Benefields Take TN

On Thursday, we set out on our very first vacation as a family of four.  I wasn't quite sure how the 8+ hour drive would go, because we all seemed to have woke up on the wrong side of the bed with wrinkled foreheads due to our bad moods.  That wasn't the way I'd looked forward to starting our trip to the mountains, but we finally got loaded up and we were on our way...

 to take the dog to the vet to be boarded.

The GPS took us on an unnecessary trip through Mentone, AL.  Honestly, we circled the town, stopped to look at this view

before taking us back out to the main road that we were traveling to begin with.

The kids traveled like champs and the further we traveled, the better everyone felt.
We stopped in Chatanooga to see Ruby Falls.

Once out of the cave, the kids had to have another dose of ice cream

 while Daddy worked (as usual).

And around 9PM, TN time, we arrived at our cabin (and not a moment too soon).  The kids were very excited to be out of the car and to see this!

 This kid has no fear.

The next morning, we had delicious pancakes.  John wanted a picture taken of his power ranger standing beside the window.  The Princess was just ready to eat.

  On Saturday, we went to Cades Cove.

This trip was VERY interesting to say the least and
 took all. day. long.
The kids were wore out when we made it back to the cabin.

Later on...
While Sadie and I ate ice cream, the boys enjoyed The Track.  We were so surprised at how brave JMc was.  He was not afraid of anything and loved the roller coaster the most!

 

On Saturady, we visited the very crowded aquarium.

We shopped at the Tanger Outlet.

We all had a great time and did not want to come home. That says a lot about a family, too, when you can travel almost a 1,000 miles (with a 1 & 5 year old in tow) and still want to be in close proximity to each other after 4 days in a vehicle.

XOXO,

Stacy

UNdomesticated

I took the day off from work yesterday to catch up on housework.  One day is never enough, but one day without the kids at home is enough to clear a path through the door. So, I dropped the kids off at daycare in two different towns, ran by the dollar store to buy groceries, and headed home.  Then, I realized that I forgot to check my post office box as I turned on to our road.. So, I turned around  heading 10 miles back to the post office.  That is how my day went pretty much.  Two steps forward, one step back.  After catching up on the Kardashians while enjoying a snack and a diet coke for breakfast, I began cleaning the kitchen.  Then, I'd have to take something to the bathroom and I'd stay in there piddling for a few minutes.  Then, I'd need to take a something from the bathroom into one of the kid's rooms...I'd stay there a few minutes before heading back to the living room to put a toy in the bin.   From there, I'd find an empty juice and take it to the kitchen and remember, "oh, yea.  I was washing dishes."   I made progress, but didn't finish everything that needed doing.  When JMc walked in yesterday evening, he said, "WHOA!" before running to his room to see if the cleaning fairy had cleaned his room, too.  Sorry, Bud.  Didn't make it that far.  That is a clear indication that I need to get it together. Yes, I still work full time, but being a full-time college student in addition to wife, mom, and my M - F job is no longer an excuse.  I think I'd rather go back to school and keep that excuse rather than being the domesticated goddess with all of my crap together that is expected of women.  I was raised to keep things in order, but I never have.  My bedroom growing up was always a disaster. Once, a friend stepped on something and had to have a tetanus shot.  It's a good thing that my best friend growing up is just as big of a slob as I am so she didn't mind sleeping in there! 
It's time to woman up and get it together. No more grocery shopping at the dollar store and more organization and tidiness!  After selling our house and moving into a rent house while building a new home, life has been chaotic.  Daniel and I are sleeping in one end of the living room and I'm sharing a tiny closet in the dining room with JMc.  If I'd get my act together, we'd have plenty of living space in the 2bed/1 bath home.  We are very thankful for our rent house and being able to live there has been such a convenience to our family.  We moved in a hurry and we can't find anything because we do not know if the needed items are in the shed or stowed a way somewhere in a box.  It's time to get the house in order and start rummaging through boxes both in the closets and in our sheds so that once we move, we will not be in this situation again.  So, here's to my journey of becoming domesticated.  This should be interesting.

Weekend Fun

This weekend deserves documenting because 2 things that NEVER happen, happened.

1.) Two girls who have no sense of direction made it to and from a college football game among 50,000 folks and lots of acreage safely.

2.) Both of my kids went to a restaurant and to the zoo with no tears and without anyone getting aggravated or in trouble.

This girl is the best and so much fun.  We had a great time at MSU's homecoming and are so thankful that we didn't have to endure a dreaded walk of shame to the car.  21-20 was the final score and we'll take a one point win over a one point loss any day...but, we were expecting a blow out.  Maybe MSU homecoming should be a tradition for us from now on!  Daniel was glad that I had someone to finally take selfies with besides him, because that is so not his thing.  I'm pretty sure that we have the two best husbands in the world for staying home with the kids while their wives attended a late night football game.

Yesterday, we took the kids to eat at O'Charley's and then to the zoo.  The kids were saints during the entire trip.  Speaking of Saints, they lost their first game of the season on Sunday...BOO! We've never had a meal at a restaurant that wasn't chaos even with just John McRae.  Sadie's first zoo trip was fun, too.  She enjoyed watching the water shoot up and down at the splash pad and John McRae really enjoyed his ice cream, as usual.

He's a flamingo.

The Sadie face.

Ice Cream Mustache

It's HOT HOT HOT!

 The kids got their nap out on the way home so D & I didn't get ours.  I was sure looking forward to it after staying out so late the night before.

So sweet!

Miss Sadie is now holding her cup.  She isn't crazy about the juice inside (or the flash from the camera), but she enjoys swinging the cup in the air hitting who ever she can with it, even herself.  She has so much personality these days and is so much fun.  John McRae informed us that he wanted a brother like George on Peppa Pig.  I told him to take that up with his Daddy!

Next weekend is going to be fun, too. We have a birthday party to go to at JMc's best friend's house.  He's going to be SO excited and I'm looking forward to the cake. It's possible that Sadie will get her first taste of ice cream, too!