Beach Babies!

As always, we had a fabulous trip to Seagrove Beach! We got into town last Saturday and headed straight to the upper deck at Bud and Ally's for some snacks and a drink (Lemonade for the kiddos and a cold beer for the adults!)  The weather was beautiful and the water was so clear! It was a great start to our vacation! We spent the afternoon on the beach! The kids just love it and it makes it so much fun for us!
Sunday was a VERY stormy day. I dont think we have ever been down there when it rained ALL.DAY.LONG! We put together some puzzles and even braved the beach for about 45 minutes between rain showers! When Monday morning came around it was nothing but sunshine and blue skies!

We literally spent the entire week on the beach! Jack just LOVED playing in the waves. He would stay out there for hours. He pretended that the he wasn't paying attention and then all of a sudden the waves would knock him over! He learned to ride the waves in all the way to the sand and even got some good boogey board time in too!
Most afternoons we had a perfect tidal pool in front of our place. It was just the right size for Lucy. She really thought she was big stuff without her floaties on! They would race across the sandbar and jump right into the pool! This was the first beach trip we have taken where the kiddos never got all dressed up (GASP!!!) and went out to dinner! We just were having the best time hanging out on the beach in the early evening! We ate on the deck most every night. The kids were worn out from all of the sun and swimming! We did manage to get out to Seaside a couple of times for lunch, but really enjoyed just hanging out together!
We got to spend the week with the Stephens' right beside us! It is always so much fun to be at the beach together and the kids LOVED being next door and getting to play together all week! We even got to sneak out the four of us one night after the kids went to bed (Scott's aunt was with them and agreed to stay with the kids!) We went to Bud and Ally's and had the best dinner and enjoyed some adult time!
Wednesday night Steven did his big low country boil for FOUR families! That is 9 adults and 8 kids! It was one of his best ever! He does it every time we are down there and it is always SOOOO good! There was a ton of it and VERY little leftovers! We put it all out on one of the tables and everyone had multiple plates! The kiddos loved it too! Lucy is our shrimp eater.... Jack usually can take it or leave it (which is insane.... he genetically should love shrimp based on being our child) BUT Jack really loved it too and had 2-3 servings of shrimp too!
It was such a happy week and we were SO proud of the kids for being so good and having such a great time! One of my favorite memories (and there are a ton) is when Lucy ran out of the water right up to me and squealed "Mommy!! I love playing in that ocean! It is so fun!!!" and then ran right back and jumped in! Both kids have mentioned that they miss the beach! We already have our week booked next year so until then!!! I will let the pictures do the talking!  I know there are a lot.. but they are so fun!

Pool time!

I had to actually get out of the pool to finally get around to posting about Memorial Day and our latest adventures!
We had the ABSOLUTE best Memorial Day weekend! It was the first weekend we spent in the pool...and we spent the WHOLE weekend in the pool! Friday evening we had lots of friends over to play, have dinner and hang out! All of the kids played in the pool and then later in the evening all of the adults got in the hot tub while the kiddos watched a movie in the basement! It was just too fun! Poppa and Nunno came down on Sunday to grill hot dogs and hang out! It was just so much fun and very relaxing to have the weekend at home and spend good time with our little family!
In OTHER news... Lucy is doing so great with potty training! She has only had one accident in the last 9 days!!! She is waking up from nap and night time dry too! She is very proud of herself and loves picking out her princess panties! Jack has been the best big brother and is so supportive and excited for Lucy! It is hard to believe we might be done with diapers!
Jack and Lucy have made HUGE strides over the last week in the pool. Tonight Jack was swimming from one side of the pool to the other and he was just so excited about it! Lucy jumps right in with her puddle jumper on and kicks those little legs and she gets wherever she wants to go. It's been a fun week and we have enjoyed spending time in the backyard!
Julie and Elizabeth came over today to spend some girl time by the pool while the boys took all the kiddos to the neighborhood pool! It's not very often that we get to just hang out and chat without the kids around! We had fun appetizers and drinks and laid by the pool! Elizabeth and I spent some time on the floats just relaxing!

Happy babies!

Our little fish!

Cheers to a successful 35 day challenge! 

Best buddies!

Mommy missed her wine and cookies!

Happy babies snuggling for a movie after a long evening of swimming!

Adults enjoying the hot tub!

She is just a mess! But at least she got out of the pool to tee-tee!

Kiddos eating by the pool!

Adults eating by the pool!

Lucy the mermaid!

Life it tough!

Jack was so happy that he swam all the way across the pool by himself!

Girls day by the pool!

Lots of Family time...and a graduation!

I thought a little bit about Jack's graduation from Pre-K.  I knew we wanted him to graduate with all of his buddies from Woodchase in Smyrna. Even though we have been gone about 7 weeks, it was where he had been since he was 18 months old.  It was after work on a Thursday night and we were making our way across town after a hectic day. I was excited for him and knew it would be sweet. My parents came to meet us and it was fun to see all of the teachers and their buddies. It started out with a cute show with songs and some speaking parts by the kids..... then the slideshow started. Well maybe it was more of the slow heartfelt songs they played with it about friends. Gracious...the tears started flowing. I think a sob even slipped out. I was not quite prepared for the overwhelming emotional response. There were the pictures of all the little ones in Jack's class over the years. All the memories and the reality that this stage of life is over for us with him. AND THEN.....here they come in their caps and gowns smiling and proud. I think my eyes were puffy the next morning.
We are so proud of Jack and his gentle nature. He is so very smart and always sincere in everything thing he does and says. He is a sweet child that makes our life a happier place every day. Exciting new things to come!

We spent our Friday night in just about the most perfect way possible...we met the Reilly's at Polo Outdoors (Basically a private park and playground INSIDE the neighborhood!) we were the only ones there and took a picnic dinner and the kids played hard! They are having the best time playing together and being neighbors. It is such a treat to get to have best friends down the street. It is really happy! Elizabeth and I sat on a blanket and talked while the guys played Bocce ball and the kids ran around. Are you serious? Is this our life?! Happy times!
Saturday we all headed to Decatur to see Anna's ballet recital. She did such a great job and we loved seeing all the grandkids together! We went to a neat restaurant afterwards and hung out on a big patio while the kids ran around. Steven and I got the night off and left there and went shopping (I got some MUCH needed new clothes!!!) and then went to a fun little restaurant. We got home and I was asleep on the couch in about 10 minutes. Yikes..not quite the romantic evening!
This morning we got up and headed to Gainesville to meet Poppa, Nunno and the kids to go to the Murphy Family Reunion (Granny's side of the family). It is always fun to see all my cousins...and the second cousins! There are SEVEN great grandchildren and they were all there! Granny was proud to have her crew there! We got home and let the kids watch Toy Story while I made some dinner and got ready for the week to start!
It was a really fun weekend with lots of good family time! We are living for this Memorial Day weekend! FOUR days at home with no big plans except for REALLY HOPING for warm weather so we can break in the POOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Steven and I have been doing a 35 day challenge with eating and drinking (and I am doing a competition at my gym too for body fat % loss) and it ends FRIDAY MORNING! I may be having cookie cake for breakfast. Yikes!!! I will be VERY ready for my vino on Friday..... I will try not to have it at breakfast.

Sweet BIG man graduating from Woodchase Academy

Jack and Andrew - Best buddies all grown up!

Poppa with his Jack! 

Proud grandparents!

Jack cooperated for pictures for about a minute. We didn't get a great shot of the four of us, but we have the memories! Ha!

Jack was so proud of Anna!

The five grandkids! It's not always easy to get everyone to pay attention! Please look at sweet Lucy. She was ABSOLUTELY beside herself about the ballet! She loved watching it and thought the ballerinas were so great! She talked about them and their tutus, their pink and their ponytails! 

Granny with her cake! The picture is actually one we have in our house too! Her parents! 

Granny and her crew! All seven great grandchildren were in the picture too!

Nunno getting some really great hugs!!!

This may or may not be what a weekend and Poppa at Nunno's looks like! Ha!

Baby girl always ready for another bite!

This was a picture from Mother's Day (Jack made a beautiful picture with our names on it in the driveway!)

And just for fun! One of our many knock out rose bushes! We even have some ornamental roses along the side of the house! Too fun! 

Disney and Bubbles!

We took the kiddos to Disney on Ice Sunday afternoon at Gwinnett Arena! It was so much fun! We hoped that they would enjoy the show and be excited about the characters.  We could not have imagined they would be SO excited! The show was almost 2.5 hours long and both kids sat the whole time just mesmerized by it! Jack was the most excited about all of the Cars characters and Lucy just squealed and clapped her hands when Tinkerbell came out! It was so much fun to watch their excitement! Definitely an event that exceeded expectations! We headed to an early dinner and came home to play a little before starting our week!
Let me back up quickly to our Saturday at the house. It rained ALL DAY LONG.  We had the best time just playing inside, staying in pjs and watching movies! It was a great day just the four of us!

Today was Jack's 5 year well visit with Dr. G. He was such a big boy and excited about telling Dr. G about his tongue and how big he is now! Jack's physical exam was perfect! 44 pounds and 44 inches! 75% in both height and weight. Everything looked great and he is well ahead developmentally for a 5 year old! He also got to tee-tee in a cup. He thought this was HILARIOUS! Dr. G said his tongue was healing just great! He enjoyed seeing the picture from early last week! Geez! If you have not heard... last Sunday night Jack and Lucy were playing and Jack fell into her and bit his tongue...very bad. We went right to Children's Healthcare Urgent care. 3 days of antibiotics, salt water rinse every 2 hours and soft food diet for 3 days! Yikes! It was quite the experience and as with most things, Jack was such a big boy. He was very brave and handled it great! I would not have been so calm if my tongue was kind of just hanging on!!!!

Tonight we let the kids get in our big bath tub with the jets! It was so fun and they had a blast! Gotta find some good indoor fun on these rainy days!

Someone explain to her that this is not lady like...princess dress up clothes or not!

Rainy Day fun!

Movies and snacks!

Super excited kiddos about Disney on Ice!

WHOA!

Lucy put on a show for all the people around us. Quite the dancer!

Happy girl!

Who doesn't love popcorn!

 

Leonards at Disney on Ice

Look! Look!!! There is Tinkerbell!

Happy kids in the BIG tub!

Bubbles!!!

Is there something on my head?

Let me help you a little...

Bubbles are fun!

Jack has a beard!

Just another day.. Cinderella, gloves, a dress...

Date with Mommy at Subway after the doctor (dont worry..he also got Dunkin Donuts for being so great through a finger prick and a shot!)

WARNING... Dont look if you dont want to... Jack's tongue.