Ahhh, family vacation! This year we were blessed to go spend a week with my (Jill's) family! We were about 20 minutes from Kanakuk (K-2) in a tiny town called Shell Knob, MO. Full of cute little restaurants, flea markets and one gas station and one Country Mart! My sister and her family, my parents, my Aunt and Uncle, Cousin and her new hubby and my Cousin Mary and Sai all came. We had an absolute blast! With 5 kids and 13 adults, it truly was a week to remember! WARNING: There are MANY MANY pictures! Ok, you have been warned, now enjoy!
This picture was taken in the wee hours of the morning, when all was calm and silent. I got up early to do a QT and if you know me at all, you know I'm a nature girl by heart, so being able to sit on a swinging bench and stare at this view for an hour filled my cup to overflowing!
The morning mist, love it!!
Our cabin (view from the dock)
One morning all the kids made monkey bread, oh boy, they had fun, and was it ever yummy!!
Miriam (My niece) and my sister Julie
My Cousin Mary & her son Sai
The Smith cousins! There's no doubt we're related!
The Girls!
Sweet Family Picture!
So, my pics are a little out of order, but this was taken the morning we left for our drive to Missouri. LOVE these next few shots of the boys, the natural light was amazing!!!
We saw all kinds of fun things on our road trip, but this was by far Caleb's favorite!
Making funny faces for the camera!
I tell myself every time we drive to Missouri that I will stop at one of these cute little fruit stands the next time, and I still never have! So sad that the closest I've gotten is this picture taken from a gas station across the street!
Oh man, Arkansas is absolutely beautiful!!
Zonked out!!
The 1st night we stayed in Branson with my mom, Mary & Sai. Caleb thought this telephone was awesome, so I unplugged it from the wall and he played phone for quite a while!
Caleb wearing one of my old souvenir hats from a jr. high trip to King's Island in Cincinnati, OH.
LOVE this picture of Sai, he's getting soooo big!!
Cousin Anthony and Caleb playing on the playground near the cabins
The Tire Swing, oh, the beloved tire swing. This was by far the BIGGEST hit of the week. Caleb would have lived, eaten, and slept on this thing if we had let him! He still talks about the tire swing!
What happens when an 18 month old doesn't get what he wants (in this instance, it was a turn on the tire swing) We all had a good laugh!
Cousin mary swinging with the boys!
Family picture time!!!
Tetherball, I used to love this game as a kid!
My turn!
LOVE this photo, but for some reason the camera settings were off and this is the best I could get it (I actually kind of like it this way though!)
My sister just happened to have a birthday during our vacation, so we thought it only fitting to have a special birthday party for her!
Oh, the moon. Absolutely breathtaking!!!
We rented a wave runner for a day and all had turns, man, that was a thrill ride that I thoroughly enjoyed! Haven't been on one of those I don't think in probably 10 years!
Thse last two shots were from the same early morning that I got up. I LOVE how the rising sun makes everything just glow so perfectly!
We were sad to leave, but had a fabulous time! Thanks Mom and Dad for everything! We love you so much and look forward to our next family vacation, whenever that is!
Be Blessed and Encouraged!
