Catch up!!

Okay, so I know that I said that I would do better about posting updates and that I have been slack about it lately. As you will see from the pictures we have been really busy! I know that sounds pretty lame. So here goes our big update:

Sunday August 5th
Isabella's Uncle Ben and Aunt Kim are renting our Aunt and Uncle's place at the beach for the week. They just love Isabella, so after I was finished working Isabella, Grand (my Mom), and I went to the beach to spend some time with them. That night we went to Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant and sports bar to watch the first Pittsburgh Steelers game of the season. For those of you that don't know, we are all huge Steelers fans!! Also, in case you don't know, they beat the New Orleans Saints that night!!

She was clapping at a great play! She enjoyed watching the game with us. We don't usually let her watch much TV, but we made an except for the Steelers!!

I know that these two pics are very similar but I had to include this one too! It is as if she is posing for the camera!! She is so funny!!

This is Uncle Ben, one of the best uncles in the whole world! He is a huge Steelers fan and always has been! (Notice his shirt!!)






Isabella's Grand! The BEST Grand on Earth! The lighting in this one is not very good, sorry Mom. We had to include Grand, though!






Super Sweet Aunt Kim! We are so thankful that she and Ben are together--we just love her!







I tried to get a picture of the fact that we were in a sports bar! She really enjoyed all the noise, people, and TVs to look at!










A really great picture of Isabella and Uncle Ben the next morning!!







While us girls were at the beach that night with Uncle Ben and Aunt Kim, our best friends in the whole world came to Florence for a visit! They got to stay until Thursday morning! Pat and Heather have two daughters--Alana is 3 1/2 years old and Lilliana (Lilly for short) is almost 6 weeks older than Isabella. We have already decided that they are going to be the best of friends and someday college roommates! It is so cute to watch them play and interact! Monday morning Jason, Pat, Heather, Alana, and Lilliana came down to the beach to join us!

Bathing beauties on the beach!! Mr. Allen also came down for the day and brought our niece Mackenzie to play on the beach with us! We had so much fun!






She is just too cute in her little bikini!!








Cutie Alana buried in the sand by her Daddy!








The burier of Alana, her Daddy Pat! Don't look too close at the picture or you will notice that Alana is trying to take a snooze, her eyes are closed!






Mackenzie in the water!








The girls may be two years apart but after they warmed up to each other, they had a great time playing in the water and the sand!






Mommy and daughter, Heather and Lilliana! Two beautiful girls!








Isabella and her Papa! They just LOVE each other!! Notice her very sleepy eyes, she would not sleep on the beach!!







Uncle Ben and Aunt Kim taking a rest and working on their tan!! They will love that I included this picture!









We ended our wonderful day at the beach with a group trip to Carrabba's Restaurant!





My Beautiful Mom (Isabella's Grand)!








Alana and Mackenzie--beautiful girls!! They had such a great time playing together all day!







We had such a wonderful time at the beach! Thanks Ben and Kim for letting us crash your vacation!!

Tuesday August 7th
Tonight we went over to Colin and Aron's house for dinner and to let all the kids play together! We had such a nice time with Smiths and LeMasters. It was great to see all the kids play together. Alana came home calling Makgill her Prince~~too cute!!



It was such a wonderful couple of days with The Burrows Family! THANK YOU so much for coming to visit us!!

Friday August 10th
Jason and I went to a Sunday School couples baby shower and Isabella stayed home with a non-family baby-sitter for the first time ever! Megan did a wonderful job and Isabella had a great time! I think that she did better being with a baby-sitter than her parents did having to hire one!! : ) Thanks Megan, we really appreciate you--and will definitely call you again!!

Sunday August 12th
Our new nephew Jesse Kendall Allen was born today!! He is absolutely adorable, and looks just like his Daddy!


Friday August 10th
Jason and I went to a Sunday School couples baby shower and Isabella stayed home with a non-family baby-sitter for the first time ever! Megan did a wonderful job and Isabella had a great time! I think that she did better being with a baby-sitter than her parents did having to hire one!! : ) Thanks Megan, we really appreciate you--and will definitely call you again!!

Monday August 13th
Today we traded our Jeep Cherokee and got a new Toyota Sienna mini-van! Yes, we have joined the ranks of mini-van families!! We LOVE it, and are so happy to have more room!! We can have seven adults, and Jason with his long legs can sit in any of the seats comfortably!!


Sunday August 12th
Tonight at church they had a reception for us (called a pounding) to welcome us to Southside Baptist Church! We are so touched and blessed by the outpouring of love and friendship that was extended to us! We are so excited to be at Southside, and totally feel like that it where we are supposed to be! Thank you so much!