Labor Day

Harrogate has an awesome Labor Day celebration each year at the city park, so we decided last minute that we would go check it out! We hadn't planned on going but we decided just to go for a few minutes last night after dinner.  We had the BEST time!!

 

The kids spotted the horses right off so we made our way over there to watch.  After we watched the other children riding the horses, Owen decided he wanted to ride.  So...we waited in line for a few minutes thinking there is NO WAY he will EVER put on the helmet, much less ride the horse!! Oh. my. goodness. HE RODE THE HORSE!!!!!!! He put the helmet on, and walked right up to the steps to get on the horse. We were so proud of him! He had an absolute blast! 

 

Riding a horse for the first time.

 

 He was so proud of himself!

Right before it was our turn to get on, they told us that Grace Ann could ride also if we walked beside her.  Now, I was not a bit surprised that Grace Ann jumped right on there to ride! I was so proud of her also!! This girl would still be at Harrogate City Park riding the horse if we let her!

 

Grace Ann's first time riding a horse.

 

She was so excited!!

Most of the parents stood outside of the fence taking pictures...not me.  I was the crazy parent running around jumping over horse poop trying to get pictures of both of my kids riding horses! This trip was so last minute, that our camera was dead, so I just had to take pictures with my phone. 

My Little Ballerina

Grace Ann started dance class a few weeks ago and she is doing so well! She is a little young for her class but her teacher said we could give it a try and see how she does.  After 3 weeks of class, I think she is going to get to stay! :) It's so neat to see how much she has improved since the first week of class.  She is starting to follow some of the teachers directions and I have been able to actually sit back and watch a few minutes at a time instead of being right beside her!

When Owen was this age he was in daycare two days a week and then was with grandparents the other three while I taught school. Now that I stay at home, Grace Ann is with me everyday and does not do well going to other people.  We thought having her in dance was the perfect thing to get her used to taking directions from someone other than myself and allowing her to have interaction with little girls close to her age. The class is just one day a week for 35 minutes, so it's perfect! Her teacher is so patient with her!!

My little ballerina before her first day of dance!

 

 This is the only way she would stand still for a picture!

 

Mrs. Brittany helping her walk on the line

 

 Waiting to throw their bean bags!

 

Hoola hoop time

2nd Year

Justin started his 2nd year of medical school today! It was bittersweet to see him start back today, but we are ready to get this 2nd year going! I started last year taking a picture of the kids on the morning Justin starts school each year.  It is so fun to see how much they have grown in just a year! 

                                      1st year                                                                       2nd year

Weekend Getaway!!

 

Justin and I just got back from a wonderful trip WITHOUT kids! My nana and his mom came up and watched the kids while we took a little trip before he starts school on Monday.  It was so nice to have almost two entire days to ourselves! We left early on Thursday morning and went zip lining across the Pigeon River.  We had a blast! 

After we zip lined, we headed to Asheville, North Carolina! We spent the remainder of Thursday walking around downtown and enjoyed some of the local places Asheville had to offer. Dowtown Asheville is very interesting (not in a good way), but we did have a wonderful dinner at the Lobster Trap. :) 

We slept in on Friday morning until 8:00! That is crazy late around our house with two little ones that like to get up at the crack of dawn! After we enjoyed a nice breakfast at the hotel, we drove to the Biltmore Village and walked around to some of the little shops where I found a wonderful fabric store! :)

Next, we headed to the Biltmore Estate! It was amazing! We spent most of the day touring the house and the gardens there.  Everything about the Biltmore was beautiful! I would love to go back at Christmas time to see the house decorated!



We had such a wonderful time enjoying each others company! I'm so thankful for the time we had together before Justin starts his second year of medical school! We've got this!!!!



Owen is Three!

I can't believe my little man is 3!! We had a wonderful time celebrating his birthday here in Harrogate and then again in Huntsville.  He had been telling me for months he wanted to have a shark party!



The morning of his birthday he woke up to balloons and a shark in his floor.

We got him his very own camera!

Pancakes for breakfast on his birthday

Natalie and Owen showing how old he is! :)

 Family picture on his birthday

Celebrating with friends in Huntsville

Decorations for the shark party!

 Playing with friends at the party!

Owen and Izz at his party! :)

1st Year Recap

Justin finished his first year of medical school this week, and we are so proud of him!! He did wonderful being a medical student and still being an awesome husband and daddy!  We had so many wonderful memories this first year of school and I don't want to forget any of them!  Here are some of my favorite pictures and memories during 1st year...

Our family at the Pinnacle right before school started

Owen and Natalie at the zoo in July (they look so young in this picture!)

Grace Ann and Andrew on one of their first play dates.

                          

The morning of orientation

My first trip to Huntsville by myself with the kids

Enjoyed a church picnic at the park

                           

Taught Grace Ann how to play trains... 

 

We spent many days at the playground

                                           

I celebrated a BIG birthday!

Made a special trip home to celebrate a birthday for a special friend!

Enjoyed lots of library time

Checked out our first library book

Started making hair bows for Grace Ann

Watched our husbands receive their white coats

Enjoyed watching these two during the white coat ceremony

Enjoyed watching Alabama football

Spent lots of time watching big brother play outside

Celebrated Justin's birthday

Surprised our daddy's when they came home from lunch by wearing scrubs just like them

Had a blast during the Fall Festival

Loved playing and jumping in the leaves during the fall

 Found a cute little pumpkin patch down the road from our house

 Had fun playing with our friends at the park

Enjoyed a girls night out with Grace Ann

Had a blast eating breakfast with Santa at the library 

Made wonderful memories celebrating our first Christmas as a family of four

Celebrated the end of first semester by ice skating outdoors in Knoxville

Spent lots of time playing with my embroidery machine

 

Had a blast at a Valentine's day party

Organized my first busy bag party

 Played in the snow with friends

Justin took Owen to his first basketball game...they BOTH had a blast!

Celebrate Easter at our church home in Harrogate

 Celebrated Grace Ann's first birthday

We took Owen on a special trip to Gatlinburg

 I can't believe our time in Harrogate is half over and I'm so excited about all of the fun things we have planned this summer! :)