40th Anniversary

It was Gene and George's 40th Anniversary this weekend.  Since I was going to be down there for C.Mac Johnson Day at the State Farmer's Market, I got to join in on the celebration.  I left home Friday morning, at 11:00 for Lady Melanie's house in Birmingham.  She had invited me for lunch and what a wonderful lunch it was!!!  We were joined by Kellet, Josh, Lillie, Lulu and Josh's sister.  (Paw had gone to Pawland)  She made me the most wonderful tasting birthday cake with a big tulle bow tied around it.  Why didn't I take pictures????? I don't know.  Some times I bring the camera but leave my brain at home.  I left Birmingham for Montgomery and it usually only takes about 1 1/2 hours BUT right after I got on the interstate, we came to a dead stop and we went 10 mph if we did move....for an hour!!  Once we got moving at the speed limit again, it was only for about four miles and came to another dead stop.  This happened again about ten miles down the interstate.  It took me three hours to get to Gene and George's house.  I was dead tired.  After resting, I was ready to celebrate with everyone though.  Also, Becca, Ro, Lanier, Davis ( their new baby) and Jordan ( the boy's nanny) were there so I got to see the new baby.  Both George's Mother, who is 95 and Gene's Mom were there for dinner.  What a wonderful and fun dinner it was.  Becca had printed off "trivia" from 1971 and we had to answer them as we ate.  Between Gene, George and I, we got most of them right.  Becca and Ro gave them a big bowl full of " red stuff" since the symbol for your 40th anniversary is " Rubie".  George surprised Gene with a beautiful Rubie and diamond ring, Sunday morning. ( their real anniversary).  I'm so glad I was there for the celebration. 

Good Bye

We enjoyed one last breakfast together before it was time to pack up and head back to Florida.  We packed as much as we could into two days.  I hope the girls will remember this July 4th that they spent with Oona and Papa. 

Fireworks!!!!!

Ryan and Nicole had decided to put the girls to bed since it was so late by the time the fireworks in town were to go off.  Shell, Chuck and I walked over to the BNOE to give the sparklers we had bought to the boys.  We could see the fireworks from town, but not very well.  Raimey and Charlotte had bought some really pretty ones that we enjoyed. 

Turn,Turn, Turn

Charlotte



Ben




Taylor




Hannah



Genavive

 My Mom gave Chuck and I our ice cream freezer for our first Christmas we were married.  That means it's 40 years old.  I wish I knew how many gallons of ice cream we have turned in it.  When the kids were babies, we started our tradition of making homemade ice cream for July 4th.  Even the July 4th's that we have spent at Gene and George's, they have made homemade ice cream for us.  (theirs is electric though)  It takes about 20 minutes of constant turning.  Who ever turns in the beginning, has it the easiest.  It gets harder and harder to turn and Chuck ends up being the last guy to turn and for the longest.  I got the recipe from Gene when we first met them.  ....it sure is good ice cream!...especially when you put good ole Alabama peaches in it.  We just made vanilla this year and I made a 1/2 sheet cake.  Shell decorated it like an American Flag.  (can't believe I didn't get a picture of it...dang!)

July 4th cook out

What's July 4th without a cook out?.....After slip n sliding...everyone was hungry and there was plenty of food.  Hamburgers, potato salad, cole slaw, beans, corn on the cob and watermelon salsa and chips.  Sweet tea to go with it all.  We had people on the porch to the TT, at the picnic table and on the deck of the house.  The next step of July 4th was to make homemade ice cream.........

Alabama Bubbles



Taylor, Shell, Cason, Andrea and Lily Ryann

On one of our many, many trips to Alabama we stopped at " Smiths Dime Store" in Birmigham, as we always did.  When Genavive was little and Papa bought her some "giant bubbles".  She loved the big bubbles that it made so Papa read on the bottle and figured out that they just added glycine to the soap....so that is what he has done ever since.  Everyone had fun blowing big bubbles while they were waiting for our July 4th cook out. 

Cow Pasture Slip n Slide

Getting ready.......



Owen and Shell




Hannah and Genavive




Hannah and Cason




Owen and Shell

The surprise for July 4th was a giant slip n slide over in the BNOE pasture.  We had planned on playing on it all afternoon but it was just too HOT to be outside that day.  We went over late afternoon and as Chuck and Ryan were putting down the huge piece of plastic, there was this GIANT thunder and lightening.  It scared the you know what out of all of us.  It made us all run!  Poor Lily Ryann was sitting on the edge of the plastic by me and it scared me so bad, all I had in my mind was to get ALL  of these KIDS OUT OF THE FIELD! and I left Lily sitting on the plastic.  I think in my mind, I knew her Mama or Andrea who had been holding her all afternoon, would run over and pick her up.  I can't believe I didn't pick her up and run to get the other kids.  Nicole teased me how I just " left the baby" ...lol.  We all went inside of the BNOE house for a few minutes to make sure the lightening and thunder was gone.  After that, we headed back to the plastic.  It took a few adjustments before it was working but in the end, everyone had fun.  They all had scrapes to prove it. ...ha.  Shell said two days later, her whole body was sore.  I think they would do it all over again though.