Busy Week

We have had a very busy and jam-packed week here in Charlotte. Last Wednesday, Dolly, Michael and my niece Maddie came into town to visit. The next day was Roy's annual work picnic at Grandfather Mountain, so we all loaded up and went up there for the day. The kids loved the jump houses:






We introduced Maddie to Roy's grandfather. She was so funny...I don't think she realized all that he has done in his life:) I knew her parents would want a picture, though:

Michael made me laugh, too. He's in a stage where when Dolly is around he cries and whines, but the second she's out of sight, he's fine. Roy took him and RoyBoy outside while we ate and when we found them, Michael had orange Gatorade all over his shirt, was playing in sand and was having the time of his life:

RoyBoy and Michael. They are almost exactly one year apart in age but have the best time together:

When we got home that night, Denise and 2 more of her kids were at our house to spend a few days. It was fun to stay up for a little while and have some sister time. We laughed and laughed and by the time I went to bed, my stomach was killing me! I felt so bad for my baby!! We enjoyed going to some kids consignment stores, couponing at Harris Teeter and attempting to shop at SouthPark with six kids!! Here is Michael and Margaux at breakfast one morning:

Later that weekend, Roy and I hosted a BBQ for some of our good friends who are moving to Greenville this coming weekend. It was a lot of fun and I didn't get ONE SINGLE PICTURE!! I was actually in the kitchen the whole time and I cannot believe how fast the party went by. One of my friends counted 59 people (including children) in our home!!! Everyone seemed to have a good time and we were so happy to do it. We are going to miss the Taylors very, very much. I don't even want to think about them not living here:(

Maddie stayed an extra few days with us. She likes to come spend time alone with us each summer. She really is a great help with the kids and they LOVE her! Caroline had been seeing a commercial on Nick Jr. for making Dora the Explorer cupcakes and had been begging me for weeks to make them. I told her that when Maddie came, we would make them. We invited my neighbor over to help. Do you think someone loves their big cousin, Maddie?!

The finished product. These girls had some fun with the icing!

Roy Boy loved them, too:

Something else that the kids have been begging for is going to our local firestation. Roy knows a man who is a supervisor for all of Charlotte's emergency response teams. I mentioned to Roy months ago that RoyBoy loves when we pass the firestation. He told me way back then that he'd ask if we could get a tour. With school getting ready to start and Caroline going every day this year, I asked him if we could go soon, so Wednesday was the day! My kids had been talking about this forever but when we arrived, they were so nervous and wouldn't talk!!! RoyBoy thought I was going to leave him there and he clung to me and wouldn't even look at the firemen:

Good thing Maddie was there because once she would do something, Caroline would do it. The firemen were so nice to us. They climbed on top of the truck to hide the sensor on the lights so it wouldn't stop traffic on Providence Road and then they turned the lights on for us! The kids loved it: This engine was so shiny!

They showed us the hose that attaches the hydrants to the pumper truck:

They showed us all the equipment, where they sleep, their kitchen and living room. It was really cool. These men keep a mighty clean house, too!

Roy Austin liked the EMS truck the best. It was smaller and more like a pick-up truck. He was able to try on the medic hat, play with the computer on the dash, turn on the lights and accidentally turn on the siren!

I have to say the bald headed fireman was very handsome! He was Cuban or something and kept saying "yes, ma'am" to me. I love a fireman with good manners:)

Oh, and by the way, I was shocked to learn that the city of Charlotte does not supply food for these guys. They pitch in $5 each meal and eat as a family for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This made me so sad to think that they spend their day ready to protect Charlotte at the drop of a hat and they have to pay for their own meals! I asked if they accepted food donations and they said they would never deny food. So, you couponers out there.....if you ever have tons of free food that you don't know what to do with, bring it to Station 39 on Providence Road. I told Roy that I'm going to start bringing them treats each season.



So, after meeting my sister in Greensboro to drop off my niece, the kids and I returned home and I just about collapsed! All the activity from the last week finally caught up with me and I was EXHAUSTED! I was asleep by 8:30! The next few days we will be doing nothing but relaxing and I can't wait!