May's Final Days

May's final days at the Hammlet ended with a "bang." We had a ward social on Alyssa's birthday and worked in the yard. Sunday we rested!

Aaahhhh...a beach bag full of goodies.

The much requested sewing machine!

The gift whe was still trying to unwrap on Sunday. Ken always comes up with a creative way to wrap at least one gift. This time it was with expandable foam!

Hhmmm... is 17 too big for the playground?!

Ashley enjoying ice cream at the ward social. She came straight from work.

BYU baseball cap.

BYU polo.

One happy BYU daddy!

That "splash" in the drainage pool is Andrew being thrown into by our 2nd bisphoric counselor and the missionaries.

I think this was before the dunk!

Happy 17th birthday Alyssa!

Andrew swinging while being squirted with water guns by friends.

Our picnic dinner spot.
Audrey resting in the heat.

Whoever gave the orders on digging this 5 foot deep hole needs glasses!

The middle of the hole should align with the middle steel rod!

I hope all that dirt means you've been productive!

It's okay you'll dry it was only an isolated shower!

Playing at the Beach...again!

Ken took three days off this week to relax and celebrate his birthday. On Monday Andrew left for Scout Camp, so Ken and the rest of the kids went swimming in the springs 45 minutes away. At a cool 68 degrees they didn't stay long and opted to go to the beach instead. Since I wasn't too far away from them, they picked me up in Defuniak from work and took me to the beach with them. The water was much warmer! After playing in the gulf awhile we went out for seafood. We left for home that evening filled with shrimp, crabcakes, steak, dungeness crab, chicken strips, and hush puppies! YUM!

Note I just rested on the beach as I didn't have my suit with me!

Chatty sisters.

Goofy sisters.

Guess Audrey needs a haircut!

Aaron burying himself in sand.

Watching a C-22 fly by.


Catching the waves...this is a close-up. (see below)

They actually are out quite far!

Aaron went to his first Cub Scout Day Camp this week. It was one hot week, but he had fun...though by Friday he was less energetic as usual! A mother in our ward was the main walker for Monday-Thursday. Alyssa was a walker with the boys on Thursday along with their cubmaster. Andrew and I and later the cubmaster were the walkers/helpers for Friday. After a whole day in the sun...I was glad to have only spent one day there. The rest of you ladies were awesome to last so long!

Flag Raising Friday morning. Note the boys are a bit droopy...it's been a busy week!

Aaron doing his Yoda impersonation.

First class of the day, making an animal cell from an old CD.

Run, Aaron, Run!

Obstacle course during BB Guns and Archery.

Shooting soda cans.

Hit the target again! (You can barely see his successful arrow stuck in the middle target.)

Getting sweaty...good thing we're in the shade.

Hot Andrew!

Frying/scrambling an egg on a can stove.

Scrambled egg Day Camp Style.

Shrimp Boil...aka...Beaufort Stew

One of our favorite southern meals is Beaufort Stew...or more simply called a Shrimp Boil. Here's how to do it!!!

In a large stock pot, put onto boil a box of Zatarain's...this time we went EXTRA SPICY!!!

Add cleaned and quartered red potatoes.

Then add 1-2 inch chunks of your favorite sausage.

Then add small-sized cobs of corn.

Let the above boil until the potatoes are tender, then add generous amounts of fresh shrimp (not shelled but de-headed!

Once shrimp is nice and pink, you're ready to serve and EAT!!!

Drain the boil/stew and lay it out in the middle of the table on trays or newspaper (we use trays!!!)

Load up your plate and EAT... and EAT...

and EAT!!!!

Oh, yes...be sure to have shrimp cocktail sauce, lots of extra napkins, and bowls for shrimp peelings!

Aaahhh....it's good to live next to fresh shrimp catchin'!

2009 Projects

Those of you who keep up with us know that we're always dabbling in some house, yard, or service project. Here's a few highlights of what we've done since January.

Painted and added chair rail to our Dining Room.

Painted living room with a brown accent wall.

Alyssa putting the decor back on the ledge.

Dug out the Japanese Maple planted just last year that Ken accidentally weed ate the bark off and killed most of it!Replaced the dying Japanese Maple with another....

This one has more foilage!

It'll be beautiful burgandy come winter time.

Particiapated in our Regional Day of service by painting a shed of a widow in our ward and clearning land at a local assisted living facility.


I'm painting! The others providing annoying...I mean "moral" support!

Audrey with Sis. Stapleton...whose shed we were painting.


Ken chasing Alyssa with a paint roller!

Turn about is fair play!

Alyssa chasing Ken with a paint roller....after the paint fight...

the water fight ensued.

Purchase, loading, and unloading of timbers for our backyard patio shade wall. (It'll be a partial wall on one of the round patios we installed last year.)

Began digging holes for beams/posts to make the patio shade wall. (5-6 feet deep)

One Saturday's morning work...the digging of three holes...almost.

All three "Hamm Boys" are in one each.

We can't dig much beyond lunch time, it gets too hot!

Began planting lovely flowers in our flower bed we made last year by installing the retaining walls. (Upper circular patio shown earlier this spring before our flower planting.)
They're really beginning to take off!