June 29, 2026-Plant Mission Trips and More State Parks

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Robby had a call this morning so he tried to quietly sneak outside to do it. Marley heard though and asked to join him. She stayed out there with him until he finished.

Then we walked Spider Creek Trail at Crowley's Ridge. It was about a mile long, but I made it a little longer when I realized that I didn't have my phone. I had just had it, and my short pockets are so shallow that it just fell out. We turned around and started retracing our steps. It didn't take too long thankfully for me to find it, and we were back on our way.

After our trail walk, we came back to the campsite to brush the dogs. We could already see that there were quite a few ticks crawling around them. We were able to get most of them, off, but man, we have dealt with ticks all day. Hopefully, we have taken care of all of them.

We soon hooked the car up and headed to a new stop. First, we stopped at the post office to mail off a book. Then we stopped at our 37th state park-Herman Davis. It didn't take us long to explore since it is just a statue on a corner block in Manila, AR.

We then drove on towards our next stop which was a spur of a moment stop-the boyhood home of Johnny Cash. We weren't too sure that we were going to make it when the GPS started to direct us down a dirt road. We skipped a few dirt roads, but eventually ended up on one when we headed to the home.

The tour guide was good, and the tour was short, so afterwards, we went back to the visitor's center and walked around there. We ate our very late lunch in the camper, before driving on to our next stop — Lake Poinsett State Park. 

We pulled into our site here and didn't see too much of the park since we will do some more exploring tomorrow. Whitman and I played a game before supper, and then Robby heated up a pizza for Whitman and butter chicken for us. Now we are watching Johnny Cash's movie Walk the Line. 

June 28, 2026-Plant Mission Trips and More State Parks

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It was a perfect night of sleep last night. I fell asleep before anyone else in the camper plus I had a great nap today, so I am very well rested and might stay up later than Whitman or Robby tonight. When we woke up, Robby and I took the dogs on a trail that is right next to our camper.

The Dancing Rabbit Trail was just about 1 mile since we only did half of it. It had a neat swinging bridge, but Bentley was not interested in the other bridges at all. They had holes in the metal which she did not like-I was able to get her across the first one, and she improved with each one that we had to cross. 

We came back and had our breakfast, and then we went to the visitor's center and walked around this state park, Crowley's Ridge, some more. This is the first time that I have seen a state park with an inflatable water jumpy thing-I'm sure there is an official name, but I'm not sure what it is. It was 20 an hour, and no, we didn't let Whitman see it. He wouldn't have enjoyed it by himself, but with his sisters he would have loved it; however, it was 20 an hour-kind of pricey.

Now this state park does have an interesting group cabin area-there are 5 bunk house type cabins which are really pretty plus a dining hall all for 300 dollars a night. We even talked to the man at the visitor's center about it because it was just intriguing. Our little family might be big enough one day to need the group camping cabins here.

Despite the water contraption, this is still a pretty state park. We came back to the camper and woke Whitman up. After he had his breakfast, we went down the road about 8 miles to Lake Frierson State Park. It is just another state park with a lake. It is mostly a fishing lake because there were only 7 campsites. We did walk one short trail, before heading back to our campsite.

This afternoon I did crochet a bit and read some, but I guess my body is just wired for a Sunday afternoon nap. Back at home, Reagan and Anderson went to church and to eat at Grannymom's house. Robby said that Anderson washed their cars as well. We did get a report from Campbell this afternoon-it is hot, she bought a fan, and her air mattress doesn't stay filled with air though she sounded like she was having a blast. We have seen pictures of Keaton and Graham, but they haven't checked in with us.

Tonight we drove to Jonesboro for a hamburger for Whitman at 5 Guys and for ice cream for all of us at Andy’s. Then we came back to the camper and played a game. We played Castle Panic, one of Whitman's new games. It is a good one, and I even think that Robby enjoyed it.

Now, we are in for the night except for occasional potty outings for the dogs. I am going to crochet a little bit and possibly read some more. Except Robby think he might have saw a bobcat on his lost dog potty visit so thinking both dogs can hold it until morning!

June 27, 2026-Plant Mission Trips and More State Parks

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The morning started early with Campbell and Keaton having to be at church at 8 to leave on their mission trip to Austin. We left in time to pick up some doughnuts on the way. Keaton only ate some of hers because she was worried about her stomach being upset on the trip-I understand that. 

The rest of us were not worried about this because we all had our fill of doughnuts. When we came home, Robby went to work getting things ready to leave while I started getting ready for myself to leave. I left to meet Dana and Grannymom to go to a baby shower for Josh's baby. It was in Star City so we had a bit of drive, but it was a sweet little shower. 

While I was gone, Robby took Graham to the airport for his flight to Denver and then onto San Diego. His flight leaving Denver was delayed, but he landed safely albeit 90 minutes late. He had a smaller group on his mission trip, but he was excited for sure.

I made it home earlier than Robby had expected. It didn't take too long for us to get everything ready to leave, load up Whitman and the dogs, and to leave. We told Reagan and Anderson bye, and then we headed towards Crowley's Ridge State Park. 

We had a super easy drive except for the few miles of detour that we took-Robby knew immediately that we weren't heading the right way, but it took a long while for us to find someplace to turn around. Thankfully, we found a gas station which worked perfectly because the dogs needed to potty, and we also needed gas.

We made it to the campground around 8 or a bit before. We are at the end of the loop, and even though there were neighbors right next door watching us back in which adds to the stress, we did perfectly. Robby backed up like a pro. 

We got all settled, and then Robby and I took a short walk around the campsite. We came in and started on our supper-hot dogs. While we were eating, Campbell and Keaton made it to Austin. We cleaned up after supper, and currently the dogs are laying on the bed with me!

June 26, 2026

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• Robby had his dgroup this morning. I saw on my phone when he left the house, but I quickly went back to sleep for a little bit. It was kind of nice, but I really should have been doing a few things around the house.
• Today has been a fairly busy day, though I'm not really sure what all we have done nor am I sure how it is already 9. Graham was the first one to leave today-he went to eat lunch with some friends, and then he went to Walmart to buy some snacks. Him buying snacks is very different than the girls buying snacks-he barely bought enough to matter.
• Whitman and I started on an escape room type game around noon. We probably played it for about 2 or 3 hours today, but we finished it. We are both a little dorky and really enjoy those games. I'm not sure if anyone else would like them-well, I do think that Anderson would like them.
• Anderson left first this afternoon to go and help some some yard work for Pops. He left at the same time that Reagan, Campbell, Keaton, Reagan, and Whitman went to Sonic-I think that Reagan was making missing Sonic yesterday up to Whitman.
• Robby and I left at that time too because we ran to the Sams and Walmart. We forgot our ice chest so our Sams cold things had to huddle together to stay cold while we ran into Walmart. We were quick so it was all good, and everything made it home still cold.
• Robby and I did some quick loading of the food in the camper, and then I helped Graham pack up his suitcase. Then all of us but Reagan and Robby played two rounds of a game.
• Then Campbell and Whitman went to pick up pizza for our supper. We all ate while we discussed the location of someone we all knew-the debate was if they were at the beach or not. It was quite an entertaining discussion even though none of us really cared if they were at the beach or not. 

June 25, 2026

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• Robby and I went to a funeral this morning. We ran to Walmart and the library on the way home. We had to buy breakfast burrito ingredients at Walmart, and then at the library, I had to check a book out since I had requested it, but then I had to turn it back in since I had already read it. 
• When we came home, multiple children asked us where we had been. I guess I didn't adequately post today's activities-I thought I had told people, but I guess not. 
• When we did get home, things got busy-we are loaning out our big white van this week, so friends came to get it. Then I left for the dentist with Reagan and Whitman. Robby went to work on making the breakfast burritos plus the internet man came by at the same time that he needed to get on a work call. I think that it was pretty hectic at the house for a while-but I was sitting in the dentist office peacefully working on my crochet.
• Whitman was done quickly, but Reagan had a little bit more work done. She didn't feel great on the way home, so we skipped Sonic and rushed her home. Last time poor Whitman went to the dentist, his car didn't get Sonic while the other one did. I told him that we would definitely pick some up next week-maybe even multiple times. 
• When i did make it home, I worked on wrapping the breakfast burritos for the freezer. Plus I made cinnamon roll Iaccoca. It was very good, and we snacked on it while we heated up our various suppers.
• Anderson power washed a good bit of the afternoon-he was so muddy from the dirty sidewalk that you could not tell where his boots ended and his legs began. I think that the power washing is not done for a while-if we have thought of it, it has been power washed. 
• Graham went to play pickleball this evening after he ate the warm cinnamon bread. Campbell wasn't going anywhere, but I think that her and Keaton might be headed to play volleyball later in the evening...however, I do not plan to leave the couch for much for the rest of the night. 

June 24, 2026

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• I guess since we have been staying up so late watching tv, I have been having hard time getting out of bed lately. It doesn't help too much that it has been kind of cloudy or even rainy the past few mornings. 
• When I did get up, I started on a few things around the house. I didn't make anything in the kitchen today, but Whitman did. I had to wake him up around 12:30 because he wanted to make homemade pizza for a late lunch.
• The dough took an hour to rise so we were all munching on pizza around 2. It was really very good-we did take a short cut and used jar sauce instead of making our own,
• Campbell had left early this morning to get breakfast with a friend, go shopping, get gas in her car with Robby, and then to a friend's house to swim. She made it back in time to start working on supper for the family.
• She made baked sweet potatoes with ground beef and avacados for the toppings. It was really good, but we made too many sweet potatoes so now I need to figure out something to do with them because I don't think anyone will eat the leftovers just as they are now, 
• After we ate, Campbell left again for another pool party. She is making the most of her summer vacation for sure. Reagan and Whitman are watching a movie tonight, and Anderson is working out in the garage, but other than that it is a quiet night around here.

June 23, 2026

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• We weren't too speedy getting out of bed today either, and I can't blame it on the weather. I did get up when Marley started stirring. She doesn't really bark or even whine much in the mornings, but I can hear her feet scratching when she starts stretching to wake up. 
• I was busy all of the day long-I even made two new recipes. One was a churro oyster crackers. They were good, but it was kind of like eating handfuls of sugar. The other recipe was a sourdough sandwich bread. The bread could not have turned out any more perfect, but it was just bread and not very flavorful, but I tried them which is all that matters.
• I am also working on picking out pictures for the year since we are so far behind. I used to do one month at a time, but today I picked out 6 months of pictures. It isn't hard to do and is kind of fun looking at all of the pictures, but it takes a while, a long while.
• Adi came over around lunch time to go to a movie with Campbell and her friends. Reagan, Graham, Keaton, and Whitman went to the same move at a different time today. I think that everyone really enjoyed the movie.
• They were not home too long until we all started leaving again. I left first to go to a mahjong meeting. I had much fun, and I feel like I understand it a little bit more. Keaton, Campbell, and Whitman left next for Bible study at Raymar. 
• Graham went as to Bible study too in another car. Anderson left the house next to go and play basketball, and when Bible Study was over, Graham met Anderson and the basketball people after Bible study. Campbell and her car load went with friends to go and eat pizza.
• I made it home before everyone else, but they all started showing up soon after. Reagan is the only one who didn't leave today, though on my way home I did spot someone that looked like her walking down Lawson-I even slowed down to make sure that it wasn't her.