Happy 4th Birthday Jack!

Today was Jack's fourth birthday!! Fourth!!!! I cannot believe it! He has looked like a four year old for the last thirteen months, but now he is finally four! No longer will he eat from the children's menu for free...sniff, sniff!! I asked him what he wanted to do for breakfast and he picked the donut shop around the corner from our house. Since today was Wednesday we met up with Jerry and Patsy for lunch. We took a cookie cake with us to celebrate. Later that afternoon he said he wanted to go see a movie. Once we got back we had his favorite dinner--tacos! I feel certain we will continue to celebrate through Saturday when he has his party. Happy Birthday precious Jack!

The O'Neals last Sunday

Before we left for vacation we had to say good-by to the O'Neals. Jeremy and Lauren were at Springhill when we came six years ago. To say our kiddos are close would be an understatement. Jeremy and Lauren decided to move to Texas for him to go to school. When they first told us there were lots of tears from our boys. Jack even said Katelyn was not leaving. He suggested that she could stay in our guest room. I assured him that she would have to leave with her family. It's hard to imagine life at Springhill without them. They are part of our family! We know God has called them to go and we are excited to see all he is going to do through them!

Pit Stop, Part II

We are on our way home, but made a quick pit stop in Fairhope, Alabama to eat at Panini Pete's. We saw Panini Pete's on the Food Network on Diner's, Drive-Ins and Dives. It was "off the hook" as Guy would say!! Well worth the stop! Fred says he's turning into his dad by stopping at off the beaten path places. When I start looking for Christmas ornaments we are in trouble!! ;-)

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?!?