The Norton Hotel

What a super fun whirlwind of a week it has been! Jeffrey has returned from Africa! We are so excited that he is home. However, he is only home until the 18th of August when he flies to Norway for his next job! We are so proud of him! His work in Africa was so amazing. He made this slide show and shared all about his time there with us. He did so many wonderful things and spread God's love to the people there in so many ways. Jeffrey is truly a blessing and an excellent example of a light for Christ. With that said, he was with us from last Tuesday until this past Tuesday. We had so much fun! On Thursday of last week, Tanta Nana, Uncle Carlos, Michelle and Tyler-Michelle's fiance came to visit. We had a ball! We played games and laughed until our stomachs hurt. Jason even set up a "slip-n-slide" with a pool at the end! We took them to our "beach" in Carrollton and enjoyed a full day in the water and a picnic lunch. It was a very relaxing, very fun family time. Saturday afternoon Tanta Nana and Uncle Carlos had to go back home to Florida. Michelle and Tyler stayed until Monday. We went shopping Saturday afternoon and helped Jeffrey get a bunch of stuff her needed before heading to Norway. Then on Tuesday Jeffrey left our house and went to visit our cousin in Alabama. McKenzie could not get enough of Jeffrey. She wanted to play wit him, sit by him, and do everything he did! When she woke up on Wednesday morning the first thing she said was, "I want to see Uncle Jeffrey!" It was so sweet. However, he was not here. So, we will see Jeffrey next Wednesday for the day and then Jason takes him to the airport on Wednesday night. Then he is off again, to serve and be obedient to his calling. He will return in May for good. This is just a 9 month stay!

"slip-n-slide"...redneck style! A big tarp and a kiddie pool at the end!

MG loving on her Uncle Jeffrey!

Tyler made it all the way to the end!

Everyone in the pool!

McKenzie's turn to go down!

Standing under the sprinkler part!

Ahhh...a nice regreshing dip in the pool!

So much fun...MG fell sound asleep at dinner!

Michelle and McKenzie

Uncle Carlos, Tanta Nana, Tyler, Jason, Michelle, and Jeffrey

No Tyler this time, Me and MG instead!

Bye Bye Pacies...Hello La La

I decided yesterday morning that McKenzie no longer needed her pacifiers. She is almost 2 1/2 and that is just getting too old. Jason and I have been talking about taking this away for a long time but we wanted to wait until after our trip to Florida to do it. She has only gotten to have them in the car and in her crib since she was 11 months old, but still she is getting too old for them period. I have talked to lots of people and everyone says you have to do it cold turkey. So that is what I did. I took them all our of her crib yesterday after she got up and out of the car. She has not had them since. Last night was a bit rough and she cried for them and wanted them but I just explained to her that she was a big girl and other little babies needed her pacifiers now. So today, I took her to the mall along with Jeffrey! We went to Build-A-Bear and MG got to do it all. She picked out whatever bear she wanted, a pink one! Then we choose some pajamas for her and slippers. We stuffed her, and bathed her, dressed her and bathed her again! McKenzie was so excited about this bear! When it came time to name her we could not think of a name. Then...the brilliant Jeffrey came up with La La! La La means sleep in Swahili! Swahili is the language that Jeffrey spoke while he was in Africa for two years! It made perfect sense. We came to Build-A-Bear to make a bear for McKenzie to sleep with instead of her pacifiers! So La La is for sure the perfect name! Tonight was not as bad as last night but still a little rough. I know that in time the want for them will go away. I am so proud of her though. She LOVED those pacifiers and knew when one was missing and what color the missing one was. I knew that it would be hard and that she would ask for them, but she is doing a really great job! She loves that idea of a new bear and loves it when I tell her that she is a big girl! However, this whole mile stone has been very hard for me. She no longer wears diapers and now she is done with pacifiers. She is just growing up way too quickly for my liking!

Uncle Jeffrey and MG choosing a shell to stuff!

Stuff it!

MG kissed the heart and placed it in so her bear could be sewed up. Then she wanted the heart back...that was a fun one to try to explain!

Next was the bath!

McKenzie loved the bath part! She has to give her bear 3 total!

MG and her sweet La La with her Hello Kitty PJ's!

The name game...La La! The perfect name for the perfect bear!

One more bath after she was all dressed!

MG and La La on the way home!

When we got home we made a strawberry and a chocolate cake! MG loved the strawberry batter!

The chocolate cake... 15 layer cake! This is Jeff's favorite cake! I love having him here to cook for!

Panama City Beach

Last week we were in Florida at the beach. It was such an awesome trip! It was just the three of us and it was so relaxing and fun! McKenzie met a little boy there and he was her boyfriend for the week. They played in the pool together and had so much fun! He did not like the beach and MG LOVED it. Everyday McKenzie wanted to go to the beach and look for shells. We found a ton of shells. On the last day at the beach we found several really nice shells. Since Parker, her boyfriend did not have any shells from the week because he did not like the beach MG gave him one of yours. When we found him that morning in the kiddie pool MG said, "Parker, I found this shell for you." It was so sweet!

McKenzie is also doing really well potty training. She was dry all the way to FL and all the way home! She went to the bathroom when we stopped and that was it! We were so proud of her!

We rode the train at Pier Park!

The best ice cream ever!

We get to the counter to order and McKenzie says, "I want pink with sprinkles please! That is my favorite!" She has never had strawberry ice cream before! It was so funny!

Getting ready to hit the waves!

MG loved the sand and looking for the shells!

She wanted to walk in all by herself and could not understand why she had to hold our hands.

First time ever for swimmies! Thank you Parker for wearing yours so MG would think they were awesome!

All by herself!

McKenzie and Parker

Precious!

On the way home we stopped to see Michelle our cousin in college!

On the way home MG was talking on the real phone and her phone to Nana! "Hey Nana!"

Reading to her baby in the car!

Ready to go outside!

The pools in our condo.

The Ocean!

MG loved this Captain and hugged him and played with him all the time!

Gettin' the Captains nose!

McKenzie and Daddy

So sweet!

MG and Mommy!

Our Condo