{ Carnival Elation }

We got on the ship around noon and got started having fun!  First stop was the Tiffany dining room for our buffet lunch.  We didn't really know what to expect, but there were LOTS of food choices, so everyone was happy.  We didn't bring the camera, unfortunately, but there was food everywhere.  The kids especially liked the never-ending soft serve ice cream.  YUM! 

After lunch, we headed back to our rooms, put on swimsuits and hit the pool.  This is where we spent most of our daytime hours while we were on the ship.  The Elation had a great waterslide that the kids loved!

The kids also spent a large amount of time at Camp Carnival.  They had fun activities for all age groups.  They played Wii, colored cruise ship t-shirts and had dance parties.  Pretty fun stuff!

Kids dressed for dinner with their Camp Carnival bears.

Most of the evenings, we went to a nice dining room for dinner.  We dressed up and ate like kings and queens.  The dinners were delicious, but the desserts were fantastic!  My favorites were the blanc and white bread pudding, chocolate melting cake and they also had a fabulous, melt in your mouth, cheesecake!

In the evenings we saw comedians, attended dance shows, and even watched Anna Grace and Sarah do karaoke!  That was impressive!  Anna Grace sang, "If I Die Young" and Sarah rocked out to "So What!"  I wish I'd taken pictures of everything, but didn't want to drag the camera everywhere I went.  :)

Here's another picture inside the cabin.  Harrison started out sharing a room with me and Lee and then decided that Memaw's room was more fun, so here's where all 5 of them slept!  2 sets of bunk beds and a rolling bed on the floor!

Everyone loved coming back from dinner to find towel animals on our beds.  This elephant was one of my favorites!

The ship made one stop, in Cozumel.  We had a great time on the island.  More on that tomorrow!  :o)

{ First Stop...New Orleans! }

Lee, Ann, the kids and I have been looking forward to our summer vacation for quite awhile - a cruise to Cozumel!  We were boarding the Carnival Elation in New Orleans, so we decided to show the kids a bit of the city before we hopped on the ship. 

We went down the night before and had dinner at Landry's and then spent some time on the Riverwalk.  It was a beautiful night to be outside!

I was pretty excited about the trip to New Orleans and especially the trip to Cafe du Monde for my birthday breakfast!  Oh how I love those warm, powdery puffs of goodness!   

 The kids liked it too!

After breakfast, we met back up with our friends, Kevin, Jennifer and Kailey for a look around the French Quarter.  So pretty!

Love these kiddos and their Mardi Gras masks!  So cute!

Now time to cruise! 

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

{ School's Out for the Summer }

Last trip to school as 3rd grader and kindergartener!

The school year has really flown by this year.  I know I say that every year, but this year it seems even faster than usual.  The kids finished up their last day of school having fun with their friends!

Emma Taylor's class had just finished up a dance party when I made it to pick her up.

Kelsey, Emma Taylor and Ansley

 a muppet she made in class

Sweet Mrs. Smith - love her!

Harrison's class sang and danced to "Kindergarten Rock."  Some of the kids really got into it.  Harrison wasn't one of them!  He acted like it was totally embarrassing, but it was super cute anyway!

They each received their kindergarten diploma...Harrison was so fast that I couldn't even get a picture of him picking up the certificate!

 Best buds...Harrison, Will and Kaden

Wonderful Mrs. Evans...he's going to be sad when he gets to 1st grade and realizes she's not his teacher.  She has been such a blessing this year.

Everyone had a great time this school year.  Hard to believe we officially have a 7th grader, two 4th graders and a 1st grader!  Whoa!

{ circus }

Harrison's class took their last field trip as kindergarteners today.  They all dressed up in their orange Tiger Cub t-shirts and headed to the circus.  They loved it!

Jace, Harrison and Tristan getting ready for the show!

It's hard to believe, but Harrison reminded me this morning that he has 6 more days left until he's a "first grader!"  They started counting down the days last month and first grade is getting close.  He's excited!  Me, not so much!  He's already bigger than I like. 

Last night he broke my heart, but put it back together this morning.  We were talking about the field trip and he said, "Mommy, you don't need to come tomorrow.  I can go myself."  I had planned to come with him all along, but decided I'd check with him in the morning and if he still didn't want me to go, I'd let him go alone.  Thankfully, this morning he said, "Mommy, you can come with me."  I was happy to hear it and didn't say, "Are you sure?" because I didn't want to give him a chance to change his mind!  :)

{ Mother's Day }

We had a busy, but oh so fun, Mother's Day this year! 

Our sweet friend, Denise, invited us to Memphis for the Grizzlies playoff game.  As you might remember, she invited us to the Justin Bieber concert last year and she has a swanky box at the FedEx Forum.  Any event over there is FUN, so we were excited to go.

 

The kids had never been to an NBA game before, so it was big fun for them.  The Grizzlies lost game 7, but we had a ball anyway! 

They sang and danced - Emma Taylor tried hard to get on the dance cam!  She waved her Grizzlies towel like a champ!

 They loved the flag and claw that Lee bought them!

After the game we headed over to Blues City Cafe on Beale Street.  This is one of our favorite restaurants in Memphis.  The food is fantastic and the desserts are even better!  We shared an apple dumpling that came out sizzling in butter.  Oh so delicious!

After that, we stopped by Target, so my day was complete!  :o]

To top it all off, Lee and the kids game me some sweet gifts.  I can't wait to spend my gift certificate from Bliss! 

The kids both made me presents at school.  Emma Taylor wrote a poem and decorated a precious picture for me.  Love it!

Harrison's class made cookbooks for their moms.  His teacher asked them each what their favorite thing was that their mom cooked and then they had to tell her how to make it.  It was precious and funny!  Harrison's favorite recipe was for pancakes!

So thankful for my mom, mother-in-law and all the other moms who have mothered me throughout the years.  Thankful too that I have the awesome privlege of being a mom myself...my favorite job ever!

{ Anna Grace's spring band concert }

Anna Grace's 6th grade band had their spring concert tonight.  It was really good!  It was great to hear how much the students have improved throughout the year.  They really learned quickly!

Here's our girl!  It was hard to get close enough to get a good picture, but she's right in the middle.  She is the first chair flute player for her class.

 Here she is going to accept her award!

Anna Grace won the most Distinguished Flute Award, so she was very proud!  We were too!

She's going to be in the band again next year, so we have more great music to look forward to!

{ She's 12!!! }

Anna Grace turns 12 today!  Can't believe this is the last year we'll have a pre-teen!  YIKES! :)

Here's the birthday girl with Daddy this morning!

I took this pic with my phone....better quality photos to follow!

We had birthday donuts this morning and birthday dinner Saturday night, so she's already been celebrating.  I'll get the pics uploaded on this post SOON, I promise!

She chose Outback for her birthday dinner where she opened presents and received her very first Coach purse, a prayer bracelet, a camera and money.  She was SUPER excited!

We love you, Anna Grace, and hope you have the best year ever!  :)

{ Sugar Baby }

Anna Grace's teachers have had them doing some "grown up" stuff lately.  They had to plan a wedding and act it out (which we thought was a little odd for 6th graders :o]) when the project was complete.

Then this week they had to make a "baby" out of a 10 lb bag of sugar to carry around for a week so they could learn the responsibility of caring for a child.  Here's Anna Grace with her Sugar Baby....Eliza June.

 babysitters!

Interesting things happening in 6th grade!