Greek Fest, Carter's Bday Party, and the Lake!

It's finally been REALLY pretty in Charlotte.  No rain, low humidity, and sunny skies.  YAY!  The crispness of fall is definitely in the air, football season has begun, and I'm looking forward to bonfires, mountain trips, and Halloween!  We've been spending a lot of time outdoors lately.  Missy and I took the kids to Latta Park one morning....Payton is getting really good at "pumping" the swing by herself, and Griffin is getting better and more confident in climbing ladders.

Sam and Griffin...always a car in one hand!

We kept up our annual tradition of going to the Greek Festival.  The kids rode (very expensive) "fair" rides, we ate awesome Greek food, and the kids danced on the stage.  Nothing super exciting, but the kids had fun!

Brian and I, after the ride was in full "swing," decided it was not a smart idea to have Griffin on this, especially on the outside.  We were scared to death he was going to fall out!!  The kids, however, were all smiles :)

DANCE PAR-TAY!

Payton with our friends, Jace and Audrey

So, Carter Kennington turned SEVEN on September the 6th.  Granby turned, um, well, Granby also had a birthday on September the 6th.  We gave Granby her cards, hugs, kisses, and presents on Thursday, since we were not going to see her over the weekend.  Carter's birthday party was on Saturday afternoon.  A really awesome camping theme.  Stonie, as usual, went all out.  Carter's big surprise....he got a ZIPLINE!  The kids LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it.  Everything was super cute, the weather couldn't have been more perfect, and although Daddy is in Florida, and I'm a single mommy for the week, I managed to keep up with both kiddos just fine.  They all had a blast!

All dressed up and ready to goooooooo!

Carter, the birthday boy, on his new toy

Payton enjoying a turn...Griffin was too small to hold himself up, but I ran back and forth with him :)

The snaggle-toothed birthday boy!

Carter's sweet little sissy, Juliet...who will soon be ONE!

Payton, Rankin, Kate, and Shelby waiting to paint birdhouses

Yes, I stripped them down...no paint on those clothes :)

Inside:  flashlights, jars for fireflies, a can of silly string, and a blow pop.  All the necessities :)

Look at all this hair!!  Payton wants hair like Rae-Rae, unfortunately blonde hair grows much more slowly...

I'm fairly positive that Brian is going to get his "lefty" out of Griffin.  He's definitely showing that to be his dominant hand, and swings the bat lefty (like Mom :)

So much for keeping paint off Payton's shirt...looks like she may have helped herself to the "worms in dirt!"  Besties...Blow Pop Cheers!  (check out that silly Raegan!)

Carter had too much other cool stuff going on to blow out his candles.  Anyone care to guess who helped him out?

Camryn and Griffin

So, I was talking with some friends, and look up to see this!  OMG!  Payton at the top of a ladder, getting ready to zipline.  Whew.  Close call, but I saved her :)

Payton and MaTTie

Griffin and Sutton...trying to sail away

Sometimes they can be really sweet :)  (and this was way past their bedtimes!)

Sunday, the kids and I spent some time on the tennis courts.  I tried to teach Payton how to hit the tennis ball, and she did pretty well.  Griffin, not so much, but he tried.  We also kicked the soccer ball around, and Payton, without prompting, did some crunches.  Hilarious.  I'm glad my girl is into exercise!  She loves it!  Payton starts soccer on September 26th, and she's so excited!

                                         

And Callie stuck her head out of the door when we got home...and grabbed her collar.  Perhaps she was trying to tell us something?  Yes, we took her on a long walk :)

Later, we went on Rob's boat, and did a little wakeboarding.  Payton just loves it.  And Rob, well, check him out.  He's not bad himself!

Very sleepy kiddos

LEFT:  Where Payton fell asleep  RIGHT:  Where she was moved...she took a nice, long nap on the boat!  Griffin...no nap.

SOME MORE "PAYTONISMS" and STORIES I WANTED TO SHARE:

-Payton said, out of the blue, she wanted to go to Nick, Jr and have a sleepover with Mickey Mouse.  She said we'd have to watch a LOT of movies to get there.  She could sleep on her blow up mattress, and she could meet all of Mickey's pals...they would be at the sleepover also.  She said it's a long way away, and that I would have to bring everyone breakfast.

-(After cleaning her plate one night)..."This dinner was so good, there's a party in my belly!"  What was dinner, you may ask?  Nothing spectacular...chicken, pasta, and broccoli.  Seriously, where does she get this stuff?

-"If I got in an accident, an ambulance and fire truck would come and give me lots and lots and lots of band aids." -Payton

-Griffin takes a piece of his cereal, pulls up his shirt, and says "Put cereal in my belly!" and laughs.  He's certainly following in his sister's footsteps with his sense of humor.

And, the moment some of you have been waiting for, and some, like myself, have been dreading........I gave in and said goodbye to most of Griffin's curls.  We left all of the "baby" at Clipper Doodles, and took home, with us, a little boy.  Say hello to Mr. Handsome!  (His 3rd haircut...ever!)

The highlights...playing with the train table, sitting in a car that looked like Lightning McQueen, watching Mickey Mouse during the cut, and getting a RED lollipop for good behavior :)

He LOVES to stack blocks. Hint...for Christmas?

Our handsome little boy.  Not much "baby" left here.  Time flies when you're having fun!