ELLE'S FIRST SLEEPOVER AND OTHER SUMMER HAPPENINGS

Recently a lot of Elle's friends have started having spend the night sleepovers and she's been bugging me for a little while to have someone over. So last week was the week! Some of our friends were out of town and we both knew we wanted it to be someone Elle knew well and I knew the momma well. So we agreed to have Elle's sweet friend Mary Kenway on a Wednesday night. Got to love summer!  She was so excited! We arranged for her to come around 5 that evening. Before she came I ran to CVS to pick up a few things. I got them a couple of treats, some candy for when they watched a movie and then got a few little things in case they wanted to do a spa night but they ended up playing so well and being so content I will save all that stuff for another time!

She got to our house at 5 and were excited about their happies I got them. 

A little giraffe stuffy and cups for them to drink out of for the night!

It stormed pretty bad right as they got going. They promptly made a fort with our dining room table and had fun with flashlights, coloring and enjoyed their dinner of pizza in there.

Flashlight fun in their fort.

After playing upstairs for a while and several wardrobe changes it was time to get settled in for movie time. I told them to change into their pajamas and Mary Kenway said she preferred to sleep in shorts and tshirt and Elle realized she had a matching set and they were excited! It was also so funny because Elle chose for them to watch a movie and sleep on the foldout couch in the playroom and Mary Kenway had never seen a foldout couch and was very amazed by the whole thing!

All ready to settle in on the foldout couch for a movie. They chose Zootopia!

I surprised them with a tray of treats and popcorn! They loved it!

Snacks!

Kenny went to tell them goodnight and took these sweet pictures of them! Elle was 

super thrilled with how the night went which made my mama heart happy!

What is a sleepover without more sugar in the way of donuts the next morning! 

Daddy made the Shipley's run!

The morning after the sleepover Mary Kenway tagged along with us to take Walker to PDO and then to get Elle a quick haircut. Then we went home and got dressed to go swimming at the pool. Jennifer, Mary Kenway's mom met us there and we had a great day all together. The girls were completely beat by the time we left the pool!

Being silly in the car while we waited for Elle's haircut appointment.

Time for a swim!

On to a few other summer happenings! The last couple of times we have gone to check out books at the library they have had a program. The first time it was wild animals and this past week it was Tommy Terrific doing a magic show. Elle and I have really enjoyed these programs just her and me together. Tommy Terrific had us laughing big time! And she loved telling Kenny all about it later in the day. After the magic show we checked out new books and then walked across the street to have some lunch together at the Grill. It was a great morning.

Tommy Terrific  doing some magic tricks!

Elle has told me how much she loves having some time with just me and I love our mornings too.

Reading some books while we waited for lunch to come.

One day Kenny and I got the kids out of the house for some lunch at the Union and then we brought some balls to run around the drill field for a few minutes. We all had some chinese food. It was pretty hot when we played outside but it sprinkled on us which was kind of fun too.

Elle marveling at her noodles.

A roadrunner came up to us when we got outside to the drill field 

and gave the kids cupcakes. They were happy!

Running on the drill field!

Friday night we went to the country club for a shrimp boil and to let the kids swim. But a storm came through so we ended up on the porch just hanging out before we went home that night. It was a low key relaxing night.

Kenny holding Walker like a little baby. 

On Saturday, Kenny played in a golf tournament in the morning and then we had a sitter come so he and I could go on a date. While I got ready he took the kids to Dairy Queen for ice cream cones.

So our date plan was to go to an early dinner and then go to a movie together but funnily enough I happened to ask about Widespread Panic playing in Birmingham that night and we started talking and joking and Kenny asked if I wanted to go. Which I did not but I told him if he wanted to go to go! So he texted Jay and Jay was in and in a big whirlwind we were getting our check for dinner and ran home so Kenny could change. Jay picked him up a few minutes later and they were off to see Panic play at some festival in Birmingham! They stayed at a friends house and were back Sunday morning to play in the second day of the golf tournament! They had the best time and made some fun memories!

Kenny was so happy to see his pal JB!

JULY FAMILY VACATION TO ATLANTA PART II

On Saturday morning we woke up and had a quick breakfast before hopping in the car to head to the Fox Theatre to see Paw Patrol Live. Kenny and I have laughed because he saw many bands like Widespread Panic play at the Fox and now he was here to see Paw Patrol Live with our kids. Quite a change but we would not have it any other way of course! Once we parked we headed inside where there were lots and lots of people! And lots of kids! We hit up the bathrooms, the souvenir and concession stands before making our way to our seats. 

Elle and I before the show started. Shaking the pom pom they gave everyone.

Walker really is always thrilled to be places he just doesn't enjoy pictures to much.

Elle and Daddy with popcorn and her new Everest!

Elle loves Everest and Skye the most from the show.

Family picture before the show started.

The show was really very cute and well done. The quality was good and the show was pretty much like two episodes with a short intermission in the middle. Both Elle and Walker enjoyed it and have talked about how fun it was since we got home. So I would consider it total success and I am so glad we went since Walker loves Paw Patrol so much.

During intermission Daddy came back with cotton candy for the kids and a fire hat for Walker.

The Paw Patrol gang is all here.

Walker actually smiled for the camera! He had such a good time

The Fox theatre sign for memories sake.

The week before we went to Atlanta I shot a text to my aunt, uncle and cousin to see if they would be in town. We were in luck! My Uncle Mike and Aunt Pam happened to be in town and had a wide open afternoon. So we made plans to go over to their house to let the kids play and they picked up some lunch for us. It was so nice to visit and just hang out. After we spent some time there we went back to the hotel to rest and let the kids have some down time. We turned on a movie on the iPad and gave them a snack and they were very content to just veg out for a little bit since we had been going non stop. This was a big sign to me that we are finally reaching a point where we can travel and enjoy ourselves. In the past we couldn't really be in a hotel room much except to go to sleep or everyone would lose their mind!

The kids played with some toys I brought while we ate lunch and caught up.

Aunt Pam and Elle.

Aunt Pam, Elle and Walker.

Down time at the hotel. It was so nice for them and for Kenny and me too.

Please notice the phones nearby. They love a hotel phone.

A sweet moment between brother and sister.

After some good rest Pam and Mike met up with us at the hotel and we went out to their club for dinner and to see it and to let the kids swim. Kenny was in heaven because the club is really beautiful. The kids were in heaven because the pools were amazing and I was happy to just hang out because everyone else was happy! We had some dinner and just relaxed. It started to rain which the kids were loving swimming in the rain! When we were ready to leave we changed the kids into their pajamas and drove back to the hotel for a good night sleep after a super fun day!

Family picture with Aunt Pam and Uncle Mike at Capitol City Club. 

This might easily be my favorite picture from the trip. We were loading to go back to Starkville and this trip just symbolizes to me that my kids are getting enough to where we can travel and be away from home and all have fun together. It is all getting a little easier! Hooray!

JULY FAMILY VACATION TO ATLANTA PART I

A couple of months ago I just happened to see something on Facebook about a Paw Patrol Live show coming to Mobile and we started talking about taking Walker because he loves Paw Patrol like crazy! Then we realized it was also coming to Atlanta and it was on a better day so we decided to go there instead. We went ahead and planned an entire weekend trip around the show and even ended up tacking another day on by stopping in Birmingham so we could break up the drive and relax a little out by their pool. The kids love it there!

So Thursday morning we hit the road early and stopped at my favorite place in the entire world for lunch. O Carr's. They have a chicken salad and fruit plate that I absolutely die for. I can't go to Birmingham and not eat there. I love it! So I dragged the family there before we went to Ross Bridge. Luckily Kenny likes the fruit plate too and Elle enjoyed it too!

Enjoying O Carr's.

 

After lunch we headed to Ross Bridge to check in and then went straight to the pool where we spent the day. It did thunder and storm for a little bit so we had a early dinner before we went back out to swim some more until bedtime! The kids had so much fun and it was a relaxing day together.

 Snacking by the pool.

Enjoying some milkshakes for dessert.

The next morning we had breakfast at the restaurant downstairs which the kids always go nuts for and then headed for Atlanta. We went straight to the Georgia Aquarium. Elle has been to the aquarium several times but this was the first time for Walker and he just loved it. His eyes were so big for the whales and sharks and the big tank in the ocean section. It made us all so happy!

Checking out the fish with Daddy.

Look at that face. Totally in awe.

Watching the whale pass over.

Family picture with the fishes. 

Walker and Elle playing some seal race game. 

Walker was beating Elle just by banging on the thing but we didn't let Elle know.

Family picture in one of the viewing rooms where you can sit and just watch and watch.

Jelly fish.

We went up to see if we wanted to see the Dolphin show which is actually really neat but with the summer crowd we were worried it would result in meltdowns so we settled for just watching the dolphins in their tanks for a little while and of course another family picture!

We got to touch lots of things in this tank and then felt the stingrays in another tank.

Walker and Elle checking out with their souvenirs from the gift shop!

Cheesing with the penguin on the way back to the car.

The kids were worn out so we checked into our hotel really quick and then walked across the street to a pizza place my Uncle Mike had recommended. It was really good and since we walked Kenny and I were able to enjoy a cocktail which we needed after our busy day. It was a fun low key dinner and then we went home to crash!

Walker and I enjoying some beignets for dessert! Love this boy!

Daddy and his girl!