Tuesday, May 31, 2011

A Memorable Memorial Day

Today we remembered those we have loved and lost as well as our country's servicemen who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. The cemetery was a sight to see with thousands of American flags waving in the strong breeze and all of the colorful, beautiful flowers. Memorial Park is one of the most beautiful cemeteries I have seen because the stones are all flat so there is nothing obstructing the view of all the memorial flowers. Almost breathtaking...if it's possible to describe a cemetery that way. This Memorial Day was a bit more special to my heart than any before....today we remembered my mother and all of the precious memories that keep her alive in our hearts and minds. Vivid memories flooded my mind all day and mostly made me smile, a few bringing some tears to the surface. Dad, Hallie, my cousins Dara and Garrett and I spent some time at Memorial Park today together.......


Helping Gman keep the grass green

Making sure it looks just right...


 
"If you grab one side of the bucket I'll get the other."

So loved...

I have been blessed with the best cousins in the entire world. No, really!!! I'm serious...the absolute best. It was great to see Garrett who is home from FSU for the summer. Last time he spent some time with Hallie she was a bit cranky and threw up on him. Or at least that's what he keeps reminding me of. This meeting was a lot more pleasant....


"He started it mom!"

Dara got in plenty of "Hallie time" this afternoon....

Can you tell that Hal loves her just a bit?

Cookout time! We spent the afternoon and evening at Aunt Lisa and Uncle David's house. They had put up a new swing for Hallie and she was happy to put it to good use when she got there.....

"Thanks guys"

"Give me a push!"

She noticed the grown-ups were playing a fun looking game so she tried to give it a go....

"Give me your best shot"

I told Hallie this morning that swimming was on our agenda today. Being that she is a swimming pro now after her trip to the aquatic center yesterday, she was ready when it came pooltime. Cue the music: "she wore an itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini...."


Thanks again to my wonderful family, Hallie had a baby pool filled up and waiting for her to splash around in. Problem is the girl is pretty picky about her ideal water temperature.....

"This isn't gonna work for me..."

We convinced her to try it out anyway with some help from her buddy Cayden.....

"What do we do now....?"

Just FYI, Hallie thinks swimming is a lot more fun naked.....

My skinny dipping queen



"Hmmm? Do I wanna sit in this cold water? Decisions...."

Hallie was freezing her little toesies off and baby hypothermia was setting in so she found a couple warm places to cuddle up and get cozy....

\
Warm Lap #1: Aunt B

Warm Lap #2: Cristen

Hallie's belly must've been rumbling for some food because she made her way to the door to peek in to check on the status of dinner.....

"Got any scraps in there? This bully and I are starving from all of this swimming"

Garrett left his famous tie-dye tank lying on his bed so it was screaming to be worn on a day like today.....

It looks much better on the fella to my right

Probably after she threw up on him

Pencive Spence


We had the best darn smoker this side of the Mississippi preparing our yummy dinner for everyone! Brisket, bologna, and chicken.....YUM!


Dara, Garrett and Cayden were all cooling off in the "big people pool" and it looked pretty inticing despite the fact that it was a chilly 74 degrees. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.




Lookin' good!

Hallie was a bit more fearless than me and jumped in the pool before I was convinced to hop in. Ok, maybe eased in is a better way to put it. Dara held her as she floated around slowly. But Hal didn't want to go slow....no, she instead liked zooming through the water. That lil stinker loved the big people pool and showed us that baby pools are for fools. :)

"Too cool for a baby pool"

"Let me go, I think I've got this..."

"Look out Michael Phelps...."

I'd grab for her and lift her out of the water to see if she was too chilly and she would quickly let me know that she wanted back down in the water. She swam for a good twenty minutes until I joined her.....

"This diaper weights as much as I do!"

Every great swimmer needs goggles and she looked like a natural in them....

:)

My dad, Bailey and Spencer all jumped on the bandwagon and suited up for some swimming. The only difference is that it took my dad a short twenty minutes to decide if he really wanted to get in or not. And when he did decide to jump in didn't go unnoticed.....instead of a cannonball (as requested) he landed flat on his butt. Ouch!

There is really nothing I cherish more than family time..... 






When they are happy, I am happy...

Memorial Day 2011 was fun. A lot of fun. It would've been even more fun had we been blessed with the laughter of my mom. Today I remembered all of the great things about her...the way she loved, the way she gave, the way she treasured every second she had. Today we remembered her and the joy she brought to everyone's lives. <3 This year and every year from now on we will remember....

In loving memory of my Grandma Lois, Grandpa Glen, cousins Cory & Eden, uncle Leo, and Mom.

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