A day at the race track

Two weeks ago, daddy and I took you guys to the Elloree Training Center to pick up our parking passes for the Elloree Trails. This is an annual horse race that is held in March. It was a beautiful day and I was sooo excited for you guys to see the horses. All the way to Elloree, we looked for horses out of the car window. Once we arrived, daddy went inside to take care of business and we went to see the horses. Being that it is getting close to race day, we saw some of the horses on the track preparing for their big day. We were all so excited. We walked the grounds and met a few "very friendly" horses grazing in the fields. Ayden, you wanted to pet them sooo bad but mommy was scared. They were so curious of us and followed us all over. Before we left, we found a patch of pretty yellow flowers on the ground. The horses were trying to get to the flowers to have a snack. One even stuck his head under the fence to try to reach one (see pics). It was such a fun time...we will have to take you guys back real soon.

Valentine's Weekend

Happy Valentine's Day Babies! We woke up this morning to a dreary, rainy Valentine's day. Mommy fixed you guys the biggest breakfast with gits (as AB calls them), toast, eggs and bacon. Your favorites! After breakfast, we opened our presents and CANDY. Ayden you were thrilled with your clay targets and holder. You immediatley ran to your room and started getting dressed to go outside and shoot your BB Gun. Ally Brynn, you got a pink radio flyer tricycle with a horn to blow at Bubba when he gets in your way. I am sad to say that Ayden has ridden it more than you at this point. You love the horn but don't care to put your feet on the sticky peddle's. Maybe Mommy and Daddy need to take it outside for you to practice. We wanted to get you a riding toy so that you could play outside more with Ayden. We hope you will learn to like it. We spent the rest of the morning playing, eating candy and cuddling. At lunch, Daddy took Ally Brynn to spend a girls day with MiMi. You two went to Cracker Barrel and spent the day playing and I am sure you were just spoiled rotten :-) Ayden rode with Daddy, Chuck, Parrish and I to the lake. We had decided to go on a four wheeler ride on the trails at Mill Creek and Ayden would stay at the lake house with Nana, Pa, Laken and Clay and fish. Daddy says "How much more romantic can you be, having your arms wrapped around me all day long." Ha Ha He was right. We did have a great time and even got a little muddy. Ayden, you spent the night at the lake and Ally B you spent the night with MiMi. Daddy and I got to go out for Sushi with friends and family and then to a birthday party. On Sunday, I took a couple of pics with you guys and Pa, Nana, Laken and Clay when they brought Ayden home. They are so cute. My favorite is the one of Ally Brynn checking out Pa's sucker. Later Sunday afternoon, we went to Bowman to Jake Edmond's 3rd birthday party. It was so much fun with tons of kids, toys and four wheelers. I have included a few pics of Ally Brynn and Kylee from the birthday party. Happy Valentine's Day Babies. You hold my heart and I love you more and more everyday.

Lillie Eloise Kennedy Davis - Mammy Davis

To my sweet babies. On Monday Feb. 9th, your great grandmother Mrs. Lillie Eloise Kennedy Davis (Mammy Davis)left this earth to meet Jesus and God in heaven. She was 93 years old and lived a long, wonderful life filled with joy and happiness. She has been in a nursing home for the past 6 years and her spirit had been taken over by a horrible disease called Alzheimer's. She didn't know us anymore and spent the last years hanging on to her life. I wanted to share a few memories of Mammy Davis with you two so that you would know a little about what a phenomenal woman she was. She was alot like your Pa, always smiling and full of joy. Everytime we went to Sumter to visit Mammy, she would have a chocolate cake made for us. She loved to feed us and wouldn't let you leave the table until your belly was about to pop. She was born October 5th, 1915 and raised on a farm in Alcolu SC. Her parents were named Mark Calvin Kennedy and Lillie Betts Player Kennedy and she had one true sister named Mildred Pringle and one half sister named Lessie Daniels. Both of which lived to their mid 90's. From what I am told Mrs. Mildred died at 93 and Mrs. Lessie died at 95. She had three sons, your Pa, Uncle Will and Uncle Ronnie Davis. Your Pa was actually born breach (which means feet first) and was over 9lbs. God bless her. She once told me of her love for animals, she had chickens and pigs on her farm as a young girl and her job was to go out every morning and feed them. She also loved candy, just like mommy. I think this is where I inherited my love of sweets. Mammy told me that everyday she would walk to the store near her house to buy a piece of candy. I can remember her always having sweets around her house and even in the nursing home, we would take her soft chocolates to eat. She would get so excited. Her husband and your grandfather was Wilbur Blackwell Davis and he was a soldier in World War II. He died in 1996 and was a very quite and humble man. Nana has a picture of Pappy Davis in front of Hitler's house during the war. I wanted to write you this post just so that you know a little about your great grandmother. She was so full of life and loved to tell jokes prior to her disease. You both had met her but never got to KNOW her. She was buried in Davis Cemetary on Highway 15 in Sumter along side Pappy Davis and your two aunts Mary Davis(Uncle Ronnie's wife) and Barbara Davis (Uncle Will's wife). She will be missed greatly! Her love for life will be carried on through us until we meet again.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

—John 11:25

Civil War Reenactment

On Sunday Feb 8th, 2009, we left Edisto Beach and headed to a Civil War Reenactment in Ehrhardt SC. We had never been to one before but Nana and Pa had taken Clay a few year prior and told us how neat it was. Ayden, we knew that you would love it because you are so interested in wars, swords and fighting right now (I guess this is the little boy in you). It was such a beautiful day with temps in the low 70's and blue skies. The reenactment is based on the Battle of Rivers Bridge that occured Feb 2-3 in 1865. As General William Sherman pushed is way up to Columbia, this was the Conferderacy's last attempt to hold him back. With 5000 union soldiers fighting 1200 confederate soldiers, the confederates were unsuccessful. Upon arrival, we toured some of the camping grounds the soldiers had set up (all authentic to that time in history), watched and learned how cotton was spun and woven into blankets, toured a replica home from this era and learned about the ways of the southerners during this time period. Ayden, you were so intrigued by it all. In the tour of the home, you even asked questions about what things were and how they were used. We then headed out to the battle field to watch the battle between the North and South at Rivers Bridge. The soldiers were dressed in authentic clothing and uniforms from that time and had the trenches and barracks built as if we were really at war. It felt as if we had time traveled back to Feb 2-3 1865. Their were horses, cannons, rifles, and even swords to entertain and teach us about the battle. What a great day and a great experience!

Edisto Weekend

This weekend, with forecasters predicting temps in the high 60's, we decided to take you guys to Edisto for a weekend getaway in the Westbury share house. Papa, Annie and all of us, arrived at the house at about the same time and we spent the evening unpacking and relaxing. Sat. morning I awoke early (mostly to Ayden kicking me) and headed out the beach to catch some sunrise pictures for my photography lesson with the class I am taking. It was a beautiful sunrise and I extremely enjoyed the stillness of the beach that early in the morning. When I came back in, we headed to our favorite breakfast spot on the island...The Sea Cow. Ally Brynn, after getting a belly full, you were ready for a nap, so we rode you around the island until you fell asleep. We found some great spots for mommy to take pics and Ayden, you and I even saw a porpoise playing up against the land at The Neck. I think that was the closest encounter to a porpoise that either of us had ever had. We were so excited!
Later that morning, we decided to spend the day riding our bikes thru some of the trails in the State Park. Daddy knew of a great trail and took you guys, me , Annie and Papa to see it. We rode for most of the day and it WAS a beautiful trail. Ayden you peddled and peddled the whole time. A few times you would stop for a rest but didn't rest for long. You are riding your bike without training wheels and love to try new moves. After a few hours, we were all getting a little tired so we headed to Subway for lunch. While eating, we spotted Aunt Sandra and Uncle Doc in the parking lot of Piggly Wiggy, so we stopped to see them on the way to the house. You were both so loving and happy to see them which of course made their day. Later Saturday evening after a little rest, Ayden, Papa, Annie and I all went back to some of the spots Daddy and I had found that morning to watch the sunset. We saw sooo many deer and Ayden you were so excited. We got some great shots but missed seeing the actual sun set. Not to worry...there will be many many more. We also found a backpack on the side of the road at the entrance to the neck. It was a great mystery as to whom it belonged and Ayden you were full of chatter telling everyone what should be done with the bag. "We need to find a policeman and take it to him so he can find whose it is and he would be happy we did that."
After all the excitement calmed down we all enjoyed a wonderful supper at the Variety Seafood Resturaunt and then headed home to relax.
Sunday I once again awoke before the sun came up and snuck out the beach for some shots. Annie joined me and we got some great shots of another beautiful morning sunrise at Edisto. Once you guys awoke, we packed up and headed to a Civil Ware Reenactment in Ehrhardt SC. I will add those pics to the next post but our trip was so much fun and the weather was gorgeous. You both were a joy to be with and had so much fun. Ayden, as soon as we got home Sunday, you pulled out the new bigger bike you got for your birthday and started practicing riding it so that you can take your big bike on our next trip to Edisto.

Friends

On Friday 1-30-09, we went to the Walling's for an Oyster Roast. Mimi had picked you guys up from school that day to spend some time with you. When ya'll got to the party it was later in the evening so Ally Brynn we put your PJ's on you. You usually go to bed at 7:00 so we knew you would be out on the short ride to the house from Chi, Bert and Carley's. We had a great time at the Walling's and you two played and played with all of Carley's great toys. Carley, Kylee, Jake, and Zack were their for you to play with. The boys and Carley played cowboys with the guns and swords. The girls and sometimes Carley played dress up. We all had a great time despite the frigid temps.
It has been extremely cold around here lately. On Wednesday of this week, we even saw some snow flurries. They were beautiful but I was at work and you guys were at school. I was so bummed because I knew how excited ya'll would be when you saw it. I really wanted to be with you.
Ally Brynn, you are such a little lovey dovey baby. You are definitly mommies girl but squeel with excitement to see daddy. You LOVE makeup, clothes, jewelry, babies, my camera, the phone and all kinds of food. Mommy started on a major diet last week and you are even eating my salads....lettuce and all. Daddy can't believe it and says he has NEVER seen a baby eat lettuce before. You love fruits and veggies and somtimes help me persuad bubba to eat them too. You and Ayden's favorite things to do right now is SING and DANCE. In the car on the way home from school, Ayden will make up a song and you will sing bits and pieces with him. It is hilariuos! You guys will also go in Ayden's room in the evenings and cut on his jambox and dance together. Sometimes you will want daddy or I to spin you around. You both LOVE to spin. Good exercise for mommy I suppose:-)You are still interested in your little potty and will go before bed and when you get up in the morning. You love to run around naked and try to 'spank" hienies! Too funny!
Ayden, you are always so full of energy and excitement. You have mastered riding your bike without training wheels and even if it is pouring rain outside, want to go outside and ride it. Mommy had to take you to the Dr. last week because you have been having periodic episodes of stomach pains. Daddy and I think it is poopy pains and the Dr. said to give you a stool softener. We haven't done that because you have had an accident in your pants recently and don't want that to happen again. We are gonna wait it out and see. We are praying that it was just a poopy pain and nothing associated with your previous hernia. You are doing extremely well in school and your teacher says that you are just a joy to have in her class. The both of you have been approved for a spot in the OP daycare and that is something daddy and I are discussing. It would be hard to move you because of all of your friends and because the daycare now is so convenient for mommy, but tuition is so much better at OP. I know you two will make friends whereever you go. You both have such great personalities and love people. I love you both so much!
Mommy