The Countdown

New York City (drawn by Ainsley Grace Lewis)

Additional countdowns we are working on....
- For Daddy to get back from New Jersey
- Lexi and Mommy go paint the town in New York City for my 40th and her 10th Birthdays!!!!
- Ainsley Grace gets to spend time with Mumsie
- Anderson gets to sleep over at Jack's
- Anderson and Daddy go on a real camping trip
- Mommy's 40th Birthday
- Anderson starts Kindergarten!
- Ainsley Grace starts 2nd grade
- Lexi starts 4th grade
- Daddy's last year of Law School

(And this is all in the next 3 weeks...) Whew, reading that list makes me v. tired.

But let's DO IT!!! Life is good. Praise God. I pray we make it through another safe year with our wonderful treasures of family and friends and love.

Boys and Bieber

Boys are full of crazy energy. Whoever says boys are easier than girls really need to qualify their statement referring to the teenage years. But, it's so fun, Anderson is such a good little dude. All he wants is to fight, wrestle, do round house kicks and have someone to play with him to build stuff. If you don't want to do any of those things, then he won't want to be with you. When he is done doing that for a day, he sleeps super hard and super snugly.

Here is a Anderson playing with big boy friends who are teaching him how to do a "setup" properly. Here he is with his brother sacked out.


You can clearly see from these pictures where the boys get their good looks. ;) But no idea where the kids get their silliness....


Now, when you have sisters in the house, boys learn to dress up. How cute is this one? Lexi taught him how to stand. Or as she says it, taught him "his swagger."

And to think I have always considered myself a "girl mom...."

Larate

I was trying to take a picture of Ainsley Grace b/c she was so cute just sitting there in her new homemade Tye Dye shirt... Ainsley Grace looked at me and walked over to give me a hug, but as she was putting her arms out, her sister came up and tickled her under her arm! Well, that made her MAD, so they decided to have a Karate match!





They were fierce competitors until finally, they started a new game......... Called "Larate!" They chased each other and whoever got licked first, lost. Apparently, Ainsley Grace is the 3 time champion of Larate! "What word are you saying, Lexi?!?" "Larate, it's Licking Karate!" Whit watched the whole thing, Anderson, surprisingly, ignored the whole thing... He played with Playdough.

Summer Heat....

...makes them silly. We also do a LOT of swimming in this heat...

Here are the girls at their last swim meet. They BOTH love swim team. Mom? Not so much.... Hey, don't judge. You sit 6 1/2 hours at a swim meet then tell me how much you like it!? It will be easier next year....


Here is Stan's favorite part of summer. Projects! We updated the girls bath to have a more functional sink... Thank you Granddaddy and Daddy!! It only took some sawing and a blow torch and presto! :-(


We decided it was too HOT to go see the Symphony play this year and watch the city fireworks. So, this year daddy drove out and got the kids all kinds of fun stuff! They had a complete ball... Thank goodness no one called the police on us as it did get a little crazy... But, so so much fun.


Here is Daddy and Anderson walking to the end of the sidewalk for the next set of loud bursts. Snoodle slept through the whole thing - miracle!


Two of my Sorority Sisters came over and Stan grilled and we sat and talked and talked and talked.... we made the kids Shirley Temples while Daddy made us Watermelon Margaritas! Delish.


Here are the goofies at the pool. How cute is that baby???? I can't stand it - he is sooo full of baby sweetness right now....


Did I mention the heat is making us silly?!?
Here is Anderson??? in his Transformer Costume..... ;-)


Mo thought that was pretty funny....


Kids are getting desperate for summer crafts. They have been making Duct Tape projects by the dozen!! I don't have any pictures, but they are making bows, bags, pens, bookmarks all out of duct tape. Here is Ainsley Grace's Bunny nose out of the egg carton she swiped out of the trash....


Say Cheese!

The Baptism of Aaron Whitaker

The Rite of Baptism is so beautiful and such an important day for us. We had our dear friends Carla and John as Whit's Godparents. Mumsie, Granddaddy, Aunt Shellie and Uncle Lathan came. And we even had Deacon Edwin join Father John to bring Baby Whit into the Church. We are so lucky to be a part of this Church and it's 2000 year old Tradition.

Here are the kids holding Mr. Mo. Ainsley helped put on his bonnet.

After his big moment, we headed up to Magic Time Machine to celebrate. Again, we all had a great time - it is such a fun fun place. What you don't believe me??? Then check out these two pictures. But, DEFINITELY the 2nd picture is our FAV.

Haha!!! We can't stop laughing at that picture.... Super fun day.

Welcome to the Church sweetheart, we love you soo much!