A Week at Home

 This week in July is quickly becoming one of my favorite family traditions.  The past few years we have all made the trip back to Excelsior Springs for a week of family fun.  We pack it full of activity and quality time with each other.  My grandparents came up for a few days, there were multiple baseball games, a trip to Worlds of Fun, shopping, lots of playing outside, swimming, swinging, a trip to Kaleidescope, Fritz's, a wedding, a slumber party, Malloree's first birthday party, and lots of laughing.  It was a great week!

Having a blast on a hot, July night at Worlds of Fun

Seth's girlfriend, Sarah, spent several days with us.  It was wonderful to spend time with her and get to know her better.  I think it might be an understatement when I say that we all LOVE her...especially the four little girls in our family who watched her every move and think she is the coolest thing ever : )  Lainey is still talking about how they all painted their finger nails together.  

Little Miss Malloree, celebrating her
1st birthday

Such a special, little girl

 Our annual photo shoot with the cousins

 We had a great time visiting crown center, having our lunch delivered by a train at Fritz's and going to Kaleidescope for some craft making.

The new horse swing was quite a hit!

The beginnings of a slumber party
in grandma and grandpa's bedroom

It was extra special this year to be at my parents house on my mom's birthday.  The kids all sang to her, gave her flowers and a card and shared one reason why they love her.  It was a special time celebrating grandma and what she means to all of us.  Happy Birthday Mom!

Florida

 Our family was blessed to have a wonderful vacation last month to Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.  We were just outside of Destin and could not have loved the area more.  My brother, Chad and Jen, his wife and their girls met us and we shared a house together and made so many great memories.   The picture above was our first few moments on the beach.  Lainey was so excited to see the ocean and maybe a little timid.  Cooper was timid for about 5 minutes and then was ready to dive in.  The evening we arrived, tropical storm Debby was also making her debut so we only put our toes in the water (to avoid any crazy rip currents,) watched the big waves and prayed she would pass quickly so it didn't rain all week.  Thank goodness she took a turn to the east and we only had one day of rain.  Going through all of these pictures makes me want to go back.  It was such a wonderful trip.  I am so thankful for times like these to relax, let go of routine and stress and just enjoy life and family.  Such a blessing.

 This was the day after the storm.  There were still red flags flying so we couldn't get in the water, but we had a great time playing in the sand and enjoying the beach.

Chad, Jen, Jules and Ava arrived that evening and the sun was shining brightly.  We walked on the beach , played in the water, and met a woman's pet pig that she had on a leash and described as the best pet she's ever had.  Lainey and Cooper still talk about the pig on the beach which is sounding more and more like a children's book every time I say it : )

Coop had a blast with his Uncle Chad and started asking
for him every morning when he woke up.  Pretty cute.

 This was the courtyard area behind the house where we stayed...or as my husband calls it, a "sunken recreational field."  It was so well manicured and we enjoyed playing there every day...mostly kickball and frisbee but Lainey and Ava decided they needed a nap one morning too!

Cooper thought Aunt Jennifer was pretty
great...this was right after she took him to play
in the waves.

Burying Chad in the sand

The finished product

 The great thing about traveling with family is that we could trade date nights.  Jamie and I ate at an ocean front restaurant called the view and it was beautiful.  We sat out on the deck and enjoyed every minute of our evening.

Julianna was riding the waves

The pig on the the beach : )

 The beautiful house where we stayed

Jennifer and I must have been thinking
alike because we bought the exact same
dress for our girls before the trip.  We
hadn't talked about it at all and couldn't
believe it when we saw they matched.

Jennifer took family pictures of us on the
beach.  They make me smile every
time I look at them.

My all time favorite picture of Lainey

 Beautiful family

This one makes me smile too.  Chad and I were laughing about something and Jennifer snapped a picture.  Chad,  Kimberlee, Seth and I have so many shared, wonderful memories growing up together.  I love that we are creating that for our kids as well.