random bits from our week

At some point while Jack and Anna were gone last week, Sam wanted to nap on the couch so he got everything set up just the right way. He was so proud of his little nest! (He still had to nap in his bed, though - Mama's rules.)

Sam and Lucy also had a good time hanging out with each other while the big kids were gone.

Ninny and Grandy brought the kids home last Thursday and we tried to get a good picture.

Grammy bought these adorable matching dresses for the girls so we tried to get a picture for her today before church. We bribed them with candy and this is still the best we could get!

She's a Mover

The other day I put Lucy on a quilt in the bonus room and then was in and out of the room putting things away. I was in a bedroom and heard a clicking noise over and over again. This is what I found when I walked back into the room. She had rolled off the quilt and was opening and closing doors on the animal hospital!

North Carolina

The second major leg of our vacation week consisted of a stop in the mountains of NC to visit with Papa, Gail, and Sandy. We enjoyed a hot dog lunch (hence the ketchup on their faces) and then the kids had a great time playing in the creek. The biggest highlight of the trip, though, ended up being the walnut races. The kids would stand at the top of Papa's very steep driveway and throw the walnuts, watching to see who's nut stayed on the driveway the longest. I can't even explain how much fun they had doing this - great memories!

Lucy with Aunt Sandy

Papa showing the kids the opossum he caught in a squirrel trap.

Watching the walnuts roll.

They had to go down to the creek to get the walnuts and here they are racing back up to the top of the hill to throw them.

"Watch!"

Hanging out with Papa and Gail.

Posing with Aunt Sandy.

It was great seeing everyone and we enjoyed our visit!

Alabama

Last week we took our family on a whirlwind trip through several states to visit family. We had a great time on our first leg of the trip, visiting lots of Marshall's extended family in Alabama. We spent most our time at the Hogue's house, so thank you for hosting! My pictures didn't turn out that great, but this is what I got.

Anna and Lincoln playing with Lucy.

Marshall and Jack jumping.

Susan and her sweet son, Lucas.

Jack, Lincoln, and Anna chillin' out watching tv.

Aubrey with two of her nephews, Lucas and Quinn.

Lucy hanging out by the pool.

Debating if he's brave enough to jump (he wasn't).

Flag football.

This crew is drafting for their Fantasy Football League.

Exhausted brothers after a fun visit with family.

Six Month Stats

Lucy went to the doctor for her six month well check today and she looks great. She weighed in at 17 lbs, 13 oz (above 75th percentile) and was 28 inches long. Her length actually measured off the growth chart! The doctor showed me the curves, then pointed out her dot - way above them. Guess that's why she's been wearing 9/12 month clothing for a couple months now and why she has a hard time fitting into onesies! We got bored waiting for the nurse to come in and give her shots so I pulled out the camera and we had a little photo shoot. I can't believe how red her hair looks in these pictures - I love it!

You can really see how long she is in this one, notice her feet hanging off the end of her car seat!

Six Months

It's time for another monthly update on our baby girl. It's hard to believe she's halfway to her first birthday already. At six months old Lucy is truly the best baby ever. She sleeps 12-13 hours every night. She takes 2-3 naps a day, depending on how much we're in the car for the day. When it's nap time, I just put her in the crib with her favorite blanket and she sucks her thumb and goes right to sleep. When she wakes up, she usually plays for about 15 minutes before she even makes a sound for me to come get her. She still nurses every 3-4 hours, but she's also started eating baby food. So far she's tried apples, peaches, sweet potatoes, squash, and green beans and seems to love all of them (we started food a tad earlier with her because she seemed to be begging for it). She rolls everywhere, especially if she sees something she wants. She can sit unassisted for about 2 seconds before falling over, so it looks like that skill is well on it's way. She doesn't have any teeth yet and we all love trying to get a toothless smile out of her. We love our baby Lucy!

I love this sweet little foot!

Making Ice Cream

Yesterday our MOMS Club had a playdate at Bruster's. The kids all got to take part in making their own ice cream. While it was churning we took a tour of the place and then enjoyed the finished product. Mmmm! We had a great time!

Waiting in line to pour their cup of "milk" into the ice cream machine.

Sam needed a little help.

Watching the ice cream come out of the machine after about 10 minutes.

Enjoying the fruits of their labor.

Anna with one of her best friends, Claire.

Poor Lucy slept right through the ice cream!

Front Row Seats

We got a new AC unit installed today and it kept my crew interested. I was washing dishes and when I finished I walked in the room to find these three had set up shop right there on the front row!

By the way, my house feels heavenly now. I'm almost chilly and I love it!