Knoxville

This weekend we went on a road trip to Knoxville, where Ashley, Zack, Taylor and Anna live. I hate to admit it, but Thomas and I haven't been to Knoxville since our niece, Anna, was a newborn. She's now 5 and a half years old. Ouch.

So this visit was long overdue. We had such a good time! Ashley and Zack know how to treat some guests, y'all! Their house is so beautiful and was decorated perfectly for fall and Halloween. Ashley went to wayyyyy above and beyond and to great lengths to help us with baby gear. She and her friends dug up 3 pack n plays, 2 high chairs, an exersaucer and a doorway jumper. Ashley had baby food, diapers, baby wash and lotion, etc. all ready for us. We basically had to bring clothes and that's it! Thomas could actually see out of the back of the van for this trip. It was awesome!

Friday night drive: we did a pit stop at the halfway point and got some dinner (drive thru & ate in the car), gave the boys a bottle, changed their diapers and hit the road again.

Ryan - sweet and happy

Stokes - hungry??

William - heard brother crying and joined in

Saturday was a low-key, go-with-the-flow kind of day. We hung out around the house in the morning and Taylor and Anna played with the boys. Granddad and Peggy were in Knoxville this weekend for the UT/Alabama game and came over on Saturday afternoon for lunch. The Gulleys, cousins on Thomas's side, live in Knoxville and joined us for lunch, too!

Thomas mashing apples for the
homemade applesauce

Homemade applesauce

Taylor stirring the applesauce

Taylor playing with Ryan.
He was CRACKING up!

Granddad and Stokes, Anna, and Thomas and Ryan

Gran-O with William

Jerry & William, Jack and Ryan, and Granddad and Stokes

Jane, Granddad and Ryan

William, Thomas and Zack

Ashley with a candle and a UT cupcake for Granddad

Belated birthday celebration surprise
for Granddad

Blowing out the candle and making a wish!

Jack and Stokes - they were laughing so much and having
a blast!

Blythe and Ryan

Thomas, William, Jane and Granddad

After lunch we relaxed for a while, met a few of Ashley and Zack's friends and neighbors and just enjoyed the beautiful weather.

 

Ashley making Ryan laugh

He sure does love his Aunt Ashley!

Ashley helping Anna feed Stokes while I fed Ryan

Zack watching football and Taylor feeding William

Thomas and William goofing around

Like father, like son

My handsome boys

Anna, Ryan and Taylor

All the kiddos! Anna, William, Ryan, Taylor and Stokes

 



Later on that afternoon we went to a nearby pumpkin patch. Taylor and Anna each got to pick out a pumpkin they are going to carve.

Taylor and Anna as Charlie Brown and Linus

Stokie as Charlie Brown

2 Pumpkins and a Scarecrow

The boys!

Ryan just chillin' amongst the pumpkins

Relaxin'....

Stokes DID NOT want his picture taken with the pumpkins

Yep, this is what we were working with

William, on the other hand, was a
total ham for the camera!

He found a tall pumpkin on which he
could lean while standing.

What a sweet boy!

Smiley

All 3 of my little guys!

 

Anna, Taylor and the boys

A few takes on the family shot!

Anna picking out a pumpkin

Our beautiful and sweet nieces!

Taylor showing William and Ryan a little pumpkin

Here are the awesome pumpkins that Taylor
and Anna picked out.

While the Dads fed all the kids dinner, Ashley and I snuck out for a pedicure. You forget how much you love that kind of stuff until you're sitting there in the chair getting your feet and calves rubbed. Oh man - it was great! Saturday night after we got all the kids to bed, we had a delicious steak dinner that Zack grilled for us and hung out on their new Southern Living-esque porch with a fire and football. It felt like fall and the porch was so comfortable and inviting. What a perfect October night!

On Sunday morning, we got up and got moving! We miraculously made it to the 8:45 church service and got to see Taylor sing in the children's choir. It was so sweet to see her up on stage singing! Right after church we got packed up and headed home. The drive home was gorgeous! In between naps (I'm the worst shotgun rider on a road trip because I can't stay awake!!!), I loved seeing the fall foliage and beautiful colors through the NC mountains. My camera was all the way in the back, so I couldn't take any pictures of how pretty it was.

We're home!

Ryan

William

Stokes

Thank you, Ashley and Zack, for hosting us in your beautiful home. You made it so warm and inviting and made it so easy for us. All 5 of us had so much fun and absolutely loved spending time with y'all! I need to give a HUGE shout out to Taylor and Anna. They are the best big cousins! They played with the boys and were a tremendous help. They entertained them the whole weekend and you can just tell how much the boys love them and are in awe of them.