Family, Fun, and Homemade Ice Cream

Today was wonderful! We all went to church with my parents and the boys did great. After we go home from church we took a few family pictures, we never get to do that at home. Then around lunchtime my best friend Becca arrived in town from Mobile. I was overjoyed it has been over a year since we have seen each other. We had an amazing lunch mom made, baked ham, macaroni, biscuits, and crowder peas; delicious! After lunch we had a get together with family and friends. Dad and Matt Miller made homemade peach, strawberry, and vanilla ice cream. Ironically it was National Ice Cream Day.  It was so nice to see everyone and introduce them to everyone. After everybody left Bob and I got the boys in their first pool and they loved it. I think they thought it was bath time. Saragrace came and got in the pool with the boys, she was so sweet with them. After that the boys were ready for a nap. While they napped Becca, Dad, Matt, and Saragrace and I went fishing in the pond. It was a lot of fun I caught two baby brim and bob caught a brim too.  After a little fishing we had a pizza dinner and then started watching a new show on Netflix, Well new to us. We started watching Swamp People, thanks to Becca.  I think Bob has found a new show! Overall it was a great day!

Day 4 in Georgia

Today was our last day at Bob's parent's house, tonight we are at my parents. The boys slept till about 7:30 this morning. Grandma and I fed them and then they took a good nap, unfortunately their only one today. Today we had Grandpa's 70th birthday party. There was lots of family and close friends there. Most of the people at the party Bob and I hadn't seen since our wedding. 

 Me, Sarah, and Jackson

 James talking to Grandma

Some of our extended family on Bob's side: 

 (left to right) Aunt Barbara, Grandpa, Grandma with James, Me with Jackson, Bob, Ben, Leah (Ben's girlfriend), Sarah, Chris, Grandma Gooch, and Uncle Theo.

 Bob and I took our first family picture since the boys turned one month old

 James and Grandpa

We had such a great afternoon. Tonight we came to Mimi and Pop-Pop's house.

They were so happy to see the boys! We had dinner with them, the Millers, and Nana. We had a great night but we were exhausted and so were the boys. They went straight to bed when we got home. I am so excited that one of my best friends will be in town tomorrow. Becca is driving in from Mobile to come see us! Tomorrow we are also getting together with some more family and friends who have not met the boys. It will be another big day but I am sure a great one.

Family Vacation to GA Day 3

Today was another great day. We went to lunch with my best friend Erica, her husband Bryan, and their adorable son Aiden!

 

 Isn't he precious! I can not believe how big he is! He was so sweet with the boys.

  It was so nice to catch up and just spend time together. After lunch Bob, the boys and I made a quick Target run to pickup some formula and gas drops for the boys. We ended up running into some friends we haven't seen in awhile too, the beauty of a small town! Of course when we left Target it began pouring rain! Just so you know carrying a baby carrier and umbrella isn't that easy. We went to my Great Aunt Sara's house to see her, Granny, Aunt Linda, and Nana.  Granny Bowen was having a really bad day. She had not been responsive that much and wouldn't hardly wake up. During the course of our visit of course the boys became fussy. We were trying to calm them and Granny's nurse came out of her room said Granny asked us to bring the babies to her. This was a shock! So we took the boys in there and they got really quite and smiled and cooed at Granny. She was awake and talking to them and loving on them it was precious!

 I will never forget these moments and I praise God she is able to see and enjoy them. Jamey came by to see the boys.

 He is so wonderful with them. They think he is so funny they both smiled and talked with him. We enjoyed a great afternoon visiting with everybody. Tonight though Bob and I did

something we haven't done in AGES! We went on a date, without the babies.

We went to the mall and browsed. Later we went to see the new Harry Potter movie (it was really good by the way).

 Bob and I haven't gone to the movies in 2 years it was so fun. We had such a great time together laughing together and forgetting all our worries for a few hours! The boys were in great hands and had a great time being babysat by Aunt Sarah, Uncle Ben, Uncle Chris, Grandma and Grandpa. We came home and they were fed, bathed, and in bed sound asleep. Bob and I really enjoyed our time together alone but we sure missed our boys. Tomorrow is another exciting day, we are going to a birthday party for Bob's dad. Then tomorrow afternoon the boys get to meet Grandaddy and we are switching houses to stay with my parents till Tuesday.

Happy Birthday Grandpa

Today was Bob's Dad's (Grandpa's) 70^th Birthday! We had a really great day! The boys slept well last night they were wiped out from such a big day traveling. They ate breakfast and Bob's mom made us some breakfast. Then they spent the morning playing and took a nap in the pack and play. Bob's parents have a cat and she can not figure out what we have brought into her house. So she was laying around the pack in play watching them trying to figure them out, it was funny. 

 Grandma Gooch came over and met the boys today.

They were so cute just laying there and cooing at her. We went to lunch for Grandpa's birthday at Pearly's with Grandpa, Grandma, Great Grandma Gooch and Nana. Then Erica dropped by and met the boys for the first time. 

We headed back to Grandpa and Grandma's house for the boys to take a nap but Bob's keys would not unlock the door. Thankfully it was during a rainstorm and it was cool, so we sat on the rockers and waited for Grandma to get home. They napped in their carriers during the rainstorm.

 Tonight we went to Dothan, Alabama to see Bob's sister, Aunt Rachel. The boys were entertained during the ride by Uncle Ben. 

James was just a talking to Uncle Ben it was so cute. When we got to Alabama we went and picked up Rachel. She is working with Winshape kids camp this summer. Then we all went to dinner for Grandpa's birthday at Longhorn Steakhouse in Dothan. It was a fun night the boys enjoyed being with everyone. They were intrigued by their talkative Aunt Rachel, who was still in her war paint from camp, and Uncle Ben.

 It was a wonderful dinner. On the way home the boys fell asleep thankfully they slept the whole way. Uncle Ben was thinking ahead and grabbed their sound hippo to put in the car. In fact Uncle Ben is wonderful with the boys. Tonight he even helped put them to bed with Bob.

 

 Then he brought them some stuffed animals to sleep with, it was so sweet. These boys are so blessed to have such wonderful Aunts and Uncles.  

Flying on a Jet Plane

We are now a jet-setting family of four! Having kids drastically changes everything especially how you travel. We debated for months on how we would take our first trip to GA to introduce the boys to their family they hadn't met . Do we fly or do we drive?? Each had their pros and cons but in the end flying won out. I am so glad we chose to fly because the boys did awesome! I seriously thought we would be "that" family with the screaming kids you are stuck beside on a flight but no my boys were awesome! The slept, played, looked around at all the people and just were such happy babies. I was so relieved and it was so nice to hear all the compliments on what good babies they were. I am sure 12 hours in a car divided most likely over 2 days would not have been as pleasant as this. We did have a delay in Atlanta but they took everything in stride. We decided to  fly infant in arms which worked out well plus gave us lots of cuddle time.

(Jackson asleep in the Atlanta Airport)

 We are so thankful to the Messersmith's who let us borrow their carriers so we could maneuver around the airport easily. The worst part was TSA, just because you had to unpack everything and it seemed so scattered trying to pack everything back to where you can get to it when you need it. Overall I was very surprised by the smoothness of our trip. When we got to town Grandma, Grandpa, MiMi, Pop-Pop, Aunt Kait Kait and Uncle Ben were there to meet us at the airport! After a quick change and picking up luggage we set off for my Great Aunt Sara's house . My Great Grandmother, Granny Bowen,  is 99 years old and was placed on hospice 9 weeks ago our prayer has been for her to meet the boys and today she did! 

In fact we had a five generations in the room it was such a blessing! 

She has been waiting to meet these boys since we told her we were expecting last October. I was so happy to see them in her arms she held them and kissed on them, we video taped it and took pictures. I told her about how Jackson was named after he husband Ollie Jackson and she said she was so proud it was a beautiful moment for our family tonight one I will never forget! The boys were able to not only meet Granny but Aunt Sara, Aunt Linda, Jamey, Uncle Chris and Aunt Sarah, and Uncle Ben.  

Jax and Grandpa 

 Uncle Chris holding James with Aunt Sarah- it was the first time he has ever held a baby

Jamey and Jax

We all ate dinner at Blackbeards tonight for dinner, which is actually were we told everyone we were expecting twins at. It was such a joyous night I am so happy to be home and my heart is so full! 

Happy Birthday Pop-Pop

HAPPY BIRTHDAY POP-POP!

The boys got to skype with Mimi, Pop-Pop, and Aunt Kait Kait tonight. Mainly they wanted to wish their Pop-Pop a  very happy birthday! We cant wait to see y'all next week!