DJ, Teri, and Grace: July 2011

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Fourth of July Fun

This July 4th we had a barbecue with our dear friends, the Morse's, which is our annual tradition. The girls, Grace and Abby, looked sweet in their patriotic dresses. We enjoyed a yummy meal and good company, and then headed home for an afternoon nap.

That evening, Grace and I visited my parents for a while to give DJ some quiet time to study for his final (which was the very next day!) Grace enjoyed playing with some sparklers and pop-its, especially when my Dad would play with her. All in all, it was a relaxing and enjoyable holiday! Happy birthday, America!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Beach Bums

Grace and I went with some dear friends down to Destin, Florida for a few days at the beach. It was our first experience staying in a condo, and was great to just walk straight on to the beach every morning. Grace is a beach babe, and loves everything about it. She buried herself in the sand daily, dug holes, built sand castles, splashed in the waves, swam in the ocean, and enjoyed playing with anyone willing to play with her! The sand and seaweed never bothers her, nor does the heat.

Every morning, we spent several hours at the beach, and then enjoyed lunch in our rooms. After lunch, we spent the afternoon at the condo pool. Grace swims better and better every time she gets in the water, so she enjoyed her freedom in the pool. We went to dinner a local restaurant on the beach each evening. It was a great trip, and Grace and I enjoyed our time together and with our sweet friends.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Five Years of Sunshine

My Gracie girl is five years old this summer. She is a beautiful child, with a quick smile and a contagious giggle. She is constantly performing, whether it's a comedy routine, an impersonation, a song from her current favorite movie, or a cheer. She loves boots, especially cowboy ones. Her favorite color is every color, but she is partial to pink. She prefers skirts to dresses, flip flops to sneakers, and breakfast to dinner. She is the light of my life, and my greatest accomplishment. I thank God for entrusting me with her care, and pray that I don't mess up too much! I hope that one day, she will know how very much I love her.

Heading to New York for VBS

Our church's VBS was the last week of June and took place in the Big Apple this summer. I helped my good friend, Kim Moore, teach one of the Kindergarten classes. Grace was able to move up to our classroom, and we really enjoyed our week together learning and singing about Jesus. She learned several important new words, such as "sin" and "repent". It's both heart- warming and amusing to me to hear her experiment using these words as she is playing. I'm thankful for our church and for the ability to raise her in such a loving, Christian environment! Bi bi bi, Bi bi bi, Big Apple Adventure!

Wonder what VBS adventure we will go on next summer! It's always fun!

Disney World

After three years of planning, our Disney trip was upon us! Grace and Abigail were so excited and we let them do whatever they wanted that whole week. Ice cream everyday, dress up and princess presents every evening, swimming and staying up late...they ran the show! It was a memorable trip, and a wonderfully special time for Grace and I to just be together.

Here are some highlights from our trip:

Finally in Florida