The Smoky Mountains

I have one sister that lives in Virginia and one in North Carolina.  While we were in Tennessee we met up halfway in Gatlinburg for a weekend reunion.  We stayed in a cabin in the mountains, and I was SO glad to spend some time with them and their families, even if for only a few days. Time spent together is way too far and few between with them now that we live in the Midwest.

(I love this picture.  My sisters are the greatest.)

 Little cousins in a bubble bath. 

 Cousins: Belle, Little C and L.

Day 1: We woke up and went on a short hike to a river the kids played in for an hour or so until we all got hungry and headed to one of Gatlinburg's infamous pancake houses. 

 G is already almost 2.5 and this was my FIRST time meeting him. :( Lame, I know.  He is adorable.

Here is his "too cool for school" hiking strut.

 Playing at the River.

 L and Big C snapping a shot of a giant snail they found.

 G counting L down for a dunk in the freezing water.

 That night we played some minute-to-win-it games. Big C and L trying their hand at "Chocolate Unicorn". 

Big C got 7 stacked and balanced but L's ended up looking more like a smashed mohawk. :)

 

The oreo challenge.....won by the pregnant sis.

  

 Day two, we took a 1.5 mile hike to a waterfall and then back. Belle is asleep in the carrier and Bear jumped on Daddy's back when he got too tired to walk and I got too tired to carry him. 

 After our long hike, we went and ate lunch at Mellow Mushroom in downtown Gatlinburg and toured the Ripley's Believe it or not Museum with Big C and L.

 Bug opening the screaming box.

 I couldn't decide which picture was better of me. ;)

 The little cousins made sure to spend plenty of time in the hot tub every day.

I hope it is not two or three years before we see each other again!