Birthday Week

We love to celebrate birthdays around here. I like to think when my kids are grown that they will have all these fun little birthday memories tucked into their brains, and they come forth at random moments when they are together, the three of them, or when they have families of their own. Remember how Mom always had to take a picture when we were blowing out our candles? And if she missed the picture we had to go back and do it again? Good times.

So anyway, this has been John's Birthday Week. We can't have fewer expectations just because it's an adult's birthday, right? So we carry on the traditions. Maybe minus the birthday streamers in the doorway. But only because John wouldn't allow me to take a picture of him right when he woke up. That and saying "Freshly 42" doesn't have quite the same ring to it as "Freshly 8" or "Freshly 5".

Mimi came in town on Tuesday, and on Wednesday we headed to Johnson City to visit my Grandma and Aunt Nancy (my Mom's mom and sister, of course, because my Dad's mom died when he was 13 and he was an only child). This doesn't have anything to do with Birthday Week, really, but it's important to note that Mimi was here because that's how I was able to get Birthday Week Prep done.

Grandma really enjoyed holding Avery, and Avery seemed quite taken with Grandma. Well she didn't cry when she held her, so we'll call that taken.

Avery was quite fussy on John's birthday so I was very thankful that my Mom was here to help out while I cooked the birthday dinner. I made John's favorite, beef tenderloin, with stuffed squash and salad. But John's absolute favorite thing is chocolate, so I made Fudge Pie for the celebration.

It was delicious. I hate to say it, but the whole pie was gone shortly after this photo was taken. It was THAT good. And it did have chocolate and pecans, which is John's favorite combination.

Then on Friday we headed to the mountains to stay overnight in a cabin as a family. The kids were SO excited, which I figured they would be since it thrilled them senseless last year when we stayed in a hotel to break up our beach trip. They were downright giddy. Maybe it was the mountain air.

We checked into our cabin and walked around a bit outside, and then headed to Gatlinburg for dinner. We ate dinner at The Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., but later that night when Ansley repeated it, she thought it was "Bubblegum Shrimp Company". It made us laugh! On our way to dinner, we had to walk past a rather creepy Haunted Museum or something, I'm not even sure what it was because I was too busy screaming and shielding my kids eyes, but it was too late. It freaked them out. So at bedtime they both crawled in the top twin bunk together.

Ansley at The Bubblegum Shrimp Company. This was taken with a new app I'm trying out on my iPhone. I think it makes the quality much better than a normal photo with my iPhone, and it looks kinda cool.

But before bedtime we put Avery to bed and then enjoyed some time in the hot tub and enjoying the view.

The pool table kept them occupied while we got Avery down. She did great, and slept in her Pack 'N Play exactly how she sleeps at home, thankfully.

The beautiful view from the hot tub. It was a perfect night for it because it was pretty chilly!

After the hot tub we enjoyed some Ben and Jerry's ice cream we bought on the way home. The kids thought it was SO COOL that they got to stay up way past their bed time, playing in the "hot pool" as they call it and eating ice cream. (Christian also kept calling it the "loggy house.")

The kids all cozy in their bunk bed. Again, with the app. Kinda cool, right?

The kids slept great in the Loggy House, and we headed to the Pancake Pantry this morning. It was yummy. Christian was over the top happy with M&M pancakes with peanut butter syrup. We stopped off at a stream and let the kids play and rock hop.

Christian literally climbed up the rocks. There is no trick photography here. He loved it, just like his sister.

And Avery was present, of course.

It was a fun trip!

Then we came home and played with my Mother's Day present most of the afternoon.

I'll try and post that tomorrow!

Comments

[Ashley Lee]

Happy Mother's Day to you and Happy Birthday to John!

I'm so glad that you all were able to take a little family get-away trip. Sounds like you all had a fun and very memorable time - Bubblegum Shrimp Co, hot pool, loggy house, Ben and Jerry's ice cream, staying up late, M&M pancakes, and all. :)

And yes, that app does make the pictures look cool.

[Renee McGill]

So glad you had a grandma visit and time away together as a family to make memories in God's creation. I agree about the cool app.

[Renee McGill]

Back to say that scrolling up past the picture of Avery snuggled in the sling made me really miss my baby days!!!