Circus & other thoughts

We went with our friends, Luke & Amelia, to the circus at the Biloxi coliseum. I'm not a huge fan of circuses - the animals always make me a bit sad, though Rod tries to convince me that they live a charmed life - but I was excited to see Sophie & Benji's reactions to it. And they loved it! The kids especially enjoyed the tiger act, and called them "ice cream tigers" since they were beige & brown. There was a bicycle act where a dude rode a bike the size of a welcome mat & then it fell apart. Sophie & Ben just collapsed in laughter, they said later that it was one of their favorite parts. We went to the pre-game activities, tried on circus costumes & watched the tightrope-walker guys get warmed up for the real thing. Maybe they didn't quite warm up as much as they should've, because one of them did the teetering "oh I'm gonna fall!" thing when he was on the high trapeze during the actual show, then stumbled to land, straddling the wire. Ouch. Ben's not old enough to really grasp the implications of that, though I saw Rod wince & shift in his seat. I've since heard from other friends that the tightrope "slip" happened during their show, too, at the exact same time... so maybe it wasn't such an accident, you know?


They were having such a good time that they barely asked for souvenirs, which is pretty monumental. Because a bag of cotton candy, strategically placed inside a flimsy Dr. Seuss-ish hat, cost twenty dollars. TWENTY dollars! That's just wrong.

Sophie's Recital

Sophie's first dance recital was on May 30th; my mom & aunt made the trek all the way from North FL/South GA to see her (and to babysit for us on Saturday/Sunday!). Soph absolutely loves her dance class, she had it on Wednesdays & would ask practically every day of the week if it was 'dance class day'. So after lots of practice (and a rehearsal at which she was completely terrified, poor girl), she got to wear her insanely-frilly costume, put on lipstick, and go dance in front of a packed coliseum. She had a blast & didn't end up hiding at all (as pictured below). In fact, she milked her time up there & ended up pirouetting three times as much as required... that's my girl!


















Getting the works from Bebe'

"Please, Mom, lay off the pictures."

Sophie asked for a demonstration of Bebe's skills (on Aunt Mel) before having it applied


















Sophie, looking pensive pre-show


















No worries once she was up there!


















Mid-pirouette. One of many.

Father's Day Slideshows

These slideshows are always fun to make, I scanned a bunch of old pics for Dad's slideshow. I'd forgotten my obsession with flowered pants and white blazers - and conveniently forgot to add that shot, by the way.

Happy Father's Day to Rod & Dad - I love you!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Bonfire on the Beach

Our friends, Jenni & Cynthia & their husbands, invited a bunch of us to a bonfire/crawfish boil a few weeks ago. It was very yummy & spicy! The kids ran around, made sand castles & were completely exhausted at the end of the night. It was a lot of fun.

















Mmmmmmm!


















Marian's baby must have been craving crawfish! (she's pregnant)



















Swingin' with Dad



















Picture of contentment... this is what both kids did for 4 hours straight



















The Girls: Mirabel, Jill, Blake, Sophie, Marian, me, Katie, plus one cute boy, Warren... where were Cynthia & Andrea?



















Isabella & Sophie - this was seconds before Isabella decided to sit down. In the water, of course!


















All pregnant girls - except for me

Ben's 5th birthday: golf & jumping

Dad & Rod - collapsed on the floor after a jumping session


















Ben was all about Star Wars this time




























So psyched about his new bike


















Ok, we seriously didn't plan the coordinating shirts - they just happened!

Our chauffeur

Bebe' & Papa were definitely fans of the party location, we're thinking of getting them a moon bounce for Christmas

Easter & T-ball

Ok, so since I'm posting in random order, here are some more March pics for good measure.


















Dinner on the ground at Pine Grove in Madison, FL


















Bebe' and Sophie coloring eggs


















Egg hunt on the family farm - Aunt Carol always arranges fun activities when we come visit

Trip to Thomasville, Sophie & Ben's Art

We went to Thomasville for Memorial Day weekend & had a great visit. The kids love playing with Papa & Bebe', and we all had some much-needed Audrey time (and Allison & Nick time, of course!). We missed Ryan this trip, but hopefully will see my busy younger bro soon. Lots of family came over to celebrate & officially meet Audrey, who is three months now, and we all ate waayyy too much. Pics are below... sorry, I'm a bit unorganized with my arrangement.





















We love to go outside & play with chalk, it can keep us occupied for long stretches of time (especially the chalk highway in the driveway!). Ben does these cool, funky people drawings & Sophie is partial to sunshines and mermaids.




















Ben & his new Darth costume - a gift from Allison & Nick - and Sophie & Bebe'

Last Day of School & Preschool Graduation

My baby boy graduated from preschool! I can't believe it. It feels like it was just a few weeks ago that he was barely able to walk, now he's writing his name & unloading the dishwasher for me (ok, so I don't mind that last thing so much). At 5, he's just as I imagined he would be at this age when he was tiny: still VERY verbal, bright, funny, intense, creative & so sweet. Here are some pics from the last day of school & their graduation. Sophie had the best time singing at their program, too. Once Rod gets the video transferred, I'll post it.

















The Graduate


















Gamely posing for last-day-of-school pics
























Sopherina Ballerina

















On our way to graduation - love the expression on Sophie's face

















Ben going to get the big diploma. Man, we were sweating this one...

Visit from family & Katie's graduation - May

We are so proud of our niece, Katie, who just graduated from high school. She's headed to LSU in the fall & just made the color guard team there! Grandma, Aunt Connie, Aunt Nadine & Uncle Kent all flew down to be at her graduation and also to visit us. We got to spend Mother's Day with them at our house & had a nice visit all around. We really enjoyed it and the kids always love having them visit.

















Story time with Grandma


















Aunt Connie the photographer



















Sophie's favorite pastime




















Aunt Dine & Sophie cuttin' a rug!
























Benji is SHARP dresser, I tell you. He would wear this outfit every day! We joke that he's really an old Southern gentleman at heart... bring on that seersucker!




























Sophie & Benji *really* love to dance, I'd say it's a daily occurrence around here. Well, with Sophie, anyway. But Benji was also breakin' it down when Grandma, Dine & Connie were in the audience!