Smokey Mountains 2016

We attending our 2nd Watson family trip. This year we ventured to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, TN. We left Iowa on Tuesday 12th at 5:30 AM.  Stayed the night in Georgetown KY.  Wednesday we got up and drove to Knoxville to walk around UofT's campus. Gorgeous campus! We were lucky enough to get to walk in and see the football (Neyland) stadium . It holds 102,455. Pretty big stadium (of course bigger deal to Wes).  We then arrived in Gatlinburg later afternoon. My parents had rented a 5 bedroom house in the Smokey Mountains. It fit the 14 of us perfectly!

 

Some highlights of the trip were:

White Water Rafting

Playing in the white water streams

Dolly Parton's Lumberjack show

Hiking in the Smokey Mountains

Shopping in Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge

Seeing a black bear

Playing with cousins

Girls and I ate dessert at Melting Pot

Spent 26+ hours in the car

Drove 1,762 miles round trip

Counted 39 out of 50 state license plates

 

We left TN on Sunday 17th at 5:15 AM. Hannah slept the 1st 7.5 hrs of the trip!  Man she was tired! Both girls did awesome on the way home and even the way down. We all stayed up late every night and were busy during the day! Vacation took a toll on Hannah! 

 

 IJ and Hannah

 Papa, Vada and Nana

 V and Haydn matching t-shirts

 Smokey Mountains

 Group Shot

 Dolly Parton Dinner Show

 3 sisters

 Porter, Vada, Stella and Haydn

 girls at Neyland Stadium

 Neyland Stadium

 fog leaving Gatlinburg Sunday morning

captured this on our way to TN!!

Hannah, Haydn and Stella 

 Isla and Vada

 black bear

 cousins found a turtle

 this was the backseat on our way home from vacation

 grandkids, nana and papa

 

We had a wonderful trip!!  Thanks Nana and Papa!! 

American Gothic and Herbert Hoover Library

Kayren, the kids and I headed east today. It was a fun day outing. First stop was Eldon, IA were the worlds famous backdrop of Grant Wood's painting American Gothic stands. It was fun to dress up in costume and take our pictures. 

 Next stop was Herbert Hoover's Museum/Library. I thought this was very interesting, he accomplished quite a bit in his lifetime.

below- mug shots of the kids!

 Hoover's birth home- 2 rooms

Thanks for asking us to tag along today, Kayren! It was a fun day!

DCG Track Meet

Girls participated in their second track meet today @ North High School. Haydn ran the 100 meter, 200 meter and 4x4. Hannah ran 400 and 800 meter. It was a beautiful day for track. Last meet we wore winter coats and gloves. Today was nice and sunny. I got a little too much sun. Forgot to reapply!

1st day/last day of school 2015-16

Forgot to do my comparison pictures. The start of 4th and 6th grade to the last day of 4th and 6th grade.  And Hannah wins the prize of changing the most!!!!

Hannah's track and field day

Hannah had her track/field day today. She ran the 400, 800 and 4x1.  She also ran the 100 meter dash with another 6 grade boy. Next year being in 7th grade she will be in "peer group" which means a group of students help the special needs classmates. For every 3rd PE class of Hannah's she will instead go to PE with the special needs. Helping them in PE and maybe other things throughout the school year. She will also go to the Special Olympics in the spring as well with this group. She had to have 2 teachers recommend her to help out with these students next year. What an honor for Hannah to be part of this. Glad they intertwine these students all together.

 

 

 

it was so fun to see this track/field day. All 6th graders were down on the infield and they were ALL cheering on everybody. They would all run from side to side of the field cheering on friends and classmates.

 

Last Day of School 2015-16

The girls last day of school was today, June 1st.  Hannah finished 6th grade. She will still be in the same building next year but can go out for middle school sports. She is going to try cross country in the fall.

 notice the creeper in the window

 last day of 4th grade for Haydn. She will be on the same bus next year with Hannah going to Dallas Center.

 Haydn and her teacher Mrs Kinnick