Saturday in the Park

This weekend was marked with the official end-of-summer tradition in our family-Bubby's fantasty football draft. It means that fall is right around the corner, and we'll be busy, busy, busy. We're excited about it all. FOOTBALL is here again, our good friends Dan and MSB are getting married, and Sweet Lucy will be coming home from China at long last. Bring it on, fall! Before we know it, we will be getting ready for Christmas. But in the mean time, we're gearing up for next weekend-UT's first game. Let's Go Vols!

Lazy Saturday morning in the park. I call these the kissing holes. She loves to stick her face through, and look for Bubby or me to kiss.

Taking the swinging bridge with full confidence.

Swinging and checking out the other kiddos on their adventures.

Her new favorite thing at the park-the balance beam. She hops off the end and runs back to the beginning saying "gain!" "gain!" (again).

Summer's Last Hurrah

We had our friends over for the last Saturday night of summer. Here's the precious video of Bonnie and Ansley doing Ring Around the Rosie. So, now summer is over (sigh...), I am getting excited for fall and football season to start. Hooray!

Summertime

Oops! Apologies, everyone. I typed before I posted pictures, so read the bottom, then look at the pictures. Or, for some of you, it's perfect because you can just do what you came here to do: look at the pictures and be done! From the zoo a couple of weeks ago. I would seriously consider building one of these "soft play areas" to cover our back yard. Especially now that Bonnie is in her climbing stage. It would be great, and Bubby wouldn't have to worry about cutting the grass!

Bonnie and Sam living it up at the zoo! They both loved this area, and riding the carousel side by side.

We went to Carnton Plantation on Sunday night for their Summer Concert Series. Sam is rocking out to the Jimmy Buffett cover band. Check out his faux-hawk. So cute!

Bonnie is trying her best to get Gigi to eat a strawberry.

Bonnie is considering joining in on the dancing, but is thinking twice. We later did the limbo. Bonnie was spectacular, but Daddy and I weren't so great, but at least we tried!



Summertime...

...it makes me think of that great tune from Porgy and Bess. Love it. It has been a whirlwind of a summer so far (and I say so far because I am hanging on to my last two weeks of summer by my fingernails). I've either been leaving town or coming back in town every weekend since June 5, and I really wouldn't change a thing. Don't get me wrong, it is nice to put away the suitcases for awhile, but this summer has been great. I am buying a lottery ticket for every draw in hopes that I won't have to go back to school in two weeks...wish me luck! The only comfort of summer ending is that fall will be right around the corner. Another season that I love, maybe the most, if I could combine it with getting a break from work for two months. But at any rate, I cannot complain because I am very blessed.

Most recently we've travelled to Morristown for two showers in honor of Dexter, Melanie, and Lucy. It is getting so close, and the excitement is pretty much out of control at this point. We are counting weeks instead of months, and it's a good thing because we are all so excited. Now she has clothes, and shoes, and a beautiful room filled with great toys and other gifts just waiting on her. It seems so real, and so wonderful. I just can't wait to meet her.

Here are a few photos from our recent adventures. They are dedicated to Aunt Brooksie, who lives in dreary old Manhattan and misses Bonnie and Samuel so. She stays on me to update my blog, and I am grateful, because sometimes I am neglectful of it. Right now, for instance, I would probably be asleep on the couch instead of updating the blog if I hadn't gotten an email from her. So, here you go Aunt Brooksie. We love you, and can't wait to see you in a few weeks!

A Fun Fourth!

Happy Birthday, America! We had fun celebrating the Fourth of July this year. We went down to Franklin on the Fourth. They closed off the streets and had some awesome barbecue, and a fun petting zoo. Well, Aidan at least enjoyed the petting zoo. A goat got a little too close to Bonnie, and she did not like it! She did enjoy riding around and waving her flag, though. I wish I knew how to upload the pictures that Bubby took on his phone onto the blog. Does anyone know how to do that? I have gotten as far as using the power cord (also a USB) and plugging it into the computer. I just don't know what to do after that. I need some help here, and as I am a visual learner, I cannot consult the owner's manual.

Anyway, after Franklin on the Fourth, we went to Guerry and Sallie's for a cookout. We had a great day, and we hope you did, too! The only bad thing about it is that it means summer is going by too fast! Not on the fourth, but I love this one with the watering can-classic summer!

Bonnie and Sam playing on the fourth!

Ansley and Bonnie sporting their matching swimsuits!

Will and Sam having fun in the pool, cooling off!

Seagrove

We had a wonderful time in Seagrove this week with Nana, Da, Uncle Ryan, and Aidan. The weather? Not the best. I think we got the outer bands of Hurricane Alex for about four days. Luckily, we were able to get out to the beach and pool between the breaks. We also had a beautiful day yesterday before we came home. It was fun and relaxing, and we had some great food. Thanks, in part, to Bubby, his dad, Ryan and Guerry catching some yummy grouper and snapper for us!

And no, we did not see any oil or smell it. We did see plenty of BP workers out on the sand looking for it. The captain of the deep sea fishing charter that took the guys out said that there are 126 charters that go out of Destin Harbor. Out of those, only 12 are still fishing. The rest are working for BP, out looking for oil and reporting it. So, it is definitely visible, even though we actuually saw no oil.

We did have two celebrity sightings, though, which is always fun. We saw Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboy and more importantly, former Vol Tight End. We also saw Sean Payton, the coach of the Saints. Don't know what was up with the NFL sightings!

Here are some photos from the trip. We had a lot of fun, and I am really looking forward to sleeping in my bed tonight!

This huge moose came through the restaurant and totally awed Bonnie and Aidan!

Bonnie is having a strawberry at breakfast

Yum! French Toast!

Checking out the pier in Baytowne with Dad

Playing Peek-a-boo in the curtains

She LOVED playing with Aidan and Uncle Ryan!

Aidan loved playing in the tide pools. Notice the weather-not ideal, but it could have been worse!

The rain didn't deter Bonnie one bit. As a matter of fact, we had to chase her down and bring her out of it!

Dad, Bonnie, Guerry, and Sam in the pool. We were lucky to be on vacation at the same time as Guerry, Sallie, and Sam, so we had playdates just like at home!

Bonnie's face is so funny in this picture. We were talking to some people from Franklin, and they were telling us how cute she is. This is the face she was making the whole time. Not sure what it means, but it was cute!

We stopped in Alabama on the way home to let Bonnie pick some blueberries, because she loves them so much. I love this picture of her and Brandon!

Ft. Lauderdale

Somehow, I got lucky enough to go to the beach 3 times in the month of June. Lucky, right? As a matter of fact, Bubby is loading the car as we speak to go to Destin with Nana, Da, Ryan, and Aidan tomorrow. We are excited! Last weekend, I headed to Ft. Lauderdale with some of my girlfriends to celebrate Katie G's (aka Gigi's) birthday. She turned the big 3-0 in style! It was really nice to get away with my girls for a weekend. We always have a great time together, and it has been awhile since we've all been on a trip with just the girls. Here are some photos from our trip:
G, Katie, me, Brooks, and Courtney poolside.

Katie and me in our cabana, our "bed by the sea". Talk about comfortable! These mamas enjoyed getting some relaxation time!

G and me at her birthday dinner at Shulas

Katie and Erin getting some R & R on the beach

Erin, me, Bethany, and Katie after dinner at Yolo. Incidently, you've never smelled more cologne in your life than at a trendy bar in Ft. Lauderdale. Those dudes are serious about their skinny jeans and smelling good!

The Original Big Kids

Here's the picture that inspired the one of Bonnie, Hayden, and Camden on the cooler last week. We were at Portsmouth Island, and I would say it was the mid eighties by the looks of it. We had so much fun on those trips, and used our imaginations well....as you can tell.
L-R: Dexter, Todd, Jay, and me. Ahhh, wonderful childhood memories.