Independence Day

(Yes, I know. I'm a little slow...)

Weather and I recently headed up to Woodstock, Georgia, where my aunt Barbara and uncle Rick threw a little gathering for the Fourth of July. It was a multi-purposed weekend: we celebrated the anniversary of the independence of this great nation of ours, of course, as well as my beautiful cousin Shannon's engagement to the handsome love of her life, John, and the thirty-somethingth birthday of my gorgeous little sister Kelley, and, most of all, the simple fact that we were gathered together as family! We celebrated the HELL out of the weekend!!


Shannon and John are getting MARRIED!!!



My aunt Barbara commands a room.



My uncle Rick and his best bud Reilly.


My parents brought their two Jack Russell terriers, Shady and Sunny. Here's Sunny getting down with Reilly.


And here's the matriarch of the family, twenty year-old Shady.

To celebrate Kelley's birthday, she wanted to jump out of an airplane! My aunt Patty is an adventurous soul and decided to join her.


Here's Kelley just before the jump. She's comparing the shaking of her hands with Patty's.


Kelley wisely and seriously watches her jump instructor pack his chute. (She's a Thompson though, so not TOO seriously.)


Patty and Kelley, ready to rock and roll!!


Just in case, I got one last shot of Kelley with our mom and dad. They acted like they thought that joke was funny, but I don't think they really did...


All loaded up... It's apparently the same (type of) plane they used in Point Break. ROCK AND ROLL!!!


Kelley shows perfect form as she approaches.


Kelley's adrenaline is PUMPING after her 10 point, non-butt landing!


As nervous as Kelley may have been about this jump, no one was more nervous than her pop.


Kelley and Patty wax lyrical about their jump!


Patty, with Barbara wishing she had participated, explains to all from whence she came.

It was a great weekend that ended far too soon. We had an awesome time with my family and can't wait to see them again!