Faint Rainbow

Set up for the week; storms are already starting! Florence, Alabama, always has bad storms. We walked out to pile in the jeep for a grocery run...looked up to see a faint rainbow!

Memorial Day Weekend

Ouachita National Forest

Where Paths Lead

We played in the creek this morning catching crawfish. The kids found a trail they wanted to hike...so we did. We originally thought it paralleled the creek. It went up the side of the hill! Higher and higher away from our campsite.
I took this picture of Soso, SJ, and their cousin Will on the trail. Then I saw up on the hill...two trees. One fallen.
Pretty cool moment...

Oh Duck...

After lunch, the kids wanted to show SK the ducks in the fountain at the Peabody. It was right across from the restaurant.

Tour guide Sophia pointed out the ghost piano that was really a robot piano...not a ghost like mommy said. :) It is a high tech player piano. Smart kids...

They pointed out this and that about the hotel. Eventually to the elevators, SJ explained how they have a red carpet and walk from here(elevator) and JUMP into the fountain. Ta Da, there are the ducks. Still five floating around.

While watching the ducks...well the male was jumping the female and holding her underwater.
SJ was squealing with laughter because "THE DUCKS ARE FIGHTING!!"
Sophia said that one duck wasn't being very nice...

I looked at the puzzled couple next to us and said TO THEM, "the ducks are...romancing each other"
We left the ducks...let them have their privacy. I don't think they really could have cared.

Little later stopped at the crosswalk, holding Sophia's hand, she looks up and asks, "what's romancing?".

Busted.

I said, "It's when ducks make baby ducks."
She replied, "Ok."
Whew.

Walking in Memphis

On the way back to Dardanelle, we stopped at Memphis for lunch. Walked Beale St, but chose the Flying Fish on 2nd. The kids and I had seen this restaurant a week before and Soso said, "Daddy would like this one!!". And he did...
The front part of the restaurant had a Billy Bass adoption center-hysterical!

Creek mini-hike!

At Gulpa Gorge National Park campground playing in the creek after parking! Crawfish were everywhere.

More Ballet

Sophia Ballerina

Sophia had her ballet recital Saturday. Two performances, one was ballet. The other was jazz. She was spectacular!

Pre-K Teacher

Sophia said good bye to Ms. Bryant today at the frog legs year end party. Ms. Bryant has been an awesome first teacher!

Sunflower

Text from Farmer SJ

Yesterday at the hardware store, SJ picked out some pumpkin seeds to plant. (He has already planted sunflower seeds with amazing success this year.)
We start by reading the "constructions". It is the cutest thing to watch him plant them with precision. He follows the instructions...no really...three seeds per hole, one inch deep.

Later in the day:
Sophia, "No the don't."
SJ, "YES THEY DOOOOO."
Sophia, "No the don't."
SJ very passionately, "JUST WAIT YOU'LL SEE."
Sophia, "Still don't."

I had not noticed that the packaging had CARVED PUMPKINS on the photo until I overheard this heated debate from the backseat. I tried to explain...no use. He thinks they will pop out of the ground carved, and is very excited about it.

Today, after we dropped Soso off at school, SJ ran to pumpkin patch to see what progress had been made overnight! Nope. No pumpkins yet...

First Last Day of School

Today is Sophia's last day of Pre-K!

Farmer SJ

Peabody Hotel

Monday, we went through Memphis on the drive home. For fun and a break in the action, we stopped for the duck parade at the Peabody Hotel in downtown Memphis. Kids thought it was hysterical that ducks came down the elevator and hopped into the fountain. The expressions on their little faces, so worth it!

My Cards

Absolutely perfect cards from my babies. Sophia's is us hugging under a rainbow...
SJ's is a sea serpent with fire and lightening strikes from storm clouds...

Happy Mother's Day

We were suppose to drive home today...we stayed for one more day with another amazing sunset.
Had a wonderful day!

Duck Hide

For the 2014 Michelle Short Scholarship Fund Benefit Team Tournament, Sophia got to hide the Auburn duck!

Breakfast

Hopping into iHop for some breakfast!

Sunset at Dardanelle

Our view this week...beautiful sunsets! Dardanelle state park, Arkansas.

First Harvest

Here are my farmers gathering the ripe strawberries before the trip to Arkansas.