Hayride with No Hay

Today, Jawan came over with her children, and we had a play date. There were children pretty much everywhere climbing the walls, but we did have a great time. The kids were all very well behaved and enjoyed playing with one another. Allan came home for lunch, and after eating of course, took the kids on a hayride with no hay! That is the way we do it in Alabama!

(Look at the first picture close... it is funny because it looks like the kids are acting out the saying: "See no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil." But... in reality, they are avoiding the sunlight).

4th of July Weekend

Although we have moved away from my parents and friends for years, we are close enough to make frequent visits. We went this weekend for the 4th of July. Here are some great pictures of the fun and fellowship we enjoyed.

First, there was swimming... lots of swimming...
This is Pirate A.J. after having made several of us "walk the plank."
There is always a picture of A.J. and Brennan!

Abigail also enjoyed her fair share of swimming.
We were blessed to have many of our old friends join us for swimming throughout the weekend. Here are Summer and Will with their new baby, Ian.

Uncle Kevin, Aunt Lesli, Emily, and Christian also joined in the family fun. Uncle Kevin and Emily were swimming buddies (when he wasn't too busy dunking the older boys and being a kid himself!)
We also were joined on Saturday by my friend Cindy and her three children, Bradley, Kaitlyn, and Jessica. Jessica and A.J. were being very sweet to each other when they thought no one was looking!
Bradley (who I actually had in my 4th grade class a few years ago) spent most of his time trying to get revenge on me (for all the fussing as his teacher) by dunking me in the water! However, I think I still came out on top (some things just don't change).
Here is beautiful Kaitlyn. This is the only picture I was able to capture of her, since she was always swimming like a fish!
We also enjoyed 4th of July fireworks in the Publix parking lot!

Chick-fil-a passed out special glasses to view the fireworks, but I think we actually all had more fun with them before the show even started.
And, yes... once again... there is a picture of Brennan and A.J. Summer and I have decided if they ever get married (which A.J. is planning on), we will have so many pictures to embarrass them with!
I also was able to capture this picture of the entire Perry family.

I was thinking today of the different places I have seen fireworks. Here are a few memorable ones:

1. Outside Southfork Ranch (where the TV Show Dallas was filmed)
2. Sitting on Peachtree Road in Atlanta
3. Stone Mountain
4. Sitting on the beach (with caramel apples) watching them over the Atlantic Ocean
5. On the side of a major interstate in Ft. Worth

But, of all the fabulous places I have celebrated our country's birthday, none will ever top being with my best friends and my family in a grocery store parking lot!

Only 2 Days... Really????

We are going to Thomasville for 4th of July. We are leaving this afternoon and are coming back Saturday. Yes... that is only 2 days. Then tell me this... why in the world does it require this?

Yes... you counted right - 10 bags for 2 days! My goodness. Here is what your are looking at:

Camera bag, Cosmetic bag, Abigail's baby doll's bag (yes the doll packs, too), my purse, A.J.'s library bag, Abigail's library bag (for reading in the car), car toy bag, mini-swim bag (yes, there is a larger one), and 2 suitcases (1 for the kids, 1 for the parents).

Goodness gracious... are other families this way, too? And just think... I haven't even packed the dog stuff yet!

Stollen Picture

Kevin and Lesli did a much better job at photographing our beach trip than we did. One of them pretty much had a camera on the kids (and some not so willing adults) the entire trip. We found out our camera (which is the best one we have ever had) is too big to take along to everything.

So, I stole this picture of my kids of Lesli's site because I thought she captured a wonderful moment with them. Check out the rest of her beach pictures at: http://www.leslimcmillan.blogspot.com/.

This picture is of A.J. and Abigail after we finished playing putt-putt. A.J. actually scored a few holes in one (without cheating)! He was very excited!

How Toot!

Today, we took a short trip to the library. Since the kids were taking their new library bags, Abigail said she needed to make sure she looked very toot (her word for cute). And, boy did she! She found a dress to wear to match her bag and sunglasses. How toot!

Church Picnic...in the Rain!

We had a church picnic at a state park Sunday night. However, it started to rain about midway through. Since the pavilion was not lit, I wasn't able to take very many pictures at all, but here are a few...

Library Bags

Recently, we have been going to the library more often. While reading one of my favorite blogs, Grace Violet, I saw where she had made tote bags for her daughters to take to the library (she posted them on Blissfully Domestic). I was actually inspired enough to make some for A.J. and Abigail. I only had to buy the denim for A.J.'s (which was only $2.50 per yard at Wal-mart) and had scraps of other fabrics for the rest of both their bags. So, for hardly anything, I accomplished the following goals:


1. I finally made a bag for MY children, instead of a gift for someone else. It was actually much more fun!
2. They have their own bags, unique to their own style, to carry library books. (Which also means I don't have to carry them).
3. They have somewhere specific to keep their library books at home (to keep them from getting mixed in with our own books).
4. I feel more justified in the fact that I always overbuy fabric... I actually used the extra!


Here are a few pictures. Don't look to close because they are definitely homemade!