Ashlyn Turns 4!!!

Ashlyn's Birthday was Sunday July 29th & oh boy was she so excited for her special day.  We got up pretty early so we could be on the road back home from our trip to Kentucky Lake.  My parents came over that afternoon so we could have a little celebration on her special day! 

Ashlyn is so excited to be turning 4 and LOVES to tell everyone that I'm "4" and next year I will be going to kindergarten.  Ok so Mommy & Daddy are not excited about the fact that our baby girl is growing up so fast but thats just the way it goes. 

She was excited about her new back pack & loves to carry her new "IPAD" (thats what she calls her leap pad we got her) in it to school.  We also got her some fun new preschool learning books & card games, new beach towel & goggles.





 



Paw Paw & Emaw got her a new Hello Kitty Purse & sleeping bag, some new clothes & new pair of shoes and...

some new fun pom poms!!



CHEESE!!  She has the cutest but cheesiest smile!



Brody was happy playing in this bag until he realized he couldn't get out:)

Ashlyn wanted to go eat Mexican for her bday dinner and my parents brought her a cake but between the HEAT & car ride it didn't look so pretty but boy was it DELICIOUS!  We were all so exhausted by the time we got our belly's full we were ready to go home and head to bed! 

Since this took almost a month to post please check back soon for her Hello Kitty Friend Party & her 4 year update:)

Family Reunion Continued Saturday

Saturday morning there was a large group of us that decided to try out zip-lining.  There was also go carts, bumper boats, and other outdoor activities at the place we were going to some people decided to do that instead (the chickens of the group:))  Paw Paw decided he would take the kids go carting while we did the zip-lining.

Jennifer & her son Josh had this fancy video camera to capture all of us!  I wish I had copies of those videos but I only had a few that I took with my phone.   

WE HAD A BLAST!!!

We are ready to go!

 Karen looking like a pro crossing the bridge

GO BRI!

Go EMAW!!!

Phyllis tried backing out of going but no way was Ryan letting that happen!  After the 1st zip-line she was pumped.

Chris & Jen who live in Florida & are so much fun, their son Chris had the video camera & took some great videos!  They aren't actually related but were best friends with Uncle Bill who passed away a few years ago so its nice to have them join us.

I can't figure out why this photo is sideways & I couldn't get it to stay flipped.  Oh well we look like ham bones anyhow. 

So the final run we landed on the ground and here is Ryan's cousin David coming in for landing:)

After we were done zip-lining we headed back to the resort for lunch and naps.  Then headed back down to the late to have some fun on the wave runner we rented for the afternoon

 I think Ashlyn could have rode for hours and kept telling us to go FASTER FASTER!!  She is such a little thrill seeker and we joked she probably would have went zip lining with us if they would have let her.

 Mommy loves to go FAST!

It was SOOO HOT and the Lake water was actually pretty refreshing.

 Some of the crew hanging out while the kids rode.

 I thought Brody might be scared but he was all smiles:)

Look at that Dorito face-hey it matches his outfit!

After another great day we got cleaned up for dinner & then played a few games & said our good byes because we wanted to leave early Sunday morning since it was Ashlyn's birthday.  We had such an amazing trip and are excited we have this place reserved the next couple of years. 

Welborn Family Reunion 2012-Thursday & Friday

Thursday morning we loaded up bright & early to head to Kentucky Lake-Moors Resort for the 2012 Welborn Family Reunion.  We were all so excited to be getting away for some MUCH needed R & R and to make some great memories with the family that we don't get to see too often.

We had an awesome brand new cabin this time!  It was perfect bungalow right on the lake-3 large bedrooms, 2 large baths, nice kitchen and lots of space for our family & Ryan parents.  We were sad that Jason, Brooke & the kiddos didn't get to come b/c we were all planning to stay in the same cabin (might have been a little crazy) which I'm sure would have been a blast!

The kids spent most of their time hanging out with their older cousin Bri who lives in Georgia:(  Hard to believe she is 17 (she was 7 when I started dating Ryan) she has grown into a beautiful/mature young lady who will be heading off to college in one short year.



The kids loved to hang out on the deck watching "BIG BOATS"-I think we may have heard this word out of Brody's mouth a million times this trip:)  So Cute!!

The resort had a nice pool too but the water wasn't all that refreshing. 

Brody & Jaiden

Friday morning the kids were up bright & early raring to go out on the "Big Boat" we rented for the day. 



I love this picture of Ashlyn.  The kids loved riding

After riding for about 10 minutes this is what happend (its like 10 in the morning and they were all out)



So cute:)

Sis was having lots of fun at the beach

Daddy found this cute captain hat at the Marina!

After a long day on the water we headed back to get cleaned up for the family dinner.  Brody & his best friend Bri

A little story time with Paw Paw-Brody could read/look at books for hours. 

They were so well behaved the whole trip! 



They love to spend time together-so sweet!

Bri's turn for a little story time. 

Fun times at Monkey Joes

To celebrate Emaw Phyllis's bday they came our way along with Brooke & the kids (Uncle Jay was in St. Louis at the Cubs vs Cards) and we headed out to Monkey Joes & then to dinner at Olive Garden (we were brave with 5 adults and 5 kids under the age of 4)!!  It was the perfect day to go b/c the place was EMPTY & the kids had a ball. 

Brody LOVES his Aubrey Girl!

What's not to LOVE look at the little cutie pie.

Brody had NO FEAR-he was going up & down the slides that were for the Big kids but sometimes Paw Paw had to help him up b/c he just wasn't tall enough.

They are just too cute...

I saw this picture & couldn't believe how grown up my baby girl looked!! 

Sweet Baby Kaden watching all the kids-won't be long & you can join them:)

I think Paw Paw had as much fun as the kids did

Ready to head up the BIG slide



We had such a great day watching the kiddos play with one another & celebrating Emaw's birthday- so much fun that I totally forgot to get a picture of the birthday lady!