July was another fun month for us! We started the month out with a really fun 4th of July weekend! John worked on Friday the 4th but had the weekend after off, so we celebrated all weekend. On Friday, July 4th though Pop took Dawson fishing at the lake. He surprised Dawson with his own fishing pole, and Dawson LOVED it! AND he caught A LOT of fish!!
Pop and Dawson fished off of Dawson's great Uncle Wayne and great Aunt Arlene's dock, so after fishing for a little while Dawson got to go for a ride on Wayne's John Deere tractor!
Then back to more fishing!
Dawson and his Pop fishing!
I think I've mentioned this before, but the kids naps are generally overlapping for about an hour in the afternoons now so I'm having a little more time to do things like sew! I had fun making these anchor (below) and crabby bow ties and hair bows for the kids!
So on the 4th of July weekend, John came home from work on Friday night and surprised us by bringing home fireworks! We let the boys stay up late and watch The Lego Movie for the first time (I'm not a fan-too much violence, but they enjoyed it, although they probably won't be watching it again). They though this was a big treat. When it was finally dark enough we sat and watched (below) while John did some fireworks for us. The picture above and below were taken within minutes of each other but it looks like daylight below! The kids are in their pjs already and you can see I have Nora Kate's baby monitor!
Red, white, and blue! Happy 4th of July!
This is how Carter enjoys fireworks.
This is how Dawson enjoys fireworks.
We decorated the bike trailer/jogging stroller and Dawson's bike with streamers (Dawson thought this was great!) and went out our own little 4th of July parade around the neighborhood!
That afternoon during naptime I quickly squeezed in time to make Nora Kate a pillowcase dress to match her crabby bow so they could wear red, white, and blue matching to church the next day.
That evening we went to our friends the Myers house for swimming, a delicious dinner, fireworks, popsicles, and fun with friends! Our other friends the Coppengers and the Gibsons were there too! Here are some of the gang watching fireworks!
John and Fred setting off fireworks!
Sparkler time!
Carter's first sparkler.
Carter had his friends Olivia (left) and Harper (right). Look at them holding hands! So sweet!
More fireworks by John and Fred.
Sweet friends!
This was a SO challenging! I was determined to get an adorable picture of the kids before church in their crabby attire...no such luck. This picture is the best I could do. Apparently it's super hard to be still for a picture...except for Dawson!
We went to Dollywood a couple of times this month. This was when we first got to Dollywood. Look at that face! I'm not sure what that was about, but it was too cute not to get a picture of!
Driving the cars--always a hit!
Love seeing them walk like this...it will never get old!
bees
Nora Kate fell asleep on my lap on the train ride! She rarely falls asleep like this anymore so I had to get a picture! So sweet!
Carousel
Lolly came with us to Dollywood!
Nora Kate and Lolly on the carousel!
Somehow "put your arm around your brother for a picture" translated into "put your brother in a headlock!"
Flying elephants above and below
My best friend from high school, Cassie, had an adorable baby boy named Campbell back in February. He and Nora Kate are only 6 months apart so we have basically already arranged their marriage! :) BUT we were excited to have them over one morning for me to show Cassie how I made the kids baby food, and to let them "play." This "play" basically consisted of Nora Kate touching Campbell's face over and over, and Campbell pulling her hairbow off one time! So sweet!
For several days during mine and Dawson's special time after the "littles" (as he calls his little bro and little sis) have already laid down for nap, we worked on building this house out of popsicle sticks. He was so happy to have it completed and get to paint it!!
We have been doing lots of walks and bike rides. I looked in the bike trailer one evening and saw these two (Carter and Nora Kate) holding hands...I did NOT tell them to do this, they just were!
Nora Kate playing in a mall play area for the 1st time this month.
Nora Kate got her first pair of REAL shoes at Stride Rite this month!
Proud of her new shoes!
Loves being outside!
I think these boys will ALWAYS love riding Pop's John Deere mower!
We had a preschool reunion with Dawson's preschool class (well 5 members of the class) on Saturday morning at the park. We played and picnicked! Look at those sweet friends!
We got to go for a ride on the lake this month too!
Our Sunday School class had a family picnic at a class members parents land. So fun!
Then the next day we went back to the lake to swim!
John was working so it was just me and the boys, Pop, and Uncle Logan.
Not sure how this got SO out of order, but this was from the 4th of July when Dawson was fishing with Pop!
We spent a lot of time in July swimming at our friends the Myers' pool!
Dawson and Charlie swimming!
Swimming always wears sweet Carter out! When I went to check on him during nap, this is how he was sleeping!
We love swinging at the park!
Sandy Springs Park
Dawson getting to do a special treat and jump at the mall. He LOVES this!
As a 2004 high school graduate, this year meant it was time for my class reunion. Since I was class president senior year, I got to plan it! Because our class was SO small, we decided to include the class of 2003 (John's class), since they didn't have a reunion last year. We had our reunion at Copper Cellar, and it was a great time!
Above: John and two other members (Chris & Kealan) from the class of 2003.
Ashlee, me, Joseph, and Cassie...some of the members of the class of 2004.
We had fun at the reunion!!
John and I at our high school reunion!
My best friend from high school, Cassie, and I at the reunion!
The morning after the reunion we got up bright and early to drive to Dollywood to meet our friends, the Whites, who live in Asheville! We hadn't seen them in a while and hadn't met their newest addition, Marshall-so sweet!!!- so we were thrilled to get to see them!
We got there a little before our friends, so we went on in the park and took some pictures (see above) and rode a couple of rides.
Then we met up with our friends! Dawson, Henry, Carter, and Thomas.
Carousel time!
After an exhausting morning at Dollywood, Nora Kate was exhausted!
We decided to visit the Dollywood playground at the end of the day so the kids got run, jump, and slide to get a few more wiggles out!
Dawson took this picture of us, and I was really impressed!
If only Josh and Cassandra lived closer!
The Whites and us...minus Marshall and Nora Kate who were sleeping in their strollers.
Sweet little ones. Marshall and Nora Kate.
We have spent a lot of time riding bikes this month! Dawson has gotten really fast on his bike, so I can ride along beside him pulling Carter and Nora Kate in the bike trailer. EVERYONE LOVES THIS! We usually take books and Carter "reads" to Nora Kate, in between yelling, "go faster!!"
Keeps us laughing!
One morning we visited the Muse Discovery Center. Dawson always enjoys building with these foam pieces.
Lolly came with us to the Discovery Center. Bubbles!
In the space ship!
Astronaut Carter
Pharaoh Carter
Water fun
Astronaut Carter again
The kids LOVED showing their Lolly around the discovery center!
One more picture before leaving the discovery center.
Carter has been really into building things lately. He built this out (it's magnetic), and called it a robot!
For about two weeks the kids were glued to the backdoor because a pitiful stray cat showed up at our house and would not leave! It would lay right outside the backdoor, and the kids absolutely loved it!
Riding bikes!
Nora Kate we so excited to be riding the gator! She waved the whole time!
Here's the stray cat. Thankfully, Nana helped us to find a home for this cat.
Out of order but here are a couple more pictures from our Sunday School picnic on the farm!
Our Sunday School class!
We went back to the lake to swim a second time! Dawson's all about jumping off the dock over and over and over!
Our visit to the zoo & zoo splash pad!
One evening we left Nora Kate with Lolly and Pop and took the boys to play putt putt. We had a blast, and Carter and Dawson have both already been asking to go back. Carter has even planned out who will get what color ball when we go back, haha!
Putt Putt Golf and Games
John loves that these two are so interested in putt putt, he's hoping to have two great golfing buddies in a few years! He really enjoys golfing with his dad, so hopefully Dawson and Carter can enjoy the same!
(I played putt putt too, but didn't fare so well...John got THREE holes in one!)
After putt putt we played some games!
Lolly gave the kids these fun big sponge stamps, so I stripped the kids down and let them paint!
Nora Kate's first time finger painting.
We visited Safety City in July too! Safety City is the mini version of downtown Knoxville that the kids can drive around. It has working stop lights, rail road crossings, and cute little buildings. This is the 3rd summer we have visited Safety City (it's only open 2 days a week in June and July and is closed the rest of the year to the public), and it's always a big hit!!
There's a mini version of St. Mary's (where Carter and Nora Kate were born-I was born there too!), and I always feel the need to get their picture beside this mini St. Mary's!
Dawson and Colt at Safety City.
Oops! This Dollywood pictures is out of order, but here are Dawson and I on a ride! Dawson has really branched out lately and tried some bigger rides! And he really enjoys them! YAY!
Whew, I think that wraps up July! August will be a busy month for us too with Nora Kate's first birthday, Dawson's first day of kindergarten readiness (3 day a week preschool), several playdates already in the works for Dawson, Carter, and Nora Kate, and soccer starting back up.
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