Happy 13th Birthday Destiny

Destiny turned thirteen today. I realized the other night that she was growing up very quickly. She isn't a little girl but she isn't quite grown either. Caught somewhere in the middle between playgrounds and dolls and makeup and boys.

I found a picture of her last night from the year that she came to live with us. I can't believe how tiny she was. I don't think we saw how little she was because we had a one year old and a four year old and she seemed huge compared to them. When she came we thought she would be with us for four months, five years later and she is till here and very much a part of our family. Her cards this year said, "To our sister" and "To our daughter". Not to take anything away from her other family but she has become our family.

Her birthday was a bit quieter this year than last. The girls spent the morning finishing up chores and then spent all afternoon playing the Wii and hanging out together. We celebrated as a family and went to dinner and then came home to cake and ice cream and presents.

Birthday Girl!!

Makeup? You're going to let me wear makeup?

Lone Dawg fan in a house of Jackets

Her favorite color blue

Making her wish!!

Thanksgiving Memories

We took our 2nd annual Thanksgiving trip to Gatlinburg this year with our friend Heather and her girls. We had such a good time getting together last year and staying in a cabin that we decided to do it again.

I love being up in the mountains. It is such a relaxed time for all of us. No schedules, no pressure, no responsibility for cooking (Heather's way better than me and covers that department while we are up there), no rush to go after-Thanksgiving shopping. Instead it is lots of catching up, laughter, good food (that Heather cooks:), the girls playing with their friends, Bud getting to watch football uninterrupted and just plain relaxation.

Our gorgeous cabin for the weekend

Our living room, dining room area

The few from our back deck

The lower gazebo deck

The hot tub that Heather and I finally kicked the kids out of so we could get a few minutes of peace and quiet

Bud thought he had died and gone to heaven with this projection screen t.v. He would have slept down there if I would have let him.

The kids absolutely love this million pound (not really but I have no idea how much it weighs) piece of granite in front of the Ripley's museum that spins on a small amount of water. They could spend hours spinning it and getting soaked.

My three gifts all wrapped up under the Christmas tree display.

All five girls together. They are getting so big. Weren't we just celebrating Mack's and Abby's 2nd birthday last year?

David Tallent's illusion show. He is pulling half dollars out of Mack's ears.

Best friends since age 2. Such different personalities they are.

Trying to get a picture under the giant Christmas tree.

The girls got "hillbilly" teeth and Maddie wore hers all weekend, everywhere we went.

Maddie and Sydney. Maddie is a year younger and a foot taller. They are both short here because they are on their knees. Funny kids!

The two youngest in front of the lit Christmas tree

Sisters and friends

It is easy to get wrapped up in what we don't have or what's wrong with our lives. The truth is that we are incredibly blessed and grateful for everything. This trip allows us to step back from the busyness and realize just how much we have to be thankful for.