Albi’s 40th Birthday Weekend – pre-birthday party

This past weekend we celebrated Albi’s upcoming 40th birthday.  The family came in town, and I planned a big party for Saturday night. We kicked the weekend off with a family cookout at our house on Friday night.  Albi grilled burgers for us on the new grill he got for his birthday and we all spent 90% of the night outside on the back porch.  The boys convinced Madeline, Mallory, Shaw and Deeda to play baseball with them in the yard so they could show off their throwing and hitting skills.  The boys thought the night was all about them (which was good since they were not a part of the Saturday night celebration!).

I would by lying if I didn’t say I was a little nervous about the whole weekend.  Lots of people staying at my house for the weekend, even more coming over for dinner on Friday and then hosting a party for 100+ people on Saturday night – lots of chaos, but it was all organized chaos and it was GREAT fun.  I have to say i loved every minute of the weekend and wouldn’t change a single thing about it - except Granddaddy Fred being sick :(   

Thanks Aunt Heather, Uncle Shaw, Mad and Mal for the presents!   

   

We tried to get a good picture of all the kids.  Two of the kids did a GREAT job and three were completely non-cooperative.  I’ll let you guess who is in each category. (Don’t let Mac’s half smile fool you.  This was take number 52).       

  

Saturday the girls and little boys headed to the beach while the big boys played golf.  Copeland is still not the biggest beach fan, but he did better.  The whole way there he was trying to convince himself that the beach was ok.  He kept saying, “Mommy, the beach not scary.  It’ll be ok.”  Then when we got to the beach all I heard was, “This beach is scary.  The beach scares me.”  In reality it is the water not the sand that bothers him.  In true Coe fashion, he rolled all around in the sand and was not at all bothered by the millions of granules that covered his body (and ended up in my car!).  The ocean on the other hand terrifies him.  Not only does he not want to go in the water, but he really doesn’t want anyone else we know to enjoy it either! 

Finally after sitting at the water’s edge next to me for quite some time, Coe looked up as we were getting ready to leave and said, “This beach not scary.  It real fun!” (We will see if that opinion holds during our upcoming vacation to Rosemary Beach.)

Mac on the other hand had a great time at the beach because of all the “fossils” he found.  He was convinced he found a T-Rex tooth and a Spinosaurus tooth.  Of course he could easily tell the difference in the two.  I made the mistake of asking asked him how he knew the shell was a dinosaur tooth fossil and he quickly gave me a dissertation on dinosaurs along with a demonstration of how the “fossil can cut through flesh” and therefore must be a t-rex tooth since “they are meat eaters and tear a lot of flesh!”

The beach wore them out!

Next up…the birthday party! 

Playing with my camera

Just found several pictures that I never posted.  Although the boys have jackets on in the picture (*precious jackets from mommy’s college friend Mrs. Susan), the pics are only from a few weeks ago.  We had a cool snap and had to put on some layers while playing outside.

Mac caught a frog and almost squeezed him to death.  I ran inside to grab my camera and when I came back Mac was pulling the frog off the top of Copeland’s head.  When I asked what was going on, Copey quickly responded, “it’s weel (real) cool” as Mac quickly explains that he wanted to see if the frog could jump off Copey’s head but it got caught in his hair.  This is the difference in boys and girls!Coe is obsessed with baseball and he is actually pretty good.  He likes for us to throw the ball to him, but it is easier on us him if he uses the baseball better batter toy. 

The boys also love putting bird seed in their birdhouses.  I have never seen a bird come for a meal, but I’m pretty sure we feed all the squirrels in the neighborhood.   

Forrest said she didn’t have any good pictures of Finley and Yaya so I snapped this picture after mom cooked Greek Easter for all of us. 

I have been meaning to get some new picture of Miss Katie and the boys forever.  Copeland didn’t really want to cooperate on the day I had my camera ready, but this is better than nothing! 

the Fish Class

I cannot believe Mac only has 5 days left at LEP.  It is definitely bitter sweet.  I’m so proud of how much he has learned and grown the past three years, and I can’t wait to see what Episcopal Day School has to bring.  Lord, please don’t let them kick him out the first week :)   

The Fish Class

A few of my treasures from Mom’s for Muffins. I have to brag on Mac a little (because isn’t that what mom’s do best!).  All the kids “My mom” stories were hanging around the room for us to see when we came for Mom’s for Muffins.  Mac’s was the ONLY one that was 2 pages long.  his teacher told me after the program that for the first time in her 26 years of teaching she had to record what Mac said about me b/c he was talking so fast and had so much to say she couldn’t keep up or remember it all! 

The teachers put together a video of the whole class with activities and pictures from the entire year.  I had to hold back tears during the entire video.  I still can’t believe my baby is {almost} finished with pre-school :(

Mac was very excited when he saw his cheering section at the VPK recognition program – mommy, daddy and Yaya.  We are really going to miss Ms. Debbie and Ms. Kathy.

Bye Bye Fish Class.  Bye Bye LEP.  Hello Kindergarten!