An interruption of our regularly scheduled program... HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRINCESS BEA!!!!!

A birthday serenade from the daddy.

My Granddaddy Mowry.

Our sunny, happy girl turned one on Monday! She is such a gift and every day we are blessed by her smiles, cuddles, and giggles. After throwing a massive first birthday for the Evie-man, I decided the opposite approach would be wiser for our little Trixie-bug.  So a few phone calls went out and a small group gathered for a very impromptu celebration. It was perfect!

Another difference was we decided to give only one present from Mama and Daddy and one from Evie. Just right! Without further ado, the princess on her one-year anniversary!

I am in LOVE with this picture! Both my amazing Grandmother (who shares "Emily" with Bea) and my wonderful Oma who I share a name with! Such a treasure to have all of us on one couch!

This was the project that Everett and I were frantically working on Sunday. We sewed a blanket, a sheet, two pillows and a made a matteress for the little dolly bed that Oma and Baba gave the kids. Bea loves to mimic when she plays, her favorites are kitchen, cars, peek-a-boo, and patty-cake. This will add to her play so she can "put Baby to bed and wake Baby up!"

The Baba.

It was just so sweet how Everett helped Bea to open her presents and play with them. The books however needed no introduction from her brother. She is truly my daughter and LOVES to read!

Emily Catherine and Beatrice Emily.

The next day, Our Joni came to play! It was a really wonderful afternoon and Everett is already asking when he can play with "his Joni" again.  We love you SOOOOO much!

Apologies for the scattered chronology of the pictures! I am adjusting to blogger's "updated" photo-uploading feature. I don't care for it, in case anyone wonders. And I do hope that it gets easier soon!  It was such a fun day, Thank You to everyone who made it possible and who came to our little celebration!

Vacation Part III

This set of pictures covers the middle of our vacation. We did so many amazing things and crammed so much in to five weeks, looking back it just seems so much longer!

Exactly half-way through my parents got a chance to take a little driving vacation up in the mountains, and Kit came over from where he was interning in Tennessee to hang out. We went to the Life and Science museum and did other wonderful fun things that I forgot to photograph! A fantastic time was had by all and I can only hope we do it again soon!

Everett is quite the climber, he is really gifted at free-scaling a wall, with or without the footholds... Hmmm, perhaps we should consider relocating somewhere with taller hills to summit.

This part was so cool! It was all hydro-power and you could control it with pumps and levers! Awesome wet fun on a steamy North Carolina day.

Next up (at least photographically) was our visit to the NC zoo in Asheboro. I have never been when it wasn't muggy, but at least all the trees provide a lot of shade, and the 5 miles of paths are beautiful (and that is only the African side!)

(Next few photos courtesy of G. van der Hoeven)

A wonderful day was had by all! And Everett says his favorite animals were the sleepy lions. I love the giraffes and gorillas.

Vacation Part II

So I realized this afternoon, as I was feverishly sewing one of Bea's birthday presents--yep, she turns ONE tomorrow! That if I didn't hurry up and get pictures uploaded and posted, I would become very, very delinquent in my blogging (moreso than I already am...) Because coming up we have 3 birthdays, the beginning of school, and Labor day weekend, which will all add to my collection of photos/blog posts. That being said, forgive the rushed nature. Maybe I will have time for thoughtful captions later. If not, make up your own!

Everett's favorite museum was the "Dead Dinosaur Bones" museum. We went three times I think!

One of the wolves on campus. A city-wide art project from when I was a freshman...man does that make me feel old.

Our tea party with Aunt Amanda and her animal friends.

Grampy and Bea having a heart to heart.

My gorgeous mama and beautiful baby girl.

Batman!