Girls Getaway

We spent most of last week in Gulf Shores at the Beach with all the girls. Gabby decided to take all her girls to the Beach and it was a great trip. Our Condo was big and new with all sorts of fun stuff for all ages like a lazy river, big slide, nice pools and great views of the Beach. For some reason I had our fancy camera that I can't work well on the wrong setting for half of our pictures so I didn't get any good ones of the place. I did manage some good ones of all of us on the Beach though. I was so glad to get them because these pictures mean so much for us to have. It was a great trip (I could live at the Beach!) and can't wait to go back soon!!

Beach Bound

The girls and I are headed to the Beach for a big family girls trip in the morning. Gabby, Ginger, Missy, Abbey, Meredith, Julie, Taylor, Christian, Brilee, myself, Ella and Sophie. That's right 12 girls in two loaded down SUVs headed to the Beach. The age range is 7 weeks to 90 years old-wow! It should be quite the trip with lots of fun memories and lots of girl drama as well. Taking girl trips has been a long tradition in our family and we have taken MANY. We used to call it "The Sister Act" because it was Gabby and her sister, Aunt Gina, Mom, and her sister, Ginger, me and my sister, Julie. Since then 5 little girls have been added to the family just between Julie and I. (To say we are girl heavy in my family is an understatement-just ask Tadd.) We haven't taken a big trip in a while, especially without Mom. We will miss her a lot, as always, but will have fun making more memories together. I know she is looking down on us all and happy we are together. I will have plenty of pictures to post from the trip when we return!

Here are some cute snapshots of the Ella and Sophie last week.

Dance Camp

Ella has been going to a Dance Camp for the past two weeks for an hour each morning. She loved it and looked so cute out there dancing in her little outfits. It was so fun and funny to watch a class full of young girls just learning to dance. I was a little concerned when all she talked about the first week was that she wanted to just twirl around to dance. They had tap, ballet, and tumbling. They even had a mini recital on Friday night where parents and family were able to come watch the tap dance they had worked on all week. I didn't get a lot of good close up pictures but was able to get some shots. Sophie was busy as usual and loved to run around on the gym mats and play on the ballet bars with mirrors. It was a busy two weeks but I think Ella has chosen to take Dance class over gymnastics for next year. It's funny because that is what I chose when I was younger and even took Dance at the same place for several years.


Here is a shot of her entire little class sitting to the side watching the older girls dance. Look closely and you can see Coach and Gram in the back watching the Recital with Sophie.


Shots of Sophie playing on the mats.


Action shots

Picture poses at home.

Family Fireworks

Tadd was working with his family in the Firework tents so I loaded up the girls and we headed to Pocahontas for a long weekend on Thursday. We took Gabby and Pop to watch the town Fireworks. As you can tell Sophie was a little scared and I didn't get a shot with Ella's eyes open. We had a good long weekend with family and just came home today. Sophie eventually sat in my lap to enjoy the rest of the show!!





We spent some time at a neighbors pool when it wasn't raining. The girls had fun! Sophie has no fear and would just jump right in!


Their Golf Course has a big nice Country Club with a good restaurant. They just built a big gazebo and playground equipment for parties! We really need something like that around here!!


Gabby has never known her age or her limits. She tried to lift Sophie onto the swing while I was helping Pop and the swing moved and they both had a good fall. It scared Sophie enough not to swing all night and gave Gabby a bruise and small black eye. Maybe 90 year olds shouldn't pick up chunky one year olds to swing-ha! They both will never slow down!!

Cousin Christian

Christian turned 6 last week and had her Birthday Party at her house. It was suppossed to be outside with the girls blowup slide but it rained most of the night so they only played for a little bit before the lightning started. They all had fun though!





Sophie trying out her old Bumbo seat that she gave to Baby Brilee. Her thighs were too big then and they are really too big now-ha!

The Big Blowup Slide-it had so many kids on it that it now has a big tear that we hope to fix for the rest of the Summer!

In the middle of the party there was a great big rainbow. Mom and I both had a thing for rainbows and after she went to Heaven I was reading to Ella in her kids bible about a rainbow being a sign that God would keep his promise and return for us (paraphrase) Anyway during the party Ella said something about Meme's rainbow. Glad to know she is always with us! We miss her a lot at parties, they were her favorite along with all the cake. Happy Birthday Christian!