Laughter and Tears

My sister and aunt came to visit us this last week. We took a walk along the greenway and after a while, sent Rhyan off to drive the car to the other side, where he was to pick us up. My naivete knows no bounds. This was the first time we'd walked this and I had no idea how wretchedly looooong that trail is. It would have been OK but Brooklyn decided it would be much more entertaining to have fits and yell like a banshee for about the last mile. So charming.

Julie taught the kids how to play chess. They love it but you have to watch them carefully because their players sometimes make amazing moves that no chess piece has ever gotten away with before.


Kids being bugs in a spiders web at Birmingham zoo. I was really disappointed with the zoo. They are under construction and none of the cool animals were available to see. The alligators were hibernating and I suppose I can't blame the zoo for that (though I am trying to find a way). No elephants, hippos, big cats or the apes that were all advertised. Half the zoo is under construction. Only one measly giraffe.

Maybe I'll go back sometime when they're done. Maybe. But only because the nice lady at the front gave us an ice pack to put on Brooklyn's forehead after she ran into a chair. If the zoo had had howler monkeys, which they didn't, I'd bet on Brooklyn to out howl any of them any day, any time.


For more heart-stopping entertainment, we hiked Rainbow trail. So beautiful. So peaceful. So dangerous for little boys who like to jump near cliffs. Through some miracle and a lot of, "GET AWAY FROM THE EDGE!" we all survived and enjoyed nature.

For Heidi and Julie,
We miss you already! You would have cried to see the quivering lips and tear stained faces of those kids after we dropped you off. Brooklyn crying through her tears, "keesses. I give keessses Jueee, Heidi." Casey and Erika taking turns sniffing.
Come back soon!