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We had back to back family reunions this summer.  The second was was a lot closer, in Bryson City, NC.  This was actually really good for us because Mark and I had been looking at places to visit in the mountains and the choices were overwhelming.  This way, the decision was made. We stayed in a place called Watershed Cabins.  It was kind of like a resort, like in Dirty Dancing.  They had some common areas.  Picture below is a game area, and there were swings and an overlook behind it.

They also had a TeePee.

And a playground.

We went hiking to see a waterfall!

Aunt Keturah didn't come with us, but I took a group picture for her.

Another waterfall.  They are everywhere in North Carolina!

Although this was probably our most successful hike ever, everyone was pretty beat afterwards.

But there still was time for hot tubing!

This was really a great place for our 3 families to stay in.  Look at all those bunk beds!  You may notice that there are no safety rails and there was an accident when Charlie had a fall.   He got a big bruise!

 Also important to note that James still falls out of his bed at home, so we were concerned about him, but he insisted on sleeping on the top bunk.  The next morning, he yelled at me for moving him to the bottom bunk.  "What?  I didn't move you."  We asked around and no one else claimed moving him either.  I figured James was just confused.  He woke up in the morning on the top bunk.  Then when he was getting dressed I notice a BIG bruise that looked suspiciously like Charlie's.  I guess it is good he didn't get hurt!

Lunch on the way home was at the Dillard House in Dillard, GA.  It was quite an experience!

Blog 2 Print

Volume III is here.

I used Blog 2 Print again.  I had a lot of comments and questions about this so I felt like it needed its own post.  You may or may not remember that I had started making my blog into a book.  I got a Groupon for a photo book and spend a good amount of time setting it up.  This first book covered the first 6 months of my blog.  Results were mediocre.  Good enough for what I wanted, but so not worth the hassle.  I thought I had heard about a service for this so I googled,"making your blog into a book" and found blog 2 print.  Tried it out and it worked great.  I did the next 6 months and it took little while to get the parameters right, but after 30 minutes, I ordered my book. 

I have 2 complaints about this.  One, that there is no easy way to include the comments.  Maybe there is an easy way, but I couldn't figure it out.  Two, the picture quality isn't all that good.  That might be my fault, because in the past I have used photobucket for my pictures.  However, again, 30 minutes.  $30.  I can deal with that. 

So, my plan was to maybe finish a new book every month or so, but wouldn't you know, blog 2 print sent me a 15% off coupon.  I thought with this coupon, I would do a whole year.  Set it all up and the cost was.....$130.  Wow, really?  Yes, really!  So, we will stick with the 6 month increments for now.  Hopefully they will send me another coupon in the next month...

They Speak Engligh in Ohio

Every year we end up doing a lot of traveling in the summer and this year was no exception.  We ended up with not one, but TWO back to back family reunions in July.  The first one was visiting my mom's family in Ohio.  When talking to the kids about it we must have made it sound like a very different place.  Concerned, James asked "do they speak English in Ohio?"  We told him....kind of...

Although still in this country, it was a long drive.  We left early one morning and saw a hot air balloon over Ashville.  I took it as a good sign.

The drive went pretty well.  Thank goodness for older kids and electronics!  Andy was his typical thrilled self.  He always looks like this.

This picture of James reading is not staged at all...

We spent most of the time on Lake Erie.  The weather was GREAT!  We spent a lot of time on the boat...

And TUBING!  I think lake time will never be the same again.  All the kids were a little hesitant at first.

James kept asking to be flipped over.

Audrey was nice enough to let me ride with her.

See, I told you Andy always looks like this.

I think she always looks like this too..

We also went to Cedar Point!  Although it was hard to find rides that all the kids could do, everyone had a great time!

Especially Aunt Keturah.

James and Andy had such a great time, they now want to move to Ohio.  Seems like a good idea since they already speak the language and all!

Blogs are kind of out...

...am I right?  It seems like all my friends who were blogging have either quit, slowed waaaaayyyyy down, or are catching up from April.  Even the professional, oh so cool bloggers have slowed down or quit.  I also lost the drive to blog and so took some time off.  Turns out I missed it.  And I don't really take pictures of my kids or record anything that they do without blogging, so I am trying to start it up again.  This will mainly be my mommy blog with some recipes thrown in here and there.

Catch Up: Andy is 5!

Ok, so now Andy is closer to 5 and a half, but he was really excited about turning 5!  He was also excited about this SWEET ride that Grandma and Papa gave him.  Yes, sorry we filled in your pool, but now you have a place to ride!

James liked it too.

For his actual birthday, we went to Pizza Hut and Three Spoons!

Andy picked a Skylanders birthday party and we had the traditional park party.  Turned out it was the last one at the "old digging park"  :(

He loved his cake!

Volume 2

It's here!   Volume 2 of my blog made it!  I used a service called blog to print and had my book designed in half an hour.  This finished version cost about $30 and covered 6 months.