5.31.2013

Heading home.....

Well, our wonderful time in the States with family had to come to an end.......

so we took Mimi to lunch on the way to the airport....mexican of course :)
Boarded our flight and we were on our way......

And then we got delayed in Detroit....overnight....without our carry on bags. They made us check both of them in Atlanta all the way to Beijing. Had we made the flight no worries, but they did contain important items like diapers, pajamas, and a change of clothes for us all. 



so the three of us spent the night in a hotel in Detroit looking somewhat like this......your welcome for sparing you a picture of me :)

We made the flight from Detroit to Beijing the next day...barely! (we were flying stand-by)
 BUT we got bulkhead seats with a bassinet! Hallelujah!! What a blessing to be able to put that sweet boy down for a minute on the 14 hour flight.

and we're off......

 Rylie did great on the flight and then fell asleep 25 minutes before we landed. You can imagine how the deboarding might have gone......

We landed in Beijing, cleared customs--even got some compliments on my littles rockin' travel skills--and then waited on for our luggage. And waited and waited. We had made the flight in Detroit, but our bags had not. So then we went to the lost luggage office and in Chinese told them about my 6 lost bags and how I needed them to get to our city. I was pretty sure I would never see the bags.......

We caught our next flight and FINALLY made it home to these fabulous faces!!!

 oh, how we missed them!!

Ry was immediately glued to her Daddy!

The fabulous sign waiting for us on our door!!

So thankful we got to go visit, but SO glad to be back together again!


5.28.2013

5 months


Knox's 5 months was captured by the wonderful Becky Williamson Photography
check her out!


he is sitting up pretty well now....

 one of my favorites!
he is still sleeping and eating great! 
rolls everywhere 
loves playing with his siblings

 This picture captures our sweet boy perfectly!
 He is full of joy, loves smiling at everyone, and laughing at his crazy siblings!
We are so thankful for you little one!
(and doesn't his hair look red here?!?)

and who doesn't love a naked bum on the beach?!?

Family Pics!

My littles with my sweet Mimi

My friend (and fantastic photographer!) Becky came down to hang out one day at the beach and take some pictures for us. She did such a great job with all the crazy that we gave her :)
all the girls!!

 The whole family-
(l to r) my sister Caroline, her two girls Maddie and Ashley and her husband Rob, my mom, Mimi, my Aunt Diane, my cousin Greg, his wife Jennifer, and their sweet little one Jackson.

My two littles and me with my Mimi

little boy in a big chair

So we don't have a highchair at our house and Knox isn't eating solid food yet, so he has never sat in a highchair. One day while we were at my moms I was in the kitchen holding Knox and trying to get something ready. The highchair was right there, so I just sat him in it for a minute while I finished up. 
He. LOVED. it.
Sweet, sweet boy.....you might be ready for solids soon!! 
 

5.27.2013

Tea Party


Rylie loved having tea parties with Mimi for the couple of days we were in Atlanta before we headed back home. Knox even got in on the action a couple of times :) 
Little girls are so fun!
It is so special to me that my daughter is getting to know "my" Mimi and building a special relationship with her like I had when I was young. Mimi is such a treasure and we are so blessed to have her in our lives! 


5.26.2013

Reading with Mimi


I have lots of pictures like this with all three of my bigs, and I can't wait to have lots of Knox too. My grandmother loves to read, as do my mom and I, and I LOVE that she is passing it on to my children! Just one of the many of her fabulous attributes I hope they get from her!
She and my mom recorded themselves reading books (from hallmark) and sent them to us over here.  They are my kids ABSOLUTE favorite things to sit down and snuggle up with--they love hearing Mimi and Nai Nai's voices!! 
Can't wait for you to read to them all next summer!

5.25.2013

Happy Birthday Caroline!

While we were in the States we got to celebrate my sisters birthday!
Yummy cake and good family time!

Happy Birthday Caroline! We love you!!


Sweet Pictures

Caroline, Mimi, and me
 
I love that we were able to get some pictures with my grandmother when we were there. Will treasure these!

Mimi with the youngest great grands on our side of the family

Mimi with my littlest littles

Crabdaddys

There were 13 of us at the beach, with 5 kids under 4, so we didn't go out to eat much :) But one night we went out to Crabdaddys--one of my favorite restaurants on the island! They have a bottomless salad with homemade dressings that are amazing and crabcakes with no onions. What more could I want? Oh and a pretty good margarita too :)


Mimi and Diane

 me and Mimi

Rylie and Nai Nai

Knox slept the whole dinner and let me enjoy all the yumminess!!
 
 

5.24.2013

Fun in the Sun!

We spent a LOT of time at the pool and in the water. I couldn't really take Knox down to the beach in the stroller because there was NO shade, but Rylie was a great sport and stayed up at the pool for hours! We were usually there from about 10-4 everyday!!


She was making some kind of chocolate something. Luckily I didn't have to eat it :)
Knox and Aunt Caroline going for a swim

They opened a hair salon on the steps of the pool. They "made you beautiful" but it took awhile. Ry kept telling me and Nai Nai to "go relax over there and I will finish with you in a bit".

cooling off!

knox and nai nai drying off

5.23.2013

Nightswimming

After we went for our walk Rylie wanted to go swimming, She LOVES swimming at night. 
Not having her bathing suit on didn't seem to matter at all :)
(not sure why we had the floaties and no bathing suit.....)

Happy girl!

Mimi watching her great granddaughter swim

 
 Beautiful moon!!

beautiful lady!

Walk on the beach

walking down to the beach from the house. 
Reminds me of this picture---

flashback to 2007--that is Mimi walking with Reid down the same street! 
I think Reid has definitely changed the most :)
So thankful my kids have these precious memories with my grandmother---what a blessing!


Ry flying her kite

pictures with the pretty sunset

knox is fist pumping.....

my sweet boy!

Knox with Nai Nai and Mimi--LOVE this picture!

Beautiful moon!

5.22.2013

In her element


I love this pic of Ry ready to head down to the beach with her net! 
She is in her element!!

(one of my) Favorite Place(s) on Earth


 Ok, so I am so non commital. Is that even a word? I'm sure there are other places that are great, but this is what I know and love...
 Anyway, I love Saint Simons Island. Beautiful. Relaxing. Life is s.l.o.w. Good eats. Sunshine. Family. 

Mom and Mimi enjoying the sunset