Busy Week!

Gigi and Peeps came to see us in Lake Jackson this week! They got here Saturday after we got back from the creek. Sunday they were able to be at church to hear Randy preach. He is preaching a lot these days! 3 out of 4 Sundays. And his wife thinks he's doing a great job. :)

Monday Randy and Peeps got up really early and went fishing and Gigi, Kendall and I went to the rec center to go to Zumba! We had a lot of fun, and I think Randy and his dad did too, but they didn't really catch anything.

That afternoon Kendall walked out on our back porch and a huge swarm of fire ants came up from under the boards and attacked her sweet little foot! She got like 25-30 bites just on one foot. It was pretty awful. It has rained some here this weekend (finally!) so that must be the reason for the ants. Her foot swelled up pretty bad and her little toes looked like they were going to pop off! Mike and Anita went and got some meat tenderizer, some Epsom salt, and a bandage, and we soaked her foot and then put the paste of meat tenderizer on it and wrapped it up. It looked so sad! She was even limping around the house, it must have hurt so bad. We kept her on Benadryl though (and Neosporin, Pops!) and it is really looking much better.

We were just sticking her foot in the sink, but then she decided it would be fun to get all the way in!

Tuesday Randy had to go back to work, so the four of us went to the Seacenter and then out to the beach.

Look at that huge shark!

Tuesday night we went and got sno-cones after dinner and then went to play some watermelon football. This has been a regular activity for us this summer...well, for Randy really. I sit and watch and Kendall plays in the hot tub. They grease up the watermelon with shortening and then try to get it from one end of the pool to the other. It wears Randy out, but he loves it! I snapped a few pictures while they were playing. It gets pretty rough! Everyone usually has a few bruises and lots of sore muscles!

We had a fun week, Gigi and Peeps! Kendall is looking forward to seeing you next week...if Mom will be able to let her go!

Cow Creek, Part 2

This is the cabin. Underneath was all sand and the kids loved playing there. We would just sit outside on the porch swing or in the hammock or on the picnic tables and let them play. It was great and pretty relaxing!

Sarah and Kendall heading off to play. I love it when they hold hands!

Holly was "the popsicle mamma!" Love this picture! These are 8 of the 10 kids - Ella and Caleb aren't quite ready for popsicles yet.

They were kissing. :)

"Crick" croquet. It was more like putt-putt because we were aiming for a hole we dug in the ground. Haha!
Callan and Amy came out Friday and stayed until Saturday. We played the first 9 holes with the boys but then I got bored and decided to sit out the back 9. And my score got really high. :)
Here are all the family shots. First is the Beams:

Then the Hendersons:

Then the Mitterlings:

And us:

We don't have a family picture of the Sanders, but here is Holly and Ella:

And Aaron and Ethan:

And last but not least, you know how I love a naked picture!! I can't remember why she was naked, but Mary snapped a picture because it's just too cute!

We had a great time guys!! I'm glad it worked out and we were able to make some great memories. Can't wait for next year! I'm ready for a Phase 10 rematch Mary!

Cow Creek, Part 1

This past weekend we had the first of what we decided will be an annual trip to Cow Creek. Aaron's family has had this cabin/camp in his family for generations and every year they go to "the creek" for July 4th, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and other holidays. This year Aaron and Holly invited us and some of our friends out for a "Baby Mama" vacation at the creek. 10 adults and 10 kids. One big cabin with a big room that had like 7 beds, a kitchen, and a small room off to the back (that Randy, Kendall, and I actually got to sleep in!!). As the trip started approaching, we began to think that maybe we were crazy and that this would not be a good idea. How would we ever get all those kids to go down, and stay down, for naps and bedtime when all their buddies were in the same room as them?! But it worked out great and we had a blast. We also took lots of pictures.

When we got there and started unloading, Kendall immediately saw the swing and wouldn't quit saying "swing, swing, swing?" so we hooked it up and let her swing. It hangs really high, and she loved that she was swinging above our heads.

In this picture she is saying "more, more" with her hands. She didn't want us to quit swinging her!

She had her first popsicles this weekend and thought they were great. It was so cute to watch her with all her friends that are older than her. She doesn't know she's littler than them. We love watching her do new, big things!


We played croquet. I did not do very well. But it was still fun!!!

Randy and the guys fished a little....actually they didn't just fish, they caught!

We had to cross the creek to get to the sandbar where we sat and the kids played. Randy and Kendall crossed first. I think it looks like he is baptizing her here. :)

She loves the water!

This is my "I don't like what my feet are touching and I don't want to fall down in it" face. It made me realize I may be a little more prissy than I thought. I kinda thought I had gotten over that. But apparently not. I was a little bothered by the fact that there could be snakes in there!

My buddy Sarah. Look at her hand on my leg. I love that girl!

We all planned and cooked one meal for everyone the whole weekend. It was great to break it up like that and only have to cook once. Randy and I grilled hot dogs Friday night. Looks like Aaron helped Randy a little....

There are lots more pictures, but I am waiting to get them from the girls. I will post more when I get them!

Beach Pictures

These pictures are from one of our trips to the beach last week. Our friend Micaela came and she is an awesome photographer! She snapped pictures the whole time and I love them. Sarah Grace was there...

...and so was Ethan.

He kept losing his shorts, so Holly eventually took them off....and Kendall found them!


She's getting so tall!

Kendall wanted to try and sit in Sarah's chair with her...
...but that didn't work. Kendall won. Her bottom is a little bigger. :)

Ethan chasing Sarah in the water.

Playing in the sand...

...and eating fruit snacks. Sometimes the only thing she wants to do when we go to the beach is eat snacks!

Best buddies!