More Trips

We are officially worn out from traveling! (And way behind on everything at home!)

We started off this month making a trip to Atlanta to see Hootie & the Blowfish at Chastain. We had a great time there with the Links and Slade & Jessica while the kids enjoyed staying with Bebe. We were also so glad to have fun visits with our friends, the Johnsons & the Hines!


Then, last weekend, we traveled to the Alabama state line to visit with our Wilder family. It was a long trip, but so worth it! Great to see the Dormans on the way (thank you!) and wonderful to catch up with our family. Gehrig had so much fun with Megan & Nathan and thinks they should move closer! (Hint, hint...)

Does It Have to End?

July is a favorite month.

Family. Friends. Travel. Camp. Vacation. Spiritual Renewal. Less Work. More Play. Fun. JOY.

When we put together the photo galleries for this month, we realized that we were blessed to see so many friends and family this month. We thrive on these relationships and are so grateful to have you all in our lives! Thank you for what you mean to us!

So, here we go...

1. FCA Coaches Camp. We love this camp! It is a week for coaches and their families to get away, reconnect with God, refocus on impacting students for Christ and connect with other coaches, their families and FCA staff. There is huddle time, competition, worship, chapel (amazing speaker!) and family time. It fills us up, so that hopefully we'll be ready to speak Christ into students' lives this school year! It is quickly becoming a family tradition. We also enjoyed having Evans students at the Leadership Camp there the same week. We are looking forward to a great year for FCA!

2. Water Park. While we were close by, we took one of our free afternoons during camp week to go to the water park on Jekyll Island. The Aultmans & Papa & Rosie met us there! It was great fun. I think it will also become a family tradition, as Gehrig now equates 'FCA Camp' with 'Water Park' after two consecutive years of doing them together.

3. Cutting Teeth. Finally. The one challenging part of camp week is the schedule. Our kids had to adjust to less sleep...and for Greer, it coincided with cutting her first teeth. Not a great combination! She was fussier than usual, but we made it! Two pearly whites came in on the bottom.
4. Nicholsons. We came home on the 4th and had a great weekend visiting with my college best friend and her family. The kids were too tired to stay up for the fireworks, but we enjoyed a picnic in Patriots Park with them and the Links. It was so nice to relax over the weekend and catch up with Emlee...I wish that we were able to do it more often!


5. Visit with Pa. Daddy & Gehrig took a guys trip to Pa's house to fish and play golf. Our exchange as they left...Mommy: "I love you, Gehrig." Gehrig: "I love you too, Mom, but this is a boys' trip." Hilarious. They had a lot of fun there and Greer and I enjoyed a girls' slumber party with Jenn & Madi.
6. Playtime with the Mareks. Gehrig & Greer played over at Cole & Mason's house one morning while Mommy & Daddy worked. Boy, was it fun! They are looking forward to more mornings together in August!

7. Vacation. A full week at the beach with some of our favorite people in the whole wide world. :) There are so many highlights! We loved the family beachtime and some adult time. We were fortunate to have Brittany & Lauren come to babysit the last part of the week. A night out for dinner while the (7!) kids were at home was...GREAT. We truly cannot wait until next year! None of us wanted to leave...

8. Tball. It has begun. Gehrig started tball this month and loves it! It is for 3-5yr olds, so he looks really small, but he is keeping up with them so well! He's had one game and was 2 for 2 without using a tee! (They give each kid a chance to hit a pitch before setting up the tee.) The fielding is hilarious...as you can imagine, a swarm running to the ball and a dog pile to get it. The goal at this point is just to get the ball and throw it in to the pitcher. Very very fun! Luke is on his team and Mammaw & Pots came for the first game...a good day had by all.

9. Dormans visit. We are still hoping for some type of miracle that brings Lyle & Heather back to Augusta! They visited one day this week with us and Jenn & Madi and the kids had a ball. We like this seeing them every couple of weeks!

10. School and football. Here we go! B started football stuff this week and goes back to pre-planning on Tuesday. We have LOVED having him home and look forward to a good year! It will be an adjustment for all of us, especially the kids. Gehrig has already said, "I want to go to school with Daddy!" The good thing is that we'll be there a lot too with games and FCA.

Soooo, there we have it. A very busy, fun, tiring and full month! We have 2 sets of pics on the right...July and Beach. Enjoy!!!

Family Pictures

"Is He THERE?"

What would the world be without 3 year olds?

Our sweet friends, the McElwains, hired Gehrig to care for their dogs while they traveled. It was his first 'job' and a great way to start teaching him about working and earning money. He already knows that Mommy & Daddy go to work to "make some money so we can buy food," but we have recently started talking with him about different ways we use the money we make. So, he's learning that you first give some to God, you save some and you spend some. Budget 101, right?

Well, the McElwains came over the other night to pay Gehrig (way too generously, I must add) and he was very excited. They handed it to him and he held some up and said, "I want to give this one to God!" I said, "Great! Would you like to go with Mommy & Daddy to big church on Sunday to give it to Him?" Pause, serious contemplation, and then...

"Is He THERE?"

As if to say, 'You know, I've heard all about this God and I'm ready to see Him!!' It was so cute. And a challenge to explain that yes, He is there (and everywhere), but we still can't see Him. B picked him up from his class early yesterday to join us at the end of the service. He surely was the most excited giver there! Funny how our kids teach us while we think we are teaching them.

Psalm 51:12: 'Restore to me again the JOY! of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.'

Hard to believe June is over...pics are up!

Family Matters

1. The 2008 Bourne Reunion. Just about the most fun, relaxing, special time you can fit into one weekend. It was our first trip to Virginia with both kids and they did great. Aunt Gretchen rode with us and was a huge help and a lot of fun. Greer met everyone, especially Uncle Bill. :) Gehrig joined the big boys playing, not needing Mommy & Daddy around quite as much. And Daddy did a great job leading our Sunday devotion time...the first 3rd generation devotion time leader. We love it and can't wait until next year!! See full album of pics on the right...

(For more on the reunion, see last June's post!)

2. Father's Day. We have a fantastic leader of our family and we are so grateful for all that he does for us and with us. He is everything a husband and father should be and we love him! Here are a few (okay, a LOT) of our favorite daddy pictures.