"Pride Of Super" and Heading Home! (Vacation Part 7)

Coming and going, Liberty did SO good in the car...

Ryan said you can tell she's my daughter, because she always has her legs in some "Gumby" postion!

Most of the time, she relaxed just like this...

And slept like that too!

So, we drove from Kentucky to St Louis where we planned on finding a hotel. (Sound familiar?)

Obviously, we didn't learn our lesson from the first day of our trip and just figured we'd find a hotel on the road.

After all, what were the chances that American Idol would be in the same town as us the very next weekend?

But the hotels in St Louis were full.  ALL FULL.

Only this time, it wasn't American Idol, instead it was some mid-states baseball tournament along with about a dozen different conferences.

"No big deal" we thought.  "Let's just drive onto the outskirt cities and we'll find a place in one of those towns."

Then it began POURING rain.  We were having to drive about 20mph because the rain was coming down so heavy and there was VERY little visability.

All the hotels on the out-skirt towns were filling up fast because weary travelers were trying to escape the rain and wait it out while they slept.

We ended up driving around looking for a hotel for about 3 hours!  We were all EXHAUSTED, especially our hubbys-the drivers!

This is around 1am, driving from hotel to hotel.

Which eventually turned into this:

We finally found a hotel with vacancy at 3:30am (notice the car clock in the next picture)

Normally, someone couldn't have paid me to stay in a hotel like this, but we were all half-asleep as it was and just thankful for shelter!

I was so releaved to see Ryan walk out of hotel with a thumbs up! 

3:35am

It was the type of hotel where...

~~you couldn't really understand the front desk workers (also the owners) but they seemed okay with the fact we had one family with 7 people to a room and another family with 6 people to a room.

~~the comforters in the room didn't match

~~you wanted to wear your shoes at ALL times

~~and you want to cover as much of your skin as possible while sleeping so as little of your skin as possible touched the bed.

BUT it was a bed.  And we were honestly thankful!  Especially since Ryan and Chad were having trouble staying awake there towards the end!

We woke up the next morning and noticed the hotel sign out front:

"Super-Super Clean.  Pride of Super"

Dear RodeWay Inn, I'll admit that I'm not really sure what "Pride of Super" means, yet even so, I think I have to disagree with that claim.

Breakfast at Hardee's before hitting the road...

Our sweet little crew...

We had not a single "hiccup" the whole way until we were about 20 miles away from home.

Ryan pulled up close to a horse trailer and started talking like "Mr. Ed" to the horse inside.

He was entertaining the boys (and me!) with his voices when BAM!  Something flew up from the trailer and hit the windsheild.

I was laughing too hard at Ryan's "Mr Ed" impression to even care...but Ryan was frustrated that just 20 miles from home we had our first tradgedy!

So no, that's not a bird or an airplane you see in the picture, it's a crack...

Thankfully, this was probably the worst thing that happened the whole trip. 

Over this week and a half, we made some wonderful memories and had such great family time!  I'll remember this vacation forever...I hope the boys will at least remember bits and pieces!  I'm so thankful for pictures to remind them of our adventures!!!

Thanks for joining me for these looks back on our awesome vacation!!!

I'm sure we have more adventures ahead of us...just around the corner!!!

So be sure to stay tuned!  There is rarely a dull moment where the Wheelers are concerned!!!

 

The Creation Museum (Vacation Part 6) and a Giveaway!!!

(Be sure to see end of this post for giveaway info!!!)

Anyone who attended the "Defending the Faith" conference, also recieved a free 2-day pass to the Creation Museum in Kentucky!

We were all so excited!  After leaving Tennessee, we headed 5 hours north to get there.

My sister and I's families

(They bought this whole vacation for us!  What a blessing!!!)

As soon as we walked in, a man was in the lobby with a real-live snake to pet and hold...

My boys were so enthralled!...Well until it got a little TOO close!

Then they got to touch a real dinosaur fossil found in Montana!

We were there 30 minutes and Trusten said it was the best place he's ever visited! :)

Learning how they dig up fossils...very carefully!

The kiddos

First he really wanted this picture...but then when I stepped back to take it, he changed his mind!

Learning about the creation of the universe (and Man's wisdom compared to God's wisdom)

Daddy teaching them about the 7 C's of History

(Creation, Corruption (the fall), Catastrophe (the flood), Confusion (tower of Babel), 

Christ, Cross, Consummation)

"Meeting" and hearing from men in the Bible

I love this picture!  Praise the Lord for Truth...and my Blessings!

Now to the Garden of Eden!

(Samuel was little unsure of what that bear wanted...)

Adam is naming the animals behind us!

Inside the ark!!

Smaller replica

The people perishing

(Trusten was amazed at how tiny the people were...I was too!)

Noah's family, after the ark landed on ground, they worshiped and made an alter to the Lord

Then it was on to the DINOSAURS!!!

We had such a great time!  It was so neat to see these stories we've repeated to the boys so many times, displayed in such a real way!  

How encouraging to be able to take your family to a place where everything you've been teaching them and trying to pass onto them is reiterated and reinforced through sight, sound, touch and feel!

As adults, there were several times we were ALL moved to tears at the power of the Word, the strength and perseverance of our past fathers and the wonder of God's creation and his infinite wisdom in it all!

We look forward to returning again when the boys are older and can get some of the deeper concepts taught throughout the Creation Museum!  (I wonder how many kiddos we'll have then?!?!)  :)

This post will be linked to Wednesdays Walk Down Memory Lane at my friend, Jenilee's blog!  Not too long ago her family visited this museum too!

Today Jenilee is hosting a giveaway on her blog for a super-cool candle warmer!  You can see the warmers here (main site) or here (blog site) and join in the giveaway here!

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First vacation blog post: The Beginning of Our Vacation...Part 1

Second vacation blog post: Life at the Cabin: 14 people Living Together For a Week (Part 2)

Third vacation blog post: The Conference (Part 3)

Fourth vacation blog post:Out and About in the City ~Happy Birthday Hudson! (Part 4)

Fifth vacation blog post: A Smokey Mountain Hike (Part 5)
Next: The Saddest Day--Heading Home (and another hotel adventure!)

The Conference (Vacation Part 3)

If you haven't heard of Answers In Genesis, it's an amazing ministry devoted to proving creation and "reclaiming the foundations of our faith which are found in the Bible, from the very first verse".

Two years ago we (my sister Sarah's family and our family) went to our first "AIG" conference in Branson Missouri...Vision Forum was there along with Voddie Baucham.  It was a powerful week!

This year, many of the same families were back and it was so good to see so many familiar faces and catch up with a few friends that Sarah and I had made 2 years ago...

I even got to meet a "MOMYS" from my "QuiverFull" on-line group!  I've now met 5 MOMYS in real life, and it's always a special treat!

Including catching up with old friends, seeing how our families have grown, hearing the Word procliamed so boldy and sitting under some amazing teaching...it was a great conference!  We were encouraged, spurred on, reminded, blessed and challanged.

I love how you can go to a conference like this one, on "Defending the Faith" and get so much more out of it than just your "normal every-day preaching".  We left there even more grounded in our beliefs of homeschooling, freshly encouraged to trust God for our family size and burdened to pray even more for our nation and reach out to our lost neighbors!

Overall, with our family usually being the "odd men out" on homeschooling and desiring a big family, it was just SO good to see and hear that we're NOT alone and to be taught from the Bible on those issues!

We took our kids to the conference (everyone did--it was a family conference after all) and although the first day was a little rough (after such a looong car-ride they were restless!), they got used to it and by the second day, they were doing great and were excellent the rest of the week!

Brahm and Liberty proud of their new name tags!

We packed backpacks for each of them filled with books, a Bible, coloring books, pens, paper, matchbox cars and fruit snacks!  That kept them busy :)

Unloading the vans at the conference and getting ready to go in...

(See in the second pic how the sliding door to our van is open?  Yep...it stayed that way the whole night-we didn't know until we came back out to our vans!  Yikes! But praise the Lord nothing was stolen!)

During the sessions, it helped my children to observe the behavior of other kids their age.  There were several Amish families there and those kids are so sweet!  They sat so properly just listening the whole time with an occasional song or giggle escaping from pure joy.  Their parents would sweetly pat their leg with a smile and I heard one Amish mother say, "There is a time for everything...we'll run outside after a bit".

The Langhofer crew

(We sat in the VERY back every time...we weren't brave enough to sit in the front with all the kiddos!)

Our crew waiting to hear Voddie speak...

The first night we heard both a "State Of The Church" and "State of the Nation" sermon by Ken Ham. 

Other than that, we didn't try to make it to every session, every day...instead, we just went to hear Voddie!!!

He did his usual thing...talked about Biblical womanhood, manhood, the responsibilities of fathers in the home, the call to wives, legacy...  And he also talked about why Christians should be having more babies, about adoption, about homeschooling, etc.

Then there was Tuesday!  Tuesday was a day filled with sessions just for women.  Biblical womanhood, godly parenting, building a "one flesh" marriage...so my sister and I spent most of the day together!  We had such wonderful, uplifting coversations and just enjoyed our quiet time together!  I love my sisters--they are my best friends and role models FOR SURE! (along with my momma of course!)

Sarah and I getting ready to leave for our first "women only" session

(She's 4 years older than me, but I'm about 4 inches taller!)

My niece (and my name-sake) Isabelle Grace came with Sarah and I for the night session.

Favorite quotes from the conference:
"Once you question Genesis-and the earth being created in 6 literal days-you open up doors for ALL the Holy Scriptures to be questioned.  Genesis is our beginning...and it is literal."

"In Genesis 3:15 we read that as a result of  'the fall' there is now an enmity between woman and serpent, her offspring and his...he wants women to dread their body changing with pregnancy, he wants to scare them with the dreaded pain of childbirth...he doesn't want you to have any more babies.
Satan hates women...especially Christian women.  He hates them because of the enmity and because they bring about children that will one day praise and serve the Lord Almighty."

(Talking of careers and laziness among American boys) "Instead of teaching young men to 'find something they love and do it', teach them to 'find something to do and love it'...it's not about us!"

"The ONLY hope for victory for our nation is NOT in legislation, clever bumper stickers, letters to congressmen, it is in our Promised Redeemer-Christ our Savior."

"Abortion isn't just about life, it's about feminism."
"Today men are defined by 1-the ball field, 2-the bill fold, 3-the bedroom, and that's what our little girls are taught to desire in a partner."

"Reading self-help books is like football players taking instruction from cheerleaders.  You may feel pepped up, but for real, solid instruction, they need to listen the coach.  For us as Christians, our coach has left us a playbook...the Holy Bible.  It's all we need."

"Genesis 3:15-the two things that should bring us the most pleasure, were made to be the heaviest burdens of womanhood.  But loathe these things, instead seek the pleasure in childbirth and having our husband as our head and you will be BLESSED."

"Parents say their kids walk away from the Lord in college, but 87% of children have their first doubts about God when they are in Middle School, so we see they lost them long before college--they just didn't know it because they were already away at school."

"Your children are watching you, how you dress, what you say, even mannerisms...so live up the holiness God called us to--they are His kids after all.  Ask what He wants modeled for them?"

"When Adam and Eve sinned, they covered their private parts, but when God found them, he gave them a more sufficient covering made from animal skin.  Sisters, covering your private parts isn't enough for the Lord...he wants you clothed in righteousness, holiness and therefore, in modesty."

First blog post: The Beginning of Our Vacation...Part 1
Second blog post: Life at the Cabin: 14 people Living Together For a Week (Part 2)
Next blog post: Out and About in the City ~A CRAZY, Busy, Fun day!
Then: A Breath-taking Smokey Mountain Hike
Then: The Creation Museum
And finally: The Saddest Day--Heading Home (and another hotel adventure!)

Life at the Cabin: 13 People Living Together for a Week! (Vacation Part 2)

In my opinion, the Tennessee Smokey Mountains are one of the most beautiful places in the world!

This is the view from our cabin...(the clouds are masking the higher peaks)

We literally stayed at the tip-top of the mountain...

we were completely secluded and it was SO peaceful!

We stayed in a beautiful 3-story cabin

(can you see Samuel's little face peeking through the stair rails?)

Sleep

You may wonder where 13 people sleep in a 3 bedroom cabin...well, you get creative :)

Ryan and I's room-(lowest level)

Sarah and Chad's room (main floor)

Liberty slept in the laundry room-(lowest level)

Some boys slept on the couch downstairs-(lowest level)

The other kids bedroom-(top floor)

Samuel slept in the game room-(lowest level)

Esther slept in Sarah and Chad's huge bathroom, Truett slept in their room...and it never felt cramped...just super cozy!

Playing Around

And while they slept, we played cards...Every.Single.Night.  It was SOOOO fun!!!

My brother-in-law is one of the funniest guys I have ever known!  We laughed so hard...to the point of tears, to the point of peanut M&M's coming up my nose...you get the point :)

But we also had some really good, meaningful conversation: homeschooling, parenting, death, the love of money...and so much more!

Pool table in the game room

(the dad's loved this!)

I didn't get pictures of the other activities, like tubing in the river, but I did get some shots of the gang hiking just outside our cabin...

It was really steep and really far down...

Sarah, the two babies, El and I watched from the balcony...

We also watched a lot of movies...

While the girls did alot of chasing/hugging

Meals

To some, mealtime with 9 kids would be stressful...but for my sister and I it wasn't too different from our everyday lives :)

We planned ahead and made CrockPot meals (Cheesy Chicken with Rice, Roast, Chicken Soup over Mashed Potatoes...yum!  We all pigged out!)

The crew (minus the 2 babies, Sarah and I)

This night we had spahetti!

One evening after dinner, my sister and her hubby went into town. At 8:30pm I got my neice and nephews (the oldest 3) out of bed and gave them icecream...I mean, how could I possibly be a good aunt and NOT do this???

Huddy Buddy said, "Whoa, we better not tell mom how much you gave us!"

Another highlight of the cabin...

The whirlpool bath!  The boys loved turning the jets on!

It was just a fantastic week!  One of the best in our lives!  Thankfully, our 2 families get along SO well and our kids love each other!  The ONLY thing that would have made this trip better was if our whole family could have come!...Maybe next time!!!

Last blog post: The Beginning of Our Vacation...Part 1

Next blog post: The conference

Then: Out and About in the City ~A CRAZY, Busy, Fun day!
Then: A Breath-taking Smokey Mountain Hike
Then: The Creation Museum
And finally: The Saddest Day--Heading Home (and another hotel adventure!)