First Day Of School--Sort of ...

Grandpeeps Elijah and Shelby started school today with a 10:00 dismissal--two hours to have a look around, figure out where their classes are and if they share any classes with friends, and maybe meet a teacher or two. 

Shelby was already familiar with the high school so she was ready to leave by 8:30. Her day was "meh". She'll let you know how it goes by the end of the week.

Elijah, on the other hand, just out of elementary school, was in a whole new world at his middle school. What are my classes? Where are my classes? Who are my teachers? And please let there be a familiar face to share in my confusion.

His first impression of middle school: It's awesome! My teachers are awesome! I like it better than elementary school!

Shelby told him that would most likely change. She should know.

For now, he's happy with the new situation. He'll be in band (maybe we'll have another band geek in the family at last). He's excited about a class called Principles of Design and Technology. Best of all, his science teacher has a hamster as a class pet. 

School is in session. Off tomorrow. Wednesday they dig in.

So ... is it Fall Break yet??

Stay tuned.

INDEPENDENCE DAY 2016 ~ FAMILY, FUN, FOOD, FIREWORKS, FOURTH OF JULY!

Shucking corn

Corn-hole! 

I forgot to ask who won

Elijah threw the Frisbee ... 

... with Sarah ~ not easy ~ it was really windy today

Sarah and Don just a-swangin'

Captain America a.k.a. Knox

Jane and Ann and Kay ~ We are seestors!

The girls (Shelby, Julia, Holly, Kelly, Sarah, Jane, Ann) ~ and a couple of guys (Elijah and Knox)

My Fourth of July Patriotic Peeps! We try to do this same shot every year. Oh how they've grown up! Shelby, Elijah, Julia, Sarah, Knox

Somebody had to hold up that flag backdrop ~ surprise, it's Ann! [not really a surprise, we knew she was back there]

The guys ~ Don, Jerry, Kerry, Terry ~ try saying that fast three times

The grill master Neil cookin' those ribs

Fourth Feast ~ Neil grilled ribs, Ann made potato salad, Terry made baked beans, Don made cole slaw (regular and set-your-tongue-on-fire), Holly made stuffed eggs and fruit salad, Sarah brought watermelon, Kay cooked corn on the cob (two pressure cookers, no waiting--well some waiting) and cantaloupe ~ It was all most excellent!

Come and get it!

Can't wait!

I'd love to see the pictures everyone took today

In line. Need food. Like now. Or Kelly will eat her fork.

Ladies first. Guys get the leftovers.

Jerry and Kerry

Don't you hate it when someone takes a picture of you when you're chewing...

This must be the grown-ups table, of course that is debatable...

Grandpa gives Elijah a lesson on how you make ice cream

It was so good and worth the wait

We celebrated Sarah's 21st birthday early because she will be on a trip during her actual birthday on July 13 ~ 21?!?!

So we got to have homemade ice cream AND Jane's homemade pineapple upside down cake

Happy (early) birthday, Sarah!!

This was the test shot for the group pic ~ actually this is pretty normal for this family

The civilized version ~ I LOVE my family

We always go for a walk around the neighborhood after our fourth feast ~ nothing to see here, folks, move along

We usually blow up the backyard with our very own fireworks display ... but since our town was having a huge fireworks show, the kids settled for some sparklers 

Our town hired the best of the best pyrotechnics guy who did not disappoint with his fireworks display ~ I think the whole town and then some came out to see it ~ I tried to get a few good pictures but finally gave up and just enjoyed the show without looking through a lens. It was awesome. Let's do this all over again next year!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY! Hope yours was a blast!

This photo was taken around 1956 in LaFollette, TN. From left: my brother Ken, our neighbor friend Lana Riggs, me, and the little guy on the right is Lansden Hill, the owner of Pyro Shows that put on that awesome display of fireworks tonight. We used to play together in our Linden Park neighborhood way back in the fifties. Who knew he would grow up to be a fireworks expert?  Good job, Lansden!

Into The Woods

Grandson Knox and Grandpa had a bit of an adventure last evening. They walked in the woods near our house at dark with flashlights. They found this teepee a neighbor had built. Knox wanted his mom and me to see it, too, so we went into the woods to take a look.

Kelly and I were expecting something out of Dances With Wolves, but this teepee is pretty cool. 

We walked the path that Knox and Neil walked with their flashlights last night. They were braver than I would have been. 

The path leads back into civilization (the nearby school parking lot). Kelly said the first thing that popped into her head was this feels like a scene in The Walking Dead. (If you watch the show, you'll understand the woods can be a creepy place, never mind snakes and poison ivy.) It was a beautiful evening for an adventure in the woods.

It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you. ~Author unknown, sometimes attributed to M. Grundler

I love my freedom. I love my America. ~Jessi Lane Adams