Spenser's America!

While we were in Savannah for wedding festivities, we also had some business to attend to. The launch of my mom's book, Spenser's America, took place at Heard Elementary School in Savannah, which is featured in the book and also where my mom went to school.

Hannah was only a year old at our last book launch so she didn't really know what was going on. This time, however, she was very aware that Grandma was a big deal and didn't really like the fact that she was paying other kids attention.

Thanks to our family who came to be a part of the launch: my mother-in-law Marilyn, Uncle Pete and Aunt Kristie, and cousins Trudie, Maddie, and Jackson.


The SpenserNation series now consists of five main books and their "Little Friends" counterparts for preschoolers. The books can be purchased through our website: www.spensernation.com, at Barnes & Noble and at Amazon. All sales benefit our family non-profit initiative, Operation Hungry Child, to help end childhood hunger in America. Great gift idea and cause! If your kids do not have any of the Spenser books, I'm telling you they are missing out!

Other books in the series: 

Spenser Goes to Portland
Spenser Goes to St. Louis
Spenser's Savannah
Spenser Goes to El Paso

If you are in Savannah, visit the Children's Book Festival at Forsyth Park this Saturday. Mom and Spenser will be there signing books. If you're not in Savannah but would like a signed copy of a Spenser book, let me know and we will send you one.

ben and katie

Hey there. I have spent this week unloading, unpacking, doing laundry, cleaning house, and other measures to settle back in from a busy couple of weeks. On Monday night, we returned from a six-day trip to Savannah. I am finally beginning to feel recovered...and it's Friday! We are excited about a relatively low-key weekend at home.

We celebrated my older brother, Ben's, wedding with a long-weekend full of events. Ben and Katie were married at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist at 7:30 on Saturday night. It was a beautiful ceremony, with Joe presiding. Hannah and Joseph were there, despite the late hour, and behaved. Thankfully.

I am sorry to say that I took very few pictures. I did not take one single picture Friday night at the rehearsal dinner and that is a shame. It was at Old Fort Jackson and my mom did a great job, planning every little detail for a one-of-a-kind night. My cousins even dressed up as Confederate and Union soldiers, greeting guests with Chatham Artillery Punch. {You can find the recipe here. "Not for the faint hearted..."} Ben and Katie rode in on a pedicab and then ordered the firing of the canon. Cold night but very fun. I will try to get my fingers on a few pictures to post. Any readers that have one, send my way or comment and post a link.

I did manage to take some pictures throughout the course of the weekend, including this one from the bridesmaid's luncheon, held at The Olde Pink House, another historic location and Savannah favorite. My family frequents the Pink House a lot and it is popular for luncheons, as well as rehearsal dinners and receptions. We have celebrated various occasions here and recommend it if your travels bring you to Savannah.

We stayed at Wesley Gardens, a 130-acre country estate on Burnside Island. The property is owned by Wesley Monumental UMC, the church Joe served while we were in Savannah. The house at Wesley Gardens has many bedrooms with dorm-like furniture. A bunch of us stayed out there. On wedding day, my aunts hosted a breakfast there for family and out-of-town guests. Ben and the groomsmen got these t-shirts to wear.
  

The Brooks-Buck kids. Joe and I look especially tired in this picture. We didn't sleep a whole lot while we were gone. Thanks to the time change, our kids are waking up bright and early these days too.

I did get a few pictures at the reception.

...and that cake was delicious. Katie's dream was an all-white wedding so even the bridesmaids wore white. My earrings and charm bracelet (not pictured) were a gift from the bride and are part of John Wind's Cottonball collection. They are beautiful.

 {with Dad and Renee}

 {with Juliana and John}

{with Kristen and Mae, Juliana, KK, and Mom}

I look forward to seeing Christine's pictures when she gets them up. It was a fun weekend and so good to see family and friends who made the trip.

extra hour of sleep?

Tonight Hannah came to the dinner table with one of my hats - a skully - on her head inside out with the tags sticking straight up. She found one of Joseph's teething rings on the table, which she slid on her arm as a bracelet. At one point while we were eating, Joe shared a thought: do people see photos of her dressed like this and think we do it and take pictures to post on Facebook, etc. Let me assure you - this is all her. And that is what makes it so fun that we want to share. She comes by this honestly. As my mom likes to tell us, the apple doesn't fall far...

Hi blog readers, I hope you had a good weekend. We are exhausted over here. Many months ago, Joe registered for the inaugural Rock 'n' Roll marathon in Savannah. Later we learned the date of a Leadership Georgia gala in Augusta the night before. We really wanted to do both, knowing that it would mean little sleep, lots of miles on the car and a lot of logistics. Thursday we headed to Savannah. The kids stayed with my mom when we left Friday for Augusta. We drove back Friday night arriving at my mom's house a little before 2am. Saturday morning we woke up at 5:30. The race started at 7:30. My brother, Ben, was running too.

A month ago Joe strained his hamstring. He has been rehabbing it with physical therapy, and a multiple-times-daily routine of heat and ice at home. He was not sure he was going to be able to run in the race. He was registered for the marathon, hoping to break his personal best, but as Saturday got closer he decided he'd be happy to race the half. Unfortunately, he had to stop at mile 7. My mom was following his (and Ben's) times on her phone. When we saw how well he was doing at the 10k mark, we expected to see him pass by us at any minute. My heart sank when I saw him walking towards me. It was upsetting after all the work and training he put into it - not to mention having looked forward to the event for months... We cheered on Ben as he completed his first half-marathon. Saturday afternoon we drove back to Sandersville. And then came Sunday.

I learned today that an "extra hour of sleep" does not really mean just that when you have small children.

Joe and I were up late last night watching football when I came to the realization that - you know what? the kids aren't going to sleep an extra hour in the morning...what are we doing staying up late? I immediately went to bed. Joe followed later. And as you would know it, the kids woke up before even their usual times. Joseph, who wakes up around 7:30, woke up at 6:15 today. Hannah, who wakes up around 8, woke up at 7.

We didn't get to take advantage of that extra hour of sleep. In fact, our morning was rough. Joe's car wouldn't start when he went to leave for church. Joseph cried for the better part of two hours, and let's just say Hannah had discipline issues. It was all I could do to make it to church by 11:00 - pulling into the parking lot with one minute to spare, with a nice long run in my hose.

In return, the kids granted us some sleep this afternoon. We were a napping house for two hours. Thankfully.


I forgot to grab my camera out of the car before we walked to the race and I did not bring it with us to the event Friday night, so no pictures of those. But this was the scene at my mom's house afterward.

Joe is talking to our moms, while Joseph jumps and Hannah plays with Jackson. Trudie, Crystal, and Will (not pictured) look on...and Ben and Katie were around somewhere too. Little bit of a zoo, but nothing out of the ordinary.


UPDATE: My good friend sent me a picture she took at the Gala. Thank you Deana!

we've got our hands full

Hannah loves Joseph. She likes to help us take care of him. She always wants to know where he is and what he's doing. She likes to look at him on the monitor. If I pick her up from preschool and he is not in the car, she is concerned. She wants to make sure he has his pacifier. When he cries she wants to know "what's wong?" She helps* him jump in the jumperoo. She likes to play with his toys and show him how they work. She laughs at sounds he makes and he laughs at her laughing at him. I think he likes her too, though sometimes it's hard to tell. He's definitely fascinated by her. Poor guy will be dressed up, pushed around, and told what to do for years to come.

A couple weeks ago I took these pictures.

I was sitting right here at the computer today when I looked up and saw this.

"I'm going to St. Simons," Hannah told me. I am 100% sure that she does not know what that means. I'm also not sure where it came from.

{Today she wore blue jeans for the first time. The beads, bracelets, sunglasses and other paraphernalia are not worn to school, but if she is home they are on.}

halloweened out

We have been living Halloween for a month it seems, as Hannah comes home with pumpkins, candy corn and all things fall.

When I walk by the refrigerator I smile.

{This picture is a couple weeks old. We had to move some of the artwork out to make room for more that came home.}

We have taken advantage of every opportunity to wear festive outfits.

 (Taken by phone...and yes, I realize he's a little big for the bassinet.)

You may remember this jumper from last year:

It is hard to believe she's grown that much in just a year. {By the way, I plan on letting her wear her clothes for as long as I can. Next year it might be a top.}

Last Sunday we went to a Halloween-themed birthday party for Hannah's friend, Henry. We tested out the costumes.

Hannah really likes being a fairy. This was actually a play outfit my mom bought her that turned into her costume.

our friends, Kessler and McFerrin

Joseph with Emily

Going on a hayride...

Dr. Jennifer and Jane

In love with my pea in the pod.

Hannah and Mary Thomas

How about that devilish look in her eyes? She wants to smash that monster's head.

Then came Sunday.

 

 

In the afternoon we had the church fall festival.

 

Hannah...Banana

We did a ghost theme for the trunk-or-treat, borrowing the ghosts from our front yard and white sheets, candles, and spooky music we found on XM.

Great minds think alike - My mom sent the kids a Halloween box of goodies and in it were little tissue ghosts for Hannah's class. I planned to do the same thing at the church. 

Mom's ghosts:

My ghosts:

Yesterday was Hannah's preschool fall festival. It was cold and dreary, but we played the little games, see-sawed, swang, and collected more candy.

Swinging with Elizabeth.

I tried - desperately - to get a good picture of the kids.

Thought you might like to see how they did not cooperate. Picture time usually goes this well. Such is life.

Last night we stayed inside (out of the cold) and let Hannah greet trick-or-treaters at the door. She took her role very seriously.

Grandma and Chloe and Spenser (the dogs, er, pirates) skyped us. 

And that's it! I am Halloweened out and thankful it is November.