Swimming, First Crushes and Popcorn!

What do all of these have in common? They are all things that Claire has experienced in the past 2 weeks. Sorry for the lack of updates in the last few weeks. It has been a busy season of work, family and traveling and this blogging Momma hasn't had time to take many pictures, let along download them and write about them. So, beware before you start reading...this one is a long one!

On the Mommy front, I have traveled to and fro the month of May. From Boise, ID to Louisville, KY to Birmingham, AL (this one was not work) to San Antonio...the jet-setter is weary.

On the Daddy front, Bill has been busy taking care of Claire while I've traveled, working on the new house and doing "honey-do's" to the current house to get it on the market.

On the Claire front, well that one is a little more exciting.

First, on the "crush" front. I knew Claire was always a daddy's girl (since the day she was born) and realized as she got older that she just likes boys in general. One day we were at the new house and our friend and neighbor, Brian Welch, was driving by Claire. See below for her reaction to Brian:

Then, this week when Mr. Britt came to mow the lawn, Claire ran to the window and sat and watched him as he went back and forth:

I think she's had her first crush!

Bill and I decided to make a quick trip to Birmingham, AL over Memorial Day to visit Uncle Bobby, Aunt Patti, Payton and Landon. We just needed to get away from the house and the stresses associated with it. So we packed up early Saturday morning and headed south. Uncle Bobby and Aunt Patti have a pool; so while the boys headed to the SEC Baseball Championship, the girls headed to the pool! Claire had a blast in the pool - squeeling, splashing and smiling for an hour. Here's my favorite picture of her in the pool (notice her wearing sunglasses - she would have nothing to do with sunglasses last summer).

And finally, popcorn! When I was growing up, most Sunday nights, the Wiman family would eat real (not microwaved) popcorn after church. This past Sunday night, I had a walk down memory lane. It had been a busy Sunday morning and afternoon and we skipped church Sunday night. I wasn't up for cooking supper and as one of our dearest friends, Brad Coleman, says, "If you come to the Cato's at the end of the week, there's nothing in the pantry." (I have an art about grocery shopping where I have mastered only buying what is necessary for one week - experiencing neither famine nor feast- because I don't like to waste and I don't like a really cluttered refrigerator or pantry). All that to say, I had not gone grocery shopping yet and the pantry was the way I like it...empty! I had bought regular "cook on the oven" popcorn during the holidays to make caramel corn. So that is what the Cato's had for supper Sunday night. And Claire is joining in on the Wiman family tradition of liking popcorn on Sunday nights.

That has been our life the past couple weeks. We would love to hear from all of you too!