8 Wonderful years....

Happy Anniversary, Babe! What an amazing 8 years we have had. So much stands out in my mind...from 2 major moves...3 houses....three churches...small groups...bible studies...serving in a youth group together....losing a job...working from home...2 salaries to 1 salary...losing our first "child" Scoot...seeing Anna Grace for the first time... Sumter...Florence...Jamaica...Arizona...Beach trips...Mountain trips....Many Friends who have walked in and walked out of our lives...Wow! There is nobody I would want to share the past 8 years with but you. You mean more to me than you will ever know. You know me better than anyone and you still love me. Thank you for being the best husband. Thank you for being the best dad. Thank you for always being there for me. Thank you for being my best friend. I love you!!

Thomas and I got away this past weekend for some R&R in the mountains of Gatlinburg, TN. Yes, Gatlinburg has become very commercialized over the years. Thomas and I tend to stay away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy our time together. We have rented a cabin for 4 of our anniversaries. It has been so nice and relaxing.

We started off the weekend with dinner at a wonderful Mexican restaurant and then a fun game of putt-putt.



Saturday we slept in and then had breakfast at our favorite restaurant - The Pancake Pantry. The sweet potato pancakes were as wonderful as I have always remembered them.


Then we shopped around the town and bought a few fun things for ourselves.

Then we headed to the outlets in Pigeon Forge. We shopped and went to dinner at the Apple Barn (another one of our favorite places to eat) and saw the new Indiana Jones movie. It was good. I did enjoy it.

Sunday we slept in again. We decided to make our own breakfast. We enjoyed blueberry muffins, fresh fruit and mimosas on the deck of our cabin. We had such a nice view. Then we enjoyed more mimosas in the hot tub. The hot tub was on the front porch of our cabin.



So relaxing...


View from our cabin


Close up view from our cabin



We enjoyed a nice lunch at the ALAMO steakhouse and then went for a hike to see a waterfall called Grotto Falls. The hike was nice - a little harder than I thought it would be in parts. I am so out of shape, but I made it!!




After the hike, we went to Pigeon Forge for a nice dinner at the Old Mill. The Old Mill had a long wait, so we went across the street and enjoyed dinner outside on the patio at the Old Mill Pottery Cafe. It was delightful and there was live music on the lawn. After dinner we enjoyed another movie - the Cameron Diaz movie - What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. It was cute. We enjoyed it.

As we drove home from the movie we talked about how we didn't want our vacation to end! It was so nice to get away and relax! I wish we could do it every weekend.

Another special treat was on our way home - we stopped in Asheville to visit some of our dear friends, Janet and Jeremy and their precious daughter Ann Harrison. It was such a treat to see them and spend some time with them. We grilled out. They made wonderful burgers and we laughed and got caught up! Their daughter is precious and one of the smartest one year olds I know! She is beautiful on the inside and the outside.

Here's to 8 more wonderful years, Babe!! The fun has just begun!! I love you more every day!! Thanks for being the best husband and father a wife could ask for. You are the best!! I am blessed to have you.

Last Day of School

Friday was Anna Grace's last day of 3K at Calvary Baptist Kindergarten. I can't believe my baby will be in 4K next year. The years go by faster and faster. She has had a wonderful year with Mrs. Thompson. Mrs. Thompson was a wonderful teacher and Anna Grace enjoyed her a lot.

Calvary rented two jumping castles and served snow cones and popcorn to celebrate the end of the year. Thomas and I enjoyed spending some time with Anna Grace on her last day. It was a lot of fun!

All dressed and ready to go to school for the last day festivities.


Waiting in line to jump! Such excitement and anticipation...
Sweet little Cooper waits patiently behind Anna Grace


All fall down...


Jump! Jump!


Thomas catching up with the ladies...
My friends Becca and Karen are keeping Thomas entertained.


Thomas and AG enjoy red snow cones.


What a fun day!! I can't believe summer is already here. This year really did go by fast. I seriously feel like I just walked AG into school for her first day. Where did the time go?!?
This year has taught me to cherish each precious moment because time flies by.

I love you, Anna Grace, and wish you would stay young forever.

Balloons, Face Painting and a Clown

Anna Grace went to Lacy's 4 year birthday party on Sunday. Lacy is one of AG's friends who lives in our neighborhood. She had a clown at her party. Isabelle the clown performed tricks, made animal balloons, and painted faces. Anna Grace had a wonderful time!

Anna Grace talking to the clown while she sets up for the show.


Isabelle is getting everything ready.


Everyone watches in awe as the clown performs.


Isabelle asked Lacy to assist her, but Lacy didn't want to.
Anna Grace quickly jumped up! She was ready to help out!


She had to wear a clown wig and hold a magic wand.
As Anna Grace tapped the coloring book, color appeared on the pages!


Lacy, Anna Grace and Jade help Isabelle with the next act.
(Notice the dove in the picture. It appeared in one of the magic acts.)


Isabelle made AG a PINK swan.


And painted her face like a butterfly.


Anna Grace enjoyed the birthday cake and ice cream.
The cake had a picture of Lacy on it dressed like a clown!


Jade, Tyner, Lacy and Anna Grace - these are AG's neighborhood friends.
The party favors were popcorn boxes filled with treats.


It was such a cute "carnival" party. We had a great time!

Gymnastics

Anna Grace has enjoyed taking gymnastics this year with some sweet friends from church. Our Tuesday afternoons have been filled with flips, jumps and handstands. Anna Grace has enjoyed the gymnastic class so much. She looked forward to it every Tuesday and called it "Hazel's gymnastic class". Hazel is one of her friends from church, who was in the class before AG joined it, so AG thinks it is Hazel's gymnastic class.

We had an end of the year parent watch day yesterday. Each girl received a medal and a certificate for completing the class. We enjoyed watching the girls do their flips and tricks. I know AG will miss her gymnastic class this summer.

Anna Grace, Hazel and Kennedy wait patiently on the mat.


Anna Grace enjoys doing flips on the bars.


She also enjoys swinging on the rings.


Her most favorite part of class - jumping in the pit!

Dance Recital

Anna Grace had her dance recital tonight. We enjoyed it a lot. She has taken ballet and tap this year on Thursdays from 10:00 - 11:00 AM at School of Dance Arts. Anna Grace has made some sweet friends in her dance class. Jaycie, Grace, Cecilia and Anna Grace have had a lot of fun together this year. We are sad we won't get to see our sweet friends on Thursdays anymore.

Jaycie, Grace, Anna Grace and Cecilia were "Belle" in the recital. They danced to two "Beauty and the Beast" songs. They did their ballet dance to "Something More" and their tap dance to "Be our Guest". They did a great job and were so precious on stage!!



After the recital we came home and gave Anna Grace some flowers and a ballerina frog.


Anna Grace with Nana and Big Pop after the recital.


Anna Grace, Mommy and Big Pop relaxing after the recital.


Anna Grace with her sad face.


Anna Grace with her happy face.

Trip to the Farm

I went with Anna Grace on a school field trip to the farm today. We had such a fun time together. I love special days like these. They are such a treat for me!

One of the best parts of the trip for Anna Grace was riding the bus!


As we followed the group to see the horses, AG said the cow was following her.


I think she was right. Norman the cow wanted to follow Anna Grace.


Anna Grace wasn't too sure about petting "Piggy" - the pregnant donkey. She didn't want her hands to be stinky. Piggy is due in September. She was very sweet and I enjoyed petting her. I learned an interesting fact today about donkeys - they all have a cross on their backs. They think this goes back to the donkey being the chosen animal that our Lord rode into town on on what is now Palm Sunday. If you look closely in the picture you can see the cross on the donkeys back.

Matthew 21:4-9
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
"Say to the Daughter of Zion,
'See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.' "

The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
"Hosanna to the Son of David!"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
"Hosanna in the highest!"

Time to pet the horse. Once again, AG stayed back. She usually isn't shy around animals. I think it had more to do with the fact that she didn't want to stink after petting them.


Chickens and Chicks


Anna Grace and Jackson looking at the chickens


Anna Grace LOVED the baby goats. They were her favorite animals. Here she is petting them.


The farmer fed them bottles while we were there. I think AG wanted to feed them their bottles.


Up close and personal - AG petting the goats and touching their horns.


Bambi - a precious baby fawn that was rescued when her mom died.
Someone found this fawn and brought it to the farm to be nursed back to health.


Bambi is thriving at the farm. She loves her new home and was precious!
AG wanted to pet Bambi and feed her a bottle, but Bambi was a little scared of us.


And lastly, one of AG's favorite animals - the barn cat.


We had a great time together on the farm today. I am exhausted and ready to go to bed!