Five on Friday--Vacation Style!!

1.  In spite of the beaches being closed we had a really good time!  We thought about going to the mountains, but decided to come south even if we couldn't get in the ocean.  We had the best time riding bikes, watching boats, playing with light sabers, playing at The Track, grilling out, working out, eating out and just generally relaxing (which we don't do very often)!  

2.  The was a moment last week when I called my 100th condo that I wondered if we would pull this week off, but we did and it was worth EVERY phone call!

3.  Clayton ran and jumped in my arms Monday night.  He wrapped his arms around me and said, "This is the best vacation EVER!  Thanks mom!"  Did I mention every phone call was worth it?!?

4.  Jack told me Monday night on the way to dinner in his sweet little voice that "he really liked where we were living."  Have I said yet that it was all worth it?!?

5.  While we didn't get Andrew out in the heat too much we did take him out one afternoon.  He L.O.V.E.D. the water!  Loved it!!    Once again, every minute of planning and stress...paid off!!

Pit Stop

In our condo we had a magazine with an article about a dairy, Sweet Home Farm, in Elberta, Alabama that produces its own cheese.  We had to stop!  We got all kinds of goodies!  Can't wait to get home and try some of them! The boys are pictured here with the owners, Doug and Alice. 

Orange Beach-2010

We booked our vacation to the beach in February.  We have gone with the Mauldins for the past several years.  When the news broke about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico I never dreamed our vacation would be affected.  I was watching the news several weeks before we were to depart and saw the forecast.  I called Erica.  We called our condo. About five days before we headed out I saw Erica in Jackson.  She told me the oil was supposed to make land by Wednesday.  My heart sank.  After much deliberation we decided to stick with the beach, but maybe a different complex with different amenities.  We could not have been more pleased!  Our condo, Phoenix on the Bay, had a lazy river, a water slide, outdoor pools, indoor pools, hot tubs and a water slide.  It met our needs just perfectly!  If you have plans to go to the beach...GO!!  We highly recommend the place where we stayed. 

*Fred and I did ride our bikes to the beach one day.  It looked fine.  There were crews in haz-mat suits and tar balls.  Fred had his shoes off and stuck his feet in the water.  We didn't think anything about it, but when he went to put his shoes back on his feet were streaked with oil  So, if you are planning on going to the beach you may not want to plan on getting in the ocean.  Try to find a condo with other amenities and have a ball!!  We sure did...even without the ocean!! 

Five on Friday

1. While I was in Jackson earlier this week Fred called me to let me know a precious man at our church passed away. He died suddenly with a massive heart attack. Mr. Wallace taught our senior adult Sunday School class. He really cared for them. Our heart aches as we think about the loss of his life, but we take comfort in 1 Thessalonians 4:13: "And regarding the question, friends, that has come up about what happens to those already dead and buried, we don't want you in the dark any longer. First off, you must not carry on over them like people who have nothing to look forward to, as if the grave were the last word. Since Jesus died and broke loose from the grave, God will most certainly bring back to life those who died in Jesus." (Taken from The Message) Please join us as we pray for the family of Wallace Parrish

2. My check engine light has been on in my van for a good two months. It does not bother Fred, but it bothers me! I've had it in the shop and had several things done to it, but nothing has worked. I finally took it to the Mazda dealership Tuesday. It is Friday and they still have my van. They think they have found the problem. We are just waiting on the part. I drove back to Paris yesterday in a Saturn L3. Good times.

3. While Clayton and I were working in the garden we saw some squash. Clayton said, "Yes, they look nice, but I won't eat them and I'll probably be dramatic about it."

4. Jack is staying at Aunt Janice's house, otherwise known as Land of 1,000 Snacks. She has oatmeal cream cakes upstairs by the computer. This morning Jack spotted one. To my knowledge he has never had one. Janice said he quickly finished it and replied, "I ate ALL my cupcake!" Only at Aunt Janice's house to you get to eat "cupcakes" for breakfast!

5. Andrew cut another tooth this week. If anyone is counting, that is two teeth for Andrew! Two!! Where has the time gone?!?

McMinnville City Triathlon

After spending the night at my brother's house we headed to McMinnville, Tennessee for my first triathlon. The race consisted of a 200 meter swim, 11.5 mile bike ride and a 2 mile run. Here we are right before the race began. Some of our friends from Paris came to race as well: Ray and Rhonda Compton and Melody and her family. You can't tell from the picture, but I was REALLY nervous at this point!!

I am in the blue swim cap. I included this picture because moments later this big guy to my left swam on top of me. It was awesome.



The entire family after the race. The boys are pointing to their numbers because they are about to compete in their triathlon.
We had three families from Paris at the race. If you take the Paris Post Intelligencer with you and capture a picture they will print it in the paper. Stay tuned for that!
The boys are waiting for their race to begin.
Clayton is running as fast as he can. He totally has Fred's sense of competition.

Jack grinned the entire time he was racing. We was intense. We had to tell him the race was over before he stopped running. Too cute!
Once everything was over we got to swim at the city pool in McMinnville. There were three water slides and several water features. It was a great city pool. I highly recommend it!
I convinced Clayton to jump off the high dive. He was a little timid, but he did it. I was so proud of him! He got to do it twice and then we had to leave.
After the race they served peanut butter sandwiches, bananas, oranges and BBQ sandwiches. I was hungry, but I can't eat BBQ after a race. Other people were literally shoveling BBQ and slaw at 10:30 in the morning!! Whew...I just took a peanut butter sandwich, banana and some oranges. I later went back and they were all out of BBQ. When we finally left we were all hungry. On the recommendation of my brother we stopped at the most amazing restaurant! Fred and I split a Chicken Pesto Pizza and a Greek salad. If you are ever on I-24 around exit 111 you should stop at J & G Pizza. It is awesome!!

Five on Friday

1. Fred had the big boys by himself for a few days while I was gone. They did "boy stuff" as Jack told me. We still have a tent set up in our backyard as a result of this "boy stuff". I think they had lots of fun!

2. My triathlon is this weekend! I am so excited about it! My goal is to finish...FINISH! Right now I'm feeling pretty good about meeting my goal. I'm sure there will be a post on my race some time this weekend. Keep your fingers crossed!

3. Clayton and I (and Jack) played Chutes and Ladders this week. On his own he began adding all the numbers. For example he would be on space 15 and spin 6. Instead of counting out six spaces he would add 15 and 6 in his head and then move to the appropriate spot. He loved it and continued to add like this until he eventually won the game. Impressive!!

4. Jack is generally a happy fella. Lately when he gets excited about something (it doesn't take much) he does the cutest thing. He does a fist pump and says, "Yes!" in a whispery voice. It is just priceless!! For example this response is evoked when I tell him we are having toast for breakfast or that we are going to the grocery store together...simple things, but he gets so excited!

5. Andrew and I made it fine to Sioux Falls for my cousins graduation. He did not sleep well in the motel and by Saturday evening he was running a low grade fever. He did not feel good at all. In fact he cried most of the way home. When we walked through the door of our house he flashed the most precious grin when he saw his brothers. He was so glad to see them! FYI-he had/has an ear infection in both ears.

Trip to Sioux Falls for graduation

After we celebrated the end of school we all parted ways. Fred went back to Paris. He was heading to Nashville with a group from our church to help with flood clean up. The boys and I headed to Memphis. We all slept in Memphis Friday night. Saturday we spent the day in Memphis then Mimi and Tee met us at the Shackelford's house later that day. Renee drove Mimi, Tee, Andrew and me to the airport and we flew to South Dakota. The big boys stayed in Memphis until Sunday and then were returned to Paris. Whew! That was a lot of moving around!! On to our trip...below Andrew is pictured during his first plane ride.

Here is the entire crew ready for the graduation ceremonies!

Thanks to Lynn, Jim and Richard for being such wonderful hosts!