Fort Morgan 2014

We have just returned from our annual trip to Fort Morgan, Alabama. We go there every year to reunite with our friends from Worth's residency in Birmingham. There were 12 adults and 14 kids this year. Ages 8 months-5 years old. It was soooo much fun! The weather was beautiful the entire week, and we were able to celebrate 3 special little girls' birthdays while we were down there.  (There will be another post about Emma's birthday later)

We did, however, get attacked by sickness while there. Ellie came down with a bad "cold" the 3rd day we were there. She ran a low grade fever, was covered up on the beach in her towel and swimsuit cover and wouldn't eat anything. By Wednesday, Mack came down with it. He was really fussy, running a fever and VERY snotty. Friday night (our last night there) he cried all night. At 3:00 am Worth just suggested that we start packing the car since we were both wide awake and had been for hours. Mack wasn't going to go to sleep anyway. So, we scooted out of town by 4:50am. Once getting home Saturday, I started feeling achy, stuffed up and feverish. I attributed it to not having slept, but it progressed until I couldn't hardly move Sunday - Mother's day. At the same time, Emma started coming down with it and then Worth. By chance, Emma had her 3 year appointment Monday. They decided to run a flu test because of her symptoms and she was running a low grade fever. It was positive for flu. Apparently, we had passed it around our family while at the beach.  Everyone is now slowly recovering, but I do believe we passed our germs to some of the other kids on the trip. Sorry guys:(

It was worth every minute of the sickness, however, to be able to see our friends. We had an awesome time, with great food, great drinks and great entertainment (from our kids and our husbands.) Too bad we can only get together with these folks once a year!

Getting the tents up

Folks in the neighboring house started cheering for our guys once they got this tent up

The Simril twins: Jack and Ella Kate

Snack time at 9am? Why not? We are at the beach, right?

Before the plague

Mack makes his appearance on the beach

I don't know how she stood this water, it was pretty cold! The kids loved it though

Sand Angels

Mack discovers sand - this is just before he ate a handful of it.

Worth and I with the birthday girl on her birthday

The cake that never ended. 25 people ate off of this for an entire week.

Birthday girls: Emma, Caroline, Maggie

Avery jumped in as well. Her birthday was just a few days before we went to the beach

When the sickness hit. She was starting diva mode. After having it myself, I completely understood how she felt!

This picture was funny to me. You can't see the dad that is holding the rope attached to the boat. It just looks like Dr. Hughes is going after kids loose in a raft. But they were being well watched, I promise!

Proof that lots of Dads were around for the raft experience

The Simrils

The Wigtons (AKA "The Wiggles)

The Sheltons with baby #2 on the way. Next year we will have 15 kiddos

The group shot. I think Brooks Shelton is the only one who wasn't clear on where the camera was

All of our babies. The number of children have grown significantly since we all became friends in Birmingham

Beach Birthday Girl

The 3 Bowers kids. Mack was attempting to eat the wood

Silly Sisters

Will Steurmann the only 5 year old boy. We will have to watch him in about 10 years! Or maybe, watch out for him?!

Lily was the sweet popsicle provider. She made everyone's afternoon by passing out popsicles daily

The famous hole. They finally made it to water. At least no dads took a nose dive into it this year

Bowers Fam in the water hole

Emma with the birthday gift we took to the beach for her. A prince Eric and Ariel doll.

Sweet baby Reese.

This boardwalk, which was attached to a neighboring house was a hit with the kids. They played school, mama and babysitter, and I'm not sure what other pretend games up there for HOURS everyday. Who needs a beach toy?

Jessica, Nicole, and Megan chatting and sunning.

3 at the beach!

Emma is 3 years old today. I still have the 14 hour labor that brought her into this world  fresh in my mind, but I would do it all over again for this most precious human being! She is such a joy. We are in Fort Morgan, AL at the beach this week so there will be more posts about this day to come! Happy Birthday my sweet angel!

Gymnastics!

Ellie's gymnastics exhibition was this past Friday night. Worth was on heart call and we thought he might not make it. I went to the exhibition with all 3 kids and was sweating among the 4 gazillion people that were there to watch their child/grandchild/friend/cousin/niece/nephew/whatever perform a gymnastics routine. We were all jammed in an area that usually fits about 20 people comfortably. Just when one group was clearing out and Ellie's group was getting called up, Worth called me and was working is way through the sea of people at the door to get to us. It was insane, but I'm so glad he made it! Ellie was too! Ellie did awesome and has improved so much over the last several months. She is the tiniest one out there for sure, but she held her own in her level 1 group! So proud of her!

Prancing out onto the floor

Miss Priss when her name was called - they had to call her twice because she didn't realize she was supposed to step forward and stretch

Showing off on the beam. Her coach never had to touch her

Mack cheering his biggest sissy on. He clapped for the first time while watching her!

Group floor routine to "Car Wash"

Of course my child has the dance move part down

Showing off floor skills - forward roll

Standing up from her straddle roll is tough!

Cartwheel prep. She can do a left handed cartwheel better than I ever did!

I was sitting so far away and I had the super zoom lens on my camera, but this is all I could catch of her vault. She landed well?!

Waiting patiently for the next routine

My little gymnastic medalist!

Mack 8 months

Mack was 8 months old this past Monday. At 8 months he is crawling EVERYWHERE! He has gotten really fast though, so now I'm running after him all day. He can pull up to standing with ease. He is babbling a lot and I swear he said "mama" the other day! Worth heard it as well, so it wasn't my imagination. He laughs and smiles a lot and loves people. He has been discharged from speech therapy because he's doing so well eating now! We are pretty busy now, but I feel even busier times ahead with this little munchkin!