Tyndale...walking!!

Just a few days after his 10 month birthday, Tyndale is learning to walk!

August Beach Trip

We had a wonderful beach vacation in Gulf Shores last week. It was absolutely beautiful, with the temperature in the 80s for most of the week, and only one rainy day. It was paradise! Quinn and Tyndale spent a ton of time on the beach. Quinn caught fish, crabs, mussels, and found beautiful shells. Tyndale mostly tried to eat sand and walk directly into the waves! Quinn and Tyndale both had fun hanging out with their cousins, Violet and James. The rest of the family enjoyed our usual beach activities...swimming, fishing, bocce, hearts, cold beverages and smack talk!

Tyndale and Big Daddy playing on the porch at sunset.


James and Tyndale in their baby pool on the beach. This was just about the only time they were on the beach that they were not ingesting handfuls of sand.

Quinn on one of the many beautiful beach days we enjoyed.

Gimmie-san made us a sushi lunch one day...a feeding frenzy was the result!

Resting after lunch.

Exchange Club Fair

The Exchange Club held it's yearly fair this week to celebrate the kids getting back to school. It was hot, as usual, but just as fun as in years past. We even rode some new rides this year: the tilt-a-whirl, and Quinn's favorite, the roller coaster.

Tyndale's favorite toy

Thought it would be something a little more exciting, huh? Well, just goes to show you that you can have as many baby toys as can fit in your house and THIS is the thing that a baby will not put down!! Seriously, he has it in his hands or mouth ALL the time. Courtesy of Aunt Lindy (as a gift to Quinn to fill up her play kitchen) it is a fake can of rolls...the paper that used to have a cute little picture of rolls on it was probably chewed off by the same little boy that holds this toy so dear. So thank you, Aunt Lindy!

All I really needed to know.....

...I learned in Preschool! Quinn's new teacher came across the hall to get me because she had never seen the sink in her kitchen area used in this way! She said they washed Quinn's hair first, then took turns. Love it!



Here is Quinn's new teacher, Mrs. Theresa. She is wonderful and I know firsthand, because she teaches at my school, Mamie Martin! Quinn had a great first day. She met a gerbil that lives in the 1st grade classroom down the hall, and she got to see Mama a lot! I mentioned before that I am right across the hall, so it should make for a very interesting school year for both of us.

St. Louis Trip

Brad and I on our way to the Cardinal game vs. the Astros. All of the adults had a night out at the ballpark sans little ones and it was so fun! We even captured Mom's rendition of Take Me Out to the Ballgame...hilarious! If I can figure out how to download it from Eric's web storage page, I will put it up here.

Here is the whole gang at the game, minus Dad. The guy taking the picture cut him out for some reason. Maybe he heard Mom's ballgame song, and decided that Dad couldn't possibly be with our crew!

Next stop: Grant's Farm, owned by the Anheuser Busch Company (which was bought by Embev over a year ago, so we are not sure how much longer the new company will hold on to this gem). It opened in 1954, and Dad and I realized that our family has been coming here since before 1973. I have so many good memories of Grant's Farm, and I hope that our kids will too.

Lindy and Tyndale in the Biergarten.

Tyndale hanging with the big guys..note that he is drinking formula instead of the requisite beer. It is Anheuser Busch, after all!

Tyndale and Quinn getting ready for lunch in the Biergarten.




Gee and Quinn looking at the Clydesdales. There were real ones there too...even a few babies!







Brad and I in the Biergarten area.

Here are Quinn, Hadley, and Meme (can you spot her?) on the new carousel at Grant's Farm. The operator was telling me that the dragon was so big and intricate that it alone cost 12,000 dollars.









Quinn feeding the goats. This year one chewed through the back of her shirt!






Quinn and Hadley tending to the goats, grooming and feeding.









The kids making wishes at the fountain in the Biergarten.





Aunt Lindy and Uncle Eric in dowtown StL with Tyndale.

The crew outside of our favorite restaurant, Charlie Gitto's.


Quinn looking at the Arch from our hotel room windows.












Mom and Tyndale enjoying the Cards vs. Astros game.

Hadley, Lauren, Quinn and Emily at the game. Unfortunately, the rally caps were in vain and we lost that game (but had a good time doing it!).

Family picture in front of the Arch.

Girls' Beach Trip

OK, so I totally stole these pictures from the Pittman's blog, because I was a terrible blogger/friend when I didn't even take ONE picture on our latest girls' trip! I was too busy laughing, beaching, drinking, eating, laughing, talking....did I mention laughing? Oh, and I also read Twilight in about 48 hours...can't wait to crack into New Moon tonight. We had TOO much fun, and I hope to post more pics when I get them from my responsible friends....haha.

Kanuga Part 3

We returned to North Carolina for the second summer in a row to go to Kanuga. We were so excited to find that we were able to stay in a two-bedroom cottage this year...and we loved it! It was built in 1909. We felt like we were in a bird's nest because it was high up in the trees, and it was set back in the woods so it stayed cool all day long. Here is a picture of Quinn and Tyndale in front of our cottage.




Our cottage had an antique clawfoot tub that the kids had many fun baths in after hikes or evenings in the lake.

Here is a picture of Sliding Rock. We visited and watched the people sliding, but it seemed to be an activity for when the children get a bit older. And Brad and I also need some time in order to get our redneck outfits put together...I'm thinking a bikini top and cutoff jeans..... (would fit in just fine here!)

Here is Quinn at the Looking Glass Falls in Pisgah. You might also notice her lightning bug necklace...a real gem that we found. We filled it up with lightning bugs each night and they were her nightlight. Then they were released in the morning, of course!

Kanuga Part 2

Here are Quinn and Tyndale at a place called Poppies in Brevard. It has a delicious cafe, a whole-foods type grocery store, a garden center, and the entire second floor is stocked with natural products (lotions, sunscreens, shampoos, vitamins, supplements, etc....I was in heaven!)



Here we are on a hike in the Pisgah area.

















This picture is for Aunt Lindy...I wanted her to know that we studied about constructed wetlands on our vacation!



This is a picture of us feeding the hatchling trout at the Wildlife Center. Here they breed trout to restock the streams in NC. There were so many in there that you can see their fins sticking out of the water!

Kate, Madeline, and Quinn had a ball at the street dance.

Kanuga Part 1

Tyndale getting ready to hike and learn about hatchling trout at the Pisgah Wildlife Center.

One of the rainy mornings...it has been so long since we have had rain in Mississippi, we enjoyed this!

Quinn near one of the beautiful waterfalls. I think she wanted to go swimming near this one...yeah, right!

Brad and Tyndale ready to hike near our precious cottage...we LOVED it!

My Fourth of July cuties! We celebrated at Kanuga with a wine and cheese and fireworks over the lake.