Sharp Family Pictures

We went to a pier nearby for our big family pictures. I loved the backdrop. If only the wind wasn't so strong.... Kaylin*

Ethan*

Mika*

Travis and I

The Grandkids!!!

Our big family picture!

I was amazed that no baby was crying and everyone was looking!! It was awesome!!!

Kill Devil Hills

We were able to go to the Outer Banks for our Sharp Family Reunion this year. It was such blast.

Kaylin and Travis could not stay out of the ocean, even if there were jellyfish that dotted along the shore. The frist couple days we had very large swells, that were about 6-8 feet. Kaylin would go out with her Dad and jump the waves. The current was especially strong and the waves pummeled them. She was a natural out there. She loved it. She'd take a boogie board with her cousins Allie and Karinn and we wouldn't see them on the shore for hours.

Ethan stayed on the shore most of the time, but he never had a boring moment.

When the waves calmed down near the end of the week, Ethan wold sit ont he boogie board and wait for the waves to take him further up the shore.

We spent mornings at the beach. It's interesting to me how much the ocean changes from day to day.

Hanging Time

The kids had such a great time with all their cousins! There are 19 grandkids, so needless to say it was a full house with lots of happy children. Mika loved playing with Jared, and also with the girls in their attic hideout. :) She'd get her snuggle time with Kaylin at quiet time....

Kaylin loved playing family night games. Here she's relay racing with Jared.

Kaylin also got a haircut by Aunt Emily who is the best beautician ever!!!

These 3, along with Abby and occasionally little sisters were inseperable. I love how close in age they all are and how friendly they are to each other.

Mika was never too busy for mama's hugs.

The "boy quiet time" if Travis wasn't napping with Mika, he was watching the boy movie for quiet time. I'd say he deserves this vacation!!

Eating with 30 or so people was as overwhelming as I thought...here's Travis and I enjoying a spot next to each other...

After I took Family pictures on Tuesday I spent a lot of nights editing and going through favorites with sisters. :) Here's Tami and I...

There were so many more I wanted to post--each with a fun memory behind it. I miss the beach so much and being with everyone....

1st day of school!

After sweet Father's Blessings the night before, here are the kids geared up ready to go! They woke up full of excitement and anticipation! Kaylin is in 2nd grade now and Ethan is in Kindergarten. Kaylin wasn't very interested in picture taking this morning, but Ethan was all smiles.

Mika was a bit lonely today. She stuck to me like glue. She talked my ear off non-stop, but only asked about bubby twice. Usually she'd be down for a nap when the bus comes, but I kept her up so she could see them. The bus stop is 3 houses down the street.

I love their bus driver! He let Kaylin sit with Ethan (for the first week) and is so sweet with Kindergartners having them sit in the first rows. Ethan's class theme is chica chica boom boom so he had a jungle hat on today. :)

Travis is 31!

Travis was gone on a scout campout this weekend, so we just had to spoil him rotten on Sunday. I can't believe he's 31--the years go by so fast.
He doesn't like cake, so we had banana splits and my mom made homemade apple pie that was really goooood, says the Birthday Boy. :) He wanted everything low-key so it was easy for the birthday planner and nice to just hang out with friends and family..... And of course he got lots of loves through out the day. We tried to give him 31 kisses :)

We had friends and family join us--Thanks wonderful girlie cousins, my parents, the Anthonys, the Gardners, the Butlers, and Brad and Vicki (not in photo) It's always so fun being with the people we love all together! Thanks for the gifts too!

Thus sayeth Bubby

Ethan: Mom! Kaylin is trying to be a mom!
Me: What? Beautiful and sweet?
Ethan: No, she's being bossy. She thinks she's the boss like a mom!

Ethan: I'm nervous for school. I think the bus will be the only fun thing. And at class, it'll just be a little fun, not fun all the time.
But in his night prayers, he prayed that Kaylin wouldn't be nervous. ;)

Campin Out

We took our friends, the Butlers to Wedowee one last time before school starts up again. It was so much fun! But SO HOT!!!! We were sweating most of the time, and that's like dripping sweat. The water was bath water, on the verge of a hot tub....so we'd usually go find a cove with clear green water and take a swim...

Mika is a fish in the making. She loves wearing her jacket, but finds walking around with no jacket, up to her neck is way more fun. :)
Kaylin loves the water, that's no surprise. I can't remember a time she was out of it, besides sleeping and eating. Such a gorgeous thing....
Every morning there would be tiny fish all along the shore. (ew!) So Jeff and Travis decided to get them with a net and put them in a tupperware. (one less fish to nibble at me!)
Jeff's trying to lure them with leftover eggs...I don't have a pic of it, but Kaylin would sit in it and watch the fish nibble at her. Ethan would ask, "Kaylin WHAT are you doing?!?" She'd reply, "Shhh! I'm having the fish nibble on my legs!" Oh boy.....
Ethan is getting so good with out his jacket. The water looks gross, but it's just mud all turned up.
There was a rope swing and for some reason Britt and I decided to go too. It actually was a lot of fun....
After the tube ride with my girlies, we went for a little swim. Travis and Ethan joined us too!
Savannah, Brittany, Kaylin, Me and Mika swimmin.....
On the tube ride with Mika and Kaylin. I asked Kaylin why she always put her head down and she said it's because it hurts her neck to look up the whole time. We may have to invest in one of the sitting tubes!
At the beginning of summer Travis bribed me to come to the lake saying I didn't have to do anything but read....Nice huh? Well I still feed everybody, tend to kid owies, and dips in the warm water, but I don't feel guilty at all curling up in the mushroom chair, reading a nice book in the shade. Thanks babe!