Mobile

Sort of at the last minute I decided to take the kids to Mobile for a couple of weeks.   May May flew down here and drove over with us.  It took us 9 hours, but the kids were really good.  It helps when there is someone else in the car to tend to their needs!

We had a great time!   One of May May and Gan's neighbors came by the first day we were there.  They had seen kid stuff when they moved into the house last October and then I guess they saw that we were there.  Anyway, they have a four year old girl named Lawson and a 7 month old named Lillie.   They also have a pool, which was very exciting.  We went over there a couple of times to swim and Lawson came over to play in the baby pool at May May's house.   It is nice to know there is someone around JR's age there to play with when we visit.    They were still nice to us even after Jane Ritchie poo poo'd in their pool.    (FYI - she has all that under control now, which is GREAT!)

Jane Ritchie and Jim Beau got to meet 8 of their second cousins on July 5th down at Aunt B and Uncle Eddie's house at Ft. Morgan.  Their house is on the bay side and we saw a little bit of oil floating in the water.  Jane Ritchie had a great time playing in the sand and the pool they have set up under the house.  It was great to see everyone.  Montgomery worked all day on a chicken gumbo and it was awesome!

If you are interested in one of these t-shirts designed by Robert and Sally Frances Smith you can email wishtosaveourgulf@gmail.com or go to the Save Our Gulf facebook page for details.

We also had Jane Ritchie's 3rd birthday party.  Friends came over to play in the  baby pool.  Jane Ritchie wanted a Belle cake so we got an ugly princess one from Winn Dixie.  She loved it!

Ruthie and Liza

I also invited some of my friends over to the house for a little get together.  Everyone brought their kids so there ended up being 13 kids there!   It was crazy, but fun to see everyone.

 Larkin and Frances Price

Jane Thomas (Dad's former admin assistant at the US Attorney's office) and her mother

The Millers

Jack

Charlie aka Blueberry Salsa Bandit

Dad fixing cheese and crackers for the kids

The last week we all got sick!  We ended up at the urgent care three days in a row!   First with Jane Ritchie who had an ear infection.  Then I went and ended up getting a shot and a z-pack and the next day we took Jim Beau who had pink eye and an ear infection!!!   Thankfully it didn't take long for us all to start feeling better.

We did not want to come home, but it was time to get back and get ready for Daddy to come home.  It won't be long!!!

"WASHINGTON, DC!!!!!!!"

I took the kids up to D.C. a few weeks ago.  It was great because it was a non-stop flight from Jacksonville to Reagan National and once I got everyone settled on the plane, our next stop was D.C.!   Jane Ritchie was great on the flight.  I realized that for such a short flight I brought too many things for her to do.  So, on the way home I only brought her Ipod.   Yes, she has a better Ipod than I do and she can totally use it to watch her movies and tv shows!     As we were landing she looked out the window and spotted the Capitol.  She yelled out "Washington, DC!!!!!"    She also looked out and saw the wing of the plane and said, "Mommy, the wings aren't flapping!!!"   All in all, I think she enjoyed flying. 

The first two days we spent babysitting cousin Gracie.  She was sooooo good!   We made several trips over to Gan's office and everyone was so glad to meet Jim Beau.   Aunt Ruthie took us out to Lake Burke where we road the train and the carousel.  We also went to Baltimore to meet Jane Ritchie's friend Evy at the Discovery Museum.  Evy moved from Georgia to Annapolis.

Jane Ritchie really loved riding the train to and from the Senate office buildings and the Capitol.  She met several other Senators or "Gan Gan's friends", and also James Rosen from Fox News.

We also went out to Middletown to spend the night with Grandma Marty and Papa Bo.  Jane Ritchie loved playing with all of Grandma Marty's dolls!  

All in all, it was a great trip and very easy travel compared to having to drive somewhere with these two by myself.   The only bad part was that Paul missed it!

Checking out Gan's desk

visiting Gan's office

the rocker that JR hated.  Jim Beau  loved it!

Jane Ritchie helping babysit Grace!

Sweet Boy

I've decided not to put any more videos on youtube.  I don't like it that you have to make them public and anybody could see them.   Of course, I guess anyone could get my picasa website and see that too, but you tube just seems more "out there".  

Here is Jim Beau getting a kick out of his Mommy

And chewing on his spoon and smiling at his silly sister

Cool at the Pool

We went to a pool party last weekend that one of the wives hosted.  It was in a new neighborhood down in Yulee, Fl.  It was the best neighborhood pool I have ever seen!!!   The main pool was HUGE and because the neighborhood doesn't have very many houses yet, it wasn't crowded on a Saturday morning.  The pool in our neighborhood is packed on Saturdays.   The baby pool was extra special.  It had slides and sprinklers.  Jane Ritchie LOVED it.   Our baby pool is just a square pool and so JR rarely wants to play in it by herself.   She could have played in this fancy baby pool all day!    We can't wait to go back later this month for a birthday party.

Ready for the pool party, but had to change clothes.  sigh.

Jane Ritchie and her friend Lilly, who thinks she is quite strange sometimes

This is what Jane Ritchie calls "swimming".  She says she can swim.

Here is a not so great video of Jane Ritchie going down the slide.  I went down it with her the first two times.  I thought I was going to lose a contact lens!!  There is a TON of water coming down on you.  She was brave and did it several more times by herself!

Like uncle, like nephew

I think we have a picture exactly like this of Uncle Sam!

Sunday Morning

Trying to get a picture before church.    Trying...

Princess Jim Beau

Hey Y'all....remember this post?   'Nuff said.

Video fun!

I'm adding a couple of posts at once so scroll down to see more pictures, etc.

Jane Ritchie is very into storytelling right now.   Click here to see her story about Boss, Grandma Marty's dog.   I definitely need to figure out why we have HD video capability on our camera, but the videos don't turn out very clear.

Anyway, a video here of Jim Beau kicking!

The next Lea Michele singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Itsy Bitsy Spider