Fun with Family!

Landree is really into who is our family these days.  She’ll say Grandma is my family, Mia, Popee and Zoe (their dog) are my family, Maggie is my family, Aunt Megan is my family, etc.  And she’s been so excited that ‘our family’ Grandma and Maggie were coming to visit.  They got here on Wednesday evening and we’ve had so much fun hanging out the past few days.  We actually headed to the beach on Thursday morning and stayed at a fabulous beach house that belongs to a family in our church until yesterday.  I had lofty goals to get beautiful beach pictures of the kids, but we were having too much fun playing in the sand, napping (Hudson at least), and hanging out.  Plus I know that Stacey will be taking our beach pictures next month so I wasn’t really feeling too much pressure.  

On Thursday evening we decided to walk around and check out all that the area had to offer.  The place we were staying had places for campers to set up and tons of beach houses along with 2 playgrounds, a pool, kids splash park, grocery store, eating places, an ice cream shop, skateboard park, mini golf, laundry mat, and more.  It was such a neat place we’d love to try and go again.  We took little beach walk and stopped for ice cream.

This was Hudson’s first time to see the ocean!  Looks less than impressed, huh?

 

Landree on the other hand has been to the beach several times, but seemed to really enjoy it the most this trip!

She kept laughing and saying the sand tickled her toes and she stopped to pick up every shell she passed!

Then she proceeded to lay down and make a sand angel. 

Enjoying our ice cream:

 

Grandma picked up a new pair or shades for Hudson, which he thought were…tasty :)  

It was a little too cold to actually swim in the ocean, but this girl had the best time building sand castles with her Aunt Maggie, Grandma, and Daddy in the sand.  Everyone headed down to the beach on Friday morning while Hudson and I stayed behind at the beach house while he napped.  I made us a hot dog lunch to eat on the beach when Hudson woke up and then we all played a little longer before heading to the pool.  Grandma, Hudson and I mainly hung out in the shade while Landree, Daddy and Maggie swam in the freezing pool and then soaked up the sun (with lots of SPF for my very pale girl). 

  

We had a lot of fun cooking at the house and just hanging out.  Saturday morning was a little gloomy out.   We were going to try and go play at the playground, but when it ended up sprinkling so we just drove around on the golf cart before heading home. 

Today Jeff preached at church and we headed to lunch, Lowe’s (to get a new grill) and the grocery store.  I made the Pioneer Woman’s pizza crust and tonight we made tomato pesto pizza and this caramelized onion and prosciutto pizza.  Oh. My. Word!  It was yum!  Try it soon!  You’ll be so glad you did! 

Grandma and Maggie will be here until Tuesday morning so we have a little bit more time to spend with them. :)  I still have Easter pictures to post!  I hope to catch up soon!

Sleigh Bells Ring…Do you hear crying?

Tonight, after the Gray’s extended family Christmas gathering, Jeff’s mom, sisters, and our little family headed into Greenville to look at the Christmas lights on Park street by carriage. Most everyone had a really great time :) Hudson was getting hungry and he cried until he fell asleep. Luckily, the other family in the carriage with us had a 2 month old little girl and they were used to a crying baby. He did great until he got hungry.

Landree jumped right up into this Santa’s lap and just started chatting it up with him. I think he offered to hold her because she was cold. The piece of candy he gave her didn’t hurt either. I’m not sure what all they talked about, but was sure giggling when she talked to him. Maybe she’s excited that Mia he is going to be getting her drums after all.

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And my baby man before he got upset. Isn’t this little hat cute? Grandma got it for him at Children’s Place-it even has matching socks.

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This will definitely be on the list for future traditions. It’s in town, fun, benefits a good cause, and hot chocolate and cookies were only fifty cents each!

Anniversary weekend

Tomorrow is our 6 year anniversary. I can't believe we have been married that long! The time has flown. God has blessed me so much with a wonderful husband, helper, and friend. He makes me laugh all the time (mostly at him), and we always have such a great time together. Jeff is the most wonderful dad!

Friday night we went across town and stayed the night in a hotel thanks to our friends the Woodham's. They booked it for us! Who does that? (The Woodham's do!) Thank ya'll so much! We had a wonderful time! Landree stayed at Pastor Bill and Jennifer's house. After we dropped her off we went to dinner at Bonefish-YUM! Then we went to the movie. We watched 88 Minutes it was exciting, a little scary, and really good. Jeff loves movies and we used to go a lot, but since Landree was born it's been much less often with more time in between. We went back to the hotel and watched a movie, went to bed way too late, and slept in until 8:45!!! It's been at least 19 months since that has happened.

After we got ready this morning we went to lunch, and then ran a few errands and went to get new cell phones. Mine was DEAD-courtesy of Landree. Needless to say this new phone has insurance coverage. We had such a great time just hanging out and running around together. After we picked Landree up from the Howard's (who she had a fabulous time with!-thanks!) we went to get ice cream at Coldstone (hey, it's our anniversary, right?) and then we stopped by the Brewer's for a quick minute to see Jennifer's mom who is in town. A minute turned into the afternoon and we stayed for dinner.

Landree loves playing and getting dirty with the boy who does it best: Cooper. She fell and busted her lip so Jennifer suggested a popsicle to help with the swelling. Landree loved it! She's never had a popsicle before. I got so many cute pictures of them eating their popsicles-Cooper had to have one too.

Yesterday my friend Traci and I went to the musical Wicked in Charlotte. Her two sister in laws and best friend came too (I actually went with them). It was FABULOUS! We actually planned this last October. We were so lucky we even got a chance to go. The tickets never went on sale to the public. If you bought tickets to 3 of the musicals coming to Charlotte you could pre-purchase the Wicked tickets. They sold out before they even went on sale! I loved it! Wicked is the story before the Wizard of Oz. I grew up watching the Wizard of Oz when it would come on TV. My Nanny and I always watched it. I can't say enough about how wonderful the show was! If you ever have the opportunity to see it you should! We finished the evening with dinner at Cheesecake Factory! YUM! Can't get much better than that. Here's a picture to commemorate the day.

I've been tagged...

Traci and Denise tagged me to list 10 little know facts about me. I talk a lot...to say the least and I'm pretty open so most everyone knows all of these things, but here we go...

1. I graduated college in three years.

2. I have had jobs in several different 'fields' all for a long time considering my age. I worked retail at Bath and Body Works (during college and was a manager after college graduation) for 41/2 years (total). I worked at Bank United now Washington Mutual for 4 years as a personal banker and teller. And a few other jobs in here...I was a substitute teacher in college. I worked at a bank when we first moved to SC and I worked in undergrad admissions at CIU for 1 1/2. I have worked at our church now for a little over 4 years...how old do you think I am? I actually worked at BBW and the bank at the same time when I was in college. I'm much younger than you think.

3. I'm a Target junkie (hence several of the purchases listed in the last post)...I could go everyday. I try to restrain myself and only go every few days.

4. I'm originally from TEXAS-I know this is a huge surprise to most of you!

5. My first job was working at a candle shop. It was so fun! I made gift baskets, candles, and deliveries. I loved it!

6. I'm an only child.

7. I have two best friends (Megan & Shauna) that I've known since birth and 4th grade! We still talk several times a week. How many people can say that? I love those girls! When we get together we still all sleep in the same bed...it sounds weird when I type it, but girls, you understand. We are all grown, married, and I have a baby, but it's still fun to have a slumber party!

8. I was in the Miss Texas USA pageant twice. I won Miss Congeniality.

9. I almost always know someone on reality TV...most of them I know from the pageant. I've known someone on Survivor, Amazing Race (2 girls on separate teams-they actually knew each other and they were on the same season, but they didn't tell you that on the show. One team they said was from Texas and one from LA, but she was from Texas), The Bachelor, and America's Next Top Model (she was actually in our youth group here in SC).

10. I walked 60 miles (over 3 days) last October for breast cancer. I am walking again this year with my friends Megan, Shauna and my sister in law Maggie. I think I have permanent nerve damage in my feel (don't read this girls) but it's totally worth it! It was an experience of a lifetime.

Ok, I'm tagging Jennifer E. I think everyone else has been tagged :)

And a bonus: I have ton of friends named Jennifer. My sister in law and I have the same name! And my friend Jennifer E. and I had the same name before we both got married.