Two precious blessings from God!

Back home and back in the swing of things!

After deciding to stay an extra night at the beach, we made it home Thursday afternoon. Leigh Ashley and I left the condo about 30 minutes before the guys, but got home almost two hours before they did! That was after we made several potty stops and stopping back by the Watermelon Patch! (We stopped on the way down, too) Mark and Zachary had to stop and buy a new tire for the boat trailer before leaving the city limits of Foley. Thankfully, they noticed that the tire was low and found two leaks when they stopped to put air in it. Praise God, they didn't have a blow out pulling that boat! After replacing the tire, the long boat seat that goes across the back flew out on I-10 in a thunderstorm! They had to pull over and walk a half a mile in the rain to pick up the seat. It's a huge seat and carrying it back to the truck was tough with the wind and rain coming off of the 18 wheelers. I'm so thankful that no one ran over them. God was surely watching over my son and husband on Thursday!!!

I almost forgot...Leigh Ashley did make the dance team! She's really excited and is ready for the workshop next week. Zachary starts high school football practice next week. I can't believe my little boy is in the 10th grade! I remember 10th grade and it seems like yesterday. He will have practice for two weeks at 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. I don't think he'll have any problems sleeping at night.

I'm going to the coast tomorrow with my friend, Erin. I'm looking forward to us having some time to "catch up". It seems like we have both been going in different directions with our kids being at different stages, that we haven't had time to have a complete conversation.

Check out more pics from the beach at web.mac.com/melindacourtney

The Gang's All Here!

My little boy is growing up too fast!
Zachary & Leigh Ashley with their cousin, Cassidy. He lives in Charlotte, NC.
She loves to strike a pose!
View from condo.

Well, we finally made it to Orange Beach! We love where we are staying--Phoenix on the Bay II. We went out in the boat yesterday and really had a good time. Today, Leigh Ashley went over to the outlet mall in Foley. We left the condo at 9 this morning and got back at 4:30! We did have breakfast at Hazel's, but the rest of the time we were shopping. We had dinner at Mango's Friday night and Cosmo's last night. After our day of shopping, I think I want to hang around the condo tonight.

Finally.....we can do something as a family! Well......not quiet yet!

Leigh Ashley decided to try out for the Dance Team at her dance studio. We found out on Tuesday that the workshop to learn the dances was scheduled for Wednesday and tryouts would be held today from 3:30 until 5:30. Today, July 20 the day we planned to leave for Orange Beach. Yes, our family vacation scheduled during this small window of opportunity for our family to actually go somewhere for several days together and actually ride in the same vehicle!!! Well, Mark and Zachary left this morning pulling the boat while Leigh Ashley and I watched them drive away. We had already paid for 5 nights in the condo, so they went on without us. My in-laws planned to go and take my nephew who is here visiting from North Carolina, so we just couldn't cancel our plans. We just rearranged things! I took her to tryouts this afternoon, but we don't know if she made the team yet. I'm not ready for all this for my little girl!

Well, we are off to the beach for a few days. With Zachary's baseball schedule and taking Spanish II this summer, we haven't been able to plan much. Football practice begins on July 31st, so this is it! I am looking forward to spending time with my family without having a schedule of activities or commitments!

There's never a dull moment with a teenager in the house. Zachary has contributed to the success of our new bowling alley with at least 3 trips a week and he has had more lunch dates this summer than I've had all year! What a life! He has been busy with Spanish II, baseball games and football weight training this summer.....but he has had his share of fun too! I hope my neighbors are still talking to me after he and three friends ended up in the pool at 10:30 last night. I have a feeling the high pitched squealing of the girls announced that that the Courtney's had company! Leigh Ashley has been involved with art camp at Prep this week. This is her 4th summer to go and she loves it! I highly recommend it to anyone with kids going into the 1st grade, because they do some great things. I mean things you'll want to have framed. I've decorated her room and bathroom with the funky stuff she's done over the years. It fills up fast and there's always a waiting list, so sign up early. Usually, you can enroll in March. They also have some "one day" camps around Christmas and Valentines Day. Here's some of the things she's done over the years. I can't wait until tomorrow to see what she's done this year!

4th of July

We had a great July 4th! We all went to Biloxi for a few days. Zachary is taking Spanish II in summer school (to lighten his load next year), so we had to stick close to home. In fact, he had class Monday and Tuesday....so he and Mark came down Tuesday afternoon. I didn't think they would have class those days when my parents made all the plans. We usually go on a big trip if the 4th falls on a day that daddy is forced to close the restaurant.

Zachary hadn't missed any days of summer school, so I thought he could just miss those two days. Well.....last week his teacher said "if any of you are planning a family vacation for July 4th, plan on failing the class!". I emailed him and explained how strongly I feel about my children spending time with their grandparents while they are here on earth and he basically told me what he told the class. Get this...the class is over the 11th!

Anyway, Zachary and Mark had to miss the fishing trip. I hated it too because we actually caught fish! We caught our limit of redfish. Zachary was fine with it, because golf at Fallen Oak yesterday made up for it. I loved it! He's gotten really good this summer and likes having bragging rites over his daddy! My daddy does not play golf, but went along with them. I didn't go, so I have no pics of Zachary from this trip. This is the first July 4th in 15 years that I haven't taken pictures of him on a trip with my parents.

These are the important moments in life. I want my kids to have lots of opportunities to make memories with their grandparents. I cherish the trips I made with my Nannie & Papaw summer after summer. Sights, sounds and smells still take me back to those special moments.......

More pics from party....

Jenny Butler of Brandon did the flowers. She does a great job!