LOVE THEM. Live in the present. Remember grace abounds. Feed them real food. Let them see you struggle. PRAY LOTS. don't be afraid to let them fail. Ask for forgiveness. BE STILL. LOVE THEM.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Aqua Palooza 2012

This past weekend I was noticing one of my single friends on Instagram was at Aqua Palooza just drinking and floating on a raft.  Things probably got crazy too and I am sure she had lots of fun.  I couldn’t help but laugh inside at the opposite lake weekends we were having simultaneously. So, this is “our version” of Aqua Palooza.  This is how you do it after being married for 7 years and your three kids into it.  We had a weekend to spare. Yeah right,  like there isn’t tons to be done but we decided to ditch it all for some fun. Where can we put on a family Palooza?  Granddad's lake house, of course!

Thankfully Bradley has short weeks until August and is off on Friday’s until all the traditional scheduled children arrive.  We picked him up Thursday afternoon and drove straight to South Carolina. Here is how we do it and hopefully those single Aqua Paloozer’s will take note for when this is their version one day too :) Here is our little drinking, our little floating but our lots of crazy and fun! We all know that behind these happy family moments, what lies hidden beneath the pictures, is family craziness! Yes, you know what I am talking about! ;)  We can’t have three boys and not have crazy.  We embrace our crazy life!

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Friday morning we started off at 8 am on the beach.

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Easton is in his element here.  Love his smile!

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Daddy went for a swim to test out his new fresh water wet suit to use for his Ironman competition this October.

It was a success.  It fit like a glove and it made him faster!

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Our triathlon man!

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In the afternoon we went for a boat ride.  Bradley loves the boat rides!

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Saw this chair in the middle of one of the islands. It made me daydream of sitting there with a book.

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Bradley loves to help his Easty which recently has been dubbed yet another nick name.  Curly or Uncle Curly! I have a Great Uncle Curly who actually lives in the city of Easton, MD so that is what he said last time I saw him and then when we got to Granddad's he couldn't get over how crazy curly his hair was so just started calling him Curly.

 

On Saturday we woke up and played on the beach and swam at the dock even more and then we headed to the local airport to see Uncle John and Holly fly in from Asheville.  Uncle John even took Brad, myself and Bradley up for a short ride before they had to get back.  The weather was very iffy so him and Holly needed to get back before they were stuck.

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The boys found a trailer hitch…….

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The lake and some of Clemson University campus.

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Coming in for our landing. Bradley thought it was really neat and asked “why do you talk so different (meaning loud) on an airplane?”  He kept saying “what? what? to me when I would talk to him so I started telling him he was turning into Granddad!

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Holly and Granddad kept Easton and Gavin occupied while we were in the air by collecting pinecones and sticks.

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We had some more fun in the sun when we got back that day.  I feel like we really took advantage of every ounce of daylight.

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I asked them to take a picture hugging for me and Gavin just leaned in for the real deal and Bradley knew what I meant.  More of a hug pose is what I wanted. So Bradley had to show him how!

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If Granddad knows any of his great grandkids are coming to visit him then he gets them a little gift.  He is super thoughtful and knows how to spoil the ones he loves!

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So, there you have it! Our Palooza. Thanks Granddad for a great weekend yet again!

Monday, July 16, 2012

Stella June!

We have a new niece! As of Yesterday, July 15th at 12:24 am California time, Stella June Crenshaw, entered the world.  We are so happy for Brit and Ryan and Stella and Mommy are both perfectly happy and healthy.  She is the sweetest little peanut with lots of dark brown hair and green eyes. She weighed 6 pounds, 12 ounces and was 20 inches long.  Brit was in labor for 7 hours and pushed for 20 minutes.  She did an all natural birth in a birthing pool in their home. So proud of her! I tell myself some of my natural charm has rubbed off on her but she has done what I never did and took it to a whole new level.  I have loved watching her grow into a mother during her pregnancy and now she is a Mother in every sense of the word. 

 

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Mommy and Daddy enjoying their little “creation.”  Meet the “Crenshaw Crew.”

 

Bradley and Gavin are both so excited about their new baby girl cousin. Gavin calls her “Stewa” and they sent her a video wishing her a Happy Birthday and Congrats to Aunt Britty and Uncle Ry!

Hopefully we get to meet her soon! What a blessing, seriously! God is GOOD! Congrats little Crenshaw family!