It's a BOY!

Back in July, we added to our family!

Meet Bo!

We have always wanted a "big dog".  Growing up I had a golden retriever and my parents had one a few years back that was sadly killed on the highway.  So we knew it was a good breed.  However, in our subdivision, a big dog just didn't seem practical. 

Fast forward to this summer - my dad found a listing on facebook from a girl that needed a new home for her dog.  We had the idea that maybe we could purchase him and she could keep him until we moved.  I told Jason I just wanted to see him in person and see how he reacted to the girls.  If he was wild and hyper I knew we couldn't handle it.

We met at a dog park and after one look I knew he was a good dog.  The situation he was in was bad and he needed a new home NOW.  Soo...

 

We brought him home right then and there.  We didn't have a leash, a bed, a single toy ready.  But we made it work.  Once we got home we gave him a bath and he wasn't scared at all.  He seemed happy and comfortable.  He seemed safe.

Since that day he has really thrived.  The vet said he looked fantastic and his previous owners did love and train him.  They just couldn't care for him like he deserved.

We bought Cooper when we were first married and I have always said he is Jason's dog and I am just around for company.  But Bo?  Bo is my dog. :o)

He likes to hold my hand and go on long walks together. :o)  You can see he is inside most of the time.  Spoiled!

We can't forget Brady, though.  Poor Brady is NOT a fan of Bo.  He ran away for a few weeks and I thought we would never see him again.  He did come back, only to leave again soon after. When he finally comes around, he stays up high!

The girls LOVE their cat and it really hurts my heart that he and Bo can't coexist more peacefully.  At the moment Brady is out in the neighborhood and I just don't know if he will come back.  I hope he does!

Until then, Bo is loved.

He especially loves going to our new house - which I will post about soon!

 

Orange Beach 2013

At the end of May we took a trip to Orange Beach/Gulf Shores and I am finally getting around to posting those pictures!

We drove down and had a few days with just the four of us and then my parents drove over from Mobile (Dad was there for work) and we moved to a larger condo with them for the rest of the week.  The trip came as a surprise - we hadn't planned on going anywhere this summer.  But I was so thankful the opportunity came up because we loved it!

The girls had such a great time!  They did awesome in the car...sleeping, watching movies, eating, talking and sleeping some more.  The drive was really not bad at all!

We arrived right on time to check into our condo - 3:00!  Immediately headed down to the beach.  Lilli went straight to the water with Jason, and I stayed back while Scarlett experimented with the sand.  She loved it, much to my surprise.

We always eat healthy on vacation.

Scarlett liked going through the kitchen cabinets.  Who needs toys when you have tupperware?

We went to eat at Sea N Suds right on the beach.  The girls loved it!

Did some grocery shopping and called it a night.  The girls wanted to sleep together for the first time ever.  We had NO idea how that would go - we covered the floors with pillows, said a prayer and tucked them in.  Woke up to find this!

The next day meant more sand, sun and eating!


Lilli LOVED the waves!

You can see here there was a shallow section of water that was perfect for the girls to splash around in.  Scarlett didn't venture past this, which calmed my nerves!


Scarlett ate lots of snacks.  That's my girl!

We played putt putt

We were all pretty tired!


Gulf Shores has a small zoo that we visited one day.  The highlight of the entire trip for me was when Lilli and I were able to pet and hold a baby kangaroo!

Scarlett enjoyed feeding the animals and could say all their names.

More beach time!

She did great missing naps or napping wherever we were...including in my lap.  I loved it.  I even carried her all the way up to the pool and kept her asleep!

Since we ate a big lunch that day, we took leftovers and had a picnic next to the bay.  The girls loved running around and I loved taking their pictures.  

 That night we headed to Scoops to get ice cream after our picnic.  Yum!



 

The next day we met up with Nana and PawPaw!  The girls were PUMPED.  We had lunch at Lulu's with no waiting!  Score!

 

We waited for our condo to be ready by playing at The Track.  The girls loved the kiddie rides!

Lil drove a go-cart for the first time.  I thought she would be scared...she was fearless!

The next morning was cloudy and threatened rain so we went shopping and to eat at my favorite - Lambert's!

More naps for Scarlett - and a photobombing waiter!

 

The sun came out just in time for us to go to the beach that afternoon.  I loved being with my parents - Jason was able to read an entire book and I was able to close my eyes and just relax! 

 

Nana brought fruit for the beach!

 

Lilli couldn't be bothered with snacking - too many things to play with in the sand!
 

We finished with the obligatory "beach family photos" which would have been much better if my camera didn't fog up!  Oh well!

 



Lilli's reward for smiling at the family photo shoot was to go to this souveneir shop and pick out a prize.  She chose a necklace.  She talked about that shark all week!

 

We left on a Sunday so we stopped at a small church in Alabama and ate at Cracker Barrel on the way home.  Once again, the girls did great and we are so lucky for an easy trip home!