Although I have spent most of my life in Rock Hill, I was born in Murfreesboro, TN and my dad and grandparents still live there! It always feels good to go back and see how it has grown and changed.
The kids and I loaded up Friday after Bible School and took the 7 hour drive to Tennessee to visit Papa Jon, Lin, the grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins! They did such a great job on the drive. It is a long trip but now that they are finally old enough to really get in the car and travel and find other things to do in the car, it's really not that bad. We did all sorts of fun things and we can't wait to go back....hopefully sometime this school year when the weather is a little cooler so we can do different things.
Cousin Jackson taking the kids on a hay ride.
The creek.....next year we will be prepared and bring our own tubes. The creek is very slippery but the rapids are fun. It's very cheap entertainment!
The MTSU football field!
The dorm rooms named after my grandad.
Daddy Mel....who will be 90 this December. He's in a rehab facility after falling a few weeks ago, but will hopefully get to come home soon.
Papa Jon and Gran...my dad and grandmother
Halle in the awesome climbing tree in Gran's front yard!
Cousin Taylor and Cade playing in the pool!
Cousin Taylor pushing 'the boat.'
The 'slide.'
Our trip home was not as fun as the kids were already missing everyone and of course "Spookie," dad and Lin's dog. Poor Spookie was probably exhausted from 4 days of nonstop talking, ball throwing, and chasing, but I think he enjoyed the attention. So now we wind down summer and get ready for school to start back.....BOO!
Well.........it has taken me this long to find time to sit down and blog about this 1st day of school..a whole week and 1/2 later. Oh well, better late than never! What a great summer to say good-bye to. We had a blast and it has been hard to get back in the swing of things, but probably harder for me than the kids. Once they met their teachers at the Open House they were SO excited. Me....not so much! It is so nice having them all at the same school this year. I was determined to walk Cade in on that first day. How cute was he w/ that big ole' bookbag on his back. Talk about a weepy mom. A few tears after the good-bye hug, but overall, we ALL did great. Gracie and Halle were excited to see some friends they had missed, and poor Gracie was worried about having homework on the first day of school. That's definitely Gracie for ya! And poor Cade wanted to know why he had to wear church clothes to school. I thought that was pretty funny. I was like "Cade, you have to look nice at school." He wasn't convinced. So now we are getting into the routine of homework, and lots more of it for Ms. Halle in the third grade. WOW! Trying to juggle homework, gymnastics, play time outside, etc. is not an easy thing to do. And next week we throw soccer practice into the mix. Oh well....that's life w/ 3 kids I guess. Wouldn't trade it for the world! 
Halle.....my 3rd grader!
Gracie.....my 1st grader!
And Cade.....my new kindergartener!
