Our End of Summer Mini-Vacation

It was a busy weekend.  Our Labor Day weekend started on Thursday.  Due to the kids making such great grades and completing their units early this month we made a trip up to north GA where my husband was working last week.  Our choice of destination was LaGrange, GA.  We did however, go to Pine Mountain and Thomaston as well.  Thursday was just a day of getting ready for the trip and then we were able to leave mid afternoon to venture on up.  We took AnnaBelle by to be boarded.  This was our pooch's first time being boarded so this pooch mama was a bit on the nervous side for her.  We got to the motel and we were exhausted.  Thankfully ole Dad was there to pick up the slack where this mama was tired.

We rested well on Thursday night.  We got up and went to IHOP for breakfast.  That was DELICOUS!!! We headed to the Explorations in Antiquity Center in LaGrange.  That was very informative for my husband and I.  Noah(9) enjoyed it.  Sarah our 7 year old little diva was hot.  All of us were hot.  Most everything was outdoors with this center but like I said it was a wonderful place.  We are doing Mystery of History Volume 1 this year for our history and this was a perfect place to visit to get myself more knowledgeable about the time period we're studying.  Here are a few pictures.

This is what homes looked like back in Old Testament Times

Old Testament burial

Noah checking out New Tesament burial practices

Noah was sitting in the judge's chair.  Mosaic law was very strict. This seat was sitting just inside walled cities and a judge would be sitting and waiting on anyone who entered the city.  Thank God for Jesus and Him being the one and only true judge now.

On Friday when we were done at Explorations in Antiquity Center we went and rode to Camp Thunder and to the Flint River.  We waded in the river full of rocks and it was a stream and absolutely GORGEOUS!  It was very peaceful too.  More pictures. :)

When we got done at the river we rode up to Camp Thunder.  My husband's uncle works there so we rode around and found a house with a cute little sign that said Gooden.  We knew we were at the right place.  Hubby went and knocked on the door and his uncle came and answered.  We got out.  We've not seen hubby's family in several years.  I would say it's been 4 years because I know our youngest was very small.  We had a nice visit.  We left and went to Chili's to eat.  About half way through us eating another relative of my husband's walked in.  His Aunt Peggy and Uncle Ronnie.  We enjoyed talking with them and we planned a visit to their house the next day.  The next day we went and spent the morning there fishing.  Caleb caught a 6lb largemouth bass in the lake behind Aunt Peggy's house.  He thought that was just the coolest. I don't have a picture on my camera's memory card but I did post one on Instagram.  I will see if I can post it here or at least a link.

After we left there we ate a sandwich lunch on the way to the Wild Animal Safari.  I would say apart from the big fish catch this was the highlight of our weekend.  This was very neat.  I recommend parents of young children to take their kids to this if they live closeby and even if they don't.  This is an unusual and not so common experience to have.  What we did when we entered the park is we rented a van. We had to wait approximately an hour to get our van.  Then we went on a mile long excursion.  The van had open windows with bars so the animals couldn't completely put their heads inside the vehicle.  The mile wasn't this straight road.  It was up and down hills and so you couldn't see what was on the other side of the hill.  It was awesome and just very interesting.  Here are some pictures.

We had a lot of fun.  When we left the safari we rode up Pine Mountain.  We rode to the highest elevation and stopped.  The kids have wanted to see mountains.  We've decided that we aren't taking our usual family vacation to the mountains this year.  We're saving so that Larry can work at home at the beginning of the year.  Here's a few when we stopped on top of the mountain.

I look rough but in my defense we had just left the un-airconditioned safari and it was mid 90s.

We headed back to the motel.  We stopped by and got a pizza.  Then we let the kids swim while Larry and I ate pizza by the pool.  Kids ate later.  They were tired and rested well that night.  To some this will not be a lot.  The most important thing to me is #1-I was with my family who mean the world to me.  #2-Not far away from the house but a change of scenery.  Makes me thankful for my home! #3-Refreshment to start a new month on my toes with renewed strength from the Lord.

So thankful for the sweet little family I have and the caring, considerate, supportive, faithful, loving, CHRISTIAN husband I have.  In a world where there's so much unfaithfulness to spouses, arguing between spouses, bickering and bringing children into the affairs of the mom and dad I am very thankful that we have a no drama family.  I pray to God that it stays this way for the most part.  I realize that with teenagers it won't be completely drama free but Bless God it won't be because I haven't tried.  I strive to keep a peaceful home full of mercy, grace, and forgiveness.  In order to do that we must have Jesus at the center.  We're not perfect but we surely strive for Jesus to be at the center of it all.

I am reminded of an awesome song called "Jesus At The Center of It All" and I leave you with that.

Jesus At The Center Of It All

In His Grip,

Jennifer