Today is my dad's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!!!! He informed us last night that he would like it very much if, around his birthday, we could go out together as a family. Now, we go out together as a family quite a bit already, but he means just he, and Mom, and us three girls...out to eat... at our favorite french restarant. Awwww...now isn't that nice?

We got a call from Race, and all is well. We're counting the days.

Jackson had a wonderful birthday party yesterday, and all the thanks goes to my family for making it so special for him. The # of times that each of the kids says, "I wish Dad was home", is growing with each passing week. So it is truly great to see your children celebrate with wild abandonment! They love playing with their little cousins Q, and W.
Uncle Todd and Pap-paw have been invaluable assetts to the boys. Who knew that Uncle Todd knew so much about Lego and remote control planes, ( AND he was willing to tromp out in the cow pasture with several little boys, in the most oppressive heat/humidity that I can ever recall, to try it out!) ? And Pap-paw took Austin to the batting cage both morning and evening. Dad, (at 71) is now swinging away in the cages, too, and is apparently making plans to excavate a spot at my house to put up an honest to goodness pitching machine and cage!!!(Not kidding).
Aunt Emily was responsible for buying the ULTRA cool present that brought the party to a hault so that it could be tried out. It was a stone-like Egyptian pyramid (timely), with a hammer and chisel, safety glasses, and paints. Jack had all of the kids around him while he chiseled away, outside on the deck. The sweat pouring from beneath his safety glasses as he worked furiously, chipping away, bit by bit, for about 45 minutes. The sand was flying, my friends. The anticipation was high. Finally, his finished work revealed a sarcophagous (sp?), a mummy, a mask, and an ancient stone tablet with heiroglyphics. After swigging some gatorade, and a quick dip in the pool, he set to work painting it. He is very proud of the finished product. Great gift!

Aunt Thomasina came yesterday too. Her gifts are always tops too, but what the kids love best is that Aunt Thomasina will play "sea monster" with them in the pool.....at night! OH, the fun, the laughing, the screaming. You gotta love an aunt who will get up and fix you a fried egg sandwhich at 9:30 p.m.....AND who knows all the words to the Scooby Doo song and isn't afraid to sing it really loud! Yep, they love that.

It was a great day, and I am blessed with a wonderful family. We said, more than once how much we wished that Race could have been here to enjoy it, because that's Race's kind of fun.

So, it's off to the Beach House today, to celebrate some more. We will be picking and eating crabs just until we are hungry enough to eat the steaks. Because everyone knows that you can't fill up on crabs.....you just eat till you've worked up a good appetite! (Although my mom, who could easily be considered a crab-picking expert, normally does not stop eating until we can't see her behind the pile of shells in front of her!)

Have a great day and stay cool (in the temperate sense),
Melissa

P.S. Aunt D. I haven't forgotten about those pics...still working on it!