Living with the Lawsons: Continuing a family tradition

We've been quite busy the past few weeks. Between cheerleading, pool time, and the lake, we've barely stopped! Summertime is so much fun, and even extra fun with two kiddies getting all kinds of new experiences. For Independence Day, we decided to go camping on the lake. No, not tent camping, because if you know me, you know I can't rough it. God knew what he was doing by making me live in the 21st century. He knows I couldn't rough it like the pioneers! We went in our RV. Call me high maintenance, I don't care. I can charge my phone, shower, and even dry my hair in AC. And actually cook a meal more than just hamburgers. Don't get me wrong, it's ok to "rough it". It's just not my thing. I need a real bed if I'm going to be pleasant on an overnight trip. Haha.

Let me tell you about our RV. My father purchased it while I was in high school. He drove it down to work for FEMA for a few months at a time, while we stayed in Knoxville. It was tough having him gone, but he made his way back soon enough. While he worked for FEMA, he lived in the RV. To say it was kind of crazy is an understatement. A motor home?! Haha, well, Kerry bought it and drove that puppy to the gulf coast for work! I can't imagine being my mom here in knoxville with four kids and no husband around for a few months at a time. I can't even handle a few nights doing everything when Brandon works late, much less MONTHS. My momma is the best, y'all. So's my dad. Hats off to my amazing parents. They're the sweetest.

Anyways, once dad came back from working, he got this crazy idea to load the entire family of six up in the Holiday Rambler for a month-long trip across the country. My sweet mother just went along with it. I can't imagine packing for a husband, a high school graduate, a freshman, an eight grader, and a kid in elementary school. They were both brave souls! So, we packed up and headed out. We saw all kinds of great things like Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, old Faithful, and much more. The grande finale was a huge fireworks show over Mount Rushmore on July 4th. At the time, I was a teenager that just wished she could spend the summer with her friends. Now, I look back and remember the time my brothers left a dead bird on my car as a prank or dad waking up every morning and cooking us a big breakfast outside on the skillet.

Fast forward to last year. The RV has pretty much sat since dad had his stroke. He offered it to give it to us and Brandon got super excited. I'm not gonna lie, I cringed a little. Haha. But we had a different idea. Instead of driving cross country, we'd just take it to the lake and park it. That way we had the best of both worlds-lake days out on the boat, and a quick trip to the camper instead of having to truck all the way home. Well friends, we chose a campsite a few weeks ago and were able to utilize it for the first time this July 4th weekend. My daddy's 4th of July camping tradition got to live on.

The kids were soooo excited to take a camping trip. They've already had tons of firsts this summer. They had been to the lake, but never in a boat. It's a new fav. So, Friday, we loaded all our junk up and headed up to the lake. Was it hectic? ....yes. Brandon knows I get worked up when all the kinks aren't worked out, and, well, they hadn't even hooked up the plumbing outside yet. So when I arrived, I kind of had a freak out moment. The fridge wasn't working (or so I thought) and that had me all worked up too. It turns out it did work, just took forever to get cold. I had raw meat, eggs, and milk people!! It was a dilemma! Everything was ok though, and the kids couldn't stop smiling. We got to cookout with Brandon's awesome parents Friday night. They were gracious enough to leave their boat for us to use because ours had some mechanical issues. Saturday, some friends came up and we went out on the lake. My mom and dad came out for a cookout that night too. They brought some kiddie fireworks, and Brandon and Chris gave a show for the kids. We roasted marshmallows, mad s'mores, and had a good ole time.

Julie just happened to be in town this weekend, so the kids and I met her at Menchies. We even had the privilege of meeting her new boyfriend. It was a party. We love frozen yogurt! I love spending time with my bestie. We may not see each other all the time, but we pick right up where we left off when we do see each other. I was so, so glad to share some yogurt and get a hug from her today. It was also the first time she met the kids! By the time we left, Laiken was playing school with both of them and Issak was laughing with them.

Laiken kept talking about having a tea party all weekend, so tonight we had a nice sit-down dinner. We tend to eat together a few times a week, but sometimes the kids sit at the bar. It's just easier to serve them there. It was so nice to just sit down together and share a meal. We even used fine china (AKA real glasses, dishes, and silverware. Paper is just easier for everyday-use with toddlers.) Laiken felt like a grown-up with a real glass instead of the typical Hello Kitty plasticware. It was a nice end to a fun-filled weekend. God is so good and we've truly been blessed. Hopefully we are making a difference in their lives. I know they've changed us, and I can only hope that they see more than just fun experiences. I hope they're truly feeling loved in a safe environment. Also, we've put in a transfer request for Laiken for kindergarten. To all my prayer warriors out there, pray that she gets into the right school where she should be. We should find out if her transfer is approved in the next few weeks.

Here are a bunch of photos from the weekend. Sorry for the overload! We just had a ton of fun! Just a few short weeks til we head to the beach! Words can't describe how pumped the kiddies are about it! Til next time, we'll be roasting marshmallows and basking in the sun on the lake!

Watermelon snack! (See her shirt? "My aunt rules". I had to buy it!)

Laiken's first time on a jet ski. She loved it. Our sweet friends let Brandon and I go on a short ride around while they watched the kids for awhile too. Reminded me of the old days when we dated and would spend every moment possible on the lake. It may be our favorite place.