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Celebrating 11 years!

 Teacher Appreciation gifts. Thanks Pinterest!!

 Gotta love a cupcake with bright, red icing!

 Presley's Girl Scout Troop at the zoo.

The Golden Tigers

 My new summer do. It's been over 6 years since I 've had hair this short!

 Presley and her two friends, Evelyn & Elizabeth on the tire swing at school.

Silliness at the Mother's Day Tea.

 Having a little Sonic in the car.

My sassy date to a wedding.  

trail blazing

In January, my dad loaned me a book about a woman who thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail. A few weeks, and two additional books about the same woman, later and dad had a 50-mile hike on the trail all planned out for us. We are leaving on June 5 and heading to North Carolina where we will get on the trail close to the town of Elk Park. We will spend 4 nights on the trail and exit 50 miles later in Erwin, Tennessee. I am super excited to spend this special time with my dad doing something that he loves so much, and more importantly is really darn good at.

Signing a trail registry for the first time.

Out on a practice hike.

Our first hiking selfie.

 

 Doing a practice run sleeping in the backyard.

I made it to 2 am before I came inside and got into my real bed. Hey! It was just practice!

 

Cutting off my toothbrush to save weight.

(So I can take deodorant!)
 

Our last practice hike before the real deal.

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 At a family wedding.

 Playing Legos with Uncle Steve.

 Playing Legos with daddy.

 Picnic lunches.

A birthday party at War Memorial Stadium.

 

Presley's teacher, Mrs. Glover was Teacher of the Year for the entire school!!

 

P at bat and daddy at third base.

Landon and his partner in crime, Annie.  

 

I found this gem and thought it was the perfect inspiration for Presley's softball season.

break dancing

After all the snow days in February and March, it didn't really seem like we were due for any kind of break but spring break arrived none-the-less. The weather was all over the board with some sun, some rain and temps that ranged from 40-80 degrees. We played hard all week and are ready for the loooong stretch until school gets out in June.

My leprechauns

 

 Seeing Cinderella

Presley is playing softball this year and we finally got a break from the rain so the team could practice.

 Making homemade sidewalk chalk.

 

Jon had a conference in Las Vegas, so I talked my parents into going to Memphis for a few days. We had a great time at the zoo and children's museum. Of course the best part for the kids, staying in a hotel and swimming in the pool.

 

 My view from the third row.

 

 Up close with the grizzly bear.

 Landon LOVES to build things and spent almost 30 minutes playing with these magnetic tiles at the Children's Museum.

Our final activity of the week was seeing Cat in the Hat at the Children's Theater in Little Rock.

 

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Visiting a baby goat at a friend's farm.

 

Presley's first trip to the eye doctor. The doc said her eyes look great! Sorry Landon, looks like you'll be the one to get my bad eyes.

Taking a dip at a birthday party.

It was all fun and games selling 330 + boxes of Girl Scout cookies...until it came time to deliver them!

  

Presley loves to draw pictures of our family.

My favorite part, the face and "wow" up in the top left corner is what her teacher puts on all of Presley's school work.

 

Each month the school recognizes two students from each class that best represent the character word for that month.

Here's to our cooperative little girl.

 

Other corporative kids from her class.

cabin fever

I have been wanting to go camping just the 4 of us for a while now. I had visions of a relaxing weekend laying around a cabin, building campfires, trudging through the woods and just enjoying each other's company. Well, you know what they say about expectations...the weather got the best of us and it rained the entire time but even as I think back, we managed to do everything I listed above. The cabin was great (minus the fact that it was a duplex and we spent a lot of time telling the kids to stop screaming so as not to disturb our neighbors). We built fires inside the cabin to warm ourselves by. We trudged through the mud and the muck to see the iconic waterfall at its finest. And for the most part, we enjoyed each other's company. I have so many fond memories of camping when I was growing up so hopefully it can be something we get to do as a family too, rain or shine.

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

I took this picture because it sums up Presley pretty well...adventurous, a leader and a blazer of her own trail.