Veterans Park

I spent last Sunday night at Courtney's house. Dave had a death in his family and had to go to Pensacola for the funeral and Courtney had to fly to Washington at 6:00 AM Monday morning. So.....I was there to take up the slack between YMCA Camp, Lily's nanny, Dave returning home and Courtney coming back home the same day.

At the end of the day, Monday, I decided to take Lawson to Veterans Park, down the road from Courtney and Dave's house, to run off a little steam and then told him we would stop and get an ice cream cone.

and just for good measure ...here is Miss Lilypie....sucking her thumb

and now for a little piece of mine and Lawson's conversation as he played in the shallow stream at the park......

Lawson ---- MeMe, do you still see some minnows?

MeMe ---- Yes, they are right over here. Look at them...they get bigger the further down the stream we go.... as the water gets a little deeper

Lawson (intently watching minnows) ---- Let's go down here and see if we see any

MeMe ---- No, we can't go any farther....it is snaky looking!

Lawson ---- No, MeMe not snakes.....ALLIGATORS.....and you would have to fight them and you would die!

MeMe ---- Well, we aren't going any farther but....if MeMe saw an alligator I would try to fight it.....just like those Swamp People

Lawson ---- Sorry, MeMe, but you would die!

MeMe (very seriously) ---- Lawson, MeMe would always fight as hard as she could to live in any situation ( thinking...how did I get into this conversation??)

Lawson ----  Well, just face it MeMe, you would die!

MeMe  (getting a little exasperated) ----  why do you keep saying that I would die???

Lawson ---- Because....MeMe (wait on it.......)  YOU ARE OLD OLD OLD!!!



NWL Swim Team
Abby and John Brady participated in the Tuscaloosa City/County Regional Swim Meet at the UA Aquatic Center. John and I were able to be there. Being on a college campus, any college campus, is so fun but it is really fun when it is the school that belongs to your family. I have such a feeling of being home when I am on campus....it lifts my spirits!

AND....it really lifted my spirits when Abby and JB3 participated in the races in the Aquatic Center. Abby even won one of the races.

Keep up the good work Abby and John Brady.....MeMe and Pops are proud of you!

Getting pepped up!

John Brady getting ready to dive into the water

That's my girl.......with her name on the board and a #1 beside it.

SWIM TEAM

 Abby and John Brady made the swim team with the NorthWood Lake Swim Club. I am really proud of how these two have advanced with their swimming this summer.

 These pictures were made at the Indian Hills Country Club Swim Meet.

 Look at this big boy. John Brady is 7 years and 5 months old. He weighed on my scales a while back and he weighed 85 pounds and there is not one ounce of fat on that frame. I won't even tell you how old Brady was before he weighed 85 pounds.....and he is a nice size man!

I am back

Life has happened this summer and I seem to have had a hard time finding a free moment to update the blog. Every time I start I get heavy eyelids and put it down. Ohhhh, hope that doesn't mean it is sooo boring!!!

So, I finally have our beach trip on the blog. You will need to hit "OLDER POSTS" to read about the whole trip.

Orange Beach

Here We Come

Heading out on our annual Lawson Family Beach Trip. We stopped in Pelham and picked up Lawson. His Mom had to be out of state and had just gotten back home so....he rode on down with us while his parents packed.

Brady put a carrier on top of our car full of his family's chairs etc..he left it unlocked since there was a little room left so we could put things in it.....apparently..... Pops did not close or lock it correctly because Josh sent us a text ( Josh and Meredith were behind us after we picked up Lawson) to get off at the next stop but....... when people began honking and motioning....we pulled off on the busy highway.....Josh got it fixed

Okay...back to the car top carrier.....you can't get up the parking deck of Turquoise Place with a carrier on top so........we had to park at the bottom, unload the carrier, take off the carrier, unload the inside of the Yukon and then put the carrier inside the Yukon. Luckily we had lots of people to help but........Lawson got a little bored!

Enjoying the jacuzzi on our balcony

Lily thought she had her own Jacuzzi bathing in the big sink in the laundry room!

looking up at our condo while Lily and I were strolling

Sadly, a man went missing in the ocean right in front of our condo

does this remind anybody of the life of the mother of a new baby

Red flags and search and rescue....luckily we had great pools and a lazy river for the first day

A little wind won't stop us
A little wind won't stop the Lawson's from having a good time but I must say......it was the most wind and biggest waves I have ever seen. Pops came through and said....like the Alabama Softball Team...we choose to "dance in the rain"....even though it never rained....just wind! It was double red flags the first full day! Luckily, the lazy river felt great.

Emma was such a great help with Lily. She learned the technique to feeding Lily.....and if you have never spoon fed a baby there is a...in the mouth-scoop technique that you have to learn! So, she fed Lily every morning. Making cousin memories

Look at the wind in those palm trees. The day was beautiful but if you even walked on the beach the blowing sand would sting your body

 

Lilypie......just got put in any available opening

I want a flat screen TV in my bathroom....I told John as he groaned!!!

Boys will be Boys

a huge master bathroom with a huge whirlpool tub helps!!!!!

and

a audience to agg them on!!!

JB3

Lawson

After the Storm
It was beautiful after the storm out in the gulf. Like I said we only had wind for two days and were able to be out and about....just not in the water.
The morning of the 3rd day but actually our 2nd morning....we woke up to a beautiful calm ocean and the most wonderful surprise....
A huge sandbar. It was so much fun. We had a spot of about 4 feet deep water....that all kinds of "little ocean creatures" were caught in....and a sandbar big enough that everybody had their chairs on it and then off the other side some nice but not "dangerous for little kids" waves. It was perfect from then on!!!!!

looking for sand creatures

looking for water creatures

I think Kim looks like a beach commercial in this picture

sitting on the sand bar

the waves past the sand bar

Uncle Dave scoops up the stingray they found

little bathing beauty