August 2010

August this past year was a great month. Hallie and I went on vacations ALL month long. For the first two weeks we went to Utah and San Diego for the APA conference. In Utah I left Hallie with Grandma Buswell and went canyoneering with my friends and it was fantastic! My favorite was the wet canyon and the 150 ft rappell of corona arch.

When we got back to North Carolina we went on even more vacations. North Carolina has much to offer as far as beautiful scenery--both the beach and mountains are not too far away. So we first ventured east to the beach. We went to the outer banks which holds the home of the first flight by the Wright brothers. So we went that the museum there, enjoyed the beach, and toured a coast full of old, stately lighthouses.

Then we ventured to the western side of the state to go camping in the mountains among other things. We went to Mt Airy where the Andy Griffith show is filmed after, we drove along the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway, went to the "Holy Smokies" (Smoky Mountain National Park), and toured through the amazing Biltmore Estate. I have never seen anything like that mansion. If anyone ever gets a chance, you must see it!

To finish up the month we traveled up to PA to visit my grandparents before we took off for a vacation for the whole month of September. We met up with Janice Smith who is a SAINT! I was talking to her one day on the phone telling her about how Ashton and I were going to Europe for a graduation gift for finishing my Master's degree and she asked if we were going to take Hallie. I said that I was still unsure and she said that she would fly from AZ to the East coast and pick Hallie up for us and watch her the whole time we were gone. And it was just that which she did. She flew out there, picked up dear Hallie, watched her not only while we were in Europe, but while we drove back across the country. We are so grateful for her in our lives.