Happy Fourth

Freedom, family and friends!   We so enjoy celebrating the Fourth of July! It has been a long standing tradition in the Marine family, and we love hosting it now.  Reed cooked ribs, chicken and sausage, and we all pitched in with all the trimmings.  It's hot and humid, but so wonderful to be together with such special people!  I did not get pictures of everyone, but we are so glad you were there!

Manning the grill!

Loading up the plates and enjoying each other's company!

Enjoying the food and company!

Pool time!  Cool dudes!!

Enjoying the conversation!

Oh Ty! 

Love the Pate boys!

Josh was quite the trooper!

Love this sweet thing!

Lillian is a swimmer!!!

Wonderful time with wonderful people! We are off to the beach with the grandbabies!  More to come!

Happy Birthday!

We are not going to be home for this sweet thing's birthday, so we have already given him his presents.  We also always celebrate his birthday with the family at the Fourth of July celebration. He is a blessing and an adventure all rolled into one. We are so proud of the wonderful man he has grown to be!  Happy, happy birthday!  We love you bunches and bunches!

Happy Birthday to you! Enjoy your special day!

Monkeying Around

We spent a recent rainy day at Monkey Joes.  The kids had a great time jumping, sliding, playing games and just hanging out.  They are all at such fun ages that outings like this are fun and easy!  We had a great visit that consisted mostly of swimming (when it stopped raining long enough)!  Pop had a closing in Tuscaloosa, so we ventured along for this fun little outing!

I tried to get a good group picture, but they were too excited to sit still for long!  I also have very few pictures of Maddie.  She stayed on the big slides, and I just couldn't get a picture of her!

Maddie is such a great big sister!  She helped Reed up and down the big slide!

He loved the slides, but only in small doses at a time.  

This one finds joy in everything she does - and she spreads it wherever she goes!

Don't tell Lillian but you are suppose to be 3 and under to play in this area!  She loved it though, and so does Reed. This area is by far their favorite!

Maddie loved the games! She made a friend, and they had a great time!  

Back to the slides!

They have so much fun together!

All boy!

We have lots of adventures left this summer!  Fourth of July, beach, soccer camp and more!

Father's Day

Pop is a hardworking, fun loving, loyal, dad!  He is the glue that holds us together, and I think it's safe to say that we are all blessed to call him ours!!  We love you big!!

Caleb and Taylor cooked a special meal for him!  It's pretty great having them live so close by!

The babies enjoyed helping him open his presents!  They may not live close by, but we make every effort to see them every chance we can!!  

The Birthday Boy

Three!!  We officially have a big  boy now!  He loves tractors, big trucks, riding the gator and tractor, and all things that go vroom!  His smile will brighten the darkest of days, and his blue eyes twinkle with mischief!  We are all wrapped tightly around his finger, and he knows it! He may be the baby, but he pretty much rules his big sisters! He was the perfect caboose to his precious family, and we just can't imagine life without him!

We enjoyed a cowboy birthday party, complete with cupcakes his mom made, presents, hamburgers, hotdogs and more!

Blowing out his candles was serious, but fun business!  Love, love, love that sweet smile!!

It took him just a day to master riding his bicycle!  The sisters are always close by to help him out!

"No, Nana.  I will not look at you, so you can take my picture!"

He thinks his mom is pretty special!

Sweet family! Our babies are now three, five and eight.  It seems impossible that they are growing up so fast!!

Next, we loaded up and headed to the rodeo!  Fun times!

Happy Father's Day

To the world you are a dad; to our family you are the world! 

Happy Father's day to my sweet hubby, Papa, Josh!  Our family has been blessed with strong fathers who are loving, hardworking, supportive, humble, kind and just plain awesome!!! This was suppose to be a quick post, but as I was looking back through pictures to add, the time quickly slipped by....We have so many memories as a family, and I am so thankful for each! 

Pop and his babies!

And the best son in law ever!

Papa has provided a firm foundation for our family.

Best Father ever!!

Lindsey and Caleb have always had a great relationship with Papa!

This one has been a daddy's girl since day one.  He is still wrapped tightly around her finger!!

Josh was born to be a dad! 

Happy Father's Day!!

Next up, a special three year old's birthday!