I know it's been awhile...

I know it's been quite awhile since I posted but I have been living life and it has been busy and fun! First of all, we left on August 9 to head to Bristol to visit family and to meet our new niece, Olivia Claire Guinan. After a night in an interesting hotel in Paducah, KY, we arrived in Bristol on Friday afternoon in time for supper with my parents and my sister and her family. Olivia was passed from one set of arms to another all evening! On Saturday, we relaxed and then spent the evening with friends from church. We went to church the next morning for worship and for Olivia's baptism. Tuesday was Alley's birthday and we had my dad's famous BBQ chicken and many of Alley's favorite side dishes. Aunt Heidi made the chocolate/chocolate cake and decorated it! On Wednesday morning, we headed to Atlanta to see Jana and Kane and Mara Kate. On Thursday morning we took Michael to the airport so he could fly home and get back to work. We later went to IKEA where I found several good deals and was motivated once again to streamline my house and wisely use every square inch of space I have!! On Friday evening, Heidi and Jeph and Grant and Olivia joined us in Atlanta so all the cousins were together for the evening. On Saturday, we all headed back to Bristol where we visited for a few more days before heading back to KC-- me, mom and Dresden in our van and Dad and Alley and Liam in Mom and Dad's car.

Last Saturday, we attended the Burton Family Reunion, which was my grandpa and his siblings and as mnay of their kids and grandkids and even some great-grandkids as could come. It was a beautiful day, a nice shelter house and lots of fun to see familiar faces I haven't see in many years. My kids played with the daughters of an another Burton grandchild, my great-uncle's grandson, who we used to play with years ago. It was a fun day all around!