Favorite Foto Friday #49 - FRIENDS!

Thanks for all the great suggestions for future FFF themes... I will be using them, I guarantee you!!! I love coming together each Friday with all of you and seeing your pictures for the week, it is one of my highlights too!!

As promised... pictures of Sophie's first CAR DATE!!! Roberto took Sophie for the ride of her life in his John Deere!



Is that not the cutest picture ever?? You can see the love!! And Roberto is a great driver and only three years old! Bug looks like she is hanging on for dear life, but she was laughing so hard and had the biggest smile on her face!



A little "Stop and pose for the mamas action":



True FRIENDS!



Roberto hugs those curves too... knows just how to take his foot off the pedal to skid around the corner... just look at that technique!!



You never have to follow the FFF theme... if you would like to be included in FFF, just post your link into Mr. Linky below... it is fun to follow our FFF friends each week!

Now... for the MR LINKY FFF LINKING DIRECTIONS!! Go to your blog and click on the title of your FFF post - your post URL will appear in the address bar in your browser and it will contain the exact link to your post! Simply highlight the address, right click, choose copy and then paste it in the "URL" spot in the Mister Linky - just under where you put your name (you can put your name and the name of your child/ren in the picture). Don't forget to click the "Enter" button and voila... you are linked!

It is important that you are linking just your post and not just your blog web address so everybody can link directly to your FFF post!!



Next week's theme is CRAZY HAIR AND BED HEADS!

Safe Travels Home Baby Alex!!

Baby Alex leaves Kentucky tomorrow morning and is heading home to be lovingly placed back into his parents arms by my wonderful friend, Kim. His lip looks beautiful and I can only imagine how his parents will feel tomorrow seeing him for the first time with his new little face. What an adorable little peanut he is! I had the honor of taking these pictures of Kim and Alex a couple weeks ago and cuddling on this sweet little guy! I can tell you that he is pure Heaven rolled up into one delicious little package!



For those that have not been following Baby Alex's story... he came to the US for Cleft Lip surgery through COTA after they visited Mayan Families in Panajachel, Guatemala this past January for their annual medical mission trip. My selfless, beautiful and wonderful friend, Kim, graciously volunteered to foster Alex during his stay and be his loving Fairy Godmother through his lip repair surgery here in Ky. I think Kim got more than she bargained for... her heart fell completely for this little guy and she loves him so much! I can't imagine how bittersweet it will be for her to hand that little man back to his mami and papi tomorrow in Guatemala. Please keep Kim and Baby Alex in your prayers!

My friends, Julia and Holly are helped to raise funds for Kim's trip back to Guatemala and to continue to help Baby Alex's family after he settles in back at home. If you are so inclined, please check out their links or go directly to the Mayan Families Website and donate to the Food & Milk program and direct the donation to Baby Alex and his nutritional needs or to the Medical Program to help Baby Alex and/or other children with their medical needs. Your donations are tax deductible too! Any amount is a blessing, so thank you so much! If you cannot help at this time, please send up prayers for the many children like Alex who could use them!

God Speed and Safe Travels Kim and Baby Alex!!! Big Hugs and Kisses!!!

Themes - Need Ideas!!

OK... I almost forgot! The theme for this week's Favorite Foto Friday is "FRIENDS". Post your pictures of your kiddos and their favorite moments with their friends!!

And, yes, I picked a very convenient theme for me - LOL! since we just spent our vacation with one of Sophie's little friends that will make it fun to post some pictures of them together.

I am also looking for some ideas for future FFF themes, so please leave a comment here with your awesome ideas... I can come back to this post to gather your awesome ideas in one place!!

Oh, and for those of you that haven't heard yet... GUATOBERFEST in Myrtle Beach is coming up October 10-13! It was such a blast last year and I cannot wait to go back again this year! I can't wait to meet more of my blog buddies in person! Rooms are filling up fast, so please hop over and check it out and book your rooms! It is going to be a blast!

One more question for those that use bloglines or RSS feeds... which one do you use and do you like it?

Home again, home again, jiggity jig!

We are home from a glorious trip to the beach!! Hilton Head was so wonderful! We spent our days at the pool, shopping, way too much eating, biking around the island, listening to entertainers on the docks while enjoying some cold beverages and ice cream and so much more. We stayed on Sea Pines Plantation in South Beach in a darling cottage-like Inn. We will definitely be going back in the future! It was such a wonderful family friendly place to vacation!






One gorgeous cabana boy, Roberto!


Sophie LOVES 'Berto!


Our friends, Mary Beth and Roberto came along with us! It was so much fun!


The whole family out at Harbor Town...



My beautiful sun kissed teenagers at the Salty Dog Cafe at South Beach!



And some babies helping their mommies with some important business! Those limes don't get in there themselves, you know?!


See? Happy Mommies!


We went out on a dolphin excursion and saw TONS of dolphins, including a pod of about seven strand feeding together with babies in tow... so cool!








And, of course, our traditional pictures at the beach:












We even got Mary Beth and Roberto to join us for some family pics on the beach.


I can tell you that getting ready for the pictures and getting toddlers and teenagers to cooperate for pictures on the beach is not the most fun evening you can plan... but I think the results are worth it!

Day's End on the Sound... the most beautiful sunsets!


We cannot wait to go back again. It was one of the most enjoyable vacations we have ever had!

"Head"ing to the Beach

TOMORROW... and we can't wait!!

Splish Splash She Is Taking A Bath

A little background... about a year ago, Bug woke up one day and decided that baths were suddenly terrifying! She screamed bloody murder if you tried to get her into the tub. I began letting her shower with me, which has worked out well as it is quite quick and easy. But, she was missing out on all the fun and relaxation that a bath can give a girl!

Well, for her birthday, she received some Dora bubble bath. I had put it away in the linen closet thinking she would not use it but decided to save it for "someday". She found it this week and asked to take a bubble bath. Thought I would share some pictures of her "aha" moment!

Hmmmm Mommy... I wonder if I am going to like this?


I think I do!


Ok, mommy, this is really FUN!!!


Why didn't you tell me what I was missing?


Can I take another Dora Bubble Bath tomorrow?


And she has... every day this week. Throws a three year old tantrum if she does not get to... I think I have created a monster! ha ha... A Bubble Bath Monster!

And, several of you have asked for a status update on her scar. I took her back into the plastic surgeon last week as she still has bruising under her eye and the scar is still very red and has a deep ridge. He told me that it looks good and that it is not uncommon for it to still be bruised even 8 weeks after the trauma. Since the metal handlebar went through the muscle and hit the bone, he is not surprised that she is still bruised. And as for the scarring... we are using Vitamin E twice a day on it as well as Mederma twice a day... he believes it will continue to fade as it heals and will remain red for a few more weeks. He may need to do some adjustment on the scar if it needs it, but probably will not for at least six months. I hope that it will fade over time... we will continue to take good care of it. Any suggestions or ideas for doing anything more to help it?

Oh... and Sophie had her first car date last week... stay tuned for pics!

Favorite Foto Friday #48 - HOORAY FOR THE RED WHITE & BLUE

It was a soggy Fourth of July last week, so our big plans for the pool and fireworks did not really happen. But, we did get to pick Grant up from camp and Sophie was SO excited to have him home again! So, we spent most of the day hanging out at home and playing outside between the raindrops.

Here is Sophie "painting" outside and modeling her Red, White & Blue




Sweet Smile


The New Cheesy Smile


And a happy reunion between brother and sister


You never have to follow the FFF theme... if you would like to be included in FFF, just post your link into Mr. Linky below... it is fun to follow our FFF friends each week!

Now... for the MR LINKY FFF LINKING DIRECTIONS!! Go to your blog and click on the title of your FFF post - your post URL will appear in the address bar in your browser and it will contain the exact link to your post! Simply highlight the address, right click, choose copy and then paste it in the "URL" spot in the Mister Linky - just under where you put your name (you can put your name and the name of your child/ren in the picture). Don't forget to click the "Enter" button and voila... you are linked!

It is important that you are linking just your post and not just your blog web address so everybody can link directly to your FFF post!!


I am going to be out of town on vacation next week but I will try to get online if I have internet access to do FFF. If not, then check back the next week for more FFF fun! Please post among yourselves and choose your own FFF picture for the week!