Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina Vacation

We took a Fall vacation in September to Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina. We flew into Birmingham and drove to Tennessee to visit some good friends of ours we used to go to church with. We stayed Saturday night with them and went to church with them on Sunday. We had such a great time with Matt and Erin and their girls!

The next night we stayed in Nashville. We toured the Parthenon, ate German food, walked around the Grand Ole Opry, and the the Gaylord Opryland. The next day we went to Andrew Jackson's Hermitage, it was amazing. I feel like I have so much American history to learn about. We were going to go to the Country Music Hall of Fame but some friends who live in Huntsville, AL, invited us to come over for dinner and let our kids swim. They were our first friends in Germany. So we headed to Huntsville and visited the Space Center there first. Collin went to Space Camp several years as a child and it brought back memories for him. Then we saw Gary and Lisa. 

After visiting we had to drive to Tuscaloosa because Collin had work meetings the next two days. I took the kids to the McWane Science Center the next day and to the Tuscaloosa Children's Museum the day after. Then we drove many hours after work to Blue Ridge in the Chattahoochee Mountains. We stayed two nights in a really cool cabin. We rested, played miniature golf, visited an orchard, ate lunch in Murphy, NC. Then we needed to head back to Birmingham, stopping first at Six Flags Over Georgia, only to be sadly disappointed that their website had their hours wrong and they were closed.

So we trucked on back to Birmingham and enjoyed our last night of vacation before flying out the next day. It was a really fun vacation and we were so glad we got to see a few friends on our trip.

At a fun State park after church in TN

Parthenon in Nashville

Parthenon in Nashville

Parthenon in Nashville

Tennessee's State Capitol Building

Grand Ole Opry

Gaylord Opryland

Andrew Jackson's mansion

Space Center AL

Playing in our friends' pool

Good friends from Germany

McWane Center

Children's Museum in Tuscaloosa

Children's Museum Tuscaloosa

Capitol Park in Tuscaloosa, AL

Murphy, NC

Blue Ridge, GA

Georgia Mountains

Happy 4th Birthday Jackson!

Dear Jackson,

You are now four years old! It seems like only yesterday we were welcoming you into this world. You are spirited, compassionate, and loving. You like to take risks and tell me I'm beautiful almost everyday. 😀 You can be the sweetest person or the meanest. It really depends on your mood. For the most part you are sweet and fun to be around. But when you get mad, you get MAD! 

At night, you always thank God for your family members by name and your friends (and sometimes their parents) by name. You love to build things, take things apart, and help out. I think one of your love languages is acts of service. Anytime I need help, you eagerly want to help me. This summer you kept your room nice and orderly everyday. You also did a great job making your bed. You also love helping with the animals.

This year you wanted a Superhero Birthday party. Complete with capes and masks for your friends. Spiderman is your favorite character but you like all of them. We had it at our house with a water slide, slip n slide, dinner, and cake. Superman even showed up! You had a blast with your friends and we love watching you have fun. I found a Spiderman pinata and you ended up breaking it! 

Your favorites are:

Friends: Everybody (Grace, Ethan, Brandon, Emi, and Genevieve)

Song: "Tell Me Why" and "Linus and Lucy"

Book: Herald and the Purple Crayon

To do: Jump on the trampoline and exercise

Food: Pizza


You are 4 years old, 44", and 44 lbs! Your well-child visit went extremely well. We changed to a new doctor closer to us and he said you look great!

You are in preK this year and enjoy coloring and making things. Especially with glue, you love to glue things together and cut lots of little pieces of paper. You are taking a music class and a book class and are in Classical Conversations. 

We love you so much, Jackson!

Love,
Mom

Be a superhero and save the animals that were frozen!

You were surprised and excited Superman came to your party!

Birthday room decorated with 4s and balloons!

Bike Riders!

Caden and Jackson got new bikes for their birthdays this summer. Grace got one for her birthday in January. Grace learned how to ride her bike about a week ago. Then several days later, Jackson learned! Now all three kids can ride their bikes without training wheels!