Baby Boy Bear

I have decided to do a post a week of things that I love and miss from home.  Even though I haven't left yet, I wanted to do a complete post about one of my family members that I am going to miss staying up late with, running around with, and snuggling with.  This would be my dog Bear!

 We got Bear just over a year ago when he was almost 2 months old.  He was one pound of adorable fluffiness!

 Bear's first night at home :)

 sweet baby face

Taylor and Bear

I had to wait almost and entire month to see him for the first time because I was living and working in Hattiesburg, MS that summer before my last semester of college.  Our other dog, Babs, had lived 15 wonderful years and I got a call from Mom in early June saying that they had to put her down because she was sick and suffering.  It was really hard for me because Babs had been a part of our family as long as I could remember and I couldn't imagine going home without her being there.  Two weeks later, Mom calls me and tells me that there is a picture that I should see on facebook and told me to give her my opinion on whether she should get it.  she didn't tell me what the picture was of so I didn't think anything of it.  When I logged on, I saw this...

Mom had not been planning on getting another dog, but when she logged on and saw that a friend of hers was trying to find a home for this last puppy in the litter, Mom couldn't get his cute little face out of her head. Dad agreed and Mom drove all the way to Jonesboro, AR to get our new little family member!

 He still sleeps like this!

Chewbacca/Ewok face

The things I love about my Bear is how curious he is. Even at a year old, he wants to stick his nose into everything and explore everything.  Whether its the taste of moths (yuck!), trying to climb up on the bar, getting into the box of my rehearsal clothes, or investigating every little thing I moved home from Hattiesburg, he is adventurous!

 That is his "It wasn't me! I love you!" face

Every day, I learn more about him! He loves to play with his tennis ball the best! The other day, Nathan and I decided to take him to the park.  I learned that he loved the people who were jogging on the path around the lake and loved exploring every tree and piece of grass out there, but he was scared of the ducks and baby strollers that were at the park.  I know I am going to miss my sweet boy, but I will get to love on him at Christmas and when I get back to visit!

Hot-lanta: Dad's Father's Day Gift!

After the family reunion, Daddy, Taylor, and I took a little vacation to Atlanta to see Chipper Jones play at For Dad's Father's Day gift, my brother and I gave my dad a trip with us to Atlanta to see the Braves play.  We did this because Taylor had a great idea that we should see Chipper Jones play at Turner Field one more time before he retires at the end of this season.  While we were in Atlanta, we had a few adventures along the way...

First day, we take the MARTA, Atlanta's local train system, to the Braves game.  On the way there, we share a train car with a woman who danced and sang like she was auditioning for American Idol, only with   headphones on so the only thing we could hear was the chorus, which was kinda loud and off key.  We got to the shuttle and made it to Turner Field just as the rain decided to pour down!

After a 30 minute rain delay, we were watching the Braves take the field!

 One of my favorite pics of the day! Chipper is the one on the left!

Of course, my picture taking wouldn't be complete without a silly pic of Taylor!

I actually caught Taylor reacting to the game in this one...the one eye scrunch isn't good when he is watching sports...

Chipper at bat

Dad got some amazing seats on the first base line right behind the dugout! 

When we took the shuttle back to Peachtree Street, we quickly discovered that the mood changes on the MARTA after sundown and that we wanted to take the car to the game the next day...although watching the extremely drunk girl on the train fly halfway to the back of the train car on her butt when we pulled out of a station was hilarious!

The next day, we decided to take in the city!

Taylor chasing a pigeon

Taylor trying to find out where to go on his phone for several minutes in the blazing heat...

Like father, like son ;)

We went to the New Era store in Atlanta to get Taylor a hat or two.  New Era is the official supplier of baseball caps for Major League Baseball teams so the hat Taylor got is the same one that the Braves wear on the field!

 I was psyched when I found this! 

We went to Centennial Park where my parents saw the 1996 Olympics!

Olympic Archway

Olympic Fountain

After we walked around Centennial Park, we decided to have lunch at the CNN headquarters nearby.  I remembered the CNN center from when I first came to Atlanta to visit my Uncle Kenny and Aunt Chris when I was a kid but Taylor didn't! We saw the newsroom where they were filming...

 And the huge CNN sign out front!

That afternoon, we went back to Turner Field and parked out near the old Turner Field wall that marks where the Braves used to play between 1966 to 1996.

We got to Turner Field early to see batting practice and to see the players warm-up before the game that night!

Our seats gave us an amazing view of the Atlanta skyline...

...and a great view as the sun set that day!

 Despite the disappointing loss of the day before, the Braves came back and beat the San Diego Padres for our awesome last night in Atlanta! To top off the trip, we got a free meal at the amazing restaurant connected to our hotel after the game!

Overall, I had a great time with my Daddy and my brother in Atlanta.  The Braves have always been our team through good times and bad and I am glad we got to see Chipper Jones play one more time before he retired! Maybe next year my dad and brother can come to Sarasota and visit me during father's day weekend! (hint, hint Daddy!)