Hi Vacation

We made our annual trip to Asheville for our family vacation this year and on the way I told the boys to say "hi" to the mountains.  Throughout the week, Owen kept waving and saying, "hi mountains" and whenever we came back to the cabin he would say, 

"hi vacation!"  

The cabin had 6 huge steps from the driveway to the front door and 

Owen LOVED walking up and down the steps as much as possible

The first day of vacation happened to fall on the weekend of the annual Black Mountain 

Sourwood Festival, so we spent the morning walking around Black Mountain 

and playing at the festival.  Their favorite part was the bounce house, of course.  

But Ethan also liked getting his face painted like Spiderman.

This was Owen's first carnival ride.  I took this picture before it started moving.

He made it halfway around before he started screaming, 

so they stopped the ride and let him off.

Ethan pushing Owen in the stroller around Asheville

Owen "shopping" at the Mast General Store

listening to the street performers

One of our many visits to Ultimate Ice Cream

It rained on and off the first half of the trip, 

so we made the best of it and ran around splashing in puddles.

making silly faces while we're waiting for our breakfast

Ethan loved his chocolate chip pancakes

Owen, on the other hand, would only eat them after they were dipped in ketchup

The cabin we rented had a little river that ran through the property.

And the best part was that it had a nice flat path 

from the cabin all the way to the river,

so it was wonderfully accessible for Ethan.  

throwing rocks in the river

cuddling, which turns into wrestling in the yard

 Favorite indoor activity...

throwing diapers at each other while jumping on the beds

we turned the heat way down in the hot tub a few days 

so the boys could "swim in the pool"

We spent a morning at the Western NC Nature Preserve

Here, Ethan is watching the otters

gray wolf

their favorite part was the petting farm

Ethan brushing the goat

the goat got confused and thought Ethan's walker basket was his dinner

More time in downtown Asheville

Our boys both love the city like we do, 

they were so happy walking around and greeting people on the street

Owen and I sat and listened to these performers for a good 15 minutes.

I was surprised he sat still for that long, but he really enjoyed the music.

And we had to return to Ethan's favorite spot in Asheville - the wig shop.

We found a few fun parks in the area

Daddy-Ethan time in the hammock

Mommy-Owen time on the swing

bug watching

definitely not my favorite activity of the week, but the boys love it

more cuddle-turned-into-wrestling

We went on a little bike ride on the French Broad River Greenway

playing peek-a-boo in the bike trailer

Reading one of my favorite childhood books,

The Teddy Bears Picnic

puppet time by the river

We all ate more desserts than necessary this week

Ethan's enjoying his chocolate covered rice krispie treat

A mom I met at one of the other parks told me about this park in Montreat.

It was, by far, the best park I've ever been to.

there was a little river running through the middle of the park

Ethan did amazingly well pushing himself in this swing.

He even stood up all the way and then let his feet go all by himself!

As you will see in these pictures (which I could not take enough of, by the way),

he was extremely proud of himself.

walking on the bridge over the river by our cabin

More bug watching.

Ethan named him Henry.  Can you find him?

On our way home from vacation, 

we stopped by to see our friends in Boiling Springs.

Owen LOVED Suzanna

tickle time