The kids and I dropped Jon off at the Roanoke airport on July 10. We were all dreading that moment. It was quite the emotional goodbye, but the kids and I were excited to be able to spend some more time at the lake since we only get to visit once a year. I really wanted the kids to be able to enjoy the lake as much as I did (and still do) growing up. It's so fun to watch them doing the same things I got to do and have just as much fun doing them! We also got to visit with some old friends during our three week stint without Daddy. My best friend from Fredericksburg, Gray and her two boys met us at the water park in Roanoke for an afternoon of fun. It was so good to catch up with her and watch the kids play. It was so nice of her to meet us there, especially since she is pregnant with her third! I had a chance to catch up with an old high school friend too. We met Dan in Roanoke for some grilled cheese and ice cream one afternoon. (Will was really impressed with all of the tatatoos on Dan's arm...yes, he calls them tatatoos).The best part of the visit was spending time with my parents and sister...just like old times. I don't have too many pics because Jon is usually the one taking pictures, but my sister was able to get lots of cute shots of Callie and the kids. Visit her blog mandamumbojumbo.blogspot.com to see all of the Brighton/Will/Callie interactions! I will be posting pictures of our second family vacation to Myrtle Beach soon, but that's a whole other blog posting!

The reason I get so homesick sometimes.

Jack and Will picked up where they left off--as if they hadn't been apart for two years. Thanks, Gray for hauling the boys (all 3 of them) all the way to Roanoke! We miss you!!!!

Brighton and Luke...sneaky snackers.

Papa teaching his little buddy the correct method for neighborhood watch aka spying.

Nana and Papa gave Will a new Mcqueen fishing pole and tackle box. He did quite a bit of fishing with Papa, and he had no trouble touching the fish, worms, and casting. He needs a little work hooking the fish though.

Nana gives the best wheelbarrow rides--she even gave Brighton's wheelbarrow a ride too!

Thanks Daddy for letting us stay at Nana and Papa's for a whole month!

One more week...

I was hoping to have some Vacation Bible School pics and video to post, but the video was too long, and I wasn't able to take any pictures because I was working the whole time! We stayed very busy with VBS last week. But it was a wonderful week. I had a great time leading my group, and I was very happy with how well Will did. He was so excited to learn about Joseph and ancient Egypt. He participated in the games and crafts, but his favorite thing was singing. He actually participated in the hand motions and sang his little heart out. It made me so happy to see him interacting so well during the week, and several times I got teary thinking about how much he has grown up. He will be going to preschool in the fall, and I think he is going to love it! I just don't know how well I will do without my little boy around those two days a week, but it will be nice to spend some much-needed alone time with my little girl. Brighton stayed in the church nursery with "Mae Mae" (she's the lady that watches the babies during church). She got to get out though and walk around, and she could not be kept away from the singing and dancing. She dances constantly. One lady commented to me that Brighton had "music in her soul." It's so fun to watch her dance when any music comes on. She is drawn to music. She'll dance to anything, but I think her favorite music is zydeco, which is appropriate since she's a little Louisiana gal. She's so tan right now she could be mistaken for a Creole. We went to the beach again for Father's Day and had a nice time playing and relaxing. Brighton and Will play so well together, and it makes me so happy to sit and watch them laughing and rolling around. I can't wait for their grandparents to see them. This week, we are making lists, cleaning, and packing for what will be a very long trip to Virginia. I'm so excited to go, but I'm a little daunted by the task of so much packing. So I must stop blogging and get to work!!!

Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

Taking a break with Daddy! Both kids played very well on their own in the water that day, which made for a relaxing Father's Day.

Brighton happily wears a life vest now, which cuts down on her getting so much water in her mouth. This should make things easier at the lake and the beach this year.

The water is very shallow, so it's a great place for the kids to swim. It's also surprisingly clear and ridiculously warm! I miss the nice cool waters of SML!

Will loves to float on his back in the water now. He says that he's "taking a nap in the water."

We watched our friends' little boy, Mason, one night. Brighton refused to share anything with him including all of the salad dressings.

We're heading to VA in a week?!?!

Beating the Heat

We have been finding ways to stay cool since the heat has been so brutal lately. Our temps are usually in the 90s, but with the humidity, the heat index is usually around 105 daily. That means we end up having late afternoon thunderstorms, which do NOT cool things down. However, we have found ways to beat the heat. We visit the pool often (Will just finished 10 days of swimming lessons, which is why we went to celebrate with Menchies), and we have spent more time at the waterspouts. Over Memorial Day weekend, we went to Fountainebleu State Park and enjoyed some time in the sun. The oil spill has not crept into Lake Ponchartrain yet, so it was nice to enjoy the outdoors without the threat of tarballs. If we weren't neck-deep in water, we were inside enjoying family time. Jon and I have been working out together, and sometimes we have two little helpers who like to play with weights and tackle Daddy. In other news...Jon had the #1 spot for BPR scoring this month (the scoring for Operations Managers at Ferguson). We are very proud of Daddy! This week, we are busy at church for Vacation Bible School. I am one of the group leaders, Will is in my group, and Brighton spends her time in the church nursery, which she loves :) We have already had a very busy summer, and it's barely begun...soon enough we'll be planning our trip to VA!!!!!

When the weather gets stormy, Brighton finds a nice box...

Will and Daddy race cars down the hall.

Brighton's ready for the beach!




Brighton will not stay out of the water...she has no fear!

One messy kid!

Make that two messy kids!

Brighton got a fresh-fruit treat from the Farmer's Market!

Indoor fun on the Daddy jungle gym.

Nothing like water up the keester.

Brighton's angry face after I told her she couldn't run off by herself...

It didn't keep her from running.

Anything to keep cool!

Eric and Jake go South

Two weeks ago, Uncle Eric (Jon's brother) and Cousin Jake flew down for their first visit. We all had a great time, but I'm pretty sure that it was Will and Jake who had the best time. They are very close in age, so they did not stop playing and talking the entire visit. They spent a lot of time at the park around the corner, the park a few blocks away, and the park with the waterspouts. We also made it to the city for a few hours for lunch and a sticky walk. We ate so much seafood! Crawfish, Redfish, Oysters, Shrimp and Alligator! (I think gator counts as seafood?!) It was a jam-packed visit, and we were sad to see them go (especially Will). Here are just a sampling of the many pics Jon took over the weekend.


Upon arriving, Jake was shown where he would be sleeping...and Will decided he needed to sleep with him. Brighton was not going to be left out of the fun!

Jake was very sweet to his other cousin too. He called her "Baby Bwighton" :)

Jake and Will have quite a bit in common...neither one likes to wear pants!

Everyone had a great time at the waterspouts

Getting tired after a long, humid ride through the quarter.

Uncle Eric and Cousin Jake

Will teaching Jake how to feed the alligators at the park (I'm pretty sure that gators don't eat sweet gum balls)

The sun setting on a great visit...all good things must come to an end

Mother's Day

I had a very wonderful Mother's Day this year. We didn't do too much, which made it very nice! On Saturday, the kids helped Daddy clean both cars inside and out while I had some quiet time. After bathtime, we all sat down for movie night. On Sunday, our church had a special Mother's Day program. Will and Brighton both got to participate, however, Will's participation was a bit spotty. It was a great day complete with a vase full of beautiful flowers courtesy of Ed and Caren.

That is Will lying on the floor!

Movie night=Popcorn!

Will made sure that the cars were not the only things that got a good rinsing!

Brighton hits 18 months and Daddy hits...

...348 months (you might need to double check the English major's math!) Last Wednesday we celebrated Jon's birthday with a homemade banner, balloons, wine, and a delicious Italian meal. The kids had a good time waiting for Daddy to get home from work, so he could see all of the surprises we had prepared for him. I spent quite a bit of outside time with them that day, so they wouldn't mess up the clean house! Although our back yard is very small, we have a good-sized side yard and a nice, shaded front yard. There was an old playhouse in the side yard, and Jon spent hours fixing it up, so that both kids can climb safely. He even added a little climbing wall for Will and extra steps for Brighton. They both love it, and it is a true testament to how much Jon loves his kids. He is a great Daddy, and we are happy to celebrate him!!!

We are also celebrating our little girl turning 18 months today. Brighton is the most hilarious little girl I have ever met. She is talking very well and never utters a word without a big helping of attitude. She bosses her brother, the dog, Daddy and even Mommy! She also gets into her fair share of trouble now too. I realize sometimes that I am not as hard on her as I was with Will because I still think of her as such a baby. She's such a big girl now though, and I can tell she understands so much more than I giver her credit for. Brighton is already exhibiting a Mommy's little helper personality. She wants to clean, feed her baby, cook, wipe herself, feed herself (I have given up trying to hold the spoon), and even put herself down for a nap. I think if she could climb into her bed by herself she would. She loves to grab the phone and have conversations with her Grandma and Nana. And she has become quite the computer hog while Skyping. Brighton is very affectionate and loves to hug, kiss, and snuggle with all of us. She is especially sweet with "Woool" (her word for Will). We are happy to have such a beautiful 18-month-old girl!

What grown man wouldn't want a tractor and Spanish Elmo balloon?

A Kiss from the Birthday Boy :)