Winter Vacation - Mountain Style

 

The Cabin this year was gorgeous. It was in the perfect central location between Boone and Blowing Rock, which gave us lots of options of things to do. We arrived on a Wednesday with just Grace, Mimi, Boppy and myself. We pretty much crashed after unpacking on Wednesday and then had time all day Thursday to explore our area.

There was still a lot of snow on the ground, so we gathered it up in cups, wrote our name, went on a hike and had a snowball fight. :) Boppy is really fun in the snow.

 

 

  We also got a chance to head into downtown Boone and explore some of the little shops.

While we were there we found a really great coffee shop. We actually went back a second time I liked it so much! Grace even enjoyed her very first "cup of coffee" which was really just hot chocolate, but she was pretty convinced it was real.

We saw a man on the street playing some kind of fiddle or musical instrument. I just love how Grace is so curious about what is going on and wants to understand it but she also sees massive value in maintaining her distance until she knows the situation is safe. Here we are intently watching.

Hanging out with Mimi in a neat alley way. This also happened to be where the coffee shop was located. Yum!

 Just a beautiful picture of my little girl.

Taylor and Daddy arrived Friday afternoon. They both took half days off work so they could get there early. We started off our celebration of everyone being at the cabin by making brownies... yummy!

 Grace helped lick all the utensils clean. Good thing she was there to help!

Gabe and I actually worked on a 550 piece puzzle and finished it in about 3.5 hours. When Grace saw it was complete, she clapped her hands and told us "Good job Mommy and Daddy... really good job!" I think we do praise well in our house...

 We headed to Blowing Rock and enjoyed the beautiful weather and great playground space they have.

We also enjoyed going into all the little stores and checking out what they were selling. I think their hats look really good...

We also took Grace to a Kilwins so we could watch fudge being made, and of course eat some along with yummy popcorn. She was exhausted on our way home!

I did manage to go hiking one afternoon during Grace's nap time with the boys. Thanks Mimi for staying home to watch little peanut. My pregnancy pace has really started slowing me down, this being pregnant with a boy and having your tummy start going straight out is really effecting my speed in general! Two months to go! We thought the sign was pretty funny and of course the views were amazing.

One morning we went to check out the Foscoe Mining Company. The place was closed due to all the snow they had gotten, but we had a great time walking around the mining area and just exploring.

Another fun activity we did was making a group Valentine's Day Gingerbread House. For Christmas we got Mimi a really neat re-usable house so that you could decorate it up for different holidays. Although we all ate way to much sugar... and we found out that Grace really loves marshmallows.... we had a great time frosting and decorating the whole house.

 Fixing up the roof with marshmallows and frosted cereal.

 It is all done! Everyone pitched in. :) We can't wait to try another one at Easter!

All in all it was a relaxing, rejuvenating, re-centering vacation and we are so blessed to have a family who sees taking a break from the hustle of life and retreating to a cabin to refocus on what life is all about as being very very important!

Isaac Levi,
You have almost completed 31 weeks of growing in that belly down there. I can't believe we are in our final stretch! I am so excited to meet you, you are already full of personality and opinions, which should be expected since we know your sister. :) On Tuesday we have another ultra sound scheduled to check on you and see how the placenta previa is doing, we are hopeful that you have moved up but we will be ok with whatever birth plan is perfect for keeping you healthy and safe. Daddy, Grace and I will be there but we will save lots of pictures to share here and with our family. God has designed this beautiful plan for you and your life and it is an honor to be able to love you and protect you. Keep growing little bear.
Grace Jacklyn,
My tiny peanut, my sunshine, princess girl, lover of books and puzzles, energetic, rolling, tumbling, holding hands, sweet kisses, love and laughter. There are so many pieces of you and each piece is so perfectly Grace. I am now so aware that so much of my purpose here in this life is you. Teaching you, guiding you, watching you grow and learning from you. You will forever be my baby girl. No matter how big you get.
xoxo
Mommy