A nice little vacation-part uno

Hello friends!

We took some vacation time to spend with our family in Alabama, Georgia and Florida. It was part of our southeast tour :) The first part of the vacation we spent time at my Daddy's house. He has a salt water pool that's really nice to swim in and Anderson absolutely loves to swim and be in the water. He's ALMOST got the hang of swimming. He honestly thinks that he can swim, he will just jump in, so we really have to be on our toes.He has hidden animals all over Mimi and Poppy's house and she has called me twice to tell me where she has found them! One stingray was in the pool skimmer and Poppy was freaked out when he saw it first and then figured out A had dropped it in the pool! Ha!!

We went to our favorite restaurant Mexican Connection. As far as I'm concerned has the best cheese dip in the whole entire world! Anderson on the other hand, loves to look at all of the animals they have hanging on the walls and from the ceilings. Silly Aunt Jana keeping A entertained!!

Next, we headed to Mom's house and stayed with her and Bob for a few days. I love Mom's house and garden, I feel like I'm truly home when I'm there(guess it's because she's lived there since I was 13). It's one of my happy places. Bryant and Brooklyn and Sydney(Anderson's cousins) all came over for a swim in Mom's pool. I love it when Anderson gets together with his cousins. To me, it's important for him to be close with cousins, I was and loved every minute of it. 

 

Anderson helped Nunna pick tomatoes in  her vegetable garden. This task, he enjoyed so much. I guess it's was because he got to actually pull tomatoes and peppers off of her plants and throw them in his basket. 

Be back soon with pictures from Calloway Gardens in Georgia!

4th of July and Woodrow

 Hello friends! We've been super busy last month and this month as well. In June, we went to Alabama, Georgia and Florida all in a time span of a 2 weeks! I am working on getting the blog written for that and the pictures posted. Can anybody tell me how to turn pictures the right way? They have changed blogger and I don't know how to turn them the right way anymore.

We went to the fireworks show in Mansfield on Tuesday night with our friends and their kids. The city had free bounce houses and a great fireworks show...all for free!!

Anderson and Jaycie

Anderson going down the bounce house slide....weeeeeeee!!!!

 The kiddos watching the fireworks show.

 Justin, Casey and Jaycie, our friends watching the show.

 Jaycie and Anderson holding their ears!

 Castin and Anderson...what the heck where they doing??!!

 And drum roll please.........................
This is Woodrow, our new beagle. He is a 2 year old, great, sweet boy who loves us and Gus too.

 I think he is already fitting in just perfectly. :)

Anderson turns 4

Hello friends! 

Anderson turned 4 in April and I still cannot believe that we have a 4 year old! Where has the time gone? I look at Anderson and can't imagine what it will be like in a year when he's going to kindergarten. I get tearful even thinking about that. 

We had Anderson's birthday party in Dothan at my mom's house. We had a bounce house..the kids loved that and some adults too...haha see Gami!

 

 For some reason the pictures have turned sideways and I CANNOT get them to turn back! So with aching necks you can see that Anderson had a Nemo themed birthday party...too fun!!

 Shelley and I have been best friends since 7th grade, me and Faith!

 Matt and me...I get tearful sometimes thinking about how far away we live from Anderson's cousins. I hate that he will miss out on being close with them :( Matt and I are like siblings.

 On the drive home to Texas...Anderson was so tired from all the festivities!

The Circle City and the Beach

Hello friends!

In April, we took a trip to Alabama and Florida.  Anderson turned 4 on April 22 and we had his birthday party at Mom's house once again. It is always so nice to head back to the real South. Texas is nice, but Alabama will always be home. We enjoy seeing all of our family and so does Anderson.

We spent some time at Gami and Pappy's house

Anderson got to spend some time with his cousins. I love this, because I think that family is very important...especially cousins, they are your life long friends.

Adam and Anthony are so crazy!!

We also spent some time with my Daddy and Mimi. I love this picture of Daddy and Anderson swinging.....so sweet!

We stayed some time at Mom's house. It's where I grew up. It's where I feel at most like myself. Really loved that Anderson got to help Mom in the yard and swing on a real tire swing. 

Being in Dothan made Gus happy too!

We then headed down to Panama City Beach, FL to (as Anderson would say) Papa Ivey's Old Beach House. I truly think of the beach as my second home and hope that one day we will live close enough so Anderson can experience that feeling too. 

Of course our first stop in town was Thomas Doughnuts :) 

Then to the enjoy the beach

Finally we took Anderson to Miracle Strip at Pier Park. It makes me sad that the old Miracle Strip that we grew up with is not there. But hopefully, they will get more rides at Pier Park. 

Be back soon with Anderson's birthday pictures....promise! 

Annabelle

Last night our sweet Annabelle went to heaven. She was our first baby. We had her over 9 years( she would have been 10 in August). I remember thinking the first night we brought her home..."what have we gotten into". Little did I know she would be our pride and joy. What a sweet girl and what a wonderful life she had.



Some of the things I remember about my girl:

-She tore up our marriage certificate when she was a puppy.
-She loved riding in the car
-She slept with us until Anderson was born
-She picked up a big box turtle in my mom's yard and didn't want to let go of her prize.
-Rolling in mom's wandering jew plant and getting rashes on her tummy..numerous times!
-She stayed in our guest bedroom and looked out the window all day and would bark anytime she saw a dog walking.
-Begging multiple times daily for cookies
-Snoring very loudly...now the house is too quiet :(
-Always giving me kisses when I asked her for them.

You were the best girl, Annabelle and we are heartbroken for us, but happy that you are in heaven. We love you, pretty girl.

I hope that God has an endless supply of cookies...if so she will be one happy girl!