Playing Catch Up

We have been extremely busy all summer long. I have been meaning to catch my blog up to date and just haven't taken the time to do so. A friend of mine reminded me recently of my shortcomings in this area, so here goes...

In July we drove almost 2 hours with a big group of people to go to this small coummunity water park/pool. It is very affordable, and not very crowded -- two essential things for me. We ate a picnic lunch together and then went inside the park to enjoy some water fun.

Kirsten went down this slide last year, one time, and declared it off limits, This year she went down it multiple times and declared it AWESOME! So glad that she overcame her fear and tried it again. Alec went down this slide so many times that even he lost count. He is my little daredevil.

He also enjoyed this smaller, slower, curvy slide. I also enjoy the curvy slide better, although I went down the other one as well.

At the end of July, I had a hysterectomy that sidelined me for a few weeks, although I was back up and going well before most people thought that I should be. While I was in the hospital, Mitch drove home so that the kids could participate in the BMC Fun Run at Blue Mountain College. The kids had been looking forward to the run for a long time. It was a combination 5K/obstacle course/mud pit. All the participants declared it a success and my mother and sister took lots of pictures of the event.

Getting ready to start the race.

Alec getting down and dirty in the mud pit -- this was his favorite, even though he didn't feel 100% on this day.

Kirsten enjoyed the mud pit also. It is refreshing to them, when they are "allowed" to get dirty. I have spent so much of my mothering time, telling them to NOT PLAY in the mud.

Kirsten is proud of her muddy self.

Nearing the end of August, our Cross Country team, the Spartans, got back up and running in full training mode. Our first XC meet was a practice meet at TCPS, in Tupelo. Kirsten was sidelined with an injury to her knee, but Alec was so excited for his first participation in an actual meet.

Ready to go!!!

Our Spartan tents and families.

The Junior Varsity boys getting ready for the start of the race. Our teams ran very well for their first race.

Some Sunday afternoons in the fall, we try to get together with several other families from church in order to play paintball. Our church has a morning service, a lunch together, and an afternoon service every week, so this leaves the afternoon and evenings free for family time. Several families have boys that love paintball, as well as DADS that enjoy it too. The Moms have fun visiting together and everyone enjoys the snacks.

Mitch, Kirsten, and Alec are ready to play some PAINTBALL!

The boys were nice enough to let the girls play in some of the rounds.

Alec has fallen "in love" with this sport.

One thing that we always enjoy doing is taking a picnic lunch to Tippah Lake for the afternoon. We lots of times will go on Wednesday afternoons, and the lake is pretty deserted and we feel like we have it all to ourselves. We take scooters, roller blades, and rip sticks and the kids enjoy riding them all over the park.

Alec found this little praying mantis and we all enjoyed looking at him.

Kirsten, Claire, and Sophia enjoy some girl time. Scarlett couldn't be here for this picture; she was in Memphis getting yet another cast put on a broken bone. We missed you, Scarlett!

Kirsten took the camera around and was taking several pictures. I think I have a budding photographer on my hands.

Alec didn't want to be left out and he took several pictures, including this one of Kirsten.

Here is the whole group together.

That about catches me up to the first of September. I will try to finish catching up my blog throughout this week. I have had to work some extra hours at work, school is in full swing, we exercise almost every day, and we have cross country two days a week, plus races on many weekends. I cannot use busyness as an excuse anymore, because I have the same 24 hours in the day as everyone else. My priority has not been my blog and I am committing to do better right now.