Gadsden Mall

We went to the mall today.  The younger girls rode the carousel.  We enjoyed our first visit to Books A Million.  They not only had books, movies, and kid's games, but COOL hats!!!  We bought a new game called Scrabble Alphabet Scoop that we're playing right now.

Enjoying the new pool

 Ryan, the sunbather, in his swim trunks & shades

We got a pool when they started marking them down for the end of the season.  The girls have been just dying to get it up.  Their favorite brother-in-law, Nathan, put it up for them and made two trips to town for water to fill it.  They spent two afternoons in it before we left for Alabama and got good sunburns.  Now we're down here in Alabama, and where are they?  In the pool at the campground!  They are having a wonderful time!!

Meagan drove the pickup with the camper, and I followed with the van. We split our trip up into two days, stopping in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, the first night.  We drove from there to Gadsden, Alabama, on the second day.  We met Gary at the campground that afternoon, and he helped us set up.  We were all so glad to see him after 12 days.  We went out for supper and spent the evening together.  He slept in the camper with us and spent the day with us today.  He leaves at 10:00 tonight for West Virginia.  We will have to do without him until he gets back Wednesday morning.  (Guess we'll just have to go shopping at the mall across the road while he's gone.  Such a sacrifice!)  Then we plan to enjoy him for a few days and have a little vacation fun.

Christmas in July

These pictures are of the Mark Trammell Quartet in Lafayette last month.  Whenever we hear them sing, the girls request Christmas songs....usually Carol of the Bells and The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire).  I took these pictures while they were singing The Christmas Song.  The guys were really "hammin' it up" while Mark was singing a solo on the verse.  Those of you that are the least bit familiar with Southern Gospel music probably remember Mark when he sang with Gold City, The Cathedrals, and then Greater Vision before starting his own group 10 years ago.

Gary is enjoying every minute of driving the bus for these guys.  They got back to Gadsden, Alabama, in the wee hours Sunday night.  Gary called me Monday afternoon with laundry questions.  I wonder what color his underwear will be the next time I wash them!!  It sounds to me like Dustin was not the best person to teach him how to do laundry......blue jeans and white underwear in the same load?  We'll be down there next weekend, so I can do his next load of laundry.  He's already got a button waiting to be sewn back on.  I think he'll be glad to see me!

The quartet starts out in Ohio tonight.  Then on to Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Missouri before returning to Gadsden Sunday morning.  Gary takes off after the guys are done singing each night and gets them to their next destination before climbing into his bunk.  He's adjusting pretty well to driving at night and sleeping during the day.

Here on the home front, we are managing to get by without Gary.  We are busy getting things done before we head to Alabama.  We go every year for the Mark Trammell Quartet Homecoming.  This year, Meagan will have to drive the pickup with the camper, and I'll follow behind with the van.  We'll camp in Gadsden and take some day trips whenever Gary is gone driving the bus.  When he's not driving, we'll enjoy spending time with him.  We'll all be able to attend the Homecoming together as usual.  Autumn, Nathan, & Krissy will keep things running here at home while we're gone.

From truck driver to bus driver...

I know this is a terrible picture, but it was dark and the bus behind had its headlights on and my phone battery was so dead it wouldn't use the flash, but you can get a little idea of what Gary's driving.  Gary got a call Sunday afternoon from Mark Trammell of the Mark Trammell Quartet.  He asked Gary if he could drive their bus until at least the second weekend of August.  We had 2 days to get Gary ready for his trip.  I felt like I was getting a kid ready for camp when I went to Walmart...sheets, new towel, lint roller, etc., etc.  Gary flew to Nashville, Tennessee, on Wednesday evening where he met the bus.  He drove the guys back to our house, arriving about 9 a.m. Thursday morning.  We all had lunch together. Then Gary, the quartet, and a hitchhiker (Meagan) headed for Bourbonnais, Illinois, where the guys were singing that night.  After the concert, they headed south.  They have concerts in Indiana, Tennessee, and Georgia the next three days.  This has been a long-time dream of Gary's, so he acted like the kid I felt like I was sending to camp.  :-)  Haha!!  I hope he has a wonderful time 'cause I'm sure gonna miss him!!  We've never been apart this long in our 25 years of marriage.  We repeatedly warned the guys that he's never ironed his own clothes, washed his own clothes, or matched his own clothes!  I told them to make sure he didn't have creases in the knees of his dress pants from the hanger.  One last minute thought was to warn Pat to be sure Gary didn't go out in public with his hair sticking up like Alfalfa.  My husband just doesn't realize how much he needs me.  :-)

Blog Followers

Hey all you silent readers out there!!  We are planning to go to the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge next month.  (Google "Titanic Pigeon Forge.  It looks like an awesome place to visit!!)  They have an opportunity for "Blogger Moms" to blog about their visit to the museum.  They give free admission to those moms and their families and other cool stuff.  I emailed about the opportunity, but I don't have enough "followers" on my blog.  All you people out there that check our blog need to register yourself as a follower on the sidebar!!

Vacation Bible School

 The Time Machine

 Professor Hoppinstopper (aka Gary Cooper) bringing a Bible character forward in time.

The boy, David, was brought forward in time when he was on his way to the battlefront to take food to his brothers.  We had to send him back at the end of the evening so he could face the giant, Goliath.  

We are having a busy week at Bible School this week.  The kids are enjoying the time machine.  We spend time working on crafts.  At the end of the evening, we have a carnival with a ring toss, moon walk, bb gun range, dunk tank, football toss, duck pond, and a gold fish game.  Tonight there were 3 horses there, so everyone got to take a ride.  The adults are glad Bible School is only running for 3 nights, instead of 5!!  What an exhausting week!

Earth Night at the Fair

 Possibly too many free snow cones?

 Ryan enjoyed his first time at the fair.

 Leah & Heather help hold up the 15-foot albino African python.

 Nanna just doesn't know what to think about that snake.

 Leah was so anxious to get a turn at that snake!!

 I think the snake is tickling Laura!

What do I do with this head?

Gary & I took Erin, Heather, Laura, Kara, Leah, Nanna, & Ryan to Earth Night at the fair tonight.  The girls enjoyed playing games & winning prizes, free snow cones, crafts, and the Cold Blooded Creatures show.  We also went through all the animal barns and saw the antique tractors.    We finished up the night with an ice cream cone from the Lyons Club.  More good memories!