End of Summer Fun

Our summer fun is over :( Zack went back to work on Monday. We had a great month of traveling and fun. We are so thankful that we have that time off together as a family. Two weekends ago we went to Shreveport to visit Lauren, Jason, Bree, Emie, Cole and their two dogs, Tank and Chance. We had a great time with them. We went to a neighbor's pool to swim and had some yummy steaks. Kate really enjoyed Bree dressing up in her lion costume and playing with their toys. We also witnessed Emie losing her first tooth. Very exciting! She said she thought she saw the tooth fairy leave her room with her wings flapping. She also said she saw her go from adult size to a small fairy like on Sleeping Beauty.

Kamara and I had a playdate with some childhood friends, Abbey, April and their boys, Cayson and Layton. One always share a special bond with childhood friends. It was good to hang out with them and their boys.

Zack went fishing one morning with his friend Chris Dunkle and had a blast! They caught 22 striper at the bottom of the dam at Lake Texhoma. We have some footage below of Kate eating corn on the cob, which is one of her new favorites! These last few days we are getting back into the routine, and Zack is enjoying catching up with work and other principal friends.

We bought Kate some pretend food. Here is her yesterday playing with it.

Kate walking around the house with her sunglasses.

This was one of the fish that Zack caught. (Don't you love his hat?)

Aubrey, Kate, Layton and Cayson

All of us together: Kate, me, Aubrey, Kamara, Cayson, Abbey, Layton, and April

Cole playing in their dog crate with Tank and Chance

This was taken right after Emie lost her tooth.

Kate and Bree

Kate playing with her cousins' doll and stroller

Cole playing on the couch

This was taken at our house. Zack's sister and family stayed over one night last weekend.
Cole and Kate playing with the refrigerator magnets.

One of Kate's new favorites

Abilene and Fredricksburg

We left last Wednesday for a 6 day trip to Abilene and Fredricksburg to see family. We had a great time! Kate had a couple of not so great nights in her pack and play, but we are use to that. I am sure in the future they will have fold up cribs. Anyway, we have to teach Kate to be flexible and to adapt to our schedule. Overall, she did great! She had fun playing and watching her cousins Bree, Emie and Cole. She loved spending time with her Aunts, Grandparents, and Great Grandparents. Aunt Lauren brought her two dogs, Chance and Tank also. Kate loved playing with them and sitting in their crate. Dixie was happy to have some dog friends. Mom Mom and Dad Dad(Zack's parents) were so sweet to let us all bring our dogs and provide such wonderful meals for the family. Their house was full of toys, people, dogs and dog toys. We are so grateful to them for being such wonderful parents and grandparents to us. As I say so many times, we are richly blessed. We went swimming one day, played games when the kids went to bed, had sister time one afternoon, and played outside in their nice shaded backyard. They also put up a pool for the grandkids. On Saturday we drove 3 hours to Fredricksburg to see Zack's grandparents Papa and Nettie or Gran Gran. Kate got to have her first creek experience and touch a fish that Zack caught. It was a special memory. She loved eating corn on the cob Saturday night. We went to church with them on Sunday and then spend another night in Abilene to break up the trip. We came back on yesterday. Here are some highlights along with some footage of Kate touching the fish.

Cole playing in the pool

Kate loved to push Cole around in the little car and vice versa

Dad Dad and Lauren

Kate playing in the backyard pool

Mom Mom giving Kate a banana

Dad Dad playing with Kate on the bed

Aunt Lindsey and Kate

Zack and his Mom working together on grilling yummy burgers!

Playing in the backyard

I enjoyed reading with Cole and Emie

Emie playing with Kate

Kate and Nanny

Bree was wearing Dad Dad's old glasses

Kate and Papa. It was sweet to watch them look at each other in awe.

At the creek

Zack showing her the fish

She loved corn on the cob! She just needs to learn to hold it right.

Kate's first experience on the Gator with Daddy

Daddy had her sitting inside the steering wheel while we gave her a break from driving

Zack showing Kate his fish

July 4th and Broken Bow

I love this picture of Kate a couple of days ago in our backyard.

We went to Broken Bow, Oklahoma a couple of weekends ago with Kamara, Rod and Aubrey. It is about 3 1/2 hours from here. We rented a cabin there and stayed for three nights. It is close to Beavers Bend. We had a blast! It was beautiful. The river was right outside our cabin so we could go fishing, canoeing and swimming every day. The cabin also had a hot tub. So after the girls went to sleep every night we relaxed in it. I was sad to leave!

Kate watching a Praise Baby DVD with Uncle Rod

A sweet picture of Aubrey and Kamara

Rod and Zack grilled every night. It was so yummy!

A pretty view in Beavers Bend

Kate sleeping on our drive back from Beavers Bend to our cabin. She is now in her front facing carseat, which is really a booster seat.

Kam and I hanging out at night after the hot tub and showers.

Our cabin

The name of our cabin was RiverView

This was a funny picture of Rod getting stuff out of the back of their truck.

Kate wearing Daddy's hat

Zack fishing right outside our cabin

The girls enjoyed playing with the rocks

We hung out in Grapevine for July 4th. We had a great time! We took the girls to Glade Pool in Grapevine to swim in the afternoon. Luckily, Kate took two naps that day so we could stay up for the fireworks. She didn't get to bed till 11:30 that night! Yikes!

We had a hard time getting a picture of Aubrey and Kate. Will, her cousin, is holding her and his little brother, Kale is also in the picture.

Here is another cousin, Laci, holding Kate on the slide at the park before fireworks.

Last year we took this picture of our girls with one of my other sisters, Lori, and her daughter Isabelle.

Here we are a year later

Kate loved the swing at the park

Family picture

Kate did pretty good watching the fireworks. She wanted to run around and play. It was cute to watch her try to reach out and touch the fireworks.

Ian, another cousin, did not like how loud they were.