Happy Memorial Day!!!

     A Huge THANKS to Our Troops

Both Past and Present that Protect Us Everyday!!!

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

     We had a nice weekend this past weekend.  We had originally planned on going to the mountains and staying at my Great Aunt Sarah's place in Boone.  She has sold it and is closing on it August 1 and I really want to get that way again before then.  Anyway, Daniel ended up being scheduled to be on call at work so last week I had to call her and cancel.  Then of course on Friday he was told that he did not have to be on call, oh well.  There was no way to pack for 5 people and get to the mountains, so we decided to stay home and take a day trip somewhere on Sunday.  Edi had a B-day party to go to on Friday night and her friend Lindsay came home with us after the party and spent the night and Amelia spent the night with my niece Caroline.  Saturday Daniel took the girls to Edi's tennis lesson and the rest of the day was quite, we played outside, took a golf cart ride, ate a nice dinner, and topped it off with a game of Chutes and Ladders.  Our first thought for our Sunday trip was South of the Border; I've never been even though I've been by there hundreds of times.  When we went to Charleston last month Edi asked if we could go sometime.  Anyway, we then decided to go to the beach for the day.  So Sunday morning we loaded up and headed to our Family's house at Emerald Isle, where my mom, aunt, cousin, cousin's husband, and baby were.  We got there about 11am and stayed on the beach a good part of the day, then dinner out with my mom, and a visit to my Great Aunt Sarah at her beach house.  On the way down that morning after talking to my mom on the phone we decided to stay the night.  It was less rushed, but John Mac does not do well with bedtime away for home, so that was a chore, but it was OK.  It always takes him about 2-3 nights to get used to sleeping at the beach house or anywhere other than home and grandparents' houses.  On the way hom on Sunday we went to the Book Store and the local Pizza place for lunch before heading home.  It was a nice weekend of great memories and much needed family time!

Fun on the Beach!

Our Little Potty Trainer decided he needed to go on the Beach 

about 3 different times!  The family beside us was rolling!  On Sunday 

morning he pee peed on the deck about 6 times in less than 30 minutes

and loved pouring water from a cup over where he had peed. 

The Girls and Mommy Jane!

 John Mac's Silly Face!

Edi teaching Amelia to read on the way home!

He was asleep by the time we got over the bridge headed home, 

which was about 5 minutes after we left the pizza place!

Attack of the Birds........

......well maybe I should say Bird.  Earlier this week we noticed that the blue birds around our house were staying very close to the house.  We have 3 blue bird boxes in our backyard and they usually have several families in them a year.  Typically when we go outside they stand guard of their houses and families from afar.  But, the other day I was starting on dinner and I kept seeing a flicker or flash out of the corner of my eye. At first I thought it was the light above the sink flicking, but then I realized it was a blue bird flying up and down in front of the kitchen window.  I looked out through the window and the kitchen door and saw him perched in the gutter, I thought he had made a nest there.  Daniel checked it out and no nest.  While were eating dinner that night we noticed other blue birds around the deck and yard, it looked as though they were watching and helping  their young.  We did see one baby that was about the same size as his parents, but he still had a few fluffy feathers.  There were also some sparrows and doves that seemed to be helping out as well.  During dinner one of the blue birds perched on the handle of our storm door and watched us eat.   Everyday it seems they find a different window or perch to peer in.  Today I was coming down the hall to get on the computer and I heard knocking, but weird sounding.  When I came into the room a blue bird was flying around the window and kept bumping his head into it and then he would perch on the window.  He would fly off for a few seconds and then come right back, he did this the entire time I was at the computer which was about 15 minutes.  I beginning to think that the one in the window all the time is one and the same!

Kitchen Window

 Laundry Room Window

Pergola

Deck

Garage Door into Backyard

Playroom/Office

......well maybe I should say Bird.  Earlier this week we noticed that the blue birds around our house were staying very close to the house.  We have 3 blue bird boxes in our backyard and they usually have several families in them a year.  Typically when we go outside they stand guard of their houses and families from afar.  But, the other day I was starting on dinner and I kept seeing a flicker or flash out of the corner of my eye. At first I thought it was the light above the sink flicking, but then I realized it was a blue bird flying up and down in front of the kitchen window.  I looked out through the window and the kitchen door and saw him perched in the gutter, I thought he had made a nest there.  Daniel checked it out and no nest.  While were eating dinner that night we noticed other blue birds around the deck and yard, it looked as though they were watching and helping  their young.  We did see one baby that was about the same size as his parents, but he still had a few fluffy feathers.  There were also some sparrows and doves that seemed to be helping out as well.  During dinner one of the blue birds perched on the handle of our storm door and watched us eat.   Everyday it seems they find a different window or perch to peer in.  Today I was coming down the hall to get on the computer and I heard knocking, but weird sounding.  When I came into the room a blue bird was flying around the window and kept bumping his head into it and then he would perch on the window.  He would fly off for a few seconds and then come right back, he did this the entire time I was at the computer which was about 15 minutes.  I beginning to think that the one in the window all the time is one and the same!

HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY TO OUR SWEET AMELIA!!!

     Yesterday was Amelia's 5th birthday and she couldn't have been happier, she has been waiting for it since the first of May because we had her party so early in the month.  We woke up and got ready for school and before we could get out of the house my dad and Daniel had called to sing her "Happy Birthday", she just loves to get a phone call and mail, which she has gotten several cards over the last couple of days.  We got to school and during snack time I took some party snacks for all the kids for her little party at school and of course I forgot my camera.  Oh well!  On the way home we stopped to pick up John Mac from my mom's and she gave her a bag full of dress-up stuff and she let her pick out a beautiful piece of her Blue Hobnail glass, she was so excited.  It's now on display in my living room(me like)!  Before we left my mom told her Happy Birthday again and Amelia said, "You haven't sung to me yet," so my mom sang "Happy Birthday" to her.  After lunch Amber called to wish her a Happy Birthday and she told her that she had to sing too.  It was Hilarious!  So Amber sung to her too.  After nap time quiet playtime in her room dressing up, Daniel got home and Edi got off the bus and we let her open the presents we had gotten for her.  She loved them all!  Daniel's parents stopped by to give her a small gift that they had saved for her actual birthday.  Granddaddy had gotten a pretty tea cup at an antique show and she loves it, it even went to school today.  We then went to her restaurant of choice for dinner, Chili's.  Everyone was very well behaved, ate well, and the staff sang to her too.  Of course we all enjoyed the brownie sundae they gave her.  When we got home, my dad stopped by with a little gift and then my neice called to sing "Happy Birthday" too.  And the day was of course not complete without getting to stay up way past our bedtime to watch the Finale of American Idol!!!

HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY AMELIA

WE LOVE YOU MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY, YOU ARE A TRUE JOY!!! 

Opening Presents in her new dress-up dress!

Tea Cup Surprise!

Dinner at Chili's