Dear Kristy,

I am back from my vacation with my mom, my two kids, my 9 year old twin nephews, my 4 year old niece, my 5 and 3 year old nephews!!!!! Can you believe I am still alive? It’s a miracle and I will tell you a few reasons why.

First, we traveled over 7800 miles in the last two weeks!! Two adults, 7 kids, mind you! We could have almost made it to Alaska and back with all the miles we traveled. 2400 miles of our total was driving miles. To say I am exhausted would be an understatement!! You should see my eyes. They look horrible. I sent a photo to my mom showing her what the last two weeks had done to me. Jeff told me to erase the photo and pray no one else sees it. I actually have had some sort of allergic reaction to something. It showed up on Sunday. Both eyes are red and swollen. Not the eyeballs just the skin around my eyes look like I have aged 20 years!! They burn and itch too. Hopefully being back at home will cure all soon!!

We spent a week at my parents’ lakehouse in west Texas with all the kids. It was fun and HOT!! I was HOT down to my bones. I have soon forgotten what heat is now living in Virginia. It was an average of 105 degrees everyday. The lake water was around 85 degrees. The water was cold enough for us though. We spent the morning and late afternoons in the water. The kids are at a great age now because everyone wanted to be on the jet skis. If we weren’t fishing we were pulling kids on the tube. Even the little kids loved being pulled on the tube by the jet ski.

All and all everyone got along pretty good. There were a few spats here and there, mainly by the siblings!! We had a blast and I will write more later once I catch up on things around here!!

I pray all is well with you! I might have to break down and call you soon. I feel like I haven’t talked to you in forever, but that’s neither here nor there!

Racoon-looking,

Carolyn

Share