The kids were gone to my mom's some of last weekend and that was just what the doctored ordered. Then Alli, our 17 year old niece, came in on Monday from north Alabama to stay with us for the week. We've eaten out at almost every meal.... and that's led to a few unwanted pounds... but it was wonderful to have her here. Since her sister Sarah died and they moved to north Alabama, it's been tough seeing each other as much as we used to.... so the kids were beyond excited that she could stay with us for so long. Wednesday we all went to Birmingham to the McWane Science Center with some other friends of mine, Heather and Vicki, and their children. Great place! My kids always love going. Then Thursday we spent alot of the day on campus showing Alli around and shopping and eating downtown. She's almost certainly going to Alabama (her dad was a quarterback there back in the day and she has full tuition paid), but she really wants to come to Auburn to be closer to us. So we toured campus anyway.... just to show her what she'll be missing when she goes to that "other" school.
The girls have started the softball season and both had practices on Thursday and Friday so that messed up some plans I had to go see my best friend from high school in Birmingham. She lives in Dallas now but was in B'ham visiting family and I desperately wanted to see her but it just didn't work out. Until next time, Lucy!! Miss you, girl....
So it's been a good week despite not going to the beach. Although I'll have to say it was like a ghost town around here... no one left in the neighborhood and all the college students were gone. We have around 50 kids in elementary school or younger on the two streets around my house so normally it's always a party.... always someone to play with.... and my kids were definitely missing their friends. But sometimes it's nice to have that little break... a little time alone just with your own family... and then the grass all of a sudden becomes greener on the other side and you want everyone to come home and ring the doorbell again....
Here are some pictures from our day at McWane Center........
Madison, Foster, Macy, Alli and Jacob building their remote controlled race car
Little Sulli playing in the water exhibit
The "How to Dissect a Cow's Eyeball Lab Teacher"..... yes, the kids DISSECTED AN EYEBALL!
Madison making the first cut on that NASTY orb
Stuart Scott & Macy cutting into their eyeball..... I could hardly watch!
Visiting with the McWane robot.... he's amazing.... interacting with everyone... asking them questions and responding intelligently
Working together pays off!! And the arc of blocks stands alone...
The whole gang in the perspective house...
Stuart on a bed of nails!
In the tornado tunnel.... Jacob was ready to GET OUT!!
Heather being a goofball and playing Dodgeball on the electric dodgeball mat.... somehow I'm thinking she was really just reminiscing about her old "nightclub" days....
And Heather, AGAIN, being a goofball with the googles digging up dinosaur bones....
Macy & Jacob playing on the third floor...
Madison and Alli learning about dinosaurs....
Foster taking a daring ride over the first floor.....
Stuart followed closely behind.... notice that my scaredy cat kids are nowhere to be found....if I didn't actually give birth to them I'd wonder if they were really mine....
come on kids... ride a rollercoaster with me sometime!!
Jacob and Ryan playing in the dinosaur digging area....
And here we are on our way out after a long, fun-filled day...a little tired but so glad that we went!
Hope you all had a great break at Disney & the beach and Nashville and all the other places my friends went... can't wait to hear all about your trips!!
