More Signs of Spring

I started this post about two weeks ago, and can't believe that I never got back to it! But as they say LIFE seriously tends to get in the way of the small stuff.... and honestly, life is way more important. I took all these pictures two weeks ago today. So to avoid confusion...I changed the post date. Pictured below is some beautiful pink dogwoods in full bloom. The day was an absolutely gorgeous day.... with one exception. The temperature was only supposed to reach about 85 degrees, by 1:00 p.m. the temps had soared to 95 degrees. Which really wouldn't be so bad, but the humidity creeped up along with the temps. We had a busy day planned... I did my best friends daughter's nails, Carson had a soccer game, and I was taking my best friends daughter's Prom pictures. Before the Prom Queen and King arrived, I walked the grounds of Chatham Manor, a prominent historical site in the Revolutionary war. Dogwoods were blooming, wisteria was blooming, as was all the pollen associated with it!

Aren't they the cutest couple??? Brie and Billy

I had a blast shooting non-traditional photos for them!But the posed shots were fun too!Brie, giving Barb, my best friend a kiss....They have an amazing relationship, and it was sooo much fun photographing someone besides Carson for a change!

I had to include this photo..... Carson just scored his first goal of the season!!!!

I was so happy with how the prom pictures came out, that I took Carson back there the next day for an impromptu photo shoot for me. One of my favorite ways to capture children is from behind, and unposed.

The cheese is coming out now!Walking through an arbor or some sort or another.Love these trees, They are Catalpa trees, and the sign says that they date back to the revolutionary war. I took several photos of both the prom couple and Carson in front of these trees.I LOVE this picture..... Carson walking in a huge field of buttercups.....One of these days I need to post an update and fill everyone at home in on all that has happened in our lives....It just needs to slow down a bit first! Hopefully, when school is out......only 26 more school days til summer! But really whose counting!

It's SOCCER Time Again!

Carson started his fourth season of soccer a couple of weeks ago. We joined the Stafford Area league. While I am a not a HUGE fan of Soccer in general...I do like to see my son play! he joined the U6 division and I am extremely thankful he got a coach who is knowledgeable and enthusiastic about teaching the game to the kids. What I don't like is some of the rules are a bit different from what we are used to playing. Carson lived and breathed to play goal. He would pick that position each and every time first. He is an AWESOME goalie too! While he is a good offensive player as well, he hasn't quite gained control over moving the ball down the field. He can kick like no ones business, he just has poor aim I guess. Anyway, we have had two of our games rained out, and played a make-up game last Tuesday. It was FRIGID! His division doesn't keep score, and there are no throw in from the side...a couple of different rules, but a fun time was had by all.
See... He loves the goal.... just have a hard time telling him that there are no goalies in this division.There are three red heads on this team...all with like personalities and temperaments!This is the REAL reason he likes goalie.....so he can swing from the bars! So... folks, as I did last year, be prepared to be bored to tears with soccer updates!

Cherry Blossoms!!!!

Last Sunday, we had decided that it was too rainy, Carson had been sick, and it just wasn't looking like a good day to drive up to see the cherry blossoms in D.C. We went about our morning, I even blogged that our plans had changed, then about 11 am, the clouds parted, the temps warmed up to about 70 degrees, and Carson was bouncing from being cooped up for almost five days. I looked at Wayne and said we really aught to just go ahead and go.......so we did. What a good decision that was!

Wayne dropped Carson and I off on the north side of the Tidal Basin and we slowly made our way around to the west side of the Basin. The trees were almost at peak bloom, and it was seriously like a fairy land walking under the canopy of blossoms. Take a close look at this picture.... do you see any railings along the walk????? Nope! Sidewalk ended at the edge of the water, and Carson loved to scare the heck out of me and get as close as possible, without me having a heart attack! This plaque says: The first Japanese Cherry Trees Presented to the city of Washington as a gesture of friendship and good will by the city of Tokyo, were planted on this site March 27th 1912.

From what I understand most of the original trees were destroyed due to some ailment that they brought over. There are a few of the originals left, but not many. What are there are STUNNING! Most have been replanted over the years.

Just a cute picture of the boy..... he is really turning into a little model.

Close up of some full bloom trees! The Jefferson Memorial across the Tidal BasinThe Washington Monument through the trees.

As we were walking we came into the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial gardens and falls is really a beautiful place along the Basin. There are several waterfalls, and the trees make an awesome backdrop.
The GQ pose....After spending the afternoon walking around the Tidal Basin, we treated ourselves to a late lunch/early dinner at our favorite seafood restaurant Phillips. Phillips is on Maine street right beside the Washington Marina, and the seafood markets.The huge copper pots steaming all the clams, mussels, shrimps and crab.
Carson LOVES Snow crab, and can crack crab like a pro!
After lunch we strolled through the fresh market and looked at all the variety of seafood available to buy. This is an open air market, and believe me when I say you can buy practically any seafood, I mean anything! Carson was amazed at the live blue crab!We had a great time, made some awesome family memories, and started what I am hoping is a George family tradition. If you ever get the chance to be in D.C. or anywhere close to D.C. during the Cherry Blossoms bloom...DO IT! We have two extra bedrooms and can provide travel up and back.... It is amazing experience and something everyone should see firsthand.

I'm NOT Gonna be the MOM of the YEAR!

This is what I found last night when I opened Carson's lunchbox.... a can of dog food that I got out to feed the dog before school...... I guess mornings have been a bit crazy lately.... and I knew I took out the dog food...looked for 10 minutes for it...gave up and got another can out.

For some reason Blogger or my photo storage program won't allow me to correct the photo, but it reads: I got a kick out of Carson's unusual snack item today! He had an "on the road day" (YAY) But was barking from time to time. Mr. Ward.

Seriously....can I be any crazier!!! I know that this will seriously hurt my chances for mom of the year...Oh well there is always next year!

Happy Blogoversary!!!!!

I cannot believe that it has already been a year since I started this blog. Originally it was created as a means to update Wayne while he was in Virginia, and we were still in Texas. I once felt compelled to post each and every day....now I am lucky to post once a week. I have used this blog as a sounding board, a place to share some moments in our lives that were glorious, and some that were the hardest things we have ever had to deal with. Now this blog mainly serves to maintain contact with family and friends in Texas.

The purpose may have changed, and that is ok. Life has changed tremendously for the George household. We moved across country away from family and friends to Fredericksburg, Virginia. We left some amazing relationships that we were blessed with, only to find we have been blessed here with some pretty awesome new friends. We are building some new relationships that are taking us in directions we never imagined.

Carson started Kindergarten, and is thriving in the structure of an all day program. He is reading, and growing, and learning new things everyday. I swear if he stands still long enough you can see him actually get taller. He rebounded quickly and made many friends at school. He still has some issues, but we seem to have a hand on them, and it helps that he continues to have amazing teachers.

I went back to work....seriously not something I had planned on doing, but now it has evolved into something I need to do. Not only for the joy of teaching, but for the relationships that I have made in the workplace again. (Those relationships are somewhat hard to kindle when you are self employed). As it stands right now I will be teaching the rest of the year, not in the Special Education classes that I love, but I will be coming back after Spring Break as the Art teacher. I keep telling myself that this is a GOOD thing. I do after all have an Art degree, I have never really used, and I will still be in the classroom, and I will still get to see my special kiddos, if not everyday then at least once a week. I will admit to actually dreading this stint in Special Ed, and look where that got me :) So......perhaps...... God willing, I will enjoy teaching Art as well.

I am starting classes this summer to get my Master's of Education In Special Education....another degree, but one that I am really looking forward to using.

And just because... here some links to some of my favorite posts over the past year. Seriously...we have done so much and seen so much, I cant begin to put all my favorites on here...but here are a few standouts!

XOXOXO's

Graduation

Soccer

Crabs and Scenery

Peach picking

First day of School

Apples

Fall Foliage

Ok... I gotta stop... there are a few more to post.... but seriously...does anyone ever click the link??? Besides I wanted to post some pictures that I took yesterday. We went up to D.C. after all. The weather turned out amazing, Carson was punch drunk from being cooped up for four days, and he was back to normal. So here are a few teasers..... more to come in a future post.

Smiles everyone... and thanks for reading for the past year!

The Best Laid Plans....or is it Best Made Plans.

This was the weekend we were planning on going up to D.C. to see the cherry blossoms, however, Carson had other plans. About Monday of last week, I went to pick him up at the sitters. Usually I can't get him to leave, he has a teenage boy as his after school sitter, who he LOVES. They play football, basketball, soccer, if it is outside and has anything to do with sports they are all over it. I can't begin to tell you how much of a blessing it is for us and for Carson to have this kid as positive role model in his life.

Anyway, Monday, I go to pick him up and he is ready to go home, he doesn't want to play at all. We get home and he falls asleep immediately, and sleeps all night long. Same routine for Tuesday, wants to come home and falls asleep immediately. I take his temp, slight fever, says he doesn't feel well, so Wayne makes plans to work from home. Wednesday morning Carson is right as rain, and absolutely refuses to stay home from school. Wayne worked from home, just in case. Wednesday night, repeat the past two nights, but throw in a high fever. Carson stays home on Thursday and Wayne again works from home. They head to the pediatrician and a nasal swab indicates that Carson has Influenza B. He spikes a fever at 3 am of 104.5. Scares us to death!

This wouldn't be a major thing to a lot of parents, but Carson really hasn't been sick in 3 years! He is six.....yes the occasional cold etc, but nothing like this that seriously lays him out flat!
Anyway.....we are not going to D.C. this weekend, we are going to try and head up this next weekend and make the rounds with all the other million or so people. The good news is next weekend is supposed to be the peak weekend and the parade, so it should be fun!

Spring is in the Air!

Just because I like this picture! I don't know about the rest of the country...but it seems like we have been stuck in the dull, dreary, doldrums of winter forever. The cold and rainy mess for the past week or so, finally gave way to a beautiful weekend. I mean if you are going to have nice weather, it is kinda nice to get to enjoy it instead of being stuck inside the classroom.

Sunday, Wayne, Carson and I went out searching for the elusive evidence of Spring. Cherry blossoms are starting to pop open all around us, but nowhere near what is to come up in D.C. We are planning on a trip up next weekend to see the blossoms all around the Tidal Basin. We know it is going to be packed with people, but it is something I personally have looked forward too ever since we moved here.

We decided to drive down to the river and see what if anything was blooming there yet. We didn't find anything blooming, but it is still an amazing backdrop to take some pictures of the boy. I love this shot...holey jeans and all!This was the day for goofy grinsPetey wasn't thrilled with the photo session.See....more goofy grins! We had to at least touch the water!
We spent some time enjoying the weather and then headed down to Ferry Farm. Ferry Farm is the boyhood home of George Washington, and about 2 miles from the house. There are some gorgeous trees blossoming all along the side of the road so we pulled over and captured a few images.

This is driving into old town Fredericksburg.

I think this is a weeping cherry tree?This weekend we are planning on making the trip up to D.C. to see the cherry blossoms up close and personal. Look for a complete post with lots of pictures soon!

The Mind of a Six Year Old!

This morning as I was getting something green for Carson to wear to school, I explained to him it was St. Patricks Day and we needed to wear green so we don't get pinched. He got a funny look on his face and thought for a minute. Then he piped up and asked if he could wear pink instead. I asked him why pink, and he said that Patrick was pink and we should wear pink instead of green. I must have a had a funny look on my face because not two beats later, he asked me if we wear yellow for Sponge Bob day..... Me thinks the boy watches too much tv.