trip to the mountains

We were so lucky to get to go on vacation with friends last month. I took so many pictures that it has taken me this long to get through them and ready to blog. It was a relatively short drive west to a cabin in the Smoky Mountains. They were beautiful. Relaxing gave way to hiking and the kids mined for gold. I got to go to a flea market with Jeana and that is a rare thing for me, Brent doesn't like to go. I burned our dutch oven cobbler, Brent burned our steaks, and we had to run into town twice to get ingredients that I forgot before we could make our other meals. Our friends graciously choked the food down and put up with our absent mindedness. I guess now our friendship has been tried and we know we will be friends through it all. We want to send out a big thank you to the Proctors, we thoroughly enjoyed your company and are grateful to call you friends.
At a risk of sounding too "Blessed". I will give my top 10 moments on vacation.

1. 5 kids running/crawling around a "mountain house" giggling and smiling (in Jamo's case, looking for a room with a tv in it:)
2. A screened in porch equipped with a dining table. It was great to eat dinner out in the mountain air.
3. Searching for the perfect rock to paint. This hunt took us everywhere, including knee deep in a river.
4. Discovering how having a similar upbringing can make buying "junk" at the flea market more fun.
5. A Second helping of dessert without judgment.
6. Olivia's grin as we hiked all the way down the mountain.
7. Taking pictures of beautiful little ones in a beautiful outdoor setting.
8. Coming home to find Olivia sacked out on a sleeping Brent.
9. Finally getting to go over 5 miles an hour after 45 minutes behind a "flatlander" on the mountain road.
10. Amelia's strategic pause when she says "Hot Tub" She was a little confused about the swimming suits. I think it would have been more confusing if we had gone without:)