First Family Camping Trip

Our H2H group at church planned a family camping trip for the weekend of April26-28.  We talked about camping last fall, but could not seem to find a time everyone could get together.  So we postponed until this spring.  Surprisingly, all of the families were free for the weekend.  Unfortunately, Mother Nature decided to wreak a little havoc on our party.  She decided to send a month's worth of April showers in just one weekend.  But, that did not dampen our spirits enough to call off the trip.  The Tomlinsons, Moffetts, Taylors, and us headed to Cove Lake State Park on Friday (actually the Tomlinsons were already up there).  The Davises joined us on Saturday. 
On Friday evening we did manage to get a camp fire going in between a few showers.  We enjoyed delicious Taco Soup for dinner, compliments of the Tomlinsons and then enjoyed s'mores around the campfire.  
The rain set in Friday night and continued ALL DAY Saturday.  We had pancakes, eggs, sausage, and bacon for breakfast under the canopy.  We pretty much hung out under that canopy all morning and part of the afternoon, until we were pretty much soaked and frozen.  At that point we moved in to the Tomlinsons' camper to warm up and dry off and play a little cards.  The kids were able to play in there and managed to have a lot of fun regardless of the weather.
We did not go in our tent (actually the Aytes' tent) at all Saturday until time to go to sleep that night.  When we got in there we discovered the girls sleeping bags and pillows had gotten wet.  The four of us slept together on the queen-size air mattress.  I made the mistake of watching the radar on my phone and saw the storms arriving around 3:30 a.m.  Bill and I got up and packed everything in van and were prepared to get the girls in there if we needed to.  It stormed and rained pretty hard, but we were able to stay in the tent the remainder of the night.  The rain stopped just long enough to get the tent down Sunday morning and get us and the Taylors packed up.  At that point, we decided to head on home, rather than staying for the devotional and lunch.
The girls loved their first camping trip, and I think I may be able to convince Bill to go again IF the forecast does not call for rain!

Allison, Clara, Lauren and Coy around the campfire

Allison, Clara, Lauren, Coy, me, Teresa Moffett, Julia & Mike

Nat Moffett, Amy and Aaron

Teresa, Julia, & Mike

Allison and Lauren sleeping in the tent

Allison actually slept later than Lauren Saturday morning

Lauren & I snuggling Saturday morning

Allison still sleeping Saturday morning

Daddy and Lauren snuggling Saturday morning

Nat and Mike....Mike put his gloves on his toes trying to warm them up.

Bill trying to get warm

Cindy, Sam and Chris.....playing Catch Phrase

Lauren eating a pop tart Sunday morning

Good-bye 136 Highland Drive

Wow!  I can't believe it actually happened.  My mom and dad moved "out on the hill".  We spent the past three days moving my parents into their new, "old" house.  Dad has worked diligently for the past couple of years gutting the old house and building it back fresh and new.  And all that work paid off this past weekend as the girls and I went up on Wednesday of their spring break to help mom and dad get moved in.  The Bills joined us on Friday and helped move the last of the big things, mom and dad's bedroom set, the washer and dryer and the couch and love seat for the living room.  We spent the first night out there all together on Good Friday.  Easter is such a special time for me for several reasons, but it has been our family tradition to spend it with my parents. 

I have been all for them moving out there and feel like I pushed more than anyone.  But today as we left Blountville, we stopped by Highland Drive to fill up our water cups.  The house was cold, and empty and it finally hit hard that my "home" had now moved to a new location.  It was good to stop by there and spend just a couple of minutes driving down that short road and remembering all my childhood was spent on that road.  I am thankful for the wonderful home my parents provided for us and we have many wonderful memories there.  We moved in to that house when I was six months old, so my parents have lived there for 40 something years.  (You don't think I'm going to reveal my age on here do you?)  That's a long time.  I am proud of you mom and dad and I hope you enjoy your new house for many, many years to come.  I look forward to coming back soon!

I guess the next hard step will be when they actually sell the house and someone else is living in it.  Maybe it will be a sweet little family with young kids!  :)

My Favorite Smile

It's exactly one month late, but it doesn't matter,  (I really wanted Lauren to be able to sing, "All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" for Christmas this year). 

She looks absolutely adorable with that big toothless smile!

I actually got to pull this one and it didn't gross me out.  It did however gross me out to watch her wiggle it when it was so loose.

Love you, sweet baby girl.

I am not Sleepy!!!

Well, sleep has never been one of Lauren's favorite things to do.  She is much too busy and would rather be doing just about anything besides sleeping.  She has started making the comment that she does not like getting up early for school.  She loves school, but does not like getting up early.  It could possibly be because she stays awake late trying not to go to sleep.  I came up the stairs tonight a little after 10:00 p.m. and looked in Lauren's room from the stairway.  She was lying on her stomach, up on her elbows, with her chin resting in her hands.  I thought, oh dear, she is still awake!!!  I went on into my room and got ready to brush my teeth.  I peeked out my bedroom door and she was still in the exact same position.   I waited a couple more minutes, then went into her room.

This is what I found.  She was sound asleep!!!

I just wish I knew what she was thinking before she fell asleep!

Lauren, dear,  I love you so much!! 

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

We are so blessed to be able to spend time with both of our families at Christmas.  Our tradition has been spending Christmas Eve with Bill's side of the family.  We had everyone over to our house this Christmas Eve and enjoyed dinner together and then opened presents.

Grandma showing off her picture of the girls

Lauren, Parker and Allison

Allison, Grandpa, Lauren, Parker and Grandma

Granddaddy, Allison, Parker, Lauren

  After the family left on Christmas Eve, the girls quickly got ready for bed.  They were so excited because they got to sleep together that night.  After getting jammies on and  teeth brushed and flossed, we settled on Mommy and Daddy's bed to read our traditional stories.  Then it was off to bed, sleeping in sleeping bags on Allison's floor.  (Allison has more floor space to sleep on than Lauren, that's why they slept in her room.)  Amazingly, the girls went to sleep pretty quickly. 

Visions of sugar plums were surely dancing in their heads

The girls slept until about 7:30 (which is pretty late for them) before coming to wish us a Merry Christmas.   We were all excited to get downstairs to see what Santa left.  I was certain I heard Santa during the night.  I was awakened abruptly with a loud bang.  I jumped up and ran to Allison's room to make sure the girls were ok.  (I'm still afraid that one of the girls will fall down the stairs during the night, trying to come into our room.)   When I saw the girls were sleeping, I came on back to bed, with my heart still pounding.  It wasn't until I got out of bed that morning that I realized what woke me up during the night......the control to our electric blanket had fallen off the bed and hit the wall.  Guess it wasn't Santa, after all.  I managed to sleep right through his arrival.

Santa left Kindle Fires, and their stockings in new saucer chairs.

Lauren got a book that she can personalize

One of Allison's few requests for Christmas was for a little bear....she got two.

A new purse to color with fabric markers

New clothes and headband

I love this picture.....

Lauren got a little bear, too

Lauren asked for a paint set, and she got her first paint by number set, too.

Opening some new clothes

Modelling her new scarf.

Modelling a new outfit

Daddy cooked his traditional pancake breakfast for us.  After that it was time to clean up the floor a little, pack up the van and head to Blountville.

Allison, Granny and Lauren

Lauren, Uncle Bill, & Allison

Allison sitting by a pile of her presents

Lauren with her pile

Lauren gives Allison a big hug after opening a present from her

Allison with her stuffed monkey

Girls with their new stuffed animals

Lauren's new stuffed lion

New hat and mittens from Uncle Bill

Lauren's new hat and mittens

We enjoyed the traditional turkey and dressing dinner at Mom and Dad's.  I love mom's dressing more than anything.  Chocolate and Butterscotch pie were our traditional dessert.  All in all, it was a wonderful Christmas!!!  The only bad thing was that Dad got sick, Allison got a nasty cold, and we headed back to Knoxville a day early because of the sickness.

Catching up on Celebrations

Well, as you can see, I am pretty far behind in posting, but I am doing this for the girls to be able to read years from now, so I'll go ahead and post some Christmas celebrations for 2012.

Lauren and Allison at the annual Christmas brunch at church.  They were getting ready to sing some songs.

Lauren and Allison sitting on Santa's lap

 We got to go to Dollywood before Christmas which has become a favorite time for us.  It was a beautiful day that turned into a cold night enjoying the lights.  Dollywood sure does have some great hot chocolate.  I only learned to enjoy drinking hot chocolate last year when we went to Dollywood before Christmas.  I actually made some several times during the holiday season.

Lauren posing by the gingerbread house

Allison's turn

Sweet sisters bundled up...with rosy cheeks and noses.

Veggie Tales roller coaster.....they rode this a bunch!

Riding the scrambler with Daddy is always a favorite

Warming up with hot chocolate

Bill, Mom, Allison, Bill, Lauren, and Dad

More sweet sister pictures

Family picture

 We have enjoyed visiting Santa at West Town Mall for the past 3 years.  It took us two tries to get to see him this year.  We went on Friday, the last day of school before Christmas break.  It was CRAZY!!!!!  I stood in line for about 2 hours.  Bill took the girls to eat lunch in the food court and came back, but they still had to wait quite a while to see the big man.

Lauren waiting to see Santa

Lauren, Santa, and Allison

Wish I knew what Santa was telling the girls

Cuteness!!!

 

 

My aspiring pianists.....complete with their concert dresses!

Posing by the tree

Could they be any cuter?!

I love Christmas time with my babies.