Amanda & Cole McGown

The big boys

2009-04-15T10:40:00.000-07:00

Look closely and you'll see that he's got Cole's earbuds plugged in to iTunes on the laptop...way cooler than I ever was at 4 years old.

Everyone wins with a homerun when the ball is this large. How can anyone miss?!

Miss Margaret Collins...Baby Mamie

2009-04-09T18:42:00.001-07:00

Sugar and spice and everything nice...

2009-04-09T18:24:00.000-07:00

Sugar and spice and everything nice...

2009-04-09T18:16:00.001-07:00

Spidey

2009-02-16T18:00:00.000-08:00

Yes, Knox wore this outfit (including face mask much of the time) ALL DAY today...to the gym, etc. He was DELIGHTED to be a super-hero. People addressed him as Spider Man and other kids said all day long, "Look Mom, it's Spider Man!"

I got a few incredulous looks from other parents, of course. But we pick our battles in our household.

Gooey Mud

2009-02-10T16:06:00.000-08:00

They had a grand time and made a grand mess. Boys will be boys.

Boxes, Kitchen spoons, and a handful of Cheerios

2009-01-22T13:20:00.001-08:00

Should I be concerned that he's singing a heavy-metal version of Away In A Manger?

Or that Gray is beating "the bird"?

Rainy day fun

2009-01-10T08:03:00.000-08:00

Ragamuffins? Yucky, rainy morning, but the boys found a way to make the best of it...with Daddy, of course. Why is all the fun always with Daddy? Haha.

A few pictures

2008-12-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

I've been MIA. Here are a few pics from the past few months, which have included 84 showings on our house, a sale and subsequent close in 18 days, our first family move, Knox's 4th b'day, my 33rd b'day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and general wildness in the house each and every day. More pics to come. I'm going to try to find some good ones of Gray....

Fall fun

Gray, Gavyn, Ty, Knox - best buddies!!

Strong like Daddy

Best brother friends

At one of Knox's soccer games

A few pictures

2008-12-01T04:47:00.000-08:00

Happy 4th B'day, Knox

2008-11-30T17:40:00.000-08:00

It's the simple things in life, like seeing the expression on a 4 year old's face as he received his first real instrument - not a toy, as he quickly pointed out to us. True story: I started asking Cole when Knox was just 6 months old for a second child, as "I want them to grow up and be in a band together." The music that filled our home this afternoon brought me a profound sense of joy.

Birds of a feather flock together?

2008-07-03T18:41:00.000-07:00

A look at their personalities: we went out to play in the back yard. Gray was content to sit and draw on his board; Knox wanted to wear his goggles (of course) and play ball.

Just a regular ol' day

2008-07-03T14:03:00.000-07:00

Does every child dress up? Mine have been running around like this all afternoon.

Gray's version of yoga (downward-facing dog)

2008-06-29T20:26:00.000-07:00

Carnton Plantation summer concert series

2008-06-29T20:07:00.000-07:00

Carnton Plantation has a summer series of concerts each year. We met the Snows and the Moores there tonight. As you can see, the boys LOVED the music. And we loved that they sacked out in the car on the way home!

Pillow fight...Daddy wins every time!

2008-05-08T15:22:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like pushing furniture aside and playing as hard as you can....

Our pet

2008-05-05T17:17:00.001-07:00

A metal rooster is the only pet we look after these days.

Entirely Entertaining

2008-04-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

Tabiatha gets all the credit for the victory today, but she was gracious enough to design in the name of our flower business (www.pomponflowers.com). Watch for pictures in The Tennessean and InFocus magazine. Pompon won the "most creative" category today at the benefit luncheon held at Belle Meade Plantation.

The boys' first-ever concert

2008-04-18T20:28:00.001-07:00

We took the boys to Vandy's Rites of Spring tonight, which featured our all-time fave, The Avett Brothers. (You can imagine the looks of confusion we got from the students.) Knox was M.E.S.M.E.R.I.Z.E.D. He kept wanting me to move closer as I was moving more towards the back because it was SO LOUD. I am getting old. I found myself in a conversation with the Avetts' dad, who loved seeing Knox sing along to the songs...he said it brought back fond memories. We are hoping the boys are musically inclined.

Emmy and Travstar....our favorite people with whom to hang out.

After a full day at the zoo

2008-04-18T20:26:00.000-07:00

This is after his regular nap. He woke up, came out to the den, and sacked back out. I love LOVE to watch them sleep.

End of an era

2008-04-18T20:18:00.001-07:00

1994-2008. For anyone who has lived with me for any amount of time, you will recognize my all-time F.A.V.E. t-shirt to sleep in. I can't believe it made it this long, actually. I have retired my jersey. (And yes, I know it's queer that I have slept in a XO shirt all these years. Whatever. It was really soft and comfortable.)

A day in the life...

2008-04-18T14:25:00.000-07:00

And this, my friends, is a pretty typical afternoon for us. Who knew a bucket of water could provide so much fun? It was really chilly outside, but they didn't seem to care.

Easter 2008

2008-03-23T18:16:00.000-07:00

I'm tempted never to allow the boys to go to another easter egg hunt...there is none such word to be heard as "no" when they're staring candy in the face. I am now a firm believe that sugar is evil, as it brought out the worst in our day yesterday. I guess as parents we have to suffer and press on for the sake of their happy childhoods, right?

After church...can't believe we actually made it more than an hour in clean clothes!

And finally...after nearly 2 years...a great picture of Gray. Cole says he has a pure smile. He's a little more greedy with it than is Knox, so it's harder to capture him in the moment.

And this at 7 a.m....

2008-02-28T18:11:00.000-08:00

You can't see his feet kicking ninety-to-nothing under the table, but if the intensity with which he plays the harmonica is any indication of talent, I think he'll be famous some day. Just keep in mind that he does MOST things with said intensity, even putting Gray in time out.

Spelling Bee

2008-02-28T05:36:00.000-08:00

Learning to talk

2008-02-27T17:45:00.000-08:00

Listen for "excuse me"...

Reading books with Daddy

2008-02-27T17:38:00.000-08:00

Grande, Not Fat

2008-02-25T12:58:00.000-08:00

I knew it was time for a Starbucks hiatus when I turned left on to West End last week and Knox said, "Mama, we go get coffee? We go to Starbucks, mama?" Ummmm, yes Knox, we're going to get coffee. So we pull through the drive through and when we get up to the window, he says out of the clear blue, "I'll have a grande, not fat."

In an effort to curtail my coffee expenses, I did some research and have combined a couple of recipes for my summer fave...the Frappuccino. Hope you like it as much as I do!

3/4 cup double-strength coffee, cold
1 cup low-fat milk
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 cups ice
Whipped cream for garnish

Directions: Make double-strength coffee by brewing twice the coffee required by your coffee maker. Chill before using. To make the drink, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until ice is crushed. Pour into two 16 oz. glasses, serve w/ straw, garnished w/ whipped cream.

For a Java Chip: Add 3 Tbsp. chocolate syrup and 4 Tbsp. crushed chocolate chips.

(I have found that for best results, pre-grind the chocolate chips in a coffee bean grinder. Also, Cool Whip works just as well for garnish.)

I heart Miss K on this V Day

2008-02-13T18:44:00.001-08:00

So I was reading through Miss K's, aka Kelley Kirker's, posts when I saw this shout-out to....yours truly!! I am delighted. XOXOXO to you, Miss K, on this V'Day eve. I owe you one!

http://orderly-conduct.blogspot.com/2007/12/my-rooms-facelift.html

I will have to post pics of the transformation she performed on my laundry room. Everyone needs a little Miss K in their life. Hit her up....you won't regret it. It's the most practical money you'll spend; you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

Nose job candidate?

2008-02-13T18:26:00.000-08:00

Monday night around 1:30 a.m. Knox fell off the toddler bed and hit the leg of the bedside table. He screammmmmmmed like nothing you've ever heard - I think he was more afraid of the blood than the pain. He's on the up-and-up and dr. says he'll heal just fine.

Daddy's home

2008-02-04T10:59:00.000-08:00

Their very favorite time of day is when Cole walks in the door from work. They tackle him and smother him with loves and things they want to show him that they've done that day. Then they settle in and read books.

Nordic TV

2008-02-04T10:57:00.000-08:00

Just watching a little Winnie the Pooh at Muff and Man Man's house....

William Pax Rogers, "Pax"

2008-01-26T11:31:00.001-08:00

Elise and Aaron are the proud parents of a new baby boy. I love this little man already! Look at this gorgeous new life...

Marc Jacobs ad?

2008-01-25T11:41:00.001-08:00

Isn't it amazing how everyone and everything looks good in b&w?

The Incident

2008-01-24T18:14:00.000-08:00

For a three mornings in a row, we came downstairs to the boys eating out of the Cool Whip container. Each time, Knox said he'd had 5 bites and had given Gray 2. This morning was by far the worst - they emptied the ENTIRE container, much of it to their tummies delight. They weren't hungry for a few hours. We wised up and got a child lock for the refrigerator. At least Knox was kind enough to share with his brother, right?

Cousins everywhere

2008-01-24T18:12:00.000-08:00

Katherine McMullan, Mollie McMullan, Knox McGown, Gray McGown, Hunt Stevens, Will Stevens

Christmas in NYC, 2007

2008-01-24T18:07:00.001-08:00

Baby Gray

2008-01-24T11:59:00.001-08:00

As Muth said not long ago, "He'll steal your heart without ever saying a word." This little soul is so tender.

Boys will be boys

2008-01-24T11:46:00.000-08:00

Really, what can I add here? This says it all....THIS IS KNOX.

Cousin Hunt Stevens

2008-01-24T11:36:00.000-08:00

Hunt, Dabney's oldest son, is just 7 weeks older than Knox - both born on a Tuesday. They are THE BEST of buddies. As the old saying goes, "Tuesday's child is full of grace." Hunt will melt your heart. He's beautitul and has the sweetest temperment of any little boy I know, (except Gray).

Bath time

2008-01-23T18:24:00.001-08:00

Baths tend to be our wildest time of day. These two little water bugs RULE Cole and me. I don't know how they do it, but all control goes out the window when that faucet is turned on.

Brothers/Best Friends

2008-01-23T18:14:00.000-08:00

Here they are on Knox's bed after he'd received a time-out for torturing Gray. (Notice the battle wounds on Gray's face. The poor little munchkin always has scrapes from his older brother.) Gray couldn't stand to see Knox get in trouble, so in his own 18-month-old language, he asked to get up on the bed with Knox. After a couple of minutes, they were wrestling and laughing as hard as their little bodies would allow.