Monkey Joe's & Good Times

Running up the ramp on one of the inflatables...

Who wouldn't want a red hot sports car to drive around in?...

I'm ALMOST to the top!!! I think I can, I think I can...

My two blue-eyed boys!

Kissin' Cousins...

All tuckered out! Gotta have that thumb!

Auntie Mel & Court

Me & my sweetie

My sis - Christy & Me

Here are some pictures of our adventures over the weekend. I have a friend who is 25 months older than me. She is the kind of person that gives out of a loving heart and anyone who is the recipient leaves the encounter blessed beyond measure. I'm talking, of course, about my big sis, Christy. :) We got to have lunch together on Saturday and she came over to the house earlier this week just because she knew I needed a "pick-me-up"...and all it took was Subway, Red Velvet Cupcakes & the best company anyone could ask for. I love my sister so much and am so grateful for these times that we have right now to be living so close to each other. We had lunch at Red Robin with our honey's & kids & then Courtney came home to spend the rest of the weekend at our house. We took Gentry to a new place that's opened called "Monkey Joe's". It is a huge indoor place that has those big inflatables everywhere that the kids can romp & expend TONS of energy. Gentry enjoyed himself so much that we literally were DRAGGING him out of the place. Every time I grabbed his hand to walk out with him, he'd just sit down on the floor and say, "No momma, I wanna stay & play!" Of course, he was out about five minutes down the road.

I'm having a good time having Dale home this week with me. We've been in a spring cleaning frenzy & have adopted my sister's mantra for cleaning, sorting & throwing away. She says if you don't "love it, use it, or need it...get rid of it." We've been throwing so much stuff away, we might not even have a bed to sleep on by the time it's all said and done. It's a good feeling though. It's certainly brought back a flood of memories going through boxes that have been in storage since we left Virginia. Some memories are still too painful to delve back into, but some things I found and smiled through tear-blurred eyes. I found old piano lesson books that I used to take lessons from when I was a kid...I found ornaments people had bought Gentry his first Christmas...I found tapes of some of Dale's first sermons he ever preached...I found pictures of people I used to teach piano lessons to. So many facets of life & every memory is like a puzzle piece that makes up the picture of our lives.

I could have stayed in the basement for hours pouring over old letters, books, tapes, pictures, etc...but I happen to be married to a VERY choleric personality guy and he keeps us "on track" and makes sure we just "get the job done". I do need him for projects like that because I tend to take forever sorting through piece by piece of my past. So, we've got all of our "stuff" burned, goodwilled, thrown away, or put back reorganized, labeled & knowing exactly what we've got and where it is. It definitely gives you a sense of accomplishment & hoping somewhere in the back of your mind that you didn't throw away something of some paramount value! :)

Well, I need to get dinner going. We're going to have Chicken & Fig Packets...our new favorite! With a mixed green salad with green goddess dressing!!! I still have a Rum Cake I made for Dale over the weekend, so we'll have that with a cup of coffee & American Idol tonight. YUMMY!