Labor Day 2009

The best way to sum up this year's Labor Day adventure is: expect the unexpected! This year was missing some of the "regular" things we do such as- watching a movie altogether, playing crazy games, and shopping together. But we still did some of the normal traditions- sausage gravy and biscuits, homemade cake for Jeanne's birthday, watching "Friends", and an outdoor adventure! This year was also the year of trying new things (some once, and only once)- Funyaking for 11 miles/6 hours, being in more pain than imaginable, going shopping- just us girls, listening to Jack (our GPS) as he took us up scary, narrow, mountain roads in the dark, and not being able to find keys as we are heading out the door to go home. No matter what happened, or didn't happen, we got to spend time together as a family! We need to cherish this trip forever and always! Let's remember the laughter and fun times spent together!

Chrissy and I preparing for Jeanne's cake the night we arrived (on Friday)

Twins!!

Pictures from eating out at Woodlands:
Mom and Jeanne (cheers with beer and tea)

Dad and Mom... awwwwww!

Beth and Frank

Paul, Meg, and Elise

Chrissy and Kris

The whole table at Woodlands (the best BBQ restaurant) celebrating Jeanne's birthday

Chrissy and I trying to carefully move the flip flop to the sand pan

Aunt Jeanne's birthday cake (replica of her favorite flip flops sitting in sand)

"Where in the world are those keys?"

Paul and Meghan were packed up ready to head back to Greensboro when Paul realized he could not find his keys. All 10 of us turned the house UPSIDE down trying to find the keys. Mom called the restaurant we ate at the night before to see if they fell out of his pocket there. She also called AAA to come out just in case they were locked in his car. After an hour and a half of looking, they were finally found in his bed! Here is a picture of the key's finder and the one who lost them.

Family photo taken in front of the beautiful view in front of our cabin

Obligatory Family Photo (Notice Paul's love for these photos we are forced to take)

The kids showing their love for group photos on the last day


**Now that you have looked through all the pictures posted, you are probably wondering where in the world are pictures from our funyaking adventure. Go look again! You still don't see them? That is because no pictures were taken of us in tight red life jackets (imagine it being impossible to take a deep breath) and white plastic helmets. Imagine blue blown-up funyaks stuck on rocks, over and over again! Imagine breakdowns and flipping out of funyaks. Imagine blisters, bruises, and horribly sunburned legs (some 2nd degree burns). See- there is no need to have pictures because you can imagine it all! Also imagine Beth, Priscilla, Jeanne, Meghan, Chrissy, Kris, Frank, Jim, and Paul being brave as they rock themselves off those rocks and putting themselves back into the rafts when they flipped over. Imagine paddling through the tears and Meg singing about home! We learned a lot on Saturday but the lesson I learned the most is how tough they all can be and can make it through!