Our first trip of the summer took us to Mount Magazine in Paris, Arkansas.  It was gorgeous!  We swam, hiked, biked and more.  I can’t tell you how nice it was to ignore email, phone calls and force the kids to leave all their electronic toys at home.  🙂  We totaled over 7 miles of moderate/strenuous trails over 2 days with all the kids.  Of course our youngest spent most of the time in a backpack.  It was actually much cooler up in the mountains hiking then I heard it was for my friends back here.  🙂  The best part was that we all had to spend time together and talk….a lot.  Here are a few shots from our trip.  Enjoy!

I got a new lens in today and of course had to test it.  😉  Our daughter was more than happy to oblige.  I can’t believe she is about to turn 8 years old….although she acts (at times) more like 13.  🙂

So our oldest child has been at camp all week.  This is his first year to go to a summer camp and his first time away from home other than your typical sleepover.  He was so psyched to go.  They had a family night Wednesday where parents could go eat dinner, visit and go to worship service with our kids.  I went with only my iPhone in hand and enjoyed every minute.  Sometimes I still can’t believe how old he is and how fast it’s all going by.  🙂

all images taken with my iPhone

I hope everyone has enjoyed some down time this extra long weekend.  Whether you are part of our military, a veteran or the supportive family behind the uniform, thank you.  We too often forget how much our military families sacrifice for us.  Every time I travel overseas it becomes very prominent in my mind of just how blessed we truly are.  Thank You.

Here is just a little bit of how we spent our down time.  I was so proud of my older children for happily taking their little brother on rides so that he could enjoy himself too.  This is one of the benefits of having older children that are still young enough to humble themselves in the ‘baby rides’.  🙂

After we had a very non-traditional Memorial Day cookout of yummy chicken and rice wraps we just had some fun in the yard.  I love the expression on our youngest face as he heads towards danger.  😉

And of course we made a run for Best Buy.  We told the kids that each week this summer we’ll give them some assignments to do that can earn them money.  So they spent a bit of time looking around the store to find what their goal was to save up to.  This works parents, FYI.  We did this all school year with ‘extras’ around the house and getting straight A’s and it works!  Of course we walked out with a Wii game for little man….he was just too cute to say no to.  I’m a sucker, what can I say.

Caught red handed sneaking his brothers Lego men behind his back.  🙂