The Azalea Trail

I assume most everyone knows what an azalea is......right? Maybe not. Well here is a picture of one!



They grow on a bush. Some bushes grow really big and some are miniature size. They come in all kinds of colors. There are all shades of pink, white and even a dark reddish pink......like this one.




One of our local towns host the Azalea - Dogwood Trail every year. It is held in March or April. It depends on when the blooms are at their best. This year the blooms were beautiful and the date was set. Then........we had these terrible thunderstorms to move through and.......just about all of the blooms were beat off of the bushes. But, the show must go on.

The Azalea trail winds throughout the historic district of Dothan, AL. There are beautiful girls of all ages sitting on the lawns. They dress in antebellum dresses and hold their beautiful parasols.

A family member of ours had her little girl in it this year and I had the pleasure of taking a few pictures of her before the trail started.





Notice the huge azalea bush behind her in this one. We had to go to the next door neighbors to take this picture. The house she was supposed to be in did not have any blooms left on the bushes.

The dresses they wear are so elaborate. I had to take a picture of the back of this dress. Just look at the detail!



The parasol she is holding was hand decorated by her Grandmother!



This little beauty was not camera shy at all. It was so much fun taking her picture!


If you ever find yourself in southeast Alabama in the spring, you need to come check out our beautiful azaleas. Really try to catch the Azalea Trail. The beautiful girls in their antebellum dresses, sitting amongst the blooms, are a sight to behold.

A Sad Day

I started this blog as a way to save memories for my kids in a journal form. Then I decided to share it with others. It has mostly been about every day things that happen in my family. Some of the things I write about are sentimental and some things are just happy times. But, today......I need to write about something that has really bothered me and it has had a major impact on my community.

A few days ago a life time resident in our community opened fire on some of our local law enforcement officers. One lost his life, and the other is in critical condition in our local hospital. He may never be able to see again.

We are a very small community and all three of these men are well known. It is hard to put into words the horror and shock that we are all in. How do you reconcile within your own mind something this tragic?

No one will ever know what triggered this. My understanding is that the shooter had some mental issues and had not been taking his medicine properly. How sad that a man lost his life because of something like this.

Our first responders have to face life and death situations every day. They leave their homes, wives and children, thinking they will see them later in the day. Never knowing that day may be their last. The officer who lost his life was Dexter Hammond. He got a call that an "officer is down". He rushed to the aid of his fellow law enforcement brother. He lost his life trying to help a brother officer. He is a hero!

My thoughts and prayers are with his wife and his young son, who does not understand what has happened. All he knows is that he will never see his Daddy again. My prayers are with the other young officer who is still in ICU, not knowing what his life will be like from here on out. I also hurt for the family of the shooter. Not only have they lost a loved one.......they have to live with the fact that this person that they loved......is the one who did this horrible thing. They will feel and be MADE to feel guilty for something THEY did not do.

We all need to remember to hug our loved ones and never forget to tell them you love them. You just never know.

T-Ball

My hubby works nights. During the week this does not bother me too much. Friday nights....it drives me crazy. I get tired of sitting home alone on Friday night so, I decided I would go watch my cousin's little boy play T-ball.

I figured when he saw me with my camera, that he would try to avoid me. He is the one in some of my other post, that hides from me when I try to take his picture. I guess being an athlete changes all of that. You know you have to prepare at an early age, to pose for that Sports Illustrated cover.

Any way.....he came up to bat.....



....and he hit it and made it to first base, where he was greeted by one of the opposing players with a big high five!



Then the next player hit and he rounded third and headed into home......



Then a quick look at Mom......to make sure she saw it all.....



And.....of course we had our turn in the field.



T-ball is when it is still fun. Everybody wins and nobody loses. Everyone gets a hit and when the ball is hit into the field.....it takes the whole ball team to stop it. The big smiles on the kids faces tells the story.

I mean look at this!



Just a happy smiling kid without a care in the world! Just happy to be out there enjoying his t-ball game!

The Princess Made Flag Corp

Any of you that know me.......know how excited I have been about not having to go to football booster meetings and how I was going to be able to relax and go to a game.....only if I wanted to.......well......the Princess blew all of that right out of the water. She made color guard in the band. Yippee!

First we had a week of camp. This is where the girls learn what to do and learn a routine so that they can try out. The tryouts were on a Saturday. We had to be there at 7am. This lasted until 1:00 pm.

We had majorettes trying out.......


......and drum majors.....



.....and flag corp......



.....and danceline.



We had Moms helping out.....


......and boyfriends trying to be supportive....



.....they ate and drank......



.....and finally.....we found out.......who made it!

Drum Major



Majorettes



Danceline



and last but, not least.......Flag Corp.



I am excited for her that she made it and I know that this will be a great thing for her.......and I know that it will help ease her way into her first year of high school........but.......I am just getting waaaaaaay to old for this!

The Prom & An 18th Birthday

Well, it is official.......we are on the down side of Big E's senior year. We have now had Prom and our eighteenth birthday.......on the SAME day, no less!



How handsome is he in that tux? GQ model maybe......well his Mom thinks so any way!


Of course he took Squirrel to the prom with him. Isn't she just gorgeous?!



In the town that I live in, we have a beautiful "Town Square". It has these huge oak trees and a gazebo. It is a tradition for the seniors to meet up there to take pictures before the prom.

This is Big E and some of his best buds.



The Buds and their dates.


This is Big E and his two best friends. One has been his best friend since they were in the womb (his Mom is my best friend) and the other came into his life when they were in the sixth grade.



This is a picture of Big E and Miss Shell Bell. They were raised together. Her Dad and T were best friends growing up. We were all so close that these two used to think they were cousins. It took them a while before they understood that they are no relation at all!



This young lady is Lauren. She started daycare with Big E when they were just a few weeks old. She does her own thing and marches to a different beat. Don't cha just love it!


Here is Big E and Squirrel at the lead out!


This is the last picture I took of them before we left them to enjoy the rest of their night. "sigh"



When your children are small. Everyone tells you to enjoy them because they will be grown before you know it. There has NEVER been a statement made, that is more true. You bring them home as tiny babies and next thing you know.........they are at their senior prom.

April 3, 1991, I gave birth to Big E...........April 3, 2009.........I sat and watched him celebrate his 18th birthday........at his Senior Prom.