Pool Party and Smores..

Thursday, we decided to take a day off from the beach and just hang out at the pool at our house. After breakfast, we spent the morning in the pool. Hagen had learned how to swim earlier this summer, and during the trip he was swimming really well on his own with quite a bit of confidence.

They loved the pool.

Around lunch, KK and I, headed out to go see the movie, "The Help". I was so excited about this movie. I read the book earlier in the summer and had anxiously been awaiting the movie. The book was fabulous. KK started reading the book on Monday, when we arrived in Gulf Shores and she was done by Wednesday night. The movie was great and we really enjoyed it. Unfortunately when we were away, Harper had a giant explosion in her diaper. Poor erik had to totally clean Harper, the exersaucer and the floor. Bless his heart:)

After returning home for more swimming, we had a taco night. everyone loves tacos right? After dinner, we had the long awaited smores night. Before the trip, we bought a make your own smores kit from Sams. The boys were thrilled to finally get to open it.

The smore ingrediants ready to go.

Getting ready.

Yum Yum...

Harper joined in on the fun as well.

Wednesday- Kayaking, LuLu's and Go Carts.

Wednesday morning started with a pancake breakfast. After the meal, Erik, Hagen and Lance left to go on the kayaking trip they had planned. I believe Hagen was the most excited. Brenan and I, decided to take Cooper and Payton to the beach. And KK was gracious enough to stay with Harper.

The Kayaks. Erik was worried he would drop the camera in the bay, so I have no pictures of the kayaking trip. However, they all admitting it was physically taxing activity. During the trip, they were able to stop and let Hagen pick up a few hermit crabs. Hagen, had been talking about getting hermit crabs all summer after his friend, Collin, got some earlier in the summer. So he was more than thrilled to find his own. As he said, "he went crabbing".

Hagen's hermits.

After the Kayaking and morning at the beach, we all returned to the house for swimming; lunch and naps.

Pool time with daddy.

After naps, we got ready and headed into town to eat at LuLu's. LuLu's is owned by Lucy Buffet, Jimmy Buffet's sister. It is the neatest place. They have live music, sand for the kids to play in and just all kind of neat things. It resembles a Margarittaville, but for families.

Having a great time.

Cooper and Payton playing in the sand.

KK and Hagen waiting to go eat.

Hagen holding on tightly to his new shark tooth necklace.

Daddy feeding Harper sweet tea for the first time. She loved it!

Cooper ate two whole fried green tomatoes, he loved them.

Waiting on his cheeseburger.

Brennan and Lance.

Erik and I.

This is my favorite picture of Harper the whole trip.

After our wonderful meal, we headed across the street to The Track. Kind of a mini amusement park with a huge wooden go-cart track. I think this is one of Erik's favorite things about Gulf Shores. We rode the track twice, Hagen and Erik and Cooper and I. They loved it, especially Cooper.

The carts are so fast it is hard to get a great picture, but this is the just of it.

After the race track, we headed over to the amusement side of the park, and let the boys ride some rides.

Flying the airplanes.

Ridding the meri-go-round.

Happy girl in her stroller. She did so good, two hours past her bedtime.

We found a smaller track, where Hagen could drive. He was so excited.

Finally, around 10 pm. we headed back to the house, by the time we made it home all three kids were asleep. Even Hagen, and that never happens.

Tuesday's Jelly Fish Catastrophy.

Tuesday morning, we headed to the beach again after breakfast. The waves were larger that morning and the water a unusually mirky. That did not stop my boys. Cooper was having the best time swimming in the ocean. Smiling from ear to ear. Then, came a horrible scream. I looked up and of course it was Cooper. As many of you know, Cooper is a little dramatic, kind of like the boy that cried wolf. But I quickly realized he was serious this time. Erik quickly got to him in the water, and in seconds he had a large red whelp on his left leg. He had been stung by a jellyfish. Erik took him back to the house and poured some ammonia we had been told to purchase in case of a sting. After a fruit snack and capri sun he was asleep. When the rest of us made it back to the house he was waking from his nap and his leg was feeling much better. Good to know, ammonia really works for jellyfish stings.

The "mean" jellyfish, as Cooper says. This is most likely not the exact fish, but a close example.

Cooper's wound, feeling much better at this point.

That afternoon Erik and Lance carried the boys to the ice cream shop for ice cream. Cooper was 100 % improved after returning.

Steaks and chips and guacamole for supper. Those of you that have not tried Erik's guacamole, you are seriously missing out.

Erik and Lance cooking supper.

Let the fun begin..

Sunday afternoon, after we arrived. We got unpacked and headed for a walk on the beach. Everyone was so glad to be out of the car. After the beach we headed to Wal-Mart to stock up on groceries for the week.

Monday morning, after breakfast the kids were so excited to head to the beach. The weather was so nice after a light shower that morning.

Playing in the sand.

Getting barried in the sand. How cute are they?

And of course, Hagen had his turn.

Sweet Harper, relaxing on the beach.

That afternoon, we returned to the house for naps and swimming in the pool. We had a wonderful meal that night of BBQ chicken and potatoes.

That night we went back to the beach....

and this is what we caught. Yes little crab! I probably should not say "we". Lance caught these. Hagen was so excited to see these this next morning. As many of you know he is our deadliest catch fanatic.

We had a great first day.

Gulf Shores Here We Come.

Sunday August 7th, it was time for our long awaited family vacation. Our destination Gulf Shores, Alabama. We had visited Gulf Shores four years ago with some friends and have wanted to go back ever since. Our traveling partners were Lance, Brenan (my cousin) and Payton Popham and Kathy (KK-Erik's mom). She so graciously came along to help with Harper and we were so thankful. Saturday night, we packed the car so we would be ready to head out at 4 am Sunday morning.

As you can see we do not travel light! Ha!

We deed indeed leave promptly at 4 am. We were able to make it to Alexandria, La for breakfast, at Cracker Barrel, yum. At that point Cooper decided he needed to ride in the car with Payton (his 3rd cousin and BFF) they are only one month apart and get along great.

Cooper and Payton.

Harper did so much better than I expected on the long car ride. We have never traveled over an hour with her in the car, so I was a little apprehensive. The only obstacle we faced was the sun in her eyes, which she hated. So, we took a receiving blanket and would move it around the car to block the sun from her eyes. It hung from both side windows and the sun roof at times.

Relaxing in the "shade".

...and sucking her thumb.

We made it to Dolphin Island around 2:00 and had lunch at McDonalds. After lunch we headed around 10 miles down the road and boarded the ferry, that would take us across to the Fort Morgan area.

When we arrived it had just rained and the temp was in the 80's. It was a welcomed change from 107 degrees at home.

The boys first ferry ride, so exciting. Almost there.

We arrived at our house around 4 pm, we stayed in a cottage at The Beach Club, in the Fort Morgan area. It was great, we had a house with it's own small pool and had only a short walk to the beach.

Harper gets a tooth.

After months of large amounts of slobber, chewing on her hands and gumming food, it finally happened, Harper Kate has a tooth! Thursday, August 5th her first tooth broke through on her lower jaw right in front. I would love to include a picture, but she will barely let me touch it must less take a picture.

Harper is 7 months old.

July 21st, sweet little Harper turned 7 months old. Let me just say, this last month she has become such a much more pleasant baby. She is starting to turn into a little person right before our eyes. She reaches to go to everyone now, but only for just a second and then she wants to come back to mommy! Sitting up smiling and playing with things, she is so much fun.

Sitting up so well. She is such a big girl, with a huge smile. This is also my favorite summer dress, I love the strawberries.

Rolling around everywhere. Seriously, she rolls from one side of the house to another. Hagen did the same thing when he was a baby.

Having a girl's night with Aunt Mae-Mae.

Harper,
You are our sweet 7 month old girl. Wow, I can not believe you are this big. You have added to our family in so many ways, and we are so blessed to get to be your parents. I was never one of the mommy's, that "had to have a girl" but I am so thankful for you. I am having the most fun, and I have big plans for us in the future.
At 7 months:
You wear size 12 month clothes.
You wear size 3 shoes.
You can sit up on your own.
You wear a size 4 diaper.
You love any type of food, I have started just putting most of our meals in the food processor for you and you love them. You also love all kinds of fruit.
You are still nursing around 4 times a day.
You are teething like crazy, and we are expecting your first tooth any minute.
You love to roll all over the house.
You love to tear up paper and attempt to eat it, any chance you get.
You LOVE Hagen, you are mesmorized by him. If you are crying he can always make you stop. I can not even begin to describe how special I believe your relationship will be.
You love Cooper as well, however there tends to be a little competition over who gets my attention.
You still have barely any hair.
You have started to pull your hair bows off any chance you get, I have almost given up on them. ALMOST that is, not totally.
Your brothers like to call you "Mrs. Harper", especially Cooper. This makes me laugh, it is so sweet. I believe your KK started calling you this first and the boys have adopted this as their own.
We love you so very much,
Mommy