Riding the Tram to Ober Batlinburg

One day while Grandma and Grandpa were visiting we decided to take a tram up the side of a huge mountain to an amusement park at the top called Ober Gatlinburg. The tram ride was awesome, the kids loved being so high in the air, "way above all the trees and people" as Brielle would say. Thanks grandma and grandpa for taking us! When we got to the top we realized that the park wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. Most of the rides were closed because it had been raining. So we went to the little playground, and the kids rode down the WET slides and played on the toys for a little bit. It was kind of lame. But then we got to ride the tram back down the mountain, and that made it worth it! After, that we went out to lunch at a place called the Apple Barn. It is on an Apple orchard and everything has some sort of Apple dish. It was really yummy! Here are pictures from the tram and the playground.

these were some black bears that you could see from the tram!

Ballet Beauty!

Over the past year Brielle has been taking Ballet classes and a few Saturdays ago she finally had her big recital! She did so good and we were so proud of her. She looked beautiful, and it was definitely a HIGHLIGHT of her life. Be prepared their are lots of pictures!



During the performance!

Brielle and Daddy and the flowers he bought her!
The happy family

Brielle's ballet friends
Brielle and the Varnon gals!
Nana Wanda
Grandpa Larry and Grandma Lyda who were visiting for this special event! Thanks guys!

We love Grandpa and Grandma!!

We were so lucky that Dougs parents got to come out for a visit with us! They flew in on Thursday and stayed til Monday and we had a blast. It was also really great for me because Doug took Friday and Monday off work so I actually got to see my husband the whole weekend too! What a concept! We went hiking, to the ballet recital, to Ober Gatlinburg and just played around the house! I will post about those events later. I just wanted to include a couple of picts to show that the kids LOVE their Grandma and Grandpa!

The kids loved being with Grandma and Grandpa! That is Parker asleep on Grandpas back!

Girls will be girls!

Boys will be boys!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY MAN!

This month Doug officially moved into the 30's. He turned 31!! He is getting old.

So this year for his birthday I wanted to do something special because we didn't even celebrate his 30th birthday because I had just had a baby. So, I decided to book a bed and breakfast in this quaint little old town named Jonesborough. It is the oldest town in Tennessee and it is darling. It still has the feel as if you were visiting in the 1800's!

Now if you know Doug and I, you will know that since we have had kids we have never spent a night away together. (for those of you who live by family, you should take advantage.) So, I asked some of our dear friends who don't have kids yet, (but one on the way) to come and sleep over at our house with the boys. I told them it was their crash course in parenting before the baby comes. And Brielle went and stayed with some other friends who kindly offered their babysitting services.

Doug had no idea what we were doing. I just told him to be home early from work. When he got home he was a little suspicious because I had made out the futon bed for our friends.:) I was about an hour and a half drive, and it was one of the best parts of the get away. It was so nice to just sit and talk without kids, and we drove through some of the prettiest country in Tennessee. On the way there I spilled the beans and told him that we were staying at a bed and breakfast called the Blaire-Moore house. I had everything packed and he was so excited.

The Blair-Moore House

When we finally arrived we met the owner and were shown to our room. It was so fun! It was decorated Victorian Style and had a private bathroom and balcony. They had completely remodeled it and it was beautiful! Below is a picture.


Then we went and walked around downtown. Everything was in walking distance, so we went and saw some of the sights. We arrived kind of late for a small town, so the only restaurant open was the Bistro. It was a fancy place, and would not have been our first choice, but it was so good!

The next morning we woke up and went to breakfast. This meal made every penny spent worth it! It was a multi course breakfast, and it was SO good. The women and her husband who own the place both graduated from culinary art schools in the U.S. and in Paris. First she brought out all kinds of fresh fruit like kiwi, strawberries, bananas, blackberries, etc. and they were drizzled with this homemade fruit glaze. They also had fresh squeezed apple juice and orange juice. Then they came out with scrambled eggs, which came from fresh eggs from her dads farm a few miles away, and smoked ham and bacon! YUM! and the last dish was a a baked french toast with sweetened blackberries and fresh slivered almonds!!! It was heavenly, and needless to say we were so full! We ate breakfast with three little ladies who were staying in one of the other rooms to celebrate their birthdays. They were so cute! It made the trip. After breakfast we went and walked around all the shops that were closed the night before, and explored the town together. Then we packed up and headed for home.

The whole trip was amazing. We had so fun just being together. Thank you Dennis's and Ryan's for helping with the kids. It was definitely a trip and a birthday we will never forget!

And happy late birthday Doug. I love you so much and would be lost without you. Thanks for all you do for our family! You are the best husband, and dad in the world!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE ONE!

Okay, so it has been a few weeks ago, but Parker finally turned ONE! I can't believe it. It goes by so much faster the more kids you have. We just celebrated by having a quiet little party at home with the five of us. (This is what happens when you have more kids too, Brielle's first birthday was a huge party!) He loved eating cake and getting super messy. We love having him as a part of our family.

He is so much fun. He says a million words and talks all the time. He is still too scared to take off walking by himself, but we are working on it. He also got his first tooth for his birthday, (it is about time) and now he is getting 3 more all at once! But, you know Parker, he is still the best baby ever!
We love you Parker and happy first birthday!!!!

Leave it to me for the camera batteries to die, and the still pictures we took with our video camera didn't work :( Then I tried to uplaod the video and I can't find the cord to hook up our camera to the computer, so you will just have to picture Parker naked in the high chair with strawberry cake all over him!

Could it be??

Hello friends of the blogging world! I am back, wow what a hiatus. I have to say I quite enjoyed it though. There have been a few weeks i have not even turned on the computer, but it is safe to say I am back. Hopefully I can keep it up this summer! I am quite a few blogs behind, so you can check back often, there may be a new blog daily!!