More Family Fun

At the Baughman family reunion, the Great Grandkids had a fun little water balloon "fight" the one afternoon.  

What a great week with my family!  I miss them all and can't wait until the next time we are together.

Family, lots of family

I love my family!  I love being with my family.  I even love the sometimes crazy aspects of my family. My extended family is spread out.  My paternal grandparents had 3 children, 5 grandchildren, and now 10 (with one more on the way) great grandchildren.  We live in 9 different states all over the country.  Needless to say we don't get to all be together very often.  We planned to all gather in East Tennessee this summer.  We missed 2 of my cousins and their families!!!  However, the other 19 of us had a great week of adventure together.

We all went on a hike in a National Park (it was part of Gaitlinburg, but we didn't go in the main entrance).  This was a 1 mile hike that all the kids and my Grandma hiked.  A beautiful morning in the Smoky Mountains!

The whole Baughman family present, except Aunt Anne who took the picture!

Kelsie, Joel, and Jim hiking

Eli (who is 3 months younger than Joel), Larry, and Rachel

Melanie and Tim

Kirstin, Myself, and My Mom!

A sampling of the beautiful view on our hike

Joel crossing a river on rocks

Aunt MeMe helping Joel across one of the many foot bridges.

He made it!  He did such a great job hiking.

We ate a picnic lunch in the National Park before some of the family headed back home for naps.  Then the rest of us hiked up 2.1 miles to a waterfall (and then back down 2.1 miles).

Trevor (and others) on the way up.  It really was up with this incline for the first 2 miles.  The last .1 of a mile was even more steep down to the falls.

My brother, Tim, and nephew, Trevor at the waterfall

It was just after this moment when Jim realized his phone was going for a swim.  After 3 days in rice to dry out, it revived!!! 

My Kelsie!

Cooling off in the waterfall's fresh mountain water.

That's my brother!!!  (He got ALL of the daring genes and I got NONE)

Sweaty, but enjoying the view!

Another glimpse at God's beautiful creation.

The trip down the mountain was adventurous as my Aunt fell a split her knee pretty close to the top of the mountain.  She then went into shock and passed out with Jim and I catching her.  Fortunately, my cousin, the nurse, was with us.  Her husband, the doctor, was able to put 4 stitches in my Aunt's knee after dinner.

As if that wasn't enough adventure, the next day we headed to the Pigeon River where several in the family started the day ziplining, but I wasn't up for that adventure.  However, after lunch most of us went white water rafting.  Unfortunately, I don't have any cool pictures.  Joel has the best story of the day though.  He went on a raft with his Grandpa, Great Grandma Betty, Great Aunt, and 2nd cousins (ages 3 and 6).  They went on the lower river that was calmer, while the rest of us went on the upper river to experience more rapids.  A few minutes into Joel's trip their raft went backwards into a rock.  This caused Joel to be dumped out of his raft and into the river.  He spent some time floating along until his guide Miss Melinda hoisted him up into a different raft.  Eventually, he was put back into the correct raft.  Grandpa was very concerned for him.  Joel wasn't scared a bit, though.  He was thrilled to tell us the story when we met back up with him.  

We also enjoyed time in the sandbox, local community pool, around the campfire with smores and fireworks.  I look forward to the next time we all decide to get together (and hopefully those that weren't able to join us will be able to the next time).

It's in the genes

Here are my parents' four grandkids!  I love how they all love each other so much!!  Can you tell they are related?

Kirstin, Trevor (10), Kelsie (14), Joel

One of the days while enjoying our time in Texas, Joel went with Uncle Tim, Aunt MeMe, and Trevor to Legoland.  They have a family pass.  Joel loved every minute of his special time.  Here are a few of the pictures that Melanie took for me.  She was texting them to me as I was enjoying some shopping (alone). :-)

Seriously, they look so much alike (and act alike too!!!)  This is Joel with Uncle Tim (my brother).

on a ride at Legoland

Watching the 4D movie (I think they watched it twice even!)

I just found these pictures from my SIL and had to share... I'll get back to the rest of our trip soon. :-)

Mother of Ring Bearer and Flower Girl

I debated about putting this all in one long post or breaking it up into several smaller ones...it's all in one long post...you've been warned. :-)


When it comes to weddings it seems like everybody has a title.  For Sam and Sarah's wedding on June 15, 2012, I had many titles: mother of ring bearer, mother of honorary flower girl, wife of organist, and sister-in-law of groom.  All of these titles led to a fun and busy wedding week! 

We arrived in Texas on Tuesday night.  We are so grateful that my brother and his family lives in the area.  We were blessed to stay with them, where each child and us could have wonderful sleeping accommodations for all the week's festivities!  (Thank you Uncle Tim and Aunt MeMe!!)

Wednesday evening, I hosted a bridal shower for Sarah.  My SIL, Melanie, was a wonderful co-host, opening up her house and cooking all day for people she mostly did not know.  We had great fun coordinating the shower around the wedding colors and nature inspired theme.  It also works that both of my SILs are veggie eaters (as in they don't eat animals!)

Here are all the ladies from my MIL's side of the family at the shower (and some of the yummy food!)

My lovely niece, Kelsie helped with hosting duties (we were at her house!), me, and my MIL, Kris

Then Thursday evening was the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.  

My amazing husband at the organ to play his baby brother's wedding.

Waiting for the rehearsal to start... Notice Joel wiping up the floor because he poured a water bottle on the floor.  This was his only mishap the whole weekend, which was amazing considering most events occurred post typical bedtime!

A cute, but tired flower girl and her momma!

Mom, Sarah, and Sam

Then Friday was the big day (or really night since the wedding started at 7:30 p.m.).

This was an attempt at a lovely family photo... there were many attempts.

My hair for the wedding.  Thank you, Kelsie!!

Just look at my kids... this is before we even left to go to the church.  At this point I was thinking, "Oh , this is going to be a LOOONG night!"

Our family with Jim's dad and his wife.

Sweet Peach playing with the flower petals in her basket while awaiting her turn down the aisle.

Brothers!

Boys and their Mom

The cutest Ring Bearer ever!!!

The most adorable honorary flower girl!!

Cousins!

My brother, Tim, and SIL, Melanie!  They had Joel using my camera as pre-wedding entertainment...so grateful for their help all week!

My nephew, Trevor, and niece, Kelsie...love them!

Jim at the organ!

Joel standing next to Uncle Ben (the best man)

Kirstin processing in (and being carried by me)

Kirstin during the ceremony

Sarah and Sam saying their vows

Joel recessing

Kirstin recessing... She clapped her hands and kicked her feet up and down the aisle! :-)

Marriott Family Picture

Would be a cute family picture, but Kirstin is hidden.

The wedding party!

 On to the reception...

The reception was at a very unique venue in the Nature Building of the Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas.  The exhibits were all open for us to explore during the reception, too!  This was great for Joel.

The cakes... My MIL made the red velvet groom's cake with the Alabama "A" on top.

The happily married couple... Congratulations Sarah and Sam!

Sarah with a bunch of the Albrecht family (MIL's side of family)

Kirstin and her Daddy partying... she was so tired, but didn't want to miss anything.

Our family dancing together

I'm with my BIL, Ben... he caught the garter!  Kelsie caught the bouquet.

What a fun time with two barefoot and tired kiddos!

Apparently, the fun continued for many hours into the night (morning), but we left so our sweet kids could go to bed.  They both fell asleep in the car before we were out of the parking lot!