Thirty

Jared turned 30 at the end of July and I wanted to celebrate him by hosting a SURPRISE weekend at the lake with a few of his favorite people. I found a house on Lake Martin and gathered everyone together for a fun filled weekend of laughter, stories, teak surfing, eating, lounging, latte making, swimming, tubing, grilling, and more laughter. I cannot believe I got everyone together in the same place at the same time. It was awesome. Jared had no idea where we were driving on that Friday and who would be there. He was totally surprised and thrilled. We, the Youssefs, Browns, Joseph and Beth, Mikey Love and Christine, and us piled into the house with 3 nursing babies and I can safely say that none of us wanted to leave on that Sunday morning. I feel like I don't have many pictures due to being distracted by all the laughing and story telling (and running around fixing food and so on) but several there that weekend had cameras and my dear sister-n-law has a great slide show at the end of this post. You should click on the link to her post and the slide show. Great pictures and hilarious action shots.

Happy Birthday again sweet Hubby! 

Arrival of guests and meeting Ella May Youssef for the first time. Do you see her tiny legs in between Jared and Emily? Emily and Josh were such sports for coming and traveling with newborn little Ella May. 

 My goofy husband and his approval.

 The youngest Wingfield cousins. Hudson (4 months) and Hank (8 1/2 months) chilling together in the pack 'n play. No kids allowed except the ones who are attached to the boob. Sorry. Was that too much?  

Mikey Love, Jared's best friend from the age of about 12, being our pancake chef on Saturday morning. My boys call him Uncle Mikey. He rocks. 

 Hudson snuggling with Auntie T. We love sweet and always generous and loving Taylor. 

Boys at play.

 The boys trying to behave.

 The girlies laughing at the boys.

 Mikey Love and Joshie telling stories and becoming bffs.

Jared and his favorite cake I brought up to the lake. Carrot.

Link to Beth's Pictures below:

 http://bethjosephwingfield.blogspot.com/2011/08/jareds-30th-bday-at-lake.html

French Beach

The best thing that we do all summer is to go to "French Beach," as Alder calls it. 
We load up the boat and usually with friends, hot dogs, shovels, buckets, some towels, a card table and folding chairs, a lighter, some wine, and the ingredients to make smores. As we speed along the river in the boat the boys scream with excitement, reach back to touch the water spray, count the wild animals we see along the way, and help Daddy drive. The excitement has built and as we reach the sandy bank, I can hardly keep them in the boat. As I lift them down into the shallow water, I watch Alder and Kingston race away down the shoreline giggling and embracing this authentic place, the freedom, and the sense of adventure. 
The Black Warrior is full of adventure and freedom and is truly an authentic place to be "raising" our boys. It is perfect for them. They bathe in the mud, swim in the dark waters, start fires with Daddy, collect sticks, and learn of the place around them. It thrills me that "French Beach" is a place that they can really be boys. A couple of times now we have taken along the wonderful Smith family and cooked out our dinner over an open fire, watch the children explore, and bask in the soothing effects of being by open water.
A simple life...and young children.
What a blessing.

Back in the Boat

Daddy has purchased another boat after selling the last one at the end of the season last year. I think if Jared could be convinced that he could make a living "brokering" boats, he would quit his job tomorrow and do so. He spends hours combing the Internet for deals on boats and is pretty darn good at it. Two weeks ago while I was in Chattanooga, he bought 2 boats and sold them that same week, making profits on both of them. Pretty talented, huh??? Anyways, we have one for the summer and the boys are loving it. We took it out the other night, I think it was Mother's Day night, for an evening cruise. Jared has taken the two older boys a handful times already, but this time the whole family went and Little One loved it as well. It is quite a handful to take all 3 on the boat, but we manage. Kind of. As you can tell from the pictures below, Alder is dying to "touch the water Mama, just a little bit. I won't fall in." Kingsers is panicked this summer by the boat unless someone is holding him (he loves the boat but we cannot figure out this new fear he has of the boat/motor/movement) and so that leaves Little One in the Moses basket tucked up underneath the bow. Safe, right? 

Just trying so hard to touch the water. So hard. 

Conrad Hudson. Braving the conditions. 

Gazing up at two airplanes crossing in the sky. 

I love my Kingston. He is clinging onto me tightly and I think rather enjoying his Mama snuggling with him.