snowcones, floats and a parade

we were at the lake for the fourth of july and in decatur for the parade.  it was a fun day.  josie loved watching the kids riding their bikes in the parade. we were stationed at the bottom of a hill so it was quite funny watching the kids with some major speed collide with other kids.

ice cream.  we love the free cone at bruster's!  especially on Granny's birthday.  granted this did mean Josie yelled in her crib for 15 minutes before falling asleep.  those dang sugar highs.
we love the lake.  josie is a water bug for sure.  she loves to ride in the boat and float in the water.  she is a masterson!

Josie had her first taste of a snowcone a few weeks ago.  Tiger's blood of course! It made me reminisce about the tropical snow in front of Quality Foods growing up.  my dad was all about some shaved ice. josie was all about some tiger's blood.

oh summer....how i love thee.

i will leave you with my most favorite sound in all the earth! (video below)

burfday celebrations!!!

first day of being one....breakfast name treat (ganked from the Jenkins)

couldn't do pancakes yet...I started with croissants and eggs.

We had a leadership dinner for church at the Gray's house.  Mrs. Linda got Josie a cupcake.  She was excited....to say the least.

On Saturday we had family over to celebrate.  Here are some pictures from our celebration beforehand.  Needless to say, I had someone else take pictures during the party.  (Don't have those yet.)

Cousin Emma gave Josie this baby stroller.  Here we have her with her two favorite things.  Books and a stroller.  She did this all by herself.  Obviously,  I feel her face in this picture shows she is "busted."

We have an official walker.  She is a girl on the move, loving every minute of this freedom.  Literally, it took her one day to figure up how to stand up on her own.  She is one determined little girl.  Pretty sure she got that from Russ.

Apparently it is innate within girls to accessorize.

just like that...one year old

I just want a small piece of you
a token to put in my pocket
and I will own that one thing
and it would make me happy
I just want a small piece of you
somethin to put in a locket
and i will look at it daily
and that will make me happy

Sara Groves... StationWagon CD

When you reach the proper age
I will teach you to read and you can turn the pages
How to dress and tie your shoes
Your one plus ones, and your two times two's
And you'll teach me
Of hearts and dreams
And all the most important things
And all that i have lost along the way
And I can't wait

Precious Josie...

I never realized what all I had lost along the way of life until you came.  You brought, joy, refinement, beauty, laughter and my child-like faith back.  You have taught me what it feels like to love hard and deep without thought or care of pain.  What an amazing gift of humility and joy you have given to me!  I love being your mom!  It is a gift and an honor only the Lord would bestow!

Mom

A list...of 5 things we have been doing lately.

1.  Swim lessons at the Y.  Josie loved it and did great.  Ok, maybe they weren't lessons.  More like get comfortable with the water and a baby lessons for me.  Regardless, she loved it.

2.  Playing at the lake.  Russ' Granny has a great lake cabin.  We stayed the whole weekend, despite the crummy weather Memorial Day weekend.  Josie loved riding on the boat. But not so much wearing the lifejacket.  

(This is excited yelling by the way!)

(This face is.... not excited.  Mad at this lifejacket face.)

And of course Thomas loves the lake.  Especially, riding on the boat.  He will run down to the dock even when the boat is docked and sit on the front of the boat.  Ready to go.

Josie loved playing with Granny's walker.  It was a large version of her own.  Below is a video of her craziness with the walker.  She can maneuver that thing like a champ.

3.  Visiting the zoo with friends.  Josie's birthday is the 11th of June.  Yep, this time last year I was major preggo.  I remember it like yesterday.  For her birthday she received an annual pass to the zoo.  I figured we smell the elephant poo when walking by, so frequently, that we might as well go see what is making all that smell.  And it is great to just be able to walk in for a hour or so and walk back home.  I purchased a friend pass so if you want to join me at the zoo you can come for free with me.

Here are some pictures of our fun times with Maci and her girls Allyn and Hollis.

4. Visiting the Grant Park Pool.  Just a block away.  Not to mention it is the best people watching in town.

5.  Enjoying Russ being home from Guatemala.  

He got a new grill for his birthday!  Needless to say we grill out as much as possible.

More to come with the birthday celebration coming!

"tarnation"

just a word my dad taught us when we were young.

pretty sure it only resides in the south.

wondering if "the frank" made it up.

use in a sentence please...

"we walked over all of tarnation to find you."

do you have a word like that in your family?

i would love to hear all the good southern words we have imbedded in our vocabulary on a daily basis.  

big gurl

straw + whole milk + standing alone = big girl

only in atlanta...

a 51 year old man (he told me his birthday was yesterday) walked up to me today in the wal-mart parking lot and asked if I had change for a "co-coal-ah."

in my head...

"serious" did he just ask me for change.....to buy a coke?  nice shoes, nice clothes.  just wanted a coke the day after his birthday.

awesome.