Neighborhood Pool

Lisa and Jeff joined the pool this year and we've decided we will tag along as guests when time allows. This past Saturday was the second time we were able to get up there. Madison couldn't wait to get there and all I've heard since then is "big pool." She had such a great time playing with dad and Ms. Lisa. This time Allison even asked to get out of her float to be able to join in the fun.

The lifeguards were ready to go home, unfortunately out little two year olds weren't as eager to leave. When I told Madison it was time to go home this is the look I got...

along with a minor temper trantrum (she is two you know!). She sure does love the water! Thank goodness for us because I think with the summer heating up this will be the best way to keep cool!

Pool, Big Pond and Fun

We are so glad summer is here but boy did it hit us hard! This week is suppose to be over 90 degrees every day. Thank goodness we were given one of those above-ground pools for us to be able to just keep our sanity on the hot days that are ahead of us! Thank you Terry and Betty!!!

This past weekend we took Madison to the beach for the first time this year. A little different reaction than last year. She wasn't as eager to get to the water as she was last year. After a few hours she had finally worked up enough courgage to actually "body surf" in the shallows. This was about the time I was ready to hit the road. She had a wonderful time and we will be hitting the beach a few more times this summer I am sure.

Mackenzie's Memorial B-day Celebration

A road trip to DC over the Memorial Weekend? Call us crazy but we wanted to get the girls together. It's been hard to believe that the girls hadn't seen each other in a year! Saturday we spent the morning socializing and getting ready for the party.


After the girls got up from their naps it was time for the fun to begin. Madison had such a great time meeting new friends but she really enjoyed the bubbles and Mackenzie's playhouse. If she could talk (well, really talk!) she would be asking for a playhouse just like Mackenzie's!

After all the crazy party-goers took off, we stayed around to help clean up and let Madison and Mackenzie play a bit.

Sunday was spent with Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Gregg. Jeff had a chance to master his Wii Resort skills and Madison had plenty of time to play with Chloe and Cooper! Madison was a bit tired from the previous two days of visiting so she wasn't as playful and cooperative as she usually is. Thinking a nap would help we tried to put her down. I had made the mistake of telling her we would go to the pool when she go up from her nap. Needless to say, she didn't take much of nap!!!

Of all the things to forget when going to the pool, it had to be the swim diapers. But it lead to great picture taking when her diaper became so big that she wasn't even able to keep her balance for the diaper pulling her to one side!

Ms. Lace worked up an appetite at the pool, so we head back to Uncle Gregg's for dinner and more Chloe and Cooper time.

We left for home on Monday morning. We were all a bit tired from all the visiting but loved the time we got to spend with everyone. Just don't want to wait as long to do it again!

A Return to Raven Rock

Hoping to catch the changing fall colors, we made our second run to Raven Rock and we were just a little too late. It's all good though, we had a WONDERFUL day hiking!!!

The weather could not have been more perfect... 75 degrees, clear skies, slight breeze. Since our little girl hasn't been feeling so good with her allergic reaction to her medicine, she woke us up early and got us out the door and thank goodness she did. The park was emptying out of the overnighters when we got there and filling up with the latecomers as we were leaving. We could not have asked for more perfect hiking conditions.

Some of you know about the pondering pictures that Jeff and I have always taken (don't remember how that got started) but we were teaching Madison to ponder with us. She didn't quite get it at first...





We had to teach her...not up the nose, just under the nose! She did get it but we're saving that picture for future use!






Madison was a bit smaller in the last picture we took from this location. Our child of no fear wanted to walk the wall on her own and see how far over the edge she could see. She really wanted to get in the water but we were up way to far for that to happen. Boy are we in for a treat as she gets older. We are going to have eyes in all directions!!!




We made our way down to the river side (after many steps down) and it was WAY to muddy for her to put her fingers in the water. So to distract her, we let her climb the rocks near the river. Truthfully, I thinks she was trying to find her own way down to the river and wasn't letting us in on her master plan!























She's doing so good and wants to climb, climb, climb. Our little outdoorsy girl!

Dog days of summer

Last Sunday, Madison and I met mom and dad in Emporia. It was WAY TOO HOT but after lunch we were able to find a nice shady park to run around in. Unfortunately most of the pictures were taken in the parking lot of Applebee's. It had been way too long and it was time for a visit. Madison had such a good time playing with Chloe. Can't wait to have both puppies together and Miss Lace to see how she does with two little ones. Madison has mostly been around big dogs (and cats) so she wasn't very careful with how she would play. She'd pick poor Chloe up by the neck not realizing that she wasn't a play toy. Mom and I kept an eye on her making sure she didn't get too carried away. It was good to see mom and Madison playing together at the park and dad was laying back, taking it easy. Dad looks fantastic! His cancer treatments continue with no complications and he's feeling really good. I'm so glad we got together last weekend and can't wait to do it again!

Madison doing HEAD, SHOULDERS, KNEES and TOES!

Surf City here we come!

Madison got to experience the beach for the first time just a couple of weekends ago. I knew she liked playing in water but I didn't realize how she would LOVE the ocean. Jeff and I couldn't stop being amazed as to how much fun she was having. Waves would knock her over, she'd look a little frazzled, get up, giggle and want more! It couldn't have been a more perfect day. Jeff had surprised me on Friday with letting me know he was taking a "Mental Health Day." We decided then that the beach would be the perfect cure. On my way home from work that Friday, Jeff had informed me that our new friends (and neighbors), Lisa, Jeff, Tristan and Allison had decided they too were going to head to the beach (this was before talking to each other that night). The next day, early, we were caravanning to the beach. It was a perfect day to go. A little cloudy overhead but it cleared up nicely by the time we found a parking place and made our way to the beach. For two hours the two girls just played and played. It was mom and dad getting tired (isn't it usually the case) and had to bring the fun to a halt. After a quick bite to eat at a local restaurant it was time to head back home. Looks like we are going to be making quite a few trips to the beach over the summers to come.

Kravin' Krispy Kreme...what a good breakfast!

Our new neighbors Jeff and Lisa had NEVER had a Krispy Kreme doughnut! I know, it's hard to believe there are really people out there who have... 1. Never heard of KK and 2. Never had a KK!!! We are fortunate enough here in Raleigh to have one that makes them right on sight. Nothing like a FRESH KK to get you through the day. It was Madison's first KK doughnut as well and she loved it! What a great way to spend a Saturday morning!