LIFE WITH THE ECKLEYS: Summer Fun

It is hard to believe that summer is almost over! We are getting back into our normal routine these days... Ben started back to school last week and our weekly Bible study starts back this week. My work has really picked up in the last couple of weeks so that is also keeping us busy. It is nice to be back on a schedule (and believe me we are on a schedule - we stay really busy)! With all this going on, I thought I would post some pictures and thoughts from some of the fun that we had this summer before I started blogging. Hope you enjoy what else happened with the Eckley's this summer.

We went down to Auburn for Uncle Andrew's graduation for pharmacy school! It was lots of fun to hang out in Auburn for a couple of days. We were really proud of Uncle Andrew.

This summer Ben developed an obsession with crayons. I don't mean an obsession with coloring I just mean an obsession with playing with crayons. He loves to just pull them out and play with them. It is one of the few things he will sit still and do.

We went to the zoo!!! We met up with some of our friends from Birmingham and went to the zoo down there. It was great to see our friends. Ben loved the zoo. He loved watching the animals and just kept pointing at them. He was really fascinated by the monkeys in this picture.

We have played outside ALOT!!! I am not the biggest fan of being outside but Ben loves it. He will just stand at the door and cry to go outside. I have spent more time outside this summer than I can ever remember spending outside. He loves to just walk around and check things out. He plays with his sand table and all his riding toys. And of course he loves to play with all the kids in the neighborhood. Here he is playing with our neighbor's dog Shiloh. It is a really big dog but Ben loves him. He will go right up to him and pet him. Shiloh licks on Ben but is really gentle with him.

More outside fun! Have I mentioned I don't like the hot and bugs! Oh well. One of the joys of being a mom. Ben is not the biggest fan of the water. He really doesn't like baths so he really doesn't enjoy the baby pool but we tried. He will tolerate it for a little while but he would rather be running around. We did go swimming at big pools with some of our friends. He would hold on to Matt or I for dear life. Oh well... maybe he will like it next summer.

Vacation Bible School!! What fun... It was my first experience directing a class. I was in charge of 4 teachers and 15 kids. It went great. My helpers were wonderful. I think the kids had lots of fun and seemed to really learn alot. Ben went to his class all week and loved it!

First haircut!! I can't believe I finally did it. I said I was never going to cut his beautiful hair but it just got to be too much for me. He looked like a sheep dog. So I took him to my hairdresser and had her give him the slightest trim. She barely took any hair off. I was trying to save some for his baby book and there was almost none to save. But it made it look so much better. And it is still curly which was my biggest worry! We actually went back last week for a second haircut.

Here is Ben showing off his haircut. So cute! And he still looks like a baby! By the way yes he is in a box with packing peanuts. He was at Granna's house where he gets to do whatever he wants.

The day at the lake... what can I say. It was a day of accidents! We went to Kelly's family's lake house before the wedding to have some fun. It was a great day but we had some interesting experiences. We took Ben out on the jet ski. Matt was going so slow to try not to tip it that he actually did tip it. So the three of us took an unexpected swim in the lake. Ben was not amused! After that he was a little afraid of any motorized vehicle. You would think that would have been enough excitement for one day but no... Matt and I decide to go tubing. It was lots of fun until we went flying and hit the water at 30 mph. And I hit face first. Lots of blood and swelling (and a broken nose we are pretty sure). But it was lots of fun anyways!

First trip to the movies... or it actually could have been Ben's first date. We went with Ben's little friend Anna to see the Veggie Tails movie. Ben loved it! He sat and watched the entire thing. We need to go back soon.

Our 4th of July trip to the beach. So it didn't go quite as planned. Actually everything that could go wrong did. We really just don't like to mention it. Ben hated the beach so this is one of about three pictures that we took. We are going back next week for the entire week. Pray that it goes better (and it has to because it can't get much worse!)