Tuesday

The beach was really thin/narrow/shallow this year and with the high tide about the time we were all set up and ready to play, our men had a fabulous idea.

Build a trench in front of our tents so the water would stop before wrecking our stuff. It worked!






It's Pizza Night! That's our dinner night. We start making pizzas around 5:45 and I don't know what time we stop, well we stop when there is no more dough! But it's so much fun.





These boys crack me up. They are best friends, and have been since what seems like birth. Joshua is on the left and Owen is on the right.

They were discussing the type of pizza and what toppings like their fathers discuss who to select for the NFL draft.






Mmm...so good!


All 13 children.



Today is Rebekah's 9th birthday!! Happy Birthday Rebekah!


Therefore, as part of the evening's festivities (since it's our pizza dinner night) all the kids get gifts.





Each girl got a few items that were girlie and the boys opened a bag of toys that included a football, some parachute characters and other small stuff to play with.

Going to bed tonight we began discussing this "Hurricane Earl" situation. Hopefully we'll know more tomorrow.

Monday

Monday morning started off with an outdoor yoga class! How fun is that?







Ellery & Caleb Young



After nap time (also the time us mom's baked in the sun by the pool), the kids have fun in the pool with the whole family.







We have gotten into the habit of feeding the kids and putting them to bed before we even think about eating ourselves.



Each night a family is in charge of preparing dinner. We have some pretty fabulous meals. All credit goes to Courtney for these pictures. I was to busy eating to even think about my camera.






This is one time of the day that really look forward to on vacation. Just a chance to sit and laugh and hear old stories fills my heart.

Beach Trip 2010

We headed out for the annual beach trip today! 6 families brought together through college relationships, years later with a ton of kids and stronger friendships; this is the vacation we look forward to all year long.

It's a tradition to stop by Pierce's BBQ on the way down to the Outer Banks.

It was a beautiful day for a picnic and Ellery LOVED to run around the yard and play with the dogs.





You can see the car was so packed there was just enough room for the passengers left over after all the necessary beach gear was loaded in the car.



Finally, a chance to catch up after all the kids were put down to bed.



It's gonna be a good week!!

Shower Tile

My Sweetie.

He finally finished tiling our master shower this week. I am beyond proud of him.



This guy had maybe 4 hours a weekend available to tile, which is why it's taken months to complete this project. He has been so dedicated to this project, but that doesn't surprise me at all; he's a pretty dedicated guy.



I can not even tell you the MESS we have lived in when it came to this project.
A tile wet saw in the middle of the bathroom.
Black plastic taped to the closet doors.
Towels all over the floor with a big blue tarp on top.
Chunks of cut tile on the countertop.
Tile samples on the floor.
Tiny spacers sprinkled everywhere.

Ugh. I wont even tell you the events I prepared for during this construction. Thankfully a tile saw is the perfect height for a hand held mirror to set on while you do your make-up with natural light!

Anyway, when I found out he would be finishing up on Tuesday I did everything I could to show him my support. That included standing in the bathroom and talking about "nothing" and then finally crawling into bed and reading while he walked past me to cut tile outside on the deck.

Grouting is scheduled for Saturday and then it's more waiting for the shower glass surround.

My Sweetie. He's such a great guy!!

Dinner

Started making dinner around 4:00.

Nothing spectacular, just had a moment to chop some veggies so I took advantage.

Finished making dinner at 5:45ish (hoping we could eat as a family at 6).

Ellery ate around 6.

I re-heated dinner so Cary and I could eat a little after 7.

Now it's 8 and I have to clean the kitchen.

But first I need to work on my attitude (about cleaning the kitchen).

What did I make?
Zucchini & Yellow Squash Gratin
Lemon Chicken
Rolls (the frozen kind, don't give me credit for more than I deserve)

18 Months

Happy 18 month birthday Little Miss!!



This series of pictures totally captures a late afternoon moment that she and I have, pretty frequently.

One word,

JOY.







Your laughter takes my breath away; that's the only way I know how to describe it.









There are moments when we are riding the car and I turn to give you a smile, you smile back and point that adorable tiny finger towards me and with your eyes say, "YOU." That's all that it takes, a small motion and pointed finger to make me feel like the most important person on the planet. My heart swells.



I miss my tiny baby. The one who I would nurse to sleep. The one that stared into my eyes as I swayed and sang to her by the crib.

But I love the giggles, random pats on my leg while I'm in the kitchen.

Every day you say something new, which guarantees me a good laugh every day.

My favorite is when you run down the hallway calling "MOMMY....MOMMY" and I get to answer to run out to you in just enough time for you to reach my legs and say, "Hug?!"

I simply can not get enough of you my sweet Ellery Cellery.

Thanks for the best 18 months of my life!

STATS:
22 lbs. 3 oz.
31" long

Birthday Boy

Today is Cary's 34th birthday.

Life seems strange to think that I'm married to a man that is in his mid-thirties. But that's just me getting hung up on a number.

Last night we were trying to figure out how old he was when we met. I think we decided he was 26 & I was 24.

Cary is an A-mazing father.



He is such a determined man, focused (for the most part, that is unless a movie is on TV when he's walking through the room) and committed.



This little girl looks up to him with sparkle in her eyes.



And I adore him.



Happy birthday Sweetie! We love you to pieces!!