Chattanooga

We went down to Chattanooga to visit with my dad, Joanne, and Bob.  Mercy slept in that morning until 8:40, so we got away a little later then we wanted.  We arrived around lunch time, and ate a great lunch with everyone.  The kids loved the toys under the stairs and also the ice cream!

Later that afternoon, we headed to the Children's Museum, in downtown Chattanooga.  The city is really beautiful:)  The kids had a great time playing and exploring.  They really liked the water play area, and the dinosaur area.  Mercy said her favorite part was playing in the big kitchen.  It is a great children's museum, and definitely one of the best that we have ever been to:)

Josiah is sharing his animal notebook with Joanne.

Bob and I

Mercy and I

Aedan playing in the water

Mercy checking out the water

Josiah is focused!

setting up waterways

playing the upright

go Aedan!

Josiah at the Geology field station!

digging for bones:)

drums

getting ready for the show

Aedan is the villian in this production.  Yes, he is dressed like a gamecock. haha

A star is born!

Mercy and I

my 3 bees

up!

up!

Waterloo (again!)

When Josiah heard that he missed out on going to Waterloo, he was eager to go himself.  He had a day off from school that week for elections, so I took the kids up there to play.  There is one really good spot for the kids to play.  (Which was where we were with my dad)  When we got there, some people were in the good spot so we went upstream to a different part of the river.  The water was deeper so the fish were harder to catch, and the rocks were bigger and a little slippery.  We played there some, and then the people left the good spot!  So we headed up there and played together.  The kids played so well, and we even caught some fish in the buckets.  It was a good day:)



I love this picture!  I told the kids to look different ways:)

more from Papa's visit

Just a few more pictures from my dad's visit.  He stayed busy while here.  He cleaned our back window:

He cleaned our bookshelf area.  WOW!  This is the best it has looked in a LONG time!

Mercy finally agreed to a picture with Papa:

And, we went to the trains one morning:

Waterloo

We went up to Waterloo while my dad was visiting.  It had been a while since we had been there.  I think the last time we went was for Aedan's birthday last year.  I am always unsure about finding Waterloo when I go there...like I won't be able to find the road to turn onto.  As we got close and then turned on the little road that takes you there, everything looked SOOOOO different!  Apparently, the tornadoes that came through last spring went right through Waterloo!  Oh, my...it looked SOOOOOO completely different, and unfortunately, not as pretty as it used to.  The little river is still there and the waterfall, but there are so many trees down.  We could even see where some of the trees were all burnt from being struck by lightning.

The kids enjoyed playing in the water and catching little fish!  Aedan loved to pick up the fish and play with them.  It was relaxing and a good time.  

You can see the background with all the trees down.  There used to be much more shade there.

Aedan

Some trees down:(  Also, just the tree line, in general, used to be SO much thicker (and pretty).

Aedan and Papa

a fish!

Aedan is so happy he has a fish in his bucket.

Mercy is checking out her fish.

The method to catching a fish!

waiting for the fish

Aedan holding his fish!

checking out the fish

Once again, holding a fish.

Mercy and Papa

Mercy and Aedan with Papa

Swimming with Papa

We went swimming one evening with Papa.  Ryan got Josiah to go off the board!  He had Josiah jump in all the way around the pool and in the deep end.  He then logically talked him into getting on the board.  Of course, once Josiah went off once there was no stopping him.  All he wanted to do was jump!  Mercy also went off the board for the first time! (with floaties, of course!)  She is a brave girl!  Before she jumps in she yells, "CANNON-BALL!!!"  It is so funny!

Cane Creek with Papa

My dad came to visit us at the end of July.  We went to cane Creek Park on the first day.  We fed the ducks, walked a little, and played on the playground.  The ducks were hungry so they were all around us as we threw bread to them.  Aedan went all the way accross the monkey bars there, which was a first!  After he did it once, I tried to get it on video, but then he was too tired to do it again.  Aedan and Mercy both loved the spinning doughnut.  Aedan went so fast, though, that he felt really sick afterwards.  I think it was the combo of the heat and constant spinning, of course!  Here are some park pictures: