Labor Day 2013

Labor Day. Ahh. Always a favorite. I think Labor Day is such an unexpected treat because I never realize how badly we need an extra day of rest until we are here…. in this exact spot. My soul drinks this view in deep and I'm thankful for this always fun, always restorative weekend away! 

There's something about sunsets for me. They are just so simply spectacular. I don't remember seeing sunsets in my 20's and being all that phased by them. Is this one of those weird things that happen as you get older? Wrinkles, talking bones before bad weather, and hightened appreciate for the loveliness of nature?! Im glad for the appreciation. Not for the other items listed, if we're being honest. 

London loves a  good sunset. She either always says, "ohh. Look how lovely it is, momma!" or "the sky is all pinkerish." :) I grabbed the whole crew because sunset watching' is just flat out good for you!

We had a little cuddle time with Red. The last of the horses. Red always had a wild spirit, which I loved about him. Clarification- I've loved that about him while sitting safely on the ground. I was always too scared to ride him! I think Mom would agree that Red was one of the more social horses we've ever had. He'd walk over for a visit every time and would have a full on conversation with you if he was in the mood! If you spoke to him, he'd neigh and whinny and you could carry on this cute back and forth with him for quite a while! Red passed away a few weeks after this picture was taken. He was a good old horse. It's been strange watching this field go from full of horses to barren over the past 2 decades. 

This is the good life. 4-wheeler. Wide open roaming room. And best friend cousins all arm linked together. 

I came up from the field after finding my peace and found my brother in the backyard in his own peace!  Uninterrupted man time.  

Peaceful parent and uncle time can only last so long! 

Mom picked the girls up a few little dress up outfits at the Columbus consignment sale… check.these.out. Aren't they so fantastic?! They wore them the entire time we were there! Cutie pies!

The annual labor day hunt didn't take place because of some weirdness with the date/time of hunt, so we just had friends over for lunch. It was great but was missing the electricity of a morning full of gun shots and kids running everywhere- excited from the hunt and covered in sticky bird feathers!! 

This is Jill, my best friend from college. We've known and adored each other for ages! We lived in Jackson together for a few years but she and her husband still haven't taken the bait and moved to B'ham yet. It's not for lack of begging on my part! However, as luck would have it, Jill's awesome big brother moved in right next door to my folks! Hooray! So now we plan trips so she can come visit her family and we all hang out the whole time! It's fantastic!

Did I mention they have an awesome pool/pool house? 

And that Jill's husband is the kindest, strongest guy you've ever met? He pulled 5 kids around this pool for hours and hours and hours. He would never, ever complain about it either. I love him so dearly!

This is Tux. Mom and Dad love him, but Dad has this weird thing where Tux is only allowed to be inside if he stays right by the back door. He generally stays right where he's placed… however, in the spirit of driving my Dad nuts, I've started the 'FREE TUX' movement to liberate Tux from this cruel form of imprisonment. I coax him out into the nice, open space of the living room and lavish him with love. Dad looses his stuff when he sees Tux all spread eagle in the middle of his room! He gets so mad at me for ruining his training and it's great! Fighting with Dad is always fun! ;)

Sunday post-hunt cookout at my Dad's partners house. Not a bad view. Not bad at all. 

Little Lizzy swinging in a huge tree.

I love this so much!

I feel like I'm throwing Dad under the bus a tad, but ribbing each other has always kind of been our 'thing'! Here's Dad belly aching because we ate all the breakfast and he "didn't know how to make a bagel." So, with the most sarcasm I could muster, I gave him a lesson on taking bread from a drawer and placing it in the oven. He was not happy with me, but now he knows how to not starve for breakfast! "Teach a man to fish…" Am I right?!