Family Beach Trip 2008

We just got back from our family vacation to the beach and we had a great time! We went with our friends the Gordons (Chris and Jennifer and their girls Taylor and Lainee). The girls had so much fun playing together and we were having such a good time we decided to stay an extra day! We brought along our babysitter (best money ever spent) Victoria, and she was wonderful! We were able to go out to dinner with Jennifer and Chris by ourselves two nights and she stayed in the condo while they took their naps and we had our time on the beach! We ate wonderful food, took the girls "crabbing," and had a relaxing time! Manze loved the beach (and the sand, wahoo) and the ocean! She kept calling it "the big swimming pool." We told her it was the ocean and then she kept calling it the lake! Go figure! Melanie Thaw took beach photos of our family and I can't wait to see them and post some pics! We can't wait to go back! I have several posts on our trip! Enjoy the pictures!

Family picture

The girls: Taylor, Lainee, and Manze

Manze and Lainee at The Crab Trap

Victoria and Manze

Victoria with the girls (Manze, Lainee, and Taylor)

Ready for the pool one afternoon!

Days 1 and 2

Manze had so much FUN at the beach!

Hanging out!

Manze and Lainee "posing" with their dolls

taking a capri sun break (or as Manze called them "pretty suns")

relaxing in the pool

Manze LOVED swimming in the pool and got quite comfortable wearing her "water wings" and jumped in the pool a dozen times and swam all over the place! Twice in one day (once in the morning and once in the afternoon) when we took her water wings off to get ready to go inside she jumped in the pool with nothing on to keep her afloat! Tommy and I had to jump in and get her! We had to have a huge talk with her about how she can't swim well yet so she cannot get in the pool without Mommy and Daddy and her water wings! Talk about a panic attack!!!!

Going "crabbing"

On our last night we ordered take out from The Original Oysterhouse then took the girls looking for crabs! They had a blast and Manze loved playing with her flashlight! It was so much fun to see the looks on their faces!

Manze is ready with her flashlight

Looking for crabs in the sand



Manze and Lainee

We found one!

We found several little ones and one big one!

Manze and Daddy

When we got back she was so tired and went right to sleep!

Driving home

When Manze woke up on the last day she said, "I ready for the beach and to go swimming!" I had to tell her it was time to go home and we would come back next year! She had a blast and was so tired! Here she is sleeping on the way home!

Sneak Peek

We just got back from our family beach trip and we had a GREAT time! Good news: Manze LOVED the sand this year! LOL! Here is a sneak peek...more pictures coming SOON!

LAST YEAR (This is what Manze thought of the sand the WHOLE time): which meant....not a lot of time was spent on the beach!

THIS YEAR (she LOVED it!) Whew!

These two cutie pies (Lainee and Manze) had the best time together and played so well!

Mother's Morning Out

Manze had the BEST time this summer at "school" (Mother's Morning Out) at Lakeside! She couldn't wait to go each Tuesday and Thursday! She is becoming such a big girl! Here are some pictures of her on her last day!

Manze and her wonderful teacher Mrs. Leora

Walking in (looking so big) on her last day!

Another Birthday

Today I turned 29 AGAIN (as my friend Jennifer would say)! I LOVE birthdays and really get into them...what a great time to celebrate our birth and the wonderful time we've had on this Earth! I start celebrating my birthday early and if it was up to me, I'd celebrate it the whole month of July! Today Tommy told me my birthday had been going on for a week, when was it going to stop!? Monday night Tommy's parents took me to Biaggi's to eat and it was delicious...my first time to go there! Then on Thursday my mom took me to Nick's for lunch. On Friday I had my big birthday bash! 9 of us headed to Vicksburg to see Dr. Zars! It started out a little dirty...when we got to Vicksburg and parked the car we got out and there were a million (no lie) birds flying overhead! We joked around that we better hurry inside before someone gets pooped on and then it happened! I got pooped on...right on the back of my shirt...EWWW! I guess it could have been worse...it could have been in my hair! After I got cleaned up we had fun dancing to the band! They played Come on Eileen, OF COURSE...and we decided to write out their last set for them and requested a ton of songs! I just LOVE 80's music! I had so much fun with these sweet girls and I can't wait to do it again!!!! Saturday night my mom and I went to Thalia Mara to see the IBC Reunion Gala! IBC (International Ballet Competition). All those who had won medals in the past came back to perform! They were fantastic!!!! Today Tommy and I took Manze to my parent's house to swim in the pool and when she went down for a nap we kept swimming, then we went out to eat with my dad! It was GREAT and I guess it will have to be all over tomorrow! There's always next year! I am so greatful for another year, my sweet husband, my beautiful daughter, my parents and sister and brother, and all my wonderful friends! THANKS for making it another great year!

The group: Front (L to R): Jennifer, me, and Crystal

Back (L to R): Teresa, LaDonna, Stacy, Mandy, Laura, and Amy

Mandy, me, and Amy (the non car sick riders) riding in the way back on the way to Vicksburg

Manze playing with the tambourine the band gave us

Mommy & Manze

There are hardly any pictures of Manze and me because I'm always the one taking the pictures! So, tonight I decided to get a few! At one point, as you can tell, she started playing with the light! It's hard to get her to smile! She is so sweet and we have had so much fun together this summer!

Sweet Girl

Kung Fu Panda

Yesterday Manze and I met Cindy, Emma, Michelle, and Richard at the movies to see Kung Fu Panda. What we thought was a great idea, turned out to be not so great! They all started out sitting in their seats eating their popcorn and watching the movie. Then, one by one they all got down and started playing instead! In the middle of that Manze announced that she needed to go potty! Since we are doing so well I thought it was time to tackle the "public potty!" Ugh, Not a great idea! I took Manze to the bathroom and put about 5 layers of toilet paper on the seat. Then I sat her down telling her not to touch anything. We sat there and sat there and sat there until finally she tee teed the tiniest little trickle you can imagine! She started clapping and yelling YAY! I was thinking all that for this tiny trickle! Then I told her to wait because Mommy had to go and the next thing I know she's laying on the floor! Gagging, I yanked her up and told her not to touch the floor because it was dirty! Gross! Major hand washing went on after that! We go back into the theater and about 2 minutes later she announces, really loud, I have to go potty! It was soon after that we all decided the kids were playing and not watching the movie, so we left early! Better luck next time!

Manze sitting in her booster seat at the movies

Not really watching the movie...you can see Manze crying in 2 pics because I was taking the pics! She wanted me on the other side of the "gate."

This is what Manze & Emma would have rather had, yummy candy!

Potty Training Part II

Well, potty training has gone SO much better since the last time I posted! Manze has been pottying so well (she still has setbacks) but she is trying hard! Tommy and I told her that every time she went to the potty she would get a sticker and when she got 10 stickers she would get to get a sno cone! She's gotten a sno cone twice! Wahoo!! Of course, we also give a little "potty candy" each time she uses the potty! Now, if I can only be brave enough to leave her in big girl panties all day around the house and tackle a public bathroom (EWWW) we will make great strides I know! Here are some pictures of her actually on the potty this time! Wahoo!

Am I done yet?

Yay...I want "potty candy!"

Dinner Night

This summer a group of us have been trying to get together and go out to eat at least once a week! Tonight we went to the new Pan Asia and it was delicious! Our waitress was a little flaky, but we had so much fun! This is was a going away dinner for my sweet friend Cathy Cadle Lowe (we all still call her Cadle out of habit) who is moving to Oxford, MS next Monday! :( We will miss her! I had FUN girls! I can't wait until next week! Here is the group that made it out tonight!

me, LaDonna, Cathy, Susan, Teresa, & Crystal

Jellystone Park

Last week we went with Emma and Wes to Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park! The kids had a blast and slid down the slide a million times! Since they closed down Rapids, we have to be creative as to where to go to cool off! Jellystone was a great place to go! You can pull all kinds of knobs and water will come shooting out. Manze loved the water that shot out like a hose and would pull it and stick her face in it! It was hilarious! The water was not deep at all so they could run around in it and slide all by themselves!

Manze, Emma, and Wes posing with Yogi Bear! Wes wasn't too sure about Yogi Bear so he kept his distance!

We sent all three down the "big" slide together!

Manze sliding down backwards

As you can see, they all had a BLAST!