Bike Parade

Yesterday we started the 4th of July holiday celebration with our annual MOPS bike parade.  We didn't make it last year...but we had just as much fun as we did two years ago!

The kids loved getting their bike, scooter and Elizabeth's jogger all decked out in red, white and blue!

I think Ellie is already enjoying her very first Fourth of July!

{I can't get enough of those thighs!  I can just squeeze her all day long!  And sometimes I do!}

We all gather at Aubrey's house...

...and just like that...they're off!

{Alex and Emily totally left me and Ellie in the dust!  They're up there somewhere!}

{That's okay...we hung back with all the other babes!}

After the ride...we all came back for the big water slide fun...

...catching little toads {or frogs...Emily says their toads...so I guess they are!}

...and enjoying yummy red, white and blue yogurt popsicles!

{...and I can't forget to show Emily's patriotic nails...she was pretty proud of them!}

It was a great day with lots of friends...and always a fun start to the holiday!

And Ellie thoroughly enjoyed her popsicle the most!

We don't have any extravagant plans for the weekend...just our traditional swimming, campfire and s'mores and then a few fireworks...probably all before it's even dark...curse daylight savings time!  But fun, nonetheless!

{And I am still going to share our fun summer vacation pictures...I usually have them edited and posted the day we get back...but we've been going nonstop since we've been home!  Summer is going too fast!}

{7} months

Another month snuck by...

Elizabeth is 7 months today!  I am in disbelief at how fast she is growing and changing.  She is getting her two bottom teeth and she babbles insistently like nobody's business!  She tries to sit up on her own...but will wobble right over at any second...and she did super for her first trip to the beach and her first very long road trip!

This is the age that I treasure so much...and it's going too fast!

{she survived a good face plant right into the sand for these pictures...bless her heart!}

She is really starting to look so much like Alex did at this stage...and he truly adores her so much!  When Ellie was just a newborn...Alex thought I was talking weird when I talked her...but I secretly smile when he talks the exact same way to her now to get her to grin!

And Emily too...I love watching her face light up when they are around!  She laughs and squeals...and they both give her so much attention when she's unhappy!  Emily is not really into matching her baby sister...but she'll sometimes surprise me when she wears something to purposely look the same as her...even when she says she's not...she's so sneaky!

The time is passing me by...yet again...

...and there's no going back!

Loving every minute!

Summer {Destin}ation

We're back from our little vacation to Destin! 
We arrived home Saturday night...but I'm still in denial.
I am still on Florida time...and all I want to do is sit by the beach and read.

It was so relaxing...we had a great routine down pat...breakfast, beach, pool, lunch, beach, dinner, beach, pool...
What better schedule is there?!

Ellie didn't really care for the sea and sand...

{you can't see her face...but trust me...she is crying!}

{see?!}

 ...unless she was doing this...

...or she was being held up far enough away from it...

...then she was as happy as a clam!

I have tons a few pictures that I want to share and remember...because I guess since we can't spend another month there...all I can do is relive it through all the photos!

So here is just a small snippet of all the fun we had!

...sigh... I so wish we were still at the wonderful beach...I am dragging my feet about getting back to reality...

But our doctor appointments, grocery shopping and laundry... blah, blah, blah ...are always waiting when we return.

So I must get back to the tasks at hand...

Emily has wasted no time in doing just that, after all!  ha!