Summertime and the livin's easy

There is a place where the sidewalk ends

and before the street begins,

And there the grass grows soft and white,

And there the sun burns crimson bright,

And there the moon-bird rests from his flight

To cool in the peppermint wind.

 

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black

And the dark street winds and bends.

Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow

We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,

And watch where the chalk-white arrows go

To the place where the sidewalk ends.

 

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,

And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go, For the children, they mark, and the children, they know

The place where the sidewalk ends.

-Shel Silverstein

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Camping with friends at Lake DeGray: The Fants, Lumms, Jacobi's and Jason and I camped at the end of summer on Lake DeGray.  We rented a boat for the day and ate steaks at the campsite.  It was the only time we camped in 2013.
Kati and Matt's wedding in Jonesboro was an adventure to say the least.  It was hot, late August and Jason and I made the trip to the wedding.  The wedding was beautiful and the reception was so much fun with all of the Kappa Sigma's, wives, and girlfriends.  We all went out in downtown Jonesboro afterwards and then back to the Super 8, which was so disgusting!  We will never ever ever stay in a Super 8 again!
The kids had their first Jr. Week at Little River Country Club.  Jason and I met at the Jr. Week dance the summer before the 7th grade.  The boys had such a great time, staying out till all hours of the night with my best friends kids.  Tabby and Vaughn let us roost in their cabin for the week.  There were so many people staying at the cabin that we were not allowed to flush the toilets unless it was absolutely necessary and no one was able to take showers at the cabin.  They rinsed at the pool shower.  The kids rode golf carts, ran in a race, swam in the river and in the pool, participated in story time, crafts, the scavenger hunt, and danced at their first ever Jr. Week dance, Hudson had his first crush (on Renae's daughter Kyla). I was able to spend time with my friends and bond with their children.  On our last day Hudson began running fever and his face became swollen on his right side around his cheek area. I immediately made him a dentist appointment.  They did not find signs of decay and thought it was a sinus infection so they prescribed him a strong dose of amoxicillin.  The swelling subsided almost immediately but the antibiotic upset his stomach so we stopped giving it to him.  Then in November at his regularly scheduled cleaning appointment they found the decay and he now has to have a 'baby root canal' in January 2014.   
We were also able to watch the fireworks on July 4th at LRC with all of our high school friends and their children.  We all rode golf carts out to the middle of the golf course.  It was a terrific lightshow with music.  The kids had glow sticks and played chase barefoot all over the course. 
We had our first beach trip.  Maddie turned 2 and had a Minnie Mouse themed birthday party.  The kids played with Trysen and Maddie at the party and the adults had burgers and watched the Razorback game.  Paul Wurtz turned 4 in a pirate-themed pool party which was so much fun for all of the kids at the Racquet Club. 
We spent a lot of time at Magic Springs and Crystal Falls this summer. The kids went almost every week and sometimes twice a week some with just my mom and some with the two of us, once with Landon and Dawson, once with Adelyn and Mallory, and once with Marshall.  It was a great way to spend hot summer days and bond with my babies and my mom.
We had our second annual girls trip to the Little River Country Club and Niki Stafford was able to come this year.  We spent the day on the river with our first lime-a-rita's and our umbrellas.  It was such a great day.  Then we grilled burgers and roasted veggies.  I had to leave early for Holden's birthday party the following day but it was such a fun day with my best friends.
Also, I had a really awesome girls night with Whitney Ritter, Kaitlyn, Dawn Morris, Rachel Little, and Cassie Ford.  We decided we needed a night with just the girls.  We ate at Bleu Monkey and went to the Big Chill.  A great night, the best parts of which will remain unknown. 

Jason's paternal grandfather,  Earl Risner, passed away the Saturday before Father's Day this year.  He had gone for a walk at the Mena City Park and had pulled over on the side of the road.  He was found in his truck.  His funeral was held at Davis-Smith Funeral Home in Glenwood.