Back to school... again.

So another school year has begun.

Austin is now in 3rd grade and the girls are in 1st grade.

These are not the best pictures. We were in a hurry to get out the door that morning.



We walked into the school together. I've always walked them to their class the first day of school. Austin immediately took off to his classroom by himself. No goodbye or anything! Sheesh. And so being officially independent begins...

Emily was pretty unsure about staying in her class. Luckily she has a few good friends from last year, or I think she wouldn't have been crying and begging to come home with me. She refused to take a picture.

And what would I do without my sassy little Abby? She was so excited for 1st grade to start. She was up at 5:30 with me ready to go. On the way to school she told Austin and Emily that she has 1,000 friends at school and was giving them advice on how to make new friends. They weren't all into that conversation.

Here's to another great school year!

FL photo shoot

I can't share my favorites... I'm pretty sure we will use them on our Christmas card this year. But here is the best of the rest!

We actually had to take them out there both morning and night.

Because in our morning pictures the sun was right in the kiddos face, so they were squinty like this











Onto the evening pictures.... had to bribe them with both ice cream and popsicles. Sugar works every time!




Perhaps the funniest of the day...

FL Vacation - Day 3

Yahoo! We finally made it! Lather me up mama and get me on that beach!

I think the kids' favorite part of the condo is that they have their own personal TVs in each bunkbed.


The old man and the sea.

Ready to hit the sand!

Raise your hand if your diaper is wet!

It's kind of hard to tell, but Austin is swimming just past the seaweed. It has been really BAD! Abby doesn't want to put her feet in it to get to the clear water.

Not our healthiest week of food. We did have some fresh gulf shrimp for dinner, though. Yum!


Because of the seaweed issue, we decided to check out a few local parks.


We found a great park near the bay. It was a great way to beat the crowds.


Peek-a-boo - greetings from Forrest Stump.

Mr. "I just started walking ten days ago" is showing off...

There was a specialty cupcake shop across from the park... they didn't open until later, so we had to come back!

"You wanna piece of my cupcake?"

At the end of the day we enjoyed a friendly game of Uno.

FL Vacation Day 2

Well we made it to our final destination - Ft. Walton Beach, FL!

We didn't have a long drive today and couldn't check in until 4:00 so we drove around quite a bit. James did go to the Hard Rock Casino in Biloxi for 30 minutes while we waited in the car and he actually won $100. That paid for our groceries later that day, yeah!

So we're off to a good start...

Except it appears they are having a major seaweed issue at the beach. We'll see how that pans out.

FL Vacation Day #1

Fresh and ready for the big trip. Bring it on! Wait, did you say we're driving all day!!?!!

We started our family vacation early this morning! What a job it is to get a family of 6 packed! I spent all yesterday afternoon and evening getting everything ready. I'm not sure if this is going to be one of those relaxing type of vacations - but it's bound to be fun!

Here's Emily enjoying a po-boy in Walker, Louisiana - near Mandeville.

Everything was going great, everybody was enjoying their lunch until Abby spilled ketchup all over her dress. Looks like a scene from a horror movie. If that stain doesn't come out, it might be...

A new change of clothes and a happier girl!

I'm free! This is way better than sitting in a car!

Fooooooooood. Must - have - food!


Final stop for the day - Gulfport, MS!

The beach was great. And very few people... We may have to come back here!


Is this my good side?

This hotel is coool. I love these high beds... I can't wait to fall off, head-first... Poor kid needs to wear a helmet.

"My head is indestructible!"

3 tired kiddos. At least there's some evidence that they were getting along...