Gatlinburg Vacation

We spent last week in the mountains! The Smoky Mountains to be exact and we had beautiful weather. We enjoyed the National Park and downtown Gatlinburg, the pool at our resort and the Ripley’s Aquarium.

We hiked

View Full Album

Clingman’s Dome       Andrew’s Bald      Laurel Waterfall

 

We Swam

View Full Album

We walked Downtown

View Full Album

and visited the candy store :)!!

We were awed by the mountains and the wildlife

View Full Album

We loved the Ripley’s Aquarium

View Full Album

We had a great time, it was wonderful having Gabe with us all day every day for over a week :). I love vacations and am already working on plans for our next one!!

My lucky fisher-girl

Last weekend Gabe took Trinity on her first fishing trip. When we were back home two weeks ago Grandma and Grandpa gave her a real fishing pole (not the little kiddy kind). They went to the lake that is across the road from our house and had LOTS of luck!

They visited our local hardware store where they bought the worms. Gabe let Trinity tell them what they were there for and she was very proud to say that she was going fishing for the first time!!

There they are, the “big, fat, juicy worms”

Nope, she isn’t afraid to hold them either. Each time she chose a worm for Gabe to put on the hook she said "Alright big juicy worm, you catch us a nice big fish or your gonna go back in your container!"

They fished in a great spot. Gabe said several times that no sooner had the worm hit the water a fish was biting! They caught 6 fish.

Here she is when she caught the first one

Trying to reel it in, it must weigh 50 lbs or something :)!

And there it is!!! Her first fish!!

She did touch it but she didn’t want to hold it without the towel, she has to stay a little girly :).

She can’t wait to go again!!!

Family and Fun

Part 3 of our July trip back home

We stayed at my sister and brother-in-law’s house for our visit. They were gracious enough to let us take over their basement for the week! We had a great time visiting with them and celebrated my sister’s 30th birthday while we were there.

The kids enjoyed a game of “Mouse Trap”. I remember loving that game as a kid!! It is neat to see my kids enjoying the same games I did as a kid :).

We sang “Happy Birthday” to my sister, part of the cake is already gone because we had to keep the little kids occupied while we played the game and the cake worked like a charm :).

We were trying to find a good place to take a picture of all the kids and this was one of the test shots. It turned out better than the real ones as you will see later in this post.

We always go see Carrie when we are back home to get our hair cut and she styled Keenan’s this time. How stinkin’ cute is that!!

Ainsley wanted her picture taken also. Look at those cute, cute cheeks!

Trinity got an early birthday present from MaMa and PaPa. Tap shoes and Ballet shoes for her upcoming dance class.

My Dad and Ainsley enjoying a snack

My Mom trying to get Ainsley to smile :)

We had grand plans to get a picture of all 5 of the kids. We even found matching out fits (plaid shorts and solid color tops). These were the best ones that we got after many, many shots.

   When they are all grown up we wont care that they are not perfect pictures we will just be glad that we “went to all the trouble” to take them :).

We also went to the airport to pick up my in-laws. They were returning from their 3 week tour of Taiwan. My youngest brother-in-law, Derek, got married there and then he and his wife, Phoebe, took them on a tour of the country. They brought back some great stories and insist that Gabe and I must go visit Phoebe and Derek some time. They even offered to keep the kids so that we can go, I think we might have to find a way to take them up on that :)!!!! Even if it takes a few years to save the money to make the trip! They also brought the kids some great souvenirs (even if they are all noisy!) and an adorable outfit for Trinity.  I 

I can’t wait until Labor Day weekend when we get to see everyone again!!!

The Louisville Zoo

Part 2 of our July trip back home Here is a link to Part 1

The Louisville Zoo recently re-opened their sea lion exhibit and they also have a dinosaur exhibit that is leaving in August so it was on our must-do list when we were back home. Of course the middle of the summer in the Ohio valley is not usually a very comfortable place to be. The heat and humidity is horrible, to say the least! But when your only in town for a few days you go no matter what the weather and enjoy it as much as you can!

Keenan enjoyed the Gorillas

He also drank LOTS of juice to keep cool

The lion was thirsty too!

After he got a drink he wandered over and started ROARING right in front of us! The kids thought this was great!!!!

Trinity got to see her Dinosaurs, she liked these babies that were just hatching.

That is one big dinosaur!!!

Then we had a much needed ice cream break!! We had a great day at the zoo!

Starved Rock

We have been wanting to take the kids camping.  When the weather for last weekend was forecasted to be warm/hot but not to humid we decided to go for it! Gabe found a  great camp ground about an hour and a half from our house. There are closer ones but they didn’t have hiking or much to do during the day. Starved Rock is on the Illinois River and has 13 miles of hiking trails. The closest thing to Clifty Falls, from back home, that we could find.

We packed everything up and headed out Friday after Gabe got off work. The kids were excited when we got there and “helped” set everything up.

Gabe and Trinity setting up the “dinning room”  (the screened in room that covered our picnic table)

Keenan playing in the tent after we got it up

We had dinner and then needed to go to the store for ice and fire wood. We had planned on putting the food in the back of Gabe’s truck for the night so that critters would stay out of it but when we left for the store we didn’t really think about it. OOPS!! We returned to raccoons eating our bread, all of it! Sandwich bread, hot dog buns, hamburger buns and they also got our marshmallows for smores’. It looked something like this except it was dark and of course the real raccoon did not look surprised, he just stared at me shinning the flash light on him. He didn’t even stop eating! You can see the bread bags behind the log :)! So you live and you learn and what is an adventure without a good story to go with it?!?! I guarantee that Trinity will never forget the raccoons that ate our bread :)! We finally chased them all off and got everyone to bed.

Trinity and Keenan playing (at way to early in the morning) while I get them some cereal

The kids eating cereal (at way to early in the morning, did I mention that before??)

We spent the morning on Saturday hiking, 4 1/2 hours and 6 miles later we had some very tired legs (except for Keenan who got to ride on Daddy’s back) and some awesome memories and pictures to go with them.

The Overlook on top of Starved Rock, The Illinois River and Dam

View Full Album

French Canyon

View Full Album

Trinity building a “sandcastle” at Sandstone Point Overlook

View Full Album

Tonty Canyon

View Full Album

LaSalle Canyon and Waterfall

View Full Album

This was my view for most of the hike :)! Look at my girl just hiking her little legs off!!

Keenan took a nap. That hiking backpack must be pretty comfortable!!

This was our last canyon of the day, Wildcat Canyon. We were pretty tired, to say the least!

 

Fun at the campsite

View Full Album

Camp Fire and Smores’

View Full Album

We started our Sunday, very early again, and hiked another 3 miles to St. Louis Canyon and waterfall.

View Full Album

St. Louis Canyon

View Full Album

Nature we saw along the way!

View Full Album

 

We had a GREAT time on this trip! Gabe and I are very blessed to be able to do such wonderful things with our kids and make such awesome memories! All the things I was worried about; Keenan not sleeping, Keenan not napping, grouchy kiddos because of no sleep, to much noise at the campground for the kids to nap and sleep at night………..you get the idea! It wasn’t a big deal, they got up earlier than they would have at home and we all ended up on the queen air mattress Saturday night, but it was enough sleep and we were still able to enjoy ourselves. We are planning on going again before the end of this season :).