The ducklings

This.

This picture.

It is my favorite photo from the summer of 2015.

My precious ducklings on the way to our pool for swim lessons.

I love them and I love our summers together.

Showtime!

It was the end of the school year for Hayes and Libby.

Performance time for all!

Songs and dances are always amazing!

Love our preschool.

Love our friends.

My girls

Did I mention that as soon as we got back from North Carolina we ran real fast to my aunt's house for a giant family gathering with our cousins from far away?  

This diva took her time playing and enjoying a cold beverage.

Though, she takes her time doing pretty much everything.

And this diva is just TOO happy to function normally.

I tell people all the time that she's not a real baby.

She's not.

She is this happy about 90% of the time.

I love being their momma.

I love their spunk and their HAPPY.

Last NC

Have wolf ears... will travel....

Last stop, GA rest area.

What is this bizarre water pump thing?

I got this mom.

Libby perfecting her pose with the giant bulldog.

Chubby baby with bulldog.

Here momma.... take my picture with this awesome doll.

Wait, what is this?

Coloring on the Cabbage Patch Kid table.

Next stop... Babyland General in Cleveland GA....

NC: Wolf Lodge

Our last leg of the journey to NC and back consisted of a trip to The Great Wolf Lodge in NC.  We stayed at the Concord/Charlotte location.  It was an awesome experience that I would recommend to any family!  I would recommend that you wait until all children are above the age of 3 for height requirements and restrictions on rides.... but it was STILL FUN!  

We had a few slides that we could all ride.  There were a few obstacles that the children could climb as well.  Spencer enjoyed the floor fountains and the slides that were her size.  

Libby pretty much enjoyed everything.

Hello there.

You are my size.

We can be friends.

I had to beg a stranger to get our picture.

Daryk and I are the only people actually looking at the camera.

Awesome.

This is only 4 hours from home and we are thinking about going again and taking my mother in law.  She can participate with the kids and watch them play.  Everything was zero level entry with no stairs, so she would be able to enjoy it!  

Amber

In case you wanted to know what 15 years of friendship looks like...

2 years in a college dorm.

3 marriages--2 are mine.

4 cities... those are hers....

5 kids--3 for me and 2 for her.

a handful of forgotten messages and a couple of random thoughts.

a few road trips to see concerts and boys that we shouldn't have....

during college... not recently.

And finally, a reunion in NC while traveling.

Funny, God has awesome plans that are so much better than our own.

Shortly after our visit Amber called me and couldn't speak because she was so distraught.

Come to find out, her mom was really sick and she needed to come to GA to be with her immediately.  I offered our home for her and her family as long as they needed it.  She came and stayed with us for a whole week.  I got to cook and entertain the children and help.  It was lovely.  Catching up with an old friend is so much fun.

Sadly, her mother passed away about a week after she left and went back to NC.  I was able to be with her again and enjoy her family along with her dad!  I'm so grateful for a relationship that picks up where it left off, no matter the distance or time or space or life that gets between it.  God was able to use our bizarre reunion for a connection that was needed.  

I love my friends.

NC 4

Special requests fulfilled this week.  Wrapping up our summer trip to NC this week...

I'm only about 6 months behind with my blogging....

No big deal.

Here are the highlights from our beach trip this summer...

Libby and Hayes are fearless-ish of the ocean.

It was fun.

Spencer has not a care in the world except bolting STRAIGHT to the ocean.

Also, a problem...

Copious amounts of sunscreen needed for the day.

Packing up our lives to go an hour to the beach is NOT a huge feat!