Russ, Rachel, Rusty, & Ruby McDonald: Cousins, Cousins, and more Cousins!

So many things I want to show you from our trip to Alabama. We are so blessed with our families. Rusty has 6 great-grandparents in Alabama as well as Russ' Dad and my parents so that makes a total of 9, and even Mimi (Russ' mom) was in Alabama this weekend for Father's Day so Rusty had 10 "Grannies and Papas" to spoil him rotten and I think they were successful!

Rusty enjoyed playing with his cousins and riding the tractor with Papa Jones.

Rusty and Madison watching Barney. This was by far the stillest they sat all day!

This is the best picture I got of cousin Tyson. He and Rusty both shared the same desire to go outside EVERY chance they got.

Rusty with his 3rd cousins. Carroline and Jeremiah (on the right) belong to Amanda and Gracie Mae is Tonya's little girl. Gracie sings a rousing rendition of "You Are My Sunshine."

Madison and Rusty playing on Aunt Hannah's bed.

Carroline celebrated her first birthday while we were there. Aren't those the most beautiful brown eyes you've ever seen?

Laughing with Grandma!

This would have been a cute picture, but Rusty was more concerned about the balloons that were stuck to the wall for Neighborhood Bible Time at Mom and Dad's church.

The main reason we went up last week (and not waiting until the end of summer) was because Russ' Dad was being inducted into the local Sports Hall of Fame. He coached for 30 years in the public schools up there as well as was on the State Championship team in '65. He's also a local golf champion of sorts. Pretty neat and quite an honor. They had a banquet and Sonny Smith was the emcee. Sonny Smith coached at Auburn I think at the same time Wimp Sanderson coached at Alabama. Anyways, he was HILARIOUS and quite a good story teller.

Clay (Russ' brother) and Tiffany came over for the banquet, too.

The great thing about going home is you can just relax and enjoy being with family. It is a rule that we have to eat until we are miserable, but I think it's a plot to get us to just sit on our fanny and visit with each other. Granny Jackson and I went shopping one day and that brought back lots of memories, too.

I just thought this was cute.

Riding in the back of the truck to the garden. Notice the little black dot on the road--that's Max trying to catch up.

Papa showing off his cucumbers.

Rusty decides to give the green beans a taste test.

Hanging out with Papa Bowles.

I got a new do while I was up there. :o)

Russ and I went down to the University and looked around. Russ graduated from Alabama in '99. It was fun stopping in the shops. I got a Alabama Santa ornament and Rusty got a t-shirt.