August Birthday Celebration

Happy Birthday to our sweet girls!  Beth turned four and Faith Anna turned six this past August.  I have to say, it is a total blast having two girls!  It is really fun watching them play together and make all sorts of memories that we'll talk about at their rehearsal dinners... 

Beth is a spunky, fun, silly-personality little girl  who is really coming into her own.  She is in pre-school two days a week and loves her little class.  She is taking ballet and gymnastics this year and sings in the 3-4 year old choir at our church.  She loves to read with Faith Anna, play Star Wars with Logan, and play anything with Tag!  She is most proud of being a big sister.  She still gets embarrassed easily at times though, and turns on that pouty-face....we're working on that!  But she keeps us laughing constantly.  And I love that 4-year old speech...it won't be long until all her words and pronunciation sound like a "big girl"...so we're just eating up every minute of it!

And Miss Faith Anna has really grown up this year!  She has matured into a very organized little lady that thrives on achievement and helping others.  She is always asking what she can do to help...and loves all kinds of chores like laundry, folding clothes, unloading the dishwasher, cooking and  helping with Tag.  She is our little "rule-follower".  :)  She started Kindergarten this year and is excelling by leaps and bounds!  She loves to read and will tell you that math is her favorite subject.  She is really growing out of her "shy"stage that she has been in for a few years, and is learning to handle new situations really well.  She is also Miss Independent and likes to pick out her own clothes and do her own hair.  She loves to sing and has a beautiful voice!  She is singing in the Kindergarten choir at our church.  She is also a little athlete and loves gymnastics and playing her first season of soccer!

Both girls are just a ton of fun to be around and we really love their company.  Hope you enjoy the pics of our swimming party...

Uncle Joe with the girls

Auntie and Logan

Grandad and the "big" kids

Mom and Jes (look-alikes) :)

Claire showing off her swimming prowess

Tag wants those strawberries.  Maybe if he keeps looking really cute, Tag and Joe will give him one...

Birthday girl #1!

Leonard and Liz

Caroline, Claire and Jes.  Claire is such a cutie!  And so mobile...she'll be walking by 10 months I bet...

The boys are modeling the birthday hats....

Birthday girl #2!

I didn't know we invited Fancy Nancy to the party!! (cute dress-up clothes from Bran and Nat's family...Beth didn't take them off for a few days.)

The girls had a few friends over to swim the weekend before school started.  What cuties!

Crawling 10-month old boy....

Tag started crawling on his 10-month birthday...right when we got back from Michigan!  It's so fun to see him actually get where he wants to go quickly.  No more army crawling and pulling his belly along on the floor.  :)  He is a man on a mission....and this mama loves to hear the little pattering of those tiny hands on the hardwood floor.   

This is a short video of his very first crawling experience.  It's funny to look back and see how slow he was at first.  It's only been a month, and this man has gained some serious speed! Enjoy.  

Michigan Part 1

The first half of our Michigan trip was spent with all of Luke's cousins! Everyone came in from Virginia, North Carolina, and Detroit. We had a blast hanging out with all the families and getting to know each other's kids. We even took a huge family portrait...22 of us! Hope you enjoy the pics.Just in case any of you wonder how six people travel on an airplane...

Obviously, Tag had it the easiest being all snuggled up in Luke's lap.

This was the afternoon we had a photographer come and take our whole group portrait...thus the white shirts and denim. :)  Afterward, Luke snapped a few pics of our own.  I just love this one of our four sweet kiddos.  Look at those precious faces...

Jordan and his girls.

Granny Boo loves to read to the kids...especially on the front porch swing!

Papa Dude and Logan being silly, of course.

Jordan introduced us to a new hobby of his... kite-surfing!  It was a blast to watch...and he is absolutely amazing at it.

Luke's cousin Sara and her daughter Meg...watching as Jordan headed out into the bay.

Scott, Sara and Meg.  This was our first time to meet sweet little Meg...she is darling!

Luke's cousin Rob and his wife Jennie.  They have a little boy named Michael that we so enjoyed getting to spend time with.

Tag and Meg trying to play with the bubbles.  Ummm, soapy liquid not so good for you little ones....

Jordan showing off on the front porch... "See, I can handle four, no problem!"  You go JW.

At Tom's Mom's Cookies with Granny Boo.  Oh how we all love these cookies!

Tag was wishing he could have a cookie too...but all he got was this lousy wagon-wheel.

So loved by his big sister...

Uncle Bob, Nanny, and Aunt Sue

Rob and his little boy, Michael

Boo loving on Tag.  See that beautiful sunset in the background?  I love sunsets...

Thought we'd leave you with a little hoola-hoop action.  The girls both discovered this lost sport while up north....and actually got pretty good at it!  Fun times...