Our "Pure Michigan" Vacation

We had an awesome vacation to Michigan over the 4th of July! We started the week at Jay's parents where his brother and sister in law also came from Florida. Emma and Anna got to spend a few days with their cousins Kole and Sydney. We then went up to Mullett Lake where Jay and I rented a cottage right on the lake for an entire week. We spent the first weekend with my brother and sister in law. My nieces Darian and Kennedy stayed for the entire week - which Emma loved! We were back and forth to the campground where Grandma and Grandpa and the crew were camping all week. The weather was absolutely gorgeous - sunny and 80's all week. We had lots of time to work on our tans, play on the boat, swim in the ever so wonderful Mullett Lake, and even brake out the waterskiis. Our best friends from Milwaukee were able to visit us at the cottage for a few days too with their two boys, Ben and Owen. I will let the pictures tell the story:) Our Pure Michigan vacation was pretty much Pure Heaven! (It also helped that we got Anna's EEG results right when we got to Michigan and they were normal!! Yay!! This made for a great start to the week!)

Emma and Kole just LOVE hugs:)

Sydney and Anna love looking outside and competing to see who can make Nana's windows the dirtiest!

Emma posing for a quick smile with Great Nana

Anna and Sydney playing a little game of footsie

Ahhh....lets gang up on Papa

Although totally posed, this picture of Emma and Kole turned out pretty cute

Kole and Emma didn't get the memo that they weren't supposed to put their little sisters in a headlock for the group picture!

Nana and Papa with their grandbabies - thank you Nana for making such cute matching pillow case dresses!

Cousins - they have so much fun playing together since they are so close in age!

Cutest two girls in the whole entire world (OK so I am a bit biased)

These two kids are pretty darn cute too. (Love Sydney's little smile in this pic!!)

Sprinkler fun! Love sitting on them!

...and putting my face in them!

A remake picture of a year ago with Emma and Kole - only this time it is Anna and Sydney

Emma getting ready for the Aloha State Park 4th of July bike parade with her decorated bike

Chillin with Grandpa Big John on his scooter

It is no surprise to me that Emma is in the very lead of the bike parade!!

Anna snuggling up to Miss Judy

Aunt Becky and Anna - she hated her boat coat!

Darian and Emma all smiles on the boat

Anna LOVED the water. What's not to love about Mullett Lake? Look how clear that water is! There just aren't lakes like that in Texas!

Jay showing off - he can still slalom after all these years

Whew - the 4th of July was too much excitement for Anna. She was out for the count.

Thanks for the free haircut Aunt Becky!

Our super cute little cottage that we rented for the week

Gotta love those hooded beach towels

Sticky fingers - a sure sign of a good vacation

Don't forget the sticky face, elbows, and hair too!

Daddy tending the campfire

Those who know Emma know that she loves to collect things and stockpile any and all toys in her purses. Give her a bucket and she was in pure heaven collecting rocks on the beach. Oh the joys of childhood.

Mama and Emma enjoying some time together. Looking out at Mullett - the best place on Earth!

Oh no - Emma and Ben are already kissing!! Wonder what the future holds for these two!

Anna and Owen sharing their toys

Anna loving the sun!

Emma wanted to read her very favorite book Purplicious to Ben. She literally has the entire book memorized!

Jay and Phil with Emma and Ben on the Big Brawler! Grandpa Big John went nice and slow while the kiddos were on. He wasn't so nice when it was just the boys!

Mom and Aimee even took their turn - and yes I had a sore neck the next day. (Not as sore as I got from waterskiing though. I am starting to show my age:)

Kennedy enjoying some sparklers with Emma

Darian and Emma

Great Grandma Charney with the girls

Emma loves her Princess boat coat

Anna says "Does it get any better than this?"

Grandma and Grandpa Big John with the girls. Notice Anna sticking her tongue out:)

Emma trying to drink the water

The rare pic of our family of 4

Emma showing off some dance moves once we returned home

Walkathon for Tuberous Sclerosis

I have decided to walk in the Silver Springs, Maryland walkathon to raise money for the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance on September 18. I have never been one to ask friends and family for money to donate to any specific cause. However, since Anna has been diagnosed with Tuberous Sclerosis (TSC) our lives have turned in a different direction than I ever thought possible.

Jay and I have immersed ourselves in learning more about TSC and how it will continue to effect our lives forever. We have learned that the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance is the main organization that promotes research and education for this disease. It is research that was conducted through the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance that allowed for the drug vigabatrin to be approved by the FDA in 2009. Vigabatrin is the drug that Anna is currently taking that has stopped her infantile spasms and allowed us to have hope for a normal future for her.

Our family now has a cause to support and advocate for. A cause that has already influenced Anna's care and will continue to for the rest of her life. I am extremely humbled to see that I have already raised almost $600 in just one day!! I can't thank our friends and family enough for their generous donations and hope you know how much we truly appreciate it! Please visit the link below if you would like to donate. Thank you so much!

www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/keridavis/stepforwardtocuretsc-silverspringmd

Updated Random Pictures

We have been very busy since moving in to our new home and I have a lot of pictures that I haven't posted. I have decided to just post some of them in one blog post and I will FINALLY be up to date. It has been super easy to catch up this past week because there isn't ANY good TV at night!!! Wow do they need to find some better summer programs or what?!? I guess that is why I always get hooked on Big Brother - it comes out in July and is usually on 2 or 3 nights a week, which is a good thing because there isn't anything else on!!!

In a nutshell we have been to the Washington DC Smithsonian Zoo, gone to an outdoor theatre called WolfTrap, went to the local festival called Celebrate Fairfax, and even made it to Georgetown Cupcakes (there is a TV show called "DC Cupcakes" on TLC that is all about this cupcake place) to try them out. We have also started swim lessons, gone to the pool multiple times, gone to the neighborhood playgroup, and met up with fellow Exxon moms/kids. We have a painter coming this weekend to start on the entire upstairs and we also ordered new blinds for the house. We have been busy getting settled and are also taking advantage of all our community has to offer! My mom is coming to visit this weekend and we are going on a tour of The Capitol on Saturday, which should be interesting.

On a more exciting note, Anna is officially pulling up to stand! She also said "Dada" yesterday for the first time. Emma looked at her with amazement and said "Mommy she is talking!" It was so cute. Now that she has mastered it she is saying it all the time. This, of course, makes Jay extremely happy. It isn't like she says it only when he walks through the door - she babbles it all day long but I don't want to burst Jay's bubble:) We are super excited about her recent accomplishments - each little step in the right direction for her is a BIG reason to celebrate!

Anna all smiles

Mom and Emma at the zoo

Emma with her neighborhood pals - notice all the boys! They put on a bike show for her on her birthday and showed off all their stunts. Apparently they put on bike shows for all the neighborhood kids on their birthdays - it was super cute.

Sporting their red, white, and blue for Memorial Day

At the local fair

OMG - look at Anna's chunky legs! I just want to keep pinching them they are so adorable!

Fun play time in jammies

Compare this picture of Emma at one year to the one below of Anna - they look a bit alike huh??? Bet you even thought this was Anna at first glance:)

Emma was SO excited to go on the Frog Hopper! She ran to the front of the line and cut in front of people to get on it first. She wasn't scared at all! We couldn't believe our fearless little girl!