Cutting Grass...Four Years Later

Tommy cutting grass with his boys. Tyler back in 2007 and Carson 2011.

Almost Fall

My favorite time of the year is almost upon us! I don't think I am the only one excited either, for some reason this has been a really really hard summer and most of my friends and family tend to agree. I am welcoming a new season and to say good bye to summer. But before we say goodbye, we have to reflect back on our top ten favorite summer moments/memories (in no particular order)....

1. Going to the beach with my sister Becky, nephew Dawson and niece Sophia.

2. My mom getting engaged.

3. Dollywood with my family.

4. Pool days.

5. Farmers Market.

6. Blueberry picking/Rafting.

7. Friday night concerts on the creek.

8. Tyler's Birthday Dance Party.

9. Lot's of evenings spent with friends.

10.Laying on a blanket at night and watching shooting stars.

And now there are new things to look forward to! Like...planning my mom's wedding, football season, soup season (yes, I consider that a highlight of this time of the year), playing in leaf piles, brisk evening walks, campfire cooking with smores, cozy dinners with good friends, Ella's second birthday, my sister's birthday, Tommy's birthday, my mom's birthday, Halloween, Thanksgiving...ohhh- decorating my porch with hay bales and scarecrows!!! I could go on and on. I. Love. Fall. I love a good pair of jeans and comfy long sleeve shirt and curling up on the couch and taking a nap under the quilt my mom and grandmother made for me. I am so excited for this time of year I cannot stand it!

With a little bit left in summer, here is what we have been doing with our time: Mainly soccer season. I am coaching Tyler's team again this year and we are all having a really good time. Tyler's scored a goal during our first game. He has started first grade and Carson has moved to a different preschool room- both are loving their classrooms, teachers and new friends. Ella is talking like crazy and stays right by my side. The most recent adventure for me was attending an 80's costume party. I told Tommy that I have not danced that hard or long in 10 years. Carson came up to me and wanted to know where I got my outfit. He kept telling me how pretty I looked. I am now starting to question if I looked okay all those other times me complimented me on an outfit.

Tommy has kept busy at work and home. He tackled cutting down this huge dead tree by our house and just recently started cutting it up with Carson's help. This past weekend the tree was finally chopped up and is waiting to be used for firewood.

And with the changing weather and dead wood comes...spiders. We do not have many, but the large wolf spiders (harmless) tend to come out when the weather gets cooler. Guess who is terrified of spiders?

Poor Ella is afraid to walk after spotting one is is constantly on the lookout. It just might be a long fall for her.

"Felling A Tree" A True Story

Here is a story about a man who felled a 50 foot tree... The story started a year ago when the man hired another man to cut down some leaning and dying trees around his house. One tree inparticular just needed some limbs taken down and he was confident that the tree would not need to be taken all the way down. Fast forward one year later...the poor tree did not make it and instead of hiring the professional tree man to remove the tree, the man (we will call him "Ronny") was convinced that he could fell this tree on his own that was 50 feet high and 5 feet from his house. As you might assume, Ronny's wife and kids were pretty nervous. His 6 year old son "Skyler" even screamed, "What if it falls on the house?!?" After it was clear that the man could not be talked out of the challenge of cutting down the tree, Ronny's wife gathered all the kids and went into a room that was safe in the event the tree did change directions and then went to go get her camera.

Ronnie was not happy that his wife was documenting the event...almost implying that she needed proof for insurance purposes if things went bad.

Regardess, Ronnie started cutting- pausing to reassure his wife that he knew what he was doing and that he had even gone to Lowe's for rope and tied the tree to prevent it falling in the wrong direction.

The man took his time, carefully cutting a wedge on the spray painted line.

After each cut, Ronnie would get his sledge hammer and tap away at the wedge while his wife nervously held her breath and clicked away.

And then...the tree started to move. Ronnie hurried out of the way. And what do you know?

The tree...

Fell in the exact direction where the man had said it would.

And landed with a sound thud away from the house. The man started yelling, "Just saved $300 dollars!!! Who is the man now?!? Now what!?!!" With much joy, Ronnie walked back inside- walking a little straighter I might add, with a proud grin all over his face.

Now Ronnie's wife had to admit that the man did know what he was doing. It was not that fun seeing the man walk around talking about what a man he was. The woman wished she had taken the kids and gone shopping. The end.

Carson's First Day of School

Tyler's First Day of First Grade

Same Nap, Same Kid, Different Year

Air Carson

Did I mention that Carson overcame his fear of jumping in the pool while in Destin? Full on sprint towards the deep in and flying into the air! Makes me feel good that a whole summer of private swim lessons could not accomplish what a week at the beach could. Look out for a 3 year old jumping over your head we are sharing the same pool...