Celebrating With The Greenville Drive

On Friday Night, we celebrated Samuel's 11th Birthday at a Greenville Drive Game. We had a great time! To me it was the best birthday party we have even given - we didn't have to do anything but enjoy Samuel and his birthday so you enjoy the pictures!

Friday Family Funnies - Things You Don't Often Hear At Church

These are things that we heard at church this week, they are not things that you often hear -

"The gator will be out by Tuesday", referring to the alligator that was in Harmon's Pond where a Father/Son/Daughter camp out is to take place this week-end. This statement came from the pulpit of our church.

"Don't get in the direct path of the water, it will knock you down", talking about the fire truck that was outside getting ready to spray all the children at First Baptist Pacolet VBS.

"Someones britches will fall down, when they do - don't laugh", again referring to the water from the fire truck.

Our kids had a blast last night at VBS at Grammy and Big Daddy's church. The Pacolet Fire District Engine #3 came and treated the kids to a great night of water fun.

Swimming Makes It Better

Thanks for your prayers concerning Samuel's sunburn. He is feeling much better and he has no more blisters, they are all gone - just new skin now. Last night after church, we went to a neighbors house swimming; this actually did him a world of good - it it gross but it helped get the dead skin off and his arms are looking much better! Praise the Lord!

Thanks again for your prayers!

A True Friend

We were blessed the other night to have the Thornley Girl's over for supper. Hannah Grace and Faith had a great time playing with them and Leigh and I had a great time just catching up. We both said it was the mark of a true friendship when we could just pick up the conversation where we left off the last time we saw each other, which has been over a year.

We are so thankful to have the Thornley's as friends. Leigh is a great example to me on how to love my husband, how to be a Godly Mommy, and how to better serve and depend on Christ in my daily walk. I thank God for her!

Samuel was not feeling too well while they were here. He got a very bad sunburn when he was at Lake Lure on Wednesday. He woke up Thursday morning with very bad, very large blisters (about the size of a half dollar and about an inch thick - very large!) on his shoulders. You can kind of see if in the picture up top, I didn't want to gross anybody out to much and post any other pictures. As of today they are some better, but he still has a couple large blisters and a couple have busted and we are just try to keep them from getting infected. Please pray with us that this will happen. We want him to get better, his birthday is the 17th and we have a big week-end planned.

Friday Family Funnies - Little Dare-Devil

Our sweet, quiet, timid little girl, Hannah Grace, is also our "Little Dare-Devil". At Dollywood she will ride anything that she is tall enough for with out giving it a second thought. So, today I would like to show your a couple of pictures of her enjoying the rides.

Here she is on the Veggie Tales Slideslow Spin

Here is Hannah Grace and her Daddy on the Amazing Flying Elephants - not a thrill ride, but still fun!

Now Faith on the other hand - is not going to ride any ride where it gets dark or goes too fast. So here she is enjoying her "Thrill Ride"

Aren't they just the cutest?

Here are two more thrill seekers on their 6th Anniversary on the Shooting Star
Our first ride of the day was the Village Carousel - this has to be one on favorite pictures from our day in Dollywood.

And this one of Mac - this was waiting in line for the Elephants.

*By the way, I didn't leave Samuel our on purpose, he and Jacob were off having their own fun on some bigger rides.

Dollywood does have some great thill rides like Tennesse Tornado and Thunderhead, but one that had not rode and WILL NOT RIDE AGAIN was Mystery Mine. I can't even explain it - it is a very unique ride and a once in a lifetime ride for me.

Have a great week-end!

Relaxing

I have finally taken the time to finish sorting through my pictures from our week-end in Pigeon Forge.

We left for vacation after lunch and arrived in Pigeon Forge in the early afternoon and checked into our cabin and then decided to go into Gatlinburg for a little while, we hadn't been for a couple of years.

I think I said before the best part of our week-end was our time to relax and that is what we enjoyed once we got back to the cabin. Mickey and Lana arrived late evening and Jaba and Sha Sha got there around midnight.

On Saturday morning, Travis and I got up and cooked breakfast for everyone, which I enjoyed so much; it was great fun to cook together.
Until around 11am we all just sat around, talked and relaxed - it was great!

The girls stayed in their PJ's until we decided to go swimming at the cabin rental company's indoor pool.

After swimming, as if we hadn't rested enough, we had a snack lunch (getting ready for our BIG supper at the Apple Barn) and then all took a nap. I told you it was a great vacation!

More coming soon...

The Beginning of Summer

I didn't have a chance to post on Samuel's last day of school, but he is finished with 5th graded and is already enjoying his summer.

For the past two days he has attended Safe Passages Camp with the Sheriff's Department. This camp is for kids who have lost family members from a violent act of crime. This is his third year and he looks forward to it each year.

Yesterday he went to Whispering Pines Horse Farm and was interviewed for our local news channel. We were so proud of him! And today he went to Lake Lure and had fun, but came home with a pretty bad sunburn.

The girls have had a blast at summer preschool the past three days. They have been learning about "Under the Sea"

So, our summer is off to a great start and we look forward to more fun to come!

Friday Family Funnies - The Hot Pool

Our cabin in the mountains and the indoor pool for the rental company both had hot tubs - or as Faith called them - "Hot Pool". Here are a few pictures:

*Warning - all pictures might not be suitable for all ages...ha! ha!*

Did I do that?

Hot Pool Family

Football Talk

"Let's get in before our parents have their turns"

Dreams Do Come True

When we moved from Kentucky to North Carolina, we would meet up with friends in Pigeon Forge each year. I always had a great time with my friends, but the thing I remember most was how much fun our parents seemed to have - staying up late drinking coffee, laughing, getting up early and drinking more coffee. I can remember even then thinking about how much fun it would be to do the same with my husband and friends one day.

That dream came true over this past week-end. We spent Memorial Day week-end in Harmon's Hideaway in Pigeon Forge, TN. Now, Travis kids me, but I am a lot like Clark Griswold - I build things up in my head and have visions of the way things should be that really no family can live up too. But, I have to say, my visions and day dreams of how this past week-end would go were BETTER than I had ever hoped for. We spent late nights (we did trade the coffee for Diet Dr. Pepper) talking, laughing and even crying. We spent early mornings, but not too early, having breakfast and talking and relaxing some more.

Anyway, I have lots of pictures to share with you and can't wait for you to see what fun we had!

I just want to take this moment to thank the Lord for the friends that he has given Travis and I and our family. We are blessed beyond measure!!!!!

We love you guys and can't wait till next year's trip...

Friday Family Funnies - Mmmmm Watermelon

Last year we kicked off the summer with eating watermelon - this week we enjoyed our first watermelon of the season, so I guess summer has started for us.

Today's Friday Family Funny is a picture of Faith "digging in":

Here are a few more pictures of us enjoying our watermelon.

Have a great Memorial Day Week-end!

Two Down...One To Go

Hannah Grace's last day of school was yesterday. Remember the first day of school.

I really can't believe that it is over for her. She is finished with preschool and will be going to Kindergarten. Oh my, I can feel the tears coming now.

She has had a great year and I predict she will be reading before too long. She loves to go to Grammy's and "Add and Subtract" and read "Dick and Jane".

She was blessed with two great teachers, who saw a quite little girl who follows the rules and does what she is asked, and still made her feel special in a classroom full of kids.

So that two kids out of school and one to go...

Faith's Last Day of 3-K Preschool

Today was Faith's last day of preschool; I can't believe it, the year has passed so fast.

Remember this?

Faith was blessed with two great teachers. The Lord knew they were the teachers she needed. She not only learned her letters, colors and all that stuff, she learned how to get along better with others and great social skills and she great fun while learning it all.