The trip to the tower tree

My dad is a County Commissioner- and around Christmas time every year, he changes the lights in the courthouse tower from regular lights to Christmas colored lights!  Wade was interested in seeing how he got up there- so my dad asked him if he would like to come along sometime!  And of course he was so excited to go!

Way up high in the clock tower!

The bell... it's so big! :)

Wade got to make his mark on history :)

(when I asked him why he smiled like that- he said "because that's the way daddy does it.")  :)

It doesn't look that big from the ground!

See that tree up there??  We are "world famous" for that tree growing out of the top of our courthouse.  The clock right below it is where Wade was!  That's pretty high! :)

It made Wade's day to "go to work" with papaw Rick and see the clock and see Greensburg from a bird's eye view.  Memories to last a life time! :)

First Day of PreSchool

Wade is starting his first year of school this year, and I couldn't be more excited!  And by excited, I mean:  nervous, thrilled, scared, worried, happy, tearful, emotional, anxious, and eager.  :)  Wade is my oldest (as you know!) and everything with him has been unexpected.  As with any first child, you walk blindly as you learn how to be a parent.  With Henry, I felt more confident and felt like I knew what I was doing.

Anyway, Wade started preschool and I wasn't sure how he would react.  When I started preschool, I cried every.single.day.  The teacher would call my mom after she dropped me off to tell me that I was fine and playing with friends because my mom would leave upset because I was upset.  I now have the ability to relate to my own Kindergarten parents when they drop off their precious child and leave him/her in my hands for the entire day.  But, with Wade, he was **thankfully** not like his mother in this aspect.  He LOVED and still loves preschool.  I couldn't ask for a better start to his schooling.  He was actually mad that next morning because I was getting to go to school and he had to take a day off (he only goes every other day).

Every day that he comes home from school, he sings me the new songs he's learned, show me his folder filled with crafts he made, and tells me all the funny things his teacher did.  He is soaking it all up- and loving every minute!

So, here are some pics of his first day of school.  Enjoy! :)

 When you put 2 boys together in front of the camera... they start acting silly :)

 ROBOTS!

 MUSCLES!

 STATUES!

 Mom and Wade on both our first days of school.  *It was my first day of school too- so I wasn't able to take him on his first day.  BOO!!!*

 Can you tell it was a little teary (for me) Obviously, he's excited! haha :)

 Walking in (I had to bribe Ben to take some pictures!)  :)

 Knocking on the door :)  He didn't even want Ben to walk in- he was sooo ready to do this! :)

My boy is growing up!  Where did the time go??!!  I love you Wade Benjamin! 

Gulf Shores

We took a family vacation to Orange Beach, Alabama in July/August.  Ben's sisters and families all went.  Here's some highlights:

We dropped our stuff off in the condo and headed straight to the beach.  Here's a pic of all of us (minus me- I'm behind the camera!)

 Ben's sister- Jennie's family.  Jennie, Wyatt, and Walt

 Ben and the boys first time in the ocean!

 Henry didn't like it....  He'd rather be on the sand.

 Oliver attacked it- he loved it!

 Wade went in, but only to his knees.  He'd get in, jump over a few shallow crested waves and then ask me "Did you see how I rocked that wave??!!"

 Ben finally coaxed Henry to get in if he held him.  Thumbs up :)

 Ben's other sister- Jessie's family.  Jessie, Joe, and Oliver.  Hunter was busy riding waves.

 Wyatt wasn't loving the ocean either.

 You could almost always catch Wade digging up shells.

 I'll let these next 3 pictures do the talking- it makes me laugh every time.  :)

 Hunter and Oliver building in the sand.

 Daddy, Wade, and Henry made a sandcastle.

 We spent a little time in the pool.  Walt threw Hunter so high in the air!

 And that's Wyatt way up there almost touching the ceiling.  haha!

 At night we saw a bunch of people on the beach with flashlights- so we thought we'd join them.  We weren't sure what we were looking for, so we asked some people.  They had a bucket full of these little creepy white crabs- no bigger than my fingernail.  Here's Wade holding the one he caught!

 Daddy and his boys

 Oliver, Wade, and Henry playing in the sand.

 Daddy took a "nap" on the beach, and we took the opportunity to bury him.  The boys loved it.

 Ben and I took some time to try our hand at boogie boarding.

 We took some family pictures while we were there.  I love how they turned out.

 I told the boys to put their hands in their pockets- little did I know, Henry's pants didn't have pockets.  He was mad for the rest of the morning that he didn't have pockets.  So, that means no good pics of the boys, but we sure tried!  :)

It was a really fun vacation.  I hope the boys will remember it.  They each got to buy something at the souvenier shop- and they picked out shark tooth necklaces.  We also collected some seashells to remember the trip. 

:)

70th Surprise!

My father-in-law, John's birthday was in March, and he turned 70!  10 years ago, his children threw him a 60th surprise birthday party- he had no idea... and 70th birthday was no different!  It was, once again, a surprise, and {{I think}} he enjoyed it! :)  I'll let the pictures do the talking...

They told him he was going to someone else's birthday party.  This is his face as he starts to come in...

And now he get's it... we all shout Surprise and Happy Birthday!

We had BBQ pork and asked everyone else to bring a side in lieu of a gift :)

**Hey- that's my dad!  With his arms crossed {{no hat}}.   Henry is peaking out from the side!  haha**

John's daughter, Carla, made the cakes- she did a great job!!!!

He was able to blow out all 70 candles before the Birthday song was over!!

John's children.  John, Carla, Jessie, Jennie, Robert, Brad, John, and Ben.

Then we had a fun-loving roast of John.  Lots of fun stories and LOTS of laughs!  John was a good sport and took it all in stride :)

So, there you have it- a successful surprise birthday party!  It seems like he gets one every ten years- so I'll be looking forward to a surprise 80th birthday in 10 years.  Happy 70th birthday to the best father-in-law I know! :)