February brought us Gracie. A Great Dane that would put us to the test.

Click here to view the embedded video.

March ushered in some Spring little league for Chase. He really got into the ‘swing’ of things and enjoyed himself.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I don’t think much happened in April. Well… I mean Chase did get to go a Wrestlemania Art show, meet a bunch of wrestlers and then go to the actual PPV. Oh, and there was Tax Day. Hmm… something else happened… Oh that’s right, WE GOT MARRIED!!!! It was a wonderfully magic wedding. Everything we had hope for. I got to finally call the love of my life my bride, and it was the beginning of our forever. The honeymoon was in Vegas, and well… and we know good and well what happens in Vegas, doesn’t always stay in Vegas. In addition to finding out we were pregnant (but really what could top that) we spent the May kinda floating around in happiness and bliss.

Every summer we like to take a family vacation, and a pregnancy this year wasn’t going to slow us down. For the 2011 Summer Vacation we decided it would be a lot of fun to head to Disney! We loaded up the car and drove down to the most magical place on earth. Chase had never been and neither Jess nor I had been in SEVERAL years so it worked out perfectly. It wasn’t easy for Jess with the heat and the walking plus being pregnant, but we made it. It was a great vacation and a birthday I don’t think Chase will ever forget.

The rest of the summer went on by, carrying with the ups and downs of being pregnant. We found out we were having a boy and man, that made me excited. I was the last male Turner and to be able to continue the name, meant a lot to me.

As August rolled around we started getting read to go back to school, and doing just normal family things. Chase was doing great and really getting into the spirit of being an older brother. He was helping around the house and he just felt a little more grown up. October would creep upon us before we knew it and in addition to me getting a new car and turning 32 it started to really sink in that I was going to be a daddy, very soon.

Between Halloween and right now it’s all kind of a blur. It’s as if time sped up and didn’t really wait. We had our first, and second baby shower and started getting the nursery ready. Baby clothes, diapers, wipes, toys, bottles, all of it started coming in and every time we would get something new it would sink in just a bit more how soon this bundle of joy would be here. Lane’s nursery looked fantastic and in no time at all everything was in its right place and we could start getting ready for the holidays.

Baby Lane's Room

Our Christmas tree was up BEFORE Thanksgiving, and the house was all set and ready to go. We made our rounds to friends and family. Did the gift exchanges and then it was Christmas day at the Turner household. I couldn’t have asked for a better holiday season. My wife was glowing with that baby glow, Chase was happy and doing all the big brother things and I was doing everything I can to make the house and my wife ready for this baby.

In contrast to the rest of the year, this past week has been filled with lots of taking it slow. Everything we could possibly do to be prepared for Lane, we have done. The bags are packed, the car seat is in, clothes washed and put away, house is secure, etc. You name it, we’ve done it. Now all we need is for Lane to come home.

It’s been such a wonderful year. I’m sure I left things out, but it’s all good. They say that the first year of marriage is the toughest thing you’ll go through other than the 9 months your wife is pregnant. Well, I’ve done both at the same time and I’m more in love now than the day I got married and I don’t see signs of this ever stopping.

That's my boy!

Thanks for all the memories 2011, but it’s time for 2012!

~SB

It’s been three weeks and we are still going strong! Good sign, right?? What an amazing few weeks it’s been. We have an awesome concert and unforgettable honeymoon to blog about soon, but nothing can overshadow the big day. I knew just as much as I was forcing time to fly by, the wedding day and events would go by just as fast. I remember heading to the ceremony wishing I could press a pause button for a day or so. Everything was so perfectly beautiful. Thunderstorms moved the ceremony inside, but considering our number of guests I think it turned out more intimate and special anyway. All of our favorite people showed up to wish us well. A great friend of mine told me recently that “as soon as you say ‘I do’ everything will just calm down and make sense”.  She was so right. I am generally anxiety driven, and this honeymoon phase has me feeling calmer and more peaceful than ever. I see a path for our family, and for once I don’t feel like it’s a path I ‘should’ be on, but a path I want to be on. I will bookmark this post so 5 years from now I can remember how blissful we were….in the midst of bitching about his socks in the floor. Although, as my husband confirms, we are the exception….so maybe I’ll just come back to check the pics.

Speaking of pics. They are shit. The woman who runs Le Bam got her husband to be the “photographer”. I get this will save her money, and I saw what he was shooting with so I figured “well…that camera will work for itself”. Wrong. SB emailed her about our dissatisfaction, and she claims they were “not ready to be released and needed more editing”. Ya think? Either way, there are a few keepers and enough to get a couple framed. Other than the pics and the DJ playing ALL hip hop songs, this wedding was my favorite so far! Now it’s time to just calm down, push through these last three weeks of school, and spend the summer with this amazing little family of mine that I am just sickeningly in love with. <3

I was pretty excited about the opportunity. After reading up on the actual event I realized that a lot good handful of the wrestlers would actually be there. People like Jerry “The King” Lawler to Booker T., there were some pretty cool guys there. The tickets we won were VIP so we got some pretty good access to the event. So good in fact that we got to actually walk up, talk to, get autographs from, and get pictures with everyone there! Chase and an amazing time. I don’t know if he’ll ever be able to experience something like that again, I hope he does but for that night, the kid was on top of the world.

So that was our awesome experience. A few days later Wrestlemania actually happened and away he went. He got to experience all the majesty and grandeur that is a live WWE event. I know he had a wonderful time and I know he’s already itching to go to another show. We’ll have to see when the next thing is that we can go to. I love that kid and anything we can do to bring him happiness like that, I’m in. SJ and I hung at the house with some friends and watched the show live. Some of them followed wrestling, some not so much. It was a good little gathering and makes me eager to fire up the grill, put some music on, and just have people over to hang out. This summer can’t get here fast enough.

Here’s some pics from the nights event:

After dinner we headed over to our friends Kit and Bob’s house. There were a few other people there and it was the perfect little gathering. Nothing too over the top and crazy, but just the right mix of people, drinks, dogs, pool, darts, and explosions. Eventually it got late, then later, then REAL late. Seizing this opportunity we all piled in Jess’ car (about 6 people in a car designed to hold 4) and headed to the Waffle House. There really is no better first meal of 2011 than something, anything, from a Waffle House. The service was a bit on the slow side due to the fact that they were tending to the onslaught of strippers and thugs, but eventually some of us got our food. Shortly after, however a skirmish broke out between one of the cooks and one or more of the patrons. We really have no clue how it started but we do know that the cops eventually showed up and it was something to behold. Strippers and their “boyfriends” on one end of the place, “gangstas” somewhere in the middle, Waffle House employees with cutlery in hand over here, and the most rag-tag bunch of rapscallion white folks you’ve ever seen huddled in the corner. It was a visit to the WH I shall never forget.

After that, we headed home and quickly retreated to our slumber. The next day was spent tooling around the house, sleeping off our adventures. Over the next few days we got the house whipped into a level 5 cleanliness, built some shelves and organized the garage, sewed some new pants for me, and generally reminisced at the amazing past few weeks we’d had. It was the best way possible to end 2010 and I couldn’t think of another way I’d want to kick off 2011.

I’ve found the person that I truly love and want to be with for the rest of my life. I got to share yet another adventure with her and am now counting the days until she’s my wife. Somehow, despite the craziness of last year, the year before last, and so on, manage to “out do” the previous year… ten fold.

The pics:

I went to restore some sanity with HBean. There’s lots to say about this weekend, but what stands out the most is the how much we laughed. It was an awesome rally to be a part of, and a great weekend.

We’ve gotten settled into the house, finally. The garage needs a weekend devoted to it, but doesn’t everyone’s? We’ve gone on dates, made chili, and SB built a doghouse that may deserve it’s only post. In wedding news, we got our save the dates, and found our counselor/officiant for the ceremony. I also found someone to make my dress! Knowing I will be fitted for it soon has motivated me to join Gold’s Gym down the road and finally see what all this “zumba” fuss is about. The jury’s still out on that one…

What’s next though: holidays! This time of year always flies by but it’s my favorite! Hopefully we can get our blog moving a bit quicker and post more often. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Tags: holidays, DC, rally, halloween
]]> http://www.sniperbear.net/2010/11/22/catching-up/feed/ 0 http://www.sniperbear.net/2010/10/20/not-even-sure-where-to-begin/ http://www.sniperbear.net/2010/10/20/not-even-sure-where-to-begin/#comments Thu, 21 Oct 2010 02:08:35 +0000 SniperBen http://www.sniperbear.net/?p=584 Continue reading »]]> A lot has happened since the last post. Over a month has past and many, many, many things have taken place in the world of the Sniper’s. Rather than have a hum-drum long post going into great detail, I figured I’d give a quick recap. So here goes (in no particular order)…

I say, no particular order, but this certainly stands out as one of the bigger moments in not just the past month, but Jess’ and I’s relationship. We moved from our tiny apartment in Dunwoody to a large, spacious, house in Hampton. There were a TON of factors that led to the move, and thus far we are VERY please with our choice. The house is much bigger than the cramped apartment. We have room to grow, room to put all our stuff out, room for the dog to run around, and room to breathe. Jess has cut her commute by over half, Chase has several new friends around the neighborhood that he plays with on the daily, I got room to put all my tools (and toys) so now I can start on all those handy-man projects, and the Sniper’s are generally a happier bunch. There really aren’t enough words to describe the joy of being in this house. It has lifted our spirits tenfold. We may be further away from some of our friends and family, but we are miles closer to our happy place. Knowing that we had a birthday coming up, it took us no time to get things set up and ready for a lil’ shin-dig.

EEEEEEK!!!!

Speaking of shin-dig’s, Ol’ Man Sniper just turned 31. To celebrate Jess took an entire week off of school (it just so happen to be the same week as fall break)! To kick off the fall break (and my week long birthday celebration) SJ and I hit up Fright Fest. It had been many moons since I had been to Six Flags during Fright Fest, and she admitted that she had never been. I have to say, that it was a lot better than I remember. The park wasn’t too crowded, but the use of the Flash Pass was certainly a must. As with any thing “fright” related, there were creepies and ghouls, and scaries, all around. Jess is not a huge fan of that which goes bump in the night, but she was a trooper and pushed through it. She even one-up’d herself and went through the haunted house with me. After the first few rooms, figuring out the timing of the scares, she was fine. This was the first haunted house she had ever been in. Another first was riding in the front seat of a roller coaster. Imagine all these years, riding coasters, never having ridden in the front seat. It was an eye opening experience for her and she never wants to ride any where else now. Six Flags was such an enjoyable experience and I can’t wait to go back next year (I think we have a new SFoG tradition brewing). Six Flags photos.

It's not the Fairie unless it's in Perry!

Though Six Flags was fun and thrilling, it was nothing like the Perry Fair. If there’s one thing that defines “fall” for me, it’s a good old fashion fair. So on the last Friday of her fall break, SJ, Lil’ Sniper, Jess’ best friend Heather and Adam, their two kids, and I loaded up the van and headed south. I had only ever been to the North Georgia State Fair (just a few weeks prior in fact), and was blown away by the size and scale of things in Perry. There were at least a dozen more rides, vendors, eateries, and people to watch. Despite the numbers of people there the waits for rides and to get food was hardly noticeable. We spent the afternoon wandering around, taking in all the smells, the sites, the sounds, everything that just screams “fair.” Unless you’ve been to one, you can’t appreciate how fun they really are. You buy stacks of tickets so you can wait in line to ride a ride that is held together with duct tape and operated by a toothless man with a mullet. You load up on as much fried delights as possible, you walk back and forth deciding on which game you think you might be able to win, despite knowing that they are all rigged in some way. You do all this, and smile with every moment. I will never forget my first trip to the Perry Fair. It was truly an amazing experience. Photos from the Perry Fair.

Here lay the Snipers...

For the actual party we wanted everything just right, so we got the house all decorated up with all things Halloween, threw some burgers and dogs on the grill, and threw down like only the Sniper’s can. The party was a lot of fun. It was the first real party that Jess and I have hosted as a couple. We’ve had a few smaller gatherings back in Dunwoody, but nothing like this. Our friend’s Kim and James showed up early to help get a few last minute house preparations out of the way (I still owe you like crazy Mr. T). The party started off a bit tame, with a few people having some drinks and food, people off in their own little clique’s, loads of football watching, etc. But then as the night went on, the fun really started picking up. More and more people got here and people started mingling a lot more. New friendships were formed, people shared stories, laughed, and generally had a good time. By the end of the night there were only a handful of people left, and we all sat, crowded around the fire pit. It was a chilly night and perfect for sitting outside enjoying the company of good friends. Eventually, everyone headed home, some with longer journey’s ahead than other. The house was surprisingly clean(ish) the next morning and we spend Sunday recovering and enjoying a lazy day. Party Photos.

Monday was back to work for me. Jess still had another day off to run some errands and get caught up on some sleep. So in the span of a month, we moved, got the house set up and presentable, got everything set up for Halloween and a party, went to Six Flags, the Perry Fair, ran a few instances, and went to work. It was a whirlwind past few weeks but we’ve made it. Now things are calming down. Everyone’s back to work and life is returning to normal. We still have Halloween and SJ is heading off to D.C. to hopefully restore some sanity to this great nation of ours.

So that’s that. I’m sure I’ve left some things out, but it’s all good. We’re going to try and update this a bit more frequently so we don’t have so much to cram into a single post.

To the left of me in the HOV lane there were two bikes. A guy on one, a woman on the other. It’s a beautiful almost Fall weekend and between the weather and the comforting sound that the bikes make I let myself for a moment pretend that the couple on the Harley’s was one I knew not too long ago (or so it seems…). A couple that was spending the weekend riding in the mountains or on their way to a bike show or heading up to Helen. A couple that had a dysfunctional balance in life and lived it to the fullest. They were loud and large and crazy and happy. I let them be that couple again, even if it was just for a minute and I soaked in every bit of peace it gave me. I promised myself to save some of that peace in a reserve tank for later use.

Had the daydream been real, and had that couple really been my parents…would I have appreciated it as much as I longed for it today? I got mad at myself once I realized the answer. Mad that I wait until my present becomes my past before I absorb it’s potential and appreciate what I have. I got disappointed that even if that daydream was today, I would still find frustrations with that couple and criticize the choices they made….and now here I am wishing that daydream was real so desperately. The couple on the Harley’s today helped me remember that I don’t want to wait until a year from now to appreciate what today gives me. To stop asking “what’s next?” and start focusing on what’s now.

What’s now is that we’re packing. Ben and Chase are up to 25 boxes (and I helped a tiny bit). Two weeks from today we’ll be in a house starting a new chapter. I’m so excited about it! What’s now is that I have a healthy, ever-growing relationship with a man who I love and respect. I have a beautiful son who has me in awe daily. What’s now is I have great friends, a best friend who at days is like oxygen to me, and family who will always be a work in progress. What’s now is I’m loved. I’m safe. I’m happy. 

So Ben and I got invited to go rock climbing this past Friday. It sounds like something to do with good friends to get us out of the house so we decide to give it a try. The week rolls by and before I know it I’m driving home tired, hungry, and dirty. (Dirty b/c I didn’t take a shower that morning b/c I stayed up too late b/c I can NOT put down my new book series…but anyway). So needless to say I was not overly excited about our new adventure. We get to the place though and let me tell you…it’s really awesome! It’s called Stone Summit and I’m immediately intimidated as soon as I walk in the door. There are pros here and 5 year old’s that make me feel completely incompetent. So we walk up to the counter.

Jess: “Um…yeah..so we wanna climb?”

ClimberDude: “Ok…reservation or belay test?”

Jess: “Um…no, and…what?”

ClimberDude: “Do you need a belay test?”

Jess: “Hmm..I have no idea. What is that?”

Ben: “It’s the person who stands on the ground and holds the rope for the climber…”

Jess: “Oh. Um. No.”

Yeah, I’m the last person who needs to be responsible for holding someone up on that rope. I get my gear and shoes, and Bob shows me how to put it all on. It makes me feel even more out of place and awkward but it makes SB’s package look nice…so I comply. Maybe it was my hesitation…or it could’ve been me telling Kit that I’m not even sure I’m getting up ON that wall…but we head to the “training/kid/n00b” area. James shows me how to tie the right knots and gives me enough info to get started. I start to climb and I literally.petrified. The only option I have is to keep going up b/c down is not possible. (Mind you, I’m only about, eh, 5 feet in the air). BUT…I make it to the top. Letting go was the hardest. I kept telling James “you don’t know how heavy I am! Please don’t drop me”, but he lowers me down nice and easy and I’m immediately proud of myself and have a huge sense of release. We practice a few more times then head down with the big boys.  These guys were hanging from places in the wall that had me in awe. The muscle strength and balance and physics that it takes to rock climb is unbelievable. Kit, James and Bob are awesome. We all took turns and helped each other out and by the end of the night I was tired, blistered, and sore…but I felt great. It’s definitely a hobby I want to keep up! Eventually…I may even get up the guts to belay someone. Anyone want to be my first climber??!!

A month or so ago Ben marked a weekend on our gmail calendar as “Do not plan a thing”. Hhmm…my interest is peaked. We’re big on planning surprise trips or dates for each other, so I had a few ideas in my head. A few days prior to the weekend, I was having a crappy day. We found out that canceling our lease would require selling a kidney so my heart was sunken with the thought of driving the same commute to work until at least March. SB lifted my spirits by telling me that the weekend would involve a cabin in Blue Ridge, a hot tub, lots of food and beverages, and four of our close friends: Kit, Bob, Kim, and James. I was stoked! An adult weekend away was the best way to wrap up the summer before returning back to work!

So Friday is finally here and we got off to a late start. I dropped SniperHBK off with his dad, SB made last minute trips to the store, we finished packing, loaded up, stopped for a quick dinner, sat in traffic, sang some Eminem while driving in the rain, and finally made it to Wild Azalea! The others were there waiting and we had an awesome night! We filled the hot tub with beer and laughter and memories and woke up the next morning feeling a little…well…yeah, hungover. It was a lazy day filled with naps and eating and movies. At one point we all decided to go for a walk outside. Ben was very eager about our walk! We went down a trail to the water and by the time I made it back up I was done. Hot, tired, hungover, done. Ben suggested we go for a bit more of a walk (bless him…he was trying!)..but I needed air conditioning and a nap. After some much needed recovery, SB and I went out to the porch to enjoy the view. We both really love the mountains. Thin air, lots of green, lots of quiet. As we were enjoying the view Ben asked me an odd question…

SB: “Are you happy?”….

SJ: “Of course I’m happy…”

SB: “Are you like…the happiest ever?”

SJ: giggling…”I mean..yeah, I’m pretty dang happy”

At this point I start to notice a change. His heart literally felt like it was about to beat out of his chest. I looked up at him a bit confused and asked something along the lines of..”Are you ok?”

SB: “I need you to do me a favor…” reaches in pocket

SJ: Oh…my…God…are you kidding me?

Sweet words…a few tears…and a “Yes! I will!” later…and we were engaged! We announced the news to our friends (who had no idea it was going to happen) and we spent the rest of the weekend floating around in Blue Ridge.

So now the planning starts! We’re not typically traditional people..and this will be a second marriage for both of us, so we’ve thrown a lot of ideas and dates around. Nothing is definite yet…but Vegas in April is looking like a mighty fine idea!

The Pics: