Saying Good-Bye is Never Easy

We had to say good-bye last week to our very best friends,

The Gardner's :(

Here is Brooke, Preston, and Keith enjoying an all american dinner at our house: chicken nuggets, macaroni and some broccoli!

Best Buddies!
Ray and Brooke in the pool before they left! Brooke has a crush on Ray!!!
Melissa and Kari... before the emotional breakdown!!!

Spaghetti Face!!

How cute is this one? You know my kids, they love their pasta :)

Baby Pool Time

We decided it would be fun to drag out the ol' baby pool and set it up on the deck for the kids. They had a ball... poor Lila Anne, we couldn't find her swim diaper....

Havin' some fun, eatin' a frog...
Such a little ham :)
Couldn't resist this one....

Moving so fast....

WOW! Ever since Lila Anne spoke that first "baba", she has taken off with her talking. She waves now and says "bye-bye" all the time. You should see her wave, she waves like the queen, rotating her wrist around and in her tiniest voice, singing, "bye-bye." She says "mama" now too. But she also says "Mom!!" How funny is that? She looks at me and says it really loudly, but it sounds more like "Mum," so we are pretty sure she is British :) That would explain the Queen thing too.... It's probably because she rides in a pram!! Hahaha... inside joke with my sister! She has yet to say "dada" but everytime she eats she says "yum!" I guess she hears Preston saying that a lot :) She is pulling up now too. I have to get some pictures. She pulled herself up to a standing position in her crib yesterday and you should have seen how big those eyes got, like she was so surprised she did that. But, the FUNNIEST thing that she is doing these days is when we sing her "theme song" (the song from "Bindi the Jungle Girl") She hums the last word really loudly, which is Li-LA! I have to get that on video:)
Ok, I have bragged enough about my little one, but I am just so excited for her :)
Hope everyone is surviving the heat! It's going to be 103 degrees here!!!!!!

Getting Our Sea Legs

We finally got to go out on my sister's boat! It was a beautiful evening and we took full advantage. Lila didn't seem to be much of a boater, but hopefully in time....

Sue and Baby Brayden on the boat

The fam... check out Preston's face!
Just a cool picture of the harbor in Waterside (downtown Norfolk)

The Jester Gals...

Me, Mom, and Sue!

Good Sports

I noticed how L.A. is always hanging out in her stroller (or in this case her pak n' play) while we do all thses fun things... poor Lila Anne!!

Here is Preston fishing with his new rod he got for his birthday. My parents bought it for him and they live on a lake, so he gets to fish a lot now :)
Grand Dad and Preston :)
Preston golfing with his new clubs... Tiger Woods in the making....
See, here's L.A. again watching from the confines of her stroller!
Look at that follow through!!!
Daddy and Preston
Now for a game of tennis.
Backhand baby!!
And once again, L.A. in her stroller!!
One picture of Mommy... since I am always taking the pictures (and you can see why!) I had to get in one, so people know that I am still alive!!!

Preston got a new "Big Kid" bike the other day, here he is trying it out!
He is so big now, isn't he?

We love Preston

How can you not love this face?

Mommy and Preston on his bday!
Daddy and Preston on his bday :)

Happy 4th Birthday Preston!!!!

Preston celebrated his 4th birthday on May 27th (his actual bday is the 29th) It was a drop off/pick up Party, one of the first of his friends (we're SO cutting edge!) Anyway, Ray and I were in charge of SEVEN 4 year olds!!!!! Luckily I had lot's of activities planned, because they love to stay busy!! So, here is the party:

We started off with a coloring activity, the girl on the left is Anna, Preston's girlfriend :)

Birthday Boy
Next was "pin the astronaut on the space ship"

Then outside for water balloons! BIG hit with the kids :)

Lunch Time!!!
Back outside for bubbles...

Now on to the pinata:
"GET CANDY, GET CANDY, GET CANDY"

What outer space party would be complete without a "moon cake"??? (made by Mommy, of course!!)

Present time!!
And finally, a liitle peace and quiet at the end of a VERY long 2 hours!

I've Been Tagged!!!!

I've been tagged by Meredith at http://www.jacksonrileycole.blogspot.com/ to do my first meme! How exciting!
The Rules: Write a blog entry with 10 weird, random, facts, habits or goals about yourself.
Anddddddd.... GO!


1. I HAVE to kiss my hand and touch the roof of my car when I go through a yellow light!!!!
2. I have a freckle on my "ring finger" toe on my left foot :)
3. I used to SMOKE!!!!!!! YUCK, YUCK, YUCK!!!!
4. I say 50,000 prayers at night when I hear Lila cry out!!! "Please help her fall back asleep"... It almost always works :)
5. I was a Hawaiian Tropic Girl in my past life :)
6. I have been parasailing.
7. Ray and I said "I am falling in love with you" the day after we first met. I knew I would marry him. Really.
8. I was named "most talkative" in high school. Most people that know me now always say how quiet I am.....
9. I want to take some photography classes. You know I just love to get certified in things....
10. I truely LOVE my husband. He completes me like no other. I am sure of that. I am thankful everyday for the special bond we have.

There! Now my secrets are out :) Haha!! I have to tag 4 people now....
I tag:
Sue (or Brayden) at: http://www.thechurchillfam.blogspot.com/
Leeanne (or Winston) at: http://www.thomasfamilyof3.blogspot.com/
Eleisha (or Leo) at: http://www.jorgensonpackof5plus1angel.blogspot.com/
Jackson at: http://www.jacksonrileycole.blogspot.com/

Have Fun!!