FIREWORKS & FUN

Nathan's work gave all the emoloyees tickets to the Diamond Jaxx game for July 3rd. The team generally does a fireworks show every Saturday that they are in town, but they had to do it on Friday this time since they were not playing on July 4th. It's a good thing we went because that was the only fireworks show done within hours. Strange, but true.

The visiting team had their mascot do all these hilarious dances and stuff. He was the best part of the night since the game was really boring until the last couple of innings. I caught just a tiny bit of it on video. The kids started grooving along with the songs, too.

The fireworks seemed to be a lot shorter than the last game we were at, but I still managed to get some mighty fine pictures.

JUMP FOR JOY

We have been contemplating getting the kids a trampoline since we moved here. They have been asking for a while and we were going to wait until Brooke’s birthday, but we needed something else for entertainment. It was starting to get hot and we don’t have any family here with a pool. Also, we have no trees or any form of shade outside and the dog really needed something to help keep her cool. We already have the perfect spot in the yard where a huge section of grass doesn’t grow anyway. So, we surprised the kids a few days after we got back from Texas with it. They were so excited and have loved it every day. One less present for “Santa” to bring now!

BACK TO TENNESSEE...ON FATHER'S DAY

We left for Tennesse a little later than planned, but since Nathan's parents let us use some hotel points for a much appreciated layover in Little Rock, the drive wasn't near as bad as we originally anticipated. We rocked out to some Hannah Montana tunes and then had an encore presentation of Mama Mia. Below is a bit of our travelling entertainment.

Finally, they went to sleep. They had to be exhausted after all the jumping they did in the pool. I wish I could sleep that easily and comfortably in the car.

I wish I could sleep that easily, too. The lights were still on while Cole and I were watching TV...And they were having a snooze fest.

FATHER'S DAY

We spent Father's Day driving the last few hours back to Tennessee. I'm sure that's not how Nathan really wanted to spend his day, but he had already played golf 3 times so I didn't feel too bad for him.

We finally saw the Crittenden County sign in time to take a picture. I first noticed it in February when we came up to look at houses, but was never prepared enough to get a picture the other times we passed it. Nathan knew that it was the last county in Arkansas before you enter Tennessee, but wasn't exactly sure when it would pop up. I sat there with my camera for about 30 minutes ready to do a drive by shot. I probably looked like a private investigator or something to people driving by us since there was nothing out there worthy of pictures. We barely spotted it and Nathan whipped in between some truckers giving me seconds to try to focus the camera on the sign and not the bug guts on the windshield. I think it turned out pretty good considering how fast we were going. Given that it was Father's Day, I was quite proud to capture my daddy's last name on a big green sign.

Crossing the border from Arkansas into Tennessee on the bridge that goes over the Mississippi River.
Nathan didn't want to go home and then have to go back and pick up the dog, so we just stacked everything higher and crammed her in the back. She was a little freaked out to be riding back there without the kennel. Oh well.

While we didn't get officially spend the day with our own dads, we did get to spend the day together, even if it was mostly in a car. Nathan usually works Sundays so that was a special treat for us.

END OF OUR TRIP BACK HOME

Thursday we went to Doogoland with Julie and Alyssa while Nathan met his Ft. Worth work friends for lunch. It was actually a pretty neat place with several different pretend stations for the kids. Cole would have been a little bored if he hadn't found an older boy to play with...Of course, they tried to boss around the girls. There were only a handful of kids there the whole time and that made it so much nicer. The summer prices weren't that bad and the pizza was far better than Chuck E Cheese.


Tim and Leslie gave us their season tickets to the Air Hogs game. It was a nice night and the game was good...At least what I got to see of it. I was able to keep Carley, Cole, and Brooke in their seats long enough for the sun to go down. I was still trying to stay out of the sun as much as possible. They bugged me every few minutes to go to the playground until I finally gave in.

Cole

Carley

Brooke

Evidently Cole and Ginger were more worn out than we thought.

Friday we spent the day with cousins and then loaded everything up for the looooong drive back. Saturday we stopped back by Nathan's parents' house for the kids to get in one last swim and visit with their great grandparents.

Four generations of McCallums.

A rare but very precious picture (even though I had to force them to take it). We drove by the Dallas Cowboys new stadium real quick on our way out of town. Just seeing it from the outside was amazing. Maybe one day we will actually get to see the inside.

We made some plans and tried to split time between our friends and families the best we could without upsetting anyone, but it proved to be a much harder a task than we thought. You have to realize that driving very far and trying to please everyone is not fun or relaxing, but it is necessary. Until you have been in a position like ours, you will not fully understand. So, this was our first shot at it, and we did get most everything accomplished that we set out to do on this trip. We had fun, we melted in the sun, and suddenly it was all done. Be back at Christmas, y'all!

MIDDLE OF OUR TRIP BACK HOME

Saturday and Sunday night we were able to have a date and meet up with friends. We had so much fun catching up, laughing as loud as dolphins, and acting like annoying teenagers. Good times, good times. Monday Nathan played a little golf with his dad and nephew at fancy Fun City. Or should I say City of Fun? Tuesday we met up with cousins at Chuck E Cheese. Well, not Nathan...He was playing golf. Our CEC in Jackson is half the size of the one here with very little games. The kids were non-stop and would occassionally swing by the table for a drink or more tokens.

The monkies together again.

Since Tim was out of town, the kids and I had an impromtu sleepover at Leslie's house with the girls. Cole was odd man out, but they made the best of it. After the little monkies finished an ongoing amount of giggling and finally went to sleep, Emiley and I talked about boys and stuff for a couple of hours. She is just growing up too fast.

GRANDMA'S BIRTHDAY

Wednesday was Grandma's birthday and we spent it at their country club in Desoto. Nathan, his dad, and my dad were already there playing golf by the time we arrived. The kids were ready to jump in as soon as we got there. Right away I realized that I was dumb enough to bring everything but the bag with my swimsuit, Nathan's swimsuit, and all the extra clothes. So, I got to spend the next 45 minutes driving back and forth to get them. Awesome. It was nice to spend most of the day just relaxing by the pool though.

Awwww....Dayley is so cute.

Cole swam and swam until his scrawny body couldn't take it anymore.

Grandma blew out only one box of candles.My "old"est brother. :)

I promise I put sunscreen on...I did...I really did!