Rolling with our friends

We picked up Krispy Kreme doughnuts and headed to the roller rink to meet our besties, Ava and Lily.

They are the happiest group of girls, which makes me and their mama very happy!

Highlights from the rink:

There were some ups and downs!

Laurel is such a happy girl!  She is always saying the funniest things that just make us laugh so hard.  She is such a sweet friend and is always looking out for those around her.

I love, love, love this girl!  I feel so lucky and blessed to be her mom.  She keeps me on my toes and keeps me straight. 
The other night, she did something and I called her into my room and closed the door and said,
" Laurel, what the heck are you thinking?" (don't ask me what made me say that word because it isn't a word I ever use.  It must have been a stressful day.)  And her eyes got so big and she said, "hmmm.. excuse me!  Do you really think a mommy should be saying that word!?"  I busted out laughing and told her I really didn't know where that word came from and no, it probably didn't sound very good.  Now, I didn't let her get away without talking to her about what she was brought into the room for, but this is such an example of her personality!  And goodness, I hope she stays this way!!!

Laurel turns 9

My sweet little Laurel Lou turned 9!  Laurel wanted us to have a family party for her and then she wanted to invite her best friends Ava and Lily to the roller skating rink.  I made her a special dinner and for the life of me I can't remember what it was!  It was special though :) 

I had taken Sawyer to his room to put him down for a nap.  I heard dishes clanking and was so hoping everything was under control.  When I came out, Savannah and Laurel had set the table for Laurel's birthday dinner.  I thought it was the cutest thing ever.

She picked out an oreo icecream cake and a musical candle.  I think Landon is actually the one who blew out the candle! 

I let her pick out her own gift and I was so surprised when she said she wanted this baby alive doll.  You see, this doll pees and poops!  You mix up this nasty mixture, which is probably pretty close to the nasty baby food I feed Sawyer, and the doll is suppose to poop.  I said, "Laurel, don't you think we have enough peeing and pooping going on in our house already!?"  She wanted it!

She really is such a mothering little girl.  She is such a good sister and helper with her brothers and sister.  She loves getting Sawyer out of his crib.  She will change his diaper, bring him to the kitchen, put him in the chair and open a jar of food and start feeding him.
We love her so much!

Sister and cousins

My sister Audra came for a two week visit in August.  And she brought my nieces Kayla and Karly with her!  Kayla and Laurel are the same age.  Savannah and Carly are the same age.  Audra and I just love the fact that we have girls the same ages.  They had so much fun getting to know each other again.  That's the part that makes me so sad about living so far from my family.  My children not being able to play with their cousins all the time just breaks my heart.  I think it hurts so bad because my cousins were such a big part of my childhood.  So we tried our hardest to enjoy every single moment. 
Here are some highlights:

 

We swam, a lot! 

We took walks through the woods and were eaten alive by red bugs, Chiggers, whatever you call them!Sometimes I do question why God put some bugs on earth.  Seriously, what is the purpose of a chigger?  I do have the fondest memories of my grandmother checking each of us for red bugs when we came out of the woods.  She would get us in her lap and look all over our bodies and scratch and scratch those bugs out.  Or, at least that's what she would tell us she was doing.

Audra took us out for a "girl's night" to celebrate Laurel's upcoming birthday.

Laurel chose California Pizza Kitchen.

Then we went shopping! Savannah and Karly wanted everything in the store.  I told Savannah when we went in that we were just looking.  Savannah is my child who loves clothes and shoes so this was really just torture for her.  She kept running up to me saying she wanted this and she wanted that.  Finally, she said, "oh mommy, I just love this store and I can't help that I want everything in here!"  Poor girl, she takes after her mama!

 

 

 

 

There were a couple of days where it rained and we were stuck inside.  The girls called Audra and I in for a play.  Kayla, the wicked witch is offering Laurel, the princess a poisonous apple.

 

Which she partook of and fell to the ground.

Savannah and Karly were little bunnies who followed the princess around.  I always love watching these made up plays.  I love listening to their imaginations.

 

I love this little sister of mine.  She spoiled me the whole time she was here.  It's so neat to me how I am able to learn from her.  She has four children also but hers are in reverse order.  Her two oldest are boys and they are teenagers!  I can't believe that.  But it was really neat listening to her talk to her boys.  She's going through stages that I have not even had to worry about.  It's pretty neat to know she will be there to help me through.

 

 

 

 

 

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Five little monkeys jumping on the bed....

Do you let your monkeys jump all over the furniture?
Is it really a big deal?
I go back and forth.
Man, he has a lot of fun doing it!

Coconut popsicles

we love coconut popsicles around here.

But nobody...

loves them more than Sawyer!!

Down Under

When Sawyer goes missing, just look under the table.

Or under the desk.

Yes, I'm in love!

Please let those dimples stay for a while.

Learning

Learning....

how to pick up things.

Learning.....

that these fingers have a purpose.