BONNIE'S BIRTHDAY

Bonnie's birthday was July 3rd and we celebrated by what else, going out to eat. We found this cute restuarant called Gallager's and loved it! The building was over a hundred years old, amazing to me and it was as cute as can be. The food was superb as well! It was a little fancier than I expected, but the boys used good manner, no spills, and all was well. This will be a definate return again spot.

Bonnie, Mike and Chelsea checking it out.

Carson sitting patiently, no more high chairs!

The birthday girl, opening her gift certificate to get her nails done, oops, I meant opening her gift from the boys.

SINGING IN THE RAIN? or slip-n-sliding or dancing?

It had been a while since we had been able to get together with our friends Tom and Nikki, and Nikki and I had finally set a date to get the kids together for a day a the pool. WELL, it rained. But, there was no lightning! So, we set up the slip-n-slide in our yard and the kids played on it for at least an hour. Then as it rained harder, they put on a rain dance for us. The looks on their faces on the slip-n-slide, scared? excited? woo-hoo? You decide.

Hayden with his grand performance.

Kassidy, our god-daughter, and her grand performance (I think she's singing).

Kennady, trying to stay under the so called tunnel.

And last, but not least, Carson, and I think he's under it!

THE RAIN DANCE


GOOD THING DADDY'S NOT HOME!

A DAY WITH SETH

Amanda and Richie put new floors in this summer and the week before Seth's birthday, Amanda had some things to do around her house, so we treated Seth to Chuck-e-Cheese's and then we all went to the park. The three of them are like the 3 stooges. Having Seth around makes it easier on me in many ways and they especially played well together this day.


A little pizza before games.



The boys at the park on top of this huge rock climbing structure. Seth and Hayden first assisted Carson up there and then figured how to climb it themselves.

SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

So, this was a first for us. Kevin played in a weekend long softball tournament the weekend of June 27th with our friend Mark. Their first game was Friday night and it was a double elimination tournament. They won there first game and we returned the next morning for what turned out to be an all day event. They won their next game as well. Towards the end of the day they lost one, but since it was a double elimination, Kevin was back Sunday. The boys and I went Friday and Saturday, but I had to work Sunday morning. The boys loved everybit of it and Mark and Trisha even treated the boys to rides at the Fireman's picnic Saturday night after the games. I am not sure who was more tired, me from sitting around and chasing the boys, Kevin from playing, or the boys from all the excitement. It made for a long weekend, but was fun.

Kevin batting the first game.

Kevin, now wearing a team shirt, and the boys saturday morning.

Kevin, Mark, and Julia watching our friend Aaron play (Julia's husband). Aaron played on a different division team.

Carson playing a bean bag toss game that one of the team members brought to play between games. The boys also played washers and there was playground near the ball fields, too.

CHURCH CAMP

A co-worker informed me about a week long children's camp at her church the week of June the 16th, and my friend Amanda and I signed Hayden and her son Seth up for it. It was 8:30am-3pm daily and at the end of the week the kids performed a little song and dance skit at all three Sunday morning services. Seth and Hayden had loads of fun. Each day when I picked Hayden up, he was asleep in the car before we left the parking lot (I hope Kindergarten doesn't wear him out this much). I also hope Carson gets used to being without his brother a little more. He cried daily missing Hayden. Unfortuantely Seth became ill and wasn't able to perform in Sunday's services, but I video taped the performance for him to watch.

Hayden is directly in the center, bottom row.



Hayden wanted to take a picture of Carson and I after we got home from church. This is us standing in front of our front porch.

THE END OF BALL SEASON

Hayden's ball league ended mid June, but he continues to practice here and at Momaw's house. Him and Carson vary which Cardinal player they are for the day and love batting and practicing catching with us and momaw. I think baseball will be a big part of both of their lives. They love to play it, watch it, and be at any ball game they can, even daddy's softball games.

Kevin and Hayden walking up to Hayden' s last game.

Hayden playing first base (Daddy plays first on his softball league, so guess what?!). Hayden also realized quickly that all plays in this level go to first base first, and so guess who gets the most action.

Hayden throwing the ball back to the coach, who is pitching, after the runner safely makes it to first.

Hayden getting his batting gloves on before batting, because we all know we hit better with them, right?.

Hayden (in the red helmet) hitting the ball. Hayden is also batting last, by his request, because we also all know that the last batter gets to run completely around the bases in this league, so he thinks that he is the "home run hitter".


Hayden's coach trying to tag Hayden out at home.

He even ties shoes! What a great coach.

Hayden and the coaches' son, Alex.

Everyone sitting around the coach, waiting for their trophies.

Hayden and his coach.

POOL DAYS

The boys and I have spent many days at the pool this summer trying to stay cool. Hayden is really close to learning to swim. He can swim underwater short distances, and is learning to stay afloat by treading water. This winter I plan to put both boys in swimming lessons, especially after Carson decided to give us all a little scare at the pool one day. I think he just really wanted the "pretty" life guard to jump in after him.--Leave it to Carson!

Kevin's Birthday

Kevin's birthday was June 7th and we celebrated by eating at our all time favorite restuarant, MUNGO'S. Kevin started working there in high school as a busser, then waited tables there for 7 years before getting a "real job". Most of the waiters there, though, do this professionally and many of the original employees are still there. After 8 years at the Steel Mill, waiting tables seems like a much more desirable job now. Kevin's mom, Mike, and their friends Steve and Candy joined us for dinner, and afterwards we went to listen to some music downtown Belleville with Kevin's mom and Mike. Thanks for pooping out on us Candy and Steve! (just kidding)

FRIENDS SHARE

Foxy (left) and Candy have been pasture mates for at least the past 10 years. Where one goes the other follows. They always help each other clean their food dishes and check to see that the other isn't getting something better. Candy is 30 this year and I have no idea what Foxy will do when the day comes for Candy to go to Horsey Heaven. She is such a great horse, and of course the kids' favorite.

OUR 2008 SUMMER VACATION TO MYRTLE BEACH, SC

This year we decided to go to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for vacation. Normally the boys and I go their anyway once a year to visit my mother's side of the family. It was exciting to have Kevin with us this year, and we stayed in a condo that friends of ours split with us for the week. My mom and I usually stay with family, so this is actually the first time I have ever stayed on the beach down there. We booked our resort through Vacation Rentals By Owner web site and were able to get an ocean front room. The only surprises when we got there was that we were also vacationing during "Atlantic Bike Week". The first few nights were very loud until around 4-5am, but by Memorial Day they all pretty much cleared out and we had the entire ocean front pool to ourselves most days. My mom went down with a friend as well and they stayed with family, but were able to come up and swim with us almost every day. We had a great time and our friends Brandon and Rebbecca were a tremendous help with Hayden and Carson. We had many eventful days to include--parasailing, shows, shopping, swimming, and visiting with family. It was really hard to come back to reality, and I am not sure that I am back into my normal routines, yet. Too bad the entire summer couldn't be spent at the beach :).

Our Stay

Hayden and Carson enjoying looking out from the balcony of our room early in the morning-hence the PJ's/undies.

A view of our ocean front pool from our room.

Kevin looking down from our condo, which was on the 8th floor.

Early morning on our first day at the beach. The boys and I headed down for a little walk and to find shells. After finding my first shark tooth of any significant size, (considering out of all the years I lived in Myrtle Beach I found nothing larger than our own teeth) the boys were on a major shark tooth hunt the entire week.

EVENTS WHILE ON VACATION IN MYRTLE BEACH,SC

Our first walk in the ocean.

Carson after falling in the water

The boys playing football

A family shot

A stingray caught off the Springmaid Pier. We walked from our resort to the Pier which was about a mile. The boys made it there and back.

Looking over the pier



A sand alligator we made (just kidding--I am not that talented)

Kevin and Carson relaxing by the pool

After all, we were in Myrtle Beach for biker week, so the boys had to have their picture taken by their favorite bike. (Spiderman)

A picture taken at Medival Times Dinner Theater. We took my cousin Tiffney's son Chandler with us, and the boys thoroughly enjoyed the show. We had a great meal, too. Mommy wasn't too excited about the boys wanting to sword fight after the show, but hey they are just boys, right?

The first night we had without children, my mom who was also in Myrtle Beach watched them, and we headed into Murrels Inlet to Restaurant Row. We ate at a place called Drunken Jacks and walked all around the marsh. The restaurant had a great history/story about its name, which was came from a pirate that had been aboandoned in Murrels Inlet after the ship sailed off without him. The ship came to the Islands in Murrels Inlet to burry barrels of rum (I don't remember how many, but it was a lot). Some years later when the ship returned all they found was Jacks skeletal remains and all the barrels of rum empty--hense Drunken Jack. We had a great meal there and then listened to Music at a neighboring resaurant called The Dead Dog Saloon after dinner.

A picture of Kevin and I on the walkway over the marsh in Murrels Inlet.

A picture of the boys and I waiting for another show to start called La Grande Cirque. This was an acrobatic performance and the boys were fascinated (we were as well).

Broadway at The Beach

We went to Broadway several different times. There are shops, restaurants, fish feeding, paddle boat rides, rides for the kids, and even fireworks on Tuesday nights all summer long. Definately a place to visit if you go to Myrtle Beach, SC.

A Dinosaur statue at Broadway

Hayden doing flips at Broadway

Ripley's Aquarium

We took lots of pictures at Ripley's Aquarium which turned out to be one of the boys' favorite attractions. They were able to walk through old pirate memorabila, look at different fish, sharks, rays, and horseshoe crabs.

one of the many different types of sharks we were able to see at Ripley's.(this was the fav. of the boys).

a fountain outside of Ripley's (taken on a different day)

Bonefish Grill- our new favorite restaurant

from left to right- Brandon, Kevin, David, Tonya, me, and Rebbecca. We vacationed at the beach with Brandon and Rebbecca (Kevin works with Brandon). Thanks to my aunt Tammy we had an adult evening out to dinner with my cousin Tonya and her husband David. I am sure she had her hands full, my two and Tonya's two :).

Pool Days

Carson

Kevin and Gracen (my cousin's little girl)

Carson and Hayden

Funny faces with mom

Our last day here.

READY, SET, GO!! Racing on the beach on our last day.