Pictures...

Pictures from last week...

The baseball game with the crazy Reggie character and Vanna White!







Hanging out at the beach and the pool...this first one is Victoria swimming on her own!





Yes, here he is just laying in the sand!




Our night out..



And our attempt at family photos on the beach, the wind was so bad...

We have a swimmer among us....

Victoria and I had a great day yesterday. We started off going to the beach, built a great sandcastle with moat and a pool next door. We splashed around in the waves and took a walk to the pier.

We were supposed to play at the pool with a girl from a neighboring condo, but they were power washing the pool area so no play date.

So, we came home and had lunch, visited the local bead store and by the time we got back the pool area was done. She and I had a great time visiting with a baby at the pool and just playing around. Gran got her some goggles the other day and she has been jumping in with no one catching her! We practiced some swimming without her floaties but every time I let go of her hands she put her feet down. So we practiced a bit more and then she put her floaties back on. A bit later I was sitting out and she decided to practice with no floaties on her own. She gets out to the top of the steps and says she going to push off the bottom step.... as I watch her it was like slow motion for me to realize that SHE IS SWIMMING!!! No floaties, face IN the water, legs kicking, arms going, SWIMMING!!

I about jumped out of my seat, hopped in the pool and gave her a huge hug! So much for me drying off, lol. Her face just lit up as she realized what she had done! Then she kept practicing, pushing off from the step and just swimming away. We said that we'll have to show Daddy later and I made a comment that I would call him but I didn't have my phone with me. A great couple sitting next to us offered their phone and Daddy was soon at the pool watching his little girl swim on her own.

She is so excited to show Gran and Grandpa this morning and talking about her birthday pool party and swimming there next month.

After our pool adventure we cleaned up and had dinner. Then headed to the beach for some family photos. The wind was crazy!!! Trey was running around getting full of sand and therefore covered me in sand when I picked him up. Gran came down to get some pictures of the four of us, BUT all three sets of batteries that I had DIED! AAUGHH! Thankfully Gary had his film camera with us, but there is no telling how those pictures came out and we didn't get any of the four of us on the digital camera. The wind was really bad but I hope we got some shots, I think I got some good ones of the kids but I haven't looked through them yet.

The pool today, Panda movie this afternoon, and then time to pack it all up!

another shadow

While Trey found his shadow on the beach, Victoria has been Gran's shadow all week long! Wherever Gran is you are sure to find Victoria.

Another morning at the beach yesterday, Gran and Grandpa joined us this time. Afterwards, lunch and to the pool for Victoria and Gran. Later in the evening hubby and I had a night out. We ate at Phillips Seafood, delicious crab cakes, stuffed flounder and shrimp but crummy service. Then we walked around Broadway at the Beach... found a scrapbook store, I contained myself and walked out with nothing...then a walk on the beach.

Breakfast out today, Chocolate pancakes... Victoria has been waiting for this breakfast since we got here!

Then to the beach maybe... the pool area is closed for power washing this morning, bummer!! To the park later and some family photos on the beach I hope.

My shadow

This week I am trying to utilize my blog like a journal so I can remember moments to scrapbook about later (at my pace it will 2 years from now when I scrap these pictures).

Soo... this morning we hit the beach. Victoria never liked the sand much when she was little so we were curious about Trey's reaction. He didn't mind the sand at all... he was ALL BOY! Being in the water with me was the part that he didn't like much. He was digging in the sand and walking around. He did walk towards the water and sat right at the edge. Then laid back in the sand and the water... needless to say, he was COVERED in sand from his head to his toes! He really had a good time playing around.

The cutest part was when he found his shadow!! He was just standing on the beach and saw his shadow, then the arms started flapping around like a bird and he was just so interested and curious. He stood there for a good 5 minutes just waving his arms and watching his shadow, so Cute!!

Now he is crawling under my stool and getting himself caught like he is in a cage.

And how dare Grandpa accuse me of stealing and doing his Sudoku puzzle!! He usually has a Sudoku book here at the beach house that we will finish each other's puzzle if you leave it half done. No book this year, but he does the ones in the paper... he just came out of his bedroom and accused me of finishing his puzzle.... I wish I had found it, then I WOULD have done it :) Then he says that saying I would do his puzzle is just as bad as cursing... what are we going to do with him?? I need to make sure to find the paper tomorrow morning and DO THE SUDOKU!

At the beach...

We are currently enjoying a relaxing week at the beach at Gran & Grandpa's condo. So far lots of time by the pool. We went to a minor league All-Stars baseball game last night, loads of fun and are planning to hit to beach this morning. And a night out tomorrow for hubby and I!

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far! I can't believe that June is almost over already. July should be quieter around our house, but we'll see what happens.

A few things about the ballgame that I don't want to forget...

Pelicans is the home team and they were very well represented on the Carolina league All-Star Team. One of the Pelicans won the Homerun Derby! They played against the California league All-Star Team. We sat next to the family of one of the pitchers of the California team, #19. That was pretty cool but I wished they had sat closer so they didn't have to yell up 2 rows all night long!

The Pelican mascot Splash was running around the stadium. Victoria tried twice to get a picture with him, but each time she got near him he was off to perform somewhere. Reggie, the Purple Party guy was awfully silly!! He was out on the field dancing, then his mom Regina showed up and was flirting with the home plate umpire. Reggie was signing autographs at the end of the game, so we thought cool, if we couldn't get a picture with Splash we'll go see Reggie.

All was good while waiting in line... Victoria was going to have him sign the back of her ticket...one of Reggie's helpers was talking to her... all still good... we're next in line... then I hear, "Mommy I don't want to!!" ... she got all upset! And we had been doing so good! So I handed Reggie her ticket which he signed and kissed for her and he tried to talk to her but that about made her worse... no picture with Reggie!

What else... hot dogs of course, Dippin Dots Ice Cream, Cheeseburger and Buffalo Tenders, fries with daddy.

For a little girl who is normally in bed at 7:30 she was great at 10:30pm when the game ended. She was so excited to see the fireworks after the game but once they started she was ready to go home!!! Too loud she said!

One of the best parts was the special guest who threw out the first pitch.... Vanna White!! One of Victoria's favorite things right now is to watch Wheel of Fortune just before bed. So when we saw in the paper that Vanna was going to be there we were very excited. She was riding in the back of a car around the field and we wathhed her as she rode right past us.

And.... The Carolina Team WON!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the great dads!

I am blessed that my dad lives close by and is such a part of my family's lives. Gramps loves to come visit and play with the kids. He was a great dad when I was growing up. I have him to thank for my love of motorcycles (which I have been riding again recently!!) and so much more!!

Dad and Trey on the day he was born ...



And of course I couldn't ask for a better daddy for our children. 'Little Bit' and 'Big Guy', as he calls them, just love their daddy with all their heart and with good reason. He is such a great dad, loves to spend time with them, playing around, reading with them, teaching them science and sports!

Gary and Victoria at a recent baseball game...

Remembering...

Less than 10 minutes after posting about Mrs. Willo last week, we realized that we had lost one of our dogs.

Rocky was our cocker spaniel that we have had for almost 8 years. Gary and Victoria noticed that he didn't come to eat his dinner earlier in the evening and when Gary went to check on him again he realized that he had died in his sleep. Victoria happened to come down after going to bed already and we told her the news. She was quite upset and it took a while to calm her down and get her back to bed. After that night she has been very matter-of-fact about it all. She'll tell someone 'One of my dogs died. He was old and we think he was sick for a while, my dad buried him in the woods in our back yard." All very true but it's crazy how factual she is about it. She has now taken time every day to go out and brush Sammy (our golden retriever) and talk to him, he's been quite sad.

Here are some pictures that I found, they are both quite a few years old, I'm sure I have some more recent ones but these were the easiest to find.

The one is Mr. & Mrs. Willo and Victoria when she was just a week old. Then of course Rocky and Sammy playing at the park.




In other news... It's been a very busy week, we had VBS this past week. Both Victoria and Trey had a great time during the Olympic themed week. Trey and Andrew (a grandson of a close friend who's in the 7th grade) became great buddies. Andrew was so good with Trey and they were giving hugs and kisses before the week was over.

Things have been a bit slow at the gift shop so lately when I go to work I have been bringing my scrapbooking stuff. In the last 2 or 3 weeks I have gotten 14 pages done! This past week I was at the shop Thursday, Friday and Saturday, I think I got 6 pages done. Now the issue is pictures. I have scrapped all the I had ordered and our printer is low on ink... hopefully I can print a few more pictures before the ink totally runs out!

This week is going to be busy too, but I will be home with the kids by myself most of the week. Gary has a local basketball camp Mon- Wed, he'll be home after dinner. Then on Thursday they head to a camp in Tennessee and will be spending the night until Saturday evening. THEN we are supposed to leave VERY early Sunday morning to head to the beach for a week! I'm excited about going, but trying to get ready is going to be a bit crazy with hubby out of town.

I'll try to post some pictures of VBS, my layouts, and Father's Day before we go!

In Memory...

Our dear friend and hubby's surrogate mom growing up, Carolyn Willoughby passed away. Her memorial service was last Tuesday in Peachtree City. Mrs. Willo (as we always called her) was an incredible lady. She was small in size but huge in heart and spirit. She shared her love with Christ with anyone and everyone that she met, always praying with and for anyone she knew. She loved her walks with friends and God. The memorial service was filled with friends and family who loved her and will miss her dearly. There were some wonderful stories told... a few about her love of health food, very untasty health food! Hubby and his brother were best friends with Mrs. Willo's two sons and spent MANY hours at their house. They were lucky enough to be able to ask what was for dinner each night. If it was wheat germ pizza or something similar they would go home and come back after dinner :) But Tuesday nights were Del Taco nights with Mr. Willo and the boys and Sundays were usually safe with Fried Egg Sandwiches. She made spinach pasta before spinach pasta was cool.

We love you and will miss you Mrs. Willo!

I need to look for a picture to scan and post.

Summer Stuff...

• warm days
• basketball camp for Victoria
• basketball practice for hubby
• swinging on the porch
• VBS next week
• dinner on the grill
• family time
• reading
• scrapbooking
• walking
• gym
• climbing - Trey has been doing a LOT of climbing
• friends
• laundry
  
• dishes
• cleaning
  
• budgeting

Thanks for the list idea Jan.

WHY are my bullets not showing up??