The Moose Herd

A Jump Through June

2011-09-25T16:19:00.041-04:00

As we take a quick look at our goings-on

in the month of June, we start off with

Zachary losing his first tooth!

The tooth fairy was WAAAAY better to him

than she ever was to me!

He got $6 whole dollars for his first tooth!

(He IS 6 years old after all)

Then as the school year was wrapping up,

Zachary was awarded with the top

A.R. (Accelerated Reader) award!

He had the most points in his class

and in all of Kindergarten!!!

We are so proud!

Our big Kinder-Grad!

Then Zach moved up a rank in karate;
His 8th belt!

Then it is time for summer break

and hangin' with friends!

Two Weeks at Tweetsie

ROUND 1 - Thomas the Tank Engine

Zachary and Sir Topham Hatt

It broke Mom's heart when he said,
"Mom, it's just a guy in a costume..."
Guess he's really growing up!

Zachary's first time on the "big" rides at Tweetsie
He had a blast!

ROUND 2 - Dora the Explorer!

Hannah LOVES the horsies...
has to sit on every one in the park!

Zachary tries the big rides all by himself!

"Dorwah, Dorwah....I looooooove you, Dorwah!!!"

(Let's try one without the drama!)

Not sure what this is all about....

And....she's done!
Too much excitement!

Let's Paw-ty!

2011-06-08T05:13:00.012-04:00

As May drew to a close, we traveled to Raleigh

to spend time with Rebekah and Michael,

and celebrate our niece's 3rd Birthday!

(or 21st, depending on how you want to look at it!)

We started out with breakfast at the

Farmer's Market Restaurant

(I love that place!)

Then we were off to Oakwood Park

for the "paw-ty"

HG wasn't too sure about all the dogs here

Surprisingly, Laney was the ONLY dog wearing a dress!

Amanda was quick to point out that Laney's

Momma dresses her funny!

She was pretty cute, though!

Looking at Zach's face and shirt...

Yep, that about sums it up!

Just before time to head back to Newton,

Michael wanted me to try the "Ludicrous"

wing sauce from Buffalo Brothers.

"Supposedly" this stuff is really hot!

I was all smiles waiting to taste it.

"Here goes nothing!", I thought, as I dipped

my first of TWO bites...

Oh...Mah...LORD!

Definitely the hottest stuff I have EVER eaten!

If you click on the picture below and

take a good look, you'll see the tears

FLOWING down my face!!!

Ludicrous....an understatement!

(It was really delicious, though!

I wish I could have handled eating more of it!)

Beach Day!

2011-06-07T22:14:00.009-04:00

As the school year is drawing to a close,

Zachary's class had a water day

to celebrate the start of summer

and the end of a great year!

Looks like they had a whole lot of fun!

They played a game called "Musical Buckets"

that the kids absolutely loved!

Zachary got to help fill up the "chairs"

As much as they loved running,

they loved jumping into the buckets of water!

And sometimes, they just wanted to chillax!

Poor Officer Bryan (gray shirt in the background)...

he wanted to jump in a bucket, too!

GGGGG

2011-06-07T21:13:00.011-04:00

Gardening with Granddad

at Great-Granddaddy Glenn's

Granddad has really taken to the

whole gardening thing, which is great,

because we love fresh veggies!

And Zachary loves to help!

Final instructions before we plant

Zachary grew a watermelon plant from

a seed at school. As it got big enough,

he brought it home to plant in the garden.

That would be "Z's Watermelon"

Can't wait to dig into one later

this summer!

Zachary's First Camping Trip

2011-06-06T23:34:00.029-04:00

Wow! What a special trip this was!!!

I took Zachary on his first real camping trip

for 2 nights on May 13th and 14th.

We camped at Stone Mountain State Park

in Roaring Gap, NC.

If you've never been, you need to go!

We had such a great time, I will have to

let the pictures speak for themselves

for the most part.

This is probably my favorite shot

of Zachary from this weekend.

He was big stuff helping me pitch the tent!

Zach was much like Tom Hanks in "Castaway"...

"LOOK WHAT I HAVE CREATED!!!"

I let Zach have the camera some of the time.

This is a really cool picture he took.

This was the starting point of our hike,

AFTER we hiked nearly a half-mile in

to get here!

(6 miles later, we made it back here...barely!)

This little guy was nice enough to

let me take this picture.

I had to get REALLY close to him

since he was about 3" long from head to tail!

A proud moment for me happened right here.

This was taken from the very top of Stone Mountain.

Zachary looked out across this sight and remarked,

"Wow, Dad...God made all of this, just for

us to climb up here and see it!"

(Speechless....)

Two dirty, sweaty boys!

Getting ready to head for home.

Riverbanks and Relays

2011-06-06T22:08:00.024-04:00

April 19, 2011

Hannah Grace traveled to Riverbanks Zoo

with Mamaw Moose, Auntie Anna

and Cousin Natalie.

She must have had a great time,

she talked about it for days!

Just monkeyin' around

HG's favorite was the Bengal Tiger

I think she would have brought it

home if she could have!

(Yawn...) I think the lions have the right idea!

While his sister was running around the zoo,

Zachary had Field Day at school

and did some running around of his own!

Uhhh...buddy, I love you, but

perhaps baseball is not your sport?!?!?

This is a little more like it!

As I've said before, if a Tiger can golf...

...a Moose can, too!

And probably about the same time HG

was napping, Zachary was thinking

about the same thing!

Easter Fun

2011-06-06T00:34:00.040-04:00

The Herd had a lot of good times around Easter!

We love the spring and watching the world get

a fresh coat of color!

"Hoppy Easter!"

Our church's annual

"Spring Fling"

Amy Bandy was Hannah Grace's Prayer Partner

(What excellent taste she has...Go Apps!)

Mr. Jerry Sigmon was Zachary's Prayer Partner

Oooh....Pony Rides!!

(I had to take these pics to

keep Mom from killing over dead!)

Easter Egg Hunt at school

Racing to find that last elusive egg!

Woooooo!

Finally, we wrap it up at the beach...

(We??? We shot a bear! I had to work,

but it looks like everyone had a great time!)

Friends Sarah and Greg made the trip down

with Aunt Bekah and Uncle Michael

Bike riding time!

Hey, hey! No training wheels!

Thanks, guys!!!

He's riding!

"2 in April"

2011-06-05T21:46:00.030-04:00

April is such a wonderful month!

In this particular April, our baby girl

turned 2 years old!

Both kids are growing up so fast,

it almost makes us want to have another.

(Almost...)

"Yes, I am two, and I am the princess.

Kneel before me..."

"What the...?"

Dor-wah is Hannah Grace's favorite "person"

"Are you lookin' at my Dor-wah? Have you

ever had a star-shaped wand up your nose???"

Ready for church

Bittersweet day as Hannah Grace sits

with Miss Judy in the nursery for the last time

before joining the toddler Sunday School Class.

Birthday Party!

Of course, it's ALL about Dora the Explorer!

Playing outdoors with friends and family.

"We're the Whitworth's"

Even Granddaddy Glenn came out the party.

(Mamaw Lola went to be with our Lord just

a few days before. We'll miss her!)

"Yesss????"

"And it's Boots to go with my Dor-wah!!"

Well, I knew Granddad was wanting to build

houses, but I just don't think that pink Princess Dora

Lego castles were exactly what he had in mind...

The cousins

It's my party..and it's over...

I can cry if I want to!

Thanks to Aunt Bekah for Hannah Grace's

birthday present...this beautiful

custom Dora dress!

6 year's March-ing

2011-06-05T20:33:00.023-04:00

Our big boy turned 6 this year!

He is growing up so fast...

This year, Zachary is all about Lego.

Star Wars Lego, to be exact.

Amanda's cousin made these awesome cupcakes

with edible white chocolate Lego.

(Amanda wanted me to make sure that everyone

knew that she slaved for HOURS and DAYS

to make Lego crayons from recycled crayon chips)

Party #1 at Jason's Deli with the fam

"Oh yeah...I'm six! Oh yeah...I'm six!"

"Dad, I want the Death Star Lego set!"

(Not....that junk is almost $500!!!)

Party #2

For his main birthday party, we took him and his

friends to Concord Mills to the Lego Store.

The boys had a great time building their

own creations in a private room.

Nanny was getting in on the Lego action, too!

Miss Mary Mack...all dressed in black

(Yes, that was REALLY her name!)

She was the "Master Lego Builder"

Then we went to McDonald's for McNuggets and cake!

"Hmmm....I wish for the Death Star"

Dude...you're NOT getting it!

(Unless I win the lotto!)

Party #3 at Mamaw Moose's

Complete with the Star Wars Birthday Cookie

Okay...three parties is quite enough!

Next month is MY turn.....

Flipping through February

2011-03-24T22:33:00.011-04:00

Seeing as February is the shortest

month in our calendar year, it is

only appropriate that it gets

a short post as well!

(Not to mention I have been crazy busy!)

Yes...this year I turned 35!

Sadly, the only picture I have to

document the occasion is this one.

(I took it with my own phone so

I could post it on Facebook!)

Evenso, this red velvet cake was DEE-LISH!

Then came St. Valentine's Day.

Nothing says "I love you" quite like

an Ironman Tervis Tumbler!

Here is our shaggy dog.

Oh! That's Hannah Grace!)
These two wonderful kids
really do love each other!
I hope that never changes.

Okay, mom...camera time is over.

The next weekend was beautiful!

So, Pop came over to plow the garden

(Then take two kids for a ride!)

The real fun was Zachary helping me

to trim up our Crape Myrtles!

Though, I am pretty sure this

would not meet OSHA standards!

Whew! Watching these guys work wears me out!

Nite, fellas!

Samurai, Snowballs & Smiles

2011-03-24T20:24:00.015-04:00

The Herd had a lot of fun

this January!

We started off the month with Zachary

earning another new belt in karate!

He is now a white/blue-striped little samurai!

Congrats, buddy!

Then came more snow!

After a wonderful white Christmas,

we got to enjoy some more winter fun!

Grandma & Granddad came to

play with the kids.

Snowball fight!!!!

This is probably the best picture

Amanda has ever taken!

If you look closely, circled in red,

is a mid-air snowball.

Amanda snapped this shot just

milliseconds before it smacked Zachary

square in the face!

Good shot Granddad!!

(I know, I'm awful...)

Daddy thawing out his

little snow angel.

Mom made it an even grander day

by making the classic winter treat...

...SNOW CREAM!!!

"I like it, too!"

The end of the month we helped

celebrate Cara's 2nd birthday.

Hannah Grace wasn't too sure about

going down the slide.

She did it twice, but I

think she had her fill!

"The Party Crowd"

"Yes...I AM a pretty girl!"

It's Beginning To Look Alot Like...

2010-12-20T00:30:00.021-05:00

As The Herd is preparing for the arrival

of Good Saint Nick,

we try to go the extra mile to make

sure he hasn't forgotten where we live.

So, we track him down wherever we can find him.

This year we found him for breakfast

at Valley Hills Mall.

There the kids got to talk to him

and ride the carousel and other fun stuff!

I think I am going to take up

the art of face painting.

I mean, if she can get Zachary

to sit THAT still...

I'm all in!!!

Getting to spend some extra time

with Aunt Bekah and Mamaw.

Zachary - "That's the Jingle Bell, That's the

Jingle Bell,"That's the Jingle Bell Rock!"

Innocent Little Girl - "What is WRONG

with him? I'd like to Jingle his neck!"

Then we tracked Santa down

to his secret get-away house

in Downtown Newton.

Of course, Zachary wanted to know why

on earth Santa chose Newton for his extra house.

"Well, that's simple", I said,

"Newton is a nice town, and it is almost the halfway

point from the North Pole to

the boys and girls in South America!"

(Makes sense to me, and apparently to him, too,

because he simply replied, "Oh.")

"Are we EVER gonna get to go inside?"

At long last, we get our turn inside

Santa's house. Hannah Grace was

not moving another inch until

she had eaten her cookie!

And Zachary enjoyed some

ice cold snowflake punch

Now, I wonder what they could be conspiring...

Running Man

2010-12-19T23:33:00.009-05:00

This year, Zachary participated in the

Catawba County Kid's Marathon.

In order to complete the "marathon",

kids had to have walked/ran 25 miles in the 2 months

leading up to the day of the final 1.2 mile leg.

Those who could complete the marathon

were awarded a special medal.

Zachary and his buddy Ashton

getting ready to go!

Aunt Bekah came home to join

Zachary on his final leg.

He did it! He got his medal!

A little cold but so very proud

of his accomplishment.

In total, he walked and ran for a

total of 28.5 miles!

He called me while I was in Boone

(at an ASU game, of course)

to tell me how he "ran the WHOLE WAY"!

His support staff....

Way to go, buddy!

Things To Be Thankful For

2010-12-19T00:30:00.016-05:00

First of all, I want to go on record by saying

that I hate the holidays!

From Thanksgiving through our wedding

anniversary and kids' birthdays in

March and April, I am nothing

but a reflective, soft-hearted mush!

There are so many things we have

to be thankful for. More than the big things

like, our salvation in Christ, our jobs, our homes,

but little things, too, that

we almost always overlook.

Like, teachers who still take time

to make education fun!

And people who volunteer at schools

to give teachers a much needed extra hand,

while helping keep our children safe.

And people showing up ON TIME

when everyone's lives are in such a hurry!

Thankful that I didn't have to

cook OR carve the turkey!

Thankful for the love people can show,

even when there is no reason they have to.

And getting to spend another

birthday with someone.

Thankful for imaginary sword fights

with sparklers,

and fireworks by a bonfire.

Thankful for fun and laughter,

and being able to take it all in!

And the most important thing for me,

on this side of heaven,

Thankful for my family...

...of which I am surely undeserving.

Spelling Bee

2010-12-19T00:16:00.005-05:00

This is just a quick post.

Zachary was the only Kindergartener selected

for the Claremont Elementary

School Spelling Bee!!!

I couldn't, and wouldn't miss this

day for all the world!

He got out on his 2nd word,

(mostly because I don't think he

understood what the reader said)

but I was still very proud of him!

Charlotte Classic Car Show

2010-12-18T23:58:00.011-05:00

Again...I'm jealous!

Poppie took Zachary to the

Charlotte Car Show,

where he got to see some really cool

cars, and even cooler people!

Seeing Spider-Man was worth the trip itself!

Now see, son, this is why you drink

all your milk!

This is one is really cool...

Not yet, lead-foot!

Balloons and blue candy...

..a perfect way to end the day!

Spooky Surprises and Superheroes

2010-12-18T23:17:00.015-05:00

Happy Halloween!

(Eventhough I am posting this

a week before Christmas...)

We always love carving Jack O'Lanterns

but this year we were pressed for time.

Thankfully, Nanny volunteered with

Zachary's class to help them

carve some at school.

Zachary's was REALLY cool!

Great job, buddy!

(and Nanny!)

The Original Broadway cast of

"Somewhere Inside a Library"

Seriously...excellent costumes!

This awesome duo is ready to kick

some major buttowski!

And so is "Womannnnn"

(as Hannah Grace calls herself)

Dad - Check, Mom - Check,

2 of the cutest superheroes in the world...

...Check and Double-Check!

Swiping a DumDum from Grandma's

Jack O'Lolly was Priority One!

Getting ready to bust down

Auntie Anna's door

You people better watch out!

Between the Swashbuckler and the Superheroes,

you don't stand a chance!!!

Football, Forms and Fall

2010-12-18T20:47:00.025-05:00

As fall arrives in all its splendor,

we always have a full October.

Black Saturday at The Rock

is always a wonderful tradition!

Zachary with Cousin Adam Reinhardt,

Senior and Drum Major for ASU's

"Band of Distinction"

From Beach to Ballgames
Zachary loves his Chrissy and "Hot Debbie"

"And the Lord said, "Let my people go...""

...to Appalachian

It's like Moses before the Red Sea,

"Get out of our way!"

KARATE

Zachary had a big test this month in karate.

Here he is getting ready to throw

some wicked punches!

Yeah...this a problem for Daddy right now.

He LOVES to show me how high he can kick!

(He's getting dangerously close to...

well...you know.)

Test is complete,

Zachary being awarded his 5th rank belt

since starting karate,

white with purple stripe.

He did really well on his test!

I was so proud!

Zachary's Little Samurai class

(with a couple Jr. Samurai thrown in there, too!)

FIELD TRIP

Zachary's Kindergarten class took a field trip

to Apple Hill Orchards

where he learned lots of interesting things

about apples, and brought home

some yummy ones to share!

And Mommy, I mean Mrs. Moose,

got to go on the trip, too!

What a big boy!

I cannot get over how big our son is!

A Whole Lotta Fun!

2010-11-02T13:37:00.027-04:00

Again, I'm so jealous!

Zachary and Hannah Grace spent a

quick weekend in Raleigh to go to the State Fair

and hang out with Aunt Bekah and Uncle Michael.

They had a blast!

(I'm going next time, dang it!)

Zachary loved this ride!

Who wouldn't love a good

Monster Truck adventure?!?!?

Mom...This is a carousel horse...

...and this is a REAL one!

Cousin Alex showcasing her animals

All tuckered out.

The next day, they decided to hit the links!

Hannah Grace is finally starting to warm

up to Uncle Michael

The Faces of Hannah

(This is probably a little overboard,

but these pics were too cute

for a Daddy to resist!)

Vogue

Of course, my boy makes

for some good photography also!

Come on, Hannah Grace...

Let's get outta here!

Our Kindergartener

2010-08-31T05:12:00.017-04:00

WOW!

That's all I know to say.

Amanda and I cannot get over how quickly

time has flown by!

It seems like just yesterday that

we came home from the hospital on a Friday afternoon

with little Zachary in tow!

Now look at him!

Our big kindergartener!!!

We are so proud of our little man!

Leaving the house for his first day of school

In case you're wondering,

he is a growling Claremont Bear!

I think this was after a third or fourth
makeup application!

The school bell rang, and he was off!
Amanda had to chase him down the
hall to get this picture!

Zachary's teacher, Mrs. Fulbright...

...and Assistant Teacher, Mrs. Sigmon

As part of an incentive program, Mrs. Fulbright

awards the children with a cookie at lunch

once they memorize their lunch number,

as well as an ABC Necklace

once they can recognize the entire alphabet

both in Upper and Lower Cases.

Zachary made us proud by earning both of those

the very first day!

(And his lunch number is an 8-digit number!!!)

Day 2 of Kindergarten,

and these kids have more computer

experience than we did by the time

Dad and Mom were in Middle School!

Good luck, Buddy!

We know you'll have a great year!

Just Having Fun

2010-08-29T19:59:00.037-04:00

Well, I thought I was caught up,

but I remembered that The Herd

had some good times this summer in Raleigh

visiting with Michael and Rebekah.

Here are just a few shots

of all the great fun we had!

Zachary and Andy having some Chick-Fil-A

before the Creed concert.

Rockin' Out

Knocked Out!
Poor guy...I am not quite sure
how you fall asleep listening to
Skillet and Creed?!?!?

The State Farmer's Market Restaurant

The Marble Museum

Some boys building race cars...

Zachary's won!

Hang-10,Dude!

Life & Science Museum

in Durham

Looks more like Jurassic Park!!!

Zachary LOVED the spaceships...

Then he came home and asked me

when he could watch Star Trek!

(That's my boy!)

Trying out new hair-dos...

...the Mohawk...

...and the cutest Piggy Tails!

We always have a blast in Raleigh!

(And good food, too!)

Can't wait to go again!!

August Memories

2010-08-25T06:35:00.015-04:00

As August is winding down

here is just a quick glimpse of

The Herd's goings-on.

Zachary and I went to ASU on Saturday

to kick off the football season

at FanFest.

Welcome to the Rock!

Zachary didn't want to take a lot of pictures,

well, until these two showed up!

Yes...I am a football father!
Who else stands in the pouring rain,
snapping pictures with a BlackBerry?

Zachary thought he was big stuff getting autographs
from a lot of the players.
Here he is with QB DeAndre Presley.

Despite the rain, he and I had

a great father/son outing!

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

High Seas Expedition

"Hard to Starboard, mates!"

Zachary and Benjamin in craft time

OLD SOLDIERS REUNION PARADE

Zachary and Hannah Grace

are amazed at all the passing cars and floats.

"I think we'll join the parade!"

Move over Donny and Marie!

This brother/sister act is huge!

"Thank you, thank you very much"

And just WHY is this camera in my face again???

Two Tweetsie Twips!

2010-08-24T05:09:00.029-04:00

We love the mountains!

That is why we get season passes

to Tweetsie Railroad and go as often as we can.

But this particular weekend was double the fun!

Amanda and Kelly took the boys up on that Friday...

I don't think Camden was quite as excited

as the other two!

After a terrific Tweetsie morning,

they then visited The Blowing Rock

Don't jump guys!

The wind is not THAT strong!

(maybe you have to have a Native American

Princess praying for you when you jump?!?!)

...Then on Sunday morning, we kind-of skipped church

with the Cadwallader's and headed back

to Tweetsie with them and our nephew Ike.

Cara, Nick, Hannah Grace, Zachary and Ike

are ready to go!

(Harrison was a little camera shy this trip)

This trip was a little sobering as we

realized the harrowing truth

that our kids are growing up.

They are big enough now to ride most

of the rides by themselves!!!

Hannah Grace was NOT happy about

being on the Ferris Wheel!

Hannah Grace and Cara

discussing the finer points in life.

All in all, we had a wonderful time!

We'll probably be making another trip or two

to Tweetise before the end of the season

so who knows what wonders we'll see?

Boogity, Boogity, Boogity Boys!

2010-08-23T19:28:00.009-04:00

After our trip to the beach,

Amanda and Kelly took our boys to the

They had a BIG OL' TIME!

Camden goes high! Z drops down to try and take the lead!

Now...who's the bigger kid?!?!?

Nothing like an Icee to cool you off after

a hard day of racin'!

Happy Birthday, America!

2010-08-09T22:27:00.038-04:00

As we do every year,

The Herd spent the Independence Day

holiday at Cherry Grove with the Whitworth's and Schell's.

We had such a wonderful time on the beach

and enjoyed some amazing seafood!

Hannah Grace finally seems to be enjoying the beach!

(See June's beach trip to Myrtle......ugh!)

HG decided to take in a good book.

Like mother, like daughter!

The two sweetest kids I know

They played so well together!

Wherever "Zach-ey" went, HG had to follow.

HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!!

Meet the NEW Captain America!

Most of "The Tides" gang waiting for the

firework extravaganza to begin

Ooooo...this little girl is so stinkin' cute!

One day some of our friends (The Peacock's and The Hollar's)

came to visit so our kids could play,

and we could have a little grown-up time, too!

(Camden - Left, Reece - Right

Of course, you know the middle dork by now!)

Amanda with our friends Susan & Kelly

We walked down the beach one day and found

a Loggerhead Turtle nest.

They had it roped off so no one could disturb the eggs.

I wish we could have been there when they hatched!

Before we headed for home on Saturday,

we met up with the Harvell's and Hollar's again

to celebrate Camden's 6th birthday!

Zachary, as you know, is 5-years-old,

and this day, on hole #5,

he got his first Hole-In-One!

He was so proud of himself!!

(And so were Mom & Dad!)

Hannah Grace was the best caddy ever!

She always knew which club to hand me...

...my trusty putter!

She's a bit like her Grandad, though,

she'd rather WALK the course.

She did not like having to use the "cart" all the time.

The "kids" playing Guitar Hero!

"Okay, Daddy, let's move out!"

Life's a Beach!

2010-08-09T20:17:00.010-04:00

The first week of June, Hannah Grace went to

Myrtle Beach with the Holbrook's and Laney's.

She had a BLAST!!!!

(at first...)

"Okay, so, I'm at the beach..."

"What is this place?
I'm not quite sure I like it here."

"Hmmmm"

"NO, I DEFINITELY HATE IT!!!

I hate the sand, I hate the water,

I hate the wind, I hate those creepy little things

trying to crawl on my blanket!"

"Poppie, get me outta here!"

"What is wrong with you people?

I hated it yesterday!

Did you think I would change my mind?!?!?"

"And I hate standing sideways on this beach!"

"Bekah, you understand.

Take me back to the house!"

"I am finished with that beach!

Me and my blankie are gonna stay

RIGHT HERE!"

Preschool Graduation

2010-08-09T05:27:00.013-04:00

Let me take a moment to express how extremely

proud and thankful I am for my children.

You'd probably never guess it,

but I kind of like them!

One of the proudest moments I have had so far,

was Zachary's preschool graduation.

He is a smart fellow, loved and respected

by his peers and teachers.

I hope I can always say that.

The Proud Scholar and his teacher, Ms. Teri.

I wish she could be his teacher forever.

She "gets" him!

His class, singing their smash hit,
"I'm a Graduate!"

Some handsome kid receiving his diploma.

Super excited to be sharing this time with his friends!

(Keegan - Above, Donovan - Below)

Proud Grandparents and Aunts

and Cousin Natalie

Congratulations, Buddy!

We are very proud of the big boy you've become!

We love you soooooo much!!

Trains, Trouble and Terrific Times

2010-08-08T15:41:00.016-04:00

The weekend before Zachary's preschool graduation,

Amanda and I decided to take Zachary

to Tweetsie for the annual Thomas outing

without his little sister.

Things started out fine...

...but soon the two scoundrels made off

and stole two horses!

(Don't tell Amanda...but these horses aren't REAL)

The Marshal was only able to capture

one of the thieves!

Zachary was thrown in the slammer!!!

And what else do you do in prison?

Get your "Prison Tat", of course!

He was proud of his new "ink"

Zach was eventually released for good behavior,
and the charges were dropped on both of them
since the horses were returned.

(Sorry...I have been REALLY bored today)

Zachary loves riding the rides with us!

He rides all the daring ones with me...

..and with Amanda, not so much!

It constantly amazes me how much he has grown!

Even so, he still likes to be held by his Dad.

(He's about to outgrow that luxury, though...)

Time to head home...

Say goodbye, Sir Topham Hatt!

Oh, and for all those Newton parents out there...

This year, Sir Topham Hatt was "represented"

by the balloon artist from Geppeto's!

A little F.Y.I.

The Merry, Merry Month of May

2010-08-08T08:37:00.010-04:00

As the school year is winding down,

May was a little quiet for The Herd.

However, here are just a few cute pics

from some weekend outings.

In Raleigh...

Gangsta Z posing in Daddy's hat

And whatever brother does...
...sister has to do, too!
(For the life of me, I can't tell which is cuter!!!)

Day trip visiting family in the mountains

And we made it home safe...

Easter means "New Life"

2010-04-28T16:16:00.010-04:00

I recently had to explain to a Latin co-worker

why we English-speaking folk call it "Easter".

Of course, I told him of our risen Savior

being the Son of God and Light of the World.

As the sun is the physical light of the earth,

it rises every morning in the Eastern sky.

Thus, Jesus' resurrection is best captured

symbolically by the east-rising star.

As the beautiful Easter morning sun

rose from the Eastern Sky,

we had time to reflect on our blessings

and spend time with friends and family.

I love these wonderful pictures

of Hannah Grace and the other girls.

Too bad Zachary couldn't hang around for them!

The Easter Chicks

These guys look soooooo tough!

The baby and her "Nan Neeee"

Speaking of Nanny...

She turned 60 this year!

I didn't want to steal too much thunder from

Aunt Bekah's blog...

...so check out her page before you go!

http://randmlaney.blogspot.com/2010/04/pink-black-and-splash-of-zebra.html

Our baby's not such a baby!

2010-04-28T15:52:00.012-04:00

Sniff...Sniff...

Yep, Hannah Grace is 1-year-old!

I can't believe it!

She is really starting to develop her own personality...

...I guess that's good!

Time has really gone by fast.

Amanda still tears up when I mention it!

Pretty girl

Some early plate signers

Cousin Natalie entertaining

the Birthday Princess

Yo! Whazzup, Unca Eaz!
Holla!

Big Brother Zachary

signing his name to the plate

She wasn't too sure about digging into

the cake, at first.

She IS a little prissy, you know.

But, like most kids, she got a liking

for the taste of sugar!

But, she got over it soon enough,

once that sugary goodness was smashed

into her eye!

Zachary had a good time at the party, too!

FIVE YEARS

2010-04-28T15:04:00.015-04:00

Amazing!

That's the only word I have to describe

the 5-year journey we've been on so far!

I cannot believe how quickly time has flown by,

or how much our little guy has grown up!

Zachary is FIVE YEARS OLD!!!

That was such a big event,

we had THREE birthday parties for him...

...at home, Hickory Dickory Dock, and

Mamaw & Papaw Moose's!

(Whew! Glad it's over!)

"I'm FIVE!"

One "Appy" Family

Daddy's buddy!

Hannah Grace certainly loved brother's cake!

(I'm sure she couldn't wait until HER birthday!)

HICKORY DICKORY DOCK

The Birthday King

Zachary, Ayden, Quentin,

Nick, Cam, Ben & Cooper in a little

"fender bender"

THE MOOSE'S

I wonder if Papaw minded

Spider-Man slinging webs in his trees?!?!?!

Happy Birthday, Big Boy!

We are so proud of you!

Fabulous February

2010-03-14T21:22:00.012-04:00

Since all the snow has come and gone,

the Herd has had some wonderful days!

I am sure Amanda feels the same way,

although being a parent offers some...

..."challenges"...

I couldn't be happier!

I mean, look at these adorable young'uns!

I turned 34 on February 12th.

A delicious red velvet cake,

courtesy of my loving wife!

Hannah Grace didn't get to try any of Daddy's cake,

but she did get her first tasting of Hunter's Livermush!

She's a HUGE fan!!!

Sweet kids.

They really love each other!

(I hope that never changes...)

Hannah Grace was deviously happy!

She commandeered some of

Mommy's chocolate cake!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Two wonderful kids and their "Nan"

Wonderful Snow!!!

2010-01-30T22:36:00.017-05:00

This has been such a wonderful winter so far!

The second snow of the year, but this one

is the most we've seen in years!

The green scarf on Zachary's Snow Stick marks

NINE INCHES!!!

We had a wonderful time playing in it with the kids.

Ridin' down West 7th!

HAHAHA!!!

I stood Hannah Grace up in the snow.

It was so deep, she couldn't move!

But after awhile,

Miss Priss was done!

Daddy's Snow Baby

Daddy's Snow Angels

Forever tackling!!!

A Snapshot of Christmas

2010-01-30T21:16:00.028-05:00

Seeing as how we are getting ready

to cross into February...

...I figured I had better update the blog!

Christmas is such a wonderful time of year.

It passes too quickly for us it seems.

Maybe it was a good thing for me to procrastinate

in updating. It served as a good reminder

of the family, friends, love, gifts

and the REAL reason for the Season,

The birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Zachary appearing as "Joseph"

in our church's Christmas play

...with "Mary" (Hope Cable)

The Cast and Crew

Ummm....I'm not really sure what was
going on with Hannah Grace's hair!

Undeniable evidence...

(Inside joke. Zachary was NOT convinced

that the Wii was indeed MY gift!)

Man! Christmas will flat wear somebody out!!!

Zachary got a trampoline from Santa

Cousins Ike and Kristin

Day after Christmas

cooking pancakes with Granddad

"Bumblebee", the good Autobot warrior,

was helping us have a good Christmas!!!

Still worn out...

Hey, Santa......

2009-12-15T10:22:00.017-05:00

We got an early start to Christmas this year!

Last Saturday, Zachary, Hannah Grace and Cousin Natalie

met with St. Nicholas for breakfast!

They all seemed to have a wonderful time!

Merry Christmas!

Okay, Santa...here's the deal...

I want some Transformers, G.I. Joe, and

my dad and I want a Wii.

We've been REALLY good!

After breakfast, all the kids got to ride the carousel.

Hannah Grace loved the carousel!

It was not a good idea to try and

take her off when the ride was over!

I am not sure, but Hannah Grace

may make the naughty list for this one.

EARLY CHRISTMAS

Later that day, we went to my Aunt Rhonda's house

for early Christmas festivities.

And look, he didn't even have to wait for Santa!

Hannah Grace has this "gift" thing down cold!

She LOVES tearing up the paper.

Too bad that won't satisfy her forever...

She apparently likes it!

Papaw Moose and his two granddaughters

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-12-10T18:18:00.018-05:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

(Yes...I realize we are half-way through December...

but I've been busy! That's my excuse anyway for being late!!!)

As usual, we hosted Thanksgiving lunch at our house

with the Reinhardt's.

We always have wonderful fellowship and wonderful food!

Something to be truly thankful for.

Bekah & Michael Laney;
Andrew, Adam & Frank Reinhardt;
Susan Holbrook (a.k.a. - Nanny)

The kids with Aunt Bekah and Cousin Ike

I think Michael was trying to be hip, cool,
fresh, pimp, fly, or whatever it is
they call it these days!!!

Go Long!

Nanny...are you SUPPOSED to be doing that???

Daddy and his slugger

Adam???

We are so blessed to have such a wonderful family

and incredible friends!

Our "cup runneth over"!

Random Acts of Cuteness

2009-12-10T17:44:00.011-05:00

For a change of pace, I thought I would just add

a few pics of some cute moments, by two

(in their Daddy's opinion)

of the cutest kids on the planet!

Things That Go "Bump" In The Night

2009-12-01T11:04:00.038-05:00

Not exactly a scary creature, but Granddad and "Spiderman"

kicked off the Halloween season by Granddad

having lunch with Zachary at school.

Zachary's teacher, Ms. Teri, did the face painting...

...awesome!

Zachary's Halloween party with his karate class.

Here they are turning one Mommy into a Mummy!

At least he made contact...

Happy Halloween, girls!

Getting ready to carve the pumpkin

Mom and Zach clean out the seeds,

which we roasted for a tasty treat!

Zachary helped me draw the face...

but ditched me when it was time to carve!

Heading out to Downtown Newton's

Halloween Festival

In case you're wondering...

...No, it didn't go in.

Trick-or-Treating at Granddad's

I wish she would ALWAYS be satisfied

with a pile of tissue paper!!!

The loot

FALL FESTIVAL AT

CLAREMONT ELEMENTARY

Ms. Audrey

This was a HUGE crocodile!

Zach slid down it about 20 times!

We enjoyed our Halloween festivities and Hannah Grace's first time out!

Happy Halloween to all! And to all a Fright Night!

Baa Ram Ewe

2009-12-01T07:36:00.014-05:00

Zachary joined his class from school

for his first field trip.

(On October 19th...so, I'm a little behind!!!)

They went to the Baa Moo Farm in Olin, NC.

He had a blast...I think

he would make an excellent farmer!

The whole gang

Getting on a bus for the first time,
headed to the farm!

The beautiful Baa Moo landscape

Zachary and his friend Willie

Hanging with the boys, Quentin and Keegan.

Where is Rod Serling when you need him???

We have DEFINITELY entered the Twilight Zone!

I never would have dreamed that

Amanda would be caught dead milking a cow!

Oh, the things we do for our children...

This picture is for Amanda...

She LOVES stained glass.

Our Little Samurai

2009-11-06T14:00:00.025-05:00

Zachary began taking karate lessons in August

of this year. I hadn't posted pictures before now,

because we wanted to see if he liked it or not.

We started out taking him for a little bit of discipline reinforcement,

which that has helped SOME,

but he really loves it!

Zachary is the youngest child in the class at 4 years old.

You are supposed to be at least 5,

but most of the kids are between 7 and 12.

He does pretty well for his age,

but he might need to keep it up for awhile

before I put him in any UFC matches!!!

After training for a couple weeks,

Sensei Michael Booker presenting Zachary with his

first-level belt.

(He thought he was BIG stuff!)

You can't tell it from the picture,

but they are couting to 1o in Japanese.

(Daddy was proud, because Zachary learned

it faster than the older kids!!!)

Getting ready to do a Front Leg Front Kick

(He has a little problem keeping his hands in guard position)

Learning to to a Forearm High Block

Rear Hand Chicken Neck Strike

Zachary mostly partners with his buddy Christian,

because of their similar size.

I thought Zachary did exceptionally well

in these wheelbarrow races!

MOVING UP IN RANK

Zachary, Skyla and Kennedy

stretching out before the big test

Trevor and Kennedy helping Zachary

put some finishing touches on his required kata.

Bowing in...Let the testing begin!

Zachary bowing to the Sensei

awaiting the results of his test.

HOORAY!!! He passed!

(He was really tired and was all over the place.

We thought for a minute he was dun-fer!)

Shedding the old belt

Waiting at attention as Sensei promotes the other students

Our Little Samurai...

Ki ai!!!

(I left this picture file large so you can click on

it if you want to read his certificate)

Football Season

2009-11-05T10:48:00.040-05:00

Football season is in full swing now.

And in our house, it is our favorite time of year!

The Moose's spend many days (and nights) watching our favorite sport!

(Sorry Amanda, when I do the blog, FOOTBALL
is our #1 sport...not basketball.)

We spend most of those days at Appalachian or Newton-Conover High School, but occasionally we make it to Tennessee as well.

(This season, however, Zachary is the only one that made that cut!)

Grandma, Granddad, Uncle Eric & the kids

Hey dude! Where ya goin'?

Oooooooo

The Moose Herd

Zachary and Daddy passing the football
(He missed this one obviously)

Ooh yeah! He made this big catch though!
50/50
He's got a better record than T.O.!!!

Go Mountaineers!!!

Throwback uniforms on Solid Gold Saturday

YES!!! My daughter...the nun!

My worries are nearly over!

Around here, we EAT...

...and SLEEP football

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE

Two of Zachary's (and Daddy's) favorite things....

Marching Bands and Football

Who's that face in the crowd???

Michael & Rebekah's dog, Laney,

getting in on a little Vol action

Nanny, Aunt Rebekah, Uncle Michael,

Laney, and the only Moose to make the cut!

No matter where or what they are,

Zachary LOVES inflatables!

I know one little boy that is hot and tired!

Big time in Neyland Stadium!

Uh huh! Krispy Kreme on the way home...

(Zach, your hat's on upside down!)

The Football Doughnut

Aaaaaannnnnd...
We're done.

Bittersweet Days

2009-09-10T11:49:00.017-04:00

As we hit these bittersweet moments, we start to realize

more and more that our babies are growing up!

On August 24th, Hannah Grace starting eating food!

(Not very appealing food, but...)

I can't believe Daddy's Little Girl

is 5 months old!

Where does the time go???

Hadn't even had the first bite and she's already excited!

Mmmmmm, yummy!

Now give me some more!

BIG BOY SCHOOL

As school went back in session,

Zachary went to "Big Boy School".

It was sad for us to take him from Abernethy Methodist's

Day Care, but it was time to move on.

He started the "More At 4" Pre-K program

at Claremont Elementary School.

I wasn't quite as teary-eyed as Mom was,

but it just makes you take a step back

and wonder when it was, exactly, that your babies grew up.

Ready to go!

Officially a Claremont Bear

Yeeeeee!!!

Come on, Mom, let's go!

Entering the Pre-K Zone

His wonderful teacher, Ms. Teri...

...and her equally wonderful assistant, Mrs. Jonas.

Zachary and his new friend, Quentin.

They LOVE their class!

Old Soldiers' Reunion Week

2009-09-10T10:37:00.015-04:00

As most of you know, Newton hosts the

"Old Soldiers' Reunion Week" festivities.

We always have a great time, looking at classic cars,

city vehicles, and, of course,

THE PARADE!

Funny...Hannah Grace doesn't seem quite as excited as her brother.

Zachary and his friend A.B.

Dancin' in the street

Music on The Square

with Grandma and Granddad

PARADE DAY

My little Mountaineer!

The end of the Old Soldiers' Parade.

Can't wait until next year!

Monster Truck Time!

2009-09-10T10:02:00.013-04:00

On August 15th we traveled to Charlotte

with our friends, Michael, Kelly and Camden Hollar,

to Lowe's Motor Speedway

for the Monster Truck Bash!

We all had a great time!

(Even Amanda!!!)

To Zachary, "The Stinger" was

the Transformer "Bumblebee",

eventhough they look NOTHING alike!

Zachary...Camden...

"Why so serious?"

It was pretty warm that night.

But even for strawberry frozen lemonade

Zachary couldn't take his eyes off the action!

Woo Hoo! Yeah!

Too much excitement!

Quick trip to McDonald's after the show

for some Chicken McNuggets,

and they're out!

Good night, boys.

More Tweetsie Time

2009-09-10T09:38:00.009-04:00

This trip to Tweetsie, on August 3rd,

was Hannah Grace's first trip to Tweetsie.

She looks like she had a good time!

Zachary with his cousins Alex and Ike

And AGAIN on the Twister.

But this time, without any adults!

What a blast!!!

Howdy, partners!

Ridin' the rails with Grandma

They had a dog show that day, too.

Check out the high flyer!!!

Let us out!

We PROMISE we'll be good...

...until next time.

Whew! What a day.

Can we go to bed now?

Pool Days

2009-09-10T08:10:00.009-04:00

Zachary got to spend a lot of time at the pool this summer.

He even made a new friend!

We are sooooo proud of Zachary!

He learned to swim WITHOUT his swimmies!!!

Now hang on, son...I'm not sure about what's going on here!

Ahhhhhhh

Time for a little chillaxin'!

Hanging with the Holbrook's

2009-09-10T07:36:00.011-04:00

The little Moose's had a fun time this summer

Hangin' with the Holbrook's

(and Laney's)

My plan...is to rule the world!

Ha ha ha ha ha!!!

Bike riding in Raleigh with Aunt Bekah...

...and in Newton with Nanny and Pop!

Aunt Bekah and Uncle Michael took Zachary to a

birthday party at Skateland USA.

Hey, Zach, it's okay.

I have to hold on, too!

How much longer???

The Champ!

The Piercing

2009-09-09T05:41:00.006-04:00

Hannah Grace had her ears pierced this summer.

She did pretty well.

As well as any infant would do with a 12" long

needle exerting 10,000 pounds of force in her

tiny little ear would do!

(I know, not really THAT extreme, but

she needed her Daddy there to comfort her...)

See???

Needing her Daddy...

"What the HECK just happened?!?!?

And where's my Daddy???"

She is awfully cute, though!

If I do say so myself.

Christmas In July

2009-09-07T22:08:00.011-04:00

This summer Amanda, Zachary and Hannah Grace

made their first visit to Santa's Land in Cherokee, NC.

They had a great time with Mamaw Moose,

Auntie Anna and Cousin Natalie!

I'm not sure, but I think Zachary was asking

Santa for a Wii for Christmas...

That's my boy...we REALLY need one!

Zachary, with the aid of his lovely assistant,

was the star of the magic show!

He had water coming out of his elbow!!

(Zach was amazed for days as to how

he was able to do that!)

The Lord of the Rings

Grrrrrrrrrr