Wedding Weekend

Over the weekend we celebrated Davis and Kayla getting married!!  Coronavirus once again called for a change of plans but the wedding still happened on Saturday, June 6 and was very sweet.  What was supposed to be a larger church wedding had to be postponed and become a small beach wedding but couldn't have been prettier.  I'm partial to the beach and they chose Jekyll Island's driftwood beach.  We left on Friday for Jekyll and got down there that afternoon.  We had been to Jekyll for a short trip last year during spring break and we really enjoyed it there.  We decided to go back to the Jekyll Club to stay.  It was so beautiful and we really enjoyed it the last time.  It has a lot of great bike paths and the landscaping and scenery surrounding it doesn't get much better.  I love the big trees with moss so I was in heaven.  Cohen had missed our trip last year and I was pregnant with Ellington so this time we had the whole clan to enjoy it with.  Friday we pretty much just got settled in.  We ate and went for a sunset bike ride, then called it a night.

Guess who was enjoying the comfy bed?!

We had the best picnic spot to eat at Friday night

 Leave it to Kate to find a show on snakes!

Saturday was the big day!  The wedding ended up getting moved up in time due to the weather.  Kelly took the kids for a morning bike ride while I started the process of getting all of us ready.  We grabbed lunch then headed to Driftwood Beach for the wedding.  Kate was wanting to go crab hunting and kept asking if we could change clothes and come back to hunt crabs.  Both she and Bryce  needed a bathroom (it never fails, leave it to kids!).  But Uncle Davis is now a married man and we enjoyed their sweet wedding.  I know a lot of weddings have looked a lot different than originally planned during this crazy time but I know all of these couples will look back and have such sweet stories to tell about their wedding days!

Morning snuggles with Pop and Sug

Bryce being distracted by an airplane, and can we all notice the shoes he picked out...Aren't Nike slides the new wedding shoe of choice?!

I guess we will just say the wedding alter got christened

Found a little snail too 

After the wedding we enjoyed some time at the pool and then another bike ride before the flood gates opened.

Can't take this little guy anywhere...he thought he might swim in the fountain and then walked around the entire resort with goggles on.  All I could do was laugh!

On our bike ride we spotted this raccoon.  He actually jumped out of a trash can in front of Kelly & Bryce

Wedding weekend was a success...on to stop #2, Amelia Island here we come.  Coronacation goodbye vacation hello!

Happy Birthday Kate!

This past week has been one full of fun events!  Birthday and Wedding Week!  First up we celebrated Kate's 9th birthday!  I can't believe my Kate turned 9!  Kate's birthday seems to always fall near our family vacation and this year she had started asking that she not celebrate her birthday at the beach.  Now me I would be wanting mine at the beach but...! We were set to leave town on Friday the 5th so we decided to celebrate her birthday beforehand per her request.  Like most everyone with birthdays after mid March we weren't quite sure what we could do for her.  Coronavirus really changed a lot of birthdays but by the end of May it seemed like everyone was starting to get out more.  So we decided to just go with it and let her invite some of her closest friends.  She had really missed her friends!  Since we have a pool I did tell her the only party option this year would be a pool party.  We sure wouldn't be going anywhere, so that is what we did.  She invited some of her friends and their siblings and they swam and played water balloon games.  It was a fun, laid back afternoon that we all enjoyed and needed!  Kate really loved it and that's what matters most.  Thank you to everyone who came and made her day special, especially in what has been some crazy times!

I have to give a HUGE thank you to Dawn because she helped me with the balloons you will see.  Lets just say I love balloons, so this little arch just seemed like something fun to try.  Well, like most things they look a lot easier than they really are.  I learned
1.  Dawn hates balloons and if I ever doubted her friendship she proved it with this!
2.  Balloons Pop wayyyy too easy, especially on a porch in the heat
3.  Why do balloons get this white powdery look to them??  I mean why?
4.  Confetti balloons...lets just say they do not work!
5.  And...hang the arch first.  That probably works best.  LOL!  So Dawn, lets see how good we can do this in August for Ellington.  I know you're excited!

She was after Keyes!

Love that these 2 have been friends since day 1!

Kate's friends know her so well!  Snakes she can paint!

Kingsley made the best babysitter!  She kept Ellington happy the entire party!

Kate had Baylor spend the night.  They thought it would be hilarious to do crazy makeup!

Thursday was Kate's actual birthday.  We had our family over to celebrate her again.  Look how cute this watermelon/fruit is!  Sug can and always has made the best watermelon displays!  And fruit is always my kids' requests.

Her own tackle box!  This was on top of her list.

Getting her brand new bike

We sure do love our sweet Kate!  At 9 years old Kate:

• LOVES animals still especially reptiles.  She loves snakes, loves catching frogs and lizards.  Loves to go fishing at the pond, lake, ocean you name it.  
• loves basketball and soccer
• wants to wear shorts (mainly basketball shorts) ALL THE TIME.  all year, everywhere we go.  This tears my nerves up but I try to pick my battles.  There are some places she knows she will have to dress up to go to!
• may be the most laid back, easy going kid!  She has a heart of gold but is definitely shy and quiet.  

So thankful for this sweet 9 year old girl of mine!

A Week of Fun with Friends

This week was a fun week for our kids.  All of them had some much needed fun time with friends.  We had a play date, sleepover, birthday party, and Cohen topped everyone with a beach trip away with her friend Kaylyn.  Starting out their summer on a fun note.  I guess you could say we are easing back into life pretty good.  The good part of summer is it has always been a tad slower and without much of a schedule which is always nice to a certain point.  After having some rainy days we were glad to see the sun come out so there could be some fun with friends. 

Kate got to see her friend Elleigh.  She has really missed her and they had not seen each other (except for Zoom calls) since school was called in March.  Fast forward 2 months and these two picked right up where they left off.  They had a great day playing together and she can't wait to do it again!

Ellington was having some fun with Elliott that afternoon.  We have really been enjoying the pool!

 Another big week for Ellington...she has mastered pulling herself up.  She was certainly proud of herself too.  Now we are really baby proofing the house and have had to lower her bed.  I was walking in to find her standing up in the bed.  After that happened once in the middle of the night the bed was lowered the next day!

Kate also had a sleepover with her friend Khloe.  These girls go to different schools but have played sports together several times.  I feel like we sometimes don't do a good job of having a lot of Kate's friends over so she was excited!  I was taking some pictures for Khloe's sweet little brother that night and then we turned it into a sleepover.   

Ellington and Charleston had a fun wagon ride...E's new favorite thing

2 little mamas

We attempted slime but we needed Coco here since she is a pro

 Water balloon fun!

We're still loving our daily and nightly walks.  Since Ellington likes the stroller we go on several.  

All of our swimming and playing wore this little guy out!

Saturday we went to Gainesville to visit and do some yard work for Grannie, Papa, Aunt Vicki, and Aunt Danette.  We had to take precautions of course and practice our social distancing by staying outside, but the kids loved having a little afternoon snack/picnic.  

 

AND...our highlight of the whole week...we got to go to church on Sunday!!  We were so excited to be back IN church on Sunday morning.  Things looked a lot different and there were some rules to follow but I'll take it!  It just felt so good to see people and be back in church.  I love my church and the people there and I thought that so many times during the service.  I'm looking forward to seeing more in the upcoming weeks. 

 

I mentioned earlier that Cohen went on a beach trip with her friend Kaylyn.  She had a blast!  They went to Hilton Head for the weekend.  We were pretty jealous!  I loved seeing their pictures and I know they had so much fun.  I can't wait to have my own toes in the sand very soon!

Sunday evening Bryce got to celebrate with his friend Greyson.  He had been looking forward to his birthday party all week!  Whenever I tell Bryce about something fun coming up he will ask me about it everyday!  These 2 have been best buds all through preschool!

These 2 were out to catch some lizards!  They have had fun this week playing too!

Happy birthday Greyson!

Can you believe its already June?!  Another month has come and gone and now we are really into summer!  This week we get to celebrate our own sweet Kate!!  Can't believe my girl is about to be 9!