Last minute play time

Well, Andy is "gone".
 It's funny, really, how seriously we have been taking these last few days. He isn't going far. He is only switching branches - from Air Force to Army, and going down to Ft. Benning, about 3 hours from where we are right now. But our next year is very much "up in the air". Technically he becomes Army tomorrow. However, he doesn't start his Officer training until July. Which leaves the next five months very open. What will he be doing for the next five months? Where will they have him live? Dorms? Can we visit him there?
 And the questions go on and on - because even after he finishes his officer training, we don't know where his next set of training will be, or how long it will last, or if we will be able to follow him or have to stay here.
 See what I mean about "up in the air"? In a way it is almost a relief to have him gone. Not because I don't want him around, but because some of the questions will start to get answered now - and that sounds wonderful!

 These last few days have been almost funny. It suddenly hit us that we may not see him for several weeks, depending on how the paperwork flows. We suddenly felt the need to pack as much fun in as we could.
 First he had to bring himself out of "vacation mode" and shave.

He hates having his pictures taken, but I wanted one last shot of those crazy sideburns. 

We won't see something like that for another 11 years or so. 

Goodbye Wolverine -

Army, here we come!

 Andy will be storing his motorcycle at my sister's while he is gone. Their garage has a tiny bit more room then the one here at my parents - plus, my BIL rides, so it will actually get some TLC on occasion! We took the bike up there and spent Saturday afternoon exploring the mountainsides of N. GA/Southern Tenn.

 Andy's bike is the one in the front, but Travis' is more comfy for two, so we were riding it. I like having the sissy bar- it makes me feel just a little bit more contained or something

I wish I could ride and take pictures at the same time, but I love my camera too much to risk it. But oh, oh, the beautiful things I saw from the back of that bike. Oh well, I am pretty sure I am not advanced enough to get a clear picture at 65 miles an hour anyway...

 Daddy and his boys took advantage of the nice weather one afternoon and build a fort in the back yard. Can you see it down at the bottom of the "mountain"?

 A kind gentleman guided me through the woods, and taught me the secret password to enter the realm of wonder. 

 Some teens (we assume) had left behind their "stash" of stolen road signs, which we had noticed in the snow a few weeks ago.  

 Such amazing things can be found in a creek bed in the woods...

Used Christmas tree - check. Rotten boards from construction on the house - check. Miscellaneous rocks, sticks and moss, all propped against a fallen tree - check. 

 Little boys, covered in mud,

 pretending they are off on an adventure, (I think he looks like Huckleberry Finn!) 

with their stash of "treasure" stacked near by- check. 

That, my friends, makes a perfect fort, down in the bottom of a dry creek bed! 

The next day Andy brought home a new toy

 Can you tell from this picture? 

 Maybe this one, with a different focus?

It was a B.B. gun! 

They listened very intently to the rules and safely instructions, but then they were ready to get down to business. How, precisely, do you work the thing?!

 Find something to aim at (bottles daddy hung from trees work well)

 Find a position you are comfortable in

 Line up your shot, so that they little white dot thingy on the front of the gun sits in the right cradle spot near the back (This is my memory and understanding of the explanation - don't blame Andy for the crazy wording!) 

Brace yourself - and take your shot. 

 Most importantly, have fun with Daddy! 

Yep, Andy is "gone" now. But we sure did pack in the fun those last few days!