Memorial Day

Joey and I visited our friends the McClains at their mountain house in Hiawassee, GA for Memorial Day. It was so much fun and so relaxing. We went to the Brasstown BBQ festival and an arts festival in Blue Ridge. It rained some which was a great excuse to take a few naps but didn't keep Joey and Jason from late night fishing on the boat (in the slip :)).

Back at home, our dear Uncle Marvin is having a bad bout with pnuemonia. We are praying for him all the time and hoping that he gets well soon. He's being released from the hospital today and headed for a beautiful hospice care center where he will hopefully feel better soon.

Baby Liam is squirming around a lot these days especially after I eat dinner each evening. He's due in just 4 months, we're getting very excited about meeting him :).

Baby thumps

Last night Joey and I were watching a particularly hilarious episode of How I Met Your Mother...Ted got beat up by a goat followed by the long awaited awkwardly funny Barney / Robin get together moment, needless to say I laughed a lot. Anyway, apparently Liam thought is was funny too and started squirming around so much that I could feel him from the outside. On the second trip out of the recliner and across the living room, Joey felt him squirming around in there too. It was very cool, and even cooler that Joey could feel the little bumps and squirms too!

Little Hall on the way!

Joey and I found out in late January that we are expecting a little one in late September. It has been a most uneventful pregnancy, everything has gone perfectly. Joey made a comment a few weeks ago (in a disappointed tone) that I am not experienceing any of the things that you hear that pregnant ladies experience. He is anxiously anticipating the day that my nesting instinct kicks in. I feel extremely blessed!! :) I am 20 weeks 5 days pregnant today, so a little over halfway to baby day. We found out last week that we're having a boy, his name will be Liam. We're both so thrilled to be starting this new chapter in our lives and can't wait to meet and introduce everyone to our little Liam.

Couch Potato to 5K, the beginning

Joey and I have just completed our second week of the Couch Potato to 5K running plan. Thanks to the coolrunnings.com folks for putting it together and to Robert Ullrey for putting it in podcast form so our only job is to run and walk when he says to do so. And, thanks to all of our friends who have done this before us and inspired us to lace up the sneaks again. Joey and I were both runners at some point in our past competing - well maybe completing is a better word choice - in 5K and 10K races and would like to get to that point again. Our almost two years of marital bliss has resulted in a few extra pounds, which hopefully running will get rid of. And with the holidays quickly approaching and a calendar full of parties to attend, this is the best time of year to commit to a serious exercise program. Wish us luck and hope to see you at the Y.

Fruit of Labor

Joey's been working so hard in the yard. We've planted a lot of new things (thanks to many of our friends and family for giving us plants and offshoots from their collection). Joey's eyeing a portion of our backyard for the Hall victory garden. This year however we only managed to plant strawberries. This is our first edible plucked from the grounds of 615 Summit.

House Update

We recently had our Sunday School class over for Breakfast. The house looked as good as it has since we've had the house. Here are the pics - also you can see the completed bathroom renovation.

The Bathroom

The bathroom is taking a little longer than expected, but we're finally starting to see some great results. We've taken up more flooring (that is not our favorite job), put down hardibacker and installed the tile. We're 10" and few corners short of completing the grout...those buckets of grout at Lowe's don't go very far! After a couple days drying time, we're on to toilet and vanity installation...the end is in sight!