University Of California - Berkeley

This weekend we enjoyed being together and hanging out in summer weather over in Berkeley.  Berkeley is absolutely beautiful!!!  Look at the buildings.

 The campus has lots of trail winding through redwood trees.  I just loved it.

 We enjoyed some college baseball...Cal/Utah.

 There is my sweet Madi sitting on the grass.  It was so hot.  We all got quite a bit of sun.

 My little Georgia Bulldogs were dressed as California Bears for the day.

 Saturday was California's Spring Football game.  We don't know a lot of there players but Steve and the kids like #8.

 It was a good game...21-20.

Now this guy is who we have been wanting to see.  It's Avery.  Remember when we were renting out house in Georgia out and Avery's parents came to look at it.  Avery was born in Ohio but spent many years in Georgia.  He was recruited by LSU, Michigan, Tennessee, Stanford, Cal and a few others and he picked Cal.  Steve use to watch Avery play in High School when we lived in Georgia. Avery went to Union Grove and ELCA in Henry Co. So we have really been looking forward to meeting up with this Bear.  He is such a nice kid.  We were all giggling that they may look like Bears on the outside but they bleed red and black.

Little League World Series And Cousins

For years now Madi's favorite Wii game has been Little League World Series. We have always gone to the Georgia games. But now down in Warner Robbins is Southeast World Series stadium. So you know this family had to go get a glimpse while we were down in Georgia. One summer we want to get to Willamsport to watch but for now this was GREAT!

We watched Georgia (Warner Robbins this year) play Tennessee...Georgia won because they are in Williamsport now. See Ben and Madi down on the front row.

Steve's family all gathered for a fun night out at dinner. Nana, all the cousins and Great Grandma.

These cousins are the best of friends. They have so much fun together. We are going to miss living close to them.

Madi loves the girl cousins but she wants to marry her cousin Hunter. Hunter took the kids for a ride around the block in his car. Madi always tells her friends about her cousin Hunter and how cute he is...did you know he is cuter then Troy from High School Musical?

Savannah Sand Gnats and Riverstreet Sweets

Something would be weird if my family went to a town and didn't stop in at the local ballpark...so of course while we were in Savannah we went to a Savannah Sand Gnats game. As we were walking up to the beautiful old stadium Steve was going on and on how this place had been here since the 1920's and that lots of famous baseball players came out of here. The Sand Gnats are the minor league for the San Francisco Giants (our soon to be hometown team) and they played against the Rome Braves, minor league for the Atlanta Braves...so we rooted for the Rome Braves.

Goodness you can watch the game while practically on the field.

And you can watch the guys in the dugout UP CLOSE!

The kids got slushies and Madi was so excited that hers was aqua in a red bowl...she has the red and aqua fever now too.

Ben was sitting here enjoying his slushie with a pitcher warming up...throwing 90+mph balls...looks like crazy. Steve and I stood there to get the feel of what that speed of a ball would look like coming at you...I didn't like that.

It was a beautiful night to sit outside at a game. This picture is when we were walking back to our car.

RIVERSTREET SWEETS! If you go to Savannah you gotta go to Riverstreet and stop at this candy store!!! Right before moving here to Georgia, Country Living Magazine spotlighted this shop. And my friend Susy had also just gone here and was raving about it. So every time I get the chance to go we all go. Funny thing happened. While walking on Riverstreet and just a few stores down from Riverstreet Sweets my phone rang and it was Susy calling to say hi...and of all places to be I was right there 'our place'. Susy said to eat a praline for her so I was nice and ate at least 3 or 4 of the worlds greatest pralines for her :-)

When you walk in they let you sample a praline...I sample on my way out too.

The Candy Maker was making salt water taffy.

One of the days on Tybee Island we took the kids to the lighthouse.

We climbed the 178 steps to the top.

One of the workers at the lighthouse let Ben and Madi try on bell keepers hats while we were waiting for our turn in line to go in. The kids and I didn't like it at the top where you can walk around the outside...there was just a wimpy fence....Steve laughed at us.

Savannah/Tybee Island

Steve's family had a family reunion over on Tybee Island next to Savannah. A few 4th of July's ago they had one down in Palm Beach that was fun but this year all the Florida relatives came up this way. My kids are no longer afraid of waves like they use to be...they LOVE the beach.








Steve's mom rented a big beach house so we could just walk to the beach anytime we wanted. Look at the porch on this house...I want one! It was larger than the Walton's porch.




There are Nana and Aunt Lisa.










Looks like Baywatch....but it's just our Madi.





The first day at the beach was windy but it felt so good! Look at Madi, Haley and Bianca...their boogie boards are flying around like kites...they were cracking up.

Those girls...Haley is pulling Madi?

We walked down by the pier. This was at 8 pm...it was so nice outside.

This is the boardwalk to get to the beach house...look at all the sand the wind blew on there.

Then Deedee started pulling Madi on the boogie board.

They did fireworks on the Island on Saturday the 3rd and then down on Riverstreet in Savannah on the 4th. Madi, Ben, Jacob and Nathan played in the sand while waiting for the fireworks to start on the beach. All the kids want to know now is when can they go back to the beach?

Unexpected needed fun

My neighbor Kristy from across the street came over acknowledging how busy we are and that we must be tired after having movers at our house but she had some free Braves tickets for a game that was starting in 40 min. and they couldn't go. She had a parking pass for the Green Lot (front row) and $40 gift cards attached to the tickets for food. Well you don't have to twist our arms to take an offer like that...we were ready in 5 min., jumped in the van and headed toward Turner Field.

We had great seats.

The wave made it around the stadium a few times...that is what Madi was watching.

A grasshopper made it to the game. Isn't it funny perched on the bar with the scoreboard and skyline in view.

We are all tired now!!!! We needed that fun time enjoying the night outside.

Memorial Day

Our family spent Memorial Day down at Turner Field....Braves and Phillies with a Beach Boys concert to top it off. There was an abundance of patriotism at every turn. Look at this flag made of baseball hats. The Braves wore white hats...all MLB players did in honor of Memorial Day. Lots of decorated troops were honored on the field before and during the game. I think Ben and Madi felt what Memorial Day is for.

Madi and Daddy.

The kids got their favorite chili cheese fries and Braves helmets full of dippin' dots.

Braves won putting them in 1st place!!!!!!!!

After the game we sure enjoyed the Beach Boys concert right there at Turner Field!!!