Goodbye Summer!

We wrapped up summer with a cookout w/ DM's little friends and their families.  Every toddler other than DM was accompanied by a newborn baby!  It was crazy but so fun to see all of the girls play together!  We have been at Mt. Pisgah almost a year, and it is one of the best decisions we've made.  Not only is DM thriving, but we have been blessed with so many new friends that come from a variety of backgrounds. 



I have concluded that photographing toddlers, especially multiple toddlers, is IMPOSSIBLE! 
Here is DM w/ her friend H and L in the background.  There are a couple more wondering around back there!

Thank you, Summer 2012, for the great memories.  Not all of our summer plans came to fruition, but the ones that did were filled with sweet memories!

Post-Vacation Hangover Turns Sunny Side Up!

Driving home from vacation is obviously necessary but always makes me so sad.  We had a fabulous trip to Santa Rosa Beach.  DM truly had a blast and was an amazing traveler. By amazing traveler, I mean we got there in 5.5 hours.  The only time she got out of her seat was for a quick diaper change!  We did it without any screen time.  Not even an Elmo game!  She loved the "big girl" bed in the condo, warmed up to the pool and sand and finally put her toes in the ocean by the end of the week.  For pics of the trip, click HERE!

Got a bit sidetracked!  Coming home!  So I usually hate coming home.  This trip was no different.  We walked in the house to find this:

What an amazing treat!  And this was just the beginning!  First, I must backtrack for anyone who doesn't know us very well.  We have a HORRIBLE cat.  HORRIBLE!  As in she has to stay locked up or she will pee on our bed.  (Can't believe I just typed that.)  No one in their right mind would agree to deal with this cat for the entire week.  Our dear friend Amie was willing to keep our house, Tahoe and the HORRIBLE cat for an entire week. 

But it wasn't just chocolate and flowers Amie left us!  Nope, she had cleaned her sheets and towels, bought Tahoe treats and a toy, bought the cat some catnip, replaced and added some groceries, and cleaned out the refrigerator.  For a brief moment, I thought the cleaners had decided to venture in to the frig.  But then David poured some water.  It was surprisingly refreshing, and we realized Amie had replaced the water filter, too!  Who knows what else she did that we haven't even discovered yet!

What a blessing and a great end to a vacation!


Morning Time!

The past few mornings we've gone in to get DM up, she has been patiently sitting in the corner of her room!  

Friday Cupcake Day!

Happy Friday y'all!

Lately Around Here

Celebrated the red, white and blue! (Minus a run in the Peachtree Road Race.)

Went to a friend's house for dinner and immediately hijacked his car.  (Seriously, it came home with us!)

 Played in lots of water!

 Enjoyed another fabulous weekend with THESE amazing ladies!
And see that book - Star of Flint in the corner?  It was written by my dear friend Amy's mom, who also happened to be my high school English teacher!  Fabulous read!  Get your copy HERE!

 Celebrated 11 years married to my perfect match!

Laying our Foundation (a bit late)

Okay, there was one more BIG one after Amie's graduation!  DM was baptized!  This has been a long journey for our family.  We searched and searched for a new church when we moved back to Atlanta.  It was nearly two years before we found a place that was comfortable enough to join.  After joining, we had to get on the (long) list for DM's baptism.  Hence, we were the crazies who baptized a toddler. 

 But in the end,it was a beautiful day of celebration.   

DM is starting to really tire of photos!

But managed to tolerate the camera a bit better when we let her pick a flower.

 Pretty sure DM is thinking "Thank you, Jesus for a reason to eat cake!"
**Huge thanks to Grandpa Patterson & Amie for photographing our day!**

Can't Even Attempt A Dump!

Right about now I'd love to have a great picture dump, but I've hardly taken any pictures this month! A few things I do know about the past few weeks:

1.  We had FIVE baby showers in June! And I don't have a single picture from one of them!  Can't wait to meet all of these new friends!

2.  DM is loving swimming lessons!  Of course in my mind, she is already with Swim Atlanta swimming IM.  Reality:  We're hoping she is swimming without a parent in the pool by October.

 3.  Despite from a design standpoint, I said I'd never convert a crib to a toddler bed, I have, and DM loves her toddler bed.  Thinking on plans for a "big girl" room!

 4.  I just opened my Peachtree Road Race packet and discovered I'm in group U, which means I will not be home before football season starts, much less the fireworks.  Considering having my own Chattahoochee River Peachtree.  Anyone with me? 

5.  We had our first visit to the aquarium and we think DM enjoyed it.

6.  I forgot.  Seriously!  I forgot what #6 was.

 

7.  The pic below is DM looking in at the pool we go to for swimming lessons.  She seems to be (fingers crossed!) picking up my love for water.

8.  The "BIG" annual conference for work is this week.  I am beyond grateful that I no longer travel to it.  It was a blast before DM but just not my thing now.

9.  And the BIG one!  Our sweet Amie graduated!  We are SO proud of her!  She is now open for business and ready to design your new swim suit!