Family Spring Break in The Smokies 2011 (incl. Mother's Day)

Arrived in The Smokies on Friday afternoon around 5, enjoyed a wonderful relaxing supper @The Pottery House, Aly loved being in the pool again and her "Duggar-style" suit was a big hit with everyone! We also spent a day @Dollywood, with supper following @Big Daddy's (where they cook with a wood fired brick oven~YUMMM)! Every day was a beautiful day on our vacation in the southern countryside! You will see "CAPTIONS" on the photos, if you right-click in the center of the Slideshow, itself! On Sunday, @Cade's Cove alone, we saw 7 or 8 deer, several wild turkeys and a half a dozen black bears! Later, @Three Bears, we saw another 4 black bears, up close and personal! Those pix were taken on a different camera and will have to be shared at a later date. Aly loved all of the wild animals and wanted to find some she could pet and feed... which will have to wait til our next visit or til we find a local petting zoo! We always love the home cookin' @The Old Mill, too! What INCREDIBLE days were enjoyed on this Spring Break!!! Aly rode rides "alone", literally, in Kids Country @The Track (Family Rec. Center) including GO KARTS, also "alone"!!! We all loved eating @No Way Jose's, late afternoon shopping for Mama and I @Tanger Outlet, afterwards, we stopped by for Christmas Eve Stew and Million Dollar Dessert @Partridge & Pear and had a nice chat w/Kirk Talley... later that night, I was thrilled to go on a nighttime horse 'n carriage ride, followed by a round of outdoor putt-putt and late-night snack @Five Guys, with my Man and Baby Girl!!! Such beautiful sights to be seen all over the Smokies !!! Sunny and warm, the whole week, with the exception of ONE afternoon when rain and temps began to fall, but it remained in the 60's and the rain was that wonderful "slanted, gentle" rain like we Southerner's love! Temps shot back up the next day and the sun was once again shining! We found a new “favorite” place to eat @New Orleans Sandwich Co., in G'Burg, and it will now be a "REGULAR" stop for us! YUMMO for REAL Cajun cuisine!!! One can't forget ice cream @Kilwin's, either! Brunch @The Applewood Farmhouse AND shopping @The Apple Barn, General Store & Cider Mill, as always was a hit! Nothing beats their delightful "fritters" & homemade apple butter, either! Though this was far from a stress-free vacation, it was a GREAT one with TONS of memories made, and I will always be grateful to the Lord for providing it for us!!! Ya just gotta love southern sunshine and believe me, the five of us are considering putting down stakes and calling the South “HOME” again, someday... just sayin'!

***I also added a couple of Mother's Day photos to this album for you to enjoy!!!

Marvelous Mother's Day Moments...

What a wonderful Mother's Day Week!!! It is so much fun being a Mommy, a Daughter, Grand-Daughter and a Daughter-In-Law! Mother's Day was an exciting day for Angel-Alyson and myself... we were able to spend it with my darling Mother and my precious Grandmother S.! What a wonderful heritage I have been given and hope to hand down to Aly as time allows! We missed getting to be with my sweet, sweet Grandma J. and favorite Mother-In-Law (along with Greg's side of the family this year), though! However, we'll be with his family next week and are looking forward to it with all of our hearts! We actually spent the day, Sunday, with the entire Indiana side of the family, which made Aly very happy, being as she firmly believes that Cousin Cassie hung the moon and maybe the stars, too! One of my favorite quotes on Mother's would have to be that of Abe Lincoln, when he was spoke of his Mother. "All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my Angel Mother" and that is exactly the way I feel about my beloved Mother! Mama, I love you and I owe you more than I'll ever be able to repay you!

(Mother's Day 2009 with Alyson & Mother)

There have been several activities that have kept us busy this past week... in addition to Wesley joining the USAF and his upcoming High School Graduation next week, Whitley and her Track Team have been breaking all sorts of records lately! All Conference 4x100, 4x200, 4x4oo and the 400 Meters Individual are the most current stats we have. She is incredible on the track and we can't wait to see what will happen over the next two years! You go, girl!!! Greg's brother, Chad, recently received his Masters in International Business. Please help us pray for he and his wife, Sunny, as they go forward in their educational journeys. Also, our Cousin Nate became a College Graduate, from Ivy Tech this past Saturday. He plans to continue his education next year with yet another degree! Nate, we are so excited to see what God has in store for you... Love ya!

(Cuz Nate, Our Whitley and Our Wesley)

http://picasaweb.google.com/thepennfamily2007/MarvelousMotherSDayMoments?feat=directlink ...Click Here! for our Marvelous Mother's Day Moments Photo Album!

(Aly and I on Mother's Day at Mamaw S.'s house)

Happy Birthday, Mother!

Tuesday, January 20th, is my dear Mother's birthday... Greg, myself and Alyson want to take a moment to wish her a marvelous day and an incredible week ahead, as well!
Mama, you are without a doubt the best Mother any girl could ever ask for. A tremendous Mother-In-Law. A wonderful best friend and the most awesome 'Memaw' in the entire world!!!
Thank you for always being there for not only me, but for Greg and Aly, too! We know we could never make it without you AND Daddy... we love you both more than words can ever say!

(My Mama and I on the 2nd best day of my life... the birth of Alyson Dawn! Click to enlarge photo.)

"A Sonnet for My Incomparable Mother"

I often contemplate my childhood, Mama.

I am a Mother now, and so I know

Hard work is mixed together with the fun;

You learned that when you raised me long ago.
I think of all the things you gave to me:

Sacrifice, devotion, love and tears,

your heart, your mind, your energy and soul---

All these you spent on me throughout the years.
You loved me with a never-failing love

You gave me strength and sweet security,

And then you did the hardest thing of all:

You let me separate and set me free.
Every day, I try my best to be

A Mommy like the Mother you were to me.
By Joanna Fuchs

Our little family is more than thrilled to call you, our 'Mama' (and 'Memaw'), Happy Birthday from the bottom of our hearts and they are filled with love!

WOW - Where Has the Time Gone?

We can hardly believe it... Alyson Dawn is already 6 1/2 months old!!! Where has the time gone???
(The pix above were taken this morning in PJ's and playing in her play-pen...)
Many many things have taken place in her life since our last BLOG, that's for sure! The day before Mother's Day she said, "Mama", for the first time! (Perfect timing, huh?) She rolls over (and over and over and over) now. She's eating all sorts of 'yummy' veggies and fruits in addition to her cereal and milk. She laughs all the time (unless she's hungry, dirty or sleepy)! She loves to be read to and played with... she likes interactive books the best. She plays the piano with Memaw and Papaw, if they stop playing she'll pick up their hands putting them back on the keyboard, for more! She 'sings' quietly and 'preaches' as loudly as she can when she's playing around the house. She LOVES music and can already 'keep up' if there's rhythm involved! She loves to "practice" standing and sitting up... makes her feel like a REAL big girl, I guess! She chews on everything she can get in her mouth (even if it isn't a chew toy)! She has her first tooth!!!!! It 'showed up' on the day of her Papaw's Birthday Party... so, the whole clan were able to celebrate with her, on that one and the next tooth is well on-the-way to coming through, as well. She had her 6 month check-up yesterday and did a GREAT job!!! She had to have 3 shots, as well as the 'liquid' shot (for Rota-Virus and did she ever more 'wail') BUT, since leaving the Doctor's office she has been a perfect angel!!! Not fussing one bit!!! We even spent some time shopping after the appointment and not a single tear!!! (FYI: She's just under 18 lbs. and right at 28" long, already!) Greg and I are having as much fun just being with her as she is with all her toys, family and the whole wide world around her!!! Did I mention that she is one VERY nosey little girl??? She almost breaks her neck trying to see everything and I do mean EVERYTHING!!! lol
Well, I suppose I've bored ya'll to death with all of this BLABBING so, I'll let you go for now! (I'll BLOG again soon, though!) Take care, all... and get out to enjoy this beeeeeeautiful sunshine!!! ;-)