Back to Our Roots!

My best friend, Sandi, recently had her new baby girl, Bella Grace! We planned to take a trip back to Mississippi to visit (and help) with her sweet little girls (and mommy) once school was out! Sandi and I have been best friends for a long time no matter how many miles are between us! I love this family so much and we consider ourselves sisters!! So blessed to have her in my life and so glad we met all those many many years ago!!

On the journey back we had driven 10 miles down the road when Ethan said, "Mom are we in Louisiana now?". I said, "Are you kidding me? No, this is Hudson Oaks! That's the Wal-Mart we go to for groceries?!". I knew the "are we there yet's" were going to be many and they were!!! When we got to the Mississippi River bridge, Noah said, "It's so pretty. Not kissing pretty, but pretty!". What in the world??

Here is little miss Bella and me...she is just absolutely precious! I love this family so much! When Caleb saw me holding her he said, "put that baby back in her bed!". He was very jealous!

Here are my boys and Mari Krista (Sandi's other daughter!) fishing at the old place where I grew up! My mom and dad stopped by on their way back from Panama City, FL and they all had a blast! I love this picture of all 3 of them! I can't believe how big they have all gotten! Love this one of Ethan and my Dad...pretty sure we have a similar one with Noah and my Dad

That night they all headed over to my Aunt Diane's house to visit their Great Grandma Kate and cousins! They had so much fun playing with everyone, riding 4 wheeler's, and the go kart! The next morning Noah couldn't stop talking about all the fun they had! He said it was the most fun he'd ever had!!! My little country boys! 

Having fun at the Thrash's! I love this big beautiful window! They were so cute all pressed up against it watching it rain! Caleb loved this baby doll stroller, he would ride it in, and also would push it around with a doll! But he was so rough on the doll...good thing it wasn't real!!! They got in a lot of swimming too on the sunny days!! They wore Jason out with all the swimming!!! What a good hubby to keep taking them again and again while I visited with Sandi & Bella!

We went over to visit Jason's family at Me Maw & Paw Paw Jones' house! I love this pic of all the kids in the chair reading!! Ethan also racked up with some birthday love and gift! Also, got in some more swimming!! Here are Emily, Joshua (actually you cant see him in this pic!), Noah, Ethan, and Mari Krista soaking up the sun! We also squeezed in 2 trips to my favorite Mexican Restaurant in Philly!!! I love this place!!

This pic cracks me up!! Jason had went outside to sit on the porch and watch it rain! He loves watching the rain! We were teasing saying that he needed alone time!! Then Mari Krista got her chair and went outside to sit by him for her alone time too!!! Also, got some more playtime in with some more friend's of ours kid, Houston! I have a picture of Houston & Noah when they were little babies...hard to believe they are old enough to go to battle with swords.

The boys and Bella! We were there for several days before they even asked to hold her!! haha! Think they were too busy playing with everyone!! 

It was a fun trip visiting everyone! Mari Krista went along with us to all of our family visiting! One of my Great Aunt's thought she was mine (I will claim her..she is so good and sweet)!!! They were all so inseparable and got along great all week! I got a lot of cuddling time in with Miss Bella....let's just say she loves me! When we were packing Mari Krista said she is going to make an April doll so they can give it to Bella and she will stop crying!! That girl is so funny!!! One more story...we got up at 5 am to make the trip back. Jason had loaded Noah in the car and was coming back for Caleb. Caleb sat up in the bed and deliriously said, "whyyyy?. I said, "Because you have to get in the car.". He said, "whyyyy get in the car?". I said, "Because we are going back to Texas.". He said, "whyyyy go back to Texas?". haha!! He did not understand why his crazy family was getting him up when it was still dark outside!!!