Misssing Cord

WELL... I would like to have posted more photos from last weekend. Alas, we can not find the cord for our camera to download the photos. Is it at the hotel? Could it be in the van? We've searched everywhere and are ready to bite the Canon Bullet and order another one online. Photos coming soon....

Family Fun Fest

This past weekend we went to Kingsport and Joshnson City for part of the weekend with our good friends - the Trump family. Karis and Anna Trump were born 11 days apart and are wonderful playmates.

The weekend started out early with a car trip to Kingsport - 5 children (Karis is the oldest!) and two moms in one van! The children played at the hotel before naps and then we all splashed in the hotel pool for a while before dinner. The dads joined us later that evening. Once the children were in bed, we re-inacted adult fellowship "Celebration style" - in the hallway while the children were asleep in the rooms.

The next morning we woke the children up at 6 AM to see the Fun Fest Balloon race. The funny thing is - once we arrived in downtown Kingsport, we realized that the balloon race had been canceled due to poor weather conditions! Regroup... a few times - and we ended up playing all afternoon in the "Hands - On" museum in Johnson City. But not before getting rained out of a state park and turned away from their museum/gift shop that wasn't open yet. The Hands On museum is a great children's museum. Photos waiting to be posted tomorrow will show Karis and Anna playing in a child's life-size grocery store. There was also a Nascar play area, a coal mine area, pretend bank, art area, tractors, planes, water play, and many other things the children had a blast exploring!

We ended the day with a meal from the world famous Pal's "restaurant". At least it is world famous if you're from Kingsport. We thought there sauce burger, chipped ham sandwich and frenchie fries were pretty tasty. Karis actually asked to get another sandwich on the way home.
The best part of the meal was sitting on the lawn of the ETSU campus eating with the Trumps.

Our family had so much fun with the Trumps and hope this becomes an annual tradition. The Trump family is so refreshing to be with.

More photos from the weekend will come soon - they haven't been downloaded yet from our camera.

I love Daddy

Joshua thinks he has the best Daddy in the world. I could not agree more! Joshua crawls as fast as he can to Craig when he comes home from work in the evening. He can't wait to be picked up by his Daddy!

More July 4th Photos

Preston and Reagan Ruth

Jonathan and Melanie Oldacre

Pool Fun

Philip

July 4th Celebration

In honor of Independence Day, Stuart and Jenny had a July 4th Party at their house. We celebrated the holiday with Stuart and Jenny, The Ruth Family, and Jonathan and Melanie Oldacre. What a fun evening. At one point, all the children were so happy playing, that all the adults were able to talk together. One of my favorite moments from the evening was when Jonathan impersonated Craig and Stuart! We are very rich with friends.

Jenny made a sugar cookie dessert that Michelle and I agreed we needed a photo of!

The four older children - Preston and Reagan Ruth and Madie and Karis Cooper

Joshua

Summer Reading Program

This summer we participated in the Knox County Library's Summer Reading Program. We read 20 books together and the children received a prize pack with coupons to play putt-putt, go bowling, ride the Three River's Rambler train and other prizes. Of course Joshua is too young to enjoy these prizes, but we have enjoyed going to the library weekly to get new books.

At the Library, Joshua and Philip enjoy crawling around and pulling books down off the shelves. There is a little nook where they have conquered crawling up and down the two steps. Karis and Madie thoroughly enjoy picking out new stories and coloring an activity sheet that they library gives them. It only takes a day or two to read the 15 books that we take home, but the regular trip will hopefully build memories that these children will love to look back on.

My buddy Andy

This is Joshua's buddy Andy. They were born the same week almost a year ago. They share the same love for soothie pacifiers and lots of attention. They are sweet babies and we hope that Joshua and Andy are life long friends - even though right now they wrestle over the same ball!

Andy is a miracle baby. He was born with a heart defect and look at him! God has been merciful to his family and miraculously he is doing well! He has survived major heart surgery and many other procedures. His parent have walked through more seemingly uncertain moments than we have in our whole life, but their faith and trust in God is unwavering. You can check out his story at www.sagraves.blogspot.com

Our family loves the Sagraves family. We feel so lucky to have them as our friends. They are such a joy to be with.

Where's Karis?

One afternoon, I couldn't find Karis...she wasn't in her bed in her room with a contraband paci - she was on a "bed" on her floor with a contraband paci - asleep!

Three years old and still in love with the pacifier!