Fun week with Nana

Matt and I decided that Carter's last day of preK at Vanderbilt Child and Family Center would be July 31st.  However, he didn't start school until August 12th.  So, that left us with several days of no child care.  Nana to the rescue!  Nana and Carter enjoyed 2 days of one on one time before Ella Catherine joined in the fun.  Monday Carter wanted to stay at home, play with his toys and do some crafts and that is just what they did.  Then he and Nana went and picked up Ella Catherine from camp and they all went swimming.  Tuesday they decided to go to the Discovery Science Center in Murfreesboro.  A favorite of the kids.  After they went to lunch and again went to pick up Ella Catherine and went swimming.  Wednesday Ella Catherine joined in the fun and they decided on a movie "Planes search and rescue".  They all loved the movie.  Thursday was zoo day.  It was a little hot but they had a  lot of fun.  They talked Nana into riding the train and the carousel something mom and dad don't usually have any cash on hand to do. Friday was Ella Catherine's first day of school.  I had the day off and so mom and I took Carter on a little shopping trip.  We weren't sure how it was going to go, but he did great.  The first shop had a kids play corner. He played while we shopped.  The second store had some homemade granola and yogurt for him to taste.  The third store he got to pick out a toy.  We met Matt for lunch, went to the park and then picked up the girls.  A fun Friday indeed.  I know Carter enjoyed his special time with Nana.  We all loved having her here and are very grateful she was able to come up and spend the week.

Building and Painting his airplane

Playing in the locomotion at the discovery center

Groceries anyone?

Playing cashier

Driving the firetruck

Watering his garden

learning about pulleys and levers

Digging up rocks

Watching the meerkats

Deciding which way to go next

Kangaroos

Riding the train

Carter on the Carousel

Ella Catherine on the Carousel

Although Cassidy did not get to stay home, she got plenty of Nana time in the mornings and evenings.  Nana reading Cassidy a story.  Photo courtesy of Ella Catherine

Ella Catherine teaching Nana how to take selfies

Cassidy hitting the button to take a selfie

Nana and the big kids selfie

SSI 2014

 With Matt in graduate school last year we did not make it to the beach and I for one missed it greatly.  I was very excited when we planned our week at the beach this year.  Prior to finishing school Ella Catherine's teacher had her make a bucket list for summer.  There were 5 items on the bucket list and 3 of them we could check off at the beach!  Crabbing= check, swimming in the ocean = check and playing in the sand= check.  We started off the trip with the weekend in Macon visiting family.  It was really good to see my family.  Then it was down to Saint Simons Island Georgia for a week of fun, sun and relaxing.  The little island never disappoints.

We went to the beach, to the pool, and we went crabbing. The kids were exhausted every night and so were the adults.  Can't wait until next year!

The whole family after dinner.  From left to right: Ella Catherine, Lori, Me, Cassidy, Becky, Carter, Nana, Pop(behind Nana), Brian, Kelly, Bob, Cori and Matt

Love that smile!  One happy little boy checking his crab net

Just couldn't resist a second photo.  If you've been following the blog you know how much he usually likes his picture taken

Concentrating hard and watching the net as she pulls it in to see if she has a crab

LOVE LOVE LOVE!  Wish I could have frozen time for just a little bit.  These two got along all afternoon crabbing, it was parental bliss.

Cassidy didn't get to crab this year but we went out after her nap to see how Pop, Daddy, Ella Catherine and Carter were fairing

Playing on the beach at sunset

Pure Joy





Cassidy didn't know what to make of the sand and couldn't get her footing right to run with her brother and sister.  So, she kept close tabs on them and let us know what they were up to



Ella Catherine :"Mom can we get our feet wet?"
Me: "sure"

Love this picture.  A girl enjoying the surf

Love this one too!  A boy enjoying the surf/ running from the water



And this is what " Can we get our feet wet" looks like. :)



Barely any dry parts left on their shirts

Matt and I couldn't stop laughing at how quickly it went from feet to whole body immersed

But I wouldn't trade the memory for anything.  They had a blast and we loved watching them make this incredible memory together

Rolling in the surf

First time at the Beach

This way mom

Sweet sisters1  Ella Catherine leading Cassidy to the pool the tide left.

Carter playing in the tide pool

Cassidy and Ella Catherine playing in the tide pool

Matt starting to bury Carter in the sand

Ella Catherine joining in the fun

Sweet boy completely buried

Busting out

Cassidy though the spot Carter left after he was buried was a nice cool seat to sit in.

Ella Catherine starting her sand castle

Daddy and Cassidy at the pool

Swim races

Family picture

Picture with Nana and Pop, Love Cassidy's expression

Another Family picture

And this is how we really act!  Silly Family photo.  Love Cassidy looking at me like I'm crazy

Cassidy is 18mo

I really need time to slow down.  My little guy turned 5 and now Cassidy is 18months old it is all going way to fast.  Cassidy is a complete joy!  She is spunky and a very happy baby.  She is at the stage where she understands what you are saying and can answer yes or no questions, but she still isn't talking well enough to verbalize what she wants.  She adores both her big sister and brother.  Carter is still the one who can get her laugh more than anyone.  When she needs nurturing and myself or Matt aren't readily available she goes to Ella Catherine.  She sings Eiei all the time for Old McDonald and she LOVES twinkle twinkle little star and will stop and dance when she hears it.  She loves music and I catch her in the rear view mirror dancing all the time.  She has reached the stage where shoes are fun to take off especially when we are riding down the highway on the way to and from school.  She is a cuddler and loves to give hugs.  She is one of the first kids in her class everyday.  I'm told by her teacher that she greets all the other kids with hugs.

 I mentioned she is talking more.  A few of her favorite words: no, doggy, trash, potty, yes, shoes, diaper, mommy, daddy, cup, more, beep and dolly.  Within the last 3 weeks she has become interested in the potty.  She has been asking us and her teachers to sit on the potty.  She has even had some success!  Although completely accidental, we still showed the appropriate enthusiasm.  Matt and I have offered her teachers big gifts if she is potty trained by 2. ;)

 

Smiling for the camera

Saying "cheese"

Field Day 2014

Ella Catherine's field day was today. Unfortunately, because Matt and I took the day off the day before for Carter's birthday neither of us could go to her field day.  Luckily, my good friend Chasity took some pictures for me.  Unlike when I was a kid, the events at her field day are all class related.  No individual ribbons or prizes.  Each first grade class competes against the other first grade classes. Since we were not there, this is Ella Catherine's recollection of the events.  Her first grade class won third place in the bat relay race, third place in the sponge relay, second place in basketball, second place in ball/cone relay and first place in the bean bag toss.  For the bean bag toss it was a tie after all the kids went.  To break the tie, the teachers had 1 turn to throw the bean bag.  Ella Catherine's teacher threw the bean bag and hit the 10 point mark.  The other teacher threw the bean bag and got no points.  Her team won!!! 

Ready for Field Day

Make a funny Face

Bean Bag Toss

Relay Race

Waiting for her team's turn

Exhausted but happy after a fun field day