Memorial Weekend...and a turtle?!

Of course the boys ate breakfast twice at Chick-fil-A for the holiday. Look who is mastering the slide!

We always go to the beach for Memorial Day weekend. But, Kate Bug was turning 4 and had a fabulous party on Saturday, and I couldn't gear up for time without Daddy to help at the beach (when he would have to drive back for work), so we stayed here.

We did a LOT of swimming. We played in the pools at Kate's house for her party, and then went swimming at my parents' house on Saturday night.

Then Sunday we headed to the Hoover Country Club pool with some friends. Turner thought the baby pool was fabulous, and it was perfect for John Burke to walk around in. Of course I didn't remember to take any pictures.

The boys with Aunt Mary - I tried to get their cute little smocked American flag shorts in the picture, but I guess they cut off

Yesterday, we spent the day at my parents' house. My aunt Mary and her husband Ed (they got married last year) drove from California. ACROSS the country!! Wow, I don't want to do that. But they were picking up some stuff of Grandad's and they were adventurous. So we were able to see them yesterday. We had a fabulous time!

Pop Pop and Uncle Day-rek are guaranteed entertainment (and rest for me)

Randomly, I found a large turtle walking across the road on the way to GiGi and Pop Pop's house. I got out and picked it up and put it in a neighbor's yard so it wouldn't get hit. (Sidenote - I am not an animal lover at all. I swerve for squirrels.) But I wanted to show Turner, maybe it was the teacher in me. Of course he wouldn't look at it.

Anyway, I had a salad bowl in the back of my car that I had left at my parents' from John Burke's party. Luckily it was big. So I stuck Turtle in it and threw him in the front seat. I thought it was funny for a little bit, but when I called Evan to tell her, Wes quickly added that it could be a snapping turtle. Why had that not occurred to me?? Probably because I don't like animals much. So I started screaming in Evan's ear - sorry, Evan. I felt like his little beady eyes were sticking out and staring at me.

I surprised Mom and Dad and Kate and Blake. I started wondering in the car if I am going to be that weird Mom that my kids and their friends talk about. Probably.

We checked him out, petted his shell, and determined he probably was not a snapping turtle. He was not hissing or anything. Lindsey helped the kids clean him off, and then we waited for him to eventually waddle off. Ah, our little Memorial Day turtle. So far, Turner has asked SEVERAL times about the turtle, but especially as we have passed the point in the road that we found him.

All clean - check out how big that was. Wouldn't you put it in your car too? :)

I need to add that Heath was at home pressure washing the driveway yesterday morning, or this entire turtle adventure would not have happened. He thought it was insane, and was puzzled when Turner kept talking about a turtle.

I keep thinking that I need to write down the funny things Turner keeps saying. I can't remember what I have written and what I haven't, but he loves loves loves Kiet Coke. We got our carpet cleaned last week, so he is not allowed to eat or drink anywhere but the kitchen (why haven't I been doing that up until now? Good question). Today he walked in the kitchen and said "Turner spill Mommy's kiet coke. Please no spankin spoon!" Well, he did have to have the spanking spoon because I had told him a MILLION times not to go in the den.

And this morning, he and York argued all breakfast whether pancakes (cakes) or biscuits (bissits) were a better food. Seriously? Evan and I were cracking up, while telling them to quiet down. They were LOUD about their little discussion.

And in the car, Turner likes to open the gate to our neighborhood and the garage door. He will start about 5 miles from the house and say "Can I have the little one?" which is the clicker for the gate. Then, he must open it and trade for the "big one", which is the garage door opener. He does not like to vary from this system. It makes my sweet across the street neighbor nervous as he watches our door open and close, open and close. The same neighbor, Jim, also has small heart attacks every time my children run towards the road. Bless his heart.

The other thing I wanted to remember was that he likes to say "I can't" - this annoys me to no end. And "for a minute" - "Can I play the game (Words with Friends, Angry Birds, etc.) for a minute?" "Can I watch Elmo - just for a minute?" and my favorite "Me and Burke Burke sucker/popsicle/Kiet Coke for a minute?" Such a little negotiator...oh well, he is waking up from his nap. Gotta go play outside..."for a minute!"

Thirty

It feels weird to say thirty, because in my mind I think I just finished college. But then I remember I am a mother to 2 little monkeys and that wakes me back up! That is weirder to me than the number 30!

Last week I had a week of Kelly. It was fabulous! Heath started out with a surprise party for me on Sunday night with some friends at Big Blue Bagel. I was impressed - he pulled it off! We were supposed to go to a Third Day relief concert, but instead we ended up on the patio of Big Blue. So fun!

Then we went to my favorite restaurants with friends and family all week long. Chuys, Outback, Melting Pot, Cheesecake Factory. Wow - thinking about that makes me want to eat cleaner! But it was so worth it! On Thursday, the night of my birthday, I went to see Water For Elephants with Evan (such a good movie).

When I got home, I found this on my front door, caution tape in my driveway and my house rolled. I tried to get pictures, but my camera wouldn't work at night. It was 10:30, and my neighbor informed me that he saw the bandits - some of my former students. In a crazy way, it was the perfect end to my birthday week. It made me laugh!

Turner pre-haircut, eating his new favorite food. Peanut butter. But not on bread - he spits that out. Just on the spoon - whatever, it is protein.

Meanwhile, Turner is cracking me up as he is stringing sentences together. This week he asked me who Burke Burke's mommy was. I told him I was, and he said "No, you're my mommy!" He had not realized that they share me. Which I don't understand, because he is his advocate in all situations. If he gets a sucker, he says "Mommy - Burke Burke sucker. Blue one please (or whatever color "John Burke" is wanting). He is very concerned that I am going to leave him out, but equally concerned when he believes "Burke Burke needs spankin."

Then, today we passed a car wash. Usually, he says "Nate (our friend at Express Oil Change) fixes Daddy's car." But today he started shouting "Nasty! Nasty!" I asked him what he was talking about. He said "Daddy vacuumed Mommy's car, and it was NASTY!" Um, he was right. I laughed so hard.

Motor Mouth hanging out with MeMe in Aunt Kelly's hospital room

Also, for my old Oak Mountain girls, our friend Boris came and cleaned my carpets this week. What a miracle worker!! (I thought I got a before picture, but it is probably a lot less incriminating that I did not.) This was the highlight of Turner's week - he LOVED meeting Boris and interrogating about the carpet and all the processes involved. Boris (our former overly qualified janitor from the elementary school) was overly gracious and talked to him all morning long, letting Turner "help" him.

He also LOVED meeting our newest nephew, Cameron. Heath's sister, Kelly, had him on Monday and he is a little cutie. The nurses took him to the well baby nursery for too long when he was first born, so we didn't get to hold him. But we will soon.

And, before I forget - this guy is officially WALKING. He is on the same track that Turner was on - they start at about a year and really get used to it by 13 months. He still thinks it is easier to crawl, which I am not too sad about. But he is getting better with walking. If he could just bend those knees. My chunky little Frankenstein!!

See ya!

Planes, Tractors and Automobiles

A couple of weeks ago, we were in 3 states in less than a week. We loved it (especially the boys), but it wore me out! We started the week in Phoenix for Grandad's funeral. The day he died, Mom and Dad told us that he would have liked us all to be there - including the great-grandchildren. So, after much configuring and convincing, we all headed out to Arizona, minus Uncle Brandon, who stayed to work.

Views from the plane:

EARLY in the morning - plane took off at 7

Pop Pop and GiGi were the entertainers in a pinch

We had a singing stewardess on Southwest that plugged her own YouTube video - she was better in her own head I think

We had a service for Grandad on Monday morning. It was so nice to see his former church friends and bridge partners and neighbors. All of Dad's side of the family was there - dad's brother Tom and our aunt, Candy (who Heath and Stacy got to meet for the first time), and dad's sister, Mary, her husband Ed and our cousins Amy and Paul. They all live in Los Angeles, so we rarely get to see all of them.

My kids couldn't make it past the TAPs ceremony - Turner kept yelling "Stars!" when he saw the folding of the flag, and then asked really loudly, "Where's Grandad???" So Heath exited quickly with Turner and a sleepy John Burke.

They met back up with us for a reception in the church. I love that Turner could identify Grandad - he has not seen him since Christmas but he remembered!

Stacy and Chloe

Playing with cousin Paul at the reception (guess who knocked down the gate thing behind him and woke up all the elderly guests)

Right after we buried his ashes next to Grandma

This makes me laugh - so natural for Heath :)

Our 12 passenger van - you jealous? Turner referred to it as "Pop Pop van" - We filled it to the brim. And do you know it is pricey to rent 5 carseats?

Tried to get a view from the front

3 turkeys in a row - they liked the set up

We spent the rest of our time by the pool at the Embassy Suites

I won't say who enjoyed Happy Hour the most (here is a clue - not my aunt Mary here with Derek)

Chloe loved the water

Uncle D and Pop Pop made the pool even more fun

We ate dinner by the pool and spent a lot of time as a family - we were encouraged to "stay in" by all the looks at breakfast with 5 kids 3 and under, and at the Mexican restaurant we attempted as a big group

Group picture - poor people at dinner around us

Tom or Mary brought a bunch of pictures, and we think Burkita Jones (his newest nickname - I don't know why) looks like Pop Pop at this age

Turner and Chloe watching the planes take off

Derek and Heath both took these scavengers on some walks around the airport

And GiGi and Pop Pop tired this guy out - he and Turner made Heath and me very happy by sleeping almost the entire flight home!! Hallelujah!!

We got home, got Gordon (the forgotten pug) situated, unpacked and repacked and headed to the beach a day later.

We spent the night in Andalusia on the way down. Turner got bored with the small tractor, so Pap came home from work to take him on a spin on this "boo tactor" (blue tractor)

This was our view. It was Mother's Day weekend, and the weather and water could not have been better! I didn't take any pictures on the beach or at the fabulous zero-entry pool we visited because I cannot trust my little angels around water

The one cell phone picture I got - what a perfect pool - they could have played in it for a week straight

We met our trusty friends the Bennetts down there - and had a ball, as you can see.

We wished Granny Fran a "Happy Muvvers Day" (or the best Turner could say) and headed back to Birmingham through Andalusia

We had a fabulous family lunch and then hung out outside for as long as we could

Driving "Pap's tactor"

We drove all the tractors we could get our hands on

Uncle Jonathan let Turner "push dirt" with him - it might have been the highlight of his life - he ran in the house to tell me and could barely breathe telling me about it

We love playing with Ellie - even when she takes fashion risks like denim diapers :)

We celebrated and hugged our MeMe and Granny Eloise

And I tried to wrestle them into a sweet Mother's Day pic, but you know

This was the view in the car on the way home. He was asleep, yet taking his bottle. Y'all may feel like this after reading this long post with SO many pictures!