Papa (Allan, Sr.) and Michaela
So, last spring 'Miss' Lezli (Hunter's teacher this year) told us about Oak Mountain State Park in Pelham, AL. It is the largest state park in Alabama. The weekend of March 21st, we finally made it out that way to celebrate March birthdays (Michaela - 5th, Allan - 7th, Papa - 22nd).
We met up w/ Allan's parents on Saturday morning. Allan's mom brought a cooked brisket that we warmed on a grill and made sandwiches with. We sat around visiting while it warmed up.
Pre-haircut. Sweet girl!
Nana (aka Wilma Chunn, Allan's mom)
Hunter and Michaela were having fun trying to catch the lizards. Daddy helped them.
Michaela wanted to hold a lizard, too, so Allan caught one for her and put it on her arm. She liked it until it started to move, at which point she threw it off her arm!
After lunch, we went to rent a couple of paddle boats. (We decided against taking the camera on the boats!) Hunter was disappointed that his legs were too short to paddle.
After paddle boats, we took a short hike through the TreeTop Nature Trail. This trail has cages along the way where there are injured birds of prey who can not be released back into the wild. The trail leads to a Wildlife Sanctuary within the park.
If only Hunter (in red) could share his energy w/ the rest of us! He led the way all the way up to the sanctuary AND back! I followed behind w/ Michaela on my back, struggling to see b/c I had gotten sunscreen in my eyes. All I could think about was getting to a rest room where I could rinse my eyes out.
A bird of prey they brought out for the vistor's at the Wildlife Sanctuary.
I can't wait to go back. There are cabins to rent (we tried to get in - they were booked). And I would love to go in w/ the gear for a proper hike on one of their longer trails. One trail is suppose to lead up to a waterfall!
So, it probably comes as no surprise that my children are a little obsessed with airplanes. Even Michaela squeals and runs to me w/ any scrap of paper she finds "pane, pane!". (Never did I imagine in junior high, when the boys were teaching me to make paper airplanes for math competition, that this would be a skill I would be required to use on a daily basis!) At the recent fly-in we attended, Hunter was super excited to go up in the 'Bonanza' pictured above - twice!
The first time, Hunter went up w/Allan. Hunter says he wants to "be a pilot just like Daddy" when he grows up! Allan says he doesn't remember ever wanting to do anything else when he was little. Though, Hunter has debated lately about starting his own business -a Clone Trooper Store!
Can you tell from that grin how excited Hunter is?
"Whoa!"
Hunter had so much fun, he begged me to go up with him up again. I only wish I had taken the camera. Hunter really egged on our pilot, Col. Brabson, that second time, much to the chagrin of Mama and our friend, Nicole Griffin! Thank you to Col. Brabson for being such a good sport!
Hunter posing in front of K9's 'Vortex'.
Hunter was too little to go up in the 'Vortex', but Ken let him sit in it.
Look at how excited Michaela was to sit on Hunter's lap in the 'pane'! Shortly before this, Ken took Allan up, which according to Allan was "really fun!". Ever since seeing him get in the 'Vortex', Michaela is convinced every plane she sees has Daddy in it. "Daddy in the pane?" When we drive onto the base she screams, "Pane, pane! See the pane, Mama? See the pane?" Too cute!
