hometown visiting

For the first time since Christmas I made the drive down to Enterprise with the boys to visit my family.  I had seen my parents several times and the boys went down while we were in Romania, but it had been 7 months since I'd seen any of my nieces or siblings and that is just WAY too long!!

We had a great week!  There was lots of playing, cousin crafting, eating, shopping, and water sliding with a little redecorating thrown in.  We saw butterflies making and emerging from cocoons, said goodbye to an awesome family we've been friends with for years (their daughter was my flower girl!), learned a new card game and laughed until crying at Duck Dynasty.  Gotta love hometown visitin'!

sunday song

Just to let you know I'm not going through some kind of dark life falling to pieces moment currently so don't read to much into the lyrics, I just really like this song and think it can relate to any moment.  Though in the midst of a valley it can reach to any depth and touch your heart with it's Truth.

Reason To Sing

When the pieces seem too shattered
To gather off the floor
And all that seems to matter
Is that I don’t feel you anymore
No I don’t feel you anymore

I need a reason to sing
I need a reason to sing
I need to know that You’re still holding
The whole world in Your hands
I need a reason to sing

When I’m overcome by fear
And I hate everything I know
If this waiting lasts forever
I’m afraid I might let go
I’m afraid I might let go
Oh Oh Oh

I need a reason to sing
I need a reason to sing
I need to know that You’re still holding
The whole world in Your hands
I need a reason to sing

Yeah

Will there be a victory
Will You sing it over me now
Oh
Your peace is the melody
You sing it over me now
Oh Lord
Will there be a victory
Will You sing it over me now
Oh Lord
Your peace is the melody
You sing it over me now

I need a reason to sing
I need a reason to sing
I need to know that You’re still holding
The whole world in Your hands
That is a reason to sing

legoland discovery center

Legoland Discovery Center opened about a year ago and we have been wanting to go since it opened.  We put it on our summer list and asked Leslie if she and the kids wanted to join us for a visit to check it out.

I am going to be positive in this post and not mention that there were 6+ daycare centers and/or church camps there all at the same time so it was insanely crowded.  I'm also not going to mention that the majority of children there, daycare or not, were being watched by absolutely no one and were therefore throwing legos, not cleaning up after anything they did, jumping on people, climbing up and then sliding down the ramp meant for the lego racecars.  I'm also not going to mention the hour long line that Leslie, Connor and Bella stood in to ride a ride or the 30+ minute line we stood in to ride the same thing.

So now that you know what I'm not going to say, I'll stick with the positive things and say that the kids noticed none of it and had a fun time and my two boys already want to go back.  The rides we waited for were fun and the miniland of Atlanta was super cool and had a lego Turner Field which of course Micah thought was amazing! I'll also say that our kids were rock stars and were such great listeners and pretty patient, including Logan.  We also got to check another thing off our summer list and that since I've already gotten to have this wonderful experience, next time it's their daddy's turn!

lee side reunion

We spent the last weekend with Zach's family, specifically his mom's side, for a family reunion.  They are all such wonderfully, fun people and we had a great time.  We met up at Ridge Haven for Friday afternoon through Sunday morning.  

We hung out at the lake, did the low ropes courses and other activities, ate, sang, talked, shared, laughed, swam in the lake and wrestled in the mud.  Yeah seriously!  It was one of those weekends where it was happily exhausting and one you want to repeat more than just once a year or two.

The kids found a snail on top of a stone tower.  They were very impressed with his climbing skills!

Good job, good buddy.

Oldest two cousins/grandchildren.  On the May side.  Leah is a hugger and Micah put up with the attention :)  

Oldest children of the three Oldest Mays.  Little Zach, Little Jess and Little Katie.

There was an obstacle course that was pretty challenging.
Micah and Connor got through the whole thing (with assistance)

Good ol' Uncle Andrew!  So thankful for awesome Aunts and Uncles for my boys.

Playing peanut butter.  The object is to fit as many people on the platform as possible.  Girls vs. Guys.  Girls kicked tail.

It was tricky.

Posing in his mud clothes.  The shortest shorts I've ever seen him wear.

Logi bear enjoyed LOTS of snacks on the field.

There was some kid tug of war

Then there was the giant mud pit.  They played a game called steal the bacon.  Each team had an even number of players and each playered was numbered.  The guide through an inter tube in the middle and called a number and whoever got it back to their side won a point but getting it to your side wasn't that easy.

This one didn't get to play the game but he loved the pre game mud time

Zach and Jered

Not many people can grin through this.

Carpio had no issues dragging his wife through the mud to win a point.  

Andrew and Tony

add in Maryann

Father son match up between Steve and Elijah and Howard and John.  

I'm pretty confident the boys spared no mercy when dragging their fathers to the ground.

Logan was not bothered one bit.

Three in a kayak

The water was FREEZING!!!

Nana and Poppy with their 8 grandchildren.  It'll be nine by the end of October.

We ended the last night around the campfire roasting marshmallows and singing.

Yep, Happily Exhausting :)