Memorial Day Weekend At A Glance

What a busy weekend. We were pretty much on the go from Friday on. It was all wonderful. Exhausting though! My kids have slept in past 9:30 every morning since mid-week last week. They have played outside lots and enjoyed every minute of it! Today we are hanging out inside trying to, for me, catch up on housework and for the kids, some much needed sleep. They are both napping soundly right now. *smilesblissfully*

So Friday we went to my brothers for a some ribs on the grill and a game of Mad Gab the their friends (and now our friends) Adam and Val. Adam and Val have two little girls ages 4 and 5 and Camden loves to play with them as well as his cousin Brooke. It was a great night just hanging out and visiting. It's such a pleasure to fellowship with other believers with whom you have common bonds. Adam and Val, Ed and Anita, and Mike and I all have experienced similar circumstances recently in our lives and it has been such a lift in my spirits to have others who can relate to where we have been and are now. My brother continues to amaze me. He is going on three months sober! Ever time I think about the change he has made in his life I can't help but get teary! He is so open about his relationship with Lord and his struggles. He shared with Mike and I Friday about how he was having a bad day earlier in the day. He told us about how he slipped up and swore a few time but almost immediately after he did so, he felt convicted and apologized to his wife and kids. He even shared how he explained to his daughter Brooke, that just because daddy slipped and swore does not mean he is not a Christian any more. He told her that even Christians have bad days. You have to understand that just 6 months ago he would have cared less about talking that way in front of his family and would have just walked away like nothing happened. It has been like watching miracle take place. Really, those who know him would say it is a miracle. I love him so very much and I am so, so very proud of him!!!

Saturday we did just stay home and veg out because we knew Sunday and Monday were going to be long busy days. We had been invited to our friends (who own the dairy farm) to play Guitar Hero but we knew we had to give something up because it was all going to be too much. So we are going to do Guitar Hero another night.

So Sunday we spend a wonderful day with my in-law's. It could not have been a more perfect day! The sun was shining, it wasn't too awful hot, the food was great, and the time spent together was AWESOME! I enjoyed ever moment (except a few moments of distraction). Auntie even brought BINGO and prizes. I guess when I walked away my father-in-law won for me a nice water bottle and a $10 gift card to Burger King which my son was thrilled about. He loves to go the Burger King in Columbiana and play in the kids play area. My father-in-law surprised my mother-in-law with a beautiful ring for the anniversary. We even had some "karaoke" in which my husband serenaded his Mommy. He had all of us in tears at one point. It truly was a great day!





After heading home late Sunday evening, we got the kids home, gave them baths, and got them right to bed. They both were pretty darn tired as they should be with all the running around they did. Mike had to work half a day on Memorial Day itself. He is always home by 12:30 so we had the rest of the day to drop in and picnic with my family in Columbiana. My sister-in-law Anita's parents (Sam and Donna Bell) were so gracious to host not only her side of the family but our side as well. We had my brother and Anita (of course), their kids, my sister Cheryl and her husband and kids, us and our two, my mom, Anita's sister and grandmother as well as Anita's brother and his wife and two boys. There were a lot of us! Thank goodness Sam and Donna have a large house and yard (they have a beautiful home right on Main Street). We convinced Uncle Frank to let us borrow his Corn Hole game which ended up being a big hit. The weather held of and other than a few very light sprinkles here and there we had no rain. My daughter took to "Papa Bell" and had him taking her for walks and even cuddled with him inside in his favorite chair. Camden of course LOVED playing with the big kids. He was a little bummed when they left to got to the park without them, but he quickly got over it when "Papa Bell" took him inside to watch cartoons. I'm not used to being with so many people who literally steal my kids away from me. Especially my brother and Merci. She is his little sidekick!





For those wondering, yes that is my mom playing Corn Hole! I could not believe it! She cracks me up some times!

So there is just a little glimpse (and I do mean little) into our holiday weekend. It would take several posts to post about everything and to post every pictures. But you can take my word for it, it really was wonderful.

I'm going to post one other post with pictures that I did of all the cousins. They were being so funny and none of them were camera shy! It was lots of fun.

I hope that all of you had a safe and happy holiday. May your coming week be the same! TTFN