First Day of Second Grade

Ashton is now a second grader! As she would say, "Wow, wow!" I'm a week behind getting this post up, but the good news is that she loves her new teacher and is excited to go to school. We still have to wait a year for Ethan to start, but he's having fun at home with Cole. My prediction by the end of September (after watching a few ECU and UNC football games) is they'll be tackling each other in the living room. I'm sure Lynell can't wait! :)

^Look at those blue eyes!^

^ Ashton opted for a stylish, messenger-style book bag this year ^

Return with Honor!

A couple of weeks ago, we had the chance to go down to good ol' Duplin County for my cousin's mission homecoming. Charlie spent two years in Peru as an LDS missionary and it was great to see him and how much he had changed. Perhaps the best part is the good example it was to Ethan... good to have multiple missionary examples in the family.

Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay

We went to the beach in June for a nice weekend and got some fishing in. Well, it was more like waiting, because we didn't do any actual "catching", but the kids had fun casting and reeling in the bait. Not even a nibble this morning... our August trip to the beach yielded better results, though! More on that in a later post, after I get more caught up.


Ashton saw this pole in Wal-Mart and just had to have it. Was it the Synergy 10 spincasting reel filled with 10 lb. test line? Nope. The stainless steel front cone and smooth adjustable drag? Uh-uh. How about the 5'6" two-piece medium action tubular glass rod? Strike three. Her reason? "It's pink, Daddy!"


I kept reminding Ethan not to let his flip flops fall in the water! And for the record, he wasn't too thrilled with the pink accents, but he got over it.

Little E with a Big E

Ethan finished another year at TPPK last month (or was it two months ago?) with a party and very large letters. Seems hard to believe that he still has to wait another year to start kindergarten. He is such a good reader and student! It's amazing what the example of a big sister will do for a kid.