And More Sharky Thoughts...

There were TWO North Carolina Shark attacks last week....and people make fun of me for my fear!! Anyway, I still took one for the team and joined my family for a beach day this weekend. I didn't go too deep into the ocean, they were lucky I got in at all. We packed lunch and made a day of it. My kids are true Seiler...they love bread and the beach. It is a rare summer weekend when Paul is home, so we headed a little further East and had a perfectly perfect day.

Atlanta Aquarium

I promised the kids a trip to the Aquarium while we were in Atlanta - they were awesome travelers and deserved the fun day. For those of you who don't know me well....I am deathly afraid of SHARKS! I know, I grew up smack in the middle of the country and have no real reason for this fear. HOWEVER, in my own defense, my parents did drag me to see "Jaws" at the drive-in theater. I was never the same.

That being said....I want major credit for actually going to the Aquarium and EVEN walking through the tunnel. I won't go into great detail about making my children do that part first so I could stop fretting, or how heavy my chest became while entering, or the small panic attack I had when I heard a man say, "Oh my, here it comes....look how BIG he is!" The most important thing is that I entered one end and came out still breathing on the other. I was not attacked by a Great White and my children safely exited the right end of the tunnel even though I left them high and dry in there by themselves. Okay - now for the most extraordinary part...I TOOK PICTURES OF THE SHARK and other sea creatures. These were captured while safely at the END of the tunnel of course...but this is an extreme measure of love for me to do for my children's scrapbooks (that I don't really keep up with).

Applause anyone???

The Shark Hunter

Braden, being the "Crocodile Hunter Wanna-Be" couldn't wait for the "petting pond" so he could feel a real stingray (and I mean that with the utmost respect and affection towards Steve Erwin...we miss him). So when we arrived and noticed that there were 5 Hammerhead SHARKS in there too...he just about hyperventilated (which I know a little something about). I held onto him as he r-e-a-c-h-e-d into the pool to touch the stingray's back - he got a little greedy and nearly sprouted wings and flew into the middle of the water to touch a shark. Somehow he managed to do what 120 other people standing around the water couldn't....he touched a shark. A lifelong dream really.

Georgia was Peachy

The kids and I drove to Sugar Hill, Georgia to see my friend Julie this weekend. We met in college....WAY back in the 80's. Many things have changed for us...namely a husband and 2 kids each. Our lives are actually quite parallel. It's too bad we live 6 hours away. Our other dear friend, Dana Kay, husband Kelly and daughter Paden drove from Missouri to spend the weekend with us too! Mike and Julie were awesome hosts - even taking us out on their big ole boat (probably considered a yacht). We shared recipes, talked about our personal "Schwan Man" - oh-la-la! And Dana and I got some great baby time with Ross. This picture is of my 2....Julies munchkins (the little ones) and Dana's daughter Paden. Then the 3 Momma's. There are no friends...like old friends.

Jolly Jumpers

Braden and Abby actually jumped off the top of this boat (into the lake of course). I was in the water, or else I'd have actual footage of the big event. I hear it told that grown men (namely Doug Scott) cried like a baby when they got up there and didn't really want to do it. Now we have a 5 and 7 year old who couldn't get up and jump fast enough. I wasn't real thrilled with the whole thing and only let them do it a few times.....too much excitement for me.

Living Large on the Lake

Mushy Gushy Love

There's something special about a Daddy and his little girl. I should know.

The Running of the Bases

Braden and Ryan gave up trying to beat their fastest time in the "running of the bases" to help 2 yr old Sam Darwin around the field. It was precious watching Sam fall (approximately 5 times) while the boys held his hands steady. Sam probably could have done better without such love, but then again...I wouldn't have these pictures to share!

Still at the ballpark!

Another great reason to love the USA-Baseball games is that we get to bring our friends along to share the good times. Ryan Janssen (Seiler is in his name somewhere) joined us for the annual best friend's baseball game this weekend. Braden and Ryan have known each other since...well...birth. It's true...we have all kinds of incriminating pictures to share with girlfriends someday! But for now I'll share a few from the summer of 2007

Take Me Out To The Ballgame!

Thanks to my friend Stacy I am trying my hand at this "bloggy" thing. I haven't had a good track record, but I am determined to put my scrapbooking guilt FAR behind me and Stacy says this works for her??? We'll see.

Every July our family looks very forward to the annual gathering of the USA-Baseball staff and families for a few baseball games. My kids are usually good for, oh, about 2 innings and then it's off to the playground we go. But we LOVE all of the things a baseball game offers...snow cones, hot dogs, cold Pepsi and french fries. And a first for us this year...COTTON CANDY!! OH YEA BABY! Another first for Abby this year is Wooly Bull. She has been known to dig her nails into my neck to avoid making eye contact with WB in the past....but this year we hit a milestone. Not afraid of WB AND actually ASKING to go find him for a hug. Pictures to prove it.