Happy Birthday Dad

Weird...I had thought I was already 37 for a few months, but the kids surprised me with an announcement that I had finally reached  this pinnacle of living.  And this is the Pineapple birthday cake and Coca-Cola year...always a fun day with my wonderful 4 gifts...love those guys.  Happin Burten Dayten Tooten Me!

 

Spelunking at Tumbling Rock

Definitely one of the coolest adventures I have ever been on, and glad to be there with my new Boy Scout sam.  I had many of the leaders either recommend this as the best trip to go on...or to warn me about not going on this one...both of those helped steer me to make sure I get to this campout with Sam. 

 

We drove up early on Saturday morning to Tumbling Rock in North Alabama, and as we set up the camp, our first group of scouts went into the cave around 9:30 AM.  After we had the campsite ready, our group went in shortly after 11:00AM...and went 3 miles deep returning to the sunshine around 5:00PM. 

 

Inside the cave we had nothing but the lights on our hard hats.  And not really knowing WHAT was around the next rock, or over the next rock...we ate lunch near the "Christmas Tree" (a stalagmite that had been decorated), and climbed through a hole in the area to reach the "Topless Dome"...I shined a light up, but didn't see the top. 

 

Sam had the only injury of the cave tour busting his lip on a rock (trying to kiss the rock).  But we made it out, sore and tired.  The next morning I learned how to make some homemade donuts with the Old Goat "Adult" Patrol.  I am putting this one on the list to go with Sam every year, and look forward to Dave joining us in a couple of years. 

 

And even more...Around the House

So Sam is our egg maker most mornings during the weekend, but this weekend, he let Ruby help him out.  There is also a picture below that Belle drew of her trip to Granddaddy's where he drove her around in the tractor. 

 

And that little Ruby and her purse are one thing...that girl and her lip gloss, now that is a pair.  She just has to have her lip gloss, and makes sure she applies it almost every minute.  Enough to where we had to take it away, leaving her heartbroken, until it finally comes back to her, and she is at peace once again.

 

 

 

We had a fun trip to Vulcan with the kids, as magan was shooting the SUPER GIRLS shoot.  Ruby was hesitant to sit on that big Vulcan's toe, as it was stinky. 

This is what 60 cases of popcorn looks like when you are the Popcorn Kernel. 

And this is what it looks like at our house prior to a consignment sale...this is basically our attic pulled down into our hallway. 

So I am sure Marcia will not approve of this picture ending up in our blog, but also fairly confident it was not be made known to her for quite a while.  So we picked up the kids from her house after our trip to Nashville, and I saw this in the bathroom.  Just couldn't help snapping a picture.  Too funny!

 

 

Around the House



And a quick Ruby story to get the ATH blog started...Magan asked Ruby if she was "Momma's Buddy", and she said "no, I Ruby, I girl".  Magan clarified with are you "Momma's girl", and Ruby replied with YES.  And she is right now, getting very clingy, since other kids are now in school, and momma is her bestest buddy all day long.  

 

So me and Dave got Oregon Trail card game, and made it half way on our first journey.  With a larger group, Dave had the worst luck getting dysentery on the 2nd round, and getting bit by a snake on the 1st round of the following game.  But him, Sam, and Belle were all good sports, and only Sam was about to make it about 80% of the way...other than that, we all died, then had fun writing our tombstones. 

Belle is half asleep, but now has lost her two front teeth...and all she got was two measly dollars. 

So I know that Magan and Marcia might not care for this series of pictures at Chuck E Cheese, but I thought it was funny to see what it takes to finally get a good picture...and what's up with the weirdo Owl guy in the background, that stuff is scary for kids. 

Nerd Day...Football day...and Crazy Day (Even Dad got to join in for crazy day, as we went to breakfast together that day).  Crazy day also had Belle with Chocolate Cupcakes for her pigtails. 

And with a crazy visit to Mrs. Denise Vinsant while Magan was working a Kids consignment sale, Ruby finally just decided to start using the potty.  We are not fully out of diapers just yet, but we are very close. 

Ruby got to pick out her some new panties the other day at Walmart, and Magan said that two older ladies just made a big fuss out of the purchases.  Ruby had to pick out her other pack and go show those older ladies too. 

And our sweet princess anabelle is now taking tumbling classes, and says she can do a cartwheel already.  I have not seen this, but the over the head back walk is too much for her dad who was trying to learn some of her knew moves.