Monday, May 25, 2009

Tennessee

We went to Cracker Barrel on two different occasions on this trip!
I am so in love with her curls!
Amber just looks like one of the little ones!
A beautiful paved trail we were able to "hike" with our kids in a stroller!
Adorable boy in a hollow tree- what fun!
The Boys and their little guys!
Carter was such an easy guy to get along with!
Evan looking as handsome as ever!
We were so cold- but happy to take a drive to the top of one of the mountains! Amber and Kira were so much fun. I love to see them as mothers and watch how they parent. I am so glad that Joe's closest friends from college married women that I can get along with so well!

You should be aware of the difference between the smog/pollution and the natural blue mist that the Smokey Mountains produce that give them their name.
The kids helped me wake Joe up one morning!

My kids being cute and throwing rocks in the river.
Bear.
We had an awesome trip to the Smokey Mountains in Tennessee last weekend. We met up with two of Joe's closest friends from college and their wives and sons. We stayed in a cabin together- each had our own bedrooms and bathrooms. We bought groceries and had a nice little place to live for a few days.  It was 100 times more fun than staying in hotels.  The kids were wild but safe and we were able to either pack up and run around the foothills and small mountains or just lounge about the cabin.  A highlight of the weekend for me: the "church meeting" we held in the cabin on sunday. It was very spiritual and made me even more grateful for friends that place their relationship with Heavenly Father at the top.  There is something about seeing guys that are so at home cracking jokes and doing silly things all the time that aren't afraid to show their sensitive/spiritual side.

We saw a bear, lots of deer, a Scottish Yak looking thing and other more common wildlife.  I also got to meet Joe's mission president and his wife. We were not smart enough to take a picture but it was a very nice visit and delicious food. I love you guys and I can't wait to get together in two years!! 

6 comments:

Linz said...

Sounds like an awesome trip! I think Tennessee is like a hidden treasure, and staying in cabins sounds like a blast.

Jeanette said...

We're in love with Millie's curls, too! And that picture with the dads is funny, does a dad without a shirt on have a calming affect on his kid? Or is Joseph just going somewhere? We love you guys!

Nana from San Diego said...

Sounds like so much fun and seeing a new area is the best,when it is beautiful! The kids are all so cute! We will have so much fun at the beach!

Lillie said...

Holy Cow Lacy... how close was that bear!????? I hope you had a super zoom to get that shot, and that you were NOT that close.

I'm so glad you had so much fun-- it sounds ideal to me, big house, great friends, other kids to entertain the little ones... how fun.

Unknown said...

very nice photos! what is crackel barrel all about?

The Nielsen Family said...

We too had a great time. I wish I would have looked at your post first before I did mine. I would have stolen a few of your pictures. We had such a great time and love having that time with you and kira. Thanks for sharing your pictures.