August 2016 in pictures :)

first day of school - 3rd and 1st grades

 bestest friends!

some mommy-and-me fun in the kitchen

chocolate chip cake for our friends, the Allens, and their new baby :)

 Sweet friends and neighbors - Mari and Chloe

Umbrellas for the sun on an afternoon walk

 Monday, 8.8.16 - the Georgia Aquarium with Erin, Grant, and Grace

We had so much fun!!

Cheeky girls' night with the old MLC crew!

Angela, Anna, Alicia, me, Christa, Laura

Laura [a photographer!] put together these pictures.  Out last whole-group GNO was in 2011!

8.11.16 - Chloe and I had a playdate at Crayon Panda in Acworth with Hannah and the Chois!  

Awesome place, one of David's aunts owns it.  Highly recommend it

Brad Paisley!  Verizon amphitheater in Alpharetta

my first niece!  So honored to meet Miss Emily Grace

She was born on 8.1.16 - 29 weeks, 2lbs

8.13.16 - Aunt Lolly's baby shower

Monday 8.15.16

First day of 4day 4s! 

enjoying our Mommy & Chloe time

we love to stop and swing on the way home from preschool

LOVE THESE TWO!!!

Abby used some of her saved up birthday money to buy unicorn pajamas!

Morgan, Leyton, and Chloe on an after-preschool swim playdate.  

We spent lots of afternoons swimming at the Brandons' pool this summer :)

these sweet sisters are the bestest of friends, I love it.  They call each other "best sisters" :)

Alice spent the afternoon with us, so much fun!  

The girls rode bikes and went on a wagon ride and ate popsicles and all sorts of exciting things.

I really loved finding a notebook that Abby had been coloring in all summer!  

Lots of precious drawings

Chloe's 4th birthday! 8.7.16

 our baby is four!!

celebrating with cousins!!  Saturday, August 6th

 birthday dinner, the birthday girl requested hot dogs and noodles

  Mari and her family joined us for dessert -- cookies and ice cream, yumm!

Sunday morning brunch at IHOP on Chloe's actual birthday, she wasn't overly happy about the day though and wouldn't pose for a picture and cried when they sang to her.  I really think she was just exhausted and overwhelmed!

These two are only two days apart [and a couple of years :)]

an afternoon rain storm, what a great birthday surprise!  

Esp when you've just received new boots and a rain jacket!

Monday afternoon birthday playdate at the playground

 Chloe's bestest big kid buds ::

Grant Lewis, Max Lewis, Abs, Jackson Allen, Caden Stone, Seth Conley

Dilly Conley, Grace Lewis, Cooper Allen, Ryan, Chlo, Lyla Stone

coolest cake ever compliments of Ms. Alyson!

 the birthday that keeps on going!  Tuesday morning at Waffle House!

All the cool kids love, and request, Waffle House for their birthdays

 bestest preschool buds ::

Landen Adams, Chloe, Couper West, and Alice Meldrum

Rhode Island road trip - July 2016

Tuesday, July 12

First stop on our roadtrip : lunch with Auntie Sarah at Panera in Greenville, SC

Wednesday evening, 7.13 - Cousin Teri's house in Lansdale PA!

the coolest playground ever, with Teri and Hayley

 Thursday, July 14 - Seuss gardens in Springfield MA  ::  silly fun, stacking ourselves like the turtles!

selfie with Sam-I-Am

Thursday dinner at Friendly's in South Hadley with Aunt Betty and cousin Ricky!

After dinner we went back to Aunt Betty's and had a blast visiting and playing Mexican Train

while waiting for Coleson's arrival at the Hartford airport

 Friday, July 15

we've reunited with Daddy for a long weekend at Uncle Rick and Auntie Cheryl's in Rhode Island!

morning paint class with Auntie Cheryl

She's a great artist and a great teacher, so much fun

 everyone loves sailing with Uncle Rick!  and kayaking!  

always a good time on the pond

 watching Uncle Rick in a sailing contest

 Watch Hill - Chloe's first time on the carousel 

we clean up good!  all ready for our dinners

Uncle Rick and Auntie Cheryl [and Aunt Betty who met them there]

took the kids to dinner at the Weekapaug Golf Club

and we went on a date!

We had a great dinner at Maria's Seaside Café followed by a stroll on Misquamicut Beach

Thank you, thank you to Cheryl, Rick, and Betty, y'all are awesome :)

Secret Life of Pets in 3d -- unfortunately, we weren't actually overly huge fans of the movie,

which was a bummer, it looked like it was going to be so cute!  But I do love this picture :)

and then dinner at The Andrea

it was kids' night!  they decorated crowns and got tattoos as well

 Tuesday - we drove to the Gaylord in DC to drop Coleson off for his annual conference

Amazing hotel!!

We had a lot of fun wandering around and exploring while Daddy did work stuff and socializing.

and then we rode the glass elevator up and down, four times, we're that cool.

we also did the escalators a bunch

We met back up with Daddy and went out to the National Harbor for Ben & Jerry's from a silver airstream camper

Maybe it's because I live out in the country, but I think food trucks are just about the coolest things

the evening laser/ lights/ water/ music show at the Gaylord, so much fun!!

"jump, jump, jump!"

Mommy got quite a workout dancing to the music with Chloe in my arms :)

[and then we left Daddy in DC and I drove home 11+ hours on Wednesday. Exhausting!  But worth it for a great trip!!]