy Summer

2010-08-18T19:38:00.004-04:00

Swing Time!

Helping Baba clean off the kayak

Captain Chuck-a-Muck's!

Fireworks with the cousins in Charlottesville

Owen getting a piece of Andy

A walk to the stables at the King Family Vineyards

Sweet Grace!

Picnic Time!

The New River Bridge

The Bradley Boys

Papa and Owey-J

Phew! This is a post that's been a long time coming! You would think that having the summer off would give me some time to get things organized. No, not so much. We had lots of play dates, hit the open road, and caught up on some good ol' lazy, hazy, days of summer.

Here are some shots of our tour of the Virginias. Owen and I drove up by ourselves to Smithfield. We had 2 flat tires- twice. Nice. Luckily we were near the end of our journey and Dad was able to save us. We headed to Charlottesville for some fireworks with the cousins. It was great to see the NoVa crowd, if only for a brief evening. The next day we went out picnicing and wine tasting with the Charlottesville cousins. We headed out to West Virginia to get some of Papa's home cooking (hee hee hee). Chris' dad surprised us by driving down from New Hampshire to meet his little grandson. Owen enjoyed all the attention. We had a great visit and loved showing Owen the sights.

9 Months

2010-08-17T09:53:00.000-04:00

90th % in height

10th % in weight

Father's Day

2010-07-26T21:47:00.000-04:00

The tie!

The underwater sea scape

Owen celebrated Chris' first father day by painting an underwater scene with finger paints. I painted his feet for little fish swimming by. Owen even made his Daddy a nice tie. He actually hasn't worn it yet. I wonder if Owen has noticed?

8 Months!

2010-07-17T21:06:00.000-04:00

Mr. 8 Month Man

June Happenings!

2010-06-22T15:23:00.006-04:00

Owen, the ballerina clown.

This picture was taken by Claire at the yogurt shop. She snapped his photo (several times, actually) and declared that she was going to marry him.

Claire and Emma's new favorite past time- painting landscape rocks.

Snuggles from Aunt Darcy

Everyone needs a lip gloss break

Swinging in the park!!!

Enjoying the summer sun

This summer is just flying by. It's hard to believe it!

Owen is on the move, climbing on just about everything. He is standing up with support and does not enjoy sitting much, if he can help it. It's always a surprise to see him standing in his crib in the morning. At 7 months old, we are hoping he holds off on walking until he's at least 14. It's probably not very likely, seeing how he is moving about.

We took a trip to Birmingham to visit Darcy, Jeremy, and the girls. Owen had a lot of fun with his cousins. We miss having them as close as Macon but are glad they are not as far away as Mobile. The girls loved playing with "Owey", as Emma calls him. They enjoyed having a poor, defenseless, little doll baby to dress up.

7 Months!

2010-06-18T17:57:00.004-04:00

Dear Sweet Owen,

You are 7 months old! It's so hard to believe. I know I say it every month, but time is really flying by.

Here are a few of your highlights:

You have 2 bottom teeth! They are just starting to poke through but they are there for sure.
You are hard to keep down these days. You can crawl just about anywhere you want. You are also pulling up to standing. You can hang out in the standing position for a bit but you fall on your cute little bum after a few seconds.
You are eating just about anything we feed you. You like the onions sautéed in chicken stock with potatoes and peas. You also like the sweet potatoes, white beans, and ginger. I am not sure which fruit you like best. You gobble up peaches, strawberries, and papaya with great excitement. You have started working on picking up your Cheerios. If you manage to get them to your mouth, you gag. Not such a fan yet, but all this practice is helping you with your motor skills.
You are still sleeping 12 hours through the night. We love that.
You are playing with your toys a lot. We got you a little xylophone that you seem to be enjoying. So far you seem to have inherited my lack of rhythm but there's still hope. You are, after all, only 7 months old.
You love your cousins Claire and Emma. We just got back from a visit with them and you had a blast. You really seemed to have gotten a lot stronger and braver overnight. I'm not sure if that is a defense mechanism or if you just were inspired by how much the girls can already do.
You love to babble and talk. You make lots of fun noises.

I hope you are having as much fun with us as we are having with you.

Love,

Mom and Dad

St. Simons Island trip!

2010-06-06T09:19:00.005-04:00

We hit the road for Memorial Day weekend and ventured to St. Simons. We hadn't been back since our wedding. It was fun to show Owen the sights! We had a great time with our friends- we went to the beach, we went to the pool, we had a shrimp boil, and relaxed. Owen was a little scared of the big ocean at first but warmed up to the idea. He even fell asleep in my arms! Owen crawled for the first time on the trip. He also figured out how to get from the crawling position back up to sitting. Our big boy!

Here we go!

2010-05-25T21:45:00.004-04:00

I have a feeling things are about to get crazy around here. Someone has grand plans on crawling. Guess it's time to baby-proof the bottom 2 feet of the house. Now.

6 Months, already?!?

2010-05-17T21:22:00.002-04:00

15.3 lbs (25th percentile)

26.75 inches (90th percentile)

Dear Owen,

You are quite a little critter these days! You have been making all sorts of fun noises. Your tsk sound seems to be your favorite.

You have been eating a lot of new foods. Once we got past the boring ol' cereals, you moved on to sweet potatoes, peas, apples with cinnamon, pears, and carrots. I made you sweet potatoes, navy beans, and ginger and you are gobbled that up. We have been given the all clear on chicken, teething biscuits, and even Cheerios. You have tried out a sippy cup but aren't having much luck. We are starting you on the ones with a straw so we don't have to deal with you dumping your drink upside down when we go to restaurants. It's a little harder than the other ones to master for a kid your age but you have fun trying.

You are on the move, too. The ladies at daycare said you "disappeared" the other day. You wiggled your way across the room and got under the cribs. We need to get this house ready for all of your exploration. You are close to crawling. You can get up, but luckily for us, you don't quite have your moves worked out yet. You flip back and forth with ease and prefer to sleep on your belly. You can sit up for short periods of time but you aren't very stable.

Exciting times!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Mother's Day

2010-05-17T21:10:00.004-04:00

Mr. Serious

Some of Owen's food- apples, green beans, peas, sweet potatoes with navy beans and ginger.

One cool dude on the disc golf course

Owen's favorite way to sleep these days- tush up.

My first Mother's Day was a great one! It started out with a nice long morning nap from Owen. I got an extra hour of sleep- a rare thing around here. I woke up to a scrumptious breakfast in bed. I had gingerbread waffles with lemon curd and strawberries waiting for me. After breakfast we went out to play a round of disc golf with some friends. The day ended with a BBQ at the house. Owen and Chris got me a cooking class at the Cook's Warehouse for my gift. I learned how to make my own baby food. Little Owen is one lucky dude. I am a little jealous of his meals!

Happy birthday Darcy!

2010-05-07T21:24:00.003-04:00

Emma sneaking into Owen's bouncy seat

Poor Claire

Emma trying to sneak a kiss from Owen

Entertainment provided by little Emma

Hair break

Chris was out of town at a conference this week so my mom came in to keep Owen. Owen's daycare is up by Chris' work so it is impossible for me to get him there and get to work in the morning. It helped me out and Owen seemed to enjoy his time with Nanny. Mom finished her trip down to GA with a visit with Darcy. The "Nanny Hand-off" just so happened to fall on Darcy's birthday and since I was "sick" (cough, cough, wink, wink), we decided to go down to Macon. We had cake, presents, and the whole nine yards. Poor Claire was still recovering from her stomach virus so she was banned from hanging with Owen. Emma, however, took over with the entertainment. Owen had a good time with Emma and can't wait until Claire feels better so he can play with her too.

5 Months Old!

2010-04-20T19:23:00.001-04:00

Little boy in the big chair!

Dear Owen,

You are now 5 months! It's amazing how fast time is zipping by! Not a day goes by that we don't discover something new about you. Here are a few of our favorite things:

You like to hear yourself talk. It's all one long, monotonous tone but it's over and over again. You are very expressive when you are making that noise- like it means something special.
You have discovered your feet. We put you in your new footie pj's from the Ross family and ever since you saw the dogs, you've been grabbing on and playing with those feet. They have even found their way to your mouth.
We started feeding you rice cereal once a day. You are not such a huge fan, but you are a trooper. You are beginning to get the whole mouth movement down and I think you might actually be swallowing more than you end up wearing.
You roll over from your belly to your back and then from your back to your belly. One night I woke up to hear giggling on the monitor. I pushed on the video and there you were rolling all over the place. It was funny to us- even though it was 3:30 am. We are also trying to relax when we wake up and you are on your belly sleeping. I know you can pick your head up if you need to, but it still makes me nervous.
You and Carter are becoming buddies. You follow him around with your eyes and you even reach out for him. You've honked his nose a couple times. He wants to play with you, too. Too bad Mommy and Daddy always step in because we are nervous nellies.
You like your exersaucer a lot. You are getting good at pushing off with your feet. You are so good at it because you practice a lot with Daddy.

You are such a good baby! We can't wait to see all the new things you learn this month!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Spring Break 2010

2010-04-17T10:48:00.004-04:00

Owen going through security

Torpedo Factory, Old Town Alexandria

Yay! Friends!

Kristi, Me, Kerri, and Jackson

Sandy getting in her Granny-to-be training

Vicki teaching Sandy the Mawmaw rock

Owen and Baba

Worn Out!

Nanny and Owen

Scarlett, Bayley, Patty, Sullivan, and Wylloh

Sully and Owen

We had a grand visit to DC. Owen got to go on his first flight. He was a pretty good baby on the way up. On the way back he decided to scream for 15-20 minutes before taking off. He redeemed himself by sleeping the entire flight and smiling like the little stink

er he is to all the people who said, "I wondered who was making all that noise!" as they deboarded.

Aunt Vicki was the most gracious host to our weekend. Delicious food, great conversations, and getting together with friends. Hans and Sandy came over to meet Owen. They are anxiously awaiting the arrival of their first grandbaby in the next few weeks. Cousin Patty and her family live right around the corner from Vicki so we got to introduce Owen to his cousins Bayley, Scarlett, Wylloh, and Sullivan. It was great seeing Patty and Paul. We met up with friends from long ago at Rustico. Kristi and her family just recently moved back to DC and we got the bonus visitor of her sister Kerri and her kids. It's amazing how far back we go! Almost 30 years! Dan and Anne came over from Baltimore with their kids, Jonah and Olivia. Chris went to college with Dan and was roommates with both of them. They are the people that introduced us! Kate and her husband Mike met up with us too. Kate and I go back to 1982ish in Montgomery, Alabama. Then we both moved to DC and played all the time. We mostly pretended we were married to the guys in Duran Duran... I also got a chance to see my friend Rosie, her husband Eric, and Adam. Rosie and I go back to my freshman year at Auburn. It was great getting a chance to see everyone.

We didn't get much sightseeing in but did manage to make it to the International Spy Museum. If you are the paranoid-type that thinks someone is watching you, you're probably right. Chris went to the Phillips Collection, which is a private art collection in Dupont Circle. He enjoyed it a lot. I had to go back and take care of little Owen so I missed it. It will be great to visit all these places again once Owen is old enough to appreciate and understand them!

Aunt Monica Visits!

2010-04-05T22:29:00.004-04:00

Aunt Monica came down from New York. We had a nice brunch on Easter, went on a hike in North Georgia, drove on a washed out road, walked around the park, and had some Owen time. It was a great visit!

Time Flies!

2010-04-05T22:14:00.005-04:00

Karen and Owen at the first festival of the season- Perkeson Park!

Owen and Nora rolling around

Guy Smiley

Super Baby!!!

Time has been zipping past. This working stuff is for the birds. I don't have enough time to update the blog!! Here are a few shots from the end of March.

Four Months!

2010-03-17T14:11:00.003-04:00

25 3/4 inches (75th percentile)

13.28 lbs (25th percentile)

Sick

2010-03-17T14:08:00.003-04:00

Owen has managed to catch his first cold, 10 days into daycare. He seems to be handling it like a champ. He had a little fever but it only lasted a day. Poor thing has a terrible cough and a boogery nose.

Fun with the Cousins!

2010-03-13T11:50:00.005-05:00

Uncle Jeremy and Owen

The best attempt at getting 3 kids going the same way...

Emma looking a picture of Baba skiing and playing with my phone.

A funny little elf

Weeeeeeee!

The Evans clan came for a visit last weekend. We had lots of fun at the park. Jeremy finally got to hold Owen. When we saw him over Christmas, Owen was getting snuggled on by everyone but Jeremy. He finally got his chance!

First Day of School!

2010-03-13T11:35:00.001-05:00

Owen is growing up! He started "school" on March 1. We both really like his daycare and feel comfortable with the ladies looking after him. They are always super nice when I call to check on him...

3 Months Old!

2010-02-17T18:16:00.004-05:00

Dear Owen,

This has been a very exciting month for you! Mommy has gone back to work. It was a tough thing to do. I cried for a while- even once I got to work! My students were very happy to have me back and I was glad to see them but it still broke my heart to leave you behind. Luckily Nanny came to stay with you to help ease my transition. Do you know that I called her 3 times a day to check on you? Grammy is here now and she is looking after you for the next 2 weeks.

So, what have you been up to? Here are a few of our observations:

Your chin quiver is disappearing. We may get to see it only a few times a week!
You have terrible gas pains. When they are bothering you, you really are upset. You can scream and cry so loud! I called the doctor and now we are giving you gas drops with your meals.
You are playing with your toys more. You can even pick them up! You like your sock monkey a lot. It makes you smile.
Mommy and Daddy finally let you sleep the night in your room. You seem to like it- you are not waking up at night.
You like to put your hand in your mouth. I think you get frustrated when you can't get any food out of it...
You have new vocalizations that you like to experiment with- I love your little baby voice. Hopefully we can get it recorded before it's too late.
Bedtime is a breeze. You like your books and you still like to be swaddled. You prefer 12 hours of sleep but we have to wake you up to get you situated before we leave for work.

Loving you is so easy! Your sweet smiles and little dimples are the best.

Happy 3 months!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Going back to work

2010-02-12T23:03:00.009-05:00

Those aren't tears. Really. Well, maybe just a few...

Happy Baby!

Owen loves cousin Claire!

A bundle of love!

Happy 12 weeks Owen!

Nanny and Owen

Snow!

Well, this day finally came. It was the day I had been dreading since Owen was born- the day I returned to work. The tears began in the shower and ended about 30 minutes into my school day. I was lucky that I could ease into things because my mom came to town to watch him. She was here for a week, helping out around the house, answering my phone calls in the middle of the day, and loving on Owen. It was an exciting week! Adjusting to my new schedule, feeding the baby and getting out of the house, and not getting to sleep whenever I wanted was tough. Bedtime came early and so did mornings. It was great to have mom helping us out.

Darcy came up with the girls to celebrate Owen's 12th week birthday. I'm not sure if that's one that is officially celebrated but we sure blew it out in honor of Owen. The week ended with a grand "snow storm". Yes, we probably got 2 inches of snow. Not a lot by most people's standards, but for us here in Atlanta, it was quite an event. Chris' mom comes in tomorrow to take over baby duties for the next 2 weeks. Going back to work hasn't been as bad as I thought. Of course, I'd rather be home with Owen, but knowing he's in good hands for the first few weeks of leaving him, makes it easier. Hopefully, I will be good and adjusted by the time we have to send him to daycare .

Play time

2010-02-06T08:39:00.003-05:00

Mr. Serious Face. He needed a tough look to rock that mohawk.

Not a great photo, but you can see the smiles he is giving the toys he's talking to. The owl seems to be his best friend.

Strolling around town

Tummy time! When he gets tired of holding his head up he just lays it down on his hands until he has rested enough.

Holding on to his rattle to make some noise!

Owen is getting a lot more interactive with the world around him. He is noticing the toys on the bouncy seat and on his play mat. He talks to them and cracks jokes that are apparently very funny. I'm so glad they speak coos and babbles so Owen feels validated. We are still trying to learn the language of coos and babbles. We all know the universal smile and it melts our hearts when we get a good one out of him. You know the smile, the one where the eyes glow, the head turns slightly and the whole body moves with the beginnings of a giggle. Best. Baby. Smiles. EVER.

2 Month Check-up

2010-01-20T16:59:00.005-05:00

11.5 lbs, 23 1/4 inches

Today was Owen's 2 month appointment. He continues to grow and do all the things little 2 month old babies should do. Owen is in the 50-75th percentile in height and almost in the 50th percentile in weight. He needs to start taking more daytime naps, whether he wants to or not. This is going to be tougher for me than him since I have to let him cry it out. I'm sure the doctor knows what he's talking about, but I secretly think he is a meanie.

The Chin Quiver

2010-01-17T12:05:00.002-05:00

Here is the elusive quivering chin. In true Owen fashion, he only does it when we aren't ready. It took us 4 days to get just this little one. Be happy we edited this down to the clip you see here-it took over 3 minutes to capture it!

A Letter to Owen

2010-01-17T10:44:00.000-05:00

Dear Owen,

You are 2 months old today! It's hard to believe we have had you in our lives for 2 months! You have grown and changed so much.

You are now sleeping for 7-8 hours at night. That helps mommy and daddy sooo much! You have a new blanket that keeps you swaddled and cozy, making sleep so much better. You wake up every morning with a big smile- once you get that eyeball unstuck. You have a blocked tear duct in your right eye that makes it gooey in the morning. We clean it up for you though, don't worry. You used to pitch a fit every time we did that but now I think you want it cleaned up just as much as we do.

Here are some things about you that we just adore:

You love the curtains in our bedroom. For some reason they make you smile. It's strange to us, since they are just plain, off-white curtains.
Bath time has turned out to be fun for you. Mommy washes your hair first under the faucet and then gets out the tub for the rest of you. Daddy likes to help too. He likes to get the sprayer from the kitchen sink and hose you off. You have spikey hair after your baths.
You love your swing. You like to sit in it in the morning and evenings for your cat naps. You have finally discovered that mirror and the toys that go around above your head. They make you smile and I think you are beginning to reach for them.
You look like a cross between Stevie Wonder and an inch worm when we put you on your tummy. You can lift your head up but you aren't strong enough yet to keep it still. It goes back and forth and makes us laugh. When you get tired you just put your head down and rest. You can hang out on your belly for about 10 minutes before you get frustrated.
You still have your chin quiver. It is so cute but you seem to be growing out of it. Developmentally, that's good but it will be sad for me when it is gone.
You are good at going out to eat. You sleep through the meals making it nice for mommy and daddy.
Your doggy, Carter, is finally used to having you around. At first, he wasn't so sure about you. Mommy was scared he was going to eat you. Now, he loves you. When you cry he goes to the room where you are and sits by you. He also likes to poke his nose in your swing and sniff you. Your eyes get wide when he is in your face. I think his whiskers tickle you. Carter has gotten a little too protective of you. He doesn't like when our friends come over while mommy is feeding you or you are crying.
You have a fussy period in the evening. Sometimes there is just nothing that will make you feel better. To get you to settle down, we will carry you around in the carrier, push you around the house in your stroller, or try you in the swing. It usually turns out that you were hungry. Sometimes you just like to eat and eat so we don't always recognize your hunger signs.
You have found your hands. You have been sucking on your fists a lot lately. You are also starting to reach out for things. Whether that is on purpose or not we don't know.

Not only are you changing, but we are too. Our late nights have been replaced with early mornings. On any given day, there are more baby bottles than beer bottles in the fridge. We can no longer get out of the house in under 20 min. It takes us that long just to get you loaded in your car seat.

We are sad to see you growing up so fast! You are outgrowing some of your clothes and newborn mannerisms. We are making the most of each day and loving each new milestone you reach. Mommy and Daddy love you very much and can't wait to experience the rest of our lives with you in it.

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

January Fun

2010-01-13T12:09:00.006-05:00

Touchdown Auburn!

The coolest baby on the block

The Hawks game

January started off great with an Auburn win in the Outback bowl on New Year's Day. Owen was cheering on the Auburn Tigers in his new onesie (thanks Amy and George!). He has even mastered Touchdown Auburn. That evening, Owen's buddy Caden asked him to join him in a suite at the Hawks game. It was great because we got to hang out with Amanda and MJ while the boys ate and slept through the game. The last photo is just a funny picture of Owen. He likes going out but hates waiting for the travels to begin once he is locked and loaded.

George!

2010-01-13T10:18:00.002-05:00

Darcy and the girls came up to the Children's Museum in Atlanta for the day so Owen and I met them there. We had a grand day, topped off by meeting Curious George. Owen was really impressed with him, as you can tell. I'm sure he will appreciate the photos when he is older...

We need to get as much cousin time as we can before they head to L.A.- Lower Alabama. Jeremy has taken a job down there and they will be joining him as soon as the house sells. As much as I want them to all be together again, I can't help but feel super sad that they are not going to be an hour away anymore.

Christmas in Atlanta

2010-01-12T18:02:00.003-05:00

Sweet snuggles with Aunt Monica

Cruising the neighborhood

Baby's first Christmas dinner- in the swing.

We hurried home from Macon so we could meet Chris' mom and sister at the airport and introduce them to little Owen. Owen seemed to take to Aunt Monica and Grammy instantly. It was such a special Christmas!

Christmas in Macon

2010-01-12T16:26:00.004-05:00

Papa and Owen

Papa and Emma were having a chat with Owen. Emma loves Owen's hair!

Nanny and Owen

Chef Baba working on the traditional holiday rouladen.

Emma, Darcy, and Claire

We went down to Macon for some pre-holiday fun. Owen got to meet his great-grandfather Papa, Uncle Frank, and Aunt Cheryl for the first time. He also got in a little more time with his Nanny and Baba, cousins Emma and Claire, and Aunt Darcy and Uncle Jeremy. It was a short trip but we packed lots of fun into the time that we had. Christmas was always the best time of the year as kids and hopefully we can carry on some of the traditions and make it just as special for our little Owen.

First Road Trip!

2009-12-04T11:53:00.007-05:00

First bath!

Not a fan of bath time

First nail clipping! Aunt Darcy is a pro!

Cousin Emma

The 3 Cousins

Claire and Owen

Owen and I headed down to Macon this week to spend time with the cousins and Aunt Darcy. The floors in Owen's room were being refinished so we needed to get out of the house for a few days. We made good use of Darcy's expertise and put her to work clipping Owen's nails and bathing him! Claire was a big help. The good news is that I think Claire has forgiven us for naming Owen something other than Clifford. Emma loved her new baby cousin and his hair. It was a nice visit and Owen handled the hour ride like a champ.

Owen James Bradley

2009-11-24T18:18:00.008-05:00

Here I am, world!

November 17, 2009, 1:24 pm

20 1/4 inches long

7.97 lbs

Holding Daddy's hand

First Family Portrait

Chris and the baby monkey

Aunt Darcy holding Owen

Pat, Amy, and Owen

Coming home!

Napping with Baba

Little Owen Bradley arrived November 17, 2009. The day before started like any other- I got up to go to work. By 8:30 I was feeling pretty steady Braxton-Hicks contractions. They weren't painful but I did start writing down the times down just to keep track of them. I called the doctor at 10. She suggested I go home and lay down for a while. Around 2:30, I started wondering if my water broke. It wasn't a big flood like I was expecting, just a trickle. It progressively got worse so I called the doctor back. She asked me to come in for a check. We went straight to the labor and delivery room and were told that it was time to have a baby. I wasn't in active labor so they gave me a mild dose of pitocin to get things started. By morning, I hadn't made much progress so they bumped it up. I started really moving and was ready to go by 10:30. I started pushing at 12:45 and by 1:24 we had a little baby that looked more like Yoda than a human. Luckily that was only temporary! He is so sweet. We are really enjoying figuring out what all of his coos and cries mean. He is gaining weight and is healthy. Who could ask for anything more?

Big Belly Shots

2009-11-11T22:55:00.006-05:00

Profile- 37 weeks

Wiped out Claire and the Belly

Sweet Emma- either trying to give a hug away or steal the camera.

Last weekend was the Chomp and Stomp, one of our favorite festivals in Atlanta. Darcy, Jeremy, and the girls came up from Macon to join in the festivities. Here are few shots of Big Momma and her belly- 3 weeks before the due date.

Showered!

2009-11-11T22:34:00.003-05:00

My co-workers threw a baby shower for us last week. It was so sweet of them to think about us! The Universal Joint, one of my favorite hang outs in Oakhurst, was the backdrop to a great evening.

Asheville- October Winter Wonderland?!?

2009-10-25T10:54:00.004-04:00

Chris and I headed to Asheville last weekend for a final getaway before "Baby Bradley" gets here. We had a great time exploring Asheville. We stayed at the Haywood Park Hotel, which is smack dab in the center of town. We had lots of memorable meals- 2 standouts for dinner were Table and The Market Place. Both used locally sourced ingredients and had amazingly fresh choices. For breakfast, we hit the Early Girl Cafe and Tupelo Honey Cafe. Both were awesome and just what we were looking for.

On Saturday, Chris and I got up and headed to the Blue Ridge Parkway to check out the leaves and do a couple of (small) hikes. We were in for a big surprise when we got to the top and had a small blizzard on our hands. It was beautiful- but I wish I was better prepared for it. Life above 6000 feet is tough! Asheville was a whole 20 degrees warmer!

We went to the Biltmore on Sunday. It was a beautiful day to explore an amazing house and all the grounds. The whole trip was a great way to spend a weekend.

Just in case you were wondering, we found the Bat Cave.

The Biltmore

One of our hikes

Brrrrrr.

It's hard to capture how hard the wind was blowing. It was bone chilling.

Clearly at a lower elevation! We probably were about 3-4 days early for peak leaf color.

The snow is creeping across the mountain

Looking Glass Falls in Pisgah National Forest

I couldn't tie my sweatshirt around my waist!

Chris in front of Mr. Beaver's hut

Fall Fun

2009-10-11T09:00:00.005-04:00

Getting bigger!

My class

Tiger!

Chris holding Emma so she could feel the rain

Sisters!

My parents, Aunt Vicki, Uncle Frank and Aunt Cheryl, and Darcy and her family all came into Atlanta a few weeks ago for my baby shower. It was so great seeing everyone and I'm thankful that everyone made the trip to see us! Mom and Dad got to come by the school and see the kids. After that, they headed over to The Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club and got to see the top 30 pros swing it out. The course is next to our school so we are very active in "golf week." Our kids take golf as a class so they really enjoy the excitement!

The Virginia's- 2009

2009-07-22T10:34:00.006-04:00

The Overlook at Grand View State Park. My parents actually got engaged here!

The Veteran's Memorial in Ansted. Papa worked hard to organize and see the memorial through to completion.

Rafters going down the New River.

Mom, Stacey, Chris, and Baby on a hike.

Kaymoor Mines

Mom and Dad

Cousins! Wish Darcy could have been there!

Kayaking on Jones Creek

Dad taking one of his many breaks... I'm just sayin' !!!!!

The Happy Shack in Nags Head

Dad just got his Seniors National Park Pass. This is the first time he got to use it.

Chris and I drove up to West Virginia for a quick visit with Papa over the 4th weekend. We had a great time, despite Papa's wounded arm. He is the best one-armed tour guide in WV so if you need a tour, let me know. I am sure we can work something out.

Chris had to drive home for work but I jumped into my parent's car and headed to Smithfield. We made one super special stop in Charlottesville to see my cousin Jenny's new house. I was happily surprised to see my cousin Patty and her husband Paul, along with their 4 beautiful kiddos. Maw Maw Sweetie (my aunt Vicki) was also there! It was a lovely visit and I even got a few baby gifts. Yeah!

After dinner and dessert we went on our way to Smithfield. We had a great couple of days kayaking, shopping, and even squeaked in a visit to the Happy Shack in Nags Head, NC. Lots of fun memories!

A weekend of celebrations

2009-07-02T07:26:00.005-04:00

The top of our wedding cake, one year later. It was still good!

Birthday cake! A delicious carrot cake from Matty Cakes Bakery.

The birthday boy with his beer and corn dog.

Chris and Stacey (and baby!) enjoying the band Rusted Root.

My niece Emma!

My niece Claire, running around. It was a hot day!

Poor Chris. His birthday (June 22) falls during a busy time of the year. His birthday, Father's Day, and our anniversary (June 28) are all in the same week. He has this fear that his presents will be forgotten on each individual day and he will wind up with one big one. I have to say that the fear is a little justified but for now, I am doing the best I can to make sure it doesn't happen that way! We celebrated his birthday and Father's (to-be!) day with Darcy and her family. They came up for a music festival and spent the night. We had a great time and got celebrate the birthday and Father's Day separately. We celebrated our part of our anniversary the following weekend at a brunch with friends, many of whom where at the wedding. We thawed out the top of the cake and dug in. It wasn't too bad, considering it had been in the freezer for a year!

And Baby makes three!

2009-06-01T15:57:00.003-04:00

Baby Bradley- 12 weeks

We are pregnant! We are expecting the new member of Team Bradley November 28. It seems like forever away but I know it will be here sooner than I think. I am currently 14 weeks, 3 days.

I have been very fortunate not to have any morning sickness. I have serious taste aversions but no sickness. This baby has turned me into a vegetarian for the time being. Chris has been very good so far. I am sure he will keep it up! We are fairly certain we know the sex of the baby so if you want to know, just shoot me an email. They will be able to tell for sure at my next ultrasound. That is about 5 weeks away from now. Yeah! We are excited!

If you have any advice on "must-have" items, please let me know! It's all very overwhelming at the moment.

Spring Break 2009!

2009-04-19T12:28:00.001-04:00

Claire building a sand castle.

The family!

We headed down to Pensacola over Spring Break to catch up on some family time and rest and relaxation. It was a bit chilly on a couple of the days but we still managed to sit out and get sun! It was a fun getaway and an opportunity to spend Dad's birthday together (early) in person!

Billy Joel and Elton John

2009-03-16T21:54:00.000-04:00

I went to go see Billy Joel and Elton John at Phillips Arena Saturday night. It was the best concert I have been to in a while. Both fellas were on point. Their voices sounded like album quality and the bands for each guy were amazing. Here are a few shots. Some came from the jumbo-tron and some were just taken with the zoom on my camera.

Billy playing the harmonica on Piano Man

Elton and Billy

Billy Joel

Elton John

Cloudland Canyon

2009-03-11T18:20:00.000-04:00

Disc golf has become a slightly addictive activity around our house. Camping trips get planned around disc golf weekends. We recently went to Cloudland Canyon State Park in Northwest Georgia for a weekend of fun. We rented a cabin and settled in for a good time.

Chris going for the putt!

Wildlife viewing area

Beautiful skies!

Our walk along the ridge of the canyon

We stayed properly hydrated on the walk!

I'm it!

2009-01-20T21:59:00.001-05:00

I have just been tagged by Kristi to answer some questions. Here we go!

Q- Five names you go by:

Stacey, StoJo, Staljo, Lily, Moosie La Goosie

Q- Three things you are wearing right now:

Thick socks, sweatpants, long-sleeved shirt

Q- Two things you want very badly at the moment:

A blanket and cup of tea (It's only 24 degrees here right now!)

Q- Two things you ate today:

Veggie burger and baked waffle fries

Q- Two things you did last night:

Worked on a puzzle and caught up with the DVR

Q- Two people you talked to last on the phone:

Chris and Karen

Q- Two things you are going to do tomorrow:

Try to keep 19 first graders going in mostly the same direction and work with the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade science club kids on identifying mysterious powders!

Q- Two longest car rides:

This is tough since we drove everywhere as kids. In most recent memory I'd have to say Montgomery to Seattle and Atlanta to New Hampshire.

Q- Two of your favorite beverages:

2007 Cotes de Rhone and water

Q- The people you would like to respond:

Darcy , Kerri, and Jenny

Christmas in New Hampshire!

2009-01-20T21:20:00.000-05:00

We headed to the Great White North for Christmas this year. We were quite lucky with the weather. We were one of the last flights to get out of Atlanta for Boston and we were also one of the last to land in Boston. We had to circle Rhode Island a few times while they cleared the runway so we could land. The pilot told the flight attendant that he couldn't see until we landed. Not really the conversation you want to eavesdrop on... Anyway, we had a great trip!

Chris and Stacey

The nature preserve where went snowshoeing

Look at all that snow! Stacey and Mama Bradley looking sporty.

Chris, Papa Bradley, and Monica

Georgia Music Hall of Fame

2008-12-15T20:43:00.001-05:00

The good-byes

New friends!

Little Drummer Girl!

Emma is rockin'!

We took the First Graders down to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in Macon for a field trip last week. Darcy, Claire, and Emma met us down there and helped wrangle all the kids. My students loved Claire and Emma. They kept petting Claire and Emma's hair and Claire got to learn about lots of beads in hair. It was a fun day! The kids are still talking about the trip. Thanks to Darcy and the girls for making the day even more fun!

Thanksgiving- Part 2

2008-12-14T08:43:00.001-05:00

Baby Gerard

The Gang!

Chris

Ron, Jeff, and Maxey

Brad, Clem, Tim, and Robin

As much fun as Thanksgiving Part 1 was, being away for Thanksgiving means you don't get any leftovers. As Chris and I were boarding our flight to come home, we decided that we would have to do a Thanksgiving Remix. We had 15 folks over for a sit down Thanksgiving dinner- with 1 fried turkey and 1 baked turkey as the stars. Everyone brought a side and it all came together. Wow. Luckily the table held 10 people and the "kid" table was able to seat 5. Great fun! We had plenty of leftovers for turkey noodle soup, turkey sandwiches, and turkey enchiladas. Just what the doctor ordered! So this Thanksgiving season was very special. We got to spend it surrounded by family in DC and our friends here in Atlanta. I also got leftovers. How can you beat that?

Thanksgiving- Part 1

2008-12-13T21:57:00.000-05:00

Sweet Pea Emma

The Roberts Family

Stacey and Darcy

The Fried Turkey Crew- Scott, Jeremy, and Chris

We spent Thanksgiving in DC. The holiday was named the great Pile-in by my Aunt Vicki. We had 22 people- 8 kids and 14 adults. It was quite a gathering and non-stop fun. From the beer tasting party to the trip to the American History Museum, we were thankful to spend Thanksgiving surrounded by family.

Sonoma- Sept. 08

2008-12-11T22:10:00.000-05:00

So, I have been completely awful about updating this blog. I am planning on posting a lot more in the next few days, so stay tuned. It will probably be ages before another post but at least, at this very moment, I have very good intentions.

These photos are from our Sonoma trip in September. My cousin Tyler got married and we went out for the very festive day. It was a quick trip- out on Friday and back on Monday, but we managed to squeeze in a trip to Muir Woods, 5 vineyards, a great dinner at Dry Creek Kitchen, and the wedding.

Tortuguero

2008-09-27T12:21:00.001-04:00

Tortuguero is really a small strip of houses. One one end of the street you have the park, to the east you have the ocean, and to the west you have a river.

Here is the strip of land called Tortuguero. The runway (and I use that term loosely) is on that strip.

This is the Caribbean side of Tortuguero.

We took a canoe trip one morning with our guide, Ross. He was an amazing guide. He's a Canadian botonist who has decided to make Tortuguero home. He knew a lot about the plants and wildlife, which made the trip even more interesting. He had an opinion on everything. If you ever find yourself in Tortuguero, Casa Marbella was a great place to stay. They are the ones that arranged our trip with Ross.

This is an anhinga. He was drying off his wings.

Costa Rica! First Stop- San Jose

2008-09-27T11:46:00.000-04:00

So, I know we've been back from our honeymoon for about 3 months now. I am just now getting around to getting the pictures up!

We only had 1 day to spend in San Jose so we headed over to the Market Centrale. It was a maze of stalls and little food stands.

Arroz Con Pollo with 2 fruit drinks. One was blackberry (moras) and the other was something delicious (meaning I forgot the name).

We only had time to hit the National Theater and the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum. The gold museum was very interesting. I would have loved to have visited the Jade Museum but it closed early.

The next morning we boarded our flight and headed up to Tortuguero, a small village on the edge of a national park in the Northeastern part of Costa Rica. It is only accessible by plane or boat. There are no roads going in.

More Wedding Photos!

2008-07-24T19:23:00.000-04:00

Here are a few more pictures of the wedding weekend. These are the family pictures. I am still waiting on folks to send us some of the less "formal" photos.

The Johnson/Bradley's

Stacey, Papa, Chris, Jack, Jenny, Darcy, Emma (6 weeks), Jeremy, and Claire (3 years)

The Bradley's

Maureen, Stacey, Chris, Monica

The Bradley's

Pat, Stacey, Chris, Roger, Monica

The Wedding Weekend!

2008-07-21T19:37:00.001-04:00

Well, Chris and I are married! It was a great weekend despite the rain 20 minutes before the ceremony. We are both really happy with the way everything turned out- especially since we were able to get the outdoor photos we wanted. We loved having everyone at the BBQ and at the ceremony. It gave us more time to spend with everyone!

Papa, Frank, Mom, and Cheryl at the Lighthouse

The wedding party- Darcy, Me, Chris, Monica, and my niece Claire in the role of the Flower Girl.
Chris and Me on the beach

The first dance with our parents.

Claire, reliving her duties as the flower girl.

This was the sky from my parent's room at the St. Simons Inn moments before the ceremony. Good thing we practiced the "rain back-up plan" the day before!

Chris and I had a blast and we were so happy that we were surrounded by loved ones. We missed not having those who couldn't make it there with us. You were certainly thought of during the weekend!

Bringing the little ones?

2008-05-18T21:40:00.001-04:00

Chris and I are excited about the wedding and can't wait to see you! For the parents out there, we know that traveling with the wee ones is often stressful and many times it can be a deal-breaker. We want to help ease any concerns you might have in this regard.

First of all, the children are more than welcome to attend both the wedding and the reception.

For those that want to be kick back and relax but still want to have the kiddos close by, we have made arrangements to ease your minds. We have dear friends that are bringing their nanny with them. Rachel is a highly qualified babysitter and has agreed to help us out for the wedding/reception. We have booked a room at the St. Simons Inn (directly across street from the festivities). She will be available for both the wedding and the reception. There will be pizza, movies, coloring books, and whatever else might be entertaining for the kids.

If you think you might want to drop off the young ones with Rachel let us know so we have an idea of how many to expect. Please include the ages so we can make sure she is fully prepared for the event. If need be, we will find her some backup.

If you have any questions or concerns, we are more than happy to contact Rachel for you or provide you her contact information. Let either one of us know (staljo@bellsouth.net or thechris@bellsouth.net) if you might need her services or have any questions. If you are bringing someone with you that might want to help Rachel out, please let us know that too.

Things to do in and around St. Simons

2008-05-16T10:42:00.000-04:00

The wedding is quickly approaching! Hopefully everyone has been able to book hotel rooms. The hotel block at both hotels will be released on May 23 so please make sure you go ahead and book your rooms.

I also want to remind folks that our wedding will be a casual affair. For your comfort, we are banning pantyhose, ties, and jackets.

If you are looking for things to do while you are in the St. Simons area check out the list below. All of them are less than 2 hours away. St. Augustine is furthest of all the trips. Chris and I have visited all of these spots, so if you have any questions, please feel free to ask us.

St. Simons Island

http://www.stsimonstours.com/

(Trolley Tour info)

There is plenty to do on St. Simons Island. The link above takes you to the trolley tour which is a great way to get an island overview. You can sun your buns on East Beach (the best place to swim and lay out). You can tour Bloody Marsh, the site where the British took on the Spanish in order to protect their colony.

Savannah, GA

http://www.savannahvisit.com/

Savannah is only 45 minutes north of St. Simons. Take a trolley tour, walk the squares in the historic district, stroll along the Savannah River, and catch a bite to eat at Paula Deen's restaurant, The Lady and Sons.

Cumberland Island, GA

http://www.nps.gov/cuis/

Cumberland Island is a fantastic trip if you have a day to spare. It is about 30 minutes from St. Simons, but only accesible by ferry. Chris and I camped here for 2 nights in Feb. It was amazing. There are wild horses on the island, along with armadillos and the biggest 'possums you'll ever see! You will need to make ferry reservations to get on to the island. Pack a picnic lunch, take the ranger-guided walking tour, bring your swimsuits, and chill out for the day.

St. Augustine, FL

http://www.historicstaugustine.com/

St. Augustine is also about 1 1/2 hours away from St. Simons. It is a great place to visit for the day. Walk through the historic streets and forts or take a trolley ride and see the oldest house and the oldest wooden schoolhouse in the country.

http://www.fountainofyouthflorida.com/

Visit Ponce De Leon's Fountain of Youth and drink from the springs! It is just outside of historic St. Augustine.

The Okefenokee Swamp

http://www.okefenokeeadventures.com/index.html

The Okefenokee Swamp is about 1 1/2 hours away from St. Simons. There is a great boat tour that tells you all about the swamp. Gators are everywhere!

Where is St. Simons and how do I get there?

2008-01-29T16:10:00.000-05:00

St. Simons is a small island on the coast of Georgia. It is an hour south of the Savannah airport and an hour north of the Jacksonville, FL airport. St. Simons is about 5 hours from Atlanta by car. There is a small airport in Brunswick, GA that is serviced by Delta with connections through Atlanta. It is about 20 minutes from St. Simons. This map shows a few of the wedding event locations. You can also see where St. Simons is in relation to Savannah, Jacksonville, and Atlanta when you zoom out. Things on the island are much closer than they appear. The only place that is not within reasonable walking distance is the King and Prince Resort. You technically could walk if you were up for it.

View Larger Map

Hotel Details!

2008-01-19T10:48:00.000-05:00

We are starting get details nailed down for the wedding. We will be getting married at the lighthouse around 7 pm on June 28. Don't let the 7 pm hour scare you! It is NOT going to be a formal wedding. We would like for all of you to be very comfortable. It will be warm (hot) at this time of year. Please dress accordingly! If you show up in pantyhose, a jacket, or a tie, you will have to go back to your room and change.

We have blocks of rooms at 2 hotels. Both hotels are within walking distance of the wedding/reception site. The blocks are under the Johnson/Bradley wedding party. Make sure you mention the block when making reservations. June is peak season in St. Simons so try to book your rooms as soon as you can. Both hotels are small and would only give us a certain number of rooms. They will continue to book rooms for us if we go over our block as long as they have space.

The Village Inn and Pub

http://www.villageinnandpub.com/

The majority of our rooms are at the Village Inn and Pub. This is a small little hotel with only 28 rooms. We have 20 rooms reserved for our party. The nightly rate will be $200 with a 2 night minimum. It is within walking distance to the shops and restaurants in the village, as well as the wedding and reception. Chris and I will be staying here after the wedding.

St. Simons Inn

http://www.stsimonsinn.com/

The nightly rate here is 134.10. It is the closest hotel to the wedding and reception. In fact, you can see the lighthouse in the background of this picture. It is also within walking distance of the village restaurants and shops.

The King and Prince Resort

http://www.kingandprince.com/

The King and Prince is a gorgeous hotel on the beach. It is only a mile or so from the wedding. They would not give us a negotiated rate so we didn't block rooms. I just want to give a beachfront option! Please contact them for their rates and specials. I think they are currently charging about $249/nt. with a two night minimum for the summer season.

If you want to make a week's vacation out of your trip to the Golden Isles, there are many condo and rental houses. A Google search will help you out with vacation planning for these options.

We're Getting Married!

2008-01-09T10:30:00.000-05:00

It was after a long day of shopping that Chris and I decided to unwind with some champagne and a cheese plate. I noticed Chris was getting a bottle of bubbley out of the fridge. I reminded him that was our "fancy" bottle and it was only for special occasions. Without hesitation, he said "Well let's make it a special occasion then" and got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. He was super calm and I never saw it coming. He surprised me completely. Very suave. I said yes, of course!