Sun, Sand, and Sweet Friends

We have been talking about trying to go to the beach in July! I was so excited because the beach is my favorite place in the world and I want to share that with my kiddos! Well....we all know how spontaneous Rich can be...and that I am never given planning time for vacations! Charity and I found on on Tuesday around 3 that we were leaving that night around 8 to head to the beach! We quickly packed and got last minute stuff from the store and headed out!!! 

Kids started off with corn dogs for dinner to go! :)

Our plan was to drive several hours and get a place to stay thru the night before finishing the drive on Wednesday morning! I don't know what big events go down in South Arkansas, but there were NO HOTELS for hours! Finally, a little after 3:00, we drove up on this doozy! 

And lucky for us the sign said Vacancy! I almost refused to get out of the car! Kaylor has been awake the entire car ride, and Lucy Jane was ready for some good sleep! We unloaded, killed some bugs, and tried to rest for a couple hours!  

NASTY!!!!!!!

We headed out Wednesday morning and drove and drove and drove. We stopped at a fruit stand and got some fresh produce to bring with us! It was a great break for Kaylor, and a neat little "southern" stop! The name of the store was "Taters and Maters" :) Lucy Jane was riding with the Stevens at this point and they drove right past us accidently! When we finally called to check in, they were ahead by 50 miles! :)

We made several stops and a few wrong turns before finally making it to The Hangout in Gulf Shores to eat and play! 

This is a happy place for Lucy Jane! She loves all the activities they have for kids, and even danced to a song or two! The poor kiddos were so tired and we still had an hour and a half to go before getting to pensacola! (Lord, help us all)

BUT we made it!!!!! Rich and I were up early on Thursday, and I was so anxious to get out in the water! The kids slept and slept! Lucy Jane and Charley play so well together! Their plan was to share the loft room, but they have ended up passing out in the parents rooms because of exhaustion! 

They couldn't get down to the water quick enough!!!! 

He napped on my lap all morning, and spent the afternoon laying on my chest! I tried to tell him it was hard to work on my tan while holding him, but he didn't care! :) Lucy Jane was so busy playing that I didn't get many pictures the first day! 

Friday morning, the guys took Lucy Jane and Charley to the market to buy seafood for supper! Kaylor was napping so charity and I stayed in the condo with the little boys! The girls had a blast with their Daddy's! 

They brought back lots of yummy food!

The afternoon was spent lounging in the sun! Lucy Jane and charley played in the sand all afternoon! My favorite thing to do is play in the water! Lucy Jane had a ball jumping in the water alternating between me and her Daddy! 

Excuse the hair! She won the battle of wearing her hair down!

Kaylor thinks if he is at the beach he should just be laying on me resting, napping, and totally relaxed! This was really sweet the first day, but now I have some really awkward tan lines! 

I laid in the pool and he slept on me for two hours underneath this towel! :) poor Rich accidently had his phone in the ocean while filling up the pool, so he's out of service!!!

The kids have played so well together! Wrestling in the floor, giggling, and playing! :)

We hit up Baskin Robbins and headed back to the condo so the guys could take the girls crab hunting! The first night they tried to go Lucy Jane fell and scraped up her arms so they came back! Second attempt, Lucy Jane comes into my bed and says, mom I know I'm supposed to be catching crabs, but a big one ran across my foot and it really freaked me out! I started crying so Daddy brought me back! It was terrible!!!! She cracks me up with her drama! 

Rich had the bright idea on Saturday morning to go parasailing! We thought we could talk Lucy Jane into it! She wouldn't ride with her daddy, and the weight minimum is 200 pounds combined so her and I couldn't go together! So we rented a jet ski instead! She hated it! She had rather play in the water, so after renting it for an hour and riding only 10 minutes that's what we did! She met two little girls and they played all afternoon! They jumped off the pontoon boat and swam all day! She had a blast!!! We ate lunch outside and I soaked up our last day of beachy sunshine! 

We had no extra clothes and were starving for some supper after being in the sun all day, so we stopped at the local "tourist store" and bought cover ups so we could go to dinner! Lucy Jane loved her tie dye dress! The boys stayed in their swimsuits!

They had people painting faces and making balloon art for the kids! Lucy Jane loved it!

We left early in the morning to come home so that we could get all the driving done in one day! No more nasty MOtels for me! 

Lucy Jane was feeding Kaylor a sausage biscuit at our first gas stop! 

I am truly shocked at how smooth the ride home went! Lucy Jane crashed out and took a nap! 

I know we broke the law, don't judge!

And Kaylor stayed awake THE ENTIRE trip! This boy didn't sleep a wink, but thankfully was happy and smiley most of the trip! 

So glad my kids are able to have these memories! They loved it so much and it made my heart happy to see them at my favorite spot ever!!! 

Happy Birthday, Princess!

It seems so cliche, but it really does seem like I just brought Lucy Jane home from the hospital. Everyone says, it goes by so quickly...well they are right! My little girl was just going to her weight check with Dr. Fred in her precious little gown...all 6 pounds 6 ounces of her.

My dad was just rocking her for the first time, and I remember thinking, holy cow...he is going to melt right here in front of me! 

She was just napping on her Daddy's chest while he stared at her in awe.

Then I blinked! 

My baby went from Itsy bitty on my hip...

To my sweet buddy that I can't imagine a day without!

I love our talks, and how she dreams! Her imagination is huge and I hope it never changes! Her compassion for others is so genuine! She is so protective of those she loves, and wants everyone to be happy! I pray that the challenges of parenting can strengthen our relationship and not break it. I pray that her fun personality and spirit is never broken, but that she is humble and let's her heart be led by Jesus. 

We started our day with donuts at school with friends! 

Rich, Kaylor, and I brought her chic-fil-a for lunch! She loved that we sat at her very own special table to eat with just her! 

Her Daddy gets extra loving these days. She thinks he's pretty special!

After school, we stopped by Euna Mae's to use my Mother's Day gift card and Mrs. Amy and Miss Grace had a sweet surprise for Lucy Jane!

She felt pretty special! :)

Today was such a fun day celebrating our first baby! She has reassured me I don't have to cry because she is growing up! She said, she will always be my daughter...and there are lots of pictures for me to look at from when she was little when I get sad! Such a funny girl! 

Four just seems so big girlish to me. Not sure I like it. 

Little Ballerina

Sunday night, Lucy Jane had her Spring Ballet Recital! This was her first year to take dance, and we have an awesome program through our church called The Crosschurch Dance Ministry! There are girls of all ages. They work so hard all year long and learn about worshipping Jesus through song and dance! I have loved seeing Lucy Jane grow throughout the year! 

Last week they had four practices to get ready for Sunday! It was a long week, but seeing the whole production together made the sleepy nights so worth it! 

Lucy Jane and Annalyse posing in their matching tutu's at one of the practices! These girls are a mess! 

They are all in their own little world by this time during practice Tuesday night! Haha! 

Picture night...I could hardly get her to look at me for a picture!

Somehow, they get all the girls on track each week! I think when Momma's aren't around things go much more smoothly!

This is Lucy Jane's class with their sweet teachers!

Sweet friends being goofy, and bored waiting on the "real" thing to start! 

Sweet cousins and friends! 

I had just gotten her dressed and talked her into one quick picture! She was so excited and ready to get out there!

She did such a great job! Isn't it funny how they act so goofy during practice and then always pull it together for the performance!

When Lucy Jane was going up on stage for the last song, she ran and hugged this sweet little blonde teacher dancing in the front! It was so cute...then on her way down she invites her over for a play date and to her birthday party!!! Hahaha Lucy Jane looks up to these big girls! 

Her Daddy surprised her with flowers afterwards! She was so excited to get her very own flowers! She said, did he know those were my favorite kind! :)

We told her she could pick wherever she wanted to eat to celebrate her big night! She very VERY excitedly chose Taco Bell and said could we please sit inside and eat, too? How do you say no to that? (A girl after my own heart) so, we had a little party in Taco Bell! 

She got the new "Barbie in the Pink shoes" movie and Barbie doll! So exciting!!! 

So proud of Lucy Jane and hoping the real meaning of what she was involved in sinks into her little heart! It is so much more than an extracurricular activity! We are wanting to fill her little mind with as much Jesus as we can! So thankful for miss Julie and her heart for these girls!