Memorial Day Mountain Trip

Hawkins (and Robbie and me) survived our first 7 hour car trip together. It was not fun, but we came out alive. Timed with afternoon nap, then Daddy time in the back seat, DVD player and one good stop for him to crawl around - it worked out pretty well. The trip back was much better then the trip there actually. Robbie let me drive a little bit - this is shocking b/c he thinks I am a terrible driver.

We arrived late Thursday night and our friends, the Evans, were already there. They came from Atlanta with their 2 children, so the trip was much shorter for them. We chatted and then headed to bed.

Friday was a day from heaven. We woke up to delicious coffee followed by a P90x workout session. The Evans brought a babysitter, so she helped get the little ones down for naps. The boys played golf at Mountain Top and the girls got treated to massages. Wonderful does not even begin to describe it. Amy suggested we go to the spa early and I was hesitant at first, but I quickly saw why. We sat for over an hour in plush white bathrobes sipping hot tea and talking girl talk - before the massage! Afterwards we got ready at the spa and met the boys downstairs for drinks and dinner. It was so much fun!

Here is a shot of the boys eating breakfast and watching cartoons together.

Saturday we at lunch outside in the garden at the Old Edward's Inn and shopped around in Highlands. My parents got in town for the weekend, so we spent some time with them too. We had dinner at the Orchard in Cashiers - it was delicious!

Here are John Quincy and Hawkins playing with Southern's lamb seat. They all loved it!

Hawkins playing with John Quincy's truck

Sunday we hiked Yellow Mountain - it was hard! My kind of hiking includes easy flat trails, but this was a vertical rocky hike. I was already huffing and puffing approxiametly 60 seconds into the "hike". I felt like the heaviest contest on the Biggest Loser in the first challenge. Everyone else was skipping and whistling up the mountian like it was no big deal and leaving me in the dust. I may be slightly exaggerating, but it was hard...but totally worth it once we got the top. It was a 360 degree view of the beautiful mountains.

We cooked out at the house Sunday night and I have to say that was my favorite night. We just enjoyed the view and the boys enjoyed some cigars. The house has an awesome porch with an incredible view.

We went on one last hike Monday morning before we left. This was much more my speed - just a pretty trail through the woods. Everyone was sad to pack up and leave - especially the Raybons to have to drive 7 hours back home!

Here are the precious children dressed up for Memorial Day!

John Quincy, Hawkins and Southern