RANDOMNESS #1 - The 2014 Prom is now only a faint, sweet memory, but aren't you glad I have more pictures?
Yeah.
I thought so.
As per a request, here are a few of the hair pics.
An obligatory limo pic on the way to the prom...
And a limo pic after the prom.
The Birmingham Color Tunnel.
This is a fairly new and exciting photo op spot in Birmingham. People are lovin' it!
The man who had the idea, "Let's put a bunch of different colored lights in the old tunnel under the old bridge in the middle of Birmingham... and they will come," is brilliant.
Brilliant, I say!
Roxie and Hunter's little sister, Heather, enjoyed some hammock time the day after the Prom.
Cute, cute chicks.
RANDOMNESS #2 - We celebrated Brad's 22nd birthday this past Sunday... at his new home.
It was his idea.
Really.
It was.
The Martins celebrate birthdays with a Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake.
The Faulkners thoroughly enjoy their tradition.
When you are in your 20s, the importance of many, many small lit candles all over the top of your cake dripping wax is not quite as necessary as when you were child.
One large scented candle sitting neatly beside the cake will do the trick!
Melia, Austin, Brad and Mikie.
Zac, Brad, Roxie and Grandmother.
Katie, Brad, Bev and Tommy.
I'm going to have to remind someone in the family to wear a "POP OF COLOR" for our next picture-taking occasion!
Brad and Stephanie.
The new house.
Brad is living here until The Big Day, and Stephanie is doing all of the decorating and MOST of the cleaning.
Someone has the better deal here!
Since they bought a house, have two new jobs, are busy planning a wedding, honeymoon and new life together, it seemed only fitting they should have a puppy, too.
Meet Annie.
I think 22 is going to be a very good year for Brad.
RANDOMNESS #3 - Mike and I took a few hours yesterday afternoon to drive to Guntersville to check out our first choice for vacation lake rentals.
The lake house of choice was missing one essential, necessary, deal-breaking feature.
At this time in our lives, our family of young adults/older teenagers REQUIRES a pier for swimmin', fishin' and sunnin'.
We have the boat, but while some of us are out ON the water, the rest of us like to be IN the water while we await our turn.
So the search continues.
We took our time driving home, and visited a covered bridge we found along the way...
And we talked to some horses and cows on our journeys, too.
Calves were everywhere.
All in all, it was a very nice ride.
Now, it's back to the drawing board looking for the ever-elusive vacation destination!
Pinterest Stuff
Summer To-Do-List
I found this family's list of 100 things to do this Summer, and there were a few things that were a little different and they caught my eye.
1. Make AND drink freshly squeezed lemonade.
2. Make homemade salsa.
3. Play croquet.
4. Make homemade bubble wands and homemade bubble juice.
5. Take a walk in the rain.
6. Send a camera across country. (This is my favorite!)
7. Make homemade pretzels.
8. Have popcorn for dinner.
9. Pick peaches and make peach cobbler.
Of course, add VBS, vacations, movie nights, game nights, etc., etc., to your list...
But PREPARE the list.
You may not finish everything, but with a list in front of you, you'll do so much more!
$6 Birmingham Mate Date
Since the "50 Things To Do in Birmingham" list came out, I have wanted to try the following two activities.
So, last Saturday, Mike and I did just that!
My favorite... a GIANT chocolate bunny.
Three creaky floors of "stuff."
Outdoor Christmas candles.
Millions of old records.
And I don't use the word "millions" lightly.
All in all, it is a very interesting place to visit, and if you are a serious collector of action figures, comic books, records, old prints of places in Alabama, etc., it is just the place for you.
I would not take a young child (under 10) into this store. It would just be too much of a temptation, and you might end up buying something old AND broken.
After spending an hour or so at What's on 2nd, Mike and I headed to another place on the "50 Things To Do in Birmingham" list.
Believe it or not, we have never been to Doodles in Cahaba Heights.
Doodles is a walk-up Italian Gelato/Shaved Ice kind of place. There are two wrought iron tables with seating on the patio and two or three picnic tables in a field in front of the stand.
I saw two or three people with picnic blankets, and if you go on an overcast and/or cool day, I think this would be perfect.
In other words, NO SHADE in the field.
Mike tried the Caramel Pecan Gelato and I had the Cherry Ice. There are many flavors to choose from, and on this particular date, these two small treats cost $6.
Thus, the title of this segment, "$6 Birmingham Mate Date."
Weekend Happenings
Okay. In a nutshell, here we go...
1. Roxie will be going to certification class all weekend long to be a lifeguard this Summer. I've never had a lifeguard in the family before, so this is something new... and wage-earning!
2. Josh will be working Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, but he'll come home Sunday for a nice Sunday dinner and some family time.
Since Wallace is in the midst of Spring Break, he has been home since Tuesday night, and it has been lovely.
3. Austin will be moving back to the house for a few months. His producing gig in Jacksonville has ended, and he has had several interview opportunities arise in the Birmingham area. He's going to work at the Chick here and continue to look for a job in radio.
We're trusting in God's timing and his perfect plan.
4. Mike and I will be up to something tomorrow. We are just not sure what it will be!
5. I'll be taking Stephanie and Brad's engagement pictures Sunday afternoon after church, and you know I'm excited about being able to do something like that.
Have a stupendous weekend. I'll be back TUESDAY with a few Brad/Stephanie pics, a Coconut Pound Cake recipe (I've already made it, but I ran out of time to post it today), some new-to-me April Fool's Day pranks to try on your family and one or two Easter ideas for you and yours.
Take care, and I'll talk to you next week.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
