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.  

Making Memories

We were blessed to be able to spend Memorial Day with our children and grandchildren. We don't take these gatherings for granted. Somehow, the only pictures of Caleb and Lindsey I have were in their bathing suits, and if my memory serves me correctly, my life was threatened if I used them!  Trust me, they were here! Crawfish one day, barbeque the next, lots of swimming, fishing, a birthday party, and just hanging out provided lots of fun.  I treasure these times, and I am truly thankful for those that made it possible.

I promise you, there is not an easier person to celebrate than this angel! I just can't believe that she is 10!  (More pictures are on my previous blog.)

                                   

There is no fun quite like cousin fun!

   

They said they were quite yummy.  Shrimp for me! Jack approved!

So much fun!  Checkers, walks, swimming, kickball and more!

This bubble blower from LuLu and Uncle Josh provided this little one with more fun than should be allowed.  He loved it!!  Every area of the backyard got treated to bubbles.

These guys wrapped up the visit with a fun fishing trip.  Lillian said they were practically jumping in the boat!!

What a great weekend!

Birthdays, Soccer and Awards Programs

Although the family is in the middle of having lots of Memorial Day fun, I thought I would catch up on recent events. Birthdays, soccer tournament, Awards Programs and more! We are settling into the summer routine quite nicely. 

Here's the scoop-Jack is TWO!!  He has the most precious personality, and is quite the little character.  He has no fear of anything and keeps us on our toes!  What could be more fun than having an ice cream truck visit your party?! He is the sweetest 2 year old ever!!

Pop was able to attend Reed and Lillian's program, and I went back for Maddie's. All three had all A's for the year, among top averages in a variety of subjects. Well-rounded and smart!  Who could ask for more?

 How could this angel possibly be 10! She is so incredibly easy to celebrate.  She was just excited over a basket of Dollar Tree gifts as she was her main gift.  She will celebrate with some friends later this week, but we had a little family celebration this weekend.

I am truly sad to see this little soccer champs season come to an end! I can't wait for the fall season. There are no words for how much he loves this sport! We are very proud of him and his dad!  

Next up, Memorial weekend fun!

Fun Times!

We are enjoying another fun filled week, and it's not over yet.  Jack has his birthday party this morning, and then we will head to Anniston for Reed's All Star soccer tournament.  I know that we are truly blessed to be able to do these things!  People in town ask me all the time where I have been because they rarely see me now.  I just say on the road with grandbabies!  

Caleb and Taylor were out of town for a few days, so we got to have lots of adventures with the little ones.  JS requested a fishing trip, and of course Pop made that happen.  They caught several fish and had lots of fun!

Is there anything more fun than Chuck E. Cheese?

Catching frogs, playing and watching the neighbors work on the backhoe were just a few of our highlights.

Oh what fun they had swimming!  John Sawyer is a little fish, and Jack has absolutely no fear of the water!!  I am looking forward with lots more of these adventures this summer! We can't wait for the big kids to join us!

Clothes are optional on the zip line!! 

We have traveled to Lineville twice recently to watch this one play.  I would travel to California if needed.  I love watching her play!  She reminds me so much of her mom at this age!

I also enjoyed a trip to the McWane Center with her school's gifted children!! I have been many times, but this trip was the most fun yet!

My next blog will be on their recent Award's Program. (It deserves its own post.) Pop and Reed enjoyed a trip to Taco Bell after his program.

This girl continues to shine.  She also continues to get taller and taller!!  She's got me beat by about 3 inches already.

Spring flowers are on the downhill slide now, but they have been beautiful!  Everyday something new is blooming. We are thoroughly enjoying it!

This is our latest yard project.  These bricks came from the old Prisoner of War Camp here.  There was a much longer walkway here before the pool.  We are going to continue this on the other side soon. Sorry about those wet footprints down the middle! The monkey grass was transplanted from the side of the house.  I'm pretty sure these plants are ready for me to leave them where they are!! Sod is coming in about 7 days.

Next up, Award's Programs and Jack's birthday.  Now, we are off to our next adventure.