Mini Vacation!

Sea World Orlando

There was a few of our friends going to Sea World that casually invited us. We thought about it and then decided to jump on that wagon! Especially with the whole Military getting in for free deal they have. We figured we'd use it! 

We had a blast. We left Saturday EARLY morning. Arrived in Orlando at about 7:30a. Spend the entire day at the park. Then stayed with some friends in their huge suite Saturday night. {we originally planned to drive back that night, I am very glad we decided against that!} It was a very long day! 

Sunday we stopped at Downtown Disney to just walk around and such. It got me wanting to go to Disney World pretty badly! Hehe. 

*warning, picture overload* 

{also, everytime I upload to Blogger, the pics have those lines through them, just look through them}

Beginning of our day. The girls in their St. Patty's Day attire. 

B posing. She called that Eel thing an alligator.

She liked viewing the fish and sharks!

However she didn't like taking a picture with the shark jaw...I'm a mean mom, lol. I love this picture. 

Sweet Aspenn. She was a trooper all day!

Daddy and Aspenn. 

Me and B with the dolphin. I'm not sure if she has a name or not..

I did it! I hate fish, but I touched the ray! Nick was oh so proud he had to take a picture documenting it!

She was all smiles, but this is the end of the ride, so maybe thats why she looked angry. 

Our Family

Watching Shamu.

I believe it was naptime. During the Sea Lion show, she grabbed fluff and laid on the ground.

I had to throw a picture of the whales. They were so neat to watch. Brynlee just kept yelling FISH. 

I have tons more pictures..whats new. The girls did great. I can't wait to take them to Disney in a few years! 

Surprise!

So, as we were nearing the end of this deployment, my friend Holly was here keeping us company. I had a wedding to photograph in AZ in Oct...so we had plans to go out there and visit my dad and sister and some friends along with the wedding. Holly, B and I were driving to Arkansas, to my moms, to drop the dogs off. Plus its way cheaper to fly out of Little Rock then either Jacksonville or Atlanta. We planned to leave Oct 3, and Holly was flying out of there on the 5th. Well then I got word Nick was suppose to arrive on the 5th. So Holly being the awesome person she is, suggested staying and surprising him. So she canceled her flight (we found out that from my moms to her parents where she is staying was only 4 hrs so we just drove half way!)

So between the 3 different changes in arrival time, we did end up staying and surprising Nicholas when he got off that bus, not expecting anyone to greet him. The look on his face was priceless. I loved that we got to stay, but then we left the next morning. Still, totally worth it! Plus he came and met us in Phx!

Waiting for the bus!

Love it!

She missed her daddy so much!

Ah to be together again!

Mom's Weekend Visit

Here are just a few of the memories we made while Mom was here visiting Brynlee and I.

9/11- Sunday morning before Church.

We went to a birthday party and Brynlee got to play on these awesome blow up slides. She loved it!

She went over and over...

Walmart Run!

LOL
Mom cleaned up our yard...we have a cluster of tree's and there was wood piled and brush. It was a great home for critters we don't really want in our yard, so she burned it all! Go mom!

We painted B's room. She thought she'd help. Lol.

I love you Mom!

Dad's Visit {warning: picture overload}

August 1-10, 2011

Dad's Visit to good ole Southern Georgia.

We didn't do a ton of out and about-ness. Thats not why he came of course. But He did help A LOT with things that we wanted/needed done at the house.

I should have taken pics of him doing the projects...oops. One thing he did do that I love, is put a peep hole in our front door! Now I don't have to crack it before knowing who it is!

Brynlee saying "CHEESE"

Dad also played with the sprinkler system we didn't know we had. I know it sounds crazy, but they sodded our yard. So what looks like was the deal is that they put the sprinklers in first, then sod...sod being very thick... therefore pretty much burying the spickets. I don't really care how we missed them. We have them and that's all I'm happy about! ( although they don't' cover our entire giant yard...close..to get our whole backyard we'll have to add like 4 or 5...better then putting the whole system in!)

We did go to Wild Adventures, so Grandpa could see how much B loves the water! She kept him chasing her the whole time. I loved just sitting and watching!

Break time from the sun a bit.

Poor B. All that sun and chlorinated water made her sick the next morning. Throwing up all she had in her tummy...till noon. Then she was good to go...I felt so bad!

Gatorade Popsicle...all over Grandpa!

Chalk is pretty exciting.

Me and my baby at the beach in Florida.

Monkey see monkey do....she is taking a picture of herself...

Grandpa did TONS of reading.

And tons of playing! Mind you, he hadn't seen B since she was 5 months old!

Stealing Grandpa's corn at the Smokin' Pig

On Grandpa's Birthday..at the Smokin' Pig.

On Grandpa's birthday..he bought Brynlee a stroller. Lol.

Last day, my dad had to go check out the statics on base...he misses the Military a lot..

In front of Daddy's Jet. The beastly A-10.

We had a great visit. Brynlee just loved her Grandpa and actually called him that...but it sounds more like...Paa Paa...maybe we should change that?! Lol.

Dad put some shelves up for me. Michelle, his girlfriend came with him and she was a blessing as well. She finished painting Brynlee's bathroom for me. She did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen every night after I had cooked dinner. And of course she helped with B too. Dad did some yard work, and showed me how to do certain things. He finished our fence...no more gaps...no more escaping dogs...until they figure out how to jump or dig under it...PRAYING THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN! He tried to fix our mower...he got it to run, but it was still throwing fits. (not that I can use it, its a push mower and our yard is too big, its too hot, and I'm not having a pregnant heat stroke from it) He also put in some locks on the front and back door. High up so when B gets older she won't and can't escape. She already reaches for the door knobs.....nice right. The company was wonderful...I wasn't ready for them to leave. Life goes on.

On another note, my mom is coming for a few days in a few weeks. Then after that Holly gets here for a few weeks and then we drive to Arkansas to my moms and grandparents house. She will stay a bit then fly out of Little Rock then Brynlee and I will stay a week and fly out to Phoenix for 10 days. I am photographing a wedding out there and I'm pretty nervous and excited. Prayers please! Then we'll fly back to Little Rock and leave soon after to drive back home. {reason for driving there...1. Flights are cheaper. 2. My mom is keeping my dogs.}Hoping Daddy has already gotten home. Or will be home soon. We really don't want to miss the homecoming...but I know there will be more of them....Still I want to be here. Prayers for that too.

Jacksonville Florida

I must admit. At first, when we got our our orders to go to Georgia, I was bummed. It was winter in Italy and we had been snowboarding quite a bit...so I was hoping for Utah or Idaho or somewhere cold. I know its just because of the snowboarding. I loved it so much. I wish we had done it sooner! BUT now that we are here, and its super nice outside most days...I love it. AND we are only 2hours from the beach. So since we don't get snow, I'll take the beach..in between though, I would have to learn to deal haha.

While my mom was here on her Spring Break {nursing school} We decided to take a drive down south to Florida.

Oh my goodness. I have been to Jacksonville beach with my youth group when I lived in Arkansas, but that was 10 yrs ago...boy does that make me feel old...

So my main beach visits were Westcoast...and these aren't no westcoast beaches!

White sand. Not crowded....well I mean that might be different come summer....Even so, we've been to the beach in California in the off season and it was still crowded.

Brynlee loved it too. It'd have been better for her if she were walking more...sandy hands aren't fun! She did like rubbing her fingers in the wet sand though..

My mom walked her to the water...and the end of a wave (small) rolled up to her feet...she wasn't fond of that. I think it was because she just wasn't expecting that. Next time we'll introduce it differently haha.

I went with beach pics in mind. My mom did pretty good and we got a few good family shots. My main one was of us 3 walking on the beach...(its on the header of the blog)

All in all it was a successful trip. I definatly want to go back when B is truly a walking fool.

We did come home with sunburns. All of us but B. We kept her pretty slathered with sunblock and she was in her stroller in the shade some too...me however..forgot some parts of my legs and arms...so I was hurting a tad the next day....

I love this picture. Or both these, top and bottom. I think I might frame them!

To end it with the love of my life....I can't believe our 4 year wedding anniversary is coming up next month!