North Carolina Summer 2014

    Another Summer brought us another trip to the Bryson City area of North Carolina. We stayed in the same wonderful house on Lake Fontana and the Grands came to join us for some R and R. It was the third year in a row I've been here either nursing newborns or pregnant but I imagine it will only feel weird when I'm not doing those things on the next trip. 

He always keeps me in his sights.

I must be the only person in the world that cringes at taking a selfie these days

 I could write a novel about why I love this place but pictures tend to do all my talking for me. So I will say that I love the views- either from the house, the boat or my morning runs, there is so much beauty to see.

This is what my MIL's houseboat would look like

I love to see this man relaxing and smiling. It isn't often he gets to enjoy the fruits of his labor and this is definitely a time for him to unwind and tune out. 

I love to see my kids interacting with their grandparents as well as with each other. Like most parents, looking at their mugs never gets old to me. The MIL brought princess dresses for the girls and Beau didn't take them off much and put them on the first thing in the morning before having breakfast al fresco on the porch. 

Grandpa danced with Beau and it was reminiscent of a photo I have of him dancing with Eva at the same age in her princess dress. Swoon worthy moments for me. 

Eva with grandpa when she was three

Beau playing hard to get before dancing with Grandpa

A little Ring Around the Rosie after breakfast

My handsome men on the docks

Breakfast formal attire required every morning

Can there ever be enough photos of this one?

Superhero with Super Mimi and Princess PeePee

Can there ever be enough pictures of this man with his grandkids?

We did the normal mountain activities of white water rafting Class III and IV rapids on the Ocoee, mountain biking, and hiking but I most enjoyed the water activities on the pontoon and the lake. At night we had smores and just a lot of nothing that make vacations grand. 

Golden gave Nico his first taste of smores

Carlos and his closeups…..Sigh!

Sister love

The big kids found ways to jump off of everything. The dock, the boat , the swings, the rocks. And as a responsible parent…. I photographed all of them.

The little ones slid off the slide on the dock a million times. 

Beau was not impressed with watching tubing.

But was impressed by tubing herself

Still not tired of this man and his grands.

A superboy needs a sidekick

Golden looks so mature here. It almost makes me sad.

But then he miraculously becomes a kid again.

and again.

and again...

Carlos was an okay driver but Gigi was better

Love this kid and his Grandpa

Is it a bird, is it a plane? No, it's Overdue for a Haircut Boy

Gigi taking a union mandated Capri Sun break from driving.

The gang getting ready to ride

It's so green in North Carolina

A basket of peaches to sweeten the day

In short, I loved getting away before I gave way to life giving me a fifth and seventh grader.I love to spend a few moments with my sweet husband who makes this all possible just enjoying each other and remembering just how fun he is. I loved watching the sunset in a different location and realizing that life is pretty great wherever you are as long as you've got your family with you to share it with….but it's just a little bit better on a lake in North Carolina.