Shelby Iron Works Festival (Scout Trip)

This was Davis' first "Go See It" meeting with his Tiger Den.  So we went down the road to the Shelby Iron Works Festival.  It was a fun trip, and Uncle John got to join us for this adventure, but not probably something we need to go to each year.  The neatest thing to me and and I think everyone else was getting to watch them make Sorghum from the cane shown in the pictures below.  We watched them squeeze the liquid out of the cane, then cook it (~250 degrees), then I bought a pint that was still at about that same temperature having just been made.  Glad we had a bag to carry it in.

Scout Campout at Rickwood Caverns

AGHHHH...BATS!  Granddaddy went with the boys to Rickwood Caverns for their Fall Campout.  I think he helped Sam and Davis become the coolest kids at the campout after introducing the "nose bugs" to them.  Me and Mom were a little busy with our new little Ruby, but glad the boys could still make this fun trip...and I'm guessing that Granddaddy was OK with this trip with the boys also.

Ruby (The Grand Entrance)

Our little girl is finally here.   So many prayers, and so many difficulties, led the way for our little "diva".  She wanted to come out first while I was in Detroit @ 24 weeks, but once that was under control, she finally decided to wait till I was in Atlanta to decide to make her journey in.  But while scheduled inductions for Sam, Davis, and Belle were the norm for us, Ruby decided to break that tradition in grand fashion.  And at 35 weeks with an ambulance ride, EKG, MRI, Catscan, Cardio-Vert, and C-section, little Ruby Judy Lou Junkin was born on 10/2/13 weighing in at 6 lbs. 1 oz.  and 19 inches long.  

Our little girl had some trouble breathing, and needed some help with her lungs, but we had a great team of doctors at Brookwood, and after about a week, Magan was able to hold her, and not much after that, little Ruby was breathing on her own.  

She had several visits from her super excited brothers and sister.  Sam and Belle just couldn't stop looking at her.  Sam told me one day that we could go back to the waiting area, he would stay with Ruby.  And I am sure he would have.  And for Belle, I think I was actually glad that they kept Ruby in the bubble...protection from a super excited sister.  Dave-o loves his new sister, but with his fear of these doctors and their needles, he was not a big fan of the hospital room.

We were near the Chuck E Cheese, so that made for some fun time while we visited with Mom and Ruby. While it seemed a long time, we finally brought Ruby home on Sunday 10/13/13.  

Talladega Half Marathon

Bib #415
Time:  2:07:22
9:44/mile
Gender Plc:  255 of 414
Overall Plc:  371 of 808
Males 30-34:  41 of 62

This is me at the end of the Talladega Half-Marathon. This is a little after I was almost puking around mile 10 and 11. I have now learned that I need food somewhere during a two hour run.  Energy is important.  Next Race is hopefully the full marathon in February.  

Rocket Derby

Oh Yeah!  Rocket Derby time again.  It was a hot and sunny day for this year's rocket derby.  The boys are getting more experienced and not wanting Dad's involvement as much (can you imagine...me helping Sam with duct tape...not necessary).  All in all, we had a great time, and both boys got to shoot their rockets at least three times.  There's did not win the distance battles, but Sam did ALMOST get nailed in the head by a falling rocket.  

Davis gets a Turtle

So Davis has always wanted a turtle, well always wanted a pet...OK all of our kids are starving for a pet, and perhaps one of these days as we read this we will laugh about all this cause their mom will have 36 cats, and I will have a dog...and nevermind, we don't like animals very much, or maybe it is just responsibility for animals.  I blame this on my dad and many saturdays shoveling turds in a small pen.  OK I think this was a story about davis...

Our neighbor Tammy had found a small turtle on the side of the road, and knowing Davis' passion for these creatures, brought the turtle over for us.  The kids were super excited, and I was really trying to pump myself up for a pet.  The turtle stayed with us and the kids just sat huddled around that turtle for hours...really.  Then at night, Davis asked his mom if he could "sleep outside with the turtle, just this one time".  He was not able to, but they did get to sleep in bags in their room.  We went to petsmart the next day to find out that turtles have a start up cost of about $400, and tend to live longer than my hopeful timeframe of a week.

This led to my responsibility to tell my boys, that both had tears in their eyes, that we could not keep the turtle, and that it would want to be back with its family.  They truly understood this twisted cheapskate lazy logic that I had provided, and even helped our turtle friend back to the creek behind our house.  I think the Junkin clan are getting closer to being ready for a pet...just not yet...and perhaps not a bacteria infested turtle...maybe a fish.  Nah, we'll just take them to the zoo.