OBX with the Breeden Family!

My cousin and her family took their vacation in the OBX this week and invited my family to come down to visit! My brother and his wife as well as my parents went from Sunday to Tuesday, and Kenden and I took the day trip down there on Monday (it is a short trip for us, only an hour and a half). What a super time we had! We were all so excited to do this, because we usually only see each other at Christmas~once a year. It was a blast. The kids had a ball playing together (in between fighting! ha!) and we adults had a great time talking and joking. We sure hope we can do this again next year, and hopefully we can all stay with them longer!

The Gang's All Here!


Mike, TD holding Zach, and Uncle Ricky

Michelle and Carrie

Aunt Dale thinks Kenden's Crazy!

Now, it is Camden's turn for a head dunk in the bucket! He and Kenden took turns dunking their heads in the bucket of salt water!



What's a beach trip without being buried in the sand?!

Kenden and his 3rd Cousin, Zachary Playing the CARS Video Game

Kenden and Zach are only a month apart in age, with Zach being older. Michelle and I found out the same weekend that we were both pregnant! They were so adorable together!

Future Gamers!

Jammin' On Top of Nanny's Deep Freezer

Oh! This is a great song!

Gotta Turn This One Up!

Go Kenden, go Kenden, go Kenden~Get Your Groove On!

Kenden loves the stools that Nanny has on her back porch and has discovered how to use them as ladders to climb on top of her deep freezer! Once on top of the deep freezer, he discovered the small boom box she has on top of the table beside the freezer. He figured out how to turn it on and was dancing like a crazy goon on top of the freezer!

Getting to Meet Declan Leake!

Kitty and Declan


On Friday evening, my good friend Kitty Leake brought her new baby Declan over to my parents' house for me to meet for the very first time. Kitty and I grew up together, her mom worked with my parents, and her family was like a second family to me! I was so very excited to meet the new addition. Declan is adorable. He was so sweet and cuddly. Kitty is a wonderful mother and is so good with him. I could tell she was totally enjoying motherhood. I am looking forward to getting to see him again and see how he changes with time! Congrats to you Kitty and Deneb on your beautiful son, Declan!

Visiting with Hilary and Cayden

Friday morning, Hilary and Cayden came to my mom's house to visit Kenden and I! This is the first time I have seen Cayden since he was born in October. So very hard to believe he is 9 months old now! When he was born, I happened to be in town that weekend and made the trip to Johnston Willis Hospital in Chesterfield to see him, but since then, Hilary and I have been so busy we haven't coordinated anytime together until now. I am so glad they came to see us and hang out and have lunch at my mom's while Kenden and I were in town. Kenden had a bit of a hard time sharing his toys at first, but loosened up as time passed. Cayden was a happy, easy going baby and so sweet and adorable! I hope we are able to see him and big brother Colin again soon!
Kenden being gentle with Cayden

Cayden Scott Warthan

Cousin Michael's Swim Meet at Wood-Dale!

Michael waiting his turn to swim in the Freestyle Relay


Swimmers Take Your Mark!

GO MICHAEL!

Kenden and I took a trip to Hopewell while daddy was out of town in Orlando on business. We got there on Wednesday evening and spent the majority of Thursday morning with Nanny (Jeff's mom), then that evening, Kenden and I went with Nanny, Vickie and Amanda to Wood-Dale Swim Club to see Michael swim in the swim meet. Mommy spent the majority of the evening reminiscing about her old swim team days with dada (we both swam on the same swim team for years), and catching up with a whole bunch of old friends she grew up with. Vickie and Amanda took turns chasing Kenden all over the place.

Michael did so well and it was so much fun to watch him. The cool thing was that the starting blocks they were using were the same ones Jeff and I used for years when we swam, AND Jeff's dad made them! By the time we left, Kenden was telling me, "Mommy, I gonna get on that white block and DIBE off"! I see another competitive swimmer in the family for sure!
Vickie, I gonna jump in dat water!

Kenden with cousins Michael and Amanda (Jeff's sister's children)

Helping Da-da put the Shark Chair Together!

The Easter Bunny brought this cool chair to Grammie and Papa's house and it has been sitting, waiting to be put together ever since. Jeff was feeling ambitious this weekend and decided to put it together! Kenden was so excited about the chair, but even more excited about helping Da-da out....almost too excited. Poor Jeff had to really exercise his patience. Kenden was shoving pieces in his face, dumping screws on the ground, and nearly impaling himself with the tools. I am sure it took Jeff at least 10 minutes longer than normal because Kenden was all over the place with stuff. It was quite funny (for me anyway)!

As you can see, Kenden LOVES his chair and was eager to watch his favorite shows in it when the chair was all put together!

Here Da-da, you need this piece...

Kissing Da-da's boo-boo that he got at the water park the day before. Jeff was walking under one of the water bridges at Ocean Breeze and came up too soon and got a serious abrasion on his head. His head swelled and he took a good top layer of skin off...OUCH!

Do you need this yet Dad?


Enjoying the fruits of labor! This is a great shark chair! Thanks Grammie and Papa!

Happy 4th of July! Independence Day!

Happy 4th of July everyone! Have a fun, safe day celebrating our country's independence today! Make sure to thank a service man or woman for the work they do both stateside and abroad so we can live in this great country, the USA! Freedom isn't free...thank you to our armed forces who keep us safe...