Another big trip, another big post

We were excited for our annual summer trip to Wisconsin to finally arrive.  The cousins always have so much fun together.  Annie is 8 and Evan is 11 now and only about an inch shorter than me!

It was a blazing hot day so Grandma and Grandpa took all the kids (and me and Amy) to Discovery World for the day; a hands on museum and aquarium in downtown Milwaukee.

Me and my big sis, Amy.  I am working on my Paris Hilton pose here apparently.

The girls in the shirts Grandma brought back from Wimbledon.  I love my visor, thanks mom:)

Celebrating her birthday a few days early with her cousins.  Grandma picked out an awesome tennis cake for our little tennis star.

The next day brought our best friends from Indiana, the Ruzas.  These kids get together and it is just like old times from the minute they see each other.  So sweet to see these smiles together again.

Abby brought Amelia a "best friends" necklace.  These girls have been best friends since they were 11 months old.  

And then there is these two goofballs...Luke and Sam:)  Boy did they laugh and giggle this trip together.

We went out to breakfast for Amelia's actual birthday.  Addison loving on her 9 year old sister!!!!

Cake for breakfast...absolutely.  

Happy 9th Birthday beautiful girl.  You make our hearts full with your smile.

Out to dinner with Grandma and Grandpa on her birthday.

That must be a mistake, 9 fingers!  How is it possible I have a nine year old?

Fun club day with Grandma and Aunt Amy and cousins.

Popsicle break:)

Addison sharing a lick with Grandma Nancy.

YUM!

We also were lucky enough to have Uncle Joe, Auntie Sue and Barbara visit us in Wisconsin during our stay.  We had a wonderful day together enjoying the cooler weather, catching up and enjoying the kids chatter, chatter, chatter.  And Uncle Joe, Auntie and Barbara even got to learn all about squinkies;)

Amelia and her Barbara...it was so sweet to watch them connect again after all these years.  Amelia used to read books for hours and hours on end with Barbara, now they were right back at it again, this time doing crossword puzzles and brain teasers.  

The whole group of us headed downtown to check out Festa Italiana.  Everyone had a relaxing time- listening to music, enjoying delicious food, playing in jumpy houses and lego tents (okay, just the kids did that) and just enjoying the company.

Grandpa finally found a dancing partner as enthusiastic about dancing as he is.  These two danced up a storm.  

To wrap up our trip we met with my dear friends Nathan and Mary Gabler (Nathan and I have been friends since we were 5 and Mary and I since high school).  Here are all of our kids when we met for ice cream the night before we flew back to Mississippi.  What a crew!

We had a wonderful trip to Wisconsin, we had so much fun visiting with friends and family.  If we missed you this time, we hope to see you next time!  

Family Vacations are the best!

We headed to our UpNorth which is in Sky Valley, GA.  The  cool of the mountain air welcomed us and the fun began!  Luke and Amelia picked out the beds in the window ledge.  One night their was a lightening storm and another night fireworks and the kids thought it was "awesome" watching them from their own little perch high above the mountains.

Three floors down Addison could be found busy at the slot machines.  She loved putting the money in and watching the fruit line up, "I win!"  I repeat once again...this girl will be the death of us.  

Amelia and Luke thought they were in heaven with their own arcade video games to play in our cabin.  

Our beautiful view to enjoy our morning cup of coffee.  Ahhhhhhhh.  

So excited to finally be back at the mountain house!

The cabin also had a piano.  I am often love struck by my husband and watching him at the piano was just another reason to love.  He hasn't taken piano lessons in DECADES but he can still sit down and start playing just about anything.  He can listen to a song or have us name a song and minutes later he has taught it to himself.  It amazes this non-musical gal.  Amelia was super willing to learn and by the end of the trip she was a pro at Happy Birthday and Joy to the World.  I see piano lessons in our future.  

The girls loved swimming in the master tub.

Exploring the mountainside.

Our cabin from below.  We were way, way, way up in the mountain and the driveways are extremely steep.  I pretty much just closed my eyes each time Stephen drove us around and prayed we would stay on the road.  

Our friendly polar bear in the cabin.  

One of our favorite things to do at the mountain house is play in the waterfalls.  Stephen took the big kids on a super long adventure down the falls and following the mountain creek.  They credit "their adventure with dad" the favorite part of this year's trip.  

May they always stay this precious and this close.

Soaking up my Addison snuggle time.

We ate all of our meals on the deck because of the amazing view.  

Bonfire time:)

We had red, white and blue smores which of course made them even more tasty.

We took a tubing adventure down the Chattahoochee River.  It was so fun and definitely mommy's favorite event of the trip.  Just enough rapids to keep it exciting but enough calm to have my babies be safe.  

Thumbs up to rafting!  Although on the last rapid of the day, Addison popped off of her tube and into the cold water.  If you ask her about tubing she will yell, "I fell off and lost my sunglasses!"  Which makes us all giggle uncontrollably.  

Amelia was honing up on her photography skills.  This was at lunch in Helen, GA after tubing.  

You can see the tubes behind the kids.  

Helen, GA is a cute little town that is a replica of a small German town.  It is super kitschy but lots of fun.

We can't go to the mountains without stopping at Goats on the Roof.   Goats on the Roof is just that, a bunch of goats on the roof and the kids use all of these fun hand cranks and bikes to feed the goats up on the roof.  What's not to love about that?

Addison was feeding the momma goat, who had just had babies a few days before.  The baby goats were adorable.

Love this one of big sis.  "Look Addison, they are coming to get the food."

Another no miss attraction...gem mining.  The kids all set to shake through the dirt and uncover beautiful gems to "make mommy a necklace."

Luke  was very determined to find some beauties.

The aftermath of tubing, Goats on the Roof and gem mining.

The cabin also had it's own theatre room, complete with six recliners and an old fashioned popcorn machine.  We had a really fun family movie night complete with hours of snuggling.  This near tops my favorite trip moment too.  

Happy 4th of July!

We are so blessed to live in America and have our independence.  Thank you to all who have served our country!  

The Sky Valley 4th of July parade.  The kids were super spoiled and got to ride in Aunt Claire's convertible.  (We were in Sky Valley at the same time as our friends the Neffs, for their family reunion).  

Me and my bud.

Getting ready for the parade.

Addison, Daddy and Tommy decided to keep cool in the truck.

After the parade is a good ole fashioned small town picnic.  Games, balloons animals, firetruck rides and clowns.  What a great day.

We kept up the tradition of tie dying shirts while UpNorth.  

Showing off their mad tie dying skills.

Trying out our sparklers to celebrate the 5th of July.  Whoops, we forgot.  

The first year Luke has ever held a sparkler!!!   A pyro, this boy is not.

We had such a wonderful time on vacation, growing as a family and enjoying all of these precious moments together.  I know I'll never forget but we hope all these moments are stored in the kids hearts too.  But if they forget...I'll make them read the blog:)