Ruby 16 months and walking!

My sweet baby girl is walking and "talking" to us about books, dogs, blankies, shoes, the cow nearby, eating and water from the fridge. She loves to be independent and walk everywhere! She is going to be a tough cookie already, dealing with her energetic brothers who like to scare her, put a dog leash on her, pick her upside down, throw balls at her face, and bribe her with food. She has gotten sick a few times (teething? Germs from the beach?), so I have loved the cuddles she gives. Austin is great about getting her blankie, a book, her bear and calming her down immediately. I love how her blond hair is getting longer and wavy, even with mac 'n cheese in it! She loves to dance and bob up and down, listen to ear buds and is learning how to clap her hands. 

Playing in the woods

I am so happy that I am in the YW at church b/c I got to know Carla Porterfield and her family. She later invited me to come over with the boys for a BBQ (as we initially wanted to organize our miamaids list and contact the girls, and make them cookies). She lives in the woods of Bloomingdale, on 7 acres, including a lake! It is fantastic. Her husband has a taxidermy shop, full of stuffed gaters and other creatures. It was fun posing for pics, about gave Abu a heart attack as she saw Levi with the gater and carrot. The boys went for rides in the canoes, golf cart, Ruby ate some blueberries, we took home some eggs from a neighbor, made some Monster Cookies (that we later took to a ward potluck), we grilled up some hot dogs, and I left with a bag full of gater nuggets and deer steaks. Eek! What a beautiful space to have a home and garden. Made me excited for a potential Eagar life! 

Tio Gavin/ Lady and Sons

Tio Gavin came to visit us in Savannah, a quick flight for him through JetBlue. Ruby made him feel especially welcomed with her slobbery, chocolately, wet self as she devoured BBQ foods. He was a good sport taking the boys to play tennis and non stop football outside. We took him to Forsythe Park and that was fun to play on the playground (especially seeing them on the teeter totter!) Levi met a Therapy dog, which helped him feel better after he had woken up from a cat nap in the car (and didn't want to walk on his own, but have mama carry him). Ruby got a pretty dried reed flower, that she later tore up. We took him to Fort McAllister to explore some of the Civil War history. The boys loved the explore on the "mounds" and see the large watch tower (and throw footballs off of it). We then went to the Lady and Sons restaurant (Paula Deene). NOT impressed! We were there more for the memory, because the Southern Style Buffet was overpriced and not very fresh. We enjoyed the sweet potatoes and garlic croutons, but the rest was greasy. We did enjoy the ooey gooey butter cake, small portion that it was for $18 a person. I wanted to stuff my pockets full at that price to take them home! But, we did get some hoecakes and garlic biscuits for Jared. I also look like I am copping a feel from Paula in the picture! Whoops! The next day we hit up Hilton Head beach so they could play in the waves and sunshine.