I would like to go on record

This was one of those blessed weekends where things went exactly as I might have hoped they would. I will admit that I was skeptical about my plans, because I was just going home to my parents' by myself. How cool does that sound? Psh. Anyways, my dad and some of the members of their church have been working on a construction project for the last few weeks. I got the opportunity to go and work with them on Friday. Something that may or may not be interesting about me is that I kind-of dig manual labor. I love construction work. It was really fun to work alongside my dad and friends to help a family who has been ravaged by cancer. Sweet times. They're almost finished with their work - hopefully this week they'll pass inspection and trim everything out! I'm proud of all them - and sad I only got to work one day!

My new buddy and me rockin' the "GIRL POWER" crew:


How many people does it take to put siding on a house...?
Frank, me, Dad, and Mary Alyce - apparently.


After we finished work that day, at my request we went over to my parents' best friends' house (my second Mom and Dad) for a cookout. Another something about me: I LOVE a cookout. I also love Frank & Cherryl so it was doubly fun. I have no pictures of my feats of eating agility, but I may or may not have eaten hamburgers and hot dogs like there was no tomorrow.

Luckily, there was a tomorrow, and it included the best 4th of July I can remember. Mom and I went to her family's lake house for the day (Dad stayed behind to work with the construction crew). I grew up going all the time, but I don't think I've been since I graduated high school (over 8 years!). I had recently talked to my oldest cousins about it on facebook, and it worked out that a lot of the family went down for the day. I love the lake. It's like the beach in that you don't have to wear anything but a bathing suit all day. They had an inflatable pool set up on the deck for the kids, and if we weren't in the lake, we were all siting in the pool. It was so relaxed and it was the PERFECT day. I got to play with the jet skis and water ski for the first time in AGES, and I'm happy that it worked out well. Also, it should be mentioned that my 60-year-old Aunt Becky and my mom also skiied for the first time in ages - all of us getting out of the water on the first try. Boo-yow!

I love this picture of the dog in "his seat" on the deck.


STYLE. (:


This picture makes me laugh so much. If you carry your wife from the lake in a trailer behind a lawn mower...you might be a redneck.


I've decided that it's good to have a little redneck on the 4th of July. It's perfect for me. We finished off the day in the sun with some meat from the grill and my grandma's acre peas, watermelon, and corn on the cobb. Delish.

After our delightful day at the lake, Mom and I came back to watch the fireworks with friends...right on the banks of the St. Johns River. I don't think we could've had a better seat with the breeze blowing right off the water, and the show was great!



I finished off the weekend today going to the church I grew up in, with friends who have known me since the day I was born. There's something that's just special to me about that, even if I do miss my own church. It was sweet. Mom fed me well before I left their house, I was cranking the tunes on the way home with my dog, and now I'm in "my chair" in my house watching the same Deadliest Catch marathon that's been on all weekend. Can life get any better? (Well, maybe once I'm not sore from the skiing - but it's a price I'm happy to pay!)

I love everything about this weekend. Thanks for listening. (: