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Sarah, Bethany and I are back from our trip to Tennessee. We had a great time and all of us have walked more in the past few days than we have probably this entire year. I just put my flash card in the computer to look at all the pictures I took and will post some pictures and a little about our trip later. It was a wonderful few days, but we are glad to be home. I also wanted to mention that this trip was actually a gift to me from my older kids. They knew I had talked about going to Tennessee to show Bethany and Sarah where my grandmother had lived and all the places I had visited when I was a kid. I had taken Zola and Abigail a couple of years ago and wanted to do the same with Sarah and Bethany. Anyway, all of my older kids chipped in and paid for the hotel, and also gave us spending money so everything was covered by them. Then they surprised me with this one evening and I was in shock that they had gone to all this trouble and done this for me. I am blessed. 

Almost Over

Summer seemed to fly by and I really didn't do so many of the things I wanted to do with the kids. But, we have had a nice summer and the kids are actually ready for school to start - I think. They are looking forward our days that we do literature studies and projects to go along with what we are reading. They are also looking forward to our history this year.  Last year they had a great year and we are hoping for another great one. Our books have been ordered and most have arrived. The kids can hardly stay away from them. I still have a little planning to do, but I am basically done. I think even I'm ready to get back into a routine. 

Tomorrow Sarah, Bethany and I are leaving for Tennessee. My grandmother lived in Tennessee and my mother was born there. I spent almost every summer of my childhood there and I like to show the kids some of the places that are special to me. I took Abigail and Zola in 2017 and now I will take two more kids. Taking just a couple of the kids each time gives us some quiet time together and makes it special for the two going. I am hoping these two will enjoy it as much as Abigail, Zola and I did when we went. I also hope they are up to a lot of walking as we walked and walked and walked. 

I'm just posting a few random pictures from this summer. I haven't really taken that many in the past week or so. I am planning to take a lot on this trip, though. 

My granddaughter, Evelyn. 

Bethany made a blanket for her nephew - now we have to mail it. 

My grandson, Baby Finn, as we call him -- on his first birthday. 

Baptized

Bethany was baptized today. She is our third child to be baptized this year. We are so happy she made this decision.

Our Hammock

The kids absolutely love this hammock for some reason. They are constantly in it and they swing as high as it will go. They don't use this as a place to go and read or relax and think -- for sure. I can see why our hammocks always wear out so quickly.