Well Hello, Dolly!

My little chickadee up there has hatched into a full fledged toddler. More on that later.

The annual Family Vacation. We went to the mountains!

(My thought that we would escape some of the heat while up there was a cruel joke. See my hair in all pictures for proof that this was absolutely not the case.)

We had a fun jam packed trip! Here are some highlights-

This is the Rafting Crew. We braved the Ochoe ( I think that's what it was), and quickly came to the conclusion that I'm about as good at manuevering a raft as I am driving a car. Some of you who have known me for several years will probably think that is very funny. It really isn't. Really.

Meanwhile, as Ben and I were trying to survive the raging waters, Kaelyn hopped in the car with some strange man.

 

Kidding.

Uncle Gregg, Aunt Rob, and Jill hung back and dressed my child in inappropriate SEC clothing, took her to a pool hall, and drove the strip at excessive speeds, after which they had to pull over on the side of the road and pop the hood to let the car cool off, just to be sure they were teaching her all the valuable lessons of what to do when Mom isn't looking.

That's my story of what they did anyway. And I'm sticking to it.

And about that UT outfit.

I took the goshawful orange out of that picture on purpose. So there.

I finally rescued the poor child, and we took her for some good, wholesome fun. Two days at Dollywood!

She took her first carousel ride.

First, the pros showed her how it is done.

Here's how her reactions went, in a 30-second nutshell : terrified, petrified, stoic, unsure, frozen, glazed over, gleeful, comical, done.

But atleast her outfit matched her ride! Take that Tim Gunn.

I took her on the flying elephants too, and the therapy bill for that is going to be horrendous.

At this point in the trip she was doing pretty good with walking while holding your hand. She was rockin' it. It's amazing how fast they move from holding your hand to teetering away from you to asking for the car keys.

This girl had the time of her life in the water misters around the park, on the train, and with the slew of frozen lemonades that I bought to keep us both happy.

 

So proud of herself :) And, once again, Makenzie is one cool cousin. Because Kaelyn could not get enough of her. So, so sweet.

Did I mention it was warm?

We had a little relaxing time at the pool.

No. No, not really. There is no relaxing with a toddler at a pool, is there?

She was in this float for five minutes. In the floaty vest for two. And happy as a clam when I sat her on the side of the pool and she decided to jump into my arms. That continued for half an hour.

She's starting swimming lessons later this month.

Olympics in 2028.

Um.

Look.

Sometimes you just have to jump on the bed while away on vacation.

Let your hair defy gravity a little.

And for this I apologize.

Some people. They just never change, do they?

Gregg - Family Vacation 2010

Gregg - Family Vacation 2009

We can't take him anywhere.

Here's the golf crew (Tay, where were you?). Have vacation, will golf.

We had a wonderful time, and plans are already under way for next year!

Now we're in the process of resting up from our vacation.

Isn't that how it usually goes? :)

xox dae