Family Pictures

So my sister in law, Rachael and I had high hopes for getting some good family pictures while we were all at the beach together. I have to be honest and say that this was the only time on the whole trip that I was disappointed :(

Of course the week had gotten away from us and we had waited until the last night we were there. Right before we were all ready to walk out to the beach to start pictures, you know it, along came a thunder/ lightning storm that deserted the beach. And if you know my kids (ahem, Asher) thunderstorms with lightning are not the fav. So we decided to just go out and try to snap some really quick.

We had envisioned lots of sweet cousin pictures in their Alabama gear out on the beach, but we decided to do the white shirt ones first and then ended up running inside before we had the boys change out of their white into their Bama stuff.
And of course, wouldn't you know, LOTS of thunder and lightning, but the rain never did come!

O well, there's always next year!

Just a few more....

Okay, so I know everyone is probably tired of beach pics, but I only have a few more to get on here... some I couldn't resist!

Mads having some pool time

LOVE this one!

Daddy and Judah Bug

Maddox had quite a following in the pool

This one little girl wouldn't leave his side...

Asher and Evan

Uncle Stu trying his hand with feeding M

Cole had a few "helpers" while opening his birthday presents

Happy 6th Birthday Cole (it was really August 20 but we celebrated while we were there!)

E and A showing off their new Mario wares....

Lamberts

Okay, for anyone who has been down to Gulf Shores, I'm sure you have been to eat at Lamberts! I had never heard of it, but it is a restaurant with good ole Southern cookin... and ALOT of it. Literally the waiters/ waitresses walk around with big bowls of fried taters, fried okra, etc. and just load your plate down if you want! Lamberts is also called the "home of the throwed rolls" and they mean just that. They walk around and toss these rolls that Asher and Caleb have and then they walk around asking if you want molasses and/ or apple butter on them. Caleb was excited to have his loaded up!

Love Caleb's face in this one!

Evan, Caleb, and Cole on the wooden train in front of the restaurant

Nate getting in on the train action, and of course.... Caleb's Mario!

Here's Rach and I with all the boys waiting outside for a table.... we had about a 20 minute wait which was great considering people wait HOURS to get seated and it really doesn't matter what time of day you go, there is ALWAYS a wait!

The one downer was that Asher got a really bad headache we think from being outside in the sun for too long that morning/ and not drinking enough water. He wasn't able to sit through lunch because it hurt so badly and it was SO loud inside the restaurant. So he and I went out to the van and waited on everyone else to finish eating. We had an awesome waitress though that took care of us (she had given Ash a warm compress for his head from the kitchen) and she fixed up all of our food to go, PLUS an entire plate of fried okra! She was really sweet and was going in for a c-section to have her third baby in two days!!

This was the view of everyone waiting and poor Asher looking hot and in misery :(

Mini golfing....

Of course what's a trip to the beach if you don't play mini golf at least one time! We were a little beached/ pooled out one morning, so we loaded up all the boys and went to play. We were also strategically planning an early lunch at Lambert's... more about that to come :)

Ready to play... Maddox, Caleb, Asher, Judah, Nate, Cole, and Evan

HA! B looks like he is studying the giraffe

Cole lining it up... surprised I even have a shot of one of the boys putting the right way... most of the time they didn't even let their ball come to a complete stop before they were hitting it again!

Asher (and the mermaid!) posing in the background

Hahahahaha.... I didn't even realize Stu and Blake were striking the same hand on the hip pose (except opposite each other) I was really going for a picture of the gorilla.

Second Grade and Kindergarten

And so begins our journey with two school age children! This picture was last Friday afternoon when we went up to school to Meet the Teacher. Asher has Mrs. Green for second grade... fun story about her is that my first year teaching second grade at Grace back in 2001, was her first year there teaching kindergarten. Her firstborn, Anna (who is a senior in high school this year... yes, I'm feeling OLD!) was in my class that year (I LOVED my first class!) And now she is teaching MY firstborn in second grade! Talk about coming full circle... Caleb's teacher, Mrs. Whelpley is simply adorable! I love her and am so excited that he got to be in her class this year. We have always been SO blessed with the teachers our boys have had!

Caleb (Kindergarten) and Asher (Second Grade)

First day of school: August 15, 2011

Backpacks all packed and ready with new school supplies

Caleb's face LIT UP this morning when he put his backpack on... he's only had a tote bag for preschool so this is his first time having his own backpack!

Asher at his desk with his buddy, Katie

They've been in the same class every year since kindergarten!

Caleb in front of his classroom, ready to walk in!

He was so great about me taking his picture this morning!

And one more at his table!

He did great! Walked right in, hung up his backpack, met his assistant teacher, Mrs. Taylor, and walked straight over to his seat and sat down! He was so ready and excited. Of course when I picked them up all I got from him was "I liked it, but I don't remember anything that we did!" Might have been due to the new little Sonic toys that were waiting for them in their carseats when I picked them up! Of course all the way home I wanted to hear about their morning and all they wanted to do was talk about their Sonics.... sigh.... epic fail!

Ready for a full day of school tomorrow!!!

Gulf Shores continues....

Every morning the boys would wake up, eat a little breakfast (pop tarts and cereal), watch a few cartoons, and head down to the pool/ beach with either Blake or I (the other one stayed with Maddox and put him down for his morning nap)

Blurry... they were all moving :(

Left tower

front view of the main pool

the center tower (ours)... we were on the 10th floor

this one couldn't get enough of the pool

Ash and Caleb... I have know idea what they were doing

Nate figured out where the button was to turn the fountains off and on, the first day we were there... needless to say it was a favorite activity of his...

Come on boys.... just ONE good picture! Please LOOK at Mom and SMILE!!!

Better.... ahhhhhh, oh Asher, what is it with bunny ears these days?!

Partners in crime

Love this one!!

Caleb was ALL over the ocean! Definitely his favorite... glad he has learned to swim!

More bunny ears... whatever...