4TH ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND TRIP

Every year for our anniversary we take a weekend-long trip to a local state park and stay in a cabin (no TV, no cats, no distractions). Rather than give eachother gifts, we think spending a little quality, quiet time together is the best present! This year we went up to Legion State Park.

Our home for the weekend, Cabin 2.

The lake was low, we were able to walk across to the other side...

Watching "Fox and the Hound". And yes, I always wear my wedding tiara on our anniversary weekend!

THANKSGIVING AT THE BEACH

We hadn't been home since June, so we decided to take an extended weekend in Atlantic Beach to spend some time with Jean and our buddies.

We only saw them for a couple hours because they were headed down to Daytona, but it was nice to catch up with Todd, Ryan, and Amber.

The Turks Cap was blooming prolifically!!

Miss Jimmy Cavalla, John's new kitten. Adorable and FULL of energy!

The Birdsongs are lookin' good! Betsy's hair is short and sassy now, and the boys' hair is getting LONG!

Poor buster, he wanted to go for a bike ride so bad! But it was too late at night.

After church service, in the gazebo. You can see the newly completed Fellowship Hall in the background.

We're posing in front of our brick (our donation to help pay for the new hall), pictured up close below.

NEW CHURCH

We became official members of our new local church this weekend, First Presbyterian Vicksburg. Here we are with our Pastor, Dr. Tim Erskine (far right), the 2 elders who ran our new membership classes (the ladies on the far left), and the rest of the new members:

SPECIES LIST

This is a list of all species seen at our house:

BIRDS
Red-headed Woodpecker
Blue Jay
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Chickadee
Eastern Phoebe
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Cardinal
Northern Mockingbird
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Carolina Wren
American Crow
Hermit Thrush
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Common Grackle
Pileated Woodpecker
Dark-eyed Junco
Fish Crow
American Robin
Red-shouldered Hawk
Barred Owl
Turkey Vulture
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Flicker
Morning Dove
White-throated Sparrow
Hooded Warbler
Wood Duck
Prothonotary Warbler
White-eyed Vireo
Black-throated Green Warbler
Red-eyed Vireo
Eastern Bluebird
Indigo Bunting
Great-crested Flycatcher
Summer Tanager
Louisiana Waterthrush
Brown Thrasher
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Acadian Flycatcher
Mississippi Kite
Wood Thrush
Little Blue Heron
Cedar Waxwing
Cattle Egret
Northern Parula
White-breasted Nuthatch
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

REPTILES
Southern Copperhead
Black Kingsnake
Gray Rat Snake
Eastern Kingsnake

AMPHIBIANS
Southern Toad
Gray Treefrog
Green Treefrog
Bullfrog
Green Anole
Five-lined Skink

MAMMALS
Eastern Chipmunk
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Eastern Fox Squirrel
Nine-banded Armadillo
Whitetail Deer
Raccoon
Opossum

FRIENDS & FAMILY IN CALI

Out to dinner with Nicole, Michelle, and Madelyn.

Out to dinner at the Brewhouse with my parents, grandparents, Aunt Margie and Uncle Daryl, and their good friends from Wisconsin (in town for the wedding).

Mom and Grandma with Sharon.

Dad and Grandpa with Dennis.

David and Taryn prepare to open our wedding gift, a digital camera.

They're legal! Here they are with their marriage license.

Karen and Judy relax with Mom the Sunday after the wedding.

Margie, Dad, Ed, Shannon, and Mom wait fot the BBQ to be ready!

Little Man loved the bubbles from the wedding. He needed a lot because he thought they were only good once!

A long-awaited family portrait! We hadn't seen our Wisconsin relatives in over 10 years! Starting from the far left, my cousin Shannon, Uncle Ed and Aunt Judy (Dad's sister), Aunt Karen (Dad's other sister), Dad and Mom, then Me and Jay (David and Taryn had already headed home to pack for their honeymoon).

MR. AND MRS. BACON II

My little brother got married! To his best friend! They've know eachother 25 years!

The wedding was amazing, beautiful, emotional, sweet, and so much fun! Check it out:

Getting ready for the big day!

Nice photo of the "Jackson" ladies!

Just about time to walk down the aisle!!

Just after the ceremony. Jay was SO sick, but he smiled through the rest of the night anyway.

Now, on to the reception!

WE LOVE YOU DAVID AND TARYN!

We like to show a little attitude now and then...

Best friends! Taryn and David with Amy (Maid of Honor), Todd (Best Man), and Mackenzie!

This is a great photo of Grandpa with a big ol' smile!

What the?!? Who did this? No, really, who did this?!?

Goodnight!!

REHEARSING

Here are some photos from David and Taryn's rehearsal and the fabulously fun dinner we had afterward:

My bestest buds! Stephen and Robyn came down for the wedding and made the weekend that much better for me!! The few times a year (or ever other year) that we get to see eachother are always great, like we've never been apart. It's nice to have friends that are like family! I love you guys!

Bachelorette Girls Reunion already?! (But where's Vicki... chasing her little man around I bet!)

Oh good, Dad tied him up!

Happy Birthday Vicki!