Lake Wedowee with the Griffeth Clan

We just got back from spending a week at Lake Wedowee in Alabama with Wes’ entire family. Wes’ parents rented a beautiful house right on the lake. It was perfect!



We spent 4 days on the lake and then a few days with Wes’ sister’s family at their home in Alabama. At the lake we rode jet skis, went tubing/kneeboarding/wakeboarding, swam, played lots of games, ate yummy food and enjoyed each other’s company. We don’t get to see the Griffeth Family very often so we love our time together. We had a blast!

OUT ON THE WATER











Nate got to ride on the jetski a number of times and loved it!



PLAYING ON THE DOCK

We blew up an inflatable pool and put it on the dock for the kids to play in. Nate loved playing with the hose with the water on! He squirted himself a lot and loved it!

Wes' parents: Grandma and Grandpa G


Leigh & Baby Spence


Baby Spence - his first time in the pool!



SWIMMIN' IN THE LAKE



Nate loves to splash when he's in the water. It makes it quite pleasant to hold him.





ONE CAST OFF, ANOTHER CAST ON.

Wes' sister's family is having an accident prone summer. Trey (their youngest, turns 2 in August) fractured his leg a little over a month ago and he was due to get his cast off while we were at the lake. Unfortunately, Kendal was so excited to go fishing with her dad that she fell down the steps on the way to the dock and broke her arm. So, they got Trey's cast off and a full arm cast put on Miss Kendal. Poor little thing! She was quite the trooper with her arm.

Trey with his leg cast


Kendal's pink cast


COUSINS

Nate LOVED his cousins. He loved having someone to play with at all times. It was fun to see them all interact & play. It seems like Nate was even more animated than usual and was a pretty funny kid on this vacation. He was just trying to keep up with his fun cousins! They will have so much fun as they grow up together.

all of the Griffeth cousins: Kendal, Olivia, Bayley, Nate, Trey & Spence


Bayley & Kendal were fabulous with all of the kids. They were always willing to play with them and make them laugh. They are great BIG cousins.

Bayley & Nate




Baby Spence. I got to meet him for the first time. He's precious!


Nate and Olivia are only 3 weeks apart so it was fun to watch them interact. They played very well and had a good time together! It was fun to watch their little personalities.






Trey is an adorable little boy but he can be quite the bully to the little kids. He's used to being the little guy so I think he enjoyed being able to be the boss of Olivia and Nate. This photo is pretty good representation of what happened to Nate & Olivia when Trey was around. We still love you, Trey!

We had a great vacation. It was fun to see all of the Griffeth clan! We miss ya already.

After we left the lake, we spent another day with Alisha and her family in Alabama. They have a beautiful home with a beautiful backyard! They have a swimming pool and then a pond behind the pool to fish in. . . .

Jeff & Trey with the minnows. Kendal tried to feed Nate a dead minnow. Yuck.

This is a few feet from Alisha's backyard. It's beautiful. This is Wes and Kendal fishing.

Nate fishing with Aunt Alisha and Bayley.

Grandma G. with four of the grandkids.

We celebrated Grant's 25th birthday!

Swimming in Alisha's pool

Bayley is our daredevil. The higher the better!

Can't wait until next year!

back to reality?

Not quite yet. We're home for 24 hours doing laundry and re-packing because our final vacation begins bright and early tomorrow morning. We're flying to Alabama to spend a week on a lake with Wes' family. We will have been in ALOT of time zones in a 24 hour period! Can't wait to see ya, Griffeth clan.

we're back from the islands

I LOVE HAWAII. We had an amazing vacation!

{Most of the pictures of Wes & I are taken by me with my arm out! In case I don't get around to scrapbooking . . . I included a lot of photos!}



The hotel was beautiful. It’s been a long time since I’ve stayed in a hotel like the Kea Lani. It’s right on the beach in Wailea, Maui. I love that side of the island. The hotel had an amazing pool with plants and palm trees everywhere. They even had a water slide (one of my all-time favorite things). The service was phenomenal. Every room is a suite so there’s plenty of room with a great balcony to sit and stare at the ocean and pool area.


{a view of the hotel from the beach}




{the hotel lobby}




{my view from my lounge chair at the pool}



{having fun on the water slide}




{we loved walking down to the beach as the sun set}




{on our balcony with our lei's}



{the hotel grounds looked like this}


We mostly just relaxed at the pool and beach but we managed to get out and do a few things, too. A group of us played tennis, Wes played golf while I did some shopping with Katie, I read Something Borrowed & started The Host, we went canoeing on the ocean where we saw many sea turtles, got massages, ate yummy food, swam in the ocean & enjoyed time relaxing. We had the perfect mix of time with just us as well as some time with Wes’ friends that he works with. Since they’ve been going there for 7+ years in a row, they were able to give us lots of recommendations!


{we went on a canoe ride on the ocean with Parley, Wes' supervisor. We saw a few sea turtles!}







{Wes & Parley jumped out of the canoe to go swimmin'}


{we took many naps poolside}



{swimming in the waterfall}



{We love being on the beach & swimming in the ocean}

We ate great food while we were there. I never knew that I liked the flavor of macadamia nuts since I don't love the actual nut. We had macadamia nut banana pancakes, macadamia nut crusted pork, macadamia coconut fudge icecream from Lapperts (by far the best icecream I’ve
E V E R had. We had this daily!), maui tacos with pineapple salsa, LOTS of pineapple and delicious fruit juices, banana coconut smoothies & MANY shaved ices.

{One of many banana coconut smoothies by the pool}


{I LOVE a Hawaiian shaved ice. I had one just about every day.}


We went with a group to Mama’s Fishhouse . . . a really nice restaurant right on the water. It had great food & a beautiful setting. All of their fish is caught that day so Wes was able to enjoy some tasty seafood. I don’t eat anything in the sea so I stuck with the macadamia nut pork which was delicious.

{a view of the beach from mama's fishhouse}



{Wes & I at Mama's}





{us with our YUMMY coconut, lime & mint smoothie}


{the group at Mama's}



{the actual restaurant}


We had a cloudy/rainy day but other than that we had decent weather. It was actually kinda nice to have a cool day since it’s so darn hot in Vegas. It did feel extra humid this time, though. I definitely had a good case of Hawaii hair!


{I love the torches at night all over the hotel}


I love everything about Hawaii. I love the palm trees. The soft, sandy beaches with bright blue clear water. The marine life you get to see. How laid back everyone is. I’m even OK with the humidity because the island is so beautiful. We definitely enjoyed our “week off” as parents! I highly recommend a kid-free vacation for everyone. I’m grateful Wes works for such generous people. They take quite a crew every year . . . we are very grateful we got an invite this year!



We went to pick Nate up this morning from my parent’s house. I wish I would have had the video camera because he was really confused! He’d look at me. Then look at Wes. Then look back to me. Back to Wes. Trying to figure out who we were! After about 30 seconds of that he pointed to me and started clapping! It was great to see him again. We definitely owe my parent’s big time! They seemed to have a great time with Naters and I’m sure he had a blast.

twenty seven

I don't know why but I specifically remember being 13 or 14 years old when my cousin Courtney turned 27 and I thought, "wow, 27 is O L D." It's a good thing my perspective has changed ~ I can't wait to be in my 30's!

So yes, I turned 27 today. It's been a G R E A T day. Nate slept in. Which means Wes & I got to sleep past 6:30am. Some friends took me to a great lunch. THANKS GIRLS. My family had Metro Pizza, cake/icecream & swimming at my parent's house tonight. THANKS FAM. And thanks to all of you for the many phone calls, emails & F U N birthday packages! You all seriously read my mind with books I've been wanting to read, a bag I can't wait to use, adorable framed photos, home decor I've been eyeing for months and fabulous gift cards. I am so B L E S S E D to have such thoughtful friends and family. I even have nice clients who delivered cupcakes from the cupcakery! YUM.

{abbie after eating cake. she even sang "happy birthday" to me. so cute!}

{my lil' sis eating OUR birthday cake. She didn't get one a few weeks ago so I shared}

And in between all of that I was packing for H A W A I I ! We leave for the airport in one hour! I managed to get Nate all packed and in bed at my parent's house. As of yesterday he had a 102.5 temperature and a double-ear infection. He woke up without a fever so I'm hoping the strong antibiotics are kicking in (the weak ones didn't work) and that my parents can enjoy a healthy baby for a week. We are all packed so we're trying to clean our house as fast as we can. It's amazing what you can accomplish in 2 hours without a baby! I love coming home from vacation to a clean house. I have to say, it's wierd being at home without Nate. I hope he remembers us by the time we see him again. It will be a nice break but I'm sure gonna miss that kid.

And so, we're off on our next Griffeth family summer adventure. I'll be thinking of you all as I read a book on a beach sipping my banana coconut smoothie. See ya in a week!

"my grandpa rocks"

My dad gave Nate and Daisy these t-shirts that say "my grandpa rocks". Nate finally fits in to his so he got to wear it yesterday. I have to say that my dad really does rock. He's probably the most generous person I know. He's a goofball. He's a great boss. A great dad and a great "papa" to his grandkids.

I definitely agree with Nate's shirt. His papa rocks.