Birthday Bonanza

This past weekend we went to Parkersburg, WV to visit Keith's family and to celebrate Jeff's 53rd birthday and throw a surprise 70th birthday for his father, Ken. It was a great weekend, despite the colds Samantha and I were fighting. However, despite some restless nights with a coughing baby on my chest (okay, so I did love her sleeping with me, just not seeing my baby sick), we pushed through and have a wonderful time! It was so great spending time with everyone and seeing some of Keith's extended family that we rarely get to see.

 Samantha's new friend "Big Dog" (aka: The Brooks' poodle) - she was in LOVE!

Logan and Stephanie - what a cute pair!

Official Corn Hole Tournament set-up!  Logan and Stephanie won the pot at the end - a whole $25 dollars. ;)

Vicki strutting it, despite the miserable Corn Hole loss. :)

My Two Loves!

Mallory and Christian (aka: the other man in Sami's life) cuddling with 

Sami for an adorable photo opt

Our beautiful Haley

Randy - doesn't he look happy?!  Is this before or after the keg was opened????

We are living big dreams that she will be an athlete one day!  (Look at that bum!!)

Mackenzie and Ken 

Ken's sisters - Pat and Mary.  I SO love these ladies.  They are hysterical!  

I just wish we could see them more.

Karen and her mother, Sarah.  What a neat lady she is.  I wish she could have had a conversation with my late Great Grandmother Antho and my Grandmother Beach - what an interesting conversation that would have been to listen in on.  :)

Sitting Pretty!

Loving on Lo-Lo. :)

Where Are You Baby Samantha

One of my favorite things Samantha says is "Where Are You?"  She will often sing this in the house when she can't find you "Where Are you...dog, daddy, mama, etc" and often this is heard via the monitor in the morning if you take what she considers too much time coming to get her.  :)  But today I think of this comment when I think of how grown up she seems sometimes.  Yes, I know...she is ONLY 21 months old!  But, WOW the changes have been incredible.   She is like this little person now...you know what I mean...her personality, her charm, her attitude, her giggle...it is like you can truly see what type of little person she is - it is AMAZING, but saddens me to see it all happening SO quickly!

On this evening (below) I must have been taking too long to get lunch ready and Samantha to her highchair.  I had just placed her plate on the table and was finishing up our meals, when I looked around and saw this...

First Haircut

Samantha finally got her first haircut!  I had put this off for WAY TOO long.  Her poor bangs were in her eyes, but after seeing her hair finally come in with those cute bouncy curls, I couldn't get my head around cutting it.  But, I took my friend's advice and took her to the cutest kids hair place - Cookie Cutters.  They sit your kid in these cool car seats, let them pick out their own movie and afterwards they can play on the indoor slide.  Samantha looked traumatized during the haircut, but did not cry once - I was a proud Mama (though I do wish we got a smiling picture!).  Keith was not as impressed and still to this day bitches about how a 21 mth old can get a $20 haircut, but I left pleased (and will return). :)

Whew that is over, now time for some serious playing....

Visit with the Tillmans

We were so excited to have the Tillmans visit us this summer.  With them in VA, the visits are few and far between.  We miss them and look forward to getting together.  With their growing family (4th due in Dec) we feel like we miss so much and the kids change so much between visits!  Perhaps one day we will all be closer.

 Leah and Noah Tillman - what cuties! :)

Deborah and Annabelle - look at that smile. :)

Go Steelers!

Since we live here in Colt Country, Keith felt it even more necessary to get Samantha a Steeler's jersey to wear during football season.  Since I am not much of a sports fan, I was hoping that this would just be a cute thing, but much to my dismay and Keith's excitement Samantha LOVES "feetball" and will ask for it.  Okay, I guess I better learn to watch the stuff... I am officially overruled. :)

Buddies

Samantha got to hang out with her buddy Ellie one Saturday morning.  They are adorable together!  This is during one of the few times that they stopped moving, sat down for a snack and enjoyed their co-obsession - Mickey Mouse!

Silly Moments

I love this age!  Samantha is a character and keeps us laughing all day long.  On these days in particular she found it hysterical to try on an array of "hats" - a term I use loosely.  Some of these odd creations are truly to her credit - I just snapped the pictures. :)

 These last two were after she got up and ran away after a diaper change.  These are the only two pictures I could post, since she is diaperless and those are the pants that should be covering her hinny. :)

Peek-a-boo

Samantha loves to play Peek-a-boo in the curtains.  She laughs hysterically the whole time - so not the sneakiest kid in the world - but it is so funny to play this peek-a-boo game with her.

Can't be sure, but I think just maybe there is a baby behind that curtain...

Holy smokes...it isn't just a baby it is a crazy-haired little girl on the prowl!  ;)

Summer Vacation

Samantha and I had a very special vacation to North Carolina this summer.  We spent 2 1/2 weeks with my parents - the first 1 1/2 weeks at their home in Chocowinity, NC and then Keith joined us for the last week with both of my sisters and their kids at the Outer Banks.  What a special time it was, to see Samantha hanging out with all the kids - just think, there was 7 girls 10 yrs and younger.  It was crazy, but SO much fun! 

The weather was hot and beautiful!  We enjoyed it at the pool, beach, playing in the afternoon showers outside, at playgrounds, shopping, eating great food and the adult even had an afternoon on the jet skis.  To top it all off, I got to be there to celebrate my sister Tia's 38th birthday and my sister Tara's 35th birthday!  I also got to teach at my sisters gym...my first time teaching ZUMBA!  It was amazing!  I got such a great response and so much support, that it just affirmed this new chapter of my life.  It was a great way to get me ready for my fall teaching at Michele's Studio.  Thanks Tara for all your support and to Tia for practicing with me many nights at Mom's house and of course, to Mom for watching the kids as us girls worked out! 

Of course, as you can imagine I took hundreds of pictures over this 2 1/2 week span, so I am going to try to pare it down.  Bear with me!  (This is why it has taken me weeks to post this!!) :)

The little lights of our lives (left-->right) - Jackie, Dani, Reagan, Maddie, Grace, Allyson and Samantha.  A rare photo with no meltdowns.  :)

The picture right after that...yes, Samantha was done!  ;)

The older kids romping on the playground.  I love this pic and boy do I miss them all!  Wish we lived closer!

That right there folks, is what life is ALL about! 

A rare photo of the 5 of us -- a strong family blessed by God.  And blessed by my brother in law Brian who is taking the photo and wraggling the kids.  ;)  

I don't know what I'd do without my sisters - they are my rocks and my best friends! 

Lots of Estrogen -- and we love it that way!

Wait - how did they manage a chance to sit down and relax!?  ;)  Good to see Keith home and getting a chance to reunite with everyone.   I know Dad appreciates having another man around.

Samantha and Allyson goofing around - they were best buddies this trip.  So much fun to watch!

We took the kids crabbing off the marina piers - summer tradition!  Everyone had a blast except my sister Tara, who about scared the mess out of all of us, screaming every time a crab moved.  Ahhh Tara :)

Me and my Daddy.  

Me and my baby -- isn't it funny how life comes full circle!

Tia and her girls.  We all missed you Ed -- you were the only missing link! 

Tara, Brian and their little girls.  

Ocean time with Daddy - Samantha much preferred being in his arms to being in the cold water.

Mama (Nana) and Reagan - a picture worth a thousand words.

My favorite picture of me and Samantha -- yes, she actually posed!  She is such a toot! 

Tara and Brian -- see Brian no more whining...there are finally some pics of you.  ;)

Tia and Maddie celebrating Tia's 38th 

This is just giving me a glimpse into the future ... Keith with 2 babies on his lap.  What a good man I married.

 Mama and Tia :)

Thanks to the two most important people of my life that make all this happen.  Thank you for spoiling us, for raising us to know that family is the most important thing, and to constantly be reminders of the blessings God gives us!