Destin 2012

We just returned from a wonderful week in Destin, Florida!  We joined my parents and my brother and his family for a fun filled week at the beach (well, mostly the swimming pool!) 

It was so nice being away and taking time to relax, have fun and get some time in the sun!

The beach is my happy place :)

 Olivia (8), Stella (18 months) and Josie (3)

 My sweet girl got her first tattoo :)  What happens in Destin, stays in Destin..... :)

 Nonni and Popee with the grandkids

 My little family :)

 I love this precious beach bum!!!

 Fun in the Sun!!

 Olivia's B-day Party!!!! 

Cookie cake for breakfast was GREAT!!!!

We have promised my parents a family portrait for almost 5 years now..... It FINALLY happened!!!  We had professional beach pictures taken by Rebecca Knowles.   These are a few of our own pictures, but I cannot wait to see the proofs from Rebecca!!  She was sooo sweet and great to work with!  Yay for a wonderful Destin trip!



Busy Summer!

This is a random post with some fun pics from our summer so far!

We have been busy!

 This picture just cracks me up....

 Josie & my grandfather on his 91st birthday

 hanging out with my favorite girl!

 We babysat the Taylor twins (5 months) --- we love "Baby Graham" and "Baby Reece!!"

Josie loves to babysit!! 

I just realized that I never got a picture of the two together :(

 Aren't they cute?!?!

 Swimming lessons!!!!!!

Josie took swimming lessons for 2 weeks with a few of her friends.  They were so precious!

(Katie Willis, Josie and Olivia)

Josie and Miss Betty (teacher)

Miss Betty also taught Josh swimming lessons almost 30 years ago!! 

We are having so much fun with our precious girl this summer.  Josie and I are getting very spoiled by Josh being home this summer.  He's keeping very busy with his rental property, projects around our house, etc.  He's definitely not sitting still!  We will be so sad come August, but I think Josh is ready to get back into his normal routine.

Josie seriously cracks us up sooooo much.  She has such a cute personality and a wild imagination!  She is constantly singing songs that she makes up, loves to take our "order" as if she's the waitress, talks about her "brother" and "sister" (that's DEFINITELY using her imagination!!!!) and talks on the "phone" A LOT!  She is very big into manners and will quickly correct you if you aren't using proper manners.  For example, she will ask me if her shoes are on the right foot (and after hearing this question a hundred times a day), I quickly say, "yes!"  She will tell me.... "Mommy, you say Yes M'am!"  Our little gal is also VERY observant.  We have reached the point of having to watch what we say in front of her because her little ears are constantly listening.  We will think that she's doing her own thing  while we are talking and then she will ask a question totally related to the subject!  It's like having another grown up in the house!  My sweet girl is also very sensitive these days (more so than ever).  I hear a billion times a day that I have hurt her feelings.  Josh says that she's just like her mommy and I'm sad to admit that she is when it comes to emotions.... such a people pleaser.  I love everything about her and her fun personality :)



Goodbye, May! Hello, June!

May has finally come to a close.... It was a very busy month for us!  Bare with me as I try my best to recap this CRAZY month!

Josie and I started off with a fun trip to Minnesota (see last post) to see my brother and his family.  We were actually gone on Josh's 31st birthday (he said that was okay because he was in the middle of Law School finals).  So, we surprised him with a cookie cake (of course!) when we got home later that weekend! 

 While we were gone to Minnesota, Josie's "school" had field day.  Each class wore a different colored tie dye shirt and had lots of fun activities.  Since we missed it, one of Josie's teachers was so sweet to make Josie feel extra special after our return.  Josie wore her "field day attire" and they had a "mock field day" and Josie was soooo excited, because she said that she won the medal for the big race!!!  (Thanks to Miss Catherine for making her feel so special!)  Doesn't my big girl look so cute (and grown up) in her tshirt and shorts!?!?  :)

We have had some VERY hot weather lately!

 Josie is like her Mommy.... she likes to get some sun!

Due to the hot weather, Josh and I decided to do what all good parents would do (that dont own a boat or have a swimming pool in the yard)..... We created our very own water park!

 Fun Memories!!!

May is also my birthday month.  I had a pretty bittersweet birthday this year.  Granny Kate (my dad's stepmother and the only grandmother I have ever known on Dad's side of the family) passed away after a 9 week struggle in the hospital.  She and my grandfather were in an awful car accident back in March and Granny Kate fought very hard to live, but she ultimately lost the battle and she's gone to Heaven.  We know that she's no longer in pain or suffering, but we sure do miss her.  Unfortunately, we buried her in Jackson on my birthday.  Sad day.

I returned from the cemetery to find that my precious Josie and Josh had made me a delicious birthday cake!  What a great surprise!  They sure do know how to make me feel special!

My dad also had a big health scare this month and we are grateful that he is now recovering and feeling better.  Granny Kate passed away the morning of Dad's surgery.  TOUGH.  DAY.

On top of that, Mott Mott (my maternal grandmother) has been in the hospital in Jackson for a over a month due to a fractured vertebrae in her back and a few other health issues.  So, my parents have really had a tough time lately as Dad would go in one direction to Memphis to check on my grandfather and Granny Kate and then Mom headed in the opposite direction as she checked on my grandmother everyday in Jackson.  I'm SO happy to report that Mott Mott has made it back home to Brownsville.  That makes my heart happy.  She's such a fighter.

We had a great Memorial Day weekend (with NO pictures to share.... shame on me)  We spent a lot of time with family and friends.  It's so fun to get together with friends and their children.  Times have certainly changed and I love this stage in our life.  There's nothing sweeter than hearing the giggles of all the little kids and watching them run and play with such innocence.  Sometimes I wish that I could go back to that age.... just for a moment :)

So, the month of May was certainly full of many ups and downs.  I'm very ready to kick off a new month and I look forward to creating LOTS of fun summer memories!  Two weeks til Destin.... the countdown has begun!  I hear the beach calling my name :)