Mountain Wedding

Robert and I had the opportunity this past weekend to travel up to Mentone, AL for a friend's wedding.  My parents were troopers and took all the kids for 1 night so we could go.  It was SO MUCH FUN!!! 

The couple married over looking the valley.  BEAUTIFUL!

After the ceremony, everyone enjoyed cocktails and hors d'oeuvres and watched the sun set.  It was absolutely gorgeous.

The attire was black tie and boots!  Definitely the most comfortable attire for a wedding.

A little windy.  ;)

After the ceremony, we were bussed back over to their farm where the reception was.  Amazing.  No detail was left out. 

There were flowers and boots hanging all over the place. 

The food was so delicious!

So many of our friends were there and we had so much fun celebrating all together!

Once the dancing started, we didn't leave the dance floor. 

The bride, her sister and me. 

Literally we danced the night away! 

Even Matthew Mayfield got up and played a song.  Yeah.  It was like going to a concert!

The night ended with fireworks and then we headed back to our bed and breakfast. 

Which was quite charming.  Yes, charming's the right word for it.  :)  After breakfast I asked the owners if I could check out some of their animals.  I saw some miniature donkeys as we headed out for the wedding the night before and knew I wanted to check them out up close. 

They had a TWO WEEK old donkey and a four month old donkey and a couple of others.  They are all named after royalty.  Charles, Diana, Camilla and Henry.  The owner said they hadn't named the new little girl donkey.  I told him, "You have to name her Kate after the new princess!"  He said, "Kate it is!"  Glad I could help out.  :)

Look how cute!!!  The kids would have loved it.  The couple who ran the B&B also sent home a dozen farm fresh eggs!  They gathered them the night before.  Now THAT is fresh.  And I'm always shocked at how much better they taste!


Now back to reality.  Our first full week of school.  And Lillian is doing much better.  It's not that she didn't want to be away from me on that first day of school or anything, she just pulls "stunts" like that every so often.  The past 2 days, she's been the first one all ready (backpack on and all) at 7:30 a.m.  Then asks me every five minutes when we are leaving.  We don't leave for school until 8:20!!!  So cute!!  She loves it now.  It's still so funny watching her walk in.  She's so tiny compared to everyone else!!

Olivia and Landon are off to a great start as well.  Olivia is staying super organized and eager to get everything done when she gets home.  Landon is reading SO well, and stayed on green all last week.  I've seen some much better attitudes from him and sounds like it's coming out at school too.  :)

My Three Schoolkids

Finally, the first day of school rolled around.  The kids were up early very excited.  Everyone ate breakfast, got dressed and loaded up backpacks....can't wait to see all our friends!!!

Rhodes even got in on the action!  Wait...where's Lillian??

Oh yeah....there she is. 

She was thrilled until we made her put on her shoes and back pack.  Then total meltdown. 

My big 1st grader!!!

Lillian had stopped crying at this point.  But still wouldn't smile. 

Wait, a few more tears.

Better now that you got all thoses tears out?


Oh. NOPE.  But doesn't she still look so stinkin' cute in her uniform?  It's the smallest they made and I still had to alter it. 

Oh wait...Lillian?  You want to sit on Daddy's lap?  Is that a smile I see???

Switch.Flipped.  Typical Lillian style. 

We had a few more tears when we got to school, but after I accompanied her to her classroom and "laid down the law" (j/k) she was ok.  I kinda snuck out while she was distracted by school supplies!

When I picked her up, she said she wanted to go back.  But we'll see what she says Friday morning. 


I've had a couple of people ask me how I'm doing, did I cry, etc.  No.  I cried with Olivia and Landon but I don't know why I didn't cry with Lillian.  She's been with me almost every single day for the past 4 years and it's time I gently nudge her out of the nest a little bit.  I know almost everyone at the school and they know her.  And I am confidant they will take the best care of her!!!  Can't wait to see her blossom!!

Last Days of Summer iPhone Dump!

I've been a little under the weather and add that to winding down to school starting up makes for some interesting days.  BUT, none the less, here are some snippets of our last few days of summer, all courtesy of instagram!



We bowled....Rhodes amused himself over the ball fan. 

We constructed things at Home Depot.

We had a date night!!!!! YAY for those!!

Lots of zoo trips when we had a glimpse of fall.

Seriously thought this thing was going to reach over and nibble on me.  Beady little eyes.....

I HIGHLY recommend the lion training at the zoo.  Amazing!  And he just became a father to 5 little cubs and they should be putting them out soon!!  Can't wait!!

So until this picture, I used to be able to put Rhodes down in Robert's office for nap in a pack n play.  Well, he kept getting out over and over.  I kept correcting and putting him back in.  Well, when I thought he was all done getting out and had fallen asleep, I go down to check on him.  NOPE.  The door is open and he's not in the pack in play.

He was in the playroom.  Asleep.  On a book.  Little booger.  And I was NOT about to wake him up.  Plus he took an incredibly long nap.  Go figure.  Needless to say, we're looking for a twin bed for him.  This is the longest we've waited to put a kid in a twin bed!  Can't wait to be crib free!! :)

We did some more lake trips!

The girls!  My future sister in law Sarah and good friend Rainer!!

Jump.Jump.Jump!

I don't know why, but I think it's the funniest thing when Robert brushes Rhodes' teeth. 

Someday, somebody doesn't take a long nap, so we cuddle on the couch. 

More swimming with friends.  Nothing beats the heat like an ice cream break while swimming!

Olivia's great grandmother taught her how to knit!  We are working on it some more!  She's not quite as teachable from me as I think she was from her great grandmother. ;-)

Love it when the kids curl up together.  Even if it's to watch one of them play super mario brothers!

Spy Kids 4 with friends.  And there will definitely be a spy kids 5.  ;)

We're still spotting Shindigs Catering Truck all around!  The had a yummy brunch this day!

Even hung around to get our face painted. 

And then one more swim party before school starts!!

Tomorrow's the day!  First day of school!  I can definitely say I'm ready for some structure/routine that school and fall brings us.  Landon is also playing baseball and I'm super excited to hang with all my ball park friends again!!