All Three of my Grandchildren

So our trip went like this:

• Waterwater rafting and tubing in the Smokey Mountains (Rick, twins, Tyler, Jasmine, Me, Felicia's crew)
• Visit with family in northern IN (Jasmine, me, Jessica and River)
• Down to central IN to meet up with my step daughter and her family
• Cincinnati for International Christian Retail Show (Jessica and River and Jasmine and I went to Cincinnati for the night, but then Jessica and River went on home)
• Chattanooga (Just Jasmine and I)

Here are some photos from our time with my step daughter Ashley and her family.

My son in law Mike meeting River for the first time

River changed clothes and went right back to Mike.

He is like the baby whisperer or something.

Mike and River with Griffin and Phoenix

Here's the whole crew that was there, minus me because I'm taking the picture. Ashley and Mike with River. Griffin and Jasmine in the back. Phoenix, Morgan and Jessica in the front. Morgan is Mike's sister and lived with them last school.

My three grandchildren,Griffin,Phoenix and River

re enacting a swing photo--but not authentically because she was sitting on my lap in the one in 1988. 

Ashley, her husband Mike, their children Phoenix and Griffin, and Mike's sister Morgan.

 Jessica and Ashley with River. She is a (half) niece to Ashley and cousin to the others, except Morgan, but Morgan doesn't realize so when she's with Ashley, I treat her as though she is one of the grands.

While we were there, Rick was taking Kayla to camp:

Jasmine and I should be home today.

If you haven't already, please like my face book author page and you'll see what was involved at ICRS.

More Vacation--Photo Overload

There's a lot I've skipped, but to save you all serious overload, I'm going to jump to the last couple of days of NC.

A writer friend lives in northern GA and decided to drive up and join us for breakfast. So we did bacon and eggs on the grill and pancakes in the girl's cabin. Our cabin did not  have a stove.

Young adult author Diana Sharples who wrote Running Lean. You can read an interview with her on my website or On my blog for teens.

The last night Felicia's crew was here, we grilled in the fire circle.

The next day Felicia's crew left. Our family went into Bryson for a little while.

We had a late night swim because it was our last night.

I threw pennies and quarters for them to find (in a creek/river with a strong current :) )

While we were there, Rick grilled some steak and also grilled the "hobos" the kids made with meat and veggies Felicia left behind. I can only find one photo of that!

The next morning Rick, Tyler and the twins headed home  (Kaleb was supposed to go with Jasmine and me but showed us through behaviors that he needed to return home with Rick), while Jasmine and I headed to northern IN to my mom's. Jessica drove up to meet us there.

River with my mom--Great Grandma Sims

We tried for a four generation picture but I don't think we got exactly what we had in mind. Pretty true life though.

River with my sister, Great Aunt Lou (Mary Lou)

Jasmine and I hanging out

Breakfast with Rick's parents, Great Grandpa and Grandma Cassel

We only there a few days. Four of us who went to school together got together. In a weird coincidence my childhood best friend was out of town the days we came to visit!! We didn't realize that was going to happen in time to change dates. The NC reservations had to be made the beginning of January. They fill up that fast.

The last night we had a little celebration for River. Kind of a meet River/celebrate six months a little early.

I'm going to end here to avoid picture coma!