Looking Back: The County Fair

Well we finally have our computer back! So I've just uploaded our end of summer pics. Although you would think this post would be about the start of school, I'm gonna back it up a few weeks. To one of the highlights of our summer! (Well all but Elliott's highlights anyways...)
Each year Williamson County has this great (ie: safe and clean) county fair. We always try to get to Nashville for it and it never works, but this year we finally made it! All 3 kids, plus 2 parents, 1 grandparent, and 1 very very obliging friend. Probably still not enough adults for what is really required of you. But almost everyone had a ball, spent a lot of money (thanks BecBec!), ate a lot of food, and came home with lots of toys we really never could have lived with out.
Before I give you the blow by blow, here's a little back story.  You see our precious little Elliott has had a rough summer, losing his spot as the family baby, gaining, of all things, a sister! (who also happens to be very close in age), no routine, being 3, etc... It's been a tough go. These pictures can give you some highlights of our summer with him. But we are working hard, giving lots of love and attention, and he is doing MUCH better. Come to think of it, this day could have been the pinnacle of his mourning, because I don't much remember behavior like this since!
So back to the fair...

 The Ferris Wheel- Maxwell loved it! Elliott was about 2 inches too short to ride. Thus the beginning of the end for him.

 Almost happy riding the cute little train

 Everyone's first corndog! (nope, not normal Kown food)

 Oh the corndog

 Maxwell used to love machinery. So this combine harvester pic was a must. (i still remember what it's called- it was a true love)

 The swings were Maxwell's highlight! (again, Elliott, too short)

 

 And some more food...

 And everyone won a toy!

 Just not the right toy...

 

  Too much fun (and food) for one day

And all's well that ends well... until you drop your blue sword on the hot pavement and pop it

Birthday Extravanga

Weellll... It's 2 weeks later but I'm back! In my defense our computer crashed and has been at the shop. And not in my defense, I was too lazy to download the pictures to our iPad. But after multiple requests for birthday pictures and party stories, here goes...

Birthday 1:
Maxwell turns 6!! Star Wars. That's it. It's all about Star Wars.

Sorry for the blurry pic? But behind that "bookcase is a monster slide that takes you into..."

...Jedi Master Training!

And so the girls weren't left out- a few little fairies. Which of course the boys asked why they weren't Princess Leia

 

Birthday 2:
Mamie turns 2! And it was pink. All pink. From her outfit to the hot pink icing that melted in the sun. Oops. Big lesson learned.

Looking ready for her big day. In reality she had no clue this was all for her.

But strangely enough she knew exactly how to blow out the candle?

Oh my the pink icing

Even the boys had fun! (in their pink)

Birthday 3:
Charles is 35!! Not quite the same ring as 6 or 2 is it?
But we celebrated nonetheless... And apparently the theme was green?

What looks like a shamrock cake is really a golf green. With clubs and shoes.

 



Not looking too shabby after 3 birthdays in 2 weeks?
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Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

So Much More Than 2

Mamie is 2 today! And we are so thankful that she is here to spend it in our house as part of our family!  Tomorrow is her first little birthday party, where she will have loads of fun (and I will have a sunnier brighter post for you :) )...But today is kind of a surreal day. This birthday isn't like any other birthday. It's actually proving to be a lot more emotional than I anticipated. With your biological children, you can reflect on their birth, remembering all of the fun little details of the day. And look back over each year and see how much they have grown. And today we just don't have that. My heart is actually sitting with her birth parents in China. Who I'm certain have dreaded this day now for several weeks. Each day the pain a little greater of knowing that they will be missing another one of her birthdays. My prayer these past few days has been, that if they don't know the Lord, that He would give them a supernatural peace that passes all understanding- and a revelation of Him. And knowledge that their daughter is being loved and taken care for in every way they dreamed possible.
Thank you Jesus for this precious child's life. And that she is loved by so many all over the world.

Photo by Pastimes Photography
Design by Emily O. Holmes Designs

Vacation, All I Ever Wanted...

So I wrote this post almost 3 weeks ago. Just needed to upload the pictures. Does that tell you anything about our daily life right now? Continue on...

Let's be honest. As a family that travels a lot, this whole staying at home thing has been rough. For me anyways. So our family beach trip FINALLY arrived! Now note, Charles and I weren't prepared for this to be a "vacation". More like spending 7 nights somewhere else. With different scenery. But a change of scenery! However, we did pray over it, over Mamie, over the rest of it... and off we went.
But I'm happy to say we were wrong! It WAS a vacation! See we were prepared for no sleep, an aching back from me carrying a very confused almost 2 year old (who is currently weighing in at 26 pounds and counting) who has no concept of "vacation". As in, I've been in one house for 3 months and now you are taking me to another one? Huh? But she was great! Sleep wasn't perfect, but it surely could have been much worse. And she played, loved the sand and ocean, and was only a touch clingy. And the boys... no worries, they would move to Kiawah Island tomorrow if we would let them. So "surfing", riding bikes, playing in the nature center... all of our favs, still got accomplished. And without further ado, our family beach trip to Kiawah Island, SC 2012.

 Her first bike ride

 And her first time on sand and in ocean

 Our attempt at a family photo. Nice

 Love this pic of Maxwell and his Grandad

 Nothing was going to harm this girl

 

Somehow painting a canvas has become an annual tradition. Our playroom is filling up :)

 Bye bye Kiawah. See you next summer...