The Greatest Show On Earth!!

I've been MIA from the blog world since we moved last Monday, we've steadily been making head way, and most boxes are unpacked, I will post some pictures once things are a little more settled.

We did take a little break yesterday to take the big boys to see Ringling Brother Barnum and Bailey Circus. We had a really great time!

We went to the pre-show event where the clown showed the kids how to do some tricks...he balanced a broom on his chin and a bicycle on his head then showed the kids how to balance a peacock feather on their own chin. We also got to see all the animals back stage. Here they are watching and learning some of the tricks, seeing the animals and taking pics with the motorcyclists (Lawson wanted to get up there but once on the bike he got a little intimidated by its sound!)






They had acrobats and a guy flying around on the trapeeze (Peyton liked when he walked across the ceiling upside down), there were three motorcycles racing around inside a cage, a "strong man" named "The Mighty Demitrio" who let a 4400 lb jeep filled with 5 or 6 girls drive up on top of him...and of course there were elephants who did many tricks...that was the boys absolute favorite part!




We had a great time eating cotton candy, popcorn and drinks...I think we definitely made a memory!!

Pink, Pink and More Pink....

Some sweet friends here in Birmingham hosted a shower for our upcoming bundle of joy. It was so fun, and I must say, it was a new experience, since everything was PINK! Thanks ladies for all the wonderfully cute items, I can't wait to see Ava Jane in them, she will be ADORABLE! Thanks for helping us get prepared for her upcoming arrival.






I'm so grateful for each of your friendships, God has truly blessed me in our short time here in Birmingham. I will treasure the memories and moments I've had with each of you! After being in the Army, I learned not to say "goodbye" rather, just "see ya later!" So, until next time, "I'll see ya later!!" Love y'all!

Into EVERYTHING!

This little stinker is into EVERYTHING these days! He's my first kiddo to enjoy playing in the potty. It's just too much to pass up, he's got to splash around in there if the lid happens to be left up, and with two big brothers, who use the potty and leave the lid up sometimes, the bathroom becomes a dreamland for Emerson! This is how I found him a few days ago!! It literally is NEVER a dull moment, at least this time he wasn't playing in the water!!



"What? Just emptied the TP roll, what's wrong with that Mom?"

Lawson's Swim Lessons

This week we've been doing swim lessons with some friends and he's done great! Last year, at 2 he was not scared of anything, jumping off the diving board, off the side in the deep end, etc...but this year was a different story...he was much more tentative, so I was a little nervous as to how this week would go. But he LOVED it! Mrs. Emily, who teaches from her private pool in Mountain Brook, is excellent. He had fun EVERY day and he's really done well she said.

Today they showed off some of their skills for the parents then got to enjoy a popsicle party! Here's some of the action!



Floating on his back


Floating with his face down in the water


Jumping in...


He's getting to be such a big boy! We were so proud of how well he did!

Packing...Gearing Up For the Big Move!

Well, I have been MIA from the blog world, but rightfully so. I've been up to my eyeballs in details, planning, talking on the phone to moving companies, getting all the loan paper work filled out, scanned, copied, and over nighted to our loan officer...canceling doctor appointments, scheduling doctor appoinments (my OB appointments and poor Lawson who's had tubes in his ears for 2 years now has to see and ENT to have them taken out and most likely put back in. In the year and a half we've been in Birmingham he's had 6 ear infections WITH TUBES!!) We've been trying to figure out health insurance stuff, cancelling and starting utilities, packing boxes and this week has held swim lessons for Lawson (blog post of that to come tomorrow).

Every time we've moved (with the Army, The Heart Hospital and HealthSouth) we've never had to worry about a thing...we didn't have to pack or load anything, which was SUPER amazing and we never saw a bill for what it all cost...this time we were given a specific amount of money toward our move and I have been the one calling different moving companies and scheduling them to come out and give us estimates...I was pretty shocked when I read one of the estimates, oh it was just a measley $12,000! Get this, the box to pack our flat screen tv alone was going to be $315 ARE.YOU.KIDDING.ME!?! So, needless to say, to cut down on the cost, we decided to pack most things ourselves and leave the rest for the moving company to do...they charge by the pound so we decided to do a DITY (an Army term for a do it yourself move). Since we were coming home anyway to look at houses last weekend we decided it'd be a good idea to bring a U-Haul of a few things with us. We were able to clear out our basement of holiday decorations and all the kids tote boxes of clothes, along with a few other things...we put a pretty good dent in it as you can very well see...the trailer was jam packed!

And here's Lawson keeping it real...just playing a little hide and go seek in our humongous ice chest!


So it's really gonna happen, we're super excited and can't wait for it to all be packed, loaded, unpacked and settled! God has truly been gracious to us throughout this whole process.   From beginning to end his hands have literally been all over this and for that we are incredibly grateful!  He has answered every one of our prayers specifically and has taken care of every detail even down to the movers.  He has provided and we stand in awe!