The Beach

We just got back from a little beach trip that we took with Cindy (Aunt Cin) and my Mom. We went down to Orange Beach and rented a great condo right on the water. It was such a fun time! The kids had a blast playing in the waves and at the pool. I was really wondering how the beach would look after last years hurricane season, but it was just perfect! I've been to the Gulf Shores area many times over the years, but I've never seen the sand so white or the water so clear. It literally looked like the beach was all new or had been "vacuumed" somehow... It was really beautiful. Because we went early in the season (great benefit to homeschooling!), it was cool enough to sleep with the sliding doors open at night... Nothing beats the sound of the waves to wake up to!

Oh What A Fish! (I'm back...I think)

I know, I know! I've been away for awhile, but if anything could get me back to blogging, it would be Sissy catching this HUGE fish in our pond!! I picked up a box of worms for her and Drake this afternoon and then came home and settled in for a nap with Molly. About an hour later I hear what sounds like a heard of elephants running through the house! She had caught this big catfish and she and Drake had carried it home in a five-gallon bucket full of water. Of course they were both soaked because they had to drag it sloshing all the way! While I was taking the pictures (18 of them!), Laurel was saying, through her smile, "Mom, it's making weird noises....it sounds like it's going to throw up.....oh..ok I think it's dead now..." She is such a tomboy! I was so worried that it was going to fin her, but she loved holding that nasty thing! It didn't die and is now happily swimming in the pond again. Maybe I'll be posting pictures of Drake with it next!

Upward Basketball

I know! I'm trying to catch up on my blogging all in one night! I just had to say something about Upward Basketball... Drake played last year...He had tons of fun, but never really seemed to get into it much. Well, he had his first game of the year this past Saturday and boy was there an improvement!! He had so much fun and he really seemed to understand the game better. He even won the "Most Christlike" Award!! We were so proud!
Laurel is playing too this year for the first time. She's never played basketball before...ever! Saturday was her first game too and she was AWESOME!! Donnie and I were amazed! She really hustled! Of course, she was the shortest girl on both teams but she didn't seem intimidated at all... She looked like a little bumble bee running around out there. hehe She won the "Best Defense" Award! We were so proud of her too!
Upward is a great program and I'm so thankful for First West for sponsoring it every year. We love it!

Daddy's Home!!!

I've realized something about myself this past week... I know it's not very PC, but I could never make it as a single person! I need my husband!! Being raised with a very manly Daddy and two older brothers has made me completely dependent!
Donnie was gone from Monday through Friday of this week and I almost fell completely apart...Really! I don't know how to do anything that is, in any way, a "man's job". The pilot light went out on our furnace and I had NO idea how to light it! Luckily we only had one cold night and we were all in my king size bed anyway. I guess we would've just froze to death surrounded by bags of trash that didn't get taken out for four days! (I don't do that either!)
Anyway...I'm so glad he's home! He goes on this trip only once a year. (archery trade show for work) I'm thinking that next year we'll just have to ALL go! :)

We Almost Lost Our Cowboy!!

Saturday morning, before we left for the basketball games, I let Cowboy Foster (my beautiful blue-point siamese) in for his breakfast... When we left, I let him back out on the porch. This is what we do every day...he sleeps outside, but spends almost all day laying around the house. :) When we got home, he didn't come running up as usual and, even after I called him all day and again late last night, he never showed up! When he didn't come up for breakfast this morning, I got really worried. After church, I started calling for him as soon as we drove up. As I was walking up on the porch I heard him crying!! It was very faint, but I did hear him! Laurel and I looked all over for him and I finally found him--IN AN ICE CHEST!! My poor kitty!! Donnie had washed out an ice chest and set it on it's side to drain. I don't know how Cowboy managed to get inside it with the top closed but he was definately happy to get out! :) I've been loving on him all day!
This is the same cat that, as a kitten, rode on the spare tire under my van all the way to town once! He jumped out at a gas station and we saw him... I wonder how many lives he has left??!!

Thinkin' about goats...

I've been reading alot of new blogs lately by "homesteaders". The folks who created homeschoolblogger have now come up with homesteadblogger! I'm completely amazed with these people who grow their own food! I think Mom was a Homesteader before there was a name for it! We always had a garden and lots of animals...the only difference is that we went to school 45 minutes away. (It's ok Mom, we forgive you!:))
Now I'm thinking that we need to buy a couple of goats when we move! We'll have a huge wooded area with tons of underbrush for them to eat. (that's the excuse I'm using with Donnie) I think it's a great idea!

Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas this year! We always have fun, but this year was even better because Donnie got to go home with us! It's always a huge letdown Christmas morning when we have to drive off without him, so we were so excited that he didn't have to work Monday and could join us.
Mom and Dad went way overboard with the food as usual and we all ate too much. The kids had a ball playing with their cousins. Todd had brought Jacob's go-cart and they rode all day. Drake got a new BB gun and he's already showing signs of his Daddy's shooting skills. Mom said he couldn't shoot birds IN her yard...."But can I shoot a bird if it's flying TOWARDS your yard, MawMaw?" :)

O Holy Night!

There has never been a better Christmas song than O Holy Night! The kids know that if it comes on the radio in the van, Mom's cranking it up! I'm a little sad that I won't be able to sing it with the Choir at WFR Christmas morning because we'll be on the road headed to Mom's. I did go in and listen to them rehearse last night and it sounded wonderful. What a worshipful song! Here's a link to Josh Grobin's version and I think this might be my favorite yet!
http://www.cojoweb.com/josh-groban.html

Fit Pitchin'!

My little Molly Kathryn threw the biggest tantrum I've ever seen today!! She wanted me to hold her, but I was busy making the syrup for the caramel corn....(really I was eating bon-bons and couldn't be bothered!:)) I've always heard of toddlers screaming like this, but I've never seen one of my OWN do it! Wow! What happened to my little angel?? It must be the Foster in her....we Jolibois don't act like that! :)

Up To My Ears!!

I'm drowning in caramel corn here today! Every year I make a few batches to give to friends...and a few batches for us. Well, for some reason, this year people keep asking me if I will SELL my caramel corn?!! YIKES! I've never considered doing this so I had to figure up how much it cost me to make it and add a little for my time. (TWO hours for a gallon!) Mom said to just give out my recipe. WHAT??? No way!! "Have you HAD my caramel corn??", I asked in my most shocked voice... "It's PERFECT! Real butter, two kinds of extracts and fresh pecan halves!" Call me Scrooge, but I'm not giving out my recipe! Everyone will just have to be really good and hope that Santa brings them a big jar of it for Christmas!