Welcome to Dollywood...
The kiddos with a giant, fake cut timber.
Luke has tamed this dragonfly...
Sarah has learned to ride a caterpillar...
Eating homemade ice cream...it was alright, I think I make better though.
This old steam engine took us on a five mile ride...a bit dirty as it blew dirt on us upon departure.
Sarah was worn out, the train ride was just what she needed to unwind.
Flying a bee, Luke an Sarah hit the air...
This year we celebrated 13 years!!! We would have loved to gone off by ourselves, but it just wouldn't work out for that so we were all together for our anniversary. Aug. 2nd we visited the small ward in Pigeon Forge (pretty much like our ward here in Missouri.) We found it to be a very pleasant day. Jason is my best friend and a wonderful husband. He does so much to help me that I feel guilty when I hear other women complain about their husbands. I wonder how I ever deserved someone who is so good to me and helps me to want to be a better person. It hasn't been easy living away from family our whole married lives but I am grateful for the sweetheart who has been with me through it all!!!! I love you Jason.
Jason took off a week at the end of July in hopes we'd be able to go home to UT, but when we couldn't do that we decided to use up our timeshare points in TN about 7 hr drive. We went to Pigeon Forge. It was beautiful and made me so homesick for the UT mountains:( But I loved every minute of it. Most the time the kids swam, they had in door and out door pool, playground and some activities. It was a welcomed vacation...one of the best and one of the first that NO one threw-up!!!!! It felt so nice to swim, cool off, relax, no callings to deal with, no classes to teach on Sunday:) One of the few times Jason has been able to sit with me in Sacrament meeting, yippee! And not a commitment in the world other then my families immediate needs...so glad I went...
Our little swimmer...she gave us a horrid scare at the pool. We kept trying to tell her that it was too deep (3 foot) and she had to have her floater. She was playing in the little pool with a little boy, I had taken my eyes off her for a moment when I was with the big kids; she changed her mind about he kiddie pool and came over to the big pool, stepped down the steps and couldn't touch when I turned around all I could see was her pink ponytail. I yelled for Colton to grab her as he was the closest to her and I felt like I was in cement and couldn't move fast enough. My biggest fear was the thought of her dry drowning later, and so I had Jason give her a blessing and watched her all day. She was fine, but it scared me to death.
Having fun with my sister...
A picture by the pond with Colton, Luke, and Sarah...