The Farwell Family

Wednesday we spent most of the day around home. We were signed up to bring a meal for the Vincent’s (Joe is our youth pastor who was in the mountain bike accident) so we just had them come over for dinner. Joe got back to Kirksville the day before and is recovering well. The kids had a great time playing and we enjoyed some good conversation. Then they came over to my parents’ to go swimming the next day. The weather was actually pretty nice so it was a good afternoon out by the pool. Andrew and I had a date that evening- well kind of. We decided to go to a fundraiser for a local politician. We hung out there for a little bit and then went to pick up the kids who were back to swimming. Actually Lincoln was busy being an electrician. Like a lot of kids, he has a fascination with cords so my dad just unplugged a couple extension cords that he proceeded to drag around.

Friday morning we headed down to Cassville for the Farwell Family Reunion. We stopped in Columbia to do some quick shopping at Hobby Lobby and get some lunch. Then we stopped again in Springfield because Andrew had a gift car to PFI that he ended using to by a saddle for the kids. We made down to Cassville in time do go out to dinner with Andrew’s family and Granny B. We headed to a park afterwards to let the kids run off some energy before we headed back to the hotel. But they got all wound up again at the hotel as they ran around and played in Granny and Papa’s room. Lincoln even tried a little walking. He only wants to do it when he wants to, not when someone else tries to get him to do it. The next morning we woke up early, grabbed a quick breakfast at the hotel and headed to Roaring River State Park to feed the fish at the fish hatcheries.
We also made a little trek up a path they call Deer Leap. I was worried that Ellie would quickly tire, but she did a good job.

The lookout at Deer Leap. Then we headed back to the hotel, got ready for the day and made our way to the reunion. One of Andrew’s family members brought some balloons and was making balloon animals for all the kids. It kept them all entertained for quite a while. Granny B got to come to the reunion too so we tried to get a quick picture of her with all her great-grandchildren. Not the best, but it will work.
After the reunion we made the 6-hour trek back to Kirksville. Thankfully Lincoln slept some this time because he was pretty grumpy the rest of the trip. I’ll try to attribute it to his one-year molars coming in. Sunday we went to church and then Andy, Autumn and their kids stopped by for a little visit. They were in town for a class reunion and all of our family was out of town. Then after they left, we ran by Payless to get Ellie some dance shoes while it was tax-free weekend and BOGO (and I had a 20% off coupon !) then we headed over to my parents for a little swimming. It is so sad to think that this is the last week of summer for the kids. They start back to school next Wednesday. It went by soooo quick.