The Garrett Family: Where did the summer go???

I just sat down to FINALLY update this blog and realized that it is almost the end of August! It truly is crazy how fast time goes by these days, especially with a child. There has been lots going on in the Garrett household in the past month!! It has been such a great summer. Here are some highlights:

One of the BIGGEST events this summer is that my Mom MOVED HERE!! She found a great job in downtown G-ville and moved down here 2 weeks ago. She is living with us at the moment while she is house hunting and actually just put an offer in on a house today!! We could not be happier to have family in town and for her to enjoy this wonderful town with us.
We finally got Brooke off of her "night-night" (her pacifier). We were so nervous to get rid of it but she did AWESOME!! We had just been to Charleston with the Manley's and she met Jenny's little baby, Annie. Annie is precious and is 8 months and Brooke loved her! We told B that we sent all of her night-nights to Annie and she understood us and has not complained at all. Anytime she says night-night she follows it with a "Baby". Phew...we thought we were going to have many sleepless nights.
I joined a tennis club and am playing on a league once a week while sometimes twice a week. I'm loving getting to play so often and am learning so much. I had never played doubles before so it's been interesting learning all the rules of it.
Scott is getting to play golf a decent bit. He tries to play every chance he gets but he ends up going to the driving range more since it is much quicker to do that. Maybe now that Mom is living here, he and I will get out to play more.
Brooke's vocabulary just keeps amazing us and said her 1st sentence the other day. She said "Where'd Nana go?? Work." She asked a question and answered herself!
B is definitely starting to hit the 2's stage. Many meltdowns, tantrums, whatever you want to call them. Sometimes I just turn my head and laugh. :)
This morning was the 1st time that Brooke ever fell/climbed out of her crib. We heard a big thug and then a scream and went in and found her lying on the floor. SCARY!! She is totally fine but you better believe she'll be moving to her big girl bed very soon!

We traveled a good bit the end of July and a couple of weekends in August. We celebrated my birthday on July 20th and Scott surprised me and invited about 15 people over to the house!! I had a blast!

This was the night before my birthday that we did our own little celebration. It was perfect!!

My sweet husband. He truly is my rock.

Some of us hanging out in the kitchen...

Josh, Chris, and Scott chatting away...

Brantley and I cheesing it up for the camera!

At the end of August we went to Wild Dunes, SC to vacation with the Manley girls (Laura and I have been best friends since 6th grade and Jenny has always been my 2nd older sister. Dee Ann, their mother, has been my Mom's best friend since Laura and I have been.) Laura's husband, Joe, and Jenny's husband, Matt, were of course there too!! We got to meet Jenny and Matt's little girl, Annie, who has the sweetest demeanor and is going to be amazing, just like her parents. We had such a great time!! Can't wait for next years trip already!

Brooke loved sitting in the ocean and digging in the sand. I never thought I would actually get to lay on the beach again but she was having a blast and we got to just hang out!!

Jenny, Matt, and Annie

Playing in the pool with Daddy.

Trying to boogie board!

She did it!

My big girl!

Joe (Laura's husband) who makes an awesome mix CD!! Thanks again Joe! I listen to it all the time!

Matt and Annie!

The 6 of us "kids" played golf while the Moms watched the kiddos. It was such a gorgeous course.

Sisters!

Laura and I. I was looking at this picture close up and I got teary eyed just thinking of how well and how long I know this person. She is such an amazing friend.

We have a minor league baseball team (for the Boston Redsox) here in Greenville. We had always heard how fun they were and that the stadium was built to look like a mini Fenway Park. We took Brooke the other night to the game and had such a good time until she saw their mascot and thought it was Mickey Mouse. YEP... we had to go find the mascot so she could see "Mickey" because she was freaking out so bad to see him!! We only stayed for a few innings but definitely want to go back. Maybe until she is a little older we'll just make it a date night!! Hee hee

Brooke all serious getting into the game.

Close to the field where she discovered "Mickey".

She wanted to see him but she was so scared when she got close!! :) She was so cute.

Living in suburbia is what we are used to but I have to tell you that I truly felt it on Friday night when Scott participated in our neighborhood Dad DODGEBALL tournament!! Yep... like elementary school..they threw the balls as hard as they could at each other and were so into it. Let me tell you though, it was a great time and there were probably about 500 people at this event. It was a tournament between 3 neighborhoods and was held across the street from ours. There were kids running around everywhere and families galore and it felt so homey and it just warmed my heart. And, you better believe that when they spontaneously put together a Moms dodgeball game during their "halftime", I certainly wanted in. I ran in there in my long skirt, went barefoot, derobed myself of my chunky necklace, bracelet, and sunglasses!! Let's just say I was terrible and my arm is still sore! Enjoy these pics.

Yep, the guys had matching shirts made. All the teams matched...too funny!

That's me trying to run barefoot in my long skirt.

The guys walking out cool to the court. :)

My Aunt Judy and my cousin, Jill, came to stay with us for a week last week. We had such a great time all week antique shopping, eating yummy food, and just catching up. Saturday we all headed over to Alpharetta and met up with Lisa and the fam, my Dad, and Edie. Dad and Edie flew in from Cleveland for the Freedom Concert we all went to that night. For lunch that day we surprised Aunt Judy with a 60th birthday party since we all won't be able to be there on her real day (which is in Sept). Here are some pics from her b-day lunch!