weekend recap...

Saturday morning, Jaden was busy in his room creating...i'm always impressed with what he comes up with

usually, we have issues when it comes time 2 destroy 1 of his creations - 2 either put the toy away or build something new...he gets very upset - wants 2 save everything because he's so proud of what he's built

but he totally made my day when i was taking his picture as he finished this one up...he goes "hey ma, can i take apart my creation in2 pieces?"...surprised, i tell him of course, i'm sure he has more ideas he wants 2 build...he then says, "& because if i want to, i can always make it again!"...he said it with such pride - like he was completely aware of the progress he's making! that's my boy! ;0)

Saturday afternoon, we went 2 the park 2 celebrate Deandra's 9th birthday

i already shared her iPod cake with u...she had a really great party too!
btw, isn't she gorgeous?!

1st, we had a cook-out...then headed over 2 the pool 4 some more fun there

Jaden finally conquered his fear of the diving board & took the plunge that day too! he's a really great swimmer, so i'm not sure y he was so scared...but once he did it, u couldn't get him off that board!

the girls gave it a try too - only they were wearing Bryan's life vest

the kiddos had a great time!
we let em hang out 4 quite a while, knowing it was the last time they'd b chilling at the pool this summer

Sunday, we headed to Maryland 2 visit Curtis' family...his Aunt Faye (his mom's sister) was hosting a cook-out in celebration of Labor Day & Curtis' sister's birthday

as soon as we got there, Aunt Faye put the girls 2 work picking the ripe tomatoes in her little garden

Grandma got lots of sidewalk chalk 4 the kiddos 2 play with too

& frisbee disks that Uncle Curtis kept having 2 fetch from the roof & outta the trees ;0)

finally, it was time 2 eat...i couldn't believe how well the cousins bonded in such a short little time!

Curt & i took a walk with all of em 2 the park

then it was time 2 come back 4 cake...uh oh, Kia's about 2 start something!

oh my goodness!

we had 2 get some group pics b4 we left

here's Aunt Faye, Curtis & his sister Kia, & cousin Jerrell

Kia & her girl Shaunique, with all 5 of their kiddos

our fam

Pop & Grandma with all the grandbabies (well, all the ones in attendance anyway - Curtis Jr & Corey couldn't make it, plus Curtis has another sister & a brother - they each have 2 kiddos as well)

time 2 head home...it's a 2 1/2 hr drive - & a good hour of that is on the DC beltway...but it was nice getting 2 go over the Woodrow Wilson bridge again
(this is coming from MD, in2 VA)

this bridge used 2 be a part of our daily commute when we lived in MD & worked in NoVa for 2 years...it was nice 2 see the improvements they've made, but i don't miss that drive 1 bit!!!

we got home just in time 2 get a fire going as it was getting dark...with Monday being a holiday, we decided 2 stay up late & roast some marshmallows

Curtis was busy helping my brother out with some painting on his farm on Labor Day...the kiddos & i did some organizing & packing, then took a trip 2 our new house 2 dust/sweep/vacuum & drop some stuff off...yep, u heard me right - we're moving again!

we just decided this last week & the details surrounding our move r pretty interesting...if u're my friend on Facebook or u follow me on Twitter, then u already know what's going on...4 every1 else, i'll make a separate post 2moro, letting u all in on the news ;0)

around dinner time yesterday, we all got cleaned up & headed over 2 Nana & Grandpa's 4 yet another cook-out! that's right - 3 days in a row...i think we're about grilled out! (get it? grilled out...ok, never mind ~lol~)

we did the normal fun stuff there...4-wheelers, climbing all over Uncle Joe (glad u're back in town brah!), just hanging out & having fun!

it was a great long weekend! but 4 some reason, it still didn't feel quite long enuff! ;0) we're back 2 the grind 2day, but no one wanted 2 get outta bed this morning - it was raining & the drops on our metal roof sound so nice...makes getting up that much harder!

what did u guys do 2 celebrate the holiday weekend?
did u cook-out as much as we did?!
;0)

Deandra's 9th birthday cake...

Monday, my niece turns 9...she's only 2 months younger than Jaden...i remember rubbin' bellies with my sis all those years ago - wait, wasn't that just last week?! i can't believe how grown our oldest youngins r already!

Deandra celebrated turning 9 by having a cook-out & pool party 2day...she's so easy going - most years, she could really care less about what kind of cake i make her (here's last year) - as long as it's chocolate, chocolate & more chocolate

but this year, she only had 1 thing on the brain...she wanted an iPod!

she's been begging her mom 4 a while now...hoping 2 b gifted with that 1 request when her big day finally came...Kelly thought it would b cute 2 have me make her an iPod cake - & tell her that since she couldn't afford 2 get her an iPod this year, she got her an iPod cake instead

Dee LOVED her cake! every time a new guest would arrive 2 the party, she'd rush em over 2 it & say "check out my cake!"

it was "playing" her favorite song - You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift...Deandra recently performed that song at her elementary school talent show

& yes, the cake was all chocolate (well, besides the fondant)...it was 2 layers of fudge chip, filled & iced with chocolate butter cream, then covered & decorated in fondant

& guess what?
Dee got her wish - not just a cake, but a real pink iPod too!

it stayed in her ears 4 the rest of the day!
but at least she was nice & shared with her cousins ;0)



happy 9th birthday Deandra!
♥

Aunt Becky came 2 visit...

u know, i've had a pretty exciting month...but what made it even better was that i had a visitor along 4 most of the ride...she's been my right hand man these last few weeks - my roll dog...

Aunt Becky came 2 visit!
(go read this if u're wondering what the heck i'm talking about)

she showed up in the mailbox 1 day...

she arrived the same day as my new driver's license...& those 2 must have really hit it off - they had totally busted out of their envelopes & were making nice right there in my mailbox!
~gasp~

what a 1st impression!
but after we got 2 sit down & chat a bit, i realized Aunt Becky was a pretty cool cat...& from then on, she came everywhere with me!

2 work...where i let her visit home 4 a sec - she was missing the sausages & wanted 2 catch up on what was going on without her...

& luckily 4 her, the soda machines don't require change at my job...all the free diet coke she could handle!

oh yeah, & some Van Morrison 2 help us get thru the day
;0)

at home, she was pretty useless...just laid on the sofa & watched cable...ate up our food & made a mess! the 1 time i tried 2 get her 2 help out was when i asked her 2 assist me in the garden...she sighed & reluctantly agreed...then pretty much stood around while i did all the work!

ugh!

but of course when there was some fun 2 b had, she was quick 2 jump in the car & ride along! she tagged along on our riverside weekend getaway...it was a beautiful spot! super relaxing & we had some great fishing there!

but she kinda pissed me off when she hopped in the canoe with my hubby & me...we were trying 2 get away & have some alone time...guess that's y i didn't feel too bad when she tripped & fell in the water...ok, or maybe i pushed her - don't judge! ~lmao~

haha, that's what u get, u drunk! ;0)

even tho she was cramping my style that weekend, i was happy 2 bring her along when our family went 2 the county fair...she's from the big city of Chicago, & i was anxious 4 her 2 check out our ity bity, country-ass county fair

& u know what? she had a BLAST! rode all the rides, checked out the animal barns, even toured the quilting & baking exhibits...but her favorite part was all the food! every time we passed a vendor, we had 2 stop...funnel cakes, cotton candy, hot dogs, caramel apples...

needless 2 say, Aunt Becky had a belly ache that nite!
:0(

another trip that we took 2gether was 2 my cousin's wedding...i'm sorry that i don't have any pictures of Aunt Becky drunk on the dance floor...she really did make a fool of herself! but my camera batteries died & i missed it!

on the way home, we stopped by Mountain Lake - it's the home of the famous Kellerman Hotel!
u know, from Dirty Dancing?!
(yeah, it's my fav movie of all time, so what?! seriously, stop laughing!)

here she is inside the gazebo...u can see the lake has gone down quite a bit over the years...it's 1 of only 2 natural lakes in VA...there's literally a crack in the bottom & the lake fills up/drains out every 50 years or so (check here 4 more info on that)...but even still, it's really cool 2 check out the different spots where scenes in the movie were filmed!

nobody puts Aunt Becky in a corner!
;0)

even tho Aunt Becky was mostly a pain in the ass...always having 2 make sure she was having fun & feeling included...putting up with her many demands (booze, ciggs, porn...)...i guess i was glad she came 2 visit...she was fun 2 talk 2 & i really appreciated her being there 4 me as i had my final PET scan...

she held my hand thru the whole thing & was even there 2 *high five* me when i got the results that i'm officially in remission!!!

i was really starting 2 see the soft side 2 Aunt Becky!
:0)

then sadly, i came home 1 day 2 see this...

what?!
all up on my man?!?!

sorry bitch, time 2 go!!!

*update - voting is open September 9th thru 15th...go vote for #20!!! thx!

wordless wednesday...the cool jerk...

{here's the back story to this video...i found the old video from 3/07, but i had taken it on my cell & the sound messes up when i upload it 2 youtube...here's 1 i took while Jaden was showering last nite}

weekend recap...

well, we made it back alive! ;0)

my sis & i headed out Saturday morning on our road trip 2 West Virginia...our 1st cousin, Sarah, got married that eve & we had 2 b there!

Kelly drove down...

we arrived at our hotel in plenty of time 2 get all gussied up 4 the shindig

they had the photographer take pics b4 the ceremony...i was jackin his style & snapping my own pics too ;0)

isn't she beautiful?!

Sarah with her parents, Dawn (my mom's sister) & Jamie

& check out my handsome cousins!
(Brady & Kyan - my 1st cousin, Katie's, kiddos)

the ceremony...my uncle Tim officiated (he married Curtis & i too)

then it was time 2 party!

the cake...
(not made by me...but it's cool ~wink~)

blurry...but me & the gorgeous bride

me & my sis with another 1st cousin, Jessica

they were sweet & didn't smash it in each others face...i hate when couples do that

uh oh, bustin out the Electric Slide! ~lol~

after the reception, we hung out by the fire at my aunt Dawn's house

she's the sweetest aunt ever!
(don't tell the other 3 i said that! ~wink~)

we headed out early Sunday morning & i drove home...

as planned, we stopped by Mountain Lake on the way

unfortunately, the "rise" was so not noticeable...we couldn't really tell any difference from the last time we were there! we were pretty disappointed, but maybe 1 day we'll get 2 go visit when it's full - all the way up 2 the gazebo! how stinkin' cool would that b?!
(ps. there's a really cool conservancy blog here if u're interested)

we made it back just in time 4 me 2 get myself & the kiddos ready 4 Miss Wilma's service...Wilma Hughes was an amazing lady that served as a very important member of our church...i've known her since i was in elementary school, when we became members..her children & grandchildren r also near & dear 2 our family...Wilma passed away last week & i was honored 2 get 2 speak & read scripture at her Celebration of Life ceremony Sunday afternoon...the kiddos also sang with the childrens choir in her honor...she had a special gift 4 working with the children & youth of the church & i have very fond memories of Christmas parties, cook-outs, pool parties, sleep overs & crafts at her home...she will be extremely missed!

afterward, my mom came by the house...she had just returned from her cruise on Saturday, & had gifts 4 the kiddos...cool dragon toys 4 Jaden...& purses 4 the girls...

but not just regular old purses...these were way cooler!
they unzipped all the way in2 one long string...the girls loved em!

i went 2 check out my garden since i had been gone & hadn't checked on it since Friday...look who came by 2 hang out while i was gone...

Jaden was psyched! he's always been a HUGE praying mantis fan...i was more excited about what was busy growing while i was gone...

it was a great, but quick, weekend...i got 2 chill with the kiddos 4 a bit b4 bed time (darn school nights!)...& watch a little TV with the hubby b4 i totally passed out...then back 2 work already?!

i hope u had a fun (& longer) weekend too!
;0)