Butterflies and Tumblin' Tots

This past weekend we went to Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens

They currently have a Butterflies Live! exhibit going on

which is rather extraordinary!

Naturally, we were there when the gardens opened 

BUT

we were the ONLY 3 people inside the exhibit

the whole time we were there

We walked around and stared in amazement

Kensie was thrilled with all the butterflies

but I may have been a little more excited!

I have never seen SO many butterflies

in one place

and all different kinds

It was pretty magical

Sunday, The Little Gym was having an open house

We decided to go in and see what it was all about

At first, Kensie was really shy and sitting in my lap

Staring at all the other kids and adults

But she slowly crept out of her shell

and by the end of the open house

She didn't want to leave!

Of course, at home Sunday evening

We were changing her crib sheets

and she decided to make her bed into a jumping mat

Jump

Jump

Jump

and flop on her bottom

Totally the cutest...

Then we sang no more monkeys jumping on the bed

accompanied by 3 monkey animals she has

and she was bouncing the monkeys right along 

and trying to sing the song too

Love her big

Time flies!

It's crazy that I haven't written on here in almost 7 months...

Time really flies by and with my little Kensington growing like a weed and being a non-stop little mover, our house seems to be on the go-go-go from sun-up til past sundown!

Yesterday my husband picked Kensie up from daycare where her teachers painted her fingernails and toe nails a lovely shade of magenta :)  When I dropped her off this morning they made sure we weren't mad...I was honestly SUPER surprised they could get her to SIT STILL for that long!  Maybe it's just with us that she seems to never stop moving?!? 

 

For our 4th of July, we went to Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, where Kensie spent the morning running around and exploring.  The grounds are beautiful and well maintained.  There are tons of kid friendly things to do and we would have gone into the butterfly exhibit, but the line was SUPER long, and someone doesn't like to wait.

Other than that, she is wearing 18month-2T clothes (and not even 17 months!)  She is out tall little string bean!  And, she is pretty darn cute in her little cowgirl boots and dress!

 She also is in love with water play and being goofy with her mommy and daddy!

She amazes us with the number of words she knows and the fact that she can open doors in our house...and is already trying to jump...let alone literally running all over the place!  

We can't wait to see what's next!  

May the G Force be with you

Last weekend my family was in town to sorta celebrate my birthday

and go to G Force Karts!

I, of course, did not ride these things, although I wanted to very badly

We had bought Groupons a while back and they expire in December, so this seemed like a great time to get family together and have fun!

We met up with my cousins and a few others and had a BLAST!

my big kid (aka my husband) right in front, followed by my sister and friends/family! Lillie (My sister's little girl) being super cute!

Corbin (my sister's son) slapping his helmet to get ready!

Corbin ready to go!!

my husband, the speed racer! (love him big time)

and all this can be complete without some snippets of video!

1. Corbin

2. sister

3. husband

4. my cousins

Finally getting my Halloween post up

Ugh, I think I have been too busy for my own good...

or maybe just lazy...

But I am going to say busy all day, which makes me lazy at night!

Anyways, I wanted to share a picture of our house all decorated for Halloween.

We were going to play some scary music from inside our house to top it off, but I am glad we didn't.

We could hear these cute kiddos saying..."That's scary!" or "This place is creepy!"

I guess things look a lot different in the eyes of a kid...I thought our house looked amazing!

Made me wanna put on a costume and go Trick or Treating again!

We had pumpkins we had carved, ghost lights up the side of our driveway, a cemetery arch that blows up with air and had lights, little pumpkin lights hanging on the porch, a sign on our door, plastic bags that looked like pumpkins filled with leaves on the lawn, a couple of headstones, and some fake spider webs with spiders.

We have talked about maybe doing some sort of walk through in our garage for next year...but that all may change since we will have a small munchkin of our own!

Book Lovin'

I have recently really gotten back into reading books for fun

I just finished a book that was recommended to me by a fellow dog lover
It's called
The Art of Racing in the Rain


It's a short, easy read book through the eyes of a dog...and it really got me thinking about my own dog and what he is thinking and if some of these things I was reading go on in his head or if he wishes I could understand him when he makes a gesture...

It also has sad parts and happy parts and all that in between...but nothing too hard to comprehend.
When I borrowed it from the library I was told it was on the 12th Grade reading list
LOL
but, the ending really got me and I almost shed some tears (good ones)...being pregnant will do that to ya

I am now onto another book
called
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks


It's nonfiction which is usually not my thing, but it's about the woman HeLa cells came from and all the back story, which I think is pretty darn interesting (nerd alert).

I mean, I do work in cancer research and have heard of these cells before, so it's kinda neat to get a more well rounded picture of how HeLa cells came to be

I have 2 other books on hold at the library, for whenever they actually become available
1) Sarah's Key which is actually a movie as well

2) Bossypants...all my friends have raved about this one, but I am WAY down the line in the hold list, so it may be a month...or 5 before I can read it


Any other suggestions?

What have you been reading lately?

Frisco Beach Camping

one word for this trip

awesome!

I had the best and most RELAXING time while at the beach this past weekend.

Beach camping SUCCESS!

Sunset Friday evening

Campsite #1 set up

Campsite part 2

beer, beach and "bag-o"

lazy summer reading

The crew

These floats were pretty amazing at supporting beers...

and also for floating some lovely ladies!

Erin and her "E" cup...get ready...

Spit take...it happened...

me, trying not to get much more sun, readin a magazine

ECL and C

Sunset Saturday evening

FIRE...no worries, we had it under control

glowing warmth

nothing says beach camping like s'mores!

a night by campfire

Mike frisbee throwing...last day

Charley throwing it back...

Thanks to all who were there, made my weekend amazing!

Let's do it again REALLY soon...

k, thanks!

Epic Beach Camping Trip

It's that time of the year folks...

Pull out your suntan lotion,
bug spray,
a tent,
a bathing suit
and stuff to make s'mores...

It's beach camping time!

Mike and I are going to Frisco, NC for the weekend and camping out with 4 other friends of ours.

We.Can't.Freakin.Wait.

I may have woken up with no alarm clock at 6:15 this morning
(it's quite possible I am still a 5 year old that is antsy to go to Disney World...or something)

Prepare for awesome pictures (we will be using our new camera and I LOVE taking shots of scenery and people in the moment...)

I think we are super lucky that the weather appears to be fantastic (80's for the day and 60-70's at night)...and lots of SUN!

The best part, we all stay in one "spot" and pay $20/night for 2 nights

you do the math:
split it up between 6 people = cheap fun with friends!

not to mention the beach relaxes me to no end...
can't wait to fall asleep listening to waves crashing gently into the shore...

Living the good life!

Memorial Day Fun

My dad called early this morning to see if Mike and I wanted to go on the pontoon boat for the day...

WAY better than our plans (which were nothing!)

So after a skype date with Mike's sister Laura to catch up on life, we packed up (dog included) and headed off to Lake Anna...

Here's how the day went!

Mike and Corbin playing around

Channing, all decked out in the puppy life vest

Lillie jumping into her mommy (My sister Megan)

2 cute ladies

one fish

Cute crabby lady

Look, ma, no hands!

Marina pup

Gettin decked out

Lillie on her papa's back, like a turtle

Corbin swimming around

a bunch of Mike wakeboarding...

Cutest kids around!

tuckered out husband (with some hot hair)

SUPER adorable!

my husband :)

What a great day! Can't wait for it again!