Vacation Part 1: Adventures in the Smokies

Our vacation started early, 3:50 a.m. on Monday morning, to be exact. We hit the road at 4:15 a.m. bound for Townsend, TN and a quick visit with GiGi and Pappy. With two stops at McDonalds and two stops at Chick Fil A, we arrived in the mountains to loving and open arms at 11:15 p.m. Needless to say, we slept well that night and were thankful that GiGi and Pappy got up with the kids in the morning!

Josiah loves to attack an apple, so we would give him an apple when he got frustrated in the car. 
This particular apple somehow ended up all over him.

We spent Tuesday around the house and neighborhood. There was plenty of fun to be had, including walking down the driveway (aka a walk down the mountain) to a neighbor's swings and sandbox, a walk around the neighborhood pond, and a trip to the local natural spring.

There is lots for a girl and her Pappy to discuss on the walk up the driveway.

You aren't the only one, bud! We all left very well fed :)

On the path around the pond, after feeding the fish.

On Wednesday we ventured out a little further and took a nice hike to Laurel Falls. It was a paved path and about 2.6 miles round trip that yielded lovely views of the color and ultimately a nice waterfall. We were all pretty cold by the time we reached the bottom, so we hopped on over to the Sugarlands visitor center and enjoyed the unique displays of local wildlife.

I was telling her all about Niagara Falls :)

Trying to keep the babies warm!

 Thursday morning Sarah and GiGi made special cupcakes with a chocolate surprise in the middle. Then we all went for a leisurely ride through Cade's Cove, always a favorite. Sarah especially enjoyed the mill this year.

You'll have to ask Pappy who jumped the biggest when Sarah accidentally honked the horn :)

She was quite fascinated by the mill.

"Ummm, so you're telling me I can't have another?"

Friday morning we packed up and cleaned up. GiGi and Pappy were headed home and we were going to continue on to Niagara Falls for the rest of our vacation. A little last minute research turned up two troubles. 1) The high at Niagara Falls over the weekend was in the 40s with snow in the forecast. We weren't prepared for that kind of cold! 2) The two attractions we were most excited about, the Maid of the Mist and Cave of the Winds, had each just closed for the season. Also, Dave's passport expired six days before our arrival, so we would be bound to the American side of the falls. We did some quick thinking, lots of calculations, made a few phone calls, said goodbye to Pappy and GiGi, and headed toward Washington D.C. instead!