Our Arkansas Summer- Part I

Last month we were able to bust out of Pennsylvania and retreat to home-sweet-home-Arkansas for the month of July.

It. Was. Awesome.

Being there for several weeks really let us feel like we could visit, relax, and just have the best time with our favorite people while getting to do so many of our favorite things. We were spoiled beyond belief and left with our love tanks totally full. Thankful for family and friends who put up with us for the whole month- that's love, y'all.

PA to AR ... 1,216 miles ... That equates to around 18 hours and 56 minutes of car travel (in case you were wondering).
My mother-in-law is better than your mother-in-law. There, I said it. And I'm pretty darn sure it's true. The woman would move mountains for loved ones and is the most unselfish person I've ever met ... ever.
Lynda flew up to Pennsylvania again at the end of June to make the lonnnnnggggggg trek home with us since I really can't do it by myself and Aaron got super busy at work last minute and couldn't take off to take us back. So, off we went. (It's so bad, y'all. So. bad.)
To make the trip a little bit worse, I just got a different vehicle and it's the first one I've had in a long time that doesn't have bucket seats in the middle. (I know, I know, "First World Problems") I told myself that was totally fine, but for a 21 hour car ride, with three semi-small children, and said children reverting back to the terrible two's around hour six of travel ... it was bad. Like, B to the A to the D.
Did I mention it was bad?

6:00am on Day 1 of Arkansas travel- Ignorance is bliss.
 Clearly, I was totally pumped and dorked out all at the same time over heading home!

But then ... finally ... we made it!!

Finally at Dede and Pop Pop's!!! Hooray!!!

We got started on fun almost immediately! After lots of hugs and kisses we went up to the country club to eat and swim. I was so excited that several of my friends were eating dinner upstairs and so I got to see lots of long lost buddies-

like my Caroline (Haley, I kinda can't stand it that we didn't get a picture!).

Vacay on Vacay:

The next day we loaded up and started south to Lake Ouachita to spend the week at one of my very, very favorite spots:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This next series of pictures makes me laugh every time I run across it  ...

 

 

 

The first picture Avery and Dalton are kind of laughing because Sawyer is getting into trouble causing him to be removed from the tube; next, they realize that Sawyer is trying to put on Dalton's goggles and we're in a "I will never share with a sibling" phase so Dalton was slightly perturbed. In the third picture you can see where Sawyer chose to hurl the goggles into the lake and Avery and Dalton's faces kill me here. Jack Kella is really not bothered by this at all.

*And yes, I did of course throw down the camera and sunglasses to jump in to save the beloved Target $5 goggles from sinking to the bottom of Lake Ouachita.

 

It was really fun (and totally crazy!) having all of our littles at the lake that week. It's fun to think we have literally grown up spending summers at Shangri La and now our kiddies will have some of the very same memories.

 

Sawyer (2); Dalton (5); Evie Lammers (1); Avery (6); Jack Kella (4) and Davis Kella (2).

*Noah Wellons was napping and isn't pictured! So sad!!

Also excited to welcome new babies Hallie Grace Wellons and Baby Lammers next summer!

 

 

 

 

Most days we would get out on the lake right about the time it was time to come back in for naps. Luckily we all had rooms right by the pool where the monitors would reach and we could sit, chat, and sip margaritas. So, it was still fun!

 

Cutest boys. Dalton was of course THRILLED to meet another animal lover.

 

 

 

 

 

4th of July

Thursday morning was the 4th of July, so we left Lake Ouachita and drove to North Little Rock to celebrate with the Boone's yearly bash. We loved getting to see all the Boone's and the kids were especially glad to swim in their pool.

 

 

 

Aunt Jean, Aunt Diane and Aunt Leta ...sweet, sweet ladies!

 

 

 

Wish I would have gotten more pics of everyone ... the kids were making me super nervous since this was one of the first days Avery and Dalton started swimming floatie-free in the pool! They were really bonified fishies by the end of the summer. We drove back to Lake Ouachita for the night and watched fireworks by the lake. We had planned to go out the next day on the water, but I think the baby-mamas (Whitney, Amanda and I) kinda decided simultaneously that we were kinda done. It's definitely a lot harder getting out on the lake and not nearly as relaxing as I remember when we were in high school! Now there are lots of heads to count, plus countless things to tote along like diaper bags, snack pouches, countless life jackets, sunscreen, and baby wipes- oh my!

So, I packed up the kids and continued our Arkansas adventure to Hot Springs Village to stay with Aaron's parents.

 

From One Lake to Another ...

Aaron's parents live on one of the smaller lakes in Hot Springs Village and this was one of the first years that we could really enjoy all the kids jumping in and swimming and playing in the water without having constant panic attacks. Lynda may still have had a couple though. ;)

 

From speed boats on Lake Ouachita to Paddle Boats on Lake Pineda; they loved it all the same.

 

 

The kids found an old hatbox Lynda had: Avery is pictured wearing her great-great-grandmothers bonnet, while Dalton is wearing his grandfather's Hendrix beanie. Sawyer is donning a modern day ball cap ... origin unknown.

 

 

 

 

More Arkansas Adventures

I left Avery and Sawyer in HSV for the night and took Dalton to move into the condo Dad graciously rented us for the month. My grandparents were staying with my parents while they were waiting on their house to close and they thought that it would be nice to have our own space (and theirs)! It turned out to be SO nice and made our stay feel even more like we "lived in Little Rock" again ... which was of course, right up my alley. Once we got all moved in and settled the kids showed back up and we were able to get started having more Arkansas fun!

 

 

 

 

Country Club Swimming and snacking definitely nears the top of our Arkansas highlights.

 

Hallie Grace Wellons

 

The most exciting, BESTEST, thing that happened was Miss Hallie Grace Wellons arrived while I was in town!!!! EEEEKKKKK!!!!!!!!!! I still just light up talking about her perfectly darling self. After a bit of a scare during Sarah Baker's 38 week ultrasound the doctor suggested that she go ahead and induce. She went in the next morning and Hallie Grace was born early that evening on July 11, 2013, weighing in at six pounds, nine ounces of pure preciousness. At closer examination the doctors said she was perfectly fine and she was just ready to meet all these people who were wanting to love and snuggle on her! ESPECIALLY her favorite Aunt Rebekah. We just absolutely positively bonded immediately and I think it's safe to say we'll be super close.

 

 

 

 

 

Our first glimpse of baby Hallie!! Ben was texting us pictures from the delivery room.

Grandaddy and Mr. Bill guessed the correct weight! Pretty proud of themselves ...

 

 

 

 

 

She's very, very, VERY special!

 

 

This concludes Part I of our Arkansas Adventure ... there's just nowhere else to go after seeing that sweet face!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easter 2013

This year it was just our little Boone family, party of five here on Easter. It turned out to be wonderfully wonderful and we had a great day.
I was so exciting to see the kiddos catching on to the miracle of Easter and what we really celebrate every day in our Christian walk ...
He died, that we might live.
He mightily saved us from death, gracing us with eternal life.
He thought of us above all.
For God so loved the world.
What love is this?
Oh! Amazing love.
Saturday we went to an Easter Egg Hunt on the High School football field. Picture a gazillion eggs, but five gazillion children. And freezing temperatures. And teenagers from the history club trying to lead "the chicken dance" for toddlers who were throwing tantrums one right after the other waiting to fill their baskets
with no interest in said chicken dance (does anyone have any interest in the chicken dance? No? That's what I thought.)




After they blew the whistle the five gazillion kids darted onto the field getting their 2-4 eggs per person. And it was over in like 45 seconds. Kinda wanted my money back.
It did turn out to be a pretty day so we played all day at the park which was lovely.
Aaron went out that night to fill Easter baskets ... He said I always get to do the "fun stuff" and he wanted a turn (made me laugh). I've never seen more candy in my life. Wish I would have taken a pic, he did a great job. :)
Easter morning we woke up a little late (shocker) and so Easter baskets were eaten thru in the car in attempt to spoil their cute outfits. Good thing I snapped a pic early on!




Love these lambies!
Our series at church the last few weeks preceding Easter were about Epic Fails prepping us for a fabulous sermon on the Epic Win we have in Christ.
We are so, so blessed.
Dalton and Sawyer sang in big church that morning. Cutest, cutest thing.
We went to brunch at The Cellar in Owego, NY with the Knoxesband Noordhoek's; the food was oh-so-delish and the company was delightful. See ...












The rest of the day included looonggg naps and watching The Bible mini-series.
So thankful He rose! Thank you Jesus! Hurry back!
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Location:Owego, NY

Spring Break with My Lovies at Home and in NYC

So, this morning as I was drinking my chai tea latte and wishing I was anywhere but in my germ-filled house full of the yuckiest stomach virus from nowhere but the deepest pit in hell which is clearly some kind of demonic attack that will not overtake us ... Whew ... deep breaths ... We're going to live... Right? Someone please remind me we're going to live ...
I looked down at my little fun souvenir mug from our Spring Break trip a couple weeks ago and realized I never posted any pics of the fun few days my mom and "little" brother Emerson came up to visit.

Ahhh, happier days. Let's reminisce ... Shall we?

Mom and Emerson didn't get in until late, late that Tuesday night but of course the boys and I waited up on Aaron to pick them up and bring them home to us like we were waiting for Santa on Christmas Eve.
I was somehow still cleaning at 11:30 (I blame it on all the little people. And the bigger person who is still a little confused about where the hamper is ... I kid, I kid).

I literally was so unbelievably giddy that my mama was in my house that I woke up at 5:30am to get up to wait on her to come drink coffee with me. I miss that part so much I can't stand it.




See my ridiculously big smile ... That's pure joy, peeps. (She took Avery to school with me, that's why she has her coat on ... We have heat in PA, not air conditioning mind you, but we do have heat.)

Dede spoiled us pretty much the entire time she was here. She's kinda crazy special.
On Wednesday we took the boys to do fun things since Avery was getting to go to NYC and all ... Chili's and Toys R Us are practically the same thing as a weekend in the city, right? Yeahhhh ... Not so much. But ya coulda fooled Dalton and Sawyer.









So Mom, Emerson, Avery and I woke up super early (read: 7am) Thursday morning to drive to Secaucus, NJ about 3 and a half hours away, where we were planning to catch a train ... But we couldn't find the train station ... Clearly vital. So Mom in all her infinite wisdom comes up with a lovely plan (from the passenger seat) when she exclaims, "Rebekah, the DoubleTree has Valet, let's just drive into Manhattan, let's do it!"
Reminder: she's in the passenger seat; I'm driving. So that "we" she's talking about is her sitting in the front seat looking at the lights, sipping some Starbucks and texting my sisters. I would be the one anxiously maneuvering the traffic of New York City where people walk out in front of your car because they're in a hurry, and insane taxi drivers that may or may have been freshly immigrated to American soil completely ignore all traffic signals/ lines/ and just common sense and decency in general.

But, somehow Mom made it sound doable, and maybe it was. But it was also EXTREMELY stressful. However, we did it and survived without hitting pedestrians or even getting flipped off by any cab drivers that we know of. So, hey- I call that a success.

We celebrated our survival with brunch at a touristy haunt in the theater district that we really like- Juniors.






Then spent the rest of the morning going places we'd never gone on our girly excursions of the past: M & M World, The Disney Store, Toys R Us, etc. Quite a few tears were shed at the realization we left A's American Girl Doll at home, thus eliminating our trip to get Kaya's nappy hair braided back to American Girl perfection at the little girl Mecca -The American Girl Doll store. Oops. But, she pulled herself together when we found an H & M and she could get her shopping on.

Avery sort of ran the show... Which was fine.

Unfortunately it was FRIGID. I will never ever go back that time of year ... So windy and cold and just not fun weather. To be honest, most of the time it was just way too much for Avery- All the walking, plus the weather, just exhausted her. She had moments of delight, but that was mainly while we were eating ... Like mother, like daughter.

Here's the Instagram-version of our trip since I couldn't talk myself into taking my big camera out and about.


We were oh-so-sad that the Lion King was totally sold out ... Next time, sister!




In line for the Ferris Wheel at Toys R Us ... She was pretty pumped about it.



Loved it.

I didn't take any pictures of walking through St. Patrick's Cathedral, but Avery loved that too. We lit candles and prayed and just sat in the amazing structure. It's still having a lot of reconstruction right now, which was kind of a bummer, but it is just lovely. So, I'm really glad we made the stop.

That night we walked next door to The Palace Theater to see Annie.








It. Was. Darling. I totally thought Avery would sleep through the whole thing because she was so exhausted, but she was absolutely enamored with the whole show. Literally on the edge of her seat the whole show. We all loved it- even Emerson! Those kids were crazy talented ... encore! encore! (Do you say that at the theatre? No, wait, I think I meant Bravo, yes- Bravo! Bravo!)
We're hoping to go back for a couple days with Aaron's mom, Aunt Mandy and Avery's favorite person in the whole wide world, Maci, this summer and Avery is already counting down to seeing it again.




Not gonna lie, she was pretty pumped about the hotel stay. She's always extremely excited when we stay in hotels, so it was a highlight for her.




Okay, so I've only been to the city a few times, so I'm obviously not an expert, but Bond 45 is definitely our fav spot for brunch and we've gone back every time. It's DELISH!









We were going to do the NBC Studio Tour with Emerson but it was sold out for the day, so we just looked around.






Then we did a touristy walk through Rockefeller Plaza ...



Clearly Avery was wearing thin.

We also did one of my very favorite things to do in NYC, a carriage ride through Central Park for almost two hours, which makes me laugh typing out. But we totally love those as I mentioned after our last trip too. :)


How huge are Emerson's feet? I swear people mentioned them everywhere we went. I'm sure it had nothing to do with those neon yellow shoes you could see from the top of the Empire State Building.
I shouldn't make fun since he was more than gracious enough to let me borrow his humungous coat so I could pass mine to Mom ... (That's my way of saying I'm not quite as poofy in real life as I look in these pictures.) ;)



We stopped at Magnolia Bakery for some cupcakes and tea and then at one more yummy eatery before deciding we had really had enough fun for one weekend (read: Avery was falling apart).
So we made our way back through the streets of Manhattan:



And back to our quiet little town where we belong.



Loved, loved having them here for almost a week ... I just love them with my whole heart and am so blessed when they get to come live life with us for a little while. Being able to reach out and hug on them whenever I want was far too wonderful.
xoxoxo dear ones, come back soon!!


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If Only ...

If only my laptop hadn't bit the dust last week I would post pictures and the like ... but the iPad will suffice for now. I'm still praying for a glorious resurrection ... it's Easter season and all ... so I believe in miracles of all shapes and sizes. He parted the Red Sea y'all- I just saw it on the Bible mini-series ... how hard could it be to let the lap top live a little longer?

If only we were in Little Rock then I would have taken all my kiddos to our normal Pediatrician and been in and out in record time. Diagnosis' given, prescriptions written, and Sonic-slushies-slurpen for all our sore throats ... but that's not the case. We are officially the sickies in the Boonies. Three of the five of us have confirmed cases of strep, and the other two of us strangely came out negative. But, I don't believe it for a minute.

If only we were in Little Rock Maw would have probably moved in for a couple days and had every bit of throw up laundry cleaned, every dish hand washed and put away and my floors looking like the top of the Chrysler building. Not to mention my Gardenia bush and buttercups would probably be blooming there so she would have freshly picked flowers perched in all the right places ensuring "get well soon" was happening any moment. She would be reading Peter Rabbit, snuggling, cooking, and loving us all like she does wayyyyyy too well to be 1300 miles away. But who's counting.

If only we were in Little Rock my Rachy would have been there to come get well kids to go to the park or spend the night with her or something fun and lovely and non-sickly.

If only we were at home Sarah Baker would have delivered Fresh Market yummies to our house with a vast array of dessert choices and a bouquet of hydrangeas (she is way too conscientious to have stayed in the Plague-ville with us with baby Noah in the car and baby girl Wellons in her belly, but she would have spread some love no doubt).

If only we were in Little Rock my mama would be there to know exactly what I needed before I could think of it myself. She would be bustling around the house in an apron and bathing littles in Epsom Salt baths, making beds, rearranging my bookshelves, and somehow making my house look much nicer than it is. Because that's what she does.

But, we're not.

I'm in a sick, foggy mindset where I really just want my people.

However, my PA people have been pretty great too. Meals delivered, sick needs thrown at the door in hopes of not touching the door and thus catching the said plague themselves. Emily called last night begging me to tell her something that would make me feel better, "What about a yummy decaf latte from ... er ... well ... McDonald's?"
We laughed and laughed as she stumbled around for a yummy coffee shop (even though Dunkin Donuts lattes really are growing on me) before realizing there really aren't any in our tiny town. Coffee actually surprisingly sounds pretty awful anyway, I only want my ice water ... Apparently thats all anyone else wants as well, as my cup has become quite communal, driving me to the edge of sanity several times. "I've fixed no less than fourteen gatorade cups today- drink your own people! Quit. Sharing. Germs."
It's just amazing we can't get well.

We're still alive though. Hanging by the edge, but alive. We could use some healthy prayers thought! Send them our way!!

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