playing in the rain...

As anyone who lives (or lived) in Florida knows, an afternoon rainstorm on a hot humid day is as common as fleas on a dog.  So we weren't surprised when, after we got back to Sean's sister's house from the beach, a shower blew through.  Rather than let it keep them inside or cause them to pout about not getting to swim, our kids and their Herrington cousins decided to make the most of it.

There really isn't anything more fun than playing in the rain, is there?

beautiful, sunny florida

A few weeks ago, we spent a week in Florida on the gulf coast.  We had a great time playing in the sun...

... soaking up the sunshine...

 

... and hanging with our cousins on the beach (no idea why Wyatt is posing with his foot in a bucket)...

I tried to get some pictures of Kellen hanging with my niece Devin (or just Devin by herself), but they all turned out about like this:

Apparently 14 is the age at which girls start refusing to be photographed.  And 12 is the age at which boys start making goofy faces when their mom tells them to smile.  Actually, come to think of it, that phase started at about 3.

We also got to see some friends from college that I hadn't seen in years.  Don't we still look fabulous?

I was glad to see that the gulf coast (or the part where we were, between Destin and Panama City), still looked great.  There were BP workers all over the place, but I didn't see a tar ball the whole time we were there.  Whew - hope it stays that way!

death by vacation...

That which doesn't kill you....

comes awfully darn close sometimes. 

Probably the 3 or 4 of you who stop by here regularly have noticed that I've been away from my blog for a little while.  We're in the middle of what might be the craziest Gifford month on record (and there has been plenty of competition).  I blogged recently that my parents stopped by a couple weekends ago, and when they headed out, so did we - to sunny Florida to see some college friends and Sean's sister and her family.  (Lots of pics of that great trip in a separate post - and by the way, the beaches of South Walton were great!  Ne'ery a tar ball in sight!)

After a week at "home" on the beautiful gulf coast, we headed back to Knoxville to hang with my brother and his wife and kids who were spending a week of vacation at Casa de Gifford.  We boated til dark, took a 7-mile hike, and hit Splash Country from open to just about close.  (Again - more pics of our super-fun week in a separate post!)

We said our goodbyes to the Kanes yesterday, and today we head for a week in Myrtle Beach with the whole Gifford clan.  Looks like I hit the 2nd trimester (and accompanying relief from prego fatigue) just in time!  Still, I'm really not sure how much more I can take...  I guess it really is possible to have too much of a good thing!

kitschy cool

As I mentioned in my last post, my parents stopped by last weekend.  To my great delight, my mom brought GOODIES!  Not the edible kind.  The even better kind - sewing goodies!  She had been to visit her mom (a notorious pack rat collector), and helped her clean out her sewing room.  And, oh boy, the treasures they discovered. 

My favorite is this book:

It's a 1941 edition, and belonged to my Great Grandma Lee (whom I adored) before it was my Grandmother's.  My mom is keeping it for now, but you're on notice, siblings, that this will be MINE in the years to come.  Look at these illustrations!

 

She also brought a 3-ring binder full of crafting patterns which I love, love, love.  I was able to convince my mom to leave that one with me, and I know I'll get a lot of use out of it.  There was also a 3-ring binder with every quilting template you could imagine, which I think I'll loan to my sister-in-law Allison, quilter extraordinaire.  

And, there were more notions, iron-on transfers, patches and crafting goodies than I could even begin to describe for you here (they filled several bankers boxes).  I have to share a few of my favorites, though.  Check out these gems:

I mean who DOESN'T need a leg-warmer wearing exercising panda satin patch?  Who?? Or a pink elephant ready for safari?  

 And you can all count on seeing me sporting these sparkling beauties on SOMETHING this holiday season.  I have no idea what, yet (your suggestions are encouraged).

I saved the best part for last.  Any of you who've had a conversation with me in the last week has heard me utter these words, "I love my serger!"  I've been asking for one for a while (for those of you who don't know, a serger is a kind of sewing machine.  The kind made in heaven.)  Apparently my dear mommy was listening, because she convinced my grandmother to sell hers - and bought it for me!  It's an older model, but works great, and has already saved me light years on a few outfits I've made.  Thanks, mom!!!

more sleepover guests!

This weekend my parents stopped by for a visit  on their way home from vacation - and we were so glad to see them.  We didn't get a lot of time together, but we made the most of it!  I caught Elliott sneaking sips of Pepaw's coffee - JUST like I used to do!!!

We squeezed in some time for s'mores and the hot tub.

We wish they could've stayed longer, but we were headed to Florida to see Sean's sister and some old friends (which is where we are now - posts on that to follow).  In the car on the way to Florida, Elliott kept asking, "we going to see Pepaw?"  I think she misses him.  ;-)  I know I do, and my mommy too!

our "little star"

Elliott's a little songstress, and by far her favorite number in her repertoire is "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."  For some reason, though, she freezes when the video camera comes out so I haven't been able to capture it.  The other day, I finally caught her belting it into the head of a toy golf club and made it to the video camera in time.  Forgive the fact that she looks like an orphan with her wild hair and too-big t-shirt, but I had to snag the moment while I could.

hamburgers, hot dogs and cupcakes... mmmmmm.

Our ladies' bible study had a July 5th cookout, and I was responsible for bringing dessert.  Since it was a hamburger and hot dog kind of event, I thought I'd make these cute little cupcakes.   I found them on the Disney Family Fun Website and have made them before -  they're pretty easy actually!

The best part is that everything on it is edible:  the hot dogs are rolled up caramels inside circus peanuts and topped with yellow icing, and the hamburgers are vanilla wafers with grasshopper cookies, red and yellow icing, and sesame seeds (which stick by brushing a little orange juice concentrate on top of the wafer).  Here's a completely superfluous plug for Disney FamilyFun: I get cupcake and craft ideas from there for every single holiday, and everything I've ever made from that site has turned out great.  If you're the crafty type, check it out!

swimming and s'mores

The 4th of July at Sean's parents' house was a little more low key this year than others (for one thing, there weren't 90 people there like last year), but we still had a great time cooking out, swimming, playing a little croquet and making s'mores.  And, just like years past, Sean and his brother Eric tried to set each other on fire with a bunch of fireworks.  Here are a few pics from the day:

Elliott was busy watering mamaw's flowers.  Too bad she was using pool water.

Wyatt was busy performing tricks off the diving board.

Kellen was enjoying just "hanging" around.  (Ha ha.  I'm soooo funny.)

 And of course they had a good time goofing off with their cousin Gavin (who had just pushed Wyatt in the pool in this pic).

Elliott and Nolen did their own goofing off.  (See the Spiderman toy in Nolen's hand?  That was quite a source of contention.  I'm guessing that in this picture Elliott is running to tell someone that Nolen took his Spiderman toy.  Elliott, darling, for the 100th time - it's HIS toy.)

While the kids were swimming, the grown-up Giffords took to the croquet field.  Is that right - field?  Course?  What do you call it in croquet?  I guess I ought to learn what it's called, since 3 generations of Giffords take this game QUITE seriously.  

Sean sizes up a shot while his brother and grandmother evaluate.

Sean's dad...

...and mom...

...and grandma, the croquet shark.

 

Everyone wanted to get in on the action, including Dakota, the lab (can you see the red croquet ball in his mouth?)...

...and Nolen and Elliott.  See Uncle Eric cautioning Elliott to swing the mallet near the ground, NOT the knees.

To fill the time before dark/fireworks, the boys made a mess, I mean, s'mores.  

Somehow Wyatt ended up with a marshmallow beard that would put Santa to shame.  (And yes, I know, Wyatt's hair is short.  He begged me for a summer haircut.) 

I have no pictures of the fireworks, or of the kids watching fireworks.  Instead, I was inside holding a trembling 2-year-old.  Elliott really enjoyed the fireworks last year, but this year she was T-E-R-R-I-F-I-E-D.  We tried to watch them through the glass door from inside the house, but she darted out of my lap and ran towards the living room screaming, "I don't yike it fireworks!  I don't yike it fireworks!" Once we got in the living room she said, "I just watch it fireworks on TD (TV)."  Bless her heart.

lake overnighter

Since Sean had to work on the 4th of July, we decided to celebrate a little early by going up to the boat last week and spending the night.

We got in a little swimming (and of course boat jumping) before the sun went down.

 When it was time to settle in for the night, Elliott borrowed her brother's book for a little light reading.

The next morning, we did a some fishing, and Wyatt caught a couple little guys.

Later in the morning Sean's brother's family came up to join us for a day of cliff diving, tubing and rope swinging fun!  I put together a little montage of the action: