The Best Day of Summer (Cave Springs Day)

Okay, I must put a warning on this post. It is LONG and full of pics...

As summer is drawing to a close much more rapidly than I would like, the girls and I made a spontaneous getaway to a quaint little town nearby. It was an amazing day! As Anna Grace came running over to me and said as she wrapped her arms around my neck..."this is the best day of summer!" And I whole-heartedly agree. I was unplanned (as you can see we were in our church clothes) and we packed nothing but a blanket and mom's camera. It was like we stepped back in time. From the sweet little elderly couples in their church clothes sitting on the benches outside of the antique stores eating their blue bell ice creams to the little man on the bridge who stood in awe of Adelynn in her soaking wet clothes. (he just giggled over and over to himself at her like he just couldn't believe what a mess she was!) I sat on a blanket on the grass or in a swing while I soaked in all the shade I could and the love of three sweet sisters enjoying every second with one another.

This store will forever bring a chuckle to me. We entered into the store as carefully as we could with all the stuff crammed everywhere. What appeared to be a sweet little old man sat behind the counter and we could barely see the top of his head. He spoke and we spoke back asking him how his day was going. He said, "I'm just entertaining lookers." I just simply smiled kindly and pasted by to look around the shop. He snapped right back at me..."Well, that may be funny to you but it's not to us store owners!!" He was offended and hateful! I was nervous! We got out of there as fast as we could. I told the girls how glad I was to be out of there since that man was upset. Ailee was concerned why he got angry at me. I told her he was just hoping to have more people shopping instead of looking around and not buying anything. She was quiet as we walked a few steps ahead in a line with all our hands locked together. Then she looked up at me very seriously and said..."Mom, no one is buying his stuff because it's all JUNK!" I just cracked up and couldn't stop laughing. That was exactly what I would have said back to the sweet man if I had not had the Holy Spirit to cover my thoughts and my mouth! I hadn't laughed that hard in a while and it felt really good!

(here's the adorable man who was amazed by such a cute little girl covered in dirt, fish food, dripping with water and a mile a minute enjoying herself!)

A kind couple visiting the area on their anniversary gave the girls a bag of fish food to feed the fish. (See what I mean...back in time, an adorable little town where people are so friendly. Well, except for the junk store owner.) Anyway, Adelynn lasted about 1 minute before she felled head first into the spring on top of the fish. It was priceless! Of course, she took it as now that I am wet I might as well just keeping swimming and dripped with water all afternoon!

While Ailee didn't care much for Antique shopping (except for the ice cream), Anna Grace loved it! She made promise we would go again really soon! I know Granny would be proud. Just like our normal Sunday adventures when I was growing up.

Ailee lead the way with no hesitation or fear at all inside the cave while Anna Grace, the protector, wouldn't let Baby A out of her sight.

(this is the scary hole you guys went into and I worried you might not come back out!)

(anna grace, you spent your only 3 quarters to buy your sisters and yourself a blow pop from the cave store.)

I heard someone say as they came out of the cave..."that was the best dollar I have spent in a long time!" I was thinking the same thing. The four dollars it cost us four to see the cave and enjoy this day together was the best use of our money in a really long time. Oh yeah, it cost us $4.75 including the blowpops!

Perfect summer day with my girls. We MUST do that again soon!