Alabama Field Trips

In June, the kids and I took a quick weekend jaunt to Birmingham.

First up: a tour of the Golden Flake potato chip factory. It was very interesting to see the assembly line, and we had no problem gobbling up several bags of dill pickle chips!

 

Overnight stay and some tandem bike rides with Pappy and Mema. Then off to Tuscumbia…

 

…via Cullman, and a visit with the Siegenthaler cousins. Oops, forgot to take their picture, but did photograph some of their cute new kittens. “Can’t we take one with us???”

 

Another hour on the road, then a little picnic supper on the lawn outside Ivy Green, home of Helen Keller.

 

And finally, the outdoor drama “The Miracle Worker,” reenacting the amazing story of Annie Sullivan and her work with Helen. In the snapshot below, you can see the actual pump where the famed “w-a-t-e-r” hand-spelling episode occurred.

A fun getaway—and it counted as a school day, too!

Family Supper at Mary Mac’s

Thanks to Lynn Sanchelli’s invitation to attend the International Christian Retail Show with her artwork, we had another fun visit with the Prices this summer: lots of Phase 10, an afternoon at the Atlanta History Center, scenic driving tour of the city, and dinner with “local flavor.”

Little Tea Party

You’re invited…if you’re less than 3 inches tall.

Early Summer Fun

You get a lot of bang for your buck with one bag of water balloons.

 

King Snake?

This guy slithered up along the front walk just as our friends were arriving for dinner. We haven’t seen many snakes around here since we first moved in. We I killed three in the first several months. None was very big. I bludgeoned one to death with my weed bucket (the only implement at hand). I trapped one on the deck by stepping on it (I had on shoes) while one of the kids ran in for a pair of scissors. (I’ll leave the rest to your imagination, but will just mention it was a very tiny snake trying to slither back down between the planks. I assumed it was heading home to its much larger mother and many siblings, and I wanted to send them a message.) I don’t remember how I finished off the third one, but maybe that’s just as well. Supposedly, this species eats other snakes, so that’s a step in the right direction. The boys had hours of fun monitoring that hole and hypothesizing what small rodents might slip into it only to meet their doom.

And, Here’s George

Kate’s first pet.

He is a cute little guy.

Kate Turns Eight!

Good Morning precious Kate!

 

Gerbil supplies…(Gerbil to be picked out later.)

 

Getting ready for an Art Party:

 

Friends. (I guess Ilsa thought this was the funny face picture.)

 

Let the creativity begin.

 

Kate singing to herself.

 

The girls made their own favors. Clever, huh?

 

Family supper at Mary Macs’ downtown.

Birthday blessings, Kate. You are a joy!