The Appalachian Trail

On the morning of our last day everyone went up to the highest point of the Appalachian Trail. I stayed in the car to feed Ember, and deal with the diaper incident that shall never be mentioned again. 

The kids really love climbing. At home it's usually the counters and the furniture, so it was nice for them to climb on something without breaking things in the process. 

 This is the highest point. It is 6625 feet above sea level. The elevation of where we live in NC is 12 feet. That is a big difference. My ears could feel it.

 He was excited to find a little cave.

Cascade Hike

One of the hikes we took went along amazing cascades. The views were breathtaking. It wasn't as steep of a hike as the first day, so the kids had a lot more fun running around. 

 Trying to get a picture where someone isn't sticking their tongue out is next to impossible.

 It was a lot of fun being with Mel and Eric for the week. The kids loved playing with cousin Noelle, and she was certainly entertained by them.

 Emmy Lu did really well in the carrier. I think she really liked the fresh air.

 Nate loved being able to explore and climb on things. Asher is like him in so many ways.

 Dex did so well hiking around. He did most the the hikes on his own. He also has some big news. He is potty trained. He had no trouble doing it, and I probably should have tried it a lot sooner.

Dollywood

Yesterday Nate and I took the kids to Dollywood. I was skeptical at first, but it was a lot of fun. There were a lot of great rides and it wasn't too crowded. I spent a lot of time on the sidelines while Nate took the bigger kids on rides. 

 Piper definitely liked the bigger rides, but was nice enough to do some of the milder ones with Dex. She loved going on roller coasters.

 This was the only ride Emmy Lu went on.

 She was pretty happy to just be with the gang.

 This was Asher's favorite ride. We have a couple of thrill seekers.

Gatlinburg

The kids have spring break this week, so we rented a cabin in Gatlinburg Tennessee. The weather is amazing and it is so nice to enjoy time together. Nate's sister Melody and her family are also with us. We took a long hike yesterday to a beautiful waterfall. 

The kids are loving the freedom the Smoky Mountains offers here. 

 Piper insisted on hiking in a skirt. She is ever the little lady.

 Dex desperately tries to keep up with his older siblings. For the most part he does really well.

 Asher captured a slithering creature. We also saw a few bears on our drive here.

 I am so thankful to have a week to relax with my favorite people.

Egg Hunt

Last weekend we did our annual egg hunt. The weather was great, and we had a lot of friends come. As the kids are getting older they each have their own group of friends. Asher has a lot of cute kids in his class, and it was fun having some of them over. 

 I waited as long as possible to hide the eggs that had chocolate in them, but they still melted.

 I'm guessing within a year Dex is going to pass Piper in weight, and in another year height.

T-ball

Piper had her first T-ball game last week. I had so much fun watching her. It was hilarious. Her team was in the field first. She has her friend Olivia on the team with her. The stuck together the entire time. Piper was very excited when her friend Reese (on the other team) got on base. Chatting with the girls was clearly more important than paying attention.

 Sorry for the blurry pictures. I'll try to get closer next time. Piper was able to hit the ball, but she completely forgot what to do after that. She pretty much ran in a small circle while holding onto the bat.

She is having a lot of fun, and at this point that is all that matters.

Six months of Emmy Lu

Emmy Lu turned six months the day Dexter turned three. 

Her current likes include:

the jumparoo

milk

Piper

eating puzzle pieces

her feet

trying to eat people's chins

Her current dislikes include:

sleeping for more than an hour at a time

sleeping at night

Things she tolerates:

rice cereal

In the middle of the night I feel like I am going to go crazy. She is a terrible sleeper and I am exhausted. As soon as the morning hits she is pleasant and funny and such a cuddle bug. I almost forget how awful the previous night was (almost). 

I love this little face so much.

 This is her I want to grab your face and eat your chin look.

 Man she loves her feet. She isn't dainty about it either. She will bite through her sock to get to her feet and shove them both in her mouth.

 Pipes and Dex still view her as a novelty and love being with her.

 They adore each other.

 He enjoys getting to be the big kid these days.

 I let Piper take some photos this morning and she actually did ok. Happy Weekend!

A

This is what happens

when you turn three and boycott naps. 

Also, waking up everyday at 5:30 with your older siblings doesn't help matters. 

At least he made it in the house this time.

Dexter's Party

Dexter is a huge fan of Chick-Fil-A, so it was a great choice for his birthday party. He has a small preschool class, so it was easy to accommodate his friends.

This picture was taken about 30 seconds before he exploded a ketchup packet all over himself, followed by spilling his milk everywhere. He really knows how to impress the ladies. 

 Piper hung out at the big sisters' table.

 I was really hoping Dex would have requested a chocolate cake, so I could have gotten away with a box mix. Instead he insisted on a banana cake. I made a Hummingbird cake (it has bananas, pineapple, and pecans in it). He loved it.

 He does not possess the ability to blow without spitting. I'm thinking this is the reason why all the adults passed on taking a slice of cake.

 He had a great time with all his friends, and I loved seeing him so happy.

If Dexter had a twin

I imagine this is what it would be like. He has a best bud these days and her name is Stella (Finley's little sister). They are both the third child in their families and are a lot alike (in looks and personality). They are wild and passionate and a ton of fun. She was over for the day and my heart broke on multiple occasions seeing them together. 

Dex got a birthday card that plays music (Thanks Aunt Katie) and they sat on the steps listening to it over and over. 

 Stella insisted on picking Dex some flowers.

One of my favorite things is seeing my kids with their friends. It is so special.