Pete loves hitting the ball

Pete's just turned 2, and has really started getting into hitting and throwing the ball...any kind of ball.  He's starting to get pretty good at hitting the ball off the tee too!  There's hope yet that we might have a little athlete on our hands!

Pete hitting in backyard

Thanksgiving pic

Kerrigan (6), Mimi (5), Emilie (4), and Teddie (3) hanging out by the fire at Thanksgiving in their new PJ's.  They were taking a quick break from the epic Dance Party they put on!

A few more to catch up on...

I'm posting these from my iPhone so not quite sure how to caption pictures. Going in order-here's what we've got...
1) Riding the train at the zoo-one of our favorite activities this summer.
2) Sesame Street Live with Ben, Sarah and Anna. Thank you to them for the tix and great seats!
3) Backyard playground time together.
4) Hayride at Michael Hall's birthday party at the Art Barn in Canton-super fun!
5) Watching Sat morning cartoons together on the sofa.
6)Friday night ice cream for Pete.

Pete the ball player

So we are waaaaay overdue on posts to this blog but I guess life has just kept us away from our computers. I think that's a good thing. I figure the best way to get back into it is just start posting some of my recent favorites. So the next few posts may come in random order!

Here is a favorite video of Pete with his bat and ball which he just loves. The boy can be entertained with hitting, throwing and catching for a very long time. I just love how he is distracted by the moon, then a "birdie", but still seems to get back down to business.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG1zW8wbtAg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The newest Dooley, Collier!

While we all await Dooley cousin #13, we got to hang with #12 last night. Collier is 1mo. old on Friday and doing great!   John and Kristen also are adjusting, as expected, fabulously to parenthood.

AME and her pretty niece!

Party arms

My good buddy Todd taught me the wise term "party arms", so I feel the need to pay it forward to my kiddos.  They love some party arms!

Em and Pete doing party arms

R.I.P CJ the fish

When we moved back into our house after the kitchen renovation just over a year ago, we promised Emilie we'd get some fish as pets.  We got 3 fish about a year ago.  2 went to swim in another fishtank shortly thereafter unfortunately, but a 3rd, CJ, has been with us for just about a year.

Unfortunately, yesterday was his last day.  R.I.P buddy, you were a good little "pet". 

We have two new fish now, Mac and Juju, both named by Emilie.  Let's hope we can keep them around a long time!

Hilton Head Trip

Last week, we were in Hilton Head for a full week with most all the Dooleys.  Everyone had a great time, especially all the cousins hanging out together. 

Pete had a big time chasing crabs, as you can see here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbYGBC1tcOs&feature=channel&list=UL

Backyard work!

Pete needs a cage.  Pretty much simple as that.  The guy is in love with running for the road...which, considering where we live, is not really an option. 

So, finally, we are in the process of putting a fence up, putting a back patio in, and dressing up the previously un-used back alley on our house.  We're also doing some small things like running a water line underground to the back yard, adding some exterior lighting and outlets, removing some excess retaining wall, fixing an outside door, etc.  As usual, David Brown is on the loose at my house.

Here's a video shot from last Thursday.  David was only 3 days in the project, so we are further along now for sure. 

me and Pete surveying the backyard work

The past few weeks

We've had a fun couple of weeks.  Anna came over a few weeks ago, and the kids enjoyed playing with her. 

Anna and Pete in the bath

I secretly filmed Uncle Ben reading to the little man.  This will be a good one to look back on one day.  Sorry, Uncle Ben!

Ben reads to Pete

We had Mother's Day this past week, and enjoyed celebrating that with AM and the kids.  We also had the Phi Delt Alumni Golf Tourney, which was a very good time.  Dad, Brian, Ben, and I finished 3rd net, and probably scrambled the best we ever have.

This week David Brown is here again for some outside work.  Guy is probably tired of seeing this place.  He's already put in the trellis' on the back alley.  He then is going to put in a back patio, a fence, and do some other little things...which we are quite excited about!  The backyard is going to look much better...and Pete can't run to the road anymore, which is nice.

Good weekend

We had a good, busy, weekend.  Watched "The Descendants", which was an interesting movie.  Took the kids on a long walk in Brookhaven on Sat a.m., and then to the PDK playground, where we actually ran into Jim and Pat Duttera, Thomas and his 2yr old James.
AM's hosting a baby shower this upcoming weekend, so we were getting ready for that too.  Nanna and Pops are actually up to see Em today, so she is super pumped about that!

I made some nachos for lunch...and probably used a bit too much cheese, as you can see.

Emilie likes nachos

Emilie plays soccer?

We signed Emilie up for Soccer this Spring, as she had really sounded interested in playing.  It's been an "interesting" experience.  As we know, she's not the most outgoing little girl, but slowly but surely, she is starting to practice a little better on her own.  I filmed a little bit of their 5 minute "scrimmage" at the end of the practice last night.  Next Mia Hamm?  Probably not...but I think she's having fun, which is the most important thing.

Em's soccer scrimmage

Em's sayings

We've been meaning to keep track of funny things that Em says, so I thought I'd toss this gem out there...

"Hey daddy, I think your toots are making the bathroom dirty".

Not too often a turkey trots up to the office park...

Ann Marie just sent me this photo.  Seems that a turkey got a little lost off of N Druid Hills this afternoon...

Sad day for Bravos fans...

#10 has decided that this is his last year.  We'll miss you, Chipper. 

Chipper retires

Emilie getting a mani/pedi

Em is out of school today, a little bit under the weather.  That didn't stop her from getting her first mani/pedi with mommy today, however! 

Em loves to paint those nails!

Funny stuff...

Pretty funny stuff by SNL this past week -

Jeremy Lin

Great story

Great, and sad, story

Great story

Christmas 2011

We had a great Christmas this year, with lots of fun time spent with family and friends. We spent a wonderful weekend in WestPoint with all of the Edwards, then came back to Atlanta for Christmas Eve w/ all the Dooley cousins in Stone Mountain. It was a very busy Christmas but also a very good one! Emilie and Pete really enjoyed Santa's visit this year(and even left out some reindeer food along w/ Santa's cookies- thanks to Aunt Jennifer!) so that was super fun! He brought Emilie a new doll house, a tricycle, and some new "golf shoes" and Pete got a new playground for the backyard. All in all they must have been good all year because they did pretty well!  Last week since we had some time off work we also took a short ride out to Serenbe. (http://www.serenbe.com/ ) to see what it was all about. It was a cute little place- one of the coolest things we saw were "in-ground" trampolines! Takes away the chance of falling off and the kids loooved it. On New Year's Eve we rung in 2012  w/ one of Emilie's friends- Emery King(Jen and Lee's daughter)-coming over for a pajama party-what fun!



Fun time at the WP carousel- everyone pitched in on chasing Pete!



Christmas morning- we may have had to wake her up!



But not Pete- he was bouncing!



Like my new vest?





New playground



Our tree




Trampoline (Here is a link to a good video too http://qik.ly/BDZBzVMdg38rJ2czb3nspAW ) 




Em & Em on NYE