This was the begining trip of our summer break. We started it with the family mountain house at Grandfarther Mountain in N.C. It's a place we enjoy coming to and just taking a little time out.

We play board games here and read great books and do some of the best antique shopping which is my favorite thing to do. The food is even good out here, and the friendly people out here is so refreshing. I deal with so many moody people I look forward to coming to a happy place.

We are always able to work on some sort of scout badge here too. So we took the opportunity to earn Angie's hiking Girl Scout badge and boy did she. She went on a great hike and it was well earned. They hiked the grandfarther mountain itself. They call it Grandfarther Mountain because when you look at it from a distance it's shaped like an old grandfarther, like the one from the classic movie "Heidi".

They were able to witness lots of wild life on this hike. I always thought a deer had the weirdest eyes. You can't tell in this picture but their eyes are on the outside of the socket of the eye. I learned that awhile back at a petting zoo. It freaked me out. ha! ha! Oh, where was I while the kids were hiking....well John and the kids did this great little hike, our Moe and I went treking ourselves around the antique shops in the town there. My most favorite part. Moe is so much fun to antique with. Oh, let me explain "Moe" is my mother en-law. Any who....we found some great finds and we had a great lunch at the little town drug store. You know the drug store kind with the 40's and 50's flare with the best food. Well I have to share what I ordered....I was hungery but not fatting hungery. Like a large meal kind of hungery. I ordered a "grilled peanut butter & jelly" sandwich. It was wonderful. I wish I took pictures of our little treking adventures but the other half needed to take pictures too. I'll share later what treasures I found antiquing. My favorite is a neat globe for our family library. Moe & I share this love for antiques and we always have such a great time. She is the one who taught me this joy.

It did rain this trip but that didn't stop them!

My little outdoor explorers! They really enjoy this stuff. It wears them out too! Big plus!

Here they are in action!

We met some of John's Granny & Pal's friends on this trip. Moe introduced us and they were really nice to get to know. They have a barn at their house and some apple trees and trackers so we were able to look around and see all the great things they had to share with us, more like some great laughs!

If there was ever talk about moving and building our house this would be it! I love this house! It screams "farmhouse". It looks so cozy with lights on and trees giving shade all around and the big welcoming steps. The wrap around pouch welcomes a nice sit in the rocker with lemonade or work on your cross stitch with fire flies flying around. Or just playing a good card game and some good conversation. I would add a tire swing on one of the trees there though. Then I think of this and think this is nice but so is what I have and the whole idea of some day not having a morgage payment sounds even better. I want to play and own "own" a house. So this is nice but my house can be like a farm house my way and make it cozy too. Now I want to stay here some day cause you know what? This is a Inn! Yep! So I can still take a little vacation with this farm house and that's a treat too!

Okay I did this a little backwards but I'll explain myself here. See on this trip we found the church and the reception house for our kids weddings. I know I'm rushing it but as every girl knows we dream about our weddings and our kids weddings. It's so ROMANTIC!!!!

So with that being said John, Moe and I decided this is it! ha! ha! This was the reception house which is this really nice club house which isn't far from the Inn I just showed you. Which means we could house out of town guest and a first night honeymoon! See I told you we have it all planned out! ha! ha! Can't you just see spinning dresses and shoes dancing on the open porch.

This is the inside of the little church we found, well more like Moe found. She brought us out here and I mean out here. It was tucked away on a narrow dirt road in the woods. So pretty!

This little church dates back in the late 1800's. So neat!

I know it's Episcopal and yes we are not that, but hopefully when the kids are ready to marry it can be any religion welcomed. So if this is ment to be then maybe SOME DAY!!!! We will go to this little chapel just like the old song and have a sweet little few weddings!

Here we went into town well a small fun town called "Blowing Rock" and we just enjoy the little shops there and the best family park ever and REALLY good ice cream from what my kids tell me. I love getting garden ideas at this very place. You can see why through these pictures.

Angie wants to do this for here bedroom window! What a cute idea! It made Angie smile!

The kids with their Moe! Brad and his hiking stick! ha! ha!

My daughter!

Angie, you goof!

Even better Angie!

The climbing wall! Caleb just needs to step up now and he's on top the darn thing!

The freedom we get from this vacation is always in our hearts of hearts. The peace and beauty.

A quiet summer late afternoon!

There's non-thing like a vacation at the family mountain house. Many memories to live a life time here. How sweet it is to have a place like this. I'm ready to go back! Maybe a fall trip is in the works! How lovely it would be!