Well, the Fourth of July at the Stone home went on with a bang. Donna's 150+ guests showed up and we were pleased as punch with our six adults and 5 children. A good time was had by all. Fennigan even got into the act and watched some fireworks.
Best friends...
... last a lifetime.
There was even time for an ice cream break!
What flavor please?
Fennigan even got into the fireworks watching mood.
WOW!
Every year, Southside turns into one of the most patriotic places ever. We decorate like it's Christmas and spend days talking about who's cooking what, what we're drinking, where the kids are going to sleep, who's coming to what house, if you're going to "party hop" or not and where you want to be when the fireworks start.
Actually, the fireworks start in our neighborhood a couple of days before and last until the 7th of July or so. On the Fourth, starting around 5 pm, it begins sounding somewhat like I would expect that Saigon sounded like. Somehow, our kids have slept through the madness each year.
This year, we've deemed Ellabee old enough to actually stay up for the firework spectacular at 9 pm over Vulcan. We'll see what payback is like tomorrow. Expect more pictures to be posted from the frivolity tonight, but wanted to take the opp to wish everyone a very happy and safe Fourth of July... and remember our troops - God I wish they were home but I'm glad that they're defending our freedom and keeping us safe.
This year we added craft projects to our Fourth of July celebrations - notice the handy dandy pinwheels Ellabee and I constructed. 
What sweet girls.
Checking out the decorations at Gran D's house - she's expecting over 150 and has hired security and rented a porta-potty - CRAZY!
Happy Birthday America - we're so glad to be free!
This is a little different from my normal posts, but I have to talk about it. In my new job, one of my responsibilities is as college and career counselor for our juniors and seniors. Many of the things that I've been doing this summer in addition to preparing for the incoming jr and sr class is to wrap up some of the loose ends left by our recent graduates. One, in particular, is a pretty hard case. This young woman is smart and intelligent, beautiful and funny. In addition to that, she's the product of a broken home, daughter of a drug addict, living (I don't know if you can really call it that) in a broken down home that would probably be shut down if DHR discovered it.
We're trying to get her financial aid finalized for the fall so that this young precious woman can go to school to be a nurse. She wants better for herself, but is so caught up in the cycle of poverty and poor decisions that she is unable to make the correct decisions for herself. She's so torn between caring for her drugged out mother, grandmother with demensia, etc. etc. etc. that she's caught in this web and is close to being eaten.
I'm scared for her... but more importantly, I'm scared for us. A wise man said recently that it takes something pretty special (CHRIST) for a person to reach out and care for someone else's child. It's true. The world will care for their offspring. The world wants their children to succeed. It takes godly men and women to care about other children and not just care, but fight against social injustice so that all children have a chance. It's our duty to come alongside these children and help them in anyway possible. I just think it's amazing that we continue to live in comfort when the suffering that I witnessed yesterday lives just down the street. When I was talking to her about drive by shootings and friends who've recently been shot I found myself wondering if I was living in a ganster movie. If I had someone slipped the bonds of reality and found myself in an alternative universe - and then I realized that I had. While our lives continue and the day to day of "Will we go to the park today or the Zoo or just stay home and watch one of our four televisions." there is an alternative reality happening literally five miles away. And it makes me sad.
I don't have answers... I'm just reminded of the starfish and the little boy on the ocean who was throwing one in at a time. An old man told him, "Son, you're wasting your time... what you're doing won't matter." and the little boy picked up another one and said "it matters to that one." as he tossed it in the ocean.
May we all find one that it will matter to. May we all not continue to live in alternate realities but realize that suffering and pain like we've never experienced is happening so very close. And in the end may we say, "to God be the glory." God help them! God help us.
So, Ellabee's been begging to go to the water park or at least the pool but the thought of having them both at the pool by myself really stresses me out - I really think it's unsafe. So, when Tim came over for an afternoon playdate, I put them outside with about 12 feet of butcher paper and washable paints. Little did I know that very little paint would end up on the paper, but that they would paint themselves... "we want to be monsters, mommy" was the explanation.
So, from monster costuming to the hose to wash off, to "hey, we could rig the hose up to the rocket slide and make a water slide" to Mommy inserting, "let's put the pool at the bottom so you can go into water and not into rocks" to about a hour of pure enjoyment.
Monster Pals
Tim takes a swing at the water slide idea.
And of course, there she goes!So, I had the 90th Anniversary at Camp this weekend and had to ferry items to Pell City (or the City of Pell as our esteemed Mayor calls it) and so the car seats had to come out. Apparently, the car seats provided two hours of pure enjoyment for the Stone girls. I need to file that one away in my "Wow, is there REALLY four more hours until bedtime?" file.
I think it should also be noted that the girls are buckled in here. I'm wondering how long this lasted... hum, I'm starting to rethink "the girls were entertained for two hours"... I'm thinking it's more like "wow, they're buckled in - I could leave them here for two hours" JUST KIDDING - don't call DHR. I get it - my test is TOOOOO hard. I understand. Here are the answers... and I'll do another one:
Biggest Fear in life: Dying Naked
Favorite snack: Tria parfait
Most likely to read: People
Cities: 4 (Bham, T-town, DC, Arlington VA)
Cats: named after Jimmy Buffett
Beer: Pomegranate Michelob
Ashes: falls at camp
embarassing moment: took out my high school crush (freshman year). His name was Brooks - that's all I remember
wrecks: I was sitting still and knew all three of the people (friends mom, friend and AP english teacher)
first wreck attire: full puritan costume - on a break from dress rehearsal for The Witch that would not Hang, Mrs. West hit me and pinned me in my Celica where I had to climb out of the sunroof in the teacher's parking lot.
I do know that y'all know me - this is a hard test to make up. My students in grad school accused me of being too hard - they may have had a point.
