Last week of July… and Happy Birthday, Bruce!

We always enjoy hanging with friends… dress-up is almost always involved, of course: 

 Avery has a bathrobe she likes to wear after her bath. "you know, mom, that white thing girls wear after bath"… she wanted to show Moppy one night on FaceTime, and ...would you look at that… great minds think alike, eh?

I came home from work one day and Silas had a surprise "booby-trap" set up for me… too funny!  He pulls on the trophy and the bucket falls down spilling all the contents to the floor. Pretty clever, if you ask me!

I've been hearing about this $2 movie at Malco during the summer, and have been trying to take off work one morning every other week or so… last week we decided to try out the morning movie!  What a fun morning we had! 

And Friday was Bruce's 36th birthday. We didn't celebrate until August 1st because Run for the Son was Saturday morning the 1st and he was busy getting ready for the big race. But Silas, Avery, and I baked him a little chocolate cake, of course, Friday night. Happy Birthday, Daddy, cha, cha, cha!  

We did celebrate at La Finestra with the Sturdivants Saturday night. Thirty-six looks good on you, Bruce!

 Early Saturday morning, I had to pry these two out of bed for the big race. (Bless their hearts, I basically dressed them with their eyes closed). They were great sports and piped up after we got there. There may or may not be a box of brownies in Silas' lap. One must do whatever it takes to get him out of the bed…

These two make a 5K race more fun than you could ever imagine!  Talk about commentary the WHOLE time… entertainment for all, that's for sure.  It seems like yesterday the stroller nearly swallowed them… and now they barely fit in it!  And… I no longer run, but walk… we're talking 100lbs here! I think they'll be walking with me next year… Samuel will be the one riding:-) 

Then, both Silas and Avery wanted to do the 1 mile Fun Run… and would you believe both of them finished it!! Avery ran the whole time, and Silas ran some of the time (and maybe did some of the mile riding piggy-back), but both of them ran across the finish line! 

After a brief rest, we waited on Daddy to finish up things at work and enjoyed some music time… this one loves his guitar. He does always like to do things "by the book" and doesn't like to practice without his instruction book in front of him.  ha!

 We then moved on to the piano. I think we see who will be the instrumentalist… and we ALL know who will be the soloist (not pictured).

We had a session with Allison for pictures - can't believe these two precious gifts are 5 years old a month from today!! 

July days

Man, are we enjoying the rapidly fading days of summer!  Silas and Avery wake up ready to go outside and play!  Even in their PJs:-)  (and, that's a good thing, because nowadays, after 8am, we're talking over 100 degrees)

FBCJ camps are always a highlight of summer for us… Superhero and Princess camp:

Look at these two getting ready for the last day of Manner's Camp!  They promised me that they passed with flying colors…

But at dinner (that same day!)… I wasn't so sure… Have mercy! Look at that leg.

Saturday mornings are the best. These days, I only have one other early-bird in the house:

One morning, I took off work to spend some time with the kiddos. They wanted to paint (thanks, Art Camp), so we painted!  I could only find one canvas, but they were champs sharing! 

Look at this masterpiece grow:

Seriously, she really didn't want the bug spray… so she left the back porch one afternoon saying "I'll be right back. I have to get something." Out she came. "Those bugs can't get me now Mommy!"  And it really was 100 degrees.

As for an update on Samuel, we are finally DONE with paperwork!! We received National Visa Clearance for Samuel on July 29th, and filled out the last piece, the DS260 online. Now, everything is sent to China and they prepare our Article 5, which will be picked up in 2-3 weeks (hopefully!). Then, we just wait for travel invitation!  

The WMU ladies left us this precious little gift… I teared up when he brought it home. How creative and kind!!  We're coming soon, Samuel!!  

July 4th weekend and Moppy turns 80!

We've been waiting on the holiday week for some time now… and couldn't WAIT to get there!  We gathered at Mimi and Papaw's house…

My four first mates on the ferry: (three of them in the back)

and one in the front!

The water level does create some interesting predicaments, but we improvise!
If we could only figure out some way to get some of our water to that California drought…. now that would be like winning the lottery!

Sweet kids and precious moments.

Papaw helped Silas rig his fishing pole with a stick so he could "practice casting". 

Another picnic… of course!  We loved having all the family here with us!

Jack and Silas… ambushed me with water guns!

And Uncle Bobby had magic tricks…

Heart smiles all around.  We enjoyed our night at the lake with Moppy and Poppy!

As an aside, I must record some of the funny ways the kids say things before I forget…
 - Avery adds a "-ted" on the end of her verbs to make them past tense which is too funny.  "But mommy, I talk-ted to him, I eat-ted that, when I laugh-ted, my tummy hurt-ted when I…" I can't correct her, it's too cute.
 - On one of our overnight trips to Grenada, I apparently brought the wrong toothpaste. Avery proceeded to say "nooooo, I don't like that toothpaste. It's disgusting."  After I closed my mouth from dropping open in shock, I asked her "Avery, where did you learn that word?" She promptly replied "the girl from Des-pickle (despicable) Me movie. The girl that has the glasses on"  My mercy.

And after a night of rain, we had morning aerobics with GG and the MagicMoves microphone:-)

Cloudy, rainy, and 71 degrees on July 4th?  We swim anyway!!

This one.  Sweet Garnini. 

A little tug of war, boys vs girls style:  (believe it or not, the mass on each side of the center force is about equal here… )

In case you wondered, she did wear the goggles all day long.

It finally cleared up outside and was a beautiful day!  The first 4th of July that hasn't been 95 degrees in several years!

Time for water balloons!!

And I don't think ANYone had more fun than this little outdoor boy this weekend. He literally stayed outside the entire time, casting his fishing rod, shooting water guns, catching frogs… he literally caught 50 of them… found them in the pool (and in one of Mimi's mixing bowls from the kitchen… well, ex-mixing bowls) … big frogs, little frogs, all kinds… I told him, just no snakes!

And then the game…

Which did include everyone getting wet… soaking wet… 

We were also celebrating Moppy's 80th birthday!  (one day early… it is really the 5th).  These are two very special people….more so than words could describe!

In my chronological Bible reading plan this week, I was in Ecclesiastes… read in chapter 5 18-20: "This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink, and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them - for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy with their toil - this is a gift of God… (He) keeps them occupied with gladness of heart."  Man, I want to be like them. Talk about working hard for 80+ years (and still working hard)… and the ability to know gladness of heart…and enjoy every minute of it.   

Tonya and Leo had Moppy a cake made that looked just like a box from Tiffany's. Perfect!


Then we sang Happy Birthday to Moppy!!  (and she sang to herself too!)  Keep in mind this is the special lady who never had one birthday party in her whole life until she turned 70.  Isn't she beautiful?!

I want to shine like her when I'm eighty.

I love this picture of the kids on the pier (that's under water).  Silas is still practicing his casting.

And I'll end with this one. No caption needed.  Man I love this little bundle of giggles.  I dare you to be around her more than 30 seconds without giggling with her… bet you can't do it.