Weekend on Snaggy Mountain in Boone, NC

As a family we have lots of holiday traditions.  I think traditions help build family bonds and give kids roots.  So I really like traditions and the holidays seem to lend themselves well to traditions.  However....as a family we don't really have much of a Thanksgiving tradition.  So each year we kind of decide what we will do this year.  Sometimes we stay at home and celebrate with my extended family or with Randy's family.  We used to go to Pennsylvania to visit Randy's grandparents but they've moved here.....This year....we headed to the mountains with my parents, my sister Stacy, my brother Matt and his wife Holly and their kids Joshua, Gray, and Julia.  We arrived Wednesday evening and woke up on Snaggy Mountain to this beautiful view on Thanksgiving Day.

My kids were delighted to start Thanksgiving Day off with "Pa" Cakes (aka as pancakes....but evidently Pa makes the best in the world and my kids are always thrilled to have them!)

After breakfast Mama, Stacy , and I got cooking (Matt, Holly, and her kids didn't arrive until later on Thanksgiving Day....Matt had to work that morning)

While we were working on lunch Pa and Daddy took the rascals out exploring. 

The highlight of their morning adventure was finding and climbing on an apple tree!  We even used the apples to decorate the table for Thanksgiving!  Way to go Daddy bear!

Next came lunch!

and boy did we eat: Turkey, Ham, Rolls, Stuffing, Crock pot Mac and Cheese, Deviled Eggs, Sweet Potato Casserole, Corn Casserole, Green bean Casserole, Gravy, Salad, Some Yummy Cranberry Dessert, Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Pumpkin Pie, Peppermint Bark, and Pineapple Upside Down Cake.....YUMMY!  UGH....a little too yummy!

After Dinner Mom and I took some of the kids on a walk around the neighborhood.....we were so full!

We met a sweet golden retriever.  Who reminded us of our Mindy!

she hung out with us throughout the trip.

More Apples!

The rest of the trip involved...lots of football for the adults (while the kids watched movies on the laptop)

Board Games

Playtime with the cousins.....which THE TWINKIE BOY loved! He gets so tired of playing Barbies with his sisters!  So they wrestled, played Batman and Robin, Trains.....lots of boy fun!

Lots of Stories...

While Nanny, Holly, and I took THE GIRL and baby Julia window shopping in Blowing Rock
Pa, Daddy, and Matt took the rest of the kids on a hike to "Bear Rock"

My crew headed home this afternoon.  We stopped at Krispy Kreme in Winston Salem on the way home!

YUMMY!

A sweet ending to a nice weekend.

I love my family!