First Grade!

My first grader! I can't believe summer is over and Ava is off to the first grade- I will miss my helper so much- but I know she is one happy girl! She has a wonderful teacher and she gets to see all her friends.......

first, second and third

first...




my Ava sweet Ava is 6.5 going on 13, shopping, singing, dancing, putting on concerts, playing school, tomatoes, Taylor Swift, Purple, Littlest Pet shops, and drawing are just a few of her favorite things...... her personality and imagination are over the top- She will have a debate with you one second and pray for you the next...she is a deep thinker and dreams to be a Cook, Singer, and a Mommy! What more could I ask for in a little girl.....



the middle.....
my love, my heart, my Ethan Wallace- is finally 5, he has waited so long to be 5-


he loves Star Wars and the Wii- castles, baseball, knights, pirates, tractors, his nite-nite, his friends, fuzzy pants and going fast on four wheelers, jet ski's, boats.. well just about anything.. He is quiet and tenderhearted- it breaks his heart when things die and he says extra prayers for whatever it is big or small. He is silly, smart and a "old soul". Peanuts, Pepsi and his Papa are highlights of his week, his best friend is his dad- He is a man of few words and when he is tired there is no talking, he is out. He is slow so, so slow but I think to myself one day this may be a good thing. I could not have asked for a better little boy-


last but not least... Trouble

my mischievous, loud, messy, stinky, trouble maker that I just could not live without..... he is cute but so much trouble- he has everyone wrapped around his little finger and he knows it!

First thing in the morning I hear that sweet voice say "Mama", "Mama", "Mama" and I know my day will be nothing less than interesting... He keeps me on my toes and my medicine cabinet stocked with Advil - He is all boy and he loves his brother and sister- he loves to brush his teeth, being naked, chasing any animal no matter how big or small and steps on any bug that he can- He loves CATS- he sleeps with 2 stuffed animals that are cats and has a dozen cat books, he meows like a cat - and would just go nuts if one would let him touch them- he also loves BASEBALL- if we ride by a baseball field he will say "baseball" without us saying one thing about it. If it is on tv he will sit and watch it for as long as it is on and he claps when they hit the ball- he loves to hold the bat and someone pitch the ball to him, he will swing and 1 time out of the 10 you do it he will hit the ball and he drops the bat and runs like he is going to base- hide and seek is another thing he loves to do- although he will hide in the same spot every time! He always surprises me-and his sweet kisses I could not live without-

good time with good friends.......

2010 beach trip to Topsail

our 2nd annual beach trip to Topsail with the Lee's, Oliver's, Hardee's and this year the Wood's! Lots of kids and lots of fun.... between the beach, playground, arcade, movies, hide and go seek and swimming in the canal we managed to sleep some! It was a wonderful 3 days - Cullen was in heaven for 2 reasons... 1 he was with the big boys and he thought he was special and #2 there were 2 pretty little girls named Ella and Lily that caught his eye! Even though Ella and Cullen had a moment where they were going to see who was going to be the boss- neither one would back down! So Cullen gave Ella (a.k.a. pickles) a run for her money! Thanks to Allyson for giving my family a place to stay and to Lisa for letting us come to her house to eat and play! I enjoyed all the mommy talk with some wonderful mommies! Can't wait until next year!

garden time.....

it is that time of the year again, were we put on our old shoes, grab a bucket and head out to granny and papa's garden.... Cullen loved it! He picked whatever he saw (ready or not)- the first trip to the garden was corn day! 400 ears of corn- Cullen loves corn- he loves it, so he could not understand why he could not eat the corn right then- well after a few min. of him screaming I let him have one and you would think after one bite of raw corn on the cob he would be done- NOPE not Cullen he ate the whole thing and wanted another one- oh me, oh my!

five

ethan loves Star Wars
tennis
riding his four wheeler
tony hawk
spongebob
his nite-nite
playing with friends
driving the boat fast
fluffy the fish
fuzzy the kitten
bully the bull
Ava and Cullen
baseball
spicy foods
mushrooms
gummy bears
The Beach Boys
riding in the truck with his hand out the window
Friday night movie night
Frankie's
Subway
Pirates




my sweet, sweet Ethan- I love you more than all the stars in the sky.

our granddad

A boy needs a Grandpa... For man-to-man talks, To go hand in hand On companionable walks,
To fix up his toys When they no longer go, To tell him the things Little boys want to know.
A boy needs a Grandpa...To show him the way To handle a puppy, To teach him fair play.
To impart bits of wisdom He's learned through the years,That it's no disgrace For a man to shed tears.
A boy needs a Grandpa... To sit on his lap And if no one is looking, They take a wee nap,
Each wrapped in an aura Of love and esteem, Each smiling gently At some special dream.

Author unknown

my heart is heavy tonight as I write about Larry or as we called him, Granddad. It does not seem real, it is not fair and my heart is broken because we will miss him so much.

Granddad....

loved his grandchildren-from the second they got to his house until they left he had a smile on his face.

always had ice cream for Ethan! He would always ask Granddad for some of his ice cream and it did not matter what time it was Larry would always say, "Give him some ice cream, it won't hurt him."

would put everyone on his golf cart and go down to the pond for a quick ride

would do magic tricks for Ava and play ball with the boys

was always so silly with the kids

loved going to the farm with the kids and seeing them feed the cows

so many memories we have and will cherish about the

wonderful man we called Granddad

Granny and Papa's Beach

A family tradition that started 49 years ago with 5 people. Mom, Dad, (my oldest sister) Jill, Robbie (my brother) and my other sister Armenia. 49 years later our family as grown to 22 people! It started at Atlantic Beach and now Ocean Isle. A house full, sometimes up to 25 people if someone brings a friend! So many memories through the years.... Ava and Ethan start asking about Granny and Papa's beach around Christmas time and Ethan packs his bag about a week before we go. They love to be with all their cousins! Granny makes her famous Fudge that gets hidden so it will not get all gone- and sometimes it is found and re-hidden from the ones who hide it the first time- Going to the beach, lots of talks walking on the beach with sister's and nieces- kids playing in the water- Ethan riding the Big Cahoona waves-, walking to the pier and playing at the arcade- putt putt and off to the ice cream shop. Playing games and sharing stories, going to the movies and out to eat- playing at the pool, no schedule- staying up late and eating whatever makes you happy- and whatever is heaven to a one year old Cullen thinks he is there- he had 22 people at his service and ran around naked just about the whole week- he was spoiled beyond belief and next week he will be in shock because he will be back to the real world!
Ethan was the putt putt champion and Nathan said Ethan you need to say this, "Do you smell it? It's the smell of Victory" Ethan sniffed the air and replied.. "I don't smell anything". The best Quote of the week was from Ava "I love it here". I got to take a 3 hour nap one day and rest at the beach- wow I love family vacation! Everyone had a wonderful week as we do every year. we are so blessed to have this special tradition and such a special family.