E's Tea Time

2009-05-25T20:32:00.001-07:00

he chews shoes

2008-05-12T18:37:00.000-07:00

Alex on futon

2008-01-13T13:25:00.000-08:00

Alexander and Grandpa Skip at the piano

2008-01-13T13:24:00.000-08:00

Skip is playing and Alex turning pages, pulling the sheet music down, but both having a good time.

Sir sits up alot

2007-12-02T14:32:00.000-08:00

1 am still snowing

2007-11-18T22:12:00.000-08:00

Everyone is quiet and sleeping. Mom and I just had our late night tea. I can barely keep my eyes open to send this text. This snow is a gift to my spirit, a wonderful mood booster. I have not seen a snow this pretty in a long time.

Having a great time in Virginia

2007-11-11T14:26:00.001-08:00

cuddle time

2007-11-11T14:26:00.000-08:00

happy days

2007-11-04T10:16:00.000-08:00

Alexander loves to swing! Today we also played in the dirt and watched the other kids run around. Alex can sit up on his own for about a minute then he flops over, but supported he can play and play.

sleepy boy

2007-09-16T17:58:00.000-07:00

looking like Dad

2007-09-15T20:25:00.002-07:00

I think Alexander looks like Martin in this shot.

looking like GranDad

2007-09-15T20:25:00.001-07:00

But I think Alexander looks like my Dad in this one.

cereal face

2007-09-15T20:25:00.000-07:00

We have started solid food...This is oatmeal. I think he likes it better than the tasteless rice. Sweet potato went down with more gusto!

alex and the eye

2007-09-15T20:24:00.000-07:00

Here Martin is holding our super 20 pound 28 inch boy! You can see that Martin is on the mend thank goodness.

Grant Park

2007-09-11T20:50:00.001-07:00

We had a nice day in the park.

tired all around

2007-09-11T20:50:00.000-07:00

head injury

2007-09-11T20:36:00.000-07:00

Martin fell on his skateboard last Friday and can't remember it at all.

Away from Atlanta

2007-08-07T19:25:00.002-07:00

Ashley and I went hiking last weekend,climbing up to Blood Mountain. It was pretty toasty high 90's, thanks to our late start we managed to escape the noon sun, and caught the afternoon warmth instead. The phone picture doesn't do it justice, but we could see many layers of mountains off on the horizon. There were beautiful purple flowers and yellow black-eyed Susans. We saw so many tiny little bumblebees. We also, towards the end of the trail, saw a deer, a doe I think ( no antlers that I could see) sitting in the middle of the trail. This would have been on the Appalachian Trail section, before Flat Rock Gap trail splits off. Ashley caught a great picture.

Living in PA for years, I have seen my share of deer, but usually they are at the side of the road waiting to jump in front of the car. This is the first time in a long time that I have seen one so close, so serene and so vibrant.

View from Blood Mountain

2007-08-07T19:25:00.001-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: ericaeckler@gmail.com < ericaeckler@gmail.com>
Date: Aug 7, 2007 11:13 PM
Subject: View from Blood Mountain
To: Blog <go@blogger.com>, Eckler Mom and Dad < theecklers@comcast.net>, Eri ca <ericaeckler@gmail.com>

I went hiking with Ashley this weekend to Blood Mountain. It was wonderful! We saw a doe sitting in the middle of the trail, purple wildflowers and many flying creatures little swifts darting about at the summit

Book Club via comments???

2007-06-23T20:32:00.001-07:00

Hi folks!
I just read a new book, The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I will still call R to discuss, but I thought, hey perhaps we can finally have the book club we were talking about via comments on the blog? Not sure how to work it out, or the easiest way to do it. Blogging is probably not the best format, but I thought that perhaps it might work. I am going edit this post later, but for now I will say that The Road was a taut, crushing read. I don't think I have read an other apocalypse / end of days novel as well done. As a new mother, I can't say I enjoyed it, but I think it certainly was a great book, it just made me cry at a time I would rather not be crying.

On a similar note, while I was pregnant, I saw Children of Men in the theatre. It was dark and awful and spirit crushing. I haven't read the book on which it was based.

smoochies from alexander

2007-06-22T19:07:00.000-07:00

Snuggle time is wonderful!

pre smooch

2007-06-22T19:06:00.000-07:00

Father's Day -brunch at Ria's

2007-06-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

Out at Ria's Bluebird Cafe. Martin watched Alexander yesterday, today we are hanging out after a relaxed morning.

georgia aquarium

2007-06-06T14:46:00.000-07:00

You can see Alexander's reflection in the glass at the Pacific Reef tank. It is a great day at the Aquarium.

hello from children's museum

2007-06-03T14:12:00.000-07:00

Having a great time with Robin and Tony and Quinn and Leah

nice day

2007-05-31T14:54:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the only way Alexander will calm down is to sit outside. I forget how much that calms me as well. After a few minutes of bouncing outside he drifts of to sleep or becomes happily absorbed in the nature in the backyard.

bath time

2007-05-26T06:29:00.000-07:00

Loves the water already

napping in the crib

2007-05-23T09:00:00.001-07:00

This morning we sat outside for a nice dose of sunshine, birds, squirrels and fresh air after yesterday's smoky haze. It made Alexander quite happy, happy enough to take a little morning nap in the crib.

sun kissed

2007-05-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

Harriet and the lamp

2007-05-21T09:19:00.001-07:00

happy warm cat

2007-05-21T09:19:00.000-07:00

Harriet

2007-05-21T09:11:00.000-07:00

I wonder if other cats do this. Harriet loves to sit with her head right next to the lightbulbs under the lampshade. This lamp has two 75 watt bulbs and puts out a good bit of heat, so I think it is a kitty sauna for her. She will sit there for a long time roasting away.

in the bassinet

2007-05-21T07:18:00.000-07:00

He hadn't shown an interest in mobiles or hanging toys but, this week, he is fascinated. He is making little coo noises.

baby fashion show

2007-05-20T17:34:00.000-07:00

Alex has grown into some cute outfits - 12 pounds this week and 23 inches ! I hope everyone is doing well !

green baby fashion show

2007-05-19T12:03:00.001-07:00

Here is Alexander wearing the "mommy's good luck charm" outfit that Anissa sent to him. Like mom, he looks great in green. Even though the next shot cuts off his head, the smile is precious.

smile monster 1

2007-05-19T12:03:00.000-07:00

more smiles

2007-05-19T12:02:00.000-07:00

hiking shot

2007-05-11T15:59:00.000-07:00

Still trying to move the pictures from the phone...This is coming back from a hike in North Georgia mountains. It started to rain just as we were leaving and made this gorgeous rainbow.

Forever plaid?

2007-05-10T13:19:00.000-07:00

Alex is looking more and more like a little boy,especially in the cute plaid overalls from great aunt Joyce

2 am feeding

2007-04-29T23:57:00.000-07:00

Alex is a night owl. I love how his face is so sweet and vulnerable in this shot-just this week he has begun to grasp our clothing when we hold him.

2007-04-29T23:03:00.000-07:00

good morning

2007-04-28T15:20:00.000-07:00

Here he is with his happy morning face. Looks so small when dad holds him.

early picture

2007-04-26T08:55:00.000-07:00

Here he is in a state of bliss,well fed, warm and loved

2007-04-25T14:28:00.000-07:00

2006-01-28T18:00:00.000-08:00

This year started off with a 10-day business trip to El Paso, Texas / Cuidad Juarez, CHIH. I have been sent out to El Paso probably 10 ten times so far, and this is the first time I've been able to squeeze a weekend with a car into the itinerary. The plan was to check out the snow at Ski Apache, since I haven't had the chance to ski since Utah Trip 2003. Unluckily for the Southwest, there has been a major drought this year, leaving the mountain dry and wells low. This lack of snow led to a gorgeous trip up to New Mexico to Carlsbad Caverns, which was fortunate for me- much better experience than I would have had skiing.

I drove up to the area Saturday early afternoon, in relative silence. As I had never experienced "out West" I didn't realize I would lose radio signal about 20 minutes outside of El Paso. I was wonderful to drive through the desert without the chatter of DJ's. I went out of the airport, took a right on Montana, and drove straight for 150 miles and I was there. I don't think I have seen anything like it. About 20-30 minutes out of El Paso I experienced my first Border checkpoint. There was a little sign, something like "8412 illegals caught in 2005", a bit like those drunk driving tally signs. Defintiely not what I am used to seeing in GA.

Along the way to Carlsbad Caverns, I drove past Guadalupe Mountains National Park and decided to pull over since it was so beautiful. I had no idea that this was the location of El Capitan. You can see it gleaming on the horizon as you approach through the deesrt hills. Given the time of day, 2:00 pm, I figured I had time for a short hike, but not one to the peak, so that left Piney Top and Devil's Hall. I opted for Devil's Halll, a hike to a narrow gorge in the hills. The hike runs along the wash, and the rocks sound like chalk marbles crunching and grinding beneath your feet. I saw two deer along this trail, one minute they were in the wash, the next minute up the mountain hidden in the cactus. Also saw hawks and roadrunners. And they were running across the road!

2006-01-28T17:06:00.000-08:00

Started off this year with a few resolutions, one to walk 1000 miles this year, not many per day, if accomplished daily, two to start blogging, three to travel to more places I have never been before. Throw in the every year resolution of setting and acheiving some financial goals and I think that is about all I want to focus on for now. I am notoriously bad with maintenance activities, so I am curious to see if I will post regularly on the blog.

For me, so many of my best conversations have happened over a cup of tea or coffee with good friend and family. So I hope that some good blogging can happen over a few nice pots of PG Tips.