Last Weekend of July

This was the last trip to the lakehouse before school starts and we had a good trip. We had many things to do and folks to see and was unable to get everything done. We got to the lake anbout 9:30 on Thursday night and I had toget a flashlight to check out the rock and other things that had changed in the addition. It was hard to tell so I was up at daylight to check it out. The rock is looking good. It seems to be moving pretty fast. They had planned to work on Saturday and Sunday but I guess they decided with the rain they would just wait. I was sure hoping to see a column completed with rock before I left. I guess Susan will have to send my pictures. They have completed the hanging of sheet rock in my bedroom and have almost comleted the master bathroom. The other air condition unit is in stalled and from what I can tell is working fine. The contractor told us he had to run it for 4 hours and it dropped the temperature to 75 and all worked fine. The shower is installed in the master bathroom. I have posted some pictures that I took with my phone camera because I forgot my camera, lol. Hard to believe???? I have gotten a new phone, I had to have one like Tracy's and it took me all weekend to find the camera on it , so I don;t have many lake photo's. I do have one of Brooke having a jetski driving lesson from big brother Kyle.

We got a chance to play on the lake Friday with Marcia and Greg and their grandkids... was nice yto spend some time with all of them... we seem to be going in different directions this summer and have not had laketime together.

Saturday I woke up to rain and had to make myself go look for bathroom tile. I did not find what I wanted so was a wasted morning other than buying up fresh veggies. The kids shelled peas and I cooked peas, cornbread and fried okra while waiting on the weather to clear offf for a lake trip. We had gotten the white jetski back and checked it out and ummm it failed the test so we took it out and Dad will take it back to the shop for us on Monday. John was nice to let us try it he had installed the replacement motor but not put it on the comper to program it and had hopes it would work with the old settings ... Sure hope the computer programming is the fix. Chloe joined us on Saturday night after her swim meet.....I will just say she did great and leave the major bragging rights to her Mom's blog.

It will be 2 weeks before we go back to the lake and there will be a big change then if all goes well. We have moved everthing out of the 2 existing bedrooms and they will be blocking them off from the den and opening up the entrance from the new hallway and then ripping out the paneling and putting up sheetrock so it can all be floated out at the same time....I think that will all be completed when we go back but will probably still need to paint and install floors. I am sure hoping that by labor day the inside of the bedroom end is completed. So thats about it for this weekend. August is almost here and school too geesh where does time go?

JULY WEEK 3

This is gonna be a short post. The only think I can remember about the week is that I worked and had to work on my OFF Friday and also on Saturday. I did go to 2 birthday parties. Tanner had one on Wednesday and he is 11 years old now. Tracy had a SURPRISE PARTY on Friday Night... that went off well and I am not telling how old she is. Rusty did good.. I dont think she had a clue. I have managed to drink my water all week and have a diet drink at lunch. This is working well for me. The birthday parties did not seem to set me back they just allowed me to practice CONTROL, lol.

Susan has been babysitting the Lakehouse at times this week and we got the rock delivered on Friday and they will start rock work this week. It has been 2 weeks since I have been to the lakehouse and I am anxious to see the progress and take some new pictures. If all goes as planned we will be coming in on Thursday night for the weekend. They should have some rock up by the time I get there. I understand we now have doors on the mud room (room between the kitchen and garage) and we also have air going to the bathrooms. I think the second ac unit has been installed. I know that they are getting the bathrooms on the bedroom end plumbed cause they called asking about the faucets, which have been ordered and should be in any day. The cabinet that goes where the washer and dryer are is in also, but I need to get the new washer and dryer installed before I tear that out or wait until after labor day weekend, lol. I really don't expect them to be working on the garage end too much until they get the bedroom end about finished. I really hope they can get the whole thing finished before Labor Day weekend.... but I kinda doubt it happens. I sure would like a weekend in it completed before outage starts, lol. I will be having my last refueling outage starting in September and I won't be able to make any trips to the lakehouse after labor day until the 1st of November..........That is gonna kill me. Pat may not either because he has so much more to do when I am working the 6 days aweek and 12 hrs a day keeping things going here with the kids in school.

Thats about it for us for the week. Hope to see some of you the weekend. OH can you beleive school starts 2 weeks from tomorrow!!!!!!

2nd Week of July

This has been a productive week for me and Brooke, too. I got back to work and had to rearrange my cubicle after the 1st day. I thought the new design would be ok , but I found that it was 180 out from the way I use to be and I just could not work backwards. My neck has been killing ever since and I am blaming it on that 1 day of work.



Brooke has gotten most of her things unpacked and put away. We are still finding new homes for things that maybe I should have throw away. I hope by the end of next week we have everything in its place. I guess, If I focussed on just that I could do it this weekend... BUT.... I still beleive in doing some of the things I WANT on my off time.

Pat has gotten the yard back in shape and has kept the house from being a disaster while Brooke is getting settled in, lol. The boys are gone to their Mom's and Chris has worked nights mostly. He was Off a day and night so he and Brooke hung out then.

Friday, I checked on Blake to see if he got off to football camp at Mississippi State. I was shocked to find out he did not go, that he had been cut from the team because he did not communicate with his coaches that he was gonna be in Bama in June andwould be back in July to go to camp and do remedial training. I thought he could do that as he assured me he could and I knew that Kyle had done that last year. Squeekie apparently called and talked to the coach and I guess thats the way it is and not a thing we can do. Oh I am sure we could fight it and go before some board and get it changed...but I suspect it would be not in his best interest to do that. I am just totally disgusted with Mississippi and the schools as well. I know if I was retired right now I woukld be loading some kids up to get them started in school in Bama.

On Saturday Brooke and I went shopping for her some school uniforms and had good luck. WE just kinda hung out together while I ran various errands I had been wanting to run. We also picked up Tanner to come visit the afternoon.

I have decided to count calories for awhile... it has been like prob 30 years since I even thought about calories. I guess when I stopped by Tracy's to drop of Tyler when we got back from Bama and I could tell she had lost weight and what she had been doing I decided OK Sandra the Adkins diet has not been getting it... or you have not been getting it and its time to do something different. I have been trying to educate myself this week on what is good and bad and portions of food. I was happy when I weighed on Wednesday and I had not gained while on vacation. I have started by quitting diet cokes and drinking water. I am very surprised that this has gone very well. I have a diet drink at lunch in a can. Thats it. I keep water in my mug as much as I want . I drink tea with splenda or a diet drink at supper in a glass. I have been adddicted to having a mug for 35 years lol but now I can only have water in my mug. THis has been painless and I am so shocked... I have had headaches but I think that is parially die to work and the neck strain. I have a good feeling about this ... so maybe it will now be as easy as quitting smoking was. Hate to bore ya ... but heck this is a major thing to me, lol.

Vacation ENDS!!!!!

The last few days have been busy. We have tried to cram in all the visiting we possibly could with friends and family. We also tried to get in as much lake fun as possible and do as much house shopping and decision making as time allowed. I even got in a shopping trip with Marcia to Cullman......I can't wait until we can make a complete day of this.
























Dad and Josh enjoying a Sunday afternoon cruise.




















Monday we got up and hit the lake early because everyone had places to be and things to get done in the afternoon. These three had stayed up until about 3 but you could not tell after they got on the lake.



































I must say all these kids have gotten along GREAT!~~ and I have sure enjoyed spending time with all of them. We have had many laughs and loads of fun... and Blake is asking day before we
leave...." When we coming back? "





























Chris came in and joined us as well for last 3 days of fun.
























Looks like Brooke might be telling Kyle a thing or 2 (Like I am gonna kick your butt!!!!) and Kyle saying, "Bring in on lil sis!".... Poor Hannah must be asking, "What have I got myself into? "

























This is the latest picture from the lakeside. I will our house is getting a lot of attention and seems to be the talk of the community. I guess over the holidays many folks on the lake noticed the lil log cabin had grown! I did ask the contractor when he thought he would be finished and he just smiled and said whats the contrators pat answer to everything..... 2 weeks! I think 2 months but I just don't have a feel for how fast things can move from this point. It will be a few weeks before we get back .....so it will be interesting to see where he is then. I think Sister Sue may have to take pictures of any significant changes.



We are back in Mississippi now and after about 2 hrs I realized I am bored already. I don't understand why but its just that way.

July 5th

Just a short post to let some see the update on the lakehouse roof and also to let those Arkies and Okies know we missed being with them today. Our thoughts were with you all and hope each of you had safe traveling and enjoyed the family visits. We hope to catch ya'll next time.

































It has been a quiet day here and all are catching up on rest. Chris has joined us for a few days and we all are dreading the end of the lakehouse visit. I suspect we will only be back for a weekend every 2 weeks for a bit.
The discolored tin will be covered when the old bathroom is removed and the gable is made for the entry. The existing hole that looks like where a door will go is actually a window and has been left open for ease of access.

4Th of JULY!!!!!

Today we all gathered for the MYHAND REUNION. We had a few folks missing, but we enjoyed seeing and visiting with those that were here. I am posting many pictures again and will try to caption a few a long the way.






Some are checking out the view and others just resting a few.

Would you think these 2 guys are related?

Rando was a big help with his preparing the meat for the day.

A couple Grandpa's enjoying the afternoon.

Jenna the newest member of the MYHAND CLAN.

The main attraction and intertainment of the day was our 2 sets of twin boys and their sisters. We have Payton, Jenna and Landon then there is Will, Walker and Emma Myhand.




Emma all dressed for the occassion in her red....white...blue.

Left over balloons made a big hit with the little kids.



Payton and Landon discovered waterguns.

This Grandpa found time for a nap....although I think it was very short.

Pop's looks like a proud Grandpa inspight of the short nap.

The afternoon was cool after a lil shower and most enjoyed some outdoor activities.

Ladderball seemed to get Jacy's attention.


Some enjoying the outside view.





The teenagwers enjoyed a few firworks before Papaw Pat carried them out on the lake to watch the fireworks there. I have no pictures of the night time cruise since I stayed behind and geeesh never even thought to send my camera.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRANDON!!!!!!

Today worked out GREAT! Brandon, Dustin and Jacy came to visit and play on the lake in the afternoon. While they were out playing the fun began. I will just post pictures for all to see.

Randy came and brought the decorations and food for the SURPRISE birthday party. We had a feast. Food was great and Cake and Ice cream was too.

Walker, Emma and Will wait patiently to SURPRISE Dad!

The party was a huge success~!!!!!!!

Emma and her friends played ring -around-the-roses.