Summer Fun

I can't believe summer is almost over. We've been having a lot of fun and are in denial that it's almost over. This summer was a summer of creativity! We are slowly working on our house (inside and out!) and have been trying to enjoy every inch of it. Some outdoor things we've done: Slip-n-slide, soccer, starting a veggie garden, learning to ride bikes without training wheels, etc. It's been fun!!

The girls loved having daddy make a slip-n-slide in the front yard

 Daddy also created a soccer goal for the girls to use…they did awesome with it!

We've also done a lot inside as well! We created a chalkboard in the basement, an art center, fixed up our school room (bc mommy is mean and is making the girls do school year round!), switched the girls rooms around and did some art projects.

the girls enjoying their chalkboard. They love this area! These girls are art-adics!

We also got away to the beach for a weekend. One of our friends was preaching at a church in Charleston and we joined his family for a beach trip. We had so much fun! The girls got their own boogie boards and took to the water like fish!

boogie boarding like pros

daddy and MC

watch her go!

Alley was getting really good at judging the waves and when she needed to push off. It was so fun watching them!

there was a storm off the ocean, so we were alone most of our time out at the beach .

there was a HUGE wading pool in-between the dunes and the ocean…the girls loved it!

pool time at our hotel!

We've also been getting together with friends this summer. It's been fun having kids over and just getting to sit back and watch them occupy each other:) I love this age!

MC and her "bwest fwend" playing duplos…and actually pretending together, not just parallel play!

We've been taking lots of family walks around Clemson and even found the Clemson Creamery…

a-m-a-z-i-n-g ice cream!

cheesing it up while enjoying ice cream

the girls called me into their bathroom and insisted I take a picture of them brushing their hair…they are a mess!

Here's to a fun end to summer!! I love summer, but I am sooooo ready for some football!!!

Kiawah 2014 (pt 3 and the end…)

Here are some pictures from the last 2 days at the beach. We found a boogie board under the house (where the beach chairs, bikes, etc. where kept) and had a blast using it! The girls are now begging us to get them each one for next year. Considering the looks on their faces, while riding the boogie board, we definitely will!

my three girls

yeah, more family photo attempts

the girls faces in these photos just say it all….

This photo is HILARIOUS! MC did not want anyone to lift her up when a wave hit. She'd rather get hit by the wave…and she loved it! This is what she looked like when she was hit by a wave…and afterwards she was laughing. 

The last day we had at the beach was July 4th. We had so much fun out at the beach and then got to enjoy a wonderful cook out and some sparklers.

  

 Happy 4th of July!!

Kiawah 2014 (pt 2)

Who wouldn't want to start their beach day watching this little girls skip down to the beach?? 

Oh my heart, is this child adorable!!

By the middle of the week, Team Alley had left. We missed having the other cousins around, but we still had a blast at the beach! We tried to spend as much time soaking up the sun and drinking the ocean water (I keep telling them to close their mouths, but they get so excited being in the ocean, that they can't help it) that we even skipped a few nap times. It was well worth it!

I figure, the more pictures you try to take of the family, the more likely you are to get at least ONE good pic…here's hoping:)

sisterly love

wild child

K ready to take on the waves

twins pausing to get a shot

conquering the ocean one wave at a time

my girls love their Aunt Kim, but this little one has a special place in her heart for Aunt Kim

trying to sneak up on the waves…um, yeah, keep trying that one...

BOO!!

"watch this mommy"

 so happy

"wookin" for shells

 "I still wookin"

 The girls got to see where a sea turtle laid her eggs this morning, so they decided they needed to make a sand sculpture of the mommy sea turtle

another attempt at a family pic:)

so tired from all the waves…what a great place to rest at the end of a busy day, in mimi's arms:)

Aunt Kim was so sweet to spend time with my girls. Not only did she and John take eat niece and nephew out for ice cream (by themselves), but she also listened to Alley's many questions about the book Kim was reading. She has the patience of saints;)

oh the wild child this one is...

K and her most favorite person:)

showing off her new "beach hat"

my goodness, the beach is some tough stuff. Time for a serious nap!

making mermaids

the hurricane blew in mermaids from the sea!

Oh how I miss the beach!