Graham, Texas and the Possum Pedal Riders

HAPPY (almost) INDEPENDENCE DAY!

How was your weekend?  J Squared and E Baby had a blast hanging out with family in Young County this weekend!  Jarrod was gone all last week, so Elliot and I flew up to Dallas to meet him on Friday evening.  From there we took a two hour trek north west to the beautiful city of Graham, Texas...home of the famous Neill Edwards!

Elliot at the airport with all of her luggage.  I had to lug all of this stuff from the ticket counter, through security,  to one gate, and to another when they realized they messed up the plane's schedules! Oh, the life of a mom!

Saturday, my daddy, mom, brother Jeremy, sister Stephanie, and nieces Madison and Mallory participated in the Possum Pedal Bike Ride.  Daddy and Jeremy rode 62 miles while Mom and the girls rode 5.2 7 miles!  Jarrod, Elliot and I saw them off with a bang (literally, the start was done with a real live canon) and spent the rest of the day at Graham's annual "Red, White, and June" people watching and eating yummy fair food!

.

Jeremy

L to R: Madison, Stephanie, Mallory, Phyllis

The canon that was only 25% charged and so loud I literally thought Elliot was deaf!

While we were all hanging out waiting for Daddy and Jeremy to finish their ride, Mom took me over to the war memorial where Daddy's name is engraved for serving in the Vietnam War.

How cool is this?  I'm so proud of him, and he is my number one/original hero!

I also took a picture of where he grew up...

Yes, that is the Young County Jail. He got kicked out of jail when he was 18, because they just couldn't handle him anymore, with the rest of his family lived there while his daddy was the sheriff. My Grandmom cooked for the inmates while my Granddad controlled his portion of the wild west! I still think that's cool! :)

After a little more hanging out, bobbing for apples, and realizing that E Baby is allergic to grass (so sad)...

We ran into this beauty...

Let me tell you a little story about Bettina.  The first time I met her was while she was pregnant with my 2nd cousin, Jazzy at Lake Graham at my aunt's house.  She tried to kill me.  Seriously.  I've obviously forgiven her and my wounds have since healed, but I will never again get on a jet ski with her!

At noon, there was a parade. It got way crazy and for a while I thought I was back on Bourbon!

Sadly, the Shriners weren't there on their go-carts and mini motorcycles.  Don't worry, I totally protested!

Daddy and Jeremy finished their ride about 12:45 and we decided to leave.  By the end of the day, E Baby was like this...

...and 30 seconds later, she was like this...

I'm not joking people, 30 seconds!

After dinner, we went to Grandmom's/Aunt Lisa's house for the first time since Grandmom passed away in February 2009.  Elliot and I took a picture by this bench that I remember sitting/laying/playing on every time I visited when I was growing up!

Then Mallory decided she wanted to be a photographer when she grows up...

She's so talented! ;)

After the hotel caught on fire and I thought we were all done for it a small brush fire outside of our hotel Saturday night

How sad is it that my first thought was, "I wonder if pinterest has any ideas for something I can do with this!

We packed up our bags Sunday morning and headed out of town.  We had lunch in Weatherford at, you guessed it, Cracker Barrel, and went our separate ways.

I love family get-togethers, especially when we get to go to Graham!

Do you have any special July 4th plans?!  Have a wonderful and safe week!

Until next time...

J Squared + E Baby

Awkward Family Photos

Have you ever heard me talk about Jarrod's my Aunt Shelley?  She's pretty awesome and does all of our pictures!  Anywho, I was able to con her into taking some Edwards family photos after E Baby's birthday party in May. These were supposed to be a surprise birthday gift for Mama Phyllis, because she's been wanting these for years (I made her wait until I was married and had at least one kid!).

I won't tell you who it was that actually spilled the beans on this little project, but I can tell you a certain patriarch of the Edwards family isn't able to keep a secret...or something like that!

So, after much deliberation of what to wear, we finally were able to take our very own awkward family photos...

Every time we get together and take pictures, we have to take a dumb one.
I don't know why, we just do. It's weird, I'm fully aware of that.

We also do dumb stuff like this (look between E Baby and Mama Phyllis)!
Jarrod, Jeremy, and Stephanie were way too cool and mature to join us.
Whatever.

Apparently Jeremy and I missed out on the "tan before you take pictures" memo.
Pasty is SO the new tan anyways...maybe.

I feel like I need to clarify Justin's face in this picture. When I was little, he and Jeremy would threaten to take me back to the dumpster Mom and Dad found me in and leave me there.  They also said Mom and Daddy didn't really want me, but no one would take me so they had to keep me. Oh, and then there was the game where they'd lock me up in a closet for hours and forget about me.  Every now and then I like to remind them that I still remember everything they did to me, and this was one of those times. I won't tell you what I did, but I'm 100% positive it hurt! :)

And the whole (minus 1) familia (that's Texan for family)
Justin, Jacob, Yours Truly, E Baby, Jarrod, Daddy, Mama Phyllis, Jeremy, Madison, Stephanie, and Mallory

Do I not have the best husband and baby around?
Yes, I think I do!

The fact that Stephanie and the girls are wearing matching outfits
(and shoes) makes me excited about doing that with E Baby one day!

Aren't Madison and Mallory just a couple of dolls?! 

You wouldn't ever know it by looking at these two, but they are actually related!
HA! Jacob is literally Justin's clone (with red hair) in every fashion!

Papa Neill (the patriarch *cough*) and Mama Phyllis

Mom and Daddy with most of the grand kids. What a cute bunch!
The kids are alright too!

Have you ever been to the website awkwardfamilyphotos.com?  Embarrassingly enough, we've actually made it onto the website here .  Mom and Daddy still won't tell us what happened to the other one...Joshua I think was his name.

I've finally figured out what to do with the other empty space on this wall.  Pictures to come tomorrow...maybe!

Until then...

Love,
Jill (and the rest of my awkward family)