Cops on Top II

Last year we did the Cops on Top event for the state of Alabama and had a great day out and about.  We were happy to do it again this year and invited folks to join us.  After some shuffling, we set the photo time for 3 p.m. and headed out with Gina and her kids to meet the group there.

 We got up early and headed home from Huntsville, enjoying our last view of the hills for a while.

Back home we unloaded and got everything put away and checked up on the pets and such.  At noon, Gina pulled up and we headed out a little later after packing some goodies for our picnic!

We arrived at the park without any trouble and headed to the tower.  We were about 20 minutes early, so we had a picnic by the parking area and hung out for a bit just chatting and stretching our legs.  Her car may seat 8, but not with loads of leg room!  I checked to see if I had any missed calls from anyone, but I had no cell service up there.

Around 3:30, we went ahead and did the photo, then they all climbed the tower while I went in the CCC Museum and talked with the guy on staff there for a long time.  They all gathered around the picnic table while I was in the museum and when I headed out, we opted to go over to Bald Rock and have a walk to the overlook.

We did another photo just because.

This is my second favorite trail in the world.  Fiery Gizzard is still tops.

HOT!

On the way home, we had some trial and error, well, all error, adventures and ended up just getting stuff to make nachos and heading home.  Nachos can fix anything.

Around 9:30, my phone updated and I had missed a call and a text from another family who was running very late and had missed us.  They had a good time anyway, so it all worked out.  Maybe next year we can finally get a crowd for the photo.

Birthday!

Friday was Matt's birthday and our last day of Staycation!  We got up to watch the sunrise and it was very foggy, so we went right back to sleep.  A couple hours later, we were back up to take care of critters and decided to go swim at the pool.  Chan was our only taker, so the three of us headed out for a couple of hours.

The view from the pool is pretty okay.  The clouds could have been puffier.

I am determined to hick up as much as I can.

After the swim, we had a quick snack and showers and headed to see Captain America with Gina and her kids.  Brit headed back with us for the night and we stopped at Panda Express for early dinner and then on to the music store to get Matt a djembe, the very one he has pined over for months.

We dropped the kids off at the house and headed to pick up a cake for Matt and some candles!

It was a pretty low key and relaxed day, I am hoping to have a cookout here in a couple weeks to do a celebration of both of our birthday's with a few friends.  But this was a great way to celebrate!

What I did on my Staycation

This week, we have been house sitting and pet sitting at Katy's house.
Jake stayed at our house through the weekend, so Nia did not join the party until Monday.
That was a mini ordeal, Mars is a barker!
They worked it out and by Tuesday, it was party and nap and eat for the two of them.

This is the view from the corner of the deck where I like to sit.

Just after I watered everything, it poured rain.  In the sun.  hahaha!

More sun and rain play!

I hung out in the treehouse during the worst of the downpour.

A short break and then more rain!

I wandered around the house and took pictures.

Amanda came up for 12 hours, she had a very early well-check Wednesday morning in town, so opted to stay overnight before.  We sort of slept.

We have been chowing down on the garden goodies all week!  :)

The kids have been playing on the Wii and with Legos and with the Nerf guns and running around outside when it isn't raining too hard.  I thought they might get bored after a few days-especially being at a friend's house with none of their friends!  But they have been keeping busy.

It's Thursday and we have our checklist done for the day, just waiting on Matt to get back and we will have dinner and maybe a walk. We went home this morning to check our own critters and garden.

We head home Saturday morning to meet up with some folks to do Cops on Top and Katy will be home that afternoon, so our Staycation is coming to an end without much of anything happening.  I will take that over drama any day!
Tomorrow is Matt's birthday and his day off, we have planned a couple of things, so maybe there will be a flurry at the end of the week.  I am sure once we get back home we will have more going on than I want to mess with, I am glad to have the down time.  :)