23 months!

Our Carter Buggins turned 23 months old last week and this is how I feel about it...I'm sad my baby is almost 2! But I am so grateful that God blessed us with 2 little ones...each stage will be so fun with them...I'm just sad our family is moving out of the "baby baby" stage...I'm a little bit of a "Grumbelina" about it..... :****(

Growing Pains

"By focusing on the genuine benefits of grace, we can rediscover the promises God designed to make our lives more satisfying and less selfish, more fulfilling and less driven, more peaceful and less guilt ridden. As we reflect on God's goodness to us, may we grow in love and gratitude to Him, and may we grow also to enjoy more and more the promises of his grace."
~Dr. Brian Chapell

It has been one busy month! One full of "growing pains"...both for the kids and for us as parents...as our children grow we are growing as well and as a parent I see even more clearly my need for a Savior and someone to look to for guidance...we need the wisdom and GRACE that only He can give as we raise these little ones...
A lot of July has dealt with new "sleep issues" for our little girl...she has always been a great sleeper...but is growing up and growing out of naptime, but still needs "rest time" (this is something we think is important for her)...lots of falling asleep in the car going on for her since she isn't getting as much sleep...

We have had lots of fun too though! (My camera is still french fried! Gotta get that fixed soon! Taking lots of cell phone shots...) Visits from friends (Yay Beth!) and the cousins came over for another "Camp In"...it has been super hot and lots of days 100+!

On Fridays in July we have either been having "Fun Family Day" or 2 days I sat for kids and we got to experience swim practice and then swam in their pool afterwards...Here M plays with a friend on the playground as swim team practice is going on...

Carter watching Fantasia before Swim Team with the girl we sat for...

Mike and I have both enjoyed teaching summer school this July...and the kids have had a blast with MiMi...she brought them in to meet my students last week...it was fun to have them come in for library time and see everyone...Here they are looking at the display outside of the library...

I can't believe July is almost over! And I can't believe I only have 1 disc to go in Season 7 of the Gilmore Girls!!!! How will it all end!?!?!? I found it for 50% off on a Christmas in July sale and it has been so fun to watch....I'm gonna be sad when it is over! :)

Balance

I think I am finally done with my beach posts! I just love the beach and the peace and reflection it brings...it was the perfect balance of family time, alone time, time with adults, and time as a couple- Mike and I got a date night! (Thanks MiMi, PaPa, and Aunt Lu for watching the kids so we could go out...)

On our date we found a super cute ice cream/trinkety shop and picked up this book for Carter...we already had one for Mallory...we love it...and Mike got me a sign for our room...

Cherish Yesterday. Dream Tomorrow. Live Today.

Thank You!

Thank you MiMi and PaPa and Becky and Bob for keeping the beach a tradition all these yrs! We love it and are so grateful to go!

Can't believe our crew of 9 is now a group of 19!

Thanks for all the fun memories!

Ladder ball was a hit this summer...

PaPa the Prankster...

Some things never change...PaPa has always been a prankster and the tradition continues...

We were playing around shooting air at each other inside for days in the cottage...until one day PaPa loaded it with some water! Surprise! :)

Daddy's Girl

This little girl loves her Daddy...

MiMi's Daycare

Does he look like his MiMi or what!?! The kids are having such a wonderful time with their MiMi in the mornings while Mike and I teach...it is so fun to come home and hear all about it each day! Thanks for making their summer so special MiMi! :)

Down by the Water...

Vacation wasn't so much of this (as pic above)...

...but more of this....chasing after these 2 little surfers!

We love that they love the beach! We would try to go down to the water 2xs a day with the kids...once in the morning and once after naps...Mike (or MiMi) was nice to let me go down most naptimes (they would listen for the kids) and relax by the water and chat with the other adults...the times we spent down at the beach with the kids were action packed and required man to man defense! Didn't get a lot of pictures down there this yr bc we were helping the kids jump waves or ride the waves in Matt's boat or look for shells or dig for sand creatures...We had so much fun and when we had to take breaks to rest M would say, "You strong enough! You strong enough!!!" (trying to convince me I didn't need to give my arms a rest from helping them in the water....it was cute...but we still took breaks....) We love that they LOVE the beach! :)

Classic

Ahhhh siblings....this pic makes me laugh! :)

Inside Fun...

The NEXT GENERATION beach crew had a blast together! We tried to get all 5 in a pic together...we finally did it by one of the last days!

Lots of reading and cuddling going on...

Carter thought Rob was super fun!

A little Hi Ho Cheerio-ing almost daily...

...or Memory or Go Fish!

Ring around the Rosie...

Reading and chewing on fingers...

The good times just kept on coming...

What special memories we made! :)

Porch Playin...

The kids had so much fun out on the front deck this yr...and the parents had a better time too thanks to the baby gate rigged up (Thanks Becky!) to keep out little ones pinned in to play and not wanting to go down to the water....

Lots of climbing....

Double fisting it...

Baby poolin- it!

Many an hr was spent out there together!

Catching Up...

It has been one CRAYYYY- ZAY busy week...hopefully someday soon I can "catch up" on posting all my beach pics...but here are 2 more... What a fun time we had! :)

Zoom!!!! Zoom!!!!

Mallory was old enough to go racing this year...she was so excited! She loved it and said, "Do you believe in this Mom??!!? It is so fun!" We had a blast together...it is such a stress reliever! We used to go go cart racing before exams in college...so fun! You forget how much fun it really is! Carter enjoyed watching us zoom around...and he got his turn to play with the other kids on the Moon Bounce afterwards...

My camera started acting up...but this is the only pic I got of Aunt Susan during the week (she came down for the last half)...it would've been a good pic!

We are the last car to leave...

Slumber Party!

Aunt Laura invited M to have a sleepover in her room one night while we were at the beach...Mal was so excited! She pulled out all of her books and read and danced for Lu for an hr! I finally went up and told her she needed to get into bed...so much excitement! Laura said she slept well after giving her one good arm scratch...love those arm scratches from my girl!

Mallory would also have her naptimes in Laura's bed....she doesn't always fall asleep now for naptime, but enjoys "reading" and we needed to separate the kids during nap so Carter could get his snooze on! Many times at the beach she did fall asleep though...staying up late and all the excitement wore her out! 2xs she got to skip nap...once to go to the beach with me and once to go shopping with Daddy when it was our night to cook....it was such a nice balance for us of keeping routine and having special alone time with her! :) Here she is passed out during one of her naps...