American Girl with Mimi

Our second day in Texas, we headed to my mom and Jimmy's house for more adventures. Erica and Austin met us there. We ate yummy brisket, played on the slip-and-slide, had a kickball match, took carrots to the neighbors horses, and played with the dogs.

The next day Mimi met us at our hotel and she and I took the girls downtown the The American Girl store.

They had a few gift cards they had been saving since Christmas. Reagan and Gracyn got their doll's ears pierced and Addison took hers to get her fair fixed. I bought each girl a book and then we headed to the cafe.

I couldn't waste a Texas meal on the cafe, when there was an In-and-Out Burger down the street, so we just had dessert.

Gracyn and Mimi.

Here are the girls posing with Saige in her hot air balloon.

Mimi and her girls.

Texas with Pappy

We spent our first few days in Texas with Pappy. We went out to his new house where the girls delivered TONS of chocolate that we somehow managed to keep cool on the drive down. They played with the dogs and explored Pappy's house. Then, though I have no pictures, most of the Jarvis clan came out and we headed to Babes for the best food in Texas. We seriously eat our way through the state on these trips. Can't get enough of that yummy southern food.

Sunday we spent the morning at Lifetime. Tommy and Austin played basketball and my sister, Dad and I took the girls swimming and to the rock wall.

The girls were so tired every night. 

They loved playing with Pappy's back machine and hanging upside down.

Melissa had a karaoke machine that was a big hit! Probably painful for the neighbors, as I am sure you could hear us for a mile.

Squiggy got some love from the girls.

Road Trip

At the beginning of August, we set our for our last adventure of the summer. We left for 10 days and made the long 16 hour trek to Texas. 

The trip included 16 hours of driving to Texas and back, 46 total hours of driving by the time we drove all around the state and visited everyone, lots of fun time with family and friends, a miserable stomach virus, and 5 different hotel rooms.

When you are driving all day, getting out of the car to wash windows is great fun. This was in Memphis, TN at about 10am, after we had been in the car for around 6 hours. My car was DESTROYED when they got finished with it. A car wash was one of the first stops in Texas.

Reagan's Shopping Day

Every year, at back-to-school time, each girl gets her own special shopping day with me. It is one of my favorite traditions. They pick out a few new outfits, we have lunch and then we do something special. Reagan picked lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings and was intrigued with bowling on the TV the whole time. After lunch and shopping we went for pedicures. She is growing up and I had a blast hanging out with her for the day.

Riding Lessons

Addison's friend Brooke started riding lessons a few months ago and gave Addison a lesson for her birthday. We finally got back-to-back lessons scheduled for the girls and they were in HEAVEN! Could she look any more thrilled? The girl has loved horses since she was old enough to walk and playing with them at Pappy and Miss Debra's. We put off lessons and have been waiting to see if the interest grew. It's clearly not going anywhere...she is hooked. Her first lesson was on a horse named Ripley. It was her first time in an English saddle and she did great. By the end of the lesson she was riding solo and trotting the horse. We have now officially bought the riding clothes and she has her second lesson coming up. The sisters love it too....they loved on horses and played in the dirt the whole time we were out there. Somehow, Addison even talked Reagan into cleaning up after her horse. Only a big sister can convince there younger siblings that being allowed to shovel animal mess is a privilege. 

King's Island

Love our summer days at King's Island. We never get tired of it! On this day, we took our favorite neighborhood 8th graders and we had so much fun! Maddy and Rachel road all the crazy stuff and I didn't have to. This trip was a week prior to the lady falling out of the Texas Giant....a roller coaster I grew up riding! Mama may be a little nervous next time we go. 

4th of July

4th of July was cloudy here with rain ALL DAY! But, we didn't let that stop our fun. We grilled burgers and ate in the shelter of garages and ran around in the rain. We finally got 2 dry hours from about 7:30 to 9:30 and we made the most of it, watching fun fireworks courtesy of the neighborhood teenage boys. We ate too much food, stayed up late and came home tired. PERFECT.

Father's Day

This year, we returned from the beach the evening before Father's Day. Tommy had asked for his gift, that he just have a few hours to hang out with each girl one-on-one. I believe a new tradition has been born in our house. We skipped church, so they would have plenty of time. The girls carefully picked their clothes and made plans for their dates with Daddy. Gracyn went first. They went out to breakfast and then played some games at an arcade. Then, per her request, they came back, locked themselves in her room and played dolls. Next was Addison's turn. They took off to Taco Bell (YUCK!!! They are the only 2 in the house who like it) and then went to play mini-golf and arcade games. They stopped for some special dessert, fried Oreos, on the way home. Finally Reagan got her turn. They went to dinner and had ice-cream then went to the arcade and finished their night playing tennis. Quiet moments alone with one child are a rare treat, so this was the perfect gift. They all enjoyed their days and I'm sure we will be doing it again next year.

Hilton Head From the Phone

Can you see Addison in the blue shirt right in the middle of the picture? That is at Shannon Tanner's annual Crazy Hair Contest. He plays music while the kids dance and do the best they can to destroy their hair. The winner gets a LOAD of prizes from the shops in the harbour. How did my child not win? It took some time getting the mess out of that hair.

One last family picture at the Crab Races.

A rare night dressed up.

After 2 years of waiting, this year Addison was finally old enough to do the 2 hour trail ride around Sea Pines Plantation. Perfect that Miss Debra, her horse riding partner, was there to go for the ride. Addison got a great horse, I got a slow and hungry horse, Addison was thrilled by it all. My buns were sore!

I am a simple girl when it comes to food. Don't care anything about all the island seafood, but I look forward all year to my Zaxby's stops driving there and home. Love me some Zaxby's...looking forward to more when we head to TX next month.

More trail ride....don't mind the order (or lack of) of my pictures.

We found a Jarvis Creek Park on the island. I have seen it every year, but this year I wanted to stop and take a few pictures. It turned out great! There was a playground, a huge walking trail and we had our first alligator sighting of the trip.

This girl can't get enough dessert.

Daddy and his alligator hunters at the park.

Trail Ride

There is that alligator I mentioned, just hanging out at the local park, not bothering anyone.

Deb and Phil on the trail ride.

The little girls got to do pony rides while we were gone.

Reagan's pony.