Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Old Friends & New Fun!

 
 Last week, we went to Greensboro to visit my cousin Krista and her family.  Anna, Gracie, and Will went with us to join the fun.
 
Claire & Emma
 Rub a dub dub, three girls in a tub
Claire, Gracie, & Emma
 
 
Anna & Will
 
Claire & Emma
 
A way too crowded, possibly breaking the law car situation
One day we went to Wet & Wild Waterpark.  We had SO much fun playing in the pools and all of the slides.  I don't have a lot of pictures because I was busy going down every slide with all of the kids who had unwilling mamas (whose names I shall not mention).
 
This, however, I did not ride:

On a different day, we went to a park to play. 

 



 
It was all fun and games until somebody got hurt. 
 
We ended up here:
Anna and I entertained five kids in a doctor's office waiting room with only hot chocolate.
 
Here were our magazine choices:
Poor Hunter broke his arm! 
 
I talked with Brian and Max at home every night.  Everybody Skypes with their dog, right?
 
Totally normal.
Here we are the day we left to come home.  We finally rounded up the kids in one spot for a picture!
Me, Krista, & Anna
Gracie, Emma, Hunter, Claire, Will, & Parker

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Service & Fun!

We had a wonderful day! It started by volunteering at the Adult Day Center.  We played games and visited with the sweet friends there.




Then some of our children's group at church had a mighty fine lunch at Pizza Hut.
An afternoon of bowling followed lunch.
Fun for all!

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Softball!

Yesterday was the church softball league championship game.  However, we had a little work to do first!
 
 Here is part of our cheering section.


 The main reason my kids like to go to the games is for the snacks. 
Believe it or not, she actually did brush her hair before we went.
Sadly, we lost when the game ended abruptly due to a seriously bad call from a referee who was clearly ready to go home.  Oh well!

Monday, June 17, 2013

A Fun Father's Day Week

We had such a busy, fun week.  On Tuesday, we went to Cracker Barrel with family and to visit the graveyard on the third anniversary of Daddy's death.
 

 




 We spent some time doing our regular stuff like learning our weekly verse.
 There was a grilled chicken pizza made in this house.  Very delicious!
 We helped paint at church.
 I spent the other days getting ready for a garage sale.  Then Saturday was the big day.  I'm so glad we did it, but it just about did me in.  Saturday night, we went out to eat to celebrate Father's Day with Brian. 
 
(You may remember how Applebee's is dead to me, but I have to admit it was really good.  So I am cautiously considering a change of heart.)
 We also went to Books A Million.
 
(Wonder how many other kids have had those same hats on their heads? On second thought, let's not think about that.)
 Brian loved his Father's Day gifts.
 I made everybody take pictures at various times throughout the day.  Yeah...they love me for that.

 We had lunch and swam at the country club.
 
 Then last night, I went to a family viewing party for Miss USA.  We were crazy serious about it, too.  There were brackets filled out along the way, and Karen was declared the winner with 31 points. 
 
Fun times!

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Three Years

 
  Three years sure feels like a long time when you miss somebody so badly.  In some ways it feels like it was just yesterday.  On the other hand, ages have passed since I those huge, freckled hands. 
 Even when he was too tired and weak to talk very much, he knew just how to tell me that he loved me with simple raised eyebrows.  He knew it.  And I knew it.
I would know his distinctive whistle anywhere.  Nobody else can do it just like he did.  I could be standing right beside him or a mile away and know that simple sound as only his.
Until I left home, he never missed a night "tucking me in".  How silly it must sound to imagine him coming down those stairs every night to kiss a grown woman goodnight.  It's not a bit silly to me.  Precious memories.
 And how he loved my babies, too.
Those blue eyes had a little extra sparkle when they walked in.
The best father a girl could ever ask for
 or even imagine. What a blessing to me!
That's my Daddy.