In August we celebrated our second annual Mick-Piney-Court Galveston trip.

Shannon & Derek were so kind to invite our and another family to their beach house in Galveston.  Unfortunately Leslie and Chris couldn't spend the whole weekend with us but Leslie drove down to Galveston with the kids to join us at the beach for the day. Hurray!

Highlights were: sunset boat rides with Skipper Derek, fishing and especially night fishing in the canal, enjoying food and fellowship with friends, building drippy sandcastles (a Shannon specialty), continually invading Roxy the dog's personal space, and some pretty. great. sangria.

We had a great time visiting with our friends and with the boys all being four this year and the girls being 2, we agreed everyone did a whole lot better with the sand and water and general all-around happiness. The only bummer was our youngest host, Justin, had ear infection issues and just wasn't his usual self. He was a trooper though and definitely participated in most of what we did. Just wish he hadn't been feeling so low that weekend :(

Fishin'


(despite John's utterly bored to death look, he was really excited to fish in the canal. He was annoyed I was taking his picture)



Boatin'



The one-eyed pirates









Beachin'







Posin'


Relaxin'




A Big Thanks to Our Hosts!

As the title of this post suggests, here we go. I've got to get summer out of the way before school starts next week!!

This was one evening when, even though it was hotter than hot, Kyle and the kids went outside to play some ball



the intensity....


the focus.....




Oh, yes...she requested to wear this pettiskirt to play outside. I'm surprised she didn't overheat



Every respectable tutu-wearing football player knows how to catch a pass



TOUCHDOWN!!!!

And this was a random day when I was struggling to balance my perfectionistic love-to-do-crafts-but-not-with-my-toddlers self with a forgiving and grace-dispensing mother of two smallies. Doing crafts/art projects with the kids is a learned skill for me.

Repeat after me:
"I will not freak out. I will not be impatient. I will not tell them how to do it"
"I will not freak out. I will not be impatient. I will not tell them how to do it"
"I will not freak out. I will not be impatient. I will not tell them how to do it,"



Well, I did help them a little. We turned 2 Whole Foods paper sacks into.....
Robot John and Robot Anna!
The kids thought this project was hilarious and we took a walk around the neighborhood in our robot costumes. I hope we gave the neighbors a good laugh.

Lastly, I can't resist posting some videos of Anna's "concerts" for family or anyone else that can stand to sit through them ;) HA!

Here is Anna singing O Holy Night


Here is Anna's Piano Lounge--this one just sounds noisy but the hilarious part is midway through when she hits a high note and shakes her head from side to side like a seasoned singer. I'm not sure where she picked this up but we were cracking up at my mom's house so I had to video it.


And, lastly, (if you've stuck with me this far you deserve a prize!) is Anna singing "Doe A Deer" from the Sound of Music. We haven't watched this movie in ages so I can't believe she busted out with the whole song?

This is a long post....sorry! Trying to make up for lost time and document a few little details about the kiddos personalities that have had me smiling lately.

Tonight as John and Anna were bathing we were talking about our family. John told me he was not ready to be a daddy because he wanted to be a pilot after he was a garbage man. Anna was happily turning a bucket of water over her head and laughing hysterically.
I told them that I was so happy to be their mommy and what would happen if God hadn't given me them....who would make me laugh?
That had them stumped...John proposed that Kyle would be around to make me laugh. I suppose that's true but he wouldn't be around constantly during the day to make me laugh because he'd be at work....thoughtful silence....Anna is still laughing at water all over her face, really not interested in John and I's deep convo.

I haven't blogged much because I've spent most of the summer enjoying these little people that seem to be growing too quickly!

 Here are recent observations on John and Anna's personalities:



John loves analyzing things. This totally reminds me of stories I've head about my dad when he was little. Taking things apart around the house just to put them back together. Just this evening John and I were inspecting the tooth floss dispenser. John looked at all the pieces and muttered to himself "ok, the string starts there....it goes around that thingy (the metal cutter) and you take it off...ok...got it" He is so curious about how things work. Ever since our trip to California (more on that trip later) John has been OBSESSED with airplanes, how the baggage loading conveyer belt works, how the air traffic control tower works, how pilots fly planes.....the questions are endless but we try to feed his curiosity with our best answers. He picks things up so quickly.



Anna has a very funny and charming personality. She LOVES to sing, she sings in the car, she sings at home, she sings at the grocery store, wherever she goes she is usually just singing to herself. The other day at McDonald's the cashier commented on how she just happily sings to herself. Occasionally when she's trying to get someone's attention with her singing, she sings LOUD and truly expects people to clap for her because she puts her hands together and does this coy little smile. It is the silliest thing I've ever seen.

Anna has also developed a habit of acting like a puppy, requiring someone to take her invisible leash and walk her around the house, give her treats, put her in her "cage" (a baby tent) and, yes, clean up her tinkle and poop because puppy Anna makes lots of accidents all over the house. Shame, shame...



She also has an invisible lizard that appeared almost daily for a week. Her name is Pink and Anna happens to find her in the same spot hidden in her bedskirt every evening (freaky, I know). Somehow Pink appeared in California. You know when Pink is around because Anna holds one little hand in a cupped position while doing other tasks. It's difficult to do things as a two year old with only one available hand. But we pet Pink and make sure she is loved until the next time she reappears.

Next week my babies will start their MDO program. They will both be in 3 days a week! I can't believe how big they are and Kyle and I are so blessed to have these little people in our lives. What joy you bring  us every day with your unique little personalities.

In July our little fam traveled to College Station to celebrate Granny's 80th birthday! What a milestone, Granny!
1 loving husband, 3 children, 5 grandchildren, 9 great-granchildren and 2 great grand buns in the oven. We are so thankful for you!

Granny & Pappaw


Granny opening some gifts


Granny with the boys, Alex, Isaac, Luke & Jack


Granny with all the grandkids minus Nathan and Lawson





The Smith kids






Holly, Chad, & Christina



Justin & Erin


Chad & Christina


HA! Love this picture of Sadie


Our fam


{insert Phillip & Cami picture here....sorry, I should have taken a picture of the computer as you were real-time streaming via webcam....stole this from yer blog!}


Not sure what was happening in this picture?



In this corner......Anna Maye!!!!


In the opposite corner....Sadie Grace!!!!


Round One! ding! ding! ding!



Just kidding :) these little ladies are the only girls in a sea of boy cousins. They are gonna love having eachother

Crazy Cousin Love....Jack and John!






I love this picture because the contrast of Mammaw looking so happy and Grandpa looking like he might punch me in the face makes me laugh when I see it.....


....John, I know you were having a great time, despite the picture. Many thanks to John and Debbie for hosting such a great birthday party. Granny you are loved, what a treasure to have you in our lives!