Cheney Reunion Part 2

Wednesday Kirk went biking and the rest of us had another picnic and wading in the river experience. This time we went to Greenbrier something. We ate at a picnic area where we saw a baby possum.

The river was really nice where we went. We were the only ones there and the water was nice and calm. The little girls found a special spot with tons of butterflies and that kept their attention pretty much the whole time we were there.

Later the kids decorated picture frames for the cousin picture that we take every time.

I like to call the above Millie Einstein.

I also tried to get "nicer" pictures of all the kids I could. Aiden is clearly not comfortable around me. His smile in the second one cracks me up.

 "The Smolder"

 Half of the amazing duo that mastermind the whole thing.

As if we hadn't packed enough fun into one day, we had a "birthday party" even though it wasn't anyone's birthday. The kids played with balloons, hit a pinata, and squirted each other with water guns.

 Afton is a lover, not a fighter, and wouldn't hit the pinata.

 Sam, too, although he tried, is a gentle giant.

 Carter, on the other hand, had no qualms about ripping into that donkey.

 Kung fu master.

Thursday Kirk and Ryan went on a hike in the morning and we all hit the outlet mall after they got back. What else did we do that day? I can't remember. Maybe we swam? Millie won the award for the world's largest diaper. When she would try to sit down, she'd fall from side to side it was so bulbous.

 We got delicious shakes that took forever to make at this local joint.

 We walked the strip in Gatlinburg. They have a ton of Ripley's Believe It or Not type things. This is the world's tallest man on record. (Well, it's a robot thing OF the world's tallest man on record.)

 Sam loves transformers.

 And I got Dan this sweet shirt.

Friday we went to the aquarium which was super great. Then it rained and we ran to Wendy's.

Saturday we were packing up, trying to leave by nine. And THEN... FINALLY... we saw a black bear. Right by our cars. Then it walked up the hill in front of our cabin and came around to grab the trash can. It was a big one. You've probably already seen my spastic video, but I'll post it again just because.

 (The reason I reacted that way was because I knew my dad would be annoyed that it got the trash out of the bear-proof bin RIGHT before we were trying to leave, okay??)

Until next time, my lovely family!

Cheney Family Reunion 2014 - Gatlinburg, TN

Hello? Anyone there? Probably not. But I need to keep this baby up so here's the latest.

I spent last week with most of my immediate family in a log cabin in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I drove over to my parents' house with the kids on a Friday. (Dan wasn't able to come. He had to work. We missed him so much!) Mom hopped in my car and we caravaned with my dad and sister over to Knoxville. We spent the night in a nice LaQuinta, but then the people in the next room over checked in and left their dog to bark and bark for hours and hours. So annoying. We got BBQ from a local joint and went to a park that night.

Saturday we had to kill time before we could check into the cabin, so in the morning we went to a natural history museum on the UT campus, then another park, then lunch at a chick-fil-a in a crowded and noisy mall.

We did lots of grocery shopping and then headed to Gatlinburg. So did the rest of Tennessee. We were stuck in traffic FOR.EV.ER.

We finally made it to the cabin around 7:30, ate some pizza, waited for Kirk and Ryan's families to arrive, and called it a night.

Sunday we went to church, which took place in an old theater while their building went through renovations. It was strange. My dad said it was the only time he's gone to church in a place with cup holders.

We took a scenic drive later that day through Smoky Mountain National Park.

More Sunday fun.

Taking pictures of the kids taking pictures of each other.

Monday we had a picnic and played in the river at Metcalf Bottoms.

That night we also had a kids' talent show.

Tuesday we headed to Ober Gatlinburg, a little amusement park type place, which was really fun. I rode the chair lift and alpine slide with each of the kids and some water rides with Sam. They also mini-golfed and played on the playground.

A little lesson in form wouldn't hurt, huh?

Right before the treasure hunt.

To be continued...

Dan's Movie Corner

Last night we Redboxed the movie Divergent.

Some movies have this inexplicable way of making you forget all of the worthless movies you've seen before, because you're absolutely convinced that the movie you are watching currently is the most worthless movie ever.

Divergent has that special something.