What a Day!

Pop and I loaded the girls up and headed to Tuscaloosa for a fun and adventurous day!  The fun began at Bama Bounders Preschool Gymnastics.  Simply the best fun you  will ever find for $5.00.  Next, we ventured to Krispy Kreme, and had a wonderful little surprise.  Then, we saw Aunt Di at work for a few minutes, before we headed to Chick-fil-A.  The cows were actually there as we drove up.  They were finishing up, so we didn't get any pictures of that.  That is probably a good thing, because I can assure you, Lillian would not have been impressed!

Maddie reminds me so very much of her mom at gymnastics.  She loves it, and is becoming quite good!

Lillian had fun too!  The balls in the trampoline were a big hit!

So much fun!

Lillian picked out the little doll at the DG next door right before gymnastics, and she held on tight the entire time!

We were thrilled to meet and have our picture made with AJ Starr at Krispy Kreme! He was very kind and gracious to let us have our picture made with him!   This was definitely the highlight to a really great day! (You know I love Maddie more than life itself, but she was straight up having a bad hair day!  I promise I brushed it right before we walked in the store!)

Roasted or REALLY Roasted

I am missing the girls like crazy this week!  We are headed east this afternoon to bring them back for a long weekend,and I can't wait!!  I found these pictures on Reed's phone from their last visit!

This little one is so very precious!!  About 2 seconds after this picture was taken, her sister joined her, and they both tumbled to the floor-table and all!

Maddie loves roasting marshmallows!  Pop fixed her up with the perfect spot on one of our really cold days!

She said, "Here Nana, I know you like yours really brown!"  And yes, I ate the whole deliciously burned thing!  Also, please don't notice that my back patio is definitely not cleaned up for Spring and Summer.  Oops!

Fishing

Sunday afternoon, the temperature reached a balmy 62 degrees, and Reed thought it would be great to go fishing after church.  It was a simply gorgeous day, but the fish were not interested in showing their cute little selves.

Reed is the perfect fishing partner.  He baits my hook, spends lots of time getting me free from trees, limbs and stumps, and when I do catch a fish, he takes it off for me!  I might not be quite as good of a partner to him!

The fish weren't biting, so after a little over an hour I headed home, and Reed headed to hunt.  Even though we bombed out on the fish, the scenery can't be beat!  It was a beautiful day!

The slough in the picture at the top of the blog is one of my favorite spots.  I took the picture below as I was driving out, because there were tons of turtles out sunning on logs.  Sadly, I think they all jumped in the water when I stopped.  It is still a beautiful place even on a cool winter day!

I think the fish are safe for at least a couple of more months!  But, we'll be back!

Ole Chuck E.

If there is a better place than Chuck E Cheese for a 4 1/2 year old and a 19 month old, I can't imagine it!  I mean what beats endless games and cheap pizza?  Maddie and Lindsey actually discovered this particular one, and we thought it would be a great place to meet and swap when I took them home the other day.  We had taken Maddie to the one in Tuscaloosa a few times prior to the tornado, but now that she is a little older, she really had lots of fun!  I think we will have to do this more often now, especially since Uncle C doesn't live too far from there.

I am not a fan of iPhone photos, but I sure do seem to be taking a lot of them lately.  Sorry!

Maddie loved playing with her dad.  Actually, she loves her dad, period!!  I hear quite often, "My dad can do that" or "My dad can fix that."  :) Her dad can definitely play a mean arcade game!

This is one of her favorite games to play!

Josh had his hands full!

I was so glad that Lillian enjoyed herself.  She does not like loud noises and such, but she had a ball!

Getting a little help from Mom

She is watching Chuck E. Cheese as he came out below.  She was ok as long as he didn't get too close.

We are all settled back into school now, and I can't wait for our next visit!  When Caleb left after a brief visit Sunday, he told me that it was possible he wouldn't be back until April.  Oh my!  If that's the case, I predict lots of trips to Birmingham! We may become regulars at ole Chuck E. Cheese!!

Cousins, Lambs and Dune Buggies

Lindsey met us at Uncle C's during the big move, and the girls came home with us for a few days.  We had quite a busy but fun time with the girls.  They are growing up so fast.  Lillian is quite a cute little mess, and Maddie is the perfect big sister!

Aunt Di, Charley and Josey met Maddie and me for lunch and a movie.  Maddie loves the big girls, and they are fantastic with them.

The next day we journeyed to Aunt Sandra's.  She and Uncle Tony have lots of fun things for little ones to do.  Lillian and Paisley weren't too sure about each other!



They have four precious lambs that have to be bottle fed every few hours.  Maddie loved getting to help with that!  Lillian enjoyed it from a distance.

We may or may not have mentioned to her mom and dad that Maddie climbed to the top of the barn.......

 Pop and Maddie enjoyed a little spin on the new dune buggy Aunt Sandra and Uncle Tony got for the grandkids this Christmas!

We also spent some time at home doing some really fun things.  One of their favorites was clearing off the coffee table and jumping on a pile of pillows and clothes on the floor! (Sorry about the quality!)

We met their mom and dad at Chuck E Cheese. (More on that later.) We think that may become our new meeting place now that Uncle C lives close by there. 

The Big Move

Caleb has been working in Birmingham for a few months now, but he had been commuting back and forth to Tuscaloosa.  We helped move him in to his new apartment recently, and let me tell you, it was quite a change.  No offense to him or Drew, but we moved him out of a very typical college guys ratty apartment to a really swanky one in a super nice area.  Wow!  He really has grown up!  I will admit to shedding a few tears as we drove away, as the realization that the nest really is empty hit me!

Over the past nine years, we have moved Lindsey and Caleb something like 13 times combined!  Good grief!  The worse would have to be moving Lindsey in and out of a 3rd floor apartment.  This one was probably 2nd on the list.  Even though it is technically on the first floor, you have to climb several steps to get to his apartment.

A few months ago, Caleb told his dad that he would like for him to make him a new bed.  So, of course that is just what happened.  Caleb wanted something rustic, and it turned out beautiful.  I of course have also requested one for us-with just a few changes!

Things really progressed when Lindsey arrived with the real help!

I know a lot of places in Birmingham have big, nice pools, but how many have a stocked bass pond with ducks and geese?  He is still a country boy!  By the time we left, he was pretty much settled in with new furniture and new accessories, and ready to start a brand new adventure!

We are oh so proud of you!  But remember, the light is always on here!  Love you bunches and bunches!

Wrapping Up Christmas

I enjoyed the extended Christmas season this year.  Josh, Lindsey and the girls came back a couple of days after Christmas.  We enjoyed supper here one night, and then went to Papa's the next to visit with the family. 


Believe it or not, the two pictures below are the only ones I took the night we ate at our house.  I was busy cooking and doing "stuff".  In the bottom picture, Caleb is sporting Taylor's Christmas scarf.

It's always fun to get together with the cousins and aunts and uncles!

 

The tree is down and all the decorations have been put away, but the memories will last forever.  I love experiencing the holidays with our precious girls.  And next year, we will have a 6 month old to add to all the fun and excitement!