My Mega Exciting Life: Retirement, Meeting Mary Jo, LeConte and Beach 201, yaaay rafting....

I am very sorry to admit it, but nearly the whole summer has passed me by without me even giving you a by your leave. It's been a long time. The only reason I sat down tonight is because my camera was full of pictures I'd taken all summer long and hadn't taken the time to share. Sigh. Life gets too busy sometimes. That and I sleep too much.

In June, my Mama retired! She's officially a kept woman now. She said "see ya, wouldn't wanna be ya!" to the workin' world and kicked "the man" right square in the jimmy.

cuties mama and dipsey at mama's retirement lunch thrown by her work peeps from ut

it was a surprise party - kim, clay and dipsey pre-surprise (max and lucy are practicing hiding)

our present was a huge painting with all of our handprints that said "life begins at retirement."

here we have kim helping tommy make his handprint - cute, no?

And now she's spending her time taking care of the grandchildren, gardening, cleaning out closets and making my dad do stuff around the house. He's threatening to come move into Loki's room. Congratulations, Mama!

Later in June, Mama, Kim, Jean and me all trekked out to Gastonia, NC on a pilgrimage to Mary Jo's fabric. Imagine my surprise when I discover Mary Jo herself was cutting my fabric!

thank you mary jo for not carrying copious amounts of fleece and calico

I bought patterns and material for four dresses, and I've already made one (I can quit whenever I want, I SWEAR.) More on my dress I made to come...

Next, every year Mama and Daddy's church takes a group up to Mt. LeConte and we spend the night in the lodge. The shortest hike is five miles one way, so it's a bit of an investment in time. It is fun! Some years, Mama has trouble selling all the spots to the church, and this year was one of those years. We FILLED THAT CAMP WITH FRIENDS!!!

Amanda and I were rebels and didn't hike with the group up Alum Cave. We, instead, hiked up Rainbow Falls. We hiked and hiked and were a bit disappointed when we finally got to the falls.

puny baby falls

Note to self: wait until you find a sign identifying the falls before you assume the falls are the falls.

ah, yes....

oh my... that's more like it!

The funniest thing happened on the hike up - when Amanda and I got to the top, we crossed the path where the Alum Cave trail (which most everyone else took) and the Rainbow Falls trail intersected. I looked down the Alum Cave trail and Amanda says "Hey. Isn't that your Dad?" We got to the top at the exact same time! Funny. I'll tell that story again if you like.

It was Shawn's birthday also - this is pre-gift giving, but look how pretty it (and she) is up there! What a great day for a hike!

yay, birthdays!

I hurt my ankle on the last leg of the hike up, but no worries! Friend Nate Silcott jumped into action and...

tied a bag of melting frozen cooler thingie to my leg with a plastic bag. miracle cure! i was up and running in no time. thanks, nate!

mattie makes looking cool easy

and jenny makes a face

megan sandwich, on jenny and mama bread

the cases make it up in the nick of time! yea! glad you guys made it! dinner by lamplight, how romantic...

we hiked out in the pouring, pouring, pouring rain. did i mention that is about as wet as i have ever been in my life? please note: tommy wore a poncho while matt, jenny and i did not. we fought in the car over the air conditioner vs. heat the whole ride back to knoxville. good times.

Next up: you know it. Beeeyotch time.

This year, the Venable Family Roast Honor and Tradition went to my mother, Mrs. Mary Ann Hill Venable. It was titled Great Martyrs Throughout History, and featured the many saintly acts and attributes of my sweet sweet Mama. We even had it professionally narrated by my friend, Steve Henderson! Again, given the viral nature of the interweb I shall not upload the video, but suffice to say - it was a hoot.

we storyboarded, peeps....

We thought long and hard about an accompanying favor, and landed finally on rosary beads where we glued images of my mother over the bas relief of the Virgin Mary (my apologies, I am a rube).

jenny getting her glue gun on while matt inspects her handiwork

*needle off the record*

In preparation for the journey ahead, Jenny and children journeyed to the home of Shon and Chris Gilmore (halfway to Ocean Isle) a day ahead of schedule to visit the Costco and lay in supplies for the Beach Week. They arrived on a Thursday, and Mr. Smith and I went to join them there on Friday after work. We were about an hour away from the Gilmores when the phone rang. Jenny had been rushed to the hospital and was being prepped for surgery for what was likely appendicitis.

Good times.

We got to the Gilmores, and all the kids were asleep. We joined them shortly, but awoke early to take care of them and hear the tale of our now-appendix-free friend, Jenny. What to do... what to do... two Mowrer babies, $1000 worth of Costco groceries, 20 people at Ocean Isle waiting on food... two adult Mowrers stuck in the hospital.... The Gilmores and the Smiths divided the Mowrer children (I'll take one Lottie Sue to go, please) and the Smiths hit the road with $1000 worth of hot dogs, chips, bread, milk, mayonnaise, toilet paper, condiments, laundry and dish soap, chicken, steak, and cereal and made our way to vacation.

NOW. Miss Lottie Sue pulled the poop alarm on us THREE TIMES. As in, shrieking, red-faced "it's coming OOOOOUUUUUTTT!!!!!" alarm. The first time found Tommy and me barreling 70 down a 35 MPH road to get to the nearest facility, some random inn and restaurant. As soon as I yanked LS out of the car seat and got her on the ground and running, she asked to pet the kitty cat under the car parked nearby. I said no and scurried her into the inn and this sweet man asked if I was there for lunch. I apologized and said no, but we were having a bit of a bathroom emergency. To which he replied "Oh. OH! Bathroom's straight through thataway. Quick like a bunny now!" I followed his direction and... LS tinkled a tiny bit.

Sigh.

Repeat two more times at various stops along the way.

HOWEVER, upon driving over the causeway LS announced that she was indeed ready to poop and to please drop her off at the ocean so she may conduct her business. I scoffed at her folly. We got her into the house where she proceeded to poop. And she proceeded to poop every night at the beach when we went on our evening stroll.

ls post poop one night at the beach

Much fun was had.

the womac/johnson duo goes kayaking

max and lucy are training for careers in the mob

fellowship one evening

i have a montage of ls and me self photo'ing where she's squishing her eyes shut

best buds 4-eva

me and the children taking in a little tv one night

And just like that... beach vacation is over.

Jenny and Matt got to the beach on Saturday, despite the appendix emergency. (Jenny's such a show-off). Matt apparently picked up something in the hospital and puked all day Sunday, but rallied in time to enjoy the rest of beach week (sorry, Mowrers). LS had a hospital stay upon return to Knoxville so THERE, bad comes in threes and the Mowrer Clan is officially caught up. Karma, Be NICE!!!

Last weekend was a humdinger. Baby shower I co-hosted with Amanda until 1:30 AM (do we know how to throw a baby shower or WHAT?), 5K race at 9 AM, Ocoee White Water Rafting at 2. Whew. I sure slept good that night.

the crew ready to run the rapids

i have no idea what happened to this picture, but here is my boat - mr. smith, mattie, jenny, john and amanda

ki, monty, and men-dates, marty and nate occupied boat #2

Um.... we did this last year. And it was fun. And quasi-dangerous, but more fun than scary. This year, our guide was this ADD guy who didn't just take us down the river - he took us down it as scary and as crazy as humanly possible. But in a safe way. When the boat nearly capsized in a class four rapid, he very quickly ran over all our bodies to the front of the boat and held it upright until we were able to get it off the rock and back in the river. So. He was crazy. But fun. And scary. Gulp. When we hit the Doldrums and could jump out of the boat, he didn't wait for me to one, two, three and hold my nose. He shoved me in. When I spluttered above water, I kicked the boat and told him he owed me a drink. I'm still waiting....