People, large and small, started to stir and we ate our unhealthy "hey we are on a mini-vacay" breakfast outside. It was nice and peaceful and I was enjoying the adult conversation but the little natives grew restless. Out of defense of Mary's outdoor furniture (Jax kept collecting quartz and piling it on the table) , we took the kids exploring.
First we toured the pump house and explained the waterworks to the children. We followed a few paths and crossed a few springs. That is when I became obsessed with getting the perfect photo of a fallen log. Sometimes it's just hard to be understood when you are a photographer. Everyone went ahead and Mary and Jax ventured off to hunt salimanders. Just as I was getting my shot, I heard Austin screaming.
This scream wasn't the I want attention scream or I'm trying to get my brother in trouble scream, this was the real deal. That's when I took off running through the woods, hoping to God my sense of direction would work well enough to find him quickly. Sure enough, there he was, standing in the clearing, balling his eyes out and screaming about something flying into his nose and stinging him.
As Austin's nose swelled, we walked toward the house to ransack everyone's limited first aid supplies. Myra provided some ointments which Austin claimed felt like flames. We tried to put ice both in and on his nose but that didn't work. Finally Austin settled down in an ice cold shower. Hey, whatever works.
Everyone started to leave and we said our goodbyes. After I prepared the roadie snacks and bevs, I began to simultaneously clean out the car and repack it. That is when I lost my keys. After an intense hunt, Hol saved the day when she found them in the garbage! God put Baby Girl and I together for a reason!
At this point it is only noon as we set out to drive to Huntsville. Austin really wanted to pack Mary and I hated leaving her behind. I also hated that Pam missed the weekend, so I asked the kids if they wanted to stop in Bham to see Pappy and it was unanamious.
There are certain big city things to which children that are raised in small towns lack exposure. Crazy street people, parking garages and elevators are on that list and we encountered all of them rather quickly. It was an adventure just parking and finding Pappy at the VA hospital but I am so glad we did. He looked SO MUCH better and we got to visit with his beautiful daughters too. Isaiah sure looked happy to see Jax too.
When we left the hospital, the kids asked if we could stop and see My Mary on the way through Mount Olive. Sure, why not! We stop and as usual there was a herd of "big kids" at Myra's house. All the big kids happened to be doing the cold water challenge. You guessed it, it did not take Jax long to get the little kids on board. Before I knew it, I was fishing dry clothes out of the car. Thankfully Mary is always a good sport about most anything!
We finally got home about dark. All of the kids ran into the house to shower and get ready for bed. I cleaned out the car and seriously debated getting out the leaf blower to clean it out but decided my neighbors probably already hate me enough already. After starting a few loads of clothes, I downloaded my photos from the weekend onto my laptop which was apparently as tired as I am because it was not complying. Sigh - I guess that is enough for one day.
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Austin running from Thunderman, the invisible beast they invited that lives in the woods of Stone Mountain. Thunderman guards the "dino eggs" otherwise known as stone quartz. If you touch a dino egg that does not belong to you, you have to wash your hands two hundred times.
Jackson on guitar playing. "It takes away the boredom."
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Cleaning up after a weekend outdoors with an active family looks like this.
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