Birdeye Update Sept. 2013

Ahh...the final day of camp...look at Chloe's smile!  At the
end of the day, it was her "second prison camp"...she'll
be going again next year for sure.

Two weeks after camp, we had our Smith Family Vacation
to Mountain View.  On Sunday, Memaw and Grandad took
the kids to the creek and the four of us climbed Mount
Sylamore...it's elevation was 338 feet, I think we made it
to the top before we had to turn around because of time, it
was about 5 miles and tough.

One of the main reasons I've not posted a lot this summer is
because I've pickled cucumbers 6 times and now as of
today, 9-15-13, I've pickled jalapenos twice...I've been busy
in the kitchen and have neglected my own garden and this blog

In July, we met Mary Margaret Meyer over in Memphis for a
short over nighter.  Ben's doing better since his Whipple Surgery in
May, that's the serious surgery for those diagnosed with Pancreatic
Cancer.  They've had a long summer but as of yesterday,
she reported he's doing very well now.  And is slated to go
back flying after Halloween.  This is lunch at the famed
Ichiwawa in Memphis:  Joy, Mary Margaret, Jessica, me, Tara
and Becca...we went shopping after lunch and had a blast.

Me, Mary Margaret and Jessica Vaught at South of Beale
on Main Street in Memphis

Chloe's been paying attention to hairdo's and has asked me
to learn out to french braid, which hasn't happened so I ponied
up to be a model for her teaching herself how to do it....

We've re-done Chloe's bathroom too
over the summer.  It's so cute!

Chloe spent her 4th summer playing Junior Golf in Wynne.
She doesn't really like it but she survived the short 6 weeks.
She played in a scramble at the club with Jackie at the
first of August and enjoyed the fact that it got rained out...lol!

I know right!!???  First day of 7th grade for Chloe and she's
next door with Whit, 3rd grade, Stella 1st grade and the Auganator

Jackie and I on the roof of the Madison Hotel Aug. 19 for
a summer levee board meeting.  The rooftop bar is something else!

And we pulled off a very successful Midsouth Kids Triathlon
Aug. 17 (I know you saw my post Wednesday)...Chloe was
featured getting her medal in the local newspaper....:)

Whit spent the night the other night and they got all this
padding on so they could wrestle Jackie

Chloe came home after the first week of school saying,
"mom, I want to run for Student Council and I want to try out
for cheerleader next year".  I was shocked, like deer in the
headlights.  But both of those things I did in junior high and high
school so I guess she gets that from me...

21 7th graders ran for 6 spots and she didn't win and we knew
she wouldn't win.  Yes, the most popular kids won and Chloe
said, "I just wanted the public speaking experience".  Alrighty
then...she's been the liturgist at our church probably 5 times
this year and always asks to do it again.  I have never, ever
liked public speaking.  It must be from Jackie....:)

Chloe took a photography class from Andrea Gentry this
summer and has taken multiple photographs all summer.
Here's a self portrait of her and Gumball with the camera
I broke on the Katy Trail

Biscuit lives for some head out of the window time....

At Mountain View they have a ropes course...here's Martin,
Chloe and Aunt Kara

We went canoeing too....

We had a great time

I had Memaw in my canoe and for the record, I don't canoe.
We did it a few times when Jackie was in law school and I got
so mad that I decided canoeing wasn't good for marriage.
I won't let him ride with me....Memaw is a great canoe partner.

Our church has a Sunday School kick off brunch at Memaw
and Grandad's every year.  Memaw does the children's service,
see Chloe's leading part of it.  There were about 12 kids there.

What a spread...the food was great!

Grandad likes the tradition of hand holding when blessing the
food, he lead the prayer.  There was quite a crowd there.

The boys before brunch had a little tag-team football game

Our new minister's daughter Lane Frances
with Stella and Chloe

Chloe and Stella helped lead a weaned miniature donkey
over so the kids could pet it.

The famous 12% grade hill at Pleasant Hill,
just 2 miles from Birdeye...Whit and Jackie
made it up that beast of a hill but
Chloe and I walked part of it...

Chloe's photography...I love it

Dr. Calico....a good shot of Chloe's now favorite cat....
she claims he tells her about his day.  I love it.

Chloe's photography again....:)

We all rode our bikes (but Martin and August) over to
Memaw and Grandad's, it's been a neat tradition now for the
last few years...Whit rode with us...Stella and Kara close behind

Sunday, Sept. 15, 2013

Well I thought I'd show you in pictures what we have been up to since the Katy Trail and Camp Pinecrest.  It really has been busy.  Now we're in church youth group and YAC (Youth Advisory Council to the Endowment Foundation of Cross County) and trying to keep up with Arkansas' Common Core Curriculum....lots of projects in her AP classes and a full schedule.  Add a side of piano, training for her to help with me with the Midsouth Kids Marathon and Chloe's business of boarding dogs equals we are a busy crew over here in West Birdeye.  And I have neglected my garden and those trail rides with Tyler next door.  I hope to keep reviewing places we've eaten, things around here and good things about our community here in Cross County.  Happy Fall Ya'll....first day is Sept. 20 and it's my fabulous sister-in-law's birthday!  I cannot wait to give her the present I commissioned for her....It's hanging over here and I hope she loves it as much as I do!