A day at the beach

Things have been so nuts around here, that I decided we needed to take a day to remember why we came back to North Carolina in the first place. The beach is always so much fun because the kids love it and it is relaxing for me. It's my happy place.

Emma, Gabbie, Ryan

Maddie hated the waves (too big) but loved her sunglasses.

Emma spent the day finding buried treasure and seashells.

Ryan loved the waves and spent the entire day battling them. I could barely get his pruned body out!

My little mermaid.

We couldn't get enough of watching these birds. They were so amazing! They would soar above the water, looking for fish, and then dive down and get them. Then, these little scavenger birds would come and land on top of them, hoping for a free meal.

A few more pictures

Emma and her friend, Gabby. There's nothing like a bathing suit and a good book! They are loving the Magic Treehouse books right now.

She is soooo hot, but refuses to stop swinging. It is her new favorite thing and I can't wait until she learns how to pump.

My little ladies.

Ryan's Birthday

My baby turned 7 and I can't do anything to slow him down!!! He is actually going to Boy Scout Day Camp next week and I'm so nervous about the whole thing. He can't wait!

We invited some friends over to weather the sticky heat. We had a water party in the backyard and the kids had a great time jumping on the trampoline with the sprinklers and tearing down the slip 'n slide.

So Ryan insisted on a Transformer party this year, which was pretty funny because I had about two seconds to put it together. My friend, Shelly, came and worked forever on the cake below, making a perfect transformer face out of m&ms. I knew we would need more cake than that since we invited whole families over, so I made an extra one and just threw the little transformer toys on top. Hmmm... guess which one Ryan liked best??? Why do we even go to the trouble?


He is now in Star Wars/Indiana Jones/Lego/Transformer heaven. Thank you family.

Techno Tragedy

So I guess I am SO dependent upon my cell phone now, that I don't actually WRITE any numbers down on paper! My cell phone literally died the other day and Alltell tells me that it can't be revived. So I've lost all of your phone numbers and don't know how to get in touch with you. I would post my new phone number, but then the boogie man would call me, so how about YOU email me at marisagrimmius@yahoo.com with your phone number and I will call you!!! (Callie, Jenae, Susan, Aimee, Elizabeth, Emily, Jennifer, Shelly, Kelly, Stacey and I'm sure I've left others off...)

Look what Ryan can do

Not only did Doug and Peg put together 4 beds, set up dressers, watch kids, pick up Shan's car, hook up the lawn mower, blow off our roof, completely detail the Sienna, put together the Radio Flyer Spring Horse, assemble three tables, book shelves, and random chairs, help me hook up the computer, and assemble my new vaccuum, but they taught Ryan to ride his bike! They did all this and more in 3 1/2 days and we are so grateful.

Emma's froggy

Emma is my child who loves all living things and will hold snakes, bugs, and frogs. I don't know where she gets it from- definitely NOT her mom. Once I looked over just as she popped an ant into her mouth and this conversation ensued:

"Emma, why are you eating an ant?"

"Well, Baloo on Jungle Book eats ants and I just wanted to see how they tasted."

"Are they tasty?"

"Yeah! Not bad."

She is always finding wildlife and sneaking them inside. I try to explain that the little froggy misses his mommy and really needs to go back into the woods. Hop little froggy, hop.

Waiting for the furniture to arrive

This impromptu performance was captured by Mimi on our first morning in Southern Pines.