The Mountains

Julianna and I have spent a ton of time in the mountains this summer. Our first trip there was with Grandmama and Granddaddy, second with Mimi, and third was with my bestie Katy and her kids. It is the most wonderful escape from the miserably hot and humid summers here that pretty much keep us indoors from June to September!! Julianna would move up there permanently if given the choice. Everyday we fed the fish (beautiful koi that will take the bread right out of your hand!), played on the ski slopes (just giant grassy hills now), hunted up woolly worms, and chased butterflies. We also went fishing several times, saw a huge deer with great big antlers, played putt-putt, made lots of trips to Fred's General Store, put together a jigsaw puzzle, sat out on the deck up in the trees and drank wine (or Sprite in Julianna's case), and spent some really great quality time with our friends and family. 90% of the above cost absolutely nothing, and the time with our loved ones was, of course, priceless! Thank you Grandmama and Granddaddy for allowing us to stay in your home. It really was wonderful! You are too good to us!


Pictures from our trip with Grandmama and Granddaddy:

Feeding the fish at the koi pond.












Fishing!


Love this picture of Jules and Granddaddy!! Just precious!


So cute in their sunglasses!


Julianna's first (and only to date) fish! She was so proud!





Our trip with Mimi:

Finding dandelions



This little set of pictures has to be my favorite. I swear she assumed a different identity with Mimi's sunglasses on. She instantly transformed into a super model! I did not pose her at all. This was all her! What a hoot!



Next stop, Vogue Magazine! Hee!










Trip to Blowing Rock. Seriously the cutest little town ever!










On the ski slopes. I just love this picture!




More fish feeding!






She loves to let the fish nibble her toes!!!


A few pictures with Mama on a cool evening!













I adore this candid of Jules and Mimi.

Our trip with Katy, Hannah, Jay, and Ansley:

Our first fishing attempt. We seriously had no idea what the heck we were getting into. We handed fishing poles with hooks on them to kids aged 7, 4, 3, and 2 and let them have at it! We are insane and lucky that we all left with both of our eyes! Actually, Hannah, the most coordinated 7 year old I have EVER seen, was a casting pro in minutes!!






Our daily afternoon swing on the ski lift!




Julianna and Ansley loved this activity best BY FAR!




Our second fishing attempt! We got smarter and took the hook off of Ansley's pole, and pretty much had the other kids taking turns. When there was more than one kid fishing, we separated them by GREAT distances!!!


Hannah's first fish!!! Yippee!!




Jules and Ansley. SOOO CUTE!!


Julianna and Jay really clicked this particular afternoon and they were playing with little plastic army men that they were pretending were surfing. They kept saying "Surfs up, baby!!" They were killing us!








Great technique Jules! Poppy would be SO proud! Hee!




A Woolly Worm!!!

Love these pics just sitting out on the deck one evening!



Can you believe how green this kid's eyes have gotten?!











Pictures that Granddaddy sent me from yet another trip Jules made to the mountains with Dada over July 4th weekend!

With baby cousin Ella and Granddaddy.


Love this picture!

Pictures

Still have so many pictures to post to get caught up!! Here are a few more.









Apparently clothing is optional when you go on a walk with Poppy!








Dancing in the rain. She was so cute!

Atlanta Visit

Had a GREAT time in Atlanta with the Kyriakakis family! We always do! Katy is my best friend from high school and she and her husband have 3 beautiful kids. Julianna is smack dab, in age, between her second kid and third kid. We took our now second annual trip to the amazing Georgia Aquarium. That place is the greatest - and air-conditioned! Shew!

Ok, on to the pictures. I have a bazillion more to get posted. Make sure to see the two previous posts full of pictures from the last few weeks!

Aquarium Pics:



Petting the stingrays. Julianna petted 2 or 3 and was so excited.






Hannah and Julianna








A whale shark - one of the favorites of the day.




Love this one.


Julianna and Ansley on a moving sidewalk.






I think this manta ray was the unanimous favorite! He (she?) was huge and a real show off! He did the most graceful back flips.


Pumped about something!




Julianna doing her cutest pouting.


Ansley


Jay


Hannah


The whole crew. We see the reemergence of Julianna's special "smile" :)

More Pictures

In front of Mimi and Poppy's beautiful lilies.




Little Poser!




Julianna set up this little "picnic". She set a place for Mama, Mimi, Poppy, and herself. Can you guess whose glass is whose? Hint - Mimi had the plastic blue and white glass and Mama's was the glass with water. I don't think you will have any trouble figuring out the other two with that piece of info. Hee!




You can't tell from this picture, but she is sitting in a laundry basket FILLED with stuffed animals.








Playing with the trains at Barnes and Noble.

*This is my second post of pictures of the day. Scroll down for more cuteness!*