Sunday, April 25, 2010

A weekend without plans...

Will's Saturday baseball game was cancelled due to rain, so we had an entire unplanned weekend to ourselves... a rare treat! So, we ate breakfast at Waffle House and then headed downtown. I needed to pick up a ring from the jeweler. My grandmother had given in it to me for my 29th birthday (my grandpa gave it to her in the early 80s) and the blue topaz has fallen out four times. I have been very lucky to have found the stone each time, but I knew my luck would run out at some point, so I asked the jeweler to secure it n an attractive way. While it's definitely not as clean and simple as the original setting, I hope that that setting will stay intact.


After going to the jeweler, we headed a few blocks over to the T.T. Wentworth Jr. Museum, a museum established more than 50 years ago to display pieces of Pensacola's history. The building was originally built in 1907 as Pensacola's City Hall.


I did not get to really soak it all in like I would have liked because I had two midgets and a husband with me, but there were definitely some interesting facts about Pensacola I hadn't known before. The museum also had a great children's play area on the third floor, with a play fort, sailing ship hull, Indian village, general store and house. The boys really enjoyed dressing up and checking it all out.





Will really enjoyed this general store - he will make a great shopkeeper!

Will was appalled at the uncomfortable rope-and-thin-mat mattress that people had to sleep on in the 1700s. "My spine! My spine!"

Xan loved the wooden rifles, of course,. The cannon was pretty cool, too, but another kid their comandeered it for most of the time we were playing. The fort play area had rubber rats. I am not sure if they were there as dinner, or what, but Rodney wanted his picture taken with them, so here you go:

Saturday afternoon I discovered that my Mama bird is back! She laid five eggs in the hanging potted plant on my back porch, a different plant from last year, but it didn't seem to make a difference. I am looking forward to watching the nest in the coming weeks.


Today we hung around the house, and depending on who you were, did yard work, cleaned out part of the garage, got scrapbook stuff organized and played Wii. Amber and Tyler Mitchell joined us for dinner and a rousing game of Wii Lego Rock Band. We managed to butcher "Accidentally in Love" incredibly well.


Monday, April 19, 2010

Will's 8th Birthday!

Will's birthday kicked off with his baseball game - a big win against one of the top teams - the White Sox. I think the score was 14-11... regardless, Will played very well. I'll be surprised if he isn't hitting the ball over the fence by the end of the season! And, of course, bat boy Xan is always ready to go and is bummed he can't be out on the field yet.








Then we had barbecue supper and cake and ice cream at home... followed by the opening of presents!









Sunday, April 18, 2010

The Guthrie's arrive...

While the Kasal's left Thursday morning, the house was quickly filled again when Rodney's parents and sister arrived on an 11 p.m. flight. It was much too late to do anything overly fun Thursday night, we made up for it the rest of the weekend.

Friday, Peggy, Jill, Mom, Xan and I signed Will up for the gifted program at Hellen Caro elementary so he can go there full time next year. We then headed to downtown Pensacola for lunch and to walk around a bit. We has a wonderful lunch at The Fish House - the weather was so gorgeous we dined outside.


Once Will got home from school, he showed off his Wii guitar skills, and Grandpa Paul learned how different Wii guitar is from the real thing. He caught on quickly since he's been playing guitar for decades.

We had hibachi at Tokyo II restaurant. Grandma Nancy had never had hibachi before and everyone has a lot of fun with our chef, Dan.







Perdido Kids Park

One last excursion before the Kasal's left for California: Xan and Brandon enjoyed the completely community-donated Perdido Kids Park. Will, unfortunately, had to go to school.



Monday, April 12, 2010

Straight A's again!

Will continues to do very well in school - he earned straight A's yet again! We are very proud of him. He also enjoyed his first day at PATS, the gifted program he will go to once a week on Mondays. He quantified it by saying it "is slightly better than my regular day of school."

Sunday, April 11, 2010

The Kasal's come for a visit....

Joe, Gina and Brandon arrived Thursday night and we've pretty much been eating ever since. First stop was McGuire's Irish Pub.


Friday, While most of them went to Foley to shop, Will had to go to school, and Rodney and I stayed around town. We signed Will up for the gifted program at a local school , where he will be bussed each Monday, and then played golf with some friends. It was my first time of actually playing an actual golf game. And I only had one stroke more than Rodney. I'm OK with that, although I am not sure of Rodney is! Then we picked up Will and met everyone else in Foley to go to Lamberts - the home of the Throwed Rolls! (and very large portion sizes!)

Saturday we got some yard work done in between Will's baseball game (his team finally won, and won big: 24-16!) and my scrapbooking class. The kids played in the front yard while the adults worked.




Look, Mom! No hands!


Today we went to the Strawberry Festival in Loxley, AL. I had to work it for Pen Air, but the family got to go on the rides and eat some tasty food (the strawberry shortcake was great!) Afterward, we all came home and napped - including Mom, who fell asleep on the couch. Rodney snapped this photo of her.


Tonight we kept busy with Legos and Wii...