August

Well, August has been interesting because my camera died at the very beginning so most of the month passed without pictures. But we did capture a few things towards the end of the month and the kids had school pictures taken. I didn't know they were going to get a shot of the two kids together so I was very glad I happened to match the kids! They did a good job of getting them both to look at the camera and then to get smiles!!! Get out of town! Anyway, in uploading, I put them in reverse order... so if you are one of those chronological people, scroll down and go up! :)

Tripp's 1 year old Mother's Day Out Picture

Kaylen and Tripp together - the only year they will be in MMO together.

Kaylen's 4 year old/Pre-K MMO Picture
Kaylen and Tripp are playing together well these days. It is fun to watch them entertain each other. They are starting to make each other mad as well. It's fun to just sit back and watch.

These next two are of Tripp on the phone. He cracks me up when he gets a phone. He carries on serious conversations. I have no idea what he is saying but he is going after it. I know it is hard to see but he does have my phone and is chatting up a storm on it.

This is always his mood. I love this guy!

Kaylen is so good with Tripp. I love to watch her with him. They have the best time together and no one makes Tripp laugh like she does.

Tripp is a paci kid if I have ever seen one. He absolutely loves it and has to have it at all times. If you can find a paci and give it to him, all will be well with him.

Have you noticed that both of my little ones have a sunburn? I feel so bad that I didn't keep them screened up. I guess it was bound to happen at some point. It really wasn't that bad and they didn't even act like they noticed. It just bothered me.

Allen took both kids out for a swim. They had a blast. I wouldn't go out there because I couldn't see the ground I was stepping on. I am not okay with that!

Kaylen had a blast playing with the sand. This is the best "floatie" that she has on. If your kid is learning to swim, I highly recommend it. It holds them up, their arms are free and you can take out parts of the flotation out slowly to get them more accustomed to keeping themselves up slowly.

Tripp loved the sand.

Daddy got Tripp in the water with a regular diaper on. It was gigantic after he got out. Too funny!

Daddy and Tripp. He loves his daddy so much! It is fun to see that bond they have.

And this one is from a while ago but it is too cute to pass up. :) Look how much smaller he is!

New Car

For some reason I keep forgetting to say anything about our new car. But since I dont really have a good way to take pictures and havent taken any in a while, I thought I would show you guys a picture of our new car. Our neighbors are calling it the Swagger Waggon and it is a Buick so I guess I will be turning 52 on my next birthday. All that said, (and this is really going to make me sound old) it is a really comfortable ride and has room enough for all of my friends and family (8 passenger). So if you would like to go somewhere with me, just let me know! :)

Soccer Practice

Kaylen started soccer this year. She looks so cute out there! This is her first try at an organized sport. I think she is really going to like it when she starts having games. The practices are really cute. It has been so hot lately so she has complained about that. The girl loves putting her shin guards and cleats on. She is having a blast out there and I think I look forward to practice as much as she does!

Kaylen's first day of Pre-K

Kaylen was so excited to start her first day of Pre-K. She seems to really like Ms. Shelly and knows almost all of her class from the last two years of school. Alexis is back this year and that is her best friend in her room. Rylie has joined her school this year and they see each other on the playground sometimes. Tripp started the one year old class this year so he is there Monday-Wednesday-Friday. We are looking forward to another wonderful year!

Stay Tuned...

I do have new material coming very soon. I forgot to bring the camera in today but I have some first day of school and soccer practice shots coming.

Kaylen is doing amazing. Some key things she is up to these days are:
- counting to 100 by tens and twenty by ones
- reading really well. Has now begun to sound out words. She also uses context clues to guess at words she isn't sure of.
- makes up songs all the time. The words to the songs are hilarious.
- completely self sufficient to play on computer. Has even bought an I tunes song. We had to stop that.
- Her writing has gotten much better. She is now writing her name and can write notes like Mommy, I love you. Kaylen
- She is shy in crowds and is usually quiet. At home is a different story.
- She is really good to watch out for her brother at school. She spent an entire recess waving at him on the little kid's playground from her own. Neither of them played, they just waved at each other.
- She loves to tickle people and she is so animated with her eyes.
- She is quick-witted... sometimes to a fault.
- Her prayers are so sweet and she is really thoughtful when it comes to her friends.
- She still gets excited to show us her poopies but she has been sufficiently potty-trained for about a year.
- She loves to help clean and cook.
- She plays well by herself in her room or anywhere for that matter.

Tripp is up to no good these days. Some things noteworthy from him are:
- He is serious about food.
- He has a temper when you aren't giving him a bite of what you are eating.
- He is now saying juice whenever he wants something to drink.
- He is attached to his paci.
- He is extremely mobile and you will find him getting in to something that you never would have thought he could find or reach.
- He can open the back door and go outside if you don't deadbolt it shut.
- His 2 favorite places to play downstairs are the dog food bowl and the toilet/plunger.
- He very much enjoys life and wants to play all the time.
- When he is sleepy he wants to be put in his bed and left alone.
- He would rather be put down and running around getting into something than being held.
- He likes throwing things like balls, food, anything he can pick up...
- He thinks that it is funny to hit and be rough. (Not sure how that will affect spankings effectiveness!)
- When he gets upset he falls out on the floor and cries alligator tears.
- When he does something wrong and you say no sternly and have an upset look on your face he falls apart. Slap his hand and he laughs. Go figure.
- Life is a big game these days and he enjoys each day to the fullest. He keeps this momma hopping while he is awake!

A video of T walking

I have been meaning to put this video up for a few weeks now. Sorry it took so long. :)

June

June was a blur and a blast. Here are the kids playing together in the back yard. Kaylen is becoming such a great big sister. I can already tell that she might be a little on the bossy side but she is also very loving.

One of my favorite things with the kids these days is morning time. I love the time when Tripp wakes up and plays in the bed with us until he decides he is starving and starts screaming. It is usually a good 30 minutes of sweet kisses and cuddles. Definitely moments I will treasure.

Here the kids are playing on the bed in the hotel on our way down to the gulf.


We were all having fun wrestling and taking pictures.

Once we were there we got to the beach as soon as we could because we were afraid of the oil hitting shore. It never did while we were there but we also didn't go back to the beach except for a sunset and sunrise walk.
Here is Kaylen in the hotel waiting to go to the beach.

Once we got there of course Tripp was ready for a nap but we gave him some goldfish (which he quickly dumped out and covered in sand) and he was content.

He is still eating... that is all this kid does!

Here he is sitting near Kaylen and Allen. They were building a mote and filling it with water. He was just eating sand.

You can sort of see the sand in his hair in this shot. I was miserable because I felt like I couldn't keep the sand out of his mouth. It really grossed me out. I have no idea how people do babies on the beach.

Here they both are playing in the sand. It looks like Tripp is already trying to pass a little of the sand he was eating.


Kaylen had such a good time collecting the water and filling up her mote.

Allen was being such a great dad playing in the sand with the kids. I was their photographer because I didn't want to get anymore sand on me.

Tripp got in on the digging action every now and then.

I got Allen to take a picture of me with the kids just to prove that I was really there. :) You moms out there know what I mean. We are always behind the camera!


This was a fun day out at Baytown Warf. They have really upped their game since the last time I was there. They had all kinds of fun things to do there.

Kaylen was Tripp's driver for most of the trip. She drove a little crooked most of the time but that made Tripp like it all the more.


Here Kaylen is doing the bungee jump. She really liked it.

Kaylen and her Daddy. She is starting to really become more of a Daddy's girl. I love these pictures of the two of them.

She was posing it up this day. We have the cutest videos of her dancing while we were at lunch. Little ham.

Allen with both the babies. Sweetness. And amazing that all three are looking and fairly pleasant. :)

Sweet Tripp taking a nap. He rarely does this outside of his crib. He is a little man that likes his own bed.

The rest of these beach pictures are a hair-brained idea I got when walking along the beach the last night of our trip. We weren't dressed or ready for pictures that night so I decided we would all get up around sunrise and go out and take them. We were staying in an awesome hotel that was right on the beach. So I figured it wouldn't be a big deal. I didn't take in to account the fact that my family does not rise early and furthermore, gets really irritable if you make them! Mostly my daughter. She is like a teenager! She will sleep until 10 am if I let her. Anyway, it was mostly a disaster in lieu of meltdowns and totally distraught kids but we did get a few good pictures.
















These last three are from a boat trip on lake Guntersville. It was good to get out on the water. I hope we can do this a few more times this season.


Tripp was loving the front of the boat. He is an adventure seeker these days.


This is the sunset we saw on our way back from dinner at Top of the River.