4 Month Hiatus

I can't believe I have been away from my blog for 4 entire months.  I've thought about it often, but just can't seem to find the time or motivation to update it.  I want to get back into the groove so I can at least have a little documentation of life, since it seems to be FLYING by.

So much has happened since my last post, here are some majors that I intend to dedicate individual posts to ASAP:

- July 25th:  Jack Ward AND Harper Kate Stravelakis were born on the SAME DAY!
- August 10th:  We moved out of our house, rented it and have been living with family since.
- August 12th:  Mikey's Grandpa Jim passed away.
- September:  Mikey's Mamaw got diagnosed with bladder cancer.
- September:  Parks and Marlee started 2 mornings a week at "Children's Morning Out" at the Methodist Church.
- October 3rd:  Unexpectedly got a positive at-home pregnancy test.
- October 4th: Went to the OB doctor and discovered I was 8.5 weeks pregnant!
- October 27th:  Spent half the night in the ER getting fluids and meds from a nasty GI bug.  Not fun.
- November 18th:  Went under contract on a new house for our family!


I feel like there are lots more "BIG" things that have happened, but I can't think of them right now.  I will hopefully add them as they come to me.  Baby post coming next!!!  Woo-hoo.

Birthday Party at the Beach

My mom recently celebrated a momentous birthday!  We decided to take a family beach trip to celebrate...and headed down to Pensacola for the week of July 16th.  Mom, Dad, Aunt Libby, Patrick, Mikey, Parks, Marlee and me.  We stayed at "Portofino" in Pensacola and had a blast.  The water was CRYSTAL clear and the sand was clean and soft and white.  I haven't been to the gulf in years, but I was very impressed.  So pretty!

Unfortunately we did have quite a bit of rain (especially after Mikey showed up on Tuesday...he had to work the first part of the week).

Here's our trip in pictures...

over 1 million $ and counting on the ceiling, walls, etc.
hope they have a good fire policy!

Waiting to see the Blue Angels at "Crabs"

Upside Down Angel

Our view of the beach (the other end of the porch gave views of the sound)

Inked

Fun

One of the better pictures of my dad

The famous Jim Murray smile

Aunt Lib and Pat at Maguires

Jungle Jim Time

Sup

Patrick loves Lucy  :)

Our view of the sound and 2 of the 5 towers at Portofino

Sister Sister

Crossword Cheating

Patrick OWNED the kitchen
Frying up some oysters here

Motorcyclin Mama

Nice dinner!!

My wonderful parents and daughter

LOVE THIS

Marlee pre head injury  :(

Beachin with Uncle Pat

I want to eat sand

The crew, minus Mikey and Me

2 babies

Lib getting inked

Diapers FULL of sand

Matching Daddy and Parko

after 3 attempts, this was the BEST picture my dad got of us

Liberachhi and Mikey

Just walking on the dock wit my gramps

The beach wears babies flat out

Only family beach pic....dumb weather  :(

Getting out the cowboy boots and packing up the bathing suits 

New Car

We said goodbye to my first car, a 2005 4Runner.  I bought it new right out of college when I got my first job.  She was a good 'ol girl and we did a lot of miles together.  She smelled really bad, thanks to Shayla and Kaly, but was very trustworthy.

We traded her in on this baby:

It's a 2007 Expedition with just over 100K miles.  Leather seats (my favorite part), Captains chairs in the middle row, automatic opening and closing rear hatch and even a DVD player for the kids!  I really love it.  It's definitely bigger than my 4Runner, but we took it on a road trip to Pensacola a couple days after buying it and it was great for the long ride!

Curls for Girls

And by girls, I mean "mommy"...and one day, Annie.  :)

June Babies

Yep, this post is simply pictures of my babies in June.  That's it.  :)