summer happenings...take 3

boats, jetskis, friends and family. What summer with the Pursley family is all about. Oh, and naked babies. We have been having a blast this summer on the lake. We are all getting a little more daring and even dumb at times. (see picture below of Paul standing on a kneeboard). As you may have read before, the competition is on wakeboarding between myself and Paul. Well, he did do better this time (than last time, not than me) BUT for some reason, some how. No pictures were taken of me. Hm. That is odd. Maybe that's because I am just better. :-) There will be pictures for proof next time.


Ali and her new board.


Courtney's first tube ride with Daddy. She did awesome!

I'm not one to say my kids are good at everything they do, but Ethan ROCKS at wakeboarding. He spent last year working on getting up on the water. This year he took one trip to do that and now gets up every time. He looks so good out there and is starting to see what all the hype has been about.

After watching me do this once, he goes out and tears it up!


THIS is where Paul rocks. He has been riding this thing for 20 years...litterally. And it shows.


Not as good here. :-P

Grandma and Courtney.

Kaylee, Carter and Courtney had A BLAST playing the first night they stayed. I have never seen Courtney so excited.

Brady just chillin'....with his tongue out.


Courtney and her other mommy!


I love this boy's smile. He's so precious!

...and the crazy, naked (most of the time) baby. This night Court decided to put 2 pairs of daddy's socks on. What a ham.

The other day Courtney got a travel bed for her babies...maybe she didn't understand that is was for "her babies". Not my baby.

...and naked, of course.

for paul and james

is our dog big?

summer happenings...round 2

Having a 2 year old seems to keep a mom busy, even in the summer. Last week we were at Kid-a-polooza (VBS). Courtney had a blast! Every day I would go get her and she was wired! She saw me teaching my class on Thursday and did not even care to see me. She was polite and gave me a kiss but went right back to her teacher. I went and watched her with the other preschoolers as Ms Gina danced and sang...and Courtney danced too. I think she was one of 3 others that were standing up and dancing. Even then, she gave me a kiss and went on back to dancing. She was super excited to make her crafts and show them to us when we got home too. The first day she made a creation hat. (which was later tortured during a fit at nap time)

This picture cracks me up. Looks like she is about to dive off the couch, I promise she didn't.

Day 2 she made a hand print painting and day 3 she planted another flower. We are expecting to have a full garden by kindergarten. She now has 2 plants to water each day and is on a break from drowning them 2 days ago.


One of her new things is to sit on daddy's head. And obviously touch the window behind her!

Day 4 she made a heart with her picture on it. Here she is putting her heart on her heart where Jesus lives.

And Courtney's new kitchen. Paul's parents got this for her while they were here as a late birthday present. She LOVES it! If you ask her, she will say "I lobe it, mommy. I lobe my titchen". I simply can't believe her imagination already. She pays so much attention to me, I better watch it! She washes her dishes and puts them away. She gets her baby a glass of water from the sink. She will wash her hands in the sink and get soap from a button on the microwave...the same button every time. She likes to make chicken and bananas. Both baked.




Big girl bed. Why oh why did we do this? No, she wasn't climbing out. No, she wasn't having a fit. Yes, she was sleeping just fine. Why? I don't know now. We made the switch though. The first night when great. Even the next morning she woke up and was crying for me. I walked in to find her sitting on the bed. I thought 'this is going to work great'. Oh, I was wrong! Nap time rolls around. 2.5 hours later, I give up! Everything from, "I have to go potty" to "my pull-up is wet" to "I'm hot" (seriously, hot? does she even know what she is saying). I walked out once to her dancing in the living room. So cute, how can I get upset over that? I walk her back to her bed. I come out again and she is swiffering the floor. I say "what are you doing, Courtney" "I'm cleaning, Mommy" she says. We go back to bed. "I want water"....you know the drill. We are still working on nap time. Actually right now, she is sleeping on the couch. But, night time is going well. We have taught her that she can come in our room when it's light outside. I must say, I do love her walking up next to the bed and me opening my eyes to her smile. That is a gift from above!

This was this morning. Just relaxing! This is what summer is all about. Eating peanut butter sandwiches, watching Little Einsteins in our jammies!

summer happenings...round 1

Tonight, sitting at dinner, I looked at Paul and told him "we have an incredible life". And we do. How blessed we are and how much we take it for granted! I'm not talking about our material things (though those are nice too), I'm talking about our life. Our marriage, our children, our friends and our family. What an incredible life! Summer time is always awesome at the Pursley house. With Paul's job, Courtney and I are able to spend so much time with him. Last week we made a trip to Texas for 2 days. It is about a 5 hour drive down there and Courtney really did well. We stayed in a super nice hotel which I (Annie) love! Courtney gets excited to go on a 'trip in Daddy's truck'. When we get there she is excited about the 'big bed'. She really is amazing and is growing so fast. When we got to the hotel she asks Daddy "play monster trucks with me". Yes, our little girl is a monster truck fan.


The other morning Courtney and I were relaxing and taking our time to 'wake up'. One of our favorite parts of summer. I walk into the kitchen to find this: a feast? I'm not sure who she was expecting but they never showed up.

Our little mechanic. She IS her daddy's girl, 100%. She gets tools to 'fix' things all the time.

Driving back from Texas. What a cutie he is! For those of you who don't know...I am madly in love with my husband again...no, not again...more than ever, there is no again. This feeling is a first and the most incredible thing I have ever experienced. I have found true love....right in front of me!

The first official lake trip was today. We had so much fun! It was a pretty good day, kinda cloudy, kinda sunny, but warm. Courtney did amazing. She didn't whine or cry and just hung out on the boat while every one wake boarded and skied.



Yes, I am better than Paul...there will be pictures to prove it as the summer grows older.

Ethan officially got up on his wake board! He is the cutest thing ever. A couple of years ago he was trying to explain something to us and didn't know the word he wanted to use. He said "i get this funny feeling in my legs". We told him that is anxiety and nervousness. On our way to the lake, Ethan told us "I'm getting that feeling in my legs again". Too cute! He did really well though.

We tried to teach Shanna to wake board today...not sure why she couldn't get up...is it because she is facing the wrong way?!??!? :-)

Ethan driving us back to the boat launch.

....priceless

She was exhausted!