{ random photos and missing the kiddos }

Pre-4th of July with the Shannons.

4 boys, 3 girls, perfect!

Knox headed to Doggie Daycare for 4th of July.

He whines all the way to the vet and then when he realizes where we are he can't get inside fast enough!  Loves it!

Playing a little tag while we stopped for ice cream at Bridgestreet!  Wish we had time to shop!

These kids find fun wherever we go!

We have new baby birds that are trying to get the courage to fly.  Cute!

Missing the kiddos this week.  Will be glad to have everyone back tomorrow and Monday!  :)

{ U.S. Space and Rocket Center In Huntsville }

After a festive 4th of July, Belle and I decided to take the kids to Huntsville to the Space Center.  From Pickwick it only takes about 1.5 hours to get there, so it was a pretty easy drive.  All 5 of the kids loved it!

Let's do this!

We started with great weather, about 80 degrees and overcast.  

We saw lots of neat things, starting with information about Black Holes.  Here's Anna Grace making her membership card.  Her favorite part was taking the picture, of course! :)

 Everybody made one!

 I love their space names!  :)

Harrison is Space Boy, Sarah is Mini Girl, Emma Taylor is Astro Girl and Anna Grace is Galactic Girl.

Next we rode Mission to Mars, one of those fun simulators (it almost blends into the background!).  It started by showing us around Mars and then ended with a fun roller coaster at the Martian theme park.  We really felt like we were on the roller coaster.  Fun!

Quinn and Harrison are goofballs while we wait in line.

Getting ready for our trip to Mars!

The girls and I also rode the G-Force Accelerator where we experienced 3x the force of gravity as we spun in a circle.  The girls loved that one too!

Now time for the IMAX movie.  We saw Magnificent Desolation, a movie about visiting the moon.  

IMAX movies are fun and this one was really cool.

We checked out some other fun exhibits.

 My favorite astronauts!

We got caught in a little rain, but that didn't stop us!  Isn't this rocket huge?

 Apollo Missions

 Astronaut Emma Taylor

 They loved using these astronaut gloves.  Sarah said it wasn't as easy as it looked!

 Harrison in the big astronaut arms!

 I can't imagine traveling upside down in a space this small!

 The girls loved that there was Coke in space.  :)

 Proof that I was there with these kiddos...loved it!

Belle and I had a great day with the kids and they really seemed to enjoy it too!

{ 4th of July at Pickwick }

We spent 4th of July in Pickwick again this year.  Our sweet friends, Jay and Belle, have a cabin up there and they're always so kind to invite us up to spend time with them on the lake.  It's always fun and relaxing and the kids just love it!

I only took iPhone pics this time.  We spent time on the lake, grilled out and saw the awesome fireworks show at Pickwick Dam.  Of course I forgot my phone when we went to the fireworks show, but they were awesome!

Here are a few pictures of the fun!

My girls :)

 Harrison and Quinn

 the boys and their games!

 Belle made home made ice cream!  Yum!

 Chad, Ashlea and Anna Grace

 Anna Grace, Emma Taylor, Sarah and Jay

Jay even cooks breakfast!

Here are a few blurs of the girls riding on the zip line!

AG

 Sarah

 ET

What a great way to celebrate!  God Bless the USA!

{ Kaydee's Shower }

My sweet cousin, Kaydee, is expecting baby Luke next month, so we went to her shower yesterday.  We loved hanging out with some of the family for a bit!

Here's the family shot.  We missed those who weren't in town!

The shower was at Pickett Place in Florence.  It was a beautiful old house with lots of fun furniture.  Emma Taylor loved looking at everything and sitting on the crushed velvet sofas!

 Emma Taylor and Kaydee.  

Check out the cake? ^^^ So cute!

Aunties!

Harrison joined Preston, Parker, Jake and Ty for some fun boy time while we were at the shower!

Come on baby Luke!  :)