Southern Hospitality

We just got back from a much needed vacation! Bryce was so busy all summer that this was the first time we could squeeze in a beach trip this year! We figured if we had to drive 6 hours to a beach somewhere, we might as well go down to Savannah and Charleston to the beach there and make a trip out of it! Mom and Dad Tarwater were able to join us and we had an absolutely wonderful time!


Our first stop was Savannah, Georgia. We stayed in a cute hotel right downtown near Ellis Square. We had dinner at Vinnies and then hit River Street to sample some pralines, gelato, a boat ride on the river, and some southern blues playing live! Love the cobblestone streets! Mom, Dad, Bryce went on a ghost tour together while I took the kids swimming at the hotel. James said, "Mommy, this was so much fun. When I go to bed tonight, I'm going to think about swimming!" So cute.


The next day we hit Paula Dean's "Lady and Sons." I skipped the buffet this time (gasp!) and ordered a meatloaf sandwich (Bryce shared some collard greens with me that are my FAVORITE!). I think Bryce liked his buffet - we were plenty stuffed. The kids went on a carriage ride with Grandpa and Grandma so Bryce and I wouldn't have to share our Paula's (they totally wouldn't appreciate it) and loved seeing Savannah that way. We had to stop by Jones street (one of the prettiest streets in America) and I saw a beautiful mustang parked right there on the road. It was a beautiful street! :)




Forsythe Park was where we took the kids to wait for Gma and Gpa to eat and it was amazing. We loved the spanish moss hanging from the trees, and the kids were happy to see a playground after a long day of walking!

Peanut Butter Urge

Do you ever fight about who gets to be the first one to dig into a freshly opened jar of peanut butter? Something about that creamy smooth top layer that is just so inviting! Well, evidently, that urge is an inherent quality in our family. The kids had just opened this peanut butter jar when Annabelle couldn't resist jamming BOTH hands in. What a mess!
Annabelle is REALLY good at messes lately. She figured out how to get into our lazy Susan where I keep (not for long) my baking products. Flour and sugar are her favorite, but the baking soda and cornstarch have also become prey to her curious desires. (Sorry the pictures so dark)



Although Annabelle has become quite the handful, she is still so cute and fun to play with! She is just learning so fast from watching all of us. Some things that she picks up on are good, and some things are slightly less than desireable! Apparently she has picked up the skill of "texting," which I'm not really sure if it is one of those good things or not!

First Day

How can it already be time for the first day of school?! Caleb started second grade this year and Lucy started KINDERGARTEN! AHHH! I thought it was supposed to get easier after the first kid, but I still cried when she got on the bus. I thought about her all day and hoped she was making good friends and having a great time (but hopefully thinking about her mommy a little bit). It was comforting to know what to expect and knowing that Caleb was going to be there on the bus with her. Lucy's teacher is amazing (she was Caleb's teacher too) and I know she will be great for Lucy. When we went to meet with her, Ms. Alden asked Caleb if he would like to walk Lucy down to her class the first day. Caleb said no. So much for the older sibling looking out for her! I guess he knew he would be preoccupied with trying to figure out where he was supposed to be the first day!

James and Annabelle and I decided to distract ourselves from the quiet house by hanging out at a friends house in the morning. It was a great deterrent and James had something special to do on the first day of school too.

The report when the kids got home was wonderful! They came off of the bus with smiling faces and happy reports of all the new friends they had made and how Lucy was "brave all day!" I love my kids.

Annabelle walking

This is a video from 2 months ago, but Bryce keeps hounding me to put a cute vid of annabelle walking so everyone who is far can see her. Enjoy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRYCE!

Although Bryce's birthday happened to fall on the last day of classes for summer term (which he has been teaching a class this term), as well as 5 days before his big journal article is due, we still managed to squeeze in a few hours of fun! We had birthday dinner followed by banana cream pie and strawberry pie. We took a family walk together because August weather is BeAuTiFuL! Bryce got to play with the kids and got a few special back massages by them. We love you, Bryce! We are so lucky to have you in our lives! You make everyday worth living :)

Sisters, Sisters . . .

Kristen and Michelle stopped by on their way out west and we had a great weekend together! We went hiking, rode bikes, had a picnic, went out for shaved ice, played with the kids, and had a good time. Here our a couple pics.

Baby or Pet?

The kids love playing outside and they have great imaginations. When I saw this the other day, I wondered if their imaginations were going too far with this one . . .