The 5th of July

Our 4th of July was spent driving back from Tennessee and by the time we got home we were just too pooped to stay up for fireworks or do anything fun (especially since fireworks don't start until 10pm here). So we celebrated the 5th of July instead (after all that is my dad's birthday so still a very important date). We picked up a pack of fireworks and sparklers and had our own little fun at 8pm that night. Yes, it is still pretty bright out at 8pm but that was as late as I was going to let the kids stay up. And yes, we are all extremely dressed up-- in our PJs :)

Lucy did not like the "fireworks" at all...

Until her daddy picked her up and made everything all better...

Another Hike & Bowling

On our final day in Tennessee we decided to take another hike in the Smokey Mountains. We did not make it more than 300 feet before we stopped at the river so the kids could throw things in it and that was pretty much our hike. It was so perfectly relaxing to just sit back and watch the kids be kids. A super fun (and beautiful) little hike:

After our hike, Tyler went to Climb Works (where Brian the big "GM" works) and went zip lining. Since Pattie and I are both pregnant and the zip line lasts for about 2 hours, we took the kids back home for naps.That means no pictures of all that excitement. Although, apparently it was a little awkward. Tyler got placed in a group of 8, in which they were all family, and so he was the odd man out. Apparently, the mom treated him a bit like a child too and would tell him how proud she was of how brave he was being, too funny!

That afternoon we went out to dinner and then took everyone bowling. Needless to say it was a little crazy with our total of 5 kids but I think they all had fun. Steven would light up every time he hit pins and run around expecting to get high fives from everyone. Benny asked me at one point, "Are you proud of all the points I've gotten?" And it was super cute to watch how excited Brice got when it was his turn to hold the bowling ball (Lucy couldn't care less). The best part was we pretty much had the place to ourselves so when the kids did get crazy, there was really no one to bug. In the end Tyler & Brian rocked it, Steven came in next, and then came me, Pattie, Ben & the little ones. Pregnant bellies really don't help with bowling scores, let me tell you ;)

The next day we headed back to Michigan. Once again the trip was pretty much smooth sailing. It may be tiring to leave around 4:30 in the morning but that really seems to help the trip go better. I am so surprised at how quickly it went and how little melt downs there were. At one point we did almost get stuck in CrAzY stand still traffic but after sitting in it for about 15 minutes Tyler saw an alternate route and a way to get to it and we were on our way again. In the end, it was such a perfect trip! SO few melt downs from the kids and lots and lots of fun! I am so grateful to Pattie and Brian for all they did to help us have such a good time! 

Parrot Mountain

Wednesday was by far one of our favorite days! We all went to Parrot Mountain and had the neatest experience ever with one of our favorite creatures- birds!!!

In the beginning I was a little wary of getting close to them. After all these ones that were all over the park had signs that warned that they might bite:

But then we got to the part of the park that was specifically for holding and feeding birds and I warmed up to them. The one I am holding below, we were told is a baby bird, and he was super friendly. He literally hopped right onto Tyler several times as you'll see in the pictures below: 

Lucy afraid of the birds at first:

But with some time she got more comfortable around them and even helped feed them:

Benny never got comfortable enough to feed or hold the birds at this part but with some time, Steven warmed up to them:

The next stop in the park was an exhibit full of Rainbow Lorikeet's. We were each given a cup of what I think was nectar and then we got to feed the birds. It was super fun! At first Steven didn't want them on him again but by the end he had them perching on his hands:

The last part of the park was the nursery. The nursery was full of baby birds that you were allowed to hold (at your own risk). You weren't, however, allowed to take pictures of them. So we didn't get any pictures which is unfortunate because Ben at last got brave and decided to hold some birds. And he also decided that he loved holding them and wanted to stay in the nursery FOREVER. It was so fun loving on all the baby birds!

And though Lucy never got brave enough to hold a bird, she had fun watching everyone else do it. So I think we can call that a fabulous day! 

Smokey Mountains & Hollywood Cars

On Monday we decided to take a hike in the Smokey Mountains. After living in flat Michigan for the last 6 months where hikes consist of mucho flatness, I was tuckered out by this hike. It was literally up hill the entire trail (at least the trail was only 1.3 miles). Thankfully that meant the entire way back was downhill, so much easier. Oh my goodness, the Smokey Mountains are beautiful:

Poor Tyler had to push a double stroller the whole way up and back. Brice was supposed to ride it in with Lucy but he is much too attached to his mama and ended up riding on her back in a carrier- poor lady is just as pregnant as me (she is due on the date my c-section is scheduled)! 

Leia and Steven looking super happy by a little cave ;):

And here is what awaited for us at the top of the hill:

The boys had fun splashing around in the water. Lucy was not a fan of getting her feet wet though. When it was time to go, it was an ordeal to get everybody's wet feet back into their shoes but we got it done. However, Leiah had been having a blast chasing butterflies and there was some major tantrum throwing on her part before we were able to head back down. It can be so hard to leave fun things!

On Tuesday we had a family day and went into downtown Gatlinburg. That place is completely full of tourist shops and tourist attractions that can empty your wallet. We chose the Hollywood Car Museum to empty our wallet at. It was a hit with the boys. Lots of fun cars from movies. Here we are in the Flinstone's car:

This picture was just too cute to not include, note the pigtails. She totally just let Pattie style her hair the whole time we were there and then she didn't even try to rip them out. I'm really hoping that now she'll let me do her hair too!

Some more fun vehicles, I'm sure you can figure out the movies:):

After the museum we got some lunch, did some shopping (visited this one store that was full of delicious dips that you could try) and called it a day.  

Driving to Tennessee & Dollywood!

Last Saturday, at 4:30am, we embarked on what I thought would be a deathly long drive to Tennessee:

It turned out that with stopping every couple hours and with the blessing of technology, it was not so deathly. It went amazingly smoothly and we arrived at Pattie & Brian Turley's house at 3pm.

The next day we went to Dollywood. This place is like Disneyland and literally just as expensive but thanks to the Turley's having a membership we managed to get in for hardly anything. 

Here is our favorite little family, which apparently Ben decided to join:

We made a poor choice in the beginning and had Steven go on the biggest roller coaster that he was allowed to ride with his daddy:

He did not enjoy it one bit and this seemed to scar him against riding ANY of the other rides. However, the little ones had a blast playing in a little splash area while he rode on it:

After the roller coaster ride we all got pretty wet on a ride where each person was equipped with water guns:

Then the boys (& Leiah) got on the Shooting Star. This did not go so well. Remember how Steven was scarred by the roller coaster? The minute he got on the Shooting Star he started to have a panic attack (see picture below) and they had him get off before it even started. Ben, on the other hand, made it to the top before he began to wail so after it dropped once, Tyler and him were taken off and then the ride continued. The most embarrassing part? Brice, who is Lucy's age, LOVED the ride. Oh my children...

Steven then proceeded to ride all the baby rides with Lucy & Ben and he LOVED them. He was literally the tallest child on them. Silly boy:

Lucy also got her first kiss from Brice during one of these rides:

Then in attempts to "toughen" up our boys, Tyler & I took them on the Ferris Wheel. Ben DID NOT like this at first:

But after talking him off the ledge (and bribing him with the promise of a prize) he stopped crying and learned to deal with being stuck on that wheel with his mean mama:

Steven actually did pretty good the whole time and even got comfortable enough to rock it a little (something I won't even do):

Afterwards, as a prize for their bravery, the boys got to play a fishing game and each won a cute penguin doll:

Next we took a ride in some cars. Everyone loved this ride:

And to end our day of excitement we watched "The Gazillion Bubble Show." And there were literally a gazillion bubbles. It was pretty darn awesome end to our pretty darn awesome day: