Spending Time with Grandma in New York City

Before school started, we are traveled to New York City to see Howie's mother Beverly and his sisters, Rhonda, Bess, and Sherri as well as our nieces Elizabeth, Diane, Lori, and Ellen. It has been a few years since we had brought the girls to the city, so they were both excited to see all of the buildings and people. One of their favorite pass times while we were in the city was spending time with their Grandma Beverly in her garden and across the street from her apartment at the playground. We will have to make another trip soon to see Grandma in New York City!

 Grandma Beverly and her little girlfriends!

 Youngest to oldest, Sophie, Emma-Caroline, Ellen, Lori, Diane, and Elizabeth!

Island Sanctuary

I spent many a peaceful and prayerful morning walking the beaches of Kiawah before, during and after sunrise. On one morning that I was out, I found the most amazing shells I think I have ever discovered on the beach. I saw beautiful oceanside creatures including sea gulls, pelicans, starfish, man of war, fish and more. It was amazing to have that morning sanctuary each day of my visit to Kiawah Island. The walks I had by myself in the midst of God's creation are a treasure that I brought back home with me from our vacation this year. It is a memory that will give me peace as I reflect back on  those mornings for years to come.

A Low Country Summer

Life has been busy here at The Avery House. Summer is not what it used to be with lazy days and lemonade as suggested by the Country Time Lemonade commercial of my childhood. It is, rather, filled with swim practice, tennis practice, swim meets, tennis matches, camp and much much more. It's a fun kind of busy that we have thoroughly been enjoying during this very hot time of year. It leaves me not having too much time to sit down and actually blog, which I miss. I have so much to back post on, however today, I will post about our recent trip to Kiawah Island, South Carolina. We made our 2nd trip with the Taylor's to the beach. We stayed this year in a home on Kiawah and I am already wanting to go back! During our stay, Sophie turned five years old. We celebrated her day with lots of fun on the beach, an evening out to a wonderful restaurant and a look at the many alligators who inhabit the island. Our Low Country summer celebration of Miss Sophie Rose was just perfect for our sweet girl. The photos below are from Sophie's day. I promise to be back soon to post more photos from our trip and to catch up on some happenings in May and June. Until then, Happy 4th of July, y'all!

Kiawah 2012

I have been to many beaches over the course of my lifetime fro, Florida, to Oregon, from coastal Massachusetts to the beaches of Sunny Spain, from the Caribbean to Coastal South Carolina. I have loved all of the beautiful beaches I have visited. The beaches though that feel like coming home to me are the ones of Low Country, South Carolina. This year we went to Kiawah Island just 45 minutes from Charleston. It was a beautiful sanctuary island that I fell in love with instantly. I hope to take our family there again in the years to come.

Now Showing: Sophie's 5th Birthday!

Sophie decided for her 5th birthday party this year that she would like to take her friends to the movie theater to see Madagascar 3. She was very decisive that she wanted her party to have only girls, "no stinky boys who might talk during the movie!" We held the party at the Regal cinemas and did a circus theme with the decorations and cupcakes. The girls had a wonderful time playing, opening gifts, and taking a tour behind the scenes of the movie theater before going in to see Madagascar 3. I was thoroughly impressed with the movie theater party as well as the movie itself. All in all, Sophie's 5th birthday party was a blockbuster hit!