the first day of school

My, how fast summer went by!  It was filled with lots of laughter, good times, & memories.  But, the school year is now upon us, and we are back to early mornings, packed lunches, homework, & earlier bedtimes.  Brady & I are both excited to get back to school to see our friends and meet our new teachers, but, we also enjoy the summer break.  But, we were ready.

Daddy & me before I left for school

(Brady wasn't quite awake to take his picture before Daddy left for work...oops!)

I am excited for school.  I love school.  And, while this year may prove to be a more difficult year for me (since I'm moving up to dictionaries, red pens, lots of binder, a locker, and even switching classes), I am ready!

All set to go with my backpack (from last year) and my new lunchbox!

4th grade...here I come!

Brady also likes school, usually.  He is just a little more hesitant than I am.  He enjoys playing with his friends and learning about math.  He got get a new backpack and lunchbox this year, and he was excited to choose them.

All ready for school!

2nd grade...here he comes!

Ready for another great school year!

(And, it's hard to believe we will have another sibling in this picture next year when Brecken starts kindergarten!!)

Excited to be in his classroom!

And, while he told Mommy he wouldn't give her a hug and a kiss in front of his friends, but he would rather just do it at home before leaving, he ended up giving Mommy a big hug and kiss...right in his classroom.  Melted Mommy's heart!

Trying to figure out my new locker!

Happy to be in my classroom!

I, of course, will plan to hug Mommy in public for forever!  She loves that!

Excited for another school year.  We are thankful to be able to attend Lake Norman Christian, where the emphasis is not only a great education, but on our Lord!

enjoying some days at home...sibling love

Enjoying some days at home before the routine/activities/homework of school begins.  Sometimes, we play really well together, so Mommy captures it when she can!  We still love playing in our playroom...& we all enjoy the kitchen still!

Emmersyn did her own hair this morning by sneaking in Daddy & Mommy's bathroom and getting one of Mommy's workout headbands.  Too funny!

Testing out the taste of her cooking!

Baking some goodies in the oven...

...& then fixing some veggies on the stovetop!

Brady relaxing in his chair while he waits for his "food."

(Yes, this boy would live in his underwear if he could!)

I've baked some seriously yummy foods!

Sweet Emmersyn

Brecken was busy cooking, too!

Time to cook some veggies.  We sure had fun!

One morning, before Brecken & I were awake, Brady & Emmersyn had some time to play together.  We are usually very sweet with her, and we enjoy playing with her.

Busy in Emmersyn's kitchen...

...& sharing a few laughs!

She thinks he is so funny...

...& he can be sweet, too!

Morning fun

They are cooking a tomato together...

...& then Emmersyn tests it out!

She approves with that smile!

We do love playing together often, and we sure enjoyed our last few days before school started!

a trip to the dentist

Before school started, we all went to the dentist for our check-up.  This is my (Brecken) first time (yes, we know it's a little late for the first time), so of course, Mommy took some pics.  Brecken did great.  It helped that they had a tv on the ceiling playing one of his favorite shows, Team Umizoomi.  He got a good report, and we are thankful for a great dentist.

Counting his teeth...

...& thankful for a good report.

instagram pics

Mommy posts pictures on Facebook, but we wanted to share a few faves from this summer...

Bracken writing his name for the first time.

Daddy & Mommy enjoying the Tim McGraw concert with their friends, Mr. Michael & Mrs. Tonya.

 A fun day at Carowinds.

And, probably Mommy's funniest pic from the summer.  Mommy caught Brady checking out his "guns" in the mirror at the mall one day.  She quickly snapped the picture before he noticed.  When she asked him about it, he just said, "I was just flexing to see how big my guns were."  Haha!!!

MB 2015

Every year, we get to go on our annual Van Wingerden Myrtle Beach trip.  We have so much fun playing in the sand, jumping waves, searching for seashells, burying each other, night swimming, enjoying lemonade icees (thanks to Oma), & time as a family.  We didn't bring our boogie boards this year due to the frequent shark attacks along the NC/SC coast, but we did get to go in the water some.  We had beautiful weather, and we sure enjoyed hanging out with our cousins, too.

The boys

Emmersyn wasn't mobile last year, so it was a whole new world for her.  She walked right in the water without a care in the world.  When she'd fall over, she'd get right back up and keep going.  Silly girl!  She only tried to eat the sand a few times...& maybe a few shells...but, she loved every minute of it...sand & ocean!

Filling up her bucket

Mommy & Emmersyn

Mommy has picture of each of us around this age of "sunscreen hair."  So funny!

Emmersyn & me in our matching suits!  I loved it!

Oma & Emmersyn enjoying another day on the beach!

Averie Grace (9)

Brady Joseph (7)

Brecken Thomas (4)

Emmersyn Faith (14 months)

Best Friends

(Stephanie & Me)

Just a walk on the beach with Oma!

(Emmersyn calls her "Opa," which is bittersweet...)

Emmersyn enjoying the ocean...

...& watching the water come to her feet!

She would have no fear...going as deep as Mommy would let her!

Sisters

I love my little sister!

Before we know it, roles will be reversed.  Rather then Daddy's and Mommy's picking us up, we are picking up our parents.  (This is Sam picking up Uncle Art.)

Enjoying some sand time

Emmersyn & Madison

Brady & Jackson

Brecken & Brayden had fun with the dump truck...& Paul had fun photobombing...

Daddy & Emmersyn

Every day, these boys would play with this dump truck...& had so much fun!

I think someone is getting sleepy...

Brayden buried Brecken in the sand...

...well, he had some help from these 2, too!

Daddy & Brady

A very curious little girl enjoying the sand...

...& the water!

Brayden giving Emmersyn a ride!

She enjoyed that!

Cousin fun in the sand

Brayden, Jackson, Jake, Carter, Brady, & Brecken

(When Mommy went to take this pic, Mommy's cousin, Jake (who had just arrived with his family) jumped in the pic last minute.  We enjoyed having them visit for 2 days!)

Water Baby!

I loved having Emma (one of Jake & Wendy's daughters) visit for 2 days.  We had so much fun together...

Snack time for this munckin!

Brecken & Oma

Oma & me

More dump truck fun in the sand!

Averie

Brady

Brecken

Emmersyn

Brady & Stephanie

Oma helping Emmersyn dig a hole!

Burying Stephanie in the sand.

(L-R: Madison, cousin Patricia, cousin Grace, Brecken, cousin Erica, Stephanie, Brady, & Kaitlyn)

Brecken...all ready for the shaving cream fight!

Each year, our family has a shaving cream fight on the beach.  We have so much fun!  Here is the beginning of it...

...the middle of it...

...& the end of it!  So much fun!

We have some crazy fun...

...& even Emmersyn got to enjoy her first shaving cream fight!

Then, she went boogie boarding on the sand with Aunt Courtney...

...while Daddy wrestled Brady in the water!

Boys will be boys!

Daddy & me

I still love holding his hand!

Emma got to spend the night with us at the hotel, so we got up earlier than Daddy & Mommy and decided to make breakfast for everyone.  We set the table, made cinnamon rolls, cut up fruit, & put out the cereal, milk, & coffee.  We were so excited to surprise them with this...& they loved it!

Fun with 2nd cousins!

Another day of fun in the sun

Brecken, me, & Emmersyn

Emmersyn & Madison sharing some float time at the edge of the water...

...& they looked so cute together!

Sweet Cousins!

Those curls...this girl!

This picture attempt did not go as well as Mommy had hoped, but this is best of what she could get form this angle...

...and this angle!  Maybe next year...

Attempt #86!

I love taking pics with my best friend.

Our 2nd cousin, Patricia, joined us for our time at the beach.  She was a helping hand to Daddy & Mommy with all of us at the beach.  We had so much fun playing with her.  She is showing Emmersyn how to make a drip castle!

But, Emmersyn decided to just play in the wet sand instead.

Cousin Fun

We headed up to the hotel's water park one afternoon and had fun together.  Kaitlyn enjoys keeping an eye on Emmersyn sometimes.

Brecken had a blast...

...while Brady enjoyed relaxing on the lazy river!

Emmersyn went on the slide with Daddy a lot...

...& she loved it!

Daddy & Emmersyn

I had a great time, too!

Brecken sliding...

...& then, my turn...

...& Emmersyn's turn with Mommy!

Daddy & me

Brady, Madison, & Stephanie pumping the water!

Brady enjoying the water!

Walking on their hands in the water.

Oma, Brady, & Emmersyn hunting for seashells

Sweet Brady Boy

Mommy & me

Enjoying our daily lemonade ices from Oma

(Brecken, Brayden, Jackson, Oma, Madison, me, & Brady)

Another walk on the sand...

...& picking up some sand.

Oma & me

These boys enjoying their lemonade drinks!

Uncle Thomas & Aunt Lindsey put this solar panel over their umbrella in hopes to stay even cooler...& it worked.

Emmersyn, the beach babe

Looking at what's in her bucket :)

Madison & me...I do love to act like her momma sometimes :)

Some of the boys...

...enjoying a game of bocce ball!

Brecken is excited about the beach!

On our last night after dinner, Mommy wanted to take some pictures of us.  Well, similar to the ones earlier, we can be a tough group to get a good one...so, here's the best of what we got!

(Brecken & Emmersyn's faces are too funny in this one!)

The Karaffa Family (Attempt #42)

The Karaffa Family (Attempt #268)

Daddy & Mommy

We also attempted to get a few pics of Miss Emme...

She loves clapping...& still sticks out that precious tongue!

She also learned where her belly button is, so she was pretty happy to show us where it was!  At least we got a very cute happy face!

Sweet Emmersyn

On our last morning, we enjoyed some breakfast and then headed out to play putt putt before the drive home.  We enjoy this tradition..no lines...and it gets out some energy before the drive home.

Brady is all ready to play...

...& so is Brecken...

...so am I!

Emmersyn didn't get to actually play putt putt, but she enjoyed the ride!

Brecken's concentration...

...got him a hole in one!!

The Boys

Mommy & me

Daddy also got a hole in one!!  He was pretty excited!

I got a hole in one, too!

We had a wonderful time at the beach...making lots of memories.  We are thankful to be able to go to the beach for a week...and we are thankful for lots of family time!