Israel and I enjoyed a Fantastic dinner at Antica Posta. We had been looking for an authentic Italian restaurant ever since returning from Italy. The food was amazing and spot on Tuscan style. We even splurged with a bottle of 2005 Brunello from Montalcino - Perfetto!
The South: The heat and humidity can become annoyingly unbearable in the summer, temperatures rising way over 100 degrees. To stay cool and enjoy our summer vacation we have decided to spend lots of much needed time in the cold refreshing waters. Mommies and Daddies get to relax and kiddos are able to release wild energies that are built up and have a blast in the process.
It was very entertaining to watch the boy’s play with Jacob’s new flippers. Isaac spent most of the day using them as paddles on his hands while riding his tube. Jacob tried them for a short period and decided today wasn’t the day to learn (water guns were way more exciting). Israel or should I say “Scuba Steve”, (lol) swam around the pool like a wild shark amusing us girls (Piper, Violet & I)
Jacob recently celebrated his 10th birthday. Long before this day came he had it all planned out. Dinner was going to be Taco Salad, cake was going to be white with white icing, and presents were going to be had. Ah, the tough life of a ten year old. He got his wishes though and then some – even some special bits, purchased months ago that he didn’t know about until the next day.
Jacob was certainly shy this year for pictures and while opening gifts but he had a great time and when the spotlight wasn’t pointed in his direction he opened up and enjoyed himself. I guess ten is that magic age where things start to change and you notice when you are center of any type of attention.
Upon request the now 6 year old princess Piper wanted to celebrate her special day with a Breakfast Brunch for family and friend. Pancakes were a must, and as we have learned they are a large part of every up and coming princess’ diet. The pancakes as were liberal helpings of syrup, scrambled eggs, bacon, yogurt and fruit. A morning feast if you ask the cook. There was even an option to build your very own BLTs, complete with bread and mayo for those party goers so inclined.
After breakfast was consumed and we all had full bellies it was time to make things official. Once we stopped singing Piper made her wish and tried and tried to blow out the candles. Must have been some wish….
She didn’t want to waste any time getting to the gifts (and a few of her guests had to leave early) so we skipped the cake and headed for the treasure. Plus I think everyone’s bellies were still full from pancakes and BLTs. She had been telling everyone that all she wanted for her birthday was Pet Shop, My Little Pony and Zu-Zu Pet toys. Well they certainly listened and delivered and Piper was overly excited and thankful. After each gift she ran across the room and gave hugs and kisses and thank yous to everyone. Another thing that she had been asking for was “girlie” games for her Game Boy or one of the other game systems around the house. Most of what we have (and most of what is out there) is focused either on some generic market or boys – well she wanted girl stuff. ”Uncle” John delivered along with Carol and I at helping with this fix. In particular Carol found a copy of a My Little Pony game for the Game Boy, something she had been asking for over and over for the past few months.
Auntie Autumn picked up a hula-hoop as part of her gift. Piper wasn’t really sure what she was supposed to do with it so Autumn decided to demonstrate for her. Piper still didn’t give it a go but it was certainly worth the entertainment.
The best part though was when Piper received a Justin Bieber book. I didn’t even think she knew who he was, let alone cared. Wow! Can a dad be wrong or totally oblivious. Piper turned into a pile of mushy fawning pre-adolescence girl, going on thirteen….I’m not sure I am ready for all that.
It has been a long while since I took these pictures but each time I run across them I cannot help but smile and laugh. Just prior to the Christmas shopping season of 2009, Violet was still learning to crap in her frogs mouth to use her potty and would sometimes spend long periods of time taking care of business. We peaked in on her “getting ready for bed” and saw her sitting there on Mr. Frog reading the Toys ‘R’ Us Christmas catalog. She had to have specifically dug it out of the cabinet and was none to shy about sitting there in her birthday suit figuring out what Santa might add to his list. Specifically the “Pink Princess Castle”.
Daddy’s Little Girl !!!
Tonight was Piper’s first concert in kindergarten. She has been excited about it for the past few weeks, continuously singing around the house and wanting to show us her “moves”. It was very important for her to wear a formal princess dress during the performance.
In anticipation of the concert Violet has been learning the songs and moves from Piper. Tonight all through the show she was insistent that she should be on stage performing. It wasn’t until afterwards though that she got her chance. Both girls wanted to get on the stage and show us one of the songs from the concert, they decided on “The Bear Went Over the Mountain” as their masterpiece.
It was a rare treat to get some one on one time with Piper, let alone doing something new. We took a friend up on an offer of Ice Skating and had a great time. I cannot remember Piper ever having been on Ice before, well at least not intentionally and prepared. She was skeptical at first – that initial step being something akin to loosing any remote sense of balance and traction with her spider little legs going every which way. I would have love to have recorded the first moment when she stepped on the ice but both of my hands were required. It only took a moment though and we were doing laps in the center of the rink with the other beginners – well beginners and some of those that just like to show off, spinning and twirling like the are dancing on the wind with butterflies between their toes.
It only took most of the summer, all of the fall and the early part of winter but we finally made it out to meet the newest member of the family, Hunter Brian Scheckles. Best of all we got to do this over Thanksgiving and were able to see not only Hunter but also Dad and Mom…oh yeah and those other three people as well. 
The trip over from Atlanta to the middle of nowhere was much quicker than expected once we were well out of Atlanta (the leaving Atlanta part took two of the ten hours to travel the required 600 miles). Carol loaded up my new shiny work laptop as well as our family one (not so shiny or new) and a pile of movies. She put the movies in and played the sound over the car speakers and until dark I think for the most part I kept my eyes mostly on the road – after dark I am not so sure but we did arrive unscathed. I did get to see the majority of one of our favorite movies, Phantom of the Opera as well as some of the Love Actually and Avatar. We had just started National Lampoons Christmas Vacation when we pulled up.
Hunter was adorable to see. He was still tiny and little but cute and full of coos and slobber. We got to see him play a bit, mainly by eating his hands or a few different toys, roll over, which we heard was something new, and generally be happy – all the things babies do that are cute…and the absolute best part – well other than getting to see the happiness that Hunter has brought to Brian and Kim – was being on the visiting end instead of the mommy or daddy end…sorry Sis but it was great to sit back and let you take care of feeding and diapers and all that other “fun” stuff that comes along with the cuteness..especially the morning parts where we got to sleep in…I should stop now while I am ahead.
Fall and Halloween are now a touch behind us but I still wanted to share a few moments we had together at Jaemore Farms in Alto, GA in early October. It was a perfect day for picking up pumpkins, taking a hay ride, playing some festival games and generally enjoying the perfect weather. The games were pretty cool. Our favorite two were the Apple Sling Shot where Isaac made a bullseye and won a free pumpkin (that got to be my pumpkin) and the duck race where you had to pump a well handle to make the water flow as fast as you could so that your duck would get to the big pond on the other side the fastest – the CoTC loved this and did not want to leave.
Sea World here we come!!! The kids were very excited to be headed out to their adventure “under the sea”. The drive was about one hour and they kept themselves busy doing what all twenty-first century kids do in the car – watch movies and play games.
