Back in the Land of Southern Hospitality

Friday, Cole and I traded our view of the Hollywood mountains and the insane rush of traffic with Prius' and Porche's for the laid back, no-rush-to-get-anywhere hassle free commute filled with trucks and camo.  Yep, we're back in Arkansas.

My mom picked us up at the airport so we could use her car while we are in town (and so she could be the first to see us!).  She lives 30 minutes south of Little Rock in the hopping town of Redfield, population 1,400.  They don't have a stop light but they are famous for the Big Orange restaurant.  After we left her house, it was so funny listening to Cole compare Little Rock to LA.  Things such as, "Man, they sure do drive slow here."  "I haven't seen a Porche since we landed."  "I can't believe there is no traffic."  "Why is this person driving so slow?"  Haha, welcome back to the South where the pace is slow, the tea is sweet and they don't look at you weird if you ask for cheese dip (we have yet to find a Mexican restaurant in LA that serves cheese dip.)

It is so nice to be home in my own house, in my own bed, with my own animals and snuggled in front of the fire.  Yowzers, I forgot how cold 24 degrees is....IT'S COLD!  But, I promised Spencer I would not complain and I wasn't; that was merely an observation.

My morning started early when I woke to the sound of gun fire.  I know what you're thinking and no, I honestly have never heard actual gun fire while living in LA.  But when I hear it at 7:30 a.m. and it is very close to my bedroom window, I am reminded that it is hunting season in Arkansas and my neighbor is probably standing on his back deck in his boxers shooting into the woods.  Argh, won't the objects being shot at be there around 10:00 a.m.?!?!

My entire family braved the cold weather and joined us on the mountain for lunch and much needed family time.  Oh my, how I have missed all of them.  We had tons of food and so much fun.

The kids kept themselves entertained after they finished eating.

After lunch, the kids wrote notes and packed shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child.  I love that I can involve lunch, a craft and a worthy project all into one afternoon!

It's only 6:30 and I am already in my pj's and ready to head to bed.  Guess I will try to stay up a little longer. :)

"The Lord will fight for you, and you can be still."

~Exodus 14:14