Fun in Athens: The Twilight Criterium

Last Saturday night, the Lauer fam ventured out way past Eli's bedtime to witness the Twilight Criterium, Athens' annual nighttime cycling race.  We saw some of the men's race, which included 150 cyclists who raced 80K around eight city blocks in downtown Athens.

The weather was gorgeous and the crowd was electric.  It is pretty impressive to see that many bicycles barreling down a city block and careening around turns.  Eli enjoyed watching the racers and was declared 'the cutest guy we've seen all night' by a few college girls who may or may not have been drinking... 

Escaping Athens...

A few weeks ago Josh went on the mother of all recruiting trips.

9 days.  4 states.

Holy cow.

Fortunately, Eli and I were rescued by our friend, Judy, who invited us to come and hang out with her in Destin.

The seven hour drive alone in the car with a VERY active toddler was a bit daunting.  But when the BEACH is at the end of that long drive?  Bring it on.

Eli hadn't been in a pool since he was 8 or 9 months old... so he was a little unsure in the beginning.. which wasn't helped when he planted his face right into the water in the kiddie pool reaching for a toy on the first day.  Most of the week he preferred to sit on the edge of the pool throwing toys (or his crocs) in and waiting for us to retrieve them.  If I brought him into the pool with me, he shook his head and said, 'Noooooooo'.

Then Coach Judy stepped in...

and, by the end of the week, she had coaxed him into the pool with her where he splashed and giggled and had a grand old time.

Eli also made a new friend... in the form of a lizard that lived on the tree outside the condo.  Every time we walked to the car, he would first head over to the tree to see if his buddy was around.

  

Judy introduced us to the deliciousness that is a shrimp po-boy from a local restaurant called the Crab Trap.  We walked 5 miles round trip TWICE to partake in the goodness... and I am counting the days until I can gobble one up again.  YUM.  We also ate at the Back Porch where Eli and I found a deck chair that was the perfect size for the two of us...

Thanks, Aunt Judy!  We had a blast! Eli loves Ju Ju!

Please pray for Tuscaloosa

4-27-11 Tornado Tuscaloosa, Al from Crimson Tide Productions on Vimeo.

We have been living in Athens, GA, since the beginning of February but Tuscaloosa still feels a lot like home to us.  And I cannot put into words the devastation the town has experienced.  

This video was shot from the building where Josh's office was when he worked there.  Unbelievable, heart-stopping action.

The pictures of the aftermath are heart-wrenching and tragic.

This is a town in need of supplies, equipment, man-power and prayer.

Blocks of business I used to go to on a regular basis are just gone.  

From what we know, all of our friends and those associated with the volleyball program at Alabama are safe and accounted for. 

We are still waiting to hear about the condition of the home that Josh's parents still own (and were trying to sell).  It sits in the path of the tornado and we cannot believe it has escaped unscathed.

Please consider making donation to the Red Cross or to our church home in Tuscaloosa, Capstone Church.

It was time.

There was definitely a party going on in the back.
And not really sure it was all business in the front.

Something needed to be done.

So yesterday we set up the booster seat on the patio and Josh got out his trusty electric shaver.

I wasn't sure how the little man was going to react to the noise of the shaver based on his typical reaction to the vacuum cleaner and the lawn mower... which is full-fledged fear and loathing.

Fortunately, the shaver is MUCH quieter and, with Curious George on the TV as distraction, all went smoothly and without much ado.

Pre-cut comb out

Say goodbye to the mullet!

Any good mama would put that pile 'o hair in the baby book, right?

So far, so good!

The final product.  Why does mama keeps rubbing my head?

Cause and Effect

Hmmmm.  There is Daddy with the lawn mower.

I do NOT like the lawn mower.

A boy and his dad

Eli's recipe for a happy afternoon

Sunshine

+

Water

+

Apple juice 

=

JOY

Some quality time with Uncle Matt

Josh's recruiting travels recently took him to Columbia, SC, for a mid-week club practice.  Eli and I tagged along so Eli could have some quality time with his Uncle Matt, who is a senior at the University of South Carolina.

Eli was barely walking the last time Matt saw him... which was NOT the case this time around!  I sat back and snapped a few pictures while Eli ran his uncle ragged on the playground!

To be fair, Eli was a little tired by the end of his playtime with Uncle Matt, too!