We had a pretty busy summer. It was Maddie's last summer as a preschooler. I was really dreading it being over. I just wasn't ready for her to go to Kindergarten. Maddie on the other hand couldn't wait for it to end. She wanted to start school so bad. She was ready to go last year, but she just missed the cutoff.
The summer started off with a visit to my friend from highschool Mickie and her husband Pat in Galveston. They were having a crawfish boil for Mickie's Birthday. Maddie loved the crawfish, Maycee on the other hand wasn't interested in tasting them. She just wanted some birthday cake. It was fun weekend and great way to start off the summer.
Mickie enjoying the crawfish. 
Maycee found a dog to have fun with. 
Guy enjoying the crawfish. They were very good!
We also spent some time at the beach and met Laurie and Nat for breakfast one morning.
Maddie and Maycee playing in the sand. 
Guy and the girls on the seawall.
Nat and the girls at a gift shop built out over the gulf. I think it was Murdoch's. Anyway it's probably not there any more. :(
The girls on the beach. Aren't they sweet?
Maddie, Maycee and Laurie. Nat and Laurie bought them the purses they are carrying. They were using them to hold their seashells. 
A couple of weeks later the girls and I went to meet Laurie and Leigh and some of Laurie's friends at Crystal Beach. Guy had to work. :( We had a great time there two other little girls there that were the perfect age for Maddie and Maycee and they had a great time playing in the sand and water together. I am glad we were able to spend some time a Crystal Beach this year. I just wish Guy would have had a chance also. It has always been a favorite hangout of Guy and I , it's were we met after all, and I'm afraid it will never be the same again after Hurrican Ike.
Maycee being silly. 
Shelley,Leigh and Sara
Maycee, Brianna, Maddie and Maura 
Maddie having fun.
Laurie helping the girls in the kayak.
Oops!
At the beginning of June we went to the Dallas Zoo. We had planned to go in the spring so that it wouldn't be so hot, but that didn't happen. It was very hot the day we went. Maddie wasn't that impressed. Evidently the zoo isn't her thing, but Maycee really enjoyed it. I was excited because they were able to wear the Animal Kingdom outfits that I made for Disney last year again! Next time we will go back to the Fort Worth Zoo. It is a longer drive, but worth it!
Taking it easy in the wagon!
Towards the middle of June we had the girls recital. It was exciting. Maycee's first ever and Maddie's second recital. They were both taking a combo ballet/tap class at EncoreCentreforDance. They have really enjoyed it. Nana and Papa gave them the classes for their birthday's last year. Maddie performed a ballet routine to Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies and Maycee performed a tap routine to Blue Suede Shoes .
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At the end of June the company Guy works for had a trip for all the Managers and families. We stayed a couple of extra days and had a good time even though it rained ALOT. There was flooding everywhere. When it wasn't raining the weather was beautiful. The temp. was perfect and there was always a breeze. We went to a show, Silver Dollar City, and Celebration City. There is quite a bit to do in Branson, but the traffic is a bit tough.
Crazy Flooding
Silver Dollar City
At our hotel....wearing sunglasses inside??
Celebration City
Leaving the Hotel 
For July 4th Weekend we went to Lake Travis in Austin. It was our first chance to stay in our new camper that we bought with my parents and Ashley and Adam.
Guy, Maycee, Maddie and Kaleigh on the boat. 
Watching Fireworks
Addison sleeping on the boat.
Ashley and Adam
Swimming in the lake before the boat started sinking on us. We had been riding on my Uncle Dan's boat all day when we decided to get out and swim a little. Maycee, Me, my Dad, Ashley and Adam were all in the water. Guy, Kaleigh, & Addison were on the boat. Maddie and my Mom had decided not to go. Long story short they noticed the back end of the boat was sinking (we were in 100 ft of water) and took off to try and get the pump to pump the water out and ended it having to bank the boat accross the lake. That left us in the water that was starting to get very rough. Thankfully, my Uncle Frank was there with his boat, but he already had other people riding with him. We all had to pile on his boat. It made for an interesting day. The boat turned out to have a factory problem that caused the leak and it is fine now and everyone made it home safe. To this day Maycee swears that nothing happened to the boat that day. She just had fun swimming and riding in any boat.
Maycee took swimming lessons for the first time this summer. She is turning into a little fish. She can swim the length of the pool, back float, roll over to take breaths and go to the bottom of the pool to find rings.
In July, my niece Addison turned 2. I guess she's not a baby anymore!!
The Birthday Girl!
My Mom and Addison
Maycee
Maddie
More Fun for Addison's Birthday...
Maddie, Addison, Adam, Maycee and Ryland 
Papa and Maddie
Kaleigh and Addison
Mom, Addison and Dad
Maycee adn Guy
Silly Maycee
In August we went to Beaumont to visit. We went to Orange to see Laurie and Nat's baby chicks and goats. The girls loved playing with the animals.
Maddie, Maycee and Leigh
Maycee
Leigh
Maycee
Maddie
Guy
Maycee
Maddie
Nat, Maycee and Maddie
Nat and Laurie
Laurie and Maddie
For Labor Day, we went to Gulf Shores Alabama for a Ward Family Reunion/Fantasy Football Draft. It was gorgeaus there. The beach, the condo, the weather.
My mom had set up for a photographer to come and take pictures of our family on Friday afternoon and then the whole Ward Family and the 5 brothers on Saturday. The Saturday pictures never happened, but the ones of our family turned out great.
Pictures from the Photographer
Kaleigh helping Guy try to cover up his lines from his sunglasses. He wasn't as willing as he looks in the picture to wear the makeup. He had just finally given in that we weren't going to give up. Look at those raccoon eyes they had to be camoflauged.
Maddie
There was a little carnival set up for the kids with a petting zoo, train, face painting, bounce house water slide and pony rides.
Madison and Maycee
We were having a great time soaking up the sun and enjoying the great company until Hurricane Gustave chased us out of town. The security guards came and knocked on the doors Saturday morning about 8am and said we had to be out by 11am. They were evacuating the whole area. We ended up in Birminham, Alabama and we caught a fight home from there. But not before we ran down to the beach around 10 am Saturday Morning for just a few more pictures. It was starting to get windy. You can see their hair flying in the pictures.
Red Flag and nearly abandoned beach. Sadly, it was time to go home.
In the end it was a very short trip. 3 days instead of 7, but it was 3 days of solid fun, perfect weather and wonderful memories.
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