Baby Davis...

Before school was out, I had a little working mom's guilt and really didn't want Anna Lauren to have to go to daycare over the summer. I just wanted her to have a little less structure and get to enjoy being a kid doing what kids do during the summer.  However, the thought of not having the "security" of daycare kind of scared me and Matt.  But...we decided to give something different a try, and we could not be more pleased.  Anna Lauren has had the BEST summer!  She has stayed with Ms. Moffett, a kindergarten teacher at her school, and she has loved every minute of being with her versus in a daycare setting.

The exciting part is that Ms. Moffett is pregnant with her first child, and they have spent some time this summer preparing for baby Davis.  So...since this is Anna Lauren's last week with Ms. Moffett, we decided we should celebrate Davis!

Anna Lauren choose to make a cake...she choose a "blue" cake mix, white icing, and then we added a little food coloring to make some blue icing for her to do a border and initials.

In my opinion, pretty good work for a seven year old (she had a little help, but she did most of it herself)...

In a kid's mind, balloons are a necessity for any type of celebration...

Ms. Moffett was surprised when we arrived Monday with these goodies, and I think they have been having a fun week eating cake and celebrating sweet Davis.  I was going to take a picture of Anna Lauren and Ms. Moffett, but I didn't think she would like me to take her picture because her hair was still wet.  Hopefully I can get one of them Friday on Anna Lauren's last day.

Friday Night Bowling...

Last Friday night Anna Lauren had a friend spend the night. Originally we were going to go swimming but the weather was kind of yucky so we decided to do something different.  Anna Lauren picked bowling...McKenna and Cooper were most excited about her choice!

I cannot figure out why girls cannot just stand beside each other and take a picture...

This picture cracks me up...I mean check out that form!

This form may be a little better...

And this kid was so fun to watch...he loved it!  But you know, if any type of ball is involved, he is happy.

My favorite picture of the night!

Cooper wanted me to take a picture of his shoes...he was so proud. Matt has taken him bowling one other time, but he just wore his tennis shoes...he thought he was something else with these shoes. And I must say...they are pretty cute!  For sure a fun activity that we'll have to do again with the kids...

Girls Night Out...

Two weekends ago, Matt encouraged me to have a "girls night out" with Anna Lauren and go to the Miss Mississippi pageant.  Anna Lauren and I have watched the pageant together since she was three, but this year was just a little more special because we know and LOVE Chelsea, who was giving her crown away that night. Anna Lauren watched every minute of the pageant, but she really just wanted to see Chelsea at the end.  And...sure enough...we got to spend about 15 minutes with Chelsea, and I had one happy little girl...was worth every minute of going!

The security guard would not let Anna Lauren on the stage so Chelsea said, that's fine I'll just sit down...

Think Anna Lauren is happy?  Could she smile any bigger?

The kind of picture you get when you just hand your camera to a stranger.  I'll never forget Chelsea walking into my office at Millsaps the first day of her freshman year.  Wow...she matured so much in those four years and has become such a fine young woman, who I think did an incredible job representing our state!

Before we were done visiting, Chelsea had the security guard put Anna Lauren in her lap.  

One last hug from our favorite Miss Mississippi...we wished her well as she heads back to medical school.  Anna Lauren walked away all smiles and begging to be a princess in the pageant next year...I wish someone would plant a money tree in our backyard!

4th of July Weekend...

Last Thursday after Cooper's school program, we headed to Gulfport for the 4th of July weekend.  Matt's family always gets together for the 4th so it is packed full of family, beach, and pool (thanks to Uncle Jan and Aunt Kay's condo).

We had a big 4th of July lunch at Matt's parents and then we headed to pool/beach for the afternoon.  

The kid that HATED every minute of swimming lessons (thankfully they are over) can swim...he did not put his floaties on once last weekend and swam all over the pool and beach.  

A couple years ago Matt and I decided to organize a family 5K and the tradition has continued.  I ran earlier so I could hang with this guy...he ran .75 miles and then took a golf cart ride back home to eat a popsicle and wait on everyone else.

Who wouldn't want to run with this cute kid?

Mary Martin was happy at home eating popsicles too...she didn't even attempt to run.  

They did do an awesome job holding the finish line ribbon...

Cooper pointing to the first finishers...

And the winners are Kyle and Kenny...actually Kyle finished earlier, but he was too fast so the ribbon wasn't ready for him.  He got some water and went back and ran back in with his dad and they ran through the ribbon together...

Jim was the course marshall...he and the girls rode around and picked up anyone that didn't want to go the whole way.

The golf cart was very popular...

James, the first kid to finish!

Love all the exaggerated finishing pictures...

Annie, second kid/first girl to finish.  Anna Lauren's excuse for not running is that she didn't have any tennis shoes.  Honestly, I didn't know we were going to do this or I would have packed her some tennis shoes.

Cooper decided he wanted to run a little more and finished with Spencer.  He was funny...Kenny finished without his shirt so Cooper thought he needed to take his off too.

After the race and lunch, we headed to the beach for a little while...Anna Lauren wanted to ride the aqua cycle and talked some others into going to ride with her.

Let's just say there were a lot of smiles and giggles, which made it all worth the $40!

There was a lot of pushing involved with the aqua cycling...

What would we do if our kids had any fear?

Doesn't get much cuter than this...such a good picture of these two cousins!

This kid was having the best time!

Just carefree and loving life...love capturing these moments!

And this is how the aqua cycle ended...Matt and Kate pushing it to shore.

Not sure why I thought I could get a picture of the three of them...

And we ended the day with a little swimming in the condo pool...and stunting, and jumping, and flipping...

Sunday we headed back home and were back to reality this week!