Who knew my thumb was green?

My yard has often been referred to as "the place plants come to die."

You name it, I've killed it.

Knockout roses, countless hydrangeas, hibiscus, indoor funeral plants, every Easter Lilly I've ever owned, an entire row of azaleas (I mean, how do you kill an azalea, can't those things grow in Antarctica?)

Right now, I have a geranium on life support on the back deck.

Jimmy just groans every spring when I tell him I'm off to the nursery.

I've always blamed it on our #@*% red clay... until I converted to pots and began shelling out the big bucks for Miracle Grow Potting Soil.

Now I know whose to blame.

Currently, this is the condition of my flowers in the front yard...

One, beautiful, bountiful sweet potato vine...
The other... dead.
I don't understand. It is the exact same blend of plants, planted in the same soil on the same day, they get the same amount of sun and water and live only 3 feet apart, yet...
(Yes, I know we need to weed-eat around the planters. I'll talk to my yard man ;)

Luckily, Jimmy's decision to bear children with me was not based on my ability to grow flowers... if that had been the "big" test, procreation would never have happened.

SOOOO, you can imagine my utter amazement at this...
and every other night since...
I have never seen such copious amounts of squash, zucchini, and cucumbers in my life, much less all over my countertops.

They are everywhere. I think we planted a few too many.

I cringe everytime I see Jimmy walk through the back door, smelling of bug spray and carrying a Bi-Lo bag. I have prepared these suckers every way I know how, and I'm all out of ideas. I'm not a "canner" but I have 2 gallon size baggies in my freezer FULL of sliced squash and zucchini.

If I've seen you lately, I've probably greeted you with a hug and a bag of veggies. Trace's teacher's at school are stocked for the rest of the summer. I've thought about seeing if they can comp his tuition. ha!

Or maybe I'll just make him stand at the end of the driveway, with a sign and a table. He's cute enough... I think he could sell a few!

And OH. MY. WORD. the tomatoes haven't even started yet...

Destin Daze

Well it's been a busy couple of weeks around here! As you know, I had to go private with my blog after my parent's house was broken into. I had really been thinking about it anyway, but after that happened and dad's laptop got stolen the world got even scarier and the reality of what we live in became all too real.

Thank you so much for those who have prayed for my parents. They are doing better and taking steps to feel more secure.

A few weeks ago we went to Destin. We went the week before Memorial Day, just before school got out, the crowds got crazy, and oil threatened to cover our beautiful white beaches.

We were there with both sets of grands for several days, and then by ourselves the rest of the week. It turns out, my dad's side of the family was there too so we got together for some family fun and pictures.

The plan was for everyone to wear white and khaki, go to the beach and get pictures at sunset... boy, how plans change quickly when kids are involved. Turns out we settled for a few snapshots on the golf course at the condo. Here are a few of our attempts...

You mean you just want us to sit here and not get dirty... have you met us?


Afterwards, we loaded into cars and carts and headed over to the wharf for some dinner and dancing.

Nana's attempt at "slow dancing"


"The bouncers" blocking the way to the pier.
Drew had to rehydrate during a band break.

I tried relaxing on a float for a bit in the pool, but ohhhh that didn't last long...

the prep...
the mount...
the landing and dismount...
It's a wonder my bathing suit bottom stayed in tact... he did it no less than a dozen times.



No sand castle is complete without a railroad track and Thomas & Friends.
The last day we were there was my birthday. Jimmy kept asking me what I wanted from him and Trace. I told him the credit card and a morning at the outlets ALONE!!

WooHoo... Happy Birthday to me! He's a keeper :)

My other birthday request was for some pictures of my little family sans bathing suits, sand, swimmies, and googles.

Here are a few...




We could tell the last day at the beach, that the crowd was quickly multiplying. We walked forever just to find a little patch of sand to put our chairs and bags down and hit the waves. After a few hours, we packed up and hiked back up the beach to our car.

What hours before was a "family-friendly" beach was now loaded with coeds, mounds of beer coolers, itty-bitty, teeny-weeny bikinis, college flags and tents stuck in the sand and we knew Memorial Day weekend had officially begun. I had flashbacks of Panama City Beach 15 years ago and the not so pretty things that happen as those coolers begin to empty. We knew it was time to leave!

Turns out, the Alabama football team had just arrived, which was evident from all the 2009 SEC Champs stickers on every truck in sight and the camera crews following them down the pier.

Needless to say... we stifled our desire to yell "Go Big Orange" as we pulled out of the parking lot in our little golf cart. That thing tops out at 19 MPH.

We may be proud Tennessee fans, but we're not crazy.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!!