Random Picture/Video Catch-up

I imported all of the pictures from the IPOD and thought I'd post them all here so you can see what we have been up to around here. First of all, Minnie and Andy for sure take after their mom's fashion sense. Notice Minnie's swimsuit, black and white skirt, purple tights and navy blue sweater. Andy is sporting his soccer shorts, shin guards and shark hat (which I'm pretty sure he also wore to soccer practice that day).

We are currently experiencing our first "tropical storm" here in the gulf. It's kinda crazy, but not too bad. It rains a lot here and the clouds look like this just before it hits. This was taken while driving over the bridge Tim takes to work everyday.

 Easter Pics...just before the big hunt.

 This is what Minnie looks like when she has smiled for like a million pictures...

We had our ward campout in May. It was on Rocky Bayou which is maybe 8 minutes from our house....that's my kind of camping. Dinner was a bust so we just grabbed some take-out. We forgot a few things so I just went home to get them. If we weren't sleeping on an air mattress, I would have maybe snuck out during the night and slept at home, and then come back early enough so no one knew...Maybe.

Rocky Bayou

There is nothing worse than a crawling  baby when camping. And since Ivy just started walking (at 17 months) she was not awesome while camping in May.

This picture is for my family. Since Andy was a baby, he has wanted his boat blanket and used his corner, 1 specific corner that he found and only used that corner, and held it while he sucked his thumb. Andy then would rub the corner with his finger, sometimes stick it in his eye (what a weirdo, right?) and still does that now before he goes to bed. Ivy, somehow, does the same exact thing. 

Random Ivy movie

Ivy finally got her own Minnie Mouse ears on our last trip to D-World.

There is a park by us where there is picnic tables and  playgrounds on Boggie Bayou. You can swim in the water and it's so nice. 

 Boggy Bayou

Random kid limbo movie:

Again, Andy's fashion sense...

Fireworks for Memorial Day:

The last time we colored before the markers magically disappeared:

Andy is Tim's twin. He LOVES to make things. Tim made this car for him one day after work with a flashlight headlight and his bike horn. The next day they built a catapult using a plastic cup, an old tire tube, a plastic bag and some screws and L Brackets. Andy keeps asking Tim to make a boat that we can take to the beach and use it in the water.

For Father's Day, we took a day trip to Alabama and drove around to look at all of the cool houses...this was our favorite. 

The view down the street in Mobile, Alabama.

Minnie was in time out (for the record, we don't make them face the wall...I don't know why she was) and Ivy pulled her chair over and joined her. She usually goes and sits by them in Time out. If you tell her to go, she walks right over and sits down. Hopefully she'll keep that up.

Usually on Sunday evenings we get bored and antsy and go on a walk or bike ride or drive. This Sunday we went to a little park in Fort Walton Beach and walked around and played.

Minnie's fashion pics were stellar today...she loves wearing this dress and skirt.

 Ivy is FINALLY walking. Seriously I never thought the day would come...17 months. It is so much better now.

 A picture in front of the Bay.

We like to play name that tune at the dinner table sometimes...mostly songs from Disney movies (Minnie is unbeatable) and I took this video trying to catch her when she got an answer right and threw up her arms...of course she stopped as soon as I started filming:)

Just a random catch-up of what we are up to...we are hungry for visitors so feel free to come our way! It's only hurricane season for a few months and the water is 80 degrees:)

ANDY'S VPK GRADUATION

Andy had his VPK (Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten) Graduation tonight at a local church and it did not disappoint. The place was PACKED and don't under estimate parents of a 4-5 year old...holy crap. Talk about paparazzi...it was crazy. Video cameras, cameras, phones, IPODs, you freaking name it.

The girls waiting for it to start....Ivy did not last despite her happy demeanor. She screams and points to the camera and says, "cheese" over and over until you take a picture.

 This was the middle aisle....is that Britney Spears, no just the Niceville VPK. I couldn't resist taking a picture of the Parent Paparazzi.

 Despite telling me ALL week he didn't want to sing and was just going to pretend he was looking at something, he sang every word.

 The cap and gown was too funny. We get to keep the cap (unless you wanted to pay $25 to keep the gown...not happening).

 These were Andy's teachers, Ms. Kelli and Ms. Nathy...they were great. We had to drop something off at his school today and he already cried because he wanted to play there. VPK was awesome.

Andy's 5th Birthday and More Visitors

Andy just turned 5. It's crazy. He will be in kindergarten next year and is so old now. We had Tim's brother and their family in town last week and it was busy busy fun. We went to the beach and Andy is getting so brave going out in the water. He would have kept going if I let him. I am used to the San Diego beaches, but as you can see, this ocean looks like a big pool. The waves were pretty much non-existent this day which is PERFECT for our kids.

Ivy loves the beach too. She was climbing all over her cousin Spencer and Spencer's cousin Austin that came with them from Georgia. Andy loves playing with the older boys.
Aunt Beth and Ivy on the boat. We rented a boat for a few hours on Monday and aside from Austin throwing up over the side of the boat, Andy going #2 in his underwear (a bit of a misunderstanding about when and where to go) and Samantha throwing up on the way home, it was great:) Actually, Friday before everyone came, Ivy threw up 3 separate times in the car with a 24-hr flu bug. Then Saturday night starting at midnight, Minnie threw up 4 times. This means 4 times changing our bedding (she was sleeping with us), 4 baths because of course it was all in her hair every time, and the worst night sleep ever. Tim, Andy and myself got it the next day but never threw up, just felt awful all day long. Then we rounded the cycle off with my niece Jessica going to the emergency room Thursday night because she couldn't keep anything down and was dehydrated. With all of this, honestly, we still had a great time!
I can't resist taking a picture of Minnie's flowing model locks blowing in the wind :)



Spencer, Austin, Samantha and Jessica with Ivy.
Andy also had his very first "friend" birthday party! It was a pirate theme complete with a treasure hunt, pinata, and presents. It was a hit for Andy at least!
We had a pinata outside. All of these boys are from his class at church.
This easily was the strongest pinata ever. Finally we had to have some grown-up swings to crack it open.

Real typical, I just adjusted Andy's grip on the bat. Not kidding.
The loot from the Treasure Hunt.