Happy Halloween

A Kangaroo is on the Loose

 Well maybe a cat and a kangaroo...

For our Halloween we headed downtown to the historic district to meet one of Callie's friends, Uma, so they could trick-or-treat together. The night was full of immense walking and what felt like pounds of candy.

The two beasts that roamed the streets of Huntsville!

Homeschool Halloween Bash

Carnival games and candy!

There is nothing like celebrating Halloween more than once. One of the local homeschooling groups put together a small party at a park. It was carnival games and playing today.

The one thing that made it even better, she got to do it with her friend Uma!

Modeling 101

It was my daughter's first modeling shoot.

The first outfit she wore was not the one they went with. However, she looked stunning in it...

Part of the experience was learning how to pose for the camera.

And in the end the final pictures turned out amazing (I mean even though I am biased, she is strikingly beautiful).

Lawyering

Before Jackson heads to Montgomery for the state Mock Trials, his team has a scrimmage today at the Juvenile Courthouse. He is all suited up and handsome!

I must admit, I am glad he is here to practice his lawyering skills, rather than here for other reasons.

 And of course, my kid is right in the middle of it all. No fear of public speaking for him!

Using not only his words, but showmanship.

The teams and coaches, posed for pictures after the meet. It was great to see the future leaders from our area. There are some talented kids here!

Poopies

I was left this sign on the garage door...

I guess I know where my husband is.

Pool Time

One of the best features of our new home...

POOL!!!!

Plus, my mom came in town to help us unpack and move in (and out of our old home). As a break we took our afternoon to play in the pool.

A Week at the Beach

Nothing says "school's out for summer" like our family beach trip. Generally, the minute school is over, my entire family heads down to beach where we merge for a week of mayhem and laughter.

After a long... as you can see LONG... car ride, we final got to Florida! Now it was time for lazy mornings at the beach to afternoon outings. Time to bring the fun wherever we go.

One of my favorite restaurants at Pier Park is Hofbrau Beer Garden. It's where our kids have to endure our crazy antics... and sometimes try to pull some of their own. Or at least the boys pretended like they were studious and the girls proper. Both fleeting...

And because it's the end of May, we got to celebrate my nephew's birthday. Traditionally we will have Japanese food. Kai put his rock climbing skills to work and got a wild hair to climb their entrance sign.

Midweek called for something different. So we took an excursion to Rosemary Beach, where my brother and the girls took a few fun photos between shopping...

But nothing says family vacation like the beach. The quite lull of the ocean. The casual relaxed atmosphere.

We even found time to get away from the kids and spend a few hours together alone on the beach!

On one of the last days of the trip, we took Callie to Destin (& Sandestin) to do a little shopping. On the way we stopped to eat at Tommy Bahamas. I had no idea what to expect, but we were all very surprised and delighted with our meal.

We would definitely come back!

It was not hard to describe our vacation: it's doughnuts and bacon, and early trips to the beach. It's seafood (& chicken), and trips to Publix. It's afternoon naps to evening card games. Reading, resting, and time together.