Bruises and Bows: Summer Fun

I was not super about taking pictures for the first couple of weeks, well – honestly I wasn’t quick on the draw with my camera all summer… We had a great time visiting family and I felt that this summer we really had a lot of quality and quantity time with all of our peeps.

Upon arriving in the USA, it didn’t feel eerie like last year’s twilight zone experience… Oddly, I was gone from The States 10 months this time (last time only 5) but it felt much more familiar and less foreign. I also was not as impressed with my old favorites like Target and Walmart as I had remembered…. I had a built-up memory of their glorious-ness, but felt like ‘ehhh’ as I went there… I did miss the convenience of having one place to get everything, but the stores were a mess and they still carried stuff that I remember seeing last year. However, it didn’t keep me from going like 3 times a week though. Winking smile My shopping was mainly to get stuff for Julia’s arrival – which I totally racked up on!

One of our first outings was to my sister in laws house to play with Alivia… Audrey couldn’t wait to give her a bottle! She is going to be such a great big sister. Unfortunately, this was one of the very few days we actually got her to fix her hair! My little free spirited red-head likes to have her hair down, loves the most tacky clothes she can find and flip flops on her feet… Being that we were on ‘vacation’ and I’m pregnant/tired, most days I just didn’t fight the battle. I’ll save my energy for the school year.

Next up was our first full family day – everyone was there (including my sister’s BF I hadn’t met) – at the river… Here is a picture of our family minus Charles.

Here is the cute couple Smile

My little munchkins below enjoying some river time! :

Audrey just loved being on the water and even wanted to go on the tube by herself! Check out my parent’s camp in the background!

Me on the paddle board thingy – some people call it “Yolo?” anyway – super relaxing and peaceful activity.. If I weren’t pregnant and if it hadn’t rained practically the whole dang summer, I would have done more of this.

The kids enjoyed it so much too!

Here is a boat outing when we got caught in the rain:

It rained, and rained and RAINED… this summer… I mean oh. my. word. All day, every day for at least 2 1/2 weeks long.

The kids really couldn’t comprehend this phenomenon since we just spent a year with practically no rain – to put it in proper perspective… when it does ‘drizzle’ in Abu Dhabi people act like it is snowing in Louisiana. At first Will was fascinated, but then when they were told no we can’t do ________ (fill in the blank) because it was raining ALL the time, it got old quick. I happened to enjoy the rain and would of enjoyed it even more if there weren’t 2 kids to entertain.

A couple weeks into our trip, my cousin’s kids wanted to meet up and I was so glad! Brennan, the handsome big boy below is my God-child. Allie, the precious girl is my sister’s God-child. We made plans to go bowling and then eat at a local Mexican restaurant, Casa Manana (sounds like Manyana) – I don’t feel like figuring out how to do the squiggle on the top of the “n". Anyway – We had a great time!

Will was an absolute BOOGER during bowling – definitely in one of his ‘moods’. Come to find out he was super tired and fell asleep afterwards so we dropped him off at my parents house to ensure a more enjoyable dinner time. And yes, Allie and Audrey were dressed alike on purpose. Audrey saw what Allie had on and rushed to change so she could be “JUST” like her. How cute is that?!

While we were there we ran into Jamie and Charlee! Sweet Charlee is my cousin’s daughter that I had not met yet… Brennan and Allie’s stepsister and absolutely adorable!

A couple of days later, Audrey started Golf Camp at the Country Club. She did great! I really really hope this is something she can continue to learn and practice through the years. I hope to take lessons again here in Abu Dhabi when I get out of the fog of baby and the weather cools off.

Next was a visit from Aunt Melba… She is the kids’ great-great-aunt from Alexandria {my father-in-laws Aunt}. Unfortunately, I don’t have a picture of her here (told ya I was bad about taking pictures..) – but she always brings lots of goodies for the kids and has a wonderful time playing with them. I appreciate her making the effort to know the kids and driving in each summer to see us.

The kids also had a fun ‘field trip’ to Aunt Weezer’s House. She is my Aunt Liz (one of my mom’s sisters). She and Audrey share a deep affection for animals. Since Aunt Weezer recently took in a wild/stray cat and was bottle feeding it, my mom took the kids over to see the teeny kitten and feed it. After their feeding was finished, the kids played fetch with their big dog outside and had a awesome time. We went back for another visit just like this a couple of days before leaving the U.S. -

Here is a random picture of the kids conked out… not sure of when or where – but we often wore them out. Being that will is shirt-less, I’m assuming it was from leaving my parent’s camp an not leaving Walmart.. but hey, you never know… both of my kids to a trip to Target without shoes on two separate occasions this summer. LOL.

Below is a pic visiting my mother-in-law’s Sunday school class: Audrey and Alivia wore the same dress without even planning it.

We sqeezed in our annual voyage to Sugar Land to see our dear old neighbors and friends. I sure do miss those girls! This year we kept things very low key and chill. It was great to catch up and see their faces!! Too bad I have not one single picture of them.. just Stephanie’s girls with Audrey. SO CUTE! My friends were so kind and had a mini-baby shower for me and a awesome meal the first night. The second day/night I just rotated houses and got some one on one time with my girls.

On our way out of town I met up with some of my buds from Katy, TX at our old church’s playground. Here is a picture of us and then one of our offspring Winking smile Love y’all!

The week following our trip to Sugar Land was another rainy one, so I got creative and found things for the kids to do out in Lake Charles. Painted Pottery – that we never went back to pick up.. WOOPS! someone go grab it for us please!

more naps in carseats – this time with a shirt.

Pedicure/ Manicure with mama – she LOVED the massage chair

Next was A day trip to Beaumont to visit our friends from Abu Dhabi. Yes, My bestie in Abu Dhabi (Nancy) spent her summer in Beaumont – a mere 45 minutes away from Lake Charles… what are the odds?! Maybe that is why we get along so well, we grew up in similar places! We drove in the torrential rain to a fabulous indoor bouncy place, spent 2 hours there then off to lunch at Chick-Fil-A where we spent another 2 hours lunching and playing and chatting, then headed to Babies-R-Us since we are having babies 3 months apart from each other, we both needed to stock up on some things.After a long day of play we drove back to Lake Charles {Audrey and Evelyn were in the same class last year, Will and Camille are only a month apart and we mama’s were both Girl Scout leaders together as well as room mom’s for the big kids’ class}. Our lives are pretty intertwined to say the least!

Nancy’s friendship is so valuable to me – Having similar Southern backgrounds and living the same new Middle Eastern life in Abu Dhabi, is so unique. She and I can understand each other on a level that no one else really ‘gets’ because we have walked in each others shoes daily with the struggles and blessings that ex-pat life brings. We help each other thru it all.

The kids were so excited to see each other on this side of the world Smile

Our Crew:

Below are some more random shots – Audrey trying to get her loose tooth out – which STILL has not fallen out… She has mentioned that she wants braces – I think that is why she isn’t wiggling it out, to purposefully mess up the way the other one is coming in. I told her it needed to come out so the other one can come in straight – what a mistake.

Will skyping with Daddy! This boy will talk on the computer and phone to everyone.. Audrey wants nothing to do with either. they couldn’t be more different!

Out for Frozen Yogurt with Cappy : My dad

Headed to the camp for Audrey to practice on her “EZ Ski” – it is a pre-skiing thing-a-majig that builds confidence on the water for the little ones. She did great! but of course it started to rain ah-gain – so we had to go.

Will isn’t as interested in the water sports as Audrey is… he is an inside cat. He loves the recliner and his cartoons.

Cappy changing Audrey’s nail polish..

The next morning Audrey set up this whole dining experience and called us in to eat breakfast with her. How precious. If y’all are wondering why my mom isn’t in these, it is because she was at market for the week scoping out cute stuff for her store… we missed her!