Our Little Weekend Trip - MANATEE SPRINGS

This is one of the springs in FL - Manatee Springs. It is about 20 minutes from the Gulf Coast. As you can see, this water is crystal clear. It is very, very deep and also very, very cold (73 degrees)!! Once you get in tho and start moving, it feels great. We got up very early and drove 2 1/2 hours to get here. We stopped and had some breakfast on the way. Then we went hiking around the springs and then we went swimming. On the way home we stopped for a delicious dinner. We had an absolutely wonderful day together!!

From the mission

Here are some pics from when we went to La Purisima mission last weekend. We will put more on shutterfly some time this weekend .

Enjoying NOT having wheels!

The view from my window last night...

Two things I have truly enjoyed this spring here in Tennessee...are the gorgeous Southern Magnolia trees and the sweet fragrance of honeysuckle in the air!

We walked from our house to downtown Clinton today. This little town has more antique shops in it than I have ever seen anywhere else.

We ran(or walked rather, haha) a couple of errands today...to Ace and Walgreens. We were out walking for 3 hours today! Great exercise.

We stumbled into a treasure today! We discovered this classic old fashioned soda fountain shop! You can savor their delicious milkshake from one of those tall vintage soda glasses. We will definitely be coming back here...I can't wait to show this place to Kevin! :)

Friends and Frog Cupcakes

Yesterday, Jean and Ben came over for lunch and a fun afternoon of playing and visiting. I made everyone a Frog Cupcake for desert...then the kids and Jean decorated their own frog cupcakes, their finished cupcakes are pictured below. The kids had fun playing w/toys, serenading us w/the lap harp, drums, and xylophone, and then outside for some bike riding. It was a fun day!

Homeschool Field Trip

Today, a group of us homeschoolers from Antioch went on a field trip to Sam Houston's Historic Schoolhouse. We were taken on a tour through the museum and listened to a history lecture on Sam Houston's life. Then we sat in Sam Houston's schoolhouse, which he founded in the year 1812 and was the teacher at the age 17. I could go on and on about all the history facts that I found fascinating today...but, that would probably bore many of you...so, I won't. :) The kids did learn how to grind and sift corn into flour and how the pioneers made their wooden roof shingles and wax candles. At the end of the slide show, you will see Allyson and a group of girls pretending they are teaching in Sam Houston's schoolhouse.