Popsicles and a water hose.

Well, well, well, you will never believe who pulled into Gulf Shores, Alabama today! Hint: that's two of them!!

(and this was them last week at our house in West Monroe!)

Ellie Sue has decided she has much more fun with water when she is in CONTROL of it! In fact, she thinks it is downright hysterical! Oh, and this little precious was obviously with them too.

Believe it or not, I have decided she is going to be my little fish!

Today, when they got here, she would play in the "big" pool, on the stairs, and consistently inch herself down backwards to the last possible step where she could touch, even if with just one big toe! She would have her head in the water up to her ears. ANd sometimes her mouth, but would keep it closed, just as she should.

And our third kid there... that's Mary Allison, and once again this year, she is along for the ride!

Our kids definitely think she is one big playmate which makes our time together that much better.

I have NO idea where Ellie may have learned "this"!!

Wait. Wait. THERE IT IS!!

The pose!

And you KNOW we aren't going to be outside having fun without our favorite next door neighbor, Sarah! Or "Rara" as Gabbi calls her.

Across the yard, "Rara! Raaaa Raaaa!"

Just the cutest thing!

No, maybe THIS is the cutest thing!

My girls thing popsicles are the next best thing since sliced bread.

And who ever came up with that slogan anyway? Is sliced bread really THAT great? I think not. Maybe "the next best thing since a buttered hot roll" would be better!

I even texted Todd on the way down and advised him to stop and get some popsicles, as they are just about as powerful as the suckers when it comes to bribery!

Ellie now knows how to SMILE. I guess she calls this a smile.

Don't all kids go throught the weird smile phase?

She actually looks like she is in pain to me!

What is it, Ellie?

Does something hurt?

Is it your foot? Are you constipated?

Oh, wait. You are just smiling, aren't you!?

Gabbi Girl LOVES her some Rara.

Look at that belly. Have you ever seen Gabbi's little hemangioma (birthmark... just trying to edu-macate you!).

Ellie says, "Jesus gave that to Gabbi."

This was a Mary Allison day, and I am just trying to figure out here exactly how many popsicles each kid ate. I am thinking multiples!

Looking pretty happy overall, though, wouldn't you say?!

My kids are pretty happy kids. I am blessed.

And I am looking forward to all kinds of memories to be made this week at the beach.

In this tiny little yellow polka dot bikini.

I like the stage they are in, but I will tell you... I think (other than brand newborn which nearly kills me), this is the hardest I have lived through yet. They are both on the go, and typically in opposite directions!

And for whatever reason, neither kid responds to her name. It is like they are totally deaf to my calling them.

But I let it slide, because, DANGIT. They are just so dadgum cute!

Especially when they are playing together!

I could just eat these sweet babies up.

Don't you think for a minute that I take my life for granted. I totally realize how blessed I am. To have these girls. To get to take them on vacation. To get to have free time to do this. I recognize it all as blessings. GIFTS from God! And I recognize that so many of these little blessings came, for whatever reason, after Jake went to be with Jesus. I think he wanted to heal our family. I think Jesus wanted me to spread the word that you can CHOOSE JOY.

And boy, do I ever have a lot of joy in my life!!

MO

Thanks to all of you who commented on my Jake tribute. So touching that so many of you still have such fond memories of him. And Wendy, you better be emailing me for your prize, or I will get Todd the Bod to pick another number between 1-53. mgroves11@comcast.net

Waiting for you, Wendy!