We opted for a Family Vacation Weekend this year and I swear the three days was long enough.... Maybe it is just the stage of the game we are in right now, but Im pretty sure if we had tried a week this year it might woulda killed us. Ramey, Phyl, and I were exhausted.  Rameys house was a wreck.  Brent couldnt pack our car fast enough.  My kids were asleep before we got out of Wells Gate.  Im still not sure what the truth is about Mills and Phyl pulling an all-nighter.  AND we found out real quick - SIX kids is A LOT OF KIDS....  Oxford hosted well, and next time we get a wild hair we will have to make plans to do it in Indianola (Im not sure Wills Trace can handle another weekend anytime soon)  I kept telling myself "WE ARE MAKIN' MEMORIES".... and "THESE ARE THE DAYS"....  and as sure as I muttle those little words to myself I am already missing these sweet cousins and ready to go again!!! We had a great weekend!!!!  Love these kiddos so much!

BEACH VACAY 2016

The kids were SO MUCH EASIER at the beach this year.  Halle-freaking-lujah !!!!  Everybody could walk.  Nobody ate sand (on purpose, anyway).  Nobody put up a fight over swim floats, or beach toys, or sunscreen.  Everybody just sat there and played and built sand castles.  I felt like the Lord gave me extra patience and a good memory for this trip.  The girls were all troopers and we could not have had a better time!!!  It only gets easier - because next year we should even be out of swim diapers and sippie cups!!!!  Praise Jesus!

I will note that Mare-bear was not a fan of the sun.  As long as it was cloudy she was sweet as pie, but when that bright sun shined in her eyes this is the sour-patch look claimed for the day. 

LIFE

LIFE at the moment is crazy busy.  The twins are in FULL FORCE.  Summer has come and gone in the blink of an eye.  My mother had a stroke in May and that just added to the tornado we were already living in.  We had a major water leak in May as well, and we had to knock the laundry room wall back out to fix it (still not fixed).  Between mom, swimming lessons, the house, work, the heat, chasing the twins, and Rose participating in any and all summer activities she could find - I AM EXHAUSTED.  Mark and I took a much needed vacation to recharge and regroup.  I am seriously not sure if we would have made it through August without our little breather.  I had no idea how long it had been since I updated the blog.  I was deleting pictures on my camera that I thought I had already posted (sorry Rose, we have no evidence of your gymnastics recital).  Anyway, here is the start of many upcoming posts.  This was Memorial Day Weekend at the lake with my parents.  I swear the girls have grown up so much over this summer - even just since these pictures!