Fall for Family Part II

Wow, what a beautiful, jam-packed weekend!  It all began on Friday at the Cliffs of Glassy for my cousin's wedding.  The view of the mountain landscape was the perfect backdrop for her vows.  After the ceremony, we snapped a few pictures before heading to downtown Greenville for her reception at Larkins on the River.

  My boys...aren't they just precious!

Side note...these might be my favorite pair of pumps!  I cannot tell you how long I've had them, but they're super comfy and still look great!

Her reception was an intimate affair with unique touches of fall.  You know I love burlap and fall colors, so this reception was right up my alley!  After hors d'oeuvres and dinner, Ham and Allie hit the dance floor.  They were adorable!  My Ham even went to get his "princess," the bride, for a dance.  He's really too much!

When the kids were ready for a change of scenery, we walked around downtown to hit up a coffee house and ice cream parlor, Spill the Beans.  It was the perfect spot for us; they'll mix coffee into your ice cream!  Score for tired parents!!

The next morning, we left for Tiger Town to celebrate Clemson's homecoming.  With the game being at 7, we knew we were just going to tailgate and come home when everyone went into the game.  I was pleasantly surprised that the kids did so well.  Tailgating for a night game can be a long day for adults; add four kids to the mix...things could go down hill really fast!

The kids love seeing the displays each year to see what kind of new perch on which they can have their picture taken.  While the gang was viewing the displays, we got to catch up with Hannah, a former youth group member from church.  It's funny to see Jared go into Daddy mode with her, making sure she's safe and happy on campus.  He truly thinks of them all as his own!

After tailgating, we took my sister Leslie and brother-in-law Philip back to the airport near campus to fly home.  Philip offered to take us up with the kids to see the stadium from the air.  I was so impressed with the kids.  Of course, Allie loves to fly with her daddy, but Hamilton and Parker loved it just as much.  Ham giggled the whole time and Parker fell asleep.  You know I trust the pilot when I take my whole family up in a personal plane!  Just to brag on Philip a bit...yes, he's a military trained pilot who has flown overseas, but to see him in his element is so neat!  He even cut the engine and glided us in for a landing!

On Sunday we drove up to Asheville to visit my sister Julie and her husband Erik.  Hamilton wanted to go to church with his DeeDee and Papa, so we headed up early to do some shopping with Parker.
They cooked us a heavenly Southern meal of BBQ, macaroni and cheese, baked beans, grilled corn, and coleslaw.  For dessert, we had a pumpkin bread trifle and s'mores over the fire pit.  I think I ate like it was going to be my last meal!

Julie, Erik and Lucy

 Her house was festively decorated and she had gift bags filled with goodies for all of the kids. She's so thoughtful and loves to spoil her niece and nephews; they're lucky to have Auntie Jules in their little lives!  Here are Parker and Walt in their new hats.

Leslie and Walt

We spent the afternoon talking, laughing, and playing with the kiddos in the backyard.

DeeDee walking Parker around...he's starting to really test out his balance.  He's taking more and more steps each day!

Erik, that's what little Parker thinks about your Bulldogs!  ;)

Papa and Walt relaxing on the deck

Making Momma proud...

It was the perfect ending to the perfect weekend, and I'm pretty sure my shirt captures the day exactly!

Fall for Family

It's finally starting to feel a little like fall around here. The air is fresh and crisp on the mornings; the temperatures are maxing out around 70. The leaves are wearing their vibrant coats of yellow and orange. Pumpkins and mums adorn front porches. It's a beautiful time of year with lots of fun events and traditions for the family.

Saturday started in the most glorious way.  The hubby whispered that he was getting up with the kids, so I could get some extra rest. After rolling out of bed at 8:15 (yes, that's sleeping in!), the aroma of coffee and pancakes beckoned me to the kitchen. The kids had already eaten and were playing in the den. I got to enjoy every sweet bite without interruption. Pure heaven!

After breakfast, Parker went down for his nap, and the big boys took off to the grocery store for some ingredients we forgot the day before (can you say mommy brain!).  You would think I'd sit down to enjoy the peace and quiet, but that didn't happen. It was time to start laundry for the day and to start some monogramming.  The morning came and went tying up loose ends around the house. After a family walk, we got cleaned up for my sister, BIL, niece, and nephew. They came up to let the kids play, watch Clemson football, and eat!

For those of you who don't know, Jared is an awesome cook (and most likely the reason P's weight is hanging on to my hips!). He got up early to start cooking his annual batch of apple butter.  Then, he put Venison Chilli on the stove to simmer all day.  This chilli is so full of flavor with just the right amount of kick. He topped it off by making his Momma's cornbread in the skillet. 

On Sunday we went to church and then headed to Spartanburg. The boys had some time with Daddy while I visited with friends. We all gathered to celebrate the adoption of Weston. Out sweet friends Derek and Karilyn have the sweetest, most previous little boy. He is the answer to many, many prayers. You can tell he knows he is SO loved; he's just so content and snuggly. If you'd like to read their amazing story, check out Parker Baby or Bust.

I just love these girls to pieces!  No matter how much time goes by in between visits, we pick up like we haven't missed a beat. Laughter abounds whenever we get together!

After Weston's Sip-N-See, I met back up with the boys at my grandmother's house. We visited for a bit before making a pit stop in Gaffney to see Kelly and her family and finally arrived back at home to crash!

This time of year is crazy busy, but I wouldn't have it any other way!  Life is short; spend it with those you love!

They're two, they're four, they're six, they're eight...

I must say that this day ended up being more than I imagined.  Beyond hearing the Thomas soundtrack on repeat, this day was perfect!  Seeing the joy on Hamilton's face as he explored all things trains made my year.  He is such a little sponge, soaking up everything he encounters.

This picture captures the day in a nutshell.  Hamilton pulled Pappy everywhere, wanting his best buddy by his side!

The first time Hamilton saw Thomas was truly priceless.  As he waved, his mouth exclaimed, "Hey Thomas!" After Thomas passed, he looked over his shoulder and said to me, "Thomas lubs me."  I melted on the spot.  

Our first ride of the day was with Percy.  The conductor and attendant on the train were fabulous.  The attendant shared with us tips about the experience and other events in our area.  He was a guy who truly loved his job!

After our ride on Percy, we went to let Ham play on the slide and bouncy house.  I wish I had an ounce of his energy!

Then, we went to play with the train tables.  The layout of this room was brilliant!  There was a plethora of tables for the kids to play; there was a row of rocking chairs for the parents to watch.  We let Ham play while Daddy waited in line for Sir Topham Hatt.  So much for that...Hamilton freaked when he saw him.  No picture with the character!  I guess we'll have to work on that before Disney!

After our small freak out, we headed down to the Roundhouse.  Surprise, surprise, there were more trains!  They had classic models that were such a sight.  In addition to the trains, they had a magic show, craft stations, and a tattoo station.  

Of course, we had to make the obligatory trip into every parent's personal hell:  the gift shop.  After picking out a few souvenirs, we had lunch.  The kids were starting to fade fast at this point in the day, but they perked back up for our final train ride with Thomas.

 Can you tell who's having more fun in this pic...Ham or Pappy?!?

Following our ride, it was time to get Kettle Corn, make a pit stop at the bathroom, and let Ham jump for a last time in the bouncy house.  Apparently, Ham was too excited and busy to wait for the bathroom; he dropped trow in the middle of the grassy area.  I haven't moved that quickly in a long time scooping him up  and racing for the bathroom.  Poor thing was so embarrassed; he told me the whole way to stop laughing. 

This day will definitely go down in the books as a memorable one for the family.  These are the days when I perpetually count my blessings and wonder what I did before kids!