I know... I know... I keep saying I'll do better on this part of the web site... I also said I was going to look at reformatting the web site, and you can see how that has gone. Don't get your hopes up for this part either...
Anyway, this month included traveling to Gulf Shores, Alabama for the Shapard family get together. I would sum up Alabama in August with the word "humid". Others would probably want to focus on something else, but I think that humid really sums it up pretty well... You can check out all the photos (I didn't create any collage photos this month) to see the fun and frivolity, but just keep 100% humidity in the back of your mind as you do. Oh yes, did I mention that it was humid in Alabama?
Fortunately our travels to and from Alabama were pretty uneventful. The major flooding in Louisiana didn't impact us at all, though it did force those driving back to Texas to change their plans. We got to see the Portland, Atlanta, and Pensacola airports and didn't really have any issues at any of them. Caroline and Lucie also got to see the Mobile airport (at least from the outside) but I didn't go on that trip to pick up Nathan.
This month we also remembered Harry's 1922 days with us by recognizing the 1922 days since he went to Heaven. Though I know it has always been hard for Caroline, she has found ways to express her love for Harry and confront her loss directly. I, on the other hand, have never found a way to do either beyond remembering him through the pictures on this site. Strangely, as I was trying to figure out what to say, this is what started playing: We keep this love in a photograph We made these memories for ourselves Where our eyes are never closing Hearts are never broken And time's forever frozen still And while the whole song is really about a broken romance, I thought that verse was ideally timed...
Watching old videos of Harry and Lucie and then seeing Lucie heading off to seventh grade created quite the in continuity... as much as we might want to freeze time, it keeps marching forward...
 At least only Axel went for a swim in the water feature... |
 My future dream car... if only it were red... and loaded with shovels and rakes and implements of destruction... |
 Dad (and others) took a lot of pictures in Alabama... this is just a generic beach picture... |
 We really liked the pool! (but no, we couldn't have just gone somewhere with a pool... we liked the beach, too!) |
 See! Look at the enthusiasm as we schlep to the beach... |
 Of course where there are babies there have to be baby pictures... Here you can see Faith letting Sage know who is boss! |
 Let me see... I already have the iPhone, but do I really want the TV remote or the beer?! |
 Dad says this was really the only good time to visit the beach... when it wasn't 100 degrees in the sun! |
 Another nutritious meal with my cousins Maria and Nathan! |
 Is this another product placement photo? No! This is Mom using a can of Diet Dr. Pepper as an excuse for why no one was allowed to dump her out of the float! |
 Dad out on the beach in the evening again... |
 And playing with the panoramic feature... that's Mom in the middle. |
 We finally got Dad to go out in the day time... here are Mom and Aunt Maggie actually posing for a picture! |
 I don't know why everyone is just standing around... I'm going in the water! |
 Silly Nathan... |
 Then, it was time to head back to the pool! Look out below! |
 We went out for dad's favorite... seafood! So I had chicken too... what's it to you?! |
 This is not a tiny baby... that is a giant domino! Oh yeah... nice hat, Sage! |
 Whatever is out there on the water, it must be interesting... |
 I kept trying to convince Maria to join me in hippie land, but I don't think I was successful... |
 Did we make some impressive sand sculptures, or what? You are correct... the answer is "or what". We just took pictures of someone else's work! |
 This is where we stayed in Gulf Shores... |
 The first of many oh so fabulous group photos... I think everyone is there... |
 Now just the Shapard kids... |
 And the cousins... I don't think everyone was enjoying the process... |
 But at least you can count on the babies... or not... |
 August 24th was 1922 days since Harry went to Heaven so we remembered our time with Harry and released butterflies... |
 There are a few in this picture, but you'll have to look really close... |
 They hung around awhile though and even sat on our fingers... |
 Some of them sat on Harry's chair... |
 But, of course, they mostly enjoyed the flowers... |
 Can you believe I had to start school in August?! Seventh grade! |