Katelynne's booboo and first popsicle

Last week, Katelynne walked into the coffee

table and got a bit bump on her lip,

which resulted in her first popsicle. She

thought it was ok after she got over the coldness of it.Eating her popsicle
But it hurts...
Katelynne's messy face and booboo
"What is that??"

What a difference a year makes....

Almost every day, Abbie asks me if she can hold Katelynne, even though she is too big and to squirmy. I usually have her sit down and just set Katelynne (for as long as she will stay) right in front of her. One day I was able to capture these cute pics, which reminded me..."what a difference a year makes". Picture taken 7-31-2006
Same girls pic taken 8-9-2007
My silly girlies

Saying good bye to daddy

One of the highlights of the girls' days is to say good bye

to daddy when he leaves in the morning and then WARMLY

welcome him home each evening. As Abbie would tell you,

"he is gone from breaksast to dinner."

They LOVE this aspect of his new job.Standing to say bye to Daddy
"Bye Daddy, we love you "
"See you later"

At the Park with Jen and Gordon

The last weekend in July, we attempted to go blueberry picking with Jen and Gordon, but the blueberries in New Bern (which is halfway between our house and theirs) were all picked (they weren't in Greenville though), so we went to the park by the river and let the girls run...Here are pics from our fun with Jen and Gordon...(on a side note the bear is the New Bern mascot)Abbie "riding" the bearKatelynne giving the bear "pat, pats"Uncle Gordon and Katelynne riding away...

While Abbie and Auntie Jen do the same

Welcome Jonathan Alder Manwaring

We have also welcomed a new cousin/nephew!!! Jonathan Alder Manwaring was born on Fri., July 27, 2007 at 7:47 AM to my sister, Rachael and her husband, Mark...Here are some pics of baby Jon

My Messy Eater

As I was looking through the pictures of the past few weeks, there seemed to be a recurring theme...Katelynne, the messy eater. Now for those of you who know Abbie will know that she doesn't like to be messy and when she is, promptly asks to be clean...for example breakfast is often halted in the morning because she has dripped milk on her pjs...Katelynne is the OPPOSITE as you will see in the following examples...Exhibit A: Abbie eating the same meak as

Katelynne is in the last 2 photos...

notice how CLEAN she is...Katelynne after enjoying a meal...

I think she must think food is absorbed

through the pores of ones skinMy double fisted eaterI LOVE to be messy

Now, let me rub some on my neck...

I wouldn't want that to be CLEAN!!!!

Outdoor Adventures

Sorry it has been so long since I have posted on here...

I have been reminded by two different people this week

that I really needed to update...so here it goes.

Not much has been going on really, we have had

unbearably hot weather (which sometimes makes me

wonder why we live in NC, but then the mild temps in Feb.

remind me), Ed has been enjoying his new job

(although trying to figure out how to make a

budgetless business profitable is challenging at times),

I am now working part time at Sylvan, and

the kids are as busy as ever...

Here are some more recent pics of their outdoor play... My baby loves the slide
But not the pool so much
This is about as far as she will go

"But Mom, it's cold!!!"
" But I still like it"
Up she goes
And then down she goes...WHEE
See, I even sit in it...

NO MO BO

After we got back from the beach on Saturday,

I had planned a small NO MO BO celebration

with some of our church friends for Ed.

It was really just to celebrate the fact that God had

(yet again) provided and to give HIM glory...NO MO BO cupcakes (made by our friend, Melonie Alligood)

the funny thing was that we had not talked about that being our

"theme" but it was the same thing I put on the sign !!!

Abbie, Maddie, Clair and Caleb enjoying cupcakes

Kate enjoying her cupcake and her bottle

(notice the frosting on the bottom)

Beachin' babes

On Saturday, we headed east to go to the beach and see Uncle Gordon and Auntie Jen's new apartment. They live only about 10 minutes from the beach!!! It surprised me how differently Katelynne reacted to this than when we were in Fla... she didn't seem to mind it at all. Loungin' before getting into the ocean
WHEE!!!
In the midst of the wave...JUMP
Abbie with Uncle Gordon and Auntie Jen
Kate splashing with Daddy

Playmobil...the glorified toy store

Before we headed south, I had looked on the internet for

some fun things to do with the girls in case of

1)rain and/or 2) they did not love the water/sand.

Well, what I found was a "playmobil fun park",

which is basically a toy store with a separate area

for kids to play with the toys...a pretty good idea on their part, if you ask me...

We went for a couple hours one afternoon,

and the girls had a great time!!! It was well worth

the $.94 (w/tax 1.00) it cost to get in... Abbie and Auntie Bethany playing in the castle area...
Queen Katelynne
Queen Abbie
The queens with their Auntie Bethany in their chariot
Abbie with her friends, Noah and Mrs. Noah

Fla. continued...the beach, the fourth and the ocean

The weather was not completely cooperative while we were there,

so going to the beach was kind of hit and miss.

We went down one night to collect shells, etc.,

only to be told that there was a tornado watch/

severe thunderstorm warning and they were closing the park

(it has the best shells according to Mom).

We did get to go to Auntie Joan's one morning for a couple hours...

Katelynne did not like it much and Abbie was ok

as long as she had the death grip on someone.

We went to Auntie Joan's for a 4th party for dinner on the 4th,

and the rest of the day was spent hanging out, going to the pool, etc.

While at Auntie's we saw these HUGE schools of fish swimming by.

We also saw some dolphins...Is this a good shell, Mommy???
Happy 4th, everyone!!!
Abbie with Auntie Joan in the ocean
Maybe I can do this by myself...
Mommy won't let me!!!

Florida---the intercoastal

Well, the girls and I have been home from Fla. for a week now

and I am only getting these pics up for all to see.

We had a good week down in Fla. with my mom and dad and sisters

(different ones at different times). My aunt and cousin's kids

that I have not seen in a long time were there as well.

My parents' condo is actually on the intracoastal...

these were taken right out their back door (practically).Abbie and her Grandad walking in the intracoastalAbbie sporting her new Dora bathing suitKatelynne clapping (you notice she is NOT in the water)

my cute baby on the shore...

she was not thrilled with the water,

except if we would let her go ALONE