Other Summer Trips

We also went to Lake Martin a couple of times, always a good time bringing nothing but swimsuits and pjs!  Our days there begin with me making a big breakfast, usually being the first one up.  Followed by packing lunches and loading coolers for the day and getting the kids ready. Paul and Benson usually have at least one project to do, fixing something on the boat, dock, going to get gas, ect... we usually end up swimming in the am then out on the boat around lunchtime until dusk.  Island hoping is our favorite, but has been harder this year with all the rain, most of the islands are under water. This is one of the first years we let the kids try tubing in the cul da sac, and they didn't like going above "sinking" speed. Paul had to ride on the back of the tube just to keep them afloat!  Kiley fell off at one point due to the slow speed and sinking, that was it for her and me, since I panicked not seeing her for a second.  Days end with late dinners, lasagna, grilled ck or hamburgers are usually the stables. Night finished off with smores by the campfire, can life get any better?!

Paul had a convention at the beach the end of July, and as usual it was a great trip with great friends. Started the first night in Mobile, and the kids and I swam in the pool while Paul had some business meetings. We had a nice family dinner on the bay, 3 hours but the kids did great. Luckily there was a sandy area for them to play in while we waited. Headed to Pensacola Beach the next am and enjoyed 4 times splitting our days between the pool and beach. The kids still prefer the pools, not big fans of getting all sandy or the seaweed in the ocean.  The weather was nice, and not near as crowded as Sandestin. We had nice dinners out while the kids rotated babysitters of friends kids that are now early teens. Time flies!

Other highlights of summer include VBS at two different churches, Cason cutting his hair and now has a spiky haircut, me learning to french braid, our first time alone in our house without kids for more than one night, kids spending several days in Atlanta with Nana and Pops, Roswell Live in Atlanta with SP, many trips to the zoo, a rainy but still fun forth of July (watching fireworks from the car with windshield wipers on), several family movies, a fun weekend at Ross Bridge with cousins, and becoming great swimmers!

  Only 15 days until school starts and new phase of life for all of us, with them in school 5 days and different classrooms. We will enjoy these next few weeks at a slower pace.

Kansas Summer Trip

Our big trip this year was the last week of June. I took the kids back to Kansas with my parents. It went perfect, and couldn't have hoped for a better trip. We stayed with the Drumrights, my very first best friend from the 1st grade. Kids all got along great, and Kiley had a big crush on Carter by the time we left. Highlights of the trip include:

-Cason reading the safety guide the whole plane ride from Birmingham to Atlanta, when telling him to read one of his books, he said "mommy, don't you want us to be safe? I have to study this."
- Eating at the pizza place and leaving in a hurry due to storm coming, I had forgotten how different Kansas storms can be.
-Swimming, playing in Drumrights BIG backyard, catching fireflies, watching fireworks, late night ice cream and pop cycles, staying up way past bed time (kids and me!), driving through Valley Center, showing kids the house I grew up in, Kiley falling down slide at pool and me hurting my back, catching up with my oldest friend and getting to see the kids interact, so fun.
-Haven: showing the kids everything at the farm, Craig giving them lessons on wheat and harvest, Cason following his every move around the farm, fixing the tractor, combine, and anything else he could help with.  Harvest!  Getting to drive and ride the combine, testing the fields to see if they were dry enough, driving the wheat truck to the coop, visiting with they girls from Yodar. Picking up GiGi and spending time with her at the farm, watching her eyes light up during Harvest, having mom and dad there too, exploring the farm with the kids, them playing in the wheat truck, riding the old pedal tractors up and down sidewalk, picking up sticks, grandma's attic. So many great memories.