Birdhouses

While we were visiting my parents, my dad made the kids some birdhouses. We put them up this past weekend.

Did I mention I'm a cat person?

I saw this story on the web today. Just thought I would pass it along in case you missed it...:)

Reflection

So, I haven't posted a decent post in a while. Let me see... I enjoyed our trip back to Arkansas to see my family and I had a really nice time. My dad seems to have mellowed out in recent years which means that he doesn't get in fights with us over silly stuff. And I know that they won't be with me too much longer on this earth, so I try to let things slide. I did get to see my brother for about two hours on Sunday in the afternoon. He seems well and has plans to buy a house in Springdale. His younger daughter (my niece) was in town, too, so it was great to see her. I think it had been since her wedding last year when I saw her last.

Last year I was very home sick and when we arrived to Arkansas, I was taking everything in. This year I had the same Daylight Donuts and I have to say they are the best donuts on this planet still! However, this time I wasn't feeling home sick. My parents had been to our house in May and the kids and I had been back this past January. I do love the weather there and we did most of the same things this year as we did last year. We did do some extra things, too like go to the pool a lot and go to Silver Dollar City. I know that I would have a hard time living in the same town as my parents--it's small and it's in a dry county! I'm not a lush or anything, but I like a good glass of wine if I go out for a nice meal.

Anyway, it was great to be home. I love it down there and I always will. Fayetteville is not the same little sleepy college town that I grew up in, but it still has that charm that I remember from years ago. I wish my parents still lived in Fayetteville. Since they live in the same town as my sister, I get to see her a bunch when I visit them so that is a good trade-off. With all the new growth to the north of Fayetteville, comes great shopping and dining, too. I hope that change doesn't affect Fayetteville negatively.

The one thing I hope for: I want my kids to remember my parents. I was 4 when my mother's mother died and I have few memories of her. I want my kids to know my mom and dad. Kendall said some cute things that warmed my heart while we were visiting my parents. She told my dad that she would live next door to them when she grew up and they could visit anytime they wanted to. She told me that she was going to live in Arkansas when she grew up as we were leaving Silver Dollar City after being there all day (I didn't correct her at the time and tell her that we were actually in Missouri). I told her that my mom used to bring me there when I was a kid. She said she was going to take her kids there when she grew up and tell them that her mom took her there. I got choked up just thinking about it.

Music for the road trip

We were in Ohio at this point and getting punchy. Only another 13 hours to go or so...

Trip almost over...boo hoo!

I can't beleive our visit with my parents is almost over. Pictured below are Kim, Kendall, Clayton and myself in one of the rides at Silver Dollar City.


This picture was taken the evening we arrived. This is the Ozarks of southwest Missouri.
This picture is of Tablerock Lake in Southwest Missouri. I took this photo on Friday coming back from Branson.
Sunday, we went to Bull Shoals Lake with my sister and her husband. They have had so much water in this part of the country that the lake is 36 ft above normal.
Here are Kim and Alan.

You can see the tree under water. Amazing.
Kim and I could barely hold on the tube!
Today we went back to Branson to the Branson Landing. We had lunch at the White River Fish House which is owned by Bass Pro Shop. There is a huge aquarium in the store.
Here I am with my dad with Lake Taneycomo behind us.
There are Kendall and my mom at Branson Landing.