07 April 2013, Sunday

This week is our spring break and Adam’s parents came to visit. We all drove to Asheville, NC (to see Biltmore) and then to Pigeon Forge, TN as a mini-vacation. We stopped at the Ocanaluftee Mountain Farm Museum and Visitor Center, where the kids were able to tag along on a local school field trip and do some actual blacksmithing.

Our first day in Asheville, North Carolina – where we visited Biltmore and the surrounding area.

We toured the mansion just as it opened, and then spent the rest of the day on the grounds hiking, eating, shopping and just poking around in general.  The weather was fantastic this weekend; cool in the mornings rising to almost-too-hot in the afternoon.

This is Holden while Mama, two sisters, and a grandma go shopping. We have enough photos of “Bored Traveling Holden” to fill a whole album. Bottom line, it’s tough to be a boy in a largely female world.

08 April 2013, Monday

On the second day of our vacation, it was our intent to take the long route between stops and drive up through the Great Smoky Mountain National Park – up and over the mountains via a circuitous, slow and picturesque route.

Not long after we entered the park, electronic signs alerted us to the fact that, due to a landslide that occurred in the mountains in January, the road was blocked and we would not be able to get to Tennessee via this route.

We would have to backtrack down the way we came and drive around the mountains. Before we did this, however, we stopped at an old, restored farm in the park that was maintained for educational purposes – to show how farms in this area in the 19th century were organized and functioned.

The highlight of the day for the kids was to be allowed to build their own dinner bell triangles at the working smithy.

09 April 2013, Tuesday

On our third day, we enjoyed the gorgeous weather in eastern Tennessee.

The day started with some horseback riding on a trail in the foothills. Grandma and Grandpa stayed behind, but the five of us got a chance to get sore in the form of amusement.

This was the first trail ride for all three kids. The horses were amazing, and our trail guide, Nevada (the girl in the black hat) was also fantastic.

Initially Josie was pretty nervous about the 45 minute trail ride, but immediately started having so much fun she forgot to be scared. This horse’s name was Rosie.

Afterwards, we visited a petting zoo with over 100 different species of animals. Being a Tuesday after their spring break week, we had the place to ourselves and the kids (and Grandma) had a blast feeding the animals.

Holden loved the attention until the deer realized he was out of food. Then it got just a little bit “Tippy Hedren and the birds.” This is my favorite photo from the entire trip. (And for the record, the deer were very gentle, even when the food ran out.)

Time to head back home!