PJ Party

Sweet Dave has had a tough week! This week he had a college ministry and sanctification class each day from 9-4 which leads into his Hebrew class this weekend, tonight from 6-9 and all day tomorrow. So we girls decided we'd have a PJ party! After a quick (and early) bath we headed to Harris Teeter in our PJs to pick up the essentials....rice krispies and marshmallows!

This was Celia's first time making rice krispy treats. She's a natural!

Bennett's first bite

and the chef enjoying her gooey goodness

By the end of it Bennett was covered!

Backyard Bible Club

This week was absolutely exhausting but ever so worth it! It was my first experience working with Backyard Bible Club (at the Mendenhalls'). I was the game girl and sweated it out for 2 hours each day in 90 degree weather trying to share some spy-love games with the kiddos. It was quite a challenge at times but I am amazed by the kids in our group. I really enjoyed getting to know them and seeing the many talents of the women (and men) of Uptown Church! Celia has learned a lot of Scripture this week and has especially loved the songs and story times.

Secret Agent Karahaha scopes the scene

and here with a little help from Austin

Special Agent Sunshine talking with R4

The biblical spies themselves, "Joshua and Caleb"

Celia cooling off with some water

pops in the park

It was rained out but dave and I attempted to enjoy "pops in the park" this past sunday night. Here's a picture of our pre-storm party!

we miss you!

A little over a week ago our dear friends, Matt, Kristen, and Owen Purdy, moved to Richmond for Matt to help pastor West End Presbyterian Church. Here's group shot of our last big group hangout....

This is ladies' night at Red Rocks. We shared dessert and reviewed our years of friendship. God truly blessed us richly in our time in Charlotte! These women are the ones I've prayed with every Thursday morning and are my heart here in Charlotte---

The guys, that day to celebrate their final days decided to brew a championship batch of beer. Its yet to be bottled but that will happen soon and I'm sure Dave will post about it!

the recital

Celia has enjoyed her ballet class this past semester and today was the culmination! She performed in her recital held at the Blumenthal in Uptown. It was such a fun day!

Before the show, at home getting in the zone

counting down til we got in the car

and on stage! she's the second from the left

here she is on the far right

a picture with some sweet friends who came for the show!

during the show Bennett was pretty much on-the-go

but here she is loving on Mr. Owen

Celia after the recital with her flowers!

The group outside the Blumenthal

and afterwards we celebrated at one of Celia's favorite places, Chic-fil-a

This is a little video of the girls starting their jumps. They are dancing to "you've got a friend in me." Celia is the second from the left. It's a little hazy but you can see ok!

Graduation Day

With great joy we celebrated our friends and their families who made it through RTS! We are so proud of these guys and their hardworking wives and grateful to the Lord for His faithfulness and their friendships.

Sean (going to serve with MTW in Honduras, Dave, and Jake (going to serve with World Harvest in Prague)

Dave and Matt (going to serve as an assistant pastor at West End Pres in Richmond)

Sean and Tyler (starting an RUF on the campus of Johnson and Wales, Charlotte)

Melissa, Bennett, and Mary after the ceremony

the flanking of the graduate, Hunts and Kulps

Dah Devastation!

We recently went to Greenville to visit Molly, Kate, and Nancy. It was a short but eventful trip. Celia fell in love with Nancy of course. She is absolutely adorable. It was lovely to see the older girls not arguing this time around and they even attempted to share Kate's room for bedtime but to no avail. Instead Celia slept in Nancy's room on the floor in her sleeping bag; Bennett was in the master bathroom. It was a short trip because poor Molly hardly slept that Thursday night and when she finally woke Friday morning, it was to pink eye and a sinus infection. We said our goodbyes and when we arrived in Charlotte there was no dah in sight. It's been a tough couple of weeks for Benno but she's managing ok now. E sent a replacement but we're still praying that it will turn up in the next year or so. Its sad because her sweet dah is what she came home in from the hospital and she's slept with it every night since. So please pray little Bennett as she mourns the loss of dah. In the meantime check out these sweet pics of the girls at Molly's.

Celia holding sweet Nancy

Kate and Celia on the bean bag

Sam I Am

Little boy Hunt proved to not be so little after all. He is adorable and looks so much like Jake (we think!) He is precious and Celia just can't get enough of him. Melissa is an absolute champ and continues to be a great mama! What a sweet little family!

Samuel Nash Hunt is born!

Here is Bennett sharing her card she and Celia made for baby Sam

Bennett's heart has little room for anyone else other than the Hunts. She adores them and calls them by name....dake and deeta...she's so proud of Daddy Jake!

Celia getting her first hold of baby Sam

Jake and I are acting as Celia's spotters should she make a quick move

Though Bennett loved seeing Sam she was more interested in playing peekaboo ("peeboo") with the privacy curtain!

"PEEBOO!"

Pool side

This summer it looks like we'll be spending much more time at the Camden pool. Celia has really taken to loving it and Bennett slowly warms up to the idea of being submerged into frigid waters but as the water warms, I'm sure her love will grow....

it's go time!

Please take a minute and pray for some of our best friends here in Charlotte, Jake and Melissa Hunt are having their baby boy today! We have all been praying for this little guy for over months and months and its finally happening! We can't wait!

the constant gardener...

Little Celia looks like she's inherited some sort of horticulture gene from aunt Mols, clearly its not from me, but we still tested our green thumbs (though Celia may have sucked all the green off by now, still facing that battle). Here we are admiring our work!

please notice we don't have a trowel (sp?...see i don't even know how to spell it!) We had to opt for a kitchen utensil!

pointing to the hanging basket

bird's eye view

Mols are you proud of us?

changes...

These next couple of weeks will be difficult ones for us as we are losing some dear friends to different parts of the country. God has been so kind to bless us with such precious friends and we will miss them terribly! Here is a picture of the last WRTS meeting and you can see many of my closest girlfriends. What sweet ladies!

sing me that old song....

this goes out especially to my clemson girls....
I entered a new phase of my life this week and I thought you should see it. We all voted and thought that this honor would first come to Molly, hence the organizer she received for her birthday sophomore year. Molly, its officially time to hand over the goods.

Here she is....I lovingly refer to as "my Molly"

So come on ladies, from all around the globe. sing with me, this time let's just change the name...
Minivan Mary, Minivan Mary, Mini-mini-mini-mini-minivan Mary!

Free Scoop Day!

A couple of weeks ago we celebrated Free Scoop Day at Ben and Jerry's with several of our friends in Charlotte. The line was long but it was worth the wait! Bennett dug in this year. It was her first attempt and she did glorious!

Here are the kids waiting patiently

Bennett's indulgance

Celia's turn

Austin Williams, mid-cone

and lastly, the Hamm family enjoying the sweet goodness of ben and jerry's!

It was a great way to spend the day with lots of our friends! Thank you Ben and Jerry's! We'll see you next year!

Dave's big catch...

This past weekend we were in Charleston for our Billy and Renee's wedding and Dave got a chance to go fishing! He was able to catch 2 spot-tails and take one home to show the girls. I had prepped Celia that the fish was dead but when she went to touch it, the fish jumped! Celia about flipped out. I guess I didn't realize how long they live in the cooler....oh well! Glad that Dave got some time out on the water.