Fun with Friends!

Once again I have let too much time go by between posts!  These are some pictures from playgroup a few weeks ago at our house an of the library last week.  Enjoy! 

Anna Cate and Ian sharing a cup of tea.  CHEESE!

Anna Cate and Bella reading a book.  It was so sweet to see them playing together.  This was the first time that I've seen her interacting one on one with another friend.  Usually, she just parallel plays beside her friends or the children in the nursery at church, but on this morning, she and Bella would find a toy or book and actually share it together!  So sweet!!!

Everyone enjoying AC's playhouse! :)

Dress up day at the library!  Anna Cate went as a Clemson cheerleader.  Go Tigers!

Not sure what to think of the parachute.  What a serious little face. 

 The librarians had a special treat this week...a puppet show!! What fun!

Waiting in line to get her hand stamped. ;)

Where Do I Begin...?

It has been so long since I've posted, I don't even know where to begin to bring the blog up to date on all that we've been up to!  Hope you'll enjoy some of the pictures we've taken over the past several weeks. 

Swinging with Daddy after he got home from work (notice the radio in Will's hand...always mutli-tasking.  Talking with his workers on the radio while pushing Anna Cate in the swing)

Silar found a big stick one afternoon while we were playing in the yard.  Next thing I know...

Anna Cate had to go find one too!! 

We can't walk up or down our steps without stopping each time to greet our pumpkin and smell our mums. ;)  

Anna Cate and I were working in my sewing room the other day and she found this empty tupperware container, took off the the lid by herself and crawled in.  I looked up from my sewing machine to find her giggling with Benny.  Silly girl! 

Brushing her teeth after her bath. 

Last night it was "cold enough" for a fire (apparently at our house, it is cold enough for a fire when it is 63 degrees outside!) So we celebrated with a fireside pizza picnic in the den! Hooray that cooler weather is finally here!

And this post would not be complete if I did not mention Anna Cate's playhouse.  Just look at the JOY on this little face!  "Boula" (what AC calls my dad) made her this house from a box he had in the shop.  She LOVES it and much to my chagrin, we now have a huge cardboard BOX in our house.  However, she gets so much enjoyment our of playing inside that I guess it will just stay in her playroom until she is too big for it.  

She loves to run inside and have someone come knock on her door.  Then, she opens the door to see who it is, squeals with delight, and quickly shuts the door in her visitor's face.  It is the most requested game played in our home right now.  All day long, she will say "knock knock" and sign "Please" and then run as fast as she can to get in her house before you can get there.  

Weekend Pics

We had planned on taking a trip up to Clemson this weekend for the Maryland game, but Anna Cate started getting a cold on Thursday.  Instead, she and Will enjoyed a lazy weekend on the couch watching football and some Planet Earth DVDs, while I was able to get a lot of painting done. 

Typically, we do not allow her to watch TV.  However, she was so fussy and irritable from her cold, that all she wanted to do was lounge around, so we allowed her the privilege of TV this weekend and she was LOVING IT!  

Helping me unload the groceries on Saturday morning. 

Without me even having to ask, she came into the kitchen and started unloading a bag all by herself into the pantry.  It was so sweet  I had to take a picture. Note which shelves she can reach...I love the shampoo on the same shelve as the bread! ;)

Where is Anna Cate?

(Her latest thing...hiding in closets and cabinets.  I can't believe how patiently and quietly she waits for me to realize she is missing.)

  

There she is!!!

Mini Vacation

Will and I went to Asheville this past weekend for a little "mini" vacation for just the two of us.  We realized we haven't gone anywhere alone since our honeymoon to St. Lucia 4 years ago!!   

We found this adorable little cabin in Asheville about 5 minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway, took our own food so we could grill out, and just enjoyed the cool weather and being in the mountains.  (If anybody is interested in a mountain trip too, we loved our cabin and highly recommend it to others!  It was a great deal for the money, was very private and clean (and BIG plus for me!) and our favorite part was the back deck with a grill and hot tub.)  

On Saturday, we rode the parkway up to Graveyard Fields and hiked down the trail to the waterfall.  We found a big rock in the middle of the water and just laid there watching the clouds drift by for about an hour.  I could have stayed there all day if Will would have let me, but he was anxious to keep driving to find some of the trails he had hiked in college.   It really made me homesick for Clemson, when the mountains were only a 30 minute ride away and we had no responsibilities and could just pick up and go exploring for the afternoon.    

Our cabin (by far the nicest "cabin" I've ever stayed in!) :)

Our view from our rock at the waterfall

Shining Rock

Crazy Bag Lady

Yesterday, Anna Cate and I were going through her smaller clothes to see what we could find for her friend Mason to wear this winter.  She found this hat and sweater and wanted to put them on.  I obliged and helped her with the sweater, but the hat she put on with no problem by herself. ;) I let her walk around with them on for a few minutes, and then asked her if she was ready to take them off and put them back into the bag, but she shook her head and continued to wear them for the rest of the afternoon, even on our afternoon walk down our street.  You wouldn't believe some of the looks I got from people driving by in their cars.  Yes, I was slightly embarrassed, but it was too funny not to just laugh out loud at the absurdity of her emsemble.  

Anytime somebody would try and help her take them off, she would shake her head "no."  When Will got home, he took one look at her and dubbed her the "Crazy Bag Lady." Maybe we don't have to worry about finding a Halloween costume this year! 

Busy Little Bee

Coloring Grandparent's Day cards

Helping mama cook calzones for dinner...yum yum!

Anna Cate had several friends over for a playdate the other day.  She enjoyed sharing her toys and had fun playing with them at her house.  No really...she did!! :)  This picture was taken right before everybody left and I think she was ready for lunch and a long nap.  I hope they will want to come over to play again!    (You have to blow up this picture to get the full effect of her expression! I know it shouldn't be funny, but I think this picture is hilarious.  Look at how Mason is just watching like "what is wrong with this girl?"  and poor Jackson is trying to console her.  He kept trying to hug her to make her stop crying.  Needless to say, she was unconsolable. ) 

New Endeavor

Because I don't have enough to do already and my days aren't already busy enough as it is...I've created another blog to channel all of my creative energy into.  I've long needed a place to journal and document all of the ideas I get throughout the year for birthday and Christmas presents, as well as document all of the projects I'm working on, and now I'll finally have one spot to organize all of my projects.  I also hope to inspire others to create so I'll be hosting a craft giveaway once a week (at least that is my goal!)

So hop on over to check it out!  www.craftylittlechick.blogspot.com

**I plan on keeping this blog strictly about our family and will be better about posting to keep everybody updated as to what we are up to!  I may just start posting pictures here because it seems I also have photos to share, but can't think of anything to write, so I end up doing nothing.  This may just become a photo blog for awhile.  We'll see.