Thursday, July 23, 2009

Do these lifevests make us look fat?

I think we might need to invest in some bigger floatation devices.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Good Friends+Good Food = Good Fun

That pretty much sums up our summer so far.

In June we welcomed Brooke home from her 8 month hiatus in Italy, only to lose her to Nashville this month.



We celebrated my birthday family style for the first time in 5 years (we've been in Atlanta every other year). Remember the big bash we threw for Jeff's birthday in April - not so much my style. I prefer a more quiet, intimate ordeal these days. And besides, the one and only time Jeff tried to throw me a big party in Atlanta - guess who ended up cooking and cleaning up afterwards?? Why who else but the birthday girl herself:) I don't mind running a party any other day of the year, but my birthday is the one day I just want to RELAX and have someone else take care of things.



Enjoying burgers at Pelican Cove Grill.

My mom has established this "tradition" of making us all wear birthday hats anytime we celebrate -she even recycles the hat so there is no chance of "forgetting" them the day of. I think she just enjoys laughing at the pictures afterwords.

The Coneheads

We've managed to take the boat out almost every weekend since we got it, and sometimes during the week. This was the virgin voyage for our neighbor's and their new baby, sailor Sophie.

Hello Handsome!

Sailor Sophie and Daddy Hank

Can you see the wall of rain behind us? We almost made it back to the slip in time. Almost...

We celebrated Katie Rachel's birthday in June - here she is with husband Chris and daughter Lily. We dined at Pelican Cove Grill and broke out some champagne on the water. Good thing Katie is patient, since it took them over 2 hours to bring out her birthday dinner. At least we got a 20% discount for the wait.

This is what you look like when your husband won't stop taking random pictures of you.

My mom's newest addition - Maybelle. Scout has finally met his match!

A lunch date with the family. Watch out - mom's pulling out the bunny ears! It's getting crazy on the Smith Barge!!

June also marked the ???? annual Moore family reunion. They only happen every other year, so we always try to make it. This year my Aunt Sue and Uncle James hosted in their beautiful Victorian house in Monticello, AR. Makes me feel a little bit like Scarlett O'Hara

Casa Cathey

The Moore Kids

My cousin Shasta came into town for my grandmother's memorial in June. I took a few days off of work, and we took advantage of some time on the boat. She lives in CA, and I'm trying to convince her to move South.

This is something my grandmother prayed for for years....the Everitt family reunited. Praise God for healing, I just hate it took her death to make it happen.
Me and my Cuz

An afternoon on the water
Sailor Sophie again. Look how much she's grown in just one month!

Me in my sailing attire, compliments of Daddy John. Yes, my dad still picks out clothes for me. And yes, I wear this dress all the time, which is why it is in so many pictures.

Good neighbors make good friends

Katie and Lily in her new lifevest. Doesn't she look like a bumblebee?

4th of July festivities. Unfortunately they canceled the big fireworks show at Trace Park this year. Fortunately we had so much fun it didn't matter.

The Rachels

The party gang

We've spent the past 2 weekends with our good friends from GA - Amy, Michael, Bryce and Dawson. The first weekend we lost track of time and ended up spending 4+ hours on the boat. The kids loved it - until Dawson realized he was overdue for a feeding on the way home.

Little peanut

My niece Paige

Sunning Mississippi Reservoir Style

Bryce the fish. He must have jumped off the stern of the boat AT LEAST 50 times.

A study in innertube finesse

Paige and Amy tubing under the rainbow




Where I spent most of the afternoon
That's all for now, folks. More pictures coming soon! Until then, you can check out more pictures from our adventures this month here and here.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Mississippi Musings and Not Me Thursday

Goodness it really has been a month since my last post....I do apologize. Life has been crazy around here. For those of you who don’t already know, my sweet Grandmother lost her battle with Congestive Heart Failure and went to be with the Lord on May 31, 2009. It was excruciating knowing the end was near and being so far away, but she had my dad, her daughter and husband with her when she passed, and somehow I think that is exactly what she would have wanted. We had 2 memorial services - one in AK a week after her passing, and one here in MS on June 20. Although the service here was beautiful and I’m so glad we did it the way that we did, it really drew out the mourning process for the immediate family. I kind of feel like everything was on hold until we made it through the 2nd memorial. On a happier note I had a great time visiting with my cousin Shasta, who flew in and stayed with us for the weekend. Shasta and I are only 2 months apart in age, and grew up together in AK.

I guess it goes with the territory that I’ve been more emotional and kind of a crank (is that even a word?) these past several weeks. Although I’ll never be able to keep up with it on a regular basis, I decided to use this as an opportunity to participate in the whole “Not Me” confession to clear my conscience.

When we went to watch Transformers last weekend, I was not in a bad mood when we arrived at the theater because I did not think we were early enough to get a good seat (we did). And I most certainly did not pitch a fit when my husband spent 17.50 on a large popcorn and TWO LARGE REGULAR COKES because he never gets COKE for an evening show, always SPRITE. And then I really didn’t sit there ticked off with my arms crossed for the next 3 hours, only enjoying 4 handfuls of popcorn all night because it would make me thirsty, and then I’d have to drink the coke and be up all night. Wow – I really can’t believe I acted like that! You know, these days when I get upset, it’s always over something REALLY important. For example, Mom spills red kool-aid all over every article inside of my fridge 30 minutes before company arrives - no problem. Friend’s toddler poops in her underwear and gets it all over the spare bedroom carpet trying to hide the mess – no biggie. Husband buys Coke instead of Sprite at an evening show - it’s the end of the world!!!

I did not spend an hour trying to scrub the stains out of our white boat carpet (why they put white carpet on a boat is still a mystery to me), and end up losing it 30 minutes later when we took said boat out in water so rough (we didn’t know it was that windy when we started out) that the filthy reservoir waves come cresting over the bow, wiping out all of my hard work in less than one minute.

I did not drive all the way to Petsmart because I was completely out of Bailey’s prescription cat food. And I did not somehow manage to pick up, get a prescription for, and pay for prescription DOG food instead of his CAT food. (To my credit, the bags look exactly the same, save for the dog and/or cat on each bag, and I’ve always bought it at my vet before). And I did not take that DOG food home and try to feed it to my CAT, and get royally aggravated when he wouldn’t eat it (only later realizing my error). Thankfully Petsmart gave me a fully refund, even though I’d opened the food.

I did not try to deliver our boat trailer to the farm by myself the day after my grandmother passed away. And during that delivery I did not make it 30 miles unscathed, only to take the corner around the cabin too tight and rip the trim right off the side of the garage. Not me. I also did not get stuck in the mud during that same delivery, and end up spinning out over the water line next to the driveway – busting it in 2 places. And I did not stand there sobbing and blubbering in the driveway, frantically trying to call my mom as the water bubbled up around my ankles. Not me. Fortunately my Great Uncle John, who can fix anything, was available to help me with that mess.

I guess those are the biggies for now. All I can say is that my husband is a saint for putting up with me these past several weeks!

I’m optimistic that July will be a better month. We’re grilling out and watching fireworks on the water with friends this weekend, and have some good friends from Atlanta visiting the next 2 weekends (they are staying 2 nights on the way to Texas and one on the way back). The weekends are filling up fast..I can’t believe it’s already July. And can you believe that this time last year we had JUST put our house on the market. CRAZINESS.

Have a safe and Happy 4th of July Weekend! God Bless America!