Jackson's 6th Birthday Party

This is the first year that Jackson wanted to have a party and invite his friends from school since it was his last year at preschool. So we decided to have a party at Sweet Dreams Cookie Co downtown Franklin. Uncle Michael and Kristin stayed with Ainsleigh and Cooper while we were at the party (thank goodness). It was alot of fun. The kids got to decorate chef's hats, aprons and make their own cookies. It was fun to see them all load up on goodies for their cookies and then either make one gigantic cookie or tons of little ones.

The birthday boy in his new birthday outfit from Papa and Grandma. Daddy had a matching outfit but we didn't get a picture before the day got wild!

Jackson's birthday sign...

The Cove boys...Braden, Evan and Jackson.

Chef Jackson

Jackson's friends making their hats and aprons.
















Look at all the cute bakers!!! We had 15 of them...whew!










Standing in line to choose what mix ins they wanted for their cookies.

Jackson chose white chocolate chips, chocolate chunks and M&Ms.

He made tons of little cookies.

Sweet Brendan. He didn't know what to think of the party!

Cute Addy. She had so much fun.

Braden made one gigantic cookie with lots of mix-ins.

Jackson's friends decorating their hats.

Look at that cool cookie! We had chocolate ice cream too.

Oh my...look at all of those presents.

After the cookie party, we came home and grilled hamburgers and hot dogs with family. Uncle Michael and Aunt Kristin brought Gigi's cupcakes for dessert. They were yummy!

Star Wars legos from Michael and Kristin.

A cool Transformer from Aunt Jahnae and family.

Another cool Transformer from Gaga.

The Clone Wars game for the Wii from Ainsleigh and Cooper.

New golf clubs from Mimi and Popsy. They thought he needed them since he is going to Golf Camp in a few weeks.

The Adventurous Ainsleigh and more...

Ainsleigh is going to give us a run for our money. She is completely fearless unlike her brothers. She climbs on EVERYTHING even if you think there is no possible way she could do it.








Here she is just sitting on the grill set. She actually climbed up on the tan "tile" when Gaga was keeping her. She is fearless!!!

















I am not quite sure how she has such good balance. She is shaking her finger which means "on your bottom" in our house. She knows she should be sitting down, but refuses to do that.

Apparently Cooper wanted on the tractor and Ainsleigh just kept jabbering while she contintued to sit on it. He was trying to cover her mouth!!





When that didn't work, he resorted to smacking her in the head. I am not sure if you have seen previous posts. If not, this is becoming the pattern....












Daddy got out the slip and slide!! All three kids had a great time!

The babes didn't slide, but they loved the water shooting up!







Jackson slid down it a hundred times!

Our Beach Vacation!!!!

We headed to Gulf Shores for a week of fun and relaxation (sort of!). The kids made the trip pretty easily. We had Mimi and Popsy follow us in their car so the kids were split up which probably helped. We had lots of fun!! We actually stayed in the same house that we stayed in 2 years ago.

Our beach house....Island Breeze.

Ainsleigh found this cute little pink decorative chair in one of the bedrooms. Before we knew it she was running around with it and.....

...of course she tired to sit in it! Can you believe her little bottom

almost fit into it??

The babes in their cool sunglasses. Unfortunately this was the only time they wore them the entire week.

ROLL TIDE....all three kids had Alabama bathing suits.

We went for a walk early one morning and happen to find this log on the beach . The kids thought it was fun to sit on it. Of course Ainsleigh wouldn'tlook at me. She had to feel the log!

The boys!







Ainsleigh got tired on the way back to

the beach house so daddy carried her.

A view of the beach... it was beautiful!

Jackson riding the waves.


He had so much fun in the water until....

WIPEOUT!!!! He swallowed lots of water on this one.

Daddy isn't quite sure how he caught this on camera!!

Jackson, Taylor and I took the ferry over to Dolphin Island and drove into Mobile. Here we are on the ferry ride across the bay. Jackson thought it was so cool!

Here is daddy behind the van on the ferry.

We went to visit the Battleship Park which

houses the USS Alabama ship.

Jackson and Daddy in front of the "huge cannons". Jackson knows all about the battleship. What he doesn't know, he makes up as he goes!

A view from the front of the USS Alabama.

How would you like to sleep on these

for months at a time??? Yikes!

The boys taking in the view.

Jackson loved playing with these. There was a wheelthat you could turn that would turn the entire section. It was hard work, but he kept doing it.

Shooting yet another gun.

Jackson took this picture of daddy and I.

Daddy and Jackson in the kitchen of a submarine. It was TINY.

Jackson posing in front of an Army tank. He loved the tanks, but kept looking for German tanks. You can thank daddy for him even knowing about German tanks.

After a fun filled day, we are on our way back across the bay to the beach house.

The pelicans were waiting for us to come back!

Oh Ainsleigh! She had on Mimi's beach hat and had been lugging around Mimi's shopping bag. She had put tons of stuff in and out of the bag. Daddy was worried because she immediately saw the bag and knew to put her arms through the handles and onto her shoulder. Women are truly born to shop!!

Mommy and Cooper taking a late afternoon walk on the beach.

Jackson flying his Cars kite.

Daddy always digs a huge hole the first day at the beach. All three kids loved climbing in and out of it all week.

Jackson and Popsy playing in the water. We had three "fishing nets" so they could catch some serious fish. They mainly caught little fish and small sand crabs except for...

...the king crab! Jackson was so excited!!

Ainsleigh in the big hole.

And finally, Cooper digging out of the big hole.

Jackson the fish.

Ainsleigh loved for someone to hold her in the water. Toward the end of the week she would just take off toward the water with no fears.

The Riggs family on the beach.

This is actually a good picture of the three kids. We had to take several to finally get this one.

Mimi, Popsy and the grandkids.

Ainsleigh is so resourceful. She kept trying to take the straw out of the cup with her sandy hands so I put the cup on a chair far away from her. I even thought I halfway hid it behind the towel. Well, I looked over at her and she was leaning over the chair drinking her water. At least she wasn't touching the straw with her hands!

Sweet Cooper...

Ainsleigh chilling out in her chair. She however snuck into it as soon as Cooper got up to get a toy.

He was not amused when he got back! He grabbed her by her bathing suit trying to gether out of the chair!!!

When that didn't seem to work, he hit her on the head. Both of them can be ruthless.

Finally a comprimise. Two chairs for two toddlers!

Sweet Ainsleigh...

Cooper in his cool shades.

Jackson driving a go kart all by himself! He was a very cautious driver though. He always had two hands on the wheel!

We met one of Taylor's high school friends and his

family our last night there. The boys had so

much fun with the bumper boats.

A very wet Ken, Clark, and Reece Thompson along with Jackson and Taylor after round 1 of the bumper boats. They were brave enough to ride them again before we left!