Lindsay and Joe's Wedding Weekend

Garrick's first cousin, Lindsay, got married this weekend and we had a jammed packed weekend of family fun! 

Every since we received the wedding invitation and we started talking about it with the boys Gaines has been all about weddings. Randomly, he has brought up the following:

"What kind of food do you think will be at the wedding?"

"I have to wear a bow tie."

"Do you think there will be cake?"

"What are the girls called again (bridesmaids) and  the boys (groomsmen)?

"I am so going to DANCE."

"Can I wear my wedding suit to the Y?"

Needless to say, Garrick and I were really excited to see what they boys did at their first wedding.

Aunt Landa and Uncle Bill came in on Wednesday and stopped by the house. Garrick was out of town but the boys got to play with Aunt Landa. Gaines had been talking about how excited he was to see "Uncle Bill" and all these plans to tell him all sorts of things and poor Aunt Landa is in the floor playing after an exhausting day of travel form California. Aunt Landa always brings the boys the best goodies! Halloween Chico bags, wind-up toys to race, and cute Chico Boy t-shirts. For us, we get the traditional almonds from Chico! they are so good to us.

On Friday, Aunt Landa and Aunt Carole threw Lindsay a Bridal Tea at Puffy Muffin. It was so nice and fun to have all the women in the family celebrating cute Lindsay.

The bride
Jen gathered recipes from members of the family for a recipe book for Lindsay. It was so special and many really old and new recipes.

Erin, Lindsay, Aunt Diane, and Jen

Sisters (Garrick's Aunts)
Landa, Diane, Donna (Mamaw), and Carole

Daph, Linds, Stacie, and Me

 On Saturday we all met up at the hotel in Franklin and headed to the wedding. Lindsay and Nick got married at Southall Eden in Franklin, TN. It was gorgeous! Picture a farm with big red barn and white farm house. They got married outside under a huge tree. It truly was perfect. 

Gaines was so excited to FINALLY be allowed to wear his bow-tie!

The only good pic we got all night

 Lucy was the flower girl - you would never know that Gaines is 4 weeks older than LK! Josh was one of the ring bearers. These two cuties are 4 months apart.

Josh and Will checking out the pond. Look at Will's hand. Love these boys.

My sweet niece Riley. Cannot believe how big she is now. I can still remember walking into the hospital room when she was born and bawling like a little baby. She is truly the first baby, toddler that Garrick and I were ever really around.

 Gaines started off the night complaining the entire time. He was tired and cranky. Will on the other hand was very content. He did not miss a trick during the ceremony and was really good. He danced a little when the band started with his little jig but then once dinner was served he went downhill fast. He would not get out of Garrick's arms, did not want to eat, play, dance or anything. Well come to find out he had a fever and an ear infection. Gaines piped up at dinner and was actually fun for a while! He loved riding the golf cart to the bathroom and instructing the driver "To the bathrooms!" As soon as the band really started playing he just stood and stared for a good 5 songs. He would not dance with me but h e would not take his eyes off of the band either.

A shout out from the bride

Gaines fell asleep in Garrick's arm on the dance floor. We lasted until about 9pm. 

When I was carrying Will to the car was when I noticed he had a fever. Pitiful. 

Sunday, we all headed to Aunt Diane's for a brunch before everyone headed home.
Cousins racing their wind-up toys from Aunt Landa.

Gaines was acting so weird like he was sick and would not let Uncle Bill put him down. He ended up being fine but we left pretty early not wanting to give everyone the funk!

Fire Station 28

After school today we picked up Papa Jim and went to see Buda at the Fire Station. Buda is mom's best friend Connie's husband. He is the Fire Chief for Station 28 in Nashville. Gaines has been so excited to go to the fire station. In the car he said, "Buda is my hero." About a week ago at school they were studying community helpers and Gaines came home and built a lego "trophy" with a lego firefighter on top and said, "I am going to present this to Buda for being a good community helper and helping kids get out of fires." He has also said, "I want to be just like Buda when I grow up." Do you think he has a fan club or what?!?! Selfishly, I wanted to go and take pictures for Gaines's fire fighter birthday party and invitation! We get there and both boys are very shy and not really wanting to get out from under my legs. Thank goodness Papa Jim was there to help with Will. Gaines finally warmed up and started asking Buda or at the fire station he is known as "Gabby" questions. They pulled out all the stops! Gaines even got to use the fire hose. After our visit, Gaines said his favorite part was "The Captain sitting in the kitchen." REALLY?!?!? After all of this...

The "crew" asked if they wanted to steer the ladder but neither one of the boys wanted to go up there.

Checking out the truck and gear

Gaines and Fire Chief Graves or Buda or Gabby - Talk about an identity crisis!!!

Our motley crew

 Buda got out all of his gear and Gaines got to try it all on. He was asking him what the different pieces were used for and just trying not to move it was all so heavy!

Will did not make a sound until he spotted the basketball. Definitely spent the rest of his time shooting hoops and checking out the lawn mower.

The boys and their Great-Grandfather Papa Jim

Aunt Stacie

Aunt Stacie came in to visit this weekend and the boys were so excited (me too!). We really have not seen her in a while so they loved just playing. The boys were really into dressing up this weekend.

Gaines is really in to these new overalls and of course Will wanted to wear some as well. Seriously, Gaines has worn these 4 days in a row.

I think they were blasting off

Poor Aunt Stacie, they were literally on top of her all weekend.

Super Hero Pose

Love!

Summer Week 10

August kicks off with Garrick being out of town a LOT this month. I'm sure the boys will really be tired of me after this month - Nonni and Poppy are even leaving me for about 9 days! 

Sunday, Garrick left for Chattanooga for work and the boys and I burned some energy outside before getting ready for bed. They wanted to play in the water table. As I am getting the hose from the side of the house I turn around and see Gaines with his pants down on the back patio and Will with only a diaper on and both yelling they had to pee. I see Gaines make a great fountain off the side of the patio and Will just watching in awe. I just thought to myself, "this is my life - this is it." 

Monday, we were out the door pretty early and headed to the Zoo with our church's Play Group. I was really kind of dreading it because of the heat but it turned out to be a great trip. It was fun hanging out with some new friends.

This was half of our zoo crew

boys checking out a tree - they were very intrigued by this stump. We see a wasp's nest on the side and I tell them not to touch and Will of course sticks his hand right into it. Luckily, nothing happened. He will be the death of me.

Love this! Phoebe Armstrong & Will plotting

Who cares about the giraffes - can I have another penny to send around this thing?

 Crazy boys after naptime! We headed to Chic-fil-a to meet some friends to eat and play since Daddy was gone and had quite an eventful evening. The kids had a blast playing until Gaines and another little girl crashed head on into each other. He got a terrible goose egg. I called the doctor and he thought it was ok in the big scheme of things but it looks terrible. Gaines was fine after the initial shock and wanted to stay and play.

 Tuesday, we were supposed to go play at Hayes's house but I was a little worried about leaving Gaines at his My Gym class with his head and Will was not wanting any part of anything this morning. I am praying Will is getting sick because he is being unbearable. Will and I stayed and watched Gaines's class. Gaines loves it! They start out with saying their name and answering a question. This week was name your favorite drink. Gaines said, "Apple Juice." It is so interesting watching him. He is not disruptive in class but his teachers have to ask him a few times before he gets in the circle or whatever they are asking. He just pretty much disregards them until he is ready to come. They told all the kids to put glue on their bellies and lay in the red circle. Gaines was the last child to the circle and then they all had to wait for him to "apply" his glue to his belly and lay down. Dear Lord, give me patience! They learned to do forward rolls and flips on the bar today. This is so good for his coordination!

Gaines would not nap today so I made him play in his room and this is what he came into the playroom wearing:

"This is my underwear costume"

Wednesday, we went to the Y and then to the grocery store. I never go on Wednesdays to the grocery store and it was crazy busy because of senior citizen day! Luckily, we ran into Mimi and Papa Jim and they helped me entertain the boys and came over for lunch.

Thursday, we went BACK to Brentwood to our last My Gym class of the summer, got haircuts, and met Nonni at the Puffy Muffin for lunch. Will was a nightmare and I thought I was literally going to have to sit on top of him at the restaurant. I do not know why we keep trying to eat out with him right now. We had a really rough afternoon with Gaines and he got pretty much everything taken away from him so we just stayed in Thursday night. Garrick left today for a conference.

Friday, we had Pool Day at Sarah-Beth's house with the MJ gals. It was so much fun! The weather was perfect - overcast and not hot at all. The boys played and played. On a swimming side note, Gaines would not practice any of his swim lessons at all. Totally freaked out. Really debating on what to do with him next summer.

Look at all these boys! Lydia is the only girl and missing from the pic.

Gaines talking Baby Talk to Lydia - the only sister he will probably ever have!

Look at these boys!

Checking out the dog next door 

Horray for popsicles!!!

Nonni watched the boys Friday night where I could go celebrate Sarah-Beth's birthday and Saturday Aunt Stacie came into town. Summer is quickly coming to an end.  

Girls Night Out - TWICE!

This week I have had TWO nights with the girls and it has been great!

On Tuesday night a group of gals from the neighborhood and random other connections went to Suzy's House of Yum in Nashville. We had a great group and the food was great. I think Sheree, Amy, and I sampled everything on the menu. 

Shannon, Christy, Sheree, and Amy

On Friday night Nonni watched the boys and a few of us went out to celebrate Sarah-Beth's birthday at Jonathan's by our house. It was so much fun hanging out catching up with girls that I have known since middle school and high school.

Claire Hennessey Hacker, Sarah-Beth Belcher Blevins, Suzanne Northern Wheeler, Cristen Woosley Davis, and me

In honor of SB's birthday and true Flashback Friday!
Prom 1995 - Our Freshman Year

Out of Gaines's Mouth This Week

I still have not figured out how to keep up with the things that come out of Gaines's mouth and especially the context so I am just going to try the best I can. Some of it is just too good to forget.

We have been going to the YMCA quite a bit over the last week or so and I have been doing classes with some of my girlfriends. On Thursday, we went in the afternoon for the first time and I just walked while the boys were in the play area. I was so proud of my sweat after walking for about 45 minutes until I walked in to pick up boys and Gaines says, "Mom, that was a short class." First of all, how does he even have a concept of time?!?! Second, how does he know that was so much shorter? Lastly, how about some moral support first born?!?!

At Sarah-Beth's house on Friday their dog Barley was outside and going crazy when we all arrived for Pool Day. SB was yelling and trying to get him in the house and all the boys were sitting on the steps waiting for the dog to be put up. After she finally got him in the house Gaines sighs and says, "I wish that dog had never been born." WHAT?!?! Where would he have even heard that? I never get a straight answer out of him. His favorite thing to respond with when he thinks he is in trouble or did something he shouldn't he says, "NOTHING" in this sing-song voice.

Watching the dog and SB