Sweet Summertime

Summer is in full swing here!  Everyone has finished ball for at least a little while.  (Travel ball starts soon for Lillian.) After Lillian's All-Star tournament ended, we loaded her and Reed up and headed back west.  They have been here for a week but will head home tomorrow. I will stay a few days to help with Bible School. It was very different without Maddie being here, but she had to stay home for summer workouts.  

I just love watching her play.  There are times when she looks exactly like her mom did playing. Lots of memories have been made at many different softball fields.

This sweet girl just keeps running and running.  She won first place in the Women's Division at Clanton's Peach Run.  So proud of her!

Reed and Lillian were able to spend the night with Uncle C and Aunt Tay and attend William's All-Star game.  They had a great time! If you look closely, Jack got a big old knot at the game.  He's a tough one!

We also enjoyed having the boys here one day this week. There is no fun like cousin fun! One's in pajamas, one has on a swimsuit and the other has on a soccer uniform!

We have never had a two-year-old as adventurous as Jack is swimming!  He literally has no fear and thinks he's as big as the big kids! I LOVE to watch him jump in!  John Sawyer is swimming like a fish! Lillian and Reed (Maddie, too) are wonderful with them.

We had a ball at the Fayette Water Park one day.  This is a perfect day trip.  I plan to take all of them back one day before the end of the summer.

Our last adventure was a quick river trip.  There is nothing more fun than tubing, knee boarding, jumping off the boat and playing on the sandbar.  We are so thankful to be able to experience this with the grandbabies.  River trips have been a part of our lives for a long, long time!

They could do this for hours!

Staying hydrated!  Wow, it's been hot!

More to come!

Eight and More

What a whirlwind the past few weeks have been!  In my previous post, I shared our fun Memorial Day weekend. What I didn't mention was that I tested positive that Saturday morning and had to barricade in the bedroom while my sweet family continued to celebrate. (A friend called to let me know I had been exposed.  I wasn't feeling great, but never imagined it was the virus! It progressed pretty quickly.)  Reed tested positive 2 days later.  This was my second time, and it was no fun at all.  Sadly, I did pass it to JS and Jack.  Both have recovered, too. We felt like we had a bad case of the flu. I still have limited smell and very limited sense of taste, but life continues. This virus needs to move on out!!

Our first outing out after being sick was to see our precious Reed being baptized.  All three have been baptized in the last 3 months.  What a blessing!! God is good!

We love this sweet thing so much.  He is kind, thoughtful, very smart, has a wicked sense of humor, loves his sisters and his mama (Dad, Nana & Pop too), and all things soccer!

My bunch is pretty awesome!

Did I mention that he turns 8 this week?  He stayed a few days after his sisters went home this weekend.  What a wonderful treat!!  He and Pop enjoyed a little fishing trip.

After swimming one day, we cooked and decorated a little birthday cookie!

And he opened his present from us just a little early!  Look out UA Soccer Camp, he'll soon be heading your way!

Pop and I had all 5 last weekend. What a time we had! Swimming and dancing around the pool were lots of fun!

This sweet thing enjoyed 4-H Camp last week.  We will be headed east to watch her and her team play in the state softball tournament.  Nana has been working on making sure all the little portable fans are working!! 

John Sawyer spent last week with me, so he could attend Bible School and take swimming lessons with Mel.  Both were a great success. We managed to catch a few frogs in between events.  

Mel is an awesome teacher! Also, thanks to Virginia for the use of her pool for these lessons. John Sawyer was by far the youngest in his group, but he held his own!  He is just a little fish!!

The boys and I had a high ole' time at Chuck E Cheese one afternoon!  I have to add that our sweet Reed wore the same outfit everyday that he was here!  I promise that I washed it every night.  I would fold it and take it to his room.  The next morning he would appear with it on again.  The boy LOVES some soccer, so he's happiest in his soccer shirt! I smiled each time he appeared in it!! 

Now, I am headed to take Reed home just in time to celebrate his birthday with friends.