Topsail Island, NC 2016

Every two years (we've been doing it for 18ish years!), my Mom's family rents beach houses right on the beach and we party for a week.  This year we had about 85 people there-- and there were a couple of people missing! We are so grateful for my Grandpa Monk and his wife Nancy for allowing us to go there and for giving us our awesome family. It is heaven on earth. And thanks to my sister Amber for taking all of these pictures!

 Eliza and cousin Jack.  This makes my heart explode just a little.

 Too cool.  Actually too pale.  Our pour fair children.

 Eliza wasn't a huge fan of the actual water, but she LOVED the sand.  She made sand castles, dug LOTS of holes, and played with cousins.

 Cousin Jane and Aunt Nikki.  I think Eliza could live with these two for the rest of her life and not look back at all. 

 This one, on the other hand, LOVED the water.  She is our fearless child, and we knew she'd be a handful.  She really doesn't walk, she runs, and she is the queen of changing her direction last minute.  She had Andrew and me on our toes, but we're so glad she loved it!

 

 My dad does a summer Olympics with all the kids (this is just Eliza and Jack in one of the races).  She got a gold metal! Woohoo! (So did everyone else. ;) )

 Utah is too far away!!

 Isn't this view unreal?! Night time was pure heaven.

 Eliza with Aunt Amber.  Master babysitter/picture taker.

 My siblings! It had been a really long time since we were all together, with my brother and sister's missions. I'm so proud of each one of them!

Until next time!

Random catch-up

We are majorly behind, so I'll do a quick upload of some random pictures from the summer.  :)

Fourth of July!

 Fourth of July bike parade in our neighborhood. I chose her skirt, and she chose her shirt...

 Cutest Abby at 6 months old! Rolling, laughing, eating baby food, and her personality is really starting to come out!

 Eliza is such a great big sister. When Abby can start talking back to Eliza, I think it will be the greatest day of Eliza's life.  She says multiple times a day, "I just LOVE having a sister!"

 First try of baby food.   Abby is an eating CHAMP. She even ate the meat baby food. Yuck.

 Eliza was always at the very bottom of the charts for weight and height (not for her head though-- she has one big noggin').  Abby on the other hand has been around the 50-70% for weight and height since she was little.  When the doctors first told us that she was 75% for height at 2 months, Andrew and I laughed because we thought she was joking.

 Preschool!! Eliza is doing a joy school with some friends and she is also doing a preschool with Miss Jenny-- our neighbor that teaches preschool in her basement.  She loves it and has really thrived this year.

Abby at 7 months! She is CRAWLING.  Abby is SO MUCH FUN and pretty mischievous.  She is such a blessing in our lives and keeps up busy!