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.

My Garmet of Praise

Sorry there was no Friday Family Funny last Friday. Just keep reading and we will get there.

Friday morning I was not feeling to "funny", I was feeling pretty down. Travis was gone out of town again and this time he was in Orlando, FL. I was already missing him and getting to the end of the rope (which should have been longer than it was) with being home alone with kids and I get a call from him from Downtown Disney and then I get another call from my In-Laws who were in the mountains for the week-end. So Friday morning, I was having the biggest pity party for myself - poor old me left all alone all the time...You should have been here, it was a big party!

Thankfully, the Lord showed me I had to leave the party and make the best of it and it ended up being a great week-end with the kids. He put on my garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:3).

On Friday afternoon after I picked Samuel up from school we had a celebration supper at Chuck-E-Cheese, celebrating Samuel making 6th grade chorus. There weren't many people there and we had a great time eating pizza and playing games.

On Saturday morning we spent the morning cleaning the house and then at lunch we had a picnic at the park and spent the afternoon playing and taking a long walk in the woods."Help I'm Stuck"

Everything is so green around here now, it is beautiful

Here's the picture of the week-end to make-up from the missed Friday Family Funny. I was trying to get a picture of my three sweet kids and Faith just couldn't wait anymore, she HAD to go potty.

Here they are after we took a potty break in the woods

Faith was at the bottom of the hill saying, "I just can't take another step!"

Poor Little Faith

Once she found this "perfect walking stick" she could continue our walk.

On Saturday evening, our friends from church came over and played while their Mommy and Daddy went out to eat. It was nice to see other people besides the four of us.

Travis got home Saturday evening and all was better.

When I look back at how down and I was and how there are others who are away from their husbands much long than I am, I start to say I have no right to feel so bad and then I am also reminded that God cares about me as much as he does others and that He gives us each the strength go face the times He allows us to go through. I just have to use those times to look to God and to pray for those I know who are facing the same trials.

Awana Awards Night

The kids had Awana Awards Night at church tonight. They have had such a great time and have learned so much this past year. We are very thankful for all those who have taught them.

In other good news, Samuel auditioned for the 6th Grade chorus last week and he found out today that he made it! We are so proud of him!

Strawberries

I went to get strawberries to put in the freezer this morning and they are the BEST strawberries I have ever had! I can't believe how good they are - they are so sweet and juicy.

I have never seen strawberries so big either. When I was washing them I couldn't help think how great they would be covered in chocolate. So that's what I did this evening.

If you are reading this at Upward - I sent them with Travis this morning, ENJOY!

If your interested, the strawberries came from Strawberry Hill USA.

We Won!

Did you read the poem Samuel wrote for me for Mother's Day? It was a for a contest for HisRadio. The first 50 entries were to win a free CD. Samuel checked the mail each day waiting for the CD, I kept telling him I didn't think we would get the CD - but on Saturday I went to the mailbox and guess what was there? THE CD! He was so excited and I am enjoying listening to it in carpool line.

Mother's Day 2008

I hope all the Mom's reading had a wonderful restful Mother's Day. We had a great week-end - DADDY WAS HOME!

We spent the morning running around town and then in the afternoon Travis and I attended the wedding of friends that Travis works with. It was such a sweet wedding. It was wonderful to sit and hold his hand and think back to the moment he and I said our vows. Not to mention we were out with the kids...

Travis led worship at church on Sunday morning, that was another great treat.

Then on Sunday afternoon, Memama and Granddaddy stopped by on the way home from Kentucky and then we had a great dinner out with Grammy and Aunt Amanda for Mother's Day.

Here are a few pictures of the wonderful kids God has given me to be Mommy to.

Did you notice the haircuts? We went to see Sha Sha on Thursday night and Hannah Grace wanted to cut her hair "short", so we cut about 4 inches off; Faith wants to grow her hair out, so we just cut her bangs; and so how Samuel talked us and Sha Sha into cutting his a little different.

A Poem For Mother's Day

My Brunch With Mommy

Hey! It's me Faith. Most of the time you are reading about the funny things that I say. But, today I want to tell you about the fun day I with Mommy. Today, Mommy came to my school to have a Mother's Day Brunch with me. Every morning this week when I woke up I would run into her room and ask her, "Is today the day you come to my school?". This morning Mommy tired to trick me and tell me I wasn't going to school, but I told her - TODAY IS THE DAY...TODAY IS THE DAY YOU COME TO MY SCHOOL - I HAVE TO GO!!!!!!

Just like Hannah Grace's class I met Mommy at the door and showed her to her seat and and gave her the "corsage" I had made her. I had made her a Mother's Day card and a book about her. In my book about my Mommy I said she was 2 years old - I think that is better than what Hannah Grace said and I said she looks pretty when Daddy takes her out on a date. She laughed when she read that and said she hoped Daddy takes her on a date soon.

After my teacher read us a book we went to the Fellowship Hall. I had made Mommy a place mat and painted a flower pot for her.

We sat with my "Best Friend" and her Mommy. That was so fun!

Here is me and my friend saying the blessing.

My teacher read "Love You Forever". Mommy started crying even before my teacher started reading it.

Mommy and I had such a fun time today. She said she loves having time with just me and her. She also said that she loves me and told me thanks for making her laugh all the time.