Georgia Trip #2

We were able to take another trip down to Georgia at the end of June. We spent most of the time with Tony's family this visit. We had a great week swimming, going to parks, seeing family, running and eating very well. Mama Cook always spoils us with her hospitality and yummy food! We discovered that our girls have developed a taste for blueberries, cherries, and peaches. So, we ate a lot of fruit at Mama Cook's. Thanks Mama Cook for a fun week! Enjoying a hot day at the pool. I am pulling Reece around with dive rings. She loves to do this.

Riley and Mama Cook swimming together in the deep water.

We had a great time with Uncle Dave this week. Uncle Dave came up with a fun idea for the girls to use foam tubing to have sword fights. Uncle Dave got fully into this battle. He was crawling all over the floor trying to get away from the girls and sneaking up on them. Poor Uncle Dave had bleeding knees after their battle.

Reece with Great Uncle Dave battling it out.

Regan thoroughly enjoying herself since she can't do this at home.

Uncle Dave is very creative and likes to invent things. He has a new idea for an invention and he was showing the girls a basic model of what he wants to do. He asked them for their help. He said he needed gears for his invention so he told them if they would help him find things with gears in it at a hobby shop he would buy them a toy of their choice. The girls had fun going around the hobby shop looking for things with gears and low and behold we found kits that were just gears. So, it was an easier hunt then we thought. Regan and Riley both got "Paint by Numbers" for their toy reward and Reece got a sticker book full of paper dolls and clothing stickers that she could dress the dolls up with. The girls had a very fun day with their Great Uncle Dave. Uncle Dave, they are still talking about it!!! Thank you for the fun memories!

Riley getting cuddle time with her Papa Doug. They are watching the Atlanta Braves together.

Tony is trying out Uncle Dave's Pedalcoupe. Uncle Dave invented a similar bike to this one but it had a separate cart that attaches to it that he could give his parents (GG and GP) rides around the Riverwalk in Chattanooga, where he used to live. We had never seen Uncle Dave's bike until this trip so Tony was trying it out. Tony ended up riding it all over the park we went to.

Bike riding at a park.

Reece got tired of her own bike so she joined daddy.

Reece then acts as a helmet for her daddy as she rides on his shoulders and poor Uncle Dave got stuck carrying Reece's bike.

And then Reece gets a different view by riding on the back of the bike. Needless to say, my daughter can't sit still in one place for very long.

Enjoying a great dinner at the Varsity. Our favorite Atlanta restaurant.

Tony and I were very happy to get some Varsity hotdogs and onion rings. Yum!!!!

Reece loving on her Papa Doug.

Mama Cook and Regan enjoying their time at the Varsity.

We visited a local dairy that produces milk and ice cream and took a tour. They have a rule that everyone must wear hair nets during the tour even people with no hair so Tony was included in this rule. Don't we look cute!

Reece thinks the Mayfield ice cream is yummy.

Mama Cook and Riley enjoying their Mayfield Ice Cream.

Oooo, brain freeze. Regan was eating the yummy ice cream too fast.

Reece reading with Papa Doug.

The girls spent two days working on their "Paint by Numbers" that their Great Uncle Dave bought them. Thank you Uncle Dave!!! We had so much fun with you on our adventure in the hobby shop. Hope your invention is coming along.

Regan did an amazing job on her horse painting. It had so many small details to it. She worked very hard on it.

Riley working on her dog and cat painting.

Uncle Dave and Tony visiting. Check out Uncle Dave's rug burns on his knees from the foam tubing battle with the girls.

Riley reciting her school poems to GG.

Reece sharing her artwork with GP.

The girls showing GG all their artwork and school work.

Enjoying our time with GG and GP.

Reece telling a story to GP and Mama Cook with her paper doll stickers her Great Uncle Dave bought her.

Reece explaining to GG what "Silly Bands" are.

Georgia Trip #1

At the beginning of June, the girls and I got to go to Georgia to see my family. My sister, Kathryn, was home from Australia for a few weeks so I wanted to make sure I got to see her and spend time with her. Kathryn was kind enough to get a round trip plane ticket to NC. She flew up and then drove back down to Georgia with me so I did not have to drive alone with the girls. We were able to talk and catch up a bunch. We then stayed 4 days in Georgia and then Kathryn came back to NC with me for the weekend. It was a wonderful time with family. We missed not having Tony with us but knew we would be back down at the end of June so he could see family too. Uncle Jeff tickling Riley.

Reece cuddling with her Uncle Jeff.

Reece and Cousin Katie cuddling on the sofa.

The girls playing a game with Josh. Regan was destroying everyone.

Regan with her cousin Jonathon.

Regan and Aunt Kim.

Riley and Josh playing on this cool teeter totter.

Katie and her boyfriend, Josh, acting like kids. Aren't they cute!?

Love this photo of Josh and Katie!

Riley was playing tag with Josh and Katie. Riley decided to make Katie the base so Josh could not get her. Instead it ended up in a group hug.

The girls at our friend's lake house.

Aunt Kim takes Jonathon for a ride in her new kayack.

The girls enjoying the boat ride.

Riley goes tubing with mommy. Riley was not very fond of the tubing but at least she tried it. Her sisters did not want to try it.

Mommy having a great time tubing but Riley does not agree that it is fun.

Regan riding in the boat at the lake.Enjoying a day on the lake with family and friends.

Reece and Grandma swimming together.

Riley having fun swimming in the lake. The water was about 10 ft. deep here.

Regan was enjoying swimming in the deep water.

Riley relaxing while doing backstroke.

Regan swimming in the dirty lake water. I was surprised the girls got in the lake with the squishy mud on the bottom. I have never been too fond of lake water unless I am out in the deeper waters. Regan and her sisters had no problems with it.

Mommy and Regan chilling in the deeper waters. Regan surprised us on how far she was going. She told me she loved the lake better than the pool because there was no people and it was very quiet and relaxing. :) She and I ventured very far from the dock. Not sure how deep it was but I know it was deeper than 10 ft. We had a hard time dragging Regan out of the lake that day. She was so happy out there.

Mommy, Regan and Riley swam all the way across to the white boat house. You can barely see us in this photo. This was Regan's idea.

Riley enjoyed playing with the Spencer's dog, Buddy. They just got him about 2 weeks ago and he had an abusive past according to the shelter they got him from. He is a very skittish dog but for some reason warmed up to Riley very quickly. He is not like that with most people according to his owner. Riley is taking Buddy for a walk in this picture.

Grandma and Riley trying out Aunt Kim's new Kayack.

Riley and Buddy cuddling before we have to leave. Riley did not want to say goodbye.

Riley, Spencer and Buddy. Spencer is the grandson of the people who own the lake house.

Buddy was trying to give Riley a kiss.

Reece playing at the park near GG and GP's condo.

We went to the park with Uncle Dave, GP, GG, and Mama Cook. The girls enjoyed playing on the playground and feeding the ducks.

GP and GG Walker. What a sweet picture!!!

Feeding the ducks, fish and turtles.

We met Papa Doug for lunch at the local Chick-fil-A Dwarf House.

The girls at the entrance of the Chick-fil-A Dwarf House.

There was a lost cat hanging around Grandma's yard. It was very friendly and the girls enjoyed playing with it.

Grandma helping Riley to read.

Cousin Katie was reading, "Sleeping Beauty," to Reece but Katie was pronoucing some of the words wrong according to her boyfriend, Josh. Josh was teasing Katie and told Reece, "here Reece come sit with me and I will read the book to you correctly." Reece jumped out of Katie's lap and went and read with Josh. This was a huge compliment to Josh because Reece adores Katie.

I think Cousin Katie may be replaced. :) The girls adore Josh.

Aunt Kate with her nephew and nieces.

Our family - we are missing Tony because he was in NC.

It is very difficult to get a serious picture of the crazy sisters!!!!

We were very happy to have Kathryn home with us and we had a wonderful week with her.

Finally, a good photo of us. It only took about 10 times before we finally got a good one.

The girls rough housing with Josh.

Aunt Kate is helping Riley read a book at the library.

The local library had two dogs from the organization, "TheraPaws," out to encourage kids to read. The dogs laid on the carpet and the kids could read books to them. We took Riley to see the dogs. She loved it. Riley is doing really well with her reading but sometimes gets bored with books that are long or more challenging to read. But, if you finish a book while reading to the dogs you would receive a bookmark with the dog's photo on it. So, Aunt Kate picked out a pretty hard book about dogs for Riley to read and she persevered and read the whole book. It took Riley almost 20 mins. to read it but Riley did not care because she was sitting with the dogs and knew she would receive the bookmark.

Reece disappeared while we were at the library and when I finally found her this is where she was....in the pool with a bunch of stuffed monkeys. How appropriate?!

Regan retreated to a quiet spot in the library with American Girl books. She was very content.

Riley reading to Clarence the dog.

Riley with Grant the dog.