We're back! Life will get back to "normal"....right?

So, we finally got back home last night. Our plane landed in B'ham safely and we began the trip home. We had a FABULOUS time! We had such great FAMILY time! We tried not to worry about work, internet, phones, bills, whatever....and just tried to have fun and relax! We had a few obstacles....but what family vacation wouldn't have obstacles?

We are tired, but in a good way! Today, I have several things I could be doing....but I decided that since I have only two days left with the girls for Fall Break....who cares! We need to spend time together! I want to spend time with them....after reading my good friend Telah's blog this morning.....I had a few tears and re-focused a little.

Here are a few pictures for your viewing pleasure. Of course, there is much more to share a little later. Enjoy!

On the airplane....and the kids are just excited to be on the airplane for the first time. They keep asking....how are we going to get to school this morning? This is at about 6:45am....notice it is still dark outside.

The girls just opened their gifts and found out we are going to Disney World. More of that story later...

Had these shirts made for them to wear on the trip down to Disney.

Finally! We have arrived!

More later!

Are you ready for some football?

First, let me say....WOW!  Sorry it has been so long since I posted!  Time just flies by around here these days!

I know this is a few days late and that I actually should have posted this last Saturday...but better late than never.  College football season is here and I can't tell you how happy that makes our family!  Shane's countdown to the first Alabama football game of the 2008-09 season began back February....I think  :) 

I will admit that growing up I was never a sports nut...did not care too much for any sport...however, Shane has converted me to a Crimson Tide fan.  There are a few other teams that I root for....like Marshall University and I love me some Indiana Hoosiers basketball! 

So for the Labor Day weekend we were in Huntington, WV...which is normally where we travel on the Labor Day weekend each year for a little family get together....my aunt has season tickets to the Marshall football games....and everyone was going....so we decided to give it a try this time.  Normally, Shane goes with my aunt and all the family and I stay behind with the kiddos.  We decided that this year all of the kids were old enough and could handle it...so we were going to give it a try. 

Daddy's little man!

The girls with their cousin Koral.

This was the first college football game that my kiddos have attended and despite the heat and all the walking....they did GREAT!

I love this boy!!!

Kennedy did not get in the above picture because she was too busy crying because she could not stand by Koral.  So I got a picture of just the two of them...and that seemed to make her happy! 

We had a BLAST!  Especially Parker....who has now learned how to say TOUCHDOWN and  FOOTBALL! 

Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures to share from the BAMA games yet.  We are hoping to get to travel to Tuscaloosa for a couple this season and you can bet if we do I will have lots of pictures to share with you.  However,  if you are a CRIMSON TIDE FAN...you will want to  visit Cheryl's Blog .... which is all about ALABAMA FOOTBALL!

And you call this summer vacation?

Edited:  Of course I made a typo....so I found out that I missed a key word in my description of our trip...see below in red to find out the missing link.  Thanks Gram for pointing it out to me....it makes much more sense now when you read it!  :)

Some people call this time of year summer vacation...however, I prefer summer CHAOS!

Don't get me wrong...I am being somewhat sarcastic because we have been so busy without a minute to stop and enjoy summer vacation....but I still love the summertime and all that goes with it!

I am back and will be back to blogging after this evenings events.

For those of you wondering where I have been...

We spent last week in Indiana with family and were there for my brother's wedding.  And yes, we were there amongst all the rain and severe flooding...we were without power for 36 hours at one point.  Humorous at times and very nerve wracking at times....like when your brother is getting married and you have no electricity to get ten people ready for pictures!!!!

If you haven't heard about the severe flooding and disasters in the Midwest....go to this link and take a look at the pictures of the flooding.  There are hundreds of pictures that show southern Indiana and the devastation there.  We are very lucky that it was just the power and re-routing that we had to do for the week we were there.  Many others have had total loss and are really struggling right now.  I will share more stories and pictures of what we saw later on.

We got home very late Sunday night and have had Vacation Bible School every night this week.  I don't think we have been home before 10:30 any night this week. 

So, I said all this to say....

I have tons of awesome pictures and stories to share about the wedding and some other events that are happening with our family!  Stay tuned!

Here is just a preview of what is to come:

 

 

Y'all have a great Thursday and be sure to check back for Thursday Thirteen....of course it may be 11:59 before I type that post!!!  :)

Family is so important...

We went to Memphis this past Saturday to meet up with my grandparents, Pap and Gram.   Mallory and Kennedy could hardly wait to get there and see them and they hated to leave!  They always hate to leave them and it makes me so sad when we have to leave!  I am so glad that they love being with them and that they are having the same opportunity that I had growing up...of getting to know these wonderful people and getting to spend time with them while they are young.  Even though they don't know it now...someday they will realize how blessed they truly are to know their "Pap and Gram" and to have got to make some wonderful memories with them to carry all throughout their lives!

Pap and Gram were driving down to Memphis from Indiana to attend the Spiritual Sword Lectureships at Getwell.  So we decided to drive over and meet up with them since it is only a short drive for us over to Memphis.  We got there on Saturday afternoon and spent the night and then went to church with them on Sunday. Saturday night we all went to Olive Garden and ate supper!  Yummy!  I love that place, but we hardly ever go unless we are with Pap and Gram because nobody in my little crew really cares for it but me. 

Of course, it would not be right if the kids didn't get a surprise when we arrived.....I guess.  Or at least that is what the "grandparents" must think....because they are always getting them something.  I knew ahead of time that they were getting something for them since I had already been asked if they liked this...or do you think they will like that???  LOL  The answer is YES!  Anything you give my kids they will like....they just like surprises!  Mallory got her first dose of American Girl stuff...and I have a strong feeling that this won't be the last of it either.  She is in love with American Girl now!!!  Of course, the one she got was Molly....which is her nickname that my grandparents call her and she just giggles every time she tells someone about that!

Kennedy has been begging for a Doodle something...it didn't matter what...just something.  Mallory had a Doodle pet and doll and Kennedy has been whining for one too...so I dropped that bug.  Well...low and behold...what do you think showed up in Memphis???   That is right!  A Doodle Bear....and I think it was the deluxe edition...whatever that means! :)  She loves it and is loving the fact that now she has one too!  How cool is that? 

And of course it wouldn't be complete if Parker didn't get something .... right?  WRONG!  He is five months old!  He doesn't know the difference!  LOL!  But anyhow....they did!  So he came home with a toy too and I had to find a place to put it....but I will have to admit that he has been entertained by it when I show it to him and seems to like the little rings that are on it!  :)

As you can tell, we all had a great time and the kids were so loving seeing Pap and Gram! What is so funny is that we are leaving tomorrow to meet them back up in Indiana and stay several days with them.  My parents flew into Indianapolis last night from Houston, Texas and so we are driving the 6 hours to my grandparents house to visit instead of the 14 hours to Houston to visit!  This will be the first time that my parents have gotten to see Parker and they haven't seen the girls since last October...so it will be a great trip and so good to get to see them again!

I said all this to say that family truly is so important.  I hope that I am instilling this in my children and teaching them to connect and stay close to their roots!  I am so glad that they are having the opportunity to grow up knowing their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.  I always loved visiting and being around extended family when I was growing up.  It was always something I looked forward to and enjoyed and I want them to feel the same!  Can't wait till this weekend!