Fall Festival

We love McLeod Farms in McBee, South Carolina.  It's a halfway point to Florence during our regular drives, so we always make it a point to stop and buy whatever is fresh and in season.  Since it's fall, pumpkins are in abundance.  This year we decided to make it down for the fall festival.  It was such a nice day!

This is us right before entering the corn maze.  Oh the fun we had.  I learned that my husband has severe ADD.  No worries, we eventually made it out.

 

The Stephenses led the way.  This provided ample opportunity for Phillip to throw and any everything he could find at Sarah.

I would like her outfit to be noted.  We were waiting on the hay ride back to the front of the farm after the corn maze.  How festive is this?  She only smiled because Sarah bribed her, but hey it was a means to an end.

Our niece, Logan, with her Grammy on the ride back.

The sight of this made me laugh.  Taylor is apparently in love with the way Lee's hair feels.  She sat on his shoulders and gently rubbed his hair like this for quite a while (and she's a heavy little one).

 We rode in this wagon around the farm.  The strawberries are already planted and ready for next year!

 This ice cream maker was awesome.  And yes, it is a John Deere.  Gotta love the country.

 Logan wanted a green pumpkin this year.

 Aunt Diane cooked a delicious meal for everyone on Sunday.  Anna, Sarah's sister, came over to partake.  She got to experience Mason's love for the water hose.  She was trying to water the lemon trees here, but Mason's head is in the middle of the planter biting the water. 

We hope you had a great weekend!  We did!

Update on Chuck

So I haven't been shopping of any sort in a long time.  I am not sure why this is, but I really have just not been motivated.  
 
I decided Target needed my company tonight.  I looked in the mirror, which revealed to me that a sick me is an ugly me.  However I couldn't breathe out of my nose, so sleep was out of the question.  I put my hair up, threw on a fleece jacket, and off I went (it's only a mile down the road). 

I love to look for potential Christmas gifts this time of year.  So I decided to head towards the toys as we have three nieces that we get to buy for this year.  Unsuspecting me thought it'd be funny to go look for Chuck the Talking Truck, when lo and behold I stumbled upon Matchbox's Stinky the Garbage Truck!!!

I'm sorry Chuck, but move on over.  If there is one toy that beats you it's Stinky!!! 

Talking Chuck

So many of you know our anniversary, my birthday, and Christmas all fall in the month of December.  We were discussing what we wanted to do for our anniversary.  Phillip then asked for suggestions on presents.  Now, I honestly cannot think of one thing I want (and typically don't care).

Of course, I then turned the table and began asking him what he'd like for Christmas.  (It's important that I insert here the fact that Phillip is 29 years old.)  His response: Tonka's Chuck My Talking Truck.  Bless his heart, but he'll never grow up.

Maybe I should take a vote on this, but I am almost tempted to humor him and buy it.  What do you think?

September to Remember

So sorry about our lack of communication via the blog.  September came and went before we knew it.  By the time it was over, we felt like we had survived a hurricane of mass proportions.  It was all so hectic; I can't remember what we did for the majority of the time.

I know one thing - COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS BACK!  Which means my husband has a date every Saturday with Dabo Swinney and his boys at Clemson.  I have actually not minded it as much as I anticipated.  I do, however, not like watching all day football.  We had a conversation about that.  Four hours of anything is enough (in my humble opinion).  

Now, the problem with Saturdays lies herein: Phillip had to work nearly every Saturday in September.  Fortunately, I have been pre-occupied so our lack of "dating" hasn't phased me in the least.  Phillip, on the other hand, is one tired kid come Saturday night.  

Several weeks ago we received a phone call from Florence informing us that Phillip's grandmother was found unconscious.  Not much more was told at the time.  We packed up around midnight that Sunday night and headed down to South Carolina.  We got there around 2 AM to something I never could have imagined.  

I've always said that if anything ever happened to Ms. Elwood, I wouldn't know how to handle Phillip.  He adored his Papa and Grandma.  He grew up next door to them his entire life (until some evil woman came in and had him move to North Carolina).  

Over the next three days I watched an amazing family come together in a way I had never seen before.  All of the trivial things were left behind to focus on the matriarch.  I have never seen that many people in an ICU unit before.   She had suffered, among other things, a massive stroke and hemorrhaging in the brain.

On September 22, 2010, Grandma Taylor was able to meet the Lord that she loved so dearly.  We came home to get clothes, make some arrangements, and come back to SC for the funeral arrangements.  This was the only weekend Phillip took off in September, but thank the Lord for a great company.  He was given three days of bereavement so he didn't have to use all of his vacation.  

The visitation was held that Thursday and the funeral took place that Friday.  I will say that watching Phillip and his family go through this broke my heart.  Phillip is a really big guy, but he's such a softy at heart.  I had no idea what to do with a husband that was completely broken.  His friends were amazingly supportive.  (I have never had so much delicious food in my life.)  Phillip took comfort in the fact that his grandma left behind an incredible testimony to God's provisional love (and that she was enjoying time with the husband she loved so dearly in heaven). 

The rest of the month was slightly bumpy, but we made it.  It's October and it feels FABULOUS outside.  Don't you agree?  I broke out the jacket this week.  Can't wait to carve pumpkins in a few weeks!


Thanks for being patient with us!  Happy fall ya'll!

August: The month of birthdays

This past weekend we packed up and headed to South Carolina.  Apparently, August is THE month for birthdays when it comes to Phillip's family and friends.  Phillip is scheduled to work every weekend in August, except this last one.  We decided to take advantage of this and head on down. 

Our first stop was a birthday party for Chris' niece, Carly.  Chris, for those of you not familiar, is Phillip's best friend...since diapers.  No lie.  Chris also had a birthday at the beginning of the month, but now Carly gets all of the attention.  We had such a good time catching up with everyone.  Carly is adorable.  We were surprised at how much she's grown since we saw her a few months ago.  I have been begging Chris to get married and have kids.  The McNairs make some pretty babies.  Carly is beginning to look exactly like her mama.  She's one of the most gorgeous babies ever.  We decided that since she doesn't live with us the best birthday present would be Melissa & Doug art supplies.  We even got finger paints for her to use on Uncle Christopher's truck.  Here's the birthday girl after the party (sleepy) with her uncle and mom.  Isn't she ADORABLE?!  I love those blue eyes!

After the party, we decided to go back to Aunt Diane's.  She was ready for the Pee Dee State Farmers Market, so she and I left Phillip to nap since his sleep schedule was quite messed up.  Now, I've tried to find comparable farmers markets around us, but they just don't exist.  I LOVE this place.  I loaded up on fresh cucs, squash, local honey from Pamplico, peaches, blueberries, homemade apple bread from McLeod Farms, etc.  Next time we're down the scuppernong grapes should be ready...we hope.  Those are free for the picking!  I had so much fun.  When we got back home I got to nap!  South Carolina is SO relaxing. 

Obviously Emma agrees.  It was post-bath, pre-bed time.  She was zoned.  The pjs are precious!

Phillip and Lee spent quite a few hours ignoring the rest of us and watching UFC.  Look at how happy Lee looks.  Quite disturbing, my friend!

FINALLY, Uncle Phillip decided it was time to play (conveniently before bed).  He became a jungle gym first. 

Then he started push ups with a 4, 5, and 10 year old on board.  They were intermittently watching A Bug's Life.  (Love the red face...nice P!)

You always have to work the arms.  Why not add a 5 year old for additional weight. 

It's always important to end a workout with a little cool down.  Look how happy the girls are with Phillip.  He's so good with little ones.

Cute Emma and Taylor decided to take a walk to the pond.  Gracie, of course, never far behind.  Apparently, she likes people her size. 

Emma wasn't too sure about Mason splashing around in the pond. 

I love this. Emma wanted the rocks.  Not sure why.  Lee was happy to oblige. 

Mason is a very patient dog.  Taylor, well, is not a patient little person.

Gracie does not do water.  At all.  Logan insisted that Gracie needed to swim.  Look closely, I don't think Gracie agrees with her opinion.

He took the pic, you'd think he would know to smile.  P.S. - Excuse the clothes.  You wear nothing nice to the pond.  I ended up getting quite soaked.  Lovely!

After the Stephenses went home, the girls took their baths and wanted to play Monopoly.  Phillip had loads of fun trying to explain to a 5 year old why she had to roll doubles to get out of jail.  The girls spent the night because Phillip's mom had her 40th high school reunion.  She broke curfew too.  We decided she was grounded this week.  (Mama Harris - you better stick to it or you get two weeks!)

Logan got bored waiting on Taylor to roll doubles, Taylor was tired of jail, so she began taking pics...of everything. 

I'm a great aunt.  Always teaching them the important things in life.  Obviously.

We had such a great weekend!  We want to wish a Happy Happy Birthday to Linda, Chris, Lee, Carly, and the rest of the gang!