Memorial Day Weekend!

So much fun for our family to spend several days swimming and playing with family and friends. We missed Claire Bear throughout the weekend, as she is spending the week with her best friends in Orlando. She calls us at night to re-cap the day and always seems to be on such a "happy high"....I am thrilled for her to have the opportunity.


Here are some pics from the weekend. 

First day of "summer break" going swimming...OF COURSE!

Picnics at the pool are the best!

Snuggle time...Ellie and Sam!

Patio playtime after naps. This is one of my favorite past times at our new house. Our patio is consumed with shade and there is a fan, so it doesn't get terribly hot. I love lounging out there watching them play. Ellie making ABC Daddy book, John David playing doll house (haha) and Jenna doing leaf rubbings. James was role playing Willie Wonka with his "magic wand" (aka sword)..

Afternoon swim in our neighborhood, our first annual Cove pool party...Yes, my kids swam twice in one day....and STILL whined about getting out once it was DARK!

Pizza dinner at the Cove Pool Party. 

Love this picture taking spot. Will have to do this each year at the annual Cove Pool Party!

Tough Mudder Run....BEFORE THE MUD!

AFTER running through mud, up and down mountainous terrain, through bamboo forest, climbing over haystacks, etc.....an obstacle course through MUD is just a fun, loving activity for couples to complete together....and yes, I beat him to the finish...hahah! I love him! 

My BFF running as well. She did AWESOME!

AND OF COURSE......swimming after the MUD run....

Uncle Phillip and Ellie

Poor Jenna Kat, smashed her finger in the pool gate...needed some rest time to recover! 50%pain, 50%drama!

POPSICLES!

LOVE THIS CRAZY GIRL!

Baking cupcakes at 10pm is just mandatory on the  first weekend of summer!

YEP, you guessed it....next day we took the kids to  another, SWIM PARTY!

These girls have been friends since birth. This is sweet Emma. Her mom is Delina Stearns, the  precious young mom I asked you guys to pray for when she was diagnosed with colon cancer last year....Ellie and Emma started daycare together when they were 2 years old. We have been close friends with their family for years. And we are SO thankful Delina is doing great. All clear scans and is healing wonderfully. PRAISE GOD!

Best friends for a looong time now. Started back in high school....Thankful to have them to "do life with"....Memorial Day tradition is swimming together at Christopher's parent house....for 7 years now!

Love her blue eyes...she is such my  passionate, determined, dramatic, sweet princess!

#cooldudes

Saying Good Bye to OM....S-U-M-M-E-R is here!

Well, another school year has come and gone....only difference this summer, is officially saying good bye to our Oak Mt. schools and the friends we have journeyed through life with the past 9 years. There is definitely some sadness in seeing this chapter of my life come to an end, but there is an abundance of joy and happiness in what God has planned for our future. I have a complete peace and heart "full" of joy as we have made our move. Life is about sharing Christ with others and leading others to salvation in Him, so moving forward into new schools, neighborhood,and community gives us more friends and folks to to hopefully do just that!

5th Grade Recognition Reception--So proud of her many academic and athletic accomplishments, but even prouder of the selfless love and sincere compassion she lives her life with!

Last Day at OMES...Krispy Kreme was just a perfect way to say good bye to Mrs. Dye and Mrs. Grant- two amazing teachers that have contributed to the excellence of Ellie Pate:-)

Oh how I will miss these girls. Claire and her best friends Leah and Mallory. We would  gather in my classroom each morning before school began to talk and pray. They helped me with First Priority on Thursday mornings. I am so grateful for their influence in my daughter's life. Servant's heart, selflessness, charismatic, and all around joyful personalities...

Our last time to hang out at my desk. She has  been  a beautiful part of my "classroom" mornings since she was 4 years old....the memories of the  mornings and evenings with her in my classroom are beyond precious to me.  I will always remember....

S-U-M-M-E-R.....First pic of our summer! 

Jenna and James and John David - last pic in Mrs. Joan's front yard! 

Joan Brock with Jenna and Cannon. These two kiddos have been in  home school together since 4 months old. Jenna doesn't know what school days are with out Cannon Russel! She will miss him so much. Joan Brock has made a huge difference in the lives of my three lil ones. She has loved them, nurtured them and taught them well. Yet again, another added blessing and "gift" God has given our family through Joan Brock and her home school. 

Surprise...you are going to Orlando with your best friends!!! We secretly planned  to send  Claire with her two best friends to Orlando. They had no clue until we met up with her friends to "go eat lunch" and told them they could grab some lunch on the way to ....ORLANDO! Had there bags packed and ready to go---it was an awesome moment for them. 

Galleria with Ellie...her absolute favorite  past time with just Mommy! Precious memories with her over the years doing this. 

DIVA!