Weekend in Fairhope

We left for Fairhope on Thursday morning.  The ride down was not that great for AK.  She does not like to sleep in her carseat so thank goodness for my big SUV because I had to climb back there several times and ended up sitting in the floor between the captain chairs for a little while.  We are going to switch her to the big carseat this week and just keep it rear facing to see if it helps before we travel again!  Anna Riley was wonderful on the way down...she is pretty used to traveling now and the 4 hours doesn't seem to bother her most of the time! 
Once we got there though, we had such a wonderful time!  This trip was really a great trip. The weather was great, Anna Riley was really great all weekend, and it was just nice to have family time!  Mr. Doug and two relatives of Riley's from Seattle were there and they stayed with us Thursday and Friday night. Anna Riley really took to Annette and she loved spending the extra time with PopPop! The weather was perfect on Thursday and Friday and we really enjoyed lots of outside time.  Anna Riley was SO excited to catch crabs in the crab trap with PopPop when she got down there.  She talked about it Wednesday night and woke up talking about it first thing Thursday morning!  It was supposed to rain and storm all day Saturday but it held off until bed time so we had lots of fun playing outside again.  We walked with the girls to a breakfast place right by the house and the came back and just played outside all day. 

Getting the crab trap ready with Pop Pop

 

 

 

 

Douglas, Annette, Me, AR and Riley

 

 

Checking the crab trap

Laying out...She wanted PopPops shirt so she
could go nite nite!

 

 

 

 

 

Pure Joy!

 

 

 

 

Trip to the Zoo!

We decided to take the girls to the Birmingham Zoo on Saturday rather than the ADay game festivities.  It was a great day to be outside and really to be at the zoo because it was not crowded at all.  I will have to say, I was a little disappointed though.  Most of the animals were asleep so we didn't really get to see many animals in action and some of the animals we didn't see period.  I think Birmingham has really did a lot with the zoo since I have been there on a field trips but I really still love the Montgomery Zoo better. But it just isn't practical to take my little kids there right now.  I just like that when you look out at the African animals, it truly looks like an African safari. And you can just see the animals better it seems. 

The monkeys and gorillas are my favorite and the gorilla was asleep in his little cave so we didn't get to see him really at all but we did see some of the little monkeys.  Anna Riley loved the giraffes.  We could see them really well!  The male lion was asleep the whole time but she did see a few of the female lions from a distance.  We got to see one of the elephants up close because the zoo keepers were talking about him and we caught the tale end of it so we got to see him.  We didn't even see the tiger in the cage at all and the rhino was asleep and we never saw the hippo.  She did  do a camel ride with her Daddy and seemed to like it a lot! She also loved the flamingos! Haha! Maybe we will have better luck with the animals at our next visit to the zoo.  



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easter Sunday at Granny Earnest's House

While Riley was at church, I took some medicine and went back to bed and when I woke up I was feeling much better...and hungry!  I really, really didn't want to miss Easter at my Granny's house.  It is my favorite time!  I love that they still hunt the real eggs (like 200 of them!! plus some plastic ones for the little kids).  I love seeing my cousins and their kids and all of my family.  I love a day in the country...seeing the kids ride the 4wheelers and golfcarts and climb trees.  I love that Anna Riley loves all of this too!!  I was in tears thinking that I might miss this.   I didn't look too great, but we made it there! 

I treasure the memories I have of all the holidays I have but especially of Easter at Granny and Papa's House.  I am so glad Anna Riley and Ava Kate are getting to experience it too! 
 

Aiden at the top of Granny's
magnolia tree!

A golfcart load full!  And there were more hanging on
the back at one point!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aunt Lois going over the "rules" with the bigger kids! :)

More Riding...
AR just says "ride" the whole
time we are in Berry. 

 

 

Aunt Lois making AK laugh