A Little Bit Country & A Lot of Rock N' Roll

This past weekend was full of fun! Aunt Leah (Jeremiah's oldest sister) and Cousin Laura kicked it off for us with an afternoon splashing around at the Vineyards Community Park fountains. I don't know how we got so lucky, but the weather was delightful and we timed getting there perfectly too, missing the summer camp crowd! Our friend the Sun was shining hard on us, but there was a wonderful breeze keeping the air comfortable to do some serious playing! Once we got a good soaking we hit the swings and Laura tackled the monkey bars. We worked up terrific appetites and stopped at the store for fried chicken and watermelon. Mmmmmm! Thank you Aunt Leah and Cousin Laura for a storybook summer afternoon.

Let's get closer Aunt Leah!

Show me the ropes Cuz!


Splishy, splashy.

Jumpy, jumpy....all I want to do is jumpy!

MJ has stayed true to her inner hillbilly and continues to use an upside down laundry basket as her preferred form of transportation around the house. Along with her inner hillbilly she rocks out Mama's heart with her Pearl Jam "stickman" onsie. Little does she know how many, many times her Mama and Daddy drove all over creation to see this band. Many of my favorite memories involve a weekend of east coast surfing by day, Pearl Jam show by night (Jeremiah's doing the surfing by the way....I sit up on the beach and watch like a high school girl with a crush). Those road trips were the best. One of many things that won't be the same without you my love and fellow Pearl Jam fan.

No help from anyone any more to get around. She's got it under control.

Now, all you prim and propers out there bare with me. This is not meant to insult or be vulgar.

She would not be our child if she didn't have a little bad ass in her.
This is a reference to a Pearl Jam song called I Got Id.

My lips are shaking my nails are bit off.

Been a month since I heard myself talk.

All the advantage this life's got on me.

Picture a coffin in the middle of the sea.

And I fight back in my mind. Never let's me be right.

I got memories. I got shit so much it don't show.

Oh, I walked alive when you held me in that night.

Oh, I walked alive when you held my hand that night.

An empty shell seems so easy to crack.

Got all these questions don't know who I can even ask.

So I'll just lie alone and wait for the dream where I'm not ugly and you're looking at me.

And I stay in bed. Oh little I've seen there.

If just once I could feel loved, Oh stare back at me. Yeah.

Oh, I walked alive when you held me in that night.

Oh, I walked alive when you held my hand that night.

Oh, I walked alive when you held me in that night.

Oh, I walked alive when you held my hand that night.

I paid the price. Never held you in real life.

My lips are shaking......

Ok sorry about that. I had to give you the frame of reference.

Back to MJ......

We are trying a lot of different finger foods. We gave steamed broccoli a go this afternoon.

You tell me how you think that went after this stream of pictures.....

Yep. It went that good.

Raspberries?

Ah....much better Mama!

One of her many daily rounds is playing in the drapes.

Ha! There it is again! Love it!!

There is something so sweet and delicate about this every time I watch it.

Shadow and light can be the best dance partners.

Oh yes and Little Miss Thing doesn't need Mama to hold her bottle any more!!

Sorry.......couldn't help it. I just had to get one more.

My new fellow Pearl Jam fan in the making.

More from this past weekend to come......

Charlie Marchant Ritchey's Welcome to the World Party!

Headed to Gatlinburg, TN!