Soaking up Summer

We are really trying to soak up these last few days of Summer before Carson starts school (tears). We made a trip to Lake Plugerville with the Baldwins. It was amazing. The kids played in the sand and water, we just hung out, ate food and relaxed. 

Jeana brought her kayak and let the kids each have a turn riding with her. Aaron and I also went for a ride and had a lot of fun. 

The kids chased after her each time she took off. 

Carson had so much fun he picked kayaking for his date with Dad the next day. They rented a kayak and had a lot of fun. Carson loves to "accidentally" tip over into the water. 

And sadly swim lessons have come to an end. Brookey and me always had a great time during swim lessons - swimming, lounging, and eating snacks. 

Philly

So Aaron had some meeting in Philadelphia and I made a very last minute, spur of the moment decision to fly out and visit him for a night. I've never been before. My rock star parents agreed to take the kids and they had a fabulous time. 

Camilla LOVED baby Evelyn, but what's not to love?

My trip in Philly was short but I managed a run through Valley Forge (well part of it). I went shopping and relaxed in the hotel. 

I had to drive back to Austin pretty soon after I got back but I was able to spend time with baby Evelyn and added bonus we got to play with Casey and Abby. It ended up being such a fun trip and I am very glad that I went. 

We arrived to a belated birthday gift for Millie - dress up clothes!! 

Happy Birthday Camilla!!

This Saturday was our Millie's birthday and what did she want... to go to a place to paint her finger nails and toenails. Where does she get this? I don't get my fingernails done, she has never gone to a salon. She is so funny. So we picked up her friend Jane and we set off for the salon. She picked pink and purple - shocker. :) 

The girls were loving it, they were so perfect and it was so adorable. 

Oh just drying.  

Millie was in heaven. 

Then she picked Chick Fila for lunch.  

And Snow Monster for dessert. 

It was a pretty fabulous day. She was very happy. Then on Sunday we had her friends over to sing and have cupcakes. She chose watermelon cupcakes and loved being the center of attention. 

We certainly love our Millie girl. She has so much spunk and personality. She is without a doubt my child that tries my patience the most and will be the one that causes me the most gray hairs I have no doubt. She can throw a fit like nobody's business but she is also the first to climb in your lap and cuddle (especially if you will scratch her). She is the most excited to see you when you walk in the door and the sweetest big sister to Brooke you have ever seen. Camilla is very creative and loves to draw and color and paint. She loves to sing and dance and do gymnastics. She has us all wrapped around her finger and my heart melts every morning when she wakes up.

 Last week I was trying to get out the door to do a quick visit to a friend and I wanted to go alone (a rare treat for me!) and Camilla started throwing a fit that she wanted to go with me. I was in a hurry so I told her to come with me and we left. I was noticeably annoyed that I wasn't alone and when Brooke saw Camilla go she wanted to go with us too. I was frustrated and then Camilla said to me, "Mom do you know why I want to be with you all the time?" Why?  "Because I love you. I just love you so much I want to be with you all the time."

Needless to say my heart melted and I felt horrible for ever being annoyed that she wanted to come with me. I am going to make a better effort to show her how much I love her and love being with her. 

We know the saying is, "If Mamma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." But in our house its "if Millie isn't happy, nobody is happy." :) 

Happy 4th Birthday Camilla!! 

Pierson Family

I married into a good one. I sure love this family and am grateful to have so many wonderful people be a part of my family's lives. 

Evelyn Lou Carroll

Little Evie Lou made her appearance last week and I can not wait to meet her. She looks like she is absolutely perfect and I am in newborn baby withdrawal!! All I want to do is get my hands on her. I found a newborn diaper while I was packing this weekend and I started crying, I am already obsessed with her. She made her appearance very quickly and she is perfect. 

Happy Birthday to Me!!

I had a most fabulous birthday this year. I celebrated with my birthday twin Margaret, we had delicious cakes made for us and cookie and ice cream, it was wonderful. 

Then on my actual birthday Aaron was out of town but my friends spoiled me rotten. We went out to lunch and dinner and dessert. :) My friends had their kids babysit for me and were so great. It was such a fun day! Here's to being 33! 

Kitchen Table

 I am slowly but surely finishing our kitchen table, bench and chairs. I still have a few chairs to go but I am so in love with how it has turned out. It looks a million times better. 

Green Mustache

Why do I love this girl so much?!? I cannot get enough of her. 

New York City!!!

So after the fourth of July we left our kids with my parents and Aaron and I head off to New York City for a little get away to celebrate our 8th anniversary. Oh my goodness we had such a great time. I am beyond grateful to my parents for taking on 3 little ones. My kids had so much fun and I enjoyed the break, a lot. :)

After we got to NYC our room wasn't quite ready so we set off to explore the city some. We hung out by NYU and listened to a piano performer in the park. He was awesome. 

Then we walked over to watch some street performers and walk around the parks there. 

When we got to the hotel we were upgraded to a suite and had chocolate covered strawberries and champagne waiting for us. (There are not a ton of perks to having a husband who travels for work but his status at hotels and airlines is one of them :) 

That night we ate at a really popular noodle bar. It was yummy but the wait was long so while we waited we head over to a pizza joint that I noticed had a lot of people and split a piece of pizza. OH MY GOODNESS this pizza, I dream about it. It was so delicious. 

Monday morning Aaron had off work so we went for a long run to check out the town. We ran along the coast and it was beautiful. Filled with parks and boats. We went to the park where they take off for the Statue of Liberty so we could see that. 

We ran through Chinatown and then we ran to the Manhattan Bridge and ran over it. 

This took us into Brooklyn, which we loved. 

Then we grabbed smoothies on the way home (I ate a lot of smoothies on this trip.)

There was lots of lounging in the hotel and hanging out. After we finally got dressed we waited in line at Shake Shack and had burgers, fries and shakes. 

Then we entered lotteries for shows and won for Kinky Boots. It was a great show and we had a lot of fun. 

Then on Tuesday Aaron had to go to work. I went to a boot camp class in town, loved it! Then I walked around and went shopping before I met Aaron for lunch. We switched hotels for the next night so I got us all moved and then I went to Times square to get tickets for us to see Wicked that night!!! 

We got great seats. 

I so, so love this show. 

Then on Wednesday Aaron and I did an early morning boot camp class together and then after he went to work I walked to Central Park and walked around and read for awhile. Then after lunch I did a session at the Manhattan temple. It was beautiful. 

Then it was time for me to go get my babies. It went by so fast. 

So I had to document my salad. There is this delicious salad place in New York called chop't. I was obsessed with it. I ate there 3 times while I was there and loved all my salads. I wish they had one of these in Austin, I would eat there all the time. 

My flight back was fine, I was so tired and when I came outside to find my Dad at the airport Millie was with him waiting for me. I was SO happy to see my girl. We slept together and then in the morning I was so happy to be with my kids again. I got everything packed up and drove us back to Austin that afternoon and Aaron flew home that night. 

We had a great trip and I am so happy I went. I think it would be fun to take the kids up there to visit in the fall sometime too if Aaron is still out there. 

Our kids were spoiled rotten while we were gone. Donuts for breakfast were a fan favorite for my kids. 

Love the matching flag shirts my Mom got all the grandkids for the fourth of July.

Fourth of July

So the morning after our trip to Blue Hole we drove up to Arlington for the fourth. The Spitzers were having one of their famous parties and our kids were VERY excited about it. They had their slip n slide all set up and Carson must've gone down that thing 100 times. The girls had a lot of fun swimming in the pool and going down the slide as well. We just went from food, to the slide, to the pool, to the slide, to food. Our kids did not stop all day long. 

Plus they set up a snow cone machine and well that put the party over the top for our kids. Both of them mentioned the snow cones as one of their favorite parts of the weekend. 

Such a fun day and then after we got back to my parents' house we had dinner and celebrated Jackson's first birthday! It was so fun to sing to him and watch him eat his very healthy birthday cake. 

It was a fun filled day but I am so glad that we could be there to be a part of it all. Our kids were wiped out by the end of the day but they loved spending the day with their cousins. We are lucky to have a family that we love spending time with. 

Blue Hole

We did a Blue Hole day on the 3rd this year. It was as fun as always but man the water was cold! With all the rain this year and lower temps it has kept the water level really high and the temperature down. Each time I dried off I had a hard time getting back in and the kids once out never went back for more. 

Camilla had a lot of fun playing with Jane. They consumed a lot of snacks. 

Carson and Simon were very  busy in the mud and rocks pretty much the whole day. 

Our crew just lounging. 

Love these three boys. 

Aaron owned the rope swing once again showing up all the high school kids. 

Love this shot of me, it looks like I am walking on water. 

Brooke didn't do much swimming but she did have a lot of fun playing with the rocks and digging in the mud. 

A successful day at Blue Hole spent with lots of people that I love.