Gatlinburg weekend

In Cades Cove...


Skating...




My family took a much needed 4 day break to the Smoky Mountains, for my birthday, this past weekend. Our days were full of swimming, go karts, arcades, sledding, mountain exploring, eating, trolley rides, ski lift rides, ice skating, old settlement exploring, a few late nights and lots of good family bonding! We all had such a good time and hated to leave. I'm so proud of Ryan for how he adjusted and how he thoroughly enjoyed himself. When I asked him what his favorite part of the weekend was he said it was swimming and the elevators at the hotel. For Nathan it was the sledding. Hmm, those were all things that didn't cost extra.....how we all have so much to learn from little ones!!

Here is Nathan - his first time to ice skate ever. I couldn't believe how well he picked up on it.

the furthest we got up the mountain the more snow we encountered. Here are the boys - their first time ever on a sled.

Happy Birthday, Mom

Today would have been my mothers 63rd Birthday. This is the third year that we've celebrated her birthday without her. Every year we write a message on a birthday balloon and send it up to the sky. While buying the balloon, I picked up a small birthday cake for us to have after dinner.

It's so important to me to celebrate these little things for my children, so that they will not forget her. Her memory is still very much alive in them. She died when they were so little, and I am so thankful for the way their little brains have retained her memory.

We let the balloon go just a bit ago. We sang Happy Birthday as we let it go. We always pretend that Nana is in the part of the sky that the balloon gravitates to. Tonight, we summed up that Nana was at her birthday party in Heaven.

So, Happy Birthday, Mom! Tonight I made your infamous spinach bread for dinner in honor of you. You are here with us in spirit.

Videos of Ryan Reading

Ryan's reading skills have improved so much. This week has started to really enjoy reading his level books. Since he is not into TV or toys all that much, I am hoping reading will be a passion for him.