Artificial Cousins *just like the sweetner but better*

By the looks of them

You'd never guess


That 2 of them


Live 10 hours away!


They pick up


Right where they left off.

Everytime.

Like a never ending


Game of Monopoly


Their Love


Is that everlasting.


They will be

Friends Til the END

But it sure is hard to say goodbye.

Freedom Day Weekend: Dunlap Edition

A new tradition that's starting to take shape is a trip to Dunlap, TN for more

Fourth of July Festivities

Where is Dunlap you ask? Well it's about 30 minutes from Chattanooga in the Heart of the Sequatchie Valley. Hang-gliding capital of the US

My old college roomie and one of my best friends, Emily, has lots & lots of family in Dunlap. Her Dunlap is my Smithville. Emily and her family

(hubby B-Ri, 5 going on 15 daughter Gabriella and

2 almost 3 yr. old Mr. Owen...Brynn's future hubby)

moved to FL a few years back and I miss her sorely! She always makes the trip to Dunlap for the annual parade and the family gathering at her parents home. How could I let her get that close to me and not see her and those beautiful babies!!?? Well I can't so we make the trip to see them.

It's an hour and a half drive through the COUNTRY! And it's GORGEOUS! I'm really really diggin the TN backroads these days. We could take I-24 but who'd wanna do that!? We miss the parade but make it to the gathering. Let me just tell you. To get to her parents home you drive up a windy one lane road to the very last house on the left. They have a huge yard full of shade trees.

Josh & B-Ri enjoyin the day

There was a bounce house and it was B's first time.

Logan made a crazy face

Me, B & ever-lasting friend Emily

Porchiness

"Cousins ;)" gabi, b, maddy, owen & logan

Left Dunlap and headed to The Parkers for a bit and the to the hizzouse. The people around our neighborhood spend bookoos of $$ on fireworks that there's really no need in leaving! It's always quite a show from every direction.

This is how B felt about the explosions...a face only a mamas kiss can calm

Logan Helping

HAPPY 4TH!!

Freedom Day Weekend: Smithville Edition

We interrupt this regularly scheduled Canadian program to bring you
Fourth of July Festivities

There's a tradition round here. Fourth of July means visiting small towns. And.I.Mean.Small. Almost the entire Cantrell side (that's me) lives in Smithville. My dad made his escape early and never looked back. Fourth of July=Smithville Fiddlers Jamboree. Smithville is also the home to Center Hill Lake. A gorgeous lake whose banks and mountains remain intact thanks to a "No building docks from your lake house" rule. There are those few docks that have been "grandfathered" in but, for the most part, still intact.

Friday I packed the kids up and we headed out...Josh reeeaaaally wanted to go golfing so he wasn't with us. Now I've never really sat and watched the fiddlers/cloggers/square dancers but I'm told it's purdy amazing. I like the crafts! Lots and Lots of crafts! We did the craft thing and I got an awesome glass blown ball that's different colors and when hung in a window traps negative energy (pic of ball doesn't translate it's actual beauty). Logan got a reloadable rubber band gun and B got a dolly.

*Side Note Tradition
*My Mema and Pauline we're the best of friends back in the day. They went and did everything together, lived beside each other and their kids grew up together. My dad and Doreta (Pauline's daughter) are the same age. Doreta has a girl Rachel who's my age and a boy John Michael my brothers age. Most of Pauline's clan moved to Georgia many moons ago but they'd always make the Jamboree. Rachel & I would trade spending a week with each other in the summer. Some in TN, some in GA. Although Rach hasn't made it back in a while most of the other GA clan always does. Pauline passed a way probably 10 years ago and they're still coming back. I love getting to see them and sharing the stories with Logan. I love that he's old enough to hear and understand the stories. We had a brief history lesson on the way up...Cantrell family tree & Georgia peeps...we've got a rather large family and matching up who goes with who can be difficult. I'm just now understanding how much all of these things we did when i was a child mean to me and how much I want our kids to experience that.

After the Jamboree (Jubilee as Mema affectionately calls it) we went swimming at my cousins and then to the Blue Water Grill. A little restaurant on the edge of the lake that we OWN! No, not really but my cousin Ali is the bartender, my cousins Lee & Kevin cook and now my cousin Abby is the silverware folder/gopher. So yeah, we pretty much own it. We were all enjoying some yummy yummy food on the lake and look how cute the kiddos are





Then this happened:




Little Sista is gonna have a TIME growing up! It was hilarious! I have probably 10 pics of this event and she didn't care one bit that she was sitting there with MoHawk Head. People IN the restaurant were pointing & laughing.

One More Small Town Event to Come

Summer Vacations

Tomorrow Josh & I will be leaving on a jet plane bright and early in the morn to here:

Whistler, British Columbia

Thank you to Dell's COE program we are going here for FREE! What's paid for you ask...flight, hotel, 2 activities of our choice and all meals (except 2 I think). I love free. Our last COE was to Hawaii about 3 years ago and it was unbelieveable!

Whistler is about an hour and a half from Vancouver nestled between the Blackcomb Mountains. Sounds dreamy right? We will be staying here:

The Fairmont Chateau

Nestled at the base of Blackcomb Mountain, The Fairmont Chateau Whistler defines mountain luxury. With true ski-in and ski-out convenience and on-site golf course, the classic elegance of this landmark Whistler hotel offers a modern alpine setting for unsurpassed guest service, exceptional dining and full resort amenities.

(description courtesy of Fairmont website)

Although we won't be there during prime-time ski weather we will have many outdoor adventures to conquer. While I'm doing this:

ZipTrek Eco Tours

Josh (he's terrified of heights) will be doing this:

Golf at the Fairmont

Then we will both do this one day:

White Water Rafting (hence my new Chacos)

Our free day will be spent exploring the quaint little town. Modeled after a Swiss Alpine Village, The Whistler Village is closed off to car traffic so we can stroll comfortably along cobblestone paths. (description courtesy of Dell trip GuideBook)

Obviously it will not be snowy while we're there.

I will miss our kids terribly but know they are in good hands. This trip wouldn't be possible without our family and I'm thankful. Breaks are needed and good quality time with Josh will be rewarding.

I hope to blog while I'm there but not sure if it will happen. I may be to enthralled with this Canadian town they call Whistler. The day after our return the kids and I are meeting cousins in Destin. PHEW!

Here's to Summers, Vacations, Dell, Canadians and Après

(all photos courtesy of Google Image)