Back to the AHG

And the next year of American Heritage Girls has begun.   Both Anabelle and Ruby are both PiPas, so they are able to do all of their badgework together now.   I get to help them earn the Entrepreneur badge during the two meetings in September.   And I got volunteered at the last minute to help with the "Joining Award" requirements for US flag history and etiquette.  Magan is the troop shepherd again this year, but she quickly gets pulled into anything that need someone to plan (the tea, the fundraiser, the daddy daughter dance, etc...).   We have some other amazing mommas jumping in to lead these young ladies also, so I can't wait to see the fun we get to have this year with the girls.   Even at the first few meetings, it was great to see both Belle and Ruby leading these other new girls in various activities.   

Back to School

Sam is still working this semester down in Prattville, but we have Anabelle entering her Junior year of high school, Ruby in the 7th Grade of Junior High (or middle school she would correct me with), Davis beginning his Sophomore year at UA, and our beautiful Noel beginning her Junior year beginning at UA.   Work seems to always take me from home on this starting week at Chelsea, but both of the girls were excite to get back in the swing of things.   

The current day begins with Ruby coming into our room at 5:30AM and pushing me out of bed to snuggle with her momma.   I stubble to the bathroom for a shower, while they snuggle till about 6AM.   At this point, I am getting some breakfast for Ruby, but typically she does not want anything...unless it has bacon on it.   Anabelle is up around 6:15, but we try not to talk to her or ask any questions till closer to 7 when she leaves (Belle, you are cute with your crazy hair, but you is grumpy).   The bus usually passes the house around 6:30 (Dad, it comes through at 6:37 - Ruby).   So me and Ruby (on Mondays and Fridays when I am at home) get to sit and chat for about 8 minutes on the front porch.   Last year I was able to sneak down to Ruby several times so she would scream because she was scared, but also did not want to be seen with her dorky dad.   But this year, she has caught on, and I haven't even gotten close.   I keep telling her that she was so much more dumber last year, but she did not like that.   Belle is out around 7, right now picking up Linley on the way to school.   

As for Davis, we moved him over to Tuscaloosa, where he has his OWN ROOM!!   He has some excellent roommates (Ronnie and Drew) that were also good friends with Sam.   They attend the church there in Northport, and we were very excited that Davis found a place with them.   Davis was so excited to have his own room, he built a lego replica of his room to decorate and determine where he wanted his bed, desk, and wall decorations.   Magan went over early with Davis to help clean up and get ready, while I planned to bring the girls after school and work.   Magan was navigating, and wanting a Milos hamburger, so she got confused and left it on the apartment...so they kept getting closer and closer to the apartment, and Davis was happy saying "I never realized there was a Milos this close to my apartment", but then they realized what they did, so they found a Blue Plate, which is one of two in Alabama...the other one being in Dothan that was a favorite for me and Magan when we lived there 20 something years ago.  

I think it took Magan only a few moments after walking in the front door to realize she needed to clean A LOT!   So there was alot of moving Davis' stuff into the room, then the cleaning began.   Most males may have never noticed anything, but to Magan, it was a pigsty.   Me and the girls know Mom when in this mode...she starts slowly talking to herself, making gagging noises, and letting everyone within earshot know how dirty things are, even when she just mentioned it a moment ago.   After a dinner at a local chinese place, me and the girls arrived at the apartment and immediately went into cleaning mode...well, the girls immediately go into it, I just found a place to sit and be patient.  We were sad to finally go, but could tell Davis was happy to be in a place he could spread out a bit.   So excited for Davis and his second year.   He thought he had a break before starting school the next week, but he ended up moving a piano, moving a tree, and moving a large metal desk for others in that first week.   

And finally, our sweet Noel has the longest commute as she began UA this fall.   She has a drive to Tuscaloosa on Tuesdays and Thursdays of 1 hr and 45 minutes through backwoods Alabama.   The 2004 PaPaw impala seems to be doing well for her, and even after some long crazy routes learning her way around the campus, the electric scooter has helped her get around.   We are thankful that she has Davis there to give her a swipe or two on a meal ticket.   And we are super excited to see now three kids becoming a part of the UA family.   

Roatan - Adventures with Davis

Davis, Maddyn, and Bobby left us in Tegucigalpa and waved to us as we drove off to the Palmerola airport.   They went to enjoy another breakfast with one of Bobby's friends, then to the airport to board a small prop plane over to the island.   

Once on the island, they made it to their small 4 Bedroom home on the beach, that looked amazing.   One of the pictures below is from the porch area outside the living room.   There at the house they met up with Bobby's wife Jennifer who had arrived the day before.   

I can't remember all of the different foods Davis talked about trying, but the Moores know the island well, and he felt just like on a tour bus being taken to all the fun activities of the island.   This was also a time when no cruise ships were in the harbor, so the lines and crowds pretty slim.   

He got to meet Bobby's business partner Dexter on the island, who gives tours to ones coming off the cruise ships and to anyone else needing a tour guide.   The name of the business and on the AI image hat Bobby created is "Texas Twins" because of how much Bobby looks like his darker skinned brother from the island.   I think this same guy was with Davis when they found the python pictured below, and while Dexter was playing with the python, he finally ended up throwing his shoe at it...so they had to wait for it to leave before him and Davis could leave.   

On another day, Davis got to go sailing with the Moore family.   I think he got to learn a little about how to actually sail and steer the ship.   There were a couple of crazy "pirates" on the ship helping them get around.   

And the following day, Davis actually got to swim and play with dolphins.   These pictures make me the happiest, because I still see that little boy in his scuba suit wanting so bad to be in any water he could get into.   The ocean just seems to be his happy place, and I know he loved this day.   He said after watching the dolphins do some tricks and getting the pictures with the dolphins, they actually got to go snorkeling around some coral.   He said it was pretty amazing to swim down deep to the coral, and look up to see a dolphin swimming right there next to him, then reach out to pet it.   He also had a little baby dolphin that kept poking him wanting to play.   

He said that every day that weekend, they just relaxed and lounged in the morning, then did some fun activities in the afternoon.   He found the little gecko below in his room at the house.   But finally, it was time to get back to the real world.   He left Roatan around noon and made it back to Birmingham around 9PM that monday night.   It was Ruby's first time even being in the airport, so we did a little exploring while we waiting for him to arrive, then camped out at the bottom of the escalator watching for him to exit his plane on life 360.   It was sweet to see that little girl run  to her brother with a big hug.   We all missed him, but she had not seen him in weeks.   I think his first words to me were "Best Summer Ever", and I am so glad it all worked out.   

Davis and Maddyn were a cute pair while traveling through central america, and she will begin school at the University of Arkansas this fall.   So I think they are still chatting, and you never know...there may be another adventure later.   But as for now, I know he was glad to be home.   And excited to hand  out some souvenirs, and let us try the chocolate he made in Guatemala.   And tell us all these fun stories.   I love you Davis, and super happy you were able to get on this trip we have talked about for a few years.