Boyd Orchard 2011

Getting ready to go to the Orchard on an unseasonably warm October day!

First stop - the choo-choo train!

As Lilly would say, "Chuggington!  Chugga-chugga-chugga-choo-choo!"

Lord, Liv has grown half a foot in a year!  No wonder nothing fits her anymore...

As close as Lilly would get to measuring her height.

Feeding the goats

Playing in the pirate ship on the playground!

Liv is NOT scared of heights.  This is the first slide she went down...

This one is the second slide...

Finally, she had to climb the hay bales!

Pure joy on the hayride...

Lilly's pumpkin, or as she calls it "punkin pie!"

Liv displaying her pumpkin

Trying to get a picture where everyone is looking at the camera - NOT successful

Gosh, these pumpkins are heavy...

Another great year at the Orchard!  Definitely a fall tradition at the Lankster household!

Destin 2011

Me and my girls - the beach babes ;)

The Lanksters :)

Loving the ocean!

Dressed for breakfast at the Broken Egg Cafe!

Nanny and her girls

Papaw and his best buddy

Time for a few family pictures on the beach at sunset...

I love this one of Daddy and his girls

Yes, I admit it, these were staged, but Olivia and Lilly were more than happy to comply...

(Lilly was happy as long as she was throwing sand...)

Liv is holding her hand to keep her from throwing sand - not because she loves her sister.  But it looks good, nonetheless...

Lilly loved building sand castles!

Beach bum!  Look at that nice tan - it is blinding!

If you are ever around Liv, ask her to tell you about the "Gyrobowl" - she can recite the entire infomercial from memory (please don't judge me on how much time I allow her to sit in front of the t.v.).  So she was SO excited to find this in a CVS in Destin.  Don't ask how much it cost - cause I won't tell you.

Breaking it down on the dance floor at Baytowne Wharf

Lilly wasn't going to be left out...

And neither were Nanny and Papaw!

Checking out the playground at Destin Commons

One particular rainy day cost me an arm and a leg at the Build-A-Bear Workshop.  Here we are stuffing our bears...

Lilly giving her bear a bath...

Liv and her puppy, Jake, in his pirate costume...Lilly didn't want to pose with her bear in the witch's costume, but she did say it was "scawee."

A night out with Katie and Pam (and the hubbies) - this Cosmo was NOT a good idea for me...

Great picture of us - probably because I am a little overserved...

Me and Katie - can you believe she is pregnant!?!

A sure sign that it is time to go home...

All smiles shortly thereafter, but it wasn't going to last long.  Our trip home involved a dirty diaper from Lilly 45 miles from the next gas station (end result - complete change of clothes and a nasty smelling car) and Liv getting car sick about 5 miles later (another outfit change).  Rather than drive through the night to get home, we cried "uncle" right outside of Nashville and got a room for the night.  Our girls are much better travelers if we break up the trip!

Welcome Tucker Grant!

Liv and Lilly have a new cousin and I have a new nephew - welcome Tucker Grant!  Cooper is now a big brother and we have evened up the number of grandchildren - two girls and two boys.  We are so excited that Tucker is finally here!

Tucker Grant Neikirk

Aunt Holly with Cooper and Tucker

Lilly checking out her new cousin...

One proud Grandpa!

Me and my nephew Tucker

Olivia and Memaw

I love this picture of Olivia and her great-grandmother (my grandma).  So it is getting its own blog post.  And Memaw - don't worry about it - you look fantastic!

I thought this was a pretty good one too!

First Day of Preschool

So, yes, I am very late in updating the blog and yes, her first day of preschool was two months ago, but oh well.  This year Olivia is in Mrs. Graves and Mrs. Wong's 4 day morning pre-K class and she loves school more than ever!  She begged me all summer to go back to pre-school (music to my ears) and she hasn't cried once when I drop her off.  I can't believe how big and independent she is becoming.  It breaks my heart (and makes me very proud at the same time).  School is actually a little more demanding this year - she has homework!  AARGH.  I already hate nagging her to do it (and it really isn't that hard).  The kids are practicing writing their names, the letters of the alphabet and their numbers.  Liv has learned the months of year and is working on the days of the week and the seasons.  It is fun to watch her catch on, but she gets really frustrated when she doesn't do something right the first time (sound like anyone I know?).  Writing the number "2" is causing her fits, but we try, try again.  Here are a few pictures of her on her first day of school.

It's all about the backpack.

Love my girl!