First Airplane Ride...

Flying South!

Where are you taking me now...mama? 

Michelle asked me to join her on her annual Memorial Day trip to Florida.  We thought about driving but soon nixed that idea since it meant we would be stopping 100 times to tend to Miss Vivienne in the 11 hours to get down there, which would have turned into 15 hours, I'm sure.  Then, we'd have to do it all over again on Monday.  Yes, an hour and 20 minutes flight was what we chose.  Miss Vivienne thought her first airplane ride was pretty cool....she slept the whole way.  Now, on the returning flight, that was another story.  She was good for an hour out of the 80 minutes.  The " oh no! a screaming baby on the plane" was her, for the other 20 minutes.  At least we have a " first time on the plane story" to tell her when she grows up.

Derby Party

Starting of the race!!!

And they're off!!!!

Nancy supporting a Mint Julep.  

Michelle and Vivienne dressed
for the occasion 

The three girls!!!

Lady Melanie in her frills 

Gene in her " real Ky Derby Hat" 

Grandma and Vivi all decked out in red

Cousin Sha ( came from Texas for the family reunion) and Melanie

Cheers to the three cousins ( who's daddies were brothers) 

I have to say, the south likes to party!!  Maybe we all couldn't go to the Kentucky Derby but that didn't stop us.  We donned our hats, Gene made Mint Juleps and we hoot and hollered for our horses we each picked.  ( Michelle's horse won, I came in second)  There were a lot of laughs and a best time was had by all of us southern girls.

All Dressed Up!

Vivienne wearing Vintage clothes...
Bonnet was Michelle's and the
dress was cousin Genavive's.  

Proud Mama

Two little girls playing dolls ..again. 

Vivienne wasn't the only little girl dressed so pretty at the reunion.  There were several little girls in dresses or pretty smocked bubbles.  It's just how Southern Mama's dress their children.  Vivienne had on a white smocked dress that I had bought for Genavive when she was a baby.  The bonnet, was one of the first things I made for Michelle when I learned to smock. ( 35 years ago) They both just happen to match.  She looked like a baby doll dressed in it all.  Seeing Michelle and Becca playing with Vivi made me think of all the times when they were little and played dolls in Becca's play house in her bedroom.  We are so lucky to have so many Alabama memories to look back on.

Horse Back Riding...

Lanier ( Becc'a son)

Mama Michelle

Mama Becca

The girls with some cowboys....

The girls together again

Back to the reunion......Horse back riding that is.  There were old fashion games and horse back riding for the kids or who ever thought they were still kids to enjoy between eating all the wonderful food.  Becca and Michelle spent the whole reunion together.  Just like when they were little girls.

A Happy Mother's Day!

Pretty purple Iris ( even though they show up blue
in the pictures)

Pretty Pink Lilies

I had a wonderful surprise delivered to me the day before Mother's Day.  UPS brought a big box and left it on the back of Chuck's truck down at the barn.  As soon as Chuck brought it to me, I opened it and to my surprise was a vase and a box full of beautiful flowers!!!  Purple Iris and Pink Lilies!....from Ryan.  This is the first time my son has ever given me flowers.  Yes, it made me cry.  It made my Mother's Day for sure!!!  I did get phone calls from both my children the next day.  I'm so lucky to have such thoughtful children and I would like to thank them for loving me.

Family Reunion

Gene and George's barn ...the perfect place for the reunion 

plenty of fried chicken and smoked Boston Butt

dishes and dishes of wonderful food

the dessert table

close to 150 people at the reunion

Becca enjoying the food

We were ever so lucky to be invited to the " Johnson Family Reunion".  Gene/George/Melanie's wonderful family!  We feel so loved and part of their family since we have known them for 40 some years.  Gene and Melanie's fathers were brother's from a family of 13 kids.  That means LOTS of people related to them.  The barn at Oakfuskee Ryse Preserve ( Gene and George's hunting preserve) was the perfect place for so many people to enjoy the day.  We went down early Saturday morning and spent the night at the lodge.  What a great, fun weekend it was.  It included a Kentucky Derby party with all of us girls yelling for our horses we had picked, while drinking Mint Juleps.  Yes, we all wore fun hats!!!  

First Strawberry Festival

Local strawberries

Kids art show....what fun pictures!

great art from the kids

the festival was all around  Moulton's court house

bands playing music

canning chairs

Wild South display

Chuck working in the forest pic

Moulton had it's first Strawberry Festival this Spring.  Of course we had to go check it out.  It actually was very nice and a big turn out of different booths and buckets of strawberries to buy.  We went to the Strawberry Festival in Cullman a couple of years ago and there wasn't a single strawberry to buy.  How funny is that!!!  There were tons of kids there, on a field trip from school we were thinking.  They all had on matching Tee shirts.  I really enjoyed seeing the display of art work from the kids.  All in all, I think Moulton did a great job for their first Strawberry Festival.  I hope it becomes an annual event.