Fall Festival

This past Saturday afternoon, we went to a Fall Festival. As you can tell from the pictures it was lots of fun, even though Jesse was at work that day, so he missed it and we missed him! Here are some pictures.

Jack is enjoying the pony rides!

Mama forgot to bring her favorite hat, so she substituted with a gift from the firefighters table!

Jack, Nathan and Chris enjoying Orange Creme sodas.

This is me trying to open my popcorn bag; Jack has already figured it out and looks very happy about it!

Nathan is playing one of the games.

This is Nathan, being cool at a friend's house on Thursday (Yes, I know this has nothing to do with the fair, but it's a cute picture, isn't it?)

Mother-daughter time (9 hours)!

Mama and I (Abigail) have been planning for a couple weeks to go see the new movie Stardust, and yesterday, we decided, would be a great day to go. We planned to go to the one o'clock showing, so we ate lunch a little early so that we could get there in time. We got the tickets, went in and sat through 35 minutes of pre-movie stuff (music, ads and trailers), before realizing that we had come in the wrong room; this wasn't the showing for Stardust, it was the showing for Hairspray, Stardust had already started in the adjoining room. We didn't want to miss the first 15 minutes, so we found the manager, told him what had happened and he traded in our tickets for tickets to a later showing. By then it was 1:40 and the new showing was at 4:00 so we had some time to kill. We had a few errands we were planning on doing after the movie, so we finished those, and at 3:00 went to a gas station to fill up and buy some sodas. For the first time since I got my license, I locked the keys in the car. Mama used the gas station phone to call triple A, then we stood in the gas station store for an hour waiting for the locksmith to come. By the time he got there and opened the car door, we were too late to make the 4:00 showing, but we were desperate by this time. We called Jesse at home and he told us that the next showing was at 7:00. We went back to the theater and traded the tickets in again, then tried to come up with creative ideas to kill 3 hours. We listened to the radio, visited an aquarium store, pet store and novelty store, then bought some drinks at Edgar's bakery and looked at bridal magazines until 6:45. Then we drove back to the theater, carefully entered the right room and settled back, telling ourselves that this had better be a fabulous movie! It was a great movie and it was the right one which made it even better! We keep telling each other that we're going to laugh about this experience some day, maybe when we're telling our grandchildren, but I hope some of you will be able to laugh about it now!

Legos (by Abigail)

Well, the heat has moderated some since the last post thanks to several thunderstorms that came just near enough to tantalize us last night: no rain, but it is cooler! We're still spending most of the time indoors, though, and the boys have been building some wonderful Lego creations.

Samuel has been reading the Aubrey-Maturin books, a series set on board the British ships in the Napoleonic wars. This is what he built after reading the series: a ship at harbor. The sails are furled and a small boat is crossing to the ship, loaded with men and new cannons.

This is a better view of the ship, see the man in the rigging?

This is the harbor, you can see the cannons in the fortress wall and more down on the shore ready to be transported to the ship. Jesse added the palm trees in back.
At the moment, Sam is out back, leafblowing. Yes, it is August, but the drought is killing the leaves. If we don't get rain soon, the trees will start dying.

This is the living room of Jack's Lego house. His big screen TV is the size of his couch!

This photo didn't turn out very well, but you can see that it is the kitchen and dining room. The kitchen is the blue room and the dining room is red.

Yes, that is a polar bear in Jack's stable. And yes, those are apples for him to eat. And the door leading into the house is open. Hey, it's Legoland!

This is a garden that I built.

Heat wave (by Abigail)

Well, today's the day! When we get to 100 degrees today we will have broken the Alabama heat record. Nine consecutive days of 100+ temperatures! We tied the record yesterday with eight days, and we'll probably break today's record tomorrow...

It's pretty hot. And dry. The trees are really starting to suffer, sometimes it looks like Fall outside with all the dead leaves. The dogs are spending a lot of their time in the garage now, but the other animals are having more trouble escaping from the heat. A couple of months ago we had a pretty good rainstorm and I put some buckets outside to collect rainwater for my plants. But the frogs got to it first, so now it's become my tadpole pond.

Just a plastic tub with water and plants, but it's become an oasis to all sorts of interesting creatures.

No, the tadpole's haven't hatched yet. These are tiny little tree frogs that I've seen in my garden before, but they really love the tadpole pond. They're so small that it's really hard to get good pictures of them, it's like trying to photograph the detail in a dime. Plus, they don't stay in place for very long!

This beautiful male dragonfly believes that he owns my whole garden. When I try to get close to him, he sticks his tail in the air to look bigger and glares at me!

This picture didn't turn out very well, but you can see that it's a small lizard on the top leaf and another tree frog down below.

Some of my guests are more dangerous than the others. This is a red wasp, they're big and pretty scary looking, but they carry less poison than the smaller yellow jackets. They're pretty cool to watch, because when they want a drink they can fly down and stand right on top of the water and take a drink.

This is a bloom from one of the water plants I have in the pond. The markings remind me of peacock feathers.

Yesterday, of course, we celebrated Maddenholiday. For those of you who have not heard of this classic holiday, it was invented two whole years ago, as a day to celebrate the release of the new Madden football video game. Maddenites, as die-hard fans of the game are called, have their own website to talk about the game; songs, based on classic Christmas songs, with lyrics about the game; and a blog to discuss new ideas to introduce to the game!

No, we are not Maddenites and do not often play video games, but we did enjoy last year's version of the game and we will use any excuse to have a holiday! We bought the updated version yesterday afternoon and we really enjoy the improved animation. We had been planning on going out to dinner that night, so I made a football cake to eat when we got home.

Update / Day 3-4

I haven't been able to post for a while. As I was trying to post about our first trip, we went on another one. We just got back from a trip to Pisgah National Forest in the Smoky Mountains. I'll post on it later.

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Day 3

May 30

Monahans, TX to Carlsbad, NM

100 miles

We had a short trip today so that we could have plenty of time to go into Carlsbad Caverns. We also came back to the caverns later to watch the bats come out. We have plenty of pictures of the cave but most of them didn't turn out because of the dark conditions down there. Besides, I'm having trouble compressing the photos. We just got a new version of Windows Vista and because of that I don't have all my photo software back on the computer.

End Day 3

Day 4

May 31

Carlsbad, NM to White Sands, NM

100 miles

Today we went to White Sands National Monument/Missile Range, but before I tell you about that I have to tell you about the trip there. I will soon be able to post video to the blog (I'll do an experiment in a minute) but for now you will have to let words suffice. In the middle of southern New Mexico is the most amazing forest, Lincoln National Forest. We didn't take any pictures only video (how could we?). White Sands was a pretty amazing place. You know its cool as soon as you drive in and you see the sign that reads, "Road closed for missile testing when flashing."
That's a real sign. The sands were awesome.

(This picture is not compressed so it may take time to load)

We happened to be there on a blue moon, and it was awesome to be there on the white sands with a full moon.

End Day 4

Back home/Trip Day One: AL-TX

We made it back. We got home Tuesday afternoon after a two week trip to Phoenix and back. It was a great trip. Over the next few days we'll do posts about the days of the trip (remember 'Countdown to Christmas'?). Today I'll do the first day of the trip.

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Day One

May 28, 2007

Birmingham AL to Tyler TX

500 mi

Today was the first day out. We left home some time between 8 and 9 in the morning. This is day in which we travel through the most states: Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and some of Texas. There are no odd adventures to report. We eat breakfast in the van and lunch somewhere in Mississippi. Tyler is about 1/5 of the way in to Texas; it's half-way between Dallas in Louisiana. We pitch camp at Tyler State Park around 5 pm.

End Day One

News from Phoenix

I think this is the first update posted from someplace other than at home. Right now we are at Grandma and Grandpa's house in Phoenix Arizona. Weleft AL a week ago and have been here for a while. It's a little warmer here than at home; on our way here on I-10 the thermometer read 111 F! We've spent most of our time in the pool. G&G have a pool in their backyard and there's also a waterpark near by.
I (Jesse) am trying to get pictures of our trip out here posted but this is my first time to try to update the blog on the new laptop and I can't figure out how to compress the pictures so your computer will read it faster. I'll try to get help on that and post pictures soon.

Desperate Update

How did we get so backed up on the blog? May is such a busy month that we have had no time to do anything here. I know we have made promises of lots of pictures and posts, but we just haven't had time to do any of them. I can't remember all of what we were going to post and even if I could the post would be so long everyone would fall asleep before they finished reading it. Instead, I'll just pick up as if none of those things happened and I'll post pictures and an update of J&N's b-day in just a minute. If there is something that you would like to see a post or a picture of than you can post a comment asking for it and we'll be sure to do a quick post or picture as soon as possible. Here is how you post a comment: At the bottom of this post -- not the blog, this post -- is a button that says '0 comments' (it might not say '0', it could say any number). If you click on that button it will take you to a page that lists all the comments made on this post. On the left of that screen is a blank space were you can type your comment (please be sure to tell who you are). Once you type the comment than you can push the orange button that says 'Publish Your Comment' below the comment you typed. There is also a section called 'Choose an Identity', but as long as you tell who you are in the comment you don't need to worry about that. Once you have pressed the orange button your comment has been posted! You can do this on any post on the blog.

Update

How about that for a boring post title. It's been a while since there's been a post posted, so here you are... We have had quite a busy month and yet May is looking to make it pale in comparison. Sam and I (Jesse) had a piano competition two Saturdays ago (14th). It was the divisional round of AMTA (Alabama Music Teachers Association). The goal is to get a high enough score to advance to the state level. In the competition, we play three pieces, memorized, and assorted piano theory (scales, cords, etc...). Both Sam and I passed and will play our pieces at the state level in mid-May to try and become winners!!

Also, a big deal for our family, is that the Chicago Bulls are in the NBA playoffs. Right now they have a 1-0 series lead over Miami in the best-of-7 first round! Be sure to tune in tomorrow night to see Game 2!

Well, there is plenty more to say, and plenty more coming but I'm out of time right now. Abigail will post more later along with the long awaited Easter pics!!

New Sod pics

Well, it took me long enough. Finally here are the pictures of the 'laying-of-the-sod' event. The Easter pictures are still on the camera along with pictures of the what the sod looks like now. I'll post those later...

Stay tuned...

Just a quick update to tell you that we did finish sodding the front yard, and a longer, in-depth report is coming with pictures. Stay tuned....

Yard work

Alright, I've got the pictures up from the first stage of 'Operation New Lawn'! Daddy talked with our next door neighbor (who happens to be a landscaper) before starting the project. He said that the first thing to do was to rototill the whole yard and add a layer of topsoil before laying the sod. Daddy tried out three rototillers before finding one that would work on the packed soil (our front yard doubles as a football field); he had to use the biggest one in the hardware store before he could turn up this dirt!

Harder than it looks!

Note to northern friends and family: check out the color of the dirt! Our neighbor was delighted to see "So much brown in it"! No good, black dirt here!

Nothin' like strolling along in the yard on a hot day with your iPod and rototiller!

Now, after a few minor incidents not worth mentioning (such as hitting the gas line!) the yard is being raked and leveled for the sod! Our neighbor told us that the dirt was so great that we wouldn't even have to add the topsoil! Whoo-hoo!

Break time! Our Spring Break is over, the kids have to go back to school and Daddy to work, but this Friday we lay the sod!

Trip to the Gardens

Spring has arrived right on time! Yesterday (Wednesday) was the first day of Spring, and we went to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. All the flowers are beginning to bloom. Here are pictures...









I might get more pictures of the gardens later. Hope Spring has come or is coming soon for everyone out there!

Daddy's birthday! (party)

OK, it's not really Daddy's birthday today, but it's the day he chose to celebrate it! We're just having a family party here at home, with Daddy's favorite meal: Grilled chicken with white sauce, butter beans, potato salad, baked beans and garlic bread with banana pudding, apple pie and ice cream for dessert!
Hopefully, we'll also be able to get started today on our Spring Break project: re-sodding the lawn. No, it won't be the first time we have done it, but hopefully this time will be more permanent! With six kids and two dogs tramping over the back lawn and football games going on in the front lawn, grass has to be pretty tough to live at our house! We'll try to get some pictures up of the whole proceeding!

New Driver!!

Yesterday, Abigail got her driver's permit! Several delays caused her to get a month after her birthday, but she is excited. If you have to drive around Birmingham, look out!! Here she comes!

(PS: Everyone has probably heard of the tornadoes that came through Alabama yesterday. For those worried about us, most of them were south of us, and so we were spared from damage.)

2 weeks of silence...

My worst nightmare!!! 2 weeks of no posts!! AAAAAHHHHH!!

I know ya'll will get over it. You have missed nothing. I mean it. Nothing. I can think of nothing to post. Nothing. Let me say that again. Nothing. Nothing. OK, everyone knows I'm stalling for time. Really, not much has been going on. It hasn't been boring, but we haven't done anything worth posting. We've been doing a lot of stuff outside because the weather has been so nice down here. Oh boy, now I know I'm in trouble. I'm reduced to talking about the weather.

I'll just post a random picture. This picture was taken some time last year...
I thought that one deserved to be on our blog.
OK, I guess I'll (finally) quite typing since there is nothing else to say. Nothing...