Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Beachy Fun

Hooray for the beach!  We were able to spend several days there with Mimi, Grandbob & my little bitty 25 year old brother at the beginning of May and we had a great time!  We were in Seagrove Beach, near Destin, and it is beautiful.  I mean, I love the beaches at Destin, but they were GORGEOUS in Seagrove.

Kate might not agree as she and the sand had a hate/hate relationship.  She tried to wipe it off her the entire time we were there, but had fun in the waves with her daddy and loved me carrying her around.  She also thoroughly enjoyed hanging out in the beach chairs nearby.  Elle?  Basically ran headfirst into the ocean - that one has no fear!  Oh future, I fear you.  She was so cute though - LOVED being out in the waves w/Daddy while Uncle P entertained her by diving all around her.

They both loved the pool and spent some quality time in it and running around it investigating the local foliage.  We had a great porch and grassy area that the grown ups had fun hanging out on and the girls had fun running around and wearing Mimi's hat and Grandbob's/Uncle P's sunglasses.

We had some delicious seafood while we were there and the girls were champs when we went out to eat.  Mama might have sweated a little too much, but they were super!  Tyler was able to play golf for the first time in probably a year (hooray!) with Dad & Pres, while Mimi & I strolled the girls around Seaside.  A successful stroll (minus a small "falling out of our seat at lunch" incident), complete with a new green bouncy ball compliments of Mimi (which they LOVE).

We all had a great time at the beach!  Thanks, Mimi, Grandbob & Uncle P for making a special fun time for us and our crazy, silly girls!

*PS - I'm going to start upping my game with pictures as I seem to have failed to get any family shots while at the beach.  Darn it!  With toddlers on the move and camera shy adults, it's a hard job!!

Elle at the pool.  She may or may not have a goldfish in her mouth.

Kate rocking her swim hat

Elle & Daddy discussing the importance of sunscreen

Kate the Gardener.  Or "Hortence", as we like to call her.

Mom, I have a grain of sand on my elbow.  Not. now.

P&E


Beach + Goldfish = Win/Win for Elle

Shade + Chair + Sand at safe distance = Win/Win/Win for Kate

Friday, May 27, 2011

Excuses & Easter

No more excuses.  I'm making it a priority to blog at least once a week from now on.  I get intimidated when I get behind and think there's no way I can catch up.  But for the sake of posterity and because this Mama is not a super-scrapbooker - I must press on so I have documentation of the little squirts growing up!  In the process of trying to catch up, I'm sure I will miss a few things.  Hopefully I'll hit all the biggies though.
 
 And now - Easter!  

The girls were so cute at our church's Easter egg hunt this year.  Though it was rainy and a little chilly, that did not stop them from picking up 3 eggs each in the approximately 3 minutes the actual "hunt" lasted.  Well done, girls!  Go get 'em!  Here are a few fun pics from the event (note: we did not approach the Easter bunny as we did not want a repeat of "Santa Meltdown 2010" to commence.  There's always next year.)

I see an egg and it will be mine.

But Mom, I don't WANT to take a picture with Kate.  Must. Lick. Egg.

Daddy w/his Mini-Me

I could not love this picture of Kate more.

Mama & Kate

Mama & Elle


Daddy's picture w/cool framing

Uh, guys?  Don't look now, but I'm pretty sure I just laid an egg.

Elle

The fam.  (Note: Super cute dresses provided by Nana.  Super cute buckets provided by Mimi & Grandbob)

And here are a few pics from Easter morning!

You can tell from her expression.  This one?  She's a stinker.

Sweet Kate LOVES balls.

Family pic at church.

Elle in action

Cuties w/their Easter baskets

Hi.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Open/Closed

Thanks to a fun game her Mimi played with her on their last visit, Elle likes to say "Open" and "Closed" a lot now.  She especially likes to do it with her sparkly red purse.  It's super cute and so of course,  I must share it! 

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Saturday, March 5, 2011

18 Months

A year and a half.  6 months away from being 2.  Turning into little girls more and more each day and inching slowly away from being babies.   Simultaneously heartbreaking and astounding.   My BABIES are growing up!

I am constantly amazed, exhausted, overjoyed, blessed, slap-my-knee entertained by these two unbelievably hilarious, strikingly different little people.  They keep me on my toes (did I mention exhausted?) and on my knees each and every day.  I am so so very thankful to have them in my life and alternate between wishing I could freeze time, praying some days would never end and wishing that some would!  But mostly the first two.  :)

These two rascals have personalities that have really blossomed over the past several months and are having endless amounts of fun exercising their independence.

Here are some highlights and vital stats:

KATE
She is a mama's girl who looks just like her daddy.  She spends all day saying "Dada" and as soon as he gets home, promptly reaches for me and hides her face.  This, of course, lasts for all of 2 minutes when she realizes again how awesome he is.  She still loves her thumb and her bunny and has recently starting blabbering SO MUCH.  It's the cutest thing - I just wish I could understand her.  She has the cutest round belly that she likes to stick out as she walks around the house, swinging her arms and pursing her lips.  So funny.  She is so loving and sweet and has started giving the best arms wide open hugs.  No one can make her laugh like her Daddy, who she takes after not only in her looks, but her sense of humor as well.  She giggles when she burps.  She loves to stack cups, line things up and collect leaves, rocks (anything really).  If she turns out to be a math genius, Tyler and I are in trouble.  Hi, Liberal Arts majors.  She cuts her eyes at you in the funniest way, kind of like "What are you looking at?" and then will cackle about it.  She's a homebody, and yet a social butterfly once you get her out.  She makes me laugh so much with her quirks,  and melts me with her sweetness.

Height:  31 1/2 inches
Weight:  24 lbs 10 oz

ELLE












 She is the older sister who takes herself seriously, cherishes her independence and loves fiercely.  As you've seen before on the blog, she enjoys playing the harmonica.  She is also a fan of dancing, which she does by bouncing up and down, throwing her hands up in the air and spinning in a circle.  She (and Kate) has recently discovered how fun it is to stand on my feet while I dance.  She continues to love books.  And also, when it's on, loves TV like her Mama.  She and Kate both love Dora the Explorer and "backpack" is a recently acquired word thanks to our little Spanish friend.  She gets so excited & happy in the morning when we come into their room - it's like "OH MY GOSH!  It's you guys!  I love you!  You're here!"  So cute.  She loves to give Lily her treat when she comes in from outside and pets her sweetly when she walks by.  She says "Poo" now because she knows I think it's hysterical.  I know, I shouldn't encourage it.  She will randomly come up and just lay her head on your shoulder and give the sweetest hugs.  She is passionate, kind, thoughtful and I could squeeze her to pieces.

Height:  32 1/4 inches
Weight:  24 lbs 14 oz

I am so thankful to be with these two each day.  A special shout out to their Daddy for making that possible.  They teach me daily, challenge me hourly and make me a better person every minute of every day.  Darling girls, I love you so.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

National Champions!

In case you hadn't heard, the Auburn Tigers are National Champions.   Oh, you have?  Silly me.  I just like to say it out loud sometimes. 

The hubs and I were able to go to the National Championship celebration in Auburn in January thanks to awesome Aunt Khaki.  We had such a fun day together - walked around the campus, which, HELLO has changed so much; ate lunch at Momma G's; sat with good friends in Jordan Hare; got some fun souvenirs to bring home.  We missed the girls, but truly enjoyed the time we had together.  Auburn is the place that brought us together and it's just full of sweet memories in general.  And in light of everything going on these past weeks (from Toomer's to recruiting investigations), I'm proud to to say that it's still GREAT to be an Auburn Tiger.  War Eagle.

Despite the jackets, I left with a sunburn.

Hello Auburn fans - thanks for coming!

Hey Cam.  Nice trophy.

The National Champions flag.  Good stuff.

Tyler is so artsy with his framing.