Ellie's Smile

Ellie lost her first tooth on Father's Day morning.  She has two more coming quickly after.  Her smile will never be the same :)

Fripp 2016

It was not the same without the Davis' this year.

BUT, we still managed to have a great vacation!  Filled with shell-hunting, dolphin cruising, body boarding, golf cart riding, and pool swimming.  We had fantastic weather, fed tons of deer, and got plenty of sunshine!

Clara and Ellie PreK Graduation

Ellie fully enjoyed the graduation ceremony.  She was excited all week that she would get to go up on stage and sing, dance, and have her name called out for her diploma!  Clara, on the other hand, well, let's just say her favorite phrase that week was "THAT'S not gonna happen!"  And THAT didn't happen.  She put on her cap and gown (VERY reluctantly), but was emphatic that she was "NOT going to graduate!"  When her class proceeded down the aisle for the ceremony, Clara walked around the back of the church to her seat.  She stood up on stage with her hands over her face crying.  We let her come sit with us for the performance AND the graduation.  It just wasn't worth it.  The sweet girl just does not like all that attention.

The Lairsey Family Has Grown ...

... by three cats!  WHAT?  Did I really just say that?

I am SHOCKED that we followed through with Eric's promise to get her a pet on her 7th birthday.  We tried with an indoor cat, and that didn't last 24 hours.  We called the next morning and asked if we could bring him back to his original owner.  Neither Eric nor I could stand the cat fur and smell inside our home.  

Around Thanksgiving 2015, we met some kitties in Blackshear that lived on the corner house in The Lairsey's neighborhood.  They were wild cats, but were always there each day when the kids and I took a walk.  The 3 kittens were friendly, but skittish around my {loud} kiddos.  After being there all week for Thanksgiving, and spending a lot of time coaxing the kittens to let the kids hold them, our family was attached!  We went back to Blackshear for Christmas, and the kittens were still there.  The elderly couple that lived there did not particularly WANT the cats, he just didn't want them to starve, so he put some food out for them.  

In February, Eric went back to Blackshear alone (with a cat kennel in the trunk) in hopes of bringing all three of them home as a gift/surprise for our family.  He spoke to the kitten's owner, and he was happy to send them home with us.

What a reaction it got from the kids!  Priceless.  We weren't exactly sure how we were going to "keep the cats at our house" -- since they were NOT going to be inside cats.  But, sure enough, they stuck around our deck day after day... and we have fallen in love.  They were a pretty expensive addition at first.  Woody needed one eye removed, received his shots and was neutered; Coco and Honey were spayed and received their shots.  We bought some collars and an igloo for them to sleep in.  Eric built them a platform to give them some shelter from rain, and the list goes on. 

They have been THE BEST pets we could have asked for.  They are gentle, easy, calm, kind.  They never scratch, hiss, or swat at the kids.  We love our little Kit Kats.  

Wedding Season

Eric has been officiating weddings for a few years now.  Several from church, and a few family members.  Clara and Ellie have had the privilege of being flower girls twice in 2015!  Once in June for Hart's wedding, and once in October for Gantt and Brittany's wedding.  It was a hilarious experience... both times.  Ellie shines in the spotlight, and loved the beautiful dress and throwing out her flowers.  Clara, on the other hand, would have rather sat with mom in the pew.  She had to be coaxed down the aisle both times.  She doesn't like the attention!

Disney World 2015

Eric and I were so thrilled to get to take all 4 of our kiddos to Disney.  We knew we would only be at Magic Kingdom for one day, so I mapped out our day pretty much to the minute.  The kids had a blast and handled the long lines and hot, sunny afternoon extremely well!  We were able to be at the park before it opened, and stayed until the fireworks show at the end.  We met princesses galore, as well as Buzz Lightyear for Manny.

For my birthday, we visited Downtown Disney and ate at the TRex Cafe.  The wait was LLLOOONNNGGG, even with reservations made DAYS in advance!!  The experience was fantastic and the food was expensive!

Coleman was in heaven!

We also enjoyed the fancy pool at the hotel, as well as the conference.  It was a GREAT vacation!  Full of family time and relaxation, as well as digging deeper into our calling as a Christ-follower.

Funnies

Just a few days ago I admitted to a friend that I am IN LOVE with this season with my kids.  They can take a nap (or not -- totally up to our plans for the day), don't need sippy cups or bottles, can be reasoned with (for the most part), and their personalities are bubbling over.  Conversations are hilarious, misunderstandings abound, and silliness is usual.  Less than 24 hours after that admission, Clara burned her hand (pretty bad) on an iron in our hotel room AND then an hour later was dancing around the room (oblivious to her surroundings) and rammed her head square into the corner of the wall.  Life is ever changing, and so is my perspective about this season of life!!  :)

All that being said, I need to record some of the great things my kids are saying.

Eating at Monterrey with the kids last night, they got into spelling the neon signs up around the restaurant.  MICHELOB was one Clara focused on.  This is how she spelled it... "M...1...C...H...3...I...bracelet...B".  She gets a little mixed up :)  

In the van, Clara found an old donut (3 days old).  I recall her saying to me, I'm going to save this for later ... but then I forgot to ask her if she ever did eat it.  Well, I overheard her trying to feed this old donut to Coleman while they are buckled up in the back of the van.  Here is the conversation I hear...

Clara: "Oooooh look, Coleman.  A donut!  Don't you want to taste it?"

Coleman: "Sure!!"

Coleman opens his mouth and Clara inserts donut.

Coleman: "I have to bite it too hard.  My teef just aren't strong enouf!"

Me: "Clara, that is disgusting!  No one needs to be eating that!"

Clara: "Well, I told you that I was going to save it for later, and you said OK."

We recently celebrated Baba's 90th birthday with a party at Joe and Chris' house in Anderson.  Eric was preaching the following day, so I took the kids up there by myself.  It was a full time job, but a lot of fun.  I really enjoyed it.  While getting everyone together for a group picture, Bill was trying to help Baba move from her wheelchair into a prettier chair.  Baba wasn't having any of that, and shooed  him away.  Everyone was watching intently, making sure she could do it by herself.  In front of the entire family, when it was nearly SILENT, Eve declares, "See y'all, she's got a LITTLE BIT of life left in her!!"    Oh my word.  Wow.  I was beyond embarrassed.  Everyone laughed, of course, and Baba didn't understand, she just nodded, oblivious to the comment.  

Clara also had a moment with Baba at the birthday party.  She was sitting at the head of the kid table when they wheeled Baba up to the opposite end.  As Baba was eating, Clara was watching intently.  I knew those wheels were turning.  All of the sudden she says, "Momma, what happened to your old grandma?"  I try to quiet her down by saying, "Oh, Nonny?  Nonny was Poppa's momma.  Nonny died a few years ago.  She went to heaven."  Clara was not going to be quieted.  "No, not Nanny!  THIS old grandma??  What happened to THIS OLD GRANDMA?"  Poor thing didn't know why her great grandmother had food on her face and was spilling her second glass of wine.