We are all having a busy summer so far. Our Alltel shops are in the middle of all kinds of different transitions as we gradually turn into a Verizon store at our main store in Travelers Rest, turn into a prepaid-only mix of wireless providers at Easley, and wait to find out what it the world we're going to be turning into in Laurens and Clinton. It feels like we have stuff coming at us from all angles!

I'm not working a ton, really... I generally am at the store no more than 20 hours a week.. it feels like it's all the running around (bank, post office, tax office, etc.) and the ordering phones, accessories, etc., from home, that keep me busy. But it's nice to be busy. I would go crazy in the house all day!

I've been dealing with a very frustrating dilemma lately... my hair is all falling out and I think it will soon be gone! It got so bad that I went to the dr. and they ran some blood tests and said my iron is super low... so I've been taking iron supplements and trying to eat lots of red meat, spinach and black beans! :) I've been on those for a week and it has only gotten worse since then, but hopefully it will stop falling out before I lose it all. It's one of those things, though, where there's nothing I can do about it, so I just have to trust that God has a good reason for wanting me to be semi-bald :) Maybe the whole point is that I put too much focus on how I look.... which I know is true. So it's a good lesson for me.

Casey and I ran in our favorite organized race in Greenville, the Candlelight Run, last weekend. I was trying to shave off 10 minutes from my time last year (34:45) and I did, so that was exciting! It was also the first race I ever beat Casey at. This Saturday I am participating in my first ever Sprint Triathlon!! I'm very excited, but I really have no idea what I'm doing! We bought bikes and a baby trailer and having been biking and running a lot... and I've swam a few times but I know I am totally not efficient as a swimmer!!! When I put my face in the water, I start running into things...so I just keep it above the water and go really slow. I don't really have a goal time for this triathlon, but I'm also doing one on August 16th, so I'll come up with some goals for that one after I survive this one!

The most exciting part of our summer BY FAR is that my parents are coming home in July and we get to see them! I miss them so much lately... more than ever. We are going to visit them while they're in Charleston, and theyn they are coming to our house for one night on their way up to Pennsylvania to visit everyone else. We can't wait!

little ledford update

Ok... well, this is the third try in writing a post on here tonight. My computer keeps shutting down for no apparent reason and I forget to save as I go along, so each post is getting shorter and shorter as I lose my patience in having to start all over. It is difficult enough to find the time to sit down and write at all! :)

Not a whole lot of news at the Ledford house, just a few little things. For one, my hair is all of a sudden falling out! Not just a little, either... but enough to where I went and got my blood tested this week to see if they can come up with some kind of solution before I go completely bald! I started training this week for a triathlon, which has been really exciting. It's August 16th, so I have a little bit of time. It's a 400m swim, 15 mile bike and 5K race. It's nice to have something else to work on besides running.

Maggie and Caleb are as sweet as ever. I wish I could somehow record Maggie's precious little voice and expressions and post them on here. She is the most thoughtful little girl... We talk to each other all the time, and I wish I could remember all the details of our little conversations... I love the things she says. She asks lots of questions, and she has her own ideas about everything. She is very into princesses these days. I'm not sure how she really found out about them, but she sure knows all their names and stories. Her favorite is Cinderella, so she talks alot about castles, princes, getting married, wedding dresses, living happily ever after, etc. She especially likes how the prince takes care of the princess.

Here are a few sweet conversations we've had lately...

Today...
Julie- "Maggie, do you want me to have another baby in my tummy?" (note: I'm not pregnant... I just wondered what she would think about it)
Maggie- "No."
Julie- "Would you like to have two baby brothers?"
Maggie- "No."
Julie- "But it would be a tiny baby and you could wrap it up and hold it in a tiny little blanket!"
Maggie- (excited) "It could COME OUT of your tummy!?!?"
Julie- "Yeah, you could hold the baby."
Maggie- "Mama, then you would have THREE babies!"
(then, as Caleb crawls all over us, getting in her way and trying to push her around) "No.. we already have Caleb."

Last week, in the car...

Maggie- "Mama, is Daddy the boss?"
Julie- "Yeah, Daddy is the boss of Mama, Maggie and Caleb."
Maggie- "Is Daddy your king?"
Julie- "Umm, no, not really"
Maggie- "Is he your prince?"
Julie- "Umm, yeah, he's my prince."
Maggie- "Cody (her uncle) is my prince. He danced with me".

My parents are coming back to the US for a short visit in a few weeks. We can hardly wait to see them! We'll probably go to Charleston for a few days to spend some time with them while they're here.

Caleb is finally starting to talk some... he says bye bye, mama, uh-oh, please, thank you, banana, and nana. He runs around the house looking for excitement and begs to go outside and play. He is all of a sudden a chunky little boy and weighs about a pound less than Maggie does. I'll write more about that little wild man later.

fun times at the beach

(notice Caleb going in for the bite, here)









We were thrilled to be able to go on an awesome beach trip with our friends Scott and Heather, to Litchfield Beach for almost whole week! It was the first time since our honeymoon that we went anywhere longer than three days, and it was the first time ever that Casey was able to leave the stores and really relax. Amazingly, things went smoothly and our wonderful employees pulled off a whole week of working all day every day to cover for us! We stayed for free at a beautiful condo right on the beach. Casey and I did lots of running and we played games all evening with Scott and Heather. And Tabitha was able to come along with us as the nanny :) It was definitely the most fun vacation we've had together.

Yesterday was our 4th wedding anniversary! It was been such a happy four years. I surprised Casey by getting a reservation at the Westin Poinsett in downtown Greenville (with credit card rewards so we paid nothing... otherwise he might not have been so pleased with me!!). We checked into our room and walked to dinner at High Cotton (which is amazing!) and then went for a run through downtown and the parks. Then we went to Blueberry Frog for frozen yogurt, which is now my favorite dessert place! This morning we got up and ran 5 miles and then went to breakfast. What a fun and relaxing time! We'd better be done with vactions for awhile now...