Burn, Baby, Burn!

The Fourth of July weekend. What does that mean to you?

To us it means celebrating the nation’s birth with family, friends, food, and fireworks!

The girls were psyched for a party day. So, envisioning a late night, mommy tried to invoke a nap time courtesy of Benadryl. It failed.



My parents opted to brave the craziness and join us from Virginia for the festivities. Brave souls.





Dinner was grilled even with the interruptions from Grandpa….



firework loot was examined,



and food consumed.

Burnmaster Brian



was ready and waiting when we witnessed fire outside…

What?

Alex and our neighbor started the redneck firework version and burned steel wool on a coat hanger.

Yep. Seriously.

After the fast redneck show, we headed to pre-selected neighborhood spot to shoot our illegal, out of state, Alabama fireworks.

But our spot was not spray painted with our name in case the cops showed up.

We were not there. We were not there. Got it?

Abby’s job, assigned by the big kids, was to watch for the cops. Abby as a lookout? Lovely. She can’t even see dust on the ground before the trips over it.

Anna Grace was pretty freaked by the concept of the police showing up. She was worried about being arrested and tossed in the joint. At one point a car approached us….and she yelled, “Is that the cops??”

Poor kid. We’ve scarred her for life.

Regardless of the fear of the po-po, we pressed forward with our fireworks display.

Teens were taught the skill of how to light roman candles and other fun, dangerous things.




The small group



grew to over 50 neighbors before the show ended.

Illegal fireworks are amazing.

Of course, if we didn’t live in Georgia, they wouldn’t be illegal, but I digress.

The Fourth of July wouldn’t be the same without food, friends, family, fireworks, and fun drinks.

And, the time to remember how our country began.

Life is a Beach

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Mommy needed a break from the insanity. Katie needed a diversion from the “no boyfriend in town” syndrome. So, Katie and I headed south for a few days at the beach.

Unless you see my girls on a daily basis.

If that is the case, Katie and I headed south to see my aunt.

Which we did do. For an hour or so for lunch one day. Shh…

We arrived, checked in and saw this



Yes, just a few steps from the beach (or, that “B” word).

Our days were spent on the beach with my reading



and Katie reading this



with my sunscreen



versus Katie’s.



Dinners were spent at



or MacCools Irish pub



which had country mixed with Irish….how wrong is that??

The water was cool and refreshing



even at night





and with the gross seagull feast.



But a great trip with my oldest.



Do you think Alex will go with me next year??

I hope so.

-------------------------

this post is dedicated to my non-Facebook friends! Photos posted earlier on FB but just didn't take time to do a post!!!

A Banner Day

The day dawned bright and clear….the typical summer day here in the south. What to do, what to do?

Usually, our routine is eat, pool, home, eat, read/play, eat, read/tv, and bed. I love summer!

But today was slightly different. Today, I got to register my last child for kindergarten!

I know some of you are just sending your first one off to school and are teary-eyed about it. I was too….fourteen years ago when the oldest started kindergarten.

But this time??

If you listen closely, you can probably hear the cheering all the way from your house. Seriously.

And, now I will have both girls in the same school in the fall! One stop shopping.



After my quick registration, since I was so well organized (ha----so organized that I couldn’t locate Abby’s SS card and had to order another one), I had time to do lovely fun grocery shopping and hit the library.

You see, summer is here so I can read a book every other day or so. And since I’m heading to the beach with Katie on Saturday, I needed lots of words to read!



My kids think I’m crazy…..but I don’t care.

Now, if we don't hit the pool in the morning, we don't go at all because it is too hot. Yes, too hot to swim. So.....we had lunch and then a bribe.

“If you clean the playroom very fast, I will give you a surprise.”

Whoo hoo!

Fast cleaning, although a bit odd….not sure why there is so much nudity in the Barbie house.



And we were off for



and



so the girls could spend their Christmas money.

Yes, I know it is June, thank you very much.

Home to play with the new Polly Pocket toys while mom got to read.

Dinner of homemade pizza



rounded out our day.

A banner day for sure.

If you don’t count the teen drama.

The Signs are Here

So the other day, I went in for my annual eye exam already anticipating the outcome. I walked in telling the doctor. I knew what was going to happen.

Yep.

I could benefit from reading glasses.

Can you hear my husband chuckling in the background? If so, you have my permission to slap him. At least I admitted upfront that I needed reading glasses. He’s been in denial for two years.

During dinner tonight, we were chatting about the (gulp) glasses thing and where best to find them.

Turns out, the best selection is at the pharmacy.

Who knew?

And, at the pharmacy, you can also participate in other fun activities that remind you of your age.

Things such as checking your blood pressure. Whoo hoo!

Or, how about this one? Checking out the Dr. Scholl’s cool thingy that tells you how bad your feet are and which insoles to buy.

Not to mention all the shelves full of pain meds, vitamins, and bone and joint pills.

There are lots more, I’m sure. I just stopped looking.

After all, I am only 43.

I may need reading glasses and insoles but I’m not old.

Right?

Just nod your head and agree with me.

Babies....

Oh aren’t they so sweet? Those soft, cuddly little creatures that everyone loves to snuggle. They smell so yummy and make you squeeze them tightly.

Yet are the same little people who cry all night and make us crazy.

I know what you are wondering……

Is there a baby in our future?

Absolutely NOT!

But the questions have started….

You know the ones I mean.

How does a baby get in your tummy?

How does it come out?

And fun things like that.

But I love how the question was phrased to me tonight….

Mommy, how does a baby get in your tummy that is born in a State (instead of China)?

You see, the savvy six year old knows that her sister was born in Georgia and her brother in Pennsylvania, yet she and her sister were born in China.

She knows she was not in my tummy. But Alex and Katie???

How does that happen??

So I told her the biological truth.

Which greatly disturbed the other members of the family.

Oh well.