Visting with Cousins

OK, I am still playing blog catch-up, but one of the highlights of our summer has been getting a chance to visit with cousins from both sides of the family. I grew up getting to go on vacation with my cousins every summer and spending countless hours playing in Pearlie's and Poppy's backyard with them, so I am thrilled that Alex and Emily have had a chance to play and get to know their cousins a little better this summer.

Cousin Encounter #1

My cousin Ivey, her husband Jonathan and their 2 kids were at the beach with Jonathan's family the same week we were at the beach. They came to our beach hang out one day and Alex and Emily had the chance to dig in the sand and play with their cousins. Noah and Alex are only 1 month apart and Emily and Carter are 2 months apart in age. Noah and Alex have a blast any time they are together. Here are some pics.

Alex and Noah

Carter

Ivey, Brooke (my sister), and me

All 4 cousins....Emily wanted no part of this picture. Can you tell?


Cousin Encounter #2
Jason and Jessica came to spend a whole week with us. Alex and Emily were so excited they were coming to visit. Since Jason and Jessica live in Florida we usually see them at Christmas when we visit Ryan's parents. So the fact that they were coming to our house and spending the night at our house and their parents weren't going to be here was a HUGE deal. To be honest, I was a bit leary of being responsible for 4 kids, but I think the week turned out to be a success. I hope Jason and Jessica agree! : ) We played on the Slip-n-slide, we went to the pool, we went to the movies, and went out on the boat. I could not have asked for 4 better children. We literally did not have one fight or argument the whole time they were here! I am so glad my kids had a chance to play and visit and get to know their cousins! It was lots of fun, and we also have a deal worked out with Cara and Heath....we had all 4 kids this summer, they get all 4 next summer!
I took a ton of pictures while Jason and Jessica were with us, but here are a few of my favs!

Cousin Encounter #3

I don't have any pictures to prove that Cousin Encounter #3 happened, but I am so thankful that it happened! We got to spend about 2 hours with Ryan's Uncle Tom, Aunt Linda, cousin Megan and her husband Jamie, and their 2 kids, Evan and Carter. The fam was headed to Myrtle Beach for their annual vacation and made a pitstop in Rock Hill to see us! The Smart gang lives in Indiana so we rarely get to see them! The last time we saw them Alex was 4 months old...that's how long it has been! We hope they are willing to make more pitstops in Rock Hill on future trips to the beach! It was so good to see them and for Alex and Emily to have a chance to meet more family members and get to play!

The rest of June

After lounging at the beach and soaking up the sun for a week, we returned home to more summer fun! Alex had a week of Soccer Camp and LOVED it. In case you haven't figured it out, he loves sports and being outside. Not once in 5 days did he complain out being outside for 3 hours in close to 100 degree weather! I think the week he had soccer camp was one of the hottest weeks we have had all summer! He learned lots of stuff and got to hang out with some of his favorite buddies that he went to preschool with the past 2 years! Parents got to go on Friday and see the kids demonstrate some of the skills they learned during the camp. Alex is now ready to play some more soccer.....sign ups for fall soccer are next week! Can't wait to see how he does on the field this fall! (Alex is the one in the orange ball cap in the pics.)

After soccer camp we spent a day and a half catching up with our college friends, the Kricks! On Saturday we got to see around 40 Clemson friends. This is the 3rd year Kevin and Andrea have hosted our "family reunion" with the gang from Clemson. We always have a blast at their house and it is so much fun to see who comes each year as well as watching our kids get to know each other and have a great day of fun on Lake Murray! Who knows, maybe some of our kids will be future Tigers and get to spend 4 (or more) great years together in Tiger Town like their parents did! I would love to post some pics, but unfortunately I didn't take any that day. I had too much fun talking and visiting and never picked up my camera!

Beach 09

Summer Vacation

As soon as school was out, we packed up and headed out for a week at the Beach! We went to Surfside Beach, just a little south of Myrtle Beach with our family and my parents and sister. We had a blast. Ryan and I were talking on our way home from the beach that it is the best vacation we could take at this point in our lives with our kids the ages they are. We rented a house on the beach and played on the beach most of each day. Ryan and Alex were usually the first ones out on the beach and the rest of us slowly made our way out each morning after breakfast! Emily and I usually made the trek back to the house first each afternoon so she could get in a quick nap before any evening adventures. We played in the sand, Alex rode the waves on his boogey board, we played Putt-Putt (It was Emily's first time.), and ate lots and lots of seafood! We also went to see an I-Max movie..."Under the Sea", and went to see a Myrtle Beach Pelicans Baseball Game. We had so much fun! We really, really hated to leave. I think all of us would have gladly spent another week in our beach house! Here are some pics of our beach adventures!

Family Tradition: Photo opp outside of Lee's Inlet Kitchen in Murrels Inlet, SC

Emily's first time to play Putt-Putt!

Alex is a putt-putt pro. He played 2 rounds this year. Round 1 with us and then Round 2 with Ryan and some friends who were at the beach at the same time as us. He scored a Hole-in-one on his round with friends!

Emily eventually got tired of using the putter so she started rolling the ball to the whole. Quiet effective method for a 2 year old! : )

Aunt Brooke played with us!

Daddy and Alex at the Pelicans Baseball game! Alex is sporting his new baseball cap that he bought!

More beach pics to come in the next post! They will actually show the beach!

Playing Blog Catch-up

Okay, it has been a LOOOONG time since I posted something new. Sorry! I am going to try and play catch up this afternoon and get you updated on the last 2 1/2 months of life around the Allred house.

Basically, May was CRAZY! May is always busy with end of school year stuff, but now that the kids are getting older, it is even busier. We had the T-ball season that wouldn't end due to games being rained out, end of year programs and parties, not to mention all the normal craziness that is just part of my job at the end of the year. There was one week where I literally went to the grocery store every day. The kids needed special snacks for different things and we had 3 or 4 different receptions, showers, parties at school that required food. I lived day to day and survived! YEAH!!!!! Emily finished her first full year of preschool, and Alex finished up his last year of preschool. It was a crazy, busy, fun month!

Then we moved right on into June and summer break!

These pictures were taken of Emily the night of her end of year program. It was great! Each class had 2 or 3 songs to sing. There were only 5 kids in Emily's class this year and they were too cute singing their farm animal song and the "Pizza Hut, McDonald's" song! She had a great year at her school and will be headed back in a few weeks to start year #2.

These are the only pictures we have of Alex the day of his End of Preschool program. It poured down rain the whole day and we were not able to get him to stop and pose long enough after his program for a picture. I managed to get the one of him coming down the aisle with his class! Thankfully it turned out well! He has a few more weeks of summer left and then will be going to Kindergarten at my school. I am sure I will have more to blog about on that subject in a few weeks!