Happy 12th of July!

(Sounds better than being eight days late, doesn't it?)

We took two days this year to celebrate America - where we enjoy so many freedoms, opportunities...and eye-popping fireworks!

That picture was taken after Chattanooga's show, as Ben was proclaiming, "Fireworks go BOOM!". The next picture was taken during the show, as Ben was crying, "My go home!"

In hindsight, we should've prepared him for what a downtown fireworks show would sound like. At the time however, I was more concerned with getting a good spot in the park, and Tyler was focused on our car's spot in the lot! So as we're settling in (to our awesome spot), I say, "Now, Ben these will be really loud." "Oh-tay!" he replied cheerily. And then, without warning, up come not one, but like 12 of those insanely loud cannonball ones that you can feel in your chest. And suddenly Tyler was holding the hysterical, high-maintenance child as Katie Beth just snoozed in my arms.

"Test child, fail." my clever husband said. "We'll know better on the next one!"

The following evening, we headed to a neighboring community's festivities. Sidebar: If you live in the area and haven't been to Collegedale's celebration, you should. It's really good, and they have funnel cakes, lemonade and just that whole small-town vibe that makes you feel especially American. Ben did exceptionally better this time around...

doing a little tailgaiting

drinking some lemonade

and dancing the after-lemonade jig

(Birmingham moms, please don't hate on the muscle tshirt. It was festive, cool and cost $3.)

It was a little bright for pictures when we first arrived,

and even when the sun started to set, the kids weren't much for posing.

at least, not with us.

so cheeky.

The hordes of other families with toddlers and babies shuffling back to their cars with us made me feel better about two 11-pm bedtimes in a row, but Ben was losing steam and couldn't turn down a free lift.

Good times! On a related, yet random note, Tyler had told Ben that fireworks are my favorite (not sure in which category...but I do enjoy them), and he loved to repeat that back. When we asked him what his favorite was, he thought for a moment and said, "special treat". And I just thought that was really smart!

Oh, and happy Canada Day too!

And if you don't know when that was, just consider me right on time. :)

Easter Extravaganza

I like to drag things out. For instance, my birthday celebrations just ended this past weekend, although my actual birthday was weeks ago (Thanks to Kelley, Jess and Tyler for wrapping up the festivities)! So it should come as no surprise that Ben participated in not just one, but four egg hunts this year and wore his Easter outfit at least 10 times - which called for overnight washings on two occasions.

On Good Friday, Ben stayed home with my sister, visiting from San Francisco. They had lots of QT together and then met me at his school for the annual Spring Fling. The teachers really had put a lot of work into the event which included an egg hunt, sac races, cupcake walk, pin the tail on the bunny - and every kid got a personalized Easter basket and lots of prizes to put inside. Somewhere between the first egg hunt at Dawson (where he was flattened by the stampede and managed to put one solo egg in his basket) and this one, Ben picked up some crazy egg-hunting skills and charged out of the gate like a pro! Doubleclick the slideshow to view all captions

Immediately following the Spring Fling, the three of us caravaned to Nashville to spend Easter weekend with our parents. (Tyler takes his orthodontics boards on the 22nd, so he spent the weekend locked inside our house with his books and flashcards.) Ben got to discover my parents' house for the first time as a mobile person, and just wandered from room to room taking it all in. And then he took over - always leaving evidence of his tornadic presence in his wake.

He slept wonderfully is his new-to-him crib at Grandma's house, and provided constant entertainment for all, including changing and feeding responsibilities, which I'm always willing to share. :)

And on Easter morning, he stumbled upon two Easter baskets filled with a cell phone, bubbles, sippy cups, a Cars dvd and matching diningware, and Cadbury eggs, which he graciously saved for his daddy.

We celebrated as we've done for 25 years, Easter brunch at the Head's. I hunted eggs here for years, later hid them for the younger children and really enjoyed having my own baby to participate in the fun this year. I do not however have video of the event b/c in the flurry of excitement, I brilliantly had the power turned off when I thought it was on and vice versa. So lots of footage of the eggs in the grass, not so much of the little boy who was hunting them. Tragic.

I was able to manage documenting the weekend in pictures at least:

And that concludes the Easter Extravaganza of 09. (But in case you just haven't seen enough, you can check out my mom's pictures here.)

Happy Valentines Day!

You know, in a cool, tough-guy kind of way!

Christmas in Canada

After enjoying a couple of fun days with my family, we took to the skies on Christmas afternoon to visit for a week with Tyler's family, who live outside of Toronto, Canada.

As always, it was great to spend time with family, drink Tim Horton's coffee, and see the snow. There were a few extended family events to attend, but for the most part, we just did some serious relaxing and even more serious eating.

Lengthy slideshow to follow, but it's hard to condense seven days of memories!

Good times. We miss you guys already!

Ben's first Christmas

Just a quick slideshow from Christmas morning at my parent's house in Nashville. Apparently we'd underestimated Ben's potential for putting on a good gift-opening show. He was ecstatic about each and every present there was to open, and used his word, "dah" over and over to express his enthusiam over his new toys and books.

We couldn't have asked for a better first Christmas for our Ben.

(hold your cursor over the pictures to see captions)

Happy New Year!

I've got dozens of pictures to upload and tons of memories to recount from our Christmas adventures in Nashville and Canada. But after getting home last night, working today, and trying to unpack/get organized, Tyler and I are beat!

Looks like we're not the only ones...

Poor guy just couldn't handle a post-vacation grocery shopping trip without taking a little snooze.

Slept right through his first cart-riding experience!

Hope your holidays were fun and relaxing; more to come soon!

Have yourself a merry little Christmas!

Ben meets Santa...take two!

We recently took a family trip to Santa's Wonderland...which happens to be in the middle of Tyler's Wonderland - Bass Pro Shop. Visions of ATVs and fly-fishing kits must've been dancing in Tyler's head as Ben and I let a few families pass us in line once we reached the front. "I'm sorry, I think my husband must be lost," I told the head elf. "That's ok," he winked, "husbands have a tendency to do that here."

Once Tyler (ahem) found us, I, being a seasoned Santa visitor, backed Ben into Santa's lap very slowly...and ran. Back arching protests began, but then Tyler resourcefully gave him a candy cane.

This tactic worked just long enough for the elf to snap a couple quick (and free) pictures while we jumped around like maniacs.

Santa: Alright kid, I take lunch at 2. Just smile at your parents for acting afool so I can go heat up my Hot Pocket.

Ben meets Santa Claus

On Friday, Ben and I took an early lunch break to go see Santa with some friends.

Naughty or Nice?

Hope, Kaitlyn, Carter and Ben

The jolly old elf at Brookwood Mall was very authentic in his white beard and rosy cheeks, but it all was a bit overwhelming for the youngins. As the girls looked on from a safe distance, the boys attempted a close up visit. Since Ben is typically happy to be held by anyone willing for the job, I was surprised to feel his legs clenching around my waist and his hands clutching my shoulder as we approached Santa's chair. And once in his lap, even the snacks I tried to appease him with, wouldn't hold back the tears.

I don't think I like this...

Why have you left me with this terrifying man?

Determined to get the most for my $11.99, acting as a human buffer between Ben and Mr. Claus, seemed to do the trick.

Now this is more like it; just me and Mom. No Santa in sight!

And you think you've got problems...

I had to choose one of thousand of pictures of Ben for our Christmas card this week! Before the free-shipping offer expired. Without consulting Tyler or my sister.

Oh, the drama.

If only this baby didn't make such decisions so darn hard! Here are a few that, while didn't make it onto the card, just had to be shared.

And the runner up...If you like this one better than the Christmas card (to be uploaded at a later date), don't tell me because it's too late!
And obviously, I know I really don't have problems. This Thanksgiving, surrounded by my family, husband and baby, enjoying a "bountiful bounty", as my dad put it :), I was reminded yet again how fortunate I am and how I never want to take them, my health, my faith, my life for granted.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! On to Christmas! (as you can tell, I'm excited.)

Happy Halloween!

Hey, hey, we're the Monkeys!

People say we monkey around.

But we're too busy singing (and playing and exploring)

To put anybody down!

"so pick me up!"

(ya'll watched The Monkees, right?)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

That husband of mine...what a sport!

Pumpkin Pictures

I mentioned before that Ben's trip to the Pumpkin Patch turned out to be a less-than ideal photo shoot. However I forgot that my mom had set up her own session while we were in Nashville earlier this month!

Follow this link for some festive shots...props included.

This reminds me of happier times - before Ear Infection #2. We're hoping that Ben pulls through this any day now, but at least the time I've spent at home has given me a chance to sew (yes, with a needle and thread) our costumes together! Oh the pictures that are to come...just wait.

Feel better soon Ben!

Happy Fall Ya'll!

Happy 31st Anniversary!

Thirty-one years is a LONG time. It's more than four times longer than that dreaded seven-year itch, and it's longer than I've even been alive (good thing, you two)! So I just want to celebrate my parents on sticking out another year together...a year which has included welcoming a new son-in-law, traveling to Hawaii, riding a roller coaster of health issues with their parents, and becoming grandparents. Not to mention another year of carpooling across town together every day...which I'm pretty sure would test some vows!

Congrats Mom and Dad! Your commitment to each other and devotion to our family is inspiring. Hope 32 is the best year yet!

July 3, 1977
Don't know what's the best part of this picture. The hat? The bowtie?
Nah, it's definitely their happy smiles as they enter into married bliss.

Just another Tuesday at the Crandall's. Fancy!
31 years later, and ever the handsome couple

A big day for Zoe and Canada, eh?

July 1st may be just another day for most people in Birmingham, but not at our house! It's a double celebration for Zoe's birthday and Canada - Tyler's homeland.

Six years ago, we fell in love with this little flea-market pup from Sweetwater, Tennessee with sad eyes and a conehead, who was ironically born on Canada Day! Soon her conehead leveled out, her tongue outgrew her mouth and she wiggled, licked and snorted her way securely into our lives. If you're reading this Zo-girl, happy 6th b-day! We love you! ;)

Birthday girl's going to catch some rays on her special day!

"Oh Canada...
those are all the song lyrics I know, but I'm still showing off some Canadian pride!"

My two Canadians. Well, one's a half breed, but I love him just the same. :)
HAPPY CANADA DAY!

Happy Father's Day! Part Two

We made a last-minute decision to spend Father's Day weekend with my parents in Nashville, which turned out well for everyone as we got to celebrate with my dad, they got to see Ben, and we had free babysitters for a date night!

Having spent his whole life surrounded by girls (one younger sister and then two daughters), my Dad has really enjoyed adding Tyler and Michael to our family. Suddenly he has gun range companions and people to sit with in Die Hard 18 while Mom, Jess and I watch the latest Julia Roberts/Kate Hudson/Reese Witherspoon movie in the next theater.

As fun (and sometimes disturbing) as that relationship has been to watch, seeing my Dad getting to know Ben has provided some of my all-time favorite moments. Maybe because the surprise of learning we were pregnant - while Tyler was in school and I had just changed jobs - took some getting used to for him, or maybe because it offers a glimpse of the way he was with Jess and me as babies, or maybe it's just the happiness you feel watching someone fall in love. Whatever the reason, I'm overjoyed to be able to share in this experience with my Dad, who has seen me through quite a few experiences over the years. :) Love you Dad!

Not to be left out, Ben also has a wonderful Papa (and Nana) who we can not wait to see again in just a few weeks! Miss and love you guys!

Happy Father's Day! Part One

After soliciting some man-advice from my brother-in-law and a few other guys on the merits of charcoal vs. gas grills (thanks, by the way), Ben and I decided a charcoal grill would make a good first Father's Day gift for Tyler. You see, for Tyler, it's not so much about convenience as it is the experience. He just loves grilling while hanging out on the back porch with us or talking on the phone to his BFFs across the country. Besides, isn't it just part of the Dad Handbook to have a nice grill?!

Mommy's got her Father's Day informants; I've got mine.
I've know Bear since I was born, so I always listen to what he has to say.

Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

Yeah, it's a grill. Picked it out myself.

If you look behind me to the right, you'll see the grill is in the assembly process.

Don't worry Mom; Dad and I have this under control.

An official member of the Dad Club

Zoe and me watching Mommy fixing the fixins' in the kitchen.

So the grill arrived the Saturday before Father's Day, and we didn't waste any time putting it to use that night, and the next night and then that Wednesday...a good purchase indeed!

Speaking of investments, we always joke that Tyler was a good long-term investment for me. Apparently, someday he is going to run out of classes to take and degrees to earn and the 25 years of education he's endured will start to pay off! But really, I'm already quite happy with my ROI. (What? I took economics. I know things.) Tyler is the hardest-working person I know (Really. It's exhausting.) and somehow still makes me, and now Ben, his priority.

One of the first memories is him showing off a handful of pictures in class of his niece, Kianna, who had been born over the summer. He was so enamored with that little baby and proud of his sister; and I knew then that he'd make a good dad. Seeing him rolling around the floor with all our nieces and nephews over the years only solidified that feeling. And then Ben was born, and Tyler morphed from "Fun Uncle T" to a father. From his 200+ picture screensaver, to bringing in extra money by working two jobs, to the way he watches Ben sleep from the doorway and can't wait to pick him up in the morning, Tyler has accepted this new title in the way he does everything - with a fervor that I admire and love.

The shirt says it all.

On an unrelated note, here I am showing off a couple of my Grandma's latest creations.


PS - As I look through these pictures, I have to wonder, what did people do with their babies before Bumbo seats were invented?!