Six Flags Over Georgia {Chloe's 12th Birthday}

It's hard to believe I have a 12 year old now. That's right! I officially have a tween.

The morning of Chloe's birthday, I surprised her with a cake and party decorations, since she wasn't having a party.

Each birthday, I let the kids decide on a party or a road trip. To celebrate Chloe's 12th birthday, we planned a two-day trip to Six Flags Over Georgia! We invited Chloe's best friend Samara and were all set to go!

Chloe's at that age where family pictures are so uncool, so I didn't get very many. Hey, but we'll have the memories, right?

Traveling during a pandemic is weird, especially to a theme park. However, Six Flags did a great job of keeping the crowds socially-distanced and the park sanitary. We enjoyed the park, even if it did rain most of the time. It was good to get out with the family and Chloe enjoyed spending the weekend with her bestie.

Chloe, I'm so proud of the young lady that you're becoming. You have done so well adapting to this changing world and shown so much resiliency, all while staying true to your values. I love your independent and caring spirit. You are so clever (sometimes too clever) and there is no doubt in my mind that you will prosper and have a successful future. I pray that you will always cling to the Lord and let him guide you in your purpose. I love you bunches! Happy Birthday, my sweet and beautiful girl!

Game On! It's Evan's 10th Birthday!

Evan turned the BIG 1-0!

I usually let the kids decide on a party or a road trip for their birthdays. Evan's choice is always a party. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it really wasn't an option this year. Evan decided to break the mold, and asked for a bunny for his birthday instead. This was a tall order considering none of the pet stores in our area had bunnies because of the pandemic, but I managed to find one through a Facebook sale page at the last minute.

Before the pandemic, Evan and I had been brainstorming party themes. Evan loves playing Minecraft, so we decided on it as the theme. In terms of cost, the bunny wasn't a tall order, so I decided to have a small celebration as well. I invited the grandmothers and Aunt Sara over for a Minecraft themed lunch. Evan knew about the birthday lunch, but he was surprised by the Minecraft set-up. If you know anything about me, you know I love a themed party!

We also surprised him with a yard sign. He loved it!

After lunch, Evan opened up presents. This one was a crowd pleaser. We found way too much enjoyment in watching the kids go after each other! These bumper balls lasted only a few days, but they were well worth the entertainment cost.

We really enjoyed our time together with the grandmothers and Aunt Sara! We had not seen my mother since quarantine began. The kids were used to seeing her every other weekend, so this small get together was good for all us. And, it made Evan's birthday all the more special. 

Happy Birthday, Evan! I hope you enjoyed your day. You have been such a blessing in our lives. I love how you always strive to do your best and your caring spirit. You make me so proud. I pray you will always lean on the Lord and let Him guide your path. Love you bunches!

Mentone {Spring Break 2020}

Do you remember how and when you found out that the world was shutting down?

I was at work when I heard the news of the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Alabama. The kids were at school and set to be released from school for spring break that afternoon. By that afternoon, parents received the phone call that their kids would not be returning to school after the break. Over the weekend, my workplace had contacted me about our new work schedule in order to keep employees socially distanced. Did I mention that in the midst of all of this, my husband was in Ecuador on a missions trip?! We began to worry that he would be stuck in Ecuador for an indefinite amount of time. God was on our side though, as Chris and the missions team were able to book the very last flight back to the U.S. from Ecuador until the following July! ~ 3/22/2021

The kids and I planned a trip to Noccalula Falls Park in Gadsden to stay in a cabin for spring break while Chris was in Ecuador on his missions trip. In addition, the kids were set to compete in our JBQ State Semi-Finals at Camp Springville following our stay at the cabin. We were ready for a fun and competitive spring break. 

Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the JBQ competition was cancelled. In the meanwhile, Chris had made it home from Ecuador (Hallelujah!) and we were still planning our trip to Noccalula Falls. However, we received a call the day before our trip that the park was closing and our cabin stay was cancelled. It was understandable, but the kids were disappointed. I knew we could still plan a fun, socially distanced trip, so I booked an amazing secluded cabin in Mentone. If you remember my post about our camping trip at DeSoto State Park with the cousins, Mentone is in the same area.

Before checking into our cabin, we made a pitstop at Little River Canyon Falls.

We also hiked to Martha Falls and we actually made it to end of the trail this time.

We arrived at the cabin a little while later. The cabin was situated on a bluff that overlooked part of the Little River. The kids had so much fun hiking and exploring the area.

We hot tubbed and relaxed at the cabin for most of the next couple of days. We did, however, venture out to Desoto Falls one afternoon for a picnic lunch and to view the Falls. Here were a few of my captures.

A sweet lady offered to take this picture of the whole family.

On our way home, we decided to have a final picnic lunch at Brow Park. We stopped by Mentone Market, a favorite stop during our trip, and picked up some grub. While the mountain views were incredible, this probably wasn't the best idea. It was bitterly cold outside and mountain winds were blowing around our lunches.

I'm glad we were able to salvage our spring break. We enjoyed our socially distanced getaway. It was nice to have lazy days at the cabin and to get out in nature, something that has become a rarity with our busy schedules.