We had a week long reunion in Kentucky with my mom's family. We stayed at a wonderful place called Pine Paradise, which is right by the town of Bee Spring. Pine Paradise had tons of activities to do on site--a pond that had paddle boats, kayaks and intertubes; Nolin Lake just 1/8 mile away; hammocks; volleyball, cornhole, horseshoes; hot tube; and the Party Barn, which included pool, ping pong, cornhole, karoke, disco ball, fog machine, and a pole, which was used by Uncle Aaron for some dancing...:/
Mammoth National Park was just a short drive away, and Shad and I took Tommy on the Frozen Niagara Tour of Mammoth Caves. My cousin's wife, Ally and her son, Matthew came with us. Matthew and Tommy were best friends and held hands a lot. Tommy was so glad to have a cousin come with us.
The park of the rocks that looks like Niagara.
These crickets live in the cave and go out into the forest every 17-18 days to eat.
Shad and I were overall a little disappointed with the tour, but only because it was a lot easier and shorter than we'd have preferred. But that's what happens when I'm pregnant and have to make ticket reservations a month in advance. Who knows what my body will be capable of?
Katie had fun getting her nails done by Lisa and having her fix her hair every day. I also had my toe nails painted by Lisa. I'm actually fully capable of painting my nails for the whole duration of my pregnancies, but that day I had spent too much time bending over my belly already.
Decorations like this were found all over the property.
This mother spider and her hatched babies were found in the bathtub of the shower shack.
Aunt Angie set up a bracket for a volleyball tournament. Shad and Brian were on a team, and called themselves Maverick and Goose, though neither one knows who is who.
Victory dance!
My cousin Evan's dog, Atlas. Oh, how Dancy loved him!
Miss Kate being a tease at breakfast. She and Tom were delighted to get to have a picnic almost every meal.
Oh, and Tom got his nails painted too.
Two of my cousins, Katie and Hannah, aka, Strawberry and Banana, started singing Happy Birthday Phyllis to him after that.
Tom had fun fishing with Uncle Aaron with the leftover worms from Fear Factor. They caught several, though it was catch and release. I didn't have the camera on me for a picture of a caught fish.
Part of the awesome playground. Oh, we can't wait to get our swing set built!
Crazy Kate
More volleyball
And Brian said, "Hey, Megan! Get a picture of this!"
Shad's team had to play like 4 games against Tyler's team, but they won! Shad's team, that is.
Panoramic shots
"Look, Mom! I'm a balancing man! I'm using pretend to be a balancing man!"
Dancy with her friend Atlas
"Hey, come back!"
Katie hanging out with the decorative fire engine's Dalmatian, waiting for us to be all set for group pictures.
Shad and I loved the willow trees by the pond!
4-yr-olf photography: Tom took a picture of his new best friend, Matthew.
Dancy in a hammock swing
Tom and "Strawberry"
Tommy had a bit of an obsession with Strawberry. He tried to kiss her during the karaoke.
We have to have a talk with him about that. And I sure need to get Hannah's front row video of it.
He also did his Sexy Dance for her. The Sexy Dance is something he came out with when we were in Nauvoo. Just broke out dancing, and singing, "Sexy, sexy! Oh! Sexy, sexy! I'm sexy, sexy! Oooo! Sexy, sexy!" He left the song out of his dance for Strawberry, so she just thought he was there asking for tickles.
"Strawberry," Tom, and "Banana"
Saying goodbye to Matthew before we all head home.
Matthew was showing Tom what a "squishy hug" is, but then wanted him off.
Most of the tie, we let Tom and Katie have the freedom to do what they wanted. They were always with cousins their age, or the teen girls. Tom told me one day that he was so brave to go in the Party Barn with his cousins:) They had a few days that they wore swimsuits all day to be in and out of all the water activities. They were great hitchhikers to stand on the dock and get invited onto someone's kayak or paddle boat. Dancy loved the boating, too. She now has the word boat in her vocabulary and even made her own hand sign, too! She'd ask for "boat" after breakfast or naps.
