Can't Wait!

Muffins or Pancakes?

What do 2 adults and 2 children do when the temp hits 100 degrees plus in Alabama? Well - we go berry pickin' of course!

Joe, the girls and I had a nice lunch - yummy soup for all of us! Joe came up with the brilliant idea to go pick berries when we were done. So off we went to a small local farm.

The blueberries were ripe for picking! The blackberries... well, luckily there were a few left on the bushes. We picked enough blueberries to do a little cooking - hmmmmmmm - muffins or pancakes? The blackberries - they were so sweet they didn't make it to the kitchen!

The cool thing is the farmer does not use any chemicals; therefore, you can eat just as many as you pick while you move down the rows. The girls did just that!

We learned (while cooling off in the little office) that the farmer is actually a retired army soldier. He went to work for the govt. after he retired... but that was not his passion. Turns out that farming berries is - how wonderful that he can do what he loves and make a living!

Hmmmm.... Why So Serious Ms. Lilli?

Well..... when asked, Ms. Lilli states that she was daydreaming about 1 pony and a unicorn. Hmmmmm.....

Grandpa Puppy and His Adoring Fans

Summer Sample

We have been quite busy this summer.... busy having fun! We have crossed a few state lines to visit friends and family.

First, we made our way to the Great Smoky Mountains. There we spent a day at Dollywood and Dixie Stampede and most important an afternoon with the Little family - who adopted Thomas - who was at the orphanage in Xian with Lilli. They are both quite the adventurous little ones. And this great family is soon to travel back to China for a daughter - a very beautiful little girl! Congrats Little Family!!!!

After that fun, we made our way to the eastern side of North Carolina to my brother's house. The girls enjoyed his pool for the week - and are now full on swimmers! YEAH!!! We took a few trips to the outer banks before the 4th and all the crowds that come with the holiday. What a beautiful area it is. And we saw where the Wright Brothers tweaked their flying machine. Way cool! And boy did we eat well for the week... my brother is the BEST cook... well, second best... next to my mother!

Now we are back home... to recharge a bit... before we hit the road for Chicago and the big JUDGE family reunion! We are all getting excited about that!