Wordless Wednesday.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

College day at Hardy Street.

What a fun weekend we have had here in Hattiesburg!  Friday night, David and I had a double date with some of our super fun friends.  Saturday some other sweet friends from Georgia arrived.  We fed the college students at William Carey BSU for their survival weekend.  Saturday night, we ate some yummy Mississippi catfish with our Georgia friends.  They approved.  Then, Sunday, we had college day at our church.  One of the things I love most about where we live is that it's a college town.  There's just life everywhere!  

 In anticipation of college day, I called our supplier for all things UGA, T.  She didn't disappoint.  A brown box (our favorite thing) arrived on our front porch earlier in the week full of bulldawg goodies.  We couldn't have been more excited!  

 Sunday morning, we got up and put on our bulldawg gear complete with tattoos, ha!  The children were so excited and looked pretty awesome, too!  Don't you think?  

We failed to take a family picture, but I will settle for a picture with these sweet faces.  Sunday night, we enjoyed a concert by our friend James Tealy.  What a treat to be led in worship by him!  What a fun weekend!  This week seems to be lending its own excitement, too.  Isaac is on his way to the Gulf Coast.  And Tilly is the star student for her class!  

Tilly starts pre-kindergarten.

Last Friday, Story and I took Tilly to school to meet her teacher for the year.  We were thrilled to find that Tilly would have Miss Gin, the same teacher Summer had last year!  

Don't worry, it's still hot in Mississippi ;) But it was pouring down rain this day, and Tilly insisted on wearing her fleece!  

This past Monday was Tilly's first official day of prek.  I was a little nervous about how she would do being at school without Summer since that's all she has known.  She took it like a champ!  She walked right into her room, followed Miss Gin's directions, and began her day!  

Story, on the other hand, was NOT happy that we left her playmate at school for the day.  I may or may not have taken her to the car kicking and screaming.  Literally.  

Tilly, we are so proud of you, and we hope you have a wonderful year in pre-kindergarten.  We look forward to witnessing the many things you will learn this year at school!  We love you!

Wordless Wednesday.

Story's just sayin'!

Our little Story is not so much a baby anymore, and we can hardly stand it!  Maybe because there's not one behind her for the first time ever ;) or maybe since there's more of a gap between her and Tilly, I don't know.  I just know the time is flying by.  Her little personality is really blossoming, and she's quite a character.  As you can see from the pictures, she is attached to her thumb, but mostly only when she is super tired or in the car.  One thing that surprises us is that even though she sucks her thumb, she is pretty verbal!  I want to make note of some of the funny things she is saying these days.  

"Mommy, where are you?" In a little sing-song voice.
"I help you, Mommy." She is my little shadow wanting to be doing exactly what I am doing.  Her favorite thing to help me do is wash the dishes, so cute!  

"Ta - da!"

"Daddy, buckle!" 

"Let's pray, guys."

"Mommy, that is super yuck!" Talking about her dirty diaper.
"Aw, man!"

"Mommy, they not playing with me!" "Summer (or whichever sibling is at fault), Mommy wants you." Before I even have a chance to respond.  She knows the drill!

"Excuse you, Mommy.  Excuse you." When she wants my attention.
"I not sassy britches!" 

"Mommy, I was obedient." When I pick her up at the gym.  Wonder where's she's heard that before!
"I wear a dress today, Mommy?"

"I love you, Mommy.  Love you." My favorite words.  Ever.  

A few of my favorite things via Tilly, age 4.

Yesterday evening after birthday festivities, I snapped a few pictures of Tilly.  I also interviewed her last night with this questionnaire I found on pinterest.  At age  four, these are some of Tilly's favorites.  I do want to note that she answered quickly and didn't have to think at all about her responses.  Our girl knows what she likes, ha!

1. What is your favorite color? pink

2. What is your favorite toy? doll

3. What is your favorite fruit? apple

4. What is your favorite tv show? Olympics - this made me smile!  We had so much fun watching together!

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Sandwich, which is funny because she doesn't care for bread!

6. What is your favorite outfit? A dress, the one I'm wearing right now.  Thanks, T!

7. What is your favorite game? Duck, duck goose!

8. What is your favorite snack? banana, which is what I send to school most days.  

9. What is your favorite animal? Giraffe, we saw them at the zoo in New Orleans.  

10. What is your favorite song? Jesus Loves Me.  

11. What is your favorite book? Anything princess. 

12. Who is your best friend? Ella. 

13. What is your favorite cereal? Chocolate!  I'm not sure what that is.  We don't eat much cereal.  

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play in the rain.  Love her!

15. What is your favorite drink? Milk.  

16. What is your favorite holiday? 

17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Babies.  

18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Doughnuts.  

19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? McAlister's.  

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? A teenage, ha!

Happy 4th birthday, Tilly!

Happy birthday, to the cutest, sweetest, spunkiest little four year old I know, our Tilly girl!  

Tilly, you were born on August 19, 2008, at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, just like your brother and sisters.  Birth and labor were so easy with you, as I didn't even have to push one time, ha!  You weighed 8 pounds and were 20 inches long. 

When you were born, Carter had just turned two in May, and Summer had just turned one in July!  Our house was a little crazy, but we could not have imagined it without you in it.  I love love this picture of Carter and Summer meeting you for the very first time.  

This picture was taken on the day we got to bring you home.  You captured our hearts the moment you were born, and you continue to capture the hearts of most people you meet with your cute little personality and facial expressions.  Let's see what you've been up to over the last year.  

I love this picture so much for so many reasons.  It was exactly this weekend one year ago that our family of six visited Hattiesburg for the very first time.  The McDonald family found out it was your birthday and helped us to celebrate while we were in town.  

Another one of my favorite pictures ever.  You and Summer on your very first day of ballet class at First Baptist Church Powder Springs.  

Our move from Georgia to Mississippi did not seem to phase you much at all.  You moved from Miss Becky's class to Miss Audie's class without batting an eye!  Here you are at the Thanksgiving feast at PCS, your new school in Mississippi.  

This picture captures so much of who you are, just pure joy and delight!  This picture was taken in New Orleans on one of our many trips there since we've moved to MS.  We love being so close to this city we love so much!  

You are always up for a challenge, and no task seems to daunting to you.  Here you are helping Daddy with our family garden.  

I adore this picture of you with baby McKinley.  I love the sweet way you are looking at her.  

This is your BFF, Ella.  You two love each other so much.  I'm so thankful and happy that y'all will be in the same class again this year.  As I type this, Ella's baby brother, Alexander, is fighting for his life at a hospital in Jackson.  He was born last April with a heart condition and has had some big complications since his most recent procedure this week.  We are praying and asking God to heal his little heart and protect him from sickness.  We are praying peace and comfort for his family.  

Tilly, whatever you do you do it will all of you, whether it's praising the Lord or throwing a fit, ha!

I love that about you.  Our challenge in parenting you is to teach you obedience without diminishing your spirit because we love that about you.  

True Tilly fashion.  You are in the car with Story and me waiting to get Carter and Summer in the carpool line.  

It's no wonder we named you Tilly, our little New Orleans girl.  

You walk to your own beat, and we love that about you.  

In the last few months, you got glasses and a patch.  You've handled them both with the grace of someone far beyond your years.  Your daddy and I have been so very impressed with you during this season.  

Your favorite things to play are baby dolls, dress up, hopscotch, bubbles, school, and anything using your imagination.  Your favorite song right now is "Indescribable" by Chris Tomlin.  I love to hear you sing it.  

Summer has become one of your most favorite playmates.  It is so sweet the way the two of you play together.  

You have your well check up with Dr. B in a week, so I don't know your stats yet.  You wear size 4-5 clothes.  You are tall, so dresses fit better in 5T.  Your shoe size is 10.  Your favorite foods are meat (any kind), french fries, fruit roll ups, bananas, carrots, green beans, blueberries, grapes, eggs, waffles, and yogurt.  You do not like bread, hardly at all.  It's so interesting to me.  

Daddy says all the time, "You're my favorite Tilly!"  And you are.  We love you so very much.  Your personality is infectious, and we love that about you.  People are so easily drawn to you, and we hope that will be a positive thing your whole life.  Happy birthday, sweet Tilly!  We hope your day is so very special and full of all things that bring you much joy!  

B90 Days, take two! Join me?

Last summer, I linked up with Amy at Mom's Toolbox  for her read through the Bible in 90 days.  I loved being diligent to be in His Word everyday for 90 days.  It was such a great challenge, and I felt such a great accomplishment when I finished.  It was no accident that during those 90 days the Lord called our family to leave our home in Georgia and to move to Mississippi.  What a special time to be hearing a Word from Him every single day!  You can read more about my journey here if you need some convincing that this is a great thing to do.  For me, it was life-changing.  

A little over a year later, it's time to jump in and do it again.  This time, Amy is offering not only a read through the Bible in 90 days, but also a chronological read through in 90 days.  You can find the reading plans for each of these here and here.  You can also link up on Amy's blog, and each day she will post the reading assignments as well as something particular that stuck out in the verses read for that day.  David is going to go through this with me, and I've invited my Tuesday night Bible study girls to join me, too.  Would you like to join us?  If so, you can leave a comment for me here, or (if we are friends in real life) you can send me a message on facebook or email, and we can form some sort of accountability group because having that will help you and me to be more successful.  I'm excited to be walking through the Bible again.  I'm excited to see how He will speak to me through His Word for this particular season of life.  I'd love for you to walk with me!

School days, 2012.

The beginning of the summer season seemed to go by so slowly, but the last few weeks sure have flown!  Yesterday was the first day of school for Carter and Summer.  We had to awaken them this morning, so they would get to school on time.  

Carter is in T-1 this school year, and his teacher is Mrs. Pittman.  T-1 is a transitional grade between Kindergarten and First, basically an extra year to grow, perfect for our summer birthday babies!  

Summer is in Kindergarten this year, and her teacher is Mrs. Malone.  

Love this picture of these two.  Oh, how they adore each other!  

Carter and Summer both had a great first day of school.  Daddy drove them in this morning, and there were no tears, just brave little hearts ready for a new adventure.  I think it helped that Mommy was not the one taking them to school, and I think it helped having each other!  There are a few things I want to remember about today.  When Story woke up this morning, Carter and Summer were already gone.  In her adorable sleepy voice, she asked, "Where's Carter?  Where's Summer, Mommy?  We lost them?" So cute!  Tilly, Story, and I picked up Summer from school just after 12, as she only goes to 1/2 day Kindergarten.  I asked Summer what her favorite part of the day was, and she replied without even having to think, "Carter and I saw each other in the lunchroom!"  Love these two all the way to the moon and back a whole bunch of times!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

School moon.

We are well beyond the days of honeymoons and babymoons, but in the middle of school years, we are.  So take a school moon, we did!  All the way to the ocean!  I have often lamented this summer how we live so close and have not taken the time to stick our toes in the sand.  A travesty, I tell you!  Thanks to a little groupon and convincing of our sugar daddy, we loaded up our party of six and headed to Bay St. Louis, MS, right after church on Sunday.  

And I'll have you know, there was no gambling going on for these fine Southern Baptists, but we did enjoy a little casino buffet, ha!  

This picture is blurry, but I love her sweet little face all lit up with the anticipation of an adventure in the sand.  After church Sunday, we ran home to put on our swim suits.  We ate sandwiches made the night before in the car and hit the road to the beach!  

It was wonderful!  We basically had the place to ourselves.  I cannot describe the love I have for the beach.  Love it, and I loved even more watching my children play in the sand and water.  

We got to the beach around 3:30 Sunday afternoon, and we stayed until almost 6:00.  So much fun.  Carter, Summer, Tilly, and Story loved being in the water and sand.  

Story amazed us.  The last time she was at the beach, she was barely one and didn't really know what to think.  To watch her, you would think she'd been doing this her whole life.  

Her momma sure has.  David and I did a lot of dreaming and talking while at the beach as we watched our children play and entertain themselves very well.  I told him how growing up most every Saturday and Sunday in the summertime, my mom, sister, and I spent many hours at Tybee Island.  

We even experienced our first jellyfish sting.  Carter, Summer, and Tilly were out in the water with David, and one got Carter pretty good on both legs.  He ran out of the water just a hollering!  At first I thought he was just playing around, and then I quickly realized what must have happened.  After applying a mud paste, he was up and playing again.  We made sure he got back in the water several times before we left that day just make sure he wasn't fearful.  He took it like a champ!

For supper, we wanted to eat somewhere we couldn't eat at in Hattiesburg, so we drove from Pass Christian, where we were at the beach, back to Bay St. Louis looking for a little local eat, and there just wasn't much.  We ended up at this cute little place, Shaggy's, in Pass Christian.  With live music and shrimp po boys, it did not disappoint!

Don't judge, but we went up in there still in our swim suits, and no one seemed to mind a bit.  Anything kind of goes when you're at the beach, right!

Monday morning, we slept til 9:00!  That's right, 9:00, and it was AWESOME!  I can probably count on one hand since we've seen 9:00 in the last 6 years, ha!  After a yummy breakfast at the hotel restaurant (with our groupon, we got two free tickets!), we spent the morning back at the beach.  We left around 1:30 to head back to the hotel to swim at the pool for a little bit.  Then, it was time to shower and head home.  

But, not before we stopped first to eat at this place on the way home!  It has been almost a year since we've eaten here, and it was just as good we remember!  Well, school starts today for Carter and Summer.  I am so thankful we were able to take this little trip with our little family before the big school year begins.  Love the memories we are making.  Love the ones I'm making them with even more!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone