Nine Years Old! It seems like just yesterday...

June 22, 2002...it seems like just yesterday we were welcoming Benjamin Reid Burroughs into this world. 6 weeks early, but he still weighed in at 7lbs 6oz...

We were blessed to have Kelley, Megan, Nate, Dad and Bud join us for dinner last night at Nina's in Tyler. We enjoyed yummy tamales, fresh tortillas, quacamole and an ice cream cake that somehow came without the ice cream! :-) No one seemed phased as we celebrated Ben's 9th birthday.

Florida Fun 2011!

Our annual family vacation to Florida this year was once again packed with lots of time on the beach, by the pool, and visiting our favorite restaurants and watering holes. We even added a new twist this year by meeting up with some of our favorite Quitman folk to hang out, introduce them to some yummy Mellow Mushroom pizza (a favorite from our days in Atlanta) and to watch the Dallas Mavericks beat the Miami Heat to win NBA Championship. (Watching this WHILE in Florida was just an added bonus!!) Is it too soon to start counting down until next year???  365, 364, 363, 362...

Yummy pizza and fun with the Burgos family at Mellow Mushroom.

An annual favorite...AJ's Landing after a long hard day on the beach!

PawPaw and the boys.

Megan enjoying a little seaweed wrap while buried in the sand.

This was Will's favorite hangout each afternoon.

Outside Angler's after the Mavs took the Championship!

Cooling off with PawPaw at the pool. (Or, washing the sand off...)

The best purchase of the vacation...bright green beach chairs! We logged many hours in this position!

Sand castle construction...

School is OUT for Summer!

Ben and Ava wrapped up 3rd and 1st grades yesterday with an awards ceremonies and a sad goodbye to a very special friend who will be moving to Amarillo next week. Overall, both had a great year, made some new friends, loved their teachers and from the number of awards each received, managed to learn a little too!

Ava received the: Read Naturally Award, Citizenship Award (perfect conduct), Presidents Award (awarded to a student with perfect conduct, top grades and excellent participation), Music Award and an AR Award (for reading 136 books this year.) Way to go Ava-B!

Ava and Mrs. Ellison (Both kiddos had her as their 1st grade teacher and boy will we will miss her!)

Ben received the: Citizenship Award, Science Award, was recognized for his Commended Performance (missing 3 or less) on his reading and math TAKS tests, and the Sports Award. Good job Benjamin!

Homeroom teacher Mrs. Bradshaw and Ben (He LOVES her!)