Catchin' Up

Well, I'm really not sure how over a month goes by without posting.....time just moves quicker and quicker all the time!  I'll start by posting some of our family pictures we had taken a month or so ago.  They turned out pretty good.  Though my happy picture of BOTH of my girls was elusive as always......

This little one is growing up too fast!

I think they look SOOO much alike in this picture!

Classic.  What else can you say!?!?

 

Miss Aunt Natalie

A few fun photos from a recent visit with Aunt Natalie, who Mackenzie sometimes refers to as Miss Aunt Natalie. I think it's cute that she still adds the prefix, not realizing that the 'Aunt' is actually a prefix! As if both Aunt & Natalie are her name. 'Miss Auntnatalie'. Makes me smile.

Everyone smiling....wow! Too bad Mackenzie's is a little forced!

Smothering Miss Auntnatalie

Going for a little ride

Grandparents Visit

My parents came this weekend and the girls had alot of fun (so much fun, in fact, that Keelyn took a 3 hour nap after they left.....and that almost NEVER happens!). This is such a fun age as Mackenzie gets SUPER excited about their visits & even Keelyn is getting the idea that this grandparent thing is a good thing :) Everyone is getting geared up for 'grandparent's camp' in a few weeks when the girls are going to both grandparents' houses over spring break. What is mommy going to do with herself that week??? A few pics....

Gmommy & Keelyn - I'm pretty sure this one takes after the Ramseys!

Gmommy at Mackenzie's Hair Salon (somewhere there are pictures of me & Natalie doing this to her years ago......)

Mackenzie sporting the new ballerina PJs that Gmommy bought her!

Happy Birthday Aunt Natalie

On Saturday, we took my sister to dinner to celebrate her birthday. A fun, but crazy, new annual tradition. Last year, I remember having to have Brannon walk Keelyn around b/c she started crying during dinner. Wow, things have changed. Wait, no they haven't! Keelyn has suddenly decided after many wonderful months of sitting quietly in her seat at restaurants, that she has a new low tolerance for that business. She doesn't want to eat much, wants out of her seat, and wants to mess with any and all things on the table. When stopped from playing with such items as my knife and glass of red wine, she began throwing a fit. So, Daddy finished his meal and got to walk around with her. Ah......maybe next year, we can have a nice, calm meal to celebrate Aunt Natalie's birthday. But then, again, maybe not. But we'll have fun either way!

Wakulla Springs

After Meemi & Poppee's house, we headed across town to spend a few days with Granmommy & Grandaddy. One of the days we were there, we headed to Wakulla Springs, a local national park where you can go on a boat ride and see alligators and other wildlife along the spring. We even got to see quite a few manatees - which was the first time I'd seen them there. Here's some photos of our day there:

So happy & ready to go into the springs!
















Doesn't she look so grown up in this photo???





















What a cutie - hammin' it up for the camera at lunch!
















Propping up her foot relaxing during our lunch!
















Waiting on the boat with G & G
















Walking with big sissy to the boat!





















She looks thrilled to have to look away from nature at her mother for a silly picture!
















Kisses for mommy on the boat ride!





















We wore our 3 year old completely out! (This doesn't happen too often!)

More Fun with the McKays

And here are a few more pictures from our days we stayed with Meemi & Poppee:

Baking Halloween cookies with Meemi (Poppee overseeing the process!)














Keelyn with Uncle Jake & Poppee














Mackenz posin' with her favorite Uncle!














The boys with Mackenz & Keelyn on her favorite ride (with a broken steering wheel!)

Pumpkin Festival

I will get caught up.....I will get caught up.....maybe??? I'm so trying to be current :) So, about a month ago, while daddy was up in DC for his big trial, we decided to head down to Florida to spend some time with the grandparents (and for some help & sanity for mommy while daddy was gone a LONG almost 3 weeks!). While we were at Meemi & Poppee's house, we went to a local pumpkin festival. Mackenzie was a little sick, so she wasn't feeling great at first, but she rallied to have a great time & even (miraculously!) posed for some pictures with her sissy in front of the pumpkins AND they both smiled. Amazing. Really, it's the small things in life that make me happy!

Ready to go!





















Posing through the pumpkin hole. Love this kid!




















Posing with the old/slightly scary looking snow white that was overseeing the pumpkin area.....





















Mack - ready for a fun pony ride














Keelyn LOVED her first time on a pony ride! Poppee was just sure she would - and he was right!














Checking out the wierd looking pumpkin with all the bumps!














One for the picture frame - LOVE it!





















Another (shocking) smiling photo....this one with Keelyn showing some of her standing/walking skills





















Pretty girl showing off her FOUR teeth :)

Granddaddy/Poppee's Girl

Mackenzie has always had a certain affinity for her grandmothers. I think it started with her being the first born and her grandfathers were a little more willing to let the grandmas play with Mackenzie since they were so very, very eager to do any & every little thing she wanted! Well, fast forward a couple years, and those same grandmothers are often preoccupied by a (VERY) demanding little 3 year old! But the laps of the grandfathers are often free :) So, look who's developed a certain affinity for her grandfathers.....

Fall Festival

At the beginning of October (yes, I'm that far behind again!), we started off our fall festivities at the festival that is put on by Mackenzie's preschool. It was pretty impressive. Pony rides, train ride, bounce houses (galore!), pumpkin painting, and many, many more games. I think Mackenzie had a dum-dum lollipop permanently in her mouth since they handed them out at almost every single thing! Meemi & Poppee were in town that weekend so they got to come along for the fun :)

We got another good family photo on the train ride :)














Ella came to the festival too :) I couldn't get them to smile at me, but I love how Ella is watching Mackenzie eat her lollipop!














Serious pumpkin painting!














Group shot before the pony rides begin














She looks like she's having so much fun!














Keelyn & Meemi

Keelyn's Baby Dedication

Going way back, but I want to get this on the blog for sure..... Back in June, we had Keelyn dedicated at our church. Basically, this ceremony is where the parents commit to raising them in a Christian home and to encourage them in their faith walk to one day know Jesus personally. An elder in our church prayed over our family and Keelyn, and it was great because the elder also has two little girls so he prayed specifically for Brannon and being a father surrounded by pink & bows :) That he would be the father these two little girls need. Not an easy role, for sure!

Keelyn fell dead asleep as we were waiting for the dedication to begin (which NEVER happens without rocking/bouncing/walking her......except this morning!). So, I was holding a dead weight sleeping baby the whole time! I guess better than a screaming baby!





















Our family being prayed over





















The grandmothers couldn't resist taking her picture during the service!





















The whole gang















Cute picture of these two















Keelyn tried some avocado at lunch & loved it!















Mackenzie thoroughly enjoying her dessert!