21 August 2014

Bryson City, Baby!

We had the joy of sharing a cabin in the Smoky Mountains with Mike’s Family a couple weeks ago. We got a bargain and it was God’s provision for us!

This is one of those what you call looooooooong posts! Oh the memories!

Mike had a master’s exam the day we needed to make the drive so I packed up, loaded up and hit the road with three kiddos by myself.

IMG_0722

No biggie (?!). I followed my in-laws most of the way down. Then my mother-in-law jumped in with me and the kids for the last two hours of the ten hour drive. She would have been happy to drive and give me a break, but at the point the stubborn in me just wanted to be able to say I did it by myself. So I DID IT BY MYSELF! I drove 10 hours with three kiddos! He he

My father-in-law stayed behind in Knoxville to wait for Mike’s flight to come in late that night.

The last bit of the drive was rather adventuros. I’m not sure I’ve ever driven in a place like this (and I’ve driven in lots of places!).

We moved from a normal road to this road…

IMG_8695

Drove through this creek…

IMG_8699

Road got smaller and turned into more of what I’d call a path!

But we’re almost there!

IMG_8702

Made it! I thought the drive was fun and adventurous butI think my mother-in-law had her eyes closed half the time and was just glad to be alive at the end of it. Ha!

IMG_8704

And here’s our view. It was  lovely.

IMG_8703

We spent the night settling in and then advised Mike and his Dad to not attempt the drive ‘til daylight hours. They easily agreed (I think they were pooped!) and slept in a hotel and arrived in the morning after they drove the famous Tail of the Dragon (318 curves in 11 miles) through Smoky Mountain National Park on the way day.

IMG_8590

Hello, love!

IMG_8591

The kids loved exploring and playing in water toys. And yes I packed a water table. When you are on vacation with six kids age six and under a water table seemed like a pretty good idea.

IMG_8592

IMG_8597

IMG_8605

IMG_8599

IMG_8611

You haven’t met my newest nephew, Baby G. He’s the sweeeetest!!! His Mama had three babies in less than three years, so that makes her AMAZING (and maybe a little crazy, he he). Aahhhhh I love my sister-in-law. Here she is with her oldest, B, who only just turned 3!

IMG_8620

Sweet N was a little Mama to her little cousins.

IMG_8622

One of our favorite things was that these grew wild all around the cabin! BERRIES!!

IMG_8724

Hours were spent picking berries by various members of the family.

IMG_8625

IMG_8723

Lots of wild black raspberries and a few red raspberries, shaped like little bowls.

IMG_8720

IMG_8773

Picking berries was by far this little girlie’s favorite activity. Every day she would ask her Daddy to go pick berries with her.

IMG_8774

And he’d say yes cause he loves her and he loves to pick berries himself!

IMG_8775

This one too!

IMG_8778

Some people have a thing for picking berries. Other people have a thing for baking berries into delicious desserts and eating them! *raising my hand* That’s me!

IMG_8802

IMG_8786

IMG_8626

IMG_8629

IMG_8783

IMG_8633

One day we explored the Island Park in downtown Bryson City. It was a perfect sized place for mini-adventurers.

IMG_8640

IMG_8642

IMG_8643

IMG_8645

IMG_8647

IMG_8651

IMG_8675

Lunch at the recommended Filling Station. I love me a good sandwich.  Italian meats on bread grilled with garlic butter? Oh dear. So so good.

IMG_8683

They also had really fun homemade ice cream sandwiches that we all shared outside after lunch.

IMG_8684

IMG_8685

IMG_8686

 

IMG_8687

Someone always finds herself a little nook.

IMG_8708

Afternoon hike to the stream. Another favorite activity we did several times.

IMG_8706

IMG_8709

IMG_8710

IMG_8711

S’more night!

IMG_8725

IMG_8727

IMG_8728

IMG_8729

IMG_8730

IMG_8731

IMG_8732

Another day we spent the day at Deep Creek Park. Which I highly recommend. If I lived anywhere near this place I would go all the time!

IMG_8733

First we hiked to a Juneywhank falls.

IMG_8735

IMG_8737

IMG_8738

Then to Tom Branch Falls where we got in the icy water and waded and climbed around a bit.

IMG_8746

IMG_8755

IMG_8760

IMG_8763

We drove to a picnic area for lunch.

IMG_8772

Remember being a kid and how fun it was to ride in the back of a vehicle?

Yeah…

IMG_8769

During lunch we sent Mike and his Dad and H off to rent tubes for five of us. We had seen tons of tubers at this point and I reeeeaaaaallllly wanted to tube. The family accommodated and I was so excited!

Three adults went back with four of the kids. The other five of us tubed.

IMG_8770

Now I don’t have pictures of this part of the day cause we were all tubing! Mike, his Dad, myself, Sweet N and My Boy H went. Mike and I each had a kid in a tube tied tightly to our tubes.

We hiked a very long way with our tubes to start. We heard that if you hike as far as you are allowed, that the tubing is the best! So we did that and turns out that the most fun tubing for adults is a bit too adventurous for a four and a six year old. Mike and N had a big spill and H and I played it safe and did lots of walking around rapids.

By the time we got to the second half of the river though, it was perfect! So perfect! We had a blast and did it a second time too, once we learned the best place to put tubes in and start.

These next two pics I took off the internet because I just wanted to remember what it was like.

image.php

deepcreek2

Tubing was probably my highlight of the whole week… I just love everything about it!

IMG_8779

At one point Sweet N had her younger cousins sitting in a circle on the deck, showing them projects from her bag.

IMG_8806

Before we left, Mike, H and myself (with Lil’ A on my back) took a nearby hike straight up the side of the mountain to see this waterfall.

IMG_8807

This boy did AWESOME. It was a fairly strenous hike, uphill the whole way to get there. And it was hot and so humid amongst all that greenery.

IMG_8827

We all fell down at some point or another, but all the work and sweat felt so good to me. I praise God for our healthy and capable bodies.

IMG_8818

Yippee!!

IMG_8852

Back down. Which is trickier, footing-wise, than going up!

IMG_8862

H took this photo of his parents. (This was one good shot of about 10 bad ones).

IMG_8872

IMG_8875IMG_8878

Back through the stream…

IMG_8885

Some berries on the way.

IMG_8886

Almost back!

IMG_8787

The Smoky Mountains have their name for a good reason.

IMG_8788

They look all different kinds of smoky all the time. Duh.

IMG_8791

This little one tried to stow-away in her cuz’s luggage.

IMG_8796

Classic baby hugs before the others headed back home.

IMG_8797

N got quite the special place in her heart for her cuz E.

IMG_8801

What a joy the week was!

No comments:

Post a Comment