Nature Boys

The weekend before the 4th, we took our first family vacation with Andrew. We left early Saturday morning and drove to Gatlinburg, TN and spent the next few days in the Smokies. Andrew did so well! He only really got fussy during that last 100 miles or so on the way home - that's a long time to be in the carseat! My husband and I are both lovers of nature, and we hope that Andrew will learn that same appreciation for God's creation. We shared a chalet with my sister-in-law and her family. It was pretty high up in the mountains with a terrific view. The photo above was taken the last morning of our stay. Father and son sharing one last look at the beautiful mountain side.


Andrew enjoyed many firsts over the weekend. His first taste of watermelon (just a few little licks, really), his first hike, and his first 4th of July holiday. I had a cute little American Flag onesie on him, but he soiled it before I got to take his picture. Above are pictures of his first dip in a swimming pool!

One of the highlights of our trip - especially for my husband - was an early morning visit from two black bears. Phil is an early riser, and he just happened to be out on the patio early one morning taking a picture of the view when he heard a rustling in the bushes. He looked over and saw a bear snooping around near the grill. As it made its way across the ledge, he quickly realized that the bear was not alone. TWO bears made their way across the patio and down the driveway. They tried opening the trash cans to no avail, and showed off with a sparring match before they went on their way. It all happened so fast, Phil didn't have a chance to wake everyone. Only his niece, Hannah was able to share the moment with him since she was awake and inside just near the door. I know it was a little gift for him from God. This is our third trip to the Smokies and each trip he has hoped to catch a glimpse of a bear. He never expected to be just 10 feet away from two of them!