The Cabin- Part 1

We just got home today from a long weekend at our family's cabin. Our time overlapped with my sister Jodi and her family's time up there for a night- we got there Thurs, they left Fri afternoon- and a lot a precious chaos happened in between! Here is Jo lovin on my Blythe.

There was a lot of creek playing- here are the dads and kiddos minus Maggie.

There was also some rock throwing...

Chris a.k.a. Baby Whisperer

Of course there were s'mores...

Abby Jane had her first "sleepover"- all the "big" kids slept in the loft together... though that sleep didn't happen until around 9:30. Here is Katie snuggling with Abby Jane before bedtime!

Maggie got to be the center of attention when all the older kids went to bed. Can you get enough of these rolls? I can't.

That night, us adults were up til midnight playing hearts by the fire- good times.

Abby Jane and Ian on the front porch, checking out the morning weather for us.
Our morning hike went a little ways into the national forest, a trail Jo and I grew up hiking. Maggie hitched a ride on Chris.
Sisters and our kids- Katie (6), Ian (4), Abby Jane (2), Blythe and Joy (11 months), and Maggie (5 months).
Mom came up on Friday afternoon to see the grandkids enjoy that slice of heaven and get to enjoy it herself. This is classic Grammy face that makes all nine of her grandkids feel like the #1 most special kid in the world.
Looking for crawfish.

Friday afternoon ended with a big game of modified football in the meadow- if you have the football, you're "it"...

It was SOO sweet to enjoy that cabin with the Gregorys! We sure love our family! Part 2 of Cabin time to come...

Pumpkins

WARNING: lots of pictures to come, and I don't apologize.

What a packed weekend! The Gillies and our family drove up to Cartersville Friday afternoon to go to the Cartersville HS football game. Jake's dad has been helping out with the team for years, and it was really fun for all of us to see him on the field in action with the players and coaches.

After a big breakfast Saturday and being joined by my mom, we all headed up to the Pumpkin Patch! Luke and Abby Jane led the way...

I spent all last week sewing pumpkin dresses for the girls, only to decide at the last minute that I didn't want to put the pumpkin applique on the dresses I had sewn and limit them to pumpkin season. So here are our $3.50 Garanimals shirts with said applique!

Remember this picture last year?

One year later...
Mimi and Joy, Blythe and Grammy
No one was really into this but the parents!This place is awesome: not crowded, great selection of pumpkins, games, petting farm, and hayride. Here is Blythe checking out the roosters right before one of the pecked her little fingers!!! Grammy was NOT happy about that rooster, as you can imagine.
Abby Jane kissing the "injured" finger.
She recovered and was interested in the llamas.
Those ears back made me a little nervous!
"Pat the Bunny"
Joy was a fan of the fences, and I'm a fan of those icy blues.
Checking out the donkey
They let all of our girls sit on the sweet pony.
Abby Jane, Jake, Grammy, Blythe, me, Joy, Mimi, Bop Bop, Cade, Paul, Luke, and Betsy on the hayride!

Sweet Mimi and Bop Bop- they hosted, fed and spoiled all of us this weekend- family is such a blessing.

Jake's getting older...

So we got to celebrate his birthday all week long! I surprised him with a dinner date on Monday night at Eclipse di Luna. It's a tapas place, and on Mondays you can pay a set price and try anything you want to on a special chef's menu. We figured out we tried over $65 worth and paid half of that. I like it. And it was just a fabulous dinner date with my best friend! Who also happens to be very good looking.

On Wednesday, his actual birthday, we celebrated with the girls, and Jake got lots of birthday love...

original artwork on his gift...

and plenty of assistance opening it!

Jake and I had a fun date night at home that night, starting with post-bedtime dinner, which meant actually savoring our food, and a movie... which our schedule has not allowed much of recently! I am indescribably thankful for the amazing blessing that Jake is in my life and the lives of our children! Happy birthday, babe- I love you!

CAMPING! At long last...

I know, I know, the suspense has been killing y'all. Here are the camping photos...

Dining al fresco at our awesome campsite at Vogel State Park- we were on the far end of the campground, so there were no neighbors behind us- so beautiful!

S'mores the first night! Turns out Cade liked the marshmallows better than the s'mores.

Cheating? Absolutely. Ashamed? Maybe a little, but the coffee sure was good that morning.

Joy is such a snugglebug- she LOVED throwing herself around in the tent in all the cushy sleeping bags and pillows!

Playing after breakfast while the twins got a nap!We went on a hike around the lake in the morning, and Luke, at 19 months, ran the entire way... he lasted longer on his own legs than the bigger kids!

Storytime before naps (looking through the screen)...

We played cards during the kids' naps... until it started raining so hard that it was blowing in the tent!

Thankfully the rain cleared out and we got to enjoy the campground's putt-putt course that was apparently there when all of us adults went camping there as children. Note Cade's follow-through: he was by far the best player from our group.
Luke and his daddy...
Dinnertime.
Both nights, us adults sat around the fire and talked until way past our bedtimes- SO fun. It started pouring rain late Saturday night, so Sunday morning we packed up and headed out a little earlier as a result. It was a fantastic trip! We can't wait for next time!