The Beach Life...

The girls and I recently took a trip to Dauphin Island with my family while Leo was TDY in Peru. Dauphin Island is off the coast of Alabama and is beyond gorgeous. Definitely a place to go for relaxing and being unconnected to the world ( in a good way ).

We had a great time laughing, walking on our own private dock to the beach, and just relaxing in general. While there we got to celebrate Madelyn's 3rd Birthday ( a post for another day ).

Here are a few of my favorite pictures...I need to edit many more, but here are my three favorites of the girls:

She basically cried unless she was in the water...

Enjoying a sunset on the deck...

Beach babe soaking up everything the beach offered...

Loving...

* The hot summer months, the summer evening storms, the lazy summer days. Summer may be my new favorite season...but, shhhh....don't tell fall that.

* Pretty Little Liars, Big Brother, and the start of Bachelor Pad. Love me some quality tv!

* That Brynlie walks around saying "Bay-beee". She loves her babies and it's her first word that has two different syllables.

* My new Whirley Pop. Seriously. It makes the best. popcorn. ever. Trust me on this one.

* Essie and their collection of new summer shades. Currently on my toes? Mojito Madness. It's fun and makes me feel young. Love.

* Drinking iced coffee in the mornings. I have been making batch after batch of the Pioneer Woman's iced coffee recipe and it is all sorts of amazing. I haven't used my coffee pot all summer!

* That even though Leo is out of the country we can still text thanks to Apple and their amazing capabilities. Thank you, Apple!

Getting Her Art On...

 

Have I mentioned how much I *love* summer?

Playing outside after dinner...

Followed by sidewalk chalk fun...

Throw in an impromptu photoshoot?

You have one very happy momma.

Summer? Has Arrived...

In the form of sunny days, sticky faces and sprinkler afternoons...


In the form of bbq, ice cold beer in a frosty glass and sand between my toes...


In the form of long days, long nites and tired little ones...


In the form of summer beach reads, birthdays and longing to be a kid again in the summer time...


In the form of happy girls, happy momma and a happy daddy...

Summertime...And the Livin's Easy....

I love thinking back and remembering moments of time from my favorite summers over the years. Summertime makes me a happy girl--I love it! The flip flops, tank tops, sweet tea...you name it, I love it.

This past week has been pretty hot down here on the coast--high 80's and even hovering around 90 degrees with our heat index and humidity. With all of this warmer weather it's had me thinking of some of my favorite summertime memories....nothing like traveling down memory lane to stir up lots of memories...


*Eating huge slices of watermelon as a young girl in the backyard. We have quite a few pictures of us kids holding our watermelons and smiling with our juice stained shirts.

*Taking rides in the wagon behind my Grandpa's tractor with all of my siblings and cousins. It was so much fun.

*Exploring the woods behind our house, packing picnic lunches and eating on the rocks at the creek...loved those days.

*Catching lightning bugs and pinching off their glow stuff to put on my fingernails. *Gag* It grosses me out now, but when I was a little girl I thought it was SO cool!

*Going to the pool and swimming for hours...I love the smell of chlorine...

*Getting married to Leo on July 16th, 2004...

*Having Madelyn July 29 of last year--I was so happy to not be pregnant through the entire summer and that she showed up a couple of days early for me!

*Watching fireworks with my family, going to the fair and eating Pineapple Whip any day or nite of the week...if you are ever in Springfield, Missouri you must try this stuff--it's to die for yummm...

*Going to the movies to escape to a dark, cool theater for a couple of hours to escape the heat.


I could probably go on and on about my love affair that I have with summertime...what are some of your favorite memories of summer?