Floating For The Fourth

On a weekend full of activities in Frederick, the annual Great Boat Float was the center of our attention.  Local organizations, business, and private entries all compete for the best decorated boat as they float through town on the Carrol Creek Canal.

A different twist on a parade for sure but very cool.

Making Her Break

Our First Fourth

 

Being a mere 40 minutes from our nation's capital, it's pretty hard not to get into spirit when it comes to the 4th of July. With old battlefields, museums, and memorials around every corner, you are constantly reminded about where we are and what it took for us to get the freedom we have.

This photo just screams Americana to me.  Small bungalow house in a small town in the shadows of our capital.  A few chairs for the front porch and maybe a cold beverage, and it won't get much better.

Doodie In The Pool!!

Hill Country Nature Trail Explorers

Done Gone Green

Fresh off the plane from Maryland and on our way to the 6th Annual All-Balls Family Reunion, our first stop was Green Mesquite in Austin. Killer food and cold beer, along with the usual Austin crowd and ambiance.

Not only is the crowd what we dig, but they have walls for your kids to draw on. No doubt a good spot.

Hill Country Moment

Parting shot from our annual All-Balls Reunion in the Texas hill country, near Wimberley, TX.

Orange-Ya A Beauty Miss Belle

(Huge props to Boo for grabbing this photo.)

Tap, Tap, Tap-a-roo

Playing By His Rules

He may not be the next great golfer or he may not even play when he is older, but for now, having him as my playing partner (and making it a full 18 holes w/out any incidents) is more than enough.

Sprinkler Soaked

Credit to Robbie for nailing this awesome pics...she must have had a good teacher..

Toes In The Sand

Head In The Sand

Jerseylicious

Since our training for our new business was in New Jersey, we turned our week long work trip into a partial mini vacation.  The Jersey Shore was much nicer and cleaner than my expectations had led me to believe.  The beaches are clean (at least where we were), people are friendly (at least where we were), and the food was fantastic. 

Since we where still a week from their busy summer season, we landed a beach house 1.5 blocks from the beach and the boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey.

No doubt I would return again.

Get Your Popcorn Ready...

 

New Outlook With New Perspectives

Being a born-and-raised Texas is something that I am very proud to say I am. Texas has been my home for the past 31 years, but sometimes you feel as though you need a change. We needed a big change.

We had fallen in a rut and I have always wanted to live in another part of the country. We had decided we wanted to either be on the east or west coast. Both area offered what we wanted. We wanted beaches, mountains, new opportunities, new adventures, and somewhere to settle and grow new roots. Our new community had to be young, vibrant, eclectic, artsy, and most importantly we had to feel at home quickly.

When all was said and done we decided on Frederick, Maryland. We knew family and friends that lived in and around Frederick and knew this was our opportunity to start a new chapter of our life while connecting with previous relationships that we had formed.

Our first weekend in our new town, with my both sets of parents in tow and Robyn's two brothers with their kids, the Frederick Festival of the Arts along the Carrol Creek canal was a must for us to see our new town and experience with the people whom would be our neighbors. The setting, the weather, the music, the art; we couldn't have asked for more.

 

When Dogs Attack

Here's Johnny!!

Grocery Gal

Color Explosion

Idle Hands Are Bad Hands

With the solo daddy-o show front-and-center the next few weeks, the busier I can keep the kids the better it is for all of us. Timing is everything and with the Leuker's in town, the timing couldn't be better. Two temporarily solo parents can easily handle the kids when they team up and throw in a museum as their corner man.

Next Up, Mt. Everest

Conquered That Monster

For years, there was always one thing that Robyn wanted and could not claim.  That one thing always lingered over here and she had convinced herself that it was out of her reach and that she would just have to settle. 

She never settles.  When she wants something, she gets it. 

Eighteen months ago she approached me after dinner and told me she wanted to finish school.  In order for her to do that, we made some drastic life changes and settled in to our new life - a different life - but we knew it was temporary and that the final outcome would be a journey but it was a journey we were willing to sacrifice for and we both went after it. 

On Friday, Robyn graduate from Texas Wesleyan University with her degree.  Not only did she graduated, she graduated with the honor of being on the Dean's List - another statement she never thought she would make.

Over the past eighteen months I have seen Robyn grow and change as her final goal became closer and closer.  She took her challenge head on and killed it.  That's why I love her.

Congratulations Robyn, you accomplished your goal and I could not be happier.

 

   

   

Bringing The Hammer - Jax Style

Singing With His Ladies

End of the year program at school for Buddy; one (yes one) of his girlfriends is standing next to him; the other is off to the right out of view. Needless to say, he enjoys his school time. Less nap time, more playground, and two girlfriends. Gonna be a good day tater.

Early Summer Living

Front porch with Ben.  Popsicles in hand.  Doing their best to waste another day.

The Dentist Visit

Midnight Snacking

There is no doubt, this girl can put some food down.  She won't even let a little barricade, like the door to the fridge or no help from mom or dad, get in her way.  Watch your digits around this girl, get them near her food and you may come back with just a nub.