We Are Back!

We have officially returned home and with the looks of my dirty kitchen ~ life has resumed to normal. We all had a great vacation at Grand Lake and family reunion in Missouri. Each day was so nice and cool with a few loved drops of rain to cool our otherwise hot selves down . . . NOT! It was so stinkin hot the whole time we were gone. My kids love Grand Lake and I think I could possibly just move there, but please don't tell my mom. Grove, Oklahoma is a small quaint town just 2 hours from my hometown of Springfield, Missouri. One day the kids and I went into town, parked the suburban, and went shopping! We went to this old book store and let me tell you I found NEW books that have been out of print for 6 years to complete my kids collection of The Seven Sleepers by Gilbert Morris. Amazing! I have hunted and searched for 2 years on e-bay and there they were, in perfect condition! The lady who ran the store must have been 112, but such a delight to visit with. Although, it may have been that I was purchasing half of her kid's book collection, I don't know.

My kids are not like me, (well 3 of them anyway) they like to take chances and drive golf carts 30 miles an hour over speed bumps and around corners. The house where we were staying had a brand new golf cart to use and let me tell you, we broke it in good. Normally I have to beg for the trash to be taken to the curb for trash day; however, at the lake we go through 65 trash bags in a week, because my kids are always needing to take the trash to the dumpster. It just so happens that the dumpster was a short golf cart ride away! :0) We seriously ran the battery out every single day for 6 days! Little did I know (until we were leaving) you were supposed to be 13 to drive them, oops! I have a 12 year old, does that count?

The boys did some serious fishing, every single day, for 6 days in a row. It was catch and release, because Dad wasn't there and mama don't catch em', clean em' or eat em' for that matter.



We had a wonderful swimming pool in the little community and there was no one there! No one. We had the pool to ourselves for 4 days, so my kids made me throw the ball to them while they jumped and tried to catch it 367,893 times. The pool was also just a golf cart ride away. The water temperature was 96 degrees the day we left. It was like taking a hot bath, but the kids loved it.

In the middle of swimming, eating, painting pictures, reading books, fishing, driving golf carts,(and did I mention eating?) we did a lot of chillaxing. (chillin' and relaxing) Chillaxing is good for the soul, good for mom's mind, and hmmm good for mom's mind. We did a lot of talking about school next year and it is always good to hear what your kids think. I gave them a chance to voice their likes and dislikes and tried to act like I would really NOT make them do so much English ~ yea, whatever! :0)

The last 24 hours of our week was spent in a whirlwind trip to Missouri. We saw my dad and celebrated birthdays and Father's Day. He taught the girls how to play Scrabble. He has lots of soft drinks in the house, and an endless supply of M & M's and cable and comfy beds . . .

We saw cousins and had a great time at the water park. My 74 year old great aunt swam with the kids.

Kayla, Regan, Kati, JulesAfter 8 hours at the family reunion we met my Papa and his wife Donna for dinner. My Papa is one of life's treasures, some day I will write about him. He is so fun and wise and silly and crazy and loving all at the same time. My kids call him Big Papa ~ it fits we love him BIG!

Amanda (my sis-in-law), my girls, my mom, me, Papa and Donna

Papa, my step-dad, JB, my boys and my brother, Jason

Fun times, I tell ya, fun times. Well, Scott took the girls to piano today so I could work on laundry and the house and I haven't done anything but catch up on blogs and look at facebook. Better get busy. Have a wonderful day and stay cool friends!