Eli's Inaugural Memorial Day Weekend

Eli had a lot of firsts this weekend... he took his first nap with his grandma Crain, he went to the Florida Folk Festival in White Springs, he skipped a whole afternoon nap, he took the baby jogger out for a spin, he slept in until 8:30A and he got busted by Johnny Law for illegal activities.

His weekend started in Interlachen (Florida, that is) at his granma and grandpa Crain's. He loaded up bright and early Saturday morning for the 1.5 or so hour drive there with Jordan, Bonzo, mom and dad. He slept most the way there and missed out on much of the scenery. Dad was pretty afraid the first time mom took him to Interlachen to meet her parents.... after a drive down the bumpy dirt road to get to there, dad was sure mom had plans to leave him out in the woods.

Eli woke up on the ride down the dirt road out to grandma and grandpa's. Grandpa and the dogs (Joy, Brenna, Bridget and Brandy) were there to greet him... grandma was asleep since she had worked all Friday night.

Eli took a long nap with his grandma... mom and dad checked on him a few times to make sure he was actually sleeping since he was out so long. I think we probably woke grandma.



He missed watching Heavy - The History of Metal. Dad really wanted to share his love of Eddie (http://www.maiden-world.com/articles/history-of-eddie.html) and recollections of concert shirts of yesteryear with him. Instead, Eli got to watch the last of 'National Treasure' on the biggest, loudest big screen TV ever (keep in mind his TV is 19" and he's caught a glimpse or two of it). Needless to say, he was pretty engrossed.

The next day, he loaded up with granma and gampy Orth, mom and dad and headed to White Springs to Stephen Foster State Park for the 56th Annual Florida Folk Festival (http://www.floridastateparks.org/folkfest/). If you've never heard dad describe it, ask him about it. He's convinced it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Eli seemed to have a good time and even found himself singing along with grandma's help:

Eli had a good time, though the corna (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corna) really didn't fit in this crowd like it would have the day before. Somehow we doubt Ronnie James Dio was on the musician list in White Springs...

He had such a good time that he didn't take his afternoon nap, even though Gampy tried pretty hard to convince him to on a pallet under the shade of trees near the main stage. It doesn't take much for gampy to drift off to sleep. Eli had to keep peeking to see what was going on around him.


Since he wouldn't nap on the pallet, mom and dad walked him around the festival and took him to meet the livestock. This year's festival theme was cattle ranching. He really enjoyed sitting on Bessie, though he wished he could have tossed the lasoe a time or two at the cracker horse or cows. The cows in the pictureo on the right are about the same age as Eli, though thankfully, he's not quite a big.

Eli got to meet the Sims and Dolly Day at the festival.... dad's told him alot about them so he was happy to finally put a name with a face.

He also got to swim in the Suwannee... illegally. Not sure why, but DEP kept coming around telling people they couldn't swim in the Suwannee. Eli got a chance to dip a two or two, splashed dad and loved every minute of it!

The trip home was peaceful... Eli slept most of the way though Uncle John (who rode with us back to Jacksonville) was warned that if Eli started getting upset, he would need to sing.

Monday was a day to recover... for Eli at least so he could get prepared for this week's adventures!

Eli rocks Tybee Island

Eli paid a visit to Tybee Island this past weekend to meet Joe and Sarah Coleman. Dad went to junior high and college with Joe so Eli was eagerly anticipating a few stories about dad from Uncle Joe. Joe currently works for a Mercedes dealership, though everyone is eagerly awaiting his transition to Farmer Joe. Sarah founded Huie Design, an environmental sign design firm and also scours the country for antiques. We're still waiting for the third addition to the Huie-Coleman family to make it to the Huie Design website - http://www.huiedesign.com/index.html, no matter how many different types of canine Joe is convinced she is.

Eli was bummed he missed the annual Beach Bum parade that took place Friday night. He really wanted to join in the water gun fight and float parade but wasn't sure he was quite big enough to hold up the water cannon and didn't want to test the liquid holding capacity of his Bummis.

The car ride up was a good one... grandma and Gampy Orth came along for the ride, to keep Eli company and to see Joe and Sarah. There was a little feeding emergency on the way up in the van, but nothing mom couldn't handle by carefully balancing over Eli to nurse him, bracing herself should the vehicle come to an abrupt stop so no one would get an eyeful.

Gampy, Joe, mom and dad went out for lunch Saturday afternoon.... Sarah stayed back at the house sick (so sick in fact, we all wondered if Joe was making up the fact that she wasn't there since we didn't see her until brunch on Sunday) and grandma hung out with Eli for a nap enjoying the volleyball tournament music. Mom learned many a new thing from Joe about dad over a few adult beverages that afternoon. She also learned Gampy's aim isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Mom, dad and Joe took Eli on a walking tour of a portion of Tybee Island. He got to see a few of the Tybee Turtles (see http://www.tybeearts.org/TTT/TurtleCatalog.htm, similar to what Jacksonville did with jaguars and manatees) and got to see the beach for the first time. Beach signs indicated bacteria levels were 'acceptable' so mom and dad thought it best if Eli saved his first dip in the ocean for a safer time. He did however enjoy playing lifeguard for a little while.

Dinner Saturday night was late, but at a Tybee Island favorite - The Crab Shack (http://www.thecrabshack.com/) - 'where the elite eat in their bare feet' (their phrase.... we're not quite that clever). Grandma and mom were a little bothered by people poking the baby alligators with cane poles that were intended to allow them (the gators, not the people) to eat meat off the prongs on the end. Eli was more interested in sleeping after a busy day.

Uncle Joe got Eli a coconut monkey head!! It also happens to double as an ultra cool drink holder (which Joe demonstrates in the picture below) and coin bank. We're not sure, but we think Eli may be terrified of it and wishing instead that Uncle Joe bought him a cool pair of kicks since he kept marveling that Eli didn't wear shoes.

Saturday night faded into Sunday morning... Mom and dad got to sleep in a little late since Gampy and grandma took Eli over when he woke bright eyed and bushy early tailed Sunday morning ready for a new round of adventures. Another short car ride brought everyone to downtown Savannah for lunch at a fun spot - Soho South Cafe - http://www.sohosouthcafe.com/. Eli enjoyed taking a tour of the resturant and checking out all the artwork and book collections.

We bid farewell to Joe and Sarah (they had to drive back to Madison) and all took a little walking tour of downtown Savannah before packing back into the car for the ride home.

Eli enjoyed the luscious scent of of diesel mixed with breastmilk, sun screening from Gampy's brightly checked shirt, and got to hear what he thought would be a never ending chorus from mom, dad, Gampy and grandma of songs they thought they knew (really dad, do you put an ear in in 'The Hokey Pokey'?) to keep him happy on the way home. Stay tuned for details on the upcoming pilot of the Gampy Dickweed show!

The Mother's Day Weekend Extravaganza!

I tell you what.... Eli knows how to treat his mom right! He allowed her to change dirty diapers, breastfeed, wipe drool and regurgitated milk from his face, snuggle next to him at night and carry him in the sling all weekend long!

The first annual Mother's Day Weekend Extravaganza was great! Dad made mom breakfast on both Saturday and Sunday! On Saturday morning, Eli packed up the car and headed to Maggie's Herb Farm (http://www.florida-secrets.com/Florida_Gardens/Maggies.htm) with mom and dad in tow for their annual herb festival. Eli loves Maggie's! He got a few different herbs and butterfly plants for the yard, but mostly liked the people watching.

Eli napped on the way home with mom and dad... dad was due for a haircut and mom had to get good and drunk for it to turn out right (if you don't know about this joke, ask dad).

The afternoon and evening was spent at a Riverkeeper membership event at JU. Dad sure can talk about that river! Eli got to see a lot of people he hasn't seen in a little while and got to meet many more. He also got to go on his first boat ride... a tour on a river taxi from JU to the north end of Exchange Island. It was very windy, but the ride was smooth enough for Eli to nap on the way back to JU.

On Sunday, mom, dad and Eli went to Riverside Presbyterian for yet another Riverkeeper discussion. Dad was speaking to an Sunday school class. Eli tried to stay engaged, but he's heard it all before so he and mom ducked out for a quick snack followed by a reading of favorite nursery rhymes/lullabies in the church's children's library. Eli now knows all the right words to 'The Farmer in the Dell'.

Dad actually let mom mow the yard for Mother's Day! Seriously, she likes doing it. Dad did agree to refinish the floors, repaint the walls, fix the fireplace, clean the oven and fridge, put windows in on the backporch, hang doors, re-roof the house (and replace the rafters), scrape and repaint the exterior of the house, remove the chainlink fence and install a cute, decorative wood panel fence, and clean up the backyard. Unfortunately, the only things he got to were cleaning up the house and installing Eli's ultra cool baby hammock on the front porch. There are other weekends dad can do all those other things... this weekend, mom wanted the hammock so Eli could chill and enjoy the outdoors while she works in the yard.

Mom did get to enjoy an adult beverage after all the yard work, and Eli got to talk to the flag waving in the tornado force winds (no lie!) Dad got a little rest too after getting sweaty hanging Eli's hammock.


Eli wished he could have spent the whole weekend naked on a blanket in the yard. If he hasn't mentioned it yet, he LOVES to be naked outside!

And right up there with being naked is snuggling with lamby for a nap, thanks to Patty (Neil's sister). Eli loves his lamby!

The weekend was capped off with dinner and dessert and grandma and grandpa Orth's... Uncle John was there for Eli to entertain with his random squeals and giggles.