Topsail Island, North Carolina

Chase didnt want to get wet but he wanted to throw a rock:)

Brandon's 7th birthday fishing with his best buddies..Nate and Bray:0)

A moment in Time a memory for a lifetime

We just got back from Topsail beach, North Carolina.  My parents chose to have all of their children and grandchildren with them to celebrate a huge milestone in their lives instead of a big party, their 40th wedding anniversary which will be this December.  It was a week filled with lots of fishing, boogy boarding, sandcastle building, shelling, swimming and amazing food, drinks and conversations.  It was an amazing week but much more than that it was like we let time stand still for a bit.  We were able to let our kids be kids and no rushing to and from anywhere except down some steps and onto the beach. I loved watching all of my sister's and their husbands interact with my kids.  What memories they will have spending time fishing with uncle D and uncle Scott or playing football with uncle Ry.  Swimming with aunt Nellie and aunt Jules or making shell necklaces with Amy.

I also enjoyed watching my parents interact with each of their grands and each other.  The one thing my parents have that each couple should strive for is a deep love for each other...a respect between them that shows each morning when they get up in their body language with each other.  They truly enjoy each other and their surroundings.  They showed my sister's and I that hard work and lots of cherishing of each other goes along way throughout our childhoods.  I can only pray that as Brad and I live our lives and raise our family that when our children look back on their childhood they remember Brad and I loving each other the way my parents did, I hope they remember us dating and respecting each other. I hope they remember us putting God as the center of our home and of our relationship. 

Thanks mom and dad for your time and dedication to not just each other but to your family. It's a generational gift that you gave us. One that will be past down to our grands and then to theirs.

Time...where does it go?

Well, the school year is upon us.  I have three out the door and Ella will start preschool on Tuesday.  It will be a somber day for me.  I can't really wrap my head around the fact that she is old enough to go to school.  She is still a baby to me and she just loves to play in her room with all of her "stuss" as she says it.

The big kids were ready! Elaina and Nate were missing their school friends and I think Brandon was ready for friends and a little structure.  He would totally deny it because he loves hanging out with me at the house but I think he was ready.

Nate started middle school football this week and is loving it. Elaina is playing volleyball and Brandon will start flag football in a couple of weeks.  It's been nice to not have nightly things to do but I know we will be ready for it when it heads our way.

I'll post some pictures of our trip to Breckenridge while we were in Denver for the World Series!

Nate and a friend going up the ski lift to alpine slide!

Have a great weekend!

The Place He Feels the Best...with a Bat, Glove or Ball in his hands!

Here are a few pics of Nate doing what he loves.  We will head to KC for a tournament this weekend.  They are pumped to play the competition that comes when they play down there.  It will be without our Center fielder who broke his wrist last Friday night in a game in which the other team showed such embarassing sportsmanship. It's amazing that people can be happy that the other team has a kid who breaks his wrist and will miss four weeks of a 12 week season.  It is appalling that a parent or parents have to act that way!


Have a blessed weekend!