Field Day

The boys had a BALL at field day again this year. Erica put on a great play day with loads of fun sporting events as well as afternoon games with Decatur Parks and Rec's own Shamique. We even won some metals!

Hiking to The Big Tree... Or Not

 On Thursday Cathy and I decided to take our kids out to see the Big Tree: the biggest three in Alabama. It lies at the heart of Bankhead forest a mere nine mile hike. HA! We decided that the attitude would be one of wandering into the woods on a PERFECT day and if we made it to the tree, great, and if we didn't, still great!

 This was the point at which Cathy and I realized that we were lost. Now people get lost in Bankhead ALL the time; so often that it doesn't even make the news. We knew we had come to the end of a trail, but our trail wasn't supposed to end. So we back tracked. After about half a mile we found a place where the trail crossed the river. Ah ha! Back on track! Or so we thought. Soon the trail started to treck up the mountain. Steeply. This was still not our trail. Luckily we had enough sense to bring extra water, snacks and a MAP. I pointed to place WAY off course that could be us. Do we keep following this trail or go back to the beginning and start again? We figured that we had accidentally followed the "expert" trail over the mountain to the big tree, but we didn't know how far we had come and far was left. With the younger ones starting to catch on that we might be lost, we stopped at this fall and then headed back for the day.

THIS is the turn we missed. Only a quarter of a mile in. The marker was on the OTHER side of the river. Sigh. When we got back we checked and we had indeed taking four kids on the challenging trail AND had come within half a mile of the tree. We are hoping to go back and make it the entire way next time... with a GPS.

Easter Pictures

 My three ruffians and my nephew hanging out on Easter at their favorite place: Gran's house!

 Gran made the Easter prize hunt a treasure map for her pirate crew. Fun!

Griffin's Birthday Party

My baby is growing up too fast. Just after his birthday (on which I had been down with a stomach bug) he asked to ride to the bike ramps here in town. They were a bit bigger than he thought. He did make the ride there and back (3 miles) and popped his bike around on the corners for a bit.

His birthday party finally happened a week late. Eight is great!

Beyblades!

He was very impressed with the gifts and money he got and also a bit smug. LOL!

This was the first year that he read his cards. You could tell he really wanted to know what people thought about him on his birthday. It was really sweet, but this kid usually is. I'm so proud of him!

The March That Didn't

March was a rough month around here. We caught the flu again (B this time) and then a stomach bug. Between those two things traveling around five people not much happened in March. We managed school on the days I wasn't sick with the kids that weren't sick, so at least it wasn't a total waste of a month.

 In a sudden burst of energy post flu, I painted our shutters a bright blue that reminds me of the English countryside and then spent a full Saturday mulching our flowerbeds. That second one was the cause of much pain for about a week. Two truckloads full was too much for this girl with only the help of a seven year old! I will be glad when Lou's overtime ends and I have my partner in crime back on a regular basis.

As part of our human body study we focused (pun intended) on eyes. I just LOVE the patterns in my family's peepers!

Because of the on going illnesses around here, Jennifer felt really sorry for me (10 out of 12 weeks shouldn't be legal) and sent me this LOVELY tea pot and cozy. I use it ALL the time. It was such a sweet gift and it really does make me feel better on a bad day to have a properly brewed cuppa.

(Oh and I also chopped my hair again...)