Labor Day

We started the day on Labor Day with a fun picnic to a really cool "new spot" that I found up in Davidson, called Fisher Farm Park. A gorgeous open expansive "field" that rolls down and around lots of trees and other natural areas. It really is a cool spot. We decided to have a picnic out there with our friends, the Ferrells. The kids had a blast running around and playing softball and picking up all the things they found laying around (leaves, flowers, gumballs, bamboo pieces, etc). It was a gorgeous day and we had lots of fun.






Then, we ended with a black party back on our street! We have the best neighborhood ever and always have such fun when everyone comes out to hang out! We set up the projector for the kids and showed "Toy Story". The kids thought it was the coolest thing ever! They couldn't get over how BIG Woody and Buz were on the garage door! We were all completely exhausted at the end of the day. But, of course, the guys couldn't let the projector set-up go to waste once the kids movie was over...so they decided to have a late night showing of the "Die Hard" movie on the driveway. And since the movie is based a lot at night and in dark scenes, the street light that sits right by our property was bothering their viewing. This didn't stop the men! They just climbed up a ladder and stuck a huge black plastic bag over the lamppost. No worries. All was well :)

The Dreschers walked over to join us for the evening....Reilly and Ava:

me and Caroline

Eavn and Reilly

the projector. 9-04-10

One of Shawn's favorite things has been the introduction of the projector as a way to show movies, or better yet, football games, on the garage door. Yes, the garage door. And let me tell you, it looks like the most red-neck gathering of all time, but it is pretty stinkin' cool!! The idea came from a Family Fun magazine I read where a family projected a movie on the garage door for the kids in the neighborhood and it became a monthly thing for them. I suggested we do the same thing, since YoungLife has a projector we could have access to. Well, not only would we set up the projector on Sunday for the block party/movie night, but Shawn felt it was necessary to have a "run through" on Saturday night just to make sure all worked well. But even better, on Friday night, he couldn't wait until Saturday and wanted to go ahead and figure it all out so that Saturday's showing of the football game would be just right :) Love my husband's perfectionism. So, sure enough, he had it all set up, complete with bose computer speakers. It drew quite the crowd!


And, leave it to a few men to sit around and talk about how BIG a tv screen is. It didn't take too long for them to realize that if they moved the projector back some, they could gain at least a few inches all the way around the "screen". Thomas and Shawn had to get out a tape measure just to confirm the size of the biggest screen ever....110".

my brown little boy

I couldn't believe how tan my boy got this summer!! His brown eyes and dark skin made him just the cutest little summer boy ever!! Just love this little one!

Lake Day - August 21st

Now that I am on my "holiday break" from work, I thought it would be a great time to fill in for the last 4 months that I have not blogged. I know it seems kinda crazy to go back to August, but for the purposes of having our blog printed as a book, it has to be done! So, here goes....

We decided at the end of the summer, before Shawn started his school session and to have one last hoorah for the summer, we should spend the day on the lake!! So that's what we did. We rented a pontoon boat and went out on Lake Norman with some friends for the day. And, as a spur of the moment decision, we also tacked on two jet skis to play with!! And boy were we glad we did! We left Braxton at home since the Lake isn't really a place for a toddler, but Reilly had a BLAST! Especially since her best buddy, Evan, was there too. We packed lunch and snack food and just anchored the boat over in a little cove. And that's where we spent an entire 3 hours! It was awesome. So relaxing and so much fun. Reilly LOVED the jet skis and it didn't take her too long before she was ready to "GO FAST!" It was a really fun day and, as always, lead to many conversations (aka, dreams!) about the possibility of maybe owning a boat one day.....not happening :)

Reilly actually took this next picture from the boat! she was on the boat eating a snack and told her to grab my camera and take a shot of all of us in the water. Not bad for a 3 yr. old, huh?!

funnies

Reilly has been learning about healthy and unhealthy food choices in school as they look towards their Thanksgiving feast. So today at lunch, I thought I'd start a conversation about unhealthy foods just to see what she was comprehending. Here's how our conversation went:

Me: So buddy, what things should we not eat because they are NOT healthy??

Reilly: Well, we shouldn't eat yucky stuff from our nose, that would be not healthy mommy.

Me: well, that's definitely true buddy. What else should we NOT eat?

Reilly: Ummm...we shouldn't eat napkins, plates, ......


Huh. Well, at least she's learning something, right??!! :)

innocense

We have been teaching Reilly that when she is scared, she needs to talk to God because He will bring her peace and she won't be scared anymore. The other night, Reilly was heading upstairs and it was dark. I overheard her say out loud as she started walking up: "God, can you help me because I am afraid of the dark."

So precious. So innocent.

Halloween!

To start, I must say that I am just so stressed about keeping up with the blog lately! I feel like I am ALWAYS sitting at my computer for work right now and I just can't stand to sit a second longer to sort through MORE pictures and put together MORE blog postings. I know it should be exciting and a priority for me to document my families journey, but life is just so busy! Ah! And, not to mention the slight, indirect harassment I receive from my well-meaning family members about wanting to see things on the blog. Ok, I get it! I'm trying...I promise :)
Yes, I still have lots of "other" posts to put up from August and September, but for now, I know my parents REALLY want to see some Halloween pictures from tonight, so I'll throw them up real quick!! And I really am going to find (MAKE!) time to do more catch-up posts.

*let me just interject something here....today (day AFTER Halloween) I am having SO much mommy guilt!!! I mean seriously, I didn't put ANY effort into finding a costume for Braxton...I just picked this up at a consignment sale and realized 2 days before Halloween that it didn't really fit. so bummed. Almost so much that I want to go get a costume NOW and try to do some "fake" pictures so I feel better about it.



Reilly and her buddy Cayden (who typically has white blonde hair! it was so funny to see her with a black wig on!)

and her buddy Evan...
Yes, we get this many kids together every year for one big photo....and this isn't even all the kids in our neighborhood!! (Reilly and Braxton are on the front row in the bottom left....Shaun is in the far bottom left corner)

this is perhaps the funnier picture....it's like Paramount Studios!

our friends Caroline and Thomas....


The Dreschers strolled over to our street for a little trick-or-treating....2 Dragons and a Dragon Slayer!

I was pretty pumped that after only 2 streets, Reilly was content with just sitting with me and handing out candy!


her best bud (our next door neighbor) Owen

Shawn caught the attn. of MOST of the adults with the football game being projected on the garage....