Summer Swing

We are back in the swing of summer, but not for long as we head out to see my brother and sister in law this weekend in Arkansas. This week feels somewhat like summer though as we swim, have camps, play with the chickens, garden and stay up a little later.

I think the kids are past the point of exhaustion....seeing as how we didn't get home from TX until midnight on Sunday and they were up until 9 last night reading in their bedrooms. I guess those new library books and toys that they forgot they had while we were gone kept them up. I was out pretty quickly...that 11 hour drive is a doozy and I took the late shift since Adam had to work..I did every trick to keep myself awake and basically rubbed peppermint oil under my nose or on my neck every 15/20 minutes.

The oils came in so handy on our trip. We didn't need bug bite meds for the kids, or after sun care for Adam, or any face moisturizer or make up cleanser. We didn't need any meds for my dad when he fell at the water park. We didn't use any advil for any of the 5 headaches we got between Adam and I. We didn't need any meds for Adam when he started feeling sick on the way home. The kids loved getting daily massages and we even loaded my Nana down with a hand and neck massage that she loved. It was so nice just having my little box plus our toothbrushes, instead of 5 different bags of "just in case meds".

Yesterday I did a good job getting the overtaken garden back in order. I also planted our tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers....our pumpkin plant is taking over and so I cut it back. I also cleaned up the weeds growing in between our stone walkway by the garden...I am telling you I have never sweat so much in my life...and my abs were killing me by the time I raked all those weeds. Goober helped out and cut the grass while Dad was at work so that he could just relax when he got home.

Road trip pictures...

Day before we left was Goober's birthday...We had a fun day at the water park with these sweet friends plus two others who left earlier. 

At the pool in our hotel in Conway....between this and baptizing each other they had a good time!

We met our sweet friend from seminary with her 4 kiddos at the Bass Pro Shop in Memphis TN...this is about right as far as the kiddos expressions.

Shooting some rodents!

Deanna and her husband Andy were some of our closest friends in seminary....5 years later and 7 kids later we still picked up right where we left off!

Our next stop in Nashville TN was to see and stay with our friends the Kendricks. Adam and Daniel were close buds in college and Baby Boy quickly fell in love with their cats!

Earlier that morning I had a great run for the first day of July!

Avie and Ribbit were fast friends..they are the same age!

The Kendricks showed us around downtown Franklin and treated us to dinner at barTaco!

Boys will be boys.

More of the instant BFF cuteness!

We treated the Kendricks to dessert at Sprinkles..the first cupcake bakery...They had never been. All 3 Kendricks got cupcakes and my three opted for ice cream!