Baby Sister got hitched

Last night my baby sister got hitched!

It is hard to believe she is old enough {she is the baby of the family}!

the couple {at the Rehearsal}:

the dress:

the bouquets:

the flowers:

the Get-a-way car:

Other highlights from the pre-wedding festivities:

On Tuesday we stuffed the out-of-town hotel bags with homemade goodies, crackers, water, headache medicine and brochures outlining the highlights of North Alabama. {Several in-town guest said they were going to check in the hotel just to get a bag!}

On Thursday Mary Reese and I got a pedicure with the bride-to-be {Stacey picked out Second Honeymoon for all of us}.

On Friday we had a delicious and delightful lunch at Cahoots with all of the bridesmaids and flower girls where she handed out these:

The bridesmaid gifts {a bag, some flops and a cookbook that I put together with recipes and pictures submitted from all the bridesmaids, family and other friends}.

She also presented all the flower girls and ring bearers with T-shirts to wear on the day of the wedding {and beyond}.

The bride's side of the nieces and nephews {minus Owen}. David and Stacey have 8 nieces and nephews between them {soon to be 9}...6 of them were in the wedding. Amazingly they all walked down the aisle {herded by yours truly...I felt like the little old lady who lived in the shoe who had so many children she didn't know what to do}! We weren't totally crazy...they exited to the nursery with some wonderful babysitters as soon as they walked down the aisle!

After the ceremony, we enjoyed a fabulous reception with delicious food and delightful cake {I have the left over cake in my fridge...come on over if you love wedding cake like I do}! Then we sent them off to Birmingham for their wedding night.

Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Jerald David Junkin, junior {or as my children would say Mr. and Mrs. Jeraldean Dunkin Bridge Junkin}! We hope you are having a wonderful {and much needed} honeymoon in Belize! We can't wait to see you when you return!

We ♥ Summer

Fresh Peaches

Fresh Berries picked by these 3: Fresh Veggies Peach Butter on hot buttered biscuits Blueberry pancakes Blueberry Buckle Eating Icees

after playing in the sprinkler

Eating our way up I65

We left the beach around 10:00 Monday morning and we snacked all the way up I-65:

First stop: the Conecuh Sausage plant in Evergreen

The deal of the day was the Conecuh "Hot Dog" for $1.50! They also have bite-sized pieces cooking for sampling/snacking:

Mary Reese usually loves their sausage, but this trip she settled for a bag of 'ritos:

Next stop: PEACH PARK in Clanton

Always good for a scoop of homemade ice cream, cobblers and these: Fried Peach Pies!

Final stop: Davenport's Pizza in Mountain Brook

I have been going there since I was born! Our favorite - a Jim's Special:

Jody and I shared a large just so we would have some leftover to bring home! Baby Owen didn't get to participate in all the snacking this trip... Next year, he will be right in there with the rest of us!

Beach Babies, Beach Babies

These three children are {thankfully} definitely BEACH BABIES:

Banks loved the ocean for really the first time.

Mary Reese made sand castles and decorated them with sea shells.

Owen spent the week in the shade under the tent swinging to the ocean sounds!

We just spent a wonderful week in Orange Beach! We loved our switch from the Phoenix X to the Phoenix IX. The condos were fabulous, and the entire complex was smaller with more families with small children. {Banks of course met everyone on the beach and around the pool...everyone knew him by name. One family even said goodbye to him on their last night.}

What would a trip to the beach be without lots of delicious seafood? We ate crab claws about every night...sauteed and fried, I ate Grouper every night except the last {Red Fish that night} and devoured delicious oysters! We ate at some old standbys {The Crab Trap, Louisiana Lagniappe and Cosmo's} and tried out some new ones {Fatback's-formally Bayside Grill-and Tin Top}. Mary Reese discovered fried crab claws and Banks ate his first oyster!

Tin Top has become my new favorite! It is actually located in Bon Secour off County Road 10 {you turn by a Shell station on 59 in Foley}. We shared for appetizers their Crab Claws sauteed in a delightful Parmesan Cream Sauce, Dirty Oysters {baked with a crawfish sauce with tasso and Parmesan} and Tin Top {same as the dirty but without the tasso}. Their menu is printed on an enormous chalkboard. They have not-your-norm sides...fried green tomatoes, gouda cheese grits, fried okra, turnip greens, lima beans...to accompany their lip smacking entrees!

Mary Reese with her picnic lunch on the beach {pizza pinwheels and popcorn}!

When we weren't eating...we spent lots of time on the beach {even squeezing in some pool time}! Here are some of my favorite pictures from the week:

Banks surfing

Mary Reese in her typical stance.

Owen's first dip in the ocean...and he didn't even hate it!

A great conversation between siblings {I can only image what was being said}!

After their conversation, I looked over and found Owen wearing pink sunglasses. I lost it...poor thing doesn't stand a chance!

Owen also had his first dip in the pool! He loved it...kicking around...maybe he will be an Olympic hopeful one day!

On Friday, cousins Sarah Laine, William and their family arrived at the condo complex next door. It was wonderful! The kids could just run back and forth between tents!

Mary Reese and Sarah Laine had lots of tea parties.

On Saturday, Banks went fishing with his "Almost" Uncle David {and his family}.

"I caught the only keeper!"

Banks even finished his first chapter book in the car on the way home {Junie B, First Grader Aloha-ha-ha!} and I even found the time during the week to read a book on the beach! We had a marvelous vacation and can't wait to go back next summer!