Soccer Camp

Griffin participated in the Upward Soccer Camp this past week at Warren Baptist. He went from 9-12 everyday - and loved it. They did drills and practiced "fancy footwork" and had scrimmage games. On Friday, the parents were invited to watch their final game and hear their devotional.

It was about 100 degrees (literally) outisde so I parked the stroller in the shade under a water cooler tent.  Thankfully I was able to keep Graham occupied with snacks and Carsyn slept - except when she accidentally got cold water dumped on her by one of the kids!

 

Griffin played well and hung in there despite the heat and the sweat!

Happy 2 Months Old!

Miss Carsyn is 2 months old today! Not sure how that happened...

Between having a new baby and the craziness of summer, life has been a blur! I heard someone say that the days are long but time flies by. So true. There are days when I think Brent will never get home or that bed time will never come - but at the same time, I wonder how Carsyn has already been a part of our lives for 2 months!

 Griffin curled up with Carsyn while watching a movie one afternoon - so cute!

 Carsyn is not a great napper. at all. She loves to be sleep while laying on your chest - but wakes up within minutes of being put down. I can't decide if its the pain of reflux or just that she is rotten already. But she sleeps fine in the carseat or swing so that is where she is naps during the day. She sleeps in the crib at night though...speaking of nights, she has been really consistent since night one - she normally wakes up at 2 and 5, although she's started throwing in some longer spurts here and there. I'm hoping to see some progression soon!

 I'm thankful that she likes her carseat...as child # 4, I foresee her spending lots of time in it!

 She has been smiling at me for about 3 weeks now and I have yet to catch one on camera...here is my attempt!

 Graham is remarkably gentle and sweet with Carsyn. He loves to pat her and hold her and get all up in her face!



Pool Party!

We had a great weekend this weekend. We were home - no commitments - no one was sick - just good ole family time! We played in the yard, grilled out, took walks, made cookies, Brent took the 2 big kids to see a movie, and we spent an afternoon swimming with friends. I am a "quality time" person so I enjoyed all of the above!  Here are some pictures that our friend Erin took while swimming at her house....

 Avery has mastered swimming!  She was all over the place. Off the diving board. In the deep end. Doing handstands. Retrieving dive sticks. 100% Fish.

 And Griffin is doing great too!  This big old turtle was a favorite of all the Parnell children!

 Mommy getting attacked by an Avery!

Swimming Lessons

Avery and Griffin have been having swim lessons this week at the Club pool. They have both done great. Avery could already swim - so she has been working on technique and breathing properly. She's just about mastered free style and backstroke. And Avery is thrilled that she can jump off the diving board and swim to the side without her vest. And mommy is thrilled that Griffin is finally able to swim!  He needs lots of practice still but he can swim 10-15 feet by himself.

I had the challenge today of having all 4 kids at the pool for the first time...can you say NUTS? At one point, Graham was running on the opposite side of the pool and I was walking after him...and Carsyn was screaming at the top of her lungs from the stroller on the other side of the pool! Good thing I am not too easily rattled!!

Graham "cooking"

 

fishy #1

 

snack time

 

fishy # 2

Trophy

Griffin's teeball team had their year-end party last night at a pizza joint. Griffin was thrilled to receive his first ever trophy!

Summer Fun

We have done a lot of "hanging out" this summer. I tried to plan our summer so that our time was divided up - between travel, activity, and nothing...I wanted to have a chance to enjoy the kids but avoid complete boredom! So far, we have gone to Mobile, participated in a week of VBS, and currently this is our second unplanned week...all that to say, mommy was having to get creative to entertain everyone!

Avery got a new slip-n-slide for her birthday so we filled up one morning with that. I will admit that I even suited up to slide!

This is the red-neck version of a water table! I mean, what kid doesn't like to splash and play in water??  This too occupied an entire morning...and an afternoon!

The big kids were playing outside while I cooked dinner one night - and I saw Avery, Griffin, and Cassidy making laps up and down the yard...the kids were chasing her with their water guns!!  I bet it was more exercise than she has had in a long time!

and this is what I am normally doing while I watch the kids play outside...

Next week Avery has dance camp and Griffin has soccer camp - and I am thankful its a "planned" week!

Avery's Birthday Party

Our first princess turned 6 yesterday!  Yikes!

Avery wanted to have her party at Build-a-Bear this year. We invited the girls from her kindergarten class (there are only 5 of them!) and of course Griffin came. We did BAB, had lunch in the food court at Chic-fil-a, and then celebrated with cookie cake. (I said this was the easiest party ever - no cooking, cleaning, planning, shopping, etc!)

here is avery, helping get her bear stuffed

 

hugging Rainbow

 

and showing off Starry

 

Lola, Emma, Lindsay, Georgia, Avery

 

bathing their bears (Avery, Griff, Lola)

 

Cookie Cake time!

 

making a wish

 

getting her first peek at her birthday present!