Memorial Day and Visit from Grandma and Grandpa

We enjoyed a fun Memorial Day week with my parents who came to visit us. We took advantage of having them with us and rented a mini-van to drive together to Smokey Mountain National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina. On our way there, we stopped in Georgetown and took a tour of the Toyota manufacturing plant. They zipped us around in train of tour cars as we listened to our guide describe the amazing way that cars are assembled. I was impressed by how much of the process is done by robots and how efficient they have made the process.

Toyota Manufacturing Tour--unfortunately we weren't able to take pictures inside.

 After finishing the next 4 hour drive and eating dinner, we stayed in a cute bears-themed cabin near Gatlinburg for three nights. It was quite the adventure to find it and try to make it up the very steep winding driveway. The first night we actually didn't make it up and had to carry our belongings to the top on our own. :)

Our car parked at the bottom of the hill.

Our cabin had a covered wrap-around porch with a swing.

My parents were such awesome helpers in packing lunches and meal prep. I really appreciate their willingness to jump in and help with whatever is needed.

Our first day we visited Sugarlands Visitor Center and went on some walking trails nearby before finding lunch and driving around Cade's Cove.

The Ranger there was so nice to Ethan and quickly made his a junior ranger. She pulled him behind the desk so he could help answers people's questions. :)

We saw several Black Bears as we were out driving around Cade's Cove

Here was a pretty waterfall out behind the Visitor's Center

Lydia decided she wanted to push Ethan in the stroller

My parents with a view of Gatlinburg in the back.

Enjoying their new ride in our rented car. :)

The national park had several existing cabins and other structures you could walk in that were built many years earlier.

 Our second day in the park we hiked Clingman's Dome. It's a short but steep 1/2 mile hike to an observatory tower where you can see for miles in all directions. We had good timing because just as we were getting back into the car it started pouring. We also walked along part of the original Appalachian trail.

Clingman's Dome

Walking on part of the Appalachian Trail.

Later in the afternoon we rested, ate dinner at the cabin and watched Toy Story. On our drive there and back we drove through Pigeon Forge and Ethan and Lydia got really excited about all the fun buildings and sights along "the strip" of that Tourist Trap of a town. We enjoyed our fun little getaway in the mountains. The kids did great on the long drive so we stopped at a park and ate ice cream cones on our way home.

We swam at our community swimming pool on Memorial Day and enjoyed eating good food and having great company.

May Events

Well, summer has gotten away from me, but I'll still do a few catch up posts before I'm completely overwhelmed. :) I guess the problem with posting so far after the fact is that you don't get all the juicy details, just a million pictures. :) Well, for the sake of my journal, here's a brief look at May.

Ethan finished his first year of preschool at Crossroads Preschool. He really enjoyed it and loved his teachers. They had a fun field day where the kids participated in various events, and of course everyone was given a medal at the end. They also had a preschool graduation for them which Ethan attended even though he'll be going to preschool for one more year. The graduation was cute, but unfortunately I only took videos and my one picture didn't turn. Oh well, I've got another year to do better. :)

Another preschool field trip was a visit to the Fire Dept.

Our friend Calvin reading to Lydia

 As a member of the Mom's Club board I was responsible for the yearly service project. I decided to collect items for an activity bag for children staying at the Children's Hospital. I know of two friends who have stayed at this hospital for weeks at a time because of critical illnesses their children have. We had a great turn out and assembled 25 bags at our church building. We also included a free meal card for parents to use while staying with their children.

Our activity bag for the Children's Hospital

We visited a new grocery store and Ethan and Lydia loved the new grocery carts.

A fun play house in the children's garden

We visited the Children's Museum one day.

Mother's Day 2018- Not the best picture taken right before rushing into church, but it does the job. :)

Ethan with Haven at the preschool playground. Haven carpooled with us all year.

Ethan was proud that he learned to pump himself on the swing.

We also visited the Art Museum in Cincinnati on a special children's day.