Being an only child...

Celebrating Pitty's birthday at the Brewers game!

This just makes me laugh!  This is a ballon sword that Trip got at a picnic at Dan and Jenny's!  It is bigger than he is!

Getting ready for fireworks in Madison!

Trip, Ava and Mady watching the show!

On our way to the parade!  

Happy 4th of July!

This week, Mady has been experiencing life as an only child.  Although, she is definitely missing Trip, I think she has grown to enjoy being the center of attention in our house!  :-)  Last week, we had the privilege of flying out to Wisconsin to surprise Pitty and celebrate her BIG birthday!   She had no idea that Grumpa had planned a huge party for her at a Brewers game and brought in all kinds of friends and family from all over!  We had a GREAT time!  We also got to watch Madison's Rhythm and Booms Celebration on the 30th and it was amazing!  We watched from a local airport hanger and got to see the F16s do some touch and go's and then take off for their fly overs to start the big show!  And, the most incredible part was to start the show off, a group of people jumped from an airplane in some kind of special suit that was lit on fire and they flew through the air like giant fireballs.  It was pretty impressive!!  After spending a few extra days in town, mostly swimming because it was too hot to do anything else, TJ and I came home with just Mady and left Trip to live it up in Wisconsin for the week! It's a good thing the kids had just finished their swimming lessons because we were in the pool everyday!  They are both getting to be quite the little fishies!  They love jumping off the diving board and especially sliding down the slide!  So, I'm guessing Trip has done lots of that this week, while Mady has been running all over the place with TJ and I!  The three of us celebrated the 4th of July with a day packed full of fun and festivities!   First, we woke up bright and early to go to our first Peachtree City Golf Cart parade.  I cannot believe we have lived here for 7 years and never gone to this!  It is really fun and very patriotic.  Mady walked away with a huge bag full of candy and other fun treats!  After the parade, we went up to Atlanta to have a barbecue with some of TJ's buddies from college and then it was back home to Peachtree City to watch the fireworks from the golf cart bridge behind our home!  GOD BLESS THE USA!    On Thursday, Mady had a friend over for a play date...TJ and I just could not do enough to take the place of Trip, so she needed a little friend to keep her busy!  And, that night, we went to see the Braves play!  It was a fun game, full of home runs and Mady really enjoyed it and lasted the entire game.  I think her favorite part was the frozen lemonade, or the hot dog, or the dippin dots...well, you get the picture!  On Friday, TJ took Mady out for a date!  They went to dinner at her favorite pizza place and then to see Disney's Brave.  TJ and I both feel like it is really important to spend one on one time with each child, but it is so hard to find the time to fit it in.  I don't know why; it shouldn't be, but it just is.  Even just a little bit each week, means a lot to them and to us.  As always, it just comes down to making it a priority in our life.  Finally, on Saturday, Mady and I went up to swim at Kaki and Grandad's for the day.  It is so relaxing to get away, even just for the day, and swim and play, with nothing else on the agenda.  Mady loved getting to show off her new swimming skills and of course eating more treats.  :-)  Now, as I write this, TJ and Mady are at the airport picking up Pitty and our precious Trip!  I cannot wait to hug that sweet BIG boy!  I am so grateful for my children to be able to visit their grandparents and get spoiled by them and for the one at home with us to be spoiled by us.  But, I really miss them when they are gone and it just makes me realize again what amazing gifts they both are and how blessed my life is because I get to share it with them!  So, I am eternally grateful to not have just an only child, but two amazing, healthy, funny, joyful children in our home!