Summer Vacation!

We have been in Missouri this past week on vacation. In fact, I am writing this post from Missouri and we are driving back home today, Saturday, as you are reading this. We have had a wonderful week of vacation and I look forward to sharing more about it all with you this next week. For now, here are a few pictures from our drive up to Missouri last weekend.


Of course, our dog Duke went along with us. He travels so well!












Every time we drive up to Missouri we stop at the first rest stop as you enter into Mississippi. It's a great place to stop!








Driving through Memphis in Tennessee- the famous pyramid.






Crossing the Mighty Mississippi!


Passing the time on the laptop






Bryan trying to give his best "tired of driving" face. He was tired!

Shocco Springs!

Our family spent a couple of days out at the Shocco Springs campus in Talladega, AL prior to dropping Emmy off at camp a couple of weeks ago. Her camp with Student Life was at Shocco Springs and Bryan had some work to do out their the day before we dropped her off for camp, so we took all of the kids out and stayed in one of the rooms out their. One week of camps had just wrapped up and the Student Life staff was preparing for the week of Kids camp which was coming in, so the campus was pretty quiet while we were their.


We stayed in the Rocky Ridge Lodge while at Shocco.


Our lodge. Instead of cabins which is always what I think of when I think of "camp", Shocco Springs has lodges and hotel type rooms. The kids are given key cards to get in and out of their rooms, just like in a hotel. In addition to various camps throughout the summer months Shocco is used as a retreat and conference center for church and other groups throughout the year where you can rent the hotel rooms out.


Our room








The kids all love the campus out at Shocco and were excited to be visiting.




top bunk buddies



Here are some pictures of the kids around campus.....










Learning to play jacks


















Volleyball by the lake







We went up to the gym that night to eat pizza with the Student Life staff who were getting the sets and things ready for Kids Camp. Our kiddos had seen the sets coming together over time in the warehouse at Student Life and they thought it was fun to see it all being set up for camp, Emmy especially since it was for the camp she was about to attend.










Amy taking the kids for a ride around campus



After pizza with the Student Life crew we surprised the kids with a trip into Talladega to see the movie Toy Story 3.

We woke up the next morning to Shocco all ready to welcome kids for the Kids Camp week.



Our Emmy girl was all ready to check into kids camp too!






Waiting to drop sister off at camp.


Chapel where we met up with our church group and dropped Emmy off for camp. The kids had their intro to camp meeting in the chapel that morning.


Emmys group from Brook Hills stayed in the Springville rooms, pictured here, while she was at camp. Her room was on the 3rd floor and she shared it with 3 other girls from our church.


One last goodbye picture before we left her at camp.

The bible verse that Kids Camp was based on this year:

"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God".
Micah 6:8