Minnesota for the 100th

So after taking a 2 week vacation from our trip to Maine, we headed back out on the road. The In-Laws drove me and the kids up to Minnesota to celebrate hubby's grandmother turning 100 and a family reunion. We were gone for a week and a half. We got to meet up with the Maine Davises again and the kids picked right back up where they left off. It was really good to see all of Hubby's relatives again and for the kids to meet everyone and know that family is a BIG thing...literally and figuratively! It was the largest family reunion I have ever been too. It was wonderful seeing Great Grandma and having her see the great grandchildren. 100 years old... can you believe it??? The weather was gorgeous but the mosquitoes were mean. The kids and I packed heat clip-on mosquito repellent and that did a pretty good job.

great grandma at 100

the siblings

We also got to celebrate someone special turning a year older. Here is a little message for my little girl:

Five years ago, God blessed me with the perfect little girl. 

An Angel to teach me how to be a better person and how to laugh and sing a little louder. 

I am not deserving of her but am grateful that God knew exactly what I needed in my daughter. 

Happy birthday to my sweet girl today. 

Mommy loves you all the way to the moon and back.

She got to celebrate with her cousin at the Mall of America. We took her to lunch at the Rain Forest Cafe and then unlimited rides at the Nickelodeon Universe. She rode her first roller coaster. We picked Daddy up from the airport just beforehand and got to spend the day with him, too.

My little princess girl

enjoying the ride with big cousin

thinking about driving the car ;)

someone knows how to zoom around

so magical

We also got to spend some time in Minneapolis after all the family parties. We missed going out in the skywalks all over the downtown area. We will have to do that on our next visit. I will let the pictures tell you about the rest of our trip.

Lunch stop in Grand River, Kentucky

Saint Louis Arch on a drive-by

Meeting critters at a cousin's home

enjoying the company of just-met family members

having a good time at the party

wow! 

checking out the rotating doors...yup, they work!

i like the combination of a church among giants

playing in the cityscape

window shopping?

grassy knolls in the middle of the city...pretty cool!

made them look...told them spiderman was jumping between the tall buildings ;)

visiting the beautiful home of their great aunt

who's that pretty girl?

Granny and Great-Aunt J

serious discussion is happening

LOVE THEM!!!

A new addition to our family...

It's time to announce that we have added a new addition to our family....
Meet Spanky!!!

Spanky is a four-year old Shitzu that we adopted from our friends from church. He is just perfect for our family and is fitting in quite well. E-Pie is really smitten by him and is willing to even pick up his poo when we take him out for walks. She seems to have an supply of hugs for him...almost reminding me of Elmira from Animanics...I'm going to love you, kiss you, and squeeze you...

Anywho, C-Bear, who is usually very scared of animals that come up to him has taken to Spanky very well.

Spanky has been house-broken and trained to do the important commands. He rarely barks and is probably the calmest dog I have ever met. He's the cat the my Hubby has always wanted ;)

Welcome to the family, Spanky!

~  H

Maine: Vacationland for the Davises

We have returned from our two weeks vacation away from home. I really think it's the longest we have been away from home with the kids. We drove up to Maine to visit Hubby's brother and his family. The kids did awesome on the drive. We must have brought the heat from Georgia up with us because it was unusually warm...or so we hear ;) Regardless, we had a wonderful time seeing the sights, eating yummy seafood, and just spending time with family. I think pictures serve a better was to describe the fun times we had together.

new haircut for the trip

picnic stop at the Shot Tower in Virginia

Bedtime Stories

What could be better than yummy seafood by the sea?

There's a storm a brewing

Boston Commons

Chinatown in Boston

Boston Children's Museum

It wasn't all fun...Hubby and Brother in Law built a bridge

A little excursion to Peaks Island via Ferryboat

Our only group photo

Me and my pretty SIL

cutie patooties

C-Bear was not afraid of the chocolate guy.

The sweetest place on earth with some of the sweetest people I know ;)

My sweet hubby!!!

 I always feel so blessed after spending time with our family. We miss them so much already!
~ H