There has never been a time in my life when I have not identified as a Christian. I understand, no one is born as a Christian. It's a decision we make when we are old enough to understand the decision we are making ... even though most of us don't, and we spend most of our lives trying to figure out exactly what it entails.
Read MoreYes, I'm back after a nearly 2-year hiatus. Here's the short version ...
Read MoreOur last stop on our road trip was Hot Springs, Arkansas. I have been here a couple of times, but Gina and the boys have never visited this area before. This is one of those towns that I am just captivated by. It has a rich history, and the many old and abandoned buildings give you a glimpse into the former splendor of this unique little town. We got to tour the old bath houses, we walked around in the shops, we peeked inside the Arlington Hotel, and we climbed to the top of the observation tower.
We actually stayed about 10 miles outside of town in Hot Springs Village. This place holds special meaning for me. This is the place where I spent my last vacation with both sets of grandparents, and I have a lot of vivid memories from that trip. Our room was quite spacious compared to the motel rooms in Savannah and Gatlinburg, and we were able to eat some of our meals right there in the condo. Even though we had a great time in Hot Springs, and on the trip in general, I think we were all ready to get home after being on the road for 3 weeks.
You can see our photos from this leg of the trip in our online photo album.
After saying good-bye to Auntie Flo and Jonesborough, we headed to Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Gina and I visited there before the boys were born, and we loved it. Of course, we visited during the off-season and had no idea what we were in for. After spending a few days there during the apex of tourist season, I think I will call it Gat Vegas from now on. All of the businesses and attractions stay open until midnight, and there are hoards of people walking around all night.
Despite the crowds, we had a really good time. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of my favorite places, and we were eager to show it to the boys. While we were there, we went horseback riding, got to see Cades Cove, hike to Laurel Falls, and we even got to hunt for salamanders in the Chimneys Picnic Area. My favorite part was climbing on the rocks in the river.
In addition to our outdoor fun, we got to take in some of the local attractions. We saw the Guinness World Record Museum, rode to the top of the Space Needle (twice!), and we spent a day at The Track in Pigeon Forge riding go-karts, playing putt-putt golf, and squirting water at each other in the bumper boats. Even with the large crowds and hot temps, we had a lot of fun and made the most of our time in the Smokies.
You can see all of our photos in our online photo album.
Our summer adventure continued with a stop in Jonesborough,TN to see our friend Flo. She has been there about 6 years and we have heard a lot about this town, and it lived up to the hype. We had a great time walking the ETSU campus, visiting the quaint downtown and farmers market, and we even got a ride on a hand-carved wooden carousel. We had a great time catching up with Flo and letting her show off her beautiful town. Sam and Nate especially liked playing with the dogs, Gretchen and Tilley. We are already looking forward to hanging out with Flo again. You can see pictures of Jonesborough and our adventures with Flo in our online photo album.
After leaving Savannah, we headed to Durham to spend time with family. My cousin Lindy lives there, and several other members of the family came into town to celebrate Independence Day. The list of people included my parents, my sister and her family, Lindy's daughter Kit, my Aunt Fran and her son Don, and a lot of cousins from Atlanta, Austin, Raleigh, and Washington, D.C.
We had a wonderful time together for 5 days. We got to see some wonderful sights around Durham, including a Ghost Walk in downtown, watching a Durham Bulls game, and visiting Gina's alma mater, UNC Chapel Hill. We also got to celebrate the June and July birthdays in our family, including Lindy, Joe, Gina, and Ella. Ella's Star Wars cake was a huge hit for the whole family. Most importantly, we spent a lot of time together at the house having conversation, watching tennis, swimming, playing games, showing off our musical abilities, and even sledding down the stairs in a cardboard box. We are grateful to Lindy for opening her home to us for a week and letting all of us relax, have fun, and connect with each other.
I didn't take many pictures, but I do have a few in our online album. I think Gina took quite a few pictures, and I will add those eventually. :-)
The next stop on our trip was Savannah, GA, and let me just say, I love this city. I was here for the first time in March for a conference, but I did not really get to look around. This time we explored every part of the city, and we agree this is an incredible place to visit. We explored the squares and historic churches, and we found the place where Forrest Gump was filmed. We also got to visit Tybee Island and swim in the ocean. The boys have definitely inherited Gina's love of the beach! Of course, my favorite stop was the Lady and Sons restaurant, which is owned and operated by Paula Deen. I'm surprised I was able to walk after eating so much! We loved our stop in Savannah and already want to go back. You can see our pictures in our online album.
This summer we decided to take a long road trip for our summer vacation. I had mixed feelings going into our trip (lots of hours on the road, different locations every couple of days, meals in restaurants, etc.), and the early part of the trip confirmed some of my fears. We were on the road late a couple of nights, and we had to drive a fair amount in rain. The payoff, of course, is that we got to make some pretty great stops along the way. We saw the state capitals for Mississippi and Alabama, we walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, AL, and we walked through historical Tuskegee University. All of our back road excursions had us arriving in Savannah after 1 AM, but it was worth it to see so many interesting historical sites. You can see some pictures from our adventures in our online album.
This weekend our Cub Scout pack had the opportunity to stay overnight on the USS Lexington, a decommissioned or craft carrier. Despite the long drive to Corpus Cristi, we had a fabulous time! We learned a lot about the Navy, World War 2, and life on a boat. We also got to know some of the families in our pack better, and that was a lot of fun. You can see some photos here and all of them in our online album.
Earlier in June I took Sam camping in the Chickasaw National Recreation Area, and now it was Nate's turn to escape the city. We got to spend three days at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, and if you have never been it is definitely worth the trip. I have been wanting to go here for a while, and it was a great experience. Just like my camping trip with Sam a couple of weeks ago, this one had its share of adventures and misadventures. This included sweeping views of Texas Hill Country from the top of Enchanted Rock, meeting new friends, and being raided by raccoons.
The experience of getting to spend so much quality time with each boy one-on-one has been really great for me. I have always known their unique personality traits, but it is hard to see when each boy is constantly interacting with his brother. There is something special and sacred about sitting by the campfire late into the night, answering questions that seem to come out of nowhere, and experiencing the unique insight into life that can only come from an 8-year old. I don't think I would have seen this side of Sam or Nate had we not dropped everything and spent some in the wilderness. I hope this is the beginning of a tradition that continues for many years.
One of our favorite things to do in the summer is hang out at our pool. No schedule, no plan. Just relaxing and spending time together.
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Today the boys jumped out of bed, quickly ate breakfast, and headed out for their last day of school. What a year it has been! Amazing teachers, great friends, and a fantastic school! We are glad to get a break this summer, but we are so grateful the boys have a good school.
Today all of the Second grade students at RHES were honored for their hard work and accomplishments this year. Sam and Nate both racked up quite a pile of awards, and we are proud of their hard work. Both boys showed tremendous growth this year , and I think they are in good shape for Third grade (and beyond!). Below are some pictures and video from today.
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We had the chance to see the Rangers play this weekend, and it was awesome. We saw Yu Darvish pitch for the first time in a year and a half! The best part is that Gina's cousin, Ellen, was able to come with us. It was her first baseball game! We can't wait to come back again for another game.
I had a chance to sing and play guitar with Sam and Nate's classes. It was almost like being a teacher again, except without the grading and discipline issues. So much fun! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImEpSCuGzaY
The boys participated in the Ridglea Hills talent show again this year, and it was amazing! They all worked really hard and put their best foot forward during the performance. I guess you could say they really lit the place up! (Sorry.) We are so proud of them! The video of their routine is below ... http://youtu.be/CBO9rLvzdyQ
The boys took a swim today, which can only mean summer is just around the corner. Two more weeks of school, then freedom! Don't worry, Sam is more excited than he looks.
Since about last November, Sam has become very interested in doing research on the internet and writing about it. Since I am not completely comfortable with giving him free reign on the actual internet, I set up a way for him to do his research through Google Slides, which lets him add pictures and text in a very safe and filtered way. And let me be clear, by "research" I mean Sam adding images to his unsupported and unverified opinions about the way the world works. I have included some examples from some of his more memorable projects below so you can see what I mean.
Sam and Nate opted to play baseball this spring instead of soccer. I am glad they are getting to try new sports and learn new skills. We have made some new friends on the team already, and the games have been a lot of fun. Here are some photos and videos from their game yesterday.
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