The Champion Family

July 5, the kids and I headed to the Tennessee mountains to spend time with a dear friend of many years, Edith Trost Kirkland and her family (12 kids and 11 adults). We arrived to a old cabin that has been in the family for over 100 years. No TV, no computers, just running around in the fresh outdoors using their imagination. The kids and I shared a king size bed...they slept and I enjoyed being poked with little feet and rolled on all night. But they were cute sleeping! In the morning we had a family breakfast with the whole Trost clan and played some more. In the afternoon we would load up and go on adventures. We hiked to a waterfall, the mini library, "pottery"- where we watched a man throw on the wheel, a 2 mile hike where we got to see a real rattle snake...by accident! Kacie did the 2 mile hike with no carrying! Riley just kept up with the other kids. he was a real trooper. I got a book read and a lot of visiting. The food was great, the weather was super, the company was fun!The kids still talk about it and look forward to visiting again.

To explain a few of the pictures...

Kacie with her head back: Kacie fell at the pool on July 4 and got 5 stitches in her chin. I was nervous that she would hit it and split it open... she never did and it never slowed her down!

Riley and friends: Riley and Turner played a lot during this trip!

Kacie pushing a stroller: Kacie liked to push Gus in the stroller (Gus is a year older than Kacie...she is such a momma.)

Riley near a metal box: Riley was facinated by an old well

Group picture: Riley and Kacie with Edith's 3- Millie, Turner and Gus

Large group picture: The whole clan