Memorial Day Weekend

Camping Adventure

with Mike, Kathleen, Hayden, Logan and Griffin Fox 

and Josh, Angie, Alyssa and Kaitlyn Blackson

and Uncle Matt

campsite--three tents, one for each family!

cookout--corn, hotdogs and pizza pockets made on the fire!

adult table

someone loved his s'more!

tait's silly marshmellow horns!

breakfast and pjs!

 
After our travel plans to a vacation house got canceled, we decided to still plan an adventure with our friends.  The substitute: camping.  And the best way for families with young kids...in the backyard!  It was great!  A perfect night!  Dinner on the fire and the grill.  A few lawn games.  The kids stayed up for some s'mores.  Then the adults stayed up extra late for some exciting games.  Spoons and Murder in the Dark provided plenty of entertainment.  The best part was the sleeping arrangement: dads and kids in tents; moms and babies in the house (in beds:)!  Well, and the donuts and eggs for breakfast.  Lots of good memories!     

Myrtle Beach

We had a fun Mother's Day weekend at the beach.  Grandma Sue and Uncle Marky Boy joined us to watch a little baseball--Uncle Matt was playing Coastal Carolina at Myrtle Beach.  I've got some photos to put up, but our computer crashed last week so I'll have to get Grandma Sue to send me some of her pics.   

The boys had fun playing with Daddy and their uncles in the sand and in the waves.  Grandma and I walked Ellie up and down the beach.  However, one of the biggest highlights (for the boys) was the number of motorcycles.  Harleys all over for "Bike Week" at Myrtle.  What a treat!  

Ellie Rae

Ellie continues to be a sweet girl and a great sleeper! Here are a few updated pictures of this little one.


Bundled up on one of our cold spring days (too many this spring!).

Ellie loves riding in the double jogger with Grayson for our "exercising." Tait's pretty into riding his scooter or his bike when we tour the neighborhood.



So Tait was a paci-baby; and Grayson is a thumb-sucker (only allowed to do it in his bed). So look what we have here. We decided that it's easier to take away a paci in comparison to removing a thumb, but Ellie obviously has a different idea. She'll take her paci when I give it to her...and then spit it out to get her thumb. Humph! We'll see if she's officially won the battle.



More and more smiles! She loves to talk and coo back to us too.


We've been slowly trying to finish Ellie's nursery. Here we are in front of our new curtains made by Nana Deborah. Yeah! It's fun to add some spice (pink and black and white) to our lime green room.

High Point Baseball Games

We love going to watch Uncle Matt's games! Shorty and I took the boys up there during her visit. We even survived the thunderstorm and 3 hour rain delay last week. The boys did great! (Good job taking the pics, Shorty:)!)

Auntie Shorty Comes to Charlotte

We enjoyed having Auntie Shorty for a week! She was the helpful "firecracker" who helped this Mama get lots done (and stay sane while Chris was out of town for the week). We washed and ironed curtains, weeded the sandbox and back patio, planted summer flowers and the garden, mailed broken cameras (I can never get to the post office!), watched a movie and even went out on the town one night (minus kiddos) for dinner and shopping.

Visitors from Wisconsin

Papa Jim and Jeannine came to visit for a week. They got to see Tait's soccer game and lots of Uncle Matt's baseball games. Tait and Grayson loved going to the baseball games too (and I'm sure getting a whole bag of Skittles from Papa made it extra exciting:)! The boys have also been crazy over their new baseball hats and new High Point stuffed animals.

Nana AND Papa AND Marissa

We had some fun spring breakers come visit us in Charlotte! We loved our time with Nana, Papa and Marissa!

What a playground! Plaza Fiesta is so cool! I spy Papa, Grayson and Tait!



Finally Tait's dream came true--a city bus ride! Nana, Papa, Tait and Grayson took the city bus (CATS) down to Daddy's office. Marissa, Ellie and Jamie met them for lunch after a little quality time at the mall (Pac Sun rocks, right, Marissa?).




Ellie enjoyed meeting everyone too!

Fun with Aunt Sarah and Uncle Marky Boy

We loved having Aunt Sarah and Uncle Marky Boy with us! Lots of excitement: fiesta playground, waterpark, "roger and terry" hunting, wrestling, singing, etc. Thankful for all the helpers!

Easter Memories

What a treat to celebrate Easter with my siblings this year! It was so fun to have Sarah, Mark and Matt! Once again, Matty boy was the last one to find his hidden basket. Poor little guy:)!

Easter Party

We had a fun Easter party with our Bible study friends. Made homemade pretzels, hunted for eggs outside and ate a yummy lunch. Thankful for fun friends!

Easter with Ellie

Of course, everyone loves to shop for a little girl (and I appreciate it!). Here's Ellie in a few of her Easter outfits from grandparents.

Silly Grayson

So...Grayson always seems to be coming up with creative entertainment. I thought finger painting at snack time would keep him occupied for a bit. Well, it did...in an interesting way! Snack time (trail mix) in finger paints...hmmmm! Never a dull moment with this little man!