Daddy's Girls

We just got back from a great week with family in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Yaya and Capn have no idea how much it means to us that they make this happen. We can thank them and tell them, but it doesn't come close to explaining just how much. And the times the kids get with them are priceless.    It started last Saturday with us leaving Baton Rouge at 4:45. By 7:45 we were going through the tunnel and by 9:00 we were having breakfast with Josh, Hailey and the boys at a restaurant by the beach.    The kids spent the week playing in the sand, ocean and pool and making memories.   The grown ups spent the week watching them and enjoying each other's company with a few "grown up drinks"   We had a few rainy and windy days but it never stopped the fun. When we couldn't be on the beach, we let the kids swim in the pool or play in the sand under the house.  On Tuesday we celebrated Rachel's birthday at the house and then Yaya and Capn kept all of the kids so the M...

Another school year is done   I can't believe it's Lilli's last day of 1st grade! She technically won't be done until Wednesday but she's missing the last 3 days so that we can go to the beach with all the "deer camp family." She's made straight A's all year and her Dad and I couldn't be more proud. She's missing the awards ceremony on Monday too so I'll be curious as to what awards she got when we get back. But we couldn't leave before her AR water slide party.       Kids that met their reading goal for 3 out of 4 nine weeks got to go and most of her class was there. It was a fun party for her last day. There were a few tears shed after we left. She's going to miss the friends she made this year but I promised we'd call some of them over the summer. The tears were short lived though because she switched to excitement as we left for Baton Rouge and the beach! Congrats Lilli Leigh! I can't believe you're a 2nd grader....

It was a busy day celebrating the end of the school year for both girls. It's also Katie's last day of school. She really has a week left but we leave for the beach on Friday so she'll miss the last 4 days.     She's grown. I wish her hair wasn't in a ponytail so the hair difference could show. :) First Friends had a jumpy and then pizza and ice cream to celebrate their end of year.     She's especially going to miss Britney. I've already told her Mama that we need to have lots of play dates this summer.  From there, we met Lilli at Brownlee Park for the 1st grade end of year picnic. She's going to sleep good tonight! She and her group of friends ran around for 4 hours. Katie was there the last hour and they are all always so sweet to include her.       Lilli has 1 1/2 more days and then we are off to Baton Rouge for one night before we head to the beach on Saturday. So excited!!!

                                Happy Mother's Day!    Of course I'll always miss my Mom and she'll always hold a special place in my heart but I'm so lucky to have Nana, Yaya and Honey as Moms to me too.  We spent the day at the lake yesterday celebrating with Yaya. We had Capn's burgers, the kids swam for hours and we went for a boat ride.    Then I woke up this morning to my Mother's Day present. Matt had the diamond from my Moms ring (Nana's original engagement diamond) put in a new setting. I went to have it checked about a month ago and the setting was cracked and the diamond was loose so he picked a new setting and is having something done with the original gold band. I can't wait to see what!    He did good. :) I'm a lucky Mama to get to be Mom to my 2 girls and lucky to have such a good Daddy to go through this crazy life with too! 

It was Matt's turn to celebrate with Katie today. He drove her to school and they had breakfast together.      And apparently Katie thinks all her Daddy likes to do is hunt and fish. (I guess that's not far from the truth :)  It's amazing that I take her to school and drop her off everyday with no excitement but Matt does it and it's the best day ever! They love riding in his truck and he's the best Daddy ever for making sure he's there for this stuff. Happy Fathers Day, Matt! (A month early;)

I can't tell you how much I have loved getting to celebrate Mothers Day with each of my kids at their schools this week. They had both made me a flower pot with their fingerprints that I will cherish forever.     Katie's school even had these notes which were so sweet but also hilarious! I love that I'm 80! :)      And at Lilli's school they also sang some songs that had me tearing up. Katie tagged along with me to this one and Lilli was the only one with a sibling there, but she didn't seem to care or mind sharing. I love the way my girls love each other. Watching that was The best Mother's Day present I could ever ask for!

Matt and Wesley went fishing Saturday at the farm. He was doing exactly what he wanted to do with some guy time and floating in the canoe fishing. While I was doing exactly what I wanted to do; reading my book while watching the kids playing in the backyard.    I've had friends asked before if it ever irritates me that I'm with the kids while he was hunting and fishing. But really, (most the time) being with them it's exactly where I want to be. And he can go every weekend because he comes home and does stuff like this.   I took a nap, while he hung out with the kids and cooked for about four hours. I'd say that we have a pretty good balance. 😊

I completely forgot to do Katie's birthday interview on her birthday. I did the same thing on Lilli's. I can't believe it took me two whole weeks after to remember, but here we go. 4 Year Old Birthday Interview  What's your... 1. Favorite color? Blue 2. Favorite toy? Baby alive go bye bye 3. Favorite fruit? Oranges 4. Favorite show? The Sandlot 5. Favorite lunch? lunchables 6. Favorite outfits? USA shirt (it's always what they have on as I ask ;) 7. Favorite game? Feeding baby go bye bye 8. Favorite snack? Goldfish 9. Favorite song? Jesus Loves Me 10. Favorite animal? Horses 11. Favorite book? Jesus Loves Me 12. Best friend? Britney 13. Favorite cereal? Lucky charms 14. Favorite drink? Chocolate milk  15. Favorite thing to do outside? Jump on trampoline  16. Favorite holiday? Christmas  17. Favorite breakfast? Peanut butter and honey sandwich  18. Favorite dinner? Daddy burgers 19. What do you want to be when you grow up? A babysitter 

After being out of town 3 weekends in a row, we have thoroughly enjoyed our day at home. Matt left to go fishing with Wesley after my run this morning but the girls and I have spent almost the whole rest of the day outside. They've played in the pool (not phased that it was in the mid 50s last night), jumped on the trampoline and played with animal toys in the grass from 10:30- now except about an hour and a half break we took to watch a movie/nap for Katie.    I am so looking forward to school being out (2 more weeks!!) and this being our everyday. Even my hair is summer ready. ;) At the age of 35 I've change the color of it for the first time. It's got a lot of blonde highlights and even more so in person. Matt had a shocked look on his face every time he saw me for the first 24 hours. But I think he likes it. ;) Hello summer! 

I've been so fortunate to be able to be room mom for Lilli's class this year. I have really enjoyed being more involved with the school and getting to go on all the field trips. We went to Gators and Friends today and I let Katie tag along this time too.  We had two other little boys with our group and everyone had fun feeding the animals, holding the baby, and watching the big gators get fed.      This was the first year Apollo had ever gone here for a field trip and they had it scheduled from 9 to 1:30. That's a little long for gators and friends so the buses pulled out around noon and Lilli got to come home with me. It's hard to believe that two weeks from today is her last day of school! And there's another field trip and a waterslide party in there too. Pretty much over!

We combined two of KatieJane's favorite things on Saturday when we celebrated her 4th birthday with a Beauty and the Beast party at Jubilee Zoo. There were 32 of us (including the babies) and I think everyone had a great time. There were pony rides (the Birthday girl's favorite)    Feeding the smaller animals and playing      And a hay ride to feed the big animals      And of course no Beauty and the Beast party would be complete without Belle       We cut the party a little short to avoid the storm that was coming but the kids didn't mind. We went from there to the deer camp for crawfish and to play with Katie's new slip n slide.    I love the sweet memories that are made when all the cousins are together. Happy Birthday KatieJane!