Our vacation

my2monkeyboys wrote: We went to a small town called Maggie Valley, NC this past weekend for a vacation. We haven't been anywhere in 5 years so we were really, really, really, really excited!

We visited larger cities around us but stayed in the smaller town. We got to do a ton of great things with the boys, like panning for gemstones (we found quite a bit and I was able to get 2 of them, the boys' birthstones, cut and polished). We also for to feed some bears and have our picture taken with a baby grizzly. She was SO strong! I could hardly hold on to her!
Later that same day we went for a helicopter ride - it was AWESOME!!! I'm afraid of heights, as in even a step ladder, but that was the coolest thing! Just fantastic!
DH and I also got to do a wine tasting, which is funny bc neither of us like it. But, amazingly enough we found one we did like and bought our first ever bottle of wine!lol:
There was a huge creek running right behind our room and a smaller one one the front that we played in a bit. We also did a little shopping. Great fun was had by all!
Here are a few pix we took.

Will in the creek


One of the bears we fed - Will had thrown the apple into his pool!


scenery from the helicopter


Back on the ground!


Will next to the pilot


Waylon in garb made by the Cherokee Indian tribe. We say he is now Chief Way-Way of the Chunk-a-monk Tribe!

mckayleesmom replied: awww...Chief way way is adorable. You all look like you had a great time. You are so pretty..I don't think I have seen a picture of you before.

Do you have any pictures with the bear cub? I got to take a picture when I was about 20 holding a tiger cub that was only a few days old...exciting.

my2monkeyboys replied: I do have one, but it's a print so I'll have to scan it in. Thanks for the compliment -- but I need to lose about 20 pre-baby pounds! I'm working on it though!

my2monkeyboys replied: Here's the baby bear picture - not the best quality - sorry!
She is a 3 months old silver-tipped grizzly and already so strong it was hard to hold her still. She'll weigh in at around 1000 lbs one she hits 2 years! So cute though! Her fur was very course and thick, and you can see how big her claws already are!

A&A'smommy replied: awwww those pictures are AWESOME!!!! Looks like you guys had a fantastic time

luvmykids replied: Looks like a fantastic vacation! Sounds like it was about time, too, and you look great!

Calimama replied: Looks so fun!!! You guys are a beautiful family!

mom21kid2dogs replied: ! That bear cub is ADORABLE!!!

redchief replied: I'm jealous. It looks like a great vacation!

Swood75 replied: Sounds and looks like y'all had fun..Did you end up going to Cherokee?? We usually go every summer and go to the bear zoo..We used to go to the fun park and play putt-putt just about all day for one price LOL..But they closed it down for some reason..

CantWait replied: Those are AMAZING pictures. Looks like you guys had a fantastic time, thanks for sharing.

MommyToAshley replied: What a great vacation!! Looks like everyone had a blast. And, I agree, you are beautiful. I don't think I've seen a picture of you before either.

coasterqueen replied: Looks like an awesome vacation! I love the pic of you all with the bear. Who cool!!!

my2monkeyboys replied: Yes, Shawna, we did go to Cherokee.... that's where we had the pic with the bear cub made, in fact. I used to go there as a little girl, so now I have to take my kids, too!

We used to go to Ghost Town in Maggie Valley when I was little, too, but it wasn't open for the season yet.

I have to say it was one of the funnest vacations I've ever had.

mckayleesmom replied: That is such a cute Bear picture of you all....

Danalana replied: Wow, that sounds like such a fun time and I love the pictures! The bear cub is SO cute, and I love how you are holding it like a proud mother showing off her baby

my2monkeyboys replied: It was the only way I COULD hold her. If I let her stand on her 4 feet she'd run and flip over, trying to grab my hand, which I definitely did NOT want! She had extremely strong paws/legs, so I can only imagine how strong her jaws are already! She was VERY cute, though!!