July began with a bang! We traded our two cars in for one mini-van, better known as the "swagger wagon" to Alan. We swore we would never get one...but, it has been a great car for us, and it felt good to be a "one-vehicle" family. We headed out the same day for a long camping trip with Grammy and Grampy throughout northern Michigan in a camper (Oak thought it was so cool to be able to sleep in a bed while we were driving). This was another first for the kids...it was an adventure (no pictures to show), and we had a really fun time exploring Lake Huron (brrrhhh, very cold and rocky, but so beautiful), Mackinaw Island and some new campgrounds! We came home for two days and then headed out on our long road trip to Dallas. Our plan was to drive 6-7 hours a day and camp wherever we landed each afternoon. The kids had already proven they were troopers and loved to camp, so this seemed like a great idea...we forgot to factor in the heat index as it grew hotter as we headed south. Needless to say, we attempted to camp both nights on the way down, but ended up using Dad's "pool and cool" fund to stay in cheap, but clean and cool hotels. Crazy, fun stories to re-tell someday. We enjoyed our stay in Dallas, catching up with our good friends, the Dyers, my aunt and cousin, and all of the Carter Family. We went to a water park, the Dallas Aquarium, Ft Worth Zoo, and Alan attended a school conference...and we all had a blast. On the way home, we hit two new cities for us, Nashville and Louisville (and of course, we took the Slugger Museum tour). It was a great first road trip as a four-some and Alan declared as we arrived home, "this is definitely how we are traveling for the next few summers, let's head west next year." And so, it actually seems we might be going to Colorado for next summer's school conference....Once home, we enjoyed hot summer days and celebrated our sweet Isla turning one year old...she is our treasured girl!!
Oak on his first "real train" ride at the Ft Worth Zoo
Our new "vehicle" when Daddy takes the van. The bike and trailer became very useful for getting groceries and getting us around the 'hood!
Most of our small group kids playing after church
Asa hanging out with us for a fun July day
Isla in Nashville...she might end up in this City. She loves music so much that at the slightest beat of any type, she moves and dances...thus, we have instated nightly Carter Dance Parties in our kitchen!!
Carter Fam on White Rock Lake...we showed many of our old stomping grounds to the kids during this trip and had some fun laughs down memory lane. We loved living in Dallas and miss our friends and family there so much!!
A lake in Illinois (can't remember the name) that was our 1st pit stop on the trip down to Dallas. Beautiful lake that "you are not allowed to swim in!" Say what to Michiganders??
Our 2nd pit stop was at Lake Ouachita State Park, Arkansas. A most gorgeous place...but as you can see from our clothes and faces beyond humid and hot...and the lake was so warm that there was no reprieve to be able to sleep. This is Alan moving our tent to a 2nd campsite we thought might be a little cooler...we ended up packing up at midnight and driving to find any available hotel, which was over an hour away...so crazy!!
Naked and sweaty, but having fun:)
Carter Ladies at Dallas World Aquarium
Mommy and Oak enjoying the waterfall
Cousins watching the sharks
Walking the Stockyards and enjoying some BBQ in Ft Worth
Casey Jones Train Museum in Tennessee-Oak loved it!
Louisville Slugger Museum- a childhood dream of Alan's and really cool to see the process. We all got miniature wooden bats!
Maxwell's 3rd Birthday party (they waited for us to get home from our trip-how sweet!)
Small group at the Beach and Bella's 4th Birthday Party
Oak on his first "real train" ride at the Ft Worth ZooOur new "vehicle" when Daddy takes the van. The bike and trailer became very useful for getting groceries and getting us around the 'hood!
Most of our small group kids playing after churchAsa hanging out with us for a fun July day
Isla in Nashville...she might end up in this City. She loves music so much that at the slightest beat of any type, she moves and dances...thus, we have instated nightly Carter Dance Parties in our kitchen!!Carter Fam on White Rock Lake...we showed many of our old stomping grounds to the kids during this trip and had some fun laughs down memory lane. We loved living in Dallas and miss our friends and family there so much!!
A lake in Illinois (can't remember the name) that was our 1st pit stop on the trip down to Dallas. Beautiful lake that "you are not allowed to swim in!" Say what to Michiganders??
Our 2nd pit stop was at Lake Ouachita State Park, Arkansas. A most gorgeous place...but as you can see from our clothes and faces beyond humid and hot...and the lake was so warm that there was no reprieve to be able to sleep. This is Alan moving our tent to a 2nd campsite we thought might be a little cooler...we ended up packing up at midnight and driving to find any available hotel, which was over an hour away...so crazy!!
Naked and sweaty, but having fun:)
Carter Ladies at Dallas World Aquarium
Mommy and Oak enjoying the waterfall
Cousins watching the sharks
Walking the Stockyards and enjoying some BBQ in Ft Worth
Casey Jones Train Museum in Tennessee-Oak loved it!
Louisville Slugger Museum- a childhood dream of Alan's and really cool to see the process. We all got miniature wooden bats!
Maxwell's 3rd Birthday party (they waited for us to get home from our trip-how sweet!)
Small group at the Beach and Bella's 4th Birthday Party
Isla Lynne Carter, July 28- 1 Year Old!! Isn't she beautiful? We are so blessed with our little girl- she is sweet, lovely, fiery, strong-willed, tender, funny, tough, a dancer, a smiler, a snuggler...thank you, Lord, for letting us be a part of her life!
Butterfly cupcakes
Yum, yum...mom, I know what I'm doing here, no problems!!
Happy 1st Birthday, Isla Boo-Boo!
Butterfly cupcakes
Yum, yum...mom, I know what I'm doing here, no problems!!
Happy 1st Birthday, Isla Boo-Boo! 
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