See Ya Later.....SUMMER!

Visiting Daddy at work...we always enjoy the sweet treats that the ECA office has in their kitchen!


BOys hanging out with Nana while Mommy was in the chiropractor's office getting adjusted...


The boys first visit to Jesse's Place (women and children's homeless center)


We absolutely love taking donations downtown to these sweet ladies. They are always so appreciative. Our girls ask to go all the time. Great life lesson for them too!





We are officially done with summer. I would say that I am sad about that, but truthfully, I am excited to start a knew school year with my family. The kids are ready too I think. Claire secretly told me the other day that she really was ready to return to school and start "normal" days again...hahah, tell me she isn't a reflection of her mother....LOl!~ Ellie has read 5 Magic Tree House books this past week (yes, that is one book per day, and they have about 10 chapters a book...she is def. not 'normal'...but what a smart kiddo!) And even Jenna asked me a few days ago if she could read to me because she needed to show Mrs. Joan her 'smarts'....haha!

We have had the most remarkable summer. Of course it blasted by entirely too fast, but our memories from summer 2011 are rich. Our children have enjoyed vacations and the lazy, sweet days of summer to the fullest. This last week of summer will be devoted to 'getting ready' for school. We have haircuts and tennis shoes on the 'to-do list'. Claire will be in 5th grade (so hard to even believe!!!) Ellie will be in 1st grade, Jenna and the boys will return to Joan Brock's house for another blessed year of learning and playing.

Here a some pictures from the last two weeks of "summer" for the Pate kids!


Swimming, and sharing snack...so sweet!


She is getting way to big...btw!


"I eat my thucker (aka sucker)"...they LOVE suckers!


"I ride my bike"....we hear this at least 10 times a day...he is addicted..seriously!


Princess Jenna with Prince Caspian....these two always ride in the pink Mustang. James always drives and Jenna always rides....too cute!


Dentist!


Mommy's Classroom!


Dressing Up for Mommy's massage!


Walmart!


Painting pictures for our bedrooms!


Lazy summer morning, reading books on the couch...doesn't last long though, because the 'lazy' part only works for about 1 hour..then it is time to GO!


Breakfast....it's just the BEST!


Powedered doughnuts....such a rare thing in our home..but oh such a yummy treat when we do have them:-)


The boys' first big movie and the Rave Movie Theater...they watched Narnia...and they watched the entire movie from start to finish...not kidding. I was shocked...only got up for potty break once. Ate mint Oreos and Cheeto balls!

Beach Week Destin, FL 2011

Absolutely beautiful...I LOVE this picture...reminds me of when I was a little girl in the ocean with my dad!



Ummmm, we did this for about 3 hours every single day for 7 days..






watching their sisters play in the ocean...


Happy Fourth of July!




SURF-N!


Jenna...way in the sky....


How typical is this...girls looking the correct direction and the boys looking the opposite way....turned out kind of cute thought...


The girls....just modeling for mommy...but Jenna is 'all done mommy' taking pictures...hahaha


These girls played in this boat on the waves for HOURS...I sat in a chair and just laughed for HOURS...it was a precious time together...





I asked the boys to stop and look at each other...John David said, "Hey bubby" and James said, "Hey my bubby too"










He walked to the ocean and drug the boat back to his 'sand hole'...











We had a beautiful week together as a family at the beach this year. Nobody wears a diaper, needs to be breastfed, eats baby food, drinks a bottle, travels around in a baby seat....sad in a way but REALLY COOL to have BIG-(er) kids now. I miss the baby days a teensy bit, but I have pictures and videos to remind me of them. For now, we are really thankful our family has 'grown up' a little bit and can now travel to and from place to place with ease....what a minute...haha...did I say, 'ease'....I really meant it is getting 'easier'....definitely NOT with EASE...yet

So the highlights from the trip....
**Ice-cream cones from the nastiest McDonald's I have ever seen...@11pm!
**Sleeping on bunk beds, in closets, on couch pillows, on a fold out couch bed, and IN MOMMY and Daddy's bed!
**Ellie losing her first tooth...while mommy was at the grocery store and daddy was asleep!
**Celebrating Ellie's first 'lost tooth' with double decker oreo chocolate ice-cream cones
**Sitting out on the balcony listening to all the kids sing and 'perform' for Mommy and Daddy after dinner
**Mommy and Daddy running up the 4 flights of stairs outside our condo room at night while all the kids slept..
**Riding go-carts and trains and planes for 4th of July..
**Kids eating Burger King (eckkk) while Mommy and Daddy had crab cakes and blackened grouper from Buster's...
**Pizza by the pool and night swimming..
**Mini ice-cream cartons that each child (and adult) had on the last night...what a treat that was!
**Daddy floating in the ocean with the boys and Jenna for an hour while Mommy and the big girls did 'beach gymnastics'...
**Claire babysitting in the room while during nap time...for the 1st time!
**OUTLET shopping mall across the street from our condo!
**TCBY blueberry cream pie...ooooh yum!
**Daddy playing free golf..Mommy keeping the kids on the beach until 8:30pm playing in the sand, eating Cheetos and drinking grape juice boxes!
*Someone stealing our boat with ALL of our sand toys...and then someone else finding it for us!
**Pool friends from Las Vegas
**Ellie's crab..
**Claire's toe ring...
**The boys' swords...
**The black snake...
**Jenna's 'funky t-shirt'
**Strawberry wine and watermelon...
**Big Kahuna's Water Park on the way home...as a surprise...
**SO many beautiful memories our family enjoyed making together and one day we will look back and laugh at all the special moments we had during this season our family was in...

Very Sad News....

My sweet friend Shelley, pregnant with the mono boys, emailed me yesterday with an update on the boys that brought great sadness to my heart. The boys' cords were so severely tangled that the doctor's decided to take them on June 29th instead of their original planned date of July 3rd. Baby Miller weighed in right at 4lbs and is doing well in the NICU, however, baby Matthew did not make it. Apparently he had an underdeveloped trachea and passed away shortly after birth. I don't really have any more details than that right now.

My heart just breaks for Shelley. I can't imagine the sorrow she is feeling right now. I pray for her often and ask you guys to please remember her throughout your day. They are having a memorial service for Matthew on Friday, July 8.

Our family has been at the beach all week. We are having a great time together as a family. The kids are having a blast. I will update with pictures and stories later. I just wanted to share the latest news I had on the Mono Boys, Miller and Matthew.

Thank you for your sweet prayers for Shelley and her family.