A week at the Beach!

After spending a week in Fairhope we drove about 45 min. to Perdio Key and met my family there for a week at the beach. TJ and Tyler had such a great time playing with their cousins and enjoying the sand and waves. We have been going to Perdio Key for 5 years and we really love the area and of course the family time is WONDERFUL.

I will post more pictures from our week at the beach when I get them from my mom and brother!!!!

The U.S.S. Alabama Battleship

This morning we visited the U.S.S. Alabama. We were so proud of the way TJ went up and down the steep steps in and out of the ship. He was a real trooper. Tyler didn't really want to be carried but we knew there was NO WAY he could keep up with us. So I strapped him to me and he did a good job too! They also had a field with extra air craft and as you can see TJ found a JEEP! We toured the submarine and then called it a morning.

July 4th!

The evening of July fourth we went down to the Fairhope Pier and enjoyed a beautiful fireworks display. It wasn't too hot and the boys did a great job. TJ didn't really like the fireworks at first but since they lasted for 20 min. he finally got used to them. Tyler loved them from the beginning. He would say "BOOM" every time one of the fireworks went off.

Early Birthday Present

Today we took the boys to a ceramic shop to make me an early birthday present. I have always wanted a plate with the boys hand prints on it and I have never taken the time to do it. So there was a pottery shop in Fairhope that had all kinds of paint-able plates. I chose a platter and Chuck painted it using the boys hand prints as the "flowers". We let TJ paint a tractor (which he LOVED) and it ended up being a great family outing. It will defiantly be on our list to do again.

Vacation Tent

We started our two week vacation on June 28th. We drove to Fairhope, Alabama and rented a house there for a week. Chuck and I have been going to Fairhope (the small town my mom grew up in) with my mom for about 10 years. This was only the third time we had stayed a whole week and we still enjoyed everyday!

Before we left Chuck and I had been to Ikea with some friends. Tyler had really enjoyed the tent they had on display. He would just climb in and out - in and out. So Chuck and I thought it would be a good idea to surprise the boys with a new toy when we got to our vacation house. That was the best $10.00 we have ever spent. The boys spent countless hours playing in that tent the week that we were there. When we arrived it was the first thing we got out of the van and the boys played in that tent the whole time we unpacked! I am SO thankful when we actually have a good idea as parents!!!!

Cocoa Puffs Beard!!

I am finally getting the chance to update my blog before we leave for our family vacation. We have had a few busy weeks but I didn't want to miss out on the chance to blog some of our summer memories.

We had a great time at VBS last week. On Friday when I told TJ that it was the last day he said, "mommy, I want a lot more days of bible school". I am SO thankful that he had a great time. Tyler had a great week as well. He got to do some things that he had never done before. His teachers had a craft for him each day and at the end of the week they gave me a scrapbook page that showed what he had done that week!!!

Although we had a great week both the boys came home with colds and needed a little "mommy and daddy time". So Sunday morning we stayed home from church and enjoyed some much needed family time. I bought some Cocoa Puffs (since they were on sale and I had a coupon - I hardly ever buy the boys sweetened cereal) because I knew all three of my boys (including Chuck) would LOVE them. I was right!!! Tyler looked so cute with his Cocoa Puffs beard I just had to take a picture of him and post it on my blog.

We have some friends from Mississippi that will be in town this week and then we will be gone for the next two weeks, so it may be a few more weeks before I can "blog" again.

Happy Father's Day !

We had a very low key day to celebrate our GREAT DAD!!! As you can see Chuck still had "diaper duty" even on Father's Day. We spent last week at my Aunt's house since Chuck is working close to her home for three weeks this summer. We had a great time but we were happy just hanging out at home for the weekend. This week I will be taking the boys to VBS at our church - we are SO excited. I think it will be a great week!

End of year parties!

Today TJ and Chuck both had end of year parties with Hawaiian themes. Tyler and I were able to attend TJ's party at his preschool. Tyler thought he was one of the "big kids" and really enjoyed him self.

Sea World

We just LOVE Sea World. We thought we would take the chance to go out before the HEAT and the CROWDS decided to go. It was a little hot but we still had a great time. Tyler is really starting to enjoy our family outings since he can particpate a little more. I am so thankful for our sweet boys and for the time we get to spend together as a family making good memories.

Swim Lessons

TJ took a few weeks of swimming lessons at the Y. Money down the drain!!! He cried the first two lessons and then only did what HE wanted to the last two lessons. He learned nothing and he will still not attempt to swim. He LOVES the water and wants to play in the pool but doesn't really see the need to "swim"!!! We are praying that as the summer continues he will get the desire to swim.

Happy Mother's Day!

I have had a WONDERFUL Mother's day. Chuck really went out of his way to make today and this whole weekend special for me. Chuck ALWAYS helps me out and makes me feel special so for me to notice that he has stepped it up really means a lot. Today he did some extra special things. This morning he took TJ out to get my van vacuumed and washed. He knows how much I love a clean car (but I never want to do it myself)! Then we met my family for brunch at a new restaurant, Village Tavern. I had the best shrimp and grits I have ever had in my life. We will definitely be going back there! TJ asked as we were finishing brunch if there would be any fireworks since we were celebrating mom today!!! I told him that in a few years if he wanted to plan fireworks for me on Mother's day that I would LOVE it!!!! When we finished lunch I told Chuck I wanted to go to IKEA (he doesn't like IKEA with kids but he took us anyway)! Then this afternoon my mom and I went and got pedicures - I NEVER get a pedicure, but I could get used to it!

Tonight after dinner my sweet boys presented me with a beautifully decorated cake. It finished a wonderful day of "celebrating mom" (as TJ kept saying).

At my house I feel like as a mother I am celebrated everyday. Chuck does such a great job of thanking me for all I do and he has the boys do the same. But, I have to say that today was extra special and I am so thankful to be a mom.

Saturday Night Service

My sister and her husband have been attending the Saturday night service at our church. We decided to join them this Mother's day weekend so we could all go out for brunch on Mother's Day. We really enjoyed the service. This picture was taken just before we left for church. All I wanted was one good picture with both my boys. It was nearly impossible to get both of them happy, so my mom decided to hold Tyler. He still wasn't "picture perfect". Oh well, maybe next Mother's day we will have better luck.

Getting Ready for Mother's Day

TJ and Chuck decorated a cake for Mother's Day. When they were finished decorating the cake Chuck thought it would be fun to decorated TJ. It was so cute to watch TJ try to lick the icing off his face. I am not sure if they had more fun decorating my Mother's day cake or TJ. Either way it was fun to watch.

Friday Night Playdate!

My mom came over and got the boys to "play" tonight. Since Chuck and I had a few minutes we thought we would go out in the front yard and work in a few of our beds. When we got outside, mom was in her front yard with TJ and Tyler. They had wanted to stay outside and read books. Tyler was SO cute as he sat in the chair and "read" the books. We have been waiting a LONG time for him to interested in books. He has been read to since he was a baby but the books never held his attention. So the fact that he actually looked at the book makes me think that our persistence is finally paying off.

We have our POOL back!

The boys got in the pool tonight for the first time this season. It took us a few weeks, but we finally got rid of the ducks. I think the boys really liked the ducks but Chuck and I were not as fond of them. Our outdoors man neighbor let us borrow his grandfather's 65 year old stuffed hawk. It only took one time over the fence to see the hawk and they haven't been back since. We only kept the hawk for about 24 hours. We are not used to having "animals" around the house. So we were all excited to finally get our pool to ourselves and for it to be warm enough to get in (well, almost warm enough, Tyler was a little cold). Tyler enjoyed playing around the pool with the "duck". He knows how to "quack" and talk to the duck!!! TJ has gone to the Y twice to swim in the pool and has been scared both times. So tonight when he jumped right in our pool we were excited. There is something about the pool at the Y that he doesn't like. He starts swimming lessons on Saturday so I am praying that that will go well!