Life with the Emerts: September 2007

We're not doing a whole lot of anything here lately, other than the norm...getting together with friends when we can, working when we have to, going to "school," coming up with new activities to keep us occupied now that the pool is closed, and waiting on babies to be born--come on Evelyn and Josie!

Olivia's new playdough kit is keeping her pretty busy.

This is Olivia this morning all ready to go to "school," or Mother's Morning Out. She was dragging her diaper bag behind her on the way out the door stating, "Livvy's purse."

A couple weeks ago, we joined Rebecca and Tallon on a trip to Hartsville to the...um...interesting little activity gym for kids in Hartsville. Don't know that we'll be going again anytime soon :)

Though the moms were a little concerned, Tallon and Olivia had a blast.

We recently had dinner at the Edwards along with the Severance family and, as usual, the girls had fun just being together--as did the Moms and Dads.

Daddys and their girls.

And then Abby and Carlisle were over for Gigglygirl time on Tuesday. I courageously took on the task of letting them play outside for a little while for a change of scenery. These girls make anything and everything so much fun. Swinging on a swing...

Sliding down the slide...together.

Watching Barney...

Can you say...

Mesmerized??

We were back in Little River for what will most likely be our last visit for the summer of 2007. It was a nice long weekend--wasn't exactly the greatest weather, but a little rain and a cool breeze can't keep beach freaks like us away from the sun, sand, and pool. The guys always take the opportunity while they're all together to enjoy some time on the links and this weekend was no exception. My brother, Brook's, game has apparently gotten much better since the last time they all played, so Jeremy is now convinced that he needs some new clubs to get up to par with the rest of the crew (forgive the pun). And we added a new feature to our weekend...the women (and my brother-in-law who's not into golf) decided to find something we could get away to do to enjoy some childless/grandchildless time. So Granna, Tracy and Eric, Jayna and I went to Le Grande Cirque--what is the Chinese equivalent of the Cirque de Soleil--and though we thought it was going to end up being a bust when we were told to arrive 45 minutes early to get our tickets and were the only people in the theater, it turned out to be a great show and we really were able to enjoy our night out on the town. And thankfully, lots of other people showed up to watch it, too.

The weekend was complete with a day at the beach, a day at the pool, catching up on the latest Hollywood gossip thanks to Jayna's PEOPLE magazine, a trip to Calabash Creamery for the best ice cream around, and lots of just laying around lazily watching the kiddos running around having fun while moms and dads and grannas and poppys relaxed, laughed, and just enjoyed being together. Though the weekend ended with me forgetting my purse at the beach house and having to turn right around after arriving in Florence to go back to get it, even that stupid mistake couldn't ruin all the fun we had! We really missed Chris and Whitney and our family pics just don't look the same without them. But enjoy the pics that we did take! I had lots of good, willing PATIENT subjects!

The newest addition, Nolan Charles Patterson.

Nolan gettin' some love from Daddy, Brook.

Olivia having some early morning fun with her cousins, Connor and Myles. Cora was still asleep!

Olivia feeling VERY important as Connor's chairmate...though they just can't seem to take their eyes off the TV even for a second.

All the cousins ready to head out to the ocean.

Oh, we'll play hard...

and I do mean hard...

but we'll sleep even harder!

Nolan catching some rays.

Granna and Cora looking beeeeutiful.

Olivia sharing some sand with her Poppy.

Olivia's hero--her cousin, Cora.

Can you guess which of us didn't want to be taking this picture?

The adults enjoying the rays...um, I mean, rain.

Like fathers, like sons.

Granna and Cora.

Dinner at Crab Catchers up on the top deck.

Our tan family...we'll see how much has stuck around come January in Florence.

This is Myles waiting to eat dinner while watching a shark be cut to pieces on the dock down below...he has quite the dislike for all things gross--especially blood.

Connor's reaction to Myles' dislike of blood.

Granna took Olivia down to listen to the live music as we were waiting for our meals to arrive. She had fun dancing along and was not too happy when our food came and Granna had to drag her back upstairs. She kept asking for "more music, another song."