Recent Happenings

1.  On Thursday afternoon my childhood friend Kristen brought over her son Cullen to play. 

Too cute.  He is 3 months younger than Charlie but every bit as big! 

2.  Enjoying a "Welcome home from work, Dad" smoothie. 

3.  Friday night my parents watched Charlie so Pat and I could go on a double date with Tom and Shelley.  We ate Mexican food, had margaritas, and then went to Warner Park's Full Moon Picking Party. 

If you brought a bluegrass instrument, admission was only $5.  And that included 4 beers (not that I like beer, but a good deal, which I do like.  ha!) Thanks to Tom's guitar collection, we all got in for the cheap price.

The main stage music was pretty good, but we were a little far away to hear it well.  So my favorite part was walking around and seeing these small groups of musicians just pick up and play together.  And I loved running into my cousins Jan and Juan there! 

4.  Charlie has had fun playing with his little bus/van thing lately. (baby gift from Whitney, thanks!)

He also discovered he could use it as a roller skate...oh boy... 

5.  And I'm feeling pretty accomplished for having mowed the lawn yesterday for the first time in my life.  Pat mowed the lawn as a teenager so he showed me the ropes - piece of cake.  I'll be glad to stop paying someone else to do it.  My sweet little Toro Self Propelled 22" High Wheel mower was an early birthday gift from my In Laws.  :) 

And Charlie watched me do the front yard from Pat's lap (we were all done for these pictures, mower was off - don't worry, wouldn't let Charlie get that close!)  My face is very red since our yard is a full acre!  But for now I think it's pretty fun...ask me again in a month or two though, ha.

Memorial Day 2012

My Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Bill hosted a party out at their farm in Kingston Springs on Monday.  I had just gotten back in town from Atlanta, and it was a hot day, so we didn't arrive at their party until around 4pm.  It was straight to the swimming pool for Charlie (no pictures of that, but there were about 10 kids having the time of their life) and then it was time for a hay ride!

Dad and Charlie taking it all in.  :) 

They have a big piece of property right on the South Harpeth River (I believe) and it is beautiful. 

They've got a couple horses, and several chickens and also cows. 

In honor of Memorial Day, we all met around their flag pole for a song, and we even all recited the Pledge of Allegiance. 

I don't know how many cows they have, but their cows are really neat and look like Oreos.  They are called Belted Galloways, or Belties I think. 

Oh my goodness, Charlie was obsessed with the Power Wheel. 

He got strapped in and just wanted to keep riding it. 

My little cousin Mac was happy to be his driver.  :o) 

The other big hit of the party was the watermelon.  Eating it was ok, but sticking his fingers in the soft fruit was really fun. 

I think most everyone had already eaten watermelon by this point, and he was having too much fun, too hard to stop him. 

Me and my cousin Jenni before I headed home.

I was one tired cookie from the wedding the night before, the drive home, and the heat of the day, but it sure was a lovely party with awesome cookout food and great family.   

Florida Family Time

As I had mentioned before, we went to Florida's pan handle the other week.  The main purpose of our trip was to attend a party in honor of my Uncle Lawson, who passed away in February.  My Aunt Ann hosted it at her house in Ft. Walton.  The night before the party we met at Nicks seafood restaurant for a mini family reunion.

Dad, Aunt Patty, Charlie

My cousins Susan and Peter Jr.

CRABS!
My cousins Randolph and Caroline, Peter and Susan again.

Peter III and E

And here is the party Saturday, May 19th
My cousin Cameryn, Uncle Lawson's granddaughter.

Cousins Christine and Andy

Susan, Mom and Dad

Caroline and Christine

My cousins Tennyson, and Peter and his girlfriend Natalie.

Peter, Russell, Emily, E, Mark, Pat

My cousin Allison (Lawson's daughter), E, Aunt Ann, and me

Me and Zack, Lawson's grandson

My Aunt Ann showed me a lot of old pictures from when they were younger (they were married about 50 years) and also pictures from when we were kids.  We will all miss my Uncle Lawson.  Even though I didn't get to see him too often, I sure loved him a lot.  People travelled near and far to be there - friends from Dunwoody, GA, Dothan, AL and other places too (and family as far away as CA and CO).