It's Never Boring Around Here

I honestly think we have two speeds around here, fast and faster. We usually have a lot going on anyway but these days it is insanity. Last week we spent a fabulous week at the beach with my family (except Beau and Jenna) where we celebrated Hadley's 1st birthday a little early. While we were there we got the call that Justin had been offered a position (within E-Z Go) in Birmingham! Upon returning from the beach it has been a mad dash to get things done in hopes of getting settled before school starts in August. I am having my doubts though. We are super excited about moving closer to friends and family (I am so over those 9 hour drives to MS). However it is a little bittersweet leaving Texas. Despite not being thrilled about moving to Houston at first, we have thoroughly enjoyed living here. We have made some amazing friends that have become our family. We've already vowed to meet at the beach next summer :)

Of course while we were at the beach I think I took my camera out twice.

Terry is so much better at taking pictures so why bother?

Here are the few I got last week.

Aunt Melinda showing off Hadley's party favors.

Koozies, so appropriate for a 1st birthday, I know.

We did the party by the pool.

It was a beautiful background but it was scorching.

We had to break records for throwing the shortest party ever.

The birthday banner by Mimi.

Party girl

She couldn't get any cuter!

The party-goers

Ready for the seahorse smash cake by Nanny

She dug into it but never really ate any.

Seriously, it was really hot out.

I did get a few pics in one of her tutu swimsuits.

Yesterday, we celebrated Hadley's real birthday.

I cannot believe this precious baby is 1!

Under the table.

I think she's hiding from her siblings.

We started off with our traditional birthday pancakes.

The wild child would try to grab the lit candle.

Notice who has always by her side?

Next she opened her gifts.

Hadley was a little upset that this doll bottle was not a real one.

Look who jumped in to help.

Checking out the pink barn.

Clothes!

Wait, whose birthday is it?

So sweet!

The best I could get of all 3.

Pathetic I know.

After gift opening, the older siblings played with her toys and Hadley went to her favorite spot.

Hanging from the stair baby gate.

She really is a monkey.

The birthday girl with her favorite person.

I'm okay with it.

Really.

Momma loving on the birthday girl.

This is what happens to sweet baby girls when they turn 6.

They want you to take pictures of them saying "Loser."

We took Hadley to Wendy's for the "Balloon Lady" and story time.

When we got home she crashed hard. I hated to wake her up to eat cake but the older kids had to go to another birthday party.

I know she was wondering why we kept sticking food with a candle in her face all day.

She really got into eating the cake this time.

Happy 1st Birthday Hadley Sophia!!!

We Love You!!!!!!!

First Week of Summer Vacation

It has officially been one week since Kinsley got out of school and we are loving summer break. I had intentionally not scheduled a lot of activities this summer because it seems like we are always on the go during the school year. We have had a very laid back week. Kinsely always has issues at first adjusting to being at home because she loves to go, go, go. She did get to go with a friend into the city to watch Camp Rock the musical and had a great time. I do think she's enjoying sleeping in late, playing with Colby (though she may not admit it), and swimming every day. Here are a few pictures from this past week.

Hadley loves hanging by the back door.

I think she's always looking for her Daddy to come home.

The second day of summer break poor Colby woke up throwing up. I was terrified everyone else would get whatever he had (that happened last November and it was absolutely terrible). Luckily by that afternoon he was feeling better and no one else got sick.

My summer baby enjoying watermelon.

The kids love game night and their favorite game is Curious George.

They love wearing the animal masks and escaping from the zoo.

Even Hadley plays with us.

If we don't comb down Hadley's hair when its wet, it gets crazy curly like her sister's.

Sporting the Bam Bam look.

Before church on Sunday.

You would think after 6+ years of being a mom, I would learn to feed the baby THEN get her dressed for church. However Hadley slept in and messed the routine up. She had cereal bar EVERYWHERE!

Hanging in the playroom after pool time.

Sweet sisters

Colby always wants to be in the pictures and then this is what he gives me.

Craziness!

This joker had Tennis Camp at church this week.

He's really enjoying it. I think way more than soccer.

Hadley's new obsession:

Digging in the art drawers for unsharpened pencils.

Building a campfire.

These two have really been playing well together.

I hope it lasts.

Intense concentration as she pushes her baby stroller.

This morning she dug Colby's lunch box out of the pantry.

Do you think she's trying to send him back to school?

Summer is finally here!!!

I have been a total absentee blogger lately. We've been finishing up all our activities and school. We also had a wonderful and busy Memorial Day weekend with a group of friends at their lake house and a trip to their ranch. Colby was in pure little boy bliss riding 4 wheelers, fishing, checking out the longhorns, and "fixing" the 4 wheeler with his buddy. We finished up the weekend with a pool party at a church friends house. Of course I have no pictures from last weekend :(

I do have pictures from the past few weeks. They are mostly of when we've had what little down time we've been able to find.

Playing with the Light Bright

Colby finished his preschool 2 weeks ago.

Here he is on his last day of school.

Here he is on his 1st day.

I think he has changed a lot!

One night, Justin built the kids a tent in the landing upstairs.

They even had a "campfire" made out of Lincoln Logs. Kinsley actually slept in the tent all night.

The other day, I told Kinsley to throw on a t-shirt and shorts because we were going to be going on a walk and working in the yard. This is what she came downstairs wearing: the shortest shorts, her wedge flip flops, a shirt that says "What Happens at Mimi's House, Stays at Mimi's House," and MAKE-UP!

Justin and I are in trouble.

Pooped on the couch

The other day, I gave Colby a bucket of water and his trucks and let him play in the jail---the fenced in area between the pool and the house.

He loved it!

Justin also celebrated his birthday!

The kids were so excited to give him his birthday present that morning.

We got him a big wooden outdoor cooler to go out by the pool.

That day Kinsley also had her Kindergarden program.

That night we celebrated with steaks and cookie cake.

I love Hadley's face in this picture.

These two were chomping at the bit to get a bite of cookie.

Can anyone believe this little cutie will be 1 in less than a month?!?!

When we got back from the lake, I pulled Kinsley's very loose first tooth.

She already had the adult tooth growing in behind it.

Putting her tooth in the tooth pillow for the tooth fairy.

Setting it outside her door.

The tooth fairy brought her three dollars. (Our friends convinced Kinsley, she would get more money because the tooth fairy had to travel on Memorial Day). She also left some fairy dust behind!

Waking up to find the loot.

On Tuesday, Kinsley had costume and board game day at school.

Today was Kinsley's last day of school. It is so hard for me to think I now have a first grader. I am so proud of Kinsley and everything that she learned this year. She had to work really hard and put in a lot of extra work but she had a good attitude about it. All that work paid off too! She got all Above Averages on her report card and is several reading levels higher than the required level.

K on her first day of school.

K today before her last day!