Um, hi...remember me?

Hi friends,

So you know those friends that you can go months without seeing or hearing from, and the next time you talk it's like y'all never skipped a beat? Well, can we be those kind of friends?

Pretty please:)

You probably want to know where the hell I've been and what has kept me from blogging.  Or you're that said friend that just gets it.  You're with me wondering how in the world Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back and entire summer is completely over.

We blinked, but I pray to God I didn't miss a thing.  Well maybe a few meltdowns and personal situations that I'd love to pack away with the beach towels.

Summer 2013 was a season of travel.  We traveled more than we intentionally planned, but I wouldn't have had it any other way.  We are insanely blessed with children that love to travel as much as we do, and a family that treats us to amazing vacations.

First up was the most extravagant.  Aruba.  Wow, it was unreal.   I promise to come back with a post dedicated solely to our week there.  I sure hope I can capture all of the memories that we made, not to boast or brag, but so that I can look back on this trip and remember every bit of it.  Seeing Mattie Jayne nap in tandem with her future BFF cousin and Jackson snorkeling among hundreds and hundreds of fish...my cup runneth over.

Not quite two weeks after we returned from Aruba, we packed up again and headed to Point Clear, Alabama.  While the beach was nothing compared to the crystal clear water and sugar sand of Aruba - work calls and the Grand Resort was an awesome week away.  Mr. attended a conference and I took a not yet needed vacation from my new job to be the supportive wife;) We brought the kids, and a nanny, and worked a bit and networked the week away.

I think we may have put the suitcases away when I half way jokingly told my in-laws that we'd crash their beach vacation in Pensacola...I blame the Mexican food and the Corona's! Well that half joked turned into a great weekend getaway with family we never get to travel with.  Jackson and his cousin fell as in love as two 4 & 5-year-old boys can...with mermaids.  We may have to re-think traveling with the Wilson's when these boys are 14 & 15...they are going to be trouble! All joking aside, the Holiday Inn Resort is a pretty fun place with tons of family activities...including mermaids that play with your kids for hours, and hours.

And no summer is complete without a trip back to St. Louis.  With my birthday and Ellie's just one day apart, we went up for Ellie's first birthday party and Labor Day.  We always have the best birthday weekends, especially when they're three days! In addition to driving up to St. Louis, we also made a trip over to the Lake of the Ozarks to check out my dad's new condo.  Pretty sure four kids under 4 on a boat is a guaranteed meltdown, for someone, at some point in the day.

Last, but not least, we're cramming one more weekend trip to visit our dear friends in Houston over the weekend.  Eek, I cannot wait to sip wine with one of my besties and do some serious shopping!

In other news, Jackson has made a great transition into Pre-K4.  It was a little touch and go the first couple of weeks with a new teacher and new rules.  My boy does not like change, and even more than that, he does not like his new teacher to know he poops.  I think he has his first teacher crush and we're back to reading Everybody Poops, ha.  He had his first soccer game over the weekend and needs to focus a bit more on the field and less about where his momma is...but, this boy is some kind of sweet.  He loves his baby sister and melts my heart about once an hour - all 4 1/4 years of him.

Mattie Jayne is a movin' and a shakin'! She started crawling about a week before she turned 8 months, followed by getting her first tooth.  It's kind of scary how sweet and fun she is, she seriously makes me want to have about ten more of her.  Mr. isn't sold on that idea, but he can't complain about her ease or the amount of sleep either! She eats everything we eat, just mashed up a bit.  No processed baby food for her...and just maybe she'll end of being a better eater than her brother.  One thing they certainly have the same is their contagious smile and love of nursing.  Mattie nurses like a champ and I see no soon end in sight.

Mr. and I celebrated our 6-year wedding anniversary this summer, and being together for nine.  My time flies when you're having fun...or chasing around two sweet kiddos! Oh and working a new job that is everything I ever hoped it would be.

Friends, help a sister out and keep on top of me to get back to blogging.  And tell me what fun things you did this summer! Miss y'all:)

Here's some pictures we had taken in July: Married for six years, four-year-old Jackson and six-month-old Mattie.

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