The Justice Family Does the Dixie Stampede

If ever in Pigeon Forge, Myrtle Beach or Branson ... this is a show you should really see!

Our family (each and every one of us that were down in TN) all went out for dinner and a show the last night we were down there. We went to Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede where we ate with our fingers, drank real southern sweet tea from a Mason jar, united as Confederates (though most of us claim the south as our homeland anyways), and saw a very impressive show!

The show was hilarious and impressive! Rylee loved the Southern Belles in their dresses (especially when they lit up) and Macee had eyes glued to the area the whole time in awe of the horses!

Kelsey, in her cowboy boots, ready to head to the stampede!
Rylee, at the pre-show, playing with the goods Aunt Jamie put in our 'Restaurant Survival Pack!'
The girls and I at the Dixie Stampede pre-show...we all looked drugged up!

Dad and Adam

What does Adam have in his boot mug? Beer? Nope, no alcohol served in this establishment!

(I know, impressive!)

Haylee and Hally

Hally was really liking the music they played during the pre-show! She might grow up to be a banjo player!

REAL SOUTHERN SWEET TEA drank from a MASON JAR!!!

Fast Track Fun

Anyone for teacups?

We took the little kids to a place called Fast Track in Pigeon Forge one afternoon. They had a few kiddie rides for them to enjoy. I wasn't quite sure that Rylee would be a fan of the idea - she has a tendency to get very intimidated by things like this. She totally surprised me and was all about riding the fun rides with all of her cousins! Macee, on the other hand, wasn't interested. She rode a race car ride with me, but she wasn't impresed (there is a pic...but all you see is me, as she is hidden in my lap!)!

Rylee getting on a ride with Thad!
Cooper, Rylee, Macee, and I about to ride the teacups - posing with the guy who works there (strange....)!

Macee was in my lap for this ride also - hince why you cannot see her!

The second time we rode, I rode with Cooper cause Rylee was old enough to ride by herself, but he wasn't...the kid was CRACKING ME UP! He kept saying it was making him crazy and then right in the middle he started talking about lunch, all the while we're spinning like crazy round and round!

(See, a great memory that I will forever have!)

Jamie was nominated to ride this ride with the kids! I'm wondering why I got to ride the one that spun round and round and she got the easy one?

I guess Rylee is slowly overcoming the fear factor! This makes me happy because I want my kids to have fun and enjoy things like this in life!

Swim Time

The little kids wanted to go swimming one evening and so we took them down to the cabin rental's pool. It was a bit chilly for swimming, but really, what do kids care? Well, what do most kids care...mine care a lot! Macee didn't get in at all and it took Rylee forever to finally get in! I don't blame her though, I was all about staying dry myself!

Rylee - thinking about getting in the pool with the rest of the kids.
Macee chose to sit out and supervise! Too cold for her!

Rylee eased her way in and finally was in the water - I don't believe she ever went under though!

Cousins - making memories together!

Sidewalk Chalking = Cheap Entertainment!

We spent some time decorating the front walk area of our cabin one afternoon! We got out the sidewalk chalk and made lots of fun drawings!

The gang outside drawing!
Dad's drawing of his FedEx truck!

Adam's the Pepsi Man and there is his truck!

Hally was either watching Rylee draw or contemplating which color chalk she was going to eat next!

She chose blue!

Hally and her daddy!

She would take her finger and dig it into the chalk, then start at her mouth and swipe her chalk covered finger across her face!

She's beautiful - chalk and all!

Thad joined us - he is showing me his drawing of him and Rylee :)

One of Thad's drawings - him and Rylee! Rylee is on the left and Thad is on the right!

Ripley's Aquarium - Gatlinburg, TN

One of our adventures while in Gatlinburg was the Ripley's Aquarium! It was great fun for kids of all ages! They had sea creatures of all sorts, some in small tanks and others in a huge tank that you could actually walk under! The tank that you could go under, you were actually able to see the fish, sharks, sting rays and turtles swimming all around you! It was absolutely amazing!

Nina and the girls checking out some fish - in a small tank!
These catfish just sort of hung out. It was like they weren't the ones on display, we were! These 3 remind me of a trio of tenors - like they are about to sing us a song! (I know, geeky!)

A sting ray swimming over us! How often do you have that happen?

A shark swimming over us!

This was so awesome!

Macee and Pepaw looking at a huge tank full of fishies - lil' Hal running all over the place!

Macee looked so small against this huge tank! It was great to see the girls amazement and wonderment!

Thad - he's a scuba man!

Look at this strange creature!

This is Thad up inside a tank full of mini sea horses!

Thad and Rylee swimming around!

:)

Watching all the fish swimming around wore Macee out! She zonked out on Kelsey towards the end of the aquarium tour!

A Justice Family Vacation - Gatlinburg 2009

Most of the Justice family was able to go down (or up) to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg, TN for a family vacation/reunion/celebration! We all met and stayed in a great cabin inside Pigeon Forge, The Big Bear Lodge (The lodge was complete with arcade games, hot tub, air hockey table, and LOTS of loud kids!)!

It was so great to have the time we all had together and make the memories we made! It's times like these that one day, we'll all be able to reflect back on and smile!

Thanks to Jamie for planning and preparing a great trip!

(More blogs on trip to follow!)

The Princess Runway

We love having the Madster over for playdates! The girls always have so much fun together! This past time the girls put on a runway show once they got all dressed up! Maddie was Cinderella, Rylee was Sleeping Beauty, and Macee was Belle (at least that is what Rylee and Maddie told her she was!)!

The princesses strinking a pose before their runway show!
Our hallway became a runway - I got to the be the announcer!
First, Sleeping Beauty!

Here's my lil' princess, Belle! She loves playing with her big sister and her "Ma-ie!"

The end of the show!

Check out Macee's pose!

Happy 4th of July!

We celebrated the 4th of July with our neighbors...and friends! We all headed down to downtown Jeffersonville yesterday morning for a parade! Then after naps, they all came over for a cookout, fireworks, and euchre!

The girls were NOT fans of the fireworks. Rylee did, however, go from running into the house each time to actually standing outside while they were being shot off! There was quite a show over our neighborhood with some really great fireworks!

Rylee and Macee waiting on the parade!
Rylee, not wanting her picture taken...surprising huh?

Macee, our little firecracker!

Macee and Rylee hanging out in the garage while the fireworks were being shot off. They weren't fans...

We put in a movie for the kids to watch while we all played cards ou in the garage...I came in to check on them and this is how I found Rylee and Macee the first time!

When I came in to check on them another time, this is how they were!

They were ZONKED out! Rylee doesn't even remember me waking her up to change her clothes and clean her foot!

We had a great 4th of July, despite the gloomy weather! It's a great thing to be able to celebrate your independence with great friends!

Going to the Doctors

Macee had her 2 year well-child check-up last week. I was trying to get the girls out the door and into the van so we could actually get there on time, but had to snap a pic. of Macee before we left! She was ready to go with her necklace, bracelet, purse full of goods, a camera, cereal and her Snow White dress up shoes!

Did I let her wear the shoes out? You betcha! I am learning to pick my battles...and this is one that I didn't have time for, nor wanted to have! I packed an extra pair of shoes in my bag for her for if we needed them.

We take the elevator up to the 4th floor of the medical building to get to our Peds. office. Of course, we rode up with one of the doctor's witin the office, Dr. Boel, who was very impressed with Macee's ability to wear heels so delicately, at such a young age!

Pretty Princess Daddy?

The girls have this Sleeping Beauty dress up game. The game has 4 sets of jewelry...one set for each player. You spin the dial, move your princess to that number of spaces, put on the piece of jewelry that's on that spot. Once you get all the jewlery and you land on the crown, you win!

Now, you won't catch a lot of guys playing such game...unless he's a DADDY...of PRINCESSES!

Daddy won!

Doesn't he make a pretty princess?
Rylee, with a lot of the pieces on!

Rylee, Macee, and Daddy playing the princess game!

Macee Louise turns 2!

Seriously? Macee is 2! It's so hard to believe!

Marty was out of town on Macee's birthday at a conference. So, the girls and I headed up to Edinburgh to meet my Mom, Haylee, and Hally! We ate lunch and then did a little shopping at the outlet mall! Rylee and I sang 'Happy Birthday' to Macee and we had some cupcakes. Then when Marty got home, we celebrated with him on Sunday!

Macee with her cupcake. She wasn't fond of the candle!
The birthday cake I made for Macee!
Homemade cakes are the best!

Lighting the candles, Macee getting a little freaked out!

Not excited about it...at all!

We hurried thru 'Happy Birthday,' but it wasn't fast enough for Macee...

Me trying to coax her to blow out the candles...her picking her nose!

I finally blew them out for her!

Happy 2nd Birthday Macee Louise! We are so blessed to have you in our lives, you don't make for a dull moment...EVER! We love you!