Family Vacation

Where to begin... we had a great vacation last week!! We started off in Nashville at Keila and Dennis' house. We celebrated Amelia's bon voyage from Nashville that night. Cameron hung out with some college friends and met us out later. It was so much fun to see Keila and her girls and to have them get to visit with Presley and Liam. Keila was smart and stocked up on puffs and fruit to win Presley's heart- it worked!! We had a great visit and hope to get to see them again soon.

We left the next morning and traveled to Rough River in Kentucky to Uncle Tim's lake house. We had a blast!! They have an awesome house right on the lake that we used to visit all the time when we lived in Nashville. I haven't been back in years and have truly missed all the fun we had out there growing up. I was a little nervous Presley wasn't going to enjoy the boat or her lifejacket... she never really liked being in her lifejacket, but the boat was a different story. She LOVED the boat. It would put her right to sleep. When she wasn't sleeping, she was standing on the side waving at all the other boats while her hair was blowing in the wind. She was hilarious to watch. Here she is passed out on her very first boat ride. Presley is definitely a toddler now. It's sad to realize how old she is and how independent she has become. She walks/runs everywhere now. She learned so many words on our vacation. Her favorite was "outside." She wanted to be outside the entire time at the lake. She also says "kitchen," "Debbie," "Bitty," "snack," "school bus," "boat," "Mick Mouse," "babu" (what she calls her paci), "Elmo," "elephant," "Aubie," "bump" (when she wants a fist bump), she says "no" now and uses it. If we ask her if she wants turkey, she'll say "no." There's more, but I can't think of all of them now. She also says her name. It comes out "Pes-ley". It's by far, the cutest thing I've ever heard!

Liam loved the wind!!

Cameron and Presley in the swing on the deck.

Her new favorite activity is to stir things... as long as I have a spoon and bowl with us, she's happy (oh, and snacks of course!)

Presley carried the big box of goldfish over to me at the lakehouse when she wanted a snack.

Getting ice cream from Aunt Debbie.

Testing out the wakeboard- haven't done this in years.

After 5 days at the lake, we drove to Louisville. My grandfather, Pop, celebrated his 80th birthday. Presley was exhausted from the lake trip>

We had a nice dinner with all my cousins and aunts/uncles Friday night. Debbie and Brittany were so great and babysat the kids for us that night. It was so comforting to know Presley and Liam had spent the whole week with them and were excited to play with them that night. Here's a sibling picture from that night.

Saturday we went to the backside at Churchill Downs for the day. It was a lot of fun! All my cousins, their babies, aunts and uncles were there with Pop to celebrate. Presley learned to say "horsey" very quickly. We were right near the track and every time they'd run by, she'd yell at them "Go hosey." She had so much fun looking at all the horses and playing with all the other babies.

Reading the program with Mal.

Placing her first bet with her daddy!!

We all walked to the stable where Uncle Mark's horse lives.



This is my uncle's horse, Duomo. We all got to get so close to her and she behaved so well. Presley loved seeing the horse this close.

Here is Pop getting ready to cut the birthday cake.

We had a great visit in Louisville. The other exciting part of our trip was Father's Day. My dad had a BIG surprise waiting for him when we got to the lake. He got a 1989 red Corvette. We always joked that his corvette was each child's college education (and high school for that matter). He finally got his dream car! And, he got to drive it all the way from KY to TX on Father's Day. I don't think he minded too much, though... I don't have a great picture of it, but here's Liam and Presley getting ready for a drive.

I did feel bad that Cameron's second Father's Day was spent traveling, but at least we were together, hehe... You are such a wonderful dad. You work so hard for Presley and me- I can't thank you enough for all you do to allow me to be home with Presley every day. I am constantly amazed at what a good father you are. Not just cause you play with her, but you bathe her, make her dinner, clean her bottles, vaccum the floor so it's clean for her to play on, the list goes on! I love watching you play with her and make her laugh- no one can make her laugh as hard as you do. I love how excited she gets when we get home and she runs to your office to see you as soon as we walk in the door- it's so cute to watch her face light up when she sees you and says "Hi Da." Thanks for all you do. Happy Father's Day!! We love you! And just so you don't say something later, here's a shout out to Capt. Phil Harris- RIP.