Anniversary Weekend

We headed back to the mountains this weekend to celebrate our anniversary properly (sans kiddo and other family). Only problem being a trip with just the two of us didn't allow for much more than another  'self-portrait' when we finally remembered on Sunday.

Saturday we spent just shopping (after an amazing breakfast at Tupelo Honey).  We talked about the Biltmore or hiking but decided we have been joking about a 'shopping spree' for awhile (Eric was in desperate need of new clothes) and I wasn't in much shape to go hiking all weekend. I also wasn't in much shape to spend my $ on new clothes so I shopped for baby girl's nursery (so fun!!  can't wait to get it all done and show you) and YARN!!  We found the cutest town and greatest yarn shop I've been to in years in Black Mnt, NC.
I hate to admit that we rented a cabin for the weekend and in our rush didn't check the 'amenities'.  - BAD IDEA!!  Its the Saturday of the Clemson (#3) v. FSU (#5) game and we don't have a TV in our cabin.  Luckily we worked out staying at my uncles cabin not too far away - unluckily it wasn't a good game and really ugly for us Clemson fans.
We comforted ourselves with AMAZING apple cider donuts the next morning and all was right with the world again :)

It was freezing!!  41 degrees so we decided just to head home and get back to our little man!  We had a great time celebrating our anniversary and mommy enjoyed her first weekend away in two years.

Apples - Year 5!!

Well, the first time we went to the mountains to celebrate our anniversary and picked apples I didn't realize how much of a tradition it would become.  We have gone from a self portrait of the two of us, to a family two (with a dog), to a family of three, and now a family of three with one on the way! Its so fun to watch our family grow and change and enjoy a tradition like this year after year.

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3 (expecting little e)

Year 4 - first year w. a baby and no new hand knits - ha!

Year 5 - still no new hand knits :) - and expecting #2

We expanded the tradition after year one to include my cousin and his family.  They live as far from the NC orchard as we do - in the other direction so its a great reason and place to meet.  This year they have a puppy (and two growing kids) and we enjoyed our time with them.

Little e really enjoyed picking apples

My boys

You can get better ones when daddy helps!

The kiddos!!  Love it!

My cousin and his fam

Even though we don't technically go over our anniversary weekend anymore - we still like the idea that its an 'anniversary' tradition and how appropriate to see our family growth captured at the same time every year celebrating our marriage!

Anniversary Apple Picking

This is again playing catch-up, but three weekends ago we travelled to Knoxville to visit my cousin and his family (and see their awesome new house) and they loaded us up with AMAZING hand me down baby stuff.  Eric's truck is literally full to the brim with things such as swings, bouncy seats, highchairs, toys, linens etc etc.  The list goes on and on.  I looked at the registry last night and *somehow* we still need alot of stuff.  Its AMAZING what all a itty bitty thing could require!

Anyway, after filling our truck up with baby goodies we headed to the mountains with Ned, Angie and the kids and shared our annual anniversary apple picking trip with them again this year.  Eric and Hadley made the ultimate apple picking team again this year and vowed to leave no apple 'out of their reach' and that was pretty close to true.

Tripp really got the hang of picking apples this year and was ADORABLE - including riding in his wagon eating his apple.

There was plenty of adult craziness going on...

Anniversary pictures...

and general fun pictures...

 as well as PERFECT family photos...

 We left with a 'normal' amount of apples (ha ha ha!) and great memories once again...

U-Pick Apples!!

After many other wonderful things on our mountain trip - we also found a u-pick apple patch in Hendersonville before we went home! We had a GREAT time - and the weather was finally sunny and a teeeny bit warmer.


Eric was so happy and excited he was literally skipping through the apple trees!


Stepp's ws a really pretty place - up a bit higher in the mountains with a great view. We went in search of the regional fave - the winesaps (staymans) again. Success!


There were even some low enough for us 'little' people to pick!


We had quite a bit of success with the apples (and I love this picture!)


So then we headed off to the u-pick pumpkin patch part of the farm. (Eric was literally in heaven at all the u-pick! lol!) - and how gorgeous !!


We had success in the pumpkin department too (well after walking the length of several rows of pumpkins to 'make sure' we had the best ones).


Finally we took our wagon full of pumpkins, basket full of apples and life full of happy - home. Man, we had a great weekend!


Hope you did too!