A camping we will go...

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

This weekend we went to Cloudland Canyon State Park to go camping with some good friends, Jeremy and Joy. This was definitely different than any other style of camping we have done and it was AWESOME! They brought Joy's parent's pop-up camper for us all to stay in and it was so cool...literally, freezing..the a/c was kept on high and it was like an ice box when you stepped in...we were really roughing it =) Besides air conditioning, it also had a full and queen size bed, running water, electricity, a stove, and a gas grill. Pretty sweet! Jeremy also brought a huge tent (thanks to Pepsi lol) for us to have shade over our picnic table and rigged a light to the top so that we could sit there and play games at night. Greg was mainly in charge of the fire and he did a great job...surprisingly neither him nor Jeremy broke anything while trying to cut wood =) We had so much fun sitting around the fire talking, making smores, and cooking hotdogs! Yesterday morning after our yummy pancake breakfast, we headed to the gorge to walk around the canyon. It was incredibly beautiful! Last night, it was the May's turn to make dinner and it was SOOO good!! They made delicious poppyseed chicken, grilled veggie skewers, and baked potatoes (again...roughing it lol)! After dinner we all sat around playing Sequence and had a great time! This morning we woke up, packed and had some yummy cinnamon rolls and then hit the road. We really had such a fun time with great friends! We are looking forward to it again this fall!!

I have...

The Very Best Job!

Being a nanny seriously may be the very best job! For someone who wants kids as badly as I do, this is the absolute perfect thing for me! Today at library time I realized how much fun I have with the kids I nanny for. I have bonded SOOO much with each one and I love each one as if they were my own! I certainly don't feel like their nanny, but more like their aunt or very young grandmother haha! It is so incredibly awesome to experience the joy and happy times and the not so happy times with another family and getting to see their children grow and learn and transform from sleeping newborns, to crawling infants, to talkative toddlers. I am so incredibly lucky to have been blessed with both of the families I work with! And if you talk to me for more than 5 minutes, at least one of the kids I keep is going to be mentioned =) It will be unimaginably hard for me to quit keeping these kids and going to work as a teacher. No more story time with a kid or two in my lap, no more random singing and dancing our hearts out, no more packed out stroller walks to the pool and park, no more giant hugs from tiny arms, no more waving goodbye to the waving toddler on the front steps...at least it will all be over until my own are here...I've still got a few more semesters nannying so I will definitely enjoy the time I have left and I'll of course ALWAYS keep in touch =) But anyhoo...here are some highlights of my summer with the Bartons and a few of the Harts, I rarely have my camera with me so I don't have a ton of the Harts so I will work on that. I also took a bunch today to show what we've been doing all summer =)

Our trip to the Zoo...








Library time on Tuesdays...


Reading the books we pick out on our way home =) >>>We weren't driving yet lol, that's why she isn't buckled, I was putting Laurel in! haha


Working on our ABC's...


Laurel has learned to crawl...


...so cute!


Laurel learning to hold her own bottle...


Lots of painting and fun crafts...


And what we do the most of...PARK TIME!
What a jumping bean!


She's started swinging in the big kid swings...


I've LOVED my summer...with that cute face, how could you not?!


This is just a glimpse of all the fun we've had this summer! We've done tons more like trips to the pool, song and dance time, playing in the sprinklers (with all kids), bike riding, lots of UNO (with the older ones), fort building, berry picking, and much more! It's been a fantastic summer and the best part is...it doesn't end! We do these fun things all year round! Except Gracie and Josiah have to go back to school in a couple of weeks...but I look forward to being there for their first day of first and third grade!! I can't say it enough...my "job" is awesome!

Oh Joy...

A bargain!!

(the sticker is still on there)

Since today was such a beautiful day I thought that it would be a could day to go check out some yard sales! I didn't have anything I was looking for (besides books) so it was fun just looking at everyone's stuff! However find some things that I wanted...a decorative bowl w/red potpourri to go on our kitchen table, a nice travel pillow from Brookstone that retails for like $30 (I ALWAYS fall asleep on our way back from NC and always want a pillow and never have one with me...so this is SWEET), and lots of books (23) for my future students, kids, and for the kids I nanny for. There were some cute pop-up books in there too that I love! So how much did I spend?....$9!! What a deal! I can see how this can be so addictive...especially for us bargain hunters =)

A much deserved date night...

This week has been absolutely crazy for Greg! After today, he will have worked over 90 hours and he has gone to bed several nights this week past midnight just because of work...boo!!So yesterday he decided to take a time out and for us to go out to our very favorite restaurant...

it was absolutely delicious! We both got our usual...Louisianna Chicken Pasta and Fresh banana Cream cheesecake for me and Dutch Apple Streusel cheesecake for Greg...MMmmmm! Needless to say we were happy and stuffed when we left =)
Well...after dinner we were discussing whether or not we wanted to go see a movie or just go rent one. We really wanted to just lay in bed and watch a movie because we were so full but the TV in our bedroom wasn't working and the DVD player has burned for some reason. Sooo...Greg suggested we go buy a TV and watch a movie in bed anyway! So after dinner we headed over to BrandsMart and came home with this.....

Now we can be super lazy together and watch movies in bed! We don't have cable in our room because neither of us watch enough TV for it to matter....but we do watch a ton of movies! So...it was a pretty sweet date night!

NC Visit...

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

This weekend we head to Cary to see my family. My dad had back surgery 2 weeks ago so we wanted to check in on him (he is doing great!) and visit with everyone! We had a great but short trip! Saturday morning we went to the Raleigh Farmer's Market with Andy, Kari, Jim and the babies. We had lunch there and it was AMAZING! The fried chicken was the best I'd ever had and the fresh, local veggie sides were just as delicious! Next time we go I want to go back! After lunch, we strolled through the market for some fresh fruit and herbs for Andy's incredible awesome peach, blueberry, and blackberry cobbler...seriously...it was insanely good! We got back to the house and just visited and played with the babies for a while and then Andy and Jim prepared and fantastic spaghetti dinner with cobbler and homemade cheesecake for dessert. Andy made the spaghetti sauce and it might be my new favorite food. It was INCREDIBLE. It's so nice having a chef in the family =) While eating, the girls watched "Twilight" while the guys prepped for the UFC fight downstairs. After the fight was over (1AM!!!) we all headed to bed and a long but fun day! Sunday we woke up early to spend a few more hours with everyone before heading home! It was a short trip but we had so much fun...plus, I'll take any excuse to go see our sweet niece and nephew =) Enjoy the pics!

Eva's Dress...

We are heading to NC tonight to see my family and I wanted to make a new dress for Eva (since the pillowcase dress is still too big...although, this one may be too). This was my first time trying this a-line/jumper style and I really like it except for the hem. I can't wait to see it on her..more pics to come =)

Fun times with KA...

This vacation we have really gotten to spend a lot of time with KA and we just love it! She is at such a fun age and stage and we just can't get enough! I just love that she wants to play with us or walk with us or have one of us hold her...that makes both of us feel so special! It's been so nice getting to see her this much, it's really made our vacation time a lot of fun!

This morning all of went to breakfast at Wild Olives again and then stayed in town to shop a bit. On our way back to the condo, we stopped to let KA play in the fountains...how fun!!

The beach...

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

We left for the beach Tuesday after work and got here a little after midnight and met up with the family. Yesterday we had a fun-filled day of hanging out at the beach, going to the pool, and taking a bunch of cute pictures on the beach at sunset. Katie Anne was so much fun to play with on the beach. She loves the sand and the ocean (however, the undertow is awful so she was a little scared...but so was I). The guys play football while the girls layed out for a while. Around lunchtime, we all went in for lunch and the guys went to play golf. While KA took a nap, Katie and I went to layout by the pool and go for a swim. The pool is awesome here and we love the condo as well! After a yummy dinner of Frogmore Stew we went to take family pics at the beach. We didn't have much sunlight to work with so we had to work fast...but we still got some great ones! This morning Greg and I took the dogs on a walk down to a cute little deli/bakery for breakfast. I had a fantastic ham,egg, and cheese croissant with the best grits I've ever had and Greg had a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich with home fries yum =)It was all very delicious and the dogs had a great time be out and about! After we got back we got into our bathing suits and headed to the pool with everyone! It's SOO hot and humid so we didn't stay out for too long but long enough to have fun =) The guys are back on the golf course and the girls are resting in the condo...what a fun and relaxing vacation =)