Pool Time at the Beach

I think I have decided to break our trip down in terms of activities instead of day by day. We spent a good amount of time each and every single day we were there at the pool. The weather was just so perfect while we were there that we had to take advantage! MoMo and Papa Ray were staying in Gulf Shores the first half of the week too so one day we went to the awesome pool at their condo. It had a great play area for little kids including this lion slide. Reid must have gone down this bad boy a hundred times!

Hehehe!

He was having a blast!

They had a big curvy tunnel slide too that the kids went down a couple of times but this was definitely more their speed.

I wish I would have gotten a picture of the whole kid area but I didn't. They basically have a playground in the water on one half of the pool that is a foot deep and then a regular pool on the other half.

Lilly enjoyed floating around the pool.

And hanging out with MoMo. There is a restaurant grill there so we got to eat our lunch poolside.

The pool had one of those mushroom things that water just cascades off of and Reid and Lilly both got right in the middle of it. I think Reid might have done it on accident. He wasn't really sure how to get out of there.

Lilly, on the other hand, LOVED it and called it her shower. She kept saying, "I'm going to go take a shower."

Both Reid and Lilly swam like champions. I am so proud of their swimming skills!

The pool at our condo was really great too. It was half indoor/half outdoor with a swim through area.

It had a bench that went all the way around one side of the pool and the kids loved getting on the bench and jumping in the water. This is Reid and his BIG splash in this picture.

Lilly just hanging out on the bench.

Saying cheese with Daddy. Aren't they just precious together? Oh, I have to tell this story. There was a little girl named Shelby there and she wanted to guess Matt's name. Well the first thing she guessed was "Nacho" and Matt said, "Yes! You guessed it!" So all week long every time we would see sweet little Shelby she would say, "Hey Nacho!" She guessed my name was "Cheeto" but I gave her my real name. Every once in a while though I still say, "Hey Nacho" when he walks in a room though. Ha!

We had so much fun just hanging out and swimming and playing in the pool!

Lilly and Reid loved having the whole family there and getting all kinds of attention and pretty much anything they wanted.

Reid thought is was hysterical when Uncle Bert went under the water (it's the little things). All week long he would say "Go down Bert!!" and he has continued to say it the two weeks we have been home. I even got it on video! If you mention a pool, Reid's response is "Go Down Bert!" Ha!

Testimony Tuesday: Why do bad things happen to good people?

We have several friends that have/are going through some rough times. That is an understatement...from miscarriages and infertility, delivering stillborn babies, miserable marriages, loved ones dying, etc. Heart-breaking "rough" times. I could use any one of these situations to discuss this but I will use the one that God actually used to teach me this lesson.

My friend, Sarah, is a little younger than I am with 2 children. She found out she had a brain tumor a few months ago. Let me just tell you a little bit about Sarah--From the moment you meet Sarah you just know you want to get to know her better. She is ALWAYS smiling and laughing. Seriously, always! She is a Godly woman and you just know it before she ever speaks a word.

When I heard about her diagnosis--I was just in shock. I prayed and prayed and prayed but at some point I had to be honest with God and say, "I know you are sovereign. I know EVERYTHING that happens to us has to go through your hands first. I get that but I just do not understand this. Why Sarah?? Why the Fries family?"

A couple of nights after I found out I was running and listening to Focus On The Family and the people on were talking about being in a "rough" situation and asking God what they had done wrong. As they were reading their bible they came across the story where Jesus and the disciples come to the blind man and they asked who sinned--the blind man or his parents--and Jesus replied, "Neither, this was done for God's glory" (paraphrasing in the quotes).

So I took that as God's way of telling me that somehow this situation was going to bring glory to God. And that satisfied my questions for a couple of days...but then...I started asking, "but why The Fries family?? They are such GOOD people!!" The question nagged at me for days. At small group one week we were talking about them and I just admitted my question to the group. I felt so guilty for asking it like I just wasn't trusting God but I wanted to be honest about where I was at. God spoke through Matt to me that night when he said, "Well Sara if it would have happened to somebody that "deserved" it then nobody would be changed by it." And if I can tell you anything about the whole situation is that lives have been and are still being changed by that family!

This is what all of this taught me in a nutshell--if you are in pain--please know that there is a purpose for the pain. I can't tell you exactly what that is but I KNOW that everything must go through HIS hands to get to us and if he has let pain come to you my friend-there is a reason! CLING TO HIM because WHAT HE BRINGS YOU TO HE WILL BRING YOU THROUGH!!!

If you are going through something and just need to know that somebody out there cares and is praying for you-I am BEGGING you to email me at sarascott8704@yahoo.com.

(Also I just want to clarify that I do not think that anyone "deserves" a brain tumor.)

Reid's Birthday Happenings

Yesterday my little (big) man turned two. We started our day by getting up and getting ready for church. The kids played in the bath while we got ready and then we got them ready. Every time I would say/sing Happy Birthday Reid would respond by saying, "Nooooo." Then I would ask him how old he was and after some practice he would say two and hold up one finger. Ha! We are still working on it but we have a whole year! We went to church and Reid was a happy guy! Several sweet friends told him "Happy birthday" but he would get shy and hide behind my leg. I have a feeling he is going to like his daddy and like to stay out of the proverbial "spot light".

We asked him what he wanted for lunch and to no surprise he requested "gil cheese" so we went to Firehouse.

They have a big rack of chips so you can pick your own flavor and the kids love that. They checked out all of the types and then they both picked their tried-and-true Cheetos.

With the kids meals they give these plastic firefighter hats. The kids had a blast playing with them.

We ALL got to wear them for a little while.

It was pretty much nap time and Reid was starting to get a little fussy and he was being so funny. They each had the EXACT SAME hat but he wanted which ever one Lilly picked up first. She was really sweet and just let him have whichever one that was at the time but we knew we were headed on a downhill slide so we went home and the kids napped.

While Reid was sleeping we wrapped his presents and had them all set up for when he woke up. Also, DeDe showed up while he was napping,too so he had another surprise waiting for him!

I found a card (at Wal-Mart) where Elmo is playing baseball and if you push the baseball Elmo sings "Happy Birthday to You". I think he liked it more than any of the presents.

He didn't even put it down to open his gifts.

He got some bath toys. We needed new ones.

Noticing it is something to do with Diego (Dora the Explorer's cousin for those of you that aren't up to date on your kid shows...and might I suggest you get with the program. Ha!)

It's Rescue Pack (a singing/talking very cool rescue pack at that)!! With baby Jaguar! This little find was a gift from God! We found it on the clearance shelf at Wal-Mart marked at $21 and then we got to the checkout it was only $11!

And a Diego movie too!

Checking out the loot. However while Reid was happily unwrapping his presents Lilly was doing this...

I tried to tell her that in 10 days she was going to have her very own special day with some special presents but she just didn't understand.

Fortunately Reid lost interest in opening his last present so she got to open it for him.

DeDe took pity on her and went ahead and let her open her birthday present that she had brought for us to save for her actual birthday. She was excited!

A Dora doll!!

And a Boots doll! She was so happy! When I put her down for a nap today she was in her crib saying, "Oh Dora you have a shoo-ee diaper. Let's change you!" I ended up having to go in her room and take both Dora and Boots out of her crib so she would go to sleep. Ha!

After we opened presents we met our friends The Hales and Jenna and her family at Abuelos for some yummy Mexican food.

After we ate I (along with Jenna, Becky, and DeDe) left to go to Girl's Night Out at the church to see Mandisa and Anita Renfroe. I hated to leave my sweet baby boy ON his birthday but Matt assured me that they would have fun and that I should go since it was a rare event.

Matt, Brent, and Chris took all the kids to Chuck E Cheese (can I get a Whoop Whoop for the Dads??) and then to TCBY.

As we were leaving GNO Matt text me this picture. After they got home, bathed, and in PJs Reid found the cupcakes! Ha! LOVE it!

We are having a combined birthday for him and Lilly in a couple of weeks so the birthday fun isn't over just yet but I think he had a pretty good day! So thankful for 2 years with that sweet boy!

Happy 2nd Birthday Sweet Reid!!

Oh my soul I have been going through pictures for your birthday post and I am just trying to figure out where the time went and how you grew so fast! It is funny--it seems like I just had you yesterday and at the same time it feels like you have been in our lives forever! Reid your daddy and I just delight in you!! There isn't a day that has passed these past two years where we haven't thanked God for the opportunity to be your parents! (And there won't be a day that passes in the future where we don't do the same.)

This is you on the morning of your 1st birthday last year. I can't tell you the number of times this year as I was (am) planning your birthday party that I was trying to plan another first birthday party...then I would remember that we already did that and you are turning 2. So if today I hug you a little too tight and kiss you a little too much, bear with me--you growing so fast is hard on this Mommy.

(September picture) Don't get me wrong--I love seeing all the things you are CONSTANTLY learning. Each new phase you enter is so much fun. For example you are in a phase right now where you just spontaneously kiss me and say, "I lub you!" and I would not trade the world for it! I am just glad you aren't old enough to know that you could ask (and get) anything you want when you love on Mommy.

(October) Hmmmm...some of the things you are up to lately...you wear 3t (already) and wear either a size 7 or a size 8 shoe depending on the brand. You have a wide foot so it depends mostly on the width. You wear a size 5 diaper. You can wear a size 4 but they can be a little snug. You weigh more than your sister and are nearly as tall. I get asked multiple times daily if you guys are twins. And, for the next ten days, you are both 2!

(Halloween) You talk a lot...in fact, I don't know of anything you can't say. You speak in full sentences and can carry on a conversation. You can thank your sister for that because you say everything exactly the same way she does so you must have learned it from her.

(November 2010) I made you a zoo book of the animals from our zoo trip and you love to read it. You help read it too. You either finish the sentence or repeat every word.

You love to read all books. You also love to watch Dora, Diego, and Blues Clues ("Boos Coos"). (December 2010) You love flashy shoes. Plain shoes just irritate you. They need to light up, make noise, or be a bright color. You love your red swim shoes, your rain boots, and your new blue crocs. I also got you some bright green dinosaur/monster feet house shoes and you wore them all around the house the other day even though it was 100 degrees outside.

(January 2011) Your favorite food right now is grilled cheese, or "gil cheese" as you call it. One Saturday morning a few weeks ago you wanted grilled cheese and we were out of both bread and cheese (from a week full of grilled cheese for lunch for you) but you just kept saying, "I want gil cheese Mommy, Please, I want gil cheese Daddy." Then you would whine a little bit and ask again. We tried offering you other food and you would say, "No-gil cheese!" We ended up breaking down and driving to Sonic because they are the only place that serves grilled cheese for breakfast and you ate two! Ha.

(February 2011) You are so laid back but when you decide to take a stand on something--there is NO swaying you. I know this is one day going to be a quality that the Lord will use for mighty things but some days it is down right exhausting with the strong will of a toddler! Ha! I wouldn't change it though. (;

(March 2011) Okay I have to pause and mention that in March you still looked like my baby...in April you look like a little boy...that is when it happened.

(April 2011) You LOVE sweets. "Chaw-cut" (chocolate), pancakes (which is both pancakes and cupcakes), and reeces (the mini ones) are your favorites.

(KDO Picture May 2011) We love every little thing that makes you "you" including your sweet voice, the way you pronounce certain words, the way you walk with your back straight and your belly sticking out, the cute way you run & that you run full speed everywhere, your laugh, your smile, your perfect mix of all boy and sweetness, when you go "tucka-tucka-tucka-tucka-tucka"

randomly (this is just some sound that you have made since you could first say sounds that you still do every once in a while), and there are so many more...but we LOVE them all. (May 2011) You are so playful! You have a great arm and you love to throw things! You adore your sister and she adores you. Whoever gets up first wants to open the door to the room where the other one is still in bed. And then you get so excited to see each other. Yesterday morning Lilly opened your door and said, "Bubby!! You're my best friend!!" She adores you too.

(June 2011) You love to jump! You love to tackle Mommy and Daddy when we sit on the floor. If we lay down you say, "Wake up!" and giggle. There is no resting. When you like something you want to do it again and again and again. At the pool you were playing a game with Uncle Bert and you would say, "Go down Bert!" and he would go under the water. We have been home a week and you are still randomly yelling "Go down Bert!" Ha! Daddy was spinning you in circles in the cart at wal-mart today and you just wanted him to keep going. Bottom line--you are just a super fun kid!

(July 2011) We still rock, read a book, and say a prayer at bed time. You fold your hands together and continually say "A-men!!" when you are ready for the prayer to be over...if I don't pray fast with you I can count on a steady stream of "A-men"'s. Then I turn on your monitor, lay you down, cover you up with your red razorback blanket, put Puppy on one side, and wind up your musical giraffe and lay him on the other side, give you a big kiss and tell you goodnight and that I love you and lay you down. You rarely ever fight bed time. In fact, sometimes we go to rock and you say, "I wanna go bed." Like last night I was thinking this is my last time to rock you as a one-year old and then you didn't want to be rocked. That is okay because Lord willing I will have a whole year to rock you as a two-year old!

(August 2011) Reid Scott we are just so proud of you and are so proud to be called your Mommy and Daddy! We just can't wait to see what this next year will hold for you and us as a family. We love you *this much* (arms stretched out) and more!! Love, Mommy and Daddy.