Maddie's Gala (Dance Recital)

In early June Maddie had her second Gala (dance recital). Grandma Ruth and Grandpa Russ kept Kallie for us and we took Davis with us this year. Thank you! The theme for Maddie's dance was Chinese takeout - they actually came out from behind big takeout boxes and danced with big fortune cookies. Maddie did very well and we are very proud of her. Here are some pictures of the day.

Maddie with Grandma Ruth and Kallie before the gala.
Maddie with her dance teacher Ms. Charlene. This was her second year taking from her and we love her!!

Maddie with second cousin Jessi - who danced at the studio until college and helped backstage with the gala.

Maddie with Aunt Tigeywith her Poppa

with G-Daddy

with Gaga, Apple, and cousin Faith Ashley

with Mimi and Poppa

Aunt Tigey - Maddie is holding the star bear that she gave her.

with G-Daddy

with good friend Jamie who came to visit for the weekend

After the gala we went to ice cream at Dairy Queen - kind of a tradition that started last year but I did not take any pictures. Thank you friends and family who came to share in Maddie's special day. Davis really enjoyed it and could actually find Maddie on the stage when her class danced.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to the greatest dad :) Thank you for loving us, for playing with us, for praying with and for us, for teaching us, for training us, for reading to us, for making us laugh, for taking care of us and most of all being there for us. We love you, Daddy and hope you have a wonderful Father's Day - Love, Maddie, Davis, and Kallie (and Mommy too)
Here's a look back over some of the year.

Day 3 - Poppa's Birthday

Poppa's birthday was the Tuesday after we left, so we celebrated on Saturday night. We grilled out and ate on the back porch.

Maddie and Davis enjoying eating out on the porch.

Davis actually enjoys when she does this - he usually laughs and keeps going back for more.

Poppa with his cake. It has a baseball theme decoration on the top. We picked it up from Dairy Queen and ran in one store really quick and this is how it looked when we got home - icing melted and running down the side - still tasted good.

Davis "helping" Poppa open his gift. He pretty much showed him that he had a present and then started opening it up for him.

Poppa looking at the cards the kids had made for him. One with sports stickers and one with High School Musical stickers - we know what our Poppa likes.

Visit to Mimi and Poppa's Day 2

We went to see my Mom and Dad in Elizabeth City over Memorial Day weekend. We actually got there Wednesday night and left Monday at nap time. The kids were super excited because Matt was able to come with us (he hasn't been to my parents' since before Maddie was born). They could show him their friends and what they like to play with at Mimi and Poppa's house. We did not take any pictures on Thursday, but we played outside with the 2 boys that Mom keeps 3 to 4 days a week and then went to a park to feed the ducks and then after naps played in a blow up pool they have in their back yard.
Then on Friday we went to the Coast Guard beach with one of Mom's good friends. This was perfect for the kids and much better than having to drive an hour to an hour and a half each way.
Here are Kallie and the youngest that Mom keeps. They are actually only a week apart - he is much bigger than little Kallie.

There was a playground right on the beach and Davis preferred playing on this rather than getting in the water.

Poppa with Maddie and the other little boy that Mimi keeps. He turned 2 on Christmas Day, but he loves Maddie and Davis and they all play pretty well together.

Enjoying the brackish water (looks like tea) that makes up the Pasquotank River and the floats that Mimi got them. They also had fun playing in the sand and eating a picnic lunch. We'll have to do this again when we visit Mimi.

Pool Day

Went with Amy and Luke to their pool in late May. It was Kallie's first time in a pool. I was hoping that she would love her little boat because that would be really helpful when taking all 3 to the pool by myself. This is the same boat that Maddie used when she was a baby! She loved it! Maddie and Davis had a blast as well and Amy and I managed to chat and watch 4 children.

Kallie looking cute in her boat

Getting so big!

Maddie taking a spin in the boat - She was walking around since we were in the kiddie pool, but told her she really is too big for the boat.

Luke and Davis hanging out. What good buddies!

How we rode back to Amy's for lunch. We turned these single strollers into doubles :)

Sk8 Jam

We went to Hickory to look at places to rent and while we were there we saw lots of friends and went to Sk8 Jam that our friends Brad and Brandy put on. Here are some pictures of the kids enjoying hanging out with some of our dear friends who are more like family than friends.
Maddie with Tyler. He put her up on his shoulders so that she could see the skate boarders and BMX biker (hope I'm using the right terms). I think she might have developed a little crush as after this she kept saying "I want to go see Tyylerr" (saying his name in that sing songy way).

Maddie and Davis helping Kim Kim in the concession trailer.

Who could resist these two? I think Uncle Brad and Aunt Brandy would have made more money if they had helped out longer :).

Sitting in "Uncle" Brad's race car.

Brad painted the car himself.

Don't worry grandparents, it was never on when they were sitting in it!