County fair...

Aunt Ashley and Uncle Tom went to the fair with us this weekend. Harrison and Avery have been watching them put up the ferris wheel all week and couldn't wait to go. The kids had a blast and we all got a little too much sun....

That's Harrison on the left.

The ferris wheel

Gator coaster...I didn't know my kids would love fair rides so much

I don't know why but this picture makes me laugh.

The double decker carousel

Avery went on this slide over and over and she just kept jumping off the top instead of sitting...she tumbled head over heels every time and was happy about it.

Bumper cars seem to have been the favorite.
This is Harrison and his school friend Lauren.

And Avery...taking the bumpin very seriously.

Let's go fly a kite...

Uncle Tom and Aunt Ashley came to visit!
(I don't think I need to explain what they are doing...)

(and I don't know why Harrison was wearing the black socks...)

Avery and Alex

Who knew a can of shaving cream could be so much fun?

Cleaning up is pretty good too when there is a hot tub involved.

What do you do for fun?

I though this was a cute picture. The kids helped clean up the job site this weekend. Despite the fact that I thought Avery was going to walk off the edge of the building it was funny to watch them. I have never seen two kids have more fun with a concrete block and scrap wood.

Back to the Beach

We've been to the beach twice in the past couple weeks. I know I posted pictures from the beach in January but it's warmer now so we've actually broken out the bathing suits and everything. I forgot my camera for the second day but here are a couple cute ones from the first.

Avery making sand angels

Harrison being Harrison

Avery eating (shocker) everything in the cooler

The boys heading out into the waves
and Avery not being left behind...

Holy crap, he's a southerner

First of all, yes I do realize my kids were born in the south. Somehow being raised in a house with two northern parents makes me forget that. Until we have an incident like last night. Harrison was in the bathtub and I was practicing his spelling words with him(he's trapped) and we get to the word "mouth." Harrison says "M-A...M-A" and I keep shaking my head, honestly confused because I didn't think it was that hard. He ends up with M-A-W-T-H. So I spell it correctly and he looks at me and says "oh it's one of those rule breakers were it isn't spelled like it sounds." I look at him and say "not really, there isn't an ah sound in mouth, it's a short o" and he looks at me and says "mouth"...in TWO syllables and precisely pronounced mahw-uth. It shocks me every time.

(Oh yeah, and he thinks I pronounce it wrong)

He is being raised in the south by a Michigander and an Ohioan, his pre-K teacher was from Puerto Rico, his kindergarten teacher was from Kentucky and his first grade teacher was raised in the Northeast (but born at Foote Hospital in Jackson - ironic huh?) I can't quite figure out where he is going to sound like he is from!

Lake Mary Cityfest

After the Home Depot trip(previous post) we went to the Lake Mary City Fest. It was your basic festival, balloons, junk food, games, music... and the kids had a lot of fun. And unlike the Home Depot trip it was drama-free.

mmmm... Italian ice
Face painting

Uncle Dan and Harrison in a tense boat race..

Avery's dance break ... she loved the band.
(And she has shorts on under the ridiculously short dress if you're wondering. It was the only thing she would wear)

Harrison playing games

Both kids ran relays that were put on by the fire station.

Avery got right in line with the big kids, she did great except she was supposed to sit on a balloon and pop it and she sat then stomped and stomped and couldn't do it.

And cotton candy of course...

I don't exactly know what they were doing here but it was cute with their little fire hats

Building at the Home Depot (the drama)

Every month they have a kid's "clinic" at the Home Depot where they have these cute little kits to put together. Last month Grandma Neenie came up and took the kids and they made jewelery boxes and they had a blast. So we marked our calendars for this months "Speedway" building day, Harrison couldn't wait (this is important later). So today Uncle Dan and Lonni and the kids and I got ready to go meet Grandma Neenie to make the very anticipated speedway.... and Avery threw what I can honestly say what was the most horrifying fit(like I have never seen before) before we were even in the car. So after that major drama(which was delightful to deal with in front of company) we are all finally in the car and heading to Home Depot. So now Avery is over it and in a good mood and Grandma Neenie calls and says she is there and they are out of the speedway kit. Now Harrison is all mopey and sad, he was not buying that bookends were just as good. Couldn't they have just had the misery moment at the same time. We get there, we don the orange aprons and make a set of bookends and a flower pot(which Avery actually liked better) And Grandma Neenie saved the day by not only getting donuts but by going back in with Harrison for the next session and getting him a speedway to make at home. So here are some pictures from what was a very stressful morning event:)

(And Dan and Lonni not only survived but went to a city festival with us afterward, pictures will follow shortly)

The day the Boone family came to play

This has been the hardest post. I am just not all that good at being mushy, but at the same time it is hard to say "Carrie came over" as if it is a normal occurrence. So because of that I am staring at this blank space trying to decide what to write. Carrie and her kids were in Orlando this past weekend. So I got to have them over for a couple of hours(minus Sierra) and it was amazing. She is my best friend and I talk to her almost everyday. Every mom should be lucky enough to have a friendship like ours, it has saved my sanity on more than one occasion. As much as I love talking to her on the phone it was great to have her at my house. Here are a bunch of pictures

Brayden, Parker, Lilly, Harrison and Avery
Me and Carrie
Parker Lilly and Harrison
(this is Harrison and Parker when they met)
Will and Lilly
This is why we shouldn't have any more babies:)
We give them pizza...
And beer...Harrison LOVES holding babiesAvery and Brayden playing Wii
(this is Avery and Brayden last time they were at our house) Brayden
Parker and Harrison
All of the kids playing with the marble run