Daily July 2013

July was a fun-filled month! We saw many friends, from all over the place! We traveled to Richmond, DC, and the beach for two fun weeks! We had a few days at home, which are often my favorite. I love squeezing in typical summer activities in the midst of everything else! 

 Sweet little sleeper, hugging Elmo tight!

 How fortunate am I to be able to see this happy face every morning?

I'm pretty sure I remember Addie Kate doing the exact same thing. 

 

We met Ms. Meredith and Olivia for lunch on their way back to Greenville from the beach. Such sweet girls. First friends are the best friends!

Then the kids came home to wash the cars.

 We also met Elliott, Laurie, Aiden, and Amelia as they came through town headed to the beach. It was not near the long visit that we needed, but it's better than not seeing them at all!

 We tried as hard as we could to NOT put on regular clothes most days!

  Shannon and Cody stopped by on their way to the beach. I wish I had video of Addie Kate opening the door to find Cody standing there. I was in the kitchen and all I heard was her scream, "Cody!" It sounded adorable and Shannon said it was priceless.

 

 Addie Kate was in two weddings in July!

 My cousin Jason married Adrienne, who we love. She has been such a blessing to our family! When I learned Addie Kate would be a flower girl four times this spring and summer I nearly died. Thankfully, my two cousins had her wear the same dress, but a different sash, and Adrienne just wanted her to wear a pretty church dress. Done! I love this bishop on Addie Kate anyway, and we have been very fortunate to be able to wear it so much. It is some of my mother's best work!

 Jason and Adrienne had a very traditional Episcopal wedding, which includes communion. The Episcopal service is beautiful, but long. Drew couldn't handle it. I took him out to walk around a little bit. And ride the elevator. I couldn't resist getting some pictures of him. The church and church grounds were beautiful and I loved his jon jon. I wish I had used my good camera!

 

 

The night before Jason and Adrienne's wedding was Andrea and David's wedding. We had been looking forward to this wedding since last year at the beach when David proposed! The wedding was beautiful, just as we knew it would be. I loved Addie Kate's dress, monogrammed sash, and flower halo. she looked just like a beautiful, classic flower girl. The exact way a flower girl should look!

 Addie Kate, Sanders (the ring bearer), and E, the junior bridesmaid.

 Mommy and Daddy at the wedding. I love that the dress makes me look pregnant. I have not worn it since.

 Daddy and the groom. It was definitely a good time!

 Addie Kate and Sanders walking in together and being introduced. 

 Andrea gave all her girls these button up shirts to wear to get ready. Addie Kate loved hers and loved looking like the big girls. Of course none of the big girls wore them with a pink tutu! 

 The rehearsal dinner was also beautiful and a lot of fun. Addie Kate loved dancing the most and we had to drag her off the dance floor, which is always the case.

 

 Here, the DJ was trying to teach them how to dance to Thriller. It was mildly hilarious. A bunch of white girls!

 My girl and me - Addie Kate wearing her new "getting ready" shirt that Andrea had just given her.

 And my love and me. Little man did not make an appearance at the rehearsal dinner!

 Andrea's bridesmaids luncheon was also nice. My aunts threw it for her at Alodia's, which is great Italian food. Andrea gave all of her bridesmaids and Addie Kate a "chicken man" painting. The bridesmaids was of a chicken in a navy bridesmaids dress, but Addie Kate's was the cutest of all with beautiful colors that just happen to match her room perfectly! 

It was a busy month but so much fun. Packed with traveling, friends, and family. My three favorite things!

Daily June 2013

(These pictures uploaded backwards chronologically, which I cannot stand. But it took a million tries to get them to upload at all, so now that they are here, I'm leaving them as is!) 

We LOVE June! We are so thankful to be home together all day, every day! My kids play so well together, and they absolutely love it and look forward to it. I'm able to have at least an hour to myself downstairs in the mornings, before we get our day started. It is wonderful! 

Addie Kate stayed busy this summer. Drew hung out with mama! Addie Kate is getting to the age where she has camps and things to go to, which she adores. Drew just isn't there yet, but some one on one time with me is just right! 

 She had cheerleading camp at the high school at the end of June. She loved it. For whatever reason, the cheerleaders carried the girls around nonstop. AK loved it and it made me roll my eyes. But whatever, she had fun! I could care less if she is ever a cheerleader, but what little girl doesn't like pretending to be one for a few days?  The camp was three days long. And I literally had to go buy appropriate clothes for her to wear. Ha! 

 My sweet sleeping boy. One day I'm sure I'll stop taking pics of my kids sleeping. But no time soon! 

We had Vacation Bible School, and for the first time in a while, my kids were able to go the whole week! We seem to always have a trip scheduled that gets in the way. This was the first year that Drew had a class to go to. He was NOT A FAN. At ALL. Bless his heart, I had to teach a class, so most night Paul would have to take him. He would just cling to Paul and his teacher would have to pull him off. Various people in the church sat with him in his class and tried to console him. Nothing worked. He even started crying when we'd even pull in the parking lot. Finally my mom just started keeping him instead of him having to go. It absolutely killed me VBS is supposed to be fun!! 

 This was the last night, after the program. Tommy was in DC and we were headed there the next day.

 Drew obviously, given his love for VBS, did not participate in the program. Ryan and Luke joined us for VBS this year too. And Kelly helped me teach!

 I look at this picture and am reminded of the VBS back when she was two. She sat on the front row, when everyone else stood, and refused to sing. She even started shaking her head no during the songs. It was a proud mommy moment for me, and everyone in that church enjoyed it. 

 These were our first picks from our garden. The kids were SO excited to pick them and have them for our dinner!

 We eat out many a lunch over the summer. I love to each lunch out. It makes up for eating lunch for nine months with 25 4th graders!

I turn my back on this one for two seconds. Sheer delight. 

 I tried to get pics of my two after church one Sunday. I attempt this most every Sunday. Some are more entertaining than others.

 Sometimes this happens.

 Followed by this.

 We have pancakes nearly every morning. (The kids - not me. Pregnancy with Drew ruined pancakes for me.)

 And two year old standoffs many mornings too.

 But sweet smiles like this sure do make up for them. Two is a sweet age. Busy, but sweet.

 My girl in a big girl outfit. She loved it.

 All packed up, heading to our first beach trip.

 A rare moment in the car. Bless him - he does not travel well.

 My two love a hotel room.

 And a 50 cent ride on a car at the outlets.

 They turned the pack & play into a fort. They do not like creativity! 

We went to Folly with all of Tommy's family for a few days. We love Folly. The house they rented was gorgeous. Tommy's aunt married a man that had a young daughter. Older than Addie Kate but young enough to play with her. It was glorious. Addie Kate loved having someone to play with.

 Addie Kate and Kelly. AK still talks about her!

 The beach house didn't have a pool, but we set this up in the backyard. It was perfect for my two! 

 AK went to Emmy and Hudson's birthday party with a huge water slide. She loved it until she fell over the side, nearly giving me and every mother there a heart attack. One of the top five scariest moments of my life. Bless her heart, it was the angle in which she fell and landed that was so scary. And she did hurt her back, but nothing that rest didn't fix. She also fell smack into mud, and was covered in it - even her hair and face. It was horrible, but she returned to playing like a rockstar. My precious girl. 

 We had a little traffic jam in the driveway. No doubt from the driver talking on the phone! 

 Addie Kate and Riley playing over at Riley's house - giving Mrs. Jennifer more laundry to do, as they changed clothes about 100 times! 

 Addie Kate rocked her dentist appointment. Finally, at age five, she doesn't have to be put back in the private room. Drew on the other hand, did so badly, that I couldn't get a picture at all.

 They did have fun playing beforehand. Why are dentist offices glorified playgrounds?

 Drew playing in the shower. I kept him in there the entire time I got dressed and ready one day. He lovedit. 

 And I love that his feet are still chunky baby feet. 

 Here he is wearing one of Uncle Paul's jon jon's that mom made. A classic never goes out of style!

 My little boy and me at our first library toddler time of the year! Addie Kate was at dance camp!

 And a little bad hair day. But precious. He gave me this look after I told him he couldn't have gum. Can you imagine?

 Tommy's grandmother passed away at the beginning of June. His grandfather was a golf pro and taught the members of the band Alabama how to play. His grandmother introduce Randy, the lead singer, to Kelly, one of Tommy's stepmother's bestfriends, and Randy's wife. So they came to the funeral. It was so nice to meet him (for me - Tommy had met him several other times, along with Teddy and Jeff, the other band members). What a great guy he is. Not to mention a great singer! I think Randy and Kelly being there helped make the funeral a little bit more tolerable occasion - Vicki hadn't seen them in some time. 

 I love these pictures. My boys working hard! Drew wants to do every single thing his daddy does. And I love it!

 A trip to Shealy's. This time Drew got his own ice cream cone!

 

 Addie Kate perfected her reading by the end of 4K. To say I was proud would be the understatement of the year. She did it nearly 100% on her own. I love love love seeing moments like these - everything I have always dreamed of for my life.

 Addie Kate came downstairs proud that she had made herself long hair. I laughed so hard at this and she couldn't figure out why. She totally looked straight out of the Middle east!

Valeri took all the kids to the zoo for an end of the year treat. Her mother in law went with her to ease the chaos! She sent me these pictures. She was such a precious blessing to us. We love Mrs. Valeri! 

  

 I love this picture - the "after" picture!

 Again, the sleeping boy. I love it.

 And a little dance party! I went upstairs because I kept hearing the same random song playing and couldn't figure out why or from where. Drew (who knows how to work the DVD player) had one of those Little People DVD's playing on the introduction song, which was similar to "Wheels on the Bus" and kept playing it over and over again so he could dance to it. Adorable and funny! Sweet boy!

 Addie Kate ready to swim. My girly girl - she loved having a swim skirt for a cover up.

We had a few other trips and things in June, but these were just our daily pictures of our first month of summer. There was no shortage of happiness here!