Eli 10-17-07

ELi 10-16-07

ELi 10-15-07

Eli 10-09-07

OBX 2007

Eli's Surgery

Eli 03-26-07

As Reported by Rose Cooper
Wilmington News Journal

The Wilmington Mural Portrait Auction Sunday evening at the General Denver brought in almost $18,000, according to Grant Peelle, auctioneer.

"The big champion of the night was $2,000, which was brought in live," Peelle said.

Peelle said the top-selling portrait was for a man approximately 40 to 60 years of age wearing a straw hat and standing under the clock. The portrait will be in the Balloon Launch area of the mural.

"Pets were some of the more popular of the figures that sold," Peelle said.

He called the auction a "tremendous success."

The right to pose for Figure No. 14, which was offered exclusively on eBay, raised $760 and received 32 bids. "Nine unique people bid on the eBay right to pose," Peelle said.

No. 14 is for an adult male or female - one of the market vendors.

Honnerlaw & Peelle Auctions provided live, online bidding.

The age, gender, pose and general characteristics for each of the 28 figures were pre-determined by the artist. Figures included children and adults as well as a cat and two dogs.

A total of 28 portraits were auctioned for the "right to pose" as a model for the figures to be included in the Main Street Market Mural.

The mural is located at 63 W. Main Street in downtown Wilmington, next to the General Denver Hotel.

The portraits will be added to the mural of a large blue hot air balloon, and will include a breezeway and bakery shop, cheese shop, meat shop, fruit, veggie and sweet corn shops and the balloon launch area.

The auction received international coverage. It peaked the interest of Wilmingtonians scattered around the country.

The Downtown Community Improvement Corporation (DWCIC) partnered with the city of Wilmington, Honnerlaw & Peelle Auctions, and mural artist Jason Morgan to auction the "right to pose" portraits.

Funds to create the downtown mural were donated by an anonymous donor.

The net proceeds from Sunday's benefit auction will go to the DWCIC Art Fund to support future public art projects in downtown Wilmington.

Eli 03-15-07

Eli 02-21-07

Eli 02-19-07

Eli Photos

Here are a couple photos that capture Eli at three months of age.






















He has stolen our hearts.

I lifted Eli over my head the other day and when I set him down he immediately lifted his hands asking to be lifted again, and again, and again!

South Street Pipe Break

The Peelle and Reed families made a recent purchase of a commercial building in downtown Wilmington. The recent spell of unusually cold weather caused a pipe to burst. This is a short docudrama covering the efforts to get the water main turned off.

Oh, the joys of property ownership!

Eli 02-06-07

Eli 01-31-07

Eli 01-24-07

Eli 01-22-07

Eli 01-20-07

Eli 01-18-07

Eli 01-15-07

Eli 01-14-07

Eli 01-13-07

Eli 01-12-07

New Video Camera Captures One of Eli's First Laughs?

Over the weekend Carrie indulged my desire for a new video camera as a belated Christmas present. It captures directly to SD card so keeping the blog fresh with Eli videos will be much more convenient.

I am so excited to be debuting footage from the new camera with a clip that asks the question... did Eli laugh? I use a very unflattering voice encouraging a reaction from him and he delivers!

Weigh in your opinion by posting a comment below...

Laugh or no laugh...

Eli Says "Hi"

Our son Elijah looks like a prodigy with a well timed "coo."
(Don't worry we know better and refuse to be the parents that make too much of our little one's intelligence...)