Beach Beginnings

The kids and I headed on our first solo trip as soon as VBS was over this year. We went down to the Caribe with friends. I was totally nervous and it was a lot of work but we had such a great time together!!

We're here! They each got something new from J&M Tackle, boys got shades and Saylor got flip-flops, of course. 

Always the first up! We usually go walking so not to wake the entire unit!

Cruz and Saylor got to ride, we just had too much to keep up with!

Going to Cobalt for dinner :)

Always under me, I enjoy this shadow :)

Went to the outlet mall....like I was going to be able to do any shopping with these three?!

All the kids at the outlets, these were the sweetest kids and they all played so well together, they had so much fun! Cameron, Hudson, Jordan, Saylor, Kynlee, Cruz, Peyton and Harrison.

When these three get in high school its going to be a whole new kind of fun, they are all so funny!

Then when that vacation was over we hopped over to the Robert's new beach house and I got to spend time with this sweet pea, Russ!

How fun it is to be with your BFF and all your kids. It seems like last year we were going to soccer camp and prom!

Miller 2, Harrison and Hudson 6, Maggie 4, Russ 6 mos, Saylor 3.

They have the best area to play in the sand, Harrison volunteered to be buried.

Saylor and Miller rode these plasma cars everywhere!

Daddy drove down and met us for the weekend!

This was the best week and we ended it with a bang hanging with our best friends and our children at this beautiful place.... and Joel came home with a win in corn hole. 

Saylor says

We got to get away for a night to the NOLA, had a great time exploring and eating our way through! Our favorites were R'evolution and Ye Olde College Inn. 

Don't smile....don't smile....no smiling! 

Visiting our Granny, Saylor is not fond of hospitals.

Sorry Granny, this picture was not great of you but every kid was normal, I wasn't even looking at your expression!! She is actually very happy and alert, we love her so much!

This is at Downtown Movie Night, we love this town!

This is at Addy Gatlin's birthday, these two are inseparable. Saylor's "Kaykay"

On our way home one day she said, "Im mad! Y'all are all gwone (grown) and I am not! Hmph!" 

Summertime and the livin's easy

Summer is so fun with our kids the ages they are, they love to run around the house and yard, get wet, swing, jump, ride the 4-wheeler and slide. I'm so thankful for where we live and where they will grow up, there are a lot of memories to be made here! Here is some more summer fun at our house.

We got together again for more crawfish!

The Matriarchs!

Uncle J, Skeeter and Mercy

Wet, summer, football fun

All the Pierce kids, Kayla 5, Saylor 3, Kali 8, Harrison and Hudson 6.

Then and now

Saylor had her first recital in May, she just so happened to be what I was in my first recital...a tweetie bird! Actually her song was called "Tattle-Tale Duck" how fitting.

Me circa 1984 and 20 years later my Saylor, full circle.

Say after the recital with her favorite, Uncle Maffew (Matthew).

Her group in their ballerina tutus

This was in 2009

This is 5 years later :)

These two...... 

Harrison saved up his money and bought a new pair of skates, look at that grin, so much pride!

I've been having some thyroid issues and had to get a scan, when we walked in they said, "you can just set her on that bed over there.", I thought to myself "yeah right, she will just sit right there and let me go get in that machine..." As I figured she panicked, so this is how I got my scan. There was no radiation involved with her, I had swallowed a radioactive pill so I was the one with the radiation :/

My boy wanted to cut his hair off....we decided we would revisit this convo in third grade. 

Crawfishin

Matthew and Julia usually have a crawfish boil around the end of March for Kali and Matthews birthdays but they had it a little later this year on Mother's Day and it was so fun! The kids got wet and played on the water slide. The grown ups stayed in the shade and laughed and talked. After the party Joel and Matthew and their friends started their Friday Night Lights reminiscing... needless to say there were two injuries and Matthew couldn't use his arm for a couple of days. I was surprised to see how far Joel could throw the ball, really why didn't I ever know that?! Here are some pics from the day.

Sissy got in her suit and got a little wet and that was it for her, back in her outfit!

Mrs.Linda and her boys, I cannot imagine the day that my boys are this big!

The crawfish kings, they could play with these critters all day.

Getting ready to put the mud bugs in. 

The girls and moms :)

Kali and Hudson

Aunt Ashley, Uncle Dean, Lucy and Grayson sent Saylor this sleeping bag and her baby sleeping bag for her birthday! It's her first one and she feels big!

Saylor turns 3!

Saylor Pierce definitely has it made in the shade....if you didn't already know this. She is the baby, she is the only sister and has 2 big brothers that adore her. She is totally aware of the powerful position she sits in! She turned 3 years old on May 3rd which was the same day as Day in the Park in Laurel. It was clear that we would need to celebrate at the park. We didn't have a big party, just borrowed a tent, invited grandparents and cousins and told her that everyone was there in the park for her! It was a beautiful day and we couldn't have asked for a better day. Here is a little about her birthday weekend.

She had dance and is pretty shy, the boys were there and Hudson made her feel safe and ok by going out and showing her how to do it :) she's a lucky gal.

We went for ice cream at the DQ after we set up her tent Friday night.

This is their favorite place to eat right now since they get ice cream with their kids meal.

This was her tent, and we set it up the night before so we could claim this shade!

She had Sweet Daddy's Popcorn, Pink Lemonade and Cupcakes and Cake from The Bake Shop.

Mawmaw and Pawpaw with the birthday girl.

Nanny and Pop with the birthday girl!

The Crager's came by to wish her a Happy Day!

She was being her shy self and didn't want to face the camera!

Granny even came to celebrate with us! 

Her first face painting! 

She took her nap in the sweetest spot there!

I was working with the Laurel Arts League so excuse the green smock.

Our sweet 3 year old, you have made us complete and I still laugh to myself that we got a little girl, you are a new journey everyday and we love you more and more, beautiful girl.

Her birthday present! She wanted a "Pink Cah" and she won't drive it. She prefers to be chauffeured and has 2 on stand-by at all times ;)