Baby Sam

Congratulations to Aunt Mel and Uncle Dude! A new baby boy, Samuel Carver arrived late last week to join the Crumpton crew. GJ was in Charleston when Sam arrived and Pappy hightailed it down to SC when he heard the news. According to Mel, Corinne likes to slop wet kisses on her new baby brother! Classic!

Welcome young Sam and congratulations Crumptons!

Reunion

The Rutledge clan was treated to a mini family reunion as our house was filled with family the weekend before the 4th. GJ and Pappy are in town for two weeks as they graciously offered to help us out with the boys while preschool is out for the summer. The Crumpton crew -- Aunt Mel ("sometimes I call her Aunt Mel, sometimes I call her Melanie"), Uncle Dude, and Corinne -- made the trek up from Charleston for a vehicle swap and a visit. So we all piled in for a weekend of festive fun and avoided bloody competitive battles of Scattergories at all costs.

The weather is muggy and hot here -- typical July in North Carolina. So on Saturday we put the swimsuits on the kids and ventured up to the neighborhood pool. It was only the second time this summer that we have taken the boys to the pool so there is a "re-initiation" of sorts that has to take place as they discover their courage to get off the pool steps. Corinne on the other hand was in true water bug form as she happily paraded around the pool with her dad and mom before the need for nap took over.

On Sunday we all ventured to Covenant where we kicked things off with an interesting conversation about South Carolina's new religious license plate offering. Then we followed that up with Tess's dedication, in which she managed being in front of a crowd much better than her hyper brothers.

Finally on Sunday night we invited our good friends John and Jeanne White over for a summer cookout. The Whites are originally from Glasgow and have settled in Cary to be closer to their kids and grandkids on the east coast. Amy & I met them at our church one Sunday and then made the connection that they knew Jane & C.E -- small world. John treated C.E. to a day at the links in Pinehurst on Saturday and was kind enough to bring his camera along for some family shots on Sunday.

The weekend was good to reconnect with family on one of those rare occasions where all the Rutledge grandkids were under one roof. We are all so busy with the demands and routines of our own lives so we appreciate these opportunities to spend the time together. Cheers!


Tess was all smiles as Rev. Joanne showed her off and dedicated her as the boys fidgeted at their mom and dad's feet.



The promise of watermelon on a summer afternoon was made in exchange for a sit-down photo where the kids are still for 5 seconds together.


Owen's favorite shirts are the ones that are two sizes too small that Mom & Dad still haven't removed from his closet. Today, he insisted on being Watermelon Diego.


Gus is a different character every day -- including workin' man, baby dog, mama dog, and motorcycle man. He announces his character de jour each morning and we follow suit. On this day he was "racing man" wearing his 5K running shirt.

"I just know you're going to give me some of that watermelon, GJ. Gimme, gimme, gimme."


Corinne's favorite spot of the weekend was undoubtedly the wagon. Top it off with Dad feeding watermelon to her while she's in the wagon and that's pretty much paradise to an 18-month old.

Independence Week

Last week the Rutledge crew was treated to visits from family to help us celebrate the Fourth of July. GJ and Pappy ventured down to North Carolina for the whole week. Aunt Mel and Baby Corinne made the trek up from Charleston for the weekend. (I had to chuckle when Melanie relayed the story of driving up I-95 with one hand on the wheel and one hand in Corinne's mouth for gnawing to cut down on the fussiness -- those were the days!).

We had a full house, and it was a tremendous week for Amy and me as the boys were entertained, there were always helping hands around for an infant & two toddlers, and seeing family is a rejuvenating experience.

The boys were enamoured with their young cousin immediately as they brought Corinne toys, helped give her a bath, and hijacked her booster seat. Gus helped by setting the clock and noise settings on Corinne's sound machine a couple hundred times.

Pappy -- at 63 and a year off back surgery -- outworked his son as we teamed up to clear more brush & trees from the backyard. (It has taken me three days for the soreness to wear off from the -- ahem -- wonderful introduction to the tool known as a grubbing hoe.) :-) But the backyard is really coming together, and happy hour was that much sweeter after hours of work in the hot sun.

Finally, Amy & I were treated to a game of Sequence -- the first board game we have played in our house probably since the boys were born! Unfortunately for Amy and GJ, the men won five straight games and may have gloated just a tiny bit about their shutout victory.

What a great way to celebrate Independence Week. Thanks to the family for making the trip to see us. Cheers!

Owen puckers up to give Baby Corinne a kiss on the cheek.

Aunt Mel cooks dinner while GJ, Corinne & Baby Bjorn assist.

The three cousins slow down just long enough for a picture together.

Corinne was introduced to her first feeding of cereal. Actually, she was introduced to four helpings of cereal. I think it's safe to say solid food was a major hit with Baby C.

The boys show GJ and Aunt Mel how to have Wrestlemania on the couch. It's oh-so-much fun.

The "I will be bribing Gus in his teenage years" fund just keeps adding pictures to its repertoire. Gus proudly displayed Baby C's hat all by himself with no provocation from us by the way.

When not participating in Wrestlemania, Corinne's seat was a popular spot for TV viewing.

Here is what the backyard looked like about six weeks ago before chainsaws, a stump grinder, a grubbing hoe, shovels, and wheelbarrows began the clearout. There are still many, many trees back there -- oaks, tulip poplars, maples & hickories. We just cleared out the brush & saplings so we could have some usable space.

Pappy pauses for only a moment as he attacks sapling stumps with the shovel & grubbing hoe.

The stump grinder was the envy of Pappy and me. The man operating it even had a remote control. Unfortunately for the boys -- who absolutely love trucks and tractors -- they napped through the entire episode while this machine was going to work in their backyard.

Manual labor in July calls for a popcicle break with grandsons.