June Family Update: Vacation and Milestones!

If  you read our May family update then you know how in need we all were of a vacation!  We headed to Topsail Island, specifically the Surf City side, for a week of rest and relaxation with my parents.  My aunt Cindy and uncle Linton were also able to join for part of the week.  In addition, Tim and Julie were able to come join us for dinner one evening.  They are my mom's cousins and Tim is the son of Ruth who passed away this past year.  Ruth will be the middle name of our next baby girl :)  She held a special place in my heart ever since my Nana passed away...she reached out and made hand knit blankets for our children.  She sent sweet notes and we were able to visit with her multiple times since she moved with Tim and Julie to Wilmington, NC years ago from California.  

Appropriately named "Recovery Room"  :)

Fantastic view of the ocean...we sure love our ocean view.

The kitchen was dreamy.  And it helps to have a hunk in there cleaning it up.  :)

The porch was probably one of my favorite parts...we've never stayed at a place with a covered porch and we were so thankful for this!!

Incredibly decorated!  Fantastic views...

Ice cream stop the first night

Our smartest beach purchase in awhile.  This beach tent was so nice to have with the kiddos.  A few days were so windy that the sand was pelting our legs sitting out on beach chairs, so escaping to the tent was wonderful.  Wesley loved it so much he took a nap inside the tent one day.

Jimmy and Grace went golfing so Cindy, myself, and my mom went to the park with our little man, Wesley.  

Dancing away to guitar tunes

Morning view with this cutie

Last beach picture as a family of 4!

Topsail island has an incredible bakery...we couldn't pass up on some sweets!

Arcade fun

Snow cone sharing

Jimmy and I were able to take Grace to a sea turtle hospital on the island...it was worth waiting in the long, hot line outside.

Sweet snuggles

Jimmy's Graduation Dinner

Jimmy's parents were able to come in town for his graduation dinner.  4 years of medical school.  4 years of residency.  I cannot believe it's over!  He will be doing a one year regional anesthesia fellowship at Baptist beginning on July 1.

Us and the Kittners...love them dearly!  We've been through it all together.  Jimmy and Sarah were co-chief residents and we are so proud of them!

Jimmy's parents took us to a Winston-Salem Dash baseball game while they were visiting.  Great seats in the shade!

The following week I finished my last graduate school assignment EVER!!  Wesley also decided to be potty trained, so we had to go out and celebrate: ice cream style.

Kindergarten prep!  Haha, 

NC Zoo

Our zoo membership expires at the end of July, so I figured that would be a good day time activity for the three of us.  PHEW.  Fortunately the weather was fantastic and the animals were SO worth it.  On the flip side, I forgot about the hills and adding a double stroller to the mix :)  We had fun and both kids fell asleep on the way home...music to my ears!

This polar bear was crazy active and so much fun to watch swim around.  The kids were excited about giving him a "hi five".

A "forest exploration" at Miller Park with the Watki crew.

Another Watki play date...this time involving bikes.  Grace has been wanting to ride her bike so badly without training wheels, but the balance is not quite there.  Ellory has been riding a balance bike for some time and when she hopped on Grace's bike, she just took off!  We were so proud of her!  Grace was able to practice with Ellory's balance bike and I think that will help her gain confidence in her balance skills.  

Family Update

Wesley: Such a sweet and sensitive little boy whom we love.  He decided this month to start and accomplish potty training...!!!  I had planned on starting this when we returned from the beach, but he asked to begin on his own.  He asked to wear his big boy undies and has literally come up to us each time he needs to go potty and initiated it.  It was like night and day from potty training Grace.  He has had a few wet accidents but that's it!  We are proud of him and have been rewarding him like crazy, haha.  Marshmallows are a fun treat!
Grace:Such a fiesty, sassy, and handful little girl whom we love.  Since turning five Grace has taken on new hobbies like eye rolling, heavy sighing, arguing more, and telling her mommy what she is and isn't going to do.  As you can imagine, mommy and daddy are not big fans of this nonsense.  Jimmy and I have realized how hard we can be on Grace and how easily we jump in to help resolve issues, so we could use prayer in our parenting with Grace in finding a good balance of how to respond.  She's a sweet girl, a good friend, and thoughtful...but she just likes to push buttons at home, which I'm sure can be a common things with all kids.
Kristen: I am FINISHED with graduate school!!!!  That. is. all.  Haha.  I am so grateful to be complete with graduate school...it has been a long 22 months but it's over and it's summer break so I am completely enjoying not having a schedule to abide by regarding school work or work.
Jimmy: He is FINISHED with residency!  He began his one year regional anesthesia fellowship on July 1st.  It should be a much more laid back year where he is around and not working crazy hours like the past several years.  Please join us in praising the Lord for His guidance throughout the past almost eight years of additional training for Jimmy...we are so grateful to be finished and are looking forward to his fellowship.