Lost and Found

Mike couldn't find his phone. We looked everywhere. Everywhere. He had just been talking on it not more than 2 hours ago in the house. We decided to call it to see if we would hear it ring.

Evidently Molly was expecting a call.

Since the beginning of summer, Anna Claire has been asking where her goggles were. We searched high and low. Inside and outside for them. I figured they had gotten thrown out last year until....I was organizing things for our our upcoming garage sale....

Doesn't every parent have a picture like this?

Summer Photo Dump

I would like to think that I won't ever be gone from my blog this long again, but with two little ones who have a knack for wanting to press on the keys every time I get the computer out, you never know.

We started out the summer of 2012 celebrating our little Molly turning 1! I don't think it was until she had her birthday that I realized how time is flying by for both of our girls. Molly has been such a joy in our lives. She loves to make people laugh, has the most adorable smile (that includes 4 teeth poking out), and absolutely adores her older sister. 

We had a BBQ themed party in our backyard--perfect weather combined with wonderful friends and family who love our girl!

There is a wonderful family who attends our church that own some property on which they have planted hundreds of blueberry bushes. Every year they invite the church family to come out and pick some. All week long, prior to going out, Anna Claire wanted to know if we were going to Blueberry Hill and if we were going to be canning the blueberries for winter (Blueberries for Sal).





We celebrated Father's Day---love my guy and his girls!

Every year, in a neighboring city, they host a Summerfest. A fair/carnival sort of thing that has rides for kids. This was Anna Claire's first time to ride on a ride. We have never seen her smile so big as when she was riding! Her favorite was the Dragon roller coaster; after one ride, she continued to get back and line and proceeded to ride it about 12 times.



In mid-July we headed up to Northern Virginia to visit my parents. Mike and I stole a day away to go into D.C and catch a Nationals game. Despite the 102 degree temperature (no joke), it was a great game.

At the end of the month, we got the news that my niece, Jessica, after graduating from Hillsong Leadership College in Sydney, Australia, would be coming to visit us! We were thrilled. Then to find out that she is going to be staying with us through the month of August...I don't know who is more excited, us or the girls!

My sister and her boys drove up for her arrival! Cousin love!!!!





So glad to have our sweet Jessa with us for a time!

There will be more to come---hopefully sooner rather than later!

PS. This is for you Bob Hill!

Easter 2012

Hoping everyone had a wonderful and glorious Easter--celebrating the work that was done on the cross for all of us!

Zoo day

The long awaited "spring break" is finally here. We have a week scheduled for some much need family time, couple time and most of all fun time. It started yesterday with the day spent at the zoo. It was the first time for both of the girls. 

All of the large cats (leopards, cheetahs, bengal tiger and lions) were resting in the shade so we weren't able to get good pictures (sorry Christy :)) We did see the new mama, the snow leopard, she gave birth to 3 cubs a couple of weeks ago, but she too, was high up on a tree branch resting.

I think Anna Claire really had a good time. After we got home yesterday and we sat down for dinner, she asked to pray. She said, "please help the animals to have a good dinner too. Amen." So sweet.

Spring is here!

What better way to enjoy the first day of spring then to spend it outside! My mom is also in town visiting, so she was able to enjoy the sunshine with us!

This is Anna Claire telling everyone that she was the queen of the playground :)

Girls Weekend

For some reason, I felt a surge of courage and loaded up the car with the girls and drove 8 hours to visit my sister and her family in Alabama...8 hours away. You want to know the thing I am most thankful for---besides arriving there safely and having a wonderful time? The portable DVD player I bought before we left.

The weather was absolutely perfect and spent the majority of our visit outside enjoying the sun. We went to Fairhope one day and had lunch at Panini Pete's. So. Good. 

 We spent some time on the back porch sitting under the oak trees.

Anna Claire loved being around her cousins. Sam was gracious enough to play baseball with her (using her princess bat of course!).

Sissy got lots of lovins' from her girls...



We had a wonderful time! Thank you Sissy, Uncle Steve, Sam and Ben--we love you!

A night with my girl

Last night Anna Claire and I went to see Disney Live at TPAC (Tennessee Performing Arts Center)--she had been looking forward to last night for about a week and when it finally got here she was beside herself when we entered the building and she was surrounded by pink, pretty dresses, more pink, and little girls just as excited as she was to see her favorite princesses.

You can't go see princesses on an empty stomach, so her choice was a Wendy's cheeseburger, french fries and chocolate milk.

Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Donald were all there to welcome everyone to see the show.

Snow White and her dwarfs sang some songs and danced. Anna Claire hasn't seen Snow White, the movie, so she wasn't quite sure who or what the dwarfs were, but she sure loved seeing them dance.

Cinderella's fairy godmother came to the rescue again and she was able to go to the ball to meet her Prince Charming.

Anna Claire was so concerned that Belle wasn't going to be there so when she showed up, Anna Claire couldn't have been more excited.



After all of the fairy tales were told, all of the princesses and their princes came out to dance with Mickey and Minnie. 

It was such a great show for families and they did a really great job of incorporating everyone's favorite scenes and songs from the movies into the show; you could hear everyone singing along to "Bippity Boppity Boo" and "Be Our Guest." After the show I asked Anna Claire what her favorite part was. She said, "Cinderella, Belle, Mickey, the dancing, the dresses....." So, I'm guessing she loved every minute of it!

It was my first time (despite being in Nashville for 12 years) to visit TPAC and the venue was perfect for this performance--I'm anxious to go see another show there soon!

Disney Live is headed north to Indiana and Illinois next, so if you live in or around the area, be sure to get some tickets and enjoy the show!

Thanks to Feld Entertainment for allowing us the opportunity to see the show--all opinions are my own (and my daughter's too!)