Wordless Wednesday

-not quite wordless but Less Words for sure-

Monopoly

(Tyler ended up winning...big time)

World Thinking Day

Today was World Thinking Day for the Girl Scout Troops in our area. 

(from the Girl Scout website)

"Each year [on] World Thinking Day, girls participate in activities and projects with global themes to honor their sister Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in other countries. World Thinking Day not only gives girls a chance to celebrate international friendships, but is also a reminder that Girl Scouts of the USA is part of a global community—one of nearly 150 countries with Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. "

Each troop in the area was given a country to learn about.  The troops were assigned the task of creating a booth to provide information about their country.

Lauren's country was Japan and her troop learned how to make origami birds and they also made some RICE (Krispie) SUSHI to sell to the other troops (for a dime each as a fundraiser for a local charity.)

After opening ceremonies the girls walked around from booth to booth learning about many different countries.  They even had passports to be stamped at each booth.  It was a pretty cool and extremely informative event.

After the closing ceremonies we gathered up Lauren's troop for some group pictures.  

Lauren is in the Brownie Vest

 the whole troop

the obligatory GOOFY picture

and in other daily news:

Happy 6th Birthday Tyler!

Be on the lookout for the commemorative 6th birthday post in the near future.

(after we finish all the birthday celebrations!)

Tooth Number Two

Tooth Number Two is a Goner!

On the last day of Tyler's 5th year of life he asked me if I would pull his tooth out.

I barely touched the thing and out it sprang.

The New Smile

(minus the two bottom teeth)

Eight is Great!

Has it really been Eight Years since I met my baby girl?!

minutes old   ----------   hours old

(check out the huge newborn diaper)

It's hard work being born 4 weeks early.

I obviously haven't aged at all but my sweet, talented, likes to be independent, beautiful, Eight-Year-Old girl sure has.

The birthday girl thoroughly enjoyed a week long celebration of her Eighth Year.

American Girl Store trip

Lucky for her Grammy and GG were here when we went to the American Girl store in Atlanta.  I'm pretty sure we alone kept the store in the black that day.  She brought her dolls and they both had their hair done at the "salon."

ACC Title Game

The next day (L's actual birthday) we went to the ACC title game and got to see FSU play (and unfortunately beat) UNC.

Momma and Lauren

She's one excited girl...

who's really glad she brought her DS to get her through 2/3rds of the game.

Birthday Day Celebrations

first car ride as an 8-year-old and without her booster seat, opening presents, playing with presents (new AG curler set & chair),  and posing with Emma

Birthday Day Celebrations continued

Cake!!, being silly with GG, the both of them finally listening to me when I said I wanted a good picture.

The Birthday Party!

-at the skating rink-

"M," Matt, and "R" speed skating and "Rh" skating by herself   

ready for pizza and cake, finally got a picture of Tyler

my favorite part of the party was when they announced the RACES!

Lauren who is only a 3rd time and extremely timid skater declared she wanted to RACE

and RACE she did.

(She came in 2nd to last but I was overjoyed that she put herself out there and tried her best.)

This girl is going to do great things.

Happy 8th Birthday to our sweet Lauren.

You are loved beyond measure.

the Florida Keys

We've lived in Georgia for 6 1/2 years now and have not visited Miami nor the Florida Keys.  (the shame!)  We finally had the chance to go thanks to our friends, Jasen and Christy, who tied the knot on Marathon Key the first weekend of March.  (Also, big thanks to Grammy and GG who came all the way from Oregon to watch the kids for us!)

the weather, the beach...everything was perfect

Congratulations Jasen and Christy!

We stayed at the beautiful Coral Lagoon Resort in the cottage below.

the view from our front porch

We could have brought our yacht if we'd thought of it.  ;)

coconut palms everywhere

The two story, 3-bedroom, 2-bath cottage was much to big for just Matt and I so we shared it with Matt's since-childhood best-friend, Brad (of Brad's Car Tunes) and his family...Ashlie and 6-month-old baby Truxton.

Truxton and Ashlie

how adorable are they?!

It was such a relaxing vacation!  Although I missed the kids (big time) I think it's important for Matt and I to get away alone as a couple every now and then.  (Have I thanked my Mom and Grandma yet?!)

We enjoyed sleeping in, relaxing days, and Beautiful Sunsets

(Marathon Beach, Florida)

We also took a day to explore the famous Key West.

(we waited in a 15 minute line to take this picture!)

With drink in hand we walked along Duval Street from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.

Sunset and Dinner at Mallory Square, Key West.

 I loved the lazy, slow-paced Keys time and I can't wait to go back.

(Next time, however, we will fly straight into Marathon Key or Key West.  This time I opted to fly into Ft. Lauderdale so I could enjoy the drive through all of the Keys but hOLY COW! that was a Long Drive!)

Before we flew home we spent one day in Miami Beach.

We stayed at the Daddy O Hotel.

quite small after our 3 bedroom cottage but charming enough

We also made time for some Miami Beach.

It was windy and a bit chilly (probably in the 70s) but you can't go to Miami Beach and not actually visit the beach.

You honestly can't do Miami/Miami Beach justice in just one day and man oh man I loved the relaxing days on the Florida Keys.  Right here and right now I declare:  We'll Be Back!

So Long Baby Tooth #1

Guess who lost his first tooth on March 2, 2012?

That would be this excited cutie.

It seems just like yesterday when said cutie first started growing his baby teeth.

(5 years, 4 months and 29 days ago)

Luckily, the Tooth Fairy still delivered the traditional 1st tooth "present" despite Mom and Dad vacationing in the Florida Keys.

I'm off to find the super glue because I'm not ready for my baby to lose any more teeth.

MARCHing On

Even though I haven't blogged in a while (since February) time has been MARCHing on and I sure have some catching up to do.
We have been beyond busy this month with:
1.  Grammy and GG's visit (my Mom and my Grandma Anna,)
2.  a no kids Vacation to the Florida Keys (thanks to Grammy and GG)
3.  and my Baby Girl turning 8 Years Old!!!

I have some catching up to do but in the meantime check out the placemats L and T made thanks to my new Scotch Thermal Laminator which I scored for a ridiculously low price.  Also, check out Tyler's smile in the Four Generation picture below.  I told him I would laminate his inappropriate placemat only if he smiled for the picture.  (bribery rocks!)

Lauren loves Hot Chocolate

(such a sweet and pretty picture to laminate)

Tyler wants to let everyone know

"Do not stick your Butt in magma"

(B-u-t-t is the only word he knows how to spell without help.)

go figure

 Four Generations

clockwise:  Grammy, Me, GG, Tyler (with the victorious smile,) and Lauren

out takes are also fun, right?)

Grammy and GG flew back to Oregon today so I better start MARCHing on with these over due blog posts.