Small Group Cookout (Saturday May 30)

After we left the Remax picnic, we had time for Callie to nap in the car while I drove back to our "fake house" to pick up what we needed for the next event of the day! Our small group was getting together for our monthly "party" night - this month we had a potluck at Jen & Shawn's hosue - and it was a pool party! they have a great backyard, and our boys are all the same ages so the kids had a blast. It was a little bit of exhausting work for me the first half of the night while Callie was still in the pool (obviously I'm the only parent on duty, so no sitting out and chatting on deck), but once she was done swimming and content to play in the yard, it was wonderfully relaxing for me. The boys swam and swam and swam until I thought they may fall asleep in the pool! We had wonderful food - lots of yummy desserts - and great conversations and fellowship together. This group of people were strangers to me 6 months ago. When David and I felt called to begin a small group, we had no idea if anyone would show up or come back. We had no idea that we would so enjoy their fellowship and form real, lasting friendships. I've already told them that I expect them to take a girls weekend at my house in August or September for Mary's baby shower!!! (Seriously Andrea - start planning it NOW!) It was a GREAT night!

Callie's FAVORITE thing of the evening was jumping off the diving board. Jen would hold her hand as she walked up and then she'd just jump right off to me. All the way under. She'd wipe her hair out of her eyes, and then climb up and do it again! She LITERALLY must have done it 100 times. No kidding. I was worn out by the end of it- but she had a BALL!

Finally Callie got out of the pool (which meant I could get out!) and started "mowing" the pool deck!

Callie and Annalise followed each other around for a good bit of the evening!

Kristine & Addysen on the left, Andrea holding Beth's son, Ethan on the right.

The party was also to celebrate Justin (Andrea's husband) coming home from a recent deployment and then training in RI. My boys gawked at him all night. We had watched the national Memorial Day concert in DC on Monday night and so they were THRILLED to spend the evening with a REAL, LIVE soldier!!! He was great too - he tried to relieve me from swimming duty and take Callie in the pool and off my hands for a bit!

Andrea took care of Callie for me while I made a bathroom trip with one of my boys. Not sure why Callie was making such a face....

and how brilliant is this? Jen & Shawn had this little "pocket" of yard that they turned into a giant sandbox - it's AWESOME and the kids LOVED it!! I'm trying to figure out if there's a spot in my yard that I could do this!