Our Big Night

We modified our plans for dinner last night at the last minute.

We already had our big anniversary celebration over the weekend, but you can't just ignore the actual day. That would not be right!

Toting kids along (because in this day and age, they should be just as happy as we are that we're married another year!), we headed for Salsarita's. My fave! Quick, relatively cheap, and kid friendly.

However, after reading on a friend's blog that there was going to be a live band there that night, we saw evidence of the band's arrival. So we skipped down the road a bit and ate at McAlister's Deli. We've eaten there only once before... without kids. This time we ate outside, and because it rained earlier in the day, it wasn't so yucky hot.

I had my second Greek salad in a week.

And I noticed that Panera Bread's building has a sign on it that they'll soon be open. I see many more Greek salads in my near future. I'm very happy about that.

Then we slipped by Blockbuster and rented this:



I'm a huge Morgan Freeman fan. Not so much Jack Nicholson (although I loved the movie "As Good As It Gets". Nobody does OCD better than he did in that movie.)

Nicholson had the best line in The Bucket List, too.

By the time we generally see a movie, most everyone else in the country has already seen it, so I don't think I can give anything away. But just in case. You're warned.

When both men are in the hospital and Nicholson's character starts to experience terrible side effects of chemo, he says, "Somewhere, some lucky guy's having a heart attack."

Bruce and I almost cried we laughed so hard. Not that cancer, chemo or heart attacks are funny... but that line was.

Bruce's favorite line came from Freeman's character. During the opening narrative, he says, "You measure yourself by the people who measure themselves by you."

I think that sounds really egotistical. But Bruce is Bruce and he can like what he chooses. I can't convince him of his warpedness.

Tomorrow we find out who Clay's third grade teacher will be. We'll find out who Spencer and Allison's teachers will be next Wednesday, after they've been screened on Monday.

I'll be praying in the next few weeks for the teachers at Clay's school. I've just heard through the grapevine that because of budget cuts, the school has lost three teachers (one in the third grade) who won't be replaced. It could be a rough year for the remaining teachers who will likely have much larger classrooms because of the loss.

WFW - Mountains

The first part of these verses I'd heard and read many times. But during the Beth Moore study "Stepping Up" that we went through this summer at my church, I read the latter part.

He works in me to keep me from slipping up. He's always alert on my behalf.

That's security!

Anniversary Trip

Today is our actual anniversary. I didn't deliberately plan to wait until today to post about the weekend trip Bruce and I took, it just worked out that way because I don't yet know how to download pictures off of the big camera (AKA Bruce's camera).

One of these days I'll get with the program and be a bit more technologically advanced. One of these days when it might actually matter more than it does now.

Bruce and I had a great few days together alone.

We stayed at Campfire Lodgings outside of Asheville. It was a beautiful place.

Here's the view that greeted us from our camper.





The whole campground was nice. Clean and well landscaped. And the two staff members we talked to while there were fun, upbeat and friendly.

You can even stay at a yurt when you visit. They don't look like much from the outside, but the website shows that they are pretty nifty on the inside.

Friday night we got there a bit later than we intended because we left home later than planned. We set up our camper and then went out to dinner down the road a bit at a place called Bellagio's Bistro (133 Weaverville Hwy.). They served Greek and Italian food.

I love a good Greek salad. Just one word here: yummy!

The next day we got up and headed to two different RV sales centers to look at campers. We spent several hours just checking things out and even found one that we thought we might like to upgrade to a few years from now.

Click here to see it.

The sales guy worked the numbers, and we left more informed about what it would cost.

And ever since then, both Bruce and I say, "Oh, it would be nice. But being out of debt would be nicer."

Is there such a thing as Window Shopper's Remorse?

Oh well. It was still fun to look.

We ate a lunch I had packed that morning and continued on to the Davidson Gap Southern Living Idea House in Whisper Mountain. I was so excited, because I was finally going to see an Idea House.

And it was neat. But I've come to the sad realization that I'll never have a home that looks like an idea house. It's that ridiculous money thing.

I would like to buy some patio furniture for our nice rebuilt deck/porch. While at the Idea House, I picked up a booklet of Martha Stewart patio furniture. Good night... that stuff is expensive!

Anyhoo... there were other buildings we toured while at Davidson Gap. The Whisper Mountain community has a neat club house with an awesome stone fireplace.

There was another house in the subdivision that was open as well called Poplar Ridge. Now that one I really liked. It had a rustic, log cabin feel to it.

I told Bruce that smudgy little fingerprints wouldn't show up as much in a house like that. For some reason, I find that appealing. (Probably because I know I'll be re-painting a vast majority of our home in the coming months while the kids are at school each day. To cover smudgy little fingerprints. And pencil etchings. And other obscure markings on our walls that I don't even question for fear of what they might actually be. Poptarts maybe?)

We left the area and had time to kill before supper, so we drove toward downtown area, planning to walk around. However, we didn't account for Bele Chere. We'd never heard of it despite the fact that Asheville celebrated its 30th Bele Chere this past weekend.

Normally, I might have been all about an arts and crafts fair. If I had my mother-in-law or another friend along.

But not with Bruce. And not while enjoying our anniversary escapade.

The place was jam packed. Shoulder to shoulder. With lots of kids.

We love our kids tons. But this weekend was about being kid-free. And quiet.

So we headed out of the downtown area a bit and found a Longhorn's restaurant to eat at. I've been to the one in Cookeville during a solo visit to my grandpa, but Bruce had never been. We enjoyed our shared steak dinner, thinking we'd save room for dessert, but were still too full to order anything more.

Then we went shopping, which is not my favorite thing to do, but I was on a mission. Clay needed two pairs of denim shorts for school. We knocked that out in no time, and then found some great deals on dressy work clothes for Bruce.

When we got back to the camper, I had Bruce choose between one of two movies I had rented before we left home. He picked this one.



Over this one.



Brownie points. Big brownie points.

The next morning we packed up and came home. We had a family reunion on Bruce's side of the family to attend at Bays Mountain.

Here's a picture of Bruce's cousin Sheree and her mom, who is Aunt JoAnn to us. JoAnn is my mother-in-law's sister. Beside Aunt Jo is Bruce's mom, who is holding Miss Ava, the newest addition to Bruce's brother Bryan's family. (Does that all make sense?)



Sunday night we watched National Treasure: Book of Secrets.

And I liked it better than 27 Dresses.

Dental Dissing

My children are precious little people.

But they just talk entirely too much. (Yes, I know that comes from me. But still.)

Clay and I had our six-month dental cleaning and check-up today. That child acted like I had hooked him up to an IV of Mountain Dew before heading inside.

He just loves our hygienist Judy so much, and he was excited to see her.

I had Spencer and Allison along as well, so things got a little hairy in there for a bit. I love Miss Judy because she is the mother of four grown children, so she understands all about how hairy things can get.

I hopped into the chair for my turn before Clay. When I take all three of them, I know that the preciousness of my children will last through only one appointment. After that, I need to be ready to run a kid to the bathroom at the drop of a hat... whether to potty or to paddle.

Miss Judy decided to do the baking soda spray cleaning this time instead of the traditional rubber round thingy that rotates paste on teeth.

The first thing she did was pull out what looked like a modified pair of cheap sunglasses. The frames were bright pink. The lenses were like safety glasses. (Because that baking soda spray stuff has a geyser effect!)

All three kids were talking a mile a minute when Miss Judy set those glasses upon my face. And then there was silence... as they surveyed my sheer bespectacled beauty. I'm sure the vision of loveliness was not helped by the fact that I was already wearing my regular glasses, which now were under the pink-rimmed pair.

Clay had to ask, "Mom, why do you get those?"

I'm quick. I have to be.

"It's because I'm so cool," I said.

My firstborn son is also quick.

"No, really, mom. Why?"

Evidently I am not cool.

Not even while wearing pink dental safety glasses.

Go figure!

Oldie, But No Goodie

You can't trust anything these days.

I'm not trying to be pessimistic. Just realistic.

I TiVo-ed a Scooby Doo movie, thinking, "I watched it as a kid, and I turned out okay." (No side comments allowed. Stifle yourself.)

The good thing is that I was in the den while the kids watched it.

The bad thing is that I ended up explaining what being a Wiccan means.

Lovely.

Some days, I just want to lock us all in a box until Jesus comes.

Domino's delivers, so it's doable.


"And as Jesus returned, the people welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him." Luke 8:40

Thankful Thursday - Fourteen Years

Today I'm thankful for 14 years of marriage with my husband. We were married on July 30, 1994.

We've had great times together and some not great times, too. To celebrate our anniversary, we've planned some great times this weekend.

My in-laws are keeping our children while Bruce and I go camping.

Yes, camping.

I told someone that yesterday and she said, "Camping? You should be heading to a spa!" I laughed out loud. You will, too, if you know Bruce. Or me. There's no way we're spa people.

While we're gone, we're going to go see a Southern Living Idea House. I've always wanted to see one, but there's never been time or they've all been too far away.

And we're going to a huge RV dealership so we can dream about our future camper. The one we have is really great; it's been a blessing to our family for the last year. But as our kids get older, we have some different ideas about what will work better for us. The last time we were on the hunt for a camper, we spent two years investigating. This is our first step on a years-long process. (When it comes to money amounting to over $50, we never do anything without LOTS of research. Dave Ramsey starts talking in our heads if we even consider it.)

I'm thankful I have this weekend to look forward to.

Sometimes, in the daily hustle-bustle, Bruce and I operate in different realms, it seems. We need these times away to re-connect.

We talk. A lot. Without interruption.

We hike. A lot. To places we aren't yet sure if our kids could muster. (Sometimes I'll even break a sweat. Horrors!)

We eat out. Not too often, but enough that I'm not constantly planning the next meal, like at home.

That first and last one probably mean way more to me than they do to Bruce.

But the best part is that we feel like we're dating again.

Sometimes a few butterflies still make their presence known.

And that's worth the price of gas, even these days.

"You Are So Cool"

Today, like each day this week, as I've picked up Clay from basketball camp at our church, I've picked up his buddy Nathan, too.

Afterwards, we planned to meet Nathan's mom Valerie and his sister Jordan at McDonald's for some kid play time and mommy talk time.

I just had to share the conversation I heard between all the kids in the van on the way to McD's. Keep in mind that Spencer and Allison are five, while Clay and Nathan are eight.


Allison: Nathan, you are so cool.

Nathan: That's what everyone says whenever I wear this shirt.

A side note here. Nathan was wearing his Upwards basketball jersey over a t-shirt.

Spencer: No, you aren't just cool because of that shirt. You'd be cool even if you were sleeping. In your underwear.

I piped in right about here.

Mom: Well, now, we don't know what Nathan wears when he sleeps.

Nathan: Oh, I just wear whatever clothes I wore that day. I don't put my pj's on.

Clay: Well, that will save your mom on laundry.


I told Valerie about their talk, and we just cracked up.

Kids say the funniest stuff.

Neat-O

This week is all about painting the porch and deck. Sandwiches for supper every night. Again.

I'll post some pictures of our newly refurbished porch later, but I just had to share this right now.

We are in a drought. We need rain.

But I am painting. I don't want rain.

Wait... but we're in a drought, and we really need rain. I'm repeating myself, aren't I?

I spent four hours painting today. Not consecutively.

Kids.

Is that enough of an explanation?

First, I dropped off Clay at basketball camp at our church. Got back home and changed into grubby clothes, and the job began. Spencer and Allison played outside for a little over two hours before I had to change back into halfway decent clothes and return to pick up Clay.

His buddy Nathan came home with us, because his mom had a little schedule overlap between her other child's swimming lessons and the end of basketball camp.

I had just gotten each of the kids a popsicle when Valerie pulled up. We chatted a bit while her daughter ate her popsicle and then they went home.

I wanted to go right back to painting. But it was really after lunch time already, and I knew those kids of mine would be begging for some vittles as soon as I got the brush coated in paint.

Thirty minutes after fixing them lunch and changing back into my grubby clothes, I was back to painting.

It's been super hot today. Lower 90s, with 55 percent humidity. Needless to say, I spent a lot of time pausing in the work to drink water, because it was seeping out of my pores faster than I could swallow it down.

I hate sweating.

Anyway, I made the kids stay inside after lunch. Partly because it was so hot and I didn't want to stop working to smear sunscreen on them. And partly because... I work faster and better without them distracting me.

I planned for them to come out and swim without sunscreen after 3:30 p.m.

But the thunder started rolling in right around 3-ish. After 15 minutes of that, I called Bruce.

"Are you still pretty sure it's not supposed to rain today? Because I'm still painting. And I hear thunder. And it's getting cloudier. And darker."

He checked his magic radar (whatever Internet site he consults to find the answer to my deep weather questions).

"Well, actually, it looks like you are about to get hit. You might want to stop."

And that's how that little litany began. The one I started this post with.

We are in a drought. We need rain.

But I am painting. I don't want rain.

Wait... but we're in a drought, and we really need rain.

I put up all my painting supplies and I prayed for the rain to miss us just long enough for my paint to dry adequately.

And then Bruce told me to go look at his magic radar site. You can plug in your address and see where the rain is falling in regards to your house.

I plugged in our address and laughed out loud when I saw the feedback.

Various rain systems to the left and right. Our home was rain free in the middle.

One system moved north, the other moved south.

It's not exactly Moses and the parting of the Red Sea. But I take my miracles anyway I can get them.

Thank you Jesus.

I'll pray for rain tomorrow. When I can't paint because I'm taking the kids all around town for various fun and free things.

Living Vicariously

We try to let our kids just be themselves... without any pushing from their parents. If that weren't the case, I never would have signed up the boys for football and Allison for cheerleading.

But yesterday, I lived vicariously through my baby girl. Actually, it's been going on for some time. Nearly six years, to be exact.

You see, Allison has great hair. Enough wave to be interesting and to have body, but not enough curl to be annoying when the humidity gets high. Not so thick as to be hot constantly, but not so thin as to be wispy.



I do not have great hair. Especially when it grows long. It gets stringy. My solution is to cut or perm it.

We have never cut Allison's hair. A couple of trims since she was born is about it.

But she's been begging to get her hair cut. I did the same thing as a child, and when my parents refused my request, I took scissors in hand and cut my own hair. And then we had to visit a beautician to fix my work. I had a Dorothy Hamill cut... way before it was the "in" thing to do. I was three years old.

And that was the last time it was short until I was in my early 20s, when I moved from Oklahoma to Tennessee and figured, "Nobody knows me, so if it looks stupid, nobody will be acutely aware of that fact."

So when Allison asked to cut her hair, I immediately assured her she could. But I asked her if she would wait awhile. Until school starts, and she begins kindergarten, or until her birthday, when she turns six. (I needed some flexibility... because I needed to work myself up to it.)

She agreed to wait, which was good. Because it gave me time to continually question her for several weeks to be certain she hadn't changed her mind.

I decided to push my luck a bit. I asked her if she would like to donate her hair to a sick girl whose hair had fallen out. She seemed interested, but not sure.

I pulled up the Locks of Love page on the Internet and showed her pictures of sick girls, before and after they received their wigs. It scared her.

She got a pitiful look on her face and she asked, "Am I going to be bald when I'm done?"

I assured her she would not. But her fear gave such a great spring board for discussion on how a little girl like her would feel if she lost her hair. Allison has such a sweet heart... she was totally on board after that.

Yesterday was the day. Just a spur-of-the-moment decision. First, I took her to have her picture made. Good night... are all little girls such pose-happy princesses? She would have stayed for hours!

But we had bigger plans. It was Allison's first time at a beauty salon, so we took pictures. Lots of pictures.

First, the wash. Because the donated hair had to be clean (and free of hairspray!).



Hmmm, a little nervous, perhaps?



I wish I could remember what she was "Ohh-ing" about here, but I can't. The whole experience was a big "Ooohh, Ahhhh" thing for her.



She loves having her hair blown dry.



Nerves were gone. Smiles back in place.



For a bit, anyway. Still pondering the ramifications of short hair.



The ponytail was almost cut off here.



Cuteness.



All done.



And we're ready to mail off this pony tail.



It may not look like it, but that pony really is more than 10 inches long.

Allison says now that she's going to grow her hair long again. Dare I hope that she'll choose to donate it again? Yeah. I'll hope.

Yesterday evening, we spent time with my in-laws downtown waiting for the fireworks display (for a local annual event). My father-in-law has a house that he's remodeling very near prime viewing spots, so we met at the house for an outdoor picnic dinner courtesy of KFC.

Some time during the evening, while Allison was coloring the patio with sidewalk chalk, she said to nobody in particular, "Does anybody have a mirror around here? I want to look at my hair."

Not two hours later, as we walked a short distance to see the fireworks, she noticed something under the shine of the street lights.

"It sure is a good thing I have a shadow. So I can watch my hair."

Yes, she's a little self absorbed right now. We're hoping it'll fade quickly.

We're just proud of her. It was a big day for our baby.

We walked into the salon with a girl who looked five. But we walked out with a girl who looked nine. Really. Someone in the place even told me that. I'll be okay with it.

When she's really nine.

Saturday Singing - God Alone

Powerful words by Phillips, Craig and Dean in "You are God Alone".

You are not a god created by human hands
You are not a god dependant on any mortal man
You are not a god in need of anything we can give
By Your plan, that’s just the way it is

You are God alone
From before time began
You were on Your throne
Your are God alone
And right now
In the good times and bad
You are on Your throne
You are God alone

You’re the only God whose power none can contend
You’re the only God whose name and praise will never end
You’re the only God who’s worthy of everything we can give
You are God and that’s just the way it is

Unchangeable
Unshakable
Unstoppable
That’s what You are


He does not need us. His world does not revolve around us... but ours should revolve around Him. He's unchangeable, unshakable, unstoppable... and so worthy of our praise.

For more Then Sings My Soul Saturdays, go here.

I'm Smiling

I just received the neatest award from iam4given. I like this award, just because it's a smile award. We all need more of that in our lives! Many sweet thanks to iam4given.



Oh, but what I really love about the award is the Bible verse on it.

"If I say 'I will forget my complaint... I will change my expression and smile.'" Job 9:27.

That's what I call a true biblical reminder to have an attitude adjustment. And we all often need more of that in our lives, too. I sure do!

And now the rules:

1. The recipient must link back to the award creator (http://www.thebabblingsofmere.blogspot.com/)
2. You must post these rules if you receive the award.
3. You must chose 5 people to receive the award after receiving it yourself
4. You must fit the characteristics of the recipient of the award, as posted by Mere.
5. You must post the characteristics of a recipient.
6. You must create a post sharing your win with others.
7. You must thank your giver.

Characteristics for the Smile Award:
1. Must display a cheerful attitude. (not necessarily at all times--we are all human)
2. Must love one another
3. Must make mistakes
4. Must learn from others
5. Must be a positive contributor to blog world
6. Must love life
7. Must love kids

Boy have I got that number 3 characteristic... in spades!

Here are the bloggers I'd like to pass this on to:
1. Amie because when we moved back to my husband's home town eight years ago, she was the first person to reach out to us and invite us to dinner at her family's home. And she's been that warm every time I've seen her since then, which really just isn't often enough.

2. Fran because I love her. She'll challenge you in your faith. I've not met her in real life, but I imagine her to be a gentle person with a great laugh. And talk about loving kids... she's a baseball crazed momma, thanks to her three young boys.

3. Lisa because I learn something new every time I read her blog. She's funny, too. And back to that lovin' kids thing... she does. She loves hers so much she hides veggies in their food to get the healthy stuff in their little bodies.

4. Kristen because she is the quintessential real mother. Crazy things happen in her world, but she not only survives, she thrives. She will make you gut laugh out loud. And you'll feel more normal after visiting, because she, too, has days like you and I.

5. Laura because I want to be her. I'm a new reader of her blog, and I have found that she is organized, she is a menu planner, and she is enthusiastic about it. She is also making me tired just reading her organizing tips, but I'm going to be following several of them when the kids are all off at school this fall.

Prayers for a Baby

Could you please stop what you are doing right now and say a prayer for a blog friend of mine?

I met Jodi while surfing sites. She and her husband Mike are really still newlyweds in my book, although they are coming up on their second anniversary.

Jodi started her blog as an effort to let off some steam about their inability to conceive. I read every word like it could have been mine, and I remembered that feeling of hopelessness and lack of understanding from back when Bruce and I thought we'd never have babies.

Miss Jodi is now several weeks pregnant following an in vitro procedure. They are so excited.

But they've received some scary and possible bad news with the latest round of tests, and I received an e-mail from her this morning. There is a chance of a defect. But because of some medical problems going on with Jodi, they can't even test the baby (they're calling her a "she") for certain.

I am not sure of this family's walk with Christ. I just know Jodi asked for prayer, specifically that her condition will resolve itself because it puts their baby at risk for suffocation.

I'm passing this on to you prayer warriors out there. Will you join me?

I'm not attaching a link to Jodi's blog because I know originally she had the impression that very few people were reading it, and that gave her a sense of release to put her feelings out there more plainly. But you don't need to know any more about her to pray for her.

God knows the details. He'll fill in the blanks.

MBA Usefulness

A letter came in the mail the other day addressed to Bruce. From his parents.

No upcoming birthday. No impending anniversary.

What could it be?

Just a little early congratulations on finishing up his master's degree.

This was in the envelope.



Bruce loves the Dilbert strip by Scott Adams. It's not my favorite. Too often, he'll be chuckling at the breakfast table and I'll ask, "What's so funny?" He'll pass me the latest Dilbert comic, I'll read it, and I'll give a half-hearted little laugh.

Or worse. I'll have to admit I just don't get it. I get the language printed in the little bubbles, but it just doesn't apply to me. Bruce will shrug and say, "It reminds me of someone (or something) at work."

I like this one though. That's funny.

OBX Highlights, Part Three

It has taken me a whole week to post pictures and write updates about our week-long vacation. How crazy is that?

But there's still more. I can't help myself. It was just that good. I'm going to make this the last one, though. Promise!

In the middle of our week at the Outer Banks, we spent a morning at Jockey's Ridge State Park. Picture the Sahara Desert, but on a smaller scale. Jockey's Ridge is the tallest natural sand dune system in the Eastern United States (that comes straight from the park brochure.).

Here's the interesting part: the huge dunes don't blow away in all that wind simply because in the winter the wind blows out of the northeast direction, while in the summer it blows out of the southwest. So the size and shape of the dune varies, but the sand just shifts around from season to season.

Isn't that just one of the neatest "God things" you've heard today?

From the highest sand dune peaks, you could see both the ocean side of the Outer Banks and then pivot to see the sound side on the opposing end. It was very cool.

We'd been told by friends to go early, because it gets miserably hot there during the day in summer. A coworker of Bruce's suggested slipping off our flip flops, because our feet would sink about mid calf deep in some sections of the dunes. "Oh," you think, "but all that hot sand would burn your feet." Yes, yes it would. But we were smart (insert "rednecks" here).

We walked around wearing socks.



Yes, we looked dorky. But we were steadier on our feet that day than anyone else out there. That counts for something in my book!

Allison reverted to beach mode and spent her time building sand castles.



She stopped when she heard a woman squeal about a big black bug that was attaching itself to her flip flop (she didn't get the memo about wearing socks). We wandered over, and sure enough, that bug was huge. Strap a saddle on him and you could have ridden his back out of the park in a jiffy!

The boys ran from the top of one dune to another. We didn't chase them. It was too far and too steep. We figured they'd come back when they got hungry.

There was an awful lot of this going on.







And some silly, posed shots, too, at the direction of Bruce. He's a goofball. Here he and Clay showed how thirsty one can get in the desert.



An entire section of Jockey's Ridge is devoted to hang-gliders.

I call this photo "Bruce: Wishful Thinking".



And Spencer gives proof to the saying, "like father, like son."



After finishing up at the park, we headed to a beach-side home being rented the same week we vacationed by one of our favorite families from church, the Millers. Arlena and I have gotten close in the past several years through our shared involvement in choir, youth and Beth Moore (conferences and studies). And both of us and our spouses are on the fellowship committee, so we work in the church kitchen together fairly often, too.

I love Arlena and Robert's oldest kiddo, Amber. She is Babysitter Extraordinaire. (That's her professional title. I gave it to her after she watched our three one night.)

The rest of our crew plays well with the rest of their crew. William, their second teen, is good with my littler guys. And their youngest, Audra, and Clay... well, we thought we could go old-school and just arrange a marriage now, but that might not work out. We'll just have to wait and see.

We spent more than an hour at the beach before we all came inside. Arlena and her mother made lunch for us: manicotti, salad, ham and cheese sandwiches, and/or corn dogs. We all ate until we nearly popped and then worked on the chocolate pie we had brought along.

Afterwards, we just hung out.

Here's Allison being pampered by Amber, which, thankfully, is nothing like being Pampered by mommy.



Clay and Audra, playing War with Uno cards.



Amber playing Clue with all the younger kids.



When they were finished, Amber put Allison's hair up in French braids. I told our daughter that she was a totally different girl when we left than when we'd arrived.

Bruce played Rook with William and Arlena's adopted brother and sister. (Arlena's parents rented half of the house along with the Millers, and they have two adopted teenagers.) I relaxed and chatted with Arlena and her mother, Judy.

Judy took this one of me and Arlena.



After several hours, we made our way back to our campground. We stopped by Bodie Lighthouse on the way.



Here's a poster of all four lighthouses we saw while at the OBX. It's cool how each one is different.



Our kids fell asleep in the truck, but were revived enough once back at the campground to play putt-putt.



Just a few more. If you aren't family and have made it through all three of these Highlights posts... bless you. I'd pay you, but we just don't keep that kind of cash handy. Mostly because we don't have it.

Here's the bucket of precious sea shells that Spencer collected, almost entirely on his own, during our vacation.



I wanted to toss it into the ocean after they were asleep our last night there. But Bruce is more tenderhearted than I am, so the entire bucket is now stashed in our basement, out of sight. And Spencer hasn't asked about them even once yet.

After school starts, this house is going to see a purging that can only be compared to something out of "The Exorcist". I predict the shells will disappear right about that time. (Along with the nine empty water bottles that Bruce also permitted Spencer to save against my specific wishes. Yes, he has issues with collecting things. It's frightening.)

The campground had several events planned just for the kids (things like the putt putt and tie-dying t-shirts that I mentioned before during these posts). Right before Independence Day, the kids got to make red, white and blue bead bracelets.





Clay made one, too, but he made it for me. Because he is too mature for bracelets now. (Picture me with an eyebrow raised as I say that.)



And here it is. The last one.

We always made a little time for the hot tub.



I'm getting ready to ask Bruce tonight where we're going on vacation next year.

Germany? I wish. But probably not. Disneyworld? The kids are dreaming of that repeat.

Myrtle Beach? Maybe. A definite maybe.