First Days of School

Our first days of school were very successful...no tears...just Mommy's! However, Bryce has his very own Aunt Bri for a teacher...how could he go wrong? Hailey is a trooper and blends and adjusts to almost anything. Must be a second kid thing!

Needless to say, I miss the days that we were all home...no school...no work. So for all you stay at home moms...when you're feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, bored, and when you just want to run away into the street after being home all day (trust me...I KNOW), cherish it all anyway. I miss it dearly and would do anything to be able to go back!

Dressed Up and Crazy

Making Grandma dress up, march around our house with instruments, jump on beds, jump off beds, and dance is so much fun! Thanks Grandma!

bathing

I don't remember swimming much in my clothes when I was younger, nor can I remember "bathing" in the pool for that matter. Probably because my mom realized that taking a "bath" in a saltwater pool would in fact require a real "bath" when finished. These 2 sillies think it is the best fun EVER to go swimming in clothes, or even naked too (that's a whole different story). AND thier new favorite is when we announce it's bathtime in the pool.
P.S. I promise that doesn't happen very often.

Virginia Getaway

Toward the end of July, me, my mom, my sister, and the kiddos hopped in my van for a Road Trip to VA! 16 hours later, we arrived at our destination...I still think I was kicking and screaming the whole way due to our unexpected amount of hours held hostage in the van with 2 kids. If 16 hours wasn't enough for one day...we then piled back into the van for another 8 and headed to New Jersey to see cousins and aunts and uncles! Only to pile back in the next day and head back to VA. Yes, that is a total of 36 hours in the car in just 3 days. However, we did have a blast and made some fabulous memories.

Riding the ski lift to our tubing ride.

Our first "Build a Bear" experience=success. Bryce is still sleeping with his frog that he named Nicholas Brandon???

Enjoying a day trip to the caverns.

Check out our wave rider at the indoor waterpark at our resort. I think Bryce was the only boy under the age of 15 that was brave enough to try this crazy ride.

Note for next time: Hailey is NOT a fan of hiking in the woods. And Bryce goes running for shelter if you even mentiont the word BEAR.

Funny lollies during one of our day trips in the car!

Treasures

We went to the park last night before bed. After digging around in the sand...these are the items that my kids found and said were "treasures" for me and that I should keep them forever. Well, of course I"ll keep them, but only in digital form.

Kansas

It's always fun to visit Kansas in the summers. We do lots of relaxing, visiting with family, eating, hunting, and fishing. The kids especially love it because everyone there is so laid back. Therefore, there are little restrictions on bedtimes, naps (for the Miss), junk food, car seats (hence riding in the back of pick-ups), dinner times, etc... It's a nice change from my routines here in Florida. They keep asking when they're going back.
Thanks so much to Jeff and Regan for allowing us to crash their house for an entire week.
Brody and Bryce chilling in the back of the pick-up.

Bryce's first catch all by himself.

Hailey and her new BFF, Minnie.

Bryce's first BB gun. All he wanted to do was to "go and shoot stuff."

Fireworks on the 4th.

Jet Ski riding at the lake.

Some tubing action for Jeff and Brian.

Hailey and Morgan playing at the lake...fast friends.

A day at the park in the beautiful 80 degree weather.

Brian and his mom, Shelia

4-wheeling out in the country aka The Carson's house.

This is my favorite. Grocery shopping in the country.

Look at this cutie, Cash...it's fun to catch toads.

Bryce and Hunter catching goldfish in the horse tanks.

The family out to dinner for Shelia's birthday.

Gramma and her kiddos.

Family shot.

Uncle Jeff and his buds.

The cousins...Cash, Bryce, Hunter, Morgan, Hailey

Best Place on Earth

If you ask either of my kids what their favorite place to visit is they will say Sea World. We headed that way last week and loved every minute of it. Sorry for the crazy amount of pics, but we just love it that much. Eating dinner with the sharks...for real!

Going through the new sting ray exhibit. This was the view if you looked up.

Bryce loving the stick-your-head-in-there-aquarium.

Bryce and Aunt Bri.

Bryce's new career ambition...to be a whale trainer. We bought him this rashguard complete with Shamu whistle to get his practice on. What do you think?

I was shocked that the miss went right up to Shamu for a hug...she even tried to butt the poor boy in front of us out of his pic before her turn. Progress for being so shy.

A concerned Hailey as she talks with Aunt Bri and watches Shamu jump.

Posing with Elmos and Abby...scared of Elmo and friends, but not Shamu?

A little late...

but worth it! When I was downloading my pictures today, I couldn't help but love the moment in this one...the kids giving Daddy gifts on Father's Day morning.

Happy Father's Day again, Babe!