Okra Strut Parade

This was our first year to have someone in the Okra Strut Parade.  The Okra Strut is a big deal here, with a parade and a lots of vendors (not Okra vendors). The Dance Dept, where Aubrey dances, always has their dancers in the parade.  This year Aubrey got to ride in the float.  She had such a good time!

All ready to go.

Lining up.

Waiting with my sweet girl!

Giant Okra.

Riding on the float.

Aubrey & our neighbor, Hannah.

Rick runs in a race.

This morning Rick ran in the Lake Murray Dam 10K.  He's been training for several weeks and he did great!  He beat his time by 1 min, 20 sec from 3 years ago, a personal best for him.  The kids and I hung out at Saluda Shoals park to wait for him to finish.  They loved cheering him on!  Yay, Daddy!  We're so proud of you!

Waiting for Daddy and clapping for all the runners.

Here he comes... (he's in the black shorts)

...way to go, Daddy!!!

Early Release Day trip to the zoo

Wednesday was Aubrey's first Early Release Day of elementary school and our first year without Davis.  We took Andrew's friend, George, with us and met up with a few friends.  George and Andrew were precious!!  The weather could not have been more beautiful and Aubrey was just fine hanging out with boys.  I promised next time she could bring a friend.

Aubrey, Gray, Alex (behind Gray), Andrew, & George.  The other 2 girls were friends of Alex and I can't remember their names!  :)

These three stuck together like glue the entire time.

Aubrey's favorite part of the aquarium.

Check out Aubrey. She was mad because she wanted to sit on the lion but Andrew got there first.

A much happier Aubrey with George.

George and Andrew are both big snake fans!

Such a sweet picture.

Icee time!!!!

They are all just too cute!

Glimpse of Aubrey

I love Kindergarten!  I really do!  Every Thursday I get the opportunity to volunteer in Aubrey's class and get a peek at what she does during the day.  This past Thursday it took her over 20 minutes to spot me, she was so busy!  She was writing a story about Bat Girl.  I was so impressed with the way she is already sounding out her words, she even spelled "crime" "krim."  Way to go, Aubrey!!!

Andrew on the race track!

We shudder to think what might happen when Andrew starts driving.  He never looks where he's going and he gets distracted way too easily.  He recently got to "drive" a race car at a friend's birthday party.  He had a blast but he ran in to the side several times and into friends a couple of times. He didn't care, he was just having fun!  You go, Andrew, we're just thankful it will be several more years before you really go!

Buckling up.

There he goes!  All smiles!!

Labor Day weekend zoo visit

It's been awhile since our whole family went to the zoo together other than Lights at the Zoo during Christmas.  The weather was perfect so we decided to brave the crowds (and they were big) and go have some fun at the zoo.  Aubrey's been doing the climbing wall for a while now but neither of the boys had so they decided to give it a try, too.  We were definitely proud of Andrew who doesn't like doing that  type of thing ever.

My little monkeys all ready to go.

Aubrey loves this dino!

Watching the elephants.

When Davis was little, we used to come just to see the elephants...

...he's just a little bit bigger now.

Just a cool pic on the aquarium.

In a little hideout.

Time to climb.

Are you sure, Andrew?

Davis was ready!

There go the boys...

...up they go.

Meanwhile... (can you see Aubrey on the top left?)

...all the way at the top.  You go, girl!!

All done!

Happy Birthday, Rick!

I love birthdays!  I love birthdays that aren't even mine.  I love birthdays that fall on holidays, which seem to happen quite a bit in my family.  The boys' birthdays usually fall during parent/teacher conferences & they're out of school, mine sometimes falls on Mother's Day (2 separate holidays, though, so 2 celebrations  :)), and Rick's sometimes falls on Labor Day, like today.  He is an amazing man in many ways and he proved it by getting up on his day off birthday and running 6 miles.  6 miles!!!  Then he came home to pancakes and children fighting over Legos.  Ha!  We did go to Outback for dinner where they did their birthday rap and back home for homemade chocolate cake.  Happy 46th, Rick, we love you!

I love this man!  Davis took this.  I love almost all the pictures he takes of us.

Outback dessert.  I think this is about the only bite he got before our children set in like vultures.

Thank goodness there was chocolate cake at home.

Singing "Happy Birthday" to Daddy.

May 46 be your best year ever!